Vroom

In what it says is its biggest product development project, Harley-Davidson has combined its Softail and Dyna lines of motorcycles. The result is four machines — Street Bob, Fat Bob, Fat Boy and Heritage Classic — that retain the looks of the Softail but have the handling characteristics of the Dyna.

At their launch at the Bengal Harley-Davidson showroom in New Town on November 19, the Fat Bob was yet to arrive, but the remaining bikes wowed the assembled Harley riders, some of whom own a number of the Milwaukee machines.

At the core of the new range is a twin-cylinder Milwaukee-Eight engine with a capacity of 107 cubic inches, or 1,745cc, that produces maximum torque of 145Nm at a fairly unhurried 3,250rpm. (Harley doesn’t officially announce power output figures, but US regulators rate it a peak output of 92.53hp at 5,020rpm.)

And while the bikes on display had less chrome than one typically expects on a Harley, the Fat Boy had an interesting brushed aluminium finish that extended to its wheels.

On the road in Calcutta, the Street Bob costs Rs 14.28 lakh to Rs 14.75 lakh depending on the colour scheme. Similarly, the Fat Bob is in the Rs 16.56 lakh to 16.74 lakh range, the Fat Boy Rs 20.56 lakh to Rs 21.02 lakh, and the Heritage Classic Rs 22.27 lakh to Rs 22.74 lakh.

Text: Abhijit Mitra
Pictures: Arnab Mondal

THE AUDI A5 BRATPACK CARS ROLL INTO TOWN 

Audi launched its A5 Bratpack — comprising the A5 Sportback 2.0 TDI, the S5 Sportback 3.0 TFSI Quattro and the A5 Cabriolet 2.0 TDI Quattro — in Calcutta with a fashion show at JW Marriott last month. The cars are aimed at younger buyers looking for performance, refinement and also a bit of show. The line has been priced competitively. While the TDI diesel Sportback costs about Rs 54 lakh ex showroom, the Cabriolet, which has the same engine along with quattro four-wheel drive, costs around Rs 67.51 lakh. The top of the line S5 Sportback petrol quattro is at Rs 70.60 lakh.

 

 

Pictures: Mayukh Sengupta