Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2020 i Car India

THE ID.3 IS THE FIRST PRODUCT ON THE VW’s MEB (Modularen Elektrifizierungs Baukasten or Modular Electric Matrix) platform. It is, first and foremost, an everyday hatchback. Sporting bold new lines and design elements, the ID.3 is about the same size as a Golf and is the first all-electric car from VW that heralds their electric car future. It measures 4,261 millimetres long, 1,809 mm wide, 1,552 mm high, and has a wheelbase measuring 2,765 mm. It weighs 1,719 kg (minimum, kerb). It will offer a choice of 18-, 19- or 20-inch wheels. The ID.3 is being initially offered in seven variants: Life, Style, Business, Family, Tech, Max, and Tour. The first six are offered with the 58-kWh battery pack, whereas the Tour is offered as standard with the 77-kWh battery…

MERCEDES ARE ON THE WAY TO ELECTRIFYING ALL FOUR- AND SIX-cylinder offerings, all of which comply with the new Euro 6d norms that include evaporative emissions. The range kicks off with the E 200 now with the EQ Boost 48-volt mild-hybrid system and 197 hp and 320 Nm. The 450 badge returns with the new straight-six petrol making 367 hp and 500 Nm. The diesel range has the E 220 d with 194 hp and 400 Nm and the more powerful E 400 d 4MATIC with the 2.9-litre straight-six making 340 hp and 700 Nm. Two plug-in hybrids, the petrol E 300 e and the diesel E 300 de, each combine 2.0-litre turbo-fours with the EQ Power hybrid drive system. A 13.5-kWh battery powers the integrated 90-kW motor that adds…

THE 2021 RANGE ROVER AND RANGE ROVER SPORT HAVE RECEIVED an overhaul with new engines and special-edition models. Utility, practicality, and luxury never go out of style and that’s where Land Rover have claimed their stake in the premium SUV pie. The 2021 update brings subtle styling tweaks and equipment changes as well as special editions such as the Range Rover Fifty, SVAutobiography Dynamic Black, the Westminster Edition, and the Range Rover Sport SVR Carbon. The headline change is the all-new 48-volt mild-hybrid 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder Ingenium turbo-diesel engine. The D300 has 300 hp and 650 Nm and will be the one offered in India. A more potent D350 with a V8-dismissing 350 hp and 700 Nm is available overseas. The petrol Ingenium 3.0 six in-line is already on sale…

Audi RS 7 Sportback The next-generation Audi RS 7 Sportback has been launched in India, priced from Rs 1.94 crore (ex-showroom). The RS7 Sportback is one of Audi’s wild-child bunch. A track-bred machine that is all about adrenaline-pumping performance. The RS7 is based on its more civilized A7 sibling but has been given a thorough makeover to live up to its speed-demon leanings, evident in those distinctive flared wheel-arches, 22-inch rims, and hunkered-down stance, not to mention the HD Matrix LED lighting with Audi Laser Lights. What really brings that sporty nature out in the RS7 is the engine. The RS 7 now packs a 48-volt mild-hybrid 4.0-litre TFSI V8 with 600 hp and 800 Nm. Power is transmitted to all four wheels thanks to quattro AWD system with the…

POP QUIZ: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SPEND A DAY WITH AN actor who’s rushing from workout sessions to shoots and zipping around in one of his fav cars: the Hyundai Elantra? You end up matching pace with the actor’s hectic schedule while getting to know him and the car better. Raqesh Bapat needs no introduction. You’ve seen him in numerous television commercials and much-loved daily soaps. His stint in the showbiz happened by chance when he won “Grasim Mr India” when he was just 19 years old. And before he knew it, modelling assignments started to pour in and he got a break in the Bollywood blockbuster, Tum Bin. Along with Hindi and Marathi films, Bapat became the nation’s heart-throb when he bagged lead roles in TV shows like Saat…

Next-level Self-driving The iNext will target Level 3 autonomy. But Level 3 is challenging in the extreme — in April Audi confirmed they’d given up making the A8’s Level 3 capability active… Next-gen EV Power No claims yet on power or battery size (likely 120 kWh) but range is set to be some 580 km (WLTP). Shares fifth-gen BMW e-powertrain tech with the i4 coupé. BMW dynamics BMW long since mastered SUVs that drive like cars. iNext will deploy every tech trick in the book — cold-weather testing shots show the thing merrily sideways. Un-fussy Design ‘A clean, sharp, and sexy shape that looks like it was milled from a single block,’ says beleaguered BMW design boss Adrian van Hooydonk of the exterior. Interior should retain boutique hotel chic. 2021’s…

The Ferrari SF90 has more sides than a dodecahedron with dissociative identity disorder. A demon track weapon one minute, a relaxing cross-continent cruiser the next, it’s the heaviest Ferrari sports car ever built, yet can lap Ferrari’s Fiorano track as quickly as the lightest. Depending on which driving mode you select, it can either keep a Bugatti Chiron honest from the lights — or be shown the door by a supermini. And if you pull away sharply on a loose surface in its eDrive EV mode, during which the V8 and the rear axle take a little nap, you’ll discover one more mind-bending fact: the SF90 is, at least some of the time, Ferrari’s first front-wheel-drive production car. Unprecedented times indeed. Ferrari claim the SF90 launch was postponed from March…

THE 2020 ŠKODA SUPERB CARRIES ON THE tradition laid down by its predecessors of offering fantastic value within the luxury sedan space and continues punching way above its segment on several parameters. While the first-generation Superb, launched in 2004, may not have been the game-changer that the Czech manufacturer hoped for, 2009’s second-generation car succeeded in capturing our imagination with its stand-out design, spacious cabin, luxurious interior and excellent driving dynamics. The third-generation Superb, launched in 2016, did away with the curves of the previous car, and brought in a new angular look dominated by straight lines and sharp angles; The new 2020 Škoda Superb carries this stylish design forward with only minor tweaks and changes. The car is available in two variants: the luxurious Laurin & Klement pictured here…

The original is the product of techniques lost to mainstream car-making long ago GET THE BOSS’S BUY-IN Earlier this year, Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark tasked Mulliner special projects man Glyn Davies with drawing up a list of Bentleys ripe for the continuation treatment. Aston have done it with the DB4 GT, Jaguar with the E-Type Lightweight — Bentley fancied a slice of the action. Top of Davies’s list was the Blower, though he warned the boss he wasn’t sure replicating the 1920s racer was even feasible. Naturally, Hallmark chose the Blower… Cloning post-War cars is one thing; delivering a dozen perfect reproductions of Bentley’s leviathan legend quite another. Not only is the original enormous, irreplaceable, and unique (five were built, of which four raced, and this car, Tim Birkin’s, was…

GRAN TURISMO Yet another racing game to first make its début in the late 1990s, GT was developed by Polyphony specifically for the Sony PlayStation series of consoles. Today this game has become the highest selling franchise in the PS portfolio and with good reason. With realistic car behaviour, a long list of licensed cars from the real world, and stunning graphics to boot, it is no wonder that Gran Turismo has gone on to garner the type of following that it has. Another unique facet of Gran Turismo is the involvement of manufacturers for the Vision GT project wherein pretty much all the popular car brands have created virtual versions of their dream GT cars just for this game — and then turned them into real-life concepts too. NEED…

IT’S BEEN 70 YEARS OF Formula 1 and what better way to celebrate than at an iconic venue that was also part of the original calendar: Silverstone. Yes, the British Grand Prix was also held there just a week before the big one, but there was nothing to take away from the action that went down on the 70th Anniversary GP weekend. After Valtteri Bottas snatched pole position from his Mercedes-AMG teammate, Lewis Hamilton, and the super-sub Nico Hulkenberg lined up behind him in the Racing Point Mercedes, it was Max Verstappen, in the Red Bull Racing Honda, who qualified P4 and made an impressive start behind the two Mercedes cars. The start was clean but, lower down the order, the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel, who had started 11th, fishtailed…

THE NEW BMW IX3 HAD SEEN ITS HOMOLOGATION TESTS BEING concluded successfully and is the first fully electric SUV model from BMW that will be produced as per their schedule in China for the global market later in 2020. The iX3 is the electrified alternative to the X3 and features a potent powertrain to go with its mid-size premium SUV genes and form. It measures 4,734 mm long, 1,891 mm wide, 1,668 mm high, and it has a wheelbase measuring 2,864 mm. It weighs in at 2,185 kg. The power unit packs a hefty 210 kW or 286 hp with a peak torque of 400 Nm. An underfloor lithium-ion battery powers the motor. It will accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds and get up to an electronically…

THE ALL-ELECTRIC ŠKODA ENYAQ IV IS THE FIRST CZECH MODEL ON THE MEB platform and will be digitally revealed on 1 September. Škoda have been busy and the new Enyaq iV is the latest to arrive as the marque celebrates 125 years of existence. It is their first all-electric SUV and the first series-production vehicle to be based on the VW Group’s MEB (Modularen Elektrifizierungs Baukasten or Modular Electric Toolkit). The silhouette shot released offers a peek. The Enyaq iV combines the brand’s virtues of generous space, emotive design, and well-balanced proportions with a sustainable yet fun driving experience. It has a spacious interior, similar to the Kodiaq, but is shorter in length than an Octavia. It will be available with rear- or four-wheel drive, with three battery sizes and…

THE NEW TOYOTA COROLLA CROSS IS BASED ON THE ICONIC Corolla — a global bestseller. In fact, the global bestseller. With the growing demand for SUVs, Toyota saw fit to add a new Corolla model to the popular series. The new Corolla Cross is built on the GA-C platform, part of the TNGA (Toyota New Generation Architecture) and that enables it to achieve high-quality performance with a comfortable ride and outstanding quietness. The Cross also provides a spacious cabin, easy ingress and egress, class-leading luggage space suitable for all scenarios, and safety equipment inherited from the Corolla series. Key technologies include tconnect by Toyota, the Multi-stage Hybrid powertrain, and Toyota Safety Sense. The Thai market gets the fourth-generation Multi-stage Hybrid set-up — similar to the Prius — with the 2ZR-FXE…

THE GHIBLI HYBRID IS AN EVOLUTION OF THE SPORT-LUXURY four-door and brings an advanced powertrain. The Ghibli dimensions are retained but the Hybrid, under the bonnet, has a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, mono-scroll turbo-petrol with 200-bar direct-injection. It is aided by a 48-volt electrical system which powers an integrated starter generator (ISG) and auxiliary electric supercharger, called the eBooster, supported by a dedicated 48V battery pack. The electric compressor doesn’t need the exhaust stream to spin up, running from startup and eliminating any form of lag for instantaneous response as well as more potent and linear acceleration. The powertrain will deliver 330 hp and 450 Nm. An eight-speed ZF automatic is employed and drives the rear wheels through a mechanical limited-slip self-locking differential. The Ghibli Hybrid weighs in at 1,878 kg, as…

Audi India have added a new, state-of-the-art service facility in Delhi NCR. Audi Service Delhi West is now open, with the four-ringed brand partnering with Adventure Auto Car India Limited of the Motherson Group. Located on Najafgarh Road in Moti Nagar, New Delhi, this is Audi’s fourth workshop in Delhi NCR. With this move, the German luxury car manufacturer has reiterated its focus on a customer-centred approach. The new service facility in Delhi NCR is spread over an area of 43,000 square feet and houses 20 bays with an exclusive body shop facility. This means that Audi Service Delhi West has the capacity to service 40 cars per day in a single shift. The technicians trained by Audi ensure efficient upkeep of all vehicles with approved equipment, tools, and technologies…

THE IMPACT OF THE MG Hector on the Indian automotive landscape is undeniable. As the first push from the British heritage brand on Indian soil, the Hector is the most important model in their line-up. With over 25,000 units sold since its launch, the Hector has outshone its segment rivals in the popularity stakes right from the get-go. Just what makes this SUV such a sought-after vehicle in the India market? We got behind the wheel of the Hector to find out. Uncompromising SUV Stance The search for the complete package starts with the look. If you have to live with a vehicle all your life, you won’t want to settle for something that doesn’t appeal to you. With the Hector, that is never an issue. Its robust SUV leanings…

1 Kia Motors India pull the wraps off the production-ready Sonet, their second car to make its global premiere in our country and the brand’s third model in the Indian line-up. 2 The compact SUV is being produced at the car-maker’s plant in Andhra Pradesh and it will be exported to Kia’s international markets too. We got an exclusive preview of the Sonet recently and here’s what it has in store. 3 The Sonet is Kia Motors India’s smallest SUV, measuring less than four metres in length, and its main competitors are the Ford EcoSport, Maruti Vitara Brezza, Mahindra XUV300, Tata Nexon, and, of course, the Hyundai Venue. 4 Not surprisingly, it is based on the proven Hyundai Group platform which is also used by Hyundai Venue. 5 Interestingly, the…

IN THE LAST ONE YEAR, MG MOTOR HAVE ALREADY INTRODUCED two SUVs, the well-received Hector, and the ZS EV — an electric SUV. The Hector Plus, essentially a Hector with three rows of seating, takes the model count to three. We’re all aware of the Plus and have seen its pictures and videos when it was showcased at the Auto Expo 2020. A select few of us got to drive the six-seater version which was due for launch earlier this year but got delayed due to the lockdown. But it’s here now and priced quite well, actually, asking a premium of about Rs 80,000 over the standard Hector for the additional seating, comfort, and features. The idea for the Hector Plus emerged from the never-ending demands of the Indian car-buyers…

XACTLY 15 YEARS AGO, THE RECORD BOOKS WERE updated as the Bugatti Veyron set a new speed record, making it the first series-production road-car to break the 400-km/h speed barrier. The Goal A top speed of 407 km/h with a series production car would be almost unimaginable if it had not already been done. That said, when it was done, it was something that had never been achieved before. Exactly 15 years ago, Bugatti were the first series-production car manufacturers to achieve this record with the Veyron 16.4 — a car for the road that could be used every day without modification. The French luxury manufacturer of hyper sports cars based in Molsheim, under parent company Volkswagen, had to achieve a development goal it had set for itself; something many…

BALBIR SINGH DHILON, Head, Audi India It’s been almost a year since Balbir Singh Dhilon took charge of bringing Audi India back on top of the charts. The new Head of Audi India has been working on revamping the entire luxury car line-up with not just BS6-compliant models but brand-new ones like the unique Q8 SUV. The company also introduced some of their mainstream models such as the new A6 and A8 L and the thrilling RS 7 Sportback. In a recent conversation with Car India, Dhilon revealed that Audi India would be bringing a mix of volume and RS models to our shores to keep the buyers engaged and excited. Moreover, the German luxury car brand is aiming to be sustainable not just by focusing on sales but with…

THE MERCEDES-AMG GT BLACK SERIES IS THE MOST POWERFUL PRODUCTION AMG EVER sold. Its 730-hp LS2 engine with a cross-plane crankshaft and a whole lot of aero set it apart. Yes, the new codename for the 4.0-litre biturbo V8 under the bonnet in the front-mid section is “M178 LS2”. A significant rework, new components, and revisions give it 730 hp and 800 Nm. It runs a 180° flat- or cross-plane crankshaft, a 1-8-2-7-4-5-3-6 firing order, and ignition in the flat-plane V8 jumps from one cylinder bank to the next for an improved gas cycle and response. A SpeedShift DCT 7G handles the torque on tap. The front-engine-rear-gearbox set-up means that a 13.9-kg carbon torque-tube directly connects the engine output shaft to the gearbox input shaft; spinning at up to 6,900…

THE ALL-4X4 FORD BRONCO IS “BUILT WILD” AND READY TO deliver a thrilling experience with its heritage-inspired style, engineering, and off-road technology. Both two- and four-door models are available, with the architecture based on a fully boxed, high-strength steel chassis. Powering the new Bronco are a choice of EcoBoost turbo-petrol engines: a 2.3-litre in-line four with 270 hp and 420 Nm and a 2.7-litre V6 with 310 hp and 542 Nm. A new seven-speed manual transmission or the SelectShift 10-speed multi-clutch automatic are offered with all models packing a 4x4 driveline. A key feature is the G.O.A.T. Modes that deliver maximum 4x4 go-anywhere, anytime capability and confidence and incorporate off-road mapping and drive technologies for maximum capability in all hands. Up to seven selectable modes are offered ― Normal, Eco,…

THE NEW, ALL-ELECTRIC DUO OF THE AUDI Q4 E-TRON CONCEPT AND SPORTBACK SHOW the next electric step, with production set for 2021. The Q4 e-tron Concept is built on the MEB platform that will underpin future electric vehicles produced by the VW Group. The dimensions of the two Q4 models are almost identical: a length of 4.60 metres and height of 1.60 m. The Sportback is 10 mm longer and lower. Both share an identical width of 1.90 m and wheelbase of 2.77 m. The two concept cars offer a look at what lies ahead in the powertrain line-up. These models use two electric motors: a 150-kW rear motor with 204 hp and 310 Nm and a 75-kW front motor with 102 hp and 150 Nm. The peak output is…

DETAILS OF THE 2021 KIA CARNIVAL HAVE EMERGED, THOUGH THE current-gen Carnival, available globally since 2014, was only launched in India earlier this year. The 2021 Carnival is expected to come to India late next year. It’s not just a facelift. Kia have tightened the front overhang and elongated the bonnet by moving the base of the A-pillar backwards. The core dimensions have also changed since Kia claim that the new Carnival has seen a wheelbase increase to 3,090 mm. The body is wider by 10 mm and overall length has increased by 40 mm. Visually, there is no longer a kink at the shoulder-line past the C-pillar, but a striking silver element to equalize the aesthetic and offer a straight shoulder-line. The new Carnival still has a signature tiger-nose…

Electric car sales are gathering momentum as more people look towards cleaner and less polluting means of personal transport. Thus, the first public DC fast charger in New Delhi has been installed by ABB India Limited together with EV Motors India, the major charge point operator for BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL). The Terra54 CJG charging station caters to multiple charging protocols of CCS2, CHadeMO, and AC Type 2. This Terra54 CJG DC fast charging station is a cloud-connected charger set-up linked through Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) 1.6 to EV Motors’ backend office. Passengers will be able to charge their cars in about 40 to 50 minutes from zero to 80 per cent. All DC fast chargers come with connected services to help customers easily connect using different software…

MERCEDES’ EQ SUB-BRAND HAS been in the making for some time now, with the EQ Boost 48-volt mild-hybrids and the even more progressive EQ Power plug-in hybrids, not to mention the EQ Power+ Mercedes-AMG Formula 1 championship-winning and dominating race car. Now, however, their first EQ example has taken shape and is here for the world to see. And drive. The new Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 4MATIC is set to arrive in India soon. It packs an all-electric set-up capable of delivering a peak power of 300 kW (or 408 hp) and a range of over 450 km. Built to be the size of the GLC-Class, the EQC 400 electric sport utility vehicle measures 4,761 millimetres long, 1,884 mm wide, and 1,624 mm high and runs a wheelbase of 2,873 mm.…

REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU LIKE them, BMW’s move to bigger, slimmer, and deeper kidney grilles is at least logical. In a chaotic world of limitless choice and 24/7 noise, no one can afford to whisper: go big or be invisible. And if, at the same time, that new identity evokes halcyon days (as BMW’s new logo and kidney grilles surely do; days of elegantly wrought and perfectly balanced sports saloons with the world at their feet), well, then there’s scope for a little amateur psychological analysis on our part. When you’re facing challenges as seismic — as existential, even — as those that loom in BMW’s near future (and it is by no means alone), a little squeeze of the nostalgia teddy is understandable. 4 Series A coupé…

Fine Fundamentals The 4 Series gets tweaked front camber angles, wider track, and lower seating position than the 3 Series, its squarer saloon sibling. That Face Backlash to the Concept 4’s rodent’steeth face was fierce but it lives on regardless. Says product boss Henrich: ‘It has this expressive kidney grille, a beautiful silhouette and it’s designed without compromise. They did a great job.’ Serious Engines Neither 440i nor 330i is short of firepower. Part of BMW’s efficiency strategy is a leaner set of powertrains for each model but 4 Series will still be available with petrol or diesel power. A plug-in hybrid is ‘possible within the technology but not a given’. M-specific Engineering The 4 Series should be lighter than 3 Series, but isn’t — extra metal has gone in…

Plan to spend most of your time at the track (or just want people to think you do)? There’s an SF90 for that. For £39,360 (Rs 38.57 lakh) over the standard car, the Assetto Fiorano adds trick dampers from F1 supplier Multimatic, lightweight carbon door-panels, and titanium springs and exhaust for a 30-kg weight reduction. You also get a big rear wing for extra downforce and stickier Michelin Cup 2 tyres (though they’re available on the standard SF90). The LaFerrari-matching Fiorano lap-time was recorded in Assetto spec.…

ANEW CHALLENGER THAT UPSETS THE field is always a good thing. However, a competitive arena is one thing, but living with it would be a different story. First, it matters where they come from. And they don’t usually forget. However, making an impact requires a lot of effort, especially when it’s the first time a challenger has surfaced from those lands. The Altroz is the first premium hatchback offering from Tata Motors and they have — very evidently — gone all-out on the styling and equipment front; making sure they have an answer to every question the opposition may throw at them. The Altroz is distinctive, and by a mile. It looks unmistakably Tata and that evolution of the face is something the company has painstakingly carved into the automotive…

THE GOTTHARD TUNNEL IS THE most direct route between Airolo in the far south of Switzerland and Göschenen, 20 kilometres north. It’s way below our feet as we watch evening traffic stream towards its southern entrance on the floor of the valley, its walls sheer mountainsides. We could hop in the Bentley Continental GT Convertible and Aston DBS Superleggera Volante, bound downhill, then sit in a straight line on the A2 north. In the dark. With lorries and fumes. The sat-nav thinks we should. Pah! One hundred years ago, when Bentley was newly established and Aston only six years old, there was no tunnel, only the Gotthard Pass, carved over the Alps by men with pickaxes braving conditions that might have given Edmund Hillary a wobbly lip. Today it’s the…

IT WAS A MOST HANDS-ON DECK WITH distancing and zero fans on site as the 2020 season finally got under way. The first of two races at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria, was held with empty grandstands though all teams and crew members were present for the 71-lap race. Bottas who put his Mercedes-AMG on pole ahead of his teammate, Lewis Hamilton. The race, however, wasn’t without incident. First out was Max Verstappen in the Red Bull Racing Honda on lap 11. Six laps later, Daniel Ricciardo slowed and retired his Renault. Three laps later, Lance Stroll retired his Racing Point Mercedes. The Haas team had a casualty as Kevin Magnussen retired with brake issues — bringing out the Safety Car for the first time this year. In…