Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2021 i Car India

THE JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE WON MORE THAN ITS FAIR SHARE OF HEARTS WITH ITS massive size, generous space, rugged styling, and robust build, not to mention its happy-go-lucky, go-anywhere character that was amplified by the engine options on sale here — a punchy and torquey V6 diesel or a big, natural signature HEMI V8 with loads of oomph. What it may have been short of, however, was the number of seats; especially in a market such as ours. With the all-new Grand Cherokee L — or long wheelbase — Jeep may have found the winning solution. The longer Grand Cherokee packs three rows of seats. It also has a cabin that’s among the most modern ones; both well-equipped and connected while offering immense flexibility and a lot of space. The…

ROMANIAN AUTO MAJOR DACIA, THE COMPANY UNDER THE Renault-Nissan alliance responsible for the Duster, has an exciting future in store and has shown off an even larger, 4.6-metre-long concept model, the Bigster. Part of Groupe Renault’s “Renaulution” strategy, Dacia’s new five-year plan sees the creation of the Dacia-Lada business unit; boosting their efficiency and competitiveness while expanding their product portfolio. The Bigster Concept is the next evolution for the Dacia brand. They will break into a higher segment while being just as affordable. True to their values, the Bigster is roomy, robust, meant for open air and dusty roads. It’s “a 4.6-metre SUV with no more and no less than the essential”. The Bigster will be based on the new CMF-B platform. This cost-competitive and highly flexible platform will enable…

THE ALL-NEW TATA SAFARI HAS BEGUN ROLLING OUT OF THE MANUFACTURING PLANT IN Pune and will be the new flagship for Tata Motors. It’s the largest, most tech-laden, and luxurious offering from the homegrown automaker. The Safari is based on the same OMEGA platform as the Harrier and, while it will have more generous proportions overall than the mid-sized Harrier, the two models share the same wheelbase. It has a butch, aggressive aesthetic augmented by split LED lighting and sharp arrow-design chromed grille. The Safari is a seven-seater as opposed to the Harrier that seats five and its design has been crafted with the full-sized SUV stance in mind. Power for the new Safari comes from the brand’s “Kryotec 170” BS6 2.0-litre, turbo-diesel with 170 hp and 350 Nm. A…

WE CONTINUE where we left off in Udhagamandalam (erstwhile Ooty), which, though picturesque, is not only about its scenic appeal. The “Queen of the Hills” is home to many well-known establishments and products. Exploration was in order; unfortunately, access to most locations was not possible due to the ongoing pandemic and understandably so. As we continued our exploration of the hill station, the first thing we noticed was how narrow the internal roads were. Luckily, though, the i20 does look quite wide with its flared stance, it was small enough to take us through some tricky congested streets with parked vehicles forming a zigzag route. Vision out of the car is superb, allowing one to have a good grasp of one’s surroundings, and, with proximity sensors at the front and…

THE TATA SAFARI IS BACK AND IT has had quite a journey from the Buzzard concept shown at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show to the Gravitas showcased last year in India at the Auto Expo. The question is: was this model meant to be a Safari right from the beginning? Tata Motors say that they wanted to keep the resurrection of the Safari a secret until it actually landed and we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt. But then one might wonder why the Sierra concept was displayed at the same platform without involving the secret services. Moving on… The 2021 Safari is here and we’re super kicked to be among the first to get behind its wheel. It looks very similar to the Harrier — not surprisingly, though,…

TO DISMISS THE Audi RS e-tron GT as a Porsche Taycan in fancy dress isn’t inaccurate, but it does underplay its significance — this is the first all-electric model from Audi’s high-performance RS division and it beats BMW’s M division and Mercedes-AMG to the honour of being the first from a German performance division. It’s a huge deal and to find out if the RS e-tron GT drives like a real RS, we’re testing a pre-production example in Rhodes. Trademark RS fast looks are present and correct (if toned down since the fist-bitingly gorgeous concept of 2018) and bragging rights are covered: the most powerful RS ever, say Audi, with an RS 6-matching 600 hp always on tap and bursts of 640 hp on overboost. Harnessed in an e-all-wheel-drive catapult,…

This VW will appeal to those who don’t always believe bigger is better and appreciate the solid build quality, timeless design, German engineering, and fun driving dynamics THE TIGUAN MAY NOT HAVE SOLD IN massive numbers since its launch in 2017, but it left a strong impression as a sturdy, road-going SUV featuring a typically understated German design and the solid build quality that goes with the territory. This car has now been replaced by the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, an SUV that continues in its predecessor’s footsteps as a well-built, comfortable, and reliable vehicle, with an additional helping of interior space. The new car features an almost unchanged design, led by that unmistakable Volkswagen face characterised by straight lines and sharp angles. Look closer and you’ll notice the revised triple-slat…

HOW LONG DOES A CAR REALLY NEED TO BE? LONG ENOUGH to attract attention or to just make the most of comfort and let one feel at home? The BMW 3 Series is already an immaculate car for its price and positioning. The thrilling level of engagement, outstanding handling dynamics, and benchmark steering feel and feedback made the 3er an amazing sport-luxury offering. However, someone in Interior may have received a memo about the need for more rear occupant room and, in view of the present situation, they seem to have obliged. There are two major points to note here. One, the 3 Series Gran Turismo line has gone off into the sunset globally. Two, the long wheelbase 3 Series is only available in China and with left-hand drive. Thus,…

Why is it here? Because, finally, the conversation had to shift from what it looked like to how it drove, so here we are: behind the wheel of the new G22 4 Series. While evolved from the same platform as the current 3 Series, the 4 is no lazy spin-off — Munich has lavished a pretty comprehensive re-engineering job on the platform to make the 4 more of a driving machine. Any clever stuff? Physically, there’s a stiffer body, lower ride height, wider tracks, re-tuned braking, steering and suspension systems, and more negative camber on the front wheels. The 420i goes without the 4 Series’ new 48-volt mild-hybrid system and you can’t have it with xDrive all-wheel drive. The Technology Plus Pack (£3,650 = Rs 3.65 lakh) brings Driving Assistant…

THE DAKAR RETURNED WITH ANOTHER stunning year of performances across all categories in Saudi Arabia. The most gruelling race in the world once again had its fair share of ups and downs, but such is the story with racing and will always be so. Here is a look at how our four-wheeled friends did at the 2021 Dakar Rally. Three categories here: T1, T2, and Open. The T1 category comprises the fastest vehicles in the race. The big boys of the Dakar, with drivers like Nasser Al-Attiyah and Stéphane Peterhansel making this their playground. The T2 class has competitors driving modified production vehicles that remain close to their counterparts available in showrooms. This is a highly regulated category allowing specific levels of enhancements. The Open category is, as the name…

THE NEW RENAULT 5 IS CONNECTED TO THE BRAND’S HISTORY AND is now set to be its future, too, aimed at making electric cars popular. Renault have stated that they will evolve into a “Tech” brand with an ecosystem approach that aims at creating world-leading, next-generation mobility OEMs and suppliers, a “Service” brand offering the best connectivity and high-tech services embedded natively in their vehicles, and a “Clean Energy” brand aiming to become a leader of the energy transition. The line-up will see Renault double down on both electrification and mix improvement with a repositioned line-up to help them reconquer the C-segment while strengthening their B-segment leadership. A total of 14 models will be launched by 2025, half of which will be electric and the other half C- and D-segment…

Aston Martin DBX The all-new Aston Martin DBX is the marque’s first SUV and is now on sale in India, priced from Rs 3.82 crore (ex-showroom). The first-ever SUV from Gaydon is now available in India. The DBX aims to deliver sports car performance when desired and all-road capability whenever needed as well. A five-seater SUV, the Aston Martin DBX offers plush seating for four plus one, with a decent cargo volume of 632 litres. The interior is modern and well-equipped with, as is the case now, a particular focus on connectivity. On cross-country drives, the DBX should strike a fine balance between comfort and excitement. A 91-litre fuel-tank makes for more than adequate range. The DBX packs a specially built AMG 4.0-litre, twin-turbo V8 engine. The curated output is…

IT WAS IN 2002 THAT ŠKODA ENTERED THE INDIA MARKET WITH THE Octavia. The car was an instant hit with the Indian buyers because it delivered luxury at an affordable price and fantastic fuel efficiency to top it. Unfortunately, the success story went awry even though the company continued to make good, solid, and value-for-money cars. It was some rogue dealers who gave the company a bad name for poor after-sales service, taking the customers for a ride in the process. Fast forward to 2021 and Škoda are leaving no stone unturned to rid themselves of this blemish. They have sacked all the dealers against whom there were complaints of misconduct and/or cheating customers. Globally, it is Volkswagen that is the lead company for the group; in India, however, Škoda…

THE THING ABOUT LIVING IN A CITY LIKE Pune is that there are plenty of driving destinations nearby one can explore. And if you love luxurious SUVs, you’ll probably be driving around in something like the Mercedes-Benz GLE 300 d. It is luxurious, comfortable, efficient, and, being an SUV, offers decent ground clearance to negotiate tricky terrain. I admit, the four-cylinder diesel isn’t as powerful as its sibling’s six-cylinder unit, but with a smaller engine and by doing away with a few features, the 300 d gets a more tempting price tag. The exterior and interior design of the current lot of Mercedes-Benz cars has been remarkable and the GLE, too, is a good-looking SUV. You get the angular headlamps, a big Mercedes logo on the two-slat front grille, a…

THE ICE WARNING BONGS AND OVER THE FIRST FEW miles, as you work to get some warmth into the car’s oily bits and your brain’s idle tissue, you lose track of the number of layers of unwanted interference between the BMW’s Bridgestones and the road surface. In summer, theirs would be a happy and uncomplicated union of generous and consistent grip. Not today. Today there’s water, there’s rain-swept grit and gravel, and there’s mud. There may even be ice. Traction is a concept rather than a given; grip you can lean on frustratingly elusive. Happy and unbelievably comfortable in the 420i (fabulous heated seats, heated steering wheel, Harman Kardon audio of wondrous power and clarity), it’s easy to go with the flow; drive mode in Comfort, engine and gearbox barely…

MAHINDRA ADVENTURE ORGANISES some of the best drives in the country, designed to highlight the capabilities of their 4x4 SUVs. Anybody can sign up for these curated expeditions, held in various parts of the country and led by a highly experienced and professional team of drivers. The team usually organises over seven such multi-day road trips across India and neighbouring countries annually, including The Wild Escape through the tiger reserves of Madhya Pradesh, The Monastery Escape through Leh and Ladakh, and The Spiti Escape through the remote Spiti Valley. While the pandemic prevented Mahindra Adventure from conducting any drives last year, they decided that 2021 would be different and sent us an invite to spend a few days exploring Rajasthan with them as part of The Royal Escape 2021. Not…

THE LAST AND FINAL ROUND OF THE JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championships took place at the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore. After a weekend of some very interesting and fast-paced racing, Sandeep Kumar and Amir Sayed emerged as champions in the Formula LGB 4 and the Novice Cup respectively. Ahura Racing’s Anushriya Gulati was crowned champion twice as she claimed the LGB-4 Rookie title as well as the women’s category title. ›› LGB FORMULA 4 In the LGB Formula 4 class, Sandeep Kumar from Dark Don Racing set the track ablaze in the final round of the championship. The final round provided plenty of sparks as the Formula LGB 4 championship went down to the wire till the last lap of the last race. It was heartbreak for Ashwin…

Welcome MARUTI SUZUKI VITARA BREZZA ZXI+ AT AN AUTOMATIC, THANK GOD THE SENTIMENT EXPRESSED IN THE HEADING WAS our spontaneous and unanimous reaction as we peeped in through the window when the Vitara Brezza arrived at the office. An automatic transmission just makes life a lot easier when driving in the city, doesn’t it? Besides, its generous boot and easily accessible loading space made our brave photography team happy. Naturally, because they find themselves contending with cramped boot spaces frequently in order to bring you amazing tracking shots. Sure enough, they claimed it as the go-to support car. The petrol engine of the Brezza is quite responsive and silky smooth in operation. The ride is also equally pliant and comfortable. To top it all, it is reasonably fuel-efficient; for…

THE RENAULT KIGER IS THE ALL-new compact crossover SUV that has actually been designed and destined for India before it goes ahead and makes its international début. Based on the CMFA+ platform akin to the Triber, Renault promise an attractive price and tremendous space for up to five occupants and a good boot volume as well. The Kiger measures 3,991 millimetres long, 1,750 mm wide, and 1,600 mm high, with a wheelbase of 2,500 mm and a rather high ground clearance of 205 mm. It depicts a strong personality with a modern and dynamic design, generous occupant room, and a modern interior with an extensive list of features. The athletic style combines a modern front end with LED lighting elements — daytime lights and three-piece projector LED units. Entry variants…

THE MERCEDES-EQ SUB-BRAND IS GAINING MOMENTUM AND THE latest model to arrive, the EQA, is the third in the line-up. With its silhouette sitting almost exactly in the GLA’s, the EQA promises a mix of everyday usability, power, range, and versatility to go with its compact size. The 4.4-metre-long car features the typical EQ black radiator grille and central star logo and continuous light strip front and rear. The EQA packs a 140-kW electric motor driving the front axle through a single-speed automatic transmission. It’s good for 190 hp and 375 Nm and is paired to a 66.5-kWh battery pack. That allows for a sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 8.9 seconds and a top speed of 160 km/h. Now, the range. Mercedes state 480 km and a rated…

MERCEDES-BENZ HAVE ONCE AGAIN CLAIMED THE THRONE IN THE BATTLE FOR supremacy in India’s luxury car market. This is the sixth year in a row for them, with sales figures of 7,893 units delivered in the pandemic-hit 2020. The German auto major is set to introduce as many 15 new models in India this year. The upcoming 2021 line-up follow the principle of “Reimagining Excellence” and aims at making the brand more desirable to even more potential customers and enthusiasts. There are more than some big names to look forward to which would surely continue the brand’s success story in India. The year gone by saw the long-wheelbase E-Class saloon being their bestseller but momentum was maintained, too, with the GLC, GLE, and GLS SUV models. The new wave will…

Is the Carnival Worth the Extra Dough? I am looking for a car that can be used to cover large distances in comfort with up to six people on board. I really like the Kia Carnival but the top-end Toyota Innova Crysta is almost Rs 10 lakh cheaper. Is the Carnival worth the extra money or should I stick to the Innova Crysta? Samuel J, via social media Dear Samuel, If you have the budget, then go for the Kia Carnival. It is a more premium car and is a few steps ahead of the Innova Crysta in terms of luxury. As a bonus, it is rather nice to drive as well. If money is an issue, then you cannot go wrong with the Innova Crysta either. Toyota's reliability is…

WHY EVER WOULD YOU DOUBT THAT THE XC40 would turn out to be tremendous? It’s not much of a stretch to argue that this car is exactly what Volvo have been leading up to throughout the 93 years since the founders dragged themselves away from a gloomy teatime drama on Swedish public radio and decided to make safe, comfortable, responsible, and quietly stylish cars. The answer to everything starts with saying, ‘Hey Google’, and letting Silicon Valley do the rest Volvos have rarely been about speed or handling or light weight; so, moving beyond internal combustion is not a soul-tearing transition. And now Volvo have gone EV with their huge-selling compact crossover, a car designed from the off to accommodate a variety of power sources. The result is a car…

SINCE ITS LAUNCH ABOUT A YEAR AGO, THE Tata Altroz has been winning hearts for its attractive design, spacious cabin, and that brilliant chassis. If you desired a more spirited engine with a quick-shifting DCT that would do justice to this otherwise great package, then your wish has come true… at least some of it. Tata Motors have introduced a new 1.2-litre turbo-charged petrol engine option on the hatchback but, for now, the DCT remains elusive as the car comes with a five-speed manual transmission. The turbo-petrol is borrowed from the Nexon but, sadly, has been detuned for the hatchback. Before we delve into the performance aspect, let’s quickly run through the changes in the exterior design. There aren’t many to set this iTurbo version apart from the rest of…

HOW MANY 3.0-LITRE PETROL ENGINES DOES A CAR COMPANY NEED TODAY? If you answered ‘one’, you’d be correct, logically. However, when you’re BMW, that’s not the answer. After all, when a 3.0 straight-six is your signature motor, you’d need a little variety, too, right? But more on that later. The X3 M is the first proper BMW M version of the smaller SUV or, rather, mid-size SAV — “Sports Activity Vehicle” in München speak. There have been M Sport trims and even M Performance versions of the previous one, but this one, the F97, gets a proper M job. What that means is more power, more torque, more sound, sharper responses and handing dynamics, and just a lot more excitement overall. And it starts right from the first glance. The…

THE AUDI A4 RETURNS TO OUR MARKET THIS YEAR, SPORTING a comprehensive facelift with reshaped body-panels, a new petrol motor, and loads of tech to keep abreast of the competition. I’m glad there’s no obnoxiously large grille up front, like we’ve seen with some other manufacturers lately, and the new face is proportionate and fits in well with the rest of the design. The front end has also been livened up by the new LED headlights, and the bonnet curves back gently to meet the base of the windscreen and A-pillars. The new car can be identified from the rear by the segmented LED tail-lamps, and the whole design comes together seamlessly, pleasing the eye when viewed from any angle. A classy interior greets me as I enter the cabin…

THE EXORBITANT PRICING and lack of electrification we’ve talked about. But another issue with cars like these is the nagging sense that their performance stylings aren’t underpinned by any dynamic substance: that their good looks write cheques their oily bits can’t cash. To an extent, that’s true of the A5. This is not a driver’s car to fire the imagination, prompt endless long-way-home detours or have you browsing track-day dates for the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit. But this is neither a surprise nor the product of any real engineering shortcoming — Audi know their customers and most are far more interested in breathtaking refinement and a knockout interior than ultimate brake-pedal fidelity or on-the-limit adjustability. But to dismiss the A5 as stodgy would be wrong. Front-wheel-drive it may be…

RALLYE MONTE-CARLO WAS THE FIRST RACE OF THE SEASON AND Ott Tänak (Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team) took the lead after winning the two opening speed tests. At the end of the day, right behind him were Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team) and his teammate, Elfyn Evans. Friday’s stages began before first light and Sébastien Ogier was the man to watch. With the brake problem that had hindered his progress the previous day resolved, Ogier was making up time like a man on a mission. He blitzed through the mountain stages and finished the day on top, ahead of his teammate, Evans. Meanwhile, Thursday’s leader, Tänak, found himself sliding down the order and managed to cling on to third place at the end of the day.…