Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2018 i Car India

I am very excited about the launch of the new Hyundai Santro. My father bought the first-generation Santro when it was launched so many years ago and he speaks fondly of it to this day. What I am curious about, though, is where Hyundai plan to fit the Santro into their range. Will it be a replacement for the Eon? I would like to know because I have been saving up to buy the Eon and I want to be sure it will continue to be on sale. Furthermore, how much of price difference will there be between these two models? Will it be worth it to pay what I assume will be a bit of a premium for the Santro? My dad is pushing me to do just that,…

ON THE FACE OF IT, IT’S JUST A compact saloon. And traditionally a pretty expensive one at that. But, by dusting its practicality with a little race-bred rear-wheel-drive dynamic magic, BMW’s 3 Series has always added up to more than the sum of its parts. Practical yet perky, versatile but keen to oversteer, the 3 has been making late-night airport runs and early morning commutes fun since 1975. And now, to see off Alfa’s Giulia, a recently revised Mercedes-Benz C-Class and an unlikely challenge from those plucky Swedes, the all-new G20 3 Series is here. There are no carryover parts from the old car — this is a new-from-scratch 3 Series and, hearteningly, it’s put being great to drive right at the top of the to-do list. Sure, semi-autonomous driving…

‘This is a driving machine › that was our guiding headline when we designed a new 3 Series. It has typically rear-wheel-drive proportions, with a long bonnet, a short front overhang and a cabin that sits towards the rear wheels, giving the car a dynamic appearance. The 5 Series’ appearance is more about autobahn speed, the 7 Series about relaxation › the 3 Series has to look eager for corners. ‘The broader track widths were definitely an opportunity › we were asking for these! The larger wheels, too. They help to emphasize the proportions. ‘We started with initial ideas from our Design Works studios in the USA and Shanghai as well as Europe. Designing the new 3 Series was challenging but also very fun. All of the features we wanted…

AS IF THE GT3 AND THE GT3 RS WERE NOT ENOUGH, THE icing on the cake for the next day’s drive came in the form of the GT2 RS. This car looked the business with the front boot-lid and the rear engine lid made of carbon-fibre. The exhaust system is made of titanium, but the biggest difference is under the rear engine lid as there is a twin-turbocharged 3,800-cc flat-six motor that churns out a hefty 700 PS at 7,000 rpm and a whopping 750 Nm of torque from 2,500 to 4,500 rpm. Even though the GT2 RS weighs a little more than the two GT3s, it feels more agile and nimble compared to its siblings. This baby can fly; you can literally feel the extra power and torque when…

THINGS HAVEN’T BEEN EASY FOR DATSUN INDIA. They were unable to achieve the kind of success they expected in the country so far, especially with the Go and +. Now, however, these two cars have been given a complete stylish makeover which, hopefully, will help the duo perform better than before. changes aren’t extremely drastic, but they definitely improve the appeal to a certain degree. There are a couple of new paint schemes: the Go gets an attractive orange body colour while the Go+ comes in a rich brown shade. The front grille has also grown in size and gets additional chrome than before. There are no fog-lamps, but the new LED daytime running lights look better and brighter than those on the redi-GO. Another important change is the new…

A SEASON’S WORTH OF racing drew to a close at India’s Formula 1 track, the Buddh International Circuit (BIC). Racers spent a weekend at the 5.1-km-long circuit, trying to earn as many points as possible and catch up with the championship leader, Dhruv Mohite. The Kolhapur lad enjoyed a solid lead of 56 points over his closest rival, Saurav Bandyopadhyay. Immediately behind Bandyopadhyay, Jeet Jhabhak was also within contention for the title. Since most drivers were new to the circuit, they were given a whole day to get to know the track in addition to a couple of days of testing. Qualifying was scheduled to be the final session on Saturday. This was the first time that the Ameo race cars were let loose at the BIC and on a…

Dependable Runabout IT’S BEEN ANOTHER COUPLE of months with the Swift and it’s proving to be quite a city companion. It’s not exactly tiny, but manages to make its way effectively around town with ease, handling everything from crowded lanes and highway stretches with aplomb. It recently went for its service and I am happy to report nothing needed fixing. Just an oil top-up and regular checks taken care of, and she is back with me, good as new. Of late, with rising pollution levels and the inevitable smoke from burning on winter mornings, the well-insulated cabin and fast-working air-con are definitely big pluses. The biggest joy for me, even after all these months, still remains the tractability of the diesel engine and its ability to make the most of…

Aston Martin Vantage Aston Martin have launched their most track-focused Vantage in India at Rs 2.86 crore (base, ex-showroom). A total of 20 units have been allocated for India for now. The new Vantage draws its design inspiration from the one-off DB10 from the James Bond film Spectre. It appears smoother, yet more aggressive as compared to its predecessor, thus showcasing the new direction of the brand that started with the track-only Vulcan. Aerodynamics have played a key role in the design and shape, with the brand dropping the famously festooned “flying-wing” chrome grille for a lighter design. Under the bonnet, the car is powered by a Mercedes-AMG-sourced 4.0-litre BiTurbo V8 petrol engine that produces 510 PS and 685 Nm. Power is sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed…

‘ I ’VE NEVER MENTIONED THIS BEFORE, BUT BACK IN 2014, I WAS VERY depressed because the Santro was discontinued from the Indian market,’ revealed superstar Shah Rukh Khan in an interaction with Car India. After all, the actor has been the Hyundai brand ambassador for the last two decade; many even refer to him as the “Santro-wala”. Over the years, the Santro has become a household name for Indian families who wanted a small but reasonably spacious and, more importantly, reliable and fuel-efficient car. So, it came as a surprise to many of us when the company decided to pull the plug on the Santro after 16 years of its existence. The focus then was on the made-for-India Eon, which, sadly, hasn’t been able to garner similar popularity. Fast…

THERE ARE A QUITE A FEW PREMIUM CAR brands in the world and, in that mix, Porsche stands out as special over the rest. In most cases, it is the brand that comes first and then the cars they make, but in the case of Porsche, it is somewhat different where a car defines the brand. They have quite a large portfolio of models and most of them top their segments; starting with the big SUV, Cayenne, to the luxury sedan, Panamera, and the entry-level sports cars, Boxster and Cayman. However, the car that defines the brand is the 911 series. This year Porsche are celebrating their 70th anniversary and we were invited for a celebration drive to Stuttgart to drive the 911 range on the roads in the Black…

THE POPULARITY OF SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES (SUV) IS ON the rise worldwide and the demand for SUVs keeps going up as compared to that for the sedans. On the personal front, I was not an SUV fan, for they tend to be big and cumbersome to drive with a lot of body-roll. However, after driving SUVs like the BMW X5, especially on Indian roads, now I swear by them for long-distance driving in India. We were in Atlanta, USA, to drive the all-new, fourth-generation BMW X5. As we entered through the hotel gate, the black X5 on display in the middle of the courtyard looked imposing. The SUV has grown on all the fronts with an increase of 42 millimetres over the predecessor and 36 mm in overall length of…

THERE IS A CERTAIN GENRE of cars called “sleeper cars”, which basically refers to a car that looks like a conventional car but packs quite a punch under the bonnet, a supercar-beating punch, that is, and Audi’s latest RS 6 Avant performance is one such example. However, instead of an individual building a sleeper car, here is a company that has done the job for you. We recently spent a day with this exotic German beauty and came back with a huge smile on our faces. Here is what actually happened. At first, the RS 6 Avant performance appears just like a standard station wagon, but, unlike the conventional and boring-looking wagons, this one actually looks quite good. It is low, long, and has a tonne of space inside. The…

Aicon A concept car that was built to demonstrate what a Level 5 autonomous vehicle rolling out of Ingolstadt could look like, the Aicon was easily the most eye-catching piece of machinery at the event. From the striking design to the singular pixel-cluster illumination and jaw-dropping spaceship-esque interior (with no driver’s seat, because autonomous, remember?) this future mobility vehicle had me excited about what the world would be like 10 years hence. That is, until I remembered I’d be 40 by then. Elaine Another autonomous concept; this time a Level 4 and one that does get a driver’s seat and some 23-inch wheels that would turn those super-flash rappers and elite sporting heroes green with envy. The Elaine is an evolution of the Audi e-tron Sportback concept first seen at…

Mercedes-Benz are set to introduce a diesel-hybrid C-Class, marking a return to production of the diesel-electric hybrid powertrain. What sort of components and solutions do Bosch have to offer the potential new generation of 48-volt diesel hybrids? The future of hybrid powertrains is promising in the country due to the upcoming electrification of public and private vehicles and the growing awareness about reducing emissions. India’s unique driving and road conditions make it harder for completely electrified vehicles to gain mass adoption quickly, so hybrid vehicles represent a reliable stepping stone. Hybrid technology is gaining vast importance as it helps save fuel consumption and reduce carbon dioxide outputs by 35 per cent. The core component of Bosch’s hybrid system includes electric drives and the inverters. Bosch offers the 48V Boost Recuperation…

ROUND 16 – RUSSIA VICTORY GOES TO HAMILTON In what felt like Austria 2002 all over again, after a fine performance from Bottas, team orders reared their ugly head once more ROUND 17 – JAPAN HAMILTON CLAIMS TOP SPOT Kimi Raikkonen had pole, but a spin on the opening lap resulting from contact between Vettel and Hamilton and a good drive from the Brit saw him take the lead and the win DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP Lewis Hamilton 346Sebastian Vettel 296Kimi Raikkonen 221 CONSTRUCTORS’ CHAMPIONSHIP Mercedes-AMG 563Ferrari 497Red Bull Racing 337 ROUND 18 – USA KIMI COMEBACK Kimi Raikkonen raced to a popular victory, his first in 2,044 days and also his first since his return to Ferrari. Verstappen shone in second with Hamilton third F1 NEWS STROLL TEST SCHEDULED Ahead of…

NEW THIS MONTH HYUNDAI SANTRO The name returns as a modern city car loaded with features, and automatic and CNG variants. From Rs 3.90 lakh (ex) MERCEDES-AMG G 63 The bestselling AMG SUV is here in all-new Schockl-proven 585-PS BiTurbo V8 form. Available from Rs 2.19 crore (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 ISUZU JAGUAR LAND ROVER LAND ROVER MARUTI SUZUKI MARUTI SUZUKI MERCEDES-BENZ MERCEDES-BENZ MINI MITSUBISHI RENAULT RENAULT TATA TATA VOLKSWAGEN VOLKSWAGEN VOLVO…

7Up THE NEW BMW X7 IS THE LARGEST BMW X model ever. It measures 5,151 millimetres long, 2,000 mm wide, and 1,805 mm tall. It also boasts of the largest kidney-grille ever fitted to a product from the Bavarian giant and harks back to the marque’s classic cars. BMW admit that the large grille ‘gives the car a sense of presence’. The slim all-LED headlamps are standard with BMW offering their new Laserlight units. Other options include either 21- or 22-inch rims to replace the standard 20-inch wheels. Step aboard and you notice the X7 comes with three-row seating as standard, with the middle row able to seat either two or three occupants. All seats are electrically adjustable and, with the abundance of space, the car boasts of an impressive…

ENGINE CONUNDRUM My nephew owns an old Willys Jeep from the 1960s; however, its engine and transmission are both completely shod. Is there any cost-effective fix available that will allow us to get the Jeep up and running again? Looking forward to reading your response in the next issue of the magazine. Ishaant Pandey, Aurangabad Dear Ishaant, Luckily for you, there is a relatively straightforward fix for your engine conundrum. The Mahindra Thar, Bolero and more built on the MM540/550 platform are all essentially derivatives of the Willys Jeep and, therefore, a suspension and engine swap should be a fairly straightforward process. Availability of older Mahindra cars is not too much of a problem and it is not too expensive  either, which answers your need for an economical solution. This…

VERY YEAR JUST BEFORE THE festive season, automobile companies tend to be eager to launch updated versions of their current products alongside fresh offerings and Ford recently did exactly that in the form of the new Aspire. We were in Jodhpur to drive the new Aspire and to explore the changes made in it by Ford. Here is what transpired. To begin with, the facelift Aspire still looks very much like the outgoing model; however, look closely and you start to see the difference. For instance, the front bumper now features new fog-lamp inserts. Ford have also revised the front grille, replacing the horizontal slats with a mesh design, and they are also offering 15-inch wheels on the top-end Titatnium and Titanium+ variants. The rear, however, reminds you of the…

THE CAR FOR THE POST-LUNCH DRIVE WAS THE GT3 RS. The RS looks quite similar to the GT3 except for the fact that it has a few extra air vents to dissipate the extra heat generated by the 3,996-cc flat six engine that produces extra 20 PS over the 500 of the GT3. There is another extra 10 Nm of torque, so that’s 470 Nm on tap. The big difference is in the interior as it comes with a half roll-cage and race seats with racing harness and regular seat-belts. Once you get into the car, you fit snugly in the racing seat, turn the ignition and the flat six roars into life waiting for you to select first gear of the quick-shifting PDK gearbox and you are on your…

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU FELT SOMETHING FOR THE first time? It’s a complex array of feelings that sweep through you when it happens. Your senses awaken with a renewed vitality that springs from an almost ethereal cause. In this case, it was the Lamborghini Urus. Imagine what the car would have done to the good folk in Sant’Agata. Not only is it the first modern SUV from the iconic raging bull, but it’s also the very first to have a twin-turbo V8 under the hood. And the engine is up front. There are several things that come to mind for many when someone says “SUV” today. One, everyone’s doing one. Two, not all of them work like they’re supposed to. Three, well, “where’s the lever for low range?”…

WHEN THE POLO FIRST ARRIVED IN INDIA in 2010, it came with the option of a 1.2-litre three-pot petrol engine or a tasty 1.6-litre in-line four. Those days are long gone now. We’re living in the era of keto diets and Crossfit and even coworking spaces. Everything is becoming leaner, tighter, and more efficient; so why should cars be any different? The new Polo is one of the cars that have gone the downsizing route. It has received a new heart, one that runs on three cylinders and displaces 999 cubic centimetres. There are a few additional bits and bobs on the inside; however, visually, this Polo looks exactly as before. While it has always been a smart-looking car, the Polo’s design looks a little dated compared to its more…

THINKING OUT OF THE BOX IS OFTEN ENCOURAGED, especially when looking for solutions to problems that weren’t there before. Getting a different perspective, however, isn’t always easy. I’m reminded of one example that pops up in my mind: “The deer isn’t crossing the road. The road is crossing the forest.” Such is humankind’s obsession with progress and expansion that we tend to forget what is really important and at what cost our so-called progress is coming. We should not have a better present at the expense of the future. While there are several causes of the pollution we have today, automobiles have been a prominent topic of discussion. And the FISITA World Automotive Congress, kicking off in India for the very first time, had a slew of eye-opening sessions, both…

RACERS ARRIVED IN A RATHER WARM Coimbatore for the penultimate round of the 21st JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship (NRC). With no clear leader in any class, the fight was still on and some teams had come prepared with a few clever strategies to promote the teammate with the best shot at the championship. Ahead of the action-packed weekend, Ashwin Datta led the Euro JK 18 championship with a flimsy two-point lead over Nayan S Chatterjee. In the fiercely competitive LGB Formula 4 class, Vishnu Prasad reigned supreme with a five-point lead which seemed inadequate to hold back his nearest competitor, Raghul Rangasamy. The boys in JK Tyre Novice Cup were not alien to some close competition either. Siddharth Mehdiratta sat at the top of the table; a single…

THE TOP CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDER AND reigning champion, Sébastien Ogier, returned to the top spot on the podium after being consistent in Rally Great Britain. However, the start of the rally seemed quite difficult for the French ace. The weekend got under way with Ott Tanak of Toyota Gazoo Racing leading the pack early on Friday. In fact, the day ended with Tanak in the lead and Ogier a distant fifth. Championship leader and Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT driver Thierry Neuville was in second, followed by Jari-Matti Latvala of Toyota Gazoo Racing in third. Come Saturday and Ogier started to cut through the thick of contenders ahead of him, winning SS10 to zoom to third place in the overall standings. As the day progressed, Ogier was able to make his way…