162 automan feb 2015 issue

8/19/2019 162 Automan Feb 2015 Issue

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46

COVERSTORY |

2015 BMW X6First drive of Gen II SAVin Oman

42

Timeless classicsRallying in India with vintage and classic

motoring beauties

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COVER STORY

46-51 2015 BMW X6

68-72 NEW AGE SUPERCARS STAGING A COMEBACK

OMAN AND REGIONAL NEWS

6-12 PAJERO ADVENTURE, 2014 CROP OF NISSAN GT

ACADEMY WINNERS PARTICIAPTE IN DUBAI 24 HRS

REFRESHED FOURTH GENERATION 2015 HONDA

CR-V LAUNCHED, REFRESHED SECOND GENERATION

VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG LAUNCHED, EINTZ PARTNERS

WITH AMERICAN LUBE BRANDS FOR OMAN MARKET, NEW

FIRST STOP TYRE CARE CENTRES INAUGURATED IN SEEB

AND AL AMERAT

2014 AUTOMAN COTY

14-28 WINNERS ANNOUNCED

BRANDWATCH

30-33 BENTLEY’S NEW SUV FORMALLY NAMED,

MCLAREN TO CELEBRATE THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF

THE COMPANY’S F1 GTR VICTORY, NISSAN ALTIMA TO GO

UNDER THE SCALPEL, MORE MAYBACH BRANDED CARS

FROM MERCEDES? NEW ENTRY LEVEL CADILLAC WILL BE

REAR WHEEL DRIVE, CORVETTE TO INFLUENCE NEW MALIBU

STYLING, JAGUAR ANNOUNCES F-PACE, PRODUCTION

SSANGYONG TIVOLI READY, NEW ENGINEERING FACILITY

FOR ASTON MARTIN, AMG TO TAKE ON PORSCHE

DIRECTLY? AUDI VS FIAT: WHAT’S IN A NAME? TOP LEVEL

EXECUTIVE CHANGES AT BMW AND VOLKSWAGEN,

SVR VARIANT FOR LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SPORT

DISCOUNTED, JAGUAR TO PHASE OUT R-S BADGE, CHINA

BUILT VOLVOS HEADED FOR US? BMW ENGINEER JOINS

HYUNDAI, INDIA-BUILT ALTO IS WORLD’S BEST SELLING

SMALL CAR, ROLLS-ROYCE CELEBRATES FIFTH SUCCESSIVE

SALES RECORD

34-35 2015 CES ROUND-UP

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

36-42 2015 DETROIT AUTO SHOW REPORT

NEWS SPOTLIGHT

44-46 VINTAGE CAR AND MOTORCYCLE RALLY

FIRST DRIVES

54-59 2015 LINCOLN MKS

FIRST RIDE

60-65 2015 TRIUMPH ROCKET III

PREVIEW

66-67 2016 CADILLAC CTS-V

68-71 2016 FORD GT

72-75 2016 ACURA NSX

MOTORSPORTS

76-77 2015 DAKAR RALLY REPORT

78 2015 MONTE CARLO WRC REPORT

79 2015 FORMULA 1 NEW RACE VENUE SPECULATION

CHICANE

80 RUNAWAY SUCCESS AND COMPETITION

NEXT ISSUE

2015 VW CROSS GTE

68

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A couple of months ago, our team attended an Inniti drive event based around JabalAkhdar and the sands around Al Kamil. While providing its share of interest to us, the

sheer number of positive responses from y in media is witness to the Sultanate’s appeal

as a tourist destination. Whether it was the scenic Alila resort on the summit or the Desert

resort in the sands, the infrastructure is slowly but surely catching up with the demand.

There are other drives coming up shortly, from other manufacturers and they all intend to

use Oman’s varied terrain, its scenic vistas and its natural hospitality as factors.

So then what will it take to get the inbound tourism industry past the next threshold? And

in the process, will we have to trade-off pristine beauty for tourism dollars?

Many questions regarding Oman’s non-oil economy have been thrown up in the wake of

the sudden dip in oil prices. After all, the economy needs to have certain drivers otherthan oil if so much variance can be brought about by a price change. So what will the

next driver be? Tourism has potential, but frankly it will have to scale up by multiples to

become important. Manufacturing is caught in a vice of external making. How do you get

manufactured products to be viable, when traditional manufacturing economies are able

to generate the volume needed to keep prices low, while our volumes will always have a

higher cost associated?

The services sector, unfortunately, is all focussed on internal markets and will therefore be

limited to any growth that the market has. So what will the new direction be for the future?

This month, we declare the winners of our Car of the Year program for 2014. Some obvious

winners are there, with one or two models that sneaked into the race and won our hearts.

As always, our Car of the Year program remains unique in the region because it is the only

one that has no money attached to it, only features cars and SUVs that we have driven in

that year and are available in the local market. We are now into our fth year, longer than

most car magazines last in the region.

Speaking of which, we have to sadly note the closing of two more franchise auto titles in

the region. Proof enough that the franchise model is awed, as well as serving to note the

pressures of eyeballs shifting from print to new age media.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFMohammad Al Taie

AL ROYA PRESS & PUBLISHING

PO Box: 343, Postal Code 118Al Harthy Complex

Sultanate of Oman

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.automan.me

Editorial ofce:

Tel: +968 24479888 Extn 300, Fax: +968 24479889

Distribution:

Tel: +968 24490386, Fax: +968 24121045

Subscription:

Tel: +968 24493701, Fax: +968 24121045

PUBLISHER

Hatim Al Taie [email protected]

EDITOR & GM

Raj Warrior [email protected]

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Chandan B Mallik [email protected]

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Anne Kurian [email protected]

HEAD OF DESIGN

Antony Karlo

PHOTOGRAPHY

Elvis John Ferrao

MARKETING

Sayantani Ghosh [email protected]

CIRCULATION

[email protected]

FINANCE & ADMIN

Sumy Mol [email protected]

WEBSITE & IT

Mohammed F Draz [email protected]

PRINTER

Ruwi Modern Printers LLC, Muscat

Tel: +968 2479 4167, 2479 8157

Fax: +968 2470 0545

© 2014

All editorial content of Automan in the magazine

and its website is copyrighted and may not

be reproduced in any form without the written

consent of the management of AL ROYA PRESS &

PUBLISHING

Automan accepts unsolicited exclusive editorial

material, but reserves the right to publ ish any such

material. Once published, the copyright for any

such material will vest with AL ROYA PRESS &

PUBLISHING

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Successful editions ofPajero Adventure held inthe Sultanate

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Business challenges for theautomotive industry now arenot what they used to be earlier.

Now, car manufacturers have hadto fundamentally rethink things likedesign, engineering in their portfolioof cars oered, besides working asbrand custodians. And then at retaillevel innovative marketing strategieshave to be brought into action to help

brands succeed in a savvy, consumer-ledculture. This has become an emergingtrend in recent times as markets that arebecoming increasingly restrictive in sizeand opportunity. Rajesh Sharma, NationalSales Manager at General AutomotiveCompany speaks to Automan and explainshow events like the Pajero Adventure helpin brand building and customer retention.What does an event like Pajero Adventuremean to you and your customers?Selling the car is the starting of arelationship. A relationship dened best byMitsubishi’s line -- A Drive for Life. There

are many elements that are instrumentalin building customers for life. The overallqualitative experience is very importantfor this. The Team Pajero event has beenthe pioneering event in Oman for us tobuild customer loyalty in a car brandand to illustrate the merits of the brand,the vehicle and the association with therespective dealer. Over the years, theevent has been developed to suit thetimes and customer’s and brands outlook.For the customer, this engagement takesthe brand experience to a greater level,instilling condence in the product and theteam.How and when was the idea conceived?The Team Pajero events started about12+ years back for GAC and year-on-year ithas helped showcase Pajero’s prowess tothe customers. In the last three seasons,the event has touched more customersthan ever before with the number ofparticipants in each camp going upsubstantially and more camps beingorganized.Who are the promoters?The entire event is being organized by

sta of GAC, the dealers of Mitsubishiin Oman. The completely 360 degreesmanagement is handled by the stasupervised by the marketing team. Beinga property of GAC right from the onset,the ownership is of Zubair Auto. The facesorganizing the same have changed butthe zeal, commitment and the dedicationremains the same or rather has grown.What purpose does it serve and how anevent like this is advantageous to you interms of brand building?We are often asked why do an event forthose who have already bought a Pajero? I

think the answer lies in the question itself.Showcasing the vehicles abilities to thosewho own one, amplies their pride ofownership and they are our most trustedand enthusiastic spokesperson. As forthe Pajero more than us pushing to sell aPajero, its consumers coming to us for it.There can be no greater brand buildingthan the brand experience itself.Who are the participants and what levels

of skills are required?The event has one and only one rule. Theparticipant needs to drive a Pajero. Thegroup consists of new owners, rst timersloyalists. No prior experience of driving onsand is necessary to be part of this activityThe entire exercise is to make them learnand drive on their own in a terrain neverventured into before.How is safety factored in for novicedrivers?The entire module consisting of thebrieng, track etc. has been designedkeeping in mind that we will also have rst

timers at the camp. From the momentwe depart from the starting point, weencourage customers to learn the art ofdriving in sand in a tried and tested courseand under the supervision of experiencedmarshals. Our support team is well versedwith the requirements of participants –novice to experienced.How popular has been the event sincelaunch?The event has come a long way sinceinception and not just in terms of timebut also the scale at which it is beingdone. Similar events have been launchedin Oman which is complementing theobjectives of Team Pajero. Customers whohave experienced it want to come againand again and the experience is talked inlocal and social media..What are the key highlights of the event?Whilst driving is the key element of theevent, the event has been designed tobuild bonding, encourage teamwork andbring communities closer. Whether it bethe dress code or the driving experience,or the Arabic music experience at thecamp or the bonre ritual, each element

unites people through their commonthread, the Pajero.

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From Couch Potatoto GT Racer

The GT Academy program run by Nissan along with Sony’s Playstation environment

is building on its laurels with this year’s entry of the world’s crop of Academy

toppers with last year’s champ in the Dubai 24hrs race.

Author: Raj Warrior

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“It has been always my dreamto become a racing driver, andthanks to the Nissan GT AcademyChallenge I’ll be behind thewheel with the Nissan team in the24 Hours of Dubai. As my firstinternational race, I want to putin a big one for the team. Thewhole experience, from the sofain the living room playing games

to the international finals atSilverstone to lining up on thegrid in the great race in Dubai islife-changing for me” said Ahmedbefore the race

After helping bring his team insecond in class, “This is awesome.To be here not so far from homeand surrounded by so many friendsand family and people shoutingmy name is amazing. From thePlayStation on my couch six monthsago to the podium of a major raceagainst some top internationaldrivers is incredible. Thanks toRJN for trusting us to race theGT-R in such a big race. It lookslike it was definitely the rightdecision.”

Ahmed Khalid, a 25 years old civil engineer fromRiyadh - Saudi Arabia, is the Middle East winnerof GT Academy 2014. Dubai 24 Hours is Ahmed’sfirst international racing experience, andit’s his main prize as a graduate from the GTAcademy. Ahmed will raced for the first time ona full race specs Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3.

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Despite pre-race nerves and theobvious pressure of a rst majortask, Ahmed Khalid from Saudi

Arabia was all smiles on race weekend.He is the region’s winner of the Nissan GTAcademy program, an initative designedto take gamers who excel at the virtualworld of on-screen racing into the real

world. Currently in its sixth edition,every year’s crop of winners have beensurprising their friends and families aswell as the program organisers withtheir ability to transcend the dierencesbetween racing on simulators to actualseat-of-the-pants driving.The program is promoted on social media,through live interaction at public placeslike shopping malls and the like and allowsyoung enthusiasts to register themselvesin a format that gets them national titlesonly to go ahead and compete within theirregions as well - Europe, the Americas, the

Middle East and Asia. And Ahmed toppedthis year’s crop of winners in the region.A common trait that runs across all thefour of this year’s winners was a senseof disbelief at their presence on a globalplatform with their upcoming race in theDubai 24hrs with the Nissan GT-R GT3

car. Fielded by RJN Motorsports, the racespec car produces 550bhp and oersthis opportunity as the “ultimate prize”for this years winners. The four, GaëtanPaletou (France), Ahmed Bin-Khanen(Saudi Arabia), Ricardo Sánchez (Mexico)and Nicholas Hammann (USA) were ledinto the race by last year’s winner, turned

racing professional, Florian Strauss.We met the race team and the peoplebehind training these candidates tobecome racers. Combined with physicaltraining, psychological conditioning andactual mentoring on the track, the racerswere taken through an intense course withexposure to the GT-R and the 370Z.“There is so much more than simply gettingbehind the wheel and driving fast. There’stness, mental toughness and self-belief,diet, knowledge of the technology thatmakes up the vehicles and much more.What takes place o the track is as

important as what happens on it,” saysMartin Poole, one of the coaches.Martin also demonstrated to us theequipment and processes used to measurethe racer’s tness levels including a full-body mass measurement that told usnot only how overweight we were, but

also how much of that was fat and howevenly distributed that was over the threezones of the body. In addition we alsowent through an exercise designed to testour reexes and reaction time involvingfour discs that light up in a randomlyprogrammed sequence.After managing to qualify the car on an

overall 14th position for the start on a gridof 95 cars, Florian anchored the start andend of the race, bringing in the car to anenviable second position in the ProAm classand fth overall.Bob Neville, Team Principal of RJNMotorsports commented, “Having beeninvolved in the GT Academy programmesince the very beginning I probablyshouldn’t be surprised any more by resultslike these. But when you look at the entrylist that we were up against, it has surprisedme again! This is a great result. We hada few silly penalties and were unlucky

in timings of a couple of driver changes,but other than that this has been a nearfaultless performance by the team andour drivers. Second in this class is a veryimpressive result and immensely satisfying.It has been a pleasure, as always, to workwith the latest GT Academy winners.”

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Refreshed 2015 Honda CR-V on

sale in SultanateOman Marketing and Services Co, the distributors for Honda inOman has launched the refreshed for 2015 fourth generationHonda CR-V. The SUV gets cosmetic and feature enhancementslike daytime running lamps, revised grille, new 17/18in alloys,touchscreen multimedia among others. A new safety featurehas been introduced which is the LaneWatch camera thatdisplays a wide-angle view of the passenger side roadway on

the display audio screen. Another new feature is the Motion-Adaptive Electric Power Steering (EPS) is standard on all 2015CR-V models. Omasco oers a four-grade line-up including a2WD option powered with Honda’s new 2.4-litre direct-injectionDOHC 4 cylinder i-VTEC engine with CVT transmission. Pricesbegin from OMR8,999.00.

Phillips 66 Lubricants arrives in

OmanEint Automotive LLC, the automotive aftermarket division ofWJ Towell Group has been appointed as authorised distributorof Phillips 66 lubricants in Oman. Phillips 66 Lubricants is one

of the largest selling lubricants brands in North America. Forthe local Omani market, Eint Automotive will use its distributionset-up and market theses lubes under brand names KendallMotor Oil and 76. The business arrangement represents therst distributor agreement for Phillips 66 Lubricants in Oman.“Oman oers a strong positive business climate, growingindustrial opportunity and educated consumers that webelieve will appreciate the value of our high quality, made inUSA products,” said Bryan Faria, Phillips 66 Manager, FinishedLubricants.One of the key product features of Kendall motor oil is that itcontains liquid Titanium protection additive [for both petroland diesel engines], as well as high-performance Kendall

transmission uids. Also oered will be a full selection of 76Lubricants commercial and industrial lubricants and greasesdesigned for a wide range of applications, from cars and trucksto heavy construction equipment and industrial applications.

New ‘First Stop’ Tyre care

outlets launchedTowell Auto Centre in partnership withBridgestone Oman has launched two brandedtyre and oil change centers in Seeb and Amerat.Branded as ‘First Sotp’, these two set-upsare part of TAC’s eorts to strengthen their

presence in the retail after services marketwith branded global products. “This initiativeis another step to oer customized solutionsto all non-franchised service providers therebyproviding innovative solutions to the changingneeds of the customers,” said Oomen John,AGM, Bridgestone Tyre division at TAC. The newoutlets will sell genuine top quality brandedtyres and will perform services like wheelalignment, rotation, balancing etc. Also oil andbattery replacement services will be available.These drive-in outlets are conveniently locatedwith fast track services and hence will oermotorists fast turnaround.

Refreshed

Volkswagen Touareg

on sale nowVolkswagen Oman, represented byWattayah Motors, has announcedthe arrival of the new Touareg inits showrooms. Unveiled at theSUV world premiere in Beijing in2014, the new Touareg, has been

redesigned to offer customers new front and rear designs, new technicalfeatures and a wide range of colours and interiors. Thomas Milz, ManagingDirector of Volkswagen Middle East said: “The new Touareg enjoys a refreshedexterior in addition to exciting new technical additions such as the Start-Stopwith neutral when rolling.” The completely redeveloped second generationof the Touareg was launched in the middle of 2010. The Touareg now beingpresented is based on that generation. It has now been further developed inaccordance with the layout of the Volkswagen design DNA, which calls for veryclear and precise lines with strong horizontal division of both front and rearsections. The front section in particular, with its remodelled band of radiatorgrille and headlights, creates a first link to the Volkswagen SUV concept cars of

recent times.

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Automan’s year-long car evaluation

programme for 2014 comes to andwith the formal announcement of the

winners in their respective categories.

The selection process gets more difficult

each year for the judging team as most

manufacturers seem to have moved

up their benchmarks – be it in design,

efficient engineering solutions, innovation,

features packaging or even whencreating a genuine niche. In fact, some

new models we tested are so exclusive

that it was sort of monopoly in view

of no direct competitor being available

and hence these nominees became

unanimous winners! But, such a scenario

is very rare and we are sure that things

will change soon!

Meanwhile, the team at Automan, aredelighted to announce the respective

winners for 2014.

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As a car and SUV manufacturer, Mazdais extremely cautious the way it hasprogressed after its partnership andstake with Ford Motor Company wasdivested by the latter. Between 1979-2010 Ford almost owned as much of33.3 per cent of Mazda and underthe administration of Alan Mulally,Ford gradually divested its stake inMazda. Ford currently holds 2.1 percent of Mazda stock [as of 2014] andhas severed most production as wellas development ties. In this scenario,Mazda has meticulously refocused

on its key strengths in design andengineering and have been remarkablysuccessful in doing so.The new Mazda3 building on its award-winning predecessor. For the segmentit represents, it oers top quality user

expeirience by delivering an unmatchedcombination of performance, fueleciency and functionality in a packagethat’s as safe and practical as it isstunning. It follows in the footprints ofits new generation forerunners like theMazda CX-5 compact SUV and the newMazda 6.Mazda3 gets the full range oflightweight SKYACTIV-Technology,optimised like the latest adaptationof the company’s KODO design for acompact’s size and agility. The judgeswere content in nding that the car

exceeds expectations at every turn-- the way the door opens or how thecontrols are in exactly the right place,the man-machine interface in newinterior among others.

VerdictMazda has been able to retaincustomers as well as newcomersto the brand, who have identiedMazda’s cars as being a great choicefrom both an emotional and rationalperspective. Automan editors wereparticularly impressed with technicaland styling renements made to theextensively reworked model. It isalso the rst model from the Mazdastable to incorporate the full suite ofMazda’s ecient Skyactiv technologieswhich are aimed at reducing mass and

optimizing powertrain eciency tomaximize fuel economy. A ne balanceof style, technology and conveniencesin a small package.

MG6The British brand with Chinese ownership still has to catchup with powertrain technologies, but makes the rightnoises by introducing a redesigned from ground up MG6as a contemporary car with many interesting features.

Mitsubishi AttrageIn the past, the Mirage has had a very complicated

marketing history. Now, the sedan version of the Mirage

hatchback is called the Attrage. Although it boasts unique

design from the back doors rearwards, and has revised

frontal styling. The car i s manufactured at Mitsubishi’s

Laem Chabang plant in Thailand and is very basic in nature.

SMALL CAR

MAZDA 3

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The second generation Ford Fusion is ave-passenger, four-door midsize sedanintroduced in 2013 as one of the newfaces beneting from One Ford globalbusiness strategy. The model alsoserves as a replacement of the Mondeoin some non-European markets. TheFusion ushers in the next generation ofmore expressive vehicles from Ford anddepending on market is the rst sedanto oer gasoline, hybrid and plug-inhybrid versions. And irrespective ofthe versions, each variant is designedto deliver top fuel economy and an

engaging driving experience.Unlike the bulky looking cars of thepast, Ford management brought in theirglobal teams together around a blankslate with the job to develop a midsizecar with groundbreaking design andperformance eciencies. As a result,

the Fusion features a sleek silhouetteand fresh face, much in line with thenew Fiesta subcompact andFocus.Ford has lived up to the marketexpectations by ensuring that theUS-built Fusion is a competitive globalfamily sedan that can make a boldstatement with attractive design,features and handling. It also narrowsthe gap between mainstream and entryluxury.

Verdict

Its sleek, European-inspired design anda wide choice of powertrain optionsmake the Fusion an attractive choice ina ercely competitive segment with thelikes of popular global models like theHonda Accord, Toyota Camry, HyundaiSonata and Nissan Altima.

Honda CityFully redesigned with styling inline with the bigger models, thepowertrain focus is fuel economyand frugality. Hence it makesthe grade a good urban car, butsomehow Honda missed the plotas doesn’t oer quite as many high-tech features as the Fusion.

MID SIZECAR

FORD FUSION

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Hyundai’s current status with its cardevelopment can be best describedas innovative, stylish and reasonablywell packaged overall. But that’s notwhere Hyundai aims to be contentwith. It wants its cars to be consideredupmarket and some models evenluxury. And this aspirational aspectseems to coming up in the new orrefreshed cars that Hyundai hasintroduced in the past 1-2 years. Theall-new seventh-generation 2015 Sonatawhich was introduced at the 2014 NewYork International Auto Show banks onthe incredible success of the outgoingSonata and oers a more rened look

through a new Fluidic Sculpture 2.0design language, stier body structure,better ride quality, reduced noise,vibration and harshness and advancedsafety and convenience features.

VerdictFor the mid-size class segment, thenew Sonata is able to communicate

premium design, good selection oftechnology solutions while taking keyinspiration from the upmaket Genesissedan. It is a testament to both qualityof the product and the way Hyundai hasstepped up its game.

Honda AccordHonda’s perennial best-seller in the mid-size sedan market, the Accord

had everything in its favour till now, while the model wasn’t exactly a

pillar of class-busting style, the ninth generation is more luxurious, more

sophisticated, better performing and better equipped than any other

model in the Accord’s 37-year history. Honda thinks that the new model

has advanced the sense of luxury and craftsmanship for the model.

Hyundai GenesisIt’s no secret that Hyundai has painstakenly upgraded

the Genesis on the lines of its bigger and luxury models

in an attempt to push it into the luxury category. But

more needs to be done by the South Korean carmaker

to overcome the value-for-money ‘luxury’ impression

amongst badge-conscious consumers.

LARGE CAR

HYUNDAI SONATA

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The current Mercedes initiative seen inthe core sedan range began with theS-Class, followed by the E-Class andnow the C-Class. Arguably, the all-newMercedes-Benz C-Class ushers in a newchapter in the Mercedes-Benz successstory and sets new standards in thepremium mid range class. The car usesintelligent lightweight design, hasexcellent aerodynamics eciencies andmost of all a range of new and frugalengines. Despite competition in thesegment, the C-Class is able to establisha new benchmark in its class. A range

of high end features and new driverassistance systems virtually upgradesthe perceived quality of the car whichnow feels like an “upgrade to a higherclass of travel”.In terms of appearance the new C-Class

adopts a progressive approach with itsclear yet emotional design and its high-class interior. Many other innovationsand interior touches underscore thesedan’s energising comfort and renedsportiness. In all,

VerdictA tough act to replicate even by theseasoned opposition. This completelyredesigned car stands out in terms ofdesign language and technology, andit is just sporty enough to nd buyersamong brand-and-style conscious and

upwardly mobile customers who wantto own a brand-new three-pointedstar car that can carry ve peoplecomfortably. The C-Class has onceagain proved its peerless stature in thesegment

Audi A3A nice try by Audi to help the brand break into the entry-level pricing segment. It comes with brilliant packaging butis nowhere close to the winner as above. It is a winner inthe sub segment it represents elsewhere.

Infiniti Q50This entry level Inniti gets a ghting chance, thanks toits technical partnership with Daimler. Despite the newand somewhat confusing naming regime, the Inniti Q50sedan has much to oer someone looking for a uniquealternative to usual German suspects. But to score abulls-eye, the brand needs to look into other areas in thepackaging.

PREMIUMCAR

MERCEDES-BENZC-CLASS

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It’s no secret in the motoring worldthat the Bentley Continental is thedenitive grand tourer. Its eortlessperformance, generous space,handcrafted luxury and all-wheel drivecapability takes its occupants on ajourney in genuine rened style andcomfort. With its engineer prowess,Bentley has been able to inculcatemore drama and excitement in theform of sharper, sporting edge in GTV8 S. Once again, Crewe has shownthat downsizing is possible without

compromise in performance orfeatures. The GT V8 S coupe dispatchesthe 0-100km/h sprint in 4.5secsonto a top speed of 309km/h. Theperformance of the slightly heavier GTV8 S convertible is equally impressive as

it does the 0-100km/h sprint in 4.7 secs.What impressed the judges was thatthe increased performance is achievedwithout detriment to the V8 engine’sfuel economy and CO2 emissions, orits ability to cover more than [claimed]805km between ll-ups.

VerdictWhen it comes to marryingtechnological prowess with innovativemarketing, Bentley has proved time and

again that it can do it successfully andyet retain its niche stature.This is a car where we do have tomention gures despite it beingconsidered as winner in the luxury carsegment.

Cadillac XTS V PlatinumCadillac’s top-of-the-line XTS has helped redene America’sluxury automaker’s image to quite an extent but it is shortof the global appeal of either British/German/Japanesepremium luxury brands.

Maserati GhibliThe Ghibli is the Italian automaker’s most important newmodel in many years. Cleverly created and positioned,the Ghibli was launched in 2014 and is smaller and lessexpensive than the larger Quattroporte four-door sedan,while more practical and much less expensive than theGranTurismo coupe and convertible.

LUXURY CAR

BENTLEY CGT V8S

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Who would have thought a fewyears ago that a top performancebrand like AMG which specializedin tuning/enhancing V6/V8/V12powertrain architecture would onedabble itself into pint sized four-cylinders? Call it marketing nicheor a brilliant strategy, AMG hassuccessfully exhibited the fact that itcan be done irrespective of cylinders

or displacement capacity. The A45AMG even outclasses the all-timefavourite, the GTI.

VerdictAMG proved that it could do wonders evenwith a tiny 2.0-litre four-cylinder set-up and inthe forthcoming period we can expect morecars to follow this route and encourage healthycompetition.

MINI CooperNew generation is considerably improved and even withthe JCW kit, the packaging is impeccable. However, it stillremains in the class of lifestyle merchandise more thananything else. Also, high entry level pricing is detrimentalto its potential sales prospects.

Kia SoulKia needs to rework its positioning for this car if it wantsto get the message out right. With the current refresh,Kia has got its lifestyle aspirations in place, but theperformance punch is lacking. However, that may changesoon as the carmaker and its sibling embark on a newtuning/performance aspiration chapter.

HOT HATCH

MERCEDES-BENZ A45 AMG

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Till now, both generations ofAudi’s TT have been consideredmore as lifestyle merchandise thananything else. However, that hasnow changed. Audi’s agenda for thethird-generation TT and its variantshas been evident after the car hitthe markets. Using its engineeringprowess, Audi has successfullyelevated the coupe and roadster

even closer to true sports-carterritory.

VerdictThe Audi TT is the epitome of anauthentic design icon and it now comeswith stronger fundamentals and jawdropping performance.

Jaguar F-TypeWith the all-new F-Type, Jaguar pays homage to its illustriouspeers and the carmaker has fast tracked the introductionof several variants. The 2016 MY Jaguar F-Type Coupé andConvertible range made its global at the 2014 Los AngelesAuto Show and were introduced with new powertrain anddriveline options including the addition of all-wheel drive andmanual transmission models. And with the introduction of anF-Type R Convertible, the F-Type range grows from from six to

14 derivatives.

Ferrari California TIn a way this is new territory for Ferrari. The magic ofturbocharging and direct injection has also caught thefancy of the Prancing Horse after quarter of a century andit will take some time for the purists to accept the notiondespite the immense benets this technology applicationhas to oer.

SPORTS CAR

AUDI TT/TTS

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When launched in 2014, the Huracanreplaced Lamborghini’s long servingGallardo, the single most popular modelin the company’s history. The outgoinglow-slung Gallardo was far from perfect,but it did have a decade’s worth ofcareer in the hands of acionados.And its no secret that by the end of its10-year life cycle, besides its traditiondomestic rivalry with Ferrari, it indeedhad grown antiquated when comparedwith similarly priced and powerfulexotics like Ferrari’s 458 Italia and the

relatively new super carmaker from UK,McLaren’s 12C and 650S. Lamborghini,which sold 14,000 Gallardos globallywas in no mood to give up the honoursand hence extensively re-looked into

every nook and corner when preparingthe battle plan with the Gallardoreplacement. Until the 610hp Huracanarrived, renements were never part ofLamborghini’s formula with super cars.

VerdictAutoman editors were impressed bythe Huracan’s dual nature. On one handit comes with pure and unadulterateddesign, breathtaking dynamics andexcellent build quality, on the otherhand it delivers unparalleled sports

car experience and the way it unitesperformance with a character perfectlysuited to everyday use. The Hurracanis one of the most inuential carsintroduced in its category.

Maserati GranTurismo CentennialThe current GranTurismo has been around 2009, butMaserati have been able to keep interest in this beaconwith variants and limited production editions. This is thecentenary year for the brand and what a nice way ofsaying good bye as the ground is prepared for its eventualreplacement.

Ferrari 458 SpecialeWith the 458 Speciale, Ferrari, very much like Bentley went one step aheadand created a more aggressive variant with dual driving nature features suitedfor day-to-day road and or track day performance. However, the Ferrari 458Italia is approaching its fth year on the market, but it still looks every inchthe modern, masterful supercar. The driving experience of the Speciale alsoplaces it among the very best supercars ever built. In the interim period,however, Ferrari has oered little in the way of updates or changes to theItalia’s feature and equipment set.

PERFORMANCECAR

LAMBORGHINIHURACAN

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As Lincoln reinvents itself as a credibleglobal luxury brand, the MKC crossoverSUV which was rst introduced asa concept vehicle at the 2013 NorthAmerican International Auto Show inDetroit and subsequently green lightedfor production represents a criticalmilestone in the company’s plan toexpand its portfolio of car for nicheglobal markets.The MKC may have the Germanpremium oering in its sights andthough it has been created out ofsharing components [basic structure

and wheelbase] with the Ford Escape,it is an inch wider and 1.1in longer thanthe Ford it is based. And unlike pastLincoln eorts to create luxury cars, the

MKC feels more distinct. The MKC alsocomes with an assortment of cuttingedge technologies that Ford is currentlypromoting heavily – especially Ecoboosttechnologies. Besides these, upmarketfeatures like stitched leather and realwood inlays give the MKC character andquality in the right places.In terms of performance and handlingas a lifestyle 2WD or AWD crossover,it seems to oer the right balance.Lincoln engineers who benchmarkedthe MKC with Audi’s Q5, BMW’s X3 andthe Mercedes-Benz GLK throughout the

MKC’s development have been able toproduce a well-controlled chassis withmore capability than most drivers willever use.

VerdictCompared the older generation of carscoming from the Lincoln stable, thenew crop of cars including the new MKCcompact luxury crossover are headingin the right direction for the brand’smarket success, especially in brand/feature led markets like the ME.

Emgrand X7This cash-rich Chinese brand which also owns Swedish carmaker Volvo is surely moving in the right direction. Geely’sassociation with Bertone has helped create a decentlooking SUV with nice features. However, the usage ofan older generation powertrain set-up does have its ownimpact in the overall packaging.

SsangYong KorandoSouth Korean automajor SsangYong has refreshed theKorando crossover SUV inside and out and enhanced itsdriving renement. But it still has to compete with a lot ofclassier and better-equipped models in the class/segmentand staying low means that the brand has to reinforce itscredentials.

SMALL SUV

LINCOLN MKC

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The current Patrol which represents thesixth generation was launched in 2010in Abu Dhabi and in 2014 a signicantfacelift was introduced. The refreshedmodels come with revised tail andbuilt-in LED headlamps besides a newtan interior and new set of wheels. Theupgrades also helped the model tomove up the ladder and to reduce thegap [in terms of luxury feature content]

with its mechanically similar InnitiQX80 [formerly the QX56] sibling.Meanwhile, Nissan have also startedlooking at limited edition bespokeeditions in order to attain exclusivity

in the segment. This ploy has workedvery well for the commercial successof the model – especially when it cameto re-engineering the feature pack toenhance its urban. As expected this hasbeen achieved without compromiseto the model’s proven o-road trackrecord.

Verdict

In terms of design, innovation, comfort,luxury, features and performance, thePatrol has moved up several notchesand in terms of a value package remainsunbeatable.

Chevrolet TahoeThe mechanical twin of the GMC has also been extensivelyrevisited by GM and now moves a few levels higher indesign, content and handling. Fairly new in the market, weexpect it to also make impressive inroads in the segment.

GMC YukonGMs SUV only brand GMC has also been ring on all cylinders. GMC’s previousannouncement that the all-new 2015 Yukon, Yukon XL and agship YukonDenali models will deliver greater capability and renement, with more power,new fold-at rear seats and a quieter interior have been met. And thanks to anew family of advanced EcoTec3 engines, the line-up is designed to deliver thesegment’s best V8 fuel economy. We expect the Yukon family to overtake theaging opposition in the coming months in the region.Chevrolet Tahoe

LARGE SUV

NISSAN PATROL

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Getting a premium tag on a full-sizeSUV is no easy task and GM seemshave nailed it with its refreshed all-newfourth generation Escalade. The newfeature-packed Escalade represents agenuine eort on part of engineers,designers and bespoke craftspeoplewho have put in a superb eort inhelping the car enjoy its pinnacle status.

The closest competitor historically, theLincoln Navigator, has recently beenintroduced, however it’s too early topredict how well it will do or impact theEscalade’s prospects. The SUV is oeredwith 2WD and 4WD drivetrains, and new6.2-litre V8 engine that is more powerful

and more ecient than previousmodels. Engine technologies includeincluding direct injection, active fuelmanagement, or cylinder deactivation,continuously variable valve timingand an advanced combustion system.For occupant comfort during theride, there’s Cadillac’s magnetic ridecontrol, the world’s fastest-reacting

suspension system, is now standardand delivers precisely controlled drivingperformance. Besides, these a lot ofluxury features from sedans like theCUE infotainment system which is nowstandard and there’s a host of driverassistance/safety systems.

VerdictKia’s approach in engineering andmarketing the new Sorento is a neexample of how things should be done.The ve-passenger version essentiallysplits the price dierence between thepricier midsize SUVs like the Ford Edgeand smaller, less-equipped compactSUVs like the Honda CR-V. Meanwhile,

the pricing of the seven-passengerversions also start o reasonably lessthan bigger models and in general, thecar represents exceptional value.

Porsche MacanThe German sports car maker’s rst compact SUVcomes as expected with top class engineering,performance credentials and ecient technologies.There are only a handful competitive models insegment also with high benchmark standards inthe region and it remains to be seen in the comingmonths how well this model will do commerciallyin view of the refreshed Cayenne arriving in mostmarkets this quarter.

PREMIUM SUV

CADILLAC ESCALADE

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The German sports car and SUV makernow takes the Cayenne experienceto a new level. The Gen III faceliftcomes with the right dose of kit andeciency and wide variant spread.From a marketing perspective, the V8has been dropped in favour of a moreecient and smaller displacementturbocharged V6 [which also servesin the top spec Macan]. For now itcan hold on its own, but will face sticompetition from both outside andwithin in the coming months.

PERFORMANCE SUV

PORSCHE CAYENNE

VerdictWhat impressed the judges wasthe way the Cayenne manages to

seamlessly blend the best attributesof a sports sedan and a competento-roader, while packaging it all witha smart exterior and thoroughly lavishinterior.

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The sports car maker’s rst compactSUV which comes with the typicalengineering genes is an impressivework considering the fact that despitesharing some engineering with Audi,there’s no trace of Audi inuences. Apure Porsche all out, the car is bettersuited for European markets and hasthe potential to carve its niche slot

in this region. The name Macan is ofIndonesian origin and means “tiger”.For Porsche, it is the brand’s newestand smallest SUV armed with highcalibre capabilities. It is an interestingattempt to ensure that ve conicting

car skills like speed, agility, comfort,utility, and o-road capability canbe merged into a compact packagesuccessfully.

VerdictTo dig into the massive parts binand select the best in technology

applications without any trace ofduplication is where Porsche hasexcelled when it set out to create theMacan SUV. It’s a car that appeals toboth purists and new customers to thebrand.

Cadillac ATSThe American luxury brand’s entry level sedan comeswith capabilities matching German and Japanesepremium opposition. As a debut as a solo modelfor the brand, it has made impressive strides, butthe opposition is much stronger in terms oeringsespecially when it comes to sporty or performancevariants.

Lincoln MKCThis new model signies new direction for thebrand and the way Lincoln is moving forward withits product portfolio, there’s a potential winner inhands. It’s just a matter of time.

Mercedes Benz A45 AMGAMG proved that it could do wonders even witha tiny 2.0-litre four-cylinder set-up and in theforthcoming period we can expect more cars tofollow this route and encourage healthy competition.

BEST DEBUT

PORSCHE MACAN

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Bentley Motors has ocially announcedthe name of its upcoming utility model

at the North American InternationalAuto Show in Detroit. Set to debut laterthis year, Bentley’s SUV will wear thename ‘Bentayga’. The SUV’s name wasinspired by the company’s namesakeas well as the natural world; Taiga, theworld’s largest transcontinental snowforest, resides to the North of Bentley’sHQ while the Roque Bentayga rockformation is to the south in the CanaryIslands.“Bentayga is a name that reflectswhat we know our SUV will do betterthan any other car in the world -

combine the best automotive luxurywith outstanding performance to

take the Bentley experience tonew environments,” said Wolfgang

Dürheimer, chairman and CEO ofBentley Motors. While no mechanicaldetails have been revealed, theBentayga is expected to benefitfrom the Groups’ engineering bankincluding perhaps borrowing elementsof the platform shared by the next-generation Volkswagen Touareg, AudiQ7 and Porsche Cayenne. Bentley’stwin-turbocharged 6.0-litre W12will be the only motor available atlaunch, but a plug-in hybrid drivetrainwill be introduced in 2017. The SUVwill eventually be offered with the

company’s 4.0-litre twin-turbochargedV8.The SUV will hit markets in 2016.

Bentley’s new

SUV formally

named

McLaren will build limited to 50 unitproduction a special-edition of the650S. This car will celebrate the 20thanniversary of the company’s F1 GTRvictory at the 24 Hour of Le Mans. FiveMcLaren F1 GTRs nished the 1995 race,notably accounting for four of the topve positions. The company previously

honoured the achievement with a seriesof ve cars badged the McLaren F1 LM.

At the recent auto show, Nissan NorthAmerica’s vice president of productplanning Pierre Loing has indicated thatthe Altima which is due for a facelift willreceive signicant styling changes. Loingsaid that the 2016 Altima will receivea “signicant” update that includesrevised styling and upgraded technologybut also hinted the changes wouldn’t

be as drastic as the rebodied faceliftedToyota Camry.

GM’s rear-wheel drive Alpha platform willserve as the base of Cadillac’s all-new yetunnamed model that it plans to slot underthe ATS. While some previous reportshad suggested the model would be basedon the next-generation Chevrolet Cruze,Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen saidat Detroit that it will feature rear-wheel

drive. “The cost and packaging advantagesof front-wheel drive are appealing, but wewant to build our reputation as a purveyorof high-performance drivers’ cars, so it’sbetter that we do it o a rear-wheel-drivearchitecture.” As of now most of thecompact sedan’s in the market are frontwheel drive machines.

Ever since the Mercedes-Maybachdivision came to life with the top-of-the-line S-Class, reports are now emerging

about the possibility of a portfolioexpansion bearing that name. S-Classproject manager Martin Hulder has givensubtle hints that a Maybach badged SUVis in the making and more recently, ,Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Steve Cannonhas said that the next model withchances of being pampered by Maybachis the E-Class.First ocial images of Kia KX3 leakedinto the webUnveiled last November during theGuangzhou Auto Show Kia’s sub

Sportage new crossover model forChina is mechanically based on the

Hyundai ix25. The new addition will belaunched in China soon with a designthat is heavily inuenced by the KX3

concept. Compared to the concept, theproduction model features a new foglights design at the front and dierentexhaust pipe conguration at the back.The car’s interior comes with a familiarcockpit layout with brown leatherupholstery, lacquered trim and a leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel.The KX3 will be powered by two 1.6-litrepetrol engines[normally aspirated andturbocharged]. Power outputs will rangefrom 123hp and 151 Nm and 200hp and264 Nm respectively. The turbo unit will

be oered with a 7-speed DCT gearbox.

McLaren to

celebrate the 20thanniversary of thecompany’s F1 GTR victory

Nissan Altima to gounder the scalpel

New entry level Cadillac will be rear wheel drive

More Maybach

branded cars from

Mercedes?

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This is true according to General Motor’sVice President of Global Design EdWelburn. Welburn revealed recently thatthe soon-to-arrive 2016 Chevrolet Malibuwill feature Corvette-inspired styling.In an interview with media, Welburnconrmed that the redesigned sedanwill have a number of Corvette-inspiredstyling cues. “You see it in the formvocabulary in the body side. It has are.It has spirit. It has tension.” He also said

the model will have new taillamps whichmimic those on the Corvette Stingray.

Corvette to

influence newMalibu styling

It seems so, if one believes what AMGCEO Tobias Moers has recently hinted.Moers has been talking about thepossibility of coming out with a directcompetitor for the Porsche 918 Spyder.His indication was in response to mediaquerry when he was asked whetherAMG was considering a direct rival forthe Porsche 918 Spyder, LaFerrari or

McLaren P1. Moers response was: “Wewant to be seen by the public on thesame level as other sports car maker in

Germany.” He went on to specify theirdesire now is to “make race technologystreet-legal” but refused to disclose anyexact details about a potential range-topping model. Whatever it will be,chances are the agship AMG-brandedmodel will adopt an all-wheel drive mid-engine layout with power coming froman uprated variant of the new twin-turbo4.0-litre V8 estimated to deliver 700bhp.Some technology applications from theSLS AMG Electric Drive could also beadopted in helping boosting combinedoutput of beyond say, the 1,000bhp.

Jaguar has conrmed it will introducean all-new model to the Jaguar line-up,to go on-sale in 2016, named the JaguarF-PACE. “The Jaguar F-PACE, inspiredby the F-TYPE, represents a perfectlyjudged balance of performance, styleand practicality. It oers a uniquecombination of Jaguar sports car inspiredexterior design, fused beautifully with athoroughly practical and spacious luxury

interior. The F-PACE is our family sportscar,” said Ian Callum, director of Design,Jaguar and added: “We received suchan overwhelmingly positive response tothe C-X17 concept car last year that wejust had to make it a reality.” The JaguarF-PACE couples class-leading interiorspace and exceptional on-road dynamicswith ve-seat usability to produce a trueperformance crossover. It will encapsulateeverything that Jaguar stands for: beautifuldesign, precise handling, a supple ride,luxurious interior nishes and cutting-edgetechnology. The car will be made in UK.

Ssangyong’s newest model which takes itsname after a picturesque town in centralItaly, will be the most stylish vehicle theSUV maker has ever oered. The companysays the Tivoli previews its next designlanguage, indicating that it is preparingto move closer to the mainstream alongwith premium feature content. Powercomes from a 1.6-litre e-XGi four-cylinderengine that generates 126hp when matedto a six-speed manual transmission. Six-

speed automatic transmission will also beoered. The production Tivoli’s rst ocialouting will be in March at the GenevaMotor Show and it will go on sale acrossEurope and Asia shortly after.

Aston Martin is signicantly expandingits vehicle engineering facilities with theopening of a cutting edge prototype andvehicle development base at the newMIRA Technology Park in Nuneaton,Warwickshire, UK. Aston Martin’s newfacility will add vital engineering capacityas the luxury British sports car brandsteps up its programme of new modeldevelopment. The 15,800 sq ft buildingaccommodates a key part of the brand’sprototype and vehicle developmentoperations and represents a signicantinvestment in support of current andfuture model programmes. Ian Minards,Product Development Director at AstonMartin, said: “The cutting edge facilitiesat MIRA, together with its reputation forquality and excellent security, make it anideal place for us to carry out some of

our prototype development work.”

AMG to take on

Porsche directly?

Jaguar announces

F-PACE

Production

Ssangyong Tivoli

ready

New engineering

facility for Aston Martin

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A lot, especially if you have a dedicatedline-up reecting the same. Audi’strademark stable for its Q model line-up from the series Q1 to Q9 has twoalphanumeric combos missing and Audi isdesperate to get them back. The catch is,the two numbers -- Q2 and Q4 are owned byFiat and what makes it irritating for Audi isthat FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne appears tohave no interest in selling them.Fiat has used those trim badges as an key

to identifying whether its product has two-wheel or all-wheel drive and the badgesappeared in the Alfa Romeo 159 sedan,besides the Maserati Quattroporte S andGhibli S Q4 sedans. Now, it is speculated,that there’s personal ego involved morethan commercial interests. VW Group CEOFerdinand Piëch and Fiat’s Marchionnehave been caught on the wrong footseveral times since 2012 and either is not

willing to compromise. This means till 2018[Marchionne’s planned exit] VW Groupwill have to wait and watch. Audi mighthave a better chance with Marchionne’ssuccessor.

BMW and Volkswagen have announcedrespective changes to their globalleadership teams last month. HaraldKrueger has been named as the incomingchief executive of BMW as the Munichluxury brand’s development chiefHerbert Diess moves to VW to head up itspassenger car brand worldwide. At age49, Krueger is set to become the youngestCEO and he will replace Norbert Reithofer,who will step down next May and is nowslated to succeed Joachim Milberg aschairman. Meanwhile, 56-year-old Dr Diesswill take over from Martin Winterkorn aschairman of the Volkswagen passengerbrand, eective October 1 2015. ProfWinterkorn will continue as chiefexecutive of the broader VW Group, whichalso includes Audi, Porsche, Bentley,Bugatti and Lamborghini.

India’s best-selling car for nine years, Maruti Suzuki Alto, has emergedas the largest-selling small car in the world in 2014 beating the likesof Volkswagen Golf in Germany and Daihatsu Tanto, Toyota Aqua andHonda Fit in Japan. Alto registered overall sales of 264,544 units in Indialast year that put it ahead of Golf’s sales of 255,044 units in Germany,Tanto’s 234,456 units, Aqua’s 233,209 units and Fit’s 202,838 units inJapan. The list this year does not have any entry from Brazil, the world’slargest small car market, as its best-selling car for 25 years — VolkswagenGol — suered a near 30 per cent fall in sales and was upstaged by long-time rival Fiat Palio in South America’s biggest car market. Individually,

none of the cars in Brazil crossed the 200,000 unit mark in 2014.

That Hyundai Motor Group is getting more serious about its performance aspirationsis getting clearer each day. However, such aspirations can only been achievablewith the right talent and Hyundai has been on a mission to get the right peopleon board. And in a coup-d’etat of sorts, a former chief engineer at BMW M GmbHwho goes by the name of Albert Biermann has agreed to help the South Koreanautomotive brand. Biermann has been working for the Bavarian automaker forover three decades. As vice president of engineering at the M division, Biermannwas most recently responsible for developing the latest M3, M4 and M6 models.

His engineering strategy has also helped bridge the gap between BMW’s regularsand the M-badge models besides the development of the M Performance range.The 57-year-old German national has been named the Korean group’s new headof Vehicle Test & High Performance Development. Biermann will be based outof Hyundai’s R&D center in Namyang, South Korea, and will be tasked with “thedevelopment of new high performance Hyundai and Kia models.

The appointment makes Biermann the second high-ranking German executive theKorean automaker brought on board, after chief designer Peter Schreyer. Hyundaihas recently opened a test centre at the Nürburgring with an eye towards launchinga new N performance line.

Audi vs Fiat: what’s in a

name?

Executive changes

India-built Alto is world’s best selling small car

BMW engineer joins Hyundai

Automan’s take

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Global sales of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars have more thanquadrupled since 2009 and the 2014 sales results suggest evenstronger presence worldwide. For a fth consecutive year, theuber luxury British brand recorded sales of 4,063 units during2014. Strong sales were reported worldwide, with double-digit

growth in most regions, North America (up 30 per cent), theMiddle East (up 20 per cent) and Europe (up 40 per cent).The United States remained the company’s most signicantindividual market. Rolls-Royce’s home market, the UnitedKingdom, is the company’s fourth largest individual market(up 13 per cent). The best-selling Rolls-Royce dealership in 2014was Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Abu Dhabi. In the Middle East,highlights included Bahrain (up 50 per cent), Kuwait (up 45 percent) and Oman (up 27 per cent).

Volvo Car Group plans to export a Chinese-made midsize sedanthis year to the United States, and is starting to weigh thepossibility of building a vehicle factory in the United States,people familiar with the Chinese-owned automaker’s planssaid..Both moves would be signicant for the auto industryand Volvo’s parent, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. So far,global automakers have chosen not to ship vehicles made inChina to the U.S. market in any signicant numbers, and eortsby Chinese automakers to export vehicles to the United States

have foundered.

Jaguar Land Rover has announced allfuture high-performance models willdrop the R-S badge in favour of the SVRbadge. Speaking to media, JLR’s SpecialVehicle Operations (SVO) supremo

John Edwards has disclosed plans tophase out the R-S badge used in high-powered models in order to make roomfor the SVR designation Edwards wenton to specify the current range-toppingJaguar F-Type R Coupe will eventually bedethroned by an SVR version that willobviously pack more than the R’s 550 HP& 680 Nm.

Bespoke Collections including Waterspeed, Pinnacle Travel and Metropolitan, and unique creations such as the Maharaja PhantomDrophead Coupé contributed to Rolls Royce sustaining its leadership of the industry in the area of individualisation.

Volvo is also behind rivals BMW and Mercedes in establishing production in the United States, which insulates the German brandsfrom currency uctuations.

The recently introduced Range Rover Sport SVR has already paved the way for the nomenclature change and all models of this kindwill come with extra power, stier body structure along with other typical upgrades like sport-tuned chassis and suspension andbigger braking systems.

ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS

CELEBRATES FIFTH SUCCESSIVE

SALES RECORD

China built Volvos headed for US?

R-S badge to be phased out

Automan’s take

Automan’s take

Automan’s take

Land Rover Program DirectorMurray Dietsch has said that thecarmaker doesn’t have any plansfor a high-performance LandRover Discovery Sport SVR variant.However, he hinted the companycould still oer a performance-oriented model packed with aturbocharged 295hp 2.0-litre four-cylinder Ingenium engine. There arealso rumours from Europe of a high-performance 2.0-litre turbodieselengine that could produce“signicantly” more than 188bhpand 420 Nm of torque.

SVR variant for Land Rover

Discovery Sport discounted

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Over the years, the Consumer and Electronics Show [CES] in Las Vegas is gaining attention from automotive players

and this year’s edition was electrifying in terms of content and presentation. Several automakers showcased futuristictechnology applications ranging from autonomous driving to new multimedia systems. Here’s a snap shot of key

automotive related unveils.

2015 CES round-up

GADGETS AND TECHNOLOGIES GALORE

Jaguar Land Rover is working closely withIntel and Seeing Machines to developsensing technology that monitors thedriver’s face and eyes to reduce distractedand drowsy driving. Seeing Machines

demonstrating its Driver Monitor System(DMS) in a Jaguar F-TYPE prototype.DMS uses attention-monitoring sensorsin the dashboard to detect eye andfacial movements so it can identify if thedriver has become inattentive, eitherdue to drowsiness or distraction. It is sosophisticated it can understand the stateof the driver in real world conditions,including bright sunlight and if the driveris wearing glasses or sunglasses. Dr.Wolfgang Ziebart, Jaguar Land RoverEngineering Director, said, “The attention-monitoring technology we are showcasing

at CES has huge potential for road safety.”

Ford president Mark Fields announced

25 mobility experiments and challengesat the show grouped under ‘Ford Smart

Mobility’, a programme of experimentsand challenges is designed to take the

Blue Oval brand to the next level inconnectivity, mobility, autonomous

vehicles and other hi-tech technologies.Ford has already announced that

“innovators” will be asked to come upwith a car accessory or phone app to

address the challenges of driving andalso to address specic issues in North

America, South America, Portugal, Africa,India, China, England and Australia.The main goal is to enhance driver self-

suciency in dicult situations, likeelectrical failure, hazardous weather and

dangerous road conditions.

VW previewed the cabin of its future

vehicles with its Golf R Touch concept that

swaps the cockpit’s buttons for screens

and gesture control. VW said its goal was

to develop an interior that reduced driver

distraction but added more functions.

The result is a cabin in which every switch,

button and dial on the car’s dashboard

centre console for infotainment, car

settings and climate control have been

removed and replaced by three large LCD

displays. All components of the system

are now completely integrated into the

car’s dashboard centre console is a 12.8in

high-denition touchscreen, below it is an

8.0in display, while in front of the driver is

12.3in digital instrument cluster.

Jaguar Land Rover Ford Volkswagen

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Audi showcased most of its future

technologies in the Prologue concept.The not only previews the brand’sfuture styling trend but also advancesin technology such as its 505kW/950Nmhybrid powertrain, three-part touchscreendisplay and light-show interior. Audiis also working on driverless cars, anddemonstrated its prowess with a riggedA7 sedan that covered 901km [fromStanford, in California, to Las Vegas,Nevada] without a driver. Visitors also gota chance to see the Q7 SUVs new cockpitarchitecture that is likely to roll out infuture Audi models.

Sometime in the very near future Hyundaicar owners will be able to control somevehicle functions remotely with thenew Blue Link application and a pairedsmartwatch. This was part of the newtechnology and innovation presentationsfor its future cars. Hyundai’s presentationrevolved around a variety of newtransportation technologies designedto make driving safer, more convenient

and more enjoyable with autonomousdriving systems, driver assistance kitand an updated Blue Link smartwatchconnectivity system. Hyundai saysthat many of the new systems rely onincreasingly powerful internet cloud-basedtechnology which has been developedwith US information distributionpowerhouses.

Tata Elxsi, a design and technologyservices subsidiary of India’s Tata Grouphas made inroads into the world ofautonomous driving technology. Thecompany displayed an assortmentof hardware, rmware and softwaresolutions for self-parking cars,infotainment displays that incorporatewearable devices, app suites that tieconsumer and car together and securedgateway integration were just a few of thetechnologies displayed by the company.

BMW wowed visitors to this year’sConsumer Electronics Show in Las Vegaswith a host of new technology includingits laser-guided i3 which will park itselfwhile its occupants go shopping. Inaddition, BMW showcased its over-the-airmap updates for the latest generation ofBMW’s Professional navigation system.New map data can transmitted to thecar for free via the internet through asmartphone app. BMW also demonstrateits new wireless charging tech which is stillin the research phase.

Toyota opened more than 5,600 fuel celltechnology patents to free use by itsrivals as part of its push to lift hydrogenfuel into the mainstream. In return,Toyota would like reciprocal free accessto hydrogen fuel cell technologies heldby the other manufacturers under asharing arrangement. Toyota’s senior vicepresident of automotive operations BobCarter said the company would allow theuse of the globally held patents, someof which were developed for its recentlyrevealed Mirai fuel-cell vehicle. About3,350 patents relate to fuel-cell systemsoftware control, 1,970 are connected tothe fuel-cell stacks, while a further 290 areconnected with the high-pressure tanksand 70 relate to production and supply of

hydrogen.

The German tristar brand unveiled itsvision of a purpose-built autonomous car– which it refers to as the F 015 Luxury inMotion. The car is packed with technologythat allows passengers to work, socialiseand relax instead of controlling thevehicle, thus transforming a stock car into“a private retreating space”. Daimler AGchairman Dieter Zetsche said autonomousvehicles such as the F 015 would ease the

pressures of increasing city populations.The most important luxury goods of the21st century are private space and time.“Autonomously driving cars by Mercedes-Benz shall oer exactly that. With the F015 Luxury in Motion, this revolutionaryconcept of mobility becomes tangible forthe rst time,” said Zetsche.

Volvo unveiled the world’s rst wearablecycling technology which alerts driversto a nearby cyclist even if the rider isaround a blind corner. This eort comesas a result of an all-Swedish collaborationbetween the car-maker, extreme sportsequipment manufacturer POC andtelecommunications rm Ericsson whodeveloped technology which is composedof a vehicle equipped with Volvo’s City

Safety system, a prototype helmet and asmart phone app. By using a tness appsuch as Strava, any cyclist can connectto Volvo’s cloud-based communicationssystem which will work with City Safetyin alerting the driver - with braking ifnecessary - when an imminent collision ispredicted. The rider meanwhile is warnedby a helmet-mounted light. Volvo Carsvice president and Group CIO Klas Bendriksaid that as the system connects cyclistand driver via the cloud no line-of-sight isneeded to detect a possible collision.

Audi

Hyundai

Tata

BMW

Toyota

Mercedes-Benz Volkswagen

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Irrespective of the global oil price slump, car makers are focusing

more on efficiency solutions while not totally abandoning all-out

performance machines. At least, that’s the message from this year’s

opening global motor showAuthor: Chandan B Mallik

North America’s mostimportant car show

is also the first majorglobal show that gives allof us an indication what’sin store for consumersin future. While, theeconomies of Europe andsome of the developingcountries are weakening

and vehicles are becomingmore energy-efficient, the

industry seems to agreethat irrespective of howthe oil markets b ehave,more and more consumersare looking at miles pergallon than horsepower vsdisplacement. And it wasclear that a lot of future cars

will be offered with a hostof efficiency technologies

such as lightweightconstruction, hybridization,all-electric among others.Like major European players,the American Big Three arealso now leading in offeringsmaller displacementengines and adopting hybrid

powertrains. The displaysat Detroit said it all besides

some interesting new ideas,the performance-cum-efficiency theme continuedthroughout the show atnearly every stand. Here’s asnap shot of who displayedwhat and some of the keyannouncements.

The big news from Honda was a production concept of themuch touted NSX mid-engined sports car. The last time Hondaproduced a mid-engined sports car was in 2005 and ever since

Honda has been toying with the NSX [NSX stands for NewSportscar eXperimental] idea and in the interim period Hondadid keep the interest quotient with a number of false starts. But,now it is happening and Honda promised that the car will hit USmarkets in 2016 where it will be badged and sold as an Acura.The new NSX is American designed, developed and hand-builtin Marysville, Ohio. The car will be powered by a twin-turbo V6hybrid drivetrain. Total power output is estimated at more than550bhp.

The Italian premium sports brand dropped the top from the 4CSpider. The 4C Spider is nearly identical to the 4C Spider Conceptthat was shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 2014. The Spidercomes equipped with an integrated roll bar and a removableroof panel crafted out of carbon bre to help keep weight down.Power for the 4C Spider comes from a turbocharged and direct-injected 1.7-litre four-cylinder engine borrowed from the 4Ccoupe. It sends 237 horsepower and 258 lb-ft. of torque to therear wheels via a six-speed dual-clutch transmission, enough topropel the 4C Spider from zero to 60 mph in roughly 4.1 secondsand on to an electronically limited top speed of 160 mph. AnAkrapovic exhaust system and Pirelli P Zero tires are available atan extra cost and so will be Track package.

Acura

Alfa Romeo

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Audi’s core message for the audiences at Detroit was the end ofthe rst-generation Q7 SUV. The second generation version of thebrand’s rst crossover is a far lighter than the outgoing model,thanks to the use of special steels and aluminium. The Group’sMLB platform will allow the full size Audis to accommodatea range of engines, including more potent versions of the USmarket’s 3.0-litre, supercharged V6 and 3.0-litre turbo diesels.

Following an online reveal about a month ago, BMW introducedthe revised 6-Series family in Detroit. BMW also had on display itsfamous 3.0 CSL racing car which was manufactured between 1968and 1975 by Karmann. The brightly coloured car featured a widebody kit, oversized rear wing and a distinctive M badging.

Despite expectations, Bentley didn’t reveal what its rst SUVin production garb would look like, but Bentley CEO, WolfgangDürheimer ocially revealed the name of the forthcoming model

as the ‘Bentayga’. The chosen name comes after a mountain peakin Spain’s Gran Canaria island. At the presentation, Bentley alsoreleased a teaser image of one of the SUV’s wing vents, which hasbeen formed into a shape reminiscent of the Bentley ‘Flying B’mascot. “I promise this will be the fastest, the most luxurious andthe most exclusive SUV in the world,” said Wolfgang Dürheimer,Bentley chief executive. No engineering details have beenannounced and wse are sure that chaps at JLR will watch the RangeRover rival Bentayga developments with great interest. The BentleySUV will be built at Crewe plant in the UK.

Audi

BMW

Bentley

Buick

Buick introduced the Avenir concept a day in advance of the AutoShow. The concept provides a glimpse at a possible future Buickagship model. The concept is a result of GM’s global networkworking together. The car’s interior was penned by GM’s Americandesign studio, while the exterior design was an all-Australian aair.The Avenir – French for future – is distinguished by its premium sportsproportions and all-new interpretations of traditional Buick cues. TheMiddle East markets could actually be one of the beneciaries of thiscar [rebadged as Chevrolet] if green lighted for production as it couldalso replace the Oz-built Caprice-based Buick Royale/Park Avenue .Meanwhile, the second car making headlines for the brand was theopen top Cascada which will be the rst Buick convertible oered inthe US in 25 years. It goes on sale in early 2016.

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Aimed squarely at the BMW M5 and the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMGin particular, Cadillac unveiled its CTS-V performance derivative.The car borrows performance technologies from the CorvetteZO6 and as a result outclasses both key rivals. Under the bonnetis a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 engine that produces 640hp and630 lb-ft of torque. The CTS-V has an aggressive front face with amesh grille and larger air intakes. The car also has front splitter,a ventilated carbon bre bonnet and 19-inch forged aluminumwheels with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres. Other notablehighlights include aerodynamic side skirts, widened fenders and afour-tailpipe exhaust system.

Inniti would like to present itself as an innovative brand and aswith the past few motor shows continues to showcase designand technology inuenced products or concepts. The star ofthe show for the brand was the Q60 Concept. The two-door 2+2concept hints at Inniti’s next sports coupe and communicatesan original and bold reinterpretation of a sophisticated lifestylecar. The concept’s sheetmetal gets organic curves and theinterior also takes a minimalist approach. Powering the car is thecompany’s 3.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V6 and a seven-speedautomatic.

Chevrolet introduced its second generation plug-in hybrid Voltwith the promise of a raft of improvements and renements. Thecar’s new, ecient propulsion system will oer an estimated total

driving range of more than 640km and with regular charging,owners are expected to travel more than 1,600km on averagebetween fuel ll-ups. Among the key technology led highlightsare the new two-motor drive units which are 45kg lighter thanthe outgoing drive unit besides increased battery capacity.Chevrolet also produced an EV concept called the Bolt. “TheBolt EV concept is a game-changing electric vehicle designedfor attainability, not exclusivity,” said General Motors CEO MaryBarra. “Chevrolet believes electrication is a pillar of futuretransportation and needs to be aordable for a wider segmentof customers.” The Bolt EV concept leverages technologiesestablished by Volt and Spark EV and is designed to oer long-range performance. GM’s rst battery-powered car, the Bolt is

expected to go into production in 2017. The Bolt was fabricated inthe Port Melbourne workshops – one of only two such facilities inthe GM universe capable of turning a design into reality.Trucks are big business for automakers in the US and Chevyonce again showcased its Colorado ZR2 Concept pick-up. Theaggressive-looking, o-road capable Colorado concept was rstshowcased at the Los Angeles Auto Show in 2014 as a model thebrand hinted it could oer for sale in the future. The ZR2 buildson the midsize Colorado Z71 production truck. It also builds onChevy’s history with the ZR2, a trim package it rst oered on theS-10 pick-up in 1994 and last oered on the S-10 in 2003 and BlazerSUV in 2005.

Arguably, these gures make the CTS-V the most powerful regular-production car in theautomaker’s 112-year history. Automan’s take

Cadillac

Chevrolet

Infiniti

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Ford’s presence at Detroit this year was by far one of the mostimpressive in years. Ford was also in the news for its worst keptsecret -- the launch an all-new GT supercar at the end of next year.The new GT will be a mid-engined sports coupé , designed as ahomage to the original GT40. The GT40 won the Le Mans 24-hourrace four times and the new GT will also be used as a technologyexercise for Ford, with an all carbon-bre chassis and a 3.5-litre,twin turbocharged Ecoboost V6 engine in place of the V8.Meanwhile, on the truck front, Ford introduced its new F-150

Raptor.The new Raptor is lighter by 227kg as it uses aluminiumin its construction extensively. Along with the weight-loss, theRaptor also hit the gym. Ford has replaced the current truck’s414hp 6.2-litre V8 engine with a next-generation edition of Ford’spopular turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 EcoBoost.

Calling 2015 the “Year of Honda,” the Japanese brand tried itsbest to impress the crowds with an array of innovative productsand technologies. With the FCV Concept, Honda demonstratedthe evolution of its next-generation fuel cell car which is slatedfor introduction in the US in 2016. Honda also made severalannouncements related to future products that include theintroduction of the HR-V crossover SUV, totally redesigned PilotSUV, a new Ridgeline pick-up truck for 2016, all-new batteryelectric vehicle and an all-new plug-in hybrid vehicle by 2018and further application of Honda’s two- and three-motor hybridsystems. And before the end of the year, Honda will begin tointroduce our new 4-cylinder VTEC® Turbo engines – an extensionof its Earth Dreams™ Technology powertrain line-up.

Hyundai launched its rstplug-in hybrid vehicle forthe US markets in theform of a Sonata variant.This Plug-in Hybrid ElectricVehicle (PHEV) is expectedto travel up to 32.4km onelectric power alone and canrecharged in two and a halfhours. The car will be built at

the Asan, South Korea plantand will go on sale in selectmarkets later this year.However, the bigger newsfrom the brand for the USmarkets was the surpriseentry – the HCD-15 SantaCruz Crossover TruckConcept. This conceptreects a completely new

interpretation of truck utilityfor a new generation ofbuyers, especially Millennials,who represent the second-largest population of carbuyers. As a result, Hyundaidesigners have avoidedthe conventional route indeveloping this concept.Instead, they have focused

on the specific needsof urban adventurers.Hence, in the flesh, theSanta Cruz doesn’t focuson all the same attributesas traditional pickups.It’s designed to meetmore of their desires forexpression, efficiency andmaneuverability.

Indeed a busy year for Honda and also its reconnects with F1 as a power unit supplier – a 1.6-litreturbocharged engine and hybrid-type kinetic and thermal energy recovery systems. This will happenthrough Honda’s partnership with McLaren and drivers Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button,beginning with the opening race of the series in Melbourne, Australia on March 15, 2015.

Automan’s

take

Ford

Honda

Hyundai

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The key Mercedes-Benz product to be introduced was the 2016GLE Coupe. Essentially, it is a crossover-coupe that follows thepath created by rival BMW with the X6. The car also ushersin Mercedes’ new naming system and will also get high-performance treatment by AMG which will adorn the GLE63 Sbadge. The German brand’s stand also displayed the F 015 Luxuryin Motion concept which it describes it as a “self-driving luxurysedan”.

MINI has fully unveiled the production version of the 2016 JohnCooper Works Hardtop which is basically identical to the conceptthat was presented at last year’s edition of the Detroit show.It stands out from a stock third-gen MINI Hardtop with a moremuscular look accented by a deep front bumper with large airducts, black trim around the radiator grille, more pronouncedmudguard ares and a bigger roof-mounted spoiler and thecustomary sprinkling of JCW emblems wrap up the overall look.

Not to be outclassed by the opposition, Nissan duly rolled out itsnew Titan XD which essentially represents a signicant upgradefor this full-size pick-up model. It is now positioned in the half-ton-plus category vehicle without moving up to compete againstother manufacturers’ heavy-duty trucks. Most signicantly,Nissan has partnered with longtime Ram diesel engine supplierCummins to oer a 310hp, 555lb-ft 5.0-litre turbo diesel V8 enginein addition to its current portfolio of petrol V8 and V6 engines.

Porsche introduced its 2016 range-topping Cayenne -- itsfastest and most expensive SUV -- Turbo S. The car features are-engineered 4.8-litre V8 biturbo engine that develops 570hp[+20hp] and 800Nm [+50Nm] of torque. Thanks to theseenhancements, the car now accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in4.1secs [0.4 secs faster than the previous model]. Top speed israted at 284km/h and the Porsche claims that the new SUV haslapped the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 7:59.74 min. The list ofoptions includes a sport exhaust system with a switchable soundsymposer that plays the V8’s soundtrack in the cabin. The dizzyingarray of Porsche 911 variants continues to grow as the automakeralso unveiled its mouth watering 911 Targa 4 GTS.

Fiat Chrysler Automobile’s truck only Ram brand introduced ano-road ready variant of the 1500 pick-up called Rebel. The newtrim level on the popular pick-up gives it added o-road prowessand will be available on both V6 and V8 powered models.“Oering an o-road-style package on the Ram 1500 has beenon our to-do list for some time but the right combination didn’tpresent itself until now,” Bob Hegbloom, CEO of Ram at theshow.

Mercedes-Benz

MINI

Nissan

Porsche

RAM

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Volvo is trying to project itself in the sportier side of the marketby oering its all-new XC90 SUV as a tailored version to thosewho prefer a sharper styling with a slightly more aggressivebody kit. To be promoted as a member of the R-Designportfolio, this version will be oered with a revised front grilleand spoiler, integrated dual exhaust pipes, silver matte mirrorcovers, bespoke 20-in wheels, silver roof rails and a silk metalwindow surround. In addition to the above, Volvo also had aninteresting proposition with a Cross Country variant of its S60

sedan. Compared to the regular version, this variant gets 65mmincreased ride height. Besides these, a China-made Volvo S60Lalso made its debut and it will be sold as the S60 Inscription in theUS.

Volkswagen has been toying with the idea of producing a sevenseater SUV for several years and at Detroit the German brand

showcased its third concept presentation -- Cross Coupé GTEconcept. It y be recalled that two years ago VW presented theCrossBlue concept at Detroit and the CrossBlue Coupé shownin Los Angeles in 2013. VW says that the Cross Coupé GTE is asignicant development as benets extensively from the modulartransverse matrix (MQB) platform, plug-in hybrid with all-wheeldrive technologies besides a new design language. The CrossCoupé GTE be oered with 276bhp, 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine,which is combined with two electric motors delivering 40 kW and220 Nm (front) and 85 kW and 270 Nm (rear), giving a total outputof 355bhp. It can be driven in ve power modes: E-Mode, Hybrid,GTE, Oroad and Battery Hold / Battery Charge. If the project isgreen lighted, it will be produced at the company’s US factory inTennessee next year.

The rst model to wear the Cross Country badge was the V70 back in 1997 and over the years Volvoapplied this treatment on several wagons in its portfolio. It may also be recalled that i November 2013 atthe Guangzhou Motor Show in China Volvo showcased the S60L with a stretched by 3.2in wheelbase.

Volvo

Volkswagen

Automan’s

take

Playing on the lines of the Big Three American brands big truck presentations, Toyota oered a refreshed Tacoma. The Tacomanow benets from some technology applications from the Prius [chiey combustion wizardry to boost fuel eciency].

Toyota

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Braving a rather cold morning, owners,drivers, family members and guests of theparticipating 67 vintage cars, 10 vintagemotorcycles, 82 classic cars and 26 classicmotorcycles lined up their cars and two-wheelers at their respective parking slotsat the Parade Grounds of Fort William inKolkata, the capital city of West Bengal.As always, it was a day long programmeof automotive nostalgia, pageantry andcompetition.For the competitors it was a two-dayaair with the detailed scrutiny, onSaturday, the day before the actual

rally. The attendance levels [cars andbikes] seemed to be less this year asmany familiar exotics didn’t turn up forwhatever reason. Some insiders citedthat at the scrutiny stages, some of thenewer judges lacked an understanding ofautomotive history and hence the scoringwasn’t perfect. This complaint echoedsentiments last year too. Irrespective ofthese niggles, the show carried on.The action side saw a shortened route,which was wholeheartedly welcomed inview of road works and major detours

in and around the city. The participantstraveled through the main streets ofKolkata and cheered by fans all the way.Even, a voluntary helping hand appearedfrom nowhere for breakdowns andquick xes. Vintage cars representingmainstream British brands [and somedefunct ones like Morris, Singer, Wolesley,Austin], Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Germanexotics from Mercedes including a veryrare rear-engined Mercedes-Benz 130,SS100, Adler, Jaguar Mark II, 1906 RenaultFreres, Stoewer, Auburn, Packard,Buick, Cadillac. And in the classic car

categories entries from Ford [Europe/US],Volkswagen, MG, Fiat among others w

162 automan feb 2015 issue

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