Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2021 i Car India

ŠKODA HAVE APPLIED FOR TRADEMARKS for five names to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, all for SUVs, starting with a K and ending with a Q — Kliq, Karmiq, Konarq, Kosmiq, and Kushaq, following the Kodiaq, Karoq, and Kamiq internationally — with the first new entrant expected to be the production version of the new Vision IN. The new compact SUV will be built on the MQB-A0 platform, a heavily localised version of the VW Group’s Modularen Querbaukasten (Modular Transverse Matrix) and will feature a front-transverse engine and predominantly front- or front-biased all-wheel-drive powertrains. The new compact SUV is likely to have the 1.0-litre TSI three-pot with around 90-110 hp or, perhaps, even the 150-hp 1.5-litre TSI four-pot, with a choice of manual or DSG automatic transmissions.…

PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY One of the first things you tend to look out for in a capable touring machine is a sturdy and capable engine. The Sonet certainly ticks that particular box. We had the 1.5 CRDi VGT diesel auto as our companion on the journey and that power-packed turbo-diesel engine made quite an impression as soon as we hit the highway and gave the accelerator pedal a bit of a prod. The 115 hp and 250 Nm of torque on tap are plentiful to help the Sonet leap forward in a hurry. The slick six-speed auto box is set up just so to time the shifts for maximum go. And then there’s the fact that you have driving modes — Eco, Normal, and Sport — the last-named making the…

THE WORD ‘PROGRESSION’ HAS BEEN USED in its multiple facades through the birth of civilisation. Rightfully so too, without the yearning for the said word we wouldn’t be the city slicking, moon visiting, techy souls we proudly call ourselves today. However, even though ‘rightful progression’ has never been too clear cut considering the history of our kind, we do find the world actively striving towards a truly better co-existence. As part of this year’s Hyundai Great India Drive, we shall cover two stories of ‘progression’ with the first being about the Korean auto manufacturer’s brilliant all-new i20 hatchback. The second would be the saga of our beautiful nation with its kings, queens, colonialization, our current situation, and a thought for the future too. This “tense” affair shall be covered by…

THE TAIGUN IS VOLKSWAGEN’S entry into the mid-size SUV space and is a made-for-India vehicle featuring heavy localization to keep the price competitive. It was designed with the average Indian customer and our specific demands in mind and developed to feel right at home in India’s singular road conditions. There are some fascinating visual cues that help elevate it from the competition. These include a bold grille with a chrome detail that melds seamlessly into the LED DRLs. The sizeable LED headlamps are another distinctive feature, as is the offbeat chrome detail on the lower grille and the butch bash-plate. The raised bonnet and overall profile are aggressive and masculine, evocative of the signature Volkswagen T-SUV line-up. The Taigun gets a generous wheelbase and tight overhangs that also contribute to…

YOU HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE. LIFE IS such. There is always a choice. A sports car brings massive power, thrilling performance, and engaging dynamics but, with room for two and a hard ride all the time, it doesn’t make sense everywhere and for everything. Then there are four-door coupés with massive engines that claim to balance the best of all worlds. A mistake made once is a mistake truly. The same mistake again is a choice. Get your head together and realisation dawns that, perhaps, big horsepower and a stiff ride aren’t necessities. They’re optional. What isn’t an option is the comfort, safety, practicality, reliability, and, most importantly, peace of mind that come as a result of the right choice. That’s precisely how you know you’ve chosen well. So,…

WHEN HE WAS WRESTLING, DWAYNE “The Rock” Johnson was known as the people’s champion. Volkswagen literally means “people’s car”. So, when I found out I was driving the T-Roc, well, the headline pretty much wrote itself. Now, The Rock had this larger-than-life style approach to his wrestling getup, so the parallels continue when we look at the T-Roc’s aesthetic elements too. Before we get into its kerb presence, especially in this not-at-all-subtle Kurkuma Yellow shade, we need to address the segment this vehicle fits in. It isn’t exactly a compact SUV. It is a little too short for that, but it isn’t a sub-four-metre offering at 4.2 metres long. This results in a wide and squat stance that lends itself best to the crossover way of life — too big…

THE FIRST OF THE TWO rounds under the lights at the Sakhir circuit in Bahrain would prove to be quite a memorable night for many and not in a good way. The pole-sitter, Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes-AMG, was quick to get away with his teammate, Valtteri Bottas, starting alongside him, with the two Red Bull Racing Hondas of Max Verstappen and Alex Albon starting from row two. As the field made its way through, however, the Haas Ferrari of Romain Grosjean was tagged by a helpless AlphaTauri Honda of Daniil Kvyat at the tail-end. The Haas careened off and speared into the Armco barrier, splitting in half and catching fire. The race was red-flagged immediately and, through the smoke, medical crew member Dr Ian Roberts, the fire marshals, Joby…

DANI SORDO (HYUNDAI Shell Mobis World Rally Team) was the man with the best result on the first day of the ACI Rally Monza. Strong spells of rain saw Sordo battle it out with Esapekka Lappi (M-Sport Ford World Rally Team) on waterlogged roads to claim the lead by a second; a feat he managed on the fabled “Cathedral of Speed” in the closing special of the first day. Lappi was among the first to switch to the snow tyres in order to find grip and immediately eked out an advantage before losing it to Sordo. It was a day of mixed results but it was, perhaps, the worst for the Hyundai driver, Thierry Neuville. He was forced to retire when the engine of his i20 failed after ploughing through…

THE EXCITING LIFESTYLE PICK-UP FROM FORD, THE Ranger Raptor, was spotted testing and could well be headed to India thanks to the existing limited import norms allowing the sale of emission-compliant completely built-up units. The Ranger is the pick-up truck avatar of the popular Endeavour. The Ranger Raptor, meanwhile, is the top-of-the-line version and packs a whole lot of kit. The main element of the Ranger Raptor is the powertrain. It packs the twin-turbo version of the brand’s 2.0-litre, four-cylinder TDCi diesel engine making a heftier 213 hp and 500 Nm of torque. The 10-speed automatic transmission drives a capable transaxle that sends the power to all four wheels. Other highlights on the 5.4-metre-long truck include 17-inch wheels with hardcore 285/70 all-terrain rubber and a high ground clearance of 283…

BMW INDIA HAVE INTRODUCED A limited-run “Shadow Edition” model of the 2 Series Gran Coupé for Rs 42.30 lakh (ex-showroom). The first-ever BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé aimed to perfectly blend sedan comfort with coupé sportiness and the new “Black Shadow” edition with BMW M Performance parts makes for a particularly athletic edge. The new variant further enhances the 2’s sporty character and is designed with a focus on dynamics and tailored to suit enthusiastic customer preferences. Highlights include the BMW Individual high-gloss shadow line package along with BMW M Performance parts, including high-gloss black mesh-style M front grille, black exterior mirror caps, M Performance rear spoiler in high-gloss black, black chrome tail-pipe finishers, 18-inch M Performance forged wheels in Jet Black Matt, and even the BMW Floating hub cap…

I WATCHED THE COMPELLING, IF INCREDIBLY sad, documentary, Challenger: The Final Flight, on Netflix recently, where the key revelation is (spoiler alert) that the engineers knew the rocket-booster O-rings might fail but gave the go-ahead for the launch, causing NASA’s space shuttle (this bit you know) to transform into a kind of 9/11 at 46,000 feet. This cataclysmic disaster springs to mind as I squeeze the Ferrari 812 GTS’ throttle pedal to the floor in third gear on a slightly damp Scottish road. Said pedal controls Ferrari’s most powerful ever series-production 12-cylinder motor, a 6.5-litre version of the F140 unit conceived originally for the 2002 Enzo and whose performance is bettered only by the hybrid-boosted LaFerrari hypercar and limited Monza SP1 and SP2 models that squeeze out 10 hp more.…

‘HELLO, MG’ — I DON’T THINK I’LL EVER GET tired of that one. Having spent some time in the company of the mighty MG Hector, issuing voice commands has become second nature. And what a range of controls, too — sunroof, air-con, music — take your pick; you can control it all with this simple command. It’s like having your own personal genie on board, only without the arbitrary three-wish limitation. So, despite the risk of sounding hyperbolic, I have to admit that this one aspect of the Hector has spoiled me for vehicles that you can’t hold a conversation with. No number of fancy features can make up for a vehicle that doesn’t drive well, though, and, luckily, the Hector doesn’t fall in this category. In fact, for a…

The Hyundai i20 has been constantly evolving and raising the bar in the premium hatchback segment since its launch in India back in December 2008. From comprehensive facelifts to complete generation changes, the i20 has been on the progression path which has helped the model become a household name for car-buyers in India and around the globe. Now that the stylish new, third-generation i20 has rolled out, it has been getting rave reviews for its design, cabin layout, abundant features, and, last but not least, safety and performance. So, we have brought together four voices from various fields to share their perspective on what they think about the all-new Hyundai i20. Purva Shinde-Singh Co-founder and Architect, Vispa Architects ‘I have been in this profession for the last 18 years and…

FROM SKETCHES TO RENDERS TO CONCEPT FORM AND THEN production and, now, a road test. The new Land Rover Defender, for long known as the DC100 concept, has taken a familiar shape, yes, but pictures don’t tell of capability and the Defender is far more capable than many, many other vehicles. It’s massive! Over five metres long if you factor in the rear-mounted full-size — 20-inch with 255/60 Good Year Wrangler — spare and with a wheelbase spanning over three metres. The bold grille and simple yet expansive surfaces look neat thanks to the curvature of the metal. The pronounced wheel-arches look even more purposeful when the car is raised to its highest ride height. The tail-lamp clusters are nothing short of modern art, with a captivating rear signature when…

THE SECOND RACE AT Sakhir also proved to be a memorable night. The outer loop was being used for the very first time and would see lap-times below one minute. With Hamilton out, George Russell would be in the championship-winning AMG. Jake Aitken, Williams’ reserve driver, would make his racing début. And, with Romain Grosjean recovering from his horrendous accident, Haas reserve Pietro Fittipaldi, the grandson of two-time F1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi, stepped in. After Russell dominated on Friday, topping the two practice sessions, it went slightly downhill on the Saturday. Bottas started from pole, but Russell was just 0.026 of a second off. The race start saw Russell get the advantage into Turn One and lead from Bottas. However, it was chaos soon after as Sergio Perez, in the…

WITH A CLEAR TARGET OF leadership in electric drives and vehicle software, Mercedes-Benz have a plan for consistent electrification of the entire product portfolio as a key element of their strategic focus, “Ambition 2039”, and a massive step forward towards CO2 neutrality. The EQ sub-brand looks to establish itself with authority as Daimler/ Mercedes-Benz AG have a slew of new introductions, from luxury saloons to SUVs of all sizes, under their new electric umbrella with a target of an eight-product portfolio by the end of 2022. Following the EQC compact SUV, already on sale in India, and the EQV MPV that came after that, the new Mercedes-EQS will be the next addition to the model range, followed by an EQA compact SUV. The coming two years will see the introduction…

A NEW NAME IS ON THE HORIZON IN THE ELECTRIC vehicle (EV) landscape and it’s an Australian sports car with a range of more than 1,100 kilometres. Performance tests on the under-development Avass R800 electric sports car, armed with a 120-kWh battery pack, have seen it cover 1,160 km on a single charge; much more than any EV currently in production. The test was performed over a period of 11.6 hours, with the car driven at a constant speed not exceeding 100 km/h. The Australian firm hopes to develop this prototype into a mainstream electric sports car as early as the end of the year and is exploring opportunities to set up manufacturing facilities in India. The Avass R800 features a sporty coupé design, weighs only 870 kg, and boasts…

AFTER SEEMINGLY MUCH DELIBERATION, ELECTRIC CAR GIANTS TESLA Motors will begin sales and support operations in India this year. The model first expected to arrive is the Model 3. It may be recalled that Tesla had begun accepting bookings globally ahead of the introduction of their second model, the Model 3, which was set to arrive after the Model S. While some Indians reportedly went ahead and proceeded with bookings, there were no updates thereon. Now, however, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has stated that Tesla would indeed begin operations in India in 2021. Initially, the cars will be fully imported as completely built-up units (CBU), with a call set to be taken on local operations in the future should the response be favourable. The Tesla…

THE TATA ALTROZ IS SET TO take the fight to the upper crest of the sub-four-metre premium hatchback segment with a new powertrain combination: a turbo-petrol engine and a dual-clutch automatic transmission, with additional equipment also expected to be a part of the kit. The Altroz was thus far offered with an atmospheric petrol and a turbo-diesel. The new model is expected to pack the 1.2-litre, three-cylinder, turbo-petrol from the Nexon with 120 hp and 170 Nm. The engine will feed the front wheels through a Schaeffler-sourced seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission. This engine-gearbox combination will propel the Altroz not just to greater speeds more quickly, but also into a deeper and more exclusive portion of the segment. The Tata Altroz Revotron Turbo DCT is expected to be priced at around…

IT WAS AN EXTREMELY PROUD MOMENT for India as 22-year-old Jehan Daruvala won the Formula 2 support race at the Sakhir Grand Prix after a thrilling battle against F2 Champion, Mick Schumacher, and Daniel Ticktum. In the race, Daruvala got off to a good start from second place on the grid. While he was battling it out with the pole sitter, Ticktum, Schumacher was able to take the advantage, pass both of them, and get into the lead. The three were close and kept exchanging positions over the next few laps. Jehan kept his cool and put in some quick laps to catch up to Ticktum, who was in the lead, after passing Schumacher. With less than 10 laps to go, Jehan made another fantastic overtake to get past Ticktum,…

AS MUCH AS I DON’T PREFER THESE creations straddling segments — and they’re everywhere and across all price bands — there is some sense to them. In areas where consistently good roads are hard to come by or just wishful thinking, any low-riding vehicle doesn’t make sense. Especially if peace of mind and maintenance factors are included. Thus, these hatchbacks in heels or some with gumboots on, with some butch styling bits and accessories galore, seem to be taking the world by storm. India is no different. There was a first wave. And now there’s a second, with badge-engineering and platform-sharing being the new go-to solution to satisfy the masses’ craving for a budget, do-it-all runabout that packs a slew of features as well. Moreover, with growing traffic, the automatic…

HOW COULD I NOT JUMP AT THE OPPORTUNITY to review a car that looks this good, sounds like thunder, and has 600 hp to light up the wheels? The second-generation Audi RS 7 is actually an all-new model packed with a heavily updated 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged, mild-hybrid V8 petrol engine. Based on the VW Group’s MLB Evo platform, the RS 7 has shed some weight and, backed by modern wizardry, has become even more agile. And it is the most expensive and powerful member of the A7 family, not to mention the most exotic. For Rs 2 crore, you get a Sportback that looks truly unique, not just in the Audi India line-up but also among the cars usually sighted on Indian roads — especially, in this unusual Nardo Grey shade.…

Being among the safest cars means having extensive research and development to create the ideal compromise between lightness and strength. While a majority of the chassis is made from mild steel (grey), key sections of the S60, such as the passenger safety cell, roof lines, and pillars, are made from ultra-high-strength steel (red), while joints and braces are made from high-strength steel (blue), very-high-strength steel (yellow), or extra-high-strength steel (orange), while elements designed to absorb crash energy and crumple — the front beam and suspension mounts — are made from lightweight aluminium (green).…

HUGE. NOT JUST HUGE, OVER 5.2 METRES LONG AND TWO metres wide sort of huge. The new Mercedes-Benz GLS towers over most other vehicles and road users, making trucks and buses part lanes to allow it to trundle through. City traffic seems to be getting worse by the day and with more rule-flouting through the extended lockdown, the GLS demands even more care; at first anyway. The new X167 GLS — this is the 400 d, the most potent diesel on offer — has a lot going for it. Dare I say, for 10 grand under the Rs 1-crore ex-showroom mark, the GLS is excellent value for what it brings to the table. And it’s a huge table. The only real competition, in that bracket anyway, is from the BMW…

THE YEAR 2020 HAS BEEN all sorts of chaos with the looming pandemic making many wonder if any racing would even happen, let alone an entire championship season. However, it was made possible and 17 races took place over a short period with teams and crew grinding and burning the midnight oil for several triple-headers to make the most of available time. The final race of the season saw a unique lap with the double championship-winning Renault R25 and its screaming 3.0 V10 driven around by the double world champion, Fernando Alonso, who is set to return next year. The action began with Verstappen claiming pole position with a returning Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes-AMG a bit off the pace, behind even his teammate, Valtteri Bottas. The 55-lap race got…