Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2020 i Car India

A NEW ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM WAS COMMISSIONED BY A STOCKHOLM-BASED entrepreneur with an extraordinary passion for flowers, so much so that he has named two of his four children after flowers. He challenged Rolls-Royce’s Bespoke Collective comprising designers, craftspeople, and engineers to make a car that makes its passengers feel as if they are seated in a beguiling floral scene. The result is a sanctuary of true luxury, a vision of flowers, created with a million ― yes, one million ― embroidered stitches. The Rose Garden in Goodwood served as the primary point of inspiration. It is the only place in the world that the Phantom Rose is grown. Bred exclusively for Rolls-Royce. Ieuan Hatherall, the Bespoke Collective designer, inspired by the rose, said that there is a transcendent beauty when…

Bookings have opened for the MG ZS EV, Morris Garages (MG)’s first all-electric vehicle in India and second model in their line-up, for a token amount of Rs 50,000. The ZS EV will be available in two variants: Excite and Exclusive. The Exclusive gets leather seats, a dual-pane sunroof, rain-sensing wipers, and six speakers. The ZS EV added another feather to its cap by achieving a five-star rating in the Euro NCAP safety assessment. Motive force comes from a 105-kW permanent magnet synchronous electric motor that produces a healthy 143 hp and 353 Nm. The compact SUV draws power from a 44.5-kWh battery located under the rear seat ― without taking up too much cabin or storage space. MG claim that the battery can be fully charged within six to…

INDIA’S FINEST auto journalists presented the Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY) for 2020, the most prestigious award of our country’s automobile industry. This year the ICOTY was won by the Hyundai Venue, while the BMW 3 Series won the “Premium Car Award 2020”. Every year reputed journalists from various automobile publications come together to judge, analyse, and share their thoughts on the various cars that have been launched over the past year. The 15th edition of the ICOTY awards and the second year of the “Premium Car Award” were supported by JK Tyre who have been sponsoring the grand award ceremony since its inception. This year, ICOTY partnered with Grant Thornton, who were the official award validation partners. The jury members cast their votes at the Buddh International Circuit…

THE SECOND PART OF OUR JOURNEY SEES US DRIVE into a different direction altogether. Gone now are the beaches and coconut trees as we head towards the inside of the Deccan Plateau. Up from the low-lying areas, the forests of the country manifest themselves. This means that we are close to our destination of forests, coffee, and culture. Place in question? Kodagu (formerly known as Coorg). The distance from Gokarna to Kodagu is about 350 kilometres. There are indeed longer routes which would take you through some of the picturesque national parks along the way. However, we decided to stick to the shortest one to be able to reach our destination before nightfall. The two types of coffee grown here are Arabica and Robusta, with the former being more full-flavoured…

SPEARHEADING IS NEVER AN EASY JOB, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE ARENA has some gladiators with a take-no-prisoners attitude. The battle is intense between those vying for the pie, yet those who contribute to the pie do so with a clear head. The “premium compact hatchback” segment has many takers and has shown a consistent growth over the years. The discerning buyer knows what’s around and sees more value in a lot packaged in less than the other way around. This sort of buyer will get a top-of-the-line premium hatch rather than an entry sedan. This a view that Mayank Pareek, President of Tata Motors, also shares. In fact, following the drive, we had the opportunity to sit down and discuss all sorts of details with him, among which was also that…

Its 306 hp is Golf R territory, but our car weighs about 1.7 tonnes ‘HEY, MERCEDES! TAKE ME TO Ronda, but on the scenic route.’ In 10 years from now, the driver of any new well-spec’d Benz may say exactly these words, then sit back, relax and let the car do all the work. But this is 2019 and, apparently, there are three different routes to Ronda, with varying degrees of scenic. We opt for the longest loop, but as soon as it’s logged in, the voice comes back on and warns of roadworks. Foiled. ‘Is there anything else I can do for you?’ Yes, you can. I’m cold and my back needs a physio. She ponders for a moment before she obliges: step by step the cabin temp goes…

THIS ISN’T A STORY ABOUT THE WISECRACKING MARVEL anti-hero who also goes by the name Deadpool (and is often referred to as the merc with the mouth). It is instead a story about the new Mercedes that, like Mr Pool, is quite chatty and dishes out some quick-witted quips too (minus the R-rated content, of course). But before we get to the vehicle’s party piece, let’s talk about what it is. It is the new GLC, specifically the 220 d 4MATIC or 2.0-litre diesel all-wheel-drive variant in lay speak. Now, this isn’t an all-new, built from the ground up and drawn up on a completely fresh piece of paper type deal. It is, in fact, somewhere between a mild facelift and a full-blown change up. So, the platform, dimensions, and…

SCUDERIA FERRARI HAVE SIGNED CHARLES Leclerc for five more years, with a contract extension all the way to 2024. Starting with the Ferrari-powered Sauber team, the young Monegasque impressed with his race craft and tenacity. With a best finish of sixth place in the 2018 Azerbaijan GP, he went on to end the season with a string of seventh-place finishes, bringing in valuable points, scoring 39 of the 48 points for the team while outscoring his more experienced teammate of the time, Marcus Ericsson. When he moved to Ferrari in 2019, following the late great Sergio Marchionne’s wish to see him in a scarlet car, Leclerc delivered some even more impressive results in his début season, enough to put him right up there among the best. Last year, he outperformed…

THE LAST RALLY ON THE 2019 calendar, the Popular Rally, was held in the lush locales of “God’s own country”, Kerala. The rally took place in Kottayam with over 35 teams competing for glory. The predominantly asphalt route ran over 530 km which included almost 122 km of 12 Special Stages. Gaurav Gill and his navigator, Musa Sherif, were favourites for the win but a lacklustre season had left him far off the mark in terms of a title victory and he headed into the final round in seventh place. The top three spots were occupied by Chetan Shivram-Dilip Sharan, Fabid Ahmer-Sanath G, and Dean Mascarenhas-Shruptha Padivel respectively. Gill was in top form on Saturday and finished with a good lead over competition at the end of the first day.…

THE NEW NISSAN GT-R50 BY ITALDESIGN IS HEADED FOR production. The strictly limited edition will see only 50 cars made. Based on the current GT-R Nismo, the GT-R50 features even more extreme styling, a two-tone paint finish and heavily reworked front and rear ends. The special-edition car first made its début in Europe at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The GT-R50 has the same legendary, hand-assembled VR38DETT engine: a 3.8-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol, now tuned to produce an estimated 720 hp at 7,100 rpm and 780 Nm of torque between 3,600 and 5,600 rpm. A six-speed dual-clutch transmission and Attesa ET-S all-wheel drive, revised suspension from Bilstein, and upgraded Brembo braking system help handle the extra power. For comparison, the stock Nissan GT-R makes 570 hp and 637 Nm and…

HYUNDAI HAVE TAKEN THE WRAPS OFF their new compact sedan, the Aura, set to rival the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Honda Amaze, Tata Tigor, and Volkswagen Ameo. Hyundai have gone for a design language to appeal to the younger portion of the buyer spectrum. The Aura certainly looks the part of a well-proportioned compact sedan and is based on the Grand i10 Nios. Under the hood, the Aura will have three engine options, all BS VI-compliant, including a T-GDI 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, turbo-petrol with 100 hp and 172 Nm of peak torque. This engine will be offered only with a five-speed manual transmission. The familiar Kappa 1.2-litre petrol with 83 hp and 114 Nm is also on offer. The diesel motor is also an updated EcoTorq 1.2-litre, three-cylinder, turbo-diesel…

WELL-KNOWN PREMIUM PRE-OWNED LUXURY CAR DEALERS, BIG Boy Toyz, who started operations in 2009 and currently have showrooms in Mumbai and Delhi, are all set to open their third dealership, this time in Hyderabad. This will be Big Boy Toyz’s first-ever multi-brand showroom in south India. The new dealership, to be located in the upmarket area of the Shangri-La Plaza, spans 5,900 sq ft. According to the pre-owned high-end car dealer, Hyderabad makes up about 40 per cent of the total revenue generated from the southern market currently and Big Boy Toyz expect to generate an additional Rs 80-90 crore from Hyderabad itself.…

Honda City i-VTEC BS-VI Following the CR-V and Civic, the Honda City has received a BS-VI i-VTEC petrol version, launched in India from Rs 10.12 lakh (ex-showroom). The Honda City is, and has been for a while, among the most popular sedans in India. The latest update sees the petrol powertrain get an update to cleaner BS-VI emission norms. The 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine continues to produce 119 hp and 145 Nm. The other big change is the addition of DigiPad 2.0, an advanced infotainment system, in the V, VX, and ZX variants. Features include a 7.0-inch Advanced Touchscreen Audio, Video, and Navigation system, seamless smartphone connectivity through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, in-built satellite-navigation, Live Traffic support through a USB Wi-Fi receiver, voice commands, messages, Bluetooth handsfree telephony and…

Tyger Tyger, burning bright,In the forests of the night;What immortal hand or eye,Could frame thy fearful symmetry? William Blake’s “The Tyger”, arguably one of the most famous poems written in the 1700s, comes to mind every time there is a reference to the majestic beast. Thus, it comes as no surprise when we decided to drive the Kia Seltos and go for a Tiger Trail in India. To give a little background, over a decade ago, Kia Motors hired a globally acclaimed designer to give their cars a distinct identity, one that’s instantly recognisable and leaves a lasting impression. The legendary designer came up with the striking “tiger nose” grille which beautifully narrows down at the centre as if the designer has pinched the grille to impersonate the fearless face…

HISTORY. IT IS A SUBJECT THAT IS LIKELY TO hold little or no interest for the youngsters these days. Since that is a troubling thought, we decided to visit a historic site that does not find mention very often. Three historic sites, in fact, located within a radius of about 40 kilometres from one another: Badami, Aihole, and Pattadakal in Karnataka. However, we decided to start from Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana and over 400 kilometres away. Well, how did we get there? We chose the brilliant Toyota Innova Crysta for this trip and were thankful for our choice. The Innova Crysta is a good friend and a dependable companion on such a journey. That superb engine and equally amazing comfort are all you will ever need and yet Toyota…

Aston Martin DBX Aston’s first-ever SUV. That means a generous helping of sport and handling, with loads of utility and ground clearance in one doubtless exceptional vehicle. ASTON MARTIN DBX Price: Rs 3 crore (approx) Engine: 4.0-litre, biturbo V8, petrol Output: 550 hp, 700 Nm Transmission: Eight-speed, auto, AWD Audi A8 Audi’s flagship luxury saloon is expected to finally arrive in India. Armed with cutting-edge tech and modern powertrains, most of which benefit from mild-hybrid tech. AUDI A8 55 TFSI QUATTRO Price: Rs 1.2 crore (approx) Engine: 3.0-litre, biturbo V6, petrol Output: 340 hp, 500 Nm Transmission: Eight-speed, auto, AWD Audi e-tron The first all-electric Audi. We’ve all seen it previewed, now get ready to put your money down. Q5-like space and utility with a load of…

ON THE ALTROZ Discerning customers buy a top-spec hatchback and not an entry sedan. They know 3,995 [millimetres of length] is a premium hatch. They are willing to pay more than a 3,800 [mm long car]. Our target is 12 per cent of the premium hatchback segment. ON THE EMISSION NORMS AND MODEL LINES Whatever had to be phased out has already been phased out. Today every product we have has been launched after 2016. The Hexa [BS VI] will not be made available on 1 April, but a little later. Very late, we decided a different marketing strategy for it. We think there’s a big slot available. If we could do it [BS VI conversion] for eight cars, we can do for nine cars. ON THE CURRENT MARKET SITUATION…

THE MG ZS EV MIGHT SOUND LIKE A bunch of acronyms but, in reality, it spells the company’s expertise in the EV space. For an electric car, it looks rather conventional and it’s about the same size as the Hyundai Creta and the Kia Seltos. It’s only once the front grille is popped open and the charging socket is revealed that the curious bystanders go ‘Oh, electric!’ in appreciation. A few elements make the design stand out — such as the sizeable front grille with starry chrome specks or the large MG logo centrepiece which glows when the ZS is being charged. While the London Eye-inspired LED daytime running light layout looks unique, the scuff-plates at the bottom of the bumper give it a rugged feel. Like many European designs,…

ON MOST PORSCHES, Sport Plus only works on the track. In the Taycan 4S, however, the no-holds-barred setting is perfect for winding country roads. It’s usable power and that’s what this entry-level version is all about. It’s a glorious example of having your cake and eating it — a zero-CO2 car with thrilling performance, offering a bang-per-buck ratio that outshines many other Porsches, both hybrid and electric. You’d probably want to upgrade from the skimpy 19-inch wheels fitted as standard and you should definitely fork out £4,613 (Rs 4.15 lakh) to get the Performance Plus battery that increases the maximum output by 41 hp. But that’s pretty much all you need; best avoid lingering in the accessories list, because you’ll find it all too easy to increase the price by…

BUILT ON THE DNGA (DAIHATSU NEW Global Architecture) platform shared with parent company Toyota, the original car, the Daihatsu Rocky, showcased at the Tokyo Motor Show earlier this year, was the base for the newly-badged and recreated Toyota Raize to take shape. The sharp design cues make it stand out as a thoroughly modern creation with a bold front face putting the spotlight on the purposeful front grille and sharp LED lighting and flowing LED turn-indicators. Size-wise, the Toyota Raize measures 3,995 millimetres long, 1,695 mm wide, 1,620 mm high, with a wheelbase of 2,525 mm. Ground clearance is also a usable 185 mm. It seats five and offers a choice of boot storage options thanks to a multi-way adjustable load floor. There are three trims on offer as well:…

AFTER THE SEVERAL HYBRID MODELS across the premium and luxury spectrum, the new UX 300e is the first-ever fully electric, battery-powered offering from Lexus, unveiled at the Guangzhou Motor Show. Lexus unveiled their global electrification strategy, “Lexus Electrified”, at the Tokyo Motor Show this year which targets a fundamental leap in vehicle performance, handling, control, and driver enjoyment. Built on the new GA-C platform, the UX 300e promises high performance capabilities. It packs a 150-kW electric motor that delivers a peak 204 hp and 300 Nm. The high-capacity 54.3-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, located directly underneath the floor of the cabin, makes for a lower centre of gravity and offers a range of up to 400 km. The UX300e has a shift-by-wire system on the centre console for simple yet highly…

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THE TOYOTA MIRAI WAS THE first production hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) from the Japanese major and one of the first in the world to be available to order when it arrived in 2015. In whatever limited numbers it sold, dotting landscapes — I spotted one in Germany — it looked futuristic and ahead of its time; almost like an evolution of the Prius, both in design and principle. The all-new Mirai, previewed as a concept model at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show and at the Los Angeles Auto Show, is the car that will take the brand into the future; a cleaner and more efficient future. The new Mirai has been reimagined and completely redesigned. It not only features smooth, curvaceous, and rather sporty styling, but also boosts…

TOO maNY COOks spOiL THE brOTH, THEY saY. HOWEVEr, TODaY, iN a large kitchen, a lot has to be brewing when there’s a multi-course meal that needs to deliver on several counts to several people. so, how does a major automaker with an exponential learning curve and a commitment to improving further each time do the deed? say what you want about the styling of the Elantra, but it does turn heads. Those who don’t spend hours on the internet scouring car websites the world over will definitely do a second take. We even got a window-down-thumbs-up from a polo GT Tsi driver on our highway run. The new Hyundai Elantra has probably had some serious sit-downs for the styling. This is the fifth-gen aD-facelift car that was only revealed…

TYRES ARE AMONG THE most critical aspects of performance, being the only contact the car has with the road or surface. Today, it isn’t only about grip; there are several factors involved, including fuel efficiency, rolling resistance, road noise, cornering performance, and sidewall flex affecting handling. Tyre design and construction keep on evolving and, thus, every new iteration brings a whole lot more to the table. Now, as mentioned earlier, with the Michelin Energy XM2+, the company has decided to do things a little differently this time round. There wasn’t just an email with an image and description of the tyre, but we were invited to the WABCO Proving Grounds in Chennai to actually have a go on the new rubber! This is primarily because the French major calls the…

YOU COULD HAVE FORGIVEN Polestar for playing it safe when it came to delivering their first model since becoming an independent manufacturer in 2017. A nice SUV — they always do well, don’t they? Maybe, an electric version of one of parent company Volvo’s existing models? But, no, Gothenberg decided that what the world really needed was a 600-hp, carbon-bodied plug-in hybrid GT. One that costs £139,000 (Rs 1.25 crore). Don’t you just love those crazy Swedes? The Polestar 1 is intended as the brand’s halo car, designed to warm potential customers up for less expensive future models, starting with the Tesla Model 3-rivalling Polestar 2. But what of the Polestar 1, considered in its own right — what’s it actually like to drive? And does it come close to…

FOR THE FINAL TIME IN 2019, THE FIVE LIGHTS WENT out. Lewis Hamilton got a brilliant start in his Mercedes-AMG with the Red Bull of Max Verstappen right on his tail and the two Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel behind them. Hamilton’s teammate, Valtteri Bottas, set the second fastest time in qualifying but had to start from the back of the grid thanks to a multiple-place penalty for needing a change of powertrain components. The race progressed well for the new world champion, with the Brit opening up a gap of 1.6 seconds after the very first lap. The rest of the field wasn’t as lucky. Further back, there was contact for the Toro Rosso of Pierre Gasly after a series of lock-ups saw the Frenchman nudged by…

AS MANY AS 40,000 FANS FILLED up the stands to make the Festival of Speed one of the biggest motor sport gatherings in the country. Everybody arrived at the event for the JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship (JKNRC) to be kicked off. This year, the festival introduced a number of new categories and sub-sections, with the X1 Racing League being one of the main highlights. Friday saw the beginning of all the action going to take place over the weekend. The qualifying rounds of the JKNRC kicked off in full swing to set things up for the main races on Saturday and Sunday. Most of the categories had close finishes with the championship winners being decided at the end of the last race. The energy levels at BIC were…

The opening round of the X1 Racing League was full of action with BRS Racing team from Bengaluru dominating the first round. The team of Arjun Maini, Oliver Webb, Nayan Chatterjee, and Michelle Gatting were literally unstoppable. Arjun and Oliver combined well to win both the races on the first day, while Nayan and Michelle finished second in the second race on the first day. Arjun and Oliver got back together again on the final day, taking the second place in the opening race, while settling for the third position in relay race to emerge victorious.…