Innehållsförteckning för April 2020 från Car India

THE SUPRA IS THE FIRST GLOBAL MODEL by Toyota GAZOO Racing. It draws on Toyota’s sports car heritage while exploring new horizons of handling and performance. Now, the range extends with a new 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol. The new 2.0-litre engine is lighter and more compact than the 3.0-litre unit, thus improving the car’s inertia characteristics and chassis balance for even sharper handling. The entry-level Supra 2.0 weighs 100 kg less than its 3.0 equivalent; a saving that further improves dynamic performance. The engine’s shorter length means its mass is located closer to the centre of the car for an ideal front/rear balance. Although power is down to 258 hp, the engine’s performance is rewarding, and is supported by 400 Nm of torque available across a wide range, harnessed through an…

HYUNDAI HAVE OPENED BOOKINGS FOR THE ALL-NEW VERNA. LIKE THE NEW I20, the Verna bears a low-slung stance with some aggressive design language that lends it a thoroughly modern appearance. And it is, too, as the teaser images foretell. The new Verna packs a bold front grille and gets new engines too. As with the new Venue BS6, there are a choice of two petrol and one diesel engine. The 1.5-litre petrol will be offered with a six-speed manual or an Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT) while the 1.0-litre Turbo GDI petrol engine will have the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. A new 1.5-litre turbo-diesel will also be offered, with a choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmission. The Verna boasts 45 connected features, as well as several first-in-segment equipment including a…

Want to Buy My First-ever EV Great work on the magazine, as always. I particularly liked the story on the Hyundai Kona in last month’s issue (March 2020). This gives rise to a question. I am thinking of buying an electric vehicle in the near future and from what I see so far, Kona is the best choice. Yes, I did look at the Tata Nexon EV, which actually suits my budget a lot more. Would it be better to opt for that rather than the expensive Kona as my first-ever electric vehicle? Please keep in mind that my travel would be mostly within the city and would involve a 60-odd kilometre trip to my factory twice a week. I happen to have a garage with a charging port, so…

WE HAVE FLOWN HALF WAY ROUND THE world to Phoenix, Arizona, in the US to drive the BMW X5 M. The BMW X5 has set a benchmark as the best SUV in the segment and now it was time to see what BMW have done to move the goal post even further in performance, handling, and braking. What distinguishes the X5 M from the standard X5 is the three-dimensional contouring for the front apron with big air intakes for the cooling system, ready for the race track, the M-specific kidney grille with black double bars, and all the M-specific components which give the X5 M an aggressive look. The 21-inch front and 22-inch rear wheels with the M gills on the front side fender, the aerodynamically optimized rear-view mirrors and…

I’VE BEEN DRIVING THE Hyundai Aura around town for a couple of days to see how much has it evolved from the old Xcent and, more importantly, from the Grand i10 Nios on which the new sedan is based. When it comes to the design of the Aura, I have to say that it surely looks better in the flesh than in the initial pictures that I had seen and, as you spend more time with it, the styling grows on you soon enough. A major chunk of the car looks a lot like the Nios, especially the face. The common bits include the smoked-out projector headlamps, the sweeping hood design, and the projector fog-lamps. The easiest way to tell them apart is that the sedan gets twin boomerang LED…

MASS APPEAL Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA The legendary GTA name returns for 2020 on the Giulia. The four-door coupé-styled Alfa was already desirable enough and the changes make it one that’s hard not to love. In June this year, Alfa Romeo will celebrate their 110th anniversary and the GTA marks a return to their origins, embracing their rich heritage. The Giulia GTA (Gran Turismo Alleggerita, or grand touring lightened) has improved aero and a weight reduction of 100 kg. The front splitter is more aggressive and the rear gets a carbon-fibre wing. The front and rear tracks have been widened by 50 mm, and the suspension receives new springs and shock-absorbers as well. The 2.9-litre biturbo V6 heart has also received a 30-hp jump, taking the total output up to…

RALLY GUANAJUATO MÉXICO IS the championship’s opening gravel round and it worked in Sébastien Ogier’s (Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team) favour on Friday. The defending champion, Ott Tänak (Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team), led the stage initially but fell down the ranks after his Hyundai i20 was damaged. M-Sport Ford World Rally Team’s Esapekka Lappi and co-driver, Janne Ferm, made a lucky escape after their Ford Fiesta caught fire. After Lappi and Ferm exited the car, the fire was subdued but Special Stage 8 was cancelled to help the emergency crew control the situation. Saturday was also similarly brilliant for Ogier. He began the day by winning a speed test and amassed enough of a lead over Teemu Suninen (M-Sport Ford World Rally Team) to give himself some…

THE EXTENSIVELY UPDATED E-CLASS executive saloon has arrived with a new front grille to go with those new full-LED headlamps, restyled tail-lamp clusters and bodywork. Inside, the new steering-wheel generation with capacitive hands-off detection is present, along with enhanced driver assistance features and digital displays with MBUX and Linguatronic voice control as well as augmented reality. Read more about the equipment level in our Geneva feature. The powertrain choices have been revised to include petrol engines from 156 to 367 hp, diesel engines from 160 to 330 hp, 48-volt mild-hybrids, and full plug-in hybrid choices, too, apart from a choice of rear- or all-wheel drive for select models. The launch model was the E 350 e, a 48V mild-hybrid with a 200-kW (272 hp) M254 petrol engine and a 15-kW…

THERE IS A NEW HYUNDAI ELECTRIC COMPACT SUV IN THE WORKS FOR THE INDIAN MARKET. After the Kona, their first fully-electric offering, the grapevine now tells of a new electric compact SUV in the works with a fully-electric or perhaps even a hybrid powertrain for India. This new model is expected to be launched in India in the next two years. Hyundai plan full production and localization, which should help them arrive at an aggressive price-point and also allow them to export the product to other markets. Sources say that the new vehicle should get a real-world driving range between 200-300 km. Hyundai are also planning to have a battery manufacturing plant here, which should follow quick on the timeline about the time they introduce the new model, to help…

BMW X1 The refreshed and duly updated version of second-generation X1 is now available between Rs 35.90 lakh and Rs 42.90 lakh (ex-showroom). The new X1 bears a refreshed design, up-to-date features and a fine balance between driving dynamics and comfort. it is locally produced in Chennai and is available in BS VI diesel and petrol variants. There are three trim levels on offer, spread across four variants, two each for petrol and diesel: the new SportX, xLine and M Sport. Each variant features unique exterior and interior elements that lend an individual personality to the car. The X1 continues with the 2.0-litre TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder engines in petrol and diesel, with the former making 192 hp and 280 Nm and the latter making 190 hp and 400 Nm. All…

Second gear is ideal for opportunist overtakes and exploiting to the full the engine’s eagerness to rev PICKING UP THE KEYS TO THE latest 718 GTS, in a flash I’m transported back to my first encounter with a Cayman 15 years ago. Turns out it’s all still there in my subconscious, triggered by the 42 grams of coupé-shaped, chip-studded plastic, which feels exactly the same today as it did when the first Cayman was launched. Climbing behind the wheel of the two-seater has the same effect: I’m home. But this time around the Cayman is sporting an intriguing combination of engine and transmission: the 4.0-litre flat-six engine from the Cayman GT4 and its six-speed manual gearbox. It’s like the turbo flat-four never happened… Not everything about the Cayman has always…

THE POPULARITY OF THE SUV FORMAT IS INDISPUTABLE IN today’s day and age. Everyone either has one or wants one and the OEs have taken cognizance of this trend. What was once just one type of vehicle that looked a certain way and brought very specific attributes to the table has now been chopped up into so many fragments and sub-segments that the very definition of what makes a vehicle an “SUV” has been watered down. Today you have sub-compact SUVs, crossovers, even urban SUVs. Vehicles that sort of resemble SUVs if you squint hard enough and stand far enough away, but don’t quite match up to the real deal under closer scrutiny. To my mind, though, a traditional SUV has a very specific recipe — take one body-on-frame construction,…

STAYING AWAY FROM REFINED SUGAR is easier when there are other more appreciable forms of refinement available. If the base is good, the roots and construction and the joints, then there’s little decoration needed for the whole deal to make sense. You can’t add character by prettying up an exterior and that’s what some automakers fail to understand. However, with the new A8, Audi have nothing to worry about. The A8 L, or long-wheelbase model, we have here in India is much longer than before and gets a lengthy list of equipment over its predecessor. The sweeping Singleframe grille is trademark Audi and, on the A8, it’s even larger and more pronounced. The all-LED headlights are automated and have a massive high-beam spread, as I would find out later on…

FOR A COMPANY OFTEN MALIGNED for evolving its 911 more gently than Mother Nature, Porsche has made some huge leaps over seven decades — not simply models that expanded its own frame of reference, but often the introduction of cars that shifted the automotive universe on its axis. We’re driving five of those key moments at Sonoma Raceway, a senior-level track that flows through rolling hills north of San Francisco. It’s a mouth-watering and at times mouth-drying selection: one of the earliest ever 911s; the 917 race car similar to the 1970 Le Mans winner; the radical 959 that administered tech-heavy CPR to the 911 in the 1980s; the 918 Spyder that fused high performance and electrification in the mid-’10s; and, finally, the Taycan saloon that brings Porsche’s seven decades…

THE HYUNDAI ELANTRA HAS BEEN around for a while and has seen many generations through the years as a functional and modern family sedan. Over the past few years, it’s become sportier and more dynamic in appearance and the next-generation car takes a radical approach yet again. With “Parametric Dynamics” it’s even sportier and more four-door-coupé now than ever before. The 2021 Hyundai Elantra has grown 56 millimetres longer, 25 mm wider and 20 mm lower than the present car with a wheelbase that 20 mm longer as well. It is as large the premium saloons from a generation ago with its 4,676 x 1,825 x 1,445 mm dimensions and 2,720 mm wheelbase. However, what’s radically different is the styling. The low-slung front end has a bold grille in a…

THE ALL-NEW RENAULT ZOE HAS BEEN introduced in its third generation with a larger battery pack and a choice of outputs. Pronounced “Zo-ë”, it was the French major’s first all-electric car that went mainstream. The new Zoe brings in several changes: full-LED headlamps, fully-recycled plastic used in the visible interior, a 9.3-inch portrait style centre screen, rapid-charge compliance up to 50 kW for up to 145 km of range with just 30 minutes of charging, and a new B-Mode. The B-Mode is a regenerative braking mode that enables single-pedal driving. The Renault Zoe now gets a larger 52-kWh battery pack. On the new WLTP (Worldwide Light-vehicle Test Procedure) cycle, the evaluated range is 32 per cent more than earlier, at 394 km. There is also another first on the new…

BOOKINGS FOR THE ALL-NEW KAROQ SUV AS WELL AS THE NEW RAPID 1.0 TSI ARE NOW being accepted for a refundable token amount of Rs 50,000. The new Škoda models will be introduced in the coming months and bookings can now be made either at authorized Škoda dealerships across the country or through the Škoda Auto India website. Deliveries were expected to commence from 14 April and 6 May for the Rapid 1.0 TSI and the Karoq respectively, but due to the lockdowns to curtail the COVID-19 spread, there are no certainties for now. The Karoq draws power from a BS VI-compliant, 1.5-litre TSI turbo-petrol engine that is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox). The engine dishes out 150 hp and 250 Nm. The Karoq is…

ONE OF THE SHOW-STOPPERS AT THE recently held Auto Expo 2020 was the stunning new Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza. And, boy, it does look bolder and more muscular now, thanks to the new chrome grille and a set of new LED projector headlamps with integrated daytime running lights (DRL) and turn indicators. You’ll also love the new 16-inch precision cut alloy wheels and the distinct LED tail lights. Then there is a whole bunch of colours to choose from, including dual tone exteriors like Torque Blue with Midnight Black Roof, Granite Grey with Autumn Orange Roof and Sizzling red with Midnight Black Roof. The spacious cabin still looks premium with classy material on the dashboard and leather-wrapped steering wheel. Redefining in-car entertainment the SmartPlay infotainment system connects to the cloud…

Press Shop The first step in the process is the press shop. Here rolls of sheet metal are stamped or pressed into shape to make body panels with 5,400 tonnes of pressure being applied to craft these foundation blocks of the vehicle. 3D layout machines measure the intricate shapes to ensure consistency. Body Shop The body shop is up next, where 670 robots and 2,350 connected machines work together to create the individual parts that form the body of the Creta. This shop uses cutting-edge Industry 4.0 self-learning machinery. It also employs a team of data scientists who constantly examine the entire process to ensure the efficiency of the Creta’s manufacturing, which runs for 295 days a year. 24 hours a day, six days a week, is maintained. Engine Plant…

STYLE, FOR SOME, IS EVERYTHING. However, when there’s some substance and a dash of capability, it’s even better. The new Tata Harrier for 2020 retains its distinct appearance that’s a mix of modern, purposeful, and aggressive. The Harrier, Tata Motors’ flagship SUV, is built on the Omega architecture that is derived from Land Rover’s legendary “D8” platform, with the styling based on the Impact Design 2.0 philosophy. Since it first arrived in 2019, it has been admired with its combination of design and performance. It also clinched the coveted “Design of the Year” accolade at the Car India Awards 2020 for good reason. The new model gets a bold new colour option, called “Calypso Red”, seen here on these pages, as well as a new darker shade of “Sparkle Cocoa”,…

AUDI RS6 AVANT Once more with feeling BMW STYLE THEIR M5 AS THE ORIGINAL super saloon, but the original super estate? That’s Audi with the 1994 RS 2, key to which was quattro all-wheel drive — an innovation that helped humble machinery go much faster before the M5 was a twinkle in Munich’s eye. Fuse all that history, go up a size and you get the RS 6, Audi’s rival to the BMW M5. The two have been going head to head for four generations and now there’s a new RS 6 from Audi Sport to give that M5 a run for its money, though the Audi always has been an alternative, not a facsimile; all-wheel drive, auto gearbox, turbo torque, estate car body — these are all things the…

THE TOP OF THE WORLD, FIGURATIVELY, OF COURSE — not until one can drive up Mount Everest — is a realm inhabited by quite a few big names. However, not all of them are equipped to take it all on. And fewer still can claim to have a seven-figure price tag to start with. That considered, the BMW X7 is one standout car and in pretty much every respect. It’s huge. That’s clear. It’s the proper X version of the 7 Series, but, unlike the saloon, it actually seats seven and in fabulous comfort. But more on that later. Back to its size. The X7 features the huge kidney-grille set that still has divided opinions by those who prioritize style over performance. However, in many of those cases, it does…