Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2018 i Car India

Aston Martin DBX Being Tested Aston Martin have begun testing their very first SUV, the DBX. The prototype has begun testing at a Welsh rally stage in an extensive programme to tackle the harshest environment from the frozen Arctic to the scorching deserts in the Middle East and the extensive Alpine passes, before culminating at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. Aston have confirmed that the car will be launched towards the end of 2019. Hyundai Palisade Hyundai’s largest SUV yet will be the new Palisade, a full-size premium model that sits above the Santa Fe and effectively replaces the Santa Fe XL. The new Palisade will feature styling from the concept HDC-2 Grandmaster; reminiscent of the new Santa Fe. It will be offered with a choice of either seven or eight seats. Engine…

GROUPE PSA AND CK BIRLA GROUP HELD AN inauguration ceremony of their greenfield plant in Hosur, Tamil Nadu. The event also marked the official start of the set-up process for this new site. The facility will manufacture and supply technologically advanced and eco-friendly powertrains that will comply with future emission norms. The plant is a state-of-the-art facility which has been completed in record time and will manufacture 300,000 transmissions in its first phase and an additional 200,000 BS-VI engines in the second phase. The plant will make gearboxes for the Indian market as well as other Groupe PSA markets as per the need. An investment to the tune of Rs 600 crore has been made to build this facility. Employment numbers are high, too, with the workforce consisting of 800…

WE WERE INVITED TO SANTA MONICA, Los Angeles, USA, for the first drive of the US-made Volvo S60. Volvo have set up a brand-new manufacturing facility in Charleston to manufacturer cars for the US market as also to export globally from there. In the past, Volvo were known for their groundbreaking safety features and for making the safest cars in the world, but they were not known for making good-looking luxury cars. Now all that has changed. It started with the new XC90 which outdid its German rivals in luxury for the first time. From there on Volvo have not looked back and have been churning out one masterpiece after another. The latest to join their luxury line-up is the all-new Volvo S60. The S60 has considerable design commonality with…

IF I COULD PAUSE REAL LIFE, I’D HIT THE BUTTON right now. The view through the panoramic, vaguely Group C windscreen is split at the horizon into two contrasting worlds: above, the unbroken blue of a serene September sky and, below, a speed-blurred streak of hot Grand Prix circuit. Pinch me. The McLaren and I have made our best fist yet of the Hungaroring’s first four corners: brake-busting Turn One, endless Two, interlinked Three and the blind-on-entry, over-a-crest rush of Four. In third gear through daunting Turn Four everything’s just so, the car smearing out to the edge of the track with just the right balance of front/rear slip. And we surge on into the rest of the lap, happy like cats up to our ears in cream. Thing is,…

MY FIRST CAR WAS A PRE-OWNED 1998 HYUNDAI SANTRO THAT I bought from a friend in 2010 for a five-figure sum. It had everything I considered important: space, four cylinders, adjustable headrests front and rear, windscreen wipers, and the provision to add a music system. No, it didn’t have power windows or even power steering or a working air-conditioning system, let alone airbags or a touchscreen — things considered important now. However, it served my purpose and gave me peace of mind. Now, however, peace of mind is not always a priority and many buyers need a lot more to make them happy — LED lighting, a sunroof, and gangsta-rap levels of chrome. Oh, well, while whatever it is that floats their figurative boat, on a budget, it’s a different…

IT IS NOT EVERY DAY THAT ONE COMES ACROSS A CAR WHICH, ALMOST instantaneously, makes one feel like breaking the bank and getting one for oneself. In this case the new BMW 630d GT gets pretty much all the boxes ticked, with a few additions thrown in for good measure. If you’ve been following the newer designs coming from the Munich sketching board, you’ll know that the focus has been on making the cars appear more aggressive. Perhaps, the recently unveiled X7 with its exaggerated front grille is an exception. The 6 GT, thankfully, follows the sporty design direction which has been further perfected on the new 3 Series. And compared to the odd-looking 5 GT, this looks suave and athletic. A few months ago, we reviewed the 630i GT,…

For a drive like this, the Marazzo was a good fit. Though neither as imposing nor powerful as the SUVs, the Marazzo was spacious and comfortable and eventually ticked all the right boxes. The first two rows had enough space to seat four of us comfortably and we folded the third row to make room for our considerable luggage and photography equipment. Packed to the brim with creature comforts and various options for entertainment, there was never a dull moment on the road. As a performer, the Marazzo was no slouch and made driving along mountain roads an easy affair. With ample torque on tap and gearing to match, I was able to easily negotiate uphill sections in third gear; dropping a cog only for the sharp hairpins. Furthermore, sixth…

THE LAST ROUND OF WRC SAW SOME REALLY NAIL-BITING action with ever-rising excitement from day one. As the rally kicked off on Friday, there was a strong sense that Toyota Gazoo Racing drivers would be the dominating force down under. On day one, the trio of Esapekka Lappi, Ott Tänak, and Jari-Matti Latvala did exactly that by engaging in a three-way fight at the front. Andreas Mikkelsen and Thierry Neuville of Hyundai, too, were involved in this fight, with Mads Østberg also in the fray. Championship leader Sébastien Ogier, however, was running out of the top five. As the day came to an end, the results were quite surprising: Østberg had taken a solid 6.8-second lead over Craig Breen of Citroën. Latvala ended day one in third with Hayden Paddon…

IT WAS DOWN TO THE FINAL AFTER A season of intense racing. Neither class had a clear champion and the weekend’s results could turn the tide in anyone’s favour. Such was the scene when racers arrived at the F1-spec track ahead of the final round of the 21st JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship. Leading the charge in the Euro JK 18 championship was the Chennai-based youngster, Ashwin Datta, with 74 points. Breathing down his neck were Karthik Tharani S (Tamil Nadu) and Nayan S Chatterjee (Maharashtra) with 68 and 66 points respectively. In the LGB Formula 4 class, four points separated the championship leader, Vishnu Prasad (MSport), from his closest rival and teammate, Raghul Rangasamy (MSport). In third place were Rohit Khanna (Dark Don Racing) and Chittesh Mandody (Avalanche…

AUDI HAVE LAUNCHED THE NEW R8, IN Coupé and Spyder variants, with enhancements in style and performance. The cars now feature a completely redesigned front end with a sharper nose and air-intake channels. There are a host of design changes, too, such as a wider front splitter, flat slits on the hood, low-set air-vent grille at the rear, and a new three-part engine cover available in plastic or carbon-fibre. Customers have the option of choosing from among three exterior packages, encompassing body panels, badges, and paint themes. New colours have been added: Kemora Gray and Ascari Blue. As always, the R8 is available with two output options. You get the naturally aspirated V10 engine in the R8 V10 and the new R8 V10 performance (not plus) with 570 PS/550 Nm…

THE NEW TOYOTA COROLLA WAS REVEALED IN ITS TOURING SPORT AND HATCHBACK guise; the sedan form should be unveiled soon and make its way to India eventually. The Toyota Corolla Touring Sport was created in Europe and will cater to the growing European and American markets. Toyota claim the new body-type is aimed at people looking for practicality and style without compromise. The new Corolla is based on the brand’s new Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) GA-C platform. The new model is not an adaptation of the hatchback but rather an all-new creation and we expect the same for the sedan variant that will follow. Engine options in Europe currently include a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol motor developing either 116 PS or 122 PS, or the 1.8-litre 180-PS motor. There is also…

AT A MEGA EVENT IN BENGALURU, BOSCH Beyod Mobility put the focus on energy-efficient solutions and connected products with a view to welcoming the next age of the Internet of Things (IoT). The backbone of this ambition will be their own “3S” strategy: sensors, software, and services. Bosch have invested as much as €6 billion (Rs 48,000 crore) so far to further their progress in this field. The world is moving to a more electronics-based way of life with shopping and making payments using phone apps only being the beginning. The age of connected hydraulics and connectivity that allows machine learning will be the new future. In fact, Bosch say that 50 billion of their electronic and electrical components will be connected by the year 2020. This includes everything from…

I am in the market for a new car and my budget can be stretched to Rs 5.5 lakh. I am looking for a car that is easy to park and easy to handle within the city. It will be used for my daily commute to and from work and to run sundry errands. I have no intention of going on long drives or road trips. Personally, I like the Maruti Suzuki Swift and the Hyundai i10 Grand but I am open to other suggestions as well. Himali Nailwal, New Delhi Hello, Himali, We are afraid you will get only the absolute base variants of the two models mentioned by you within your stated budget. Instead, we would recommend going for the top-end variants of the Hyundai Santro, Tata Tiago…

“POWER TO THE PEOPLE”. A PHRASE OFTEN USED TO STICK it to the man, to taunt the rich and influential, to make a point that the common populace deserves more. This iconic slogan’s political and cultural significance is endless, first made famous by the Black Panther Party and the Black Power movement, later inviting the ire of Maggie Thatcher. And everyone from John Lennon to Rage Against the Machine and even Basement Jaxx (no, seriously) have made songs by that name or have referenced it at one time or another. I bring it up today because here in India, performance and enthusiast cars have been toys of the rich and successful. The ordinary man has had to make do with efficient and cost-effective cars that only delight the ledger. There…

QUALITY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT MERELY APPEARS or can be added later. It needs to be brought in step by step, piece by piece, from the outset. A major differential between normal cars and premium ones is simply the use of better-quality parts, materials, and processes. It’s about making all of those work together to be something greater than the sum of those parts. In automobiles, there are many. Some better than the other. Others with high price tags — some justified, some not. Yet, there are some who learn with each mistake and come out brighter, smoother, and better on the other side. With the new Alturas G4, Mahindra have shown that they can do a premium SUV right. For those wondering, yes, it is a Ssangyong Rexton, in…

TODAY, BIG IS THE NEW SMALL. THE WORLD HAS TURNED topsy-turvy and everyone seems to be needing some form of crossover because — well, who needs one car for just one thing any more? It’s all about mixing style and desirability with practicality and everyday usability. Look at the market today and it may seem that the days of affordable, small cars that could be used every day and be fun at the same time are long gone. Now, inflation has gotten to even small cars’ price tags and fun cars are pretty much twice the cost of the normal ones. If you do, however, have the budget for a small car that’s also reasonably large and can handle a fair bit of the rough stuff, you would probably be…

THE MINI URBAN DRIVE IS AN EVENT designed to get more people behind the wheel of a MINI to experience first-hand the handling and agility that the popular British car is known for. This event was held at different venues in seven Indian cities between August and October this year. We were present at the Pune edition along with several existing and prospective MINI customers. Apart from a fleet of cars, MINI had also brought along two professional race car drivers from Malaysia to brief the participants on safety, what was expected of them behind the wheel, and to take us through the drills that we were supposed to complete. The drills included a tight slalom course where we had to get the cars through and around several small plastic…

THE INDIAN NATIONAL RALLY Championship (INRC) just completed its third round this year with the Rally of Arunachal held in Itanagar, and supported by the government of Arunachal Pradesh in an effort to boost tourism. Last year the Rally of Arunachal was held in Ziro, its wide open dirt roads making it very popular among the racers. This year, however, was a first for the sport in India. The entire race, including all its stages, was held on the national highway, making it a full-tarmac event. Tarmac races are very fast-paced with no room for error, making for some very precise driving and, yes, a few spectacular mishaps too. The event consisted of seven stages that were held on the same stretch of highway. The racers would drive to and…

THE MCLAREN SPEEDTAIL IS THE latest entrant in the hypercar playing field. It combines flowing lines with maximum aerodynamic efficiency, with its teardrop-shaped cockpit and elongated 5.2-metre-long carbon-fibre body being the key elements in making it the most aero-drag efficient McLaren road car. The details extend to the wing mirrors which have been replaced by retractable, digital rear-view cameras that provide a wider field of vision than conventional mirrors. Carbon-fibre front-wheel static aero-covers also help with airflow and cooling, while active rear ailerons further contribute to aerodynamic efficiency. Tyres are bespoke P-Zeros developed with McLaren’s technology partner, Pirelli. A new standard of bespoke customization, including interwoven carbon titanium deposition materials and digitally embossed, full-aniline and lightweight leathers are also introduced. Inside, the cabin layout has been inspired by none other…

IF YOU THOUGHT THE URUS WAS A BIG, bad Lamborghini, take a closer look at this thing. The Sant’Agata marque has created a race-ready version of their super SUV in the form of the new Urus ST-X Concept. The company claims that the race car will hit the track by 2020 and compete in an FIA-approved single-brand championship. Under the bonnet, the twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 continues with the same power and torque: 650 PS and 850 Nm. However, the biggest change from the road car is its new diet in which it has shed a quarter of its kerb weight — more than 500 kg of its 2,197 kg total — bringing it down to a more Aventador weight-class. The ST-X race car also has a few distinctive design details…

SWEDISH AUTOMOTIVE BEHEMOTHS Volvo have announced that they will be the first manufacturers in India to introduce locally assembled plug-in hybrid vehicles in India, starting with their XC90 premium SUV. The first plug-in hybrid XC90 will roll out of the brand’s Bengaluru-based production line towards the end of 2019 and mark the onset of a complete phasing-out process of pure combustion engines from the Volvo stable. The XC90 T8 uses a 2.0-litre supercharged-turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine making 303 PS and 400 Nm, driving the front wheel through an eight-speed automatic with a 65-kW electric motor, making 87 PS and 240 Nm, powering the rear wheels through a smart e-transmission. Charles Frump, Managing Director of Volvo Car India, said, ‘The localization of plug-in hybrids marks the future of electrification for us. Our…

BMW M2 Competition BMW India have introduced the 2 Series in India with the launch of its most powerful version, the M2 Competition, at Rs 79.90 lakh (ex-showroom). The BMW M2 Competition opens up a new world of opportunity for buyers seeking thrilling performance without an eight-figure dent in their bank account. The M2 was the spiritual successor to the much-loved 1M Coupé globally and, with the M2 Competition, BMW have raised the game even further. The M2 Competition promises precision handling, enthralling driving dynamics that can turn your commute on its head or, if you really want to have fun, make a track-date to full exploit its potential. The M TwinPower Turbo straight-six displaces 2,979 cc and makes 410 PS and 550 Nm. Sending all that power to the…

CURIOSITY PLAYS AN IMPORTANT PART IN LIFE and it was our curiosity that got us to India’s magical North-East, Nagaland to be exact. We had heard a number of stories about this state; some favourable, others not so favourable. However, we were more interested in the natural beauty of Nagaland which we had come to appreciate in the limited number of pictures and videos on the interweb. Since we were headed to a state where roads are a luxury, we selected the Renault Captur as our preferred vehicle, since it is known for being at home on tough terrain. Tourist guides describe Nagaland as a land of warrior tribes that were once known for their incessant head-hunting rituals. Today, however, this place is known more for its beautiful vistas. We…

“ASPIRATIONAL DESIGN, ENHANCED COMFORT AND Superior Performance” — this is how Maruti Suzuki describe the recently launched Ertiga, their last and, perhaps, the most important launch of 2018. Let us see if it truly stands up to that description. The first-generation Ertiga was introduced in India in 2012 and the compact MPV created a new segment, called LUV (life utility vehicle). Having completed its life cycle, the family car has now been given a makeover. Not just a facelift, but a major revamp which includes a new Heartect platform that underpins the Swift, the Baleno, and the Dzire. With abundant use of high-tensile steel, the Ertiga is 20 kilograms lighter than before and safer too. It’s also larger now. While the suspension set-up has been improved further, the 2018 model…

THE NEW TOUAREG IS THE PREMIUM SUV IN the Volkswagen line-up currently and shares its underpinnings with nothing less than the Bentley Bentayga and Audi Q7. Yet this VW costs almost half their price in the international markets. This just seems too good to be true. And now that the German auto major is seriously considering to bring it to India, we headed straight to Volkswagen’s home in Wolfsburg to find out whether it is myth or reality. If you look at the design of the new model, it’s unlike anything you would expect from the Volkswagen stable. It’s bold, imposing, and surprisingly blingy. If you spot one of these in your rear-view mirror, you’ll be forced to look again just to reconfirm it’s a VW... all thanks to the…

THE JEEP BRAND HAS BEEN AROUND FOR AGES WITH the discerning owners being promised freedom, adventure, and passion by the iconic manufacturers. Their history is rich in several iconic models such as the original Willys MB that kick-started the SUV genre. Today there are several eye-catching models in their portfolio, such as the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee, which embody the company’s core values. Jeep’s Indian story began with the launch of their festooned vehicles a few years ago, but the brand really kicked into gear when they introduced their crossover SUV, the Compass, into the market. The Compass, launched in 2017, has offered customers a gateway into the famous Jeep brand ever since it first appeared in showrooms. The competition have noticed and made considerable efforts to eat into the…

MY LINE OF WORK IS EXCITING. VERY exciting, indeed. Modesty apart, it is one of the best jobs in the world. I get to drive cars of all shapes and sizes, sometimes in exotic locations, sometimes over unyielding terrain. That being said, it is not always easy. Sometimes I run against the clock, take a few risks; maybe, even push myself. So, when Mahindra Adventure invited Car India to take part in their third “Authentic Bhutan” experience, I went prepared for a week’s worth of hard work. Surprisingly, I never had to push myself, nor did I ever feel anything less than relaxed. In fact, the Authentic Bhutan programme was exactly what it claimed to be: a fully laid-back driving holiday. Driving through the Land of the Thunder Dragon and…

IT WAS QUITE A SPECTACULAR ROUND IN SPAIN, where the nine-time World Rally Champion and French ace, Sébastien Loeb, claimed his first WRC victory in five years and his first Spanish triumph in seven years. The veteran had a clean and consistent run right from the beginning and it was this consistency that led him to victory in his Citroën. As rally Catalunya kicked off, it was defending champion Sébastien Ogier who had the upper hand as he won SS1 with 3.7 seconds between him and the leader, Thierry Neuville of Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT. However, on SS3, the gravel stage, Ott Tänak of Toyota Gazoo Racing took the lead. He was followed by his teammate, Jari-Matti Latvala, in second and Elfyn Evans of M-Sport Ford in third. By this…

NEW THIS MONTH MAHINDRA ALTURAS G4 The new flagship Mahindra is a premium, seven-seater SUV with an automatic-only driveline, from Rs 27 lakh (ex) TATA TIAGO JTP The hot Tiago is quite the package with more power and performance tweaks. Yours from Rs 6.43 lakh (ex) LEGENDS PRICES Ex-showroom, Pune (subject to change) BO: Available only by order NA: Price not available FEATURES F: Front only D: Driver airbag only O: Optional equipment ASTON MARTIN BENTLEY BMW FERRARI FIAT HONDA HONDA JAGUAR JAGUAR LAND ROVER LEXUS MARUTI SUZUKI MARUTI SUZUKI MERCEDES-BENZ MERCEDES MINI MITSUBISHI RENAULT RENAULT TATA TOYOTA VOLKSWAGEN VOLVO…