158 automan october issue 2014


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COVER STORY

24-29 2015 AUDI TT/TTS

30-35 2015 NISSAN X-TRAIL

OMAN AND REGIONAL NEWS

6-10 2015 NISSAN X-TRAIL REGIONAL AND

DEALER LAUNCH, 2015 FERRARI CALIFORNIA

T, 2015 ROLLS-ROYCE GHOST SERIES II, 2015

INFINITI QX70 ELITE SPORT, PORSCHE LIFESTYLE

COLLECTION, KYOTO PRODUCTS INTRODUCED

IN OMAN BY SUHAIL BAHAWAN AUTOMOBILES

& SNIPPETS

EXCLUSIVE WORLD PREMIERE

14-17 2015 JAGUAR XE

BRANDWATCH

12-18 FERRARI PRESIDENT MONTEZEMELO

QUITS, CADILLAC TO CHANGE NAMING SYSTEM

, 2015 VOLVO XC90 FIRST EDITION SOLD OUT!

GEELY TEASES NEW SEDAN, SPECIAL GT-R

DOWNLOAD FOR GT ACADEMY ENTRANTS,

NEW GM CEO UPBEAT ABOUT INDIA, GMC

SIERRA’S NEW DRESS CODE: CARBON EDITION,

MERCEDES-BENZ TO OPTIMIZE PLATFORM

MANAGEMENT, NEW JAGUAR HERITAGEWORKSHOP OPENS IN UK, NEW NISSAN DESIGN

STUDIO IN BRAZIL, ANDY PALMER QUITS NISSAN

TO JOIN ASTON MARTIN AS CEO

INTERNATIONAL NEWS SPOTLIGHT

20-23 2014 PARIS MOTOR SHOW CURTAIN

RAISER,TOP TEN ICONIC CARS AT GOODWOOD

REVIVAL 2014, SIR JACKY STEWART HONOURED,

CLASSIC JAGUARS AT LE MANS PARADE

FIRST DRIVES

36-41 2015 HYUNDAI SONATA

42-45 2015 HONDA ACCORD

46-49 2014 GEELY EMGRAND X7

50-53 2015 VW BEETLE

54-57 2015 INFINITI Q50

RANDOM PICK

58-59 2015 CHRYSLER 300C

PREVIEWS

60-63 JAGUAR XE

64-66 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SPORT

68-69 BMW 2 SERIES ACTIVE TOURER

70-71 TOYOTA CAMRY

72-73 KIA SORENTO

74-75 MAZDA MX-5

MOTORSPORTS

76-79 F1 SINGAPORE GP RACE REPORT,

REGIONAL MOTORSPORTS, KTM RETURNS IN THE

REGION

CHICANE

80 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN BRANDS HAVE TO

FACE PRODUCT FAILURES? OUR EDITOR LOOKS

BEYOND THE IPHONE 6 SAGA

24

COVERSTORY |

2015 Audi TTThird generation all-new sports coupe has aspirited story to tell

142015 Jaguar XENo expenses spared in the year’s mostimpressive global unveil in London

36 50

NEXT ISSUE

2015 GEN IIPORSCHE CAYENNE

74

30


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September has been extraordinarily busy. Historically it tends to be quite hectic, what wit h

the advent of the new model year across Europe and the end of the summer break. After

switching off and relaxing for August (something we haven’t yet mastered here in Oman

despite the skyrocketing temperatures) the new roll-outs make sure that everyone is alert

for the mayhem of the year end.

Motorshow season has also kicked in – with the biennial Paris show leading off. This year

we expect some interesting debuts, especially from the French manufacturers who have

had a rather tough time recently. Peugeot is the one we really worry about, does its have

the long-term strategy and holding power to go truly global and self-sufcient.

Jaguar has in the meantime brought out its smaller XE sedan against the backdrop of

London and its cultural icons. Our team were there for the global unveil of a car that is set

to reset the entry point into the brand. At the same time, we you have to remember that

the XE isn’t the endgame there – we have indicated a couple of years ago that both the

XE and XD would come in and we will have to see how much smaller they can make the

platform to accommodate the new entry point.

In the meantime aluminium is making further inroads into production processes around

the world, largely as a result of stable prices and better production techniques. We are

seeing it in the XE, the new TT (where almost all the hang-on parts are in the white metal)

the star of this month’s cover and many other cars that are placed in the twenty ve

thousand dollar plus category.

Unfortunately both the interesting 2+2 cars that we feature this month are above that

price bracket – the TT and the Beetle have their own unique takes on the Volkswagen

group’s MQB platform and both weave their magic with variously boosted 2.0-litre inline

4-cylinder engines. After a certain point, you really stop thinking of them as too dissimilar,

that is until you get in the TTS and let loose.

But enough of reminiscing about great drives we’ve had. Keep your eyes open over the

next few months of 2014 as manufacturers rush to squeeze in their 2015 model year cars

into the market before the New Year. We have a good clutch of models in the pipeline.

DITOR-IN-CHIEFohammad Al Taie

L ROYA PRESS & PUBLISHING

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5/42

Muscat’s Grand Hyatt hotel played hostto an entertainment lled media-cum-customer event for the launch of theRolls-Royce Ghost Series II. Clad in a subtlere-design, the owing ‘yacht lines’ andpowerful anks hint at the car’s inherentdynamism, whilst traditional Rolls-RoyceDNA is expressed in the elevated prow,large uninterrupted surfaces, long bonnetand short overhang. Re-sculpted headlampswith unbroken daytime running lights

framing give the car its distinct visualsignature from the front. New surprisefeature is the optional monogrammedstainless-steel fuel-ller cap.

olls-Royce Ghost Series II

The rst all-new turbocharged mofrom the Prancing Horse brand, thCalifornia T was introduced at Al Fbranded showroom in Muscat. It brimming with innovation that withan meet the expectations of disclients for whom fun behind the wis a priority, but who also demandsumptuously comfortable Grand Tthey can use every day. The Califois a brilliant expression of Ferrari’sDNA, while its retractable hard top2+ conguration amongst other femake it supremely versatile.

Ferrari Califo

While Nissan Middle East was

busy with the regional launch of

the new X-Trail in Salalah, Oman,

regional dealers were busy with their

respective market introductions.

Arabian Automobiles, ocially

launched the new X-Trail onSeptember 18, a day after the Oman

dealer reveal in Dubai. The new Nissan

X-Trail has been designed to excel in

the areas that crossover buyers desire

most – progressive exterior styling,

interior exibility and roominess,

safety features, and outstanding

performance. In UAE, it will be oered

from AED 78,000. The vehicle is now

available across most Middle East

showrooms. See rst drive impressions

in this issue of Automan.

Nissan X-Trail

Raj Kumar Karuppusamy - Director of Aftersales

and Trading at Arabian Automobiles, Michel Ayat – CEO Arabian Automobiles, Salah Yamout– Director of Sales and Marketing Arabian

Automobiles at the UAE launch of the X-Trail

Middle East has introduced theInniti QX70S Elite Sport in the regionwhich combines sports-car style andperformance with SUV stance andtoughness. The all-wheel-drive car ispowered by a 329hp 3.7-litre V6 petrolengine. And as part of a social mediacompetition, participants at the launchevent in Kuwait and fans on Facebookwere encouraged to demonstrate theirjournalism skills and record their reviewsabout the QX70S Elite Sport.

Infniti QX 70

New accessories from

Porsche Driver’s Selec

rangeThe 2014 Porsche Driver’s Selectiohas been further expanded and coto reect the functional, timeless purist designs that Porsche innovare known for. Porsche Driver’s Seproducts are available at the PorscCentres located in Dubai, Sharjah aFujairah or at www.porsche.com/

The bestselling Unisex Aviator sunglasses from the Martini Racing Collection with anti-reflective coating, AED862. Porsche Driver’s Selection h

expanded its Masterpieces C

with an exclusive rim wall c all products in the collection clock is also made from a ge sports car part: a 20-inch P911 turbo rim. The clock is

Germany.

Porsche’s number one fan unisex motif white t-shirt, based on an original 1989 poster, AED199.

The new Steve McQueen royalblue baseball cap featuring the legendary actor’s autograph, AED179.

Popular Martini Racing flip flops with the Porsche logo embossed on

sole, AED255.

Suhail Bahwan

Automobiles introduces

Kyoto branded productsKyoto Japan Tyre Group will berepresented by Oman-based SuhailBahwan Automobiles. Last month, theJapanese brand unveiled their exclusiverange of tyres, sealed maintenance-freeautomotive batteries and professionallubricants. Kyoto Japan produces a fullrange of radial and high performancetyres, including truck and bus, lighttruck, 4×4, SUV, passenger, o-the-road,mining and other specialty tyres, as wellas a family of maintenance-free batteriesmade in Italy. It also has a full range ofspecialty lubricants made in Holland andprofessional performance additives madein France.

Hussam Baghdadi, General Manager ArabianAutomobiles Inniti presents winner Ahmad Kaboulwith the key to a brand new Inniti Q50 3.5L Hybrid

www.automan.me | OCT 2014 OCT 2014 | www.autom


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The signs of a crack in professionalrelationship have been obvious over thepast six months and its was becoming cleareach day that all was not so well at thetop executive end at Ferrari. Last month,the nal straw broke and Luca Cordero diMontezemolo eectively put an end to his23-year career with the Prancing Horse,stepping down as chairman of Ferrari.It may be recalled that Montezemolo wasappointed as President of Ferrari in 1991by Fiat Chairman Gianni Agnelli after thecompany started to struggle nding its wayforward following Enzo Ferrari’s death in1988.Montezemolo strongly believed in thebrand’s exclusivity and capped productionof Ferrari’s production output to 7,000 units.During his tenure, he was able to transformFerrari into a highly protable enterprisebesides achieving immense success inmotorsports. Montezemolo capably justied

Agnelli’s decision by winning the Formula 1Championship again nine years later aftera 21-year cold streak. Scuderia Ferrari tookve consecutive F1 titles with MichaelSchumacher while the brand’s revenue wentup tenfold and sales more than tripled.

Ferrari president quits

New CEO for Aston Martin appointed

Despite these achievements, thingsstarted souring after Montezemoloreported clashed with Fiat ChryslerCEO Sergio Marchionne over issues– including Ferrari’s future business

strategy. Marchionne wants to convertthe Prancing Horse into a luxurybrand that can compete more withLamborghini in terms of sales and bemore involved with Fiat Chrysler’sproducts and technologies as opposed

to being mostly independent as itoday. With Montezemolo’s depaSergio Marchionne steps into the“Discussions over Ferrari’s futureracing potential led to misunders

which became clearly visible oveto thank Luca for all he has done for Ferrari and for me personally,Marchionne. “Ferrari is now Amewhich represents the end of an eMontezemolo.

British sports car maker Aston Martin hasbeen sort of headless since Dr Ulrich Bezstepped down from the chief executiveoce at the end of last year. Bez currentlyserves as non-executive chairman in asemi-retired ambassadorial capacity. Nowthe top vacancy has been lled with thearrival of Briton Andrew Palmer. Palmeris an old hand from Nissan-RenaultAlliance where he has served for over twodecades. Most recently he was servingas executive vice president of the entiregroup and was also chairman of the Inniti

brand. Palmer follows the footstepsof Carlos Tavares, who recently leftRenault to run Peugeot, and joins AstonMartin as its new CEO. Palmer started hisprofessional career in 1979 aged 16, asan apprentice at Automotive ProductsLimited (UK). In 1986 he joined AustinRover to eventually become Transmissions

Chief Engineer of Rover Group. Pajoined Nissan in 1991 and was baseJapan for the past 13 years.It may be recalled that Aston Marhad announced in May that it wasinvesting £500m into the compangeneration of high-performance cexpanding its manufacturing faciliin Gaydon, Warwickshire. This compart of its long-term strategy to bethe number-one British luxury spobrand. Part of this strategy involvpartnership forged in December la

with Daimler AG, which for now insupply of V8 engines from Mercedbut will extend to electric and elecomponents and, potentially, couto vehicle development as the two“investigate additional areas of cooperation in the future”.

Nissan’s loss is Aston Martin’s gain. Palmer returns to Britain to lead the hallowed sports-luxury marque after 13 yeain Japan and more than two decades with Nissan. The 51-year-old executive held global responsibility for sales, prodand corporate planning, programme management, market intelligence, marketing communications, vehicle informatechnology and, importantly in the context of the Aston appointment, the Inniti luxury brand.

But in spite of the Ferrari F1 team’s lackluster performance in 2014 season, Montezemolo’s successes at Ferare indisputable. During his time the brand has boosted revenue tenfold and more than tripled their sales. Iremains one of the most valuable brands in the world.

A u t o m a n ’ s

t a k e

Automan’s

take

Automan’s

take

ew GM CEO upbeat about Indianeral Motors CEO Mary Barra recentlycluded a three-day fact-nding visit toa. As part of the high-prole visit Msra also met with Indian Prime Ministerendra Modi and key stakeholders

oughout the country. “India representseat opportunity for Chevrolet,” Barra

d. “With a relatively small vehiclepulation and rapidly growing, young

dle class, India is expected to become of the world’s three largest markets

2020. Ms Barra was accompanied bySolso, non-executive chairman of theBoard of Directors; Stefan Jacoby,cutive vice president and president,International; Chuck Stevens, GMcutive vice president and chief nancialcer; and, Arvind Saxena, GM Indiasident and managing director, visitedfacilities and met with employees,pliers and government leaders.

M is working to better understandIndian market so we can give Indian

customers what they deserve – safe, high-quality Chevrolet vehicles with exceptionaldesigns that exceed expectations.” GMhas invested about $1 billion in India todate. Its Talegaon and Halol facilities canproduce more than 280,000 vehicles peryear. The GM Technical Center-India iscarrying out local and global engineeringprojects, and GM India’s growing lineup

of Chevrolet models is sold through thecompany’s nationwide dealer network.During her visit to the Talegaonmanufacturing facility in Pune, Barraparticipated in the celebration of theproduction of the rst Chevrolet vehicle, abright red Beat for export. Vehicles initiallywill be exported to Chile starting later thisyear. “GM remains open to the long-termprospects for India and its automotiveindustry,” said Jacoby. “However, weare going in with our eyes wide open toensure that our investment is good forIndia and good for General Motors.”

Mary Barra was appointed CEOto replace Dan Akerson andshe began her new job on Jan15, 2014. Barra is expected tosuccessfully lead the company

that has made nearly $20bndollars since emerging out ofbankruptcy in 2010. Because of hervast experience and leadership asSenior Vice President, GM was ableto gain traction from the cars andtrucks she helped developed. Eventhough GM has done well, Barrawill face a challenge in winningover buyers from the internationalmarkets such as India and SouthAmerica.



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Johan deNysschen,the ex-

Inniti executiveand newpresident ofCadillac seems

refer changing a vehicle’s namingmenclature for apparently commercial

sons. At Inniti, Nysschen renamedt luxury brand’s line-up, each beginningh Q or QX and now he wants to do the

me for GM’s luxury brand Cadillac.schen recommends the brand’s newship model to abandon the familiar

ee-letter designation which is currentlyoyed by every other model in the rangecalade is the exception) and adopt anha-numeric title instead. As a resulthis move, the soon-to-arrive LTS,illac’s top-end model will henceforth

known as the CT6.ording to Cadillac’s press release,

What’s in a name?Cadillac to change naming system

“familiar lettering like ‘CT’ would beused for car models, with the numberindicating the relative size and positionof the cars in the hierarchy of Cadillacmodels.” “As we expand the portfolio, wecan assist consumers in placing the carswithin a structure, as they compare carsboth within our showroom and across

the market generally,” explained UweEllinghaus, Cadillac’s chief marketingocer.However, industry watchers particularlyin the US, aren’t too impressed withthis measure. AutoTrader.com senioranalyst and US auto industry expertMichelle Krebs says: “Really will renamingcars make a dierence? I don’t think

so. Lincoln’s MK naming system totallyconfuses people. I think what’s happeningis Johan is shaking things up to make itclear there’s a new guy in charge andthings are changing. We’ll see if thechanges are eective.”On a cautionary note, Ellinghaus adds:“However, this will be an evolutionaryprocess – we will only change a product’sname when the product itself isredesigned or an all-new model is created,as in this instance.” This also means thatthe ATS, CTS and XTS likely won’t berenamed for a few years.

I had a really interestingconversation with thenew Cadillac marketingmanager. I think he’s gotthe right idea and as I toldhim before, I’ve heard thisall before … the need forconsistency and continuityfor Cadillac. They got astart with Art & Sciencein the late ‘90s but thenshifted gears. Again. Andhe acknowledges this is a10-year journey. Let’s seeif they stay the course

MichelleKrebs

Senior Analyst, AutoTrader.com

Director, Automotive Relations,

Cox Automotive

Expert Opinion

www.automan.me | OCT 2014


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J a g u a r l i g h t e d

u p L o n d o n t o m

a r k t h e

u n v e i l i n g o f t h e n e w J

a g u a r 2 0 1 5 X E,

i t s s m a l l e s t s e

d a n. A u t o m a n w i t n e s s

e d

t h e y e a r ’ s m o s

t e l a b o r a t e c a

r l a u n c h

i n t h e U n i t e d K i

n g d o m l a s t m o

n t h.

A u t h o r : C

h a n d a n

B M a l l i k

It had all the trappings of aHollywood ick -- action and dramain the form of new Jaguar car

dramatically delivered to Earls Courtby helicopter and high-speed landingcraft down the Thames, then escortedby 1960’s Mark II Jaguar Police cars,celebrity stage performances in atwo-hour musical extravaganza to anaudience of 3,000 invitees from aroundthe world. Touted as the car launch ofthe year, it wasn’t just a multimillionpound splurge on techno-creativity,but a clear message of how India’sTata Motors-owned Jaguar is movingforward with its ambitious volumeprogramme with the all-new 2015 XE, itsnewest smallest sedan till date.On the morning of the unveil, selectedmedia were invited for a detailedtechnical brief about the car whichinclude details about its architecture,powertrains and connectivity featuresthat will be initially oered at launch

and also some details about theinvestments made for this project.By any measure £2.0bn is quite a sumthese days which Jaguar has investedfor this key project and also includesa brand new engine manufacturingfacility in the UK. The new factory willproduce the state-of-the-art Ingeniumfamily of highly ecient four-cylinderturbocharged petrol and diesel enginesfor the XE.The XE will be available in early 2015is destined to become Jaguar’s globalvolume entry ticket in the entry luxury

segment with a modest sticker priceof £27,000.00 [approximately OMR16,769.00] for the UK market. With suchaordability, Jaguar is directly targetingthe sports sedan segment with the XErange, which is currently dominated bythe three German brands namely Audi,BMW and Mercedes-Benz besides someAsian brands.Earls Court, one of London’s famousexhibition centres has witnessed thelaunch of at least 14 Jaguar cars in itschequered history since 1935 and itwas also a betting venue for the XEunveil. Outside, there was a ‘wordcloud sculpture’ of the XE which Jaguardesign has collaborated with a rangeof creative experts across the eldsof computer aided design, graphicartwork, stage design and metal workto design a word cloud representationof the new XE consisting of 95 wordsusing seven languages including French,German, Spanish, Italian, English,

Russian and Mandarin.Inside, the venue was an impressivedisplay of ten heritage models – rangingfrom the ubiquitous 2.5-litre SS100,3.8-litre Mark II sedan, XK120 opentop two-seater, 3.8-litre E-Type SeriesI, 4.2-litre XJS TWR racing car amongother historic machines.Actor John Hannah narrated throughthe stage performances Jaguar’s past,present and future, while croonerEmeli Sandé premiered her crowdsourced Jaguar FEEL XE track ‘FeelsLike’, performing live from the middle



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of the Thames as well at the venue. Otherperformers included The Kaiser Chiefs,Eliza Doolittle and members from theRoyal Ballet.Stars spotted in the audience includedStella McCartney, David Gandy, JoséMourinho, Laura Whitmore, RubenCortada, Sam Riley, Sienna Guillory, SteveRedgrave, Brian Johnson, Gary Lineker andSir Stirling Moss.After the dramatic entry, Jaguar’s designdirector Ian Callum presented the newcar to the audience and described it as a“breakthrough moment and an attainableJaguar.” “The XE will take the brand to awhole new group of customers around theworld. Customers who want performance,customers who love driving, and of coursecustomers who want eciency,” saidCallum.

London’s famous

exhibition venue, Earls

Court was chosen for

Jaguar’s official launch

party, where the new

XE sedan arrived via

a helicopter trip over

the British capital, a

Thames barge river

trip and with a 1960s

Jaguar Mark II police

car escort

At launch, two variants will be on oer. ForEurope and other diesel driven markets,the XE will be available with a newturbocharged 2.0-litre diesel four-cylindercapable of producing 161 hp and 289 Lbs-ft of torque. It will also be the cleanestcar from Jaguar with exhaust CO2 levelsof 99gm/km and superb fuel eciency.With this new family of diesel engines, interms of eciency, the XE already has theedge over Audi’s A4 2.0 TDI (4.8L/100km)and BMW’s 320d (4.5L/100km).For petroldominated markets like the Middle East,the agship XE S will be oered with the3.0-litre V6 from the F-Type. As expected,this variant will get the ‘S’ badging and willhave performance capabilities to matchmodels like BMW’s 335i or the Audi S4.Common to all XE variants will be a revisedversion of the ZF eight-speed automatictransmission, while diesels models will bealso be oered with a six-speed manualgearbox as an option. More details of theXE range powertrains will be revealed at

its rst ocial public outing at the Parismotor show this month.



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URTAIN RAISER 2014 PARIS MONDIALAs expected, global automakers havebeen busy teasing audiences withforthcoming production models andconcepts prior to this month’s elitemotorshow. Automan looks at someof the cars that are expected to grabheadlines in the French capital

The year 2014 actuallystarted o slow forthe motoring industry

and a urry of activity in thethird quarter seems to osetthe lack of pace. For the 2014edition of Paris Motor Show, anumber of highly anticipatedall-new production models areexpected to debut, including theMercedes AMG GT, Jaguar XE

and Fiat 500X. There’ll be a hostof next-generation reveals, too.Volvo’s latest XC90, Jaguar’snew XE sedan, the Gen II AudiR8 and the new Mazda MX-5are some of the key entries.We take a look at some of theautomotive teasers from last

month that were trickled in tobuild up the usual hype.

The French automaker is on a brandbuilding drive with particular focus on itsnewly created luxury DS sub brand. TheParis venue will serve as the platformfor the car maker to highlight how itplans to take this exercise forward.However, bits and pieces of informationwere being fed prior to Paris. Aheadof the public debut at the 2014 ParisMotor Show, Citroën unveiled theDivine DS Concept which is a compact4-door vehicle that was developedand designed at the company’s design

studio in Paris. The Divine DS combinesthe DS’ trademark exterior stylingcues and renement with a distinctiveinterior inspired by haute couture. Thecabin was developed with a particularfocus on customer personalization– referred to as ‘Hyper-typage’. Itfeatures three interchangeable interiorambiences, each with its own originaland unique style. The car is powered by270bhp 1.6-litre turbocharged direct-injection petrol engine.

Citroën

Inniti released rst images of the QX70S Design limited edition, a bespokemodel that will be oered in selectedEuropean markets with sales startingimmediately after the Paris MotorShow. The premium SUV comes with a

more luxury appearance thanks to thedark chrome, used for the radiator grille, foglights surrounds, side air vents, side sills andrear number plate surrounds. The S Designalso features a set of matching black 21inalloy wheels and smoked headl amps.

Infniti

SsangYong

Toyota

o years after the premiere of thelander Plug-in Hybrid Electric vehicle

he 2012 Paris Motor Show, Mitsubishitors Corporation (MMC) has chosenParis venue to unveil another PHEVdel – the Outlander PHEV Concept-S.concept is a special version of thelander PHEV production model and

es “Sporty and Sophisticated” astheme for its design. This expressesunique combination of spirited 4x4formance from its twin-motor PHEVtem, soothing and silent running, witherior on-road performance.

tsubishi

uki has been busy in its traditionalonghold markets like India where it has

introduced its all-new Ciaz sedan, themaker has planned the global premierets all-new ve door Vitara. The Vitararks the return of the famous badget used by Suzuki more than 25 years, also on a small SUV. The new Vitara

he production model based on the iV-4cept; which was rst exhibited at the

nkfurt Motor Show in 2013. The all-newra will be available with intelligent four

eel drive with petrol and diesel enginest oer low CO2 emissions as well asstanding fuel economy in the sector.

uzuki

SsangYong has announced it willunveil two near production readyconcepts, the XIV-Air and XIV-Adventure. Both concepts arebased on the brand’s development

philosophy of‘Robust, Specialtyand Premium’ and design theme of‘Nature born – 3 Motion’. The XIV(eXciting user-Interface Vehicle) isa B-segment SUV series that hasbeen already shown at previousinternational motor shows overthe past four years, the rst timebeginning at the IAA Frankfurt in2011. XIV-Air and XIV-Adventure arepowered by either a 1.6-litre gasolineor diesel engine that meet Euro 6emission standards.

Toyota will be among the manyautomakers with new wares to shahead of its ocial debut, Toyota teasing a new concept SUV calledC-HR. This would be Toyota’s rst in the ultra-compact SUV segmena boldly coupe styled concept whirepresents a signicant change in direction for the brand.

Italian supercar brand Lamborghialso been teasing a sleek car for PA glimpse at the white-on-black lindrawing that accompanied the teasuggested a fastback which coulda 2+2. Speculation is ripe that the is looking at the four-door segmenWhatever, the picture willbe clearer at the show on Day One

Peugeot will unveil a restyled, Europeanversion of the Exalt Concept which wasrst introduced at the Beijing Showin April. The restyled Exalt Conceptmaintains the distinctive body nish of theoriginal Exalt which was a combinationof bare metal and a shark skin-inspiredtexture. The tailgate now features anew pantograph openinh mechanism,which allows maximum openingwhile needing less space externally.It provides easy access to the HYbrid-

kick, an electric scooter stowed belowthe boot oor. The Exalt proportionsare dened by a low stance, with widetracks and powerfully rounded wheelarches. The surface treatment combinesat surfaces and straight-cut lines tobalance aggressiveness and softness. Thepowertrain is the same of the original ExaltConcept – a plug-in system combining a1.6-litre four-cylinder engine and an electricdrive system, with seven driving modesand a total output of 340hp.

Meanwhile, Peugeot has also revealed somedetails of the Quartz Concept crossoverSUV. For the brand, this concept is intendedto test water with a new vision for thecrossover segment at the 2014 Paris MotorShow. This next generation SUV blendsdazzling design with innovative materials.Like the Exalt Concept, the Quartz usesa plug-in hybrid drive train comprising a1.6-litre petrol engine supplemented by twoelectric motors.

Peugeot

For 2014, a numbeof highly anticipateall-new productionmodels are expecteto debut, includingthe Mercedes-Benz

AMG GT, Jaguar XEand Fiat 500X. Thewill be a host of negeneration reveals,too. Volvo’s latest

XC90, Jaguar ’s new XE sedan, the Gen Aud i R8 and the neMazda MX-5 are soof the key entries

Lamborghini



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The Good wood R e v i val

took place from 12-1 4

Sep tember, and as e xpec te

d

there was a mou th- wa ter in

g

selec t ion o f icon ic cars from

the 1 9 40s, 50s and 60s.

Au toman p ick s i ts Top 10

fa vour i tes from the man y

rare and legendar y cars

tha t were on d ispla y and in

ac t ion on the track .

Jaguar D-type – A staggering 20 D-types will be racing inthe Lavant Cup, with a record 33 examples parading onthe Goodwood circuit to celebrate 60 years of this iconicJaguar race-winning car.

The trend-setting Ford Mustang celebrates its 50thanniversary this year, and to capture the event, 18 exampleswill battle in a special Shelby Cup race, racing wheel-to-wheel with contemporary American muscle.

Sir Jackie Stewart’s 1969 F1 Championship-winning Matra-Cosworth MS80 will form part of a tribute to this versatileand talent Caledonian World Champion, along side FordEscorts, BRMs and Grand Prix Tyrrells.

‘The Versatile V8’ will be the theme for this year’s EarlCourt Concours display, including around 25 exceptioV8-powered passenger cars, including this pioneeringengined 1946 Tatra T87.

The wonderful 1959 Aston Martin DBR1 makes a welcomeracing return to Goodwood for the exciting Sussex Trophyrace.

Pre-War racing thrills are guaranteed on the GoodwoTrophy, with this thundering 1935 ERA A-Type R4Acompeting against other ERAs, Bugattis, Aston Martinother great 1930s racers.

Four racing examples of the lusty Ferrari 250 GT SWB/Cwill be competing in the ‘must see’ two-driver RoyalAutomobile Club TT Celebration race, along with otherdesirable and exceedingly valuable cars from Aston Martin,Jaguar, Lotus and others.

An ultra-rare 1953 Cunningham C4R will bring someAmerican glamour and excitement to this year’s FreddMarch Memorial Trophy race.

he Manx Norton is THE iconic British racing motorcycle. Anxample contested the Isle of Man TT from 1907 right througho the 1970s. A total of six will take part in the Barry Sheene

Memorial Trophy, named after Britain’s late t wo-time 500cc worldhampion. Included among them is an example of the legendaryfeatherbed’ chassis, to be raced by US legend Kevin Schwantz.

Maserati 250 F – The rare sight of 11 racing 250 Fs in theRichmond Trophy is set to stir the soul of any enthusiast,with a total of 16 examples parading to mark the rst 100

ears since the revered Maserati marque was founded.



13/42

Sir Jackie Stewart was honoured

as the Goodwood Revival paid

tribute to the three- time Formula

orld Champion. The stature of the

torsport luminaries, such as Sir Stirling

ss and John Surtees, present as 24

s from Sir Jackie’s career lined up on

grid, was testament to the regard

which he is held. Lord March recalled

w his grandfather, Freddie, ninth Duke

Richmond, had pointed out a young

kie Stewart to him as a future world

mpion.

ackie himself led the parade away in

rell 006, the Cosworth Ford-engined car

which he secured his 1973 title. Surtees

e chase in an ex-Team Surtees Lola T70

ilar that which Sir Jackie had driven

him in 1965. The variety that followedm indicated the Scot’s versatility and

way in which grand prix drivers of the

0s and 1970s would compete in more

n one race at an international event.

able was the Cooper-BMC Formula 3

chine in which Sir Jackie rst proved

himself during a test session here at

Goodwood in 1964. It was driven today by

his son Mark. Goodwood was a signicant

circuit during Stewart’s early career for he

was to become joint-lap record holder with

his fellow great Scot, Jim Clark in 1965.

Grand Prix winner Mark Weber was

among the other drivers, piloting the

Matra-Cosworth MS80 in which Sir Jackie

had won his rst F1 title in 1969. Richard

Attwood, Le Mans winner in 1970, was at

the wheel of a BRM similar to that with

which Sir Jackie took his rst F1 win, while

out on track was also the Lola-Ford with

which he led the Indy 500 as a ‘rookie’.

Ken Tyrrell, who was so signicant in

Sir Jackie Stewart’s career, was also

remembered as Adam drove the rst of his

grandfather’s Formula One creations.

Sir Jackie Stewart said: “The Goodwood

Revival’ is one of the great events of the

year and it’s a great honour to have this

kind of celebration put together by Lord

March. It was at Goodwood where I rst

drove a single-seater 50 years ago, and it

changed my career.”

The Jaguar D-type, a winner of the LeMans 24-hours three years in a row inthe 1950s, was celebrated on Saturday

he Goodwood Revival. Thirty examplesMalcolm Sayer’s memorable design tookt in a mouth-watering parade, the largesthering of such cars in history. Their

mbers included the former works cart won at Le Mans in 1955, driven by Mike

wthorn and Ivor Bueb, and the ex-Ecuriesse victor in 1957, a year in which D-types

took ve of the top six places there.Jaguar’s insatiable test driver, NormanDewis, now in his nineties, was, in 1954, therst to drive a D-type, the prototype, OVC501. He showed his continuing enthusiasmby taking part in the parade. The car, stillowned by Jaguar, was another of theD-types present today.Many of the cars that had taken part in theparade then competed in a 25-minute race,held exclusively for D-types and their exoticroad going equivalents, the XKSSs. Thecontest, which included Le Mans winnersDerek Bell and Andy Wallace, was won byserial Goodwood victor Gary Pearson in his

1955 ‘long-nose’ version. “One of the mostbeautiful cars I have driven,” remarked Bell,who was racing a D-type for only the secondtime.Arguably, one of the most attractive racersever built, the aeronautically inspired D-typehelped cement Jaguar’s reputation as aleading sportscar manufacturer.Their iconic status makes them an idealmodel to be commemorated at Goodwood,a circuit where they competed in so manybattles during the 1950s. They will be backon Sunday to bring back memories of thosedays for the sell-out crowd.

IR JACKIE STEWARTONOURED

E MANS 24-HOURSAGUARS PARADED

www.automan.me | OCT 2014


14/42

Extraordinarily

PotenTT

udi’s third generation TT has been revealed to the world’sutomotive media at a drive event in Marbella. Does it havehat it takes to take itself to the next level?thor: Raj Warrior | Photographs: Supplied

The Audi TT has been one of the most

iconic cars for the brand. Yes, the R8

came in over its head and has now

become the halo car for the brand. But

it wasn’t always so – well before the RS

versions threw up the dust in our eyes in

was the role of the TT to communicate the

dierence of the brand. For you couldn’t

mistake it as any other car on the planet.

It admittedly had a bit of the roundness

of the reborn Beetle, as it had shades of

Toyota’s MR2 in it character. But which

other small 2+2 was it like?

Peter Schreyer’s iconic contribution,

the one that is best associated with the

designer, is on the 8N platform that was

spawned by J Mays from the Avus Quattro

concept. It was shown to the world as a

concept at the Frankfurt show of 1995

and carried the name TT, but launched as

a 1998-year car. The connect to a small,

quick handling environment is ensconced

in its name, paying homage to the Isle ofMan TT (Tourist Trophy). You would have

to be a bike rider or a lover of nimble

roadsters to understand – and the TT hit

that evocative chord immediately. Built

on the then Golf platform (the MkIV) it

had the provenance of a tight chassis

and quick changing manual gearbox. The

automatic transmission that joined it later

on was no ordinary one – it was the time

of the rst commercial application of

Audi’s quick shifting DSG and the Golf, A3

and TT all got it at roughly the same time.

The second generation grew up in a

way. Now using the group’s A5 platform,

under designer Walter D’Silva, the Typ

8J exhibited the maturity of Audi’s love

aair with aluminium (courtesy the A2 and

A8), with liberal use of the white metal to

reduce weight. The car was also longer

and wider than before.

Now, another 8 years later, it seems

almost matter of fact that we get the third

generation. So what is it to be? A further

growth over generation two? Or do we

get a car that better encapsulates thegenerational changes in powertrains and

control systems? Or will we remain oored

by the second gen TT-RS as the best mini

R8 around?

There is no escaping the allure that the

TT holds. Part of it is connected with the

shape and prole of the car – so much so

that there was a clear design directive to

connect back to generation 1 in terms of

identity. But take a look at the car and

the one name that comes across is the

R8 and to some extent the R18 e-tron

Quattro especially in the treatmen

headlights and taillights. But that

mean that the car hasn’t grown –

wheelbase has now gone up by 37

to 2505mm (for context remembe

the gen 1 wheelbase was 2422mm

an overall length of 4177mm. The

version that’s launched now has a

overall height of 1353mm – that m

the car look sleeker than ever bef

by sheer proportions. Add in the s

and you couldn’t ask for a more b

interpretation of Volkswagen’s ne

platform. (It’s labelled the Typ 8S)

For starters, the grille has about t

aggressive treatment yet on any A

Strong horizontal lines emphasise

while the clever use of signature L

piping and optional LED headlamp

the car instantly identiable. At th

the strong rear light arrangement

top of twin pipes that have been

in much closer (and on the TTS hasets of two outlets). We almost ex

to see the pipes in the centre, but

apparently the styling bosses pref

the oset. Anyway, the outlets co

a common plenum just ahead of th

Interior styling is also more aggres

There was reference to two aircra

elements to symbolise some sort

inherent speed – the oset cockp

behind a dashboard that Audi eng

think of as wing-like in shape and

conditioning nozzles look like min

engine nacelles. Actually they are

small –the larger surface area cou

useful in a larger volume sedan.

But the large circles also hide a go

new feature – the central boss on

the louvers now has a small digita

readout and toggle switch with ro

knob adjuster for various tempera

functions. And the three central u

have toggle switches between th

windscreen heater functions. In o

swoop this frees up a lot of the ce

console (especially with the large rising up to intersect).

To most ends, there is no centre c

anymore. The a/c controls are hive

o, and all that’s left is a series of

switches for traction control, haza

the like. So where is the entertain

and navigation console? Unlike th

Audi has eschewed the use of the

up or xed tablet format and now

moved all of these functions onto

instrument panel. Some of the co

piano switches are still there, bord



15/42

MMI selector. Here too you can get

er normal selector or one with the

ch interface on top.

the display acreage has all moved

t ahead. Now let’s see, where did we

ently see this? Ah yes the Lamborghini

acan has it. The idea is simple – if

really want a distilled driver’s car the

y way is to keep the driver’s attention

g ahead. This is done by using an

dia powered hi-res display in place

he IP, with a series of selectable

customisable display variants. By

gling through the list you can get

traditional speedo and tacho pairing

h a small multi-info area that shows

igation data or trip computer or even

sic tracks. Or you can get the two dials

all and all the other data in the lar ger

ce in between. Optionally, in sports

de or as standard in the TTS you can

rt o with a single large tach sitting in

nt of you. The beauty of the systemhat 95% of scenarios are taken care

by just scrolling through. If you really

nt to individualise – you can. Most of

instantly needed controls are on the

ering wheel and a bored passenger can

ip through the music choices with

some degree of visibility of the IP available

at the passenger end.

We’ve been calling this a 2+2, but as

everyone knows, you’ld only put an adult

in the rear if you really didn’t like them. In

the third gen you get a smidgen of extra

legroom but if you really want someone in

there, both the front seats still need to be

at a compromise.

But you stop thinking about the seats at

the rear when you are sitting in a TTS on

the Ascari track. While we drove both

variants up and down the village roads

around the track, the track itself is TTS

territory although we have a doubt that

the regular brakes weren’t quite up to

hard track use. The driving circuit featured

a lopped o section (which had all the

tight turns) kept aside for beauty shots

and video and we had to come in to the

laps on every round, to take instructions

and switch settings. One feels that this

was a devise to let the brakes cool down.However, taking the TTS out on the Ascari

(even a chopped up one) track can only

be beaten by taking the Huracan on the

Ascari. At least it seems like that to us,

having done both in a few months. Take

the chassis setting into sports mode and

you feel the magnetic setting of the car’s

suspension tighten up response and yes,

like one of their engineers said at the

presentation – “the car can drift” – if

you switch o the traction control and

say pretty please. Even without that you

never feel the latent understeer that the

previous generation had and the Quattro

is now so beautifully forgiving that you

can let the car slide, slip and recover in less

than a heartbeat.

In the region the TT will come with two

2.0-litre I4 TFSI engines – one for the stock

TT and one for the TTS. The TTS engine

gives 286bhp and a superb at torque

curve that peaks at 380Nm while the

smaller boost of the stock engine delivers

230bhp at a slightly smaller 370Nm of

torque. As you can see by the output

tuning of the turbos, the character of the

cars is spot on.

You have to remember too that at launch

the car is only oered as a coupé witha six-speed dual-clutch auto gearbox

(manual doesn’t come to the region).

We checked with the chassis experts

and conrmed that the main reason for

choosing the six-speed was its lower

weight. The nal car is around 20kgs

Using the Nvidia Tegra powered driver’s

display, the TT is able to tune itself to the

environment in which the driver nds

himself. For instance, when the car is

being used as a regular commuter and

the navigation has to take precedence,

the system allows you to present the map

as the primary element, complete with

google satellite overlay powered by your

3G or 4G connection.

For driving on roads that do not require

interaction with the map, you can put the

display back in the standard mode, where

both speed and engine rev are tracked.

At the very top end, as standard in

TTS and with the sport mode chas

setting in the normal TT, you can o

a tachometer centric display that p

everything else secondary.

However, everything can still be a

by the ick of a switch!

The main challenge in making the chassinteresting to drive was to lower the we

using Audi’s new generation quattro, m

controlled damping and the smallest usMQB platform.Weight-distribution is surprisingly neutthe use of high and ultra-high strength s

the cage has bettered the twist resistancan see, now the TT uses generous amoaluminium.The longer, wider and sleeker TT has a C0.29 that adds to its fuel-eciency.



16/42

A cult car, an icon - the rst-generationAudi TT designed by J Mays and workedon by Peter Shreyer was launched in theautumn of 1998. It took the sports Coupésegment by storm and sharpened thebrand prole.

The second generation of this successfulmodel was penned by Walter D’silva.It was even more dynamic than itspredecessor- in terms of its design, itsdrivetrain, and its running gear.

The third generation of the compasports car is again captivating, witemotional design and dynamic quVolkswagen Group chairman FerdPiëch—the Group’s nal arbiter ofstyle—insisted on keeping the reavisually close to those of the previgenerations.

lighter than before despite being bigger

in all departments. The manual geared

version is all of 50kgs lighter, but again we

won’t get that in the region.

Almost all hang on elements are now

aluminium, with the use of ultra-high

strength steels on the passenger cage.

Now the 3rd generation TT is certainly

more than a sum of its improvements. It

gets to 200 without a hiccup and you can

feel that it still has power left. Throw it

around a curve and unless you brake mid-

manoeuvre it tracks as if on rails. And you

get this brilliant combination of technical

tour-de-force and bad boy around town

attitude with the TTS that makes you want

to jump right in. What are we going to get

in the TT-RS this time?

The question remains moot till such time

that the TT reaches our shores. While

we had this fall of 2014 drive, the earliest

indications are for a regional launch

window that is rmly in the rst half of2015. And while the base price being

bandied around at the launch was Euro

35,000, we suspect that the car as specced

for the region will be a bit higher than

that. In any case, it will be a level costlier

than gen 2, but that shouldn’t surprise

you.

A new interior and a specialised need see

designers think outside the box with tings likeair-conditioning controls moving to the louvers,while MMI interface stays where it should. Thecentre console is almost instrument free.



17/42

2014 Nissan X-Trail

On a hot trail

The land of frankincense – Salalah,in Oman played host to the regionalintroduction of Nissan’s 2014 all-new third generation X-Trail SUV. Automan attended the two-day ride

and drive event last month Author: Chandan B Mallik

Photography: author and supplied

It’s been a trailblazing year for Nissanglobally and in the region with thebrand in an overdrive mode when

it comes to new or refreshed modelintroductions. The last of the mainstream

compact SUVs [we have discounted thelifestyle Juke and Murano as exceptions],the European avoured X-Trail was

overdue for its replacement in the

region. The outgoing global X-Trail wassuccessfully sold in Japan, Europe, Canada,Mexico, Malaysia, India, Taiwan, MiddleEast, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand,

New Zealand and Australia. The mainrivals of the new X-Trail in our region arethe Mazda CX-5, Toyota RAV4, SubaruForester, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage,Honda CR-V, Mitsubishi Outlander and

Chevrolet Captiva. The latter two only

oer a seven-seater conguration choice.Actually, from the Salalah productpresentation, several things about themodel’s USP and positioning were madeclear. The incoming X-Trail will serve to

replace its successor and also the Qashqai.The incomingmonocoque-bodied SUVis built on the Renault-Nissan Alliance’sall-new ‘Common Module Platform’

which has allowed signicant dimensionalchanges and addition of extra features likethe third row for instance.The X-Trail in Oman will be oered in two

separate variants - 5-seater and 7-seaterrespectively. The 5-seater comes with4x2 and 4x4 with only S Grades and the7-seater comes only in 4x4 that has threegrades comprising S, SV and SL.

Nissan’s design team was able to take full

advantage of the architecture’s lowheelbase and broader track anda result the new X-Trail is 5mm lonthan before at 4,640mm, 30mm wat 1,820mm, 10mm taller at 1710m

and 75mm longer in the wheelbas2,705mm. Ultra high strength steeaccounts for 49 per cent of the X-body construction, making the str

lighter and stronger than before.On the styling front, the biggest cis the design and prole. What usebe a SUV with rugged, squared o

has not only been given a strikingappearance, but also brought in liother members in the line-up like tredesigned Pathnder. It also seebe inspired to some extent by Niss

Cross concept car which was show



18/42

w years ago at the Geneva Motor Show.

s means that the new X-Trail combines

sleek and stylish lines of a modern

ssover with the concrete appeal of

pical SUV and highlighting Nissan’s

ssover design language among things

he visual emphasis on the wheel areas,

h oversized arches forming the bases

he design. Combined with a dipping

ine, deeply sculpted sheetmetal and

ng waistline and typical styling DNA, the

appears stylish and contemporary.

tting the exterior changes is the

erior. The transformation is genuinely

mmendable. None of the clumsy design

ments or the MPV-like placement of

rumentation is carried forward. It’s

ean sheet design that fast forwards

cabin into the 21st century with

temporary design and features. The

hboard has been designed to be as

ar and easy to navigate as possible, with

gently raised centre console housingh the infotainment system and the

tilation controls. The centre console

ses the latest NissanConnect system

h a seven-inch high-resolution screen

a host of smartphone connectivity

tures. Other touches include a large

ween-the-seats storage box big

ugh to take an iPad or 10in tablet and

ally impressive is the large powered

ss panoramic roof in the higher spec

tions. The increase in dimensions has

wed for seven seats [three rows] to

oered for the rst time in the X-Trail.

ides that, there’s more second-row

e room on seats that recline and slide

rear doors that open up at a wide

for easier loading of a child seat. The

ond and third rows follow theatre

angement and will split-fold 40:20:40.

car also has hidden oor storage and

ace-saver spare wheel. ISOFIX hooks

also tted. Build quality of this car is

y impressive by any measure in the

ok includes premium stitching, soft

ch surfaces and quality plastics. Fancy

hnology like lane departure warningvailable, and oered as option on

mand. Other optional features include

h-engine start, better entertainment

tem with more speakers, bigger alloy

eels, parking sensors and automatic air-

ditioning. Depending on trim level the

weighs between 1,340 – 1,400kg.

pending on markets, the X-Trail gets

oice of petrol and diesel engines.

dle East will continue with a carryover

mally-aspirated 2.5-litre engine.

wever, in this edition, the cogged

transmission of the outgoing model is

abandoned. And like most of Nissan’s

models, the new X-Trail migrates to

X-tronic CVT transmission. The engine

produces 170hp and 237Nm of torque.

As before, MacPherson struts are

employed up front while the rear is

supported by a multi-link design and the

SUV rides on 225/65 R17 tyres. Although

it is a crossover with X-tronic constant

variable transmission, the X-Trail has also

been armed with some teeth. In line with

user expectations from the previous

generation model, 4x4 versions of the car

get Nissan’s advanced electronic four-

wheel drive system called ALL MODE

4x4-i. It can be operated by the driver via

a rotary switch on the centre console and

oers a choice between two-wheel drive,

Auto mode or Lock oering permanent

four-wheel drive.

In the ‘default’ Auto mode, the system

constantly monitors throttle opening,engine speed and torque to anticipate

wheel spin and to distribute torque

between front and rear axles as needed,

at speeds of up to 80 km/h. In addition,

the all-new X-Trail benets from Hill Start

Assist. This uses the X-Trail’s ESP system

to detect when the vehicle is starting

on an incline. Other electronic driver

aids includes Active Ride Control which

monitors the road surface to detect

undulations which could potentially upset

the pitch of the car body and alters the

damping to compensate.

Standard safety features include driver

and passenger airbags, tire pressure

monitoring system, ABS brakes, electronic

brake distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA).

Driving impressions

The drive in Salalah with this car during

the extended Khareef season was an

eye opener to all those who have never

visited this part of the r egion before. From

acres of greenery to lush green hills and

water lled wadis, it could have not been

a better choice as far as location goes forintroducing any car. Once inside the car,

driver gets a command view with decent

peripheral vision. The route involved

highways, twisty mountain roads, coastal

roads and gravel o-road tracks. The car’s

engine which produces just 170hp seems

to cope better on o-road gravel than on

asphalt. The reason for this is that CVT

transmissions are preferred because they

are very ecient in delivering torque in

low-mid rev bands. And when you push

the engine, with this set-up it would be

In tandem with the

exterior designchanges, the all-new

X-Trail’s interior hasundergone a dramatictransformation.There’s more space,improved ergonomicsand a host of newpremium features



19/42

air to expect fast paced acceleration

the Patrol or the Z cars. On road

dling is good, steering is very light for

UV and its feedback appears ne. The

ctric power rack-and-pinion steeringtem uses software that interacts with

car’s standard new Active Ride Control

tem that monitors the road ahead for

undulations to counteract body roll andpitch and hence the suspension copeswell with what is thrown at it and withapproach and departure angles of 24.9˚and 17.2˚respectively for the AWD version,there are no hassles going o-road andworrying about undercarriage damage.Once the pace is reached, things arerelatively smooth and comfortable.Compared to the older CVTs that wehave experienced, this version softlymimics gear changes which is a welcome

measure. Also noted was theActiveEngine Brake that mimics a regular torqueconverter auto in providing engine brakingwhen cornering or decelerating.

Verdict

To many of us who are familiar withthe outgoing X-Trail, its pick-up inspiredstyling and packaging virtually convincedpeople that this was a true 4x4. But, intruth it was just another crossover. In thatrespect, the incoming model is a freshbreath of air as is not trying to be anythingit’s not. In fact, it knows very well whereit stands and benets further on what it’sgood at. The new X-Trail arrives in a hotlycontested compact SUV segment. When

lined up against the competition, the 2014Nissan X-Trail is roughly OMR1,200 morethan the Hyundai Tucson and marginallymore than the Ford Escape.

he main rivals of

e new X-Trail are

e Mazda CX-5,

oyota RAV4, Subaru

orester, Hyundai

ucson, Kia Sportage,

onda CR-V, Mitsubishi

utlander and Chevrolet

aptiva. The two only

fer a seven-seater

onfiguration choice.

Createdin Japan, a dramatic newconcept from Nissan calledtheHi-Cross carha dits worldpremiere at the2012 GenevaMotorShow. The compact concept is surprisingly roomy, elegant yet purposeful. Theproposallooks at ways Nissan’senvisages its possibleexpansion of crossovers. It seems, thenewX-Trail has taken somecues from this concept.



20/42

Taking theSonata up anote

The 2015 Hyundai Sonata has been tasked with one goal – to beat all its competition in the D-segment. We test the

car on the roads of Jordan while discovering a bit of thecountry’s heritage.

Author: Raj Warrior | Photographs: Supplied

2015 Hyundai Sonata



21/42

Our exploration of the D-segmentstalwarts over the past few years

has repeatedly brought with it

mention of the two Korean upstarts –

KIA Optima and the Hyundai Sonata.

te unlike the similarity that they share

a platform like the Tucson/Sportage in

case the two are not just signicantly

erent, most owners are hard pushed to

you what’s similar.

ich is a huge advantage for the Hyundai

ata – especially the LF Sonata that

been released this year. For the path

two cousins are taking seems to be

diverging, with the former staying partof the volume C and C+ segment while

oering a larger footprint, while the

Sonata seems to have its eyes xed rmly

above.

To this end, the car explores the virtues

of the 2.0 version of Hyundai’s uidic

sculpture without actually doing too

much with the underlying platform of the

outgoing YF.

The most signicant change visually is

around the grille and the headlights.

Under Peter Schreyer’s combined

leadership the new styling has moved

towards a bold hexagonal grille with thetwo sides serving as the anchor points

for the sweep back of the wraparound

headlights as well as the well dened

shoulder line. If you really tried you would

be able to infer the previous elaborate

grille, but this one makes no attempt to

retain a Sonata look. In essence the grille

is the beginning of the new Sonata’s

connection with the Genesis. Yes, that’s

right, the Azera is also left aside as the

new Genesis styling now becomes the

coveted standard.

In keeping with the attempt to show itself

as a full-size car, the Sonata’s new lines

work overtime to pull the car visually

outwards. The prole of the glasshouse

stays, as does the treatment of the A-, B-

and C-pillars, though the resultant eect

of the black inserts and chrome is of a

coupé like eect. The door handles are

now below the swage line, lending the

rear more depth and the car a wedge-like

nuance. The much-maligned rear of the YF

has been cleaned up for the LF, with a very

logical wraparound eect for the taillights.

But it’s on the inside that the most

drastic change has come about. Now, the

benchmark is to try to get the new GenesisDNA in so the move towards a cockpit is

further aggravated. Most of the centre

panel is slightly asymmetric towards

the driver and has a rather pronounced

outer edge at the passenger’s point, with

far better instrumentation as well as

interface. At the top end of the model line,

the large *” screen dominates the control

panel, with balanced louver treatment

around it. The slim multimedia console

below it serves to separate the maw

from the air-conditioning console. In the

move to slim down the fascia elements,

a problem has cropped up in the amount

of plastic surround that now meets your

eyes. The large box at the meeting point

of this and the tunnel is a very good

example – in the Genesis you could expect

all these visual and touch points to be

high gloss wood like laminate. Here in

the Sonata it has a faux metal feel plastic.

Even where the wood laminate is used

around the outer edges of the dashboard

it feels plasticky and could do with an

upgrade.

However, the plastics in general have

been upgraded. Now every touch pointis soft-feel, including the redesigned

dashboard shelf. Even the door panels

have a luxurious feel as do both the fabric

and leatherette seat versions.

The seats have been redesigned too,

with the squab and the lumbar regions

seemingly more supportive, as well as

putting in just enough padding around the

thighs.

Depending on the grade of the car, you

get a choice of central display screens,

from a 3.0” inch monochrome all the

way to an 8” hi-res display. The IP

also been redesigned with large ta

speedo dials and a multi-info disp

between.

In terms of safety features, the ca

many airbags as you are ready to p

– from the dual standard all the w

six with curtain protection.

The Sonata comes with a choice o

4-cylinder petrol engines – both w

port injection and mated to a 6-sp

automatic gearbox. The smaller o

two is the 2.0-litre Nu that deliver

at 6200rpm and max torque of jus

200Nm with a decent mid-range. Tlarger engine is the Theta II engin

delivers 178 PS at 6000 rpm with a

torque of 228Nm. This engine is sp

tuned for use in the Middle East re

In either case, the six-speed autom

is more than sucient to make the

interesting although one would ex

that the 7-speed dual-clutch unit t

debuting in some regions might e

make its way into the market here

is, the 6-speed is meant to provid

bulk of needs otherwise.



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h key-free entry and the now

nipresent engine stop/start button the

denitely gives the impression of a

rts (or at least sporty) sedan, although

feel that at some stage the LF is going

eed one of the new turbo engines

eally get to that stage. You miss

paddle shift that could have added

me fun to the drive. We drove the 2.4

hrough the drive through Jordan’s

thern areas out of Amman and came

ay with some clear impressions of the

dling.

suspension has been tweaked a

e – the front now has MacPherson

uts with dual-ow Mando gas-charged

mpers and a 23mm stabilizer bar, while

rear again uses the mando dual ow

mpers with coil springs and a multi-

link suspension layout. The benet of

this arrangement is that we now get a

ride selector that can vary the damper

response. This is connected with the

engine-rpm-sensing motor-driven steering

column. You can go from normal to sporty

but we would have personally preferred

the sports mode to be the standard. It

isn’t as if the gearbox response varies

at all with the selection of the sportier

mode – but the reward is in the more

responsive undercarriage as well as the

tighter steering feedback. NVH levels are

now appreciably lower, corner handling is

good, not great and braking has improved

too.

But the Sonata is not going to be bought

for its sportiness. It has enough to stay

true with the pack, but unless a sports

version is made we aren’t going to buy it

for that. The reason we will buy the Sonata

is that for the price bracket, the Sonata

has everything you expect from a family

or executive car. Blind spot detection,

cruise control, high grade sound system,

all the hygiene factors like LED lights,

full-featured console and interface; as well

as new-fangled add-ons like key sensing

tailgates that pop open if you stand in

place behind it.

Has the company done enough to keep

the car relevant? We think it has. Without

re-exploring the basic tried and tested

platform, Hyundai have reinvented the

Sonata’s positioning as well as oer pack

so that it competes with the stalwarts who

are all going through a model refresh at

the moment.

2 0 1 5

2 0 1 4



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The nextbold step

onda has launched its 2015 model yearccord in the region. What sets it apartom the rest?thor & Photographs: Raj Warrior

We’ve had more than oneoccasion over the past year

to dwell on the muddyground that the D-segment sedan is nowtraversing. Caught in between the prongsof increasing cost, fuel eciency demandsand a consumer who would rather take anew car-platform based SUV instead, theD-segment car is having to reinvent itselfin order to stay relevant.It isn’t as if the D-segment has startedto shrink, at least in terms of models onoer – from the stalwart Accord, Camry,Altima and Maxima to the relatively

newer Mazda 6 to the new entrantsSonata, Azera and Optima, Cadenza –Oman’s loving the segment. We haven’teven begun to look at the options fromEuropean and American manufacturerswith this list, although, the lines betweena brand’s perceived nationality and themanufacturing location of the car areblurring.And why did we say that? Take a look at

the Japanese brands and their D-segment

oerings. Only Subaru and Mazda stilloer cars made in Japan, while theothers prefer the US as a source due tolower costs, dollar zone stability and afree trade agreement that lowers landedcosts in Oman. The automatic connectionis that Japanese made cars are costlier,despite the Yen having moderated inrecent months. Is it any surprise then thatJapanese manufacturers prefer feedingglobal markets from a choice of externallocations?The launch of the ninth generation Accordrecently should be seen against thatbackdrop. It is an evolution that stayswell clear of the revolutionary. After allthe market it addresses is hardly usedto revolutionary moves. This generationstays on the eighth-gen platform, whichhad grown to push the sedan into a full-size segment (technically an E-segmentcar). Most of the styling changes havebeen brought about on the cheaperplastic parts, with some amount of extra

character brought in by restyling the outer

panels. After all there doesn’t seebe any reason to ddle with a skelthat has worked so well. Like all omanufacturers are doing – targeteof ultra-high strength steel in critiareas has reduced the weight of tin grey, while oering better NVHtwist (ergo, handling) characteristThis focus on shedding weight hasseen the replacement of the front

sub-frame with a hybrid of aluminand steel. In the bargain, the Accomoved away from the traditional ua double wishbone front suspensMacPherson struts, although it retthe multi-link arrangement at the Added to that, the front axle has sslightly rearwards with a resultingwheelbase without impacting intecabin space.The other major change has beenthe drivetrain. At the top of the linAccord continues to get the 3.5-litpowerhouse with six-speed auto g

that powered the previous genera

2015 Honda Accord



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But at the lower end, the region getsa new “EarthDreams” 2.4-litre direct-injection 4-cylinder engine coupledwith new-generation CVT (we believeit’s a Aisin unit). The power outputon the 2.4-litre unit has gone up to173bhp@6,200rpm while the torque hassimilarly risen in absolute terms to above220Nm@4,000rpm. While both the powerand torque curves are healthier as a result,the new transmission and its control addin, with a proactive boosting of the torqueresponse curve, especially keeping in mindthe response required at each notional‘cog’.As a result, response is so much healthier.In normal driving conditions you wouldbe hard-pressed to recognise the CVT.No, there isn’t much of a counter-revindication, nor is the take-o particularlylinear. But somehow, the CVT keeps itsnature hidden away until you hit theclimbs with the engine revving and thetransmission in mid-range. That’s whenthe belt whine becomes apparent. Instant

takeaway – the CVT is no sports sedantransmission.The 3.5-litre on the other hand can becalled one. Here the six-speed automaticstays and so too do the paddle shifts thatmake the car so responsive to the driver.Acceleration is good, while economy iskept by the ECO system that rewardsgreen driving. The NVH levels are excellentin both the cars, with just a bit of roadrumble to disturb your concentration.The interiors have been cleaned up by acomplete generation. If you put out themoney for the dual-screen (as you should)you get a combination that began on thenew City of an almost tablet feel climatecontrol and a large 8” hi-res monitor thatcouples with the Navigation. In addition,cabin textures have improved, thereseems to be better use of soft-touchplastics and inclusion of USB connectorsand Bluetooth, as well as an integratedrear-view camera (at higher spec levels, atlower you get parking sensors).Like Accords before it – this generation

too oers a comfortable rear seatwithout too much of a hump and so uncomfortable middle saddle, gus the best of a front-wheel drive engine layout.The other evolution that has beenintroduced is in terms of the car’ssourcing. It is being brought into tmarket from the Guangju plant in This marks a departure from the pUS plant sourcing, although in moterms the cars are similar. For the market the plant makes 2.0, 2.4 anengines while for export to the regget the “EarthDreams” 2.4 and a 3As a product, we have no doubt thAccord will continue to draw fanscustomers. You have to just drive the instant Honda connect. How wcompany and the dealers will intethe ‘China factor’ into it is a questwill need to be answered over timsucceed, they will be the rst majto redene the region’s perceptioChina-made car.

LanewatchIn the Honda Accord, Blind spot warning takes on a new meaning with Lanewaa system that combines a camera located below the far side rearview mirror wgenerous expanse of the 8” centre display to show a view of the blindspot. This awhen the right turn indicator is switched on and shows a view of the road.Honda tells us that the typical eld of view for a passenger-side mirror is approx18 to 22 degrees, but the LaneWatch blind spot display eld-of-view is about fogreater, or approximately 80 degrees. The system helps the driver to see trac, aspedestrians or objects, in the vehicle’s blind spot. To help make judging distancthe display has three reference lines. Drivers should visually conrm roadway coprior to changing lanes.On the navigation-equipped, when LaneWatch is in use and a navigation turn pneeded, the image changes to split-screen so that LaneWatch and navigation infocan be displayed simultaneously.



25/42

2014 Emgrand X7 SUV

he Emgrand X7 is the rst SUV from themultibranded Chinese entity which now also owns

olvo. Automan checks out the stylish seven-eater which has recently made its market debut the Sultanate of Omanthor: Chandan B Mallik | Photography: Elvis John Ferrao

While Geely’s association withVolvo makes headlines aroundthe world, as a Chinese

domestic player with global aspirations,Emgrand is one of Geely’s rising brands towatch out in the Middle East in the comingyears as its portfolio of cars grows. Geelywants Emgrand to establish its credentialsas a credible brand with value for moneyproducts [haven’t we heard this taglinebefore?] and cash-rich Geely is leaving nostone unturned in this initiative when itcomes to investing. The Emgrand marquewas publicly unveiled at the 2009 AutoShanghai auto show.The latest product arrival in the region isthe X7 SUV. The car was launched in thedomestic market in 2012 as the GX7 andsince then the rapid rise of SUV market inChina has prompted Geely to upgrade andmodernize the X7 for its global 2014 debut.As a result, the X7 for Middle East is themost up-to-date SUV from the brand.The compact SUV market in the Middle

East is also dynamic and in recent yearshas seen existing players like Toyota,Honda elevated to the entry luxury endmaking space for stylish entries fromHyundai and Kia. Other brands like Nissanoer a variety of compact SUVs rangingfrom rugged and funky lifestyle. As aresult, the entry level has been left wideopen and this is where Geely’s core targetis with its Emgrand X7. For a edgingbrand, this is a sensible move and successis guaranteed if the overall package meetsthe expected market r equirements.So, is there a shock and awe factorwhen you see the X7 in esh? From itsdimensional perspective with gures like4,541mm length, 1,833mm width, 1,700mmheight on a wheelbase of 2,660mmensures that it is pleasantly proportioned.The car is decidedly European-avouredwith clean lines and a passing resemblancewith some of the current global SUVsdoesn’t go unnoticed. The reason for thisis understandable. This is a global modelfor Emgrand and hence factor in thecurrent segment trends and legislativedemands. What’s more, Geely actuallyteamed its automobile research Institute

with Italian automobile design companyled by Giorgetto Giugiaro for the X7.Giugiaro’s signature is evident in the cleanlines, overhangs and in particular detailingof the head/tail lamps. Overall, the designis trendy, a bit understated and pleasing tothe eye and our only niggle relates to theoversized pick-up inspired door mirrors.We understand, they are for better rearview, in particular when it comes to blindspot management as the C-pillar is quitewide. Build quality, narrow panel gapsare a surprise for a car that retails forOMR5,490 onwards.

The cabin of the car has been wellattended to. Passengers sit high aget a command view and the cabispace appears good when it comehead and legroom for rst and secrow occupants. Panoramic sunrooalso contributes in the upmarket fin the higher trim models. Third rostrictly for small children. Seats ardesigned well padded and oer dlateral support. Front seats oer mor power adjustments dependingtrim chosen. Dashboard design is and most operative controls are c

dened and easy to use. Multifunsteering isn’t cluttered or overloawith switches. Key instrumentatioanalogue and information is convvia digital screens. Convenient feafor driver include Bluetooth conne

and touch screen GPS navigation. convenience features are there, bare clearly missing at the rear. Thaoset with cargo space exibility

of at fold rear seats and a good lheight.We are denitely impressed with tinvestment Geely has made so far

car and we are also not surprised tGeely took a lot of advice from Voduring the build of this car. FollowVolvo’s suggestions, the crossoveunibody design and Geely optimiz51 items related to NVH technologincluding soundproof glass, chasssubframe mounts for front and resuspension isolation, padding matamong others. Chassis tuning wasby Holland-based PDE, a specialista portfolio of European clients likeand Mercedes-Benz.And depending on market willaccommodate four cylinder enginranging from 1.8-, 2.0- and 2.4-litredisplacement. In Oman, the latterups are available. Our test car in BGolden came with the 162PS at 5,7and 220Nm toque at 4,000-4,200r2.4-litre engine mated to an Oz-soDSI 6-speed automatic transmissiengine uses continuous variable v

timing [CVVT] and multi point fuel[MPI], while , DSI uses independecontrol, closed-loop control rule opressure and engine torque contrcongure planetary gear transmissystem. In theory, it sounds good.Safety kit is quite impressive givenprice point. Geely claims that the Xdesigned in accordance with the 5standards of E-NCAP and 5+ standof C-NCAP. The model has “6+1” aconguration. Besides these, it alsan advanced version of Bosch ABSEBD system.

European airfrom China



26/42

ving impressionsrst thing that strikes in this car on the

ve that it is very quiet. In mainstreaman cars, the Toyota Camry and Fordion are regarded as quietest withibel levels inside the cabin at around

79dB at 100km/h. The X7 clearly beatsse sedans with its 63.7dB at 100km/hformance. Road handling is decentso is the steering response to driver

uts. While, it’s not super quick as in arts car, it’s no slouch either and henceuite appropriate for the class of vehiclepresents.used the X7 as a pace car duringoman’s world exclusive Aston Martinonda photo shoot in the Sultanate.ile the X7 coped well with the Lagonda,

acceleration is no match for theury limousine in straights. While the

gearing appears to hold well, the initialacceleration and torque delivery is quiteslow and it takes a while to build uphighway speeds. Overtaking manoeuevreshave to be planned in advance and here’swhere the Tiptronic function comes handyfor that extra punch. However, whenpushed hard, the engine can be noisy.We took the car o-road, on loose gravel.Here it performed better as in such trailsyou don’t need to go ballistic. Suspensionfeedback is good as it absorbs mostsurface imperfections and body roll isminimum and quickly contained in fastcorners. While the X7 chassis attemptsto oer a decent balance between sportand comfort, it would have been nicer ifthe same could be said for the powertrainperformance.

Verdict

This car’s USP is its overall packaging andkit more than outright performance. Itis well suited for punters who want tomove up from sedans or hatchbacks toa lifestyle-oriented compact SUV, butare also looking at budget pricing. This iswhere the value for money propositioncomes in. It’s a decent buy for the pricepoint.



27/42

n the past couple of years, we noteseveral iconic models have stageda comeback after a gap of severalrs and in some cases several decades.kswagen’s original love bug, thecooled rear-engined Boxer enginedtle was launched as the people’s carermany in 1938 and had a really longduction run. The Type 1 was produced

ermany and was voted as the world’sst inuential car of the 20th century,Type 1 came fourth, after the Forddel T, the Mini, and the Citroën DS.nal original Type 1 VW Beetle rolled

the production line at Puebla, Mexico,30 July 2003 paving the way for a newtemporary successor. The rst newtle arrived in 1998. The car receivedair share of bouquets and brickbats.

me argued that it was not engineeredbe a Beetle as it was more of a rebodieda with front engine and shared most

ts mechanicals. Just as with the

original, Volkswagen did put a premiumon reliability on the successor. Over theyears, it would prove that like the originalBeetle would seemingly run forever-if youdidn’t mind getting your hands dirty xingit. Today’s buyers expect a bulletproof andultra reliable car with performance and funin mind. Among the key weaknesses of theGen I new Beetle was that it didn’t exactly

qualify as pocket rocket status, but it’sno slouch, either, kind of appealing to themiddle order brigade.With Gen II of the model, VW hasattempted to do away with the keyweaknesses. While keeping the prolemore or less similar, it has focused ona lot of detailing without disturbing itsminimalistic design identity. Hence, yousee a car with daytime LED lights, a widerlower valance and a happy face.On the engineering side, there are severalinteresting upgrades. The new arrival is7.3in longer, 0.5 in lower, and 3.3in wider

than the last one made. The incomingBeetle uses VW’s PQ35 front-driveplatform that is shared with the Gen VIGolf and this platform has allowed gainin length which in turn has allowed theroof to be extended further, shifting ofthe front windscreen and giving the cara new focal point -- the C-pillar. The caralso benets from wider track and longer

wheelbase.Besides the benets from the platformexibility, major upgrades under thebonnet include the replacement of the4-speed automatic transmission to afaster reacting six-speed dual-clutchautomatic. The car is slippery too witha drag coecient of Cd 0.37, which issurprisingly good for a car bearing thiskind of prole. The engine for the region isa turbo-charged 2.0-litre four-cylinder thatproduces 210hp and 217lbs-ft of torque.Taking advantage of the new platformmeans that the four-seater cabin is much

2014 Volkswagen Beetle

A car like the Volkswagen Beetle can engage acionadosin a hot debate about its 76-year-old heritage vs modern

application of technology. Automan checks out the all-newarrival in UAE and attempts to clear the air

Author: Chandan B Mallik | Photography: author and Nabeel Ferzan

BEETLE

MANIA!



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spacious now as interior volume hasgrown by ve per cent from 81 to 85 cubicfeet. Since the roo

158 automan october issue 2014

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