Premier Rio Weds Maruti Suzuki Swift
He has had his days of glory and undivided attention. Born in China, living in India with a different name; meet our Mr Charming- the Premier Rio. Let’s talk a little about this young, eligible bachelor. He is supporting his elderly father, Premier Auto Company, like how every ideal Indian son is expected to do. He has faced months of shutterbugs, TV reviews, articles on his grand debut in the Indian auto market.
But, things for young man Rio have turned cold now, just like an estranged lover’s heart.
Did I just say lover? And that is my cue to introduce lad Rio’s lady love- Ms Maruti Suzuki Swift.
Her curvaceous body (read-bulky) gives a vivid idea of very popular North Indian conception- “We’re not fat, we come from a well to-do (to-eat, actually) family.”
He likes her for her looks and the space she offers. How she manages the family budget brilliantly, with an excellent mileage, leaves his eyes wide open. Six months’ waiting period for delivery makes him swell with pride, because he’s her man!
Ask her what makes him so special, and her broad headlamps shrink as she blushes away. He is different from the rest of them, she says. When those bad boy SUVs swing from left to right on their ladder frame, his compact SUV self makes her turn towards her best friend, Lady Ritz, and say- “Aww, isn’t he cute!”
The gallant entry he makes on the corners makes her heart skip a beat. His build quality forms dreamy clouds over her head, content of which is not suitable to be written here.
But, just like any other happy couple, even Rio and Swift have their share of arguments. There exists a list of things they would like to change about each other.
Where Swift keeps herself manicured and padicured with a fancy dash, Rio believes in simple living and high thinking. Her top notch plastic quality and upholstery show her liking for designer labels. Rio, on the other hand, still likes to wear his grandfather’s old coat. Lady Ritz told her about how one can judge a gentleman by his shoes. Since then, Swift has been after Rio’s life to change his Kenda Clever and buy something nice like Bridgestones or Apollos.
Looks like a pauper meets a princess story to me.
Rio, our humble man has only one complaint. With the increasing number of his beloved’s replica on the roads, it becomes difficult for him to keep an eye on his angel. Very valid point there, I agree. Rio’s scariest nightmare is getting caught with one of her lady’s replica.
Enough of peeping through the key-hole, I say. Let Mr Rio and Ms Swift have a happy date at the workshop while we fantasize about other such couples.
Oh! Before I forget and before Mr Rio spots that I have been fiddling with Ms Swift’s central locking system, making her flash and sing after every 30 seconds, I must share this gossip with you.
The star couple has been planning to adopt a kid. It’s the Nissan Micra, I’ve heard.
Oh my God! I see Mr Rio running at his top speed of 150 kmph towards me. I think he caught me. But my top speed is not even 10 kmph!
I am so dead! :(
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Jive-aani Deewani
New TVS Jive
Qualifying for your dream job without undergoing the trauma of hitting your head against High School Mathematics, driving the finest cars made in the history of carkind without struggling to get the half clutch and then accelerate mantra right and looking drop-dead gorgeous even in a pair of grubby jeans and worn out T-shirt. Is that your idea of ‘hassle free’? If not, then what is?
I had a hassle free morning some time back. Early morning roads in the capital are nothing better than a bunch of chickens let loose. Reaching school on time tops the priority list of the parents (still in their funny night suits), bus and cab drivers (honk honk, I pay more road tax. So, let me go!) and pedestrians (kids being pulled by the nannies like a little pup in leash). Making your way through the morning hugger mugger is like hitting boundary on a yorker. This was the same hassle free morning. And why hassle free, because I had a clutch-free ride.
I was riding new TVS Jive, the no tension bike. Quite true.
The idea of auto clutch and rotary gearbox isn’t very new to Indian moto market. Hero Honda’s Street came out with a similar idea, but couldn’t vouch on the ‘hassle free’ bit. Jive has come at a time when daily commuters are going heavier and bulkier with every sunrise, gearless scooters are gaining popularity like never before and traffic jams have become a major part of our daily habits. It has a long way to go.
TVS’ idea behind keeping minimal styling is very clear. You buy Jive because your daily riding is a mission and not an excursion. Any gear start/stop, 110cc engine’s fuel economy, light weight and pocket-friendly pricing don’t leave any room for not making an adjustment with the regular looks of the bike. TVS has applied for the copyright of the T-matic technology (rotary gearbox mechanism) and promise for nothing more but a lowered stressed quotient during your ride.
Some extra freebies are electric start, 17” alloys and telescopic front. The ride isn’t very power packed unlike a daily 100cc commuter, but hands-free gear shift will surely make it popular amongst old riders. Statuary warning, this bike isn’t meant for you if you expect the needle to house the redline. 8.4 bhp and 8.3 Nm aren’t very bad figures, though. Travelling from point A to B and Jive serves the purpose really well.
At Rs 43……. It is worth the tag. So, next time when you wrap your legs around the Jive, make better use of the left hand and wave to the school-going kids. You aren’t doing anything much with your hand, but an innocent smile will surely make your day. :)
Qualifying for your dream job without undergoing the trauma of hitting your head against High School Mathematics, driving the finest cars made in the history of carkind without struggling to get the half clutch and then accelerate mantra right and looking drop-dead gorgeous even in a pair of grubby jeans and worn out T-shirt. Is that your idea of ‘hassle free’? If not, then what is?
I had a hassle free morning some time back. Early morning roads in the capital are nothing better than a bunch of chickens let loose. Reaching school on time tops the priority list of the parents (still in their funny night suits), bus and cab drivers (honk honk, I pay more road tax. So, let me go!) and pedestrians (kids being pulled by the nannies like a little pup in leash). Making your way through the morning hugger mugger is like hitting boundary on a yorker. This was the same hassle free morning. And why hassle free, because I had a clutch-free ride.
I was riding new TVS Jive, the no tension bike. Quite true.
The idea of auto clutch and rotary gearbox isn’t very new to Indian moto market. Hero Honda’s Street came out with a similar idea, but couldn’t vouch on the ‘hassle free’ bit. Jive has come at a time when daily commuters are going heavier and bulkier with every sunrise, gearless scooters are gaining popularity like never before and traffic jams have become a major part of our daily habits. It has a long way to go.
TVS’ idea behind keeping minimal styling is very clear. You buy Jive because your daily riding is a mission and not an excursion. Any gear start/stop, 110cc engine’s fuel economy, light weight and pocket-friendly pricing don’t leave any room for not making an adjustment with the regular looks of the bike. TVS has applied for the copyright of the T-matic technology (rotary gearbox mechanism) and promise for nothing more but a lowered stressed quotient during your ride.
Some extra freebies are electric start, 17” alloys and telescopic front. The ride isn’t very power packed unlike a daily 100cc commuter, but hands-free gear shift will surely make it popular amongst old riders. Statuary warning, this bike isn’t meant for you if you expect the needle to house the redline. 8.4 bhp and 8.3 Nm aren’t very bad figures, though. Travelling from point A to B and Jive serves the purpose really well.
At Rs 43……. It is worth the tag. So, next time when you wrap your legs around the Jive, make better use of the left hand and wave to the school-going kids. You aren’t doing anything much with your hand, but an innocent smile will surely make your day. :)
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Volvocanic eruption
NEW VOLVO S80 D5
Try and say these lines five times in a row, “Wobble wobble Volvo won’t. Wibble wobble Wolverine goes”.
I know I have a very bright career as a writer of tongue-twisters. The only problem is that I love doing what I do. And what I do is, drive cars. I drove the Beemer and fell in love with it. I drove the Audi and lost my heart to its twinkling eyes. I drove the Mercedes and wanted to be an astronaut and live with the tri-legged stars. And then, I drove the Volvo.
Did I make it sound like I drove a fighter plane? I am sorry if I did. The Volvo S80 D5 isn't the best car I’ve driven or even the most luxurious car I’ve been in, but it gave me my first Volvo experience. It was with me for two days and I didn't miss her after she left. Sounds like a very short love story, but that is exactly what it was.
It shares the same universe as an Audi A6, BMW 520d and Mercedes E 250 CDI Blue Efficiency. Still, being a sprouting player in the industry; Volvo has miles to go and no time to sleep.
I haven't seen the earlier Volvos, but what I read about this one is that the new D5 has shun the shackles of being a boxy luxury drive. I really like the front grille and the Volvo emblem in its heart. The bold lines and sharp edges and you sniff authority. But, I think it still looks like your old school Mathematics teacher who was quite a terror, even if you met her in the marketplace. You better be in the best of your formals and with the highest degree of sophistication if you're around the Volvo. The headlamps fail to keep up to the mark on a pitch dark night. The rear is simple.
Looking at the car and making comments about it is the last thing which crosses your mind when you have a 2 liter, common rail D5 with twin turbos standing in front of you. The spec sheet reads 205 hp and 420 Nm, but seeing (in this case, driving) is believing. So, fasten your seatbelts, we are ready for take off.
I have learnt the 5 Ws and 1H of writing and I wish to share the 5 Ls of Volvo with you. Lean, long, low but loud and lethargic at the same time.
The engine, with diesel flowing in its veins, you expect it to be noisy. But, there is a difference between a carol and opera. The noise manages to fool the guards on the gates, spies on the windows and reaches your ears. I am sure you don't want to think about moving valves and pistons while enjoying the luxury of your car. No paddle shifts! That means, while driving in the sports mode, the gearshift enjoys the undivided attention of your left hand. The steering is firm and nice and your left hand is definitely feeling jealous of its right counterpart. If only you give me a chance to make your life better, I'll tell you that you can happily keep both of your hands around the steering wheel and drive in the automatic mode only because the 6-speed transmission feels sluggish. How sluggish? I finished singing "Bohemian Rhapsody" before the car hit the 100 kmph mark. The 18-inch Michelins rolling under my feet promised a lot more.
But a mind boggling drive wasn't what I was expecting from the D5. Comfort, Reliability and Safety was. Volvo has always won brownie points for making safe cars. Particulate filters, Intelligent driver information system, adaptive brake lights, dynamic stability and traction control- heavy names but life-saving functions. Volvo gives you a feeling on being in a cocoon, a fortress or better, in your mother's womb. That safe.
Stylish and classy for me, has always been synonymous to less loaded, simple and easy. And therefore, the dash which waits for me in the new D5 is very classy, indeed. I don't know much about wood, but I think the wood used in the dash looks awesome. The seats are as comfortable as the guy who coined the word wanted comfortable to be. Sitting on the rear seats did not satisfy my craving to move my fingers over a lot of tiny, black buttons. But, there was a whole lot of legroom and comfort for me in there, along with a baby seat in the arm-rest. How difficult do you think it is to put a paranoid passenger, who doesn't trust anyone on wheels but herself, to sleep? I confess, I dozed off more than twice.
I like the Volvo for a lot of things. I don't like the Volvo for a lot of other things. But, I know that if I ever have a family and I want them to be sitting in the safest car present, I need not worry. They have six dealerships so far, but expansion is very well on cards for Volvo. So, I will get a Volvo for my family, no matter which part of the country I decide to reside in.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Classically classing the Classic
The RE Classic 500 Ride
I don’t have any idea as to what the title of this vaguely written article means. But, this was just a classic little attempt to make it look very royal, prestigious and most importantly ‘Classic’.
The night before the shoot, I was in office till 1 I remember, trying to put the jumbled bits of some other shoot into place ( things can really be so frustrating when you head wants to sleep and the ache doesn’t go away..!!!). The same evening at around 4, I was told that all my efforts to fix my date with the Queen of torque, grandeur, stature (errr… read icy blue RE Classic 500) have been triumphant and that the lady would arrive at our office by 6.30 pm. You all must be very well acquainted with the feeling of disbelief, butterflies in tummy, eagerness and exhilaration like meeting that long forgotten cousin who is coming from the US of A after 20 long, hard-spent years. Not a relative but something with a stronger relation was coming.
Even God doesn’t now why, but I had the first paragraph of that smokey Anil Kapoor and Sridevi’s- sari falling, rain pouring romantic song from Mr. India (yeah u goteeet..!!) playing at the back of my mind; repeatedly. And then, before my eyes could accept what they saw as the truth, my fingers could pinch me, my mouth could shut (yeah, it was wide open), I heard the THUMP from quite a distance and I knew that my lady was there.
Ahhhh… how difficult it gets to put the expressions into right words. She stood next to this overdriven (don't read between the words) office cab; like fairy Godmother, the exhaust shone like holy halo (yeah, a tongue twister there), the blue body dazzled like freshly melted snow, headlamp appeared like Captain’s hat and the speedometer like a remembro of the past. In short, Classic 500 was the lady of my dreams standing in front of me and that too when I had no plans of jigging like a kid looking at her. But then, she did deserve a “wohhoooo”…!!! And an "awwwww.." and a "Just look at her" and "OMG! Is this for real!". Yes, expressions tend to go overboard at times like these.
The next morning, my finest leather came out (errrr.. the boots and the jacket were being ignored from quite some time, all thanks to Delhiis scorching heat ), open-face helmet wiped and cleaned and there came out ‘Riders of the Storm’.
Yeah, you do have self start in the new one, but who would be an idiot to miss the kickass feeling of kicking it to life! But wait, the pillion seat is missing! Wow, not a very good idea for me to be sitting on the mud-guard, is it? After wasting some more time putting the pillion seat (well it surely does take more than 5 minutes’ time to put that thing, unlike what Mr. Lal said it’d take), we were just so ready to hit the highway and head to Manesar. Why Manesar, because an excellent cruiser would not settle down for anything less than the picturesque highways of Manesar. So, there we go.
Manesar is exactly the kind of place you see in Nat Geo documentaries. Foothills of Aravallis, dry hills, few dhabas on the way, trucks lined up on the left, mirage on the roads and a blue cruiser thumping it's way to glory. Wearing leathers on a hot sunny day is enough to show that you're crazy and with a colour that blue, you're lucky crazy, I say. **wink wink**
Modern day sportsbike-like gearshift (1 down, 4-up) and the gear-lever on the left, this Royal Enfield has got her facials and wardrobe change done.
"Made like a gun, goes like a bullet". Quite true and for Classic 500 and the UCE (Unit Construction Engine), it won't be wrong to call it a neat and more efficient gun. Royal Enfield lovers stand out of the crowd because of their nothing-else-will-do attitude and why not, they earn it for themselves.
After doing a bit of nabbing with the confused traffic we were ready to swim back. The day was full of vibrations, bum ache, bones rattled but there was still something about that day which has marked it as one of the very few riding days of my life that I wish never end. :)
I don’t have any idea as to what the title of this vaguely written article means. But, this was just a classic little attempt to make it look very royal, prestigious and most importantly ‘Classic’.
The night before the shoot, I was in office till 1 I remember, trying to put the jumbled bits of some other shoot into place ( things can really be so frustrating when you head wants to sleep and the ache doesn’t go away..!!!). The same evening at around 4, I was told that all my efforts to fix my date with the Queen of torque, grandeur, stature (errr… read icy blue RE Classic 500) have been triumphant and that the lady would arrive at our office by 6.30 pm. You all must be very well acquainted with the feeling of disbelief, butterflies in tummy, eagerness and exhilaration like meeting that long forgotten cousin who is coming from the US of A after 20 long, hard-spent years. Not a relative but something with a stronger relation was coming.
Even God doesn’t now why, but I had the first paragraph of that smokey Anil Kapoor and Sridevi’s- sari falling, rain pouring romantic song from Mr. India (yeah u goteeet..!!) playing at the back of my mind; repeatedly. And then, before my eyes could accept what they saw as the truth, my fingers could pinch me, my mouth could shut (yeah, it was wide open), I heard the THUMP from quite a distance and I knew that my lady was there.
Ahhhh… how difficult it gets to put the expressions into right words. She stood next to this overdriven (don't read between the words) office cab; like fairy Godmother, the exhaust shone like holy halo (yeah, a tongue twister there), the blue body dazzled like freshly melted snow, headlamp appeared like Captain’s hat and the speedometer like a remembro of the past. In short, Classic 500 was the lady of my dreams standing in front of me and that too when I had no plans of jigging like a kid looking at her. But then, she did deserve a “wohhoooo”…!!! And an "awwwww.." and a "Just look at her" and "OMG! Is this for real!". Yes, expressions tend to go overboard at times like these.
The next morning, my finest leather came out (errrr.. the boots and the jacket were being ignored from quite some time, all thanks to Delhiis scorching heat ), open-face helmet wiped and cleaned and there came out ‘Riders of the Storm’.
Yeah, you do have self start in the new one, but who would be an idiot to miss the kickass feeling of kicking it to life! But wait, the pillion seat is missing! Wow, not a very good idea for me to be sitting on the mud-guard, is it? After wasting some more time putting the pillion seat (well it surely does take more than 5 minutes’ time to put that thing, unlike what Mr. Lal said it’d take), we were just so ready to hit the highway and head to Manesar. Why Manesar, because an excellent cruiser would not settle down for anything less than the picturesque highways of Manesar. So, there we go.
Manesar is exactly the kind of place you see in Nat Geo documentaries. Foothills of Aravallis, dry hills, few dhabas on the way, trucks lined up on the left, mirage on the roads and a blue cruiser thumping it's way to glory. Wearing leathers on a hot sunny day is enough to show that you're crazy and with a colour that blue, you're lucky crazy, I say. **wink wink**
Modern day sportsbike-like gearshift (1 down, 4-up) and the gear-lever on the left, this Royal Enfield has got her facials and wardrobe change done.
"Made like a gun, goes like a bullet". Quite true and for Classic 500 and the UCE (Unit Construction Engine), it won't be wrong to call it a neat and more efficient gun. Royal Enfield lovers stand out of the crowd because of their nothing-else-will-do attitude and why not, they earn it for themselves.
After doing a bit of nabbing with the confused traffic we were ready to swim back. The day was full of vibrations, bum ache, bones rattled but there was still something about that day which has marked it as one of the very few riding days of my life that I wish never end. :)
The Diary of a lovesick.. (My beloved, but not anymore- VW Beetle)
"Anyone who sees and paints a sky green and fields blue ought to be sterilized". Why I write this? Because this is the second funniest statement I think Adolf Hitler ever made. The first one was about Beetle being a people's car. Well, back in 1939 when this little bug was called Volkswagen Type-I and fancy advertisements in newspapers asked you to "Five marks a week you must put aside- If in your own car you want to ride" (Germans are very funny indeed) calling it a car for the masses must've been more rational but with the New VW Beetle, the one I drove, it truly looks like another good joke by the Germans. But the name still remains "Volks-Wagen".
Sometimes I wonder if the Indian auto market will ever be taken as anything more than the best dumping ground by International players. Ah anyways, launched globally in 1998 the new Beetle touched the holy land of grubby Ganges, vanishing Yamuna, mother cow choking to death nourishing on polyethene bags, off-road experience on national highways and blowing horn being an additional fundamental right, in short, our very own country, India in 2009. And then began the unending stories of advance bookings, cars driving down to Ludhiana, Mumbai and Bangalore before the rest of the country could actually catch a glimpse of the most popular car in the history of carkind.
From Ferdinand's idea of a small car to transport 2 adults and price of a motorcycle, to the latest fashion statement with a price tag enough to support the elementary education of 20 kids in India, Beetle has traveled a long way. By now you get a very clear idea of how disappointed I am with the new bug. But still, talking a little about it won't do any harm to anyone living or dead. A 2.0 liter transverse-mounted, water cooled petrol engine with a 6-speed automatic transmission. What else should I say? Falling short of words, looking for things to write, recalling that yellow thing which stood in the office porch for three days but no help.
Hmmm… Let me think. She looks lovely. Her round sparkling eyes (they even shine at night you know) the crease of the hood pervades like a cute grin from her left cheek to the right. She is comfortably high for the ugly bumps on the road. Or should I say, the bumps fail to touch my baby's floor coz of her high heels. Bootilicious she is, with some good meat err.. space in the boot.
Excellent build quality and ne plus ultra paintwork. The built quality on the outside, unfortunately doesn't trickle into the cabin. Beige interiors (you also have black as an option) are a pleasant sight indeed, but go close to the dash, knock on the plastic and you feel cheated. The plastic quality in the cabin doesn't match up to the brand name. Even the iconic flower vase which has always enjoyed a special place in the advertisements, looks borrowed.
The entire styling in the cabin has been done keeping the bug's poppy eyes in mind. Therefore, A/C vents, stereo system, meter cluster are all in an oval shape. An MP3 player on the stereo panel, 6-CD changer in the arm-rest, Aux-in port, 4 airbags (2 for driver and passenger still make sense, but I fail to understand the idea of putting 2 airbags in the B-pillar when there is just no space for anything even an inch bigger than your golf bag. And that too, if you put it horizontally) are some of the features this chic offers. You ask me about audio output, I say, 'Yellow Submarine' saved me from getting drowned in the twinge of my ladylove being a neighborhood whore. (LOL).
The front seats have ample legroom for both driver and passenger to change into a fresh pair of trousers in the car. I mean, it is pretty good. Even if you are as tall as my last boyfriend, the air above whose head belonged to a different layer of atmosphere, the headroom wouldn't disappoint you. Well, don't take me seriously here, and make Khali, the wrestler, sit in the car without prior warnings. The power window switches gave me another round of hearty laugh.
Okay, enough about the interiors, I don't want the little thing to cry. Did I tell you how nervous I sometimes feel when I see someone cry? Okay, never mind. A bit of an effort with the 6-speed automatic transmission there and off we go.
If you have seen the episodes of old Mr Bean series, then you must definitely have seen that one when he goes to a garage and is bewildered to see that the hood has no engine under it. After spending countless hours inspecting the bug, they find the engine in the boot! Haha! Well, I was just trying to tell that originally the engine was placed in the rear end of the car and it was a rear wheel drive. But wasn't the story funny? ROFL.
But time is the villain, my friend. New Beetle comes with a 2 liter, front transversely placed, liquid-cooled engine which spits out max power of 114 bhp and max torque of 172 Nm. Sheesh, 'spits' make it look like a Chinese dragon! The car is cute and all that but one thing that I was asking myself repeatedly was, "There are no Prairies, no sheep, no riversides, no Italian men (Mumma says, Italian men are the best lovers), so why the melodramatic drive?" The answer I got (from myself, duhh…) was, because you're driving a Beetle and not a race-car, silly. Good looking, very well advertised, bears a history, a long one at that, is all fine but where is the punch?
"Oh excuse me, did you just say punch? I am sorry, but I don't believe in violence." is what she had to say.
German bimbo! Haven't heard of them! New example of globalization, I say. Ha! But still, the New Beetle comes from the family of 1.8TSIs, A4s, Skoda Octavias, but lacks the feel. Now you know what, when, where, how, why this loverdoo's heart was broken.
I had even booked travel packages for me and my lady love to the fine roads of Italy, where my princess feels at home. Just her, me and Clapton in the background. She gives me cold shivers with her A/C and makes me feel weak in knees when I bend down ultra low to take those heavy bags out of the boot. But, she left me for a fancy face-lift.
Sigh.. I think I must go back to my other ladylove now. These kids call her Cinquecento these days. ;)
Sometimes I wonder if the Indian auto market will ever be taken as anything more than the best dumping ground by International players. Ah anyways, launched globally in 1998 the new Beetle touched the holy land of grubby Ganges, vanishing Yamuna, mother cow choking to death nourishing on polyethene bags, off-road experience on national highways and blowing horn being an additional fundamental right, in short, our very own country, India in 2009. And then began the unending stories of advance bookings, cars driving down to Ludhiana, Mumbai and Bangalore before the rest of the country could actually catch a glimpse of the most popular car in the history of carkind.
From Ferdinand's idea of a small car to transport 2 adults and price of a motorcycle, to the latest fashion statement with a price tag enough to support the elementary education of 20 kids in India, Beetle has traveled a long way. By now you get a very clear idea of how disappointed I am with the new bug. But still, talking a little about it won't do any harm to anyone living or dead. A 2.0 liter transverse-mounted, water cooled petrol engine with a 6-speed automatic transmission. What else should I say? Falling short of words, looking for things to write, recalling that yellow thing which stood in the office porch for three days but no help.
Hmmm… Let me think. She looks lovely. Her round sparkling eyes (they even shine at night you know) the crease of the hood pervades like a cute grin from her left cheek to the right. She is comfortably high for the ugly bumps on the road. Or should I say, the bumps fail to touch my baby's floor coz of her high heels. Bootilicious she is, with some good meat err.. space in the boot.
Excellent build quality and ne plus ultra paintwork. The built quality on the outside, unfortunately doesn't trickle into the cabin. Beige interiors (you also have black as an option) are a pleasant sight indeed, but go close to the dash, knock on the plastic and you feel cheated. The plastic quality in the cabin doesn't match up to the brand name. Even the iconic flower vase which has always enjoyed a special place in the advertisements, looks borrowed.
The entire styling in the cabin has been done keeping the bug's poppy eyes in mind. Therefore, A/C vents, stereo system, meter cluster are all in an oval shape. An MP3 player on the stereo panel, 6-CD changer in the arm-rest, Aux-in port, 4 airbags (2 for driver and passenger still make sense, but I fail to understand the idea of putting 2 airbags in the B-pillar when there is just no space for anything even an inch bigger than your golf bag. And that too, if you put it horizontally) are some of the features this chic offers. You ask me about audio output, I say, 'Yellow Submarine' saved me from getting drowned in the twinge of my ladylove being a neighborhood whore. (LOL).
The front seats have ample legroom for both driver and passenger to change into a fresh pair of trousers in the car. I mean, it is pretty good. Even if you are as tall as my last boyfriend, the air above whose head belonged to a different layer of atmosphere, the headroom wouldn't disappoint you. Well, don't take me seriously here, and make Khali, the wrestler, sit in the car without prior warnings. The power window switches gave me another round of hearty laugh.
Okay, enough about the interiors, I don't want the little thing to cry. Did I tell you how nervous I sometimes feel when I see someone cry? Okay, never mind. A bit of an effort with the 6-speed automatic transmission there and off we go.
If you have seen the episodes of old Mr Bean series, then you must definitely have seen that one when he goes to a garage and is bewildered to see that the hood has no engine under it. After spending countless hours inspecting the bug, they find the engine in the boot! Haha! Well, I was just trying to tell that originally the engine was placed in the rear end of the car and it was a rear wheel drive. But wasn't the story funny? ROFL.
But time is the villain, my friend. New Beetle comes with a 2 liter, front transversely placed, liquid-cooled engine which spits out max power of 114 bhp and max torque of 172 Nm. Sheesh, 'spits' make it look like a Chinese dragon! The car is cute and all that but one thing that I was asking myself repeatedly was, "There are no Prairies, no sheep, no riversides, no Italian men (Mumma says, Italian men are the best lovers), so why the melodramatic drive?" The answer I got (from myself, duhh…) was, because you're driving a Beetle and not a race-car, silly. Good looking, very well advertised, bears a history, a long one at that, is all fine but where is the punch?
"Oh excuse me, did you just say punch? I am sorry, but I don't believe in violence." is what she had to say.
German bimbo! Haven't heard of them! New example of globalization, I say. Ha! But still, the New Beetle comes from the family of 1.8TSIs, A4s, Skoda Octavias, but lacks the feel. Now you know what, when, where, how, why this loverdoo's heart was broken.
I had even booked travel packages for me and my lady love to the fine roads of Italy, where my princess feels at home. Just her, me and Clapton in the background. She gives me cold shivers with her A/C and makes me feel weak in knees when I bend down ultra low to take those heavy bags out of the boot. But, she left me for a fancy face-lift.
Sigh.. I think I must go back to my other ladylove now. These kids call her Cinquecento these days. ;)
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
The Rio drive
After 10 days of dusting sand off your clothes and shoes, choking the tube of sunscreen to death, grieving over the lost I-pod, wrist watch and other knick-knacks, helplessly peeling the fresh weed of pimples off your face, when you're asked to drive a tiny looking SUV whose tyres read 'Kenda', you wonder if that's what they call the glory of being an auto journo!
But 100metres behind the same Kenda, and I feel I was so wrong.
Yes, this was my second visit to Mumbai and taking the Mumbai-Pune expressway (which as per me is a driver's dream) we were going to Chinchwad. After the GPS lady made us cross the same Mc-Donald's at least thrice, we decided to shun the services of that bimbo (well she did sound like a blonde) and asked for our way to the Premier plant. The minute we reached the plant I thought of that air-hostess in the flight which brought me to the city and how she said, " The closest emergency exit can even be behind you" because while we went circles around the same place, we forgot to take a look on the left where the board read, rather shouted PREMIER LIMITED (previously known as Premier Automobiles Ltd.)
I think they don't have a lot of visitors to the plant, because everyone right from the happy-looking guard on the main gate, to the lady at the reception knew that a girl with a funny name (well that's what the world thinks, not me) would be coming to meet Mr Atul. And if your name in white and red blocks tucked on to a big black notice board, standing tall next to the stair-case and giving you a smoldering welcome doesn't make you shrink in embarrassment then your poster is the next thing on my wall (that means, you share your space with MJ, Oprah, Dylan and Clapton).
Well, to put it short, I felt like Mario in the video game, looking for a mushroom or maybe a sunflower to get my super-powers back.
Mr Atul Akolkar's room was scented with the ah-so-holy music by Rolling Stones (which he later told us that even he doesn't know what plays on his I-pod and made me miss mine even more). A humble room with some sketches (which looked like a spark-plug to me) on the white-board and hundreds of stories about Premier's splendid past. It was difficult to keep ourselves awake when Maruti hijacked the Indian auto industry with it's plant production of over 2 lakh units and poor Premier and Hindustan Motors struggled hard to keep their existence. After pedigree dogs, mine and his own daughter's name, his car and his love for art got mixed with the dal and rice we had for lunch and happily settled down our growling tummies, it was time to meet the young lad.
One step out of the cafeteria and we see a red Rio glistening in the 32 degrees of Pune and flaunting its freshly padicured alloys to us. My first reaction, it looks like a mini Tata Safari from the side and a petite Yeti from the headlamps. I love the way Rio looks. Compact, zippy, comfortably high and cute.
We didn't get a cosmic neighborhood to grow our friendship with the mini SUV, but 25 circles in the Premier plant were enough for me to say that I love the Rio and would like to see it standing in my porch.
1.5 liter turbodiesel engine for as little as Rs 5.25- 6 lakh (ex-showroom Pune), now who wouldn't spare a second thought for this little bully. Traces of Premier's venerated associations shimmer quite clearly when you learn that Rio's engine has been developed with Peugeot's TUD5 technology and it gurgles out 64bhp power and 152 Nm torque. Woho, that was a loud WOW!
You sit in the car, look at the plastic and upholstery, make a face but then you remember that this tiny wookazoogabomber (the Calvin in me came up with this name and Hobbes even gave a thumbs up to it!) gives you a chance to buy a Rio for your wife or daughter and another car for your self and not to miss the punch it gives you when you take it out for a drive, your attention is diverted from the plastic to the road.
You have a humble dash to look at while you drive. For your love for music (and Mr Atul will quite agree), Rio is loaded with a CD player and FM/AM, but you need to make an effort, pull your car to a side and adjust the antenna for clear reception. 32 degrees was quite hot, so you have an A/C which is quite effective to cool the undersized cabin. You even have electrically controlled side mirrors, which quite surprised me. The storage compartments aren't really very fancy, but then COMPROMISE is the word my friend.
Move to the passengers seat and you won't be disappointed with the legroom (well that's if you're not an NBA player and get the shoes of your size easily). Magazine holders to take care of your Feminas and Top Gears. Boot-space matches to its image of being a mini- SUV. To make space for that extra suitcase, just fold down the rear seats and there you have a tiny football ground in the back of your car!
The features that Rio offers in its meager pricing is what makes me fall in love with it. Premier Rio comes in three variants, Ex, Dx and Lx. You normally don't expect the base model to have anything more than a decent dash with a music system, don't keep your hopes too high for an A/c, a glove box and some cubby holes and that's it. But along with this, if you get power steering, electrically operated side-view mirrors, rear window demister, tinted glass window, rear fog lamps, cigarette lighter, door ajar warning lamp, a tiny digital clock, tachometer, reverse gear indication on cluster, front electric windows… the list seems endless!! But seriously, what do you say… I say, they are making me feel like a queen with a broken crown, but still a Queen. If you talk of the top-end variant you feel like you won a lottery with ABS and EBD, key-less entry (just another fancy name for central locking), air conditioning (which was quite effective in 32 degrees of Pune), heater, CD player with AM/FM, 15" alloys, rear wiper and washer, again a deal too tempting to miss.
The only thing you may not like about the car is the quality of plastic and upholstery. Is that a twitched nose I see! But don't forget my friend, buying a Rio leaves you with enough of money to ten of those little black dresses apart from a cute little red car for the evening prom. Now say this with me, "I don't mind"… :)
Another thing that needs to be changed are Kenda Clevar tyres. The best possible alternative can be Michelin, Apollo or Bridgestones.
Rio drives like cutting your 16th birthday cake. 1.5 liter turbo diesel engine, developed using Peugeot's TUD5 technology, which makes it an outdated globally but still "would-do" kind of a technology for India. 64.8 ps power and 152 Nm torque, the figures correctly don't live up the expectation from a 1.5 ltr turbo diesel engine. What impressed me the most throughout the drive was the response of the car while cornering. The car was stable and therefore, I felt safe in my cocoon. Ask Mr Atul and he promises the top speed of 130 km/h as he struggles to push through the flock of cars into his blue Chevy Aveo LT(Yeah, his daughter likes blue cars). Quite responsive engine but I wonder if it will be sufficient to give you that extra power while overtaking. Front disc and Mc Pherson strut and coil spring in front make the drive comfortable and safe. Complying to BS III, Rio thinks about mother nature too.
The car is comfortably high and would be liked by all female drivers who always wanted a high car. The paint quality of the car is top notch and large headlamps and tail lamps make it look really pretty. Black side claddings and black coloured B-pillars lend that macho bit to the looks.
If you can imagine how it feels to see a hospital right next to a restaurant and that feeling that you might need the former after coming out of the latter, something similar happened while I was still driving the Rio. Harsh braking and guess what rolls out from the driver's seat… A fire extinguisher! And my reaction to that, err.. hope we won't need this…
But all in all, driving Rio was quite an experience. Later in the evening when we went to Mr Atul's cabin and I excitedly told him how much I liked the car, that little wookazoogabomber (read Rio, for reference scroll up) looked up and smiled.
And you know what mom, very soon Dad won't be the only one in the family with a high car. We're getting ours very soon.
PREMIER RIO
SPECIFICATIONS:
Engine: 1489 cc
Power: 64.8ps@4000rpm
Torque: 152Nm@2250rpm
Fuel type: Diesel
Dimentions: 3900 x 1555 x 1670 mm
Wheelbase: 2420 mm
Ground Clearance: 195 mm
Kerb Weight: 1145 kg
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Suspension: McPherson strut & coilspring (Front)
5 rods system (Rear)
Brakes: Disc (Front)
Drum (Rear)
Tyre size: 205/70R15
Price: Rs 5.25-6 lakh (ex-showroom Pune)
But 100metres behind the same Kenda, and I feel I was so wrong.
Yes, this was my second visit to Mumbai and taking the Mumbai-Pune expressway (which as per me is a driver's dream) we were going to Chinchwad. After the GPS lady made us cross the same Mc-Donald's at least thrice, we decided to shun the services of that bimbo (well she did sound like a blonde) and asked for our way to the Premier plant. The minute we reached the plant I thought of that air-hostess in the flight which brought me to the city and how she said, " The closest emergency exit can even be behind you" because while we went circles around the same place, we forgot to take a look on the left where the board read, rather shouted PREMIER LIMITED (previously known as Premier Automobiles Ltd.)
I think they don't have a lot of visitors to the plant, because everyone right from the happy-looking guard on the main gate, to the lady at the reception knew that a girl with a funny name (well that's what the world thinks, not me) would be coming to meet Mr Atul. And if your name in white and red blocks tucked on to a big black notice board, standing tall next to the stair-case and giving you a smoldering welcome doesn't make you shrink in embarrassment then your poster is the next thing on my wall (that means, you share your space with MJ, Oprah, Dylan and Clapton).
Well, to put it short, I felt like Mario in the video game, looking for a mushroom or maybe a sunflower to get my super-powers back.
Mr Atul Akolkar's room was scented with the ah-so-holy music by Rolling Stones (which he later told us that even he doesn't know what plays on his I-pod and made me miss mine even more). A humble room with some sketches (which looked like a spark-plug to me) on the white-board and hundreds of stories about Premier's splendid past. It was difficult to keep ourselves awake when Maruti hijacked the Indian auto industry with it's plant production of over 2 lakh units and poor Premier and Hindustan Motors struggled hard to keep their existence. After pedigree dogs, mine and his own daughter's name, his car and his love for art got mixed with the dal and rice we had for lunch and happily settled down our growling tummies, it was time to meet the young lad.
One step out of the cafeteria and we see a red Rio glistening in the 32 degrees of Pune and flaunting its freshly padicured alloys to us. My first reaction, it looks like a mini Tata Safari from the side and a petite Yeti from the headlamps. I love the way Rio looks. Compact, zippy, comfortably high and cute.
We didn't get a cosmic neighborhood to grow our friendship with the mini SUV, but 25 circles in the Premier plant were enough for me to say that I love the Rio and would like to see it standing in my porch.
1.5 liter turbodiesel engine for as little as Rs 5.25- 6 lakh (ex-showroom Pune), now who wouldn't spare a second thought for this little bully. Traces of Premier's venerated associations shimmer quite clearly when you learn that Rio's engine has been developed with Peugeot's TUD5 technology and it gurgles out 64bhp power and 152 Nm torque. Woho, that was a loud WOW!
You sit in the car, look at the plastic and upholstery, make a face but then you remember that this tiny wookazoogabomber (the Calvin in me came up with this name and Hobbes even gave a thumbs up to it!) gives you a chance to buy a Rio for your wife or daughter and another car for your self and not to miss the punch it gives you when you take it out for a drive, your attention is diverted from the plastic to the road.
You have a humble dash to look at while you drive. For your love for music (and Mr Atul will quite agree), Rio is loaded with a CD player and FM/AM, but you need to make an effort, pull your car to a side and adjust the antenna for clear reception. 32 degrees was quite hot, so you have an A/C which is quite effective to cool the undersized cabin. You even have electrically controlled side mirrors, which quite surprised me. The storage compartments aren't really very fancy, but then COMPROMISE is the word my friend.
Move to the passengers seat and you won't be disappointed with the legroom (well that's if you're not an NBA player and get the shoes of your size easily). Magazine holders to take care of your Feminas and Top Gears. Boot-space matches to its image of being a mini- SUV. To make space for that extra suitcase, just fold down the rear seats and there you have a tiny football ground in the back of your car!
The features that Rio offers in its meager pricing is what makes me fall in love with it. Premier Rio comes in three variants, Ex, Dx and Lx. You normally don't expect the base model to have anything more than a decent dash with a music system, don't keep your hopes too high for an A/c, a glove box and some cubby holes and that's it. But along with this, if you get power steering, electrically operated side-view mirrors, rear window demister, tinted glass window, rear fog lamps, cigarette lighter, door ajar warning lamp, a tiny digital clock, tachometer, reverse gear indication on cluster, front electric windows… the list seems endless!! But seriously, what do you say… I say, they are making me feel like a queen with a broken crown, but still a Queen. If you talk of the top-end variant you feel like you won a lottery with ABS and EBD, key-less entry (just another fancy name for central locking), air conditioning (which was quite effective in 32 degrees of Pune), heater, CD player with AM/FM, 15" alloys, rear wiper and washer, again a deal too tempting to miss.
The only thing you may not like about the car is the quality of plastic and upholstery. Is that a twitched nose I see! But don't forget my friend, buying a Rio leaves you with enough of money to ten of those little black dresses apart from a cute little red car for the evening prom. Now say this with me, "I don't mind"… :)
Another thing that needs to be changed are Kenda Clevar tyres. The best possible alternative can be Michelin, Apollo or Bridgestones.
Rio drives like cutting your 16th birthday cake. 1.5 liter turbo diesel engine, developed using Peugeot's TUD5 technology, which makes it an outdated globally but still "would-do" kind of a technology for India. 64.8 ps power and 152 Nm torque, the figures correctly don't live up the expectation from a 1.5 ltr turbo diesel engine. What impressed me the most throughout the drive was the response of the car while cornering. The car was stable and therefore, I felt safe in my cocoon. Ask Mr Atul and he promises the top speed of 130 km/h as he struggles to push through the flock of cars into his blue Chevy Aveo LT(Yeah, his daughter likes blue cars). Quite responsive engine but I wonder if it will be sufficient to give you that extra power while overtaking. Front disc and Mc Pherson strut and coil spring in front make the drive comfortable and safe. Complying to BS III, Rio thinks about mother nature too.
The car is comfortably high and would be liked by all female drivers who always wanted a high car. The paint quality of the car is top notch and large headlamps and tail lamps make it look really pretty. Black side claddings and black coloured B-pillars lend that macho bit to the looks.
If you can imagine how it feels to see a hospital right next to a restaurant and that feeling that you might need the former after coming out of the latter, something similar happened while I was still driving the Rio. Harsh braking and guess what rolls out from the driver's seat… A fire extinguisher! And my reaction to that, err.. hope we won't need this…
But all in all, driving Rio was quite an experience. Later in the evening when we went to Mr Atul's cabin and I excitedly told him how much I liked the car, that little wookazoogabomber (read Rio, for reference scroll up) looked up and smiled.
And you know what mom, very soon Dad won't be the only one in the family with a high car. We're getting ours very soon.
PREMIER RIO
SPECIFICATIONS:
Engine: 1489 cc
Power: 64.8ps@4000rpm
Torque: 152Nm@2250rpm
Fuel type: Diesel
Dimentions: 3900 x 1555 x 1670 mm
Wheelbase: 2420 mm
Ground Clearance: 195 mm
Kerb Weight: 1145 kg
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Suspension: McPherson strut & coilspring (Front)
5 rods system (Rear)
Brakes: Disc (Front)
Drum (Rear)
Tyre size: 205/70R15
Price: Rs 5.25-6 lakh (ex-showroom Pune)
Before the Expo began...
We, or should I say I was waiting for the Expo for quite an extended time. Reason, well many to write. Harleys, R8 spyder, friends I’d be meeting after a long time and this spirit to attest my endurance and work 14-15 hours every day for about a week. Well, very little did I know that all my excitement was being laughed at by everyone I shared it with as they had their “been there, done that” grin, which I thought was just another expression looking at this silly girl jumping. Anyways, yeah I was excited.Bought a nice pair of formal shoes. Why, someone (whom if I meet again wouldn’t see the next sunrise) told me to be in the best of my formals for the expo as there would be people from the ‘Industry’. Now what good did the shoes do to me, left me with dozens of shoe-bites! Not just the shoes, the same someone also asked me to wear my formals, remember, look good and always wear a nice smile (wonder why do we listen to our friends when we’ve already done that and faced repentance!).I think I have already done a lot of crying about the whole thing and must have left you with an impression that the 7 days of the expo were nothing but remorse, but they weren’t that bad too.The day started a little early with 4 press conferences to attend, the first of which started at 11 a.m. Reached The Lalit, Barakhamba Road by 10.45 a.m. just to find that the organizers were following the Indian Standard Time and would start the show a little late. (Yeah right, they did that when I reached at a conference in time in the history of me attending conferences!). It was Bosch speaking about how good India as a market for automotive components has been for them. And at this time, when they are facing losses in the global market, the pace with which low cost car manufacturers are multiplying here, no wonder they are earning well enough to keep a nicely packed surprise gift in all of our press kits. :)Meeting a couple of friends I was expecting to meet, no food and rushed to this second conference scheduled for the day. Well no food because I never wanted my tummy to be in trouble as I could see three more conferences coming.The second one was Chevy Beat’s launch and while the whole show happened as per “their” plan, we were supposed to act as if we knew nothing about the car. (Errr.. remember I drove and reviewed the car some days ago on the sands of Jaipur..!! Well yeah, I just drank some Wine on the sands of Jaipur and drove on smooth roads, but the point is, that YES we knew everything about it apart from the pricing before the Beat’s launch). Apart from the 2010 version of “Saara zamaana.. hasino ka deewana…” (and why this popular Amitabh Bachchan number, because the dancers wore dresses with LED piping, something similar to what AB wore in the movie), was the fact that Ankush said almost the same words he said the day we had the beat drive, from the same presentation and Karl gave the same expressions. To Karl, I was so tempted to say, “I know what you did that evening” and why, cough cough, all those at the Beat drive know what I am talking about. JSurprise factor of the day, the pricing of the car. After Cruze, Chevy shakes the market again with an incredible pricing. Rs 3.5- 4.5 lakh and such a cute looking bug, I almost forgot the criticism I made on the car for a minute. :)Short on time, I couldn’t enjoy the festivities everyone else was a part of, beacsue I had to rush to another conference and hopefully the last one for the day. Did I say I had four conferences to attend, well yes, but some burden was taken off my shoulders fearing that I might bring tornado in the city looking at the way I was spinning around that day.The last obligation to meet was this meeting with GKN Driveline discussing their interest in two-wheelers and how good their drive shafts were doing in the country. The gentleman there (I am very bad with names and I think I really am growing old and should stop using dyes) was more than happy to be interviewed and was even ready to frame questions for himself, without looking at my tongue salivating at every sandwich that was raised and kept in a mouth and chewed with utmost pleasure..!!Anyhow, the day ended without any food (yeah right, that someone even told me to keep work first and couldn’t hear my tummy growling), a lot of notes from the conferences, coffee spills on sweater (I know how to hold my coffee mug right, others didn’t..!!) and a soiled formal trouser (yeah, I was more bothered about it as it was my partner in the battlefield for 6 more days).The day ended with sheetsful of planning and division of work, yeah the expo was finally there. Oh by the way, I met the same ‘someone’ (well, let’s call him “Winsey” to save us all of any further confusions as he wouldn’t stop giving me his gyan and I wouldn’t stop using it, even after facing the heat) and told him of what all happened in the course of the day, all thanks to his advice that I accidentally followed. And you don’t really want to know his retort,“Oh, I thought you wouldn’t take me seriously. You generally don’t..”
Yeah, right..!! :)
Yeah, right..!! :)
I found my Diary.. :)
This is how I learnt how to drive..!!!Think of all your good Lords, keep your hand at your heart and do all what your girlfriend would ask you to do when she asks you “if she’s looking fat in that dress” and expects you to tell the truth..!!! well, all this exercise coz what I am about to tell you is something very hard for anybody to believe.The first time I ever touched the steering of a 4-wheel was when I was 10 and my first date was my Dad’s (1960 something make) Mahindra Jeep- soft top (we kept it open most of the times), henna green, size of a match-box to be a Jeep, the windshield went down and an all wheel drive (then, it was such an obvious thing- “Daddy… Obviously, the car would not do a wheelie and move on just two wheels, would it!”).Let me give you more details of my Veronica (an Archie fan me would call it just that, and my parents never understood why). That lazy yawn it took when you engage a gear, pull up the latch from the side to hold the bonnet tight, engine vibrations enough to give your generations a nice full-body massage, the sound which demanded empty roads and my pooch (a big and ferocious one though) with his tongue hanging just over the spare wheel shining black and bright (:P) on my babe’s butt…The back seats were just the size fit enough for a Dara Singh to sit straight , and just trying to add a little more comfort to the passengers (that's me and my brother and the dog, who always thought... God knows why... that the car was his father's property), we added the couch kinda seat, which was basically a seat thingy resting on a tool box.Veronica's heart was not the regular Mahindra engine, but a Toyota turbo which let my Dad attend to his ahhh.. so important calls even while driving (errr.. I know that's violation of traffic rules, but the point I wish to come across here is less engine noise! duhh... )Now as to how were my first hand experiences with Veronica. A 10-year old and you know how to put the first and second gear in this hulkantic piece of machinery was a reason good enough for me to give a ruffle lays party to my itsy bitsy friends.That good girl would just take all the little mischief we did on it. Hitting it from the start in the second gear, making circles and 8s out on the dusty grounds (thanks Dad, the 8s really taught me better handling :D), painting atrocious flowers and smileys on her greeny self and I toh even did paint the side-bars myself (don’t worry, they were black and I DID paint them in the same colour and no girly pink).I could even change her flat tyre by the time our romance was 2 years old and she would just lay with her fractured leg in front of me and look at me struggling hard and jumping up and down the jack to open the nuts. The tyre was heavy phewwww….I would crawl under and fix the jack under the axle just so perfectly and roll, roll, roll my baby went up.A little pitter patter was so the time to take her out. Ice-creams, long drives, the dog and me and my brother holding the big iron rod (the one to support the roof, if you wish to put it) was a sight no Hollywood flick can match to show a happy family holiday.By 15, I was a smart young lass to take her out all by myself and get little repairs done. She was growing old, but never lost her charm. Repairs and servicing became frequent, engine wouldn’t crank in winters, body began to rust and I knew it was time for her to retire.The dog died and she held me. We went together to bury the poor soul. She did really know how I felt and even responded.The family went places with her and me, I had my quiet moments with my love. That silhouette she bore standing next to the river in Nangal or the tough look as she hopped on the sand dunes in Bikaner make me really miss her.What happened to her… Like a nice dream, Christmas eve’s angel, winter’s snow-flake she just went away. Nobody had time to attend to the ailing her in her old age, so they got rid of her.Veronica, if they haven’t crushed you to a sheet or made drums out of our sexy body and you’re listening, standing miles away, old and alone……I MISS U… and, I LOVE YOU..!!!
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