Team-BHP - Maruti Suzuki to launch new Van based on Versa

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Originally Posted by romeomidhun (Post 1386850)

Landy will definitely cost around 6-7 lakhs. That makes the NDTV news wrong in price factor (3.5 lakhs).

BTW, Landy looks very cool and spacious. Will definitely be a superhit if it comes with a diesel engine.

Please, not again with the same 1.3 FIAT engine. Put in a 1.6L diesel monster and give it a 100+ BHP with enough goodies inside. Maruti, are u listening to me? stupid:

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Originally Posted by romeomidhun (Post 1385755)

No chance! The current Omni itself is front-heavy (or is it just an illusion?), making it looking like going for a nose dive while on move. A heavier engine will only add to that feeling. Only a bigger-wider tyre will add stability to Omni.

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Originally Posted by aaggoswami (Post 1385993)

I believe that adding a heavier engine in Omni will spoil its dynamics further. Currently, the nose heaviness is present. I have driven this car and after the M800, the steering was direct, but I was simply too scared to cross 70.

Do you believe or do you know for sure? The engine in the Omni sits behind the driver and the weight distribution is more rear biased compared to most FWD cars.

Secondly the K10 is an aluminum block and is most probably lighter than the F8.

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Originally Posted by Mpower (Post 1387456)

Do you believe or do you know for sure? The engine in the Omni sits behind the driver and the weight distribution is more rear biased compared to most FWD cars.

My thoughts: The engine in Omni is right under the driver's seat, and the driver sits right above the front tyre. That means the driving person's weight is also centered towards the front side. (But in other cars, driver sits well behind the front tyre).

Add to that the weight of the (front and side) glasses and extra metal parts accumulated to the front part due to the van-design. But in other cars, these things are towards the back side.

These 2 things make Omni a front-heavy vehicle.

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Originally Posted by Mpower (Post 1387456)

Secondly the K10 is an aluminum block and is most probably lighter than the F8.

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Originally Posted by Technocrat (Post 1387497)

I guess being a RWD also helps, right?

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Originally Posted by romeomidhun (Post 1387543)

These 2 things make Omni a front-heavy vehicle.

1) The engine is not exactly over the front wheels but just after that IMHO. Havent worked on it off late.

2) The driver sits right above the engine. Dad loves this design. I hate it.

3) RWD never helps. Its only the more direct steering that helps, nothing else. The cars track is too narrow to swallow more power and torque. After driving M800, this feels scary, but the direct steering give some confidence.

4) As far as my reading goes, the motor of A-star weighs in at 47kg dry.

Maruti must be sensible enough to come up with something based on Versa or even the current Wagon R platform. But not Omni.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Technocrat (Post 1387497)

I guess being a RWD also helps, right?

Yes it does, beause the weight of the diff, prop, driveshafts and the gearbox is more towards the rear.

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Originally Posted by aaggoswami (Post 1387559)

3) RWD never helps. Its only the more direct steering that helps, nothing else. The cars track is too narrow to swallow more power and torque.

After driving M800, this feels scary, but the direct steering give some confidence.

RWD never helps??? could you please substantiate your statement. And what exactly is direct steering and how is it different from in-direct steering..and how does it help with nosedive.

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Originally Posted by romeomidhun (Post 1387543)

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Originally Posted by romeomidhun (Post 1387583)

Sorry for posting again.

Compare Omni and 800 pictures, and you will get how the cabin-forward design of Omni makes it front-heavy.

Well Mithun you are right that the passenger is towards the front of the vehicle (that is fixed) but this discussion is about replacing the F8 with K10. The engine sits low and aft of the front wheels and making it heavier will lower the CG and make it more stable. In a typical FWD car the engine hangs in front of the front wheels and therefore will have a more severe effect.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mpower (Post 1387977)

RWD never helps??? could you please substantiate your statement. And what exactly is direct steering and how is it different from in-direct steering..and now does it help with nosedive.

I have driven this car and could not find it confidence inspiring in comparison to M800. The dynamics were not very good, I mean at reasonable speeds the car is not as stable as M800.

Theorotically RWD might be helpful, but to me, I found out that RWD in Omni is not so helpful in stability matters.

Direct steering : From this I meant that steering is quite direct in action and feel as compared to M800. I have not heard of indirect steering. But Omni has a steering that is more direct than M800. It helps in giving some confidence.

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Originally Posted by aaggoswami (Post 1387559)

3) RWD never helps. Its only the more direct steering that helps, nothing else.

Aggo, that's a shocking thing to say!
All the best cars are STILL being made RWD. Front wheel drive is just a cost cutting exercise!

And when you go to the bad, unpaved roads in the hills, you'll realize another shocking trait of FWD cars - they throw small stones and gravel at their own underbellies with a vengeance that is positively scary, apart from being very loud! Almost like having gone into a self-destruct mode! :D

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Originally Posted by anupmathur (Post 1388087)

A BMW might be good, but not Omni that is what I can tell you from my experience. In 8-seater version, a lot of load was concentrated on front rather than rear when the car was fully loaded. The front end being more loaded was never experienced by me at that time ( I had just got license ). Omni's wheelbase is not sufficient IMO to get full benefits of RWD. May be my comments for this car are a bit odd because when I drove that car, I was a newbie driver, not as experienced as I am now. But any given day, I am not comfortable driving this car.

About FWD cars throwing stones, etc., sometimes on slippery surface its nice to floor the pedal and feel those spinning wheels.

@aaggoswami- My statement was in continuation to what Mpower said earlier & he got it right. What I meant was that having a middle-front engine With RWD helps in weight distribution which Mpower has mentioned in detail in post#83.

We had an Omni for 5 years & we had a totally satisfactory ownership experience. The car if shodded with radial & good profile tyres handles quite well for its shape & size.

Anyways coming back to topic, the K10 motor I believe would do good being a lighter & more powerful motor, my only doubt is the high revving nature of the K10 which might not be suitable for the Omni. I hope they tweak it before plonking in the Omni.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Technocrat (Post 1388422)

1) @aaggoswami- My statement was in continuation to what Mpower said earlier & he got it right. What I meant was that having a middle-front engine With RWD helps in weight distribution which Mpower has mentioned in detail in post#83.

2) Anyways coming back to topic, the K10 motor I believe would do good being a lighter & more powerful motor, my only doubt is the high revving nature of the K10 which might not be suitable for the Omni. I hope they tweak it before plonking in the Omni.

1) May be I was too inexpericed to drive Omni. Sorry again for my posts then.

2) But then can the charge 3.5 lakh for it ? I dont think that any one will buy the car then not atleast to be used as private vehicle. K10 with Omni for 3.5 lakh is not a good deal then.