Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2018 i Car India

Audi Q5 45 TFSI quattro Audi India have launched the petrol-powered Q5 45 TFSI in India in two trims: Premium Plus at Rs 55.27 lakh and Technology at Rs 59.79 lakh (both ex-showroom). Visually and in terms of its underpinnings, this Q5 is no different from its diesel sibling; the only significant change is the engine. At its heart is a 2.0-litre TFSI turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine producing 252 PS and 370 Nm, also seen in the Q7 40 TFSI. In the Q5, the engine is mated to a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission and comes equipped with Audi’s proprietary quattro all-wheel drive. Audi claim that all of this combines to offer a top speed of 237 km/h, a 0-100 km/h time of 6.3 seconds, and a claimed efficiency of…

SUVS ARE BIG, BUTCH, TORQUEY, AND MOSTLY available with a diesel engine; at least in India that is the norm. You see, the idea of a petrol-powered SUV would entice the population of the USA, but for us Indians, diesel is the king. So, why would a company like Audi India invest in what seems to be a big risk, a petrol-powered SUV? Recently, Audi launched the Q5 45 TFSI, powered by the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine that we have already seen in the Q7. Is it really worth buying a petrol-powered SUV or should one just stick to a diesel one? We try to answer the question. First of all, let’s get the similarities out of the way. Being experienced German automobile makers, Audi have played smart by…

WHEN I LISTEN TO THE CLASSIC GUNS N’ ROSES HIT “Paradise City”, my mind automatically wanders to the crashing waves and sandy beaches of Goa. Are there more picturesque, historic and serene holiday destinations in India? Absolutely. However, none can truly match the Portuguese-influenced state in terms of sheer attitude and fun. Goa has a charm that’s all of its own and going there never fails to clear my mind and rejuvenate my senses. Which is why, when the opportunity cropped up to drive Toyota’s latest sedan from Mumbai to Goa, I leapt at it. I love driving on road trips — the wide, open highways, the beautiful scenery, and the sense of adventure all get my juices flowing. However, I reserve a healthy disdain for traffic, so in order…

EVERYBODY NEEDS A VACATION once in a while. Whether you’re a sharp-suited businessman, a jeans-and-tee college kid, a sari-clad scientist, or anyone who’s stuck in the daily grind really. A change of scenery is almost always a great way to get centred, release some of that stiffness in your shoulders that comes with carrying the weight of your own personal world and crystallize your thoughts. We call them getaways for a reason, after all. We embarked on one such getaway as well, heading towards the scenic beauty and calm repose of Udhagamandalam or Ooty, as it is more popularly known around India. Our journey didn’t quite begin there, though, for we started from the city of Mysuru. Leaving the comfort of the hotel bed in the early hours of the…

WE STARTED FROM THE LEGENDARY SHANIWARWADA, THE FORTRESS RESIDENCE OF THE PESHWAS THE ROAD IS SLICK WITH RAINFALL, THE HEAVENS HAVE OPENED UP, AND it’s raining down so hard that the wiper blades are working at full tilt to help maintain visibility. Suddenly, there’s a whoosh of a truck driving into a puddle on the other side of the highway, the spray arcing into the air and landing with a heavy patter on my windscreen. And yet the WR-V cruises on, no drama, no squeamishness, no worries. I’m driving down the NH 48, heading for the town of Navsari and the famous Dandi Beach. The sat-nav’s distance-to-destination number kept dropping as I flicked on the cruise control and just enjoyed the drive. Our journey from Pune to Dandi Beach was…

I HAVE BEEN GOING TO LOS ANGELES TO visit my brother for more than 20 years now but not once did I visit the Grand Canyon which is only a seven-and-a-half-hour drive away. This time, however, I was going to take care of that long-standing omission. A visit to the Grand Canyon could be arranged in any car or a van but I wanted the drive to be a memorable one, so I asked the PR folk at Mercedes-Benz India if they could arrange an AMG GT Roadster for me. They went a step further and arranged the top-of-the-line AMG GT C Roadster. Incidentally, the first time I drove the AMG GT was in California. After landing in LA, I headed straight to pick up the car from valet parking…

Rs 3,999; PS4, Xbox One, PC RELEASED BACK IN 2014, “THE CREW” GAVE us a story that was nothing short of drama. Despite the weak narrative, it was an incentive for the player to complete races even if only to advance the plot. However, the same can’t be said of their latest instalment, “The Crew 2”. The game’s story is passable with underwhelming voice acting, but this time around what is, perhaps, considered the game’s saving grace is that it focuses on races and the vast open world that the player can explore. “The Crew 2” is an ode to American motor sport and the ultimate goal in the game is to become the champion of Motornation and gain social media followers by performing stunts and winning races across various…

EARLY ON A SATURDAY MORNING, WITH SWOLLEN BLACK clouds covering the sun, some Mahindra SUV owners were en route to Lonavala, near Pune, for the 150th edition of Mahindra Adventure Great Escape. Of the 60 SUVs that were registered for the event, we were offered a Mahindra Thar CRDe to get dirty with, and we gladly accepted. A two-hour-long drive brought me to Club Mahindra, Tungi, from where the Great Escape was scheduled to be flagged off. Participants had arrived well ahead of time, clad in functional clothing and brimming with enthusiasm. After registration and a quick breakfast, we attended the drivers’ briefing. Experts from Mahindra Adventure ran us through the nuances of off-roading and how to make the most of our SUVs’ four-wheel-drive system. Certain pointers such as when…

After an action-packed round two in Coimbatore last month, the 2018 MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Racing Championship (INRC) kicked off its third round in Chennai. Competition was stiff and double victories galore. The weekend saw the return of the defending champion in the Indian Touring Car category, who made quite an entry into the 2018 season. All in all, there was excitement, heartbreak, comebacks, and champion-like intelligent driving. In a word? Well, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! MRF F1600 Sandeep Kumar started the first race on pole position but was taken at the lights by Nirmal Umashankar; unfairly, though, and Nirmal was penalized for a jump-start. Regardless of that, Sandeep got the lead back mid-way through the first half and continued to a flawless victory. Nirmal’s race went from bad to worse as…

‘THESE PEOPLE MUST BE MAD’, is among the top 10 things that will cross your mind as you hike in the rain towards a “Special Stage (SS)” within a forest in Goa. I mean, what sort of people take a perfectly good SUV and modify it into a behemoth off-roader that comfortably occupies two parking spots? Questions like these disappear when you see one of those vehicles plough through a river and then winch its way up a 10-foot rock face. Scenes like that were not out of place because we were at the Isuzu Rainforest Challenge India held in Goa between 21 and 28 July. Isuzu became the title sponsor for the first time in the history of RFC India; the regional chapter of an event that has global…

NEW THIS MONTH BMW 630d GRAN TURISMO Sport-luxury four-door coupé from BMW now gets a pair of diesel variants, with a signature straight-six motor. From Rs 66.50 lakh (ex) VOLVO XC40 The first-ever XC40 compact luxury SUV is here, and in a choice of three loaded trim-levels, starting from Rs 39.90 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 HYUNDAI ISUZU LAND ROVER LAND ROVER MAHINDRA MARUTI SUZUKI MASERATI MERCEDES-BENZ MINI NISSAN RENAULT ROLLS-ROYCE TATA TATA VOLKSWAGEN VOLKSWAGEN VOLVO…

Aerodynamic New A-Class Sedan THE NEW MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS SEDAN has surfaced and Mercedes say that it has retained the marque’s record of developing the most aerodynamic cars. With its 0.22 coefficient of drag, the A-Class Sedan is the most aerodynamic car in the world. The A-Class Sedan will be launched at the end of 2018 as a four-door notchback, codenamed V177. It shares its 2,729-mm wheelbase with its hatchback sibling as well as most proportions with short overhangs front and rear. It claims to offer best-in-segment rear headroom, too. The saloon model will also sport many of the A-Class’ virtues, including efficient petrol and diesel engines, a high level of safety, state-of-the-art driving assistance systems with S-Class-like functions, and the intuitively operated and learning MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) infotainment system.…

LOOKING FORWARD TO KIA I am a keen automotive enthusiast and I am now looking for something different from my sports car. I was wondering when cars from Kia would be officially available here for prospective customers like me to buy. Incidentally, I am very keen on the Stinger GT and would love to get my hands on it. Kishor Turpara, by e-mail Dear Kishor, You may expect Kia to enter the Indian market in full force by mid-2019. However, the Stinger GT is unlikely to be a part of the brand's Indian portfolio. OF FEATURES AND FUNCTIONS I have a question for the experts. A number of cars today come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It seems to be a big feature which, the manufacturers say, sets their…

THE DIFFERENCE IS OBVIOUS FROM THE FIRST CORNER. Whether you’re comparing the old Vantage with the new one or the new Vantage with the current DB11, it’s clear that this is a seriously focused sports car. There was always a lot of goodwill attached to the Vantage, even though it’s spent a decade being well past its peak; Aston made the most of it and took to marketing their ageing sports car — complete with hydraulic steering, manual gearbox, and naturally aspirated engine — as the old-school darling of the discerning driver. But that’s all changed, not least because Aston can no longer liberally chuck about the word “analogue” — the all-new Vantage sports an electric rack, an eight-speed ZF auto as the sole transmission option for now, and its…

As we embarked on a road trip to a 230-year-old fortress which is now converted into a luxury resort, the Alila Fort Bishangarh, we couldn’t help recalling Libeskind’s words. It is indeed a spectacular structure that perfectly blends history with modern luxury. And thus began our next edition of the Architectural Gems of India. In this brand-new chapter, we drove the majestic Hyundai Tucson that truly complements the princely state. We started our journey from the national capital, New Delhi, and drove through the picturesque location of Rajasthan. While we drove through the sandy lands on one side of the highway and the beautiful Aravalli mountain range on the other, the Hyundai with its four-wheel drive kept tempting me to do some off-road driving. However, I restrained my wandering thoughts…

THE COMPASS WAS UTTERLY COMFORTABLE AS THERE WAS HARDLY ANY FATIGUE AT THE END OF THE DAY COFFEE IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST CONSUMED BEVERAGES on planet earth and since we live in a country where we have a rich coffee culture, we decided to head to the coffee capital of India, Kodagu (Coorg), for our anniversary issue and explore more about this delicious beverage. Our partners for this expedition were Jeep and we zeroed in on the Compass for this journey. The Compass is one of the most luxurious SUVs in its segment and it comes with the quintessential Jeep off-road DNA, which is perfect to tackle the trails of a coffee plantation. So without any hesitation we headed off to Kodagu for some coffee. We started from…

These days sequels seem to draw more people to cinema-houses than the original film. A certain charisma accompanies an unfinished story, often leaving the audience looking forward to more. While we do not intend to set foot in the silver-screen business, we did promise you a sequel of sorts in one of our earlier issues. Unlike some rather disappointing film franchises, we come bearing good news. Ahura Car Services, a Mumbai-based cab company, accepted the task of validating a tyre manufacturer’s claim that their tyres would last for up to one lakh kilometres. The CEAT Milaze X3 is the rubber under discussion and it has successfully completed the second phase of the trial. The cabs shod with these tyres have now clocked one lakh kilometres on the odometer. The good…

SATURDAY, SPA. A COUPLE OF HUNDRED YARDS APART, James Calado and I are struggling in our Ferraris. The World Endurance Championship is in Belgium, at the universally adored Spa-Francorchamps circuit, for the first race of the 2018-2019 super-season. Calado’s racing his 488 GTE Evo; I’ve turned up in an 812 Superfast. Exiting La Source hairpin, Calado pushes his 488 GTE’s throttle to the bulkhead. The Ferrari fires down past the back of the pits, glides through the gut-churning compression at the bottom of the hill and hurtles up over Raidillon — kerb-kerb-kerb-kerb as fast as you can say it — and screams off up the Kemmel straight. His foot hasn’t budged the whole time; still the pedal’s flat, still the engine’s at full stretch. But Calado knows he’s losing time…

WHEN YOUR DAY BEGINS WITH a two-tonne super-family-estate going sideways, traction control off, hurtling towards precariously placed cones that are intended to simulate people that you have to consciously avoid, after that very “predicament” was brought about by a conscious flick of the steering wheel to send the car sliding in the first place, you know it’s going to be something special. And it was! SLALOM SLIDE Being divided into batches usually means one of two things: a classroom session or a visit to a cleared parking lot lined with cones before actually tasting the racetrack. This time it was the former followed by the latter, where we had some behemoths with four wheels, more or less 600 horses, and four-wheel drive, as well as permission to tap that “ESC…

Welcome: Ford Figo THE WHITE FIGO S HAS RECENTLY JOINED OUR LONG-TERM fleet and has proved to be a capable, fun-to-drive car in most conditions. The height-adjustable driver’s seat in this variant means that even shorter drivers get a clear view out in all directions, while the plastics in the interior feel sturdy and well-finished. The seats feel plush and the cabin feels quite spacious, even with five people on board. The firm suspension, small steering wheel, and short-throw gearbox all add to the car’s sporty feel. The Figo is great fun through a set of twisties and doesn’t throw up too much body-roll. On the outside, the blacked-out 15-inch alloys look classy and give the car a purposeful appearance, while the honeycomb grille up front, tiny spoiler, and black…

IN CUSTOMARY FASHION, THIS season will also have four rounds of which three will take place at the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore and the finale will be held at the Buddh International Circuit. On the cards are two classes: the supremely fast Euro JK 18 and the fiercely competitive LGB Formula 4. According to the new rules, from this season onwards, racers are not allowed to participate in both Euro JK 18 and LGB Formula 4 classes; a decision that enabled some of the lesser experienced racers to take their shot at glory. Another notable mention for the season was the addition of an all-women team in the LGB Formula 4 class. EURO JK 18 Race One The race weekend got under way with a thrilling qualifying session. The…

I live in Idukki, Kerala; a place that has mountainous roads with breath-taking scenery and some equally beautiful trails. I am looking for an SUV within Rs 20 lakh that is comfortable to drive in town and involving when taken off road. My priorities are comfort and build quality. I also intend to modify it with some off-road focused equipment after the running-in period. As an ardent reader of your magazine, I eagerly await your response. Jose Kurishingal, Idukki Hello, Jose, If you want an SUV that is enjoyable off-road, then you may consider the Jeep Compass, Renault Duster 4X4, or the Mahindra XUV 500. You may also consider the Isuzu D-Max V-Cross if you want to go for a vehicle that has a pick-up style configuration.…

WE WERE INVITED TO SPARTANBURG IN SOUTH CAROLINA, USA, the home of BMW SUVs, to drive the all-new BMW X4. The global production of all BMW X models is done in Spartanburg. After the success of the first generation X4, BMW have revamped the new X4 which is now based on the all-new X3. At the centre of the striking front end stands a large BMW kidney grille in a three-dimensional look. Twin headlamp units with dynamic contours and horizontal fog-lamps integrated into the outer air intakes form a new interpretation of the familiar six-eyed face. All of the light functions feature LED technology. The precise shoulder-line, which takes in the door handles en route to the rear lights, and the character line between the wheel-arches break up the surfaces…

THERE’S A PARTICULAR SOUND THE GT3 RS MAKES, JUST after 8,500 revolutions per minute. It’s a metallic-edged shriek, like an ascending firework overlaid with an old F1 car. It’s one of the best sounds any 911 has ever made and once you’ve heard it, it’s a rush you’ll keep chasing again and again. And eight and a half is just the start — this new RS’ tachometer needle doesn’t meet a solid red line until it reaches the number nine. It’s a sensory overload kind of car, the GT3 RS. Aurally, visually, haptically. If the standard 911 GT3 is the purest driver’s 911 of the current range — no turbos, no rear seats, no mucking about — the RS is its ultimate expression: wider track, wider body (with a few…

WHEN YOU THINK GOA, IT AUTOMATICALLY invokes images of sandy beaches, crashing waves, days of relaxation, and night-long parties, but when Mahindra Adventure invited us to this sunny paradise for the Mahindra Great Escape and Off-road Trophy, I knew that things were going to be a little different. The event was held over two days wherein we would be driving along some challenging trails, overcoming obstacles set up for us, while competing teams tried to outdo one another to make it to the next round of the Off-road Trophy. Mahindra Adventure put us up at the Club Mahindra at Varca Beach where I did my best to get a good night’s sleep before an early start the next day. The morning started with a safety briefing. Officials from Mahindra Adventure…

ROUND TWO OF THE VOLKSWAGEN MOTORSPORT Ameo Cup sure lived up to expectations. Round one saw Dhruv Mohite whitewash the competition and win the maximum points in all the races. However, round two in Chennai was a different story. Anmol Singh Sahil impressed throughout the weekend, Jeet Jhabakh drove brilliantly, and Dhruv Mohite, who had an unfortunate weekend, ended on a high. Post the races, Sirish Vissa, Head of Volkswagen Motorsport, said, ‘We are now half way through the 2018 Ameo Cup season and the battle for the driver’s title has never been this wide open. We have multiple contenders all of whom are capable enough to go the distance. Also, surprisingly, we have a few rookie drivers who are alongside the more experienced in the overall points tally, which…

For the first time ever, an all-women team took part in the LGB Formula 4 class. Christened “Ahura Racing”, the team comprised six women: Hansuja C, Lea Daran, Manisha Kelkar, Megaa K S, Priyamvada Saradhi, and Dr Ritika Oberoi. These ladies won their places in the team from among over 60 women who participated in the talent hunt. Ahura Racing is an initiative of three-time national racing champion, Sarosh Hataria. The team can be easily identified by their bright red cars, red uniforms, and, of course, the ladies at the wheel. The first round of the championship was a great learning opportunity for them. Megaa K S made the most of the first round; she finished with the best result (among her team-members) in two races. All things considered, as…

AFTER A TENSE QUALIFYING session at Spa-Francorchamps that saw Jehan Daruvala in fifth place with minutes to go before the end of the session, he began setting quick laps, improving to second and eventually snatching pole by 0.1 of a second on his third attempt with a lap-time of 2:12.983, ahead of New Zealander Marcus Armstrong and Spaniard Alex Palou. As the lights went out, his car was bogged down and by the first corner, Daruvala was down to third. He found his advantage at Eau Rouge as the leading duo accelerated out, slip-streaming his way into second. An incident further down the order then brought out the Safety Car for two laps. When racing resumed, it was still Palou ahead of Daruvala, with no real threat from the rest…

FRANCE LEWIS WINS IN NEW FRENCH QUARTERS Circuit Paul Ricard saw a return to the Formula 1 calendar and it was Lewis Hamilton who clinched victory, starting from pole and taking the chequered flag for the third time this year AUSTRIA RED BULL WIN AT HOME Max Verstappen raced to victory in Red Bull’s home race as his team-mate failed to make it to the finish BRITAIN VETTEL CONQUERS SILVERSTONE A battle for the ages went down at the historic British circuit as Vettel trumped pole-sitter Hamilton to victory, while Raikkonen got past a struggling Bottas GERMANY HAMILTON TAKES HOCKENHEIM Lewis Hamilton powered on to another victory after Vettel crashed out from the lead in the closing stages; a lead handed to him by his teammate Kimi Raikkonen. It’s now…

IT WAS AN EXCITING RALLY Finland for Toyota Gazoo Racing as their Estonian rally ace, Ott Tänak, stormed to victory in style after being highly competitive during this eighth rally of the season. The weekend got under way with an intense duel between Tänak and Mads Østberg of Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT. Both locked horns during the early stages of the rally, frequently exchanging places with each passing stage. By SS9, however, Tänak got into the lead and defended his position quite well, ending the Friday with a 5.8-second lead. On Saturday, the Estonian driver was able to increase his lead because of his consistent pace and flawless driving style. Tänak concluded Saturday with a comfortable lead of 39 seconds. Mads Østberg, who had challenged Ott on Friday, managed…