Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2017 i Car India

BLAZING CANDY APPLE RED METALLIC, OR ‘CARMINE RED’ AS Porsche call their lustrous red that evokes racy feelings, is among the first things noticed on a new GTS. Yes, the new 911 GTS models are here, black lettering and all. Of course, there isn’t just one car, or even two or four cars, there are a whole host of new choices: Coupé, Cabriolet, manual, PDK, RWD and 4 in a mix-and-match style menu to suit your requirements, with a Targa 4 GTS rounding off the range with its glass-bubble roof. The 3.0-litre Boxer six twin-turbo petrol engine now makes 450 PS — 30 PS up on the S and 20 PS up on the old GTS; specific output raised to 151 PS/litre — with a peak 550 Nm of torque.…

AT THE 2017 GENEVA MOTOR SHOW, FERRARI premiere the 812 Superfast flagship V12 grand tourer, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of their first-ever V12. To mark this milestone, the new car will be available with a new paint option, called Rosso Settanta. The introduction of the 812 Superfast marks the end of Pininfarina design in the line-up. Propelled by an all-new 6.5-litre naturally-aspirated direct-injection V12, it makes 800 PS at 8,500 rpm and 718 Nm of torque at 7,000 rpm, with a claimed 80 per cent of peak torque available from 3,500 rpm. The rear wheels are driven by a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The 812 Superfast is equipped with cutting-edge control systems, resulting in improved handling and road-holding. The EPS (Electric Power Steering) is integrated with all the electronic…

ISUZU WILL SOON INTRODUCE THE ALL-NEW D-Max overseas. Being a legend in the diesel-engine market for over 80 years, Isuzu launched the D-Max some time ago, but it is the V-Cross lifestyle vehicle, which doesn’t need yellow plates here in India, that got the ball rolling even faster. The D-Max V-Cross we tested last year had us all in smiles and wondering how they got it so right. Of course, many see it as a utilitarian pick-up, but there’s no denying that once you add parking sensors or a reverse camera, it rivals the equipment level of a well-equipped mid-size family sedan; ABS, airbags and comfortable seats all included. The new D-Max gets a more modern front-end design and drops the 2.5-litre 136-PS turbo-diesel unit for a new 1.9-litre four…

A TRULY GLOBAL CAR, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno is a flag-bearer for the honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make-in-India initiative. The Baleno is made exclusively in India and exported all over the world, including to Japan, the very home of Suzuki. Apart from its birthplace in Japan, the Baleno is also exported to various parts of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Latin America. In fact, Maruti Suzuki is looking to export the Baleno from India to a reach that spans 100 global markets. They have achieved one lakh in terms of units sold in the domestic market alone, and were an integral part of Maruti Suzuki’s recent milestone of achieving 1.5 million exports of India-made cars. The Baleno is class-leading, in every aspect, and with Maruti Suzuki’s expansive efforts at…

THERE WAS A TIME, MANY moons ago, when the Honda City was all over the er… city. The car in its various avatars has sold a cumulative 4.5 lakh units in India since it was first introduced in January 1998. Well, time and increasing competition in the C segment of cars in India meant its dominion was broken. Still a formidable player, the fourth-gen City sold 2.24 lakh units and now the City is back with a vengeance and has resurrected an old talisman: the ZX badge. Only this time instead of denoting a model, ZX is the new top of the pops; the highest grade of variant available in the new City line-up. We had the opportunity to explore the City in its new guise in Delhi, and while…

ALL-WHEEL DRIVE. POWER going to all the wheels. A lot of people mistake all-wheel drive, popularly denoted as AWD, for 4x4. Yes, they both do the same thing, but in very different ways. You see, a 4x4 car would usually be a large ladder-frame vehicle with huge yokes between the wheels and a pair of levers or a knob that engages the front one, while usually depending on the rear for drive and traction. These are hardcore versions designed to handle the rough stuff: dirt, mud, ruts and slush, while adding water wading to the tune of one metre to the mix in some cases. But what if you don’t want 37-inch tyres, locking differentials and, mostly, a three-tonne body weight? What if there was something different? Something easier? With…

The used vehicle industry in India is growing at a rapid pace, and many buyers are looking for good options in the pre-owned vehicle market instead of going for new ones. A key reason for this is that one can buy a used vehicle, which is in a desirable condition both aesthetically and mechanically, at a very reasonable price. This way, one does not have to spend a lot of money to own one’s dream vehicle. However, the main problem with buying used vehicles lies in its pricing. Most of the times, the lack of a benchmark price leads to a lot of debate and confusion between the two parties and this mistrust results in the deal falling through. Buyer and seller remorse are common by-products of such deals. In…

WHEN A GLACIER THE SIZE OF Manhattan is caught breaking off and falling away into the ocean, it hits home hard how we need to tidy up our act of living here. Diesel power is a genuine thing. Agreed, it has consequences, but so do all fossil fuels. Petrol may be refined and the engine may rev higher, but when it comes to lugging people around and building up a reputation for offering strong bottom- and mid-range oomph, diesel has proved to be the fuel of choice for many. Of course, price plays a huge role here. Even if the difference is marginal, most people choose the one which costs less. Although the gap in the pricing of petrol and diesel is narrowing, there are more than a few reasons…

MRF’S EXCITING racing series, the MRF Challenge Formula 2000, saw Mick Schumacher, son of legendary Formula One champion Michael Schumacher, win two of the four races over the weekend at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) with the remaining two victories going to Australian Joey Mawson. Schumacher got his first pole of the season and started race one at the front of the grid. In fact, his qualifying time of one minute 50.749 s is the fastest ever posted by a Formula 2000 racer. Schumacher got into the lead early in the race and from there on he defended his lead quite well. He then turned his pole start into a win, his third of the season. There was a lot of drama behind Schumacher as Mawson and Felipe Drugovich slugged…

GAURAV GILL, THE ACE RALLY DRIVER who has done India proud on many occasions, was recently given the prestigious ‘Motorsport Person of the Year’ award at the recent FMSCI Motorsport awards. In 2016 Gill achieved considerable success through his rally endeavours that saw him become the 2016 Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) champion and also enter the record books by winning all the five rallies of the season. He was awarded the Raymond Gautam Singhania Trophy by FIA President Jean Todt. Gill also received a standing ovation from the audience for his excellent form and achievements in 2016. On this occasion, Gaurav Gill said, “It’s an honour to receive the trophy from Mr Todt, one of the legends in the world of racing. I will have to win it again…

THE EURO NCAP, A BENCHMARK GLOBAL automobile safety-test standards organisation, will publish their latest results for the year this month. They also complete 20 years of safety testing, a period that’s involved crashing about 1,800 cars at the cost of some €150 million (>Rs 1,000 crore). The organisation recently released safety ratings from their latest test results. The Volvo S90 and V90 have both achieved full five stars, scoring 95, 80, 76 and 93 per cent in adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, pedestrian protection and assist systems respectively. Both 90 cars build on the advanced technologies the XC90 packs, making a big impression in all areas of Euro NCAP’s assessment. The standard autonomous emergency braking — for cars and pedestrians — performed outstandingly well in the tests. Both the…

Audi Etch Symbols into Paintwork Audi have come up with a process that creates a partial matte finish over a painted surface. Post the painting process, a special powder is used to roughen the clear lacquer coating on top. It gets reduced to a depth of a few thousandths of a millimetre. This means that each Audi car can have its own unique identity. Audi have announced an exclusive programme that allows R8 owners to design personalised side-blades for their cars. Bosch Ready for EU6 and ABS With the date for an impending revolution in automotive safety in India coming closer, Bosch India have confirmed they are ready to meet the surge in demand for everything from anti-lock braking systems (ABS) and sensors for various assist systems, especially airbags, to…

HONDA CITY Honda have launched the much-awaited update to the popular City, priced between Rs 8.75 lakh and Rs 14.09 lakh (ex-showroom, Pune), which also sees the introduction of a new top-end ‘ZX’ variant. Honda’s facelift fourth-generation City continues with the same powertrain choices while bringing in a host of exterior and interior upgrades, including LED daytime running lights and fog-lamps, 16-inch alloy wheels, Digipad 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, satellite-navigation, voice recognition, and advanced connectivity features, including Wi-Fi. Standard safety equipment on offer includes dual airbags, ABS with EBD, impact-mitigating front headrests, pedestrian injury mitigation technology, and ISOFIXcompatible rear seats. The ZX variant packs six airbags, automatic headlights with auto-off timer, and rain-sensing wipers. Read our first drive on page 40 of this issue. HYUNDAI GRAND i10 Hyundai have launched…

THE ALL-NEW E-CLASS drive was held in Goa, the holiday and party capital of India. This is probably the most appropriate location for the first drive of a luxury car like the E-Class, being home to some of the best resorts in the country along with some great driving roads. Real luxury starts with this segment; anything below this is wannabe. First the looks. The earlier generations of the E-Class used to have a distinctive styling. The C has always been the baby S, but now all three are very similar. Continuing another trend, some E-Class fans will bemoan the terminal disappearance of the bonnet-mounted three-pointed star. No longer will you be able to stare through the emblem like a gunsight as you home in on slow-moving traffic. The wide…

LIKE ‘DOCTOR WHO’, THE Nissan Micra has suffered a roller-coaster journey over the years. One moment, it’s a Brit-bubble hit, thenext it transforms into a malformed pink convertible even diehard fans would struggle to love. It shows how badly global product syndication can work, ping-ponging between manufacturing and styling bases in Japan, Sunderland and India. No wonder the end result was a culture clash of fusion design. So it comes as considerable relief that Nissan are atoning for the outgoing bland box. Make no mistake: the new 2017 Micra is a wildly better product, engineered and built in Europe to better suit local tastes. The wardrobe is more contemporary, with a modish swagger where before greige cardies were order of the day. It’s quite fussy in places — and colour-dependent…

Its light steering and plentiful power and torque on tap make the A6 effortless to drive; plus you have the benefit of excellent handling and braking to keep the car under control at all times LAST MONTH I DID A drive to Rajasthan. On my way back I wanted to visit the Rann of Kutch, it being one place on my bucket list that I have wanted to visit but did not have the time; so I decided to go to the Rann during the Republic Day weekend. The car for this drive was once again the Audi A6 as I really enjoy driving this car for its fabulous cruising ability. Preparing the car for a long drive does not just mean filling it up with diesel, carrying a tubeless…

GETTING DIRTY WHILE conquering a difficult terrain is something many Mahindra car-owners love to do on a weekly, or even a daily basis. But their ultimate goal is to win the prestigious Off-roading Trophy at Mahindra Adventure’s hometown: Igatpuri in Nashik district. Each year hundreds of participants try their luck in the regional rounds of the competition, hoping to get through to the semis in Nashik to win a brand-new Thar. This year the competition saw roughly 40 participants make it to the semi-final round. Car India was also invited to be a part of the media challenge, which was integrated into the main challenge, though we were not in the running for the Thar. Fighting for a Thar or not, we were happy to be there and witness the…

THE LAST ROUND OF the MRF Challenge 2016 proved an exciting one because in the first race of the last round, Australian Joey Mawson took lead in the championship after the first two races. However, Joey’s lead did not come easy as he was involved in a duel with Harrison Newey, who challenged him in the initial stages of race one. Eventually, Newey won the race as Mawson finished fourth behind Ralf Aron and Mick Schumacher, who finished third and second respectively. Come race two and Mawson was determined to take the championship lead from Newey and he did so in style. He won the second race with utmost ease, gaining valuable points on Newey and slipping into the championship lead. Behind Mawson were Ralf Aron of Estonia, who moved…

RALLYE MONTE-Carlo, the season-opener of the 2017 World Rally Championship (WRC), saw Sébastien Ogier emerge victorious after 17 gruelling stages held over four days. The first two stages went to Thierry Neuville of Hyundai Motorsport but right behind him was Ogier in his new ride, the Ford Fiesta WRC. As the stages continued, Ogier kept trying to outdo Neuville but had no luck in doing so. On day two, Neuville had the best pace which, in turn, helped him maintain his number one position in the standings. On day three, the Belgian rally ace went on to win four of the five stages. As the day came to a close, however, disaster struck as Neuville crashed on SS13, dropping to 15th from the lead. This pushed Ford’s Ogier into a…

NEW THIS MONTH AUDI A4 35 TDI Latest-gen German saloon gets an updated diesel heart with a twin-clutch auto box. Yours from Rs 40.2 lakh (ex) TOYOTA PRIUS The hybrid that kicked off the whole thing, the fourth-gen of the venerable Prius is here. Priced at Rs 38.96 lakh (ex) LEGENDS PRICES On the road, Pune (subject to change) BO: Available only By Order * : Ex-showroom price listed NA: Price not available FEATURES F: Front only D: Driver airbag only O: Optional equipment ASTON MARTIN BENTLEY BENTLEY FERRARI FERRARI GENERAL MOTORS GENERAL MOTORS HYUNDAI HYUNDAI LAMBORGHINI LAMBORGHINI MAHINDRA MARUTI SUZUKI MASERATI MASERATI MINI MINI RENAULT RENAULT TATA MOTORS TATA MOTORS VOLKSWAGEN…

“If we think of the Huayra Coupé as a personification of elegance and timeless lines, the Huayra Roadster was to be the rebellious sister, shapely and beautiful, but with a sharp edge for those who are careless.” – Horacio Pagani WE KNEW IT WAS COMING, AND now that it’s here, we’ve managed to contain all awe, collect thoughts and put them into words. The Huayra Roadster is the open-top choice of the now five-year-old Pagani Huayra. For once, we’re not going to talk about the 764-PS twin-turbo V12 engine first. The Huayra Roadster is not built from plain old carbon-fibre any more. The chassis is a monocoque made from Carbo-Titanium: a blend of carbon and titanium, together with a new composite material called CarboTriax HP52, which is stronger, lighter and…

AS A SWANSONG FOR THE PRESENT-GEN G-Class, Mercedes-Maybach will introduce a strictly limited G 650 Landaulet open-top on/ off-roader at the Geneva Motor Show, with only 99 units set to be offered. The new car is built combining the wider, higher construction with a longer 3,428-mm wheelbase, inspired by the G 500 4x4² and the even more exceptional G 63 6x6. The rear captain seats and folding fabric top are reminiscent of the Maybach Laudaulet of the previous decade. Apart from the fact that it has an AMG-sourced BiTurbo V12 with 630 PS and 1,000 Nm, it offers Maybach comfort such as electric-switchable glass windows, plush first-class leather seats, rear refrigerator and even a privacy partition to separate the rear cabin from the driver. This along with 450 mm of…

FRENCH MAJOR PSA PEUGEOT CITROËN HAVE acquired the Ambassador brand from Hindustan Motors for a sum of US $12 million (Rs 80 crore). The first diesel car to be sold in India, the Ambassador also received an Isuzu 1.8-litre petrol engine down the line, before a 2.0-litre diesel was introduced. The last Ambassador rolled off the line in Uttarpara, West Bengal, in 2014. The PSA Group have also signed two agreements with the CK Birla Group, owners of Hindustan Motors. As part of the first agreement, the PSA Group will hold a majority stake in the joint-venture company being set up with HMFCL for the assembly and distribution of PSA (mainly Citroën, DS and Peugeot) cars in India. As per the second agreement, a 50:50 joint venture is being set…

SUGGEST THE RIGHT SUV I work in the agriculture industry and my business often takes me to villages where paved roads are a myth. I am in the market for a premium SUV that can handle the off-road terrain without causing much discomfort to the passengers. I have shortlisted the Ford Endeavour and the Toyota Fortuner. Which of these do you think would suit my needs best? Dinakar Vadivel, Patna Hello, Dinakar, We carried a shootout between both the cars you have short-listed in our February 2017 issue. You may read the story for a detailed insight into the positives and negatives of both these cars. Our pick from this comparison was the Ford Endeavour. AUTOMATIC SEDAN FOR THE FATHER I am thinking of buying a new car for my…

IT’S BEEN ALMOST THREE YEARS since we first saw Audi’s brilliant new A3 make its advent in the Indian market with its attractive design, fantastic engine options and amazing value for money. The A3’s excellence was portrayed perfectly in the way it was designed and it performed. However, now Audi have come up with a new A3 in a sharper-looking package and with a new heart. And to check it out, we went to the port town of Vizag for closer inspection. Seven spanking new A3s standing in a row with tempting golden sand and glistening blue waters of the Bay of Bengal behind them. This was the scene that greeted us as we got ready to get into the new A3 and head down the beach road to experience…

ESTATES. THEY’VE BEEN around for decades and they’ve been evolving from their boxy body style to smoother, curvier, more stylish beings that people actually want to buy. Sadly, in India, they aren’t the most popular type of car. For whatever reason, people prefer sedans for their “prestige” factor. However, if you think of an estate as a long hatchback — even the regular size of which is immensely practical — you can see how versatile it could be. Breaking the Mould The ‘V’ is for ‘versatility’ and the Volvo V90 has that in spades across its five-metre length. At 4,939 mm long, it’s as long as many premium saloons, but with an even more cavernous boot and a just as credible interior and driveline. The V90 Cross Country swaps its…

THE JURY MEET IN THEIR 12TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR NOW, the Car India Awards are among the longest standing and also among the most coveted ones in the automobile industry. This year Car India Awards were presented by The Auto Show in association with the Shapoorji Pallonji Group, BPCL, knowledge partners Mazar, wardrobe partners Ed Hardy, and hospitality partners Oxford Golf Resort. With nearly 30 great cars to pick from, our jury had an uphill task of selecting the best of the best. The jury got to get a taste of all these machines at the extremely scenic Oxford Golf and Country Club on the outskirts of Pune on 17 January 2017. Once the jury had cast their votes in a secret ballot, our knowledge partners, Mazars, took charge to compile…

NOT SO LONG AGO, THE WORLD was ranting and raving about how diesel is the fuel of the future and how clean a modern diesel could be. Well, turns out those who had all their eggs in one carbon-dioxide basket failed to realise that there’s more to emission than just CO2. Global warming, greenhouse gases and old carbon dioxide... If only they’d paid attention to carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and unburned hydrocarbons. Petrol burns cleaner. It’s assisted with a spark and, coupled with direct injection, is, in the present state of logic and technology, going to be cleaner to burn than green oil. Since there isn’t any soot or particulate matter involved, it’s cleaner and lower on maintenance too. And because it doesn’t rely entirely on compression for its…

TILL VERY RECENTLY, THOSE driving a fully-fledged hybrid car were either considered to be Green Peace crusaders or a wealthy someone who’s vying to be different. Pure hybrids never got the fame they deserved in our country, mainly due to the astronomical price which made buyers opt for fairly efficient diesel-powered cars. But the scenario has changed, of late. The sale of oil-burners is getting hit because our policy-maker can’t seem to make up their mind and have been constantly changing laws for diesel cars, while some have even managed to get entangled in emission controversies. This makes the market situation close to perfect for hybrid cars, since many premium car-buyers are on the lookout for viable alternatives. Thankfully, with improving technology and lower cost, hybrid technology is now available…

JEHAN DARUVALA, THE youngster from Sahara Force India Racing Academy, has once again done India proud by becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious New Zealand Grand Prix, the final round of the Toyota Racing Series. Jehan had a wonderful start at the final round as he qualified at the front of the grid for race one. As the lights went out, he throttled his way into Turn One but, unfortunately, he had to brake on the dirty side of the track, which gave Pedro Piquet, son of former Formula One champion Nelson Piquet, a chance to overtake him and slip into the lead. From there the Brazilian defended his lead quite well against Jehan, forcing the Indian to be content with a second-place finish. In race two, Jehan…

TOYOTA’S RETURN to the World Rally Championship (WRC) has seen the team make a thrilling comeback in just the second event. Jari-Matti Latvala, the ex-VW man, dominated SS1 as he trumped everyone to take the stage win. However, come day two and Hyundai Motorsport’s Thierry Neuville gave a thrilling performance to take an early lead by winning five of the seven stages. This gave the Belgian driver a good lead of 28.1 seconds over Latvala. Day three saw Neuville win six of the seven stages and also increase his lead to 43.3 seconds. Unfortunately, the Belgian crashed on the last stage of the day, losing the steering and a wheel of his Hyundai i20. This was the second consecutive crash for Neuville after being in the lead for a long…