Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2021 i Car India

TAKING THE ICONA LINE-UP FORWARD, FERRARI HAVE TAKEN THE COVERS OFF THEIR ALL-NEW limited-edition hypercar, the Daytona SP3. Yes, the “Daytona” badge is back. The Daytona SP3 is an ode by the Italian carmaker to the three Prancing Horses that locked out the rostrum at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1967. The Daytona SP3 is a blend of modern design with a dash of inspiration from the 1960s racing cars. Unlike the Monza SPs, it gets a Targa body-style with a removable hardtop. As in Formula 1, the chassis is constructed entirely of composite material. Butterfly doors are yet another signature touch and the rear has voluptuous haunches blending into a retractable wing, under which lies a light-bar for the rear. The Daytona SP3 has a similar 6.5-litre, naturally-aspirated…

EXTENDING THE IONIQ ELECTRIC family, Hyundai have unveiled what looks like a full-size electric SUV. This SUV from the Korean car-maker is expected to have a range of 480 kilometres and it also boasts of super-fast charging solutions. With a 350-kW charger, the Seven can quick-charge from 10 to 80 per cent in about 20 minutes. Built on Hyundai’s E-GMP (Electric Global Modular Platform), it looks like a typical SUV design-wise, with a brawny stance, large overhangs, and a high ground clearance. The interior, too, looks quite futuristic with suicide doors welcoming one to a rather luxurious cabin. There’s even a footrest in place of the front passenger seat for the use of the rear occupant.…

A SLEW OF NEW SUV MODELS ARE expected from the Indo-Japanese car-makers, beginning with an updated Vitara Brezza and an all-new S-Cross. The sub-four-metre Brezza is expected soon, with the 4.3-metre-long S-Cross seen as a potential introduction to replace the Nexapioneering model. The Jimny is also expected to be launched in India. The Vitara Brezza has been undergoing road tests ahead of its 2022 launch. It will see fresh styling with a more premium-looking front face sporting a new grille design, apron, and new headlights with integrated LED daytime light signatures. The square and cladded wheel-arches continue and the rear will get LED lighting, with more changes in terms of connectivity and human-machine interface expected inside. It should continue with the same 1.5-litre petrol powertrain. The all-new S-Cross has undergone…

IT WAS TIME AGAIN FOR US AUTOMOTIVE journalists to embark on an annual journey. Here, we would once more be handed a newest offering from one of the largest auto manufacturers in India and explore a part of our country in search of a story worthy of this magazine and the eyes of our readers. The offering this year is the all-new Hyundai Alcazar and this is the 2021 Hyundai Great India Drive. The Great India Drive has been a very successful concept with numerous publications and media houses trotting over every inch of the country with stories themed on “unity”, “progress”, and more. The same continues this year in a sort of a version 2.0-like style with the word “progress” gaining predominance once again. As mentioned above, our chariot…

SINCE THE PANDEMIC, THE GLOBAL AUTOMOTIVE industry has seen red, be it production or sales, and the dip has been consistent. With the commencement of vaccination drives, the dip seems to have taken a turn. Manufacturers are back at it, introducing more new models and exciting variants. Now, on the cusp of the new year, we have a few more vehicles expected to make their way to India over the course of 2022. AUDI Q3 Earlier, the Q3 was the entry point to Audi’s SUV line-up that was later taken by the Q2. For 2022, we are expecting a facelift Q3. The changes seen on the international-spec Q3 — the sharp LED headlamps, updated grille design, and reworked tail-lamps — will be seen on the India-spec car, too. The Q3…

FELT LIKE THERE WERE FIRE-BREATHING DRAGONS instead of butterflies in my stomach. From the driver’s seat of the Mercedes-AMG A 45 S 4MATIC+ I could see the long straight section of the 11.3 kilometres of NATRAX, the longest high-speed test track of its kind in Asia and the fifth longest in the world. This pocket rocket has so much potential but with our limited time on the perfectly surfaced track and its oval layout, we’ll only be testing the top whack of the hatchback. Don’t go by the size of this AMG. Hidden underneath that bonnet is a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine —the most powerful four-cylinder series-production engine in the world. And it breathes fire, punching out a gigantic 421 hp at 6,750 rpm and 500 Nm of torque between 5,000…

SITTING HIGH UP IN A ROOMY LEATHERETTE seat with 200 hp at my disposal, my aimless thoughts about life and related things take a back-seat, because it is more interesting to ponder over how the XUV700 fits into the life of its target customer. What we have here is an SUV that’s as big as a flat in Mumbai with an engine that uses 200 hp to get its way and a list of features longer than the queues at airport security. Almost 4.7 metres long and 1.9 metres wide, this car is massive and just the right size to begin panicking about finding parking spaces. The XUV700 may be a large car but size matters to some and Mahindra have done a commendable job of retaining the familiarity of…

MEXICO WAS ALIVE WITH ALMOST a festive atmosphere as the Formula 1 circus came to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. The packed grandstands saw the two Mercedes cars of Valtteri Bottas and defending world champion Lewis Hamilton on the front row with the two Red Bulls of championship challenger Max Verstappen and home hero Sergio Perez behind. When the five lights went out, it was Verstappen who took the advantage, braving it three-abreast into Turn One and making it around the outside of the Mercedes pair to power into the lead. The McLaren of Daniel Ricciardo, meanwhile, locked up into the first corner after a good start, making contact with Bottas, who had, perhaps, slowed to let Hamilton past. Further behind them, Esteban Ocon in the Alpine Renault…

EXXONMOBIL HAVE RENEWED THEIR ENDORSEMENT DEALS with Neeraj Chopra, Mirabai Chanu and Bajrang Punia. The Tokyo Olympic medallists have made the nation proud at the global stage and it is endearing to see that ExxonMobil are continuing to support them. During the felicitation ceremony, ExxonMobil also showcased their latest products, the upgraded range of Mobil Super SUV Pro and the Mobil Super Moto 2W engine oils. The lubricant manufacturer was also a crucial part of ‘Operation Blue Freedom’, an expedition conducted by Team CLAW. On this adventure, a group of disabled people overcame all odds to scale the Siachen glacier and set a world land record on the world’s highest battlefield. We were there to witness this momentous achievement and we are happy to report that ExxonMobil also felicitated the…

Porsche are on a roll at the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show. Alongside the Cayman GT4 RS, the car-maker also introduced two new models in the Taycan range; one being an all-new body style, the Taycan GTS Sport Turismo, essentially a shooting brake iteration of the Taycan — a la Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo — that gets 45 millimetres of extra headroom and about 1,200 litres of boot volume. Both the Taycan GTS and the Taycan GTS Sport Turismo get a 93.4-kWh battery pack and a 380- to 440-kW powertrain good for between 517 and 598 hp and 850 Nm. It offers a WLTP-claimed range of between 385 and 625 km, depending on whether it’s munching miles or being driven in the city. It can also hit zero to 100…

Audi Q5 Audi India have brought in the new Q5 mid-size SUV in a petrol-only avatar. There are two variants of the Q5 45 TFSI quattro: “Premium Plus”, priced at Rs 58.93 lakh, and “Technology” at Rs 63.77 lakh, both ex-showroom. The new Q5 brings a more aggressive face with a vertically slatted single-frame grille. Matrix LED headlights and LED tail-light clusters are standard, as are the virtual cockpit, updated multimedia interface (MMI) Touch, park assist, comfort key with sensor-controlled tailgate, Piano Black inlays, a 19-speaker B&O premium 3D sound system, and a panoramic sunroof, among other kit. At the heart of the Q5 45 TFSI quattro is a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine now making 249 hp and 370 Nm. An S tronic seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission sends the power…

THE WORLD IS GETTING LOUDER. It takes a toll slowly but surely. We all need peace and quiet. But what are we really doing? How much are we willing to change? Are we finally ready to charge ahead? Advances in e-mobility are taking place rapidly and we are heading towards an electric-powered future. While earlier electric cars were small and rather basic, there is no need to compromise any more. Things have changed. Big. The new Audi e-tron takes the image of a compact, made-of-plastic, otherworldly-styled electric car and turns it on its head. The e-tron is handsome to look at and it is massive! It’s extremely well-engineered and looks just like any big Audi luxury SUV. Almost. The e-tron is about the length of the Q8. That gives it…

ŠKODA WILL INTRODUCE A NEW challenger in the popular mid-size premium sedan segment in India: the Slavia. It’s built on the same MQB-AO-IN platform as the Kushaq, adapted here to further the traits sedan buyers seek. The design is typically Škoda with sharp lines, crystalline structures, and clean surfaces. The wide black grille is flanked by wrap-around LED headlamps with daytime light strips running through. The sloping roof-line is reminiscent of the Octavia’s. Dimensionally, the Slavia is 4,541 millimetres long, 1,752 mm wide, and 1,487 mm high, with its wheelbase, at 2,651 mm, making it larger than the first Octavia. Inside, the premium Škoda feel is evident, with a two-spoke, multi-function steering wheel, two screens (a seven- or 10-inch infotainment display, depending on the variant), and an eight-inch driver display…

The new Untamed Plus mode does the usual sharpening and stiffening but also prolongs the battery for track use KEEPING UP WITH THE TIKTOK GENERATION must be a nightmare for car companies. How does a manufacturer osmose its brand into the minds of tomorrow’s car-leasing public? Numbers, that is how. Digits are easy to get across in a 30-second phone video. Two motors, 0-100 km/h in 3.7 seconds (faster than a standard Porsche Taycan), 816 Nm (more than a Ford GT), 385-millimetre Brembos, 499-km range: they are all important to Gen Z. They add up, too. Even the most ambitious of white-van men are a mirror-framed blur when you stamp on the quiet pedal in this new, quicker GT version of Ford’s electric crossover. The GT develops 487 hp, compared…

IT’S STRANGE HOW THE VOLVO BRAND HAS such contrasting reactions from Indian car-buyers. Some find exceptional value in it, while others head straight to its German competitors without considering it at all. But if you’ve lived with or owned one, then you’ll be a Swedish brand believer for life. So, if you’re in the market for a Rs 60-70 lakh car and are willing to explore, Volvo have just the car for you: the XC60. What we have here is the facelift version which reached our shores a couple of months ago. Upfront, the design tweaks include a refreshed chrome grille and a new bumper with some chrome elements. The LED headlamps with the signature Thor’s hammer-inspired DRL continue to be the key attraction here. The side profile, as expected,…

THE FINAL RACE OF THE SEASON. TWO MEN HAVE A SHOT AT the championship and both are poised to go for it with everything they have. Such was the setting on Friday at the Forum8 ACI Rally Monza. The rally got under way with four tough speed tests in the Italian Alps. Sébastien Ogier (Toyota Gazoo Racing) established his dominance early by emerging on top. In the afternoon, at Monza’s “Temple of Speed” circuit, his teammate, Elfyn Evans, swung things around in his favour by finishing the day in the lead with a 1.4-second advantage. Meanwhile, Ogier lost some momentum due to brake problems. The duo were in their own league because their closest challenger was Thierry Neuville (Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team), who was 20.2 seconds adrift. The…

THE RENNSPORT MONIKER, RESERVED ONLY FOR THE MOST hardcore Porsches and which was first seen on the 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera, is back! For 2022, Porsche have introduced the 718 Cayman GT4 RS. Like a typical Rennsport Porsche, the Cayman GT4 RS gets draped in carbon-fibre to aid weight-saving, alongside the same naturally aspirated, boxer-six motor seen in Porsche’s current sport flagship — the 992-gen 911 GT3. From afar, the GT4 RS doesn’t look all that different from the regular Cayman GT4. Take a closer look, though, and the difference becomes apparent. The front now gets two ducts on the bonnet. A revised bumper and front splitter aid better aerodynamics and help minimize drag. Towards the back, the rear passenger windows have been replaced by intake ducts for the fire-breather…

THE NEW ROLLS-ROYCE GHOST HAS RECEIVED THE BLACK BADGE TREATMENT. The new division has received an encouraging response the world over with Rolls-Royce models from the marque’s “dark side” that deviate from the conventional path of super-luxury chauffeured mobility with a particular focus on driving dynamism. The commissions now account for more than 27 per cent of their total figure. In line with the post-opulent design philosophy, there is a corresponding increase in the peak output and power reserve on tap. The 6.75-litre, twin-turbo V12 petrol engine now makes 600 hp and 900 Nm, an increase of 29 hp and 50 Nm respectively. An eight-speed automatic shoulders power transmission duties.…

HYUNDAI’S BEST-SELLING MID-SIzE SUV has received a mid-life refresh. The SUV gets a totally new front end inspired by the new Tucson, with a parametric grille and multiple-unit LED lighting. The Creta’s side profile remains mostly unchanged, with the rear seeing a few changes, including the “Creta” badging under the Hyundai logo on the tail-gate. Inside is a new 10.25-inch Alcazar-like digital instrument cluster that marks about the only big change. Initially seen in Indonesia, the Creta gets the 1.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol motor with 115 hp and 144 Nm. In India, we expect it to retain the multiple powertrains on offer — 1.5 petrol, 1.4 turbo-petrol, and 1.5 turbo-diesel, with their manual transmission and respective automatic transmission choices.…

EVERYBODY IS (OR, AT least, was) scared of something or the other. Fear is a factor common to the apex predator and the puniest creature in the food-chain, but that does not disrupt the pace of the world, does it? Every day, all creatures across the globe are overcoming personal terrors in their own way. So, when presented with a chance to attempt an adventure activity, I chose one that would help me overcome my trepidation of heights: paragliding. Jumping off a cliff with a large piece of nylon fabric should do the trick. Now which car do I choose? Something compact to sift through traffic yet comfortable and quick enough to make the drive out of town enjoyable and stress-free. The Hyundai i20 then. This stunner of a hatchback…

MARUTI SUZUKI HELD a gala event recently in Udaipur, Rajasthan, where they invited us journos to drive their latest offering, the all-new Celerio. The new machine was supposed to give the entry-level segment a higher standing, about which the Indo-Japanese auto manufacturer was quite confident. To an extent it sure was. But how much so? In the entry-level segment, a fair bit; especially with certain aspects that we shall talk about here. As usual, though, let’s start with its visual appeal. Yes, looks are subject to each one’s perception, but we think the new Celerio looks better than its predecessor, with a more rounded and modern design. It does draw inspiration from a bunch of other vehicles in the Maruti Suzuki range: we saw the Swift at the front and…

THE NEW AUDI Q5 IS HERE AND IT COMES packing more power and torque than before. Of course, the last Q5 TFSI I drove had 211 hp and 350 Nm and it was the middle of the last decade. I’d always loved Audi diesels. They’re refined, effortless to drive, efficient, and rather quick. The pinnacle of their TDI tech for a road car was in the SQ7 TDI, which I had the privilege of driving some time ago; all 900 Nm at 1,000 rpm of it. Petrol-wise, their 2.5 in-line five has my heart, as does the defunct 4.2 FSI. However, enough of the throwback. Is the 2.0 four-pot petrol, complete with mild-hybrid tech, enough for the present day? Have Audi packed in enough kit and flashy bits to have…

THE LOSAIL International Circuit was lit in more ways than one with Max Verstappen in the Red Bull being handed a grid penalty for not respecting double yellow flags, even before the race began, starting seventh. Lewis, who started on pole, rocketed off into the lead. Alpine Renault’s Fernando Alonso, from his best qualifying performance for the team in new colours, managed to get past the AlphaTauri of Pierre Gasly for second early on. Hamilton’s teammate, Valtteri Bottas, meanwhile, dropped drastically down the order and out of the top 10. Hamilton was quite in control of the pace at the front of the field. Verstappen was moving forward as was his teammate, Sergio Perez, in the sister Red Bull. Bottas was not as quick, though. Upon being radioed to hurry…

LGB FORMULA 4 Vishnu Prasad (MSport) was the favourite going into the second round with 21 points to his credit; however, it was not going to be easy for him to retain that lead because the weekend was full of close racing and some drama as well. A swarm of cars would descend into the first corner during each race start and the fighting stretched on well into the third lap until the leaders broke away. Race One Amir Sayed (Ahura Racing) outclassed the rest of the competition and drove well to claim his maiden victory in the class. He started from fourth place on the grid and capitalized on a great start. To make things worse, the safety car was deployed thrice, increasing the pressure on him, but Sayed…