Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2017 i Car India

DON’T HOLD THE FRIED ICE-cream, yet. An electric car has just beaten the production car lap record around the Nürburgring. The NIO EP9 electric sports car has set a time of 6’45.900 around the famed test track and benchmark creator. The previous noted times are the Radical SR8’s 6’48.000, the Pagani Zonda R’s 6’47.500 set in June 2009, and the inimitable 6’11.130 set by Stefan Bellof in a Porsche 956 race car back in May 1983, on the longer 22.8-km circuit, before the track was altered to 20.8 km with a bypass. With 1.0 mW (1,360 PS) of peak output, the EP9 hits 0-200 km/h in 7.1 seconds and goes on to a top speed of 313 km/h. It is available to order at US $1.48 million (Rs 9.6 crore).…

AFTER MUCH DEBATE AND DELAY, THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT has finally cleared the air regarding what many are hailing as the biggest tax reform in the history of the country: the GST or Goods and Services Tax. The first of July 2017 has been set as the deadline for the roll-out of GST. Recently, the government announced the rates for this new taxation policy which promises to bring relief to our tax issues and make the market more transparent by eliminating several indirect taxes levied by the Centre and state governments. This new tax structure has had an impact on the Indian automotive industry; however, not in a massive way. To start with, the nominal rate, on most automobiles, is kept at 28 per cent, with separate cess being levied on…

MERCEDES-BENZ INDIA HAVE INTRODUCED THE ‘ADVANCED ASSURANCE Programme’, promising a host of benefits. Customers will now be offered an extended warranty for up to six years of operation of the vehicle. The new programme is being launched with three periodic ownership options which can be purchased at any time before the completion of the third year of ownership. The new extended warranty has pan-India serviceability across any Mercedes-Benz dealership, while also promising to reduce the cost of extended warranty. The cost of the new ‘Advanced Assurance Programme’ will start at Rs 33,000 for the A-Class and go up to Rs 1.98 lakh for the S-Class. Mercedes-Benz have launched this effort in collaboration with Daimler Financial Services India and Reliance General Insurance.…

BMW X1 sDrive 20i xLine/330i CKD With an anticipated shift in fuel preference in the offing, the Bavarian marque has made some major changes (and additions) to their Indian line-up. There have been three new petrol model additions: the 252-PS 330i sedan comes in to replace the 320i, and in two trims, Sport Line and M Sport Edition, both assembled here and priced at Rs 42.4 lakh and Rs 44.90 lakh respectively. The second is first-ever petrol X1, the sDrive 20i xLine, powered by a 192-PS turbo-petrol engine, priced at Rs 35.75 lakh. The third just happens to be their most powerful car ever: the V12-powered M760Li xDrive. BMW have also swung the axe, first discontinuing the straight-six powered X3 xDrive 30d, and then the 520i saloon from their line-up.…

Lexus RX 450h OF ALL THE Lexus cars we drove recently in the scenic hills of Ooty (Udhagamandalam), the RX 450h is clearly the most outstanding design. And being a hybrid at the steep rupees one crore price point, it doesn’t even have any direct competitors. You definitely haven’t seen anything like this on Indian roads before. What grabs your attention upfront is the distinctly Lexus spindle grille. It’s massive and pretty much engulfs the entire face of the RX. The fog-light console, running from the skid-plates towards the frowning full-LED headlamp, adds a unique character to the SUV’s face. The side profile is equally aggressive with crisp character lines and a black section on the chunky C-pillar giving the impression of a floating roof. The sloping roof-line is accentuated…

NOT EVERYBODY IS BORN WITH SWAG. BUT you can up the quotient with a beautiful ride. Something like the new Audi A3 Cabriolet. Apart from being gorgeous, there was one thing the previous gen A3 convertible had going for it: practicality. A trait usually not associated with top-less cars. For a compact two-door cabriolet it’s comfortable and spacious, and also has a very usable boot. Recently, Audi upped the game further by introducing the 2017 version of the cabriolet seen on these pages. Yes, it looks sharper than before and has even received some mechanical upgrades. Downsizing, if you please. The cabriolet costs about Rs 51 lakh (ex-showroom, Pune), which makes it the most affordable convertible in the Audi India range. Starting with the exterior design, the face of the…

NAGPUR IS POPULARLY KNOWN AS the Orange City, but in this bustling and booming town of Maharashtra, orange trade is no longer the sole focus of the people. Everywhere you look there are signs of progress — tall buildings half-built, foundations laid out for an extensive monorail network, and so much more. Amid all of this, though, there is a stone plinth, mostly ignored, hiding in plain sight. This nondescript pillar of sandstone, put in place during the British rule, marks the centre-most point of India. It is here, at the Zero Mile, that our journey to soothe our souls and satiate our wanderlust begins. Immediately opposite the Zero Mile is a long-running wall face adorned in beautiful paintwork with messages of social consciousness woven in through the artistry. After…

WHILE INDIA’S MOST FAMOUS export to the sport of Rallying, Gaurav Gill (with Belgian co-driver Stephane Prevot), did drive past the chequered flag in first spot, the maiden round of the 2017 APRC was anything but straightforward. Driving through the forests of northern Auckland in pounding rain was definitely a challenge. Gill found himself over 20 seconds behind MRF Škoda team-mate and tournament debutant, Ole Christian Veiby (Stig Rune Skjaermoen), at the halfway mark of the last day of the rally. The Norwegians had to pull up short due to an issue with their Fabia R5’s brakes, causing them to miss the next check-in point by nine minutes. The penalty suffered on account of this delay ensured that Gill took top spot on the podium, with the rookie Veiby having…

THE YPF RALLY ARGENTINA SEEMED like the maiden rally win for DMAC Ford’s Elfyn Evans; however, last-minute technical gremlins tipped the scales in Neuville’s favour as the Belgian was able to post his second consecutive win of the season. The start of the rally was nothing short of perfect for DMAC Ford’s Elfyn Evans, who quickly moved into the lead after winning six of the first nine stages. This gave the Welsh rally driver a commanding lead going into day two. However, chasing him was French rally winner and Hyundai’s top rally driver, Thierry Neuville, who, despite a not-so-perfect start, was able to crawl from sixth to second place. Behind Evans and Neuville, the two M-Sport Ford drivers, Sébastien Ogier and Ott Tänak, were busy fighting for third place in…

AFTER BECOMING THE first-ever winners of the inaugural Blancpain GT Series Asia race in Sepang, Malaysia, Audi India-backed racer Aditya Patel and his Australian team-mate, Mitchell Gilbert, once again ended up on the podium during the second round at Chang International Circuit in Thailand. However, the podium did not come easy for the OD Racing team duo. In race one, Patel’s Audi R8 LMS GT3 ran into trouble after sustaining damage due to an incident that forced the team to retire from the race. However, come race two and the duo were determined to complete the race in style. Aditya started the race in 11th place, but managed to pass three cars going into Turn One. As the lap progressed, he overtook four more cars to move further up the…

MERCEDES-BENZ HAVE BEGUN USING X-RAY technology in their crash testing, rendering the deformation process inside components as well, with the aim of improving the quality of their vehicle crash simulations. Mercedes-Benz have partnered with the Fraunhofer Institute for High-Speed Dynamics, Ernst-Mach-Institut (EMI) from Freiburg, the Vehicle Safety unit of Daimler AG in the trial application of x-ray technology in crash-tests for the first time at their i-protect Tech Center. Ultra-fast x-ray technology produces still images of defined areas in razor-sharp quality during a test crash. This new development makes it possible to look inside safety-relevant components in order to assess their behaviour. The added bonus is that the data obtained from the x-ray after the crash-test can be combined with computer-based simulation models. This synthesis can help to further improve…

WHILE WE DON’T WANT TO USE THE WORD ‘INEVITABLE’, IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF time before Volvo Auto India would create a base of operations in the country, owing to manifold growth over this past decade of CBU sourcing. Volvo Car Group began their Indian innings back in 2007 with the S80 luxury sedan and XC90 seven-seater SUV. While those did a few numbers owing to their competitive pricing — the S80 V8 AWD with its 315-PS motor was, and still remains, the least expensive V8 ever to go on sale here — and identical engine choices, they didn’t quite make the dent in the market they’d hoped for. That all changed with the arrival of the XC60, which saw more encouraging numbers. The S60 came next, followed by…

CELEBRATING THREE YEARS OF ACCESSIBLE MOBILITY, DATSUN INDIA HAVE launched ‘Datsun CARE’, a new service package plan for the redi-GO. The comprehensive service package will see customers save approximately 10 per cent on periodic and general repairs, in addition to getting a host of free value-added services worth about Rs 5,000. It incorporates almost full coverage of parts, packs 24x7 road-side assistance, and is transferable. It covers not only scheduled services and associated cost of spares, labour charges and taxes, but also other additions, including replacement of brake and clutch components, wiper blades once a year, wheel alignment and balancing, extended warranty, exterior washes, and interior cleaning. Customers can choose the plan for three, four, or five years, with potential savings of more than Rs 11,000 to be enjoyed.…

LEXUS LX 450d Hot on the heels of their entry into India, Lexus have introduced their flagship SUV, the LX 450d, at Rs 2.32 crore (ex-showroom). The LX 450d packs a luxurious interior with a stylish exterior, ready for anything, quite literally. It promises equally incredible doses of refinement as well as capability, with finesse. Power comes from a 4.5-litre V8 turbo-diesel engine making 265 PS and 650 Nm. An eight-speed automatic transfers power to a capable four-wheel transaxle. Everything from the wide-angle cornering headlamps and 19-speaker premium audio system are in there for a reason. Heritage and fine craft, plus all the chrome dressing make the LX an outstanding vehicle, never failing to grab eyeballs wherever it may tread. You may read our first drive review on page 26…

In true V12 fashion, it allows for effortless acceleration with a complete absence of contemplation MAKING A MARK IN this world is one thing, but becoming one of the most respected marques, if not the most respected marque, takes more than a little extra. The Spirit of Ecstasy is recognised instantly, and in pretty much any part of the world, as the symbol of Rolls-Royce. It’s the brand you go to when you want to make a statement. When you want to show the world you’ve arrived. The last generation-VII Phantom may have rolled out of Goodwood on the last day of January this year, but that’s only a sign of more hope. What that means, until the next big Roller arrives, is that this Ghost Extended Wheelbase is the…

‘WE WON’T MAKE IT.’ ‘No, wait, should we?’ ‘No, we won’t.’ ‘Well, let’s make it!’ This probably was the conversation that took place before Jaguar came to the conclusion that an SUV is a must in their portfolio. Hence the Jaguar F-Pace. Their first-ever SUV has been applauded all over the world thanks to the immaculate designing skills of Ian Callum and his team and also the prowess of the engineering department at Jaguar. However, Jaguar didn’t just stop there; their pursuit for perfection continues in the form of this new F-Pace 2.0d — a smaller, less powerful version that welcomes J-LR’s more frugal Ingenium engine. So what is the fuss all about? Well, to begin with, the F-Pace 2.0d is available in the Prestige variant, which means you get,…

Explosive performance: quick acceleration, nimble handling and precise control IN OUR FIRST PART OF THE SERIES, we saw how AMG began as a collaborative effort between two passionate speed engineers and a company that recognised and rewarded potential. Mercedes-AMG began in 1999 and they haven’t looked back since. From the 300 SEL 6.8 to the wondrous E 55, AMG have gone from strength to strength and began branching. One of the more hardcore models of the time was a rare work of power engineering: the SL 65 Black Series. For a while now, on the performance plane, Mercedes-AMG 63 and 65 cars have created their fair share of loyalists. Among the most flexible iterations, so to speak, is the 63 line. Not only did the M156 V8 engine stay true…

1 Body Work and Coating Increased humidity and moisture during monsoon accelerates corrosion. In case of dents and scratches that are more than superficial, these need your attention before the monsoon season sets in. A coat of wax polish helps in draining down the rain water, reducing the chance of rust. 2 Wiper Blades The rubber blades of your vehicle’s wipers tend to become hard with constant exposure to the elements. Such hardened blades are ineffective in dealing with dispersing the rain water and are also likely to damage the windscreen. Therefore, ensure that they are in good condition or replace them if necessary. 3 Pre-monsoon Service Regular service reduces the chances of a breakdown. Clean the air-filter, checking all the seals. Make sure all the fluids are topped up…

AFTER AN ABORTED start thanks to Alonso’s McLaren-Honda not even making it past the warm-up lap and stalling on the pit-lane entrance, it was Bottas and Vettel who got off the line quick while, behind, Hamilton became the meat in a Red Bull sandwich. It was Bottas who came out ahead, though, and powered on. Further at the back, Palmer and Grosjean had a bump and brought out the Safety Car. When racing resumed on lap five, Ricciardo had to pit with his right rear brake on fire. The rest of the lot began pitting from lap 22. After Bottas came in, Vettel led for a while, staying out even as Raikkonen and Hamilton made their pit-stops. On lap 35, the German came in, only to resume behind the Finn.…

THE CELERIO DIESEL has been my companion to office and back, and even for occasional weekend drives. The car has been shielding me from rain and sunshine for over 14,000 km, and there are plenty of fond memories associated with this nifty little car that my family and I cherish. And now it’s time to say goodbye. Although I did take the Celerio on to the highway a few times, the puny 793-cc engine feels more at home within city limits. To be honest, the 47.6 PS power that it makes never really bothered me because I mainly used it to commute to and from office. The car runs out of breath when there are three others accompanying me in the car, along with their luggage. The suspension with two…

BMW HAD ALREADY ANNOUNCED THAT THE 8 Series would be making a return and, now, the all-new 8 Series Concept has been revealed to the world at the 2017 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. The new 8 Series Concept is a taste of what the production 8 Series Coupé will look like when it arrives as a 2018 model. The last 8 Series, the E31, produced between 1989 and 1999, was an exceptional grand touring car, and featured a selection of potent engines from a 4.0-litre V8 making 286 PS and 400 Nm in the 840Ci, to the 5.6-litre S70 V12, which made 381 PS and 550 Nm, under the bonnet of the 850CSi. What the new 8 Series does, it bring together the past and the future, drawing inspiration from…

IF YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED A BIG, American army vehicle turned into a passenger car that fit in the track width of a battle-tank, packed a bomb-resistant flooring, and a 400+ mm ground clearance, you’re in luck. The iconic Hummer H1 is back! Okay, it won’t be called that, but it is essentially the same vehicle with a new name. AM General, the original makers of the HMMWV (High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle, pronounced ‘Humvee’), entered into an agreement with Humvee Export LLC in 2013. Preparations began for production of what has become the C-Series. Assembly commenced in 2015 with distribution then slated for 2016. On 21 January this year, Qingdao Free Trade Import and Export Co Ltd (QFTIECL) of Qingdao, China, agreed to make a strategic investment in Humvee Export…

PORSCHE HAVE PRODUCED THEIR ONE MILLIONTH 911 sports car. The 911 has become an icon, a living legend even, having found not just homes of different owners globally, but hundreds of millions of hearts around the globe as well. The 1,000,000th car, a Carrera S finished in Irish Green and individually equipped with leather seats whose centres feature the original pepita pattern from 1964, rolled out of Stuttgart on 11 May. For over 50 years, the 911 has been at the heart of Porsche, having played a major role in their current success. Few other cars in the world can boast of such a long history of tradition and continuity, or that have achieved as many race victories. Porsche have also been busy making headlines at the Nürburgring. The new…

WHEN I FIRST LAID EYES on the all-new DZire, there was one element that stood out for me almost instantly. An Italian member in my subconscious stood up and raised their hand. No, this isn’t about the new platform. It isn’t that it’s based on the all-new Swift and inherits more than its face with a few changes. What piqued my interest was a line, maybe two, that make the new DZire — from the lower front three-quarter angle in the initial images, at least — appear akin to a Maserati Quattroporte taken out after a tumble-wash, shrunken, and with an awkward expression as if to ask, “Why the hell was I put into a washing machine?” Consider it humour, but there is something about that which brought about that…

HAVE YOU SEEN THAT OPTICAL illusion wherein each word in a sentence is scrambled except for the first and last letters, and you can still read it all easily because of how the human mind interprets text? Škoda’s naming department clearly has, because all of its new SUV names will start with K and end with Q, so that no matter what letters are in between, your mind will correctly recognise it as a high-riding, off-road-styled crossover. Even without that help you won’t have missed the Karoq’s styling cues — it’s a Seat Ateca with a Kodiaq face. While the Yeti it usurps was a shape all of its own, this new car is restrained architecturally by the group-wide MQB platform that now underpins it. That means while it looks…

IT STILL LOOKS CUTE ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU sit up and stare in awe, but this isn’t about how good the Q3 would look in your driveway. No, sir, this is about the heart transplant that this compact SUV just underwent. Under that beautifully sculpted bonnet sits the new 1.4-litre TFSI motor, seen on the refreshed A3, which is mated to Audi’s brilliant six-speed, dual-clutch S tronic automatic transmission. Unfortunately, the petrol-powered Q3 misses out on the famous quattro all-wheel-drive system. Audi have also ditched the cylinder-on-demand feature, present in the A3, in this variant of the Q3. Therefore we decided, just out of curiosity, to find out how these changes have affected the Q3. Being the perfectionists that they are, Audi have also revamped the aesthetics but by a…

The 911 driver couldn’t care less; he’s busy with his foot to the floor, celebrating each 9,000-rpm upshift AUTOBAHN! AT LAST, THE SPEED limit lifts, from 80 to 100 to 120 km/h to unlimited. But it takes another 60 clicks for the traffic to thin out and vacate the fast lane. The day’s first chance to give ’em stick opens on the oldest stretch of the A92 between Munich and the foothills of the Bavarian Forest. And when that opportunity does finally arise, we grab it with both hands. At a more modest pace these curves through the pan-flat plains would be barely noticeable, but at 240 km/h-plus a close reading of the road ahead is essential. The porous slabs of concrete have drifted apart over the years, millions of…

THE HEXA EXPERIENCE Centre is an event organised by Tata Motors where potential customers can witness the off-road prowess of the Hexa in addition to getting a test-drive in the car. The setup in Pune comprises eight obstacles, each of which is designed to showcase specific off-road features of the car, including the traction control system, torque on demand, electronic stability programme (ESP), hill descent control, hill-hold control, and the 200 millimetres of ground clearance. We were given a ride around the course by trained professionals. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to drive the Hexa across all the obstacles. Even from the passenger seat I could tell that the Hexa handled the obstacles with aplomb. A gigantic steel structure in the middle of the course showcased hill-hold control and…

UNDER SUNNY SKIES IN Barcelona, it was a Mercedes on pole as Lewis Hamilton looked strong and ready to win again. Lap one was utter chaos as Raikkonen and Vettel as well as last year’s GP winner, Max Verstappen, were all abreast at the end of the straight with Hamilton behind. Raikkonen then collided with Verstappen and the pair of them rejoined right back, causing more confusion, with Alonso taking his McLaren on to the grass to avoid them. At the end of the lap, Vettel had a lead of 2.2 seconds. Raikkonen soon pulled over and retired from the race. There was no shortage of nail-biting battles. First, in the pits, Sainz and Magnussen both exited simultaneously. Sainz even had his Toro Rosso on the grass in an attempt…

JEHAN DARUVALA, THE 18-YEAR-OLD FROM Dadar, Mumbai, has once again proved his mettle in international racing by bagging his first ever podium in Formula 3 European championship, which is a stepping stone to F1. Jehan started 2017 on a high note by winning the New Zealand Grand Prix, one of the only two races outside F1 to be classified as Grand Prix events. His win at NZ also made him the first Indian to achieve such a prestigious win. Jehan’s inaugural F3 season started in Silverstone, where his best result came in race three when he finished sixth. However, the second round, held in Monza, Italy, saw Jehan qualify on pole for the first race. As the lights went out, Jehan had a tough time maintaining his lead against team-mate…

THE MOST frequently asked questions from our readers concern a) the running cost of a car, and b) its reliability. That is why a long-term test is very important. When a manufacturer sends a car for a road test, they make sure the car is in tip-top condition and then we report on how the car behaves and performs under test conditions. When a car is with us for a period of four to five days, it is not possible to arrive at its running cost, but when we spend a few months with the car then it becomes possible to give the cost of running the car. There are very few manufacturers who give out long-term test cars and Mercedes-Benz are the only premium car manufacturers to do so.…

NEW THIS MONTH ISUZU MU-X The more modern mu-X steps in to replace the mu-7. Big turbo-diesel 4x4 AT seven-seater can be yours from Rs 24 lakh (ex) LEXUS LX 450d More bling, more luxury and a huge turbo-diesel V8, the big Lexus is here. Available from Rs 2.32 crore (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 BMW FERRARI FIAT GENERAL MOTORS GENERAL MOTORS HYUNDAI HYUNDAI LAMBORGHINI LAMBORGHINI MAHINDRA MAHINDRA MASERATI MASERATI MERCEDES-BENZ MINI RENAULT RENAULT TATA MOTORS TATA MOTORS VOLKSWAGEN…