Indholdsfortegnelse for July 2021 i Car India

THE SUB-FOUR-METRE SUV SEGMENT IS blooming, booming, and fuming, with a number of brands making their own statements. But if the search is for a true all-rounder, then one must look no further than the all-new Renault Kiger. The reasons are aplenty, including style, a great engine, features, and a price tag that causes glee. Therefore, a long journey was called for, one wherein we could get a proper taste of what the Kiger has to offer. This journey would be broken down into three legs, in the first of which we take the Renault Kiger to the well-known hill stations of Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar, which shall be the focus of our story here. We left Pune in the wee hours with all our luggage and selves comfortably tucked away…

PRACTICALLY ALL MAJOR PLAYERS HAVE been trying to crack the three-row SUV space for a while now and that’s why Hyundai have decided to pack their offering with tonnes of features even in the base variants. Going with the trend, Hyundai launched the Alcazar in six-seat (with captain’s seats in the second row) and seven-seat (with middle-row bench seats) versions, with the option of petrol and diesel engines as well as manual and automatic gearboxes. Engine options include a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that puts out 159 hp and 191 Nm. There’s also a 115-hp and 250-Nm, 1.5-litre option for those who prefer diesel. Both of these solely power the front wheels through either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. The Alcazar is being offered in three…

THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT MODEL for Mercedes-Benz in India as the GLA has the potential to match the sales figures of the oh-so-popular E-Class, if not to dethrone it altogether. It is a known fact that Indian car-buyers can’t get enough of SUVs and the more affordable price point brings this desirable luxury brand within the reach of many. And much to the delight of many, there are quite a few variants on offer, starting with the GLA 200 which comes with a 1.3-litre petrol engine and has a tempting price of Rs 43.60 lakh (ex-showroom). The GLA 220 d comes with a 2.0-litre diesel engine and is available in two trims — the Progressive Line with front-wheel-drive option, priced at Rs 45.20 lakh (ex-showroom), and the GLA 220…

VERSTAPPEN AND RED Bull Racing were on the ball all weekend, but it was Charles Leclerc who snatched pole for Ferrari. Though Max set the fastest lap of the race with five laps remaining of the 51 total, what ensued was far from standard fare. But, first, let’s recap. When the five red lights went out, Leclerc led the way but was passed by Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes for the lead with the strong tow seeing no need for DRS on the second lap. Soon, Leclerc was passed by Verstappen just five laps later. Verstappen took over the race lead after pit-stop poker paid off at a crucial time. Hamilton pitted on Lap 12 for hards, but had a slower release thanks to a passing AlphaTauri. Verstappen came in…

ITALY OTT TäNAK (HYUNDAI SHELL Mobis World Rally Team) took the lead on Friday at the Rally Italia Sardegna by winning as many as five of the events in the morning. Right behind him was his teammate, Dani Sordo, while Sébastien Ogier (Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team) finished the day in third place. Earlier in the day, Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team) was fighting with Tänak but his challenge ended abruptly when he picked up suspension damage. Things did not go so well for the Hyundai camp the following day. Tänak was enjoying a comfortable lead when he hit a rock and smashed his car’s rear suspension, forcing him to retire; quite similar to his situation in Portugal. Meanwhile, his teammate, Sordo, was not having the…

VOLKSWAGEN INDIA HAVE TAKEN things to the next level as far as service is concerned. With the revamped TCO programme, they aim to lower maintenance cost and improve customer experience. The “India 2.0” strategy was a huge step in the right direction for them and “Sarvottam 2.0” further strengthened their cause. The latter is a comprehensive approach to making VW an accessible, young, and aspirational brand. The new initiative holds many advantages for owners of the highly-localized Taigun and they will also have positive benefits for all VW owners in the country. Infrastructural upgrades and localization have brought about significant changes in the service structure and these benefits have been passed on to the customer as well in the form of reduced cost of maintenance. To be specific, customers can…

LEGENDS ARE RENDERED IMMORTAL IN the memories of mortals by the extraordinary nature of their achievements. The greater the list of achievements, the harder it is to forget them. What about a record that has remained unbroken since the 1987-88 season? The record was set by champion cyclist, Kerman Framna, at the peak of his career and it earned him the sobriquet “King of the Ghats”. More than three decades later, even with ground-breaking advances in bicycle technology, the record remains unbeaten and, so far as we are concerned, he continues to be the King of the Ghats. Kerman has represented India on the global stage multiple times and has won as many as four national championships and eight state championships. His list of accolades also includes the prestigious Shiv…

FEW CARS TURN HEADS AND ATTRACT admiring glances like a brightly coloured convertible. This isn’t the most expensive or opulent car that we’ve reviewed, and it’s definitely far from the largest — but when the Zesty Yellow drop-top Mini Cooper S arrived at the Car India office, all work ground to a halt as our entire team gathered in the parking lot to admire and examine it from every possible angle. This is the fourth generation of the modern-era, BMW-owned, three-door Mini, but it hasn’t strayed too far from its established design, sporting that instantly recognisable face, familiar proportions, and design elements that hark back to the original British Minis of days gone by. Characteristic traits include the round headlamps, short overhangs, and that honeycomb grille, which is even larger…

SOME THINGS PROVE TIME AND again that they’re all one really needs. It’s simpler to have a life where choices are easier. Where one thing does more than one thing and takes on multiple roles; each of which it performs with aplomb. I think that of the BMW 530d sedan. It has comfort, space, versatility, and tremendous oomph on tap. The 530i is supposed to be the petrol-powered equivalent. “Supposed to be” because it’s only got a four-cylinder engine and a proper BMW needs two more. Right? The new 530i continues with the 2.0-litre, turbo-petrol four but doesn’t feature the 48-volt mild-hybrid system seen in Europe. It also doesn’t get the 258-hp/400-Nm engine spec seen in both the 3 Series and the 6 Series Gran Turismo we get in India.…

SOME PEOPLE THINK coriander tastes soapy. This is because their olfactory-receptor gene translates its herby taste into a “Fairy Liquid” tang. Perhaps, a similar phenomenon occurred with the previous BMW M3. People I respect rated it, but I got a distinct taste of diesel truck with overtones of snap oversteer. The new G80 M3 starts to heal the relationship below 30 kilometres per hour. I am creeping away from home early to meet the others in the Peak District and even now the M3 Competition feels rock-solid — it is a structural rather than bone-shaking thing, kind of an if-McLaren-did-super-saloons sense of togetherness. One word? Tight. Then there is the seating position in gorgeous (optional) carbon-fibre bucket seats — touring-car low, grip like riding a loop-the-loop rollercoaster — plus the…

LA CASTELLET IN FRANCE WAS NEXT up on the calendar and, amidst the psychedelic track layout, it saw Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing Honda come in leading the championship with Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes-AMG looking to take that away from them. Pole position went to a very fast Verstappen as Red Bull Racing showed that they were on the pace and then some. However, the Mercedes-AMG duo were intent on spoiling the party. Max and Lewis both got off to a good start but a lock-up ahead of the first corner saw Verstappen run wide and re-join further back as Hamilton got away at the front. Valtteri Bottas in the other Mercedes was quick to take advantage as Sergio Perez in the other Red Bull had his work cut…

All the Bells and Whistles? Over the past couple of weeks, I have been going over multiple brochures of various manufacturers. One thing I noticed was that there was a huge difference in price between the penultimate variant and the fully-loaded model of any given car. Sometimes, the difference in price is justified by a few extra features including LED lights, electrically-adjustable drivers' seat and the like. Which features would be justified as a meaningful purchase instead of frivolous spending? Anantha Padmanabhan, Kollam Dear Anantha, If the extra money buys you features that will make your drive safer and more convenient, then go for it. For example, driver aids such as hill descent control and extra airbags will be useful while things like a sunroof and ambient lighting are more…

THE KUSHAQ IS ŠKODA’S FIRST MADE-FOR-INDIA PRODUCT, and a clear indication of the Volkswagen Group’s interest in the mid-sized SUV segment currently being dominated by the Koreans. Our first glimpse of it was at last year’s Auto Expo where it was unveiled as the Vision IN concept, and then our editor got to drive a camouflaged pre-production prototype a few months ago. Now, with its official launch imminent, we finally get our hands on a production-ready unit to bring you this review. The first thing you see is the familiar grille with its chrome surround and topped off with the Škoda logo. The grille is flanked on either side by a pair of slim LED headlamps, with the fog-lamps directly below, rather than all the way down on the bumper.…

AN “ELECTRIC FUTURE” HAS GONE FROM concept to reality rather quickly. While electrification has come in slow and gradually, the move to full battery electric vehicles (BEV or just EV) seems to have been brought in harder and faster. Promises were made and targets were set before reality crashed down and forced its acceptance. Now, though, there have been more strides and, as we look forward to a post-lithium age with graphene and hydrogen being prime candidates, the cars that can make a difference are coming around as well. The Audi e-tron is a 4.9-metre-long five-seater SUV that is just a little smaller than a Q8. That’s the gist of it. The huge 400-volt, 95-kWh battery pack, with 86 kWh usable, sits in the floor, moving a lot of weight…

THE JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON. MADE IN INDIA. I COULD scarcely believe the news then, yet, now, here it is before me. The plaque on the inside of the tail-gate says it all — Made in India. Track width of 64.4 inches. Erm. Never mind. It was a cool summer morning with the promise of rain in the distance. The Wrangler — Unlimited, the four-door version — is huge. The 3,008-millimetre wheelbase is joined by nearly 300 mm of ground clearance, thanks in no small measure to the standard chunky 255/75 17-inch BF Goodrich mud-terrain tyres with triple-ply sidewalls. Say what you will, but the Rubicon is a good example of attention to detail. Everything it needs to tackle the most challenging surfaces on Earth, save for an optional or aftermarket…

IT WAS ANOTHER POLE FOR the young Flying Dutchman as he muscled his Red Bull to the head of the order on the Saturday and then, at lights out, powered off ahead of the Mercedes-AMG of Hamilton with the Brit having to correct into Turn One. Valtteri Bottas in the other Mercedes, meanwhile, had qualified P2 behind Verstappen but was dealt a three-place grid penalty for spinning in the pit-lane during Friday practice and started fifth. The other Red Bull Racing Honda of Sergio Perez had to fight the charging McLaren-Mercedes of Lando Norris with the AlphaTauri Honda of Pierre Gasly also right up there. However, there was contact between Gasly and the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, leading to another incident. He tagged the Alfa Romeo of Antonio Giovinazzi and…