Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2019 i Car India

MAHLE POWERTRAIN AIM TO maximize the recuperated energy that can be stored and released from the battery as it can significantly increase the efficiency of mild-hybrid vehicles, allowing fuel savings of between 12 and 15 per cent. Mild-hybrid vehicles need to recover energy efficiently and at a relatively high power during deceleration events. Since a high storage capacity is not required thanks to recuperated energy deployment during the next acceleration, a compact and cost-effective battery capable of high charge and discharge power levels relative to its storage capacity is desirable. With no credible solutions available elsewhere, Mahle Powertrain developed their own. The LTO chemistry in the selected cells allows continuous charge/discharge rates of up to 10 kW and peak rates for short periods up to 20 kW from a battery…

WE KNEW A MAYBACH GLS WAS COMING AND now it’s here. Mercedes revealed their latest Maybach model at the Guangzhou Motor Show. Ever since the reincarnation of the Maybach name, Mercedes have been adding super-luxury models to the upper spectrum of the portfolio. The new GLS 600 is built upon the all-new GLS-Class introduced recently, combining the technical abilities of the SUV with the luxury of the S-Class. At over 5.2 metres long and over two metres wide, its interior is spacious and offers two business-class rear seats. The mix of modern elements ― Energising Comfort Control, touchscreen interfaces, and MBUX rear-seat entertainment ― are joined by Nappa leather upholstery and even storage for a few champagne bottles. The Maybach GLS 600 brings not only a new engine, but also…

The all-new, fifth generation Honda City was recently revealed in Bangkok, Thailand, and it packs a modern petrol powertrain. The new City claims to take the driving experience to the next level with an all-new 1.0-litre VTEC Turbo three-cylinder petrol engine. It produces 122 hp with a peak 173 Nm of torque, making it more powerful than the outgoing 1.5-litre i-VTEC four-pot petrol, and the most powerful engine that was ever offered in the City. In Thailand, it is available with a continuously variable transmission and delivers superior fuel efficiency, projected at 23.8 km/litre. The new City is well-equipped in the interior department as well. It runs the latest Honda Connect technology which provides a modern interface between the driver and the car. It also comes with Apple CarPlay and…

A Car Suitable for Trail Riders I have been a reader of your magazine for a long time now and I thoroughly enjoy your reviews. I would love your expert advice on a query that I have. I am into mountain biking as a hobby and go trail-riding with my better half every other weekend. We currently use a Suzuki Swift with a bike rack to transport our bikes to the trails, but sometimes roads leading up to these trails are terrible and the bottom of the Elite scrapes a little. We want to keep the Swift as my wife's office commute car and are a looking for something more purpose-built for our bikes. I have been considering the Jeep Compass with a bike rack and the Isuzu D-Max, which…

Kathmandu is crowded, bustling, and has that thrum of excitement typical of a metro running through its streets KATHMANDU IS, AS I’M SURE YOU KNOW, THE CAPITAL OF NEPAL and, like a lot of national capitals, it is crowded, bustling, and has that thrum of excitement typical of a metro running through its streets. This is, of course, the second capital I’ve visited on this tri-nation journey. However, since the first one was our own home capital of Delhi, which I’ve been to so many times, I was a tad more excited to go exploring this time around. And go exploring I did, starting at the Swayambhunath Stupa. Perched atop a hill and surrounded by trees, this Buddhist place of worship is one of the most significant religious sites for…

MG MOTOR ARE OFF TO a good start in India. The Hector, described as India’s first “connected SUV”, has been performing remarkably well in our country despite sluggish sales and market conditions. The SUV was launched in June this year and has already reportedly sold nearly 10,000 units, with 3,536 Hectors rolling out of showrooms in the month of October alone. MG Motor, as you know, is part of SAIC (Shanghai Auto Industrial Corporation), a Chinese state-owned car manufacturer. Seeing the acceptance of the Chinese-owned British brand in India, the company is speeding things up and has even ramped up production at their Halol manufacturing plant and, from November, has started a second shift to meet the growing demand. Up next is a fully electric SUV which is expected to…

FOLLOWING A SUCCESSFUL DéBUT IN INDIA last year, Shell India conducted another “Make the Future Live” event; this time in the bustling metropolis of Bengaluru. To be precise, within the grounds of the Shell Technology Centre Bengaluru (STCB). This was for the first time ever that this competition was held in a Shell facility. “Make the Future Live” is a conglomeration of platforms for students, industrialists, and companies to contribute ideas and solutions to solve the impending energy crisis. The highlight of this event is, of course, the Shell Eco-marathon. This decades-old, global-level competition challenges college students to design, build, and run energy-efficient vehicles around a test track. I must urge you not to think lightly of it because the current Asia record achieved by students from a Thai university…

THE MG MARQUE WAS ESTABLISHED IN OXFORD IN THE 1920S and is best known for the compact, open-top sports cars that they manufactured through the 1960s and 1970s. The brand has changed hands several times in the decades since, with past owners including the British Motor Corporation, British Leyland, Austin Rover, and the MG Rover Group, who, in 2006, finally sold it to China’s Nanjiang Automobile Group, which later merged into the SAIC Motor Corporation Limited, the country’s largest automobile manufacturers. Production was shifted to China in 2007 and the once floundering marque saw a resurgence under this new ownership, with worldwide sales more than doubling over the next few years. The Hector is MG’s first offering in India and, since its launch earlier this year, the SUV has been…

ANEW NAME. A NEW CAR. A WHOLE new start. And what a start it has been. While many begin by making tall claims, a few begin slow and steady and build an enviable foundation. Kia may be an all-new name here, but they have been around for quite some time. Yes, overseas they have been budget carmakers but, over the years, their exponential learning curve — in tune with parent company Hyundai’s — has had a significant effect on their brand perception. Styling is one thing, but the evolution of construction, quality, and equipment has led to a steady rise in takers. From competing in the budget hatch space to building Nürburgring-tackling, German sport-luxury icon-challenging cars the likes of the Stinger GT, Kia have come a long way. And now…

VERSTAPPEN GOT OFF to a great start from pole as Lewis Hamilton, already world champion, hammered his Mercedes-AMG past the charging Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel to claim second spot, with Valtteri Bottas in the second Mercedes, Alex Albon in the other Red Bull, and Pierre Gasly in the Toro Rosso slotted in behind them. It wasn’t until lap 21 that Hamilton came in for softs, beginning the round of pit-stops for the front-runners. Verstappen came in on the next lap, with a quick stop, but was cut off at the exit by the Williams Mercedes of Robert Kubica who happened to leave his box at the most inopportune time. That didn’t bother the young Dutchman, however, as he passed Leclerc and began chasing down Hamilton. Making it look easy, Verstappen…

THE LATEST IN THE ITALIAN MARQUE’S LINE-UP, FERRARI ROMA, is a front mid-engined 2+ grand-touring coupé; a contemporary representation of the care-free pleasurable way of life that characterized Rome in the 1950s and ’60s. The Roma packs a more powerful evolution of the 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 seen in the Portofino and GTC4 Lusso T, with 620 hp and 760 Nm. The new 8DCT eight-speed dual-clutch automatic, also seen in the SF90 Stradale, is derived directly from their Formula 1 programme. The kerb weight is 1,570 kg. The Roma will sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds and to 200 km/h in 9.3 seconds. Electronic assistance includes Side Slip-angle Control 6.0, F1-TCS traction control, and the E-Diff3 electronic rear differential. Inside, the new approach led to the creation of…

AFTER FORD REVEALED THE NEW MUSTANG MACH E, ANOTHER jaw-dropper came in the form of the Mustang Lithium Concept. Developed together with Webasto, the Lithium Concept is essentially an all-electric sports car. And it does things a little differently. The electric motor has “more than 900 hp and 1,000 lb-ft of torque instantly available”. That’s over 1,350 torque in Nm: a lot of twist. It uses a Phi-Power dual-core electric motor and dual power inverters, paired with an 800-volt Webasto battery, with EVDrive Technology that can discharge a full megawatt (1,360 hp’s worth) of electrical energy. To put all the power down to the wheels is a manual transmission. Yes! A drag-strip proven Calimer-version of Getrag’s MT82 six-speed manual with billet internals to handle all of that torque and to…

BMW INDIA HAVE BEGUN offering BS VI variants across their entire product range. The entire petrol portfolio is already BS VI-compliant while the diesel portfolio, comprising the 2.0-litre in-line four 20d variants and the 3.0-litre in-line six 30d variants, will be converted soon enough. The BMW Group Plant in Chennai has started local production of BS VI diesel variants of the 5 Series and the 6 Series Gran Turismo. The new BS VI avatar of the compact X1 will also be introduced soon. All the new models launched by the company in 2019 are available in both BS IV and BS VI variants. Beginning next year, BMW India will raise the prices of BS VI models by up to six per cent.…

WITH A DIGITAL SHOWROOM, MG (MORRIS GARAGES) MOTOR India don’t have the popular Hector on display but, instead, use digital tools, including Augmented Reality and AI-based Human Recognition, to showcase the model to walk-in customers. Setting up a full-fledged car showroom needs huge commitment, not to mention considerable investment. Given the current economic situation, having an inexpensive alternative for car dealers seems to be a more logical approach. Situated in Bengaluru, the first MG Digital Studio is a departure from the conventional showroom, showcasing the future of automotive retail. With the increased cost of operating a car showroom, the new business model helps unlock operational efficiencies and offers greater convenience as customer preferences move towards digital. Customers visiting the showroom can explore and customize the MG Hector and future MG…

HYDERABAD IS AN INTERESTING CITY TO VISIT, NO DOUBT. Ancient monuments, a cutting-edge IT area, and some amazing food too. Well, I was leaving all of that in my rear-view. I wasn’t really despondent, though; quite the opposite, in fact. Firstly, I was on a fun stretch of highway roads in the Hyundai Venue and my sat-nav read Bengaluru. You can’t be anything but excited when heading to one of the coolest, most hip cities in India. That too when you’re behind the wheel of one of the most fascinating new compact SUVs in the market. I was having a blast driving down NH 44, my music blaring through the excellent sound system. The Venue’s 1.4-litre diesel produces 90 hp and 220 Nm — more than enough for India’s highways.…

TRAVEL. AH, YES, THAT OL’ YEARNING that is strong amongst us all. It sure is an inner calling that must be fulfilled in some way or the other. Travel opens us up to a world that is unknown and it is here that the word “adventure” rears its beautiful head. When it comes to India, an adventure can be just a short distance away due to the brilliant diversity our country boasts of. We, at Car India, decided to do a two-part series where we would discover two completely different sides of the nation. Our companion for the trip would be the new Renault Triber for this journey from Pune to Gokarna via Goa for our very own adventure. As the sun just about started to rise, we were all…

DRIVING DOWN A BUSY ROAD WITH A COMMANDING VIEW from my somewhat high perch in Maruti Suzuki’s S-presso did make me feel good about myself at times. The kind of satisfaction that a big, burly SUV usually manages to deliver. You know what I am talking about, don’t you? Then there were times when I was able to squeeze through gaps that no goliath of an SUV would dare enter and that, my friends, gave rise to the important question, ‘Is this really a mini-SUV?’ Maruti Suzuki are marketing the S-presso as a baby SUV. Sure, the car’s respectable ground clearance and boxy design certainly give it the visual appeal of an SUV. However, it did not discourage most people I met from calling the S-presso “cute”. I agree with…

A FINE POLE POSITION IT WAS FOR Charles Leclerc and Ferrari it was indeed; however, would the Monegasque be able to capitalize on it? As the final light beeped out, Leclerc managed to get off the line well, closely followed by his teammate, Sebastian Vettel, and Max Verstappen in the Red Bull. However, just behind him was the Mercedes-AMG of Lewis Hamilton and after he got alongside, a fight ensued that saw him end up on the grass a few corners later. His Red Bull teammate, Alex Albon, made the most of the opportunity and snatched third place away. Languishing further down the order than he’d like on lap six, Verstappen took the fight to Valtteri Bottas in the second Mercedes, passing him rather unexpectedly. As Bottas retaliated, it ended…

RALLYRACC CATALUNYA - Rally de España put a lot of drivers under pressure. The route and its challenges apart, it was almost the end of the season and the last chance for a few drivers to finish the season among the top three of the championship. It was Sébastien Ogier (Citroën Total World Rally Team) who initially led the rally on Friday. Thierry Neuville’s (Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team) charge allowed him to overtake Ogier and lead the rally for a while until he was overthrown by Dani Sordo (Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team). It was not over yet, because Sébastien Loeb’s (Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team) mix of consistency and his last-minute dash promoted him to the lead during the final stages of the day. The…

BEING PART OF THE CAR INDIA TEAM, I HAVE had the opportunity to drive a few cars. Usually, at the end of a car’s term, I am already looking forward to my next long-termer. That, of course, is not to say that I am usually happy to be rid of the old car. My enthusiasm for a new car outweighs the emotion of bidding goodbye to the outgoing one. In this regard, the Renault Kwid Climber may be an exception. As I write this report at the end of a year-long use, I am actually sad to see the little car go away. The Kwid Climber has been a reliable companion throughout its time in our garage, never once coughing up an issue to spur a wrinkle on my forehead.…

CZECH GIANT ŠKODA HAVE pulled the wraps off their all-new mid-size offering, the popular Octavia. It features the signature Škoda design elements while also bringing the next level of equipment, courtesy the VW Group’s enormous A4-sized catalogue. Built on the MQB (Modularer Querbaukasten or modular transverse matrix) platform, the new Octavia measures 4,689 millimetres long, 1,829 mm wide, and a wheelbase of 2,686 mm. It now has an even larger boot at 600 litres. The new front apron design is complemented by the sharp and narrow new headlights that feature LED units for low beam and high beam as well as the daytime lights as standard. LED Matrix headlamps with crystalline elements and dynamic turn-indicators are optional. The tail-lights, brake lights, and fog-lights also use LED lighting. Škoda, of course,…

THE A1 CITYCARVER IS THE LATEST COMPACT OFFERING FROM INGOLSTADT. SHOWN earlier this year and based on the A1 Sportback premium four-door hatchback, the citycarver is the urban crossover with SUV genes ― the rave these days. It has a compact footprint, measuring 4,046 millimetres long and running a 2,566-mm wheelbase. It’s 1,756 mm wide and 1,459 mm high, with a ground clearance of 144 mm between the axles. It will be similarly equipped as the new A1 Sportback, with kit including Audi pre sense safety and even optional park assist and adaptive cruise control. Three engines are available: two 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrols, a 25 TFSI with 95 hp/175 Nm and a 30 TFSI with 116 hp/200 Nm, and one 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine in the 35 TFSI with 150…

MOVE OVER, BATMOBILE, THE ELVA IS the latest single-seat, windscreen-optional jaw-dropper from the Woking major. The latest addition to the Ultimate Series, the McLaren Elva harks back to its 1960s namesake and builds on the exclusivity of the Senna and the Speedtail. Only 399 will be made. The Elva is a fast open-cockpit two-seater with a bespoke carbon-fibre chassis and body. It has no roof, no windscreen, and no side windows. That heightens every sensory input as a car that exists to provide unparalleled driving pleasure on road or track rightly should. It gets an 815-hp, 4.0-litre, twin-turbo V8 and combines that with the lightest weight of any McLaren road car for breathtaking performance with extraordinary levels of acceleration, agility, and driver feedback. The low nose and pronounced front fender…

THE GLOBAL NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (GNCAP), KNOWN FOR CRASH-TESTING NEW CARS FOR THE coveted five-star rating, has released data for the GNCAP results from the latest round of tests. In the latest round, it was the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and WagonR, Hyundai Santro and Datsun redi-GO that went through the rigours of the crash-test procedures. These tests were conducted using the entry-level variants of each model and, as such, the true strength and structural integrity was revealed, without the bonus stars for multiple airbags, traction control, and autonomous braking which aren’t part of the kit on most variants here, anyway. So, let’s get to the GNCAP results. The tests are conducted at 64 km/h. Maruti Suzuki Ertiga The new Ertiga achieved three stars for adult occupant protection, scoring 9.25…

The MG ZS EV is the latest electric SUV that will be introduced into the Indian market. It made its global début this past April. The new MG ZS EV will contribute towards a healthier ecosystem. MG Motor India have introduced a new campaign, called #ChangeWhatYouCan, and have also partnered with eChargeBays to enhance charging infrastructure by putting up charging stations where customers may visit and charge their cars away from home. MG Motor India and Fortum also recently installed the first public 50-kW DC fast-charging station in Gurugram. With the Indian market slowly opening up to new technologies in cars, many questions arise in the average Indian customer’s mind. For instance, “What happens to the battery after it dies out?” MG Motor India recently spoke about their hassle-free ownership…

MERCEDES-BENZ INDIA HAVE INTRODUCED THE new V 220 d in Elite long-wheelbase guise, priced at Rs 1.1 crore (ex-showroom). It will be sold alongside the existing Exclusive and Expression variants. The V-Class Elite is based on the long-wheelbase model platform and will be offered as a six-seater only. Highlights include luxury seats with leather upholstery and massaging function, climate control, a 360° camera with Active Park Assist, and a Burmester premium audio system with 15 speakers. The suspension also benefits from Agility Control with a selective damping system. A panoramic roof is offered as an option. The Elite also gets a new heart: the OM654 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine, with the output figures being the same at 163 hp and 380 Nm. That said, it is paired to the new…

We are experiencing a paradigm shift worldwide. Many developed nations have infrastructure built to support fossil-fuelled vehicles and are now making way for electrified vehicles with the installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging points. These points have formed a subculture, an ecosystem, that coexists with convention. Now, though, convention is fast changing. Hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and fully electric vehicles (EV) are gaining momentum in urban minds and are slowly eking out a larger share of the automotive pie. Developing nations, with whatever infrastructure exists, are clogged with low-cost, mass-produced forms of personal mobility simply because many of the people don’t have reliable or affordable choices or a clean, safe, and dependable public transport system with modern solutions. Climate change is real and is a threat that…

HOW MANY TREES ARE THERE IN THE BLACK FOREST? It feels like I’m on a mission to see as many as is humanly possible in just a few hours from the passenger seat of a pre-production Porsche 911 Turbo convertible. We approach some from unexpected angles. Others are almost close enough to touch. There are very few straight roads in the Black Forest, so it’s just as well we’re in a car that relishes bends so much and has the comfort and composure to sustain that enthusiasm all day and the grip to ensure we don’t have a sudden career-change to lumberjack. This is not some reckless thrash through the wooded vastness of southwest Germany. I’m in the very safe hands of a Porsche test driver who comes here so…

I OFTEN WONDER WHY SO MANY OF US DON’T CONSIDER going on a road trip to exotic locales within India instead of spending a fortune travelling to foreign destinations. In fact, with the right approach and research, there are plenty of options within our vast country which are absolutely spectacular. So, we decided to take a road trip to one such lesser known but unbelievably beautiful destinations, Gandikota which is also known as the Grand Canyon of India. A drive this epic needs a vehicle that can live up to the challenge. And what better car than the Toyota Fortuner, which has been the benchmark for premium SUVs in India? No wonder, in the last 10 years it has sold over one lakh units, making it a conqueror of hearts…

Aston Martin DBX The first-ever SUV body-style offering from the British marque has arrived after extensive testing and teasing. The DBX is a high-riding, all-wheel-drive, V8-powered Aston Martin that packs a specifically tuned twin-turbo AMG V8 with 550 hp and 700 Nm. Audi e-tron Sportback The e-tron Sportback electric concept combines efficiency with performance. With 500 km on a full charge, it can also hit 100 km/h from zero in 4.5 seconds thanks to the motor that makes 320 kW (435 hp), which can be boosted up to 370 kW (503 hp). Aerodynamic curves on the body along with the new front grille that sports an integrated three-dimensional illuminated Audi logo make it stand out. Audi RS 6 Avant The latest coming of the high-performance estate takes…

THE BASICS ARE IMPORTANT. HAVE A SOLID foundation built on the right principles and things tend to work out. And work out well. Whatever it may be. The luxury segment is not an easy space to battle in. Even established names have to slug it out at times and the right kind of ammo is always needed when the going gets tough. So, the Audi A6, in its latest C8 fifth-generation guise first introduced last year, has finally been introduced to the Indian portfolio. The exterior certainly looks tended to and it’s received more than a dash of chrome to accentuate its premium credentials. The added lines and creases across the side make it evident as the new model. The new design Matrix LED headlights are standard on the more…

TWO ISSUES AGO WE brought you a detailed road test review of Hyundai’s latest diesel-powered hatch, the Grand i10 Nios, and this month we put the petrol variant through its paces. The Korean manufacturers made a massive impact on our market with the original “tall-boy” Santro all those years ago and have since gone from strength to strength, cementing their position in our market with an extensive range of feature-packed small cars to suit every pocket and requirement. Hyundai’s current hatchback range includes the all-new Santro, the Grand i10, the Elite i20, and the i20 Active; however, the company felt the need to give their customers yet another option and recently launched the Grand i10 Nios. This all-new car is bigger, has more interior space and features than the last…

AS THE LIGHTS WENT out to start the 56 laps of Austin, pole-sitter Bottas got a great start off the line, with the Red Bull of Max Verstappen storming past the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel. Through the esses, it was the second Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton charging past the fourth-placed Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, before making his way up into third. Through the next set of corners, Leclerc also got past his teammate, Vettel. Behind the German was the battle between McLaren’s young gun, Lando Norris, and Daniel Ricciardo in the Renault. After a lock-up from Vettel, Norris needed no further invitation and the Ferrari was down yet another place. On lap eight, Vettel’s Ferrari veered particularly wide off Turn Nine and suffered suspension damage. That was the end of…