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Comfort Lost in Translation
From how cars breathe out and clean their emissions, to Lamborghini’s first bull roaring to life, this week’s Driver’s Room dissects why Citroën’s calm, comfy charm failed to click with India’s chaotic market and how one small tool might just save your next road trip.
This week on DRS Diaries: We’re unpacking how cars breathe out (and why emissions matter), reliving the day Lamborghini traded tractors for supercars in This Week in Petrolhead History, diving into why Citroën, despite its French finesse, just can’t seem to click with Indian buyers in The Driver’s Room, and spotlighting a must-have roadside essential every car owner should keep ready - the Grand Pitstop Tubeless Tyre Repair Kit.
Car Tech Explained Like You're 5
Emissions Made Simple
When a car runs, it burns fuel inside its engine - kind of like a tiny fire that helps it move.
But when the car makes that power, it also makes some gases that come out of the back pipe.
Those gases are called emissions.
These emissions have different kinds of gases:
- Carbon Dioxide (CO₂): It makes the Earth hotter, like wrapping it in a big warm blanket.
- Carbon Monoxide (CO): A gas that’s not good for breathing.
- Nitrogen Oxides (NOx): These make the air dirty and cause smoke in cities.
- Unburnt Fuel: Tiny bits of fuel that didn’t burn fully.
- Dust or Soot (PM): Tiny black particles that come mostly from diesel cars, also known as particulate matter. Hence, represented as PM.
To stop too many bad gases from going into the air, cars have special parts that clean them up:
- A catalytic converter works like a filter that turns bad gases into less-bad ones.
(These are the first components tuners (not me, yet) get rid of during stage 1 tunings)
That’s why newer cars pollute less as they’re built to keep the air cleaner and safer for everyone to breathe.
Quick summary:
Cars make power → Power makes gases → Special parts clean those gases → Cleaner air for us all.
This Week in Petrolhead History: Oct 30, 1963
From Tractors to Titans: The Day Lamborghini Took on Ferrari
A name known for tractors rolled into the spotlight with something far louder, faster, and far more ambitious - the Lamborghini 350 GTV.
This sleek prototype was Lamborghini’s first-ever V-12 grand tourer, designed to prove that Ferruccio Lamborghini could build a car worthy of challenging Ferrari itself. The 350 GTV wasn’t just a car, it was a statement. With its long hood, low stance, and a roaring V-12 engine, it marked the beginning of Lamborghini’s journey from farm machines to dream machines.
While the prototype never made it to full production (its body panels didn’t even fit properly during the debut!), it became the blueprint for the Lamborghini 350 GT, the brand’s first production car and the first real sign that the bull was ready to charge.
Why it mattered:
From tractors to supercars, one man’s ego and engineering vision gave the world a legend. The 350 GTV didn’t just debut, it declared war on Ferrari.
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The Driver’s Room
The Citroën Conundrum
There’s a French brand quietly building some of the nicest, most comfortable cars in India.
And yet… nobody’s buying them.
Citroën came in with style, substance, and that French flair, but India never really noticed.
The Silent Entry
When every other brand entered India with fireworks, Citroën showed up like a polite dinner guest: late, quiet, and with no hype.
No flashy ads. No influencer takeovers. No noise.
And in India, no noise = no sales.
Great Cars, Wrong Recipe
The C3 and C5 Aircross? Both genuinely solid. (Basalt deserves a special mention here)
Ride quality? Plush.
Engineering? Spot on.
But Citroën forgot one simple Indian rule that features sell, not philosophy.
People want sunroofs, screens, and wireless Android Auto. Not just “comfort engineering.”
Lost in Translation
Citroën’s pricing sat in no man’s land being too costly for budget buyers, too unknown for premium ones.
Add in a tiny dealership network and low visibility, and suddenly that fancy French SUV looks like a risk instead of a reward.
The Missed Emotion
India buys with its heart.
Maruti sells trust. Hyundai sells features. Tata sells pride. Mahindra sells muscle.
Citroën? It sells calmness, and well, calm doesn’t quite trend on Instagram.
My two paise
Citroën isn’t a bad brand. In fact, it’s one of the most underrated.
But in a country where every new car shouts to be heard, Citroën’s whisper is getting drowned out.
If they ever decide to turn up the volume, India might finally realize that the French know a thing or two about comfort and character. What do you think about this? Can Thala save the Frenchmen by clutching this one??
Petrolhead Pick
Grand Pitstop Tubeless Tyre Repair Kit
Flat tyre in the middle of nowhere? That’s every driver’s nightmare.
But with the Grand Pitstop Tubeless Tyre Repair Kit, you can fix it yourself: no tow truck, no panic, no waiting.
This compact kit is one of those things you hope you never need… until you really do.
Why It’s This Week’s Pick:
- All-in-One Solution: Comes with a reamer, insertion tool, rubber plugs, and extra strips - everything needed to seal a puncture on the spot.
- Premium Build Quality: The T-handle tools are sturdy and ergonomic, meaning no broken plastic handles mid-repair (yes, that happens with cheaper kits).
- Universal Fit: Works perfectly for cars, bikes, and scooters - ideal if you’ve got a garage full of wheels.
- Quick Fix: A 5-minute job to plug and inflate, getting you back on the road before your playlist even ends.
My two cents: In India, tyre punctures are as common as speed breakers -but waiting for roadside help wastes time and money. With this kit, you’re self-reliant, safe, and smarter.
Think of it as roadside independence in a box.
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Keep revving,
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Parth Kusalkar
Founder, DRS Diaries.
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