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Volume 8 | Issue 009 | April 2013

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` 100.00JEEP MAHINDRA REVA e2o NISSAN SUNNY AT

50 YEARS OF PORSCHE

TESTED

FERRARI LaFERRARIvs McLAREN P1

SUPERCAR SPECIAL

1537 PS SUPECAR WAR!

NEW PORSCHE 911 MEETS1965 PORSCHE 911

AUDI R8 V10 & PORSCHE 911

CARRERA 4S

HYUNDAI’S i20-BASED COMPACT SEDAN UNVEILEDINDIA-BOUNDFEATURE: HOTTEST CARS AT GENEVA MOTOR SHOW 2013

CAR INDIA EXCLUSIVE

PUBLISHING

4

CONTENTS APRIL 2013T H I S M O N T H ’ S S T O R I E S A T A G L A N C E

APRIL 2013CAR INDIA www.carindia.in

8 9

BULLETIN ALL THE AUTOMOTIVE NEWS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE THIS MONTH

APRIL 2013 APRIL 2013CAR INDIA CAR INDIAwww.carindia.in www.carindia.in

ARE HYUNDAI PREPARING AN ACCENT REPLACEMENT?

IT WAS EXACTLY A YEAR AGO THATCar India broke the news that Hyundai were developing a compact sedan based on the i20 premium hatchback platform for developing countries like India and other BRIC countries. And, as if right on cue, the Korean car manufacturer’s Brazilian arm has unveiled just what we had predicted.

platform, called HB20 (Hyundai Brazil-20), created on the Hyundai i20 platform. Upon this is based the popular HB20 hatchback, which won the 2013 Brazilian Car of the Year Award. However, what caught our attention is that the company recently unveiled the HB20S, a compact sedan based on the same platform.

This new sedan is 4,200 mm long with 2,500 mm of wheelbase and offers good luggage space of 450 litres. Following the Fluidic design the i20-sedan continues to

and aesthetic design. Poised as a premium offering, the HB20S is priced at about Rs 10.95 lakh onwards in Brazil.

Meanwhile, back in India, company

discontinuing the Accent sedan and are secretly developing an entry-level sedan to compete in this segment. If so, then the HB20S would be the most obvious choice for

Fluidic perfectly. When it comes to our

1.2-litre or 1.4-litre petrol engine and the 1.4-litre diesel engine found in the i20 hatchback.

With growing competition in this segment following the introduction of the Honda Amaze, apart from the established models like the Maruti Suzuki DZire and Toyota Etios, we can be sure of it being launched at

some surprise crackers from the Hyundai stable? We’re pretty sure the Koreans have something up their sleeve.

Company’s Brazilian arm has introduced the HB20S, a compact sedan based on the i20 platform

Bull’s-eye! We broke the news of Hyundai’s plan to

launch an i20-based sedan in April last year

CI

SCOOP! HYUNDAI i20 SEDANCar IndiaExclusive

COVERFEATURE

COVERFEATURE

THE GO-AN YWHERE

SUPERCARStory: Sarmad Kadiri

Photography: Sanjay Raikar

With power fed to all the four wheels, the über

practical Porsche Carrera 4S is a worthy companion

within city, on the highway or on a racetrack

PORSCHE 911 CARRERA 4SROAD TEST

62 CAR INDIA APRIL 2013

63CAR INDIA

www.carindia.inwww.carindia.in

APRIL 2013

3/26/2013 11:28:01 AM

FIRST DRIVES38 JEEP WRANGLER & GRAND CHEROKEE The American marque is

poised for a re-entry into India. We drive both in Austin, Texas42 MAHINDRA REVA e2o With rising fuel prices, the electric

vehicle, e2o, could prove a viable alternative46 TOYOTA ETIOS We check out the Etios compact sedan and Liva

hatchback, which now come with many new features48 NISSAN SUNNY CVT The sedan gets a continuously variable

transmission gearbox. We drive it to experience the difference

FEATURES33 BOOK REVIEW Bob Rupani’s coffe-table book India’s 100

Best Destinations showcases our country as never before36 INSIDE INDUSTRY The Union Budget 2013 and also a look at

the automobile norms to come into force from 201550 50 YEARS OF PORSCHE The Greatest Car Of The

Last 50 Years78 LaFERRARI vs McLAREN P1 The McLaren P1 and Ferrari

LaFerrari take Formula One’s tech war to the street90 TRAVELOGUE We go for an exciting excursion with

Audi’s Q family96 GENEVA MOTOR SHOW Vignettes from this annual motor

show in Switzerland108 TATA FULL THROTTLE Car India recently drove through

Gujarat in a Tata Safari Storme under the auspices of Tata Motors’ ‘Full Throttle’

112 HYUNDAI i-Drive India We participate in the southern leg of this as part of the 9,000-kilometre-long cross country drive

116 VALLEY RUN A brief report on the first-ever international drag race, Valley Run 2013, held near Pune

118 VINTAGE & CLASSIC CAR RALLY A blast from the past as Audi showcased iconic cars at the 15th Vintage and Classic Car Rally in Jaipur

REGULARS8 BULLETIN All the latest happenings in the automotive

world to bring you abreast of the scene26 EMISSION ZERO As manufacturers offer more biogas engines

on production car models, we take a closer look at their feasibility

28 TECHNO BIBLE Basic terms used in the automotive world to add to your knowledge

30 INTERACTIVE Just the right platform for your comments, opinions, queries and compliments

32 ICE COOL Mega Audio’s latest Android-based AVN and entertainment system for your car

34 CAR CARE A few simple ways to ensure you don’t have to deal with the worst of the summer

127 THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY We do the homework for you to make your choice that much easier

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ROAD TESTS62 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA 4S This all-wheel-driven sports car is a

worthy companion within city and even on a racetrack70 Audi R8 V10 We drive the refreshed Audi R8 V10 Coupé in

India and are still reeling under the mind-boggling experience

MOTOR SPORT122 F1, WRC and other motor sport action

78

COVERFEATURE

BEAT THESUMMER HEAT

Summer is here. While it leaves you sweating a lot, it also has your car feeling the heat. Here are a few simple ways to ensure

you don’t have to deal with the worst of itStory: Jim Gorde

1 PARKING

3 AIR OUT

Avoid parking in direct sunlight. Unless it is a short stop-over to pick up a few

things, it’s better to park in the shade even if it means walking a few metres further.

If you have no choice but to park your car in the sun for the rest of the day, use a body cover (barring instances when parked on a public road of course). This reduces the heat build-up inside the car and also helps extend the life of the paintwork. At the very least, cover the windscreen if the dashboard is exposed to direct sunlight. This is because the finishing material used on the dashboard, whether plastic or faux leather, tends to get hard and develop cracks over time.

Do you need to use your car after it was parked in the sun for a while? The plastic and treatment material used on the dashboard and other parts of the interior have been found to have carcinogenic properties when exposed to heat over a long period of time. Rather than getting in and using the air-conditioner right away, lower the windows or open the doors for a few minutes to air out the car before you set off.

THE CAR

2 KEEP YOUR CAR COVERED

CAR CAREFEATURE

34 CAR INDIA APRIL 2013 www.carindia.in

Jeep, a marque very familiar to Indians for generations, is poised for a re-entry. We drove both the Grand Cherokee and Wrangler in Austin, Texas, recently

COMEBACK OF AN ICONIC MARQUE

Story: Aspi BhathenaPhotography: Aspi Bhathena & Jeep

JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE AND WRANGLERFIRST DRIVE

38 CAR INDIA APRIL 2013 www.carindia.in

THE WELL-KNOWN Jeep brand is all set to re-enter India after more than 60 years, this time with FIAT. The brand was so strong in India that all

off-road vehicles were referred to as ‘Jeeps’ regardless of the actual manufacturer. Even today the best-selling Indian SUV, Mahindra Bolero, is an offshoot of the Willys Jeep.

Last month we were in Austin, Texas, to drive some of the Jeep models due to be launched in India. The company proposes to start its Indian operations with the launch of the Grand Cherokee and the classic Wrangler in both the short wheelbase, two doors and long wheelbase, four doors versions.

The Grand Cherokee possesses considerable road presence thanks to its bold and muscular stance. Its upper grille is shorter than its predecessor’s and the slimmer headlamps with LED daytime running lights along with the low front fascia and the slightly elevated fog-lights are now more pronounced in the front end design. The Grand Cherokee retains Jeep’s seven-slot grille and the trapezoidal wheel-

arches. The rear end goes well with the muscular front, giving the big SUV good proportions. The large LED tail-lamps complement the LED lights at the front.

The quality of the interior and equipment is on a par with the best from Europe and there is plenty of space for the driver and the passengers. The NVH level inside the cabin is very good, for it keeps out all the road and wind noise.

Our drive from Austin to the off-road course consisted of a little over 160 kilometres through the countryside that included highways and a few narrow county roads. It is always difficult to gauge the ride quality of a new vehicle when you drive in Europe or the US, since most roads there have surfaces like a billiards table. The county roads were somewhat like the roads back home and the ride quality of the big SUV was quite exceptional on this rough and undulating surface.

The 2014 Grand Cherokee slated to come to India will have only one engine option: the three-litre Eco Diesel. This diesel motor produces an impressive 243 PS at 3,600 revolutions per minute and hefty 569 Nm of torque at 2,000 RPM. The

39CAR INDIAwww.carindia.in APRIL 2013

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt Ltd recently launched an updated Etios Liva with added goodies and that youth appeal which is clearly seen in its new

brand campaign with cricketer Virat Kohli

YOUTHFUL UPDATE

Story: Sayem Parvez Syed Photography: Rommel Albuquerque

WHEN TOYOTA LAUNCHED the Etios Liva hatchback a

couple of years ago, it was said to be an offering targeted at the youth as well as those young at heart. Now, in 2013, the company has launched an updated Etios Liva and given it an even more youthful and refreshed appearance.

To begin with, the new Etios Liva looks quite a stunner as compared to its previous avatar. The front end now sports a re-designed grille with chrome finish, while the rear end has new combination lamps with a distinct fin pattern, which give it a sharp look. Even the side mirrors house new turn indicators, which add a certain touch of bling. Additional attraction comes from the new Liva’s sportier stance and a new colour – grey.

The treatment has been carried into the car’s interior as well. The new two-tone interior, stylish

textured board, ash brown colour and soft fabric give the Etios Liva a classy appeal. For music-lovers there is a new 2-Din audio with Bluetooth, USB, Aux-In and remote. The combimeter is illuminated with blue lights to give it the race car effect. Height-adjusted driver seat, new comfortable rear seats and a new air-conditioner control panel all make the 2013 Liva a bang-for-your-buck offering.

The new 1.2-litre Etios Liva hatch is available in five petrol variants – V SP, V, G SP, G, J – and three diesel variants – GD SP, GD, JD – in the price range of Rs 4.46 lakh to 5.99 lakh (petrol) and Rs 5.72 lakh to Rs 6.38 lakh (diesel). Toyota Kirloskar have also introduced a much sportier variant of the hatch, Liva TRD Sportivo, which comes equipped with the Etios’ 1.5-litre petrol and is priced at Rs 6.13 lakh (all prices ex-showroom, New Delhi).

New turn indicators on the side mirrors give the Liva a trendy look

Wood finished panelling on the Liva makes this hatchback more appealing as compared to its rivals

47CAR INDIAwww.carindia.in APRIL 2013