Indholdsfortegnelse for February 2020 i Car India

SWEDISH MAjOR VOLVO CARS AND CHINESE PARENT COMPANY Geely have announced intentions to merge their existing internal combustion engine (ICE) operations into a stand-alone business. This move will see the establishment of a new global supplier for developing next-generation combustion engines and hybrid powertrains. Volvo are working on building an entirely electrified product range, starting with the XC40 Recharge, as part of the ambition to put sustainability at the core of their operations and this proposed new business will allow them to focus on their all-electric premium range. With Geely parent to Proton, Lotus, LEVC, LYNK & CO, and, of course, Geely Auto, the planned new entity would mean availability of advanced and efficient combustion and hybrid powertrains as well as potential supply to third parties, for further growth. It…

NISSAN TEASED THEIR LATEST MODEL FOR INDIA, A SUB-FOUR-METRE COMPACT SUV, aimed squarely at the burgeoning segment that has more and more global manufacturers eyeing a piece of the pie. The new model, with present regulations, will be 3,999 millimetres or under and will have a petrol engine less than 1.2-litres, with the 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine from the parent group expected to be the one under the bonnet, with a peak output of about 100 hp. Expect both manual and automatic transmission choices as well as a slew of customization possibilities. The new compact SUV looks substantial from the side profile Nissan have teased and will sit below the Kicks. It could well feature styling inspired by the Qashqai and more distinct juke; however, that is one of the aspects…

FORCE MOTORS HAVE REVEALED THEIR NEW SHARED MOBILITY platform for internal combustion engines as well as electric drive units. This project has been codenamed “T1N” and has been in the works for the past four years. The new T1N will come with a host of safety features including ABS with EBD, electronic stability program, ventilated discs, roll-over compliance, and a lot more, all developed with global aspirations they hope will step up to the plate against Europe’s finest in markets the world over. The platform has had over 100 specialists work on it and will be either BS VI-complaint or full electric. The clean, new common-rail diesel engine will offer a torque output of 350 Nm. Force Motors are currently fine-tuning the new platform which they will showcase at the…

Audi Q8 The all-new Audi Q8 is the four-ringed brand’s top-of-the-line sportier SUV now in India, with a price tag of Rs 1.33 crore (ex-showroom) for the 55 TFSI quattro V6 turbo-petrol model. The Audi Q8 bears the signature front grille and large LED headlamps, a sloping roof-line, high-grade leather upholstery, soft-touch plastics, and top-class materials. More features include electrically adjustable front seats, multi-zone climate control, virtual cockpit, and a high-definition dual-touchscreen centre console. The list also includes Audi’s latest infotainment system, a panoramic sunroof, ambient lighting, and wireless charging. Powering the Q8 is a 3.0-litre TFSI V6 petrol engine paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission, with 340 hp and 500 Nm, paired to an eight-speed automatic. It will take on the Porsche Cayenne Coupé and the incoming next-generation BMW…

AFTER OUR EXHILARATING EXPERIENCE AT Tadoba, we couldn’t think of a better plan to continue our thirst for adventure than driving the “tiger nose grille” SUV to the Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. With the “Badass” Kia Seltos as our highway companion, we set in motion the second chapter of Kia Seltos Tiger Trails. Having driven the Seltos 1.5-litre BS VI diesel for over 750 km from Pune to Tadoba earlier, we had ample confidence in the Kia’s reliability and solid build. Apart from stopping to refuel and the occasional tyre air pressure checks, the dependable SUV demanded nothing more from us. Our first stop for the 1,400-kilometre drive was Kanha and then the long drive back to Pune. We were particularly excited about this leg of the journey…

IT’S A CLASSIC PINCER MOVEMENT. FROM ONE side, rapid advances in clean-running electric cars have propelled the likes of the VW ID3 and Jaguar i-Pace on to many buyers’ wish lists. From the other side, environmental concerns have made internal combustion engines look dirty and outmoded; the VW Dieselgate cheating scandal didn’t help one bit. But, in fact, it’s not so simple. Viewed as part of a bigger picture, EVs aren’t as clean as you might hope. And the urgent need for car manufacturers to meet carbon-dioxide limits has prompted a rethink about low-CO2 diesel. To guide us through this, here are two experts whose enthusiasm for cars is matched by their knowledge of different aspects of engineering. Bruce Wood is the managing director of the powertrain division of world-renowned…

WITH EVERY PASSING DAY CARS ARE becoming more about connected features and inching towards autonomous and, much to the dismay of the purist, the true essence of driving is gradually taking a back seat. That’s why you see so many technology and car companies flaunting their cutting-edge concepts for vehicles at the world’s biggest technology show, the CES. From flying cars to movie-inspired cars, we saw it all during our trip to the show in Las Vegas. Fly Away: Hyundai S-A1 Urban Air Mobility Concept Whether you like The Jetsons or not, flying cars have always mesmerized us all. This isn’t really a flying car but Hyundai and Uber have collaborated to give us a glimpse of what the future of commuting could look like. The S-A1 flying taxis are…

The powertrain starts in silence and is capable of running on e-power alone for up to 55 km A STAGGERING 82 PER CENT OF Škoda Superb drivers are company car drivers, such is the car’s impressive breadth of abilities to just get the job done in comfort and quiet without costing the earth to fill it up or maintain. Until now, diesel versions of the Superb have taken the lion’s share of sales and registrations — the long-legged and economical nature of the VW Group’s stable of engines lend themselves to the Superb perfectly, but even Škoda can’t avoid the demands to electrify their car range in some form. So, here’s the Superb iV. No one really knows what “iV” stands for (intra-Voltage?) but all you need to know is…

A QUOTE BY HENRY DAVID THOREAU resonates in my head as I get into the new Volvo XC40 and absorb its posh new yet familiar cabin: “Life is frittered away by detail. Simplify. Simplify.” The beauty of simplicity is like concealed plumbing. There can be a whole lot going on underneath a simple exterior which everyone may or may not like to see. However, Volvo play a different angle. If one wants a compact luxury SUV from Volvo, this is it. From the outset, the XC40 felt second nature. Get in, adjust the powered seat. Belt up. Hands fall right in place. Left hand touches the Start button. Right reaches window controls. All is well. Getting out of the hotel, I felt myself fit into the XC40 like hand in…

SHARING THE NEED FOR SPEED Like the McLaren F1, the T.50 uses Murray’s favoured three-seat layout, with central “jet fighter” driving position. A six-speed H-gate manual transmission will be used, to boost the analogue driving experience. A sequential manual shift was originally planned, but customers demanded an “old-fashioned” H-gate. DE-CLUTTERED DESIGN The 400-mm rear fan creates so much downforce that big wings and cavernous ducts are unnecessary. It’s a beautifully clean design, as was Murray’s McLaren F1. Final aero tuning is being done in the wind tunnel of F1 team Racing Point (the artists formerly known as Force India). LIGHTEST V12 EVER The T.50 is powered by a new and specially developed 3.9-litre Cosworth V12, which Murray says is completely different from the Aston Martin Valkyrie’s Cosworth-developed V12. It’s naturally…

RNAULT RECENTLY LAUNCHED AN INTERESTING CAR, TO SAY the least, with the Triber in 2019. What the French have done is launch a car derived from their small hatchback, the Kwid, on the CMF-A platform, fitted to a larger body in the style of an MPV. While this may seem ludicrous to most, the results do speak another language. The Renault Triber is larger and more spacious than the regular hatchback, featuring three rows of seats. This in essence is the selling point for the car, to be honest. No bad thing at all. However, Renault have gone with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine that may, obviously, lack good drive when packed, but there isn’t much else one might get around the Rs 7-lakh pricing segment for the top variant. Here…

THE THIRD ROUND OF INDIA’S LARGEST KARTING EVENT came to a close in Mumbai. The drivers fought for top honours in their respective classes and put on quite a spectacle for the fans who had come to cheer them on. In the Pro Senior class, Jamie Shaw qualified on pole position and took off to a brilliant start. Using that momentum, he won the first race easily. He was followed by Rahul Deshpande and Danesh Banajee in second and third places respectively. A reverse-grid start for Race Two saw Jah Wadia take off from the front and he hung on to the lead for a bit; eventually ceding it to Shaw. The second race’s podium was identical to that of the previous race. Race Three was a showdown. Banajee capitalised…

RENAULT ARE EXPECTED TO BRING IN NEW MODELS THIS YEAR WITH A NEW drivetrain option also expected for the value-for-money Triber that’s growing in popularity. The first is a compact SUV, codenamed HBC, which will sit below the Duster. Built on the modular CMF-A platform, the same as the Kwid, it will bring a new challenger in the bustling segment. A turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine is expected, producing around 100 hp and 150 Nm, based on the TCe engine available in Europe. A manual transmission as well as a revised automated manual transmission are also expected to arrive. This combination is also in the pipeline for the Triber. Whether an updated diesel engine evolution of the versatile K9K 1.5-litre unit remains to be seen. Renault are also set to…

MERCEDES-BENZ INDIA ARE ALL SET FOR THE 15TH EDITION OF AUTO Expo 2020 and have a slew of offerings set to be showcased, including the new all-electric EQC. Mercedes-Benz, who have an array of exciting products and unique services ready for introduction, will showcase new technologies that promise to fascinate customers. The Mercedes-Benz pavilion will be located at Hall Number 15 and will reflect the brand’s motto for 2020: ‘Restless for Tomorrow’. The highlights will be the unparalleled combination of new products, innovative technologies, and services. The product showcase includes the much-awaited A-Class Sedan, the world’s fastest series-production four-seater, the 639-hp AMG GT 63 S 4MATIC+ 4-Door Coupé, the all-new GLA-Class compact luxury SUV and, of course, the showcase of the EQC 400 4MATIC Edition 1886 ― the forerunner of…

Sections of Kanha have been a wildlife sanctuary since 1933. About 300 square kilometres were declared as a National Park in 1955. It was not until 1973 that about 940 sq km of the park became a Project Tiger Reserve. What gives Kanha a special character are the sky-high Sal trees. This is the only region in India where you can spot the barasingha thanks to the commendable preservation efforts made by the forest authorities. Apart for the mighty tiger, you stand a good chance to sight herds of spotted deer, langurs, jackals, jungle cats, wild dogs, gaur, boars, and hundreds of birds. That is probably why this region inspired Rudyard Kipling to write the classic Jungle Book. National Geographic’s award-winning Land of the Tigers was also shot here.…

I’M NOT ONE TO DABBLE IN PSEUDOSCIENCE ON THE regular, unless you count the magical world of Harry Potter, but that’s magic — totally different. I did, however, take a cleansing breath, light up them incense sticks, and aligned my chakras (figuratively speaking, of course), because I found myself making a close examination of the new Hyundai Aura. As soon as I laid eyes on it, it got my shaman senses tingling, informing me that this was indeed a compact sedan. And, yes, even though Hyundai have the Xcent to fill that gap (a car that will be sold concurrently as a CNG-only commercial vehicle option), the Aura slots in a rung higher on the ol’ sophistication ladder. This isn’t a new approach for the Korean car-maker either, because they…

KIA, THE KOREAN CAR MANUFACTURER, HAS BEEN MAKING A storm in India with its brilliant Seltos, planned on launching a new product after every six months (give or take). Keeping their word, Kia have just introduced their new MPV, the Carnival, at the stunning Taj Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad. Would the Carnival live up to the high expectation created by the Seltos? Well, read on... We arrived at the Falaknuma Palace early on a Thursday evening where we were introduced to the Carnival. The car we drove was the seven-seater Limousine variant with the works. However, buyers may opt for the seven-, eight- or nine-seater variant, depending upon their requirements. Let’s delve into the design of this big MPV, first working our way from the front. Starting with the headlamps…

THE BUILD-UP TO BUYING A NEW CAR CAN BE DAUNTING, but it surely is the most exciting period, one of waiting and finally making that decision. Especially now when there are so many new car manufacturers, car types, and models in the market to choose from. But no matter which segment you’re looking at, today there are two things that are always part of the discussion: SUVs and electric cars. And Tata Motors have cashed in on these two trends by introducing the Nexon EV. The conventional Nexon has been smartly engineered to accommodate a battery pack and an electric motor, so you get all the goodness of a compact crossover with the feel-good factor of driving a green car. The Nexon EV, in fact, is a facelift version of…

WE REALLY WANTED TO TAKE A GOOD, LONG LOOK AT this beauty. So, after driving for a few hours, we parked it a little off the road to take a leisurely long look at the Q8. And we realized that the Audi’s flagship SUV is quite a stunner. I’m no big fan of crossover coupé styling and their steep dropping roof-line, but I have to admit, this one looks robust and the sloping roof isn’t as exaggerated as in some other models. To be honest, this looks a lot prettier to my eye than the Bentley Bentayga which also ride on the same VW Group platform. The overall design is really appealing. In an age when the headlights are becoming narrower and the front grille larger to accommodate all the…

CONSIDERED THE TOUGHEST RACE IN THE WORLD, THIS YEAR’S DAKAR Rally was held in Saudi Arabia, bringing with it new terrain and new challenges. Competitors faced extreme temperatures and unending deserts as they covered over 7,500 kilometres in 14 days of racing. The ceremonial flag-off was held in the city of Jeddah and from there competitors headed north along the desert nation’s west coast to the city of Al Wajh. Day one saw them cover a distance of 752 kilometres, including a gruelling 319-kilometre special stage. One of the obvious favourites was last year’s overall winner and defending champion, Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Nasser Al-Attiyah. The Qatari driver led most of the special stage until three consecutive punctures halted his hopes for an early stage win, an honour that went to…

THE EDITOR OF CAR INDIA MAGAZINE, Aspi Bhathena, a veteran in the automotive industry and international racing scene has seen and experienced more than his fair share of automotive creations. A member of the ICOTY (Indian Car of the Year) jury, he is one of the most noted names in this sphere and a true expert in his field. “The Toyota Innova Crysta is a capable modern reincarnation of the popular Innova. Not only did the Innova revolutionize the family car by being an extremely capable all-rounder that could carry people and luggage over all sorts of surfaces, it also brought in a new level of real-world reliability to go with its dependable frugal performance in what is truly a value package. Let me tell you, at one point of…

Just when anyone thought it couldn't get better, the Innova Crysta arrived. A familiar badge but a new name, meant there was a fresh air of excitement. The luxury quotient was raised significantly and the power would put many big premium luxury SUVs to shame. Where the first Innova's 2.5-litre engine made 102 horsepower and 200 Nm of torque, the new 2.4-litre engine made an incredible 150 hp and 343 Nm. To seal the deal, Toyota even introduced an smart automatic transmission model with an even larger, more powerful engine that made for unbelievable low- and mid-range grunt and truly effortless performance, regardless of how many occupants or how much luggage was on board. Furthermore, there was even a new, more powerful 2.7-litre petrol engine with dual VVT-i and 166…

NOT EVERYONE BELIEVED IN THE KARMA AND, THUS, IT DIDN’T GO as well as Fisker would have hoped. With their first mainstream electric car behind them, Fisker have retained their emotion-stirring design in their new all-electric vehicle, the Ocean, which packs advanced mobility solutions. Making its début at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The Ocean measures 4,640 millimetres long, 1,930 mm wide, and 1,615 mm tall. The boot volume is a sizeable 566 litres, expandable to 1,274 litres. It features a full-length solar roof that supports the car’s electric power source, boosting efficiency and lowering CO2 emission. The result is over 1,600 free, clean km a year. As the technology evolves, Fisker will feature integrated hardware solutions for better energy yields and more free, clean driving range capability.…

THE FINAL FEW MULSANNE EXAMPLES WITH THE LEGENDARY 6¾-LITRE ENGINE HEAD INTO swansong production as the exclusive 6.75 Edition by Mulliner, restricted to just 30 cars. Inspired by the longest serving V8 in continuous production in the world, the Mulsanne 6.75 Edition, created by Mulliner, will be the final act of a masterpiece of British automotive engineering and craft. The 6.75-litre twin-turbo V8, in its most potent present avatar, produced 537 hp and an earth-moving 1,100 Nm of torque in the Mulsanne Speed. The Mulsanne will soon be replaced as the Bentley flagship by the new Flying Spur. The production of the Mulsanne will end later in 2020, with all staff set to be redeployed to other areas of the business. Bentley will offer hybrid options for all models by…

THE MAHINDRA XUV300 HAS SCORED significantly well in the Global New Car Assessment Program (GNCAP) safety tests. It has earned a five-star overall rating. A high score of 16.42 out of 17.00 gets it a five-star rating for Adult Occupant Protection. Furthermore, it also scored 37.44 out of 49.00 for Child Occupant Protection, earning it a four-star safety rating. The tests were carried out at 64 km/h and the bodyshell integrity was rated “Stable”. The tested XUV300, at 1,637 kg, was equipped with dual front airbags, front seatbelt pre-tensioners, a seatbelt reminder, ISOFIX anchors, and four-channel ABS, but no side airbags or driver knee airbag. The Tata Altroz has continued Tata Motors’ safe rating streak, scoring high in the latest Global New Car Assessment Program (GNCAP) and earning a full…

PRE-OWNED AND MULTI-BRAND LUXURY CAR DEALING GIANT AND pioneer, Big Boy Toyz (BBT), are bringing a major change in the functioning of the auto industry by gearing up for online sales. Being an industry stalwart, BBT have built a massive consumer loyalty for their brand over the past decade. BBT are a well-known name in circles comprising luxury and sports-car enthusiasts, being dealers for pre-owned luxury and sports cars from various manufacturers. Now, with the introduction of e-bookings, they have taken another step towards making things easier for their customers. BBT say that they’ve logged annual sales of Rs 250 crore in just the previous year and, in the current financial year, they plan to extend their annual target to Rs 400 crore by selling 500 cars. With e-booking in…

THE TOPIC OF HISTORY MAY SEEM USELESS to most “Beliebers”, but there are some who aren’t susceptible to today’s social media “cool” trends. For these youngsters we decided to visit Jaipur, Rajasthan, and surrounding areas for a historic yet youthful trip. We went with the help of Toyota who gave us their equally youthful new hatchback, the superb Glanza. We drove the CVT petrol variant, but one may also opt for a manual if in the market. The CVT makes the drive very convenient and refined, without having to bother about shifting gears. Add to this, the New Gen platform not just enhances rigidity but really limits NVH to offer a premium ride. I might also add that the car is a BS VI-compliant and even offers brilliant fuel efficiency.…

On paper it’s an odd compromise, but on the road it all combines harmoniously MOMENTARILY I’M confused. ‘Be careful,’ the man from Mercedes is telling me via walkie-talkie as I drive his new GLE 53 Coupé up a snowy, icy road in the Austrian Alps, a wall of hard-packed snow on one side, a sheer drop on the other. In the next breath, though, he’s bellowing: ‘Go faster!’ Well, which is it, man? But then the penny drops. This is an AMG SUV. You don’t choose: you go faster and you get enough fortifications and driver-assistance systems to save you from avalanches, torpedoes, and your own stupidity. Could it save me from my own ridiculously high hopes, though? Based on its mild-hybrid straight-six being a fantastic engine in other Mercs…

VIKTOR UNDERBERG, AN AUDI veteran of 25 years recently put in charge of R&D at Audi Sport, is convinced of this RS Q8’s abilities — a car that shares its basics, after all, with the Lamborghini Urus. ‘But,’ he says, ‘I shall cry out if you overestimate your talent or underestimate a corner.’ Roger that. But even so, let’s set this thing on fire. With 600 horses roaming the tight 4.0-litre V8 corral and 800 Nm of torque rattling its gates, our master stallion instantly parts Tenerife’s herd of rental-car ponies. The 2.3-tonner takes just 3.8 seconds to hit 100 km/h, 200 km/h flashes up a time-warp 9.9 seconds later, and with Drive Select in Dynamic, overtaking distances shrink to half-a-dozen car lengths and are more often than not completed…

Car India (CI): What are the challenges a conventional car manufacturer faces while developing an electric vehicle (EV) in India? Firstly, the whole technology is new to us. There is dearth of talent itself. Then there is the lack of historical information. What helps us from the ICE [internal combustion engine] is the duty cycles... a lot of knowledge is related to this and the aspects of vehicle integration in the other parts of the vehicle systems is something which compliments us more. The real challenge is more in terms of resourcing because there are very few people in India currently with EV experience. You have to develop talent over a period of time. We have tried to gain a lot of knowledge from the work we have done in…

I THINK IT’S FAIR TO SAY THAT THE HYUNDAI VENUE HAS BEEN popular here in India. It has sold over 70,000 units from May of 2019 (when it was launched) till the end of the calendar year. It also clinched the much-vaunted Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY) Award. So, the punters are lining up to buy it and a jury comprising India’s top journos have given it their seal of approval. What about this variant, though, the 1.0-litre turbo-petrol with the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission? Is it any good? I grabbed the keys and headed off to the hills to find out. The Venue looks as good as ever and this variant looks no different from its twins with alternate powertrains. That distinctive headlamp and DRL combination is still…

IT WAS NOT ALL ROSES for world champion Ott Tänak (Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team) at his début with Hyundai. The Estonian suffered a massive crash that sent his car rolling down the road multiple times. Fortunately, both driver and co-driver escaped unscathed. Elfyn Evans’s début with Toyota Gazoo Racing was better because he managed to win all of the morning tests. In the afternoon, his teammate, Sébastien Ogier, edged ahead to claim the lead by winning a couple of stages. Thierry Neuville (Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team) won the final stage and had to settle for third place. The following day, the cars were equipped with studded winter tyres to tackle the snow and ice. Ogier held the lead for a while before ceding it to Evans…

The Innova has just upped the ante and pushed away into a segment of its own making. In the process it has made the others look as if they are relics of the dark ages of the SUV/MUV/MPV set. The popularity of the Qualis was a just indicator of what lay beneath; the mechanicals and build were a class above anything available then, this coupled with an ability to engulf whole families led to it becoming a popular choice amongst families. Now, in a smooth svelte stroke Toyota has come up with a vehicle that not only will tap into the higher-end tour operators, but will also make deep inroads into the family segment. The Innova bears the hallmarks of the Toyota stable, seen in its swoopy headlamp and open…