automan june 2011
TRANSCRIPT
editor-in-chiefMohammad Al taie
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Mid-year bluesAlmost half of the year is gone and what a year it has been. We were discussing the
happenings of the past couple of years with an industry observer and he pointed out
that other than times of global war, the automotive industry has not seen such rapid
swings between almost universal growth and profit, to the depths of job cuts and factory
closures, to revival and then another round of woes. It is almost as if some divine power
is trying to tell car makers that they don’t control their own destiny - the environment
does.
It could be with this sense of running up against the inevitable that Bill Ford recently
expounded in an interview how he foresees a time of global gridlock. The current ratio
between automobiles and human beings is one for every ten. At what stage will global
gridlock become a reality with a growing population in developing countries, increased
affordability and the never ending game of catch up that these countries are in. Last
year, one of China’s arterial roads suffered a ten day jam. At what stage does it become
pointless to buy another car?
In the meantime, we live in the present where buying and selling a car is still
necessary and fashionable. Yes, Japan and its major manufacturers are having a tough
time rebuilding damaged plants, buildings and supply chains. Some non-Japanese
manufacturers are having a better time, with critical components sourced out of other
areas. And the past month has already seen a few car launches from non-Japanese
manufacturers. A case in point is VW’s Jetta. In some ways you could call it the global car.
Manufactured in Mexico and built to a price, the Jetta has all the hallmarks of the much-
vaunted global cars of the last decade. The only question that crops up is that if you really
look from a developing economy perspective, equivalent cars like the Lavida in China and
the Vento in India are already occupying the ‘price’ end of the sedan market. In both of
these countries the Jetta represents a level above a car modified for third-world realities
to a value car made for a larger market. In our part of the world the Jetta has a tougher
job - play the value card against entrenched stalwarts. Let’s see how it fares this time
through.
In the meantime, VW as a group seems to be lumbering along to becoming the world’s
second largest manufacturer of cars. With factories around the world and a car for almost
every pocket and brands that cover all aspiration levels, it will be interesting to see how
the VW medley takes on a slimmer and trimmer Ford and a highly focussed Toyota in non-
traditional markets.
in this issue
68
PREVIEW
Lexus has virtually previewed the next generation GS
sedan in the LF-Gh concept which the carmaker is
promoting as the next big step in grand tourer saloon
design and overall packaging
Author Chandan B Mallik
A LEAP FORWARD
FOR THE GS
69
<<The LF-Gh sees Lexus take the idea of its GS grand tourer saloon a step further >>
Lexus is beginning to flex muscles in design and is using a revolutionary route after the
success of its 2001 L-Finesse design philosophy which is found in its current range of cars. The premium Japanese automaker also realizes that while getting the design principles right, it also has to move forward. And that’s exactly what Lexus did when it organized the global debut of the LF-Gh concept at the 2011 New York International Auto Show.
The new concept has been conceived as a redefinition of the
luxury grand tourer, with a “clean sheet of paper” approach to design with the aim to produce a perfect blend of style, performance, efficiency and environmental compatibility, while introducing an array of advanced new technologies. “For this concept, Lexus designers studied characteristics that are often considered contradictory and difficult to execute together,” said Kengo Matsumoto, general manager, Lexus Design Division, Toyota Motor Corporation. “The captivating design of the LF-Gh concept examines the possibility of balancing what are normally opposing qualities, such as style and functionality.”
The car with LF-Gh nomenclature is indicative that this is the forthcoming G-based hybrid model. Further proof comes in the dimensions. The LF-Gh uses a 4,890mm long rear-wheel drive platform which is marginally longer than the current GS. The car is slightly wider now and hence squat in profile.
Ford’s 2011 Edge offers more than the
expected upgrade to the outgoing model.
Keeping to the concept of a crossover,
the new Edge brings in refinement,
performance and some technology that
makes for a very interesting car
Author Raj WarriorPhotographs Raj Warrior
2524
Getting an
added Edge
{ROAD TEST}
EDITORIAL NOMINEE
2011 FORD EDGE
PREMIUM SUV
Ford has been through a tumultuous
few years of late. By now the dust
has settled over the entire ruckus in
Detroit, when a mixture of bad products,
outdated production techniques and lack
of money drew under such stalwarts
as General Motors and Chrysler. In the
noise, you almost missed the whisker
by which Ford avoided US government
funding and the calls to cut in order to
survive.To give Ford its due, the company
had already foreseen the inevitable and
was in the midst of a reorganisation
when the crisis hit. New products that
better reflected the needs of the time
were in the pipeline and some had
already come to market. The crossover
Edge was one such development. At the
time of its launch, the Edge reflected
a new thought process in Ford design
language and product placement. It was
a crossover that took the Ford badge
upwards in a host of home products
that were essentially old-generation
truck-based SUVs. And to its credit, the
Edge did much better than the larger
platform of the Flex. Perhaps because
the design sat in the sweet spot of being
modern enough to draw acclaim, yet not
so unconventional as to challenge the
buyer’s conviction.
So, now the new generation of the
Edge has a challenging act to follow.
The success of the old Edge means that
the new one has to offer more than just
a modern crossover. Four years on, the
refresh had to be a lot more. Here, one
would think that Ford honchos decided
not to bother fixing stuff that wasn’t
broken, instead spending some well-
deserved hours on honing the product.
News From Oman and the region
4
Top headliNes From around the world
8
12braNdwaTchHow much is Ferrari worth?
32iNTerviewJustin Weaving, Sales director, Jaguar Land Rover
24TesTed2011 Ford Edge
The 2011 Maserati MC Stradale drives into our region with a purpose. It specifically responds to demands for a GranTurismo which can balance on-road driving needs with race-driving desires. Automan finds the recipe stimulating
16
{COVER STORY}
17
Author Chandan B Mallik Photography author and Nabil Ferzan
THIS MC means
business
EDITORIAL NOMINEE
MASERATI MC STRADALE
SPORTS CAR
cover sTory 16
24 68
80chicaNeAbout the Nano and seconds
In the automotive business the A-segment represents small city cars which usually are kept less than 4,000mm in length and
are powered by small displacement [998cc to 1,300cc] 3-or 4-cylinder engines. City cars are sold worldwide and most global car makers have one or two in their line-up. However, the car buying trends in Middle East markets are unique where the reverse pyramid model works and this means that bigger C,D, E or F segment cars outsell the ‘A’s, but this doesn’t undermine the minority A or B segment. In fact, global automakers estimate that the downsizing trend and demand for efficient transportation solutions could see a spurt in worldwide demand for A-segment cars which could reach as high as 2.4mn units in 2011. And that’s a number closely being watched by many brands, including those who still don’t
have a foothold in this flourishing segment. The ripple effect is also being felt in the Middle East as the market is beginning to shift its perceptions about city cars.
For players such as Kia Motors, Kia’s entry level first generation Picanto has been soldiering in the region since 2005. The car was offered only as a five-door hatchback and it offered plenty of room for four adults [even six-footers had no problem travelling in the rear]. With large doors for easy access to the rear, the only limitation was its tiny boot space which limited its practicality somewhat. Surprisingly, the car’s cabin was pleasant with a neat dashboard and instrumentation. In terms of build quality it was solidly built and logically laid out, although some of the materials choices in the trims used could have been better. Two engines were offered and for
the time they were adequate, but by today’s performance standards, underpowered. Also, the chassis and suspension appeared basic and many users of this front wheel drive car felt that there was too much body roll in corners and a steering short of feel. Most niggles were attended during the mid-cycle facelift including a modest re-style, but for drivers who just wanted a point A-to-B city transport, it’s a fine deal. Now Kia Motors, which is on a design and engineering and quality led drive wants to take the Picanto to a new benchmark level in all three departments. After several teasers, the first tangible hint of the second generation Picanto was during its global premiere at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.
To be marketed in domestic and European markets mainly, Kia’s investment for the second innings for this car began with an
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{ROAD TEST}
36
Little Master
Has the all-new second generation A-segment
2011 Picanto been designed to break the bland city car mould?
Automan was invited to the new arrivals’s global ride and drive event in Istanbul, Turkey to find
out
Author
Chandan B Mallik
EDITORIAL NOMINEE
KIA PICANTO 2012
SMALL CAR
FACE TO FACE
42 43
Jaguar launched the smaller engined V6 variant
of the XJ recently, in order to capture the volumes that a full-size smaller-engined luxury car generates in the region. Interestingly, the launch of the V6 boosts the modelline-up close on the heels of the XF’s success as well as the interest generated by the new XKS.
Let’s begin with a look at how Jaguar Land Rover performed last year.Jaguar Land Rover sales were up 16% in 2010 over 2009. From a Jaguar perspective what’s significant about that is that during 2010 we launched the XJ halfway through the year as compared to the same period in the previous year where we were still counting the X-type in our sales. It is a significant turnaround from business in 2009 and obviously vastly improved over 2008.
You mentioned that 2010 has seen better numbers, the full impact of the XF has been felt positively and the XJ was launched, and the region has figured prominently in Jaguar’s global sales. How do you see sales moving on into 2011?If I break that down into bite sized chunks and compare 2011 over 2010, we were looking to maintain that growth, we began the year in the region in a very strong position and notwithstanding the current regional instability that we are experiencing in some markets that is affecting sales in those pockets, we are assuming that things will get better during the course of the year. During the year models that we have launched at various motor shows will come into the market; the Middle East region is a strong contributor to Jaguar Land Rover’s growth and success. JLR exports more than 75% of its production from the UK, we are an export business. If you look at where the wealth is around the world - the Middle East is an obvious landmark. The significance of the business that JLR in the Middle East contributes can be measured by how soon we have been able to launch the 3.0-litre V6. The 3.0-litre V6 in the XJ is only available in three markets - China, Russia and the Middle East. What we need to take away from that is that there is a) confidence from a Jaguar perspective that we can invest specific product plans dependent on regional wants and regional needs and requirements as well as b) a significant ability to fund a sales growth that delivers returns on such products.
So 75% of products are exported. How much of that is contributed by the US market and how much has it changed since Ford left JLR?I don’t know the specifics of the US market. It will continue to play a significant part of any manufacturer’s plans. It has to just on the sheer size. It will always play a major part of JLR sales.
We can’t avoid asking - how have things changed post the Tata takeover?Things have changed, but not perhaps in the way
you would imagine me to explain, the way Tata manage and run our business is different from the way we have seen previous owners do. Tata is very much hands-off in the way they do things. They guide us, they have regular opportunity to coach what they want out of the business - but effectively, we as Jaguar Land Rover now are fully accountable, fully responsible and we fully own our product plan and business plan and all of that is supported by Tata.
As expected. You had a recent announcement of a move into supercar territory. Is there a commercially viable angle to that?Is there a significant halo from having a supercar? Yes. Jaguar is all about design, innovation and creating beautiful, fast cars. Project C-X75 is all that in one. It gives us the ability to showcase what we can do, not just what we have done with XF, with XK, with XJ – all mainstream production. We can give the world a Jaguar that competes in the hypercar-supercar segment. With a partner like Williams we have access to the technology to allow us to do that, Williams pride themselves in being foremost a technology company, they have experience with motorsports, with aerodynamics, with composite materials. It is a great partnership just to take the brand forward, to position the brand alongwith that and to put, probably, the UK back on the forefront of automotive industry where it once was.
So will it be a Williams project or Jaguar? And what will the final car sell for?The whole project team is run through JLR product development. It will range from 700,000 pounds to 900,000 pounds dependent on local taxes, powertrains, options and the like.
We’ve been hearing of a new X-type in the works and the Tatas pushing for it to compete better with BMW and Mercedes. How true is that?We won’t see an X-type again. We will probably see a compact sedan again. Our owners want us to fulfill the true potential of Jaguar and over many years the potential has lost its way. Mr Tata is himself a petrol head. He bought JLR because he is passionate about the brands. He has an understanding about what they represent therefore he knows where they need to be. Our global brand director Adrian Hallmark has been quoted many times as saying that Jaguar is 5-10 years behind the its competitors and we have a plan to shortcut that, to bring Jaguar fully up to speed within the competitive environment. That’s why recently we announced new plans across JLR for the next five years to introduce 14 new products and 14 new features in our vehicles.
NOW JAGUAR IS ON THE PROWL
Automan met up with
Justin Weaving, Regional
Sales Director for
Jaguar Land Rover in
the region on his visit to
Oman to preside at the
launch of the Jaguar XJ
V6. He spoke with us at
length about Jaguar’s
plans and performance.
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{ROAD TEST}
30
Electric
Avenue
With the all-new Chevrolet Volt, GM steps into the future of mobility. Automan gets a first feel of this extended
range electric car Author Bill Moore
My first hint that General Motors was developing a new electric car came in the Spring of 2006. About a dozen
other journalists and I were in Iceland, guests of GM, to see how it’s possible to make hydrogen using the island’s abundant hydroelectric and geothermal energy resources. A GM executive turned to me as we were filing in for lunch and said, “the electric car isn’t dead at GM.” Eight months later, they would unveil the Volt concept car at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, to rave reviews, I might add.
But it would be a different electric car from the EV1 of the early 1990s. It would be a sedan seating four and it would not rely entirely on the energy stored in its batteries. It would utilize an internal combustion engine spinning an electric generator that would power an electric motor to drive the front wheels; what is called a series hybrid-electric. The rakish, muscular-looking concept car with its chopped roofline, would also be equipped with a battery pack that would give the car 40
45
{ROAD TEST}
44
French connectionDesigned to be sold, essentially beyond European territory, Renault’s Korea-built all-new 2011 Safrane sedan joins the brand’s international
line-up at the very top Author Chandan B Mallik Photography author and Raj Warrior
EDITORIAL NOMINEE
RENAULT SAFRANE
LARGE CAR
32
30 44
36
Ferrari FF
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cover sTory Maserati Granturismo MC Stradale tamed
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30exclusive driveChevrolet Volt
60FirsT ride2011.5 Harley-Davidson Blackline
MoTorsporTsFormula One, WRC, MotoGP
7278
preview2011 Proton SagaLexus LF-Gh
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442011 Kia Picanto2011 Renault Safrane2011 Toyota Zelas2011 Chevrolet Captiva
6
regional news}
Rolls-Royce now in the ‘pRe-owned’ game
peace of mind foR feRRaRi owneRs
mitsubishi fuso hosts customeR event
UK’s luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce has announced a new programme to sell used models called Rolls-Royce Provenance. The scheme has been devised to bring new customers to the Rolls-Royce brand by introducing a ‘pre-owned’ service which will offer peace of mind and a level of quality appropriate to the marque’s standing. Rolls-Royce has set stringent approval standards and says that each used car it will offer for sale must have adhered to the brand’s service requirements and will be inspected by factory-trained technicians before going back to the dealer. The cars will be sold exclusively through Rolls-Royce’s network of dealers around the world. The used Rolls’ will also come with a minimum 24 month warranty, all-inclusive servicing and 24-hour roadside assistance. The programme is expected to also to become operational in the the second half of this year in the Middle East.
Mark Tomlinson (left) and Kazuo Idota (third left) of Mitsubishi FUSO presents Mr. Sami Al Maharmi of M/S Special Oilfield Services Co. (LLC) with a certificate of appreciation. Raju Bisht of Mitsubishi FUSO is pictured far right.
Luxury automakers rarely take the initiative when extending service programmes for specific models, however, Ferrari thinks otherwise. Ferrari is taking a bold step amongst luxury automakers and is now offering a 7-year unlimited mileage service program for all new Ferrari models. The Ferrari Genuine Maintenance programme includes the current line-up of the 458 Italia, the California and the FF models. The programme was designed to service vehicles about once a year but customers who reach the 20,000 km intervals earlier will still get their vehicles serviced. There is no mileage limit on the 7-year coverage.
“Continuing to build on Dodge’s motorsport heritage, the all-new 2011 Charger delivers
a truly thrilling driving experience that will delight drivers across the Middle East,” is how Ahmed El Hussein Nasr, Regional Sales Manager of Chrysler Group Middle East, described the E-segment blaster from the Dodge stable. The new Charger was revealed at the November 2010 LA Auto Show and its classic styling and ultra-efficient aerodynamic exterior has been heavily inspired by the classic second-generation Charger from the late 1960s. Defining the fastback’s presence is an aggressive front end with new “split crosshair” signature grille, wide stance and all-new signature tail lamp design that incorporates 164 LEDs to form its signature “racetrack” graphic.
A lot of attention has been paid in engineering the car in terms of weight management [for optimizing on road performance] besides ensuring that the models gets a class leading stylish interior with premium soft-touch materials, and occupants are in comfortable surroundings with 360-degree craftsmanship. Dodge will offer four available distinct interior colour combinations and the all-new 2011
state-of-the-art Uconnect® Touch integrates world-class infotainment and convenience technologies to keep passengers connected, comfortable and secure. The Charger is being introduced with a choice of several trim levels and two very efficient powertrain options. The smaller engine is the new 292hp 3.6-litre
Pentastar V6, while the 370hp 5.7-litre HEMI® V8 engine with four-cylinder mode FuelSaver Technology fills in the middle order. Meanwhile, the top of the range 6.4-litre HEMI® V8 will also join the regional line-up in 2012.
Aston Martin’s Vantage range comes of age with the new Vantage S arriving in the
region. The ‘S’-badged variant is characterised by a host of new driver-focused features designed to push the dynamic ability of the standard Vantage to a new benchmark level. The car gets a tweaked normally-aspirated 4.7-litre V8 engine which delivers peak power of 430bhp at 7,300 rpm along with torque of 490Nm at 5,000rpm when coupled with a new ground-up developed Sportshift™ II
transmission. This gearbox has been specifically designed for the Vantage S and comes with seven shorter ratio gears. Besides the new transmission, there are several driver-oriented revisions which are key to the car’s dynamic performance and handling. First comes a quickened steering rack ratio of 15:1 compared to 17:1 on the standard car and a larger diameter front brake disc with new six-piston front brake calipers.
New springs and dampers, and wider rear wheels also contribute to chassis revisions. A new dynamic stability control (DSC) system specifically tuned to the Aston Martin V8 Vantage S along with a new brake module providing features such as Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA) which provides assistance in emergency braking situations, and Hill Start Assist (HSA). Bespoke tyres have been developed with Bridgestone to optimise road holding enhancing dynamic feel.
all-new dodge chaRgeR hits oman showRooms
aston maRtin’s vantage gets the ‘s’ sting
Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC the sole importer of Jaguar cars in the Sultanate
of Oman introduced the third variant of the flagship XJ sedan last month. Till now, the new XJ was offered with the choice of three engines which use the latest powertrain technology to deliver an outstanding combination of performance and class-leading efficiency. The top end XJ came with a forced fed 5.0-litre AJ-V8 Gen III supercharged engine with 500bhp [offering 0-100km/h in 4.9secs] or 460bhp supercharged, while the naturally aspirated V8 of same displacement offers 380bhp.
What essentially began as an exercise to cater to market specific requirements, the Coventry-based carmaker took as a techno-creative challenge to help importers avoid the 85 per cent import tax applied to cars with engines larger than 3.0-litre in China. However, the flipside is that with the fitment of a 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine in the XJ, it now allows Jaguar to compete in a new segment of 6-cylinder full size luxury sedans. The state-of-the-art 3.0-litre engine boasts four valves per cylinder, quad overhead camshafts, variable cam phasing (VCP) technology and variable geometry air intakes. The V6 generates 238bhp and a hefty 293Nm of torque and
helps the aluminium bodied car to sprint from 0-100km/h in around 8.5sec. The package also returns fuel economy of 10.9 litres per 100km and emits just 272 g/km of CO2. Top speed of the V6 is around 230km/h.
All the engines in the new Jaguar XJ transmit power through an enhanced version of Jaguar’s acclaimed six-speed automatic transmission. The transmission has a fully-adaptive shift system which delivers extremely smooth gear changes and optimises performance and economy at all times. Shift patterns are continually adapted to suit the current driving style, with shift points varying according to whether the driver is using a more sporting or relaxed approach. The high levels of torque produced by the new engines make it possible for the torque converter lock-up feature to be used even at low speeds, without slip, further improving CO2 emissions and fuel economy. As befits a sports sedan, all XJ models are fitted with the Jaguar Sequential Shift™ system for manual gear selection, with shift paddles mounted behind the steering wheel. The system has been tuned for quicker responses, resulting in a smoother, more powerful shift feel and an almost instantaneous shift.
Audi is entering a new vehicle class in Oman with the new Audi A1. Although, the A1
is based on Volkwagen’s Polo platform, its progressive design, uncompromising quality and groundbreaking efficiency ensures that it befits the four ringed logo. At the launch, James Oliver, GM at Audi Oman said: “The A1 is both a modern city car and a sporty all-rounder for an active lifestyle. It is the first premium car in the subcompact segment – a true, fully-fledged Audi and judging by the number of inquiries, especially from the young generation, it will be a success in Oman.”
Audi is rolling out the new model with a 122hp
four-cylinder 1.4 TFSI engine and customers will be offered a high level of customization options such as coloured air vents, LED interior lights or seat covers in expressive colours besides various paint finishes from which to choose for the roof arch. Both normal and S-line options will be available for the A1.
The car’s available infotainment and multimedia systems of the Audi A1 come directly from the luxury class. The top of the line is MMI navigation plus, a media center that sets new standards in the compact segment and borrows from the system used in Audi’s new A8 flagship. As a standard for the Middle
East it comes with especially developed super hot country settings. Select models come with 4 years/ 60,000 km service and 3 years warranty.
JaguaR intRoduces v6 in flagship XJ
baby a1 says audi is seRious about subcompacts
7
new md foR bmw gRoup me
michelin tyRes play key Role foR me off-Road competitoRs
Dr. Joerg Breuer joined BMW Group’s regional office last month as its new Managing Director and replaced Phil Horton, who moves within the company to Managing Director for BMW Group Australia. During his more than 15 years experience within the BMW Group, Breuer fulfilled a number of key roles in senior management, planning and strategy and corporate communications. He also brings diverse market experience to the role, having previously worked in Germany, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Thailand. Previously, Breuer was Head of Sales for Region West in the German market, one of the BMW Group’s most influential regions and prior to that held the central role of department head of strategy, planning and steering corporate communication. Before his tenure in Germany, Breuer spent three years as managing director of BMW Group Philippines, where he was responsible for the overall business operations across all departments including sales, after sales, finance, marketing and PR.
In April, Michelin celebrated a quadruple triumph in the Middle East, with the company providing the traction for victories by some of the world’s leading rallying stars in Jordan and
the United Arab Emirates. Using MICHELIN rubber, Citroën’s Sébastien Ogier took victory in the Jordan Rally WRC, while Stéphane Peterhansel, Marc Coma and the KAMAZ-Master team won the car, motorcycle and truck categories respectively of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. Their success is a tribute to the tyre manufacturer’s technologically advanced off-road racing products.
Mercedes-Benz has launched a new season for its iconic CLS, the four door
coupé that made fashionable jaws drop when it first debuted in 2003 with its outrageous proportions -- a long bonnet, narrow windows with frameless side windows and a dynamic roof sweeping back at an angle towards the rear. The second generation CLS will be easily recognised through its distinctive design package which itself has been inspired from the SLS AMG sports car. “Customers across the Middle East and the globe have rewarded us for our courage in launching a completely new vehicle concept onto the market,” said Frank
Bernthaler, Director, Sales and Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Cars, Middle East & Levant. Two CLS versions will be available in the Middle East from this month -- the CLS 500 BlueEFFICIENCY with a V8 engine developing 408hp and the supercharged bi-turbo CLS 63 AMG, with 5.5-litre V8 engine developing 525hp and 700 Nm of torque, which can be optionally boosted to develop 557hp and 800 Nm of torque via the performance package. A third variant will join the line-up later in the year which will be powered by a smaller V6 BlueEFFICIENCY producing 306hp.
8
regional news}
Factory backed series calenderAs elsewhere, the series is backed by the Maserati factory in Modena, Italy. The programme will feature up to 16 mechanically-identical Maserati GranTurismo MC Trofeo race cars battling it out over 12 races across the Middle East. This championship promises to be spectacular and is set to visit the prestigious racing circuits around the region with races planned to take place at Formula One tracks in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain as well as Qatar’s Losail Circuit and the Dubai Autodrome in the UAE.
What’s the hardware?The Maserati GranTurismo MC Trofeo is the racing version of the GranTurismo road car. The race car’s set up is tuned for the track use, keeping
the optimal weight balance of the road-going car. It is powered by a 488bhp 4.7-litre V8 engine which drives the rear wheels through a paddle-shift gearbox which is able to change gears in just 60millisecs.
It’s a big commitment. Has the car been tested in the region?The Maserati GranTurismo MC Trofeo has already proved its race capabilities in the region after two cars were entered into the 2010-2011 UAE GT Championship and secured three race victories out of a total of six podium finishes.
What packages are being offered?Packages on offer to drivers allow them to compete individually or in a pair for the season. All-inclusive
costs range from $135,000 to $145,000 depending on the options chosen. The packages include the logistical management of the car, technical assistance at the circuit, a Maserati Trofeo race suit and VIP hospitality for driver and guests.
What’s a typical race weekend?The formula for each race weekend will consist of two free practice sessions lasting 40 minutes, two qualifying sessions of 20 minutes and two races of 30 minutes duration.
When’s the first race?The Maserati Trofeo JBF RAK Middle East is set to debut in November 2011, with races taking place throughout the winter months into early 2012.
maseRati launches one-make Racing championship seRies foR middle east
stylish gen ii meRcedes-benz cls comes adds efficient technologyBrea
king new
s
When Spyker’s Saab brand thought that it was getting fired up with help from the Chinese, it has now turned out to be a case of sour grapes. The company’s proposed deal with China’s Hawtai Motor Group has fallen apart. Had the deal with Hawtai gone through, it would have allowed Saab to resume production at its now idle Trolhattan plant.After a deal with China’s Hawtai Motor collapsed, Saab is thought to have approached Great Wall. This also turned out to be controversial as China’s Great Wall Motor Co [the supposed party] has confirmed that it was in not holding talks with the ailing automaker.Spyker claims that it was “forced to terminate” a deal with Hawtai that would have given the automaker $233 million. However, Hawtai denies the termination was the result of a lack of government approval and says it is still working with Saab to get the deal completed. As of now, Saab desperately needs a cash infusion to re-open its main Trollhattan production plant which closed on April 6 after the Swedish automaker ran out of money to pay suppliers. Saab appears to have few options at this point, however, the company has begun Mexican production of its 9-4X crossover.
saab woes not oveR yet
For the first time in the region, Maserati has launched its famous Maserati Trofeo, its strictly one-make racing championship series. Gentlemen drivers from across the Middle East are able to sign up for the ‘arrive-and-drive’ championship. The cars are supplied and maintained by Maserati to ensure identical performance across the grid. “The launch of the Maserati Trofeo JBF RAK Middle East is extremely important for the company, as it’s the first time we
offer the Trofeo outside its home in Europe. With full support from the factory, we believe the
Maserati Trofeo JBF RAK Middle East offers a unique platform for drivers in the region who are looking for a competitive championship racing with the exclusive benefits of racing with a brand like Maserati,” said Umberto Cini,
managing director of Maserati Middle East & Africa.
9
oman is last Regional destination foR poRsche woRld Roadshow
It’s an innovative marketing programme focusing on investing
marketing dollars on driving events rather than car shows. While Porsche retail partners entertain more than a few potential customers, there’s always a few prospects who might not be quite ready to pull the trigger and invest in a new Porsche. The idea is simple: devise a programme that can help convince them to commit to that purchase. In this case, it’s the Porsche World Roadshow that has been given this responsibility of helping convert prospects into firm commitments. The formula has worked for over a decade and involves a virtual traveling circus of cars, tents and specialised staff. It is estimated that the programme has introduced more than 5,000 potential buyers to the magic that is Porsche.
The last Porsche World Roadshow in the Middle East took place in 2007 and this year the programme visited several important ME destinations such as Qatar, UAE, Kuwait, KSA among others. And depending on the infrastructure availability such as tracks or racing circuits, the driving programme is designed to showcase handling, acceleration, braking capabilities of each model in the line-up besides autocross and slalom exercises with select models such as the Carrera 4S or Cayman. However, in the absense of such a dedicated facility in Oman, Porsche Centre Oman, SATA LLC along with the lads from Zuffenhausen, demonstrated the power, precision and driving capabilities of the line-up by inviting participants to test-drive the entire model range over a period of seven days in and around the twisty and breathtaking mountainous roads in Oman. The Roadshow will continue its journey and its next pit stop is South Korea.
At last month’s Barcelona Motor Show, Hyundai had the global reveal of the
i40 sedan. This is the second variant in the series after the estate version unveil at the Geneva Motor Show. The European flavoured car has been designed and engineered at the European R&D headquarters of Hyundai
in Rüsselsheim, Germany. As expected, it represents the next evolution of the company’s unique form language, ‘fluidic sculpture’. The ‘fluidic sculpture’ design DNA utilises flowing lines inspired by nature to create a dynamic exterior, and was introduced on the Hyundai ix-onic concept car at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. Since this debut, ‘fluidic sculpture’ has been the design inspiration behind all new Hyundai models, such as the award-winning ix35 and ix20. “We wanted to move away from
the typical three-box saloon and create a car that was in keeping with the sporty nature of the i40 estate. By sculpting a low, elongated roof line, we’ve given the i40 saloon a striking coupe-like silhouette,” said Thomas Bürkle, Chief Designer at Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre.
woRld pRemieRe of hyundai i40 sedan in baRcelona
10
volvo upgRades top-of-the-line s80
gm tRiples fiRst QuaRteR income
Jaguar C-X75 ConCept greenlighted
Jaguar’s gorgeous C-X75 supercar concept is heading for production and it’s now official. Jaguar has confirmed that the car should be
hit market by late 2013. Jaguar says the overwhelming audience and media response to the 2010 Paris Auto Show showcar as well as the opportunity to showcase the technology-led platform of Jaguar and its partners prompted to go-ahead. The new Jaguar will be developed together with the Williams Formula 1 team as well as parent company Tata Motors. While Williams will provide expertise from its F1 racing experience and Jaguar stands to benefit from its aerodynamic design capability, efficient powertrain technology and carbon fibre construction expertise, the microturbine technology previewed in the original C-X75 concept won’t make it to production in time for the 2013 deadline. Instead, the production version will initially feature a plug-in hybrid set-up with dual electric motors, a downsized internal combustion engine and all-wheel drive.
While Volvo officially unveiled its Universe concept at the Shanghai
Auto Show with the idea of giving a preview of the company’s flagship sedan capable of taking on the might of the German premium brands, for the time-being it seems that it has scrapped production plans for its Mercedes-Benz S-Class rivaling flagship. Instead, the Swedish automaker has chosen to upgrade the S80 extensively. The S80 Executive is based on Volvo’s current flagship and new trim levels in it take a cue from higher-dollar sedan offerings. The car’s package includes a leather-covered dash, ventilated soft leather seats with massage function, leather door panels, an integrated analogue clock on the instrument panel and the aluminum centre console storage. Extra thick carpets and an optional rear fridge with Swedish crystal glasses round out the luxury package.
General Motors posted a $3.2bn net income during the first quarter of 2011. Year on
year, this performance represents more than triple hike in earnings and is also its biggest number since 2000. The positive news marks the fifth consecutive profitable quarter for GM since emerging from bankruptcy. However, in this equation, $1.9bn came from GM
offloading its stake in parts manufacturer Delphi and credit firm Ally Financial. In addition, GM earned $500mn in credits from its international operations. Revenue was up 15 per cent to $36.2bn thanks to strong demand for products in North America and China and the automaker says that it has about $30.6bn in cash reserves.
Automa
n’s
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The i40 saloon not only benefits from attractive styling, but also retains high levels of interior comfort in a high-quality package. The launch of this model represents the next step of Hyundai’s assault in the D-segment in Europe.
world news}
Automotive reliability surveys are subject to a lot of skepticism, however, organisations
such as J.D. Power continue to produce fairly extensive and independent studies. By documenting the number of reported problems by vehicle owners over a three-year period, the ratings apply then to new cars purchased as 2008 model year vehicles. As always, the 2011 findings show a mix of predictable and surprising results. Ford’s luxury division that has struggled in sales as of late due to an aging fleet has managed to take top honours for all brands, luxury or non-luxury with just 101 problems per 100 vehicles, with the next closest score going to Lexus at 109.
Lincoln’s efforts were led by category winners MKZ and Navigator, and were part of Ford’s larger efforts that saw the Mustang and Fusion
win their categories as well, giving Ford Motor Company four awards as a whole. Despite a troublesome couple of years, Toyota’s luxury brand Lexus came in second for overall brand score with one category winner. The RX SUV was part of Toyota Motor Company’s overall seven awards with the Toyota Prius, 4Runner, Tacoma, Sienna and Tundra, as well as the Scion xB winning their category awards.
The three most improved models reported surprisingly low problem scores of just 106, 85 and 74, respectively, for the Dodge Nitro, Mitsubishi Galant and Suzuki SX4. In terms of vehicle category top performers, the Porsche 911, Lincoln MKZ and Acura RL took home top honours for the car category with scores of 68, 79 and 85, respectively. Crossover, vans and SUVs saw the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester
and Lexus RX take home the top honours with scores of 83, 100 and 101. Because of the length of time required to perform a three-year study, it is worth keeping in mind that since 2008 many of these vehicles have been updated or changed, and reliability average may differ significantly as a result.
Although nicknamed “America’s favorite sports car”, the Chevrolet Corvette could
just as easily be known as “NASA’s favourite sports car,” with the two-seater hailing as the unofficial car of astronauts since 1961. The Corvette’s relationship with astronauts was first formed when Alan B. Shepard jumped out of his space craft and into a Corvette on May 5, 1961. Shepard had just returned to earth after become the first man to travel into outer space. In order to properly celebrate the Corvette’s 50-year history with astronauts along with the 50th anniversary of Shepard’s milestone event, Chevrolet sent a Corvette from each generation to a Florida parade in Cocoa Beach. Meanwhile, GM has announced some more features and upgrades for the 2011 Corvettes including the Centennial Edition. Chevrolet will offer a new ZR1 Performance package as well as an Ultimate Performance Pack for the Z06. The Ultimate Performance package Z06, referred to as the Z07, comes with Performance Traction Management (previously available only on the ZR1), Magnetic Selective Ride
Control, Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tyres with black cup-style aluminium rims. The ZR1 performance pack also comes with cup-styled wheels with those same tyres with 19in rims at the front and 20in at the rear axle. The package also inlcudes a six-speed manual gearbox and the interiors will offer a new steering wheel and suede seat inserts. The new colour available will be Carlisle Blue while the Centennial Edition will come dressed in black only. GM is also investing $131mn in its Bowling Green, Kentucky-based assembly plant where it will produce the next-generation Chevrolet Corvette.
11
J.D. Power 2011 reliability finDings announceD
pay by the mile plan undeR consideRation in us
toyota beats bmw in global bRand value suRvey
US President Barack Obama Administration’s “Transportation Opportunities Act,” is said
to be considering within the White House possible implementation of a plan to tax drivers in the country on the basis of annual mileage clocked. The plan, according to proponents would curb unnecessary driving thereby helping lower fuel consumption and emissions. It will also reduce traffic congestion in urban areas.
In addition, it could dramatically alter the way that highway funds are collected from citizens. Obama’s proposal follows a Congressional Budget Office report from March that suggested charging a “vehicle miles traveled,” or VMT, tax that could be controlled via a monitoring system installed on cars to determine distances driven. Field testing, under the draft, would begin within four years once four factors have been determined: The ability of states to enforce payments, the reliability of the technology involved, administrative and overhead costs and, perhaps most importantly, “user acceptance.” President Obama’s administration is quick to point out that the Act is not a proposal or a bill ready to be discussed on Capitol Hill.
The last couple of years Toyota’s brand image has taken a lot of hammering and it
seems that the jinx is finally on its way out. In a global survey of automotive brands, Toyota has regained the top spot after losing out to BMW last year. Toyota was back in the number
one slot of the Millward Brown BrandZ Top 100 - a survey of the top global brands. The Japanese automaker’s brand was valued at $24.2bn, an increase of 11 per cent over last year. The survey measures consumer sentiment towards a brand and then assigns a monetary
valuation to it. BMW came in second to Toyota in the automotive category, while Mercedes-Benz was third. Overall, the top brand for 2011 was Apple with a value of $153bn. It upset last year’s winner, Google, which came in second this year with a valuation of $111bn.
chevRolet celebRates 50 yeaRs of coRvettes and astRonauts
Hyundai’s‘ Vision 2020’
12
Hyundai Motor Group is emerging as one of the most successful corporate entities in
the world and the South Korean conglomerate has recently released details of its forward thinking corporate vision that will guide the automotive group for the next decade. Called “Vision 2020”, it is based on Hyundai Motor Group’s new management philosophy “Realise the dream of mankind by creating a new future through ingenious thinking and continuously challenging new frontiers,” the Group proclaimed “Together for a Better Future”’ as its vision. A new corporate logo has also been created for the purpose.
Hyundai Motor Group which is led by the high profile Hyundai Motor Company was formed in 2000. It has achieved remarkable growth in all areas related to the automobile sector, including production of cars, vehicle material, parts, auto finance and logistics. In particular, the opening last year of its own blast furnaces at its eco-friendly integrated steel mill,
Hyundai Steel Co., further strengthened the Group’s status as a comprehensive automotive manufacturer.
In terms of brand awareness, Hyundai has made a giant leap forward in establishing its brand value and identity over the last ten years – part in thanks to its focus on quality management, advancing from the world’s 10th largest car maker in 2000 to #5 in 2010.
Continuous global expansion now sees 42 Hyundai affiliates [compared to 10 in year 2000] and appreciation in total asset value which jumped 219 per cent to 115 trillion KRW from 36 trillion KRW in the same period. In addition the total number of employees worldwide also increased 81 percent to about 177,000 from 98,000 in 2000.
With the recent acquisition of Hyundai Engineering & Construction (Hyundai E&C), Hyundai Motor Group will have 50 affiliates, 126 trillion won in assets and approximately 184,000 employees worldwide.
Automa
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Hyundai Motor Group’s new vision, “Together for a better future,” expresses its will to create ultimate value and promote harmonious growth for all stakeholders through eco-friendly management and respect for mankind.
2011: centenaRy anniveRsaRy of spiRit
of ecstasy
This year the famous Rolls-Royce mascot, the Spirit of Ecstasy, marks its centenary
and there’s a great story behind its creation. As one of the most celebrated icons of motoring history [and its connections with the Montagu family]. a new exhibition in the family home of Palace House highlights the story behind the mascot’s creation. The exhibition explores the connections between motoring pioneer, John Montagu and his friend, British artist and sculptor, Charles Sykes and John’s London-based secretary and mistress, Eleanor Thornton. In 1910, Claude Johnson, the then managing director of Rolls-Royce, commissioned Sykes to design a mascot “that belonged to the (Rolls-Royce) car as much as a carved wooden figurehead belonged to a sailing vessel.” The Spirit of Ecstasy mascot has adorned the radiator of every Rolls-Royce since 1911.
Widely believed to be the inspiration for Sykes’ iconic mascot, Eleanor never lived to witness the global success of the emblem made in her image. Whilst travelling to India on the P&O liner SS Persia with Lord Montagu in 1915, the ship was torpedoed by a German U-Boat. Whilst Eleanor lost her life in the attack, Lord Montagu survived and returned to England, distraught with grief, but unable to openly mourn for his secret lover.
Eleanor’s secret love affair with the married John, Lord Montagu was immortalised in another mascot Sykes designed for Montagu. It was christened The Whisper and depicts a young woman, widely believed to be based on Eleanor, in fluttering robes with a secretive forefinger pressed to her lips. With original artworks and ephemera rarely seen in public, this promises to be an exhibition not to be missed. On display will be some of Charles Sykes’ original artwork, including special edition covers for The Car Illustrated magazine, which was edited by John Montagu, as well as several original bronzes. The exhibition will be on display in Palace House until October 2011 and can be seen as part of a visit to the whole Beaulieu attraction.
world news}
Grandmasters award for six me dealers
The aim of the Grandmasters Award is to raise levels of customer care in
terms of sales and aftersales service to ensure that GM’s dealers provide the best customer ownership experience in the region. The global award, which is presented to outstanding dealers of Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac vehicles, recognizes the best-of-the-best GM dealers across the globe.
This year, the six winning dealers from the region were: Abdullatif Alissa Automotive Company from Saudi Arabia; Behbehani and Alamana Industries from Kuwait; Rasamny Younis Motor Company (RYMCO) from Lebanon; Leading Vehicles Company (LVC) from Jordan; and Al Mansour Automotive Company (MAC) from Iraq.
aRabian automobiles’ new customeR-focused initiative
AW Rostamani Group has appointed James Thomas, former senior group account
director at Ketchum Raad Middle East as general manager, marketing and corporate communications for Arabian Automobiles, the exclusive dealer of Nissan, Infiniti and Renault in Dubai and the Northern Emirates to head this new strategic initiative. “Today more than ever, consumers in the highly competitive UAE car market are expecting an exceptional experience from their chosen automotive brand
and dealer when researching, purchasing, owning and servicing their vehicle. In this respect, consumer engagement and building meaningful customer relationships with an open and transparent dialogue – particularly through the digital medium – is key. Today’s automotive marketplace is far more demanding environment since the market downturn of 2009. Going forward, customer loyalty will be hard earned and in the race for excellence there will be no finishing line,” said Thomas.
Thomas will drive the company’s marketing output across the automotive brands as well as other AW Rostamani automotive group functions.
Among one of key markets in the region for city cars is UAE and no one knows that fact better than Al Majid Motors Co., the sole distributor of Kia in the UAE. Al Majid welcomed the all-new 2012 Kia member at its showroom in Deira last month. “We are excited about Picanto’s transition into adulthood with the bold changes that see it equipped to compete with the big boys. The small car is all grown-up, comes in a premium package,” said Mohammed Khader, President of Al Majid Motors – Kia, in the presence of Brandon Yea, president of Kia Motors for Middle East.
mazda3 pRoduction milestone
bRidgestone awaRd
Mazda Motor Corporation has announced that cumulative production of the Mazda3
reached three million units on 26 April 2011. This milestone was achieved in just seven years and ten months since production of the first-generation model commenced, making the Mazda3 the fastest-selling model in Mazda’s current line-up of passenger vehicles.
Bridgestone Middle East & Africa FZE has been awarded for their support given to
protect the mountain area of Wadi Wurayah in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. The recognition was delivered during the ‘Ramsar Convention in West Asia’, last month. The ceremony was attended by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, HE Dr Rashed Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, and HE Engineer Mohammad Saif Al Afkham, Director of Fujairah Municipality.
new kia picanto Joins family in uae
hyundai teams up with pRada
Hyundai Motor Company began sales of the limited edition Genesis Prada in Korea
last month. Prada, one of the world’s leading brands in the luxury goods industry has tied up with Hyundai to produce this bespoke lifestyle-oriented performance sedan. Hyundai says that it will limit sales to 1,200 units in Korea and will export small number to other countries including the Middle East.
Mechanically, the Genesis Prada is based on the 2012 Genesis sedan and featuring Hyundai’s award-winning Tau 5.0 GDi engine. Hyundai and Prada worked together for over two years to perfect the model, after unveiling a special edition at the 2009 Seoul Motor Show. This is the first time a production model is being introduced to the market.
Genesis Prada will be offered in three special colours – Black
Nero, Blue Baltico and Brown Moro. A special paint process is applied with a three-layer coat technology with stereoscopic gold pearl. Dark chrome is applied to the radiator grille, emblem and door handles to reflect the unique palladium-coated buckles on Prada’s bags. The innovations introduced by Prada include also 19in alloy wheels and an outer antenna with a wedge shape.
For the interior, the dashboard and the upholstery have also been revised and artisan-crafted in “saffiano” leather – Prada’s signature top quality leather – to obtain a luxurious and sophisticated finish. Genesis Prada will be produced by customized personal orders, while the limited Genesis Prada badge and GP500 emblem will emphasize the scarcity of the car. Hyundai, together with Prada, will carry out exclusive VIP marketing activities to
provide customers with ultimate satisfaction and convenience.
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brandwatch
Breaking
news
It now looks like Swedish compatriots Volvo and Saab won’t be teaming up to create one unified Swedish carmaking unit after all. According to Reuters, Volvo has made it clear that the company has had no talks with Saab about buying the besieged automaker and that none are scheduled to take place. The Swedish newspaper De Telegraf had previously reported that the Swedish government was urging Volvo into talks with Saab about a potential takeover.
It’s an open fact that in 2010, there were certain rumblings that parent company Fiat was planning to sell a part of its stake in
Ferrari to help raise cash to fund its merger with Chrysler. If this was to happen then, the prancing horse logoed sports car manufacturer from Maranello was valued at around $3.3bn.
However, Ferrari’s CEO, Sergio Marchionne believes that Ferrari is worth much more than that. Speaking recently to an investment group keen to see the sale of Ferrari, along with a possible initial public offering (IPO), Marchionne said that Ferrari was worth at least $7.3bn. This would be about $3bn more than what analysts believe Ferrari is really worth and close to 63 per cent of Fiat’s entire market value. Ferrari may have earned $443mn last year on the back of revenues of more than $2.8bn, but market analysts are a bit puzzled with Marchionne’s assessment. The closest to a plausible explanation from Marchionne was that Ferrari’s “sacredness” and that this factor adds a certain value that is immeasurable. Whatever value tag Marchionne puts on Ferrari might be debatable, but what’s in sight is the fact that Ferrari is targeting sales of more than 8,000 units per year within the next eight years, which is a substantial jump from the 6,573 cars it sold last year and the 6,800-7,000 predicted for 2011. The key reason is growth in emerging markets such as China, India and Latin America.
Saab SecureS mid-term finance lifeline and potential chineSe partner
how much is ferrari really worth?
The suspense is over at Saab’s production facilities at Trollhattan, in Sweden, at least
for the time-being. This plant has sat idle since April 6 due to a payment dispute with
suppliers. Spyker CEO Victor Muller has now confirmed that it had secured short-term loans totaling $88mn from several lenders. Spyker says it has secured a $30mn loan from the investment fund Gemini and has also made a drawdown request with the European Investment Bank
for $29.1mn. Meanwhile, the Swedish automaker is also awaiting approval from the EIB on a $44.7mn investment from
Russian businessman Vladimir Antonov.
Meanwhile, in a coup-d’etat of sorts, Muller has seemingly pulled off the impossible. Just 24 hours after Spyker announced it had secured a short-term loan, Muller has virtually roped in China’s Hawtai Motor Group in a deal that also includes joint ventures on manufacturing, technology and
distribution. Cash rich Hawtai has agreed to spend €120 mn to buy a stake of up to 29.9 per cent in Saab parent company Spyker Cars NV. The Saab-Hawtai tie-up was announced in Beijing by Saab chairman Victor Muller and Hawtai vice-president Richard Zhang. However, the deal is subject to approval from Chinese government agencies, the European Investment Bank and the Swedish National Debt Office.
money matters
1515
Chrysler Group LLC, which became famous for coming out of a possible collapse before
the intervention of a US federal bailout in 2009, is now emerging much stronger than before. The carmaker plans to repay a portion of its $7bn in loans liability, which it had borrowed from the US and Canadian governments.
Should all go well, by the end of June, the
US government stake of 8.6 per cent and Canadian/Ontario government’s 2.2 per cent stake of Chrysler will come down to 6.6 and 1.7 per cent respectively. The company’s announcement last month came almost two years after Chrysler emerged from a US-funded bankruptcy under the management of Italian automaker Fiat SpA.
We wouldn’t be surprised if Porsche aficionados and purists have cried foul
over the fact that the sports carmaker has opted for diesel in some of its cars. We think that they [the diehard critics] are perhaps unaware of the latest in technologies that has been employed in Porsche diesels that make it possible to retain its core blue-blooded sporting character 100 per cent.
The German sports car and SUV maker has taken the sheets off of a diesel-powered variant of the Panamera, with a claim that will surely win the hearts of even the harshest of a critic. The turbocharged diesel 3.0-litre counterpart churns out a respectable 250hp between 3,800 and 4,400rpm, along with 550Nm of torque from a very diesel-like 1,750 to 2,750rpm. For the record, the Panamera diesel is rear-wheel drive only, and is also mated to an eight-
speed Tiptronic S transmission. Zero-to-60 is achieved in respectable 6.8secs, and thanks to low fuel consumption the car is capable of traveling up to 1,200km on a single tank of fuel and top speed is 240km/h. The car will also come with most of the bells and whistles of the petrol variants such as adaptive air suspension and auto start/stop function. The only major styling change comes in the form of the added “diesel” badges to the front doors.
Porsche claims that the model’s V6 engine is state-of-the-art in diesel technology: common rail direct injection through piezo valves at a pressure of 2000 bar, turbocharging employing electrically controlled variable geometry turbochargers (VGTs) and emission control achieved by controlled exhaust gas recirculation, oxidation catalyst and particle filter.
They may be shaken, but certainly they are not out. As the world’s third-largest
producer of automobiles (after China and the US), Japan’s resilient manufacturing network is highly developed and unusually complex. The natural constraints of Japan’s crowded highways and seaports, combined with man-made complications like just-in-time parts delivery have led to the creation a finely-tuned, delicately-balanced system. But, despite its super efficient systems management, the industry wasn’t really ready for this. In addition to the direct damage caused by the earthquakes and tsunami, the secondary effects such as power outages, supply shortages, interruption of highway, rail and ship traffic wasn’t factored in.
Now the grim realities are surfacing as Japan tries to recover from the fury of nature. Preliminary estimates suggest that parts shortages triggered by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan could reduce global automobile production by up to 30 per cent while domestically, some Japanese brands have dropped production by 50 per cent. The global repercussions are not surprising as many car manufacturers in Europe or USA or Asia have operations intertwined with their respective Japanese partners such as Renault-Nissan, Daimler Fuso or Volkswagen-Suzuki.
Some of the key Japanese brands such as Honda have officially informed its US retailers last month that supplies of its Japanese-built Fit, CR-Z, Insight and Civic Hybrid models would be limited for the next few months. The earthquake will also delay the full roll-out of at least two new generation models – the CR-V and Civic.
Meanwhile, the Detroit News has reported that Toyota has estimated that its production in Japan will be back on track by November or December of this year, although pre-disaster levels of production could return as early as July if shipping or logistics delays are sorted out by August. While Toyota says that it will continue to work with its standard parts providers, the automaker has also made it clear that it will explore substitute suppliers as it continues to push toward returning to pre-quake output levels. Meanwhile, it will be interesting to note how the market shifts during the recovery phase.
Japanese car production expected to normalize by end of the
year
diesel panamera is mileage champion
Breaking
news
Fiat Auto is increasing its shareholding in Chrysler by injecting a whopping $1.27bn for an additional 16 per cent of Chrysler LLC. With 46 per cent equity, Fiat will get controlling interest in Chrysler. While Fiat will raise the requisite funds through a bond sale to private investors, however, there’s a small catch in the equation. This deal will also reduce the United Auto Workers’ retiree and health benefits fund substantially from the 59.2 per cent to 45.7 per cent. And that’s not all. Fiat is expected to acquire another 5 per cent of Chrysler soon to bring its interest to 51 per cent. But there’s a rider attached for this prospect. Chrysler will have to build and introduce a 40mpg (highway) EPA-rated car before the end of 2011. Meanwhile, in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Fiat has said that could own more than 70 per cent of Chrysler Group within a year once it repays its government loans and exercises other options.
chrysler to raise money to repay loans
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brandwatch
GM’s luxury division Cadillac is out to prove that it’s no flash in the pan. The
luxury car and SUV maker is actively looking at downsizing engine capacities and also cylinders in line with the current global trends. Till now, Cadillac buyers have been enjoying V8 or V6 powered machines. US automotive magazine Car and Driver has reported that
Cadillac will offer turbocharged four-cylinder engines in the forthcoming ATS and XTS models and has even gone a step further to suggest that the engine of choice could be the forced-fed 2.0-litre turbo that is currently used in the Buick Regal. While smaller powertrains are inevitable in the world of high oil-prices and increased fuel economy standards,
getting Cadillac buyers to accept a four-pot mill could be a big challenge. But sharp observers think that GM could help Cadillac by offering a potent turbocharged version of the 2.5-litre four-cylinder pot that it has reserved for the 2013 Malibu. Besides this, Cadillac can tap into GM’s fuel efficient hybrid and plug-in powertrain technologies.
cadillac mulling four cylinder options for new models
nagare out, Kodo in for mazdasubaru worKing on new marKeting strategies
Till now, the strongest volume model in the Subaru C-segment line-up is the Impreza. Subaru is now
determined to crack the code which has eluded the brand outright commercial success. To do this, Subaru is trying out a new approach on how it will market the Impreza line-up in near future. Subaru hinted at the New York International Auto Show a few weeks ago that it was moving up the game.
Instead of continuing to sell the variants under one model umbrella, Subaru boffins seem to be quite encouraged with the fact that the Impreza badge could be used in three distinct line-ups tagged on mainstream models, performance and lifestyle variants. The three-car small-car strategy will also see some noticeable differentiation in styling and over-all packaging. Subaru will also significantly pay attention in designing attractive and sharper looking cars in this fiercely competitive segment. Subaru has also hinted that the next-generation WRX and STI will sport completely different exterior sheetmetal as well as significantly revamped chassis and drivetrain components befitting the company’s high-performance flagship tags. Meanwhile, Subaru also showcased a possible production-ready compact SUV based on the Shanghai motor show XV Concept. As for the timeline, the mainstream naturally aspirated-only fourth-generation (G4) Impreza sedan and hatch models are due to hit the markets in the next few months, while the performance WRX and STI models could be launched within 18 months or in late 2012 depending on markets.
That design plays a crucial role in commercial success or failure
of a car model is no better depicted than in Mazda’s case.
Since the departure of design chief Laurens van den Acker, who defected to Renault in 2009, Mazda has been desperately looking for a fresh direction as its design language has been in a state of flux. But all that is about to change with the arrival of Ikuo Maeda San– Mazda’s new global design head. Maeda San says he is committed to giving the Japanese automaker a steady direction going forward. While Maeda San’s predecessor Laurens van den Acker penned the Nagare design language seen on some of Mazda’s current offerings, its flowing lines and smiling front
fascia failed to translate into commercial success for the brand. The Mazda5 will be the last vehicle to feature Nagare cues.
Under Maeda San’s direction, Mazda will shift now to a new Kodo design language, which in Japanese means “soul of motion”. Mazda has shown the Kodo design language on a few concept cars such as the production ready all-new CX-5 compact crossover. From there, it is expected to be applied throughout Mazda’s entire line-up eventually. Maeda should have the time to reach that goal as he has spent his entire career with Mazda. Maeda’s father was also a life-long Mazda man and penned the original RX-7. Appropriately, Maeda was the head designer on the RX-8.
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It’s not very often we hear about an electric car taking on the fearsome
Nurburgring-Nordschleife track. The Peugeot EX1 Concept has set a new record for an electric car on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. Driver Stéphane Caillet took just 9 minutes and 1.338 seconds to lap the electric racer around the 20.8 km Nordschleife track. The car clocked an average speed of 138.32km/h on the run. This achievement beats the previous record for an electric vehicle on the Nordschleife track by over 50 seconds. Revealed at the Paris motor show last year, the EX1 roadster is powered by a pair of electric motors, one on each axle, thus offering four-wheel drive. Each electric motor produces 170hp for a combined output of 340hp and 240Nm of torque. Energy comes from a high-output lithium-ion battery pack. The radical-looking concept measures just 0.90m in height and 1.77m in width and makes use of a monocoque body structure manufactured from a carbon/honeycomb composite to optimize weight and rigidity.
honda to resurrect nsx?
caterham to flourish under team lotus
Breaking
news
CR-Z Mugen put on steriodsHonda has released new information about the highly-anticipated CR-Z Mugen. Set to be unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the one-off prototype will feature a supercharged 1.5-litre engine and an IMA hybrid system that develops approximately 197hp and 245Nm of torque. Besides the upgraded engine, the CR-Z will be equipped with an aerodynamic body kit, a sport-tuned
suspension, a high-performance braking system and 17in alloy wheels
Honda President Takanobu Ito: New car will be exhilarating to drive and eco-friendly.
peugeot ex1 sets electric car record on
the nürburgring
Team Lotus Enterprise has purchased British sportscar maker Caterham
Cars. The acquisition led by a shareholder consortium led by Corven Ventures created by Tony Fernandes, Kamarudin Meranun and SM Nasarudin [the men behind the Team Lotus Formula 1 squad], will see the legendary lightweight British sportscar manufacturer expand its brand profile and product family globally. The acquisition of Caterham Cars by Team Lotus Enterprise will not only signal the continued development of the Seven, but will provide Caterham with the platform to apply its philosophy of ‘adding lightness’ to exciting new models for the 21st Century.
This exciting new era for Caterham will be led by the company’s existing management
team, headed up by Caterham Cars Managing Director, Ansar Ali. Ali’s direction has been responsible for energising Caterham’s export prowess during the last five years, creating the iconic Superlight R500 – Top Gear’s Car of the Year for 2008 – and Caterham’s first brand new model in 15 years, the stunning SP/300.R sports prototype racer. As custodians of Colin Chapman’s two-seater Seven since 1973, Caterham has been responsible for the evolution of a car originally conceived as a ‘fit for purpose’ race-car for the road in 1957. And to celebrate, Caterham will offer a special edition trim package for 50 Seven models. Each car will feature green and yellow livery as well as a plaque signed by Team Lotus drivers Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen.
In 2008, Honda had announced the possibility of resurrecting the shelved NSX
project. It may be recalled that Honda buried the project in the same year coinciding with downturn in sales and the beginning of the global economic meltdown. That NSX went out of production in late 2005 after a long career spanning 14 years. Cut to 2011 and it was at the Shanghai Auto show where Honda Motor Co. President Takanobu Ito told media that his company was developing a new sports car to be the spiritual successor of the discontinued Acura NSX. Ito San was also quick to point out that the new NSX would very much be in tune with the
times, and this is a good indicator that the new car won’t feature the brute V10 engine anymore. Instead, the development focus, according to Ito San would be exhilarating to drive but also environmentally friendly. We feel Honda’s experience in sprucing up the tame CR-Z – from hybridization, Mugen-tuner treatment and now supercharging – should help Honda decide on the powertrain and technology options. The NSX will not replace the CR-Z, but will be positioned as a high-performance counterpart to the two-seat Honda CR-Z sporty hybrid.
18
{coVer storY}
THIS MC means
business
The 2011 Maserati Grandturismo Mc stradale drives into our region with a purpose. it specifically responds to demands for a GranTurismo which can balance on-road driving needs with race-driving desires. automan finds the recipe stimulating
19
Author Chandan B Mallik Photography author and Nabil Ferzan
editoRial nominee
maseRati mc stRadale
spoRts caR
{coVer storY}
by far, the GranTurismo Mc stradale is the fastest production v8-powered car Maserati has ever sold in the Middle east
20
Maserati’s track ambitions have been high on its agenda after the Italian sports carmaker successfully buried it
dark days of the 70’s and 80’s. A little over three years ago, at the 2008 Paris Mondial, Maserati introduced a concept version of what would become the GranTurismo MC, a race-ready variant of the GranTurismo S. Obviously, Maserati has been keenly eyeing Europe’s GT4 racing series. The GranTurismo MC Concept had all the track-oriented ingredients including the super fast electro-actuated six-speed gearbox, stripped-out interior, roll-cage, boosted engine, suspension and carbon brakes. And now, for those wishing to get their hardcore GranTurismo to run as a street legal car need look no further. Enter, the 2011 GranTurismo MC Stradale.
The MC Stradale is not difficult to identify as it is based on the road version of the GranTurismo. Besides its racy graphics in a familiar profile, there are aggressive new front and rear bumpers with large air scoops for cooling the radiators and taking out the heat from the brakes. Most of the car’s surfaces have aerodynamics signed on them, and we are aware that a car with such specs and job description would certainly need to cope efficiently with the aerodynamic down force at high speed without creating more drag even while it is diverting airflow over and
under the car. The new front splitter and a redesigned rear bumper add an extra 48 mm to the total length to the car which now stands at 4,881mm. While, wheelbase of 2,942mm and width of 1,847mm remains unchanged, at 1,353mm, the height is lower by 10mm at the front and by 12mm at the rear. Meanwhile, the tips of the dual exhausts are closer to the centre of the car and the mean look is rounded off by a new set of flow-formed 20in alloys shod with custom-developed asymmetric front 255/35 and rear 295/35 Pirelli developed ZR rated PZero Corsa tyres.
To a beginner, the car’s race-oriented cabin may confound many initially, but when you spend more time with the car then you realize that besides some extra buttons on the dashboard and a missing gear shifter, rest of the layout is virtually similar to a stock road going car. Unlike the stripped Trofeo version where you have a Sparco racing steering wheel in front of a GT4 racing instrument cluster, the rest of the interior has been redefined with minimizing inconveniences that are usually associated with a high-performance sports car. Also, the MC Stradale is also the first Maserati in history to have a dedicated Race mode alongside the upgraded Auto and Sport modes in its dashboard.
Weight reduction is evident to a keen eye at the right places which don’t interfere with the
general kit of the car. The Stradale is 110kg lighter than the regular GrandTurismo and yet is not a bare bones package. For instance, the seat base is made of carbon fibre combined with high-tech bearings and materials and the Trident logo stitched into the headrest. The analogue instruments with blue dials have been clustered in one unit while, the pedals are made out of billet aluminium. The upgraded exhaust system, ceramic brakes and alloy wheels are lighter too and luxury touches include Alcantara, which is used to trim the centre console, armrest cover, armrests and door handles and curves in its instrument cluster; the test car had two tone red and black interior and carbon trim from MC Sport Line.
While the sporty seats with dual race safety harnesses can be adjusted for rake only, the hip points are convenient for drivers of all shapes and hence the front view is quite good. The rear seats have been stripped to help accommodate a factory fitted roll-cage. The car’s boot is untouched and is pure stock.
Powertrain is essentially a tweaked version of the normally-aspirated 4.7-litre V8 engine that’s used in the Granturismo S. Remapping has boosted power by 10hp to 444hp at 7,100rpm and torque from 490Nm to 510Nm at 4,750rpm. Power is fed to the rear wheels through a versatile electro-
How the MC Stradale differs
from the MC12 and Trofeo
{coVer storY}
MC Trofeo
Maserati chose to create a model with GT4 features
because this is the category with the closest
links to production models. The GranTurismo MC
Trofeo is the evolution of the GranTurismo MC
Concept developed from the road-going model, the
successful Maserati GranTurismo S. This track only
carbon-fibre bodied car uses a 4.7-litre V8 engine
with performance kit such as double cone racing air
filter, high-flow exhaust with removable catalysts.
With new engine mapping, power has been bumped
up to 450bhp with a torque of 510 Nm at 4,750rpm.
According to Maserati the car also has a power-to-
weight ratio of less than 3.4kg/hp and a kerb weight
of less than 1,400kg. The car’s chassis has been stiffened by means of an
FIA-approved welded roll cage
and the aerodynamic requirements have dictated several modifications of the
bodywork which are fabricated
in resin composites. The car is equipped with racinq-type shock absorbers and
specific wheels 11x18” front
and 13”x18” rear, suitable for slick tyres to maximise the efficiency on track. The
braking system features new
monobloc calipers and racing-type steel discs, but, of course, no ABS.
MC Stradale
This car is also inspired by the Trofeo GranTurismo MC, but it has been modified in order to become road legal. There are two versions
– one version for US, Canada and South Korea, and a second version for other markets. The former package is nearly identical to the
European-market MC Stradale, for two key differences: for one, it replaces the Stradale’s sequential gearbox with the smoother ZF
automatic transmission from the standard GranTurismo and secondly has rear seats. Otherwise it’s the same machine, packing the same
450hp 4.7-litre V8 and the same aggressive aerodynamics package.
MC12The MC12 was developed to signal Maserati’s return to racing after 37 years and mechanically
based on the Enzo Ferrari. It also shares the same Ferrari Dino 620hp V12 engine with
slight modifications and the same gearbox (Maserati renamed it the Cambiocorsa). While
the chassis and track remain unaltered, the MC12 gets its own bodywork which is wider,
longer and slightly taller leaving the windscreen as the only Enzo carryover component.
This extra size allows for greater downforce across the whole body, adding to that of the
two metre spoiler.
21
Although, these models are among
the fastest from the Trident,
fundamentally they are quite
different in intent and execution.
Automan explains the key differences
actuated six-speed manual gearbox that can shift gears in 60-240millisecs [depending on mode]. Maserati claims that it has made the engine more responsive, more powerful and more economical, thanks to a special “friction reduction program” including Diamond-Like-Coating of high friction parts inside the valve train.
Driving impressionsOur test was done in UAE and the first thing we note is that the life in this car is a bit different than your regular motor car. Despite its apparent complexities [going by the numbers of switches in the dashboard and console], Maserati have made operational aspects a bit easy in the Stradale, thanks to the introduction of a simple and intuitive one-touch interface system. Starting is normal key operated and by default, the car will start in Auto mode, but it’s the Sports or Race modes
22
Mc stands for Maserati
corse [racing], the stradale is actually offered in two iterations depending on market. The rest-of-the world stripped-out coupe is very much different than its North american, canadian and south Korean variant, but overall is still a comfortable, everyday car
{coVer storY}
that we are more interested in. One of the nice and reassuring things is that even with the gear engaged and foot off the brake pedal, the car doesn’t move. It needs a bit a cajoling to get it moving and this element also ensures that the car is very much in control and safe in this stage of operation.
To enjoy the other characteristics, one just has to engage the driving mode by just a simple push of a button. The rest of the shifting is done via paddle-shifters mounted on the steering column. In normal mode, gears take 240 millisecs to shift, which is also fast for a normal road going car. In sports mode, this time is reduced to 100millisecs and in race mode, shifting is four times faster –
which gives an incredible feel for a road car.While the Stadale has exactly the same
power and torque of the Trofeo, the 110kg lighter than the GranTurismo S car is fast in straight line acceleration, but its extra 10hp and additional 20 Nm of torque ensures that the 1,830kg car takes 4.6secs to reach the 100km/h mark. Although some may think of this as being tad short of the blistering pace of some supercars, the finer moments with the car are appreciated and enjoyed more depending on how it is driven. For instance, in city drives [in default and in even in sports mode] the car can run lazily at 80km/h in top gear without batting an eyelid or missing a beat. Slowly push the throttle and it will hold
gear while speed builds up. However, blip the throttle and the ECU recognizes the need for more torque and hence there’s a two-gear drop. This also means that the engine mapping is fine tuned to the driver’s inputs and it will penalize the driver if he doesn’t sync his driving pattern soon enough. The electro-actuated gearbox is simply superb in its super smooth upshifts and highly entertaining to operate via the steering wheel mounted paddle shifter. Downshifts in Sport mode will open up the exhaust baffles over 4,000rpm and the resonance is awesome. It’s actually the Race mode that literally brings home the difference between the stock GrandTurismo and Stradale. In racing mode, the ECU mapping allows the
23
{coVer storY}
engine to rev harder, and that prompts more of that intoxicating exhaust note with the baffles permanently open.
Overall, handling is crisper, thanks to a suspension that gets thicker front and rear anti-roll bars and has also been lowered to ensure better centre of gravity. The suspension’s performance also merits an extra mention as its contribution in keeping the car planted on road at all speeds cannot be ignored. During standstill, the car boasts 48:52 front:rear axle weight distribution which is considered as being optimal. And as we all know, this changes with acceleration and speed and could have counter effects on the car’s overall performance. And this is where
we feel that Maserati’s racing experience has been put to the best test. In the Trofeo, there’s a giant carbon-fibre rear spoiler which is among one of the most obvious reasons why car’s performance is so good when pushed to the limit on track. Initially, we had some reservations with Stradale’s high speed performance. The Stradale’s aerodynamic efficiency is exemplary and we had no problem poking the car at times in low or high speed corners with the support of the Pirellis. As a road car, the way the engine and gearbox has been synchronized, one actually doesn’t miss the double-clutch gearboxes in some similar cars and the assurance from short distances during braking also doesn’t go unnoticed.
Steering weight and feel is perfect for both roles and the transition from light to heavy is well choreographed. What we found with this new arrival from Maserati is that it is also quite capable like a Porsche 911 GT3 RS or Aston Martin V8 Vantage S when it comes to point and shoot. With brilliant road manners one can drive straight to a track, do hot laps all day long, and drive back home with most of its consumables such as tyres or brake pads intact.
And it’s also great to experience the wonderful integration between the mechanical elements – the chassis, suspension and carbon-ceramic brakes, which all feel at home – perfectly complementing each other.
{coVer storY}
24
Exterior Changes Air intakes on the bonnet New side skirts New front bumper with new aerodynamic splitter Integrated boot lid lip spoiler Revised rear bumper with splitter Exhaust pipes repositioned New front guards with vertical air ventsInterior Changes Front carbon fibre seats Alcantara and leather upholstery Redesigned main instrument cluster
(-) Weight reduced by 110 kg Flow formed 20in alloy wheels: 5kg Wiring optimisation: 2kg Sound insulation reduction: 25kg Two seat configuration: 16kg Carbon fibre front seats: 26kg Sealing and body optimisation: 12kg Carbon Ceramic Brembo brakes: 18kg Exhaust System: 6kg(+) Aerodynamic improvements
At 200km/h [Front] 25 per cent more down force; at rear 50 per cent more. No change in the drag co-efficient despite extra down force
New Driving modesRaceGearchanges in 60millisecsGearchange mode: Manual shiftExhaust bypass: Open at all engine speedsSequential DownshiftingSharper response from the acceleratorSportGearchanges in 100millisecsGearchange mode: Manual shiftExhaust bypass: Open over 4,000 rpmAutoGearchanges in 140millisecsGearchange mode: Automatic shiftExhaust bypass: Closed
Engine [compared to GranTurismo S]Up 10hp to 444hpUp 20 Nm to 510 NmFuel consumption: down 13 per cent to 14.4 l/100 km80 per cent of torque available from 2,500rpmDiamond Like Coating (DLC) cuts internal engine friction
Suspension/Chassis8 per cent stiffer springsFront roll bar increased from 20 to 25 mmRide height lowered- 10 mm at the front, - 12 mm at the rear
Tyres – new Pirelli P-Zero Corsa- Front: Up from 245/35 to 255/35- Rear: Up from 285/35 to 295/35Brakes – New Brembo Carbon CeramicFirst production Maserati with Carbon Ceramic brakesNew brake cooling system and heat extraction ventsFront: 380mm x 34mm with six piston calipersRear: 360mm x 32mm with four piston calipersBraking distance, down 6 per cent for 100 km/h to 0, now 33m
how to change a granturismo s into an
mc stradale
Unlike the dash of the track racing Trofeo, the Stradale’s dash is mainstream GrandTurismo with some extra switches
Performance upgrades include a revised MC Race Shift transmission that cuts shift times to 60millisecs in R mode
Output is rated at 444hp and 510Nm of torque, which is up from the GranTurismo and 80 per cent of torque is available from 2,500rpm
Carbon fibre sports front seats have helped save 26kg in weight and come with four-point racing harness
No change in the drag co-efficient, despite extra down force, rear gets 50 per cent more downforce at 200km/h
Aluminium pedals give a nice touch to the car’s sporty interior
First production Maserati with carbon ceramic brakes and custom-developed Pirelli Corsa ZR rated tyres. Braking distance is down by 6 per cent. From 100km/h to zero, now stands at 33m
{coVer storY}
25
Key rivals
Porsche GT3 RS 4.0 One of the biggest competitors for the Stradale is the Porsche GT3RS, which is powered by a 4.0-litre six-cylinder naturally-aspirated engine that develops maximum output of 500hp and 460Nm of torque. At sub four seconds, the Porsche is faster and at $185,000 in the US, is more expensive than the Maserati. The two-seater’s ready-for-action weight is just 1,360kg with a full tank of fuel.
Aston Martin V8 Vantage SThe car is also a pretty serious competitor for the MC Stradale. It gets a V8 engine that delivers 430hp and 490Nm of torque. The car uses a specifically designed new ground-up developed Sportshift™ II transmission with seven short ratio gears to deliver the most engaging and intense driver involvement. As well as selecting gears manually with the steering column mounted paddle-shift, the driver is also able to select the ‘D’ button on the facia to engage automatic mode which acts like a traditional automatic gearbox.
VerdictOne thing’s for sure. This Maserati isn’t just about number crunching, rather it’s more to do with how you experience it. We don’t mind that it’s strictly a sporty raw carbon-fibre trimmed two-seater with a bit luxury thrown in. We simply love its fast throttle response, louder exhaust, sporty gearbox and fine handling. Actually, it’s not surprising we enjoyed each one of those revs bands, and not wanting for low-end torque or more power, but to feel that more road miles would be always welcome. As good to drive as it is to look at with very close track performance [in race mode when compared with the Trofeo], the Stradale is still as comfortable as other models in the GranTurismo range. At US$115,000 it is cheaper than the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, but more expensive than the entry-level Granturismo model.
Author Raj WarriorPhotographs Raj Warrior
26
Getting an
added Edge
{road test}
Ford’s 2011 edge offers more than the
expected upgrade to the outgoing model.
Keeping to the concept of a crossover,
the new edge brings in refinement,
performance and some technology that
makes for a very interesting car
27
editoRial nominee
2011 foRd edge
pRemium suv
Ford has been through a tumultuous
few years of late. By now the dust
has settled over the entire ruckus in
Detroit, when a mixture of bad products,
outdated production techniques and lack
of money drew under such stalwarts
as General Motors and Chrysler. In the
noise, you almost missed the whisker
by which Ford avoided US government
funding and the calls to cut in order to
survive.To give Ford its due, the company
had already foreseen the inevitable and
was in the midst of a reorganisation
when the crisis hit. New products that
better reflected the needs of the time
were in the pipeline and some had
already come to market. The crossover
Edge was one such development. At the
time of its launch, the Edge reflected
a new thought process in Ford design
language and product placement. It was
a crossover that took the Ford badge
upwards in a host of home products
that were essentially old-generation
truck-based SUVs. And to its credit, the
Edge did much better than the larger
platform of the Flex. Perhaps because
the design sat in the sweet spot of being
modern enough to draw acclaim, yet not
so unconventional as to challenge the
buyer’s conviction.
So, now the new generation of the
Edge has a challenging act to follow.
The success of the old Edge means that
the new one has to offer more than just
a modern crossover. Four years on, the
refresh had to be a lot more. Here, one
would think that Ford honchos decided
not to bother fixing stuff that wasn’t
broken, instead spending some well-
deserved hours on honing the product.
28
Six-speed automatic transmission with select shift (by means of a small +/- button on the knob) give quick shift modes and good fuel efficiency
Cruise control and menu controls for the left screen are placed on the left of the wheel
An 8” LCD display with a capacitive screen and hi-res quality is connected to a rearview camera as well as the entertainment system and SYNC
A hands free MyKey entry is
accompanied by the provision
of a Engine Stop/Start button
Audio and telephone controls, voice
activation and menu controls for the
right screen
A Sony sound system with 10-speakers
and auxiliary USB input alongwith two
SD card slots in the centre box makes
for an interesting theatre
The 4.2-inch displays take care of various system and car displays, some of which can be programmed while others pop-up as required
{road test}
29
The new edge is more than an upgrade, with a raft of
changes in the interior adding meaning to the exterior
redesign. and its electronics are the killer app
The car retains its basic shell and
much-loved profile with the sharpness all
intact. From its 2824mm wheelbase, the
profile has rather short overhangs on its
4679mm length. The grille remains the
most prominent feature of the car – with
a chromed expanse that is split up by the
slots (talk about bling!).
There are some additional changes
on the exterior including a redesigned
bonnet, new mudguards and intakes and
a revised tailgate and new exhaust pipe
ends. The new Edge is absolutely stunning
to look at – in addition to the looks many
of the changes have improved efficiency
and performance. This time around the
car’s Cd has improved from 0.385 to
0.363 partly due to better designed and
resized intakes.
On the interior, there has been a
much greater change, both in terms
of the design and layout as well as the
incorporation of better materials to take
care of the ‘touch and feel’ elements.
Additionally, under the skin, Ford has
given much more importance to the
electronics and telematics integration
into the overall ownership experience.
You only have to sit at the driver’s
seat and look at the console to be won
over immediately. The speedometer
assembly in front of the driver is brilliant
(both literally and figuratively). A modern
smartphone size high quality display sits
in conjunction with a traditional analogue
style speedometer, while taking position
of pride on the floating centre console
arrangement, the large 8” display
takes care of most car entertainment,
communication and telematics interface
with the Microsoft SYNC software
onboard.
The unit itself is pretty complex,
allowing driver-configurable options
as well as taking voice commands
that do quite a good job recognising
regional dialects of English. Ford have
also developed a means of loading the
appropriate version of the software
dependent on market and level right on
the assembly line. The normal procedure
for most onboard computing is to pre-
order the proper combination. What Ford
does is use a top-of-the-line hardware
unit that can be programmed wirelessly
on the assembly line.
Technology
Operated by two five-way controllers
located on the steering wheel, the driver
can scroll through and select different
screens adjoining the speedometer. In
some circumstances, a useful screen
will appear automatically such as when
using the steering wheel mounted shift
paddles will bring up a tachometer in the
left side screen automatically. Meanwhile,
the central console is like Volvo’s floating
design incorporating a storage bin and
arm rest at the base. Ford offers SYNC
– the voice-activated communications
and entertainment system developed by
Ford and Microsoft that fully integrates
Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and
digital media players, (a navigation
system in some markets) with an
eight-inch LCD touch screen and Ford’s
“MyFord Touch” infotainment interface.
Also included in the package is an
entertainment centre in the lower console
with two USB ports, video input jacks
and an SD card slot. Complementing the
existing SYNC system, MyTouch features
a new touchscreen display along with
additional voice commands, and operates
30
{road test}
Luxurious seating converts into very useable luggage space by the lowering
of the rear seats. The load height also remains at a manageable level
the Edge’s array of tech features.
Besides the comfort, convenience and
infotainment features, Ford’s MyKey and
Easy Fuel Capless fuel-filler systems are
also present for the new Edge.
EngineThe previous Edge was offered with
a single 3.5-litre V6 and automatic
transmission across the entire range since
launch. In Oman the engine size remains
the same but the new 3.5-litre engine gets
significant boosts in power and torque.
While, the outgoing 3.5-litre V6 was good
for 265hp, the new 3.5-litre V6 makes
use of the addition of Ti-VCT technology
and improvements to the engine’s internal
components, which result in a net output
of 285hp. And despite the increased power,
Ford says this V6 engine will be unsurpassed
in fuel economy, and beat many models
in performance, too. In terms of torque
the engine delivers 335Nm at a healthy
4000 rpm through a six-speed automatic
transmission provided with select shift.
Under the floor the car gets retuned
shock absorbers, springs and stabilizer
bars and larger rear rotors on the brakes.
In terms of convenience the car also gets
Hill Start Assist.
VerdictThe 2011 Edge scores on many fronts. It is
among the most refined crossovers in that
part of the market, quiet and responsive.
Its design is remarkable and appealing and
draws eyes as you drive past other drivers.
Visibility is good, and the combination
of a highly responsive engine with some
goodies loaded the header and a latest
generation six-speed gearbox makes the
car among the most interesting Ford’s we
have driven in some time.
As if that wasn’t enough, you get the
entire combination of SYNC and MyFord
thrown in in an integrated and well put
together system. While we aren’t huge
fans of Microsoft and still associate the
company with countless blue screens of
death on PCs, the SYNC module gets a
huge thumbs up from us.
Then throw in 10-way powered driver’s
seating, leather-wrapped steering wheel
with all the right buttons and a rather high-
grade Sony sound system and you have
a package that (for the price) cannot be
ignored. The car as tested retails at RO
14,995/- and it looks like a well-packaged
buy.
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{road test}
32
with the all-new chevrolet volt, GM steps into the future of mobility. automan gets a first feel of this extended
range electric car Author Bill Moore
My first hint that General Motors was developing a new electric car came in the Spring of 2006. About a dozen
other journalists and I were in Iceland, guests of GM, to see how it’s possible to make hydrogen using the island’s abundant hydroelectric and geothermal energy resources. A GM executive turned to me as we were filing in for lunch and said, “the electric car isn’t dead at GM.” Eight months later, they would unveil the Volt concept car at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, to rave reviews, I might add.
But it would be a different electric car from the EV1 of the early 1990s. It would be a sedan seating four and it would not rely entirely on the energy stored in its batteries. It would utilize an internal combustion engine spinning an electric generator that would power an electric motor to drive the front wheels; what is called a series hybrid-electric. The rakish, muscular-looking concept car with its chopped roofline, would also be equipped with a battery pack that would give the car 40
33
Electric
Avenue
miles of electric driving range, after which the gasoline powered generator would take over and propel it for another 300 or more miles.
That was the concept in early 2007. While the shape of the car evolved over time and wind tunnel tests into something not quite as exciting as the original concept car, the performance goals were largely met. What GM produced is a four passenger, four door -- plus hatchback -- car that, for many drivers, will use little if any petroleum, relying instead of electrical energy stored in its 16kWh battery pack, effectively resulting in fuel economy numbers equivalent to the original goals of the Automotive X Prize.
What’s remarkable about the Volt isn’t what it does, so much as what it doesn’t. Obviously, it doesn’t use a lot of petroleum. It isn’t as flashy looking as the James Bond-ish Fisker Karma, a similar plug-in hybrid. Nor does it necessarily have the rocket-sled performance of the Tesla Roadster: zero-to-100km/hr is roughly 8 seconds. And its fuel economy in hybrid mode isn’t all that impressive: it’s closer to a Camry Hybrid than the Prius. The US EPA estimates it at 35 city/40 highway. However, in electric mode, it’s rated at the equivalent of 93 mpg. Drivers are reporting averages well over that number, many traveling more than 1,000 miles on the car’s 9.4 US gallon fuel tank.
Yet, for a novice electric car driver stepping into the Volt for the first time, it is a world view-altering experience: starting with the sense that you’ve climbed into the cockpit
of one of Warren Buffett’s corporate jets, complete with state-of-the-art glass cockpit. In fact, maybe the most overwhelming aspect of the Volt’s cabin is its control system and displays. The battery tunnel that runs the keel of the car is hidden below the Volt’s shifter. Above this are a host of buttons and knobs designed to control the cabin climate system, audio system and vehicle information systems. OnStar comes standard. The owner’s manual for operating just this part of the car has to be inches thick.
Gratefully, actually driving the car is much easier, differing very little from your typical modern automobile. The car powers up, taking a few seconds to check all its systems -- there are 10 million lines of computer code that controls the car; 4 million more than the Boeing 777 Dreamliner. Being electric, there are no sensory cues to tell you the car is on. The display just states it. The Volt developed for the North American market is designed to operate initially in ‘electric-first’ mode. The 1.4-litre gasoline engine generator will not activate until the battery pack reaches the designed depletion point, around 10 kWh, before firing up; and the transition between the two is almost imperceptible. You really have to be watching for it to notice it, at least that was my experience driving the car around the Detroit metro area for two days last Fall.
GM engineers gave the car three operating regimes: standard, sport and mountain: they all like the sport setting best, so that’s what I
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34
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selected when driving the car. While it improves acceleration a bit -- and eats into battery range too -- what is more impressive is the amount of regenerative braking that you get. A quick refresher on regenerative braking or ‘Regen’ in short. Unlike a normal car where braking energy is dissipated as friction and heat, cars like the Volt convert the vehicle’s kinetic energy back into electricity that can be stored in the battery for reuse. Regen in the Volt’s “sport mode” is particularly aggressive. Let off the
accelerator and the car immediately begins to slow. With a bit of practice, you can learn to stop the car without touching the brake pedal until the last few feet. And as you sit there you can luxuriate in the vibration-less silence. The Volt can also teach you how to accelerate, drive, and slow the car more efficiently, as well, using a computer game-like display that challenges you to keep a spinning ball in the center of the display. Allow the ball to slip out of the center and you’re wasting energy, be it
electricity or premium gasoline, which is the required fuel for the first generation of the Volt. Later generations of the car likely will be flex-fuel capable similar to GM cars sold in Brazil; able to run on wide blends of ethanol and gasoline. Future iterations of car can also support the introduction of hydrogen fuel cells in place of its IC engine, should the technology become practical and affordable.
During my two day test drive in and around Detroit, I was able to see how it performs on
city streets during evening rush hour (I got 45 miles in electric mode before the gasoline generator kicked in). My co-driver and I cruised the wide, tree-shaded thoroughfare that weaves through the exclusive Gross Pointe community along to shores of Lake Detroit. We hit the city’s bustling freeways without a pause; and one leg of the test drive took us out onto the quieter two-lane roads that interlace the “exurbs” north of town. The car is a pleasure to drive, as you’d expect, but the real delight is knowing that when the day is done, your filling station is in your garage.
For most car owners, their automobile represents freedom to go where you want, when you want. For a car like the Volt, it also opens the option of fuel choice: you can choose between energy sources that range from good old-fashioned gasoline to pure sunlight. There are few vehicles on the market today that offer the possibility.
Admittedly, however, it comes at a price: US$41,995, to be exact. The US government offers a tax credit of up to $US7,500, which can lower the price significantly for some taxpayers.
VerdictWhat are my overall impressions of the Volt? Would I buy one? Certainly, though I, like a lot of Americans in the hard-pressed middle-class find paying more than forty grand for any car simply out of reach.
Still, I love the concept and maybe someday, when one comes off lease somewhere, I’ll consider trading my Prius -- which is converted to a plug-in already -- for a pre-owned Volt. But by then, there will be many other EV options available as well.
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In the automotive business the A-segment represents small city cars which usually are kept less than 4,000mm in length and
are powered by small displacement [998cc to 1,300cc] 3-or 4-cylinder engines. City cars are sold worldwide and most global car makers have one or two in their line-up. However, the car buying trends in Middle East markets are unique where the reverse pyramid model works and this means that bigger C,D, E or F segment cars outsell the ‘A’s, but this doesn’t undermine the minority A or B segment. In fact, global automakers estimate that the downsizing trend and demand for efficient transportation solutions could see a spurt in worldwide demand for A-segment cars which could reach as high as 2.4mn units in 2011. And that’s a number closely being watched by many brands, including those who still don’t
have a foothold in this flourishing segment. The ripple effect is also being felt in the Middle East as the market is beginning to shift its perceptions about city cars.
For players such as Kia Motors, Kia’s entry level first generation Picanto has been soldiering in the region since 2005. The car was offered only as a five-door hatchback and it offered plenty of room for four adults [even six-footers had no problem travelling in the rear]. With large doors for easy access to the rear, the only limitation was its tiny boot space which limited its practicality somewhat. Surprisingly, the car’s cabin was pleasant with a neat dashboard and instrumentation. In terms of build quality it was solidly built and logically laid out, although some of the materials choices in the trims used could have been better. Two engines were offered and for
the time they were adequate, but by today’s performance standards, underpowered. Also, the chassis and suspension appeared basic and many users of this front wheel drive car felt that there was too much body roll in corners and a steering short of feel. Most niggles were attended during the mid-cycle facelift including a modest re-style, but for drivers who just wanted a point A-to-B city transport, it’s a fine deal. Now Kia Motors, which is on a design and engineering and quality led drive wants to take the Picanto to a new benchmark level in all three departments. After several teasers, the first tangible hint of the second generation Picanto was during its global premiere at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.
To be marketed in domestic and European markets mainly, Kia’s investment for the second innings for this car began with an
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38
Little Master
39
Little Master
has the all-new second generation a-segment
2011 picanto been designed to break the bland city car mould?
automan was invited to the new arrivals’s global ride and drive event in istanbul, Turkey to find
out
Author
Chandan B Mallik
editoRial nominee
kia picanto 2012
small caR
40
{road test}
all-new platform. And this has allowed chief design officer Peter Schreyer and his team to design the car ground-up while infusing the new corporate design DNA. Schreyer’s touch has metamorphosed a ‘cute’ and ‘feminine’ car into something more mature, contemporary and widely appealing. Since Europe is one of the bigger markets for the Picanto, a three-door model is also planned, one of the reasons why there’s design influence from Kia’s Europe-only Venga and global Sportage. Kia says that the three-door variant will have unique C-pillar, bumpers, grille and exhaust to give it a subtly sportier look, but common to both are aggressive and flowing body or character lines. In its construction, Kia designers have factored in the stringent safety structural elements such as higher percentage of high-strength steel, ring-shaped reinforcing loops within the B- and C-pillars, additional bracing at the front between the cowl and suspension towers for improved rigidity.
At first glance, it’s the front end, particularly the signature ‘tiger nose’ grille which highlights the car’s stance which also cleverly hides the dimensional changes. The new car has grown a bit and with its overall length of 3,595mm, it
has increased by 60mm, while the wheelbase has grown by 15mm to stand at 2,385mm and these help in maintaining the car’s “body-in/wheels-out” attitude.
As a growing segment, in terms of dimensions, the Picanto should sit comfortably between the soon-to-arrive Chevrolet Beat and models such as Daihatsu Sirion or Toyota’s Yaris. Attention to small details of the exterior design have improved the new Kia Picanto’s aerodynamics, reducing its drag figure to just Cd 0.31, which is significantly better than many current A or B-segment cars. Although, the Picanto is an entry-level model, it comes with cluster headlamps with LED daytime running lights and LED rear lamps.
The car’s interior also sees a radical revolution in small car design. The average city car cabin has given way to premium kit which is typically seen in expensive higher-segment vehicles. The car’s distinctive cockpit now incorporates a three-pod type wraparound sports motorcycle inspired instrument cluster incorporating a round speedometer and a digital LCD readout. Ice-blue ambient backlighting adds a stylish, contemporary feel to the cabin. The cabin also feels bigger than
the Yaris even though its wheelbase is 76mm shorter than the Toyota.
As a city car, designer stowage features find priority. Along with two glove boxes, including one with an integrated USB outlet, various small compartments and door pockets, as well as three cupholders at the front, provide generous storage space for items of many sizes. All electronic devices installed in the upper glove-box can be operated through the steering-wheel controls or radio interfaces.
Driver is welcomed by a thick rimmed two-spoke steering wheel. Other features include automatically controlled air-conditioning, electronic and heated folding door mirrors with blinkers, automatic light control with ‘escort’ and ‘welcome’ modes, steering wheel mounted audio controls and retractable dual cup holders. Standout kit offered includes smart-key entry system with engine start/stop button, AUX, iPod and USB connectivity and MP3 compatible systems and Bluetooth® hands-free with voice recognition.
Depending on markets, Kia will offer at least two variants of the latest Kappa family of highly efficient engines. Both aluminium engines use dual CVVT (continuously variable
41
valve timing) technology. It also employs off-set crankshaft design and incorporates maintenance-free long-life timing chain and low-friction ‘beehive’ valve springs. The bigger engine is a four-cylinder, 1,248cc engine that generates 84hp and 121 Nm of torque while the smaller three-cylinder, 998cc engine produces 68hp and 95Nm of torque [vs 64hp and 99Nm from the older generation 1.1-litre engine]. Engines are mated to either 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic gearboxes.
Kia says that although the chassis is new, the running gear of the suspension has been carried over to help optimize performance in the new car. The MacPherson strut front suspension features an increased castor angle of 4.1°, for enhanced straight-line driving stability, 12 per cent softer springs and longer wheel travel with 20mm shorter bump-stops. At the rear, the torsion beam axle is 60 per cent stiffer with 29 per cent softer springs, 15 mm shorter bump-stops and larger trailing-arm bushes for improved stability and a more compliant ride.
All-around discs are standard on all models fitted with Electronic Stability Control which in turn is backed up with standard ABS anti-lock, electronic brake force distribution and emergency ‘brake assist’ systems. While stopping distance from 100km/h is claimed among the best-in-class at 41.0m by Kia, the safety Euro NCAP ratings haven’t been established yet, but are expected soon. Up to six airbags are being provided and Hill Assist has been added as safety kit.
Driving impressionsIn Istanbul, Kia Motors had an extensive three-day programme for journos representing various markets. As a result, depending on the markets, essentially two versions of the car were offered – the entry-level three-cylinder 998cc and bigger 1.2-litre four-cylinder. Our markets will be offered the latter variety and hence we spent most our time with this variant. Although, our hosts put us up in the Asia side of the country, a short bus trip to the Europe side was seen as essential in order to avoid the extremely slow moving and congested city traffic. As a result, the test drive was more focused on primary and secondary highways in and around Istanbul.
Our test car had top kit such as stop-start switch and keyless entry, but the first thing inside the car that impresses is it is remarkably east to get in or out with ideal hip points. The interior space carved out in a car that’s 3,595mm long and about 230mm shorter than the current Toyota Yaris is commendable. My driving partner for the day
was Phil Moore, who is over six feet tall and with Phil in the passenger seat, there was more than three inches of clear head room available. We also note that even with the seat pushed back there’s still legitimate space [leg and headroom] for an adult passenger. Clever design has ensured that the extra space generated by the extended-by-15mm wheelbase has been utilized for the benefit of the occupants.
Although the car is boxy and bit of a tall boy with a cab forward profile, the view for all occupants is pretty generous, including blindspot. Front seats are well bolstered and offer good support. After a few kilometers of driving it is clear that the new Picanto has been engineered to make everyday driving in a small car a more dynamic and enjoyable.
Turkey’s roads are well-worn and this also affects the car’s performance. We say this because shortly after the Turkey drive, we experienced the car in Oman as well. While the running gear for the suspension is carried over, in particular, it works nicely if it is shod with 155/70 R13 tyres as offered here in Oman. Since we drove top end European-spec models fitted with either 165/60 R14 or 175/50 R15 tyres and we felt on more than one occasion that there’s quite a bit of influence from the extra rubber and larger size on the handling of the car. While the extra rubber ensures tighter handling with better grip, it also influences the feedback from the speed-sensitive steering. With the wider tyres, the off-centre feedback is less and we feel that for the calibration, the 13in wheel combo is much better. However, the biggest achievement, part in thanks to the revised suspension calibration, the outgoing car’s tendency to understeer has been considerably reduced.
O v e r a l l , there’s a
pleasant feeling with the car. It feels bigger and planted, its engines are responsive and there’s no quirkiness from the gearbox. The car’s cabin is quieter and only when the engine is pushed really hard is the time you can hear noise coming in. NVH and wind noise is exceptionally well contained. The brakes also work well in slowing and stopping the car and we noted no fading either after repeated use.
VerdictThe new Picanto shouldn’t be underestimated anymore as Kia has proven once again that its small cars can offer more of everything without ballooning in size and cost. With its new profile and content, it is much better equipped to handle competition, even a slot up which is usually represented in the region with time-tested models such as Mazda 2, soon-to-arrive Chevrolet Beat, Daihatsu Sirion or Toyota Yaris. The key fact in favour of the new Kia is that despite being smaller, it is more stylish, richer in content and features and offers a bigger feel inside out. We feel that the new Picanto definitely sets a new benchmark and has the desire to become a compelling choice for young and young-at-heart, style-conscious drivers in addition to it complementing the line-up.
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What’s out?
Equipment [incoming]
High quality package with numerous premium features and multiple trim choices. New features (some market specific) now include smart-key entry system with engine start/stop button, AUX, iPod and USB connections for the radio CD player with MP3 compatibility, Bluetooth® hands-free with voice recognition. For Middle East consumers only, a special interior can be specified which combines Alpine Grey paintwork with a Bright Grey overall trim theme.
Powertrain [outgoing]
1.1-litre, 65bhp engine was lively and peppy but not enough for keen drivers.
P o w e r t r a i n [incoming]
Highly efficient 3- and 4-cylinder normally-aspirated Kappa engines displacing 998cc and 1,248cc come with uprated power and also help lower CO2 base-line to just 95 g/km and improves fuel consumption to as much as 67.3 mpg. The output from the smaller 998cc engine is more than the outgoing 1.1-litre powerplant.
Cabin [Outgoing]
Not everything new in the last facelifted model was just a visual appetizer. Although modern, it was short of trendy features.
43
what’s in?
Style [Incoming]
Ground up design and extensively re-engineered on an all-new platform with stand-out styling in the global ‘city car’ A-segment. Image positioning has been metamorphosed from ‘cute’ and ‘feminine’ to mature and handsome.
Safety [Incoming]
Higher percentage of high-strength steel and reinforcing loops within the B- and C-pillars come with additional bracing at the front between the cowl and suspension towers for improved rigidity. Depending on trim, safety equipment will include up to six airbags, electronic stability control and hill-start assist
Style [Outgoing]
A cute car reasonably refined and sturdily built. Kia injected new life into the model with a facelift in 2008, giving it new lights and bumpers.
Safety [Outgoing]
Of the rare black mark against was its mediocre three-star Euro NCAP crash safety rating.
Face to Face
44
Now Jaguar is oN the prowl
Automan met up with
Justin Weaving, Regional
Sales Director for
Jaguar Land Rover in
the region on his visit to
Oman to preside at the
launch of the Jaguar XJ
V6. He spoke with us at
length about Jaguar’s
plans and performance.
45
Jaguar launched the smaller engined V6 variant
of the XJ recently, in order to capture the volumes that a full-size smaller-engined luxury car generates in the region. Interestingly, the launch of the V6 boosts the modelline-up close on the heels of the XF’s success as well as the interest generated by the new XKS.
Let’s begin with a look at how Jaguar Land Rover performed last year.Jaguar Land Rover sales were up 16% in 2010 over 2009. From a Jaguar perspective what’s significant about that is that during 2010 we launched the XJ halfway through the year as compared to the same period in the previous year where we were still counting the X-type in our sales. It is a significant turnaround from business in 2009 and obviously vastly improved over 2008.
You mentioned that 2010 has seen better numbers, the full impact of the XF has been felt positively and the XJ was launched, and the region has figured prominently in Jaguar’s global sales. How do you see sales moving on into 2011?If I break that down into bite sized chunks and compare 2011 over 2010, we were looking to maintain that growth, we began the year in the region in a very strong position and notwithstanding the current regional instability that we are experiencing in some markets that is affecting sales in those pockets, we are assuming that things will get better during the course of the year. During the year models that we have launched at various motor shows will come into the market; the Middle East region is a strong contributor to Jaguar Land Rover’s growth and success. JLR exports more than 75% of its production from the UK, we are an export business. If you look at where the wealth is around the world - the Middle East is an obvious landmark. The significance of the business that JLR in the Middle East contributes can be measured by how soon we have been able to launch the 3.0-litre V6. The 3.0-litre V6 in the XJ is only available in three markets - China, Russia and the Middle East. What we need to take away from that is that there is a) confidence from a Jaguar perspective that we can invest specific product plans dependent on regional wants and regional needs and requirements as well as b) a significant ability to fund a sales growth that delivers returns on such products.
So 75% of products are exported. How much of that is contributed by the US market and how much has it changed since Ford left JLR?I don’t know the specifics of the US market. It will continue to play a significant part of any manufacturer’s plans. It has to just on the sheer size. It will always play a major part of JLR sales.
We can’t avoid asking - how have things changed post the Tata takeover?Things have changed, but not perhaps in the way
you would imagine me to explain, the way Tata manage and run our business is different from the way we have seen previous owners do. Tata is very much hands-off in the way they do things. They guide us, they have regular opportunity to coach what they want out of the business - but effectively, we as Jaguar Land Rover now are fully accountable, fully responsible and we fully own our product plan and business plan and all of that is supported by Tata.
As expected. You had a recent announcement of a move into supercar territory. Is there a commercially viable angle to that?Is there a significant halo from having a supercar? Yes. Jaguar is all about design, innovation and creating beautiful, fast cars. Project C-X75 is all that in one. It gives us the ability to showcase what we can do, not just what we have done with XF, with XK, with XJ – all mainstream production. We can give the world a Jaguar that competes in the hypercar-supercar segment. With a partner like Williams we have access to the technology to allow us to do that, Williams pride themselves in being foremost a technology company, they have experience with motorsports, with aerodynamics, with composite materials. It is a great partnership just to take the brand forward, to position the brand alongwith that and to put, probably, the UK back on the forefront of automotive industry where it once was.
So will it be a Williams project or Jaguar? And what will the final car sell for?The whole project team is run through JLR product development. It will range from 700,000 pounds to 900,000 pounds dependent on local taxes, powertrains, options and the like.
We’ve been hearing of a new X-type in the works and the Tatas pushing for it to compete better with BMW and Mercedes. How true is that?We won’t see an X-type again. We will probably see a compact sedan again. Our owners want us to fulfill the true potential of Jaguar and over many years the potential has lost its way. Mr Tata is himself a petrol head. He bought JLR because he is passionate about the brands. He has an understanding about what they represent therefore he knows where they need to be. Our global brand director Adrian Hallmark has been quoted many times as saying that Jaguar is 5-10 years behind the its competitors and we have a plan to shortcut that, to bring Jaguar fully up to speed within the competitive environment. That’s why recently we announced new plans across JLR for the next five years to introduce 14 new products and 14 new features in our vehicles.
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French connectiondesigned to be sold, essentially beyond european territory, renault’s Korea-built all-new 2011 safrane sedan joins the brand’s international
line-up at the very top Author Chandan B Mallik Photography author and Raj Warrior
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editoRial nominee
Renault safRane
laRge caR
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Non European markets are now part of French brand Renault’s global aspirations and the
Middle East is key in the greater scheme of things. In recent years, several Renault products designed specifically for these markets have significantly benefited from Nissan’s technology inputs and Renault-Samsung Motors cost effective production capabilities. The latest new medium-large family sedan from Renault’s collaborative efforts is the 2011 Safrane which is also known as the Latitude in some markets. Also sold in South Korea as the SM5, technically, it is in its third generation and mechanically based on the Renault Laguna. The Laguna itself uses Nissan Teana’s D-platform. The new Safrane is manufactured at the Busan plant of Renault Samsung Motors and justifies the idea to offer a high spec flagship model with top class European engineering and Japanese reliability.
Compared to the French brand’s usual arsenal of aggressively styled compact cars, this Renault-badged model wouldn’t exactly qualify as a design statement. It’s a well-known fact that Renault has a sweet spot for its European market compacts and hence usually reserves most of its design and styling efforts for that sector. But that doesn’t mean that it has neglected or given the Safrane a step-motherly treatment when it comes to size and proportion design management. As a result, the Safrane comes with pleasant proportions with an overall length of 4,890mm, width 1,830mm and height of 1,490mm. The car gets 2,762mm wheelbase with front and rear overhangs of 1,035mm and 1,100mm respectively which make it look like a classy executive sedan.
Most of the car’s sheetmetal employs smooth and uncluttered bodylines, but it’s the rear styling treatment that signs off the car’s design profile. The roofline smoothly tapers down towards the rear and complement the rear end signature tail lamps which employs a blend of LED and conventional technologies.
The benefit of the car’s dimensions is mostly reflected in the interior where occupants are expected to spend a lot of time. While cabin space is generously lit up, thanks to the panoramic electric glass sunroof, it’s no optical illusion. In fact, space up front is could be class-
leading as it comes with wide foot wells and comfortable and well-bolstered front seats to pamper occupants all the way. For rear occupants, there’s good news too. There’s generous legroom and Safrane’s with panaromic roof may slightly compromised headroom, but when it comes to family or executive practicality, there’s an oversized boot and the benefit of folding rear seat backrests plus host of utility features.
But in our view what scores top marks is the low slung sporty dashboard which comes straight off the stylish Laguna coupe. One recent new feature in Nissan/Infiniti models is the introduction of air ionizer and fragrance diffuser and this application also finds place in the Safrane. Other comfort and convenience features include tri-zone climate control with, a massaging driver’s seat, Bose premium audio system and Bluetooth connectivity. Renault has gone great lengths to make this car stand out with an impressively long list of standard equipment.
While overall build quality is good, and the availability of soft-touch dashboard and equally resilient upper door panels, there is still a fair amount of hard plastic all around. But unlike in a Japanese interior, where the presence of plastic parts is obvious, it is less so in the Renault partly because of the combination two-tone leather interiors.
Power for the top-of-the-line [our tester] variant came from a normally-aspirated 3.5-litre V6 which offers an output of 240hp and peak torque of 336Nm at 4,400rpm. Actually, the variable valve technology used is similar to the one used in Nissan’s sporty Maxima sedan. Power is routed to the front wheels via Renault-Nissan Alliance Xtronic CVT transmission, which is now standard issue across most of the models in the Alliance line-up.
The car’s suspension is oriented towards a luxurious ride and the package uses the same front suspension of the Laguna which is widely acclaimed for its precision. It uses a MacPherson-type layout with lower arm and antiroll bar. Based on a current Nissan development, the rear suspension uses multi-links and is calibrated to help isolate the cabin from unwanted vibrations. Safety kit includes ABS, emergency brake assist,
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49
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renault invested three years and $340 million in developing the new lavishly equipped safrane
50
ESC, airbags, twin side-impact sensors, tyre pressure monitoring system and adaptive bi-xenon cornering headlights.
Driving impressionsGiven its imposing size, the Safrane is surprisingly agile on the move and as expected, the V6 petrol is silky smooth, but it has balanced torque, so there are no unwanted surprises. While the car may not possess the ultimate poise of say Ford’s Mondeo, but on the move, the enthusiastic Safrane is pleasantly responsive to the driver’s right foot tap.
With its well-weighted steering, feedback is remarkably responsive in the Safrane, if not especially crisp, with competent turn-in and feedback. Torque steer is well managed and in fact there’s a genuine European feel about the car’s handling. The car’s CVT transmission is probably one of most efficient in the business and it shifts in all the right revs, and whether upshifts or downshifts, either are smooth, tight and relatively quick.
With good body control and neutral handling and a surprisingly quiet cabin, the car touches the entry level luxury tag with confidence and some pride. Ride comfort is generally fine, but the low profile tyres on 18in wheels can offer
some firmness on uneven surfaced roads, which in turn breaks the serenity in the cabin with some tyre noise at times.
Our scope of driving included stretches up into the mountains over a fast, smooth and winding roads with lots of hard braking and abrupt changing of direction. In most situations, we could feel the suspension approaching its limit [slighter stiffer settings would have been nice] but the simulation in our opinion would represent more than 95 per cent of what drivers would actually do with this car.
VerdictRenault invested three years and $340mn in developing the new Safrane. We can say that the Safrane hits most of the right notes for brand conscious buyers. As a family or executive sedan it is generously kitted. Its nicely balanced proportions and uncluttered lines point to the exceptional comfort and well-being occupants. This promise is confirmed by the refinement and high quality finish of the cabin, as well as by the interior’s carefully selected materials and occupant-friendly layout. The car will see a long and successful career in the region.
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Finding a sweet
spot
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Toyota created the Zelas from
a portfolio of bin parts very much like the original
Ford Mustang was fabricated decades ago. it’s now up to this front-engined
model to fulfill the segment’s
aspiration for the brand
Author Chandan B Mallik Photography Shakeel Al Baloushi
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If one looks at the current line-up of Toyota models, the sports coupe slot has been vacant for several years. Toyota seems
to be inclined to renew its association with this segment and off late has been looking at several options with serious intent. On the cards there’s a soon-to-arrive collaborative new product [FT-86] with Subaru and then there’s the Zelas.
But, there’s a legacy involved which was mostly represented by the Celica-Supra magic in the 70s and 80s. With these two models, it’s becoming clear that Toyota is looking at more than one solution for the segment.
The quickest of the mark is a handpicked model, more specifically, the current version of the Scion tC [its youth oriented sub brand in US] brought to the region as the Toyota Zelas. The Zelas comes with a job profile to appeal to younger buyers to the brand in some markets including Middle East.
The Zelas comes prepped with the bullet proof architecture of the Corolla, and a powertrain from a version of the Camry. The Second-generation Zelas retains its 106.3in long wheelbase, 174.0in length, and 55.7in height of its predecessor, while gaining only 1.6in in width to a total of 70.7in, which means it’s within striking distance in terms of size to a standard Corolla. While the bonnet of the car seems to be common issue, the rest of the styling is different, yet connected. To give it a squat look, the roof has been flattened and the glass to metal ratio reduced. However, the sleekness of the 2003 Celica or Supra’s sporty styling is lacking despite the fact that C-pillar of the Zelas is wide. Overall, the car appears muscular and aggressive with bulges
and bold character lines. The styling changes have also affected the drag coefficient with a Cd of 0.325 for the Zelas vs Corolla’s 0.29.
While the 2+2 Zelas is six inches shorter than the current Corolla, as a compact car it
offers incredible amount of leg and headroom for front occupants. Even rear seat passengers get generous leg- and head-room, part in thanks to the extended roofline. What’s more, the rear seats have the ability to lean back up to 45° to create further legroom. Meanwhile, call it the segment’s design-functional-limitation where rear seat passengers have to virtually squeeze in and out, which can be uncomfortable and inconvenient, especially for tall occupants. However, Toyota tries to address at least part of the problem by using extra wide doors. The rear hatch opens vertically and thankfully, there’s a full-sized spare in the boot. Rear seats split fold 60:40 to open up cargo space.
Despite a lowered chassis, forward visibility
is quite good, thanks to the thinner A-pillar. However, over-the-shoulder visibility has been mostly lost due to the wide C-pillar and that also impairs side vision for the rear occupants. Comfort offered by the six-way adjustable
front bucket seats is passable, but we think rear occupants are marginally better off in the comfort department.
We liked the electric tilt/telescoping leather-wrapped thick steering wheel, also flattened at the bottom like that of a typical racing car. We also liked the clinical feel to the flat dashboard and motorbike inspired gauges with analogue speedometer and tachometer and a digital information centre. Ergonomically, the car isn’t the brightest when compared to the brand’s other models, but in terms of materials and trims used and fit quality it is typical top notch Toyota.
Infotainment is a focus area in this car and audiophiles will like the sound quality from the car’s set of three [tweeter, mid-range and woofer] Lexus LX-sourced speakers in each door. A large LCD screen sits in the central console and simple manual rotary controls are there for the air-con and air flow adjustments. iPod integration comes standard. Other kit includes keyless entry, air-conditioning, cruise control, full power accessories, a panoramic sunroof, a height-adjustable driver seat, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, reclining and folding 60:40-split rear seats, driver track and seatback angle memory (for rear seat access), and an eight-speaker Pioneer sound system with CD player, auxiliary audio jack, iPod/USB interface and RCA output jacks.
A normally aspirated 2.5-litre engine from Toyota’s 2AR-FE family powers the Zelas and is mated to a six-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission with Tiptronic function. Around 180hp and 173lb-ft torque is channeled to the front wheels.
On the safety front, the supplemental restraint system features eight airbags including knee bags for the driver and front passenger and active headrests which are class-leading safety features, besides anti-lock brakes, vehicle stability control, traction control, electric brake force distribution and brake assist systems.
Driving impressionsAfter spending a couple of days with the aggressively styled car, it seems that the Zelas is more lifestyle focused than a track oriented performance freak. It’s like a middle order batsman out to support the line-up with consistency. Keeping aside the Celica or the Supra for a moment we need to remember that other than exceptional cases [such as the V10-powered Lexus LF-A], Toyota is less likely than competitors to go to extremes when it comes to exploit power out of a street legal engine, but it has done some clever thinking in its engineering to ensure that the Zelas doesn’t feel like a Corolla or a detuned Camry.
While Toyota says it has re-tuned the suspension for improved handling and also replaced the hydraulic power steering with an electric system for improved fuel economy,
the changes still fall short of making the Zelas a truly sporty car. Despite its coupe body style, chunky flat-bottomed steering wheel and well-bolstered seats, the car looks like it has a lot to offer and these visible factors overshadow the actual performance component. With a standstill to 100km/h performance of 8.3sec, the car has a pick-up that is tuned to providing increased fuel-efficiency and as a result the Zelas feels sluggish despite the fact that it has two extra cogs and revised first gear ratio when compared to the Corolla. Torque is felt at low revs, but what dampens the feeling is that acceleration doesn’t seem to match with the six-speed automatic gearbox which acts like a normal road going car. However, as experienced in other Toyotas, in-between shifts are smooth and fairly sporty even, although we felt that in Tiptronic mode the shift response could have been a little faster. Also, could we please add wheel-mounted paddle shifters as part of the wishlist?
The front-heavy car’s suspension shows a good compromise between handling and comfort, keeping the car stable when cornering while also absorbing and damping out bumps without excessive harshness and this is where this car is definitely superior to a regular Corolla. Thanks to the wider rear track, the dividends -- composure and overall stability that we experienced in twisty road sections are quite impressive. The MacPherson struts up front in the suspension and control-arm at the rear help the car to be a better handler as do
the large 16in wheels. Braking is pretty good and we didn’t note any fading. Meanwhile, the flat-bottomed steering is designed more for comfort than shuffling through corners and doesn’t seem right for the car’s intended purpose, however, when it comes to control, the Zelas features one of the best steering wheels we’ve ever felt in a compact despite the fact it doesn’t use traditional hydraulic-assist.
VerdictThe name Zelas originates from the Italian word zelante, meaning enthusiastic or passionate. One could say that this Corolla derivative with two less doors and offering Camry performance and efficiency hits the right spot.
In getting style and fun in a compact package, it isn’t exactly a befitting successor to the legendary Celica or Supra, but it does leave the door open for Toyota to think about this opportunity in future. However, considering the other factors that go in to a purchase decision, there are several plusses with the Zelas. First there’s rock solid presence of the brand in the region, its product reliability in general is quite good and overall cost of ownership and resale values are also top scorers. ‘Urban agility ‘ should best describe the Zelas and perhaps a few modifications such as introducing a faster sport mode in the sequential shifting and more torque in the lower rev band could help the car find its sweet spot.
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The Zelas interiors with snug seats and notched steering wheel do their best to convey a sporty image for the two-door coupe
refreshed european-flavoured 2011 chevrolet captiva suv features sporty new design and all-new engines. automan finds the recipe quite interesting now Author Chandan B Mallik Photographs Raj Warrior and Nabeel Ferzan
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Closer to
perfection
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The year 2011 is quite significant for General Motors and so far the going has been pretty good. GM says its first-quarter net income
more than tripled on strong car sales in the US and China. The company’s first-quarter net income totaled $3.2bn, which is one of its best performances since the SUV boom in the early 2000s. It was also GM’s fifth straight quarterly profit since late 2009, the year it emerged from bankruptcy. The Middle East also has seen its share of growth and overall contribution in the kitty. In the Middle East, Chevrolet sold 21,596 vehicles and made strong gains across the region with sales up 28 per cent in the first quarter of 2011 year on year. It’s not surprising now that as part of its aggressive business strategy for the Middle East, GM has stepped up its assault on the booming SUV market with its reworked Captiva crossover SUV for 2011. The first generation Captiva broke new ground in 2006 by becoming the first South Korean Daewoo-built vehicle to be based on a new GM Theta platform. Although a ground-up design, the Captiva was a breath of fresh air in Chevrolet’s increasing line-up when it entered the crossover SUV market though sales of the model were somewhat slower than expected. This despite buyers liking its profile and dimensions as it fitted well in the middle path by being not too big or small for a 5 or 7 seater along with a range of four-cylinder and V6 powertrains and trim options.
Chevrolet quickly realised that with its current packaging, the Captiva’s budding career was certainly going to be clipped if action wasn’t taken quickly. Market feedback pointed out several things and included references to its mediocre styling, bland interior, underpowered engines and lacklustre performance.
All this happened at a time when parent GM was going through a major corporate and structural transition following a US Federal bailout programme. However, Chevrolet’s plans for Captiva was high on the agenda and GM helped engineer an extensive mid-cycle refresh to help regenerate interest in the model. In 2010, Chevrolet previewed the facelifted Captiva at the Paris motor show and as expected, the purpose was to get a feedback as the revised Captiva before it went on sale in the first half of 2011.
At first glance, it’s clear that the refreshed for 2011 Captiva comes with a confident makeover. Although the car continues with its Theta-based platform, it gets a stylish and trendy new front end, thanks to its restyled bonnet with new sculpted character lines and a new front bumper-cum-valance hosting a large split grille. With the introduction of larger and angular ‘prism-style’ wraparound lamps, re-sculptured aggressive wheel arches which accommodate wheel sizes between 17-19in, integrated side mirrors with LED indicators and angular air-vents, the car’s overall presence has been lifted.
editoRial nominee
chevRolet captiva 2011
mid-size suv
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For the interior, there are several changes too. The cabin is quite busy with ‘wrap-round’ dashboard with ‘ice-blue’ LED backlighting and there’s new fabric on the seats. Another notable change is the absence of the handbrake lever which has now been replaced with a electronic park brake button located at the base of the central console. This arrangement has helped free up space for storage space in between the front seats. It has a pair of cup holders that slide back to reveal a deep storage space.
Storage in the back isn’t as innovative as the front. While there are cup holders in the arm rest, the door pockets are extremely narrow and there is only netting on the back of the front seats.
For comfort, the front seats are sporty and offer nice lumbar support, but we also note that there are no air-conditioning vents or controls for either second or third row passengers. For a family vehicle, our assessment with second row seating space is a bit mixed despite the
fact that headroom is good in the back but legroom is tight for adults. The third row seats are impressive though. Fresh technologies will include hill-start assist to stop the vehicle rolling backwards on inclines during takeoff, an electric parking brake that opens up space for further storage in the centre console (including two one-litre cup-holders), and a new sound system incorporating aux-in, USB and Bluetooth connectivity. But the utility feature of getting a seven-seat folding seat
arrangement that not only can be folded flat – even including the front passenger seat – but configured in numerous ways for load flexibility is a sure winner. Among other upgrades, audio connectivity has been stepped up, with Bluetooth streaming now as standard.
For our markets, beneath the restyled sheetmetal there’s a choice of two engines. The entry level is a revised 2.4-litre four-cylinder and the second one is Holden’s Australia-built 3.0-litre direct injection V6 which has also been developed for other applications. Although this engine is 200cc smaller than the previous 3.2-
litre port-injection V6 in the current Captiva, it generates 12 per cent more power and cuts fuel use by three per cent, from 11.7 litres per 100km to 11.3 litres per 100km. The new engines feature a number of firsts for Captiva, such as the variable valve timing (VVT) on the dual overhead cam 2.4-litre gasoline ECOTEC. Performance figures for the new Captiva with 2.4-litre engine include a 0–100 km/h time of 10.5 secs. The new V6 also uses variable valve timing offers 264hp at 6,900rpm and 300Nm of torque at 5,800rpm. Meanwhile,
CO2 emissions are also down from 279g/km to 268g/km. The gearbox gains an extra cog and spaced out gear ratios. The advanced gearbox also sports an “Eco” mode. In theory, it works the opposite to a “Sport” mode, which means changing up gears quicker than usual to improve fuel economy. As before, the Captiva is offered in several variants or trim levels, including five or seven seats and all- wheel or front-wheel drive options.
While the Captiva retains the same basic suspension layout as before, GM engineers have revised some of the calibration to help
improve cornering by reducing body roll. To do this, the rear suspension in particular has been beefed up along with the front anti-roll bar. A lot of the prep work for this suspension tuning was done at Holden’s Lang Lang proving ground in Australia. Safety has also been ramped up, with six airbags [including side and curtain airbags] and electronic stability control is now standard across the range. Hill start assist is now standard, along with an electric parking brake that frees up room on the centre console. But we think as
a family vehicle, despite making six-airbags as standard on the new range, not having the curtain airbags extend to the third row is somewhat an oversight. Chevrolet ought to be aware that family buyers will consider that aspect, especially if putting children in those seats is going to be a regular feature in the usage.
Driving impressionsThe immediate impression is that the new 264hp 3.0-litre V6 engine and six-speed gear combo was just not needed, but it cuts its role
as a welcome addition to the refreshed Captiva line-up. Among the niggles encountered in the earlier car, the most obvious one was to do with the mismatch of the engine’s power characteristics with the gear ratios, which seems to have been corrected now. As a result, you can feel linear acceleration without the feel of a powertrain fumbling. The new six-speed automatic transmission which replaces a five-speed also helps too with spaced out gears and helps in delivering a more pleasant drive. Our tester came with four-wheel drive
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The interior recieves a host of improvements and practical features. but, the big news is the 3.0-litre v6 from holden
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as standard and this makes the Chevrolet SUV as capable as most crossovers off-road. The car keeps the active on-demand four-wheel drive system, but uses front-wheel drive under normal driving conditions and only utilizes all-wheel drive – which is activated automatically via an electronic clutch – when more traction is required, such as on slippery surfaces. When four-wheel drive is activated, power between the front and rear wheels is distributed automatically, up to a ratio of 50:50.
This means that it can cope with some bumps and lightly rutted sand tracks, but at the same time we aren’t expecting the outright off-road performance of say, Land Rover’s LR4. On normal roads, the revised Captiva has a decently compliant ride and its well calibrated suspension keeps the lean well controlled through corners and helps the tyres offer a good amount of grip and this allowed us to challenge the car a bit more in a virtual remake of a homegrown slalom course where we discovered that it still reassuring to know that the vehicle can handle being thrown about at high speed. We also included some high speed runs to the test regime and the Captiva was more than happy to oblige even at over 160km/h. Hitting the brake pedal from these speeds isn’t scary as the car responds well and comes to a standstill without any fuss. The car’s steering is on the lighter side [much of a sedan feel] for a typical SUV in its segment and hence this means there’s little conversation between the driver and front wheels. The flip side is that this aspect also helps make the Captiva now a better choice for longer journeys – virtually stress free. With road, wind and engine noise all effectively curbed, the Captiva is now much quieter than most of its competition and despite its slighter stiffer suspension set-up, on the rougher roads and over larger bumps and at low speeds the suspension was better at absorbing the imperfections well before it reached the occupants.
VerdictChevrolet’s refreshed effort is commendable with the Captiva which now confidently opens a new chapter in its career with a new face, improved interiors and features, and most importantly new powertrains. As before, the Captiva is offered in several variants or trim levels, including five or seven seats and all- wheel or front-wheel drive options.
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First ride
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harley-davidson
creates an all-
new blackline
series to woo
new and young-
er buyers to the
brand. automan
checks out this
2011.5 model in
Jordan and
returns
impressed
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ba
re &
bea
utif
ul
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Author Chandan B Mallik
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Like any other mainstream motorcycle maker, a key part of Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson’s (H-D) business
strategy is to attract a wider range of bikers. Currently, H-D offers 32 models and with new innovations coming in at regular intervals, bikers tastes ranging from traditional to urban can now find a model to fit their idea of a bike. Meanwhile, H-D also realizes that it needs to increase its market share in new territories besides attracting and tapping the emerging youth markets. And as part of the youth wooing strategy, in 2007, H-D created the “Dark Custom” line-up using the Softail platform. And for 2011, H-D specifically targets the segment with its distinct lean, matte-finished bobber look and this new
chapter is called the ‘Blackline’.The Blackline was created as a ground-
up project using heritage cues and blending it with cutting edge engineering for performance and handling. “Lean as wire, hard as iron, and dark as a tar road at midnight,” is how H-D describes the new addition. To us, technically it’s a variation of the high-end Softail series, but the Blackline has several features that give it its standalone character. Despite a familiar profile, the finish of the bike is unique. There’s more than just a splash of powder coating treatment on the frame or other key components such as swingarm or wheels. It’s called “Black Denim” and the silky matte finish complements the polished anodized rims or chrome accents. Although, the front end comes direct from the FX, its sign-off is the new “Split Drag” handlebars, which are
mounted directly on to the top yoke.H-D’s senior industrial designer-cum-
stylist, Casey Ketterhagen was responsible for the overall presentation in this bike. Although the Blackline began as a side project for Ketterhagen, Harley’s team of 12 designers all had their input, including some from the legendary Willy G Davidson for a perfect in-house custom look. While Ketterhagen tried to emphasise the importance of the bike’s proportions by wanting it to look like “a person just riding a motor”, he has actually created a new marketing mantra for the brand. According to Ketterhagen, the mantra has been achieved in the way the bike has been re-engineered and detailed without being ostentatious. There’s also a bit of
softness – when you consider subtle graphics in place of the usual 2D badges, minimalistic usage of chrome and since black is the main colour, the bike appears low and sleek. The Softail’s five-gallon fuel tank is virtually naked as it’s been stripped of its traditional instrument console and in place is a garnish. Some changes to instrumentation is also noted where the handlebar yolk mounted analogue speedometer is augmented with a miles-to-empty LCD readout [it replaces the old fuel gauge that looked like a filler cap at the top of the tank’s left side].
And to assure anyone familiar with the Softails, that the Blackline was different, an element of hooliganism has been thrown in. The Softails’ rear mudguard has been placed quite low which in turn has helped bring the seat height down to 26.1in [the lowest two-up seat offered by the Milwaukee brand].
Similarly, the mirrors are pushed inboard and the upper triple clamp yolk was made as thin as possible without compromising the bike’s structural integrity. The minimalist theme continues with a relatively narrow 144mm tyre,[from the pre-’08 Touring platform, we think], and is sort of a middle order when you consider tuner-modder’s obsession with fat tyres. Meanwhile, the rear mudguard is signed-off with Harley’s usual combination of stop/tail/turn lamps and the rear struts holding the mudguards are left in their raw forged metal finish and also powdercoated matte black.
Up front, the bike’s stripped-and-lean theme is complemented with the wide spacing of the FX 41mm fork tubes that make
the 5.75in headlight look a bit tiny. There’s a small gap between the seat and the fuel tank which exposes the top of the frame, contributing to the bike’s feel of openness. Rear passenger’s might miss the cozy grip.
Just like other Softails, Harley’s counterbalanced new Evolution 1,584cc 45° air-cooled V-twin TC96B engine powers the Blackline through a six-speed transmission. The engine is solidly mounted to the bike’s frame which to an untrained eye gives rigid-style illusion. A simple yet ingenious design has ensured that the rear end of the frame actually acts as a swingarm completed with hydraulic cleverly hidden shock absorbers behind the transmission. H-D says the Blackline boasts of a design of a vintage hardtail frame but offers the benefits of a modern suspension system. As with the rest of the bike it boasts a fresh two-tone
First ride
in the us, h-d sold more bikes in the 18-to-34 year-old segment over the past two years than the total sales of aprilia, bMw, ducati, Triumph and victory combined
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look. Its lower end is powdercoated gloss black, accented with silver powdercoat on the cylinder heads with machined highlights. Chrome brightwork is provided on its derby and timing covers and its simple, round air cleaner, followed by chrome over/under shotgun exhaust.
Riding impressionsAlthough, the seat height is low, the Blackline’s forward-biased riding position is best described as aggressive. This is because you have to engage a fists-forward reach to the narrow and fixed internally wired handlebar. The riding position worked surprising well at highway speeds, as it also offered a surprising amount of wind
protection from its high front end despite the absence of any wind deflector or bikini fairing. Due to its comparatively reduced rolling mass, the Blackline also accelerates faster than the other equivalents and equally as pleasing is the exhaust note emitted from its twin chrome mufflers and the soft action of the transmission and clutch. The wheelbase stands at 66.5in while the rake angle is laid down to 30° and this allows
quite a bit of stability, however, as is typical of Harley’s slammed cruisers, lean angles when cornering are limited to just 24.4° to the left and 25.9° to the right, but that doesn’t mean outright cornering fun is restricted.
With 125Nm of torque available, throttle response is spot-on for this 294kg bike, which certainly adds to the wow factor. But the surprising bit is that despite its raked-out geometry and 21in front wheel, the way the Blackline devoured bends equally matched its stately ship-like and balanced qualities on the straight bits is something riders will genuinely appreciate. And despite its rigid appearance, the rear-suspension travel is useful at 3.6in, while braking duties are competently handled by 4-piston calipers
biting on 292mm rotors front and rear. Our test bike also had Anti-lock brakes and H-D’s Smart Security System. The front end of the bike is a bit heavy and the weight can be felt during short turn-ins such as U-turns. Additionally, the bike’s stability at high speeds is also atypical of what one is used to encountering in this class. While we are aware that there are no less than eight iterations of the Softtail, the chassis
and suspension of the Blackline appeared different – actually quite agile and flexible. While we clocked over 300km in a variety of mountain roads, highways and urban riding, the wide, supportive seat ensured long-haul comfort.
I also liked the way H-D has streamlined the operational switchgear, which is now much more svelte and user-friendly. The hazard warning lamp is now a one action switch and the mode switch on the left-hand switchgear to toggle through all the functions on the small LCD display inset are welcome measures.
VerdictH-D has successfully created a standalone
iteration of the Softtail family which fuses the iconic styling of the 70s with cutting edge efficiency of 21st century engineering. The stripped and lean Blackline is a nice example of back to basics approach with affordable pricing.
With its unique styling, the Blackline appears to have a personality that’s a genuinely different from the rest of the Dark Custom creations.
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First ride
To court younger buyers, h-d created the “dark custom” line-up in 2007, with a lean, matte-finished bobber look dominating the new products. and the latest installment is the 2011 blackline.
ENGINEType: Air-cooled, Twin Cam 96, 45-degree V-twinCapacity: 1584ccBore x stroke: 95.3mm x 111.1mmFuel system: Electronic fuel injection
TRANSMISSIONType: Six-speed., constant meshFinal drive: BeltClutch: Wet
CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Steel double cradleFront suspension: Telescopic forkRear suspension: Horizontal twin shocksBrakes: Front -- 292mm disc with four-piston caliper, ABS standard; Rear --292mm disc with four-piston caliper, ABS standardWheels: Aluminium, front six-spoke metallic silver, 14 x 5in, rear 15 x 7in
DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed dry weight: 294kgSeat height: 655mmFuel capacity: 18.9 litres
PERFORMANCEClaimed maximum power: Not givenClaimed maximum torque: 125Nm at 3500rpm
HARLEY-DAVIDSON BLACKLINE
The first official dealership of Harley-Davidson Motorcycles in Jordan was
opened just a year ago when the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan lifted a 38-year ban on two-wheelers. The swanky boutique-lifestyle multileveled showroom is located in Amman and is run by a dynamic husband and wife duo, both of whom are passionate about the American brand and motorcycles. Claude Abry runs the outfit as its managing partner while charming wife Martine Abry looks after the day-to-day operations and has a keen interest in the boutique operation. “For me it was a move from cooking oil to engine,” says ex-Royal head chef Claude. Claude and Martine’s effervescent charm and business acumen has put the dealership among the
top three in the Middle East within the first year of its operations. While Harley-Davidson plans to attract a new genre of rider with the help of innovative and trendy products,
new lifestyle led retail outlets such as Amman also play a significant role in that success story. Besides motorcycle, accessories and clothing retailing, Claude personally takes the onus of training new riders and frequently organizes HOG trips in the
picturesque country for domestic and overseas riders.
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A family affair
bmw motoRRad celebRates the two-millionth motoRcycle
new lifestyle accessoRies collection fRom ducati/tumi
mv augusta intRoduces f4 RR foR 2012
BMW Motorrad celebrated the two-millionth motorcycle to roll off the assembly line at its BMW plant in Berlin Spandau. Motorcycles have been manufactured on this site since 1969 and bikes from the plant have been exported to 130 nations around the world. The bike which marked the milestone – a one-off special-edition R 1200 GS – was unveiled by streetbike freestyle legend Chris Pfeiffer and later raffled off as part of the ‘be Berlin’ campaign to promote the city.
Tumi, the leading international brand of premium travel, business, and lifestyle accessories, partners with Ducati to launch a new collection of bold, performance-driven travel and lifestyle accessories for Autumn 2011. Rooted in a shared passion for design excellence and technological innovation, the collaboration brings discerning consumers the style sophistication and functional superiority they know and love from Tumi and Ducati. The new collection launches this autumn with three sporty red travel cases, two duffels, and one backpack and crossbody bag. Products will be available in ME from October.
Italian sports motorcycle maker MV Augusta is introducing a new bike for 2012 with road and track capabilities. Dubbed the F4 RR, this superbike should offer motorcyclists an exotic way to experience the thrill on road and excitement on track of a litre-class performance sportsbike. The RR-designation denotes the use of a higher-spec bored out liquid-cooled 998cc inline-four cylinder engine mated to a cassette-style close-ratio gearbox. This arrangement allows trackside transmission gear ratio changes when paired to a hydraulically-actuated slipper clutch. In terms of electronics the RR offers a traction control system that can be manipulated via buttons on the handlebar. The chassis adds full adjustability and the angle of the steering head and swingarm pivot point can now be modified. The wheelbase can also be increased or decreased via a shim system by the rider. The new bike will come with a price tag starting at around U$33,000.
Malaysia may not sound as a big player as a country in the cut throat global automotive business, but even as the
homegrown player in this South East Asian country, Proton has played a significant role in getting the name recognized beyond its domestic boundaries. Proton has ambitious business plans beyond its traditional boundaries and is now preparing itself for an all-out assault in export markets on a level playing field when full liberalisation of Malaysia’s car industry takes place by 2016.
The carmaker also hopes to boost its product line-up with the infusion of new technology and quality engineering with the help of its strategic partnerships. As of now, there’s an MoU with Nissan-Renault Alliance looking at possible new ventures.
Meanwhile, one of Proton’s stable models, the Saga, has been upgraded inside out for both domestic and exports markets. The current Saga in its second generation was Malaysia’s staple sub compact transport for people looking to own a no-frills point A-B vehicle. Proton has also realized that with growing competition and high levels of kit in value-for-money packages from Korean car makers meant that it would have to rekindle its models and bring them up to global standards. And this initiative has prompted a major cosmetic facelift for both domestic and export markets.
From the exterior, the Saga’s styling has been sharpened with a revised grille, new
headlamps, a modified front bumper, restyled front fenders and a remodeled bonnet. The wheels for the facelift are now of a different design, while the side mirrors also incorporate LED turn indicator. The rear end gets tail lights with LED lighting, a massaged bumper with reflectors and a muffler cutter. The top spec models add front fog lamps, a lip spoiler on the trunk and side protector mouldings. Inside, the car’s cabin now comes with a new fabric for the seats and door trim, rear power windows and an audio system with MP3 support. Additional features added include steering wheel audio controls, USB/AUX audio ports. On the safety front, the number airbags has been doubled and now there are two front airbags instead of just the driver’s airbags. Comfort and convenience features in the upgrade programme includes driver’s seat height adjuster. As a sub compact city car, the air-conditioning system has been made even more powerful and efficient, even at engine idling speeds.
Proton co-developed the 1.3-litre Campro engine with Lotus and a larger engine is also used in the Gen-2. In the facelift car, the powertrain combo remains unchanged. The normally aspirated four-cylinder engine produces a healthy 95hp at 6,000 rpm and 120Nm at 4,000rpm. The engine is mated to either a five-speed manual gearbox or a four-speed automatic gearbox which sends power to the front wheels. With the manual gearbox, the
0-100km/h sprint takes
13.0secs and top top speed is 160 km/h. The automatic variant is 1.5secs slower and tops out at 155km/h.
The Saga’s suspension set-up is quite modern and uses MacPherson struts and a stabilizer bar up front with a torsion beam in the rear. In fact, Lotus fine tuned the calibration and even designed the torsion beam architecture with the aim to reduce understeering – which is typical in front wheel drive vehicles.
With improved aesthetics and feature loaded interiors, Proton and its local dealers hope to draw attention from budget-oriented consumers for the refreshed Saga.
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PreView
Proton is trying to get the younger crowd to consider the Saga as their first car in Oman. The Malaysian carmaker refreshes its Saga sedan for the current model year with some interesting kit and refined design elements
Author Chandan B Mallik
Mass appeal
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PreView
Lexus has virtually previewed the next generation GS
sedan in the LF-Gh concept which the carmaker is
promoting as the next big step in grand tourer saloon
design and overall packaging
Author Chandan B Mallik
A leAp forwArd
for the GS
A leAp forwArd
for the GS
71
<<The lF-Gh sees lexus take the idea of its Gs grand tourer saloon a step further >>
Lexus is beginning to flex muscles in design and is using a revolutionary route after the
success of its 2001 L-Finesse design philosophy which is found in its current range of cars. The premium Japanese automaker also realizes that while getting the design principles right, it also has to move forward. And that’s exactly what Lexus did when it organized the global debut of the LF-Gh concept at the 2011 New York International Auto Show.
The new concept has been conceived as a redefinition of the
luxury grand tourer, with a “clean sheet of paper” approach to design with the aim to produce a perfect blend of style, performance, efficiency and environmental compatibility, while introducing an array of advanced new technologies. “For this concept, Lexus designers studied characteristics that are often considered contradictory and difficult to execute together,” said Kengo Matsumoto, general manager, Lexus Design Division, Toyota Motor Corporation. “The captivating design of the LF-Gh concept examines the possibility of balancing what are normally opposing qualities, such as style and functionality.”
The car with LF-Gh nomenclature is indicative that this is the forthcoming G-based hybrid model. Further proof comes in the dimensions. The LF-Gh uses a 4,890mm long rear-wheel drive platform which is marginally longer than the current GS. The car is slightly wider now and hence squat in profile.
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PreView
Its striking front end incorporates a spindle-shaped aerodynamically profiled grille which aids in cooling the radiator and brakes. It is a key feature that will be inherited by future Lexus models and so will the wraparound LED headlamps and independent L-shaped LED daytime running lights.
The concept also explores how traditional features such as door mirrors and handles can be minimised to enhance overall sleekness and also improve aerodynamic efficiency. Likewise, the design of the deep front bumper helps in maintaining low centre of gravity and the raised bonnet line implies strong performance potential, says Lexus. The car rides on 20in twin spoke alloys wheels shod with asymmetric performance rubber.
As expected, the LF-Gh concept is equipped with a future Lexus interior. Since the wheelbase stands at 2,850mm [same as the current GS] and the width at 1,870mm, a generous amount of cabin space has been created for the benefit of the occupants. Each and every detail has been revisited to create an environment that is driver-focused. The driver’s zone has a high-visibility instrument panel and a centre console that is intuitive to use. A new analogue clock with a three-dimensional face
Dimensions
Length (mm) 4,890
Width (mm) 1,870
Height (mm) 1,450
Wheelbase (mm) 2,850
Tyres (front)
P245/35R20
Tyres (rear)
P285/30R20
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serves as a focal point for the cabin and represents a shift in Lexus’s design philosophy. The space is finished in high-quality materials with finely honed detailing, designed to respond to the demands of customers who know and appreciate true quality.
For propulsion, the car will benefit from the latest Lexus’ hybrid drive powertrains which are aimed at efficiency in emissions and fuel economy. Lexus has declined to provide any details on the concept’s propulsion system other than to say it employed “Lexus Hybrid Drive.” What we know is that the current GS 450h mates an electric motor with a 292hp 3.5-litre V6. The hybrid car can be identified from its Blue LED Lexus Hybrid Drive badges in the front grille and on the bonnet.
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Vettel holds off Hamilton for tense Spanish win
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Motor sPorts -F1
There may not have been as much overtaking as we saw in Turkey, but Lewis Hamilton made it a gripping
Barcelona race on race-day as he hounded Sebastian Vettel from the 20th to the 66th and final lap. The reigning world champion had to work every inch of the way as he took his fourth victory of the season for Red Bull, and the two drivers were separated by a mere 0.6s after more than 300 kilometres of flat-out racing.
There was drama that the crowd loved at the start when Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso burst through from fourth place to slam down the inside of poleman Mark Webber going into the first corner. It was the prelude to a disappointing afternoon for the Australian, who had been focusing on keeping Vettel at bay and didn’t spot the Ferrari in time.
Alonso kept it in the lead until his first of four pit stops on the 10th lap, and his second on the 19th, but thereafter the race was between Vettel and Hamilton, who stopped initially on Laps Nine and 11 and then 18 and 23 respectively, and also stopped four times in total.
As they raced ahead, Alonso kept a frustrated Webber at bay, and McLaren’s Jenson Button worked his way back from a terrible start that dropped him initially from fifth on the grid to 10th at the end of the opening lap.
Alonso was third when he pitted for the third time on the 29th lap, and again he held off Webber, but the Spaniard soon blistered a set of hard tyres and gradually dropped away as he had to make his final set of hard Pirellis last from the 39th lap to the end.
Not so Vettel and Hamilton, who went at it hammer and tongs. The gap fluctuated between two seconds and half a second, but in a race in which DRS failed to generate as much overtaking action as had been expected, a 0.6s to 0.7s stalemate set in over the final 15 laps and Vettel worked the traffic well to maintain this small but crucial advantage after a super-cool drive.
Hamilton was a valiant second, and McLaren picked up the third podium place after three-stopping Button made the most of his final set of soft tyres to jump the slowing Alonso and Webber. Webber fought back at first after his final stop, but was 12.2s behind the 2009 champion by the flag, and Button in turn was 35s adrift of his team mate.
Alonso clung on to a lapped fifth place, ahead of the duelling Mercedes. Michael Schumacher kept team mate Nico Rosberg at
bay to take his best result of the season with sixth, but by the end Nick Heidfeld’s heady race from the back of the grid in his Renault saw him only four-tenths away from Rosberg.
It was a good day for Sauber, with Sergio Perez and Kamui Kobayashi driving hard races for ninth and 10th, the Japanese driver clawing back after being delayed by a puncture picked up on the opening lap.
Renault’s Vitaly Petrov faded from the points in the closing laps, but was too far ahead for Paul di Resta to challenge after another race in which the Scottish rookie comfortably beat Force India team mate Adrian Sutil as they both stopped only three times.
Sebastien Buemi fought hard all the way through but couldn’t better 14th for Toro Rosso, just two-tenths ahead of Pastor Maldonado in the lead Williams. The Venezuelan finished well ahead of Toro Rosso’s Jaime Alguersuari and team mate Rubens Barrichello, while Jarno Trulli was the first Lotus home with 18th place after a strong midfield run in which he led team mate Heikki Kovalainen until the Finn crashed due to driver error.
Virgin had to play second fiddle initially to Tonio Liuzzi’s HRT, but Timo Glock eventually caught and passed the Italian, who later retired. The German led home his Belgian team mate Jerome D’Ambrosio, with Narain Karthikeyan 21st and last for HRT. Besides Liuzzi and Kovalainen, the other retiree was Felipe Massa, who had a very tough race in his Ferrari and dropped from
a low points-scoring position thanks to a gearbox
problem.Vettel now has 118 points to Hamilton’s
77, Webber’s 67, Button’s 61 and Alonso’s 51, while Red Bull Racing extend their score to 185 from McLaren’s 138 and Ferrari’s 75.
Webber, Hamilton, Button and Alguersuari were all investigated after the race regarding yellow flag infringements, and all were subsequently reprimanded.
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Vettel reigns supreme for Red Bull in Turkey
The only problem Sebastian Vettel had on his four-stopping way to victory number three of 2011 in Turkey on
race-day afternoon came as he went into the 57th and penultimate lap and had to lap the duelling Sergio Perez and Adrian Sutil in the last corner. Otherwise, he made it look easy, leading virtually throughout after making a great start.
Making it another great day for Red Bull - and a very different result to 2010’s here - Mark Webber brought his RB7 home second after passing Fernando Alonso’s Ferrari on the 51st lap. Both also stopped four times for fresh Pirellis.
Lewis Hamilton made a strong start but got hung out to dry after running wide and dropping from fourth to sixth, and thereafter McLaren switched him from a three-stop strategy to ‘Plan B’, four stops. Team mate Jenson Button stayed on three, and was running fourth by lap 48, but Hamilton overtook him with ease
on his fresher rubber on lap 49, and five laps later Nico Rosberg followed suit to claim fifth for Mercedes.
Behind Button, Nick Heidfeld and Vitaly Petrov dragged their Renaults past Sebastien Buemi’s enthusiastically driven Toro Rosso in the closing stages to take distant seventh and eighth places, but the three-stopping Swiss clung on to take two points for ninth ahead of Kamui Kobayashi, who was the other runner of significant note to get home on three stops. He climbed from last place on the grid to claim the final point for Sauber.
Felipe Massa had a race filled with battles, most notably with Michael Schumacher, but the former three-time winner here could not better 11th for Ferrari ahead of the Mercedes driver, whose race was compromised by a first-lap collision with Petrov in Turn 12 which necessitated a new front wing.
Behind them, the Sutil/Perez battle resolved itself in the Force India driver’s favour, though
officially they crossed the finish
line a lap down, separated by 0.0s. And behind them, Rubens Barrichello’s three-stop race took him to the line in 15th place for Williams, 0.1s ahead of four-stopping Jaime Alguersuari in the Toro Rosso. Pastor Maldonado took 17th for Williams, in a race which included a
Vettel reigns supreme for Red Bull in Turkey
Silverstone officially unveiled its new pit and paddock complex at a glamorous event. His Royal Highness the Duke of
Kent, who is also president in chief of the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC), formally opened the track’s new ‘Wing’ facility.
“Building on last year’s successful Grand Prix track upgrade, The Wing is another great milestone in Silverstone’s history and we must recognise and thank the BRDC for having the insight and vision to invest in to the future of the venue as we continue to expand and diversify the business,” said Richard Phillips, managing director of Silverstone Circuits Limited. “Silverstone is now one of the best motor sport facilities in the world; and British motor sport has an iconic home that we can all be proud of.”
Over 800 guests were present at Silverstone to witness the opening of the new complex, which includes 41 garages, a race control building, media centre, VIP spectator zones, three large halls, a conference facility, a business centre and a 100-seat auditorium.
Five British Formula One world champions - John Surtees OBE, Sir Jackie Stewart OBE, Nigel Mansell OBE, Damon Hill OBE and Jenson Button MBE - were in attendance, along with fellow Formula One luminaries, Sir Stirling Moss, Sir Frank Williams, Mark Webber, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn, David Coulthard and Murray Walker.
Fernando Alonso will remain at Ferrari until at least the end of 2016 after renewing his technical and racing deal.
Alonso joined the Italian team in 2010 after stints with Renault and McLaren, and over his 23 Grands Prix with Ferrari has taken five wins, 11 podiums, two pole positions and 293 world championship points. “I am very happy to have reached this agreement,” said the 29 year-old. “I immediately felt comfortable within Ferrari and now it feels to me like a second family. I have the utmost faith in the men and women who work in Maranello and in those who lead them: it is
therefore natural for me to decide to extend my relationship in the long term like this, with a team at which I will no doubt end my Formula One career one day.”
Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo added: “It is a great pleasure to have renewed our agreement with a driver who has always demonstrated a winning mentality even in the most difficult circumstances. Fernando has all the required qualities, both technically and personally to play a leading role in the history of Ferrari and I hope he will be enriching it with further wins very soon.”
Spaniard Alonso, who won two world championships with Renault back in 2005 and 2006, will compete in his home Grand Prix this weekend at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya.
drive-through penalty for pit-lane speeding, from Jarno Trulli who had a great intra-team scrap with Heikki Kovalainen until the Finn’s Lotus developed technical problems in the closing stages and dropped back in 19th place. Virgin’s Jerome D’Ambrosio took 20th in a race that team mate Timo Glock did not even start after suffering gearbox problems on the way to the grid, and Narain Karthikeyan led home HRT partner Tonio Liuzzi after the fleet Italian’s race was spoiled by a long stop to investigate mechanical problems.
Paul di Resta didn’t make it to the finish after his Force India faded after his fourth stop, but
apart from Glock was the only non-finisher.While the race for the lead never developed,
there was yet more fantastic racing all the way down the field with some gripping battles, notably between Webber and Alonso, Rosberg and the two McLaren drivers, and Schumacher with virtually anyone around him on the track.
Vettel now has 93 points in the world championship from Hamilton on 59, as Webber jumps ahead of Button with 55 to 46. Alonso is fifth with 41. In the constructors’ stakes, Red Bull have 148 to McLaren’s 105 and Ferrari’s 65, with Renault on 42 and Mercedes 26.
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Motor sPorts -F1
Fernando alonso to staY at Ferrari
until 2016
new Pit and Paddock coMPlex unVeiled
at silVerstone
Loeb claims second win of 2011
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The Frenchman, at the wheel of a Citroen DS3 WRC, started the final four stages with a lead of 28.3s over his Ford Fiesta
RS WRC-driving rival. Despite once again being forced to clean the road of the loose surface gravel, the 37-year-old held on for his second victory of 2011 with Hirvonen second and Petter Solberg claiming the final podium spot in third.
“Leading from nearly the start that’s really a good job,” said Loeb. “Mikko was pushing very hard behind so we really had to take big risks all the time. We lost time in some places because of the cleaning but we took it back in some other places. It was really a hard fight but I did not believe at the start of the rally that I could make it like this.”
Although Hirvonen trimmed Loeb’s overnight
advantage with a faster run through the first Gallura stage, an overshoot on a junction on the next test handed the initiative back to Loeb.
But when the rally organisers retrospectively corrected a timing error that occurred on stage 10 in Hirvonen’s favour, the margin between first and second fell to 14s with one test remaining, the 8.24-kilometre Power Stage.
Hirvonen went fastest but it wasn’t enough to dislodge Loeb who won by 11.2s despite reporting that he almost stalled on a hairpin left on the Power Stage when he selected second gear instead of first.
“It’s been a really good weekend,” said Hirvonen. “Even though we got a puncture earlier in the rally I’m very pleased and it’s great to get these three Power Stage points.”
Petter Solberg said he felt “really depressed” after only managing the fifth fastest time on Sunday’s opener due to his lack of satisfaction with the damper settings on his privateer Citroen. But changes prior to the next stage helped considerably and he was able to mount a “big attack” to win stage 17.
But with 5.8s to make up on Hirvonen on the Power Stage, Solberg had little alternative but to settle for third. Nevertheless, the Norwegian was delighted to have clinched his first podium of 2011 following a miserable run of late.
“I definitely could have won this event,” said Solberg. “We had some small problems but it was impossible because Loeb hasn’t had anything at all. However, a podium is very important for me and for my sponsors.”
Sebastien Loeb has moved seven points clear of Mikko Hirvonen in the chase for the World Rally Championship after securing his 64th WRC victory on Rally d’Italia Sardegna
Sordo excited following MINI debut
Sebastien Ogier started day three 4.9s up on Solberg in third overall and was keeping his rival’s advances in check until his DS3 WRC suffered broken rear suspension on stage 17, Terranova.
“We hit some small rocks I didn’t have in my notes and it broke my suspension,” said Ogier, who along with Loeb has helped put Citroen on top of the manufacturers’ standings. “I thought it was a puncture so I got out of the car to check in case I had destroyed the wheel and would risk more damage. Finally, the wheel was intact but the suspension was damaged.”
Repairs at service enabled Ogier to continue to the finish in fourth overall one place ahead of M-Sport Stobart driver Mads Ostberg, who
survived a scare of his own on the Monte Olia stage.
“We’re not sure 100 per cent but at least I thought [the pace note] was a short three left over a crest but it was a short three right,” said the Norwegian. “I just turned the wrong way basically, came over the crest and saw the road was turning right so I had to try to correct it. But I was too late and we hit the bank on the outside, spun and lost 20 seconds.”
Dani Sordo marked the debut of MINI’s John Cooper Works WRC by clinching sixth overall after overcoming a sensor issue on day two. “It’s good to be back in the WRC and the potential of the car is very strong,” said the Spaniard, who was paying tribute to Seve Ballesteros, the golfing legend who died.
Super 2000 World Rally Championship winner Ott Tanak maintained his grip on seventh overall in his Ford Fiesta S2000 and finished comfortably clear of SWRC rival Juho Hanninen, who took eighth overall in his Skoda Fabia S2000.
Matthew Wilson overcame the brake and steering woes that slowed him on day one to secure ninth overall in his M-Sport Stobart Fiesta, the fourth time this season that he has scored world championship points.
Qatari Fiesta pilot Nasser Al-Attiyah’s recovery from his delays on the first day culminated in the final drivers’ championship point in 10th overall.
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Motor sPorts -wrc
Sordo hadn’t competed on the world stage since finishing fifth overall on Wales Rally GB in November 2010 at the wheel of a
Citroen C4 WRC.Along with team-mate Kris Meeke he was
charged with giving MINI’s first World Rally Car its competition debut on the demanding gravel event.
“It’s really good to be back because the life I like is to drive rally cars,” said the Spaniard, who turned 28 in the build-up to the rally. “Staying at home was difficult, a bit frustrating
but now I’m back it feels like it was before.”Apart from a sensor issue on day two, Sordo
enjoyed a trouble-free run in his MINI, which he shared with co-driver Carlos del Barrio.
“I’m really happy we’ve finished the rally with some points,” said Sordo. “It’s difficult to fight when the gaps to the driver in front and behind are big but it’s nice to take the experience with a new car and with a new team.
“We will take the data from the car and look at everything to try and do better on the next
rally. I’m really enjoying developing the car. The people in Prodrive are really professional and people know really well the car and the direction we need to work. I have confidence we will do better in the next rally.”
MINI’s next scheduled WRC appearance isn’t until Neste Oil Rally Finland at the end of July. “It’s not frustrating waiting until then because now we have time to work on the car and prepare the car for the Tarmac rallies later in the season where I know we can also be competitive.”
Dani Sordo is braced for an exciting summer after he marked his return to the World Rally Championship with sixth place in the lead MINI John Cooper Works WRC on Rally d’Italia Sardegna.
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Repsol Honda’s Casey Stoner secured
victory for the first time in his career
at the Le Mans circuit in the Monster
Energy Grand Prix de France. It was a
close battle until the very end between
two Italians for second place but it was
the second Repsol Honda of Andrea
Dovizioso who clinched the 20 points,
ahead of Valentino Rossi (Ducati Team)
who achieved his first rostrum riding the
Desmosedici.
Stoner roars to second victory of the season at Le Mans
St o n e r took his 25th premier class career win after a dominant ride to
pull away at the front and win by a margin of over 14 seconds. With his second win of the season, the Australian has now jumped up to second place in the standings, 12 points behind Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing).
It was a record-breaking attendance for the French GP with 88,400 fans attending the Le Mans circuit on Sunday. The rain managed to stay away and an eventful race was enjoyed by the large and enthusiastic crowd. There was action throughout the field but at the end all eyes were on the dice between Dovizioso and Rossi. As in the previous race in Portugal, the Honda rider managed to deny the advances of the nine-time World Champion and record his best finish of this year’s campaign so far, whilst Rossi scored his best result of the season four rounds in. Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda), who had made one his trademark rocket starts, led Stoner for the first lap until his team-mate came through on the next lap to take control of the race. The Spaniard stayed with the race leader for the first half of the 28-lap race, until he fell into the clutches of Simoncelli. The Italian passed the Repsol Honda rider on lap 17 but then a controversial incident occurred between the two when Pedrosa attempted to reclaim his second position and the two touched, sending Pedrosa crashing out.
It was later confirmed that Pedrosa had broken his right collarbone, whilst Race Direction declared during the course of the
race that Simoncelli had made an illegal manoeuvre, and served him with a ride through penalty. The 24 year-old eventually finished in fifth position and lost his opportunity of scoring his first ever podium in MotoGP.
Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing), making his 150th Grand Prix start and becoming the youngest rider ever to do so, had a bad start to his preparations on Sunday after a crash in warm up which wrecked his bike and left the Spaniard with an injured finger. After barging through on Dovizioso early on in the race for a top four place, the 2010 MotoGP World Champion slipped down the order after being re-passed by the Repsol Honda rider and by his fierce rivals, Simoncelli and Rossi, but eventually placed fourth.
Ben Spies (Yamaha Factory Racing) equalled his best result of 2011 with sixth place, the American lost out to Simoncelli after the Italian got the better of him despite his ride through penalty. Nicky Hayden (Ducati Team) was seventh, ahead of Hiroshi Aoyama (San Carlo Honda Gresini) who had a lonely race in eighth.
Héctor Barberá (Mapfre Aspar) won the race-long battle to finish in ninth. The Spaniard had been involved in a very exciting tussle with Karel Abraham (Cardion AB Motoracing) who finished tenth, Toni Elías (LCR Honda), 11th and Álvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) 12th. After
a difficult start to the season upon his return to MotoGP, Elías was showing signs of the ability which took him to the 2010 Moto2 World Championship and was up to 11th place in a five-rider battle in the early part of the race, but had a massive moment and was lucky to keep hold of his Honda as he dropped to the back of the group. The 28 year-old did manage to pick his way through a number of the riders after a difficult four rounds of the season. Cal Crutchlow (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) who had qualified an impressive sixth on his first visit to the Le Mans circuit, suffered a lowside when in ninth place on lap five and had to return his machine back to the pits for his first non finish in his rookie campaign. It was not a good day for Monster Yamaha Tech 3 in their home race in France after Colin Edwards also crashed mid way through the race but managed to get back out to pick up three points in 13th place.
It was not a happy day for the French fans who had hoped to see Randy de Puniet (Pramac Racing) pick up his best result of the season. The French rider crashed into the gravel on lap two and walked back to the pits dejectedly. Loris Capirossi (Pramac Racing) suffered a similar fate as he crashed out towards the end of the race.
Pedrosa who only recently had surgery on his injured shoulder, had been seemingly pacing himself behind the leader,
Lorenzo, until the final three laps, when the Repsol Honda rider, passed the Yamaha down the straight and then delivered a succession of fastest laps to pass the chequered flag first. Pedrosa finished just over three seconds ahead of the reigning MotoGP World Champion and closed the gap on Lorenzo’s lead in the standings to just four points. Pedrosa’s triumph also prevented the pole sitter clinching four successive victories at the Estoril circuit.
Stoner had a lonely race in third and was over seven seconds behind his team mate who won the race. The former MotoGP World Champion has never won at Estoril (one of only five circuits the Australian has failed to clinch victory at). The eyes were all on the battle behind the Australian between Valentino Rossi (Ducati Team) and Andrea Dovizioso. The Repsol Honda rider stayed close to Rossi throughout the race and managed to snatch the fourth place on the very last lap as they crossed the start finish line, by a mere 0.025s. The nine time World Champion’ previous lowest result here in Estoril had been a fourth place from 11 starts, before the pass from his
fellow compatriot over the line.
It was a good day for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team. Colin Edwards arrived home in sixth position, two ahead of Cal Crutchlow. The British rookie had been involved in a tussle with Hiroshi Aoyama (San Carlo Honda Gresini), but the Japanese rider got the better of the former World Supersport champion. Crutchlow was one of many riders racing following an operation and has continued to pick up points in his first season in the premier class.
Nicky Hayden (Ducati Team) was ninth, after racing with Ben Spies early on and the final place in the top ten went to Frenchman Randy de Puniet (Pramac Racing) who was recovering after an operation on his leg. Toni Elías (LCR Honda) who won here in 2006, was 11th after fighting with Loris Capirossi (Pramac Racing) and edging out the most experienced rider in the field, come the end of the race.
In the first race of the season for Álvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki), after missing the opening two rounds, the Spaniard battled through the pain barrier to record 13th place and claim three points, just six weeks after breaking his leg.
Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini Team) who started from the first row, which was only his second front row start in the premier class, suffered his second accident of the Portuguese weekend on the first lap. The Italian who c crashed whilst in contention
for pole position during qualifying, came off
at the beginning of the race whilst in third.Ben Spies (Yamaha Factory Racing)
struggled on his second visit to Estoril after several excursions off the track and dropping down to tenth. The American then crashed and was unable to restart the bike.
Héctor Barberá (Mapfre Aspar Team) had scored points in 19 of the past 20 races since he began his MotoGP career, but this race wasn’t to be for the Spaniard after crashing out on the opening lap with a nasty looking highside. Karel Abraham (Cardion ab Motoracing) who qualified ahead of the factory Ducati of Hayden in just his third GP start, had his first non-finish of his debut MotoGP campaign after an early off brought his race to a halt.
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Moto gP
After a race long duel with fellow
Spaniard, Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha
Factory Racing), Dani Pedrosa
(Repsol Honda) raced to victory at
the bwin Grande Prémio de Portugal
and with it, claimed his first win at
the Estoril circuit in any class. Third
was Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda).
Pedrosa
powers to
first victory
of the season
in Estoril
82
watching satellite television from your home country has some advantages for expatriates living in the region. For starters, it allows you to keep up-to-date with
the latest news about your city or county that gets filtered out in the world of 24-hour global news networks. It also allows you to keep in touch with your roots, with language, culture and other dimensions of your existence that define you. And to those of us who get visitors, the TV also serves as the emotional anchor to keep up to date with sitcoms and serials one watches everyday.
A couple of months spent watching cricket in its two shortest and most intensive forms has given me more exposure to Indian satellite TV than I am normally used to - being otherwise addicted to BBC World. For starters, you know you are watching Indian TV when the advertisements become a source of entertainment in their own right. It is hardly worth getting
into - the genre demands that you have roots in India in order to understand. However, as a family (one that has a highly sceptical 13-year old in it) we tend to dissect and examine every single one of the ads for their inconsistencies. You have frail models pulling out trucks from sandpits by the strength of their hair, men jumping through stained glass windows landing on cars many floors down and motorcycle riders leaping over canyons. It has of course become standard practice to put in the fine print at the bottom of the ad, asking viewers not to attempt to copy these ‘expert’ performances. But that is so that courts can’t hold advertisers legally liable.
To an automotive journalist, the car related content comes in for special scrutiny. Most of the channels have a token car review programme - with a mix of young presenters,
inadequate knowledge and some really hilarious ‘reviews’. And with a rapidly upwardly mobile middle class that is the envy of other economies, the car ads are all there. From the entrenched Indian brands to the new entrants from overseas, everyone is out there extolling the virtues of their latest model in cars, motorcycles and even some vehicles that can only be called unique in that they would be banned on urban roads, yet are perfectly suitable for India’s large rural hinterland. Now more than ever, the real automotive experts who people India’s car magazines are needed to help the consumer decide what car is the best car?
Among all these assorted advertisements, one product almost gets lost. Tata’s Nano - the much-touted ‘World’s cheapest Car’ is being advertised in a way that was sorely lacking at the time of its launch. In my many years of covering the Tata empire, I have come to expect that a potentially great product or idea ends up getting short-changed in the way the group handles it. The Sumo Utility Vehicle launched many years ago as the group’s all-in-one answer to urban and rural India. A year-long wait list with a significant down payment was answered with teething trouble in the first lot of cars. Same story for the Indica (the first car from the group). When Ratan Tata unveiled his dream project for an affordable car, the world expected a lot and the group modestly under-delivered. It is only now, after sales has fallen off rather drastically that any real marketing is going into the car. The message that the car at between US$2,300 to US$3,500 was meant to be a two-wheeler replacement for Indian families is now being projected on TV and other media. Finally it seems like an understanding of the customer is percolating in. Of course the product too needs help - with a future diesel engine being one of the potential upgrades.
It will be some years yet before the Nano makes any inroads in anything but developing countries. It is not quite all there in terms of four-wheel motoring, yet is a lot more than a four-wheeled scooter. Perhaps you have to be an Indian to understand the Nano and its positioning, especially in a world where good-condition secondhand cars make a lot more sense in terms of cost, performance and safety. Akin to Indian Satellite TV, in a world of reruns, how much does the Nano offer in successful bite-sized programming?
Raj Warrior is editor of Automan and has been in the thick of the Automotive journalism field from the past 15 years.Want to comment or have your say? Email at [email protected]. Identify yourself or your message will be trashed and your id blocked
{ChiCane}
A Nano versus seconds
