zigwheels

Audi S7 Sportback : First Drive

Adil Jal Darukhanawala — 2013-05-16 15:53:40

The trend of 'familial design' which seems to have taken most of the German car makers by storm over the last few years is a worrying one. I mean, the Passat is just a bigger Jetta and the BMW 5 Series is just a slightly burlier 3 Series.

And if any company is taking this too seriously, it's Audi, with all its SUV and sedan offerings looking pretty much like the same car in different sizes. Thankfully, there are a few gems that do crop up from the usual fare which really make us smile and a couple of years back Audi had us grinning silly with the delectable lines of the A7 Sportback. So when a newer, sportier version of that car came out, naturally we were jumping through hoops to get our hands on it.

There was nothing really wrong with the A7 to begin with. It's a car that does design, luxury and premium feel in good measure, but the one place where it does leave you pining for more is outright performance.

Of course, it's not like the 245PS, 500Nm V6 diesel available in India, or the 310PS V6 petrol that's available everywhere else feel slow or anything, but it's just that one gets the feeling that a gorgeous four-door coupe such as this needs something more to compete with the CLS' and the Panameras of the world.

So now we have the S7, Audi's beefed up Sportback, launched in Europe last year and possibly coming to India sometime in the near future. Now of course, this is not to be confused with the RS7 that Audi unveiled in early 2013 at the Detroit Motor Show. The S7 is more of a 'regular hammer' take on the A7 as opposed to the RS7's sledge hammer approach.

Visually, it's pretty much a case of 'spot the differences' between the standard A7 and this sporty S7. The long hood, the long wheelbase with short overhangs and that swooping roofline which flows into the automatically extending (or manually if you so wish) rear spoiler at the very tail end of the body is all maintained.

But do a double take and the fact that this car carries sportier genes starts coming through. The single-frame grille now sports the S7 badge with its red accent, like Cindy Crawford's mole andndash; a solitary detail suddenly adding character to an otherwise familiar face. Both the bumpers along with the rear diffuser have received a bit of a rework as well, and those twin double barrel exhaust pipes will positively leave you swooning.

The door sills too get S7 badging for a bit of added andeacute;lan. And if the massive 19-inch five spoke wheels weren't a dead giveaway in the first place, then the V8 T badges on the front quarter panels will leave no doubt in anyone's mind as to exactly what level of firepower you are packing under the hood.

On the inside, you'll be greeted by a very familiar A7 interior which too has been tweaked every so slightly in light of the need to add sportiness to justify the S badge.

There is a smattering of S badges all around the cockpit, a red ring on the start-stop button while the 7-speed S tronic dual clutch gearbox gets an aluminium strip on the aircraft throttle style gear selector lever and aluminium paddles behind the steering wheel. The pedals are made of stainless steel, and the soft keys of the MMI operating system are finished in faux aluminium.

Audi equips the S7 Sportback with single piece 'S' sport seats with power lumbar supports as standard and embossed S logos on the backrests. But those who do understand that they're bodies are nowhere as fit as real race car drivers can always choose for the comfort seats or regular seats as options.

2013 Audi R8 5.2 FSI Coupe : First Drive

Priyadarshan Bawikar Photography : Kunal Khadse — 2013-05-08 11:48:06

How do you define a supercar? Well, many people have said many things about it. It should be very fast, it should be very expensive, it should look stunning and the usual fare. Some people also say that a supercar should only be mid-engined and have a 10 to 12 cylinder engine. But probably the most important aspect that makes a car "super" is its exclusivity. So one look at the R8 should be enough to convince you that it truly deserves the "supercar" monikerandhellip; or does it?

Well, while the R8 does fit the bill on the most part, it doesn't quite meet the requirements of exclusivity, considering that over 25,000 of them have been sold since it entered production back in 2006. So what exactly is the R8? To answer that question, we found ourselves staring squarely at one of the latest one of these to hit the streets, the brand new 2012 model R8 V10 coupe, in orange.

Does it look the part?

Over the years, Audi has tweaked a lot of aspects about the way the R8 looks. But even so, the basic design of the car is unmistakable. Low slung, but not intimidatingly so, riding on massive wheels with the cockpit located smack dab in the middle of the wheelbase, there is no denying the purposefulness of the way it looks. The forward slung body with barely any rear overhang makes the R8 look like it's in motion even while at standstill. And when you catch a glimpse of its gorgeous engine clearly visible in the middle of the car through its glass cover, it's easy to feel a case of the goose bumps coming on.

For the latest model, brand new LED headlights, which are fast becoming the norm on most of Audi's road cars, adorn the front, along with a redesigned single frame grille with tapered corners at the top. Round the back, you get a new rear diffuser with large, round tail pipes, further enhancing the sporty stance of the car. In general, there's more use of exotic materials such as carbon-fibre all around and let's face it, more carbon-fibre is never a bad thing.

As hot as the R8 does look, in the presence of proper supercar royalty from Italy, it does pale a bit in comparison. We would imagine the subtle design is for someone who doesn't want to shout out to the world "Hey look at me, I'm in a supercar", but instead wants to say "I have panache and taste", or in light of recent silver screen flirtations, say "I am Ironman".

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How about when you get in?

As with the exteriors, subtlety is the key to the R8's interiors. No gymnastics required for getting into this car; even with its low slung posture, only the very arthritic would have and trouble settling into the driver's seat. Once in, you're greeted by a very familiar 'Audi-ish' dash layout and anybody who has spent any amount of time in the company's regular sedans can easily figure out what's what.

That being said, the sports seats do a good job of snuggling you into a fine driving position and as soon as you've settled into them, the 'monoposto' cockpit layout, which almost isolates the driver from everything but the controls in the cabin, coupled with the flat bottomed, beautifully contoured steering wheel give you a real sense of integrating into the car. And of course, those who actually want to feel like their bodies were built into the R8's chassis to begin with can always go for the optional racing bucket seats.

Once you've (electrically) adjusted the seat to suit your body, every little control surface is located perfectly within reach, from the wonderfully contoured paddle shifters behind the steering, to the large aluminium pedals and beautifully knurled aluminium gear selector, which actually provides a far more visceral feel while swapping cogs (as opposed to the paddles). And while you'll find smatterings of carbon fibre along with at least a dozen cows' worth of leather all over the cabin, nothing feels garish or out of place. It's a cool, relaxing place to be in and even most of the knobs and buttons seem to function more for making you feel comfortable as opposed to making you go faster.

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Mahindra Scorpio 2.2 mHawk VLX 4x4 : First Drive

Abhishek Chaliha Photography Vikram Gour — 2013-05-03 18:30:46

When it was launched back in 2002, the Mahindra Scorpio had only one rival in its segment, the Tata Safari. 11 years later the Scorpio continues to sell in strong numbers while facing competition from new entrants like the Renault Duster. The Scorpio has garnered a massive fan following over the years and is the vehicle of choice for those looking for a budget SUV that is still high on the appeal and status symbol front.

One of the most definitive factors to have mesmerised people about the Scorpio is its exterior design. Its rugged and chunky design consisting of the squarish bonnet with the neatly integrated air scoop, rectangular grille and headlights along with the front bumper that incorporates the fog lamps and a plastic skid plate give it a dominating yet pleasant appearance which is in sync with traditional SUV design norms.

Mahindra has also given the Scorpio 2.2 mHawk a sticker job on the right side of the bonnet that stretches over the right A-Pillar, front apron and over to the end of the driver's door, the graphic stickers also run along the left rear door all the way to the left half of the tailgate. While stickers can be a clumsy affair, the execution of this sticker job actually works in favour of the Scorpio for it adds some glitz to the otherwise large plain surface areas on the side.

Another design feature that stands out about the Scorpio is its side cladding. Running along the wheel arches and doors is a flared plastic cladding that gives the otherwise flat contour a muscular stance. Going around the back, the Scorpio's large rear window, tall tail light clusters and the chunky wrap around cladding that neatly incorporates the rear bumper with a foot step never fail to catch one's attention. Our Scorpio 2.2 mHawk VLX 4x4 also had an integrated tow hook in the rear bumper which we thought was a welcome addition.

Completing the exterior look are the black roof rails, a rear spoiler and a set of ten spoke 16 inch alloy wheels. No doubt, the Scorpio is a stylish vehicle and its looks have won it many followers over the years. While Mahindra continues to tinker with its exteriors, we really aren't complaining and amongst the budget SUVs in the country, the Scorpio is definitely one of the better looking ones.

Step inside and you are greeted by a welcoming beige interior colour scheme. The centre console and the rear air vent surrounds are finished in faux wood and lend a visual break from the light and dark beige plastics. The plastics themselves are of average quality with some uneven edges at the panel gaps and this is something that Mahindra should look at rectifying for the inferior quality is visually irritating. Having said that, Mahindra has added some nice touches as well including the leather wrapped steering wheel, brushed chrome details and neat airconditioning vents.

In terms of equipment, the Scorpio 2.2 mHawk VLX 4x4 packs a decent amount of kit with features that include a Bluetooth enabled stereo that can play music off CDs, USB devices as well as from an AUX port, power windows all around, electric ORVMs, an illuminated ignition ring, steering mounted audio, phone and cruise control buttons, rain sensing front wipers, power outlets for both front and rear passengers, rear A/C vents, rear parking sensors, rear defogger and wash wipe, remote central locking and a tyre-tronics system that informs the driver about individual tyre pressure on all four wheels. The Scorpio also comes with a voice guidance system that informs you if a door is open and doesn't fail to remind you to always buckle up

Over the years the Scorpio has been fitted with active safety features such as dual front airbags, anti-lock braking system and a collapsible steering column. Passive safety features on Scorpio include crumple zones and side impact beams.

As a seven-seater SUV the Scorpio has two rows of front facing seats and jump seats for the third row. There is also an option for a forward facing third row seating. The seats themselves are well bolstered but are a tad too firm, which can get uncomfortable over long drives. Passengers at the front get individual arm rests while rear passengers have a centre armrest that folds away to make way for the third passenger. The biggest drawback of the Scorpio's interior continues to the rear legroom that is left wanting and tall passengers may have their knees rubbing against the front backrest. The rear jump seats are not the best place to be in either as they tend to get tossed around quite a bit.

2013 Porsche Cayman: First Drive

Abhishek Nigam — 2013-04-24 13:05:51

People who know me will tell you I come across as quite a happy-go-lucky fellow, who loves to laugh away most things good or bad. While it might not take much to get a chortle out of me, it does take a mighty doing for a car to amuse a bunch of serious motoring journos who have gathered from all corners of the world to have a go at Porsche's latest baby, the all new 2013 Porsche Cayman. So does the new Porsche succeed in doing so?

Before we get to the laughing matter, let's delve into a little bit of history about Porsche's middle ground sportscar. The fact is that not many purists were actually happy about the Cayman coming into this world. Well I don't blame them considering, the Cayman is actually derived from Porsche's entry level sportscar, the Boxster but is actually meant to give you thrills more akin to the iconic 911. While that might not go down well with many who would rather choose a Boxster and upgrade to a 911, I think the Cayman slots in perfectly between the Boxster and the 911 and is perfect for those who find the Boxster too meek but can't afford the 911.

Now I'm a pretty big Porschephile and I simply love the 911, but my obsession with the brand pretty much ends there. The Cayman has always been an amazing sportscar to begin with, but it didn't really tingle my fantasy buds as far as the looks were concerned. For me it always ended up looking confused. While the 911 always had definite proportions with Porsche working on it subtly for every new model, the Cayman came across as a cross between the Boxster and the 911 but was pretty as neither.

But Porsche has worked hard on the new car and this time not only is it as focused a driving machine as it always was but also looks the business while at it. First glimpse of the car standing at the Dubai Autodrome left an immediate impression. The first thing that hits you is that the front is more 911ish than ever, and flows well with the more compact dimensions of the Cayman. A walk-around tells you that the styling is marked by precise lines and razor-sharp sculpted edges which emphasise the car's low, extended silhouette with the windscreen shifted forward and the roof line that reaches far back.

Especially expressive and characteristic are the dynamic recesses in the doors, which guide induction air into the distinctive air scoops on the rear side panels and then directly to the engine. This offers the most prominent visualisation of the basic concept of the mid-engine. Overall there are a lot of minor changes all around which spruce up the looks of the new Cayman and overall the new car comes across as more independent than before and is extremely well differentiated from its predecessor.

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What best way to acclimatize to a fast car than on the track. With 5.39 km of brilliant Dubai Autodrome tarmac beneath us, we had more than ample room to put the Cayman through its paces. The gracious people at Porsche even arranged for a nice slalom run which would enable us to experience the smart trickeries that the Cayman offers.

With the cars lined up, I immediately slipped into the Cayman S which is clearly distinguished with its optional but yummy 20 inch alloys. Ingress is typical of most sportscars and you really have to squat low to get in. But once in, you realize everything just envelops around you. Pressing all the buttons, making all the adjustments and I finally managed to get the desired seating position. The insides are typically Porsche offering all the luxuries you need but still being extremely driver oriented. Well that's about all the time I had to notice the interiors before the lead Panamera headed out of the pits.

We started with a warm up lap after which I got to unleash all the fury of the 3.4 litre 6-cylinder engine. With 325 PS at the rear wheels and 370 Nm of torque, the Cayman S lunges forward with alacrity akin to a bullet. I continue my assault on the tarmac but the Cayman S refuses to flinch no matter how hard I try. While I had to be careful not to overdo it and turn into a lifelong slave for Porsche, I knew I was pretty close to my limits but barely anywhere near the Caymans. Shifting well over 7000 rpm, the Caymans flat six was playing a symphony which sounded even better than the Burmester sound system in the cabin.

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Force Gurkha : First Drive

Story: Abhishek Nigam Photography : Kunal Khadse — 2013-04-19 14:31:15

It was a pretty delicate situation that I had put myself into. I'm on a slope sideways and trying to inch my way forward. But there is more here than meets the eye. This is no ordinary slope I'm talking about. This slope was at a 30-degree incline and as a result I could almost lean out of the window and touch the flat ground. Me biting the dust or not depended solely on how stupid I acted or how capable this all-new Gurkha was. Thankfully it was the latter that prevailed and the Gurkha easily managed to crawl out of the situation. That's when I realised why Force Motors had tagged the new Gurkha as the world's first E.O.V or Extreme Off-roader Vehicle.

Now the Gurkha isn't a new name, and for those who didn't know it has been around since 2008. But then not many people have heard about it apart from off-road fanatics and I don't blame them. Force Motors had built the Gurkha for export only and just 40 vehicles were sold to the general public. Based on the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon, the Gurkha came across as quite a basic but mighty capable off-roader and made quite a name for itself at off-road events and in the off-road community itself. Egged on by its capabilities and the increase in off-road activities, Force Motors has just come out with the all-new Gurkha 4x4x4.

In case you are wondering, that extra 'x4' is 'not' a typo. And just before you get excited and think that the extra x4 means a 4-wheels steering system, I am sorry to bust your bubble again. According to Force Motors, the 4x4x4 stands for 4-wheel drive for all 4 seasons on all 4 kinds of terrain. As silly as the name may sound, there is no mistaking the capability of the all-new Gurkha.

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If you are out in the market for a hardcore off-roader, it has to look the business. The basic silhouette of the new Gurkha is similar to the old one, but it has gone under the knife for quite a few changes. Now the Gurkha does not have the macho-ness of say a jeep, but then it boasts a subtle aggression which is evoked only through the details. The first thing that tells you that this is no ordinary vehicle is that big shiny chrome snorkel.

The muscular side cladding on the side along with those chunky dual-purpose 245 section tyres wrapped around yummy 5-spoke alloys further enhance its brutish appeal. The front, however, is something my eyes don't agree with. While the earlier Gurkha had rectangular shaped headlights, which gave the car its own identity, the new round ones give it a slightly confused face. All said and done, the Gurkha definitely arrests presence especially in the soft top trim.

Climbing aboard is a pleasant experience and even more so in the new car with Force Motors having addressed the interiors. The big comfortable seats along with hand-rests are extremely comfortable, but we would have loved to see some body hugging contours on it so that you move around a lot less while tackling those terrains. There is also a two-tone dashboard which looks quite decent. Quality of components is pretty average with a lot of not so good looking and feeling bits but then it's no different from its immediate competitor, the Mahindra Thar.

Ahead of you are the dials, which consist of a speedo, temperature- and fuel gauge with a tiny rev-counter placed under the air-con vents. The AC vents are hugely adjustable but the AC wasn't particularly strong and the lack of it was felt strongly during peak noon. The high perched view is great though and the Gurkha's A-pillars do not rob you of any visuals which is important considering the narrow trails the Gurkha will be treading on.

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Chevrolet Enjoy : First Drive

Abhishek Nigam Photography : Kunal Khadse — 2013-04-18 13:43:58

This was the third time in six months that I was entering GM's gates at Talegaon with all the three visits being for all-new vehicles. This makes it clear that the American giant means business this time around and is trying hard to get its share of the market. With the Sail U-VA and the Sail sedan already out, GM has brought out the third offering from its GM-SAIC joint venture, the Chevrolet Enjoy. Now this isn't the first time that we have laid eyes on the Enjoy. GM already showcased it at the 11th Auto Expo in Delhi and the response was terrific. A little over a year later, here it is in the flesh.

It is pretty evident that people in India like their MPVs but just because the car can seat six or seven, it isn't reason enough to make it a runaway success. While cars like the Toyota Innova and the more recent Maruti Suzuki Ertiga are ruling the roost, the others haven't really caught on as well. Which makes it clear that just space is not enough and people are looking for a complete package when it comes to MPVs. So how does the Enjoy fair amongst its fairly stiff competition? Let's find outandhellip;

Pleasing proportions

The first time you set your eyes on the Enjoy, the big MPV exudes quite a pleasant aura. There is nothing radical about the design and the Enjoy makes no bones about its van-like proportions. The mono-box design is devoid of any fancy creases or any drama whatsoever. The front has a pretty European feel to it with nice swoopy tear-drop headlights linked together by a twin slatted chrome grille with the big bowtie taking centre place.

The big honeycomb air dam below is flanked by two of the most stylish looking fog-lamps. Moving onto the side, one could say that the Enjoy bears a passing resemblance to the Mahindra Xylo, but then most typical MPVs almost boast the same shape.

A centre character line running all the way from the rear tail lights to the headlights along with a crease running parallel to it joining the front and the rear wheels arches are the only things that stand out from the otherwise slab sided profile. The rear although pleasant has nothing much to talk about. The tailgate is massive and extends almost all the way to the bottom and the only thing enhancing it is a well integrated lip spoiler. A di rigueur fat chrome strip runs above the number plate area with a pair of vertically stacked tail-lamps finishing up the rear.

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Enjoyable Insides

Step inside the wide opening doors and you are welcomed by a spacious and airy cabin. A beige black theme is used all throughout and we pretty much liked the way it looked and felt. The front seats are extremely comfortable and offer very good support as well. The speedo console is pretty basic with a large speedo flanked by the rev counter on the left and the fuel-cum-temperature gauge on the right.

A small digital window reads out the odometer and the trip-meter. But the thing that really gets your attention is the wavy centre console. It's a pretty neat design and very stylishly brings the controls towards you. The quality of plastics is pretty average but the design is quite catchy. While it may look good, the AC controls consist of your average rotary dials (no climate control) with the music system looking like an '80s cassette player.

Moving onto the back, both our cars had captain seats at the rear which were very comfortable with more than adequate legroom. We think a bench seat option might be provided at the time of the launch as well. The rear passengers get their own AC vents at the top with three adjustable blower speeds to play with.

Getting into the third row is a little tedious thanks to the middle seats not folding all the way but the seat is quite wide. But thanks to the raised floor at the back, it may get a bit uncomfortable for tall passengers. As far as the space and interiors are concerned we think GM has got it right and all it needs is a tad bit of flair to make it just right.

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Audi Q3 2.0 TFSI quattro : Road Test

Muntaser Mirkar Photography : Kunal Khadse — 2013-04-15 19:59:48

While any luxury car from Deutschland's big three brands is bound to be impressive in every sense, once in a while there comes a product that simply makes you sit up and take notice. It's happened before andndash; when Audi launched the A7, BMW brought in the X1 and Mercedes got the B-Class. This time round, it's Ingolstadt's turn again, but it isn't for an all-new addition to their Indian portfolio. This time it's for plonking in a superb engine under an existing model's hood. There's probably not many people out there who've seen an Audi Q3 and not fallen in love with it, but now with the 2-litre TFSI gasoline engine pumping power to its wheels, it's even sweeter.

Even when this small urban luxury SUV was launched with its diesel powertrain, plans were always on for a gasoline mill to join the armoury and it's finally here. At 1,640kg, the Q3 2.0 TFSI quattro is just 20kg lighter than its diesel counterpart andndash; and with petrol engines cranking out lesser torque compared to oil burners of the same capacity there's definitely got to be a trick up its sleeve to achieve the kind of performance that it does. This Q3 will do the 0-100 km/h dash over a second quicker than the TDI and will also power up to a top speed of around 230 km/h.

The ace then, is the exhaust gas recirculating through the TFSI's turbocharger that makes this mill good for 211PS of power that peaks between 5000 and 6200rpm. But what's even more impressive is that it manages 300Nm of torque (just 80Nm shy of the TDI) and that curve remains peaked between as low as 1800rpm all the way up to 4900rpm. But what makes these figures even more relevant in the real world is the gearbox this 2-litre engine is mated to.

It's still essentially the same automatic transmission as that on the Q3 TDI, but the gear ratios are superbly matched to the petrol engine's torque curve. So when the Q3 is slotted in top gear on the 7-speed S-tronic auto'box it can still do three-figure speeds at as low as 1800rpm andndash; where the torque curve is at its peak.

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All of that translates to some really slick fuel efficiency figures for a 2-litre petrol engine. The 7th gear advantage obviously works well on the highway with the car going just over 121 km in 9 litres of fuel. Do the math and that translates into an average of 13.5 kmpl, which doesn't sound too good on paper, but when you consider the weight of the car and the size of the fuel tank at 64 litres, it actually makes for a pretty frugal car.

You'd expect the efficiency to drop drastically in the city, but it doesn't. The S-tronic shifts quick and smooth through the gears keeping the rev counter hovering nicely in the torque band. And then there's Audi's Start/Stop system that keeps consumption low even in clogged city traffic. Of course, it takes a little getting used to at first, especially when you stop and the engine shuts off but after a while you tend to not notice it. Engine restarts are smooth and don't make a fuss either and all of that helps the Q3 TFSI go a little over 9 kilometres in a litre of unleaded.

This whole balancing act between the micro hybrid system and the S-tronic automatic transmission is what really makes the Audi Q3 TFSI such an appealing vehicle. While the Q3 has always been an exceptionally good-looking vehicle owing to its proportions that mimic the bigger vehicles in Ingolstadt's Q range, the littlest of the line up also brings with it some of its own rather interesting design cues. There's no difference at all between the petrol and diesel variants in terms of styling, but these design cues are so striking that we cannot help but reiterate them again.

The most enrapturing feature of course is that set of taillights andndash; if you're ever caught following a Q3 on the highway in the night, you run the risk of being fixated on the three red streaks that form the pattern inside the lens. Then there's the fluorescent daytime running light that forms a strip along the top edge of the headlamps that flank the rather massive grille in between. As if those design elements weren't enough Audi's even chosen the perfect colours to offer its customers andndash; while this particular dark shade looks better in sunlight than in pictures, the orange is most definitely to die for.

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Nissan Sunny CVT : First Drive

Muntaser Mirkar Photography : Kunal Khadse — 2013-04-05 14:48:06

Self-shifting transmissions are a good thing andndash; regardless of whether they're proper automatics or of the constantly varying gear ratio type. They help us be better human beings, especially when you're stuck in the worst traffic jams on this planet and you're slowly inching forward by a few millimetres or so every fifteen seconds. In that sense, a well-tuned automatic can actually offer up the best anger management therapy to deal with road rage emanating out of overheating engines and rising tempers.

The only problem with most automatics has been that they've generally been perceived to be less efficient than their manual counterparts up until recently, but quite frankly, modern technology has changed all that. So what would you think of a mid-size sedan with enough space in the rear to let a camel stretch its legs comfortably, the convenience of a CVT and an expected sticker price lower than most of its competitors? That just about sums up the Nissan Sunny CVT then

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By now almost everybody who reads an automotive magazine or website knows what a CVT is and how it works, so we're going to leave that piece of gyaan alone. But Nissan's Continuously Variable Transmission is a little different than most of the other ones out there. This isn't the first time India has seen it though andndash; Renault managed to trump its sister company when they launched the Scala CVT a few months back, which essentially is the same car as the Sunny under the cosmetic surgery on the outside.

Nissan's Xtronic CVT boasts of having the highest transmission ratio in the world (currently) at 7.3:1, achieved by employing an auxiliary gearbox on the driven side pulley. That actually gives this particular gearbox more than just bragging rights andndash; it turns out to be 10 percent smaller in size, quite a bit lighter and also 30 percent better at reducing friction than conventional CVTs. All that sounds good on paper, but it translates into some great going in the real world too.

Firstly, Nissan's Xtronic turns out to be faster in the 0-100 km/h by all of 2 seconds compared to a 5-speed auto'box on a comparable car. And then there's the improved fuel efficiency too andndash; the Sunny Xtronic rated at 17.97 kmpl, 20 percent higher than its manual counterpart.

Of course, those figures are what Nissan is using in its marketing campaigns so we will put them to the test once we get to strap on our own data logging instruments to the car sometime later. What we can tell you for certain though, is that the Nissan Sunny Xtronic CVT is a breeze to drive with its super-refined engine no matter how choc-o-bloc the traffic might get. The car revs smoothly up the tachometer and with what Nissan likes to call Adaptive Shift Control, the car assesses driving styles to automatically adjust the CVT for the best efficiency in any given situation.

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Honda Amaze : Road Test

Adil Jal Darukhanawala Photography : Kunal Khadse — 2013-04-01 19:58:53

There is quite a buzz as we enter the large conference hall in one of the major 5-star hotels in Goa on a balmy March evening. Scurrying around are familiar faces from Honda Cars India Ltd. But this time round you also see a great deal of new Japanese faces as well, already organized and sitting in time honoured Land of the Rising Sun officiousness. That it was time for business was a fact clearly underlined but more importantly this was also the strongest sign of a new commitment to India. Woven into this though was the basic premise of Honda wanting to go back to doing what it knows best andndash; delighting users and what better way to do that than to just go ahead and Amaze its legion of diehard users as well as would be buyers with a sub-four-metre saloon offered with a choice of petrol and diesel propulsion

Ever since Honda committed itself to doing diesel some three and a half years ago, the first signs of its oil burning desire to impress key markets in Europe and Asia have just started bearing fruit. Under its Earth Dreams Technology we have already seen the exquisite 1.6-litre i-DTEC engine powering the European Honda Civic to a warm reception and it is this engine which is the bedrock of all small diesel engine development from Honda for Asia as well.

Given the fact that our babucracy has signed off on the 1.5-litre capacity limit for diesel engines to qualify for the tax-buster slab, Honda had no option but to play within the very same 1.6-litre i-DTEC architecture by tweaking the cylinder dimensions but then with the base unit already very innovative and tech-rich, the end result is nothing short of stunning. For everyday use that is, and not for those who want a Honda in the original City mode of the late 1990s andndash; civilized fire-breather and what not Given that this is Honda at its mass-market best, the new Brio-based saloon is probably the most serious offering from Japan Inc in quite awhile

From our first three-lap steady-speed run on a small road course on the Motegi Twin Ring circuit in Japan late last year to a full-fledged first drive in real world Indian conditions, much has become apparent, the Amaze with diesel power is now into full series production and the specs have been frozen to a price and performance proposition which I am happy to state ticks near almost all boxes on the desirability list of a punter seeking a car in this cut-throat segment where the Suzuki Swift D'Zire is cock of the coop

Pardon me if I haven't brought in the 1.2-litre petrol-engine in - as yet - but obviously Honda and diesel is the undoubted big story here. We had already revealed much of the technology in our detailed report featured in our December 2012 issue but to that we have new information where some of the secrets of the all-aluminium diesel and its best-in-class performance can now be marvelled at

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Honda has gone many an extra mile to not just help the Amaze allow it to impress on paper but also over its entire operating lifecycle. The DOHC 16-valve engine displaces 1,498cc and features cylinder dimensions measuring 76.0 x 82.5mm. This small bore, large stroke combination has been the best bet to eke out the gains with Indian diesel fuel quality as also the dusty operating environs but there is more to the engine than just this.

Apart from the lightweight (courtesy of the aluminium alloy block and head) and high strength (by design given its open deck engine block config and also a lightweight crankshaft), Honda engineers have incorporated all the friction busting techniques at their disposal making it earn its living by delivering strong torque across the rev range. A striking detail among this is an all-new engine oil formulation, devised in conjunction with its lubrication partner Idemitsu. This is an ultra low viscosity oil which not only helps keep the i-DTEC mill in operating cleanly (from a combustion and emissions perspective) but also helps enhance efficiency as well as engine durability without sapping power when needed.

Given the fact that the 1.6-litre i-DTEC mother unit as used in the European Civic is good for 120 PS and 300Nm of torque, albeit using more electronic tech aids and a different turbocharger, this 1.5-litre i-DTEC for India (and Asia might we add) has been rated at 100PS (at 3600rpm) and it whips up 200Nm of torque at 1750rpm (twice that produced by the 1.2-litre petrol engine we might add).

By and large there is nothing revolutionary about the entire common rail direct injection system but just thorough Japanese methodology wrought in at every nook and cranny to demystify technology in its simplest essence and the payback to the owner-user is huge. Driveability is great which is just what this category of automobile thrives on and while it won't be the one to win traffic light Grand Prix races with, it is surely the one for all (young impresarios to the level headed stoic types) to flaunt with its strong returns where it pleases andndash; in the fuel efficiency game

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2013 Toyota Etios and Liva : First Drive

Priyadarshan Bawikar Photography: Kunal Khadse — 2013-03-22 18:56:14

Toyota certainly knows how to make good cars, about this, there can be no doubt. But budget hatches and sedans are something the Japanese auto giant hadn't really attempted till a couple of years ago. But when the company did venture into this territory, it did so with much gusto. Armed with Etios sedan and the Liva hatchback, Toyota pretty much managed to revive its fortunes in India and a testament to that lies in the fact of the two jointly selling over 1,45,000 units since 2010.

Meant as no-nonsense offerings in the entry-level sedan segment (the Etios) and the premium hatchback segment (the Liva), these two cars have pretty much hit the nail on the head when it comes to most aspects of what makes an automobile appealing in a country where the expectations from one's car are nothing short of flying to the moon, and that too on a single tank of gas.

Recently, the company launched updated versions of both the sedan and the hatch in what seems to be a departure from the usual "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" policy that most auto makers seem to adopt. As brilliant and as practical as the Etios and Liva are, they did suffer from a slight love-it-or-hate-it reaction from a lot of car buyers, most of which boil down to the cars' rather unconventional styling. So these updates bring about a few small visual changes which we think should go a long way in increasing these cars' universal appeal.

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The first thing Toyota has done is drop the top end VX (petrol) and VXD (diesel) trims in both the Etios and Liva. Now this is not actually a bad thing. What you do get in return is an optional "safety package" in the V and G trims of the petrol Etios and Liva, as well as in the VD and GD trims of the diesel Etios and finally in the GD trim of the Liva diesel.

This safety package offers front airbags as well as ABS for those braking emergencies and is a welcome addition to the mid-level trim. And to top it off, just like the petrol models, both the diesel Etios and Liva get an entry level JD trim.

The differences one finds on the exteriors are rather subtle, but once you spot them, the cars suddenly start looking much smarter. The first thing you notice is the refreshed front grille, with little protrusions ("aero fins" as Toyota calls them) along the vertical slats giving it a slightly sporty appearance. The same "aero fins" can also be found on the revamped taillight clusters of both cars.

The ORVMs have lost their boxy appearance and have now been replaced with sleeker, more streamlined units which gel much better with the overall design. And the top end trim levels also get built in turn indicators in these new mirrors. Apart from these, there are some minor updates such as a new side protection mold, but other than all of these details, the appearance is pretty much unchanged. That being said, all these little changes come together in making the Etios and Liva just a little bit classier than they did before.

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Mahindra e2o: First Drive

Muntaser Mirkar Photography: Kunal Khadse — 2013-03-18 17:30:11

Electric cars are still a thing of the future. Despite all the advancements in technology over the years, they seem like they belong to a different world andndash; or at least they have seemed so till now. More than anything else, it has just been the rather distrusting perception of the masses that vehicles powered by electricity have no place in conventional transportation. Thankfully, cars like the Tesla Model S, Fisker Karma and the Nissan Leaf are doing their bit across the globe to change that perception. Chetan Maini, Founder and Chief of Technology and Strategy at Mahindra Reva has been doing it for years too andndash; with what everyone in India knows as the cute little Reva. The Reva and the Reva i though, were crude compared to what Mahindra Reva has on offer now andndash; the e2o.

The car's name itself is in fact derived from three very different and apt analogies. The 'e' represents the energy from the sun, the '2' (to) represents the car's connected technologies and the 'o' represents oxygen andndash; the life force that sustains all life on earth andndash; according to how Mahindra likes to describe it. As far as we're concerned, e2o quite simply represents a product that is as clean as H2O or water not only in its manufacture, but also in its operation and by replacing the chemical symbol for hydrogen with 'e', it just emphasises on its electric propulsion.

But the e2o is not an evolution of the Reva i, it is a revolution, based on all the learnings from that car andndash; from 200 million kilometers of real world data. The e2o pushes the boundaries of what we think cars can be, and how much they can be a part of our daily lives and not just commutes to work. The ingenuity begins from the design stage itself and then continues on to the manufacturing, operation and even the after sales phases of the car's life cycle ().

When the concept for the e2o was first talked about, Mahindra turned to one of India's leading automotive designers for the car's exterior styling andndash; Dilip Chhabria. DC Design churned out a car that isn't as radical as most other electric cars are. The e2o is more like a conventional hatchback but has enough quirks in it to bring to notice that is indeed out of the ordinary. It isn't exactly boxy either with enough kinks and curves on it to give it a decent balance. But more than anything else, it is economical to make as well. The flared wheel arches add a whole lot of character to the entire stance and the wraparound headlights give a slightly futuristic visual as well.

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At the rear, the e2o is characterised by its swooping windows that also help make the rear occupants feel a lot less claustrophobic as compared to similarly styled cars. The tail lamp clusters are all-LED and flank a large grey panel with the branding emblazoned on it. The bumper is tall but gets broken up well by a black cladding at the bottom and of course, there's no tail pipe either. All in all, we'd say the e2o is a cute looking car and one that will appeal to female buyers more than men. Then there's that really muscular bulge along the e2o's side profile that will really take up the attention of the male mind too

While the exterior was penned by DC Design and taken forward by the in-house design team at Mahindra, the interiors were completely left to the manufacturer to come up with. That said, it has a rather clean layout and incorporates some very high-quality bits. The dash is dominated by the huge rectangular touch-screen infotainment system that has two micro-sd card slots andndash; one for the navigation system and one for anything else you might want to load up on it ().

The steering wheel is nice and chunky and just beyond it is the big circular digital console lit up in a nice electric blue that tells your speed, state of charge, vehicle status, cabin temperature, etc. The seats are a nice sporty design with immaculate stitching on the leather that comes standard on the top variant. Air con vents are surrounded by mock-aluminum rings and all-in-all, the e2o looks very nicely kitted from the inside as well.

The way the e2o is built is quite a departure from convention as well. With the chassis more like a rally-car spaceframe that gives high levels of protection while keeping things light, the body panels are then resin-bonded onto it. The panels themselves are made of a multi-layer colour-impregnated composite, which means they are not externally painted. Each body panel is extremely light weight and we could pick up the front doors with literally one hand These panels are dent-resistant and in case you end up scratching your e2o lightly in traffic, all you need is a quick polish to get it back to being spanking new.

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Small in size, Big in luxury - DC Isuzu Lounge review

Priyadarshan Bawikar — 2013-03-14 21:25:30

For those seriously upwardly mobile, there are very few sets of wheels that can provide an off the shelf solution for their long distance travel needs. Obviously, a luxury car is an option, but the limitations of the cabin really hinder the ability to actually get some work done on the road. That's why you see so many film stars and businesspersons going in for customised luxury buses and when it comes to customisation, the final word is Dilip Chhabria, whose Pune based firm, DC Design, has been churning out some really outstanding personalised buses for the past few years.

But while a large Volvo or Mercedes-Benz might be right up a big movie star's alley, it certainly is a little impractical and let's not forget, pompous, for a businessperson. So to meet this demand, which has been steadily climbing in recent years, DC Design now offers the Isuzu Lounge. True to the firm's well-established 'Lounge' concept, this new bus based on the Isuzu IS12TE chassis features a typically DC-fashioned central lounge. This area comes replete with four captain's chairs around a central table, acting like a conference room of sorts, as well as a sofa to seat a few additional persons. But to make the Isuzu Lounge a true road warrior, it also features a separate bedroom with a 6.5' x 4' bed, a full wardrobe as well as a complete entertainment system featuring a 32" LED 3D TV. And that's not all. The bus comes equipped with a fully functioning bathroom which not only has a toilet, but a shower as well.

The advantages the DC Isuzu Lounge offers are manifold. First of all, the relatively short 8.5m long chassis allows access to places a massive Volvo simply would not fit in. The relative low buying cost of Rs 14 lakh for the chassis is another benefit. And when you consider the significantly improved comfort afforded by the optional air suspension kit, the Isuzu Lounge is a winning combination. Such luxury doesn't come cheap though, as the whole modification of the bus can cost upwards of Rs 45 lakh, depending on what options you choose. But for those who can afford it, it truly is a home-office away from home.

Bentley Continental GT Speed : First Drive

Priyadarshan Bawikar — 2013-02-14 18:58:30

There's something inseparable about Bentley's and the Middle-East. Comfort, luxury and speed - lots of speed. It's pretty much the Arabian dream, isn't it? So when I find myself behind the wheel of a Bentley Continental GT, blasting down an arrow straight strip of buttery smooth tarmac, surrounded by rolling sand dunes on either side, my right foot welded to the firewall, I'm not really surprised. Very much amused with a really stupid grin plastered across my face, and maybe even a little in love, but definitely not surprised. The source of my amusement isn't your regular Continental, which is already a very special car. But the one I'm driving is, er, specialer

The name says it all. Speed Wow, I'm sold right there. It's so much better than the usual fare of suffixes like 'sport' or 'S' or whathaveyounot. Speed; that one word conjures up images of Bentley Boys of old, in their old Speed Sixes, tearing it up at Le Mans. So the name has a lot to live up to and rest assured that Bentley doesn't stick it on just any of its models. This Continental GT Speed that I'm driving is the fastest road car that Bentley has ever produced andndash; capable of a mind-numbing top speed of 330km/h. But it's not just the speed, it's how it gets there that more impressive than anything else.

Under the hood, there's the familiar 6.0-litre twin turbo W12 engine, but thanks to a brand new, and rather cutting edge, engine management system, which better runs the two massive turbochargers among other things, the motor now makes a humungous 625PS of power and an absolutely ridiculous 800Nm of torque.

Now these figures are 50PS and 100Nm more than before, so even though there hasn't been any diet plan in the Continental's agenda, it is able to accelerate from zero to 100km/h in just 4.2 seconds We're talking supercar levels of acceleration here, and that too from a Grand Tourer packed to the hilt with all the luxuries you can imagine, tipping the scales at a rather beefy 2,320kg kerb weight.

The fiddly bits to make the Speed better than the standard W12 aren't just restricted to under the hood. The air suspension springs and dampers connected to the aluminium double wishbone front suspension and trapezoidal multi-link rear setup have been revised to help better control body pitch during hard braking and acceleration, and roll when chucking it about some corners.

The Speed is also 10mm lower than before, and while 10mm is really an indiscernible difference to the human eye, it's enough to move the centre of gravity closer to the road and improve handling. That being said, it's completely unreasonable to expect a car that weights over 2.3-tonnes to tackle tight twisty roads with the poise of a Lotus Elise. But for what it's worth, there should be very few situations where you might even feel remotely let down by the Speed's handling, especially thanks to the plethora of electronic aids and that 40:60 split four-wheel drive system keeping things in check.

But the most unforgettable experience about driving the Speed has to be the new 8-speed ZF-sourced gearbox. Now when I say 'new', I mean new to the W12 engine as this has been doing duty in the V8 Continental for quite a while now. No double clutch malarkey here, because I highly doubt a twin-clutch setup would be able to handle the earth shattering torque this mad W12 engine makes. A conventional torque converter handles the transfer of power from the engine to the wheels, but don't let that fool you.

The way it swaps cogs absolutely beggars belief. Stick it into Drive, and the upshifts are absolutely imperceptible, and with the 'box able to 'block shift', that is, downshift through a large number of gears at once (say, straight from 8th to 3rd), engine response after a kickdown is absolutely instant. Move the wonderfully knurled gear selector into S or M however and it's a whole different ball game. Not only do some valves inside the exhaust system open up to play a sonorous baritone from the tailpipes, the upshifts and downshifts become lightning quick. Using the paddles behind the steering wheel is insanely addictive in these modes and to be honest, I can't think of a single torque converter gearbox that can shift quicker than this.

So now that we've established that the Speed is one very impressive car, looking at it from the outside you'd actually be hard pressed to tell it apart from the standard version. The radiator and front bumper grilles now get a dark tint to pay homage to the Le Mans winning Bentleys of the 1920s, while the twin exhausts at the back have rifled tailpipes for a little added aggression.

The massive 21-inch alloy wheels are new too, which covered the optional and outrageously sized 420mm (front)/356mm (rear) cross-drilled Carbon Silicon-Carbide brake rotors on the Speed I drove. Open the door and the word 'Speed' sprawled across the sill gives you the first clear indication that this is indeed a different breed of Continental. Step in and you're treated to pretty much whatever you'd like to have inside your car. The Mulliner Driving Specification provides all sorts of opulent detailing along with lots of perforated leather hide all around, Dark Stained Burr Walnut or Piano Black veneers, a couple of unique 'engine spin' aluminium fascia options harking back to the days of the 'Old Number One' and even a carbon-fibre interior option if one feels particular modern.

Before I drove this Speed in this magical land called Dubai, I really wouldn't have considered myself a Bentley man. I somehow always preferred the way the folk from the Old Continent tackle performance and luxury. But after this experience, these British Brutes have really found a soft spot in my heart, a place where even the Astons I've got my hands on haven't been able to get to.

What I've come to utterly adore about Bentleys in general is the way they package all that performance and extravagance into a very special package with just the right amount of a nod to cars from the days of yore. And what I especially love about the Speed is the way it does all that and yet totally feels like a modern day supercar when you put your foot down. I'm going to unashamedly admit that I now desperately yearn to be a true blue 'Bentley Boy'. Now if I could only find a few crore of rupees somewhere...

2013 BMW X1 sDrive20d : First Drive

Vikram Gour Photography: Abhishek Chaliha and Siddharth — 2013-02-14 13:08:25

When BMW India brought the X1 to our shores, we instantly knew that this vehicle was destined to be a game changer. For the first time, a luxury brand such as BMW, became affordable for a rather large population and wasn't just destined for the elite. Not only did the X1 create an initial fury in the market, it also pushed BMW sales to a whole new level.

As expected, the competition wasn't going to sit around twiddling their thumbs while BMW ran to the bank, and they eventually ushered in their range of competing vehicles. While the introduction of the competition has helped this new segment grow, BMW has taken a hit and in a bid to gain back that market traction that the brand commanded, the company has set forth with the upgraded, 2013 edition of the X1 which in many ways has the equipment to put up a solid fight.

Getting right down to business, the changes to the exterior include a new tripartite air intake, which is a feature that is shared by all the X models, a new fog lamp layout to add a bit of width to the look and the most prominent of all the exterior changes are the new design xenon headlights with chrome garnish and twin circular rings with LED accents to ensure that classic BMW look. Other changes include ORVMs with integrated turn indicators and a revised rear end in terms of how it has been painted to bring out the striking surface structure of the underguard which in effect creates a rather sporty aura.

In addition to this, BMW also claims that an increased surface area is now painted as compared to the outgoing model and while this might not feel like a major feature, it does wonders to changing the visual appearance of this model and we are not complaining

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Open the nice heavy front door, typical of just about every BMW, and you are greeted with a fantastic dual tone interior with faux wood highlights added for taste. No doubt, being seated in a BMW is a great feeling and it is familiar territory, however on the new X1 BMW has tweaked the center console layout to be more driver centric. Apart from that, BMW has played with materials to usher in a sophisticated touch and this does enhance the cabin environment substantially.

Having said that, the cabin itself isn't as cramped as one might make it out to be and can seat four adults in comfort, while a fifth one would make the rear bench quite a squeeze. In terms of creature comforts, the X1 comes with climate control air conditioning, a HiFi sound system with AUX-In, Bluetooth and USB compatibility.

Powering the X1 is the state of the art 2.0 litre diesel mill that we have grown to really appreciate here in India. Essentially, this is the same engine that does duty in the 320d, X3 20d and the 520d. It is a versatile engine that offers both outright performance and brilliant fuel economy.

The four cylinder, 1995cc diesel engine pumps out 184 hp at 4000rpm and 380Nm of torque between 1750-2750rpm. It is capable of going from 0-100 km/h in 7.9 seconds and while achieving all this, it also manages to return an ARAI certified average fuel economy of 17.05 kilometers to the litre Fitted with an 8 speed automatic transmission with paddle shifts, the X1 is a blast to drive, especially with the improved package.

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2013 Honda CR-V : First Drive

Vikram Gour Photography : Kunal Khadse — 2013-02-11 20:27:39

Globally, the 1st generation CR-V made its debut in 1995. That was the year that Honda pulled a game changer on the burgeoning market that was going SUV crazy at the time. Big, monstrous 4x4 machines received a showdown from a lightweight CR-V, which essentially introduced the world to the realm of the soft-roader. I remember at the time, Honda was all gung-ho about the fact that a solid majority of SUV owners never leave the tarmac, so why offer technology that doesn't have any purpose?

The CR-V was built to drive like a car, offer car like comfort, yet look like an SUV and if need be, handle a bid of puddle bashing and trail use thanks to the intelligent real time 4x4 system that Honda installed in it, which essentially leaves the CR-V as a front wheel drive vehicle and only transfers power to the rear wheels should the system feel the need for it. It was a vehicle for the smart-class so to speak and while it couldn't go boulder bashing, the CR-V proved to be the ultimate urban SUV and the brand has never had to look back ever since.

In India, the CR-V made its debut in 2003 followed by the 2nd and the 3rd generation models introduced in the market in 2006. Ever since its launch, the CR-V has managed to sell close to 13,739 units; a decent figure, especially when you consider the fact that it was essentially a CBU. Now with the 4th generation CR-V, Honda is looking at changing the game once again. The new CR-V will be assembled at the company's Greater Noida facility in Uttar Pradesh and in doing so, Honda should be able to price the product at a rather competitive point to take on the entry level premium SUV market.

The vehicle itself is a fantastic evolution over its predecessor, and while the lines have become cleaner and crisper, I feel that the CR-V has matured and while this is my personal opinion, I honestly do feel that this is the best looking CR-V till date. The sculpted body lines that clearly define the sleek upper body and the powerful lower body, the chiseled grille and hood and of course the large HID projector headlights that flank the chrome grille all add to the element of being a purposeful SUV. The rear gets a nice notch, however it seems as though the designers took some quick lessons in design aesthetics from Volvo Having said that, the exterior styling is rather bold and has a definite aura of being a rather aggressive looking SUV.

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Get inside the CR-V and you are greeted with simple, yet very classy interiors. In fact I would say the CR-V has the best interiors in terms of materials used, fit and finish. There were a few panel gaps, however these being amongst the first lot of assembled models in India, such discrepancies were expected and I am sure that Honda will have these rectified at the earliest. Overall, the interior did have an opulent air to it and a lot of that has to do with the neatly appointed gizmos and gadgetry along with the optimum use of available space.

In fact, the CR-V now comes with lower seats and a roof that is slightly taller than its predecessor. This has resulted in an airy cabin and a fantastic view from all seats. My only grouse was the lack of thigh support on the rear bench. It was just a little too low for tall people such as me. The front seats however, are a revelation and that is where I chose to spend most of my time, while enjoying a drive in the new CR-V.

In terms of creature comforts, the CR-V does come pretty loaded and the list includes the AVN system with a large 6.1 inch touch screen that allows you to access the one touch navigation system, DVD/CD player with iPod and Bluetooth connectivity as well as rear camera display. Further to this, you get the intelligent multi-functional information display that allows you to access a plethora of information as well as customize it to suit your needs, including a wallpaper of your choice.

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Lamborghini Aventador Roadster : First Drive

Muntaser Mirkar — 2013-02-11 15:24:48

Most things on Earth can be put into better perspective when you look at the numbers. But there are some things that simple analytics just can't explain andndash; the fact that the brand new Lamborghini Aventador Roadster is already sold out for 2013 in a market that has seen a global downturn is one of them. And this has happened even before the car's dynamic launch to the worldwide press in Miami last week In fact the Italian manufacturer of some of the sexiest cars on the planet sold 922 Aventador coupes in 2012 andndash; twice the number of its predecessor, the Murcielago in 2007.

The Murcielago itself was a brilliant car for its time and was everything that you'd expect a Lamborghini to be andndash; fast, powerful and superiorly intimidating. The Murcielago roadster though, wasn't anywhere close to having the kind of aura that its coupe had and that's a fact that the guys at Lamborghini fully understand and accept, which is a good thing because when it came down to relieving the Aventador of its roof they were extra attentive.

The thing about roadsters is that they aren't easy to integrate into a coupe body. It's way more than just an exercise of chopping the roof off andndash; there's the bit about structural rigidity that has to be taken care of. Designers also have to figure out a way of fitting in a 'temporary' top in case you might want to cover up on a rainy day, which means there has to be place to stow the canopy when it isn't required. With something like the Aventador, that means tracing back your steps right from the design stage to make sure it doesn't go the Murcielago way of being an after-thought. The solution is what seems to be mid-way between a targa and a foldaway hardtop.

The two-section top has to be manually placed and snaps into place through a mechanism of locking pins and can be stored in the boot up front. Of course, with the two sections of the removable roof in there you could hardly fit a tiny bag of groceries in the boot, but then again who buys an Aventador Roadster to go shopping?

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The Aventador Roadster is all about performance and that it has plenty of. The sides and the C-pillar have been strengthened to compensate for the lost rigidity due to the absence of a proper roof. The Roadster also gets 21-inch rear and 20-inch front wheels which improve all round handling and cornering performance compared to other hardtop-turned-roadsters.

The big V12 in the back remains untouched in terms of power output and with the near 700PS figure that the 6.5 litre naturally aspirated unit belches out, the Aventador Raodster is good for 0-100km/h in 3 seconds and top speed of 350km/h. The brakes are even more impressive with the guys from Sant'Agata claiming that the car will come to complete stop from over 100km/h in just 31metres In fact the Roadster feels no different from the coupe once you step inside and you could attribute that to the fact that the interiors remain untouched from the transition from coupe to roadster.

We drove the coupe at Sepang in Malaysia () earlier last year and with the first taste of the Roadster at the Homestead Speedway in Miami, USA, the same feeling of brute power, precise handling and super-adhesive grip returned. A lot of credit for this goes to the fact that despite compensating for the chopped roof with added strength in the rest of the body the Aventador Roadster gains only about 50kg in weight thanks to some very clever engineering.

Modern technology also finds its way into the Aventador range in the form of cylinder deactivation and a stop-start system with a supercapacitor that enables restarts in under 80 milliseconds All that combined ends up in emissions up to 25 percent cleaner than before. Of course, all that responsible motoring gets thrown to the back of your mind when you switch from the regular Strada mode to Sport and then further on to Corsa with the torque distribution on the four wheel drive system adjusting accordingly. And then there's also the tiny little window in the rear bulkhead that can be slid open to let that splendid V12 wail in whenever you want to.

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2013 Porsche Cayenne GTS : First Drive

Vikram Gour Photography : Kunal Khadse — 2013-02-06 13:24:26

Where does one begin to talk about a vehicle of this nature? It's not your quintessential luxury SUV, it's not your average mud plunger and neither is it a sports car. Well, when I first heard about the new Cayenne GTS from the Porsche stable I frankly thought that the company was very confused and had seriously lost the plot somewhere between practicality and outright craziness. No matter what story angle I gave to my thoughts, the Cayenne GTS just seemed like a scandalous experiment that some white-coated Randamp;D guys decided to concoct in order to get their kicks by defying numerous laws of physics. Logic didn't seem to prevail over the development of this product and practicality seemed to be on a paper airplane tossed out of the Porsche headquarters building in Stuttgart. Why would a company make such a vehicle I continued to wonder as I read about Cayenne GTS until I finally got the order from the Bossman here at ZigWheels to actually go and experience this outrageously conceived machine.

At last, my doubts were going to find a resting place. At last I would know why Now, I've been a fan of Porsche since the moment I learnt my ABCs. The iconic 911 continues to be my favourite sports car of all time and I cannot get enough of its timeless design. I also happen to be a very big fan of SUVs. Big beasts with gizmos and gadgetry on board that allows them to traverse over just about anything in their way just make for a wonderful driving experience where you don't even need to look for a road. The thought of marrying the two never really occurred to me, and why would it? The sheer dynamics of conducting such an effort seemed futile.

Nevertheless, when Porsche first made the Cayenne back in 2002, I thought to myself that this was going to be special. Yes, there were the loyalists who thought that Porsche is diluting their brand image by entering the SUV market but I thought it was a perfect extension of the brand. After all SUVs are all about sports, fun, activity and performance. A lot of these attributes match those associated with sports cars as well. It was a perfect brand extension if you ask me and while I was still a fresher out of college back then, today I can proudly say that my gut instinct was right for the Cayenne has gone on to become one of the most popular Porsche models of all time, despite all the flak it has received for its looks and non-Porsche loyalist attributes.

In India the Cayenne is the number one selling Porsche model and it is this global acceptance that has lead to Porsche spawning a total of five variants in the current Cayenne stable including the Diesel, Hybrid, 4x4, S and Turbo. That wasn't enough for Porsche though and in keeping with their basic instinct of exploring the technological frontier, the company decided to add a 6th variant to their line up; the result being the Cayenne GTS, in an all new avatar.

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According to Porsche, the Cayenne GTS has been conceived purely out of need. The company was looking at making the Cayenne appeal to those who absolutely love driving and would want an SUV that offers an on board experience that is second to none. In true Porsche spirit, the Cayenne GTS takes the game further by offering a vehicle that is even more driver oriented than any of its siblings, including the more powerful and pricier Turbo version.

Now that is saying a lot about the GTS and while it sounds too good to be true, the experience behind the wheel is enough to change your perspective about this behemoth permanently; after all, the story boils down to dynamics.

Powering the Cayenne GTS is a modified version of the 4.8 litre V8 found on the Cayenne S variant. Power has been bumped up from the standard 394hp found on the S to a solid 420hp at 6,500 rpm and the 515Nm of torque is now available from 3,500 revs onwards. The V8 is mated to an eight-speed Tiptronic S box as standard fitment which too has been tweaked to offer a sportier gear change experience while maximizing engine potential and overall drive experience thanks to the quicker-shifts and shorter final drive ratios.

While the GTS still weighs over two tones at 2,085kg to be precise, it is 160 kilograms lighter than its predecessor which translates to a 0-100kph time of 5.7seconds while being capable of attaining a top speed of 260kmph. While that is a second slower than the Cayenne Turbo on paper, the on ground reality is a whole different story which is brought about by the sheer driving dynamics that the GTS offers; an attribute that hits you like a brick in the face when you take a corner at three digit speeds It's as sensational as it gets and the sheer fact that a two tonne SUV can corner in such a manner that was previously only sports car territory is a testament to just how much work has gone into making the Cayenne GTS the ultimate driver's SUV.

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Audi TT Coupe 2.0 TFSI : First Drive

Abhishek Nigam Photography : Kunal Khadse — 2013-01-30 15:40:10

Walking into the office parking lot towards a horde of gathered people, it was easy to fathom that the awaited Audi TT had arrived. While we had already tested one a couple of years back and even though the current car is just a minor refresh, the TT's design still causes flutters and sprained necks. At its debut as a concept car in 1995 and finally a production reality, the original Audi TT was one of the most dramatic cars to come out in the mid-to-late 1990s.

Its organic and symmetrically styled front and rear profiles contrasted with slab-sided flanks to create a look unlike anything Audi had ever done before. In its latest guise, the little sportscar gets a minor face-lift and then some. Stricter emission laws meant the stonking 6-cylinder 3.2-litre engine had to make way for a technology infused four-banger. Will it be enough to do justice to the famed TT mantle or has Audi reduced the TT to a mere showpiece with all show and no go? Let's find outandhellip;

Making what's goodandhellip;better

The original TT was already considered to be one of the best designed cars when it was launched, and Audi managed to make what was already a fantastic design even better with the second generation TT. The current car gets subtle updates which add to the overall demeanour. Subtle changes to the interior and exterior design have been employed to keep the revised model looking fresh. Front bumpers feature larger air inlets, fog lights are set in chrome rings and the front grille and headlights have also been redesigned with twelve white light-emitting diodes serving as the daytime running lights.

At the rear revised diffuser designs and exhaust pipes make the model nearly two centimetres longer while the width and height remain the same. All said and done, the TT is still the head turner that it always was and has more than enough appeal to stand tall amongst its well designed competition.

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A cockpit that's luxurious too

Considering that the TT is quite a performance oriented car, the insides of which are usually kept to a bare minimum, the Audi boasts some impressive kit. Inside the TT, Audi have done well to provide a good balance of luxury and drivertainment. The layout inside the TT is excellent, with controls and displays familiar to an Audi driver but superb to use.

The flat bottomed steering wheel helps with knee space for the driver while offering a sporty feel and the compact centre console is well organised, particularly with the MMI system present. The dials and central information screen offer exceptional clarity and some flair. A new gear change indicator is also a useful addition.

There is a choice of three new colours available and our car in red black interiors looked absolutely smashing. Adding further flair are the new aluminium finish applications and rings, frames and strips in high gloss black.

A particular mention is needed for the seat covers which have been specially treated to reduce thermal heating by as much as 20 degrees. Parked in the sun, the difference was immediately noticeable between our long-term Elantra and the TT. While the driving position is spot on and just eggs you drive harder, the rear seats are just about adequate for kids. In case of adults it would have to be for a short joy ride strictly before the cramps start setting in. It's a 2+2 after all and we are not complaining.

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Chevrolet Sail Sedan : First Drive

Abhishek Nigam Photography : Kunal Khadse — 2013-01-18 15:08:54

Being an auto-journo has its perks with one getting to drive most cars and bikes. However, being in the profession also attracts a barrage of questions if and when anyone you know is on the verge of his/her next vehicle purchase. Just recently I was inquired about a purchase and according to the needs, I suggested the recently launched Chevrolet Sail UVA, but my explanation was immediately cut short saying, 'Dicky-wala gaadi chahiye'. Which brings me to the point about us Indians and our obsession with saloon cars. It is pretty evident that anyone with a decent budget prefers a saloon over a hatch-back.

And the reasons behind the choice is not just the extra boot space afforded by the saloon but in fact the reasons are on a totally different tangent. For some buying a saloon means buying a prestigious 'big' car, for others it's the extra safety offered by the boot in case some one ends up rear ending you and some even believe that the saloons are more stable at higher speed than their hatch counterparts. While there are reasons aplenty, logical or illogical, what cannot be reasoned with are the sales figures of these affordable saloons.

And as a result most manufacturers when designing a car make sure that the platform is flexible enough to accommodate a hatch and a sedan and in some cases a station wagon too. This trend in India was pretty much started by the Fiat Palio/Siena/ Siena Weekend and then moved forward by the likes of the Opel Corsa/ Corsa Sail/Swing, Tata Indica/Indigo/Marina and more recently the very successful Maruti Suzuki Swift/Dzire.

GM recently launched the Chevrolet Sail UVA hatchback in order to grab their share of the premium hatchback pie and now they have come up with sedan variant of the same as well. It's pretty clear that GM wants to take some customers away from the Maruti Suzuki Swift/Dzire and this model offensive is an indication of just that. But is this new Sail Sedan good enough to take on this giant of a competitor? Let's find outandhellip;

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The hatch has spawned a boot, and it still looks good

At first glance, most would pretty much mistake the sedan for the hatchback and it's not without a reason. The sedan looks exactly like the hatchback right up to the B-pillar and it's only when you move to the side that you spot the boot and the new 8-spoke alloys. That said, it's a job well done and from no angle does it look like the boot has been put there as an afterthought. The Sail UVA boasted a pretty fuss free design and the sedan follows the same theme. There is just a single character line running from the front fender to the tail lights to give the otherwise plain-jane design some much needed depth.

Seen from the back, the big gold bowtie stands out in an otherwise good looking rear. All in all, the Sail sedan comes across as a handsome looking car which won't tickle your fantasies but it's not something you would want to shy away from either like you would from some of the Sails better known adversaries. That said, Chevrolet should have made some subtle changes to differentiate the car from the hatch version by means of a different grille or some chrome touches or something at least.

Space for the passengers and now their luggage too

Like on the outside, the insides of the sedan get the same interiors of the hatch. And that's a good thing and a not so good thing. The width and the wheelbase are exactly the same and as a result so is the space. One will never fall short on legroom unless you bear the dimensions of a big wrestler. Some smart packaging means the Sail comfortably accommodates three people abreast. The front seats are pretty accommodating as well but again devoid of any driver seat height adjustment or a dead pedal.

While space retained is the good thing, the bland interiors are the not so good part. Design, like on the outside, is pretty straightforward. No snazzy shapes on the dash, no radical console and the steering is still devoid of any audio controls. No climate control either. The dated rotary dials are retained in the sedan. GM should have at least given different fabrics on the seats. The practicality aspect though is well taken care of with plenty of cup holders and storage spaces. The boot space too is quite impressive and thanks to a well designed loading bay, it can easily accommodate a good amount of luggage.

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2013 Audi Q5 : India First Drive

Vikram Gour Photography : Kunal Khadse — 2013-01-17 19:02:24

The Audi Q5 has drawn in the crowds in terms of sales in India. No doubt, its larger sibling the Q7 commands a solid presence and the smaller Q3 exudes a more chic appeal, but when it comes to a practical product offering in the premium SUV space, the Q5 is second to none. Further, Audi India has steadily and successfully been offering their latest products in India, usually within a few months of their global debut. This has not only provided them with a solid impetus in the market but has also resulted in the company having a rather young fleet in its product offering. After all, who wouldn't want to buy the latest vehicle that's out there and judging by the sales figures, this strategy is working well for the company. In the light of that, the Audi Q5 was due for an upgrade and sure enough, the new version is now available right here on Indian shores.

Unlike other mid-life product upgrades, the Q5 has gone through a rather substantial metamorphosis. The exteriors have been treated to offer a sportier and sharper profile compared to the outgoing model. The design ethos, which borrows heavily from the Q7, still exists but the vehicle just looks bolder thanks to the kinked hood design with fine contoured lines and the front bumper which boasts of a trapezoidal design that adds a robust flair. Another significant change that catches your attention right away are the all-new Xenon plus headlights and LED daytime running lights.

While every manufacturer has jumped at the opportunity to offer the LED treatment to their respective products, nobody does LEDs like Audi - after all they started the trend and continue to dominate on that front. Such are the changes on the new Q5 that even our resident photographer couldn't get enough and while I tried to decipher his take on the vehicle including how captivated he was with the way the light bounced off the contours and made for photographer bliss, I was keeping to my agenda that involved better things than just staring at this machine. It was time to get inside and drive it

Once firmly seated and buckled up, I found myself in familiar territory. After all, I have had the opportunity to be behind the wheel of just about every Audi vehicle on offer and there is a welcoming sense of familiarity in terms of how all the equipment is laid out and of course the fit and finish of some rather fine material. Now, before I fired up that beast of an engine, I took the time to admire my surroundings. The first change that I realised was already in my grip, namely the new leather covered steering wheel that boasts a 4-spoke design that is specific to the Q model range.

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Not only does it feel nice to grip, it also features numerous controls that have further been accentuated with chrome rings. On the centre console, the high gloss black used on the inner fascia of the entertainment system is another change that caught my eye and I am told that customers can opt for a premium Milano leather finish to the interiors in either beige or black. If it's style that you are looking for, then the interiors of the Q5 are a fashion statement

Regardless, being the SUV aficionado that I am, I couldn't wait any longer so without further ado, I pressed the key in its slot and got that magnificent 3.0 TDI engine to roar to life. Incidentally, Audi India is offering the new Q5 with a choice of three engines, namely a 2.0TDI, 2.0 TFSI and the 3.0 TDI, which I currently had at my disposal. The massive 2967cc V6 engine comes fitted with a common-rail injection system that is capable of developing 1800 bar and injection is via piezo injectors.

Further to that, it boasts of a VTG turbocharger and intercooler. It is an impressive amount of kit but what really matters are the 245 horses that it delivers between 4000 and 4500rpm and the solid 580Nm of torque on tap between 1400 and 3250rpm. Ensuring that you get the best out of this engine is the 7-speed S tronic transmission with electrohydraulic control. Such is the lugging power of this beast that you can't help but display a slightly evil grin as you shift into drive and unleash this machine.

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