Triumph inaugurates third dealership in India

Gets 326 bookings across 11-bike portfolio in five months since launch.

New Triumph showroom.

Triumph Motorcycles has inaugurated its third dealership in Kochi, after one in Bangalore and Hyderabad. The new facility called Syamadynamic Motorcycles will also follow the company’s design layout representing Triumph’s retail setup found globally.

The layout will include a consultation lounge and a sales area in the showroom. The dealership entails an integrated after-sales service facility that features service bays and a spare-parts inventory. It will also offer a collection of Triumph merchandise including riding gear, accessories and memorabilia. Customisation facilities are also available for those who wish to custom-build their stock Triumphs.

Employees at Triumph’s dealerships have been put through intense training in management of sales, service, spare parts, business systems and customer service to to ensure best-in-class pre- and post-sales ownership experience, the company’s statement said. 

Vimal Sumbly, MD, Triumph Motorcycles India, on the occasion, said, “We plan to open up nine dealerships during this year. Kochi has a vibrant culture, and winding roads adjacent to the gorgeous sea makes for a perfect riding destination. With our state-of-the-art dealership, our aim is to give the brand lovers not just a product but an overall experience that they deserve from a globally renowned brand like Triumph. We are confident that the booking trend will continue to improve as we move closer to the start of sales with six functional dealerships across key cities within the next one month.”

“The experiential consumer rides offered at Triumph dealerships in Hyderabad and Bangalore have yielded excellent results and there has been a substantial jump of nearly 40 percent new enquiries in Bangalore and Hyderabad; we expect to see the same trend n Kochi as well,” said Sumbly, explaining his immediate priorities.

Closing onto its sales target of 500 units in the first six months of operations, the company claims to have clocked 326 bookings across all models in its 11-bike portfolio and is aiming to set up three new dealerships – one each in Mumbai, Pune and Ahmedabad – by 2^nd May 2014.

Triumph’s current line-up includes the Bonneville and Bonneville T100, Thruxton, Speed Triple, Street Triple, Tiger 800 XC, Tiger Explorer, Thunderbird Storm, Rocket III Roadster, Daytona 675 and the Daytona 675R.

The product range for India is a combination of completely built units (CBU) brought in from Triumph's plant in Thailand and bikes that are assembled from CKD kits at the manufacturer's assembly facility in Manesar, Haryana that is being used for assembly operations till Triumph’s Karnataka plant opens.

Courtesy: AutoCarIndia dot com

Election Express: the moving news studio

This innovative bus, designed by DC, is on an 8000km drive around India covering the ongoing elections.

By the time you read this, the colossal red bus you see here would have covered a considerable portion of its 8,000km route across India’s roadways and ‘gallis’ of power. While at it, it would have also played host to some of India’s most notable or notorious (use the ballot to decide) politicians and served as an unusual backdrop for some on-the-ground debates at India’s political hotspots. What exactly is it, you ask? Well, it’s news channel Headlines Today’s one-stop shop for election coverage and it’s been christened the Election Express.

The idea for an election bus was born out of the channel’s requirement for something that would literally take the studio to where the action was unfolding. A typical news van is complex enough, and here was the need for a full-blown mobile studio. The uniqueness of the job led the team to Dilip Chhabria’s DC Design. In case you are unaware, DC’s repertoire also includes designing and building custom buses, so the project wasn’t out of the ordinary for him. Nor was the brief of creating something ‘out of this world’. What was, was the time frame for the project. It generally takes five-six months for a job like this. Here, DC and his team had all of 45 days for the mammoth task of transforming the initial sketches to the final product. No less than 72,000 man hours of work on a three-axle Mercedes O 500 RSD 2436 chassis later, the Election Express was ready to hit the road.

We got our chance to see it up close in New Delhi and one thing’s very clear — the bus conforms to the ‘out of this world’ brief, alright. Looking positively radical in the regal confines of Lutyens’ Delhi, the bus would simply look otherworldly in the hinterlands! To start with, it’s massive. It measures 14 metres from end to end and stands 3.7 metres tall. Then the design. If you think a bus is all about straight lines and perpendicular details, you need to have a look at this — it’s the bus equivalent of a futuristic concept car. There’s a nice asymmetry to the design with the unusual shapes for the large windows being the standout element. The red-and-black colour scheme adds its own share of visual drama. The aim of the design was to grab eyeballs, but who’d have thought a bus would feature in so many mobile camera shots! At places, it’s even managed to divert attention from the political rally being covered. While we don’t know how well politicians take to that, they certainly would be quite comfortable in the confines of the Election Express.

Passenger section houses 12 seats finished in hi-grade leather

The hot seat here is an L-shaped couch in the centre of the bus. It’s where the interviews are conducted and the whole setup looks every bit the mobile studio it’s intended to be. Of course, a studio isn’t a studio without a production control room and this bus has that too. It’s located at the back, just aft of the studio, and is a place for serious business where the directors and online editors switch between multiple real-time feeds just like they would in a traditional studio. The final output from Election Express is then beamed to the master control room for onward transmission to your television screen.  Oh, and apart from the cameras on ground, the feed also comes from a remote-controlled drone camera. And that’s in addition to the jib already onboard. 

On the road and in between shoots, the Election Express’ small army of reporters, cameramen, editors and political experts are well taken care of. The seating area comprises 12 reclining seats that come finished in high-grade leather. And there’s constant WiFi connectivity too. A large LCD TV, refrigerator and countless power points are some of the other essentials on the Election Express. Before you wonder, there’s an aircraft-style lavatory in there as well. To keep all the additional equipment running, the bus features two onboard generators. As for the bus itself, it draws power from a 355bhp, 12-litre, six-cylinder diesel engine. With the elections being held in peak summer, it’s but obvious that the bus’ air-conditioning system will be put to full use. Of course, this would also come in handy if the debates on board get too heated.

We don’t know whether these elections will bring about change. But what we do know is that the Election Express has certainly changed the means to tap into the buzz surrounding the world’s largest democratic elections.

Courtesy: AutoCarIndia dot com

A-class, B-class account for 20 percent of Mercedes-Benz’s India sales

Mercedes says entry-level models drawing newer customers; A-Class, B-Class to be assembled locally soon.

While Mercedes-Benz does have quite a range of cars on offer in India, its models from the entry-level up – A-class and B-class – are proving to be the biggest attractors of new customers.

"More than every second A-class customer is a new customer for the brand," says Eberherd Kern, MD and CEO, Mercedes-Benz. According to Kern, the A-class and B-class account for 20 percent of the carmaker's sales here. Both these entry-level models are also helping change consumers' perception of the brand. Mercedes-Benz has been trying to portray a more "sporty and youthful" image.

"Both focus on the new design language like we see in the new E-class and the new S-class," says Kern.

This popularity for the A and B-class will see the carmaker start assembling these two cars here in the future. Currently, the manufacturer assembles the C-class, E-class, ML 350, GL 350 and S-class here.

Courtesy: AutoCarIndia dot com

New York 2014: New Dodge Charger

Far-reaching Charger facelift brings new body panels and recalibrated steering

The 2015 Dodge Charger, shown at the New York motor show, has received a significant set of revisions, with the majority of body panels replaced and a new interior.

LED lighting has been added front and back and the cabin features a customisable TFT digital gauge cluster and revised centre stack with touchscreen infotainment systems.

The basic setup of the Charger is classic front engine, rear-wheel drive. An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard. Buyers have the choice of a 3.6-litre V6 or 5.7-litre V8. All-wheel drive is optional with the V6 engine. The V8 develops 370bhp while the V6 puts out 292bhp, or 300bhp with the optional Rallye Appearance Group.

The Charger R/T (Road and Track) features a V8 engine, a shorter final drive and a recalibrated computer with specific engine and transmission settings. Dodge claims a 0-100kph time in the high 5.0sec range.

The updated Chrysler LX platform includes new electric power steering and lighter axles. The all-wheel drive system features an active transfer case with a front-axle disconnect system, which improves fuel economy.

Like the Challenger, a large pallet of colours can be had both inside and out the Charger. Six different 20-inch wheel designs are available, too.

Courtesy: AutoCarIndia dot com

SCOOP! Mercedes to bring back E 350 sedan to India

Mercedes E 350 to join updated E-class's India range; to come with V6 diesel only.

The updated Mercedes E 350 will come with the traditional Mercedes-Benz radiator grille.

The current-generation (W212) Mercedes E-class was launched in India way back in 2009. The carmaker initially launched the E-class only with V6 engines and the range started at a price of Rs 46.9 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

But with the rupee getting weaker, the price of the E 350 started spiralling northwards, resulting in a substantial drop in demand. The effect of currency fluctuation and high taxes was also evident in low demand for other V6 engined competitors from Audi, BMW and Jaguar.

In June last year, Mercedes-Benz gave the E-class sedan a mid-cycle refresh, but launched it with only four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines. The carmaker also launched the high-performance twin-turbo V8-powered E 63 AMG as a halo offering in the E-class line-up soon after.

In a recent conversation, Eberhard Kern, managing director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, said, “There is a big gap between the E 250 CDI and the E 63 AMG in the E-class line-up. You give us something to think about and we will do it.”

Although, it wasn’t officially confirmed by Kern, the Mercedes boss did drop hints that his company is looking to launch the updated E 350 sedan in India. The updated E 350 will come with the traditional-style Mercedes radiator grille. Expect the new E 350 range to start at around a whopping Rs 58 lakh (ex-showroom, estimated) when it hits Indian showrooms around the festive season. 

Courtesy: AutoCarIndia dot com

Mercedes GL 63 AMG review

Merc's GL-class SUV gets AMG power. We get behind the wheel of the behemoth to see how sportcar-rivalling performance suits it.

The laws of physics are absolute. There’s no getting around or bypassing them. If you want performance – real performance – then kerb weight and aerodynamic drag need to be compensated; in full. It doesn’t get simpler than that. And the way to do it is with bags and bags of power and torque.

AMG, Mercedes-Benz’ one-time independent, but now in-house, performance sub-brand knows this only too well. It has been squeezing oversized engines under the hoods of Merc’s finest for years. And the target has always been sportscar-busting performance. But how in God’s name is it going to get this bungalow-on-wheels to sprint?

Gazing at the spec sheet is not for the faint-hearted. And it’s certainly not for the green-tea swilling, card-carrying ‘environmentalist’, who loves to hate cars like these. Let’s start with its commercial vehicle-like kerb weight of 2580kg: that’s 2.6 tonnes of sheer mass. And that’s after Merc has thrown away the heavier four-wheel-drive system and replaced it with a lighter one on this model. Now getting 2.6 tonnes to move is no problem; it’s getting it to move quick that needs ‘specialised bits’. Enter AMG’s M197 twin-turbo V8, basically the same as used by the E63 AMG. Seriously potent, incredibly high-tech and very adaptable, this motor powers all AMG cars. Here it’s tuned to deliver a serious 550bhp and even more torque. What’s a bit more important, however, is that the 77.5kgm of torque comes in as early as 2000rpm. Just perfect for something this heavy. In addition, some tightly spaced gear ratios, an adaptable suspension system and active anti-roll bars, all help keep the considerable mass upright under load.

So the spec sheet seems impressive. Still, I’m not fully convinced. It looks just H-U-G-E in the flesh, dwarfing all manners of traffic, including XUV500s and Safaris, like a supertanker cruising past. More a piece of architecture than anything automotive, this gargantuan GL is XXXL-sized even by yankee standards.

Size apart, the differences from the regular GL are difficult to spot. AMG says the A-shaped inlet under the traditional grille, for extra cooling, is a dead giveaway; not so, it is difficult to spot. And its 21-inch wheels look only slightly larger than those on the regular car. The easiest way, by far, is to take a look at the rear, where the quadret of exhaust pipes in chrome stick out. 

But now I’m itching to get behind the wheel and experience the pyrotechnic display first-hand, so we head out in the direction of the Mumbai-Pune expressway, where the GL 63 AMG will have a bit more room to expand its performance envelope.

First impressions, on the way out, aren’t too different from those of the regular GL. Yes, it feels as vast as an aircraft hangar on the inside, big comfy seats for seven passengers, and yes, the rear windscreen is truly a long, long way back. But the GL feels surprisingly manageable from behind the wheel. It isn’t nerve-wracking to place in traffic and in 10 minutes, you do actually get pretty comfortable. There’s a lovely rumble under a light load and the big wad of torque at 2000rpm makes surging ahead in traffic totally effortless. Passing other cars is dead easy. You drive, it overtakes, just like that. It’s only a bit of a pain when you need to rein it in.

Performance increases disproportionately when you give the accelerator a generous bootful. The motor, now well and truly in ‘explosive’ mode, delivers such a strong hit of power above 3500rpm, the GL rocks back gently on its rear wheels and leaps forward with an intensity that defies belief. Phenomenal elasticity and a solid shove in the back are what you get. It’s enough to get you chuckling inadvertently.

Longer stretches of ‘foot-down’ time need much more space, and luckily we find a few. Time to unleash AMG’s rumbling, snorting, fire-spitting physics experiment on wheels. I select Sport+ (yes, it has Sport+), pin the throttle and hold on as Bungalow No. 27 devours said long stretch in mere seconds, the blare and rumble of the exhausts adding to the drama. If you don’t pay attention, this massive SUV has the ability to take you to the wrong side of 200kph before you think it has got to 160kph. Here’s an SUV that thinks it’s a drag car.

How quick is it? The 0-100 comes up in just over five seconds, and by the time 18 seconds have elapsed, it’s knocking on the doors of 200. What’s also impressive is that stability around long corners is fantastic. The long wheelbase, wide stance and wide 300-section tyres give it masses of grip, and there’s almost no flip-flop or shifting around, even at really high speeds. The GL also has the ability to sit calmly on the road even with the speedo wound all the way around. And by calm, I mean calm – eerie calm. Seriously impressive.

So straight-line performance is fantastic for a car of this weight, and so is poise and grip. But how goo

d can this car be in tighter stuff? We turn off the expressway and onto the sinuous Pali road. This recently surfaced road dips and bobs more than a bantamweight boxer and so, initially, I approach it with a fair amount of trepidation. Soon, however, I find myself attacking corners with more confidence. I start braking later and harder, and because the GL AMG has those active anti-roll bars, I find ‘leaning on it’ is not really a problem either. Of course, there’s no getting away from all that mass, especially when it comes to successive corners where you drive it with one part of your brain calculating the effect of all that mass moving around above and behind you, the brakes take a hammering too if you drive it hard for a considerable period of time,  performance does begin to tail off slightly. So while this is no Porsche Cayenne GTS, it surprisingly still is a fun car to drive hard.

Of the three modes, Comfort, Sport and Sport+, it’s obviously Comfort that is the most useable.

The big 21-inch wheels don’t help, but the ride is so acceptable, you don’t really notice. There are a few thuds over the bigger stuff, but otherwise, the ride of this long-wheelbase monster is impressive.

The GL 63 AMG is unique. It has seven full-sized seats, delivers real luxury, genuine performance, loads of fun and thoroughbred driving manners, all wrapped up in one imposing package. Yes, it costs Rs 1.6 crore (ex-showroom, Mumbai) and the running costs of the petrol V8 will be huge, but if you want to have your cake and eat it too, this is the SUV for you. It’s easy, really; there literally is no competition.

Courtesy: AutoCarIndia dot com

A close look at the Hi-tech Police Motorcycle prototype

We hitch a ride on a motorcycle prototype specially customised for Mumbai's traffic police.

Gabriel interacted with traffic police officers to understand their needs before starting work on this prototype.

Getting your car or bike customised can be a rather expensive affair. As a result, automobile customisers cater to a niche market, that’s more often than not the hard core auto buffs with cash to spare. Enter Gabriel Zuzarte, a Vasai-based entrepreneur who’s created a custom bike with one specific target audience in mind, Mumbai's very own police brigade. Gabriel’s intention has been to ensure his creation matches up to a motorcycle truly fit for a cop.

Christened the ‘Hi-Tech Police Bike’, his prototype is loosely based around an age old police favourite, the 350cc Royal Enfield Electra Twinspark. This prototype retains the stock mechanicals and chassis of its donor motorcycle. The additions are slight modifications and a whole lot of tech that helps make life easier on the road for policemen on duty. 

This is a dual purpose siren and speaker system.

What catches your eye first are the wide front fairing and large metallic boxes positioned behind the pillion seat, as well as on either side of the bike. The front fairing houses two potent LED lights and a night-vision enabled high-definition CCTV camera, this to record footage of anything happening around the bike. The leg-guard has been modified to hold a fire extinguisher on the right and dual siren and speaker system to the left.

The bike comes with a removable first aid box, it’s essential medical equipment positioned under the rider’s seat. The battery-box, originally housed here has now been displaced to the centrally located top box. Gabriel chose to keep the first-aid box within easy reach of the rider to ensure swift medical help is always at hand for anyone in need. 

There’s rather interesting boxes at the back as well. A box on top contains a laptop, this even connected to its own printer, allowing the traffic police the freedom to book offenders while issuing them ‘challans’ on the spot! The laptop is equipped with dummy software, which Gabriel was happy to demonstrate to us. The policeman needs to open a specific program and select the offences committed from a list of available options. Next, the printer issues a receipt, faster than you could say 'presto'. Once approved, the new software could perhaps be synced to a central server that allows traffic police to immediately identify and deal with habitual offenders. 

Then there’s a second night-vision-enabled high-definition CCTV camera. The front and the rear cameras run continuously to capture footage while the cop rides his bike. The footage from the cameras is continuously recorded and simultaneously streamed live via the internet to the police control room as well, this allowing department officials continuous awareness. The bike connects to the internet courtesy a dongle. There’s also a hard disk, router, an inverter and a few additional plug points, in case our on-duty policemen need to charge their phones or walkie-talkies. To cope with these extra power requirements, the prototype gets a bigger 18amp, 12V battery.

The removable first aid box is positioned under the rider's seat, where the original battery box used to be located.

Within the motorcycle left side box comes additional storage for essential equipment that on-duty traffic cops typically use, water bottles, a high power torch, high visibility jackets, raincoats, hats, pollution masks amongst others. 

Gabriel estimates his modifications add about 20-25kg. On close examination, one notices Gabriel has paid good attention to the little details while designing his bike. There are all-metal footpegs that won’t bend or break easily if the bike is dropped while parking. All three boxes come with railings around the top for riders to place their helmets without scratching the bike’s paint. Keeping in mind traffic cops are forced to ride over varied terrain, there’s Pirelli on-off road tubeless tyres, wrapped around alloy wheels.   

The rear also gets a night-vision enabled high-definition CCTV camera and LED blinkers.

Before embarking on developing this prototype, Gabriel went around Mumbai interacting with numerous traffic police personnel, gathering a first-hand report of the numerous problems they face on a daily basis. The police indicated macho Royal Enfield bikes are their favourites, and that’s how his creation is based on one.  

The idea of customising a motorcycle for the police, struck Gabriel in 2010, while watching an episode of ‘Orange County Choppers.’ It’s cost around Rs 5 lakh to customise this prototype, entirely sponsored by his generous mum-in-law. The good news is that Gabriel’s ‘Hi-Tech Police Bike’ has already received an NOC, or No Objection Certificate from the Thane RTO and is ready to be test-ridden by the Mumbai police. Once the elections are over and cops have time, they will start taking Gabriel’s prototype out for a spin.

The fire extinguisher has been attached to the right side of the leg guard.

his prototype is based on a 350cc Royal Enfield Electra Twinspark. 

Although this is just a prototype, the quality of customisation is so good it doesn’t look or feel like one. This police motorcycle prototype is close to a stock Royal Enfield loved by our cops, but smothered in extra functionality and oodles of desirability. Apart from making Mumbai’s traffic cops look good on duty, the ‘Hi-Tech Police Bike’ will also make their job a lot easier. Post approval, I can think of just one problem Gabriel’s prototype might create for himself; making enough bikes because we’re certain all of our police force will be vying to get their hands on one.

Courtesy: AutoCarIndia dot com

A Smaller SUV from Porsche

Porsche AG will unveil its second SUV, the Macan, at the Los Angeles auto show next week

The new crossover, which will go on sale worldwide next spring, is smaller than the midsize Cayenne SUV, Porsche’s most popular model. The car will share its platform with the Audi Q5 crossover.

The Macan is expected to be offered in the U.S. with a choice of turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine or 3.0-liter V-6. The vehicle will be produced at Porsche’s expanded factory in Leipzig, Germany.

Porsche aims for first-year sales of 75,000 units globally for the Macan, whose name is derived from the Indonesian word for “tiger.”

Courtesy: AutoCarIndia dot com 

Jaguar C-X17 Concept

Jaguar, thanks to its partnership with Land Rover, has long resisted the siren call to develop an SUV or crossover, concentrating instead on sedans, coupes, and sports cars and leaving more truck-like products to its sibling company. But evidently the popularity of these utilities is something that Jaguar could no longer ignore; at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the company took the wraps off what a crossover cat might look like.

The C-X17 has the face, sleek lines, and fender vents that you’d associate with the XF or XJ sedan, but in a taller, two-box shape more closely aligned with an SUV. The big difference from other luxury crossovers, however, is Jaguar’s commitment to using aluminum structures for less mass and greater efficiency and performance.

Underpinning this concept is an architecture that will first see the light of day in a new compact Jaguar sedan, first in Europe and then in the United States a year later. The C-X17 would have a unibody construction that incorporates the frame elements into the sheet metal itself.

At 185.7 inches long, the C-X17 would slot into the midsize-SUV market against such competitors as the BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLK. Power would come from a longitudinally mounted V-6 engine with a choice of rear- or all-wheel drive. While Jaguar hasn’t formally committed to building the C-X17, the flexibility of the aluminum unibody design for the next-generation compact sedans demonstrates that the company has the capability to quickly enter the fast-growing crossover market.

Courtesy: report dot com

Beijing 2014: Lexus NX SUV revealed

Lexus aims to take on Audi and BMW in the mid-size luxury SUV market with the new NX SUV.

Lexus’s entry into the mid-size luxury SUV market makes its debut at the Beijing motor show next week. The NX is the firm’s answer to the likes of the Audi Q5 andBMW X3, and will sit alongside the company's other, larger SUV offerings, the RX, GX and LX.

The NX production car is a follow-up to the controversial and dramatically styled LF-NX concept from the Frankfurt motor showlast week. While the look has been toned down somewhat from the concept, the production car is still a bold, angular design in a class where conservatism typically rules.

Indeed, at the concept’s unveiling, Lexus design project manager Nobuyuki Tomatsu said the firm wanted the NX “to be a very influential car — one to make its rivals look boring”.

Lexus is hoping the new model will bring new customers to the brand, the NX standing as a “hero model”, one that will “set new standards for future Lexus models”.

The exterior design features an enlarged version of Lexus’s now familiar family spindle grille flanked by slim headlights and strips of LED daytime running lights. The flared wheel arches house 17-inch alloys in regular models and 18-inch wheels in F Sport versions.

Other exterior design features include a heavily sculpted bonnet, a sloping roofline, sharply creased lower body sides, and the continuation of the angular theme from the front to the rear of the car.

Lexus says it has taken inspiration from sports cars for the five-seat interior, which also adopts the angular design of the outside. The premium look and feel of the cabin includes a thick-rimmed leather-wrapped steering wheel, a full-leather finish for F Sport models, and a large central screen out of the dashboard for the infotainment display.

Equipment includes a wireless charging function for portable devices, such as smartphones, a touch-pad controller for the infotainment options, a head-up display and a information display that includes a G-force sensor.

Engines offered worldwide include Lexus’s familiar petrol-electric hybrid system in the NX300h, a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine (a Lexus first) in the NX200t, and a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre petrol in the NX200. Each will be offered with front- or all-wheel drive. As ever, Lexus doesn't offer any diesel engines in its range.

Courtesy: AutoCarIndia dot com

Jaguar XF 2.0-litre petrol review

Jaguar XF 2.0 petrol sedan is the carmaker's most affordable petrol car here. We get behind the wheel to see whether the Jag experience is intact.

The downsizing trend at Jaguar continues and this time, it’s a new 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine that has made its way into the XF’s bay. Priced at Rs 48.30 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), this small capacity Jaguar is the most affordable petrol Jag, by far. But, has downsizing diluted the Jaguar experience or does it retain the character of a true-blue Jag?

Straight off the bat, don’t let the lack of cubic capacity throw you off. This relatively petite direct injection turbocharged mill squeezes out an impressive 237bhp and 34.7kgm, giving it a bit more muscle than its similar-engined rivals. Transmission is via a ZF-sourced, eight-speed automatic that drives the rear wheels.

As a result, the 2.0-litre petrol Jag looks quite impressive on paper and importantly, it barely loses out on equipment when compared to the top-spec XF. So, all the essential kit you would expect from a luxury sedan is here. There is dual-zone air-conditioning, GPS navigation, 11-speaker audio system, mood lighting, touch-screen interface (which could be a bit more intuitive), reversing camera, leather upholstery and Bluetooth connectivity. Both the comfortable front seats get powered adjustment too. And then there’s the same fantastic interior that seamlessly blends old-world charm with modern elements. The mix of leather, wood trim and brushed metal is more alluring than the industrial feel of a German car’s interior. Even on the outside, Jaguar hasn’t left many tell-tale signs that announce ‘base variant’ either. Also, unlike the downsized 2.2-litre diesel XF, you get dual exhausts poking out of the back, further concealing the car’s relatively lower sticker price. 

In fact, since the interior is quite identical to the top-spec car, the chauffer driven won’t really be able to tell the difference at all. However, unlike your chauffer’s comfy front seat, the XF’s rear bench isn’t as cosy. Yes, while there’s more than adequate knee room, the smallish seat squabs lack the kind of under thigh support found in luxury sedans like the Mercedes-Benz E-class.

So, while this new variant retains its aesthetic and luxurious bits, what is this 2.0-litre petrol engine like from behind the wheel? Simply put, this four-pot isn’t as charismatic as the larger sixes and V8s but from a practical standpoint, it’s more than adequate. Leave it in ‘D’ and the XF does just fine, upshifting early and ambling around at low revs. However, the power delivery is a tad spikey and if you nail the accelerator, the gearbox shifts down, at times up to four ratios, swiftly propelling you forward and may catch you a bit off-guard in slow moving traffic. Twist the gear-selector to ‘S’ and the response improves significantly, making it a lot easier to dart into vanishing gaps. For its lack of displacement, it’s a reasonably quick car too. Flat-out, 100kph comes up in 8.65 seconds and the motor packs enough oomph to comfortably breach 180kph. If you choose to manually cycle through the eight-speed, the steering-mounted paddle shifters are quite quick to react to inputs and deliver as expected.

What’s impressive though is the fantastic level of refinement this motor has. It revs smoothly and keeps noise and vibrations at bay. Only when pushed to its limit, the engine lays down a muted sporty soundtrack that’s rather entertaining. 

In terms of ride, the higher profile tyres aid in better bump absorption and the XF's ride feels soft  for the most bit. However, while it makes easy work of expansion joints and small crinkles, the suspension setup doesn’t fully insulate the cabin from thuds and audible crashes when driven over sharp edges. At highway speeds and overall, it doesn’t ride as flat as a Mercedes E-class or a BMW 5-series but it’s not as firm as the Germans and has a more rounded edge to the ride quality. As for handling, the XF grips the tarmac well and the steering wheel provides adequate feedback and is predictable around the bends.

Just like its downsized diesel counterpart, the 2.0-litre petrol XF gives you pretty much the full XF experience with just a slightly watered-down engine. Yes, the chauffer driven won’t enjoy the best rear seats in the segment but, the ‘low-cost’ XF retains the same charming interiors that feel quite special, especially at night. Also, compared to the ‘German three’, Jaguar’s exclusivity means this ‘entry-level’ XF still turns a lot more heads.

However, during the car’s stint with us, it came across as a bit thirsty, averaging about 6-7kpl in mixed driving conditions. And, since this 2.0-litre petrol XF is priced quite similarly to the 2.2-litre diesel, the latter will prove to be substantially cheaper in terms of running costs. That said, the refined nature of this engine definitely makes a strong case for itself. And for some, this may take priority over running costs, especially if you clock limited kilometres.

Courtesy: AutoCarIndia dot com

Fiat Avventura and Abarth 500 on display in Mumbai

The two cars will be on display at Fiat’s showroom in Prabhadevi for three days.

First revealed at the Auto Expo, Fiat's Avventura concept is essentially a more rugged version of the Punto.

Fiat is displaying its Punto-based Avventura concept and the Abarth 500 at its Prabhadevi showroom in  Mumbai from March 20-23. Prospective buyers from Mumbai who couldn’t attend the Auto Expo, where these cars were first displayed, now have the opportunity to see them up close.

First revealed at the Auto Expo, Fiat's Avventura concept is essentially a more rugged version of the Punto. The concept comes with 200mm ground clearance and larger wheels, which are likely to improve its rough road tackling capabilities. It also sports a tail-gate-mounted spare wheel, mouldings on the side, protective skid plates and fully functional roof-rails.

The Fiat 500 Abarth sports aggressive styling and is expected to be powered by a 137bhp 1.4-litre turbo engine. It also gets stiffer springs and dampers for better handling. Fiat is expected to launch the Abarth 500 in the second half of the year.

Courtesy: AutoCarIndia dot com

2015 Hyundai Sonata revealed

New Hyundai Sonata is longer and wider, gets new kit; driving dynamics, noise levels reportedly improved.

Engine options for the new Hyundai Sonata currently include 2.0-litre and a 2.4-litre petrol engines.

The 2015 Hyundai Sonata sedan has been officially revealed in its home market of Korea. Based on an updated version of the current car's platform, the new Sonata boasts greater torsional strength (thanks largely to an increased use of stiffer, lighter high-strengh steel), and the car is also marginally longer and wider overall.  

The car's styling follows what Hyundai calls Fluidic Sculpture v2.0, and is an evolution of the manufacturer's popular design language. Overall, it appears a lot more restrained than the current car's dramatic lines, and borrows cues from the bigger Hyundai Genesis sedan. With the claimed structural changes, as well as a reworked suspension, Hyundai also says the new Sonata's driving dynamics are improved over its predecessor. The carmaker has stated that it has also worked on significantly reducing the noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels in the cabin.

Speaking of the cabin, like the exterior, it adopts a cleaner, more sophisticated design, with a clear inspiration from bigger Hyundai cars, including the new Santa Fe. The carmaker has also said that it has used higher quality materials for the interior this time around.

Engine options for the new Hyundai Sonata sedan currently include a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder  petrol motor good for 165.7bhp and 20.5kgm of torque, and a 2.4-litre direct-injection, four-cylinder petrol engine putting out 190.4bhp and 25.2kgm. Power is sent to the front wheels via either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox.

The 2015 Sonata also gets new features like a lane departure warning system, auto-opening boot, rear-side window blinds, blind spot detection, radar-guided cruise control and automatic emergency braking, among others.

Courtesy: AutoCarIndia dot com

Jaguar Land Rover's ‘upper class’ models in the future

Jaguar Land Rover's engineering chief believes that hybrids will be the dominant powertrain for ‘upper class’ models in the future

JLR has just launched its own Apple and Google-compatible ‘In Control’ App, which you can download to a smartphone and it appears on the car’s TFT screen “as if it is actually embedded in the car”.

Jaguar Land Rover's engineering chief Wolfgang Ziebart has told Autocar that “hybrid will become the dominant drivetrain among ‘upper class’ models” in the future as fuel economy regulations appear in most global markets.

Those areas include “advanced driver assistance”, as part of a move towards zero fatalities. Ziebart says that a new WiFi protocol is about to be established, allowing car-to-car communication to become a reality. Also, advancing quickly are new and wider “fuel-saving technologies”, which could be afforded by the mass-market rather than just by premium manufacturers.

Ziebart said he also saw potential in the next-generation of infotainment systems with which "downloading would become the new functionality”. JLR has just launched its own Apple and Google-compatible ‘In Control’ App, which you can download to a smartphone and it appears on the car’s TFT screen “as if it is actually embedded in the car”.

When asked about the chance of a pure battery-powered model from JLR, Ziebart said he thought that the market for EVs “could be bigger outside Europe” and admitted that the company was keeping a close eye on Tesla’s upcoming Model X crossover. “We can’t neglect any segment, and if a segment gets stronger and shows momentum, we would have to react. But we have not made a decision about an EV model.”

“The company is currently in a very intensive phase. We are significantly accelerating our product development, going from one new vehicle per year to one new basic model every six months for the foreseeable future. Our shareholder (India’s Tata Motors) has given us a lot of freedom and we are now reinvesting most of our profits into product development.”

Ziebart said JLR now employed around 6000 people in product development, with the company’s Research and Development department growing by 10 percent per year over the last three years.

Courtesy: AutoCarIndia dot com

Mercedes to develop Infiniti Q30

The Infiniti Q30 hatchback will be engineered by Mercedes; the firm which will also provide the model's platform.

Effectively, Infiniti is contracting out the engineering development to a third party to ease the demands on its own engineering teams.

Mercedes-Benz engineers will develop the new British-built Infiniti Q30 hatch right up to its production form, in an effort to get the model to the market quicker.

"This is a quick program and Infiniti needs a new model in Europe fast," says Infiniti boss Johan de Nysschen. The Q30 is based on Mercedes’ new front-drive MFA platform, which underpins the new A-class.

"We will set the specifications and parameters and Mercedes will engineer the car. It is their platform," added de Nysschen. The Q30 will be engineered for production in double-quick time, taking just 18 months from design freeze to production start.

Effectively, Infiniti is contracting out the engineering development to a third party to ease the demands on its own engineering teams.

Although Infiniti didn’t discuss powertrains in the new model, it is highly likely that engines will be carry-over Mercedes units, themselves co-developed with Renault-Nissan under the joint development project with Mercedes.

Courtesy: AutoCarIndia dot com

Porsche to replace engine on all 911 GT3 units

Potential fire hazard cited as cause; Porsche asks owners to not drive the car.

Engines in all 785 delivered units of the new Porsche 911 GT3 will be replaced as part of a solution to potential fire issues.

A Porsche spokesman confirmed that the problem, which has caused two engine bay fires so far, has been traced to a loose screw in a piston connecting rod. 

"Obviously customer safety is our priority," said the spokesman "We've investigated the two situations and identified that there is a potential for a screw to become loose and therefore we're rolling out an engine with a modified component. It's much more straightforward to replace an engine than to strip down existing units."

The spokesman said the replacement programme would "undoubtedly" have a large cost attached for Porsche, but added "we don't put a price on our customer safety or vehicle integrity".

In both the reported cases, engine damage in the GT3 resulted in a fire thought to be caused by oil spilling onto hot components. Neither of the fires, which occurred in Italy and Switzerland, lead to any injuries.

GT3 customers have already been told to stop driving their cars. Porsche has confirmed it and has written to owners to explain the problem, and is still deciding how best to roll out the engine replacement programme. The manufacturer wouldn't put a time scale on when it expects all GT3 models to be back on the road.

Courtesy: AutoCarIndia dot com

New Toyota Corolla Altis launch on May 27

Toyota dealers have started accepting bookings for the new Toyota Corolla Altis. Deliveries are expected to begin in first week of June.

Toyota has announced that it will officially launch the new Corolla in India on May 27, 2014 and dealerships have already started accepting bookings for Rs 50,000. The new Toyota Corolla Altis is expected to retail for around Rs 40,000 more than the price of the current car and the deliveries are likely to begin a week after launch.

The new Toyota Corolla Altis looks more stylish than its predecessor and gets a chrome grille up front along with LED headlamps (on higher variants) and tail-lamps. The interiors have also received design tweaks and cabin quality has improved as well. The cabin gets reclining rear seats, reversing camera with sensor, a push start-stop button and a 7.1-inch touchscreen audio system with navigation. Some of the other features include an eight-way adjustable driver’s seat, rain sensing wipers, reading lamp, power socket and sunshade in the rear. The new Corolla will be offered with seven colour options.

The new, next-generation Toyota Corolla Altis – measuring 4620mm long, 1776mm wide and 1475mm tall – is longer and wider than the current car. The 2700mm wheelbase is a whole 100mm longer than in its predecessor.  

There are no mechanical changes to the new Toyota Corolla Altis and it will continue to be sold with the same 1798cc, 138bhp dual VV-I petrol and the 1364cc, 87bhp D-4D diesel engine that powers the current car. The petrol engine will offer buyers a six-speed manual and a seven-speed automatic transmission options to choose from while the diesel engine will come with only a six-speed manual transmission.

Toyota unveiled its new Corolla Altis at the Auto Expo 2014

Courtesy: AutoCarIndia dot com.

Mercedes-Benz S-class

Indian-assembled Mercedes S 500 sedan priced at Rs 1.36 crore

The Mercedes S 500 sedan is powered by a 453bhp petrol V8.

Mercedes-Benz has announced that it has started assembling its flagship luxury sedan, the new S-class, here at its Chakan plant in Pune. According to sources in the company, the move follows increasing demand for the S 500, the top-of-the-line variant of the S-class that is available here.

Eberhard Kern, managing director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, said, “No other car stands for Mercedes-Benz brand promise more than the S-Class and we are delighted to manufacture the new S-Class at our state-of-the art production facility in Chakan, Pune. Quality has all along been the strength of Mercedes-Benz India, and the new S 500 production in India is set to take this success story even further.”

The locally made car sees some changes over the fully imported model. It gets new alloys and a new wood trim on the inside. The steering wheel comes wrapped in leather (instead of wood and leather trim on it), in the rear, the sound system is a Burmester one without 3D surround system and the upholstery is plain leather instead of nappa.

The carmaker also started up an initiative known as the S-class chauffeur training program – a 21-module multilingual course that focusses on enabling chauffeurs to use all the tech available on the new S-class effectively.

The local assembly enables the manufacturer to capitalise on costs and the new Mercedes-Benz S-class is now priced at Rs 1.36 crore (ex-showroom, Mumbai).

Courtesy: AutoCarIndia dot com

Audi clocks sales of over 10,000 cars in FY 2013-14

Audi becomes first luxury carmaker in India to reach milestone.

Luxury carmaker Audi, after recently taking the top spot in the luxury segment in India, has now reached another milestone. The manufacturer has announced that it registered sales of 10,126 cars across the last financial year, becoming the first luxury carmaker in India to sell over 10,000 across a fiscal.

Audi had also managed to sell over 10,000 units across the last calendar year, 2013. The carmaker also clocked best sales in March 2014 (1,404 units) and across the first quarter of this year (2,740 units).

Audi is the only luxury manufacturer that doesn't have a hatchback on offer in India to rival BMW's 1-series, Mercedes-Benz's A-class or Volvo's V40. That's because the carmaker is looking to take competition a step further by introducing the A3 sedan as the most affordable Audi in India this year.

Given the perception of Indian car buyers viewing sedans as a more premium buy, especially in the luxury segment, the new entry-level model could play a crucial role in maintaining the company's current momentum.

Courtesy: AutoCarIndia dot com

New 2014 Volvo XC60 review

Volvo has given the sleek XC60 SUV a mid-life makeover. We find out what's new.

Traditionally, SUVs have been all about looking butch, intimidating even. Volvo’s attractive XC60, however, marked a refreshing departure from the typical SUV template, with its swoopy design. While time has been kind to the handsome XC60, Volvo has gone ahead to give its sleek SUV a mid-life makeover. Wearing Volvo’s new corporate look, the XC60 gets a wider grille, larger headlamps and a smartly squared-out bonnet section.

You’ll also notice the older XC60’s distinctive vertical day-time running lamps beside the headlights have a new home in the restyled bumper. It’s a bit ironic, but the revised XC60 looks somewhat generic from the front and has lost some of the visual drama of the original.   

A quick walkaround also reveals a few other styling tweaks. The plastic cladding on the lower portion of the bumpers and doors has been done away with, while scuff plates at the front and rear are new additions. Redesigned ends for the dual exhausts and LED detailing on the tail-lights complete the update. 

There are few changes to report in the cabin, the major update being the inclusion of Volvo’s customisable TFT display instrument cluster. As on the updated S60 and V40 Cross Country, the display can be adjusted to any of three modes, namely Performance, Eco and Elegance, each with its own theme for colours and layout. We just wish Volvo had updated the interface of the car settings menus; the XC60 sold abroad gets a touchscreen and that’s something that ought to have made it to India too. We also wish Volvo had eked out a bit more in terms of cabin width; the rear seat can be tight for three occupants. But no complaints for the super supportive seats.

The update does not bring any mechanical changes with it and, just as before, the XC60 is available with a 2.4-litre, five-cylinder diesel in two states of tune. Punching out 215bhp, the more powerful D5 version has ample power across the rev range and performance is good. However, it won’t match a BMW X3 3.0d for sheer power or refinement, and the six-speed auto, though quick enough, won’t grant you the snappy shifts we’ve come to expect from BMW and Audi’s latest. That said, it’s reasonably fun to drive. All-wheel drive and torque vectoring ensure handling is predictable at all times and you can adjust the level of steering assist to your liking as well. Buyers will like the ride quality that remains supple at most times, but still isn’t free from that underlying firmness, a given on European cars. Being a Volvo, the XC60 is armed with safety kit, including a full arsenal of airbags and an updated version of City Safety.

Whether the restyling exercise works in favour of the XC60, only time will tell. But, behind the facelift remains a solidly put-together SUV that scores well on comfort and performance. It’s not the most exciting of SUVs, nor will it be the most capable off-road, but it’s still rather alluring. With prices ranging between Rs 42.5 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) for the base 163bhp version and Rs 55.1 lakh for this D5 Summum, it’s priced at par with the competition and certainly worth a look.

Courtesy: AutoCarIndia dot com