4efrefref

GOOD ENOUGH? TATA HEXA MEETS INNOVA CRYSTA AND OTHER RIVALS #42 | MAR 2017 | `150

STREET TRIPLE RS Triumph's street fighter ridden on road and track

NEW E-CLASS Honey, they shrunk the S-Class!

PLUS: We engage Drift mode on the 603bhp E 63 S AMG KTM TWINS

Refreshed RC 390 and RC 200 on the track

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Celebrating 40 years of the Williams F1 team

ADVENTURE

Iceland in the MX-5 & Desert Stormin' a Gypsy

AVENTADOR S The best V12 Lambo ever made

CHOOSE YOUR DREAM

MAKE IT REALITY WITH BIG BOY TOYZ

SUBSCRIBE TO Motor Sport India

DON’T MISS THE FIRST A N N I V E R S A RY I S S U E O F I N D I A’ S O N LY M OTO R S P O R T M AG A Z I N E

Digital magazine available on

From the publishers of ®

T H E

Follow us on:

MsportIndiaMag

@MsportIndiaMag

T H R I L L

O F

R I D I N G

INDIA

www.evoindia.com/motorsport

F O R S P O N S O R S H I P, A D V E R T I S I N G A N D S U B S C R I P T I O N S : e-mail: contact@gtopublishing.com

THE NEW ICON

• Powered by 900 CC • TWIN ENGINE TECHNOLOGY • 55 PS @ 5900 rpm To book your test ride, SMS TRIUMPH to 56677 or contact your local Triumph dealer or visit www.triumphmotorcycles.in Triumph Motorcycles, the original British iconic brand in India. Choose your ride from 5 categories of super-bikes.

Adventure Tiger Explorer XC Tiger XCA, XCx, XRx & XR

Modern Classics Thruxton R Bonneville T120 Bonneville T100 Street Twin

Cruisers Rocket III Roadster Thunderbird LT Thunderbird Storm

Roadsters Speed Triple Street Triple

Supersports Daytona 675R Daytona 675

@IndiaTriumph

OFFER

OWN YOUR DREAM TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLE at an EMI of ` 8999/-* Limited Period Offer*

For enquiries write to enquiries@triumphmotorcycles.in Call Toll Free: 1800 3000 00 51

3 YEARS CELEBRATION

@TriumphMotorcyclesIndia

@indiatriumph

Ahmedabad Triumph +91 9925003695 | Bangalore Triumph +91 9535677228 | Chandigarh Triumph +91 9915942222 Chennai Triumph +91 9884004658 | Delhi Triumph +91 9999921984 | Delhi One Triumph +91 9693800800 | Hyderabad Triumph +91 9000179688 Indore Triumph +91 9111000150 | Jaipur Triumph +91 9680200300 | Kochi Triumph +91 9645599922 | Kolkata Triumph +91 8420796666 Mumbai Triumph +91 9619333033 | Pune Triumph +91 9822020209 | Vijayawada Triumph +91 8897233456 The motorcycle specifications mentioned here may vary by market. The accessories shown here are not a part of the standard product. Triumph Motorcycles Limited reserves the right to make changes without prior notice. © 2015-16 Triumph Motorcycles Limited. All rights reserved. Ask for your specific town prices from dealership. Price at the time of delivery will be applicable. P Fee, Stamp Duty and PDD charges are additional. *Terms and Conditions apply. Attractive finance schemes available from HDFC.

#42

Editorial Email evo.editorial@gtopublishing.com Website www.evoindia.com Project GTO Publishing No 5, Siddharth Terrace, Nagar Road, Pune - 411006, India Phone: +91-20-26684343 Editor Managing editor Assistant editor Principal correspondent Senior correspondent Correspondents

Photo & video editor Photographer Editor-at-large Contributing editors Columnists

Art director Assistant art director Image editor

Sirish Chandran Selina Chandran Aninda Sardar Anand Mohan Aatish Mishra Ryan Lee Jehan Adil Darukhanawala Abhishek Wairagade Vishal Joshi Gaurav S Thombre Rohit G Mane Adil Jal Darukhanawala Byram Godrej Aniruddha A Rangnekar Bijoy Kumar Y Gaurav Gill Siddharth Vinayak Patankar Richard Meaden Aslam Kabeer Jatin Joshi Jitendra Chillal

Advertising & promotions Email: contact@gtopublishing.com General manager - North Vipul Jain Dy general manager - South K Srikanth Dy general manager - West Sujata Dedhia

Subscriptions & distribution Email: evo.subscriptions@gtopublishing.com General manager Sreekumar R Nair Senior managers C N Venkatanarasimman Devaraju Gowda Manager - North Ranvir Bisht Subscription rates (please refer to special offers inside) 1 year - `1,800.00 2 years - `3,600.00 Please draw cheque/DD in favour of Project GTO Publishing LLP, payable at Pune and add `50.00 for outstation payments.

International subscription: 1 year - `3,300.00 (payable in INR)

Technical partners Racetech India | www.racetech.co.in

Printing

Kala Jyothi Process Pvt Ltd S No 185, Kondapur, R R Dist 500 133 Hyd, Phone +91 40 - 23010861 The publisher and editors make every effort to ensure accuracy of content.

However no responsibility can be taken for any effect from errors or omissions and for any investments or decisions taken on the basis of the information provided herein. The publishers don’t take responsibility for any claims made in the advertising carried within the magazine.

All material published in this magazine is copyright protected and unauthorised reproduction is prohibited without express written permission of the editor.

Except as expressly and otherwise indicated in any specific material or editorial content, evolution motorsport India is published under license from Dennis Publishing Limited. All rights in the material, title and trademark of this magazine belong to Dennis Publishing Limited absolutely and may not be reproduced, whether in whole or in part, without its prior written consent. Printed and published by Sirish Chandran on behalf of Project GTO Publishing LLP, No. 5 Siddharth Terrace, Opp. Aga Khan Palace, Nagar Road, Pune 411 006, Maharashtra, India.

This magazine is 266 pages including 84 page Evolution Motor Sport India supplement. Cover price: `150 Editor-in-chief: Sirish Chandran @evoindia

/evoindia

Member of

IC OT Y

INDIAN CAR OF THE YEAR

SIRISH CHANDRAN

Blooding Young Enthusiasts THE BIGGEST FRUSTRATION OF THE FOUR YEARS I spent in engineering college was that we never got our hands dirty. Apart from some nonsense with a lathe and hacksaw making male-female joints (it’s a thing!) and firing up an ancient Padmini engine on the dyno, we did and learnt nothing that could be of any practical use.

The Baja SAE competition has changed all of that. Now in its tenth year, it has evolved from kids dipping into their own pockets and bunking lectures to work on their buggies, to engineering institutes actively funding and promoting these activities. As I pulled the wraps off the Resonance Racing buggy, professors cheered as enthusiastically as fellow students before the lead driver blanketed all of us in mud doing demo runs. I sheltered in my old college workshop, once empty but now overflowing with project cars. Frames of old Baja buggies are stacked high alongside the plethora of parts machined right there. I stumbled upon a freshly painted go-kart. Finishing touches were being put on the Effi-Cycle, an eco-friendly, two-man, pedal-powered, threewheeler with a hybrid motor. The single-seater built for the Supra Formula Student races had just returned home. And over at the electronics department they’re building a drone that will be raced in the USA by professional pilots with one of the challenges being to drop a payload over a target. Five petrolhead projects running side by side! And not only are engineers building stuff but driving enthusiasts are getting to show off some wheelsmanship. It almost makes me want to go back to college, until the bell rings and things are quickly wrapped up so the lectures can begin.

Worryingly often I encounter statistics that say 80 per cent of all students graduating from engineering colleges are unemployable but I don’t think they’ve accounted for the kids working on such projects. After all wasn’t it Soichiro Honda who said that racing improves the breed? L @SirishChandran

‘Five petrolhead projects are running side by side at my old engineering college’

FIND US ON… YOUTUBE

For exclusive video content

youtube.com/evoIndia

TWITTER

The Thrill in 140 characters or fewer

@evoIndia

FACEBOOK

Ask us about the cars we drive

facebook.com/evoIndia

INSTAGRAM

Go behind the scenes at evo India

@evoIndia

sirish@gtopublishing.com

evo Worldwide EDITORS-IN-CHIEF UK Stuart Gallagher Australia Jesse Taylor China Shawn Lee Croatia Nikola Curic Czech Republic Petr Ehrlich Egypt Ahmed Wakil France Patrick Garcia Italy Piero Bacchetti Malaysia Daniel Wong Middle East Bassam Kronfli Russia Anatoly Komzolov Singapore Sheldon Trollope Slovenia Matjaž Korošak Spain Juan Hernandez-Luike Thailand Chettha Songthaveepol Turkey Burak Ertam Ukraine Igor Kravtsov

www.

evoIndia.com

9

CONTENTS ISSUE 42 MARCH 2017

F E AT U R E S 060

MERCEDE S -BEN Z E 3 5 0 D

New gen E-Class only comes as a LWB

068

MERCEDE S -A MG E 6 3 S

Sideways in a crazy AWD Merc

074

TATA HE X A CH A L L ENGE

Multi-faceted Hexa takes on seven unlikely rivals

086

A MG HIL L CL IMB

The Mercedes-AMG C 43 climbs Nandi hills

094

S A FA R I S T OR ME T O C OORG

Spotting wildlife and driving through fields

102

DAT S UN # R EDI2 GO

Taking the redi-GO white water rafting

110

M X-5 IN ICEL A ND

Chilly Nordic adventure in a Miata

120

C A R T IER C ONC OUR S

Celebrating automobile hertiage Cartier style

124

L A MBORGHINI AV EN TA DOR S Is this the best V12 Lambo yet?

130

M A RU T I S UZ UK I DE S ER T S T OR M The Ed and his Gypsy weather the storm

140

4 0 Y E A R S OF W IL L I A M S R ACING

Our tribute to one of the most successful F1 teams

146

F OR MUL A 1 V S F OR MUL A E

Lessons F1 should learn from electric racing

152

T R IUMP H S T R EE T T R IP L E 7 6 5 R S Triumph’s latest naked is all out ballsy

158

M Y17 K T M RC 3 90

Riding the new BS IV compliant supersport

164

2 017 B A JA J P UL S A R S

The complete range of Pulsars now adhere to BS IV

166

H -D S T R EE T GL IDE S P E CI A L

New Milwaukee-Eight engine makes for a pleasant ride

REGUL ARS 013

C A R NE W S

Ferrari 812 Superfast, Bentley Barnato and TAMO

054

C OL UMNS

Adil, Bijoy, Siddharth and Meaden

058

L E T T ER S

Readers on our last issue and car advice

150

BIK E NE W S

KTM Dukes, Yamaha FZ25 and launches

172

L ONG -T ER M T E S T S

Baleno, BR-V, Hornet and a 911!

180

A R T OF S P EED

Ford Racing Puma bodykit

DRIVEN 040

AUDI A 3 FACEL IF T 04 4

H Y UNDA I GR A ND i10 FACEL IF T 046

AUDI A 4 3 5 T DI From top to bottom: Aventador S is an all-round better supercar now; corner carving in Nandi hills; classic sunset shot with the Miata; going bonkers on the new Street Triple at the Circuit de Catalunya

Visit

evoindia.com

evoindia.com for the latest news, reviews & videos

NEWS The best resource online for the latest car, bike and motorsport news

048

HONDA CI T Y FACEL IF T 051

P OR S CHE PA N A MER A 4 S 052

EICHER P OL A R IS MULT I X

RIDDEN 163

A P R IL I A S R 15 0 R ACE INSTAGR AM The handiwork of the best automotive photographers in the business (@evoIndia)

VIDEOS Sideways cars, bikes on one wheel and interesting people (YouTube.com/c/evoIndia)

REVIEWS Full multi-page in-depth reviews of the cars and bikes that matter

SOCIAL Two-way Facebook and Twitter policy. Talk to us now! (@evoIndia)

“This is a hugely relaxing car to drive with the V6 motor pushing her along in a mighty wave of torque� page 60

www.

evoIndia.com

11

Mahindra is the only Indian constructor in the FIM MotoGPTM World Championship Series.

Telecast Details Qatar GP 26th March 8:30PM Ten Sports

www.mahindraracing.com

NEWS

•

AMBITION

•

TECH

•

New Metal

L AUNCHES

Launches

•

MOTOR

Ambition

SHOWS

•

Ambition

WATCHES

Tech

TAMO – TATA'S FROM HYBRIDS ROLAND YOICHIRO VEHICLE GEOMETRY FUTURE? TO SUPERCARS FOLGER UENO

It’s super fast!

T h e l a te s t to r o l l o u t of Maranello is the 8 12 S u p e r f a s t , t h e r e p l a c e m e n t to t h e F 12 Berlinetta

by AATISH MISHRA

I

T ISN’T EVERYDAY THAT Ferrari unveils an all-new car but when they do, they drop something so hot that you can’t help but stop whatever you’re doing and simply stare. Take this gorgeous hunk of metal (and carbonfibre!) here as a case in point. Set to be the replacement to the F12 Berlinetta and F12tdf, the 812 Superfast (we’ll come to the name in a bit) is the latest manifestation of their flagship V12 GT car. Ferrari are calling it their fastest, most powerful road-going car in their history — they’ve clearly forgotten they made a car called the LaFerrari not too long ago. But it looks spectacular. And it has got enough going on underneath to be spectacular as well.

The car makes 788bhp at a glorious 8500rpm and a maximum of 718Nm of torque at 7000rpm, all from a massive 6.5-litre V12 engine sitting under that swooping bonnet. And

www.

evoIndia.com

13

while cars like the California T and the 488 GTB have already joined the turbo bandwagon, Ferrari aren't letting go of their V12 heritage just yet. The 812’s engine is 234 cee cees larger than the V12 in the F12 – a proverbial middle finger to the downsizing brigade. The V12 after all did mark the start of the Prancing Horse legacy in the 125 S in 1947, precisely 70 years ago.

The Superfast is well, super fast: 0-100kmph comes up in just 2.9 seconds while the top speed is claimed to be over 340kmph. All its power is sent to the rear wheels though a dualclutch seven-speed transmission with quicker shift timings.

But this car isn’t a brute – Ferrari have bestowed upon it plenty of electronics to sharpen it up. It gets an updated version of their Virtual Short Wheelbase rear-wheel steering system that featured on the F12tdf, gets Slip Slide Control and they have ditched hydraulic power steering and adopted electric power steering for the first time. The interiors have

been given a mild update as well, the highlights being a new infotainment system and a new (but not too different) steering wheel, replete with the engine starter button and the Manettino dial.

Now that name… although it sounds like Ferrari decided upon it after taking the expert opinion of a bunch of four-year olds, it is actually steeped in a whole lot of Ferrari history. The name was first seen on a prancing horse back in 1956 – the 410 Superfast was an evolution of the Superamerica name introduced the previous year. The car was designed

by Pininfarina and was an attempt by Ferrari to increase its presence in the booming American market.

However, this could very well be the last time we see a big freebreathing V12 on a Ferrari. Brand CEO Sergio Marchionne has confirmed that by 2019, all Ferraris will switch over to hybrid power.

The Superfast is going to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, which starts on March 7.

S P E C I F I C AT I O N Engine Transmis sion Power Torque 0 -100km p h Top sp eed Kerb weight

6496cc , V 12 7-sp eed DCT 788b h p @ 8500rp m 7 18Nm @ 7000rp m 2.9sec (claim ed) 340k m p h (claim ed) 1525k g

Ferrari have ditched hydraulic power steering for an electric unit for the first time

1

3

14

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

FIRST LOOK

by AATISH MISHRA

REVIVAL OF THE SUPERFAST

In the Fif tie s, Ferrari wa s building c ars to woo the Americ ans and c ame up with several c ars with the Americ a suf f ix. A 410 Superameric a wa s one of the se USA- centric models with a 5 -litre V 12. Pininfarina followed that up with the 410 Super fa s t with the s ame V 12 but a shor ter w heelba se. A f ur ther at tempt to blend in were the C adillac-s t yled tail f ins.

The 410 Super fa s t in the f if tie s made way for a more modern 500 Super fa s t (pic tured here) in the mid -six tie s . This c ar developed 394bhp and had a top speed of 280kmph.

2.9 70 718 sec

Blisteringly quick 100kmph sprint

Nm

year anniversary of Ferrari V12s

Max torque at 7000rpm

2

IN DEPTH 1

ENGINE

The V12 gets a 350 bar direct injection system, coupled with F1-inspired variable geometry intake tracks that translate to a specific power output of 121bhp/l. It has 718Nm of torque at 7000rpm, though over 80 per cent of it is available from 3500rpm.

2 SLIP SLIDE CONTROL

3

It senses lateral acceleration, yaw rate, steering angle and wheel speed and uses the e-diff, traction control and dynamic dampers to maximise longitudinal acceleration out of corners.

A E R O DY N A M I C S

The 812 is devoid of massive wings and in-your-face diffusers, the aero treatment to the car is more subtle. It gets active flaps in the front of the underbody, and at the rear to increase downforce and gets a body coloured rear diffuser to increase downforce.

www.

evoIndia.com

15

ROUND-UP edited by STUART GA LL AGHER

Bentayga sales pave way for V8 ‘Barnato’

J

UST AS THE C AY ENNE offended purists but made Porsche enough money to make endless GT3 derivatives, so the Bentley Bentayga SUV seems certain to allow the British firm to return to the two-seater sports car market.

The Bentayga (pictured right) has been a smash, comfortably outstripping its predicted production run of 3600 cars in 2016 to hit a total of almost 5500. And forthcoming long-wheelbase and ‘coupe’ editions will only add to the coffers at Crewe.

Bentley has been weighing up whether to base the next phase of its expansion towards annual production of 15,000 cars on a smaller SUV, or square up to rivals with a production version of the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept (pictured above) that was revealed at the 2015 Geneva motor show.

Now the firm’s CEO, Wolfgang Dürheimer, has given the strongest indication yet that the two-seater is the preferred choice. He has confirmed that a plan for a third model line is in place (to sit alongside the Continental and Bentayga) and

16

www.

B e n t l e y E X P 10 Speed 6 concept of 2015 o n c o u r s e f o r production green l i g h t . Wa tc h o u t , A s to n M a r t i n

Bentley is likely to keep its sports car rear-driven with twinturbo V8 power that it is no longer the baby SUV. ‘The problem with a smaller SUV is that it ends up against many other premium brands [such as Porsche], not luxury ones,’ he says. ‘The new car will be younger and more exciting than anything currently in our lineup, and we will be up against our luxury rivals; this is what I prefer.’

When asked if these rivals would include Aston Martin, Dürheimer replied, ‘They are a good example.’

The sports car, due in 2019, will probably be based on a shortened

evoIndia.com | March 2017

version of the Porsche-developed MSB platform that will underpin next year’s all-new Continental. Power could come from the twin-turbo V8 revealed in the new Panamera Turbo, although Dürheimer has confirmed that the Continental will also get a V6 during its life, so that could conceivably be slotted into the smaller model, too. MSB also supports fourwheel drive, but Bentley is likely to keep its sports car rear-driven.

The new model is expected to be priced from around `3.5 crore.

It could well carry the ‘Barnato’ badge in a nod to famous Bentley racer Woolf Barnato (pictured top), who won the Le Mans 24 Hours in consecutive years between 1928 and 1930 – impressively, the only years he entered the race. Bentley applied to trademark the name around the same time it registered Bentayga, and the motorsport connection would be a useful one as it tries to establish itself as a serious luxury rival to the next generation of Aston V8 Vantage.

John McIlroy

TA MO

by JEH A N A DIL DA RUK H A NAWA L A

Could this be India’s Miata?

Ta t a M o to r s w i l l u n v e i l t h e i r u p c o m i n g s p o r t s c a r u n d e r t h e TA M O s u b - b r a n d a t G e n e v a t h i s m o n t h

T

HE ENERGY CRISIS AROUND the world has left the automobile industry in search for alternatives to fossil fuels, with electrification emerging as a good solution. In a bid to keep pace with global trends, Tata Motors have launched TAMO, a sub-brand which would adhere to their new philosophy of ‘FutuReady’. TAMO, short for Tata Mobility solutions, will offer low investment low volume products that will act as a stepping stone to high volume future products of Tata Motors as well as enrich the brand with desirable cars.

Cars these days come with downsized engines that deliver similar performance levels to larger naturally aspirated engines with the help of turbocharging. There’s also a possibility of hybridisation now and Tata Motors recognises this trend. TAMO will be the driving force for newer ideas to flow through the company’s models. With that being said, Tata’s CEO Guenter Butschek announced that the first car to be launched under the TAMO sub-brand will be showcased at the 87th Geneva Motor Show on March 7 and then went on to display a covered concept that shows the silhouette of the car (as seen in the picture above).

Going by this silhouette, Tata’s first TAMO product will be a two-seater

18

www.

evo India.com | March

sportscar. This will be the first product

by Tata to enter the niche world of small budget sportscars, and bring the kind of excitement into its brand, like the Miata brought Mazda. Especially with the acquisition of Jaguar as well as the setting up of design centres across the world, Tata could pull this off in style with the TAMO car. All eyes are now set on their unveiling in Geneva since TAMO has the potential to spearhead Tata’s operations in developed markets such as Europe and North America. It may very well just go down the hybrid path.

Another key development from the TAMO initiative has been their alliance with Microsoft to enhance in-car connectivity and perhaps gain the necessary tools to develop an autonomous vehicle, making it a giant leap for an Indian car manufacturer.

Tata also announced that they will be building two new vehicle platforms upon which their future products will be based. The first one, called the Advanced Modular Platform (AMP), will see their existing products trickle down to operate on to one common platform. The modular platform will allow upto six different vehicular body shells to have the same underpinnings to make it a hatchback, a sedan, a crossover, an MPV or an SUV. Tata Motors is yet to share light on its second platform.

2017

New C-Cube concept showcased At the 2017 Future Decoded convention of their new technological partners Microsoft, Tata Motors unveiled the C-Cube concept. The C-Cube concept is the first step in their partnership bringing in the user interface expertise of Microsoft to aid Tata Motors in car connectivity.

The three-door hot hatchback does show intent in Tata’s drive for producing sportier and evolved vehicles, and if it does meet the international benchmark, it could pose as a worthy competitor to the likes of the Toyota Aygo and the Fiat 500.

Initial design impressions implicate that the C-Cube might as well be a rear-engined vehicle given the air-scoops on the sides of the vehicle to direct air-flow. The sharp distinctive lines spanning the length of the car as well as the well-defined wheel arches (we presume the car bears 15-inch alloys) do give it an aggressive appeal.

N E W A R R I VA L S

by ANTON Y INGR AM & STUART GA LL AGHER

Quattro becomes Audi Sport

BMW’s electric future

P u r s u i t o f e v e r m o r e a d v a n c e d te c h n o l o g y s e t to s h a p e t h e G e r m a n f i r m’s r e s e a r c h a n d d e v e l o p m e n t p r o g r a m m e s

B

MW WANTS TO BE CONSIDERED A technology brand as much as it does a car manufacturer.

In a speech during a showcase of BMW’s future product plans – there’s an i8 Spyder coming in 2018 and improved batteries (in terms of range and output) for both it and the i3 – Dr Ian Robertson, board member for sales and marketing, explained how the company’s move into autonomous driving and the digitalisation of how we connect with our car will see the German marque focus on digital technology as much as on its next generation of internal combustion engines.

This switch won’t see BMW abandon the art of building driver's cars completely, rather the development of its future models will be led by the requirements of electric mobility, autonomous driving and internet-based connectivity and digital services, which will be controlled and managed by BMW.

Robertson also revealed his goal of selling 100,000 i and iPerformance models in 2017 (equalling the numbers it has sold in the first three years since the i sub-brand’s launch). ‘Sales in this sector are growing and this target is achievable.

We have the product and the technology transfer from i to iPerformance models and this is accelerating all the time.

‘I believe we will have a more comprehensive set of plug-in hybrid and EV vehicles than any of our competitors.’

So is this the end of BMW as we know it? The Munich diehards will probably say it is, but by laying its stall out and presenting its strategy, BMW has demonstrated its focus for looking at the next 100 years rather than gazing fondly at its first 100.

And away from the EVs and plug-ins, what can BMW M fans expect in the near future?

Something with a 5 in its name, and trust us, it won’t disappoint.

Audi has renamed its performance division from Audi Quattro to Audi Sport. The move has been instigated by Stephan Winkelmann, who moved from Lamborghini to head up Audi’s performance division in the spring of 2016.

‘Audi Sport better represents what we do here,’ says Winkelmann.

‘Quattro is synonymous with Audi, it’s a core component of our performance vehicles, but it is only one component that goes into our cars. Audi Sport better represents what we stand for and the cars we are building.’

Crucially the switch will also see Audi Sport more directly involved in the development of future Audi road cars, right from the start of a new car’s development programme.

In the past, the subsidiary has had to wait until after the ‘regular’ cars had been signed off for production before developing its RS products.

And what does Winkelmann consider to be the epitome of Audi Sport and what its future products should look towards?

The R8, naturally, and also his daily driver – as it has been since his Lamborghini days – the RS6.



New arrivals

PORSCHE CAYENNE S PLATINUM EDITION

The Platinum Edition range now extends to the more powerful Cayenne S. The limited edition SUV gets a new infotainment system with a Bose stereo, Alcantara sports seats, Porsche embossed headrests on the inside. On the outside there are new bi-xenon headlights, 21-inch wheels and four new colour options to choose from.

Supercars, conver tibles and hybrids — all the shiny metal this month

Variant

Price

Pe trol D ie sel

`1. 27 cro re `1. 31 cro re

Prices ex-showro om , Mu m b ai

AUDI A4 DIESEL

2017 HYUNDAI GRAND I10

2016 saw the launch of the evolutionary A4 that was equipped with a downsized petrol engine.

Audi has now packed in a 2-litre diesel unit under the hood of the A4 that churns out 187bhp of power and 400Nm of torque. Based on Volkswagen's modular MLB platform, the new A4 is lighter by 120kg. The 0-100kmph timing is now clocked in 7.7 seconds while the fuel efficiency is rated at 18.25kmpl, which is a jump of 7 per cent as compared to its predecessor.



Facing heat from the Ignis, Hyundai has given the Grand i10 a makeover and a larger capacity diesel engine. Read our review on pg. 44 for more details.

Variant 35 TDI

Variant

Price

Era (P) Ma g na (P) Ma g na AT (P) Sp or t s (P) Sp or t s (O)(P) Sp or t s (O)(P)(AT) A s ta (P) Era (D) Ma g na (D) Sp or t s (D) Sp or t s (O)(D) A s ta (D)

`4. 58 `5. 23 `5.99 `5.66 `5.96 `6.8 3 `6.40 `5.68 `6.16 `6. 59 `6.90 `7. 3 3

www.

la k h la k h la k h la k h la k h la k h la k h la k h la k h la k h la k h la k h

evo India.com | March

Price `40. 20 la k h

Prices ex-showro om , D elhi

JAGUAR XF



Not exactly a launch, but Jaguar has begun manufacturing the XF now at its Pune-based plant.

The base Pure variant was earlier priced at `49.50 lakh, so there is a reduction of minimum 2 lakh in the prices. Launched in India back in September 2016, the XF is available with the options of a 2-litre petrol and a 2-litre Ingenium diesel engine.

Variant Pre s tige (P) Por t folio (P) Pure (D) Pre s tige (D) Por t folio (D)

Price `52. 50 `59. 50 `47. 50 `52. 50 `60. 50

Prices ex-showro om , D elhi

Prices ex-showro om , D elhi

24



2017

la k h la k h la k h la k h la k h

LAUNCHES



by A BHISHEK WA IR AGA DE

JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED PETROL

After a shocking launch price of the Wrangler Unlimited diesel at a steep ` 71.59 lakh, Jeep has now introduced a more 'affordable' petrol variant of the American icon.

Powered by a 3.6-litre, V6 Pentastar engine that produces 280bhp and 247Nm, the petrol motor is mated to a 5-speed gearbox. The all-alloy engine incorporates variable valve timing and eight-holed fuel injectors, to improve efficiency.



LAMBORGHINI HURACAN SPYDER Drifters rejoice! Adding to the Huracan's line-up, Lamborghini has launched a rear-wheel drive variant of the Spyder in India. After the launch of the RWD coupe in India back in 2015, the Huracan portfolio is almost complete, with the exception of the Super Trofeo. The RWD Huracan Spyder is marginally slower than the AWD Huracan, but you can now go properly sideways at trackdays.

Variant RWD Spyd er

Variant

Price

Pe trol

`56 la k h

Prices ex-showro om , D elhi

Price `3.45 cro re

Prices ex-showro om , D elhi

2017 TOYOTA PRIUS

TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID



The Camry Hybrid was launched in India in 2013 and in 2015 received benefits under the FAME scheme for being a hybrid. It has as a result been the higher selling variant in the Camry range. The update gets full LED headlamps with integrated DRLs, LED fog lamps and electrically foldable ORVMs. Features include a 12-speaker JBL infotainment system with navigation, wireless charging, tyre pressure monitoring system, power reclining rear seats and 9 airbags.

Variant

Price

Hy b rid

`31.98 la k h

Prices ex-showro om , D elhi



Toyota's popular hybrid car just got greener. Based on Toyota's New Generation Architecture, it is powered by a 1.8-litre petrol unit.

The Hybrid Energy Drive system makes it efficient with a fuel efficiency figure of 26.27kmpl.

Available only in the Z8 trim in India, the Prius gets several features such as push start/stop button, 10-speakers, JBL touchscreen infotainment system, heads-up display, wireless charging, heated seats, 7 airbags and ABS+EBD. Variant Z8

Price `38 .96 la k h

Prices ex-showro om , D elhi

AUDI A3 CABRIOLET



It's been a while since the international launch of the A3 Cabriolet but it is here finally. The coupe version is slated to launch sometime later this year. One of the most affordable convertibles in the country, the A3 is powered by the same 4-cylinder, 1.4-litre TFSI engine that does duty on the A4. There is a new Cylinder-On Duty feature that shuts off twocylinders, when not required. There is a drop of 30bhp in power but with a claimed fuel efficiency figure of 19.20kmpl, there is not much to complain about. Torque remains the same at 250Nm. Variant

Price

C ab riole t (P)

`47.98 la k h

Prices ex-showro om , D elhi

www.

evoIndia.com

25

Roland Folger M D a n d C EO, M e r c e d e s- B e n z I n d i a a b o u t t h e n e w LW B E- C l a s s a n d h o w t h e Mercedes portfolio is shaping up

26

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

AMBITION as told to SIRISH CHANDRAN

FOLGER’S VIEWS

Signif ic ant number of cus tomers in the E- Cla s s are chauf feur driven

India got f ull approval f rom Germany for the LWB E- Cla s s

Now that everybody has come clean with all the money, people don’t have a reason anymore to shy away from luxury expenses

SUV s ale s are closing in on that of Mercede s sedans

T

HE E-CLASS AMOUNTS TO over 30 per cent of our overall sales making it one of our most important cars. Also from the profitability point of view, it’s certainly a vehicle that makes a major impact. After selling five generations of the car in India, it’s also one of the cars that has founded the reputation for Mercedes-Benz in India to the largest possible extent. So we use the E-Class to basically reshape the way you see the brand. With the new E-Class, we’ve found the perfect vehicle to do that.

We’ve done research with customers to make sure that our gut feeling mirrors what they really want

On the decision to bring the LWB E-Class: With the previous generation car, we couldn’t change the car in India to the one that was available in China. But with the new car, we’ve done some research with customers to make sure that our gut feeling is mirrored by what customers really want. And we’ve seen that there are a significant amount of customers, especially of the E-Class, that are being chauffeur driven. For our clientele, time is money, and time that can be spent constructively working in your car in comfort is naturally going to be one of the changing factors for their own personal businesses.

a very small market with 13,000 units roughly in the last two years. So there was a steep learning curve for everybody involved but in the meantime, we’ve just had an official go ahead from the head of production who was recently in India and also the full approval from the German side. And these are the guys who also manufacture the Maybachs with the higher standards in the automotive industry, so yes we are good to go.

On the extra costs incurred to get the LWB over the regular E-Class: We never really did that calculation because when we decided a few years back, we looked at this as an either-or opportunity. Once you start mixing two combinations, it won’t work. And again, we were driven by the fact that customers would obviously appreciate such a set up so why tone it down and take something out of the market when you think you have the best solution possible. It would only be for the sake of having an entrylevel variant available and that would eat into your vehicle potential and make it less attractive as well. So we took small risks by getting the long wheelbase E-Class to India.

On German support for the LWB E-Class: Well, it was certainly something where we did not have experience. This is something new for Germany – to have a vehicle only for one market (China) and from a German perspective at least,

On bringing LWB SUVs: Not necessarily, because for SUVs we already have the GLS which is as close to the S-Class as possible. The GLE does not need a long wheelbase as we have the GLS but it does not mean that we are not always looking at coming up with something. I would say that the success that we anticipate on the E-Class will drive considerations as far as other vehicles are concerned.

On a big price gap between the C-Class and E-Class: Not at all. The C-Class that we launched recently has so many styling cues from an S-Class, including the interior that everybody said that you are putting it uncomfortably close to the E-Class. What we have done now is basically follow up on the strategy that started with the S-Class and the C-Class, now ending with moving the E-Class to its proper space.

Last year for Mercedes-Benz: 2016 was a challenging year looking back and we call it a year of lost opportunities.

We had high hopes because on back of growth of 32 per cent in 2015 over 2014, we were hoping that we could basically follow in that direction. We had more than 13 products that we integrated in

the market so everything was looking positive, but then came the diesel ban followed by demonetisation. Because of the union budget in 2016, there was quite a substantial increase in overall taxation.

All of these things made it very difficult to achieve targets. But looking back, we are also happy that we could keep it on the level of 2015 so we’re still positive about our potential in the Indian market. And again, we are looking very optimistically at 2017, hopefully with a two digit growth.

On coming out of the worst of the demonetisation: I think it was more of an emotional kind of a discussion. But everything came pretty fast back to normal. Actually there was an interesting view on this issue – now that everybody has come clean with all the money that they have, most of the money is now taxed and people don’t have a reason anymore to shy away from luxury expenses. Hopefully that will have positive reaction on the overall luxury business in India.

How many models for 2017: We haven’t decided yet, but will try to keep it at a level where we can successfully introduce 15 to 16 cars and we will keep pushing.

Success of SUVs in the Mercedes portfolio: We have closed the gap with the GLC and now our production has ramped up nicely so we are seeing the positive effects of that. We’re getting closer to the volume that we have achieved in the past with our sedans and I believe that reaching this equilibrium is something that we can look forward to in 2017. So we are certainly here to stay.

www.

evoIndia.com

27

EXPERIENCE

by ANINDA SARDAR

1

Gallery

8

CannonBall Club at BIC

LOADED CANNONS Supercars strut their firepower

PHOTOGR A PH Y by C A NNONBA L L CLUB

C

CANNON TO THE RIGHT OF THEM, cannon to the left of them, cannon in front of them… if only Alfred Lord Tennyson had realised what the words would mean to those seeking The Thrill of Driving. Of course the English poet writing at the time of the Crimean war had no idea that the words he wrote can be perfectly used in the context of the track day organised by the CannonBall Club at the Buddh International Circuit. The event, which was organised in partnership with Bengaluru-based automotive and motorsport firm Racetech and sponsored by Ford Mustang, saw a total of 50 supercars of every kind participate. The exotics included Mercedes-AMGs, Porsches, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Ford Mustangs and the Nissan GT-R. The two-day event also included a Supercar Academy with racer Aditya Patel as coach. Founded in 2009, the CannonBall Club is India’s largest supercar club.

2

3

4

1: The Huracan follows the 458 Speciale down the Start-Finish straight. 2: The Mustang GT represented American muscle.

3: The C 63 AMG in action, with the 458 in hot pursuit.

4: The white knight – Huracan in the pits. 5: The flame spitting Godzilla. 6: The old R8 and the 911 battling it out neck to neck. 7: 911s are a common sight at CannonBall club drives.

8: Can’t keep the 458 from photobombing

5

7

6

Yoichiro Ueno

P r e s i d e n t a n d C EO, H o n d a C a r s I n d i a Ltd s p e a k s a b o u t t a k i n g H o n d a u p m a r ke t o n c e a g a i n

30

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

AMBITION as told to SIRISH CHANDRAN

UENO’S VIEWS

Honda's petrol to die sel ratio currently s tands at 70:30

Two lots of the Accord Hy brid have sold out.

O ne cus tomer in Kota bought four!

The 2017 Cit y ha s alread y received over 7500 booking s

Civic is succe s s f ul all over the world, so it is expec ted to launch sooner or later

A

BOUT THE INDIAN MARKET: It is a very dynamic market, difficult to understand. One year in India is equal to three to four years in other countries. In my present year, the market has shown growth. In the last two years, there was a big shift from diesel to petrol. Diesel is still important and cannot be written off in India.

Currently our petrol to diesel mix ratio stands at 70:30.

Excess stock and demonetisation: Our main challenge was the very high amount of inventory at the beginning of the year. There has been a big shift from petrol to diesel in the last two years. Our dealer inventory had piled up with about 12-13000 cars, so we supported our dealers and reduced our wholesale by a similar amount. We had more of diesel stock so the conversion ratio is very low.

At the end of the year, September was very tricky. We had a very positive month of October, then November was really slow in terms of sales (due to demonetisation). By December the market started to show improvement and in January it came back to normal. I think the recovery phase has been faster and the market is almost neutralised. We are expecting a great year, sales are already strong. Some customers stopped buying during demonetisation and postponed, so they are now coming back. It is a positive for the auto industry.

About the new City: We have just launched the new City, we know that the timing has not been good, but we have received a very positive response. We ran a 10-day campaign and received 5000 contracts although we had expected only 1000-1500. Other than the campaign, we have received overall 7500 bookings, so its surpassed our monthly sales. The City is doing better with petrol.

And we have another new car coming (WR-V) on which we will be focusing the most this year. It is based on the Jazz so the styling is completely different and can capture attention. It will drive our sales this year we hope.

About other models: Mobilio is under expectations but we are selling 500 to 700 cars a month to aggregators (Ola and Uber), so you will

In the future our focus will be on premiumness and the upper segment see a lot of them on the roads. BR-V is similar, it also has three-row seating, it is between an MPV and an SUV and not really a compact SUV. The compact SUV segment is much larger and the customers are different for each. We were expecting 2000 units a month and we are on track.

We have already sold 5000 units of the Amaze and in December we had a direct order from Ola for 200 cars. 1520 per cent of the Amaze now goes to aggregators while the Mobilio is finding acceptance from fleet operators.

Launch of the new Civic and Acura brand: Civic is successful all over the world so definitely we will take a look. It takes time to study the localisation. This Civic has a different manufacturing process so it will take time. The Civic Type-R is a very premium product and we are not thinking about it right now.

Acura is available in left-hand drive right now, if in the future we make it in the right-hand drive format, then maybe we will think about it.

On the Brio and Amaze: We did not expect a decline in A and B segment, in the Indian market. It's a challenge for the Brio and the Amaze.

Expectations from the Honda brand were higher. It was not a mistake I would say, but customers expected quite a lot and we thought this is what they want. Maybe in the future our focus will be on upper segment.

If the GDP per capita exceeds $40005000 by 2025, which we expect to happen, maybe new customers will come

(back to A and B segments). Maybe we will then focus on the this. Honda's perception has changed in India because of the Brio and Amaze yes, we are now closer to Hyundai. Focus on premiumness and even after sales customer support is very important right now. The Accord is the premium product we are focussing on. Our entire lineup is dependent on the premium segment.

Honda Motorsport in India: Honda is there in F1, if F1 comes back to India, then yes. In many countries we have races. Racing is not so popular here in India. We would like to study the motorsport scenario first.

Investments: We are planning to open a plant in Gujarat for the future. It is a 380 acres land close to Vittapur, near Honda 2 Wheelers. It is currently in procedural matters. Currently our Noida plant has a 1,20,000 capacity, however it is not full and running one shift less. Tapukara has a capacity 1,20,000 and is running full at the moment.

Strategy for India, if not hybrid: By 2020, Indian government will implement CAFE regulations, if that happens Honda will bring more cars with hybrid tech. Our challenge is to see whether hybrid gets accepted in the market or not. We are promoting it, but the price point is higher. If the customers are willing to pay, we will get it.

There is no one big solution, so we are thinking of our options. Changing petrol to diesel ratio is a possibility to meet CAFE regulations. If we can bring customers back to the diesels then we can focus on smaller cars. Mixing those kind of opportunities is an option.

On the Accord Hybrid: We have had an unexpected reaction to the Accord Hybrid but the volume is very small. The first lot sold out when we launched and the second lot coming in March is also sold out. Each lot is 30 cars (and three cars from the first lot went to the PR fleet). The response is amazing and one family from Kota bought four cars. To do a CKD operation for the Accord Hybrid takes quite a big investment for the local manufacturing.

www.

evoIndia.com

31

MOTORSPORT MOMENT

Toyota’s WRC Return

T

H E 2017 WORLD RALLY CHAMPIOSNHIP GOT underway in Monte Carlo in January. And as is the fashion with many of today’s FIA motorsport series, rallying has come in for a number of technical changes this year in a bid to spice things up on the stages. With reigning champions VW having walked away from the sport, its spot in the manufacturers’ table is taken by Toyota Gazoo Racing, run by multiple world champion Tommi Mäkinen. VW’s departure left world champ Sébastien Ogier unemployed until he found himself in one of Malcolm Wilson’s M-Sport Fiestas. And despite losing 40 seconds on the first day and dropping back to ninth, Ford’s new boy cut through the pack to second place, ready to take advantage when rally leader Thierry Neuville broke his Hyundai’s suspension, handing Ford and the Frenchman the victory.

Toyota completed its WRC return with a visit to the podium, with Jari-Matti Latvala finishing second ahead of Ogier’s teammate Ott Tänak. They went one up in the next round in Sweden, with Latvala winning overall and giving Toyota their first WRC victory since 1999, in just the second round after their return.

TECH

Geometry lesson e vo’s s i m p l e g u i d e to t h e w h a t s a n d w h y s o f a l te r i n g y o u r c a r ’s

TYRE PRESSURES

suspension geometry

T

HERE’S NO ‘ONE SIZE FITS ALL’ GUIDE TO ALTERING A car’s suspension geometry. Every car reacts slightly differently to each change and different drivers will be looking to achieve different results. So what follows is a look at what’s commonly adjustable and a basic idea of the results you might expect should you start experimenting with your car’s geometry.

Manufacturers spend thousands of development hours and substantial amounts of money establishing the perfect angle for each wheel to optimise stability, tyre wear and performance. Diverting from these settings should be done incrementally and with consistency. Why do it at all, then? Because a manufacturer’s geometry settings must accommodate the general needs of a very broad spread of its customer base, but as an individual you may be prepared to tolerate, say, poorer ride quality in exchange for superior body control, or regard a reduction in stability as a fair trade-off for sharper turn-in.

Adjusting a car’s geometry is a long process; change one setting and another aspect will be affected and may need altering. But a setup that’s been tailored to suit you can be well worth the effort.

The simplest change you can make. Although it won’t solve any fundamental handling issues, nor increase grip, don’t underestimate the effect tyre pressures can have on the balance of a car. By changing the pressures on each axle slightly, you can fine-tune a car to your style. Increasing pressure will, ever so slightly, reduce a tyre’s grip. So putting two or three psi extra into the rear tyres will shift a car’s balance towards oversteer.

Doing the same at the front will reduce oversteer. Just be careful not to alter them dramatically – an incorrectly inflated tyre can deform, overheat and could puncture.

TOE

CAMBER

Toe is the angle that the wheels point in relation to the car’s direction of travel. Toe-in is when the front of the wheel is angled slightly inwards; toe-out is when the wheel is angled away from the car.

The front wheels’ toe angles are adjustable; this is essential for setting the tracking so the car drives straight. Rear toe-angle adjustment is only commonplace on multi-link suspension setups and the range of adjustment is less.

Camber refers to the angle a wheel sits away from pure vertical; zero camber is when the wheel is exactly perpendicular to the road. Positive camber is when the top of the wheel is angled away from the car and negative when the top angles towards it.

Positive camber is never ideal, so we’ll only discuss negative camber.

Negative camber maximises the amount of tread the outside tyres put onto the road in a corner. When cornering, the outside tyres deform, pushing the tread towards the centre of the car and the outer shoulder closer to the road. Negative camber preempts this by presenting the outside tyres at an angle that means their tread lies as flat as possible on the road surface during cornering.

Negative camber can increase wear on the inside edge of the tyre, compromise straight-line traction, and reduce acceleration and braking abilities, because it limits the tyre’s

34

www.

Theoretically the ideal toe angle is zero, i.e. with the wheels pointing exactly in the direction of travel.

This creates lower rolling resistance, reduces tyre wear and optimises efficiency. Yet most cars have a certain degree of front toe-in: front or rear, it aids straight-line stability.

Toe-out can make a car feel nervous, but this can be used to improve agility; on high performance front-wheel-drive models it also helps reduce understeer.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

+

-

-

+

contact patch when the car isn’t cornering. Advantageous purely during cornering, only a small amount of camber is of any real benefit.

MacPherson strut suspension, where the camber hardly changes during its full stroke of movement, responds well to a greater degree of negative camber. Double wishbone and multi-link setups offer more calculated amounts of negative camber as the suspension compresses, so often work just as well with less negative camber.

GEOMETRY EXPLAINED

by WILL BEAUMONT

CASTER

Caster generates the self-centring effect on the front wheels that ensures they automatically return to the straight-ahead position after steering, to the benefit of directional stability.

The caster angle is calculated by drawing an imaginary vertical line through the centre of the wheel, and bisecting it with the ‘pivot line’ – around which the steering turns – that runs through the centre of the wheel hub’s upper ball joint to the centre of the lower joint. The angle between the

RIDE HEIGHT

two lines is the caster angle. The pivot line’s upper end leans rearwards, and the lower end hits the ground slightly ahead of the tyre’s contact patch.

Caster creates negative camber on the outside wheel during steering, known as dynamic camber. As dynamic camber doesn’t have a detrimental effect on straight-line traction, increasing positive caster isn’t an issue, within reason – large amounts increase steering effort, so powerassisted steering will be needed.

Altering the ride height lets you experiment with the car’s weight distribution and centre of gravity – a subtle way of changing the handling balance. Lowering the front moves a small amount of weight towards the front of the car and lowers its centre of gravity in relation to the rear. This gives the front proportionally more grip than the rear. Lowering the rear axle has the opposite effect.

If you can, alter your car’s ride height at each corner then, before you

start any other geometry adjustment, consider corner-weighting. The idea is that you adjust the height at each corner so that every wheel supports an equal amount of weight, making the car more predictable. It’s rarely possible to equalise the weight on all four wheels, but matching the weight of the left side to the right – including the mass of the driver – is just as beneficial.

But be warned, adjusting the ride height will alter other settings such as camber and toe.

www.

evoIndia.com

35

WAT CHE S

by SIMON DE BURTON

WATCH TECH Chopard Full Strike Chopard watch boss Karl-Friedrich Scheufele is an unashamed petrolhead who often drives to work in one of his dozens of classic cars – and he’s managed to integrate his love of them into his business by involving the company in historic motoring events such as the Monaco Historique and Italy’s Mille Miglia.

In 1996, Scheufele brought Chopard coveted ‘manufacture’ status through the foundation of the LUC (for Louis-Ulysse Chopard) atelier in Fleurier, Switzerland, to make in-house movements and highend watches. It opened with a staff of three but now employs 160, and along the way has produced many complex in-house movements.

Its latest, the innovative Full Strike, is its first ‘minute repeater’: it chimes the hour, quarter hour and minutes past the quarter hour using gongs made from sapphire crystal, which are said to offer a clarity of sound far superior to any metallic material.

Equally impressive is the fact that the minute repeater mechanism is activated not from a conventional slide at the side of the case, but from a small button integrated with the winding crown.

Such technical genius doesn’t come cheap, of course: a Full Strike will set you back around `1.7crore.

36

www.

THIS MONTH Halda Race Pilot Trackmaster

TAG Heuer Formula 1

Armin Strom Edge Double Barrel Max Chilton Edition

Price: `4.37 lakh* (approx)

Price: `1.06 lakh* (approx)

Price: `18.2 lakh* (approx)

From: haldasweden.com

From: thewatchgallery.com

From: arminstrom.com

Halda reckons its new Trackmaster could be ‘the most advanced race watch available’. The electronic instrument displays lap times, maximum speed, maximum G-force, sector times and the best theoretical time, and can even record 0-100, 0-160 and 0-321kmph times and standing quarters. It’s delivered as a set, complete with docking station and a separate, Zenithpowered mechanical watch head.

London-based retailer The Watch Gallery has joined forces with TAG Heuer to create a limited edition version of the entry-level ‘Formula 1’ quartz-powered chronograph. The 43mm watch has its aluminium bezel and chronograph counters in The Watch Gallery’s signature sapphire blue colour, making for a nice contrast with the gloss black of the main dial. Just 200 examples will be made.

Fans of the British-born IndyCar driver Max Chilton can demonstrate their allegiance with this special version of Armin Strom’s Edge Double Barrel model. Chilton’s race number, 8, appears in the small seconds register, while the blue hour numbers match the colour of his turbocharged Chevrolet.

The back of the watch carries a plate etched with Chilton’s ‘Max’ logo and the watch’s serial number (out of eight).

*Price in the UK, excludes Indian taxes and duties

CHRONO

APPLE WATCH

Read more from Simon

‘Until recently my daily wearer was a TAG Heuer Carrera that was a 40th birthday gift from my partner, Jill. I wore it regularly for ten years, but now I use an Apple Watch day-to-day and keep the Carrera for special occasions.

de Burton in Chrono.

The latest edition is available free in the evo app for iOS and Android.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

As worn by Peter Denton, general manager, Maserati North Europe

‘I’m a very keen cyclist and the Apple offers some useful functions to anyone who likes to keep fit – it can be used to monitor heart rate, for example, or the number of calories that have been burned. I also like the

fact that it’s possible to change the strap and bezel to create a different look costeffectively.

‘One day, however, I’d very much like to own one of the Bulgari watches made for Maserati.’

CONNECTIVITY edited by ANTONY INGRAM

REVIEW

F1 2016 H a s C o d e m a s te r s delivered a game worthy of the fla gship r a c i n g s e r i e s?

F

1 2016 (AVAILABLE FOR Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC, from `1,179) is not an easy game. It’s punishing at the best of times and downright cruel at its worst. But above all else, it is immensely rewarding. This is a game you have to learn and practise at in order to even stand a chance of finishing in the top ten. But when you make that first podium, you’ve earned it.

There are several reasons for this, the main one being that the balance between aero grip and tyre grip is on such a knife-edge that just keeping the car on the track can be a challenge at first. All that torque from the turbocharged motors in the latest F1 cars means you have to be extremely gentle with the throttle on corner exit, too.

Helping you along this challenging learning curve is a clever car-development structure incorporated into Free Practice in the game’s Career mode. You can practise tyre-management strategies, or learn braking zones using on-screen annotations, all of which turns into R&D points to spend on making your car better.

GRAPHIC CONTENT The pursuit of realism

Above and left: Detail and realism of the cars is hard to fault. Far left: But characters are rather android-like

This is a game you have to practise at in order to even stand a chance of finishing in the top ten

Career mode also teaches you how to control and eventually take advantage of the game’s superbly developed physics engine.

In terms of graphics, there are moments when things can look a little shoddy, but largely this is a very pretty game. Car and cockpit details are excellent, and the same can be said of the circuits. What aren’t so good are the slightly android-like facial expressions of the engineers you encounter.

Speaking of the characters,

The lengths to which video games now go in order to deliver extreme levels of realism are far beyond what you might imagine.

Take Forza Horizon 3, for example.

Its developers used something called ‘photogrammetry’, where they transformed HD photographs of real-life objects into 3D models inside the game. They also spent months in Australia with HDR camera rigs photographing the skies; the results were then imported into the game.

For F1 2016 (above) the physics engine emulates just about everything you could possibly imagine. The Mercedes safety car, for example, has the same spring and damper rates as the real thing. The tyre physics engine is also programmed to deliver realistic slip angles with each compound, in different weathers.

Simulation has hit a point on games consoles where the processing power permits incredible levels of realism – but not to the detriment of fun.

adding to the element of realism are pre-race ‘phone calls’ from your PA explaining targets for each race, as well as updates on rivalries with other drivers and how you’re performing compared with them.

Ultimately, F1 2016 feels like the completion of a path that its developer, Codemasters, has been on for a long time. It’s polished and rewarding, striking a balance between simulation and engaging gameplay that isn’t easy to achieve.

Hunter Skipworth

ON OR OFF? Start-stop The start-stop function is designed to save fuel in traffic, but one should be able to turn it off permanently, rather than doing so every time one starts the car.

www.

evoIndia.com

37

EVERY NEW EVO CAR THAT MATTERS, REVIEWED AND RATED AUDI A3 // HYUNDAI GRAND I10 // AUDI A4 35 TDI // HONDA CITY // PORSCHE PANAMERA 4S DIESEL // EICHER POLARIS MULTIX

40

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

AU D I A 3

Test location: Visakhapatnam

Photography: Gaurav S Thombre

Audi A3 Blink and you will miss the updates to the Audi A3

T

THIS IS THE NEW AUDI A3. Don’t fret if you struggle to spot what’s new because calling this facelift mild is being generous with the word. Then again there wasn’t much wrong with the A3 to begin with so the list of updates is rather short.

On the styling front the A3 gets those slashes under the headlamps that are inspired by the new A4, making it look even more similar to the A4 than before. The bumpers are more chiselled, the grille sharper, there’s a new LED graphic for the tail lamps and it gets those cool dynamic indicators from the R8. There’s also a new design for the 16-inch alloys. On the inside there’s a new steering wheel that looks more sporty with a smaller boss, but that also makes it quite a stretch for the thumb to comfortably toot the horn. And that’s it for visual updates.

The engine is carried over unchanged but the big news is that the 1.4 TSI petrol gets cylinder deactivation. Under part load, the four-cylinder engine effectively becomes a two-cylinder, saving fuel and resulting in an ARAI-certified fuel efficiency of 19.2kmpl. That’s a whopping 2.6kmpl jump over the previous motor and quite excellent for a petrol engine. When all four cylinders are firing you get a total of 148bhp and 250Nm of torque making for a 0-100kmph sprint in 8.2 seconds.

The diesel engine carries over unchanged, the 2-litre motor making 141bhp and 320Nm of torque. It has a claimed 0-100kmph time of 8.7 seconds and an identical top speed of

Right: Interiors remain unchanged save for a new design for the steering wheel

42

www.

224kmph. And on the fuel efficiency front it returns an ARAI-certified figure of 20.38kmpl.

Which begs the question, with there being only a ten rupee price difference between petrol and diesel, and now only a 1kmpl difference in the fuel efficiency, what could motivate you to spend four lakh more rupees on the diesel A3 apart from the fact that you could only get the fullyloaded trim on the diesel variant of the previous A3.

We drove both the diesel and the petrol on the lovely Beach Road outside Visakhapatnam and the first thing that strikes you is the brilliant ride quality. The Beach

evoIndia.com | March 2017

Road is being widened and you’re constantly shifting lanes or rumbling over speedbreakers and the A3 takes it all rather brilliantly. It’s thanks to suspension that has been raised so much that the ride height is almost like an SUV (Audi refused to reveal how much the ground clearance has gone up by). It also leaves a rather ungainly gap in the wheelarch spoiling the lovely styling of the A3.

The raised ride height also means you can hear the suspension extending fully when you go hard and fast over bumps. At speed over an undulating road it does float a bit, a consequence of standing on its tippy-toes and not sitting firmly on its

You can’t make out when the cylinders deactivate or reactivate and that's how it should be

AU D I A 3

Specification Engine

Transmission

Power

Torque

0-100kmph

Weight

Price (Ex-showroom, Delhi)

In-line 4-cyl, 1395cc, petrol

7-speed AT

148bhp @ 5000-6000 rpm

250Nm @ 1500-3500rpm

8.2 seconds

1415kg

`27 lakh (estimated)

In-line 4-cyl, 1968cc, diesel

6-speed AT

141bhp @ 3500-4000 rpm

320Nm @ 1750-3000rpm

8.7 seconds

1490kg

`31 lakh (estimated)

+ Lovely ride, powerful and efficient engines, especially the petrol, interior quality - Updates are hardly visible

dampers, but overall road manners are very good indeed.

The steering isn’t brimming with feedback but is quite up to the task of handling 150 horses without much torque steer, courtesy it being frontwheel drive. As for how the engines perform, the turbo-petrol is obviously more enthusiastic and eager to rev while also being very relaxed in Cruise mode. You can’t make out when the cylinders deactivate or reactivate and that’s exactly how it should be.

This is the same engine (without cylinder deactivation) as in the A4 but with the A3 being lighter, the motor has less weight to lug around and consequently feels more enthusiastic

evo rating ;;;;2

and eager. It is mated to the 7-speed twin-clutch automatic while the diesel gets the 6-speed auto.

Not that the diesel feels unrefined.

In fact this is one of the most refined and silent engines in its class with enough go to match the show. It’s just that the petrol motor is the personal preference of your petrolhead correspondent.

Prices are yet to be announced but don’t expect it to change much from the current `27 lakh for the petrol and `31 lakh for the diesel – prices that get you a really nice introduction to the world of luxury motoring. L Sirish Chandran (@SirishChandran)

www.

evoIndia.com

43

Test location: Pune

Photography: Vishnu G Haarinath

2017 Hyundai Grand i10 Hyundai’s updated hatchback gets a stronger diesel engine

W

WITH MARUTI SUZUKI wooing millennials with its funky little Ignis, could Hyundai, the country’s second largest passenger car maker, be far behind? Of course not. While the Korean company may not have had an all-new vehicle to respond with, it has done the next best thing and updated the hot-selling Grand i10 with a host of changes, including a more powerful diesel engine. We took it out for a spin to find out just how grand the Hyundai feels.

Since the Ignis with its 1248cc diesel mill makes 74bhp of power and 190Nm of torque and is a much lighter car, the Grand i10 needed a bump in performance. Sensing that, a new 3-cylinder diesel engine

44

www.

makes it to the Grand and it develops coincidentally, the same amount of power and torque. It gets a bump in power of 4bhp and 30Nm over the 1.1-litre mill it replaces and the spring in its stride with the new engine is evident, even at part throttle.

For a compact hatchback, zipping through traffic, a light steering and good body control are the main attributes, and the Grand i10 shines through in each. The extra power and torque get it off the line quicker, there is a stronger mid-range now and despite being a diesel 3-pot, it revs all the way to 5000rpm. There’s not much in terms of performance to be gained in the top end but a wider revband means you don’t need as many gear changes while driving in the city.

And even at 3000rpm in the meat of

evoIndia.com | March 2017

the Grand’s powerband, the diesel engine feels so refined that there is no irritation from the build of revs that you’d otherwise get from a 3-pot diesel motor. In addition to good refinement, NVH levels are impressive too. The cabin stays a pleasant place when you are giving the tiny mill the beans and rarely does the Grand feel too stressed. The ride is well sorted, soaking in potholes and undulations with the poise of a much bigger car and the steering is light but not vague so you can point and shoot through gaps when you are in a bit of a rush.

A slick gearbox adds to the fun-todrive element and the clutch is light, although a bit tough to modulate.

It looks a bit different too. A nice set of LED DRLs are neatly integrated into the front bumper. The minute

Above: Grand i10 gets LED DRLs and a reprofiled front end

H Y U N DA I G RA N D I 1 0

The spring in the Grand i10's stride with the new engine is evident, even at part throttle

1

you disengage the handbrake, these strips turn on. To make way for the new LED strips and a bigger grille, the front bumper has been redesigned.

It looks sportier than before with the sharper design and large grille. The rear bumper gets redesigned as well to include new brake lights and a faux diffuser. Overall, the facelift works to make the Grand look fresher than before, which is a job well done by the designers.

In the cabin, you will notice two major updates. First is the 7-inch infotainment system that comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and second, the Grand now gets automatic climate control. The touchscreen infotainment system is shared with the i20. It doesn’t come with in-built navigation but you can mirror your phone now and Google Maps is the best navigation you can get in India anyway. The seats are very comfortable and there’s good enough space for four passengers. Hyundai offers the highest quality materials on the inside in their hatchbacks and it’s no different with the Grand i10.

2

3

The dashboard surfaces, the steering wheel, gear lever, seat fabrics, everything feels very plush.

When it comes to safety, the Grand i10 gets a driver’s airbag on all variants which is a good move by Hyundai. The base variant, Era and one above it, Magna don’t get passenger airbags while Sportz and Asta get passenger airbags as well. Where we think Hyundai has skimped is offering ABS only on the top Asta trim. There’s a rear parking camera too that relays its feed to the large infotainment screen, and hence the Grand i10 won’t come with electrochromic rear view

mirrors any more.

The Grand i10 has always been a good city car, and in fact good enough to win the Car of the Year award in 2014. The small tweaks make it an even better all-rounder than before but the game has moved on as the competition has stepped up. You get the Ignis and the Figo now, both with good powertrains, a host of features and they are equally if not more fun to drive. Can it hold its own now? We’ll have to get the three together for that. L Anand Mohan (@patracaar)

4

1: Update includes a redesigned rear bumper.

2: 30Nm extra torque over the earlier motor makes it quicker off the line. 3: New 7-inch touchscreen and climate control added.

4: Rear AC vents cool the cabin faster

Specification Engine

Transmission

Power

Torque

0-100kmph

Top speed

Weight

Price

3-cyl, 1186cc, turbo-diesel

5-speed manual

74bhp @ 4000rpm

190Nm @ 1750-2250rpm

NA

NA

NA

`7.36 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi)

+ Performance, features, refinement and quality of materials - Clutch could do with more play

evo rating ;;;;2 www.

evoIndia.com

45

Test location: Pune

Photography: Gaurav S Thombre

Audi A4 35 TDI The A4 finally gets a diesel engine

46

www.

I

I HAD BEEN LOOKING forward to driving the new A4 for a while.

The sedan’s edgy styling and beautifully designed interiors can take the fight to the C-Class but at its launch, Audi only got the petrol car. Among executive luxury sedans, the 2-litre diesels are the number churners. You have the option of a petrol engine too but with high refinement levels and good fuel efficiency of the diesels, the latter appeals to the logical luxury car buyer.

After all, these are cars driven over long distances and are daily drivers, either driven by the owner or the chauffeur. While Ingolstadt is late to the party, it’s here now so let’s take a look at it.

Audi was getting the diesel A4 reconfigured to suit our fuel quality,

evoIndia.com | March 2017

hence there was a delay in the launch.

Now that it has been done, the 35 TDI is in the market and that’s the car you see in these pictures. It’s the 2-litre diesel, standard fare for the segment and comes with 187bhp of power and 400Nm of torque, which again is par for the course. Rest of it stays the same – front-wheel driven, similar equipment levels and as sharp as ever.

Between the petrol and the diesel, this one’s the better performer. It’s faster to 100kmph, which comes in 7.7 seconds and has a higher top speed of 237kmph. The petrol maxes out at 210kmph and does 0-100kmph in 8.5 seconds. Numbers aside, what’s instantly likeable are the refinement levels. It is so quiet at 3000rpm that you could mistake it for a petrol car.

Once the engine gets past its turbo lag phase of about 1700rpm, the

acceleration is strong and smooth all the way past 4000rpm if you are having a lead-footed moment. It isn’t required though since the A4 has a strong mid-range and a tug of the paddle through a few gears will build a good pace well past the 140kmph mark. That’s what the A4 is built for – high-speed highway cruising. It feels rock solid at speeds, the electricallyassisted steering makes light work of traffic and the ride quality at slow and fast speeds strikes a good balance.

The brakes are strong and since it is a much lighter car, 120kg less than its predecessor, the nose doesn’t feel as heavy now. My memories of the old A4 may be fading, but it never felt so nimble. It was always a comfortable sedan, but when the road demanded of its dynamic abilities, you always craved for a car you could flick around

AU D I A 4 3 5 T D I

It is so quiet at 3000rpm that you could mistake it for a petrol car

1

3

with more enthusiasm. This new A4 feels like Audi has finally delivered that. Don’t expect it to be as much of an engaging drive as a 3 Series or a C-Class since their rear-driven wheels make them more of driver’s cars, but all round, there’s little to complain about the new A4.

It has Audi’s drive select modes to alter the steering and engine

2

characteristics. Unless you are in a hurry, it’s best to keep the engine in Comfort mode because at part throttle with the turbo lag and uncertain shifts, the A4 won’t feel smooth. The inherent strength of the A4 is its smoothness, so give the car its right setting according to your driving style and you will be rewarded with an excellent mile-muncher. For

speed, get the engine and steering in dynamic and go for it, or just go to the individual setting and shift the engine to Comfort mode and leave the steering in dynamic. That extra bit of lightness of the steering in comfort is never needed.

On the efficiency front, 18.25kmpl is the ARAI certified figure the 35 TDI A4 comes with. For a strong 2-litre

diesel, anything more than a real world efficiency of 10kmpl is good and even while driving it with a heavy foot, the on-board computer showed 11kmpl on the Virtual Cockpit.

Four cars in the segment take on the A4 – the C-Class, 3 Series, XE and S60. The S60 is a bit long in the tooth now and on space and equipment levels, the rest of the field is much ahead. The XE doesn’t have a diesel engine yet so the A4 goes up against the C-Class and the 3 Series. Prices start from `40.2 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi for the A4 diesel, which is about as much as a C-Class and a similarly equipped 320d.

The A4 is edgy, minimalist on the inside and that Virtual Cockpit is my favourite pick of features on any of the cars in this segment. It rides very well and the diesel engine gives it strong mile-munching ability. It’s a strong challenger to the C-Class. L Anand Mohan (@patracaar)

1: Virtual Cockpit is my favourite feature of any car in this class. 2: The engine is smooth and refined. 3: Badge on the back to indicate it is a 2-litre diesel. Left: It's best at high-speed highway cruising

Specification Engine

Transmission

Power

Torque

0-100kmph

Top speed

Weight

Price

4-cyl, 1968cc, turbo-diesel

7-speed DCT

187bhp @ 3800-4200rpm

400Nm @ 1750-3000rpm

7.7sec (claimed)

237kmph (claimed)

1640kg

`40.2 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi)

+ Excellent highway cruiser, comfortable and refined - Lacks the sportiness of its rivals

evo rating ;;;;2 www.

evoIndia.com

47

Test location: Noida

Photography: Vishnu G Haarinath

2017 Honda City The City gets a nip and tuck to keep it fresh

48

www.

W

WHILE YOU HAVE TO look long and hard to spot the changes to the Audi A3 on the previous pages, the changes on this car are far more apparent. Say hello to the ‘new’ 2017 Honda City, and before you ask, no it isn’t all-new.

What this is, is a facelift — a mid-life refresh to keep the City relevant until the next generation arrives.

This is the fourth generation of the City and was launched way back in 2014. Rivals like the Ciaz were nibbling away at its market share and with a new Verna around the corner, Honda needed to do something to keep eyeballs trained towards the City.

With this update, you can tell

evoIndia.com | March 2017

that Honda is focussing on being premium. Yoichiro Ueno, President and CEO of Honda Cars India said the exact same thing over dinner to the Ed – that Honda is trying to go more premium. That’s why they’ve brought in the Accord Hybrid. And that’s why they’ve given the City a dose of this premiumness as well.

Right, so what’s changed? Firstly, there is the arrival of a new variant — the ZX variant that sits at the top of the City range now. In addition to this, there are a number of visual updates on the outside as well as the inside to keep the City looking contemporary, and upmarket.

The nose gets the most attention.

The headlamps have been changed,

as has the bumper, grille and bonnet.

The headlamps now have LED DRLs (on all variants) and house LED headlamps (on top two variants).

There are more LEDs – in the fog lamps and on the tail lamps. The grille now gets an extra chrome strip at the bottom, rather nicely complimenting the chunky signature Honda chrome strip in the centre. The bumper has been made a little more angular and the lines on the bonnet are sharper.

The wheels on the top three variants are now larger — 16-inchers replacing the 15s and running wider 185 section rubber and they’re sure to give the City better stability while reducing the tyre squeal as well as understeer that we’d always complained about.

2 0 17 H O N DA C I T Y

Above: Engine carried over from the older car. Right: Updated interiors look more premium

With this update, you can tell that Honda is focussing on being premium

The changes look good in the flesh — the unmistakable shape of the City hasn’t changed but the details certainly lend an air of sophistication.

There are changes on the inside as well, the highlight being the new Digipad touchscreen infotainment system. The system certainly has no lack of connectivity — 2 micro SD card slots, 2 USB ports, an HDMI input and 1.5GB of internal memory. All this, plus it can connect to the internet through a dongle (sold as an accessory) or Wi-Fi, and it can integrate with your Android smartphone through MirrorLink (sorry iPhone users, no Apple CarPlay).

Mechanically the car has remained unchanged. The same engines have

been carried over — the 1.5-litre petrol engine and 1.5-litre diesel engine.

The petrol comes with a five-speed manual as standard, but gets the option of a CVT while the diesel is only available with a six-speed manual. We drove the petrol CVT and the diesel manual, both in the ZX trim. The petrol engine is still lovely — it makes 117bhp and 145Nm and is superbly refined, though the CVT does tend to have the rubber band effect inherent in such ’boxes. You do get paddles though, so you do have a certain amount of control over how the ’box behaves. The diesel makes 99bhp and 200Nm, and is the same motor notorious for its clatter and noise.

Honda claimed to have reduced NVH

levels using better insulation and cabin noise levels have gone down.

The engine is still more audible than its rivals but ambient noise from traffic and the like has reduced a fair bit. Ride quality is just like the older City’s — it makes for a comfortable ride in the city. It soaks up most undulations without an issue, with only really harsh stuff unsettling it. The steering is vague and not particularly confidence inspiring and the soft suspension means it doesn’t have the same intent going around bends as its European rivals.

However, the cabin is a nicer place to be. The new touchscreen available on all variants except the base S and SX variants is a handy

www.

evoIndia.com

49

Above: The nose gets the most updates.

Right: DRL and LED headlamps on the topend variants.

Far right: Sensitive touchscreen is intuitive to use. Below: Updated tail lamp cluster gets LEDs too

All variants get ABS with EBD and dual airbags, while the ZX variant gets six airbags

unit to have on board. It has got a high-resolution display which is responsive to touch and isn’t frustrating to use. The interface is simple to navigate through and offers a lot of connectivity — you can even use it as a browser courtesy the Wi-Fi connectivity, though I don’t recommend you do so while driving.

The screen also doubles up as a reversing camera, though weirdly Honda hasn’t provided any sensors to go along with it. Small touches to the interiors make it a lot more premium — the top-of-the-line car now gets automatic headlamps, rain sensing wipers and automatic folding mirrors.

The buttons on the steering are well damped and don’t feel plastic-ky and cheap. Honda have upped the ante on the safety front as well — while all variants get ABS with EBD and dual airbags, the ZX variant now gets a total of six airbags.

The updates to the City are welcome and the prices of the base variants haven’t gone up too much — they are almost on par with the pre-facelift prices. However the addition of the new top-of-the-line ZX variant opens up even more of a gap to the Ciaz and (nearly similarly equipped) Verna. In fact, the price gap to the current best-seller in this segment, the Ciaz, is 3.5 lakh rupees for the petrol and 4 lakh for the diesel (the Ciaz SVHS also benefits from the hybrid subsidies).

What is indisputable is that all these updates have made the City considerably more premium than its rivals. And if Honda has to regain lost market share it needs to go back to where it once was – at the premium end of all the segments it operates in. This ‘new’ City is a step in the right direction. L Aatish Mishra (@mishra_aatish)

Specification Engine

Transmission

Power

Torque

0-100kmph

Weight

Price (Ex-showroom, Delhi)

In-line 4-cyl, 1497cc, petrol

CVT

118bhp @ 6600rpm

145Nm @ 3600rpm

NA

1107kg

`13.52 lakh

In-line 4-cyl, 1498cc, diesel

6-speed manual

98bhp @ 4600rpm

200Nm @ 1750rpm

NA

1175kg

`13.56 lakh

+ Fresh styling, feature laden - Pricing, diesel still noisy, nothing new except styling

50

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

evo rating ;;;32

Porsche Panamera 4S Diesel A V8 diesel should be the perfect partner for Porsche’s distancedevouring four-door.

Emphasis on ‘should’…

S

SINCE THE FIRST examples of Porsche’s first four-door coupe were delivered in 2009, it has been clear that a torque-rich, blown V8 diesel would suit the car well. Such an engine would give the Panamera the perfect blend of range and performance, further enhancing its ability to cover monster miles in one sitting. Now that engine is here.

For its new Panamera 4S Diesel, Porsche has plucked the same 4-litre V8 from the VW Group’s engine shelf as Audi uses for its SQ7 SUV. Although it foregoes the electric turbochargers of the Audi, it does feature ‘hot-vee’ turbos between the two banks of four cylinders. The resulting 416bhp peak power (2bhp more than a 996 Turbo) arrives at 3500rpm and hangs around through to 5000rpm, with the 850Nm slab of torque waiting for you from 1000rpm through to 3250rpm. There’s also a new eightspeed double-clutch gearbox driving all four wheels through Porsche’s electronically controlled multi-plateclutch four-wheel drive system. There won’t, however, be a rear-wheel drive variant with this engine for now.

While the 4S Diesel comes equipped with conventional steel

springs and active dampers as standard, until autumn 2017 you can only order it with the optional (and expensive) air-suspension as per our test car, which is also fitted with rearaxle steering and speed-sensitive power steering.

The original Panamera came in for a mixed response, primarily because it had looks only a mother could love and for some Porsche aficionados it wasn’t a 928 replacement. It was, however, a mighty fine way to travel four-up at speed and not be disappointed when the autobahn stopped and the straight bits between the apexes got shorter. An M5 was sharper and more focused, but the Panamera was more rounded.

This new model is more resolved visually. The rear in particular is more bloated 911 (in a good way) than featureless saloon, while inside it’s a design revolution. Out goes the Casio calculator-style button-fest, in comes an Apple-like touch-sensitive glass screen and enough tech and infotainment equipment to fill a PC World warehouse – Porsche has finally arrived in the 21st century when it comes to connectivity.

Further good news is that the Panamera still has a sports car feel

The only letdown is the element I expected so much from: the engine to the driving position: low-slung, cockpit wrapped around you, steering wheel pulled tight to your chest, legs out straight. And it still flows down the road with a mix of grace and agility that a five-metre-long, 2050kg saloon has no right to exhibit, the rear-axle steering instantly making its presence felt on your first committed drive. The Panamera 4S Diesel is as intuitive to position in a corner, as quick to react to your inputs and as direct in its responses as many of Porsche’s traditional sports cars.

The only letdown is the element I expected so much from: the engine.

It’s got plenty of power, a mountain of torque and the eight-speed PDK ’box is nicely matched, but unless you select Sport mode to sharpen

the throttle response and enliven the V8, it feels flat, unresponsive and no more potent than the old V6 diesel.

Perhaps our test car needed more kilometres on it (it had covered fewer than 3200), but where I expected a surging shove and instant response there was a pause, a consideration and only a mildly stronger push in the direction you were heading.

It feels as though the car’s potential is being handicapped by its three driving modes. A tweak to make the engine’s Sport setting the norm would solve this issue, but shouldn’t a Porsche feel sporty by default?

Until it does, we’ll stick with petrolpowered Panameras. L Stuart Gallagher (@stuartg917)

Specification Engine

Power

Torque

0-100kmph

Top speed

Weight

Estimated price

V8, 3956cc, twin-turbo

416bhp @ 3500-5000rpm

850Nm @ 1000-3250rpm

4.3sec (claimed)

285kmph (claimed)

2050kg (206bhp/ton)

`1.3 crore

+ Improved looks, sharp chassis, impressive tech - Performance doesn’t meet expectations evo rating

;;;42 www. evoIndia.com 51

Test location: Mumbai

Photography: Eicher Polaris

Eicher Polaris Multix Underneath this pick-up lies an ATV

52

www.

E

EICHER MOTORS AND Polaris India joined hands to develop an affordable mobility solution for the Indian market in 2012.

The idea was to create a car that could double up as a load carrying commercial vehicle when needed and the result is the vehicle you see in these pictures. The Multix took five years to develop, is completely built in India and is specifically made for farmers and people who run small businesses.

Built ground-up at the company’s manufacturing plant in Kukas, near Jaipur, it has a tubular frame that makes it simpler to construct at a low cost. The unique design looks compact from the outside but it can comfortably seat a family of five.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

And when needed, the rear seats can be removed easily, which results in a massive 1918-litre loading bay, for something that is just 3.2 metres in length and 1.6 metres wide. It can carry up to 450kg (that’s 20 bags of grain) with the rear seats removed.

The Multix is available in two models MX and AX+, the only difference being the latter does not come with doors or windows.

Even though it has a small footprint, it has enough space on the inside. The Multix comes with a host of accessories, the major highlight being the X-Port. This allows customers to use the Multix to generate electricity. With the help of a rotating shaft, the Multix can be connected to a generator, which can provide around 3kW of

electricity (using 0.75 litres of fuel per hour), enough to provide electricity for a small household.It can also be connected to water pumps, small capacity wind mills and other electric appliances. All these accessories are available at the company’s dealerships across the country. With so many power cuts in Pune city, you wouldn’t need to invest in an inverter or a generator if you owned a Multix.

Powered by a 650cc, singlecylinder diesel engine, the Multix makes around 12.8bhp at 3000rpm and 37Nm of torque between 1600rpm-2000rpm. It gets a simple 4-speed gearbox to keep costs in check. The gear ratios are really short and on an open stretch, you will be able to get up to around 55kmph in top gear. This is essentially

E I C H E R P O L A R I S M U LT I X because the owners will expect good efficiency out of it and so shorter ratios will encourage driving in a higher gear. Being a single-cylinder, refinement and NVH levels aren’t the Multix’s strongpoints. Vibrations can be felt in the cabin through the gear lever and the steering wheel, but having said that, it is very efficient and returns a claimed 27kmpl, which should keep operating costs low.

We got a chance to drive the MX model at an off-road course at the Polaris Experience Zone in Mumbai and I was quite impressed by the way the little vehicle handled.

Thanks to the high 225mm ground clearance (without any load) and the independent suspension (courtsey Polaris), the Multix tackled various obstacles with ease. It clambered over logs, through ditches and over mounds with ease. It offered a surprisingly smooth ride, especially when loaded and did not scrape its underbelly even once. I could not get a chance to drive the Multix on tarmac, but I am sure it can be used to ferry people around in smaller cities and rural areas with more comfort than the current crop of three-wheeled vehicles or tractors that many use as personal transport.

1

2

Priced at `3.19 lakh and `3.49 lakh for the AX+ and MX models respectively, the Multix is an interesting vehicle. It offers loads of space for passengers as well as for storage and loading. With its X-Port feature and independent suspension it has high utility for small business owners and farmers. The Multix is a first-of-its kind vehicle with a target to simplify businesses with its unique set of USPs and EicherPolaris is working to set up around 170 dealerships across the country to get this personal utility vehicle a wide audience. L Ryan Lee (@ryanlee814)

3

Even though it has a small footprint, it has enough of space on the inside

1: The rear seats and the hard-top can be removed for a bigger boot. 2: The X-Port, a unique feature capable of generating electricity. 3: The hood holds the spare wheel, engine is at the back, like the Nano. 4. The interiors are plain yet functional

4

Specification Engine

Transmission

Power

Torque

0-100kmph

Top speed

Weight

Price

Single-cyl, 650cc, diesel

4-speed manual

12.8bhp @ 3000rpm

37Nm @ 1600-2000rpm

NA

55kmph (claimed)

755kg

`3.49 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi)

+ Ride quality, space and practicality - Refinment and quality

evo rating ;;;;2 www.

evoIndia.com

53

Bossman

BY ADIL JAL DARUKHANAWAL A

French Lion buys an Indian icon & Tata has a Tigor in its tank!

T

HE TITLE OPENER ABOVE SHOULDN’T JUST be sensationalist but truly something to fathom, especially where the first half of it is concerned! I must say again that I have been stumped by Peugeot’s move – for the better I must add, just as I was befuddled by its earlier lack of spunk to stand and deliver a couple of years ago when it backed out of its commitment to enter India with a greenfield unit. Add to that the fact that the French major could be buying up Adam Opel in Germany from General Motors means either there is something dramatically wrong with recent form at Automobiles Peugeot or that the French major has finally decided that it needs to shed its inhibitions and start operating out of its comfort markets which cannot deliver any additional volumes.

Quite clearly though it has been a coup of sorts for the C K Birla Group which has been the custodian of the Ambassador brand because it enables them an honourable exit from automobile manufacturing and yet stay involved! I don't want to delve on this aspect but ponder on what the Ambassador meant and what could be the new age Ambassador Peugeot intends to build and sell in India. First off, the Ambassador stood for all and everything that was bad about socialist India and also the way many carmakers or big industry names operated in the licence raj. This needn’t have been so because the product had its virtues but the way HM went about indigenising it with consistent quality deficiencies meant that mediocrity was manifest in its delivery.

It thrived for over three decades and laboured for a further three decades, as there was no option (until the advent of Maruti Suzuki put paid to it somewhat) thanks to it being perceived as the car for power in the form of politicos and babus!

I have a 1960 Ambassador that has done 1,53,000km and is still running. Of course it has been meticulously maintained and needs constant TLC and fettling only by mechanics that understood not just what made it tick but also how it ticked its way through all these years. The engines from that early start (Ambassadors came with a side valve engine in 1958 followed in late 1959 with the ohv unit) to the ones a decade later should have improved but the case was the exact opposite and from there on it never kept pace with anything. However, it had its virtues in the form of being the car to be chauffeured in (at a sedate pace mind you), had terrific boot space, ingress and egress was fantastic, it was simple to repair and had the visual solidity to impress.

No wonder then that when Ratan Tata tasked his designers and

engineers to give India its first indigenous car – the Indica, he had the space and comfort of the Ambassador very much in focus.

And this is where Peugeot must be hedging its bets on but also wanting to draw in the longevity of the brand to its advantage.

The objective could be about getting an older Peugeot platform re-engineered into an architecture that would make for a spacious car like the Ambassador with a strong persona and yet be most unAmbassador like with performance, ride and handling, safety and reliability built in. I for one would be most eager to see how the French lion goes about reincarnating a fabled albeit flawed Indian automobile icon.

As an aside, I must say that the Indian automotive market is now so much in the reckoning that OEMs are using alternate strategies to make their mark by buying brand names just so that they could tap in the perceived legacy strengths of brands like Jawa, BSA and now Ambassador. What are the chances of someone like Fiat snapping up a Padmini?

Crazier things have been known to happen!

And to round off this month’s column, last year in March my team and I set a new benchmark in the Indian automotive world by subjecting four cars from the Tata Motors portfolio (Zest, Bolt and Tiago petrol and diesel) in a 50,000km non-stop endurance run at the VRDE in Ahmednagar. Just under a year from then the firm has seen its Tiago hatchback record sales of 50,000 units and now it seems to have the veritable Tigor in its tank (read portfolio). The hatchback version of the Tiago is due for launch soon and this should only help give Tata Motors added teeth and clout in two of the most important segments in the Indian market. Oh what a difference a year can make and for sure it is heartening to see an Indian Tigor roar just at a time when a French lion wants to hunt here. L

Ambassador stood for all that was bad about socialist India

Man behind over a dozen automobile magazines, websites and books, Adil is Editor-at-large, evo India and Editor, Fast Bikes India

54

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

@adiljal

Ramblings

BY BIJOY KUMAR Y

Bijoy gives us an insight into the machines we motor-noters choose to put our own money on

S

O YOU HAVE BEEN READING AUTOMOTIVE magazines and are familiar with scribes who toil hard to drive and ride all kinds of cars and motorcycles in boring places like the Nurburging and South of France so that they bring you nice enough stories. Since I have been part of this ‘working class’ breed not so long ago, I thought it would be nice to get in touch with some friends and find out what they drive and ride. In short, identify the machines that they put their hard earned money on.

Adil Jal Darukhanawala, is the most senior name of them all.

I have been reading him since the days when he had a high roof Maruti Omni and a Kawasaki KB100. Till very recently he owned a Toyota Innova and a BMW 5 series diesel. He sold both these machines and bought himself a new Innova. Of course he has many cars and bikes in his garage and the one that gets me drooling is the Triumph Thruxton!

Hormazd Sorabjee had a blood red VW Scirocco during his Indian Auto and Auto India days. Today the Autocar India editor trusts his Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the BMW 325i (E30) which he inherited from Jangoo Nicholsen who used to pepper it in racing tracks.

Srinivas Krishnan whom I worked with for over a decade has put his hard earned money on the Maruti Suzuki S-Cross for its attributes. But his idea of classic car ownership is to ensure that ‘Miriam’ his bright yellow VW Bug gets moved from one garage to another year after year.

Bertrand D'Souza, editor of Overdrive says that the only time he spent his money on a car was when he bought a Mahindra Bolero for his dad. Ahem, he says it has been a great buy. But he is saving up for a fully loaded Isuzu D-Max. Bob Rupani, Overdrive columnist, has had his share of Gypsys – he owned many of them before he put his money on a 1980’s Honda Accord with pop-up lamps. He drives it every Sunday morning and dreams of Dodge Challengers. If he has to invest his own money on a car today, it would be on a Volkswagen Polo GTI. Which brings us to the editor of this publication. Sirish sheepishly admits that the only time he invested his own money on cars was when he wanted to go rallying. So a Mitsubishi Cedia was followed up by a VW Polo, which then saw action in rally stages across the country.

Shubhabrata Marmar (Shumi) of Overdrive started his journalism career with me at BS Motoring. He was so desperate to get his hands on a ‘big’ motorcycle that he immediately bought himself a Honda CB750 with all the money he could lay his hands on. I am glad to report that nothing has changed with Shumi… he recently became the proud owner of a Ducati Multistrada.

Ruman Devmane of Motoring World considers 4,000km motorcycle rides ‘normal’. But he stunned me with his passion for an old timer – he acquired a Premier Padmini/Fiat 1100 recently and is bent on restoring it. Rahul Ghosh of Auto Today loves his ‘original’ Maruti 800 and painstakingly restored scooters. Vikrant Singh of Car Wale is busy spending his money restoring a Suzuki GSX-R1100.

Sure there are journalists who rely on ‘long termers’ only for transport. Many of them young journalists out there may not be able to afford what they dream of yet. But what the heck, they are living their dream in any case! L

What the heck, they are living their dream in any case!

@bky911

Bijoy Kumar is the founding editor of BS Motoring magazine and now heads Mahindra Adventure

www.

evoIndia.com

55

Freewheeling

BY SIDDHARTH VINAYAK PATANKAR

Maruti Suzuki are back at the forefront of innovation in India

C

CALLING IT A BLOCKBUSTER ISN’T ENOUGH. With the first anniversary of its launch this month, the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza has already notched up over 2 lakh bookings. Whew! It has been immensely popular, has garnered enough awards to fill its reasonably ample boot, and has brought a freshness and fervour to the Maruti Suzuki brand. But these are all things you possibly already knew. Now let me tell you what you may not know. The Vitara Brezza has been the first product completely designed and developed in India and not in Japan – like all other Maruti Suzuki models before it. And this is primarily thanks to the spanking new facility the company has opened in Rohtak, Haryana. Set up on a sprawling 600-acre campus, Maruti’s new R&D centre has modern, state-of-the-art vehicle testing and evaluation laboratories, an international standard vehicle proving ground (that includes 31 test tracks that add up to over 30 kilometres of varying surfaces), and one of the country’s first proper crash test facilities.

The new facility allows Maruti Suzuki to catapult into the league of manufacturers with substantial scale not only on the production and sales side, but also development. The `3800 crore investment is promising on two fronts. The first is the scope it provides Maruti Suzuki to build and develop models independently – and not just for India but world markets too. And the second is the new benchmarks in safety, emissions, build quality and innovating it ushers in for the Indo-Japanese giant. It is the latter that interests me immensely. For years I have lamented and even been vocally critical of Maruti for not truly taking on the onus of being market leader. It should have been Maruti Suzuki leading the way for others to follow, but very often the innovating (example: the sub 4-metre sedan – Tata Indigo CS) and safety benchmarking (example: rear seatbelts on the Hyundai Santro) was done by others and saw Maruti being the follower rather than the leader.

But a new era dawned a few years ago when Maruti took a huge leap and developed its AGS or Auto Gear Shift (AMT). That was a signal to me that things would now be different. And there were two reasons that happened. Increasing competition and the threat of market share being eroded was naturally the first. But India becoming Suzuki’s biggest market globally (surpassing Japan too) made the Japanese HQ in Hamamatsu see India in a different light. It wasn’t just going to be about cheaper manufacturing, large volumes (and margins) anymore. It had to add a lot more value to

this business to sustain its market share and long-term growth interests here. After all, owning almost half the share in a large market like India is a very rare thing in the global automotive context. And so Suzuki has gone to work. It had already announced Maruti’s investment in a new plant in Gujarat (which opens its doors this month), and then came the R&D facility in Rohtak. And that was followed up with the Nexa experiment. I have to admit I was a sceptic of that last idea, but its brought one great thing to Maruti’s product offer – cars with safety standards on par with global ones. And its not just about airbags and ABS, its also about build, structural integrity and crash worthiness.

Sure when I worked with Global NCAP on the first, second and third round of crash tests of 'made in India' cars in Germany, Maruti was not exactly the most receptive or responsive. But it has now addressed this – and we are seeing a whole new range of cars that are crash worthy, well-equipped and also efficient – ahead of the deadlines that the Indian government has set for new models. The government has said that all-new models must adhere to the requirement of full-frontal impact, offset frontal, lateral/side impact protection by Oct 1, 2017. For existing models the deadline is Oct 1, 2019. (Pedestrian protection deadlines are Oct 1, 2018/19 respectively.)

The fact that Maruti’s recent launches, Vitara Brezza, Baleno and Ignis adhere to these requirements (and carry airbags/ABS) is commendable. Maruti Suzuki models like the S-Cross, Ciaz, and Ertiga have also been tested and certified by official homologation agencies for advanced safety regulations.

And I am confident the new Swift and Swift Dzire coming to us this year will also comply. And that’s the part that’s got me so happy! I have been almost obsessed with the idea that India deserves safer, better-built cars with a lot of basic safety equipment as standard.

The fact that Maruti has got with the programme on this front is big news, because when the clear leader does something, others follow.

So kudos to Maruti Suzuki for stepping up to the plate. Hats off to C V Raman who heads Maruti R&D, for shaping and building a team that can work outside the shadow of Suzuki Japan – in producing not just India specific products, but world class cars. And I hope we see this cause a domino effect within the industry – meaning safer cars becoming the standard sooner than expected – for the very deserving Indian consumer. Now if Maruti will also just promise to never ever again feature kids in the front seat of a car in its TV commercials and other advertising, I will be doubly happy! L

A new era dawned when Maruti took a huge leap and developed AGS

Siddharth Vinayak Patankar is the Editor-Auto & Head of Automobile Programming, NDTV Group

56

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

@sidpatankar

Outside Line RICHARD MEADEN

Some of the most deranged automotive one-offs are the result of engine swaps. Meaden identifies his favourites

O

F ALL THE LEFTFIELD AREAS OF automotive mischief, the engine swap must surely be right up there with the most amusing and enduring.

If you explore the annals of motoring history you’ll discover the notion of dropping an unlikely motor into an equally unlikely recipient is almost as old as the car itself.

Look back to the Edwardian era and there’s all kinds of crazy, from somewhat sophisticated Siamese engines to the rather less subtle but undoubtedly effective practice of building a car around a massive aircraft engine. Not only were these behemoths roadlegal, but they were often raced by their slightly nutty owners.

In more modern times the engine swap has become a favourite of the tuning industry. The so-called ‘crate’ engines offered by GM and Ford’s performance divisions are ideal for the job.

You won’t believe what you can buy from them for less than silly money. Or where the engines will turn up. There was this TVR Sagaris that was taken by its owner to Topcats Racing, who junked the Speed Six engine in favour of a 575bhp LS7 small-block V8. It was a truly ballistic car and – perhaps surprisingly – genuinely accomplished on road and track.

I also recall a couple of decades ago driving a first-generation BMW Compact built by Racing Dynamics. Called the K55, it had a 5.5-litre, 427bhp V12 from an 850Ci stuffed under the bonnet. The weight distribution was that of a lump hammer, but it actually drove surprisingly well (on the public road!) and remains hard to beat for pure lunatic creativity.

Manufacturers aren’t averse to getting in on the engine-swap act, either. A large part of why Aston Martin’s V12 Vantage even exists is because it was thought impossible to fit the company’s biggest engine into its smallest model. That is until the RS Concept show car came along, sporting a derestricted 600bhp engine from the DBRS9 GT3 race car. It spat fire and outran Aston Martin Racing’s Le Mans-winning DBR9 GT1 car down Paul Ricard’s Mistral Straight. Though milder mannered, the eventual production version preserved much of that car’s maverick spirit.

Sometimes things get too crazy for a manufacturer to make road-legal. When BMW shoehorned a McLaren F1 V12 into the nose of an X5 it created a sublime monster even the most ardent

SUV hater could get behind. Especially when Hans Stuck slung it round the Nürburgring Nordschleife to great effect.

Even evo has had a go at the engine swap, when erstwhile editor John Barker and I embarked on our now legendary ‘Edto-Ed’ project-cars saga. JB indulged a long-held desire to create the ultimate Ford Capri, complete with a 5-litre Rover V8, while I decided to explore the opposite end of the engine-swap scale by building a Caterham Seven with a Honda Fireblade motor.

Both cars were tilting at a target power-to-weight ratio of 300bhp per ton and were intended for road and trackday fun. They became personal obsessions for John and me. Follies too, truth be told: I pursued lightness with such manic zeal my car became so pared to the bone (369kg, including fluids) I hardly drove it, while the Capri devoured John’s cash and much of his will to live. We can laugh about it now – we can laugh about it, can’t we John? – and the Ed-to-Ed series remains one of the most popular in evo’s history. Largely, I’m sure, because of our unconventional choice of engines.

Currently the most fertile ground for the engine-swap phenomenon is the US Formula Drift championship. You might not ‘get’ this smoky branch of motorsport, where drivers battle in tandem to impress the judging panel, who award points based on aggression, precision, speed and drift angle, but the cars are totally insane.

From Nissans with NASCAR motors and Mazda MX-5s with wild, whooping rotaries to – get this – a Toyota GT86 with a Ferrari 458 engine under the bonnet, they embrace the spirit of anything-goes engineering to incredible effect. Search YouTube. You won’t be disappointed.

So, the question is what car and engine combination would you most like to see? Based on my unshakeable belief that everything is better with a Cosworth DFV, I’d like to see a Series 1 Lotus Elise with one of Keith Duckworth’s masterpieces nestling behind the seats. Just as in period, the bulk of today’s historic F1 grids are powered by the DFV, which has now been limited to 10,000rpm for reliability, and to try to keep a lid on engine development.

Tuned thus they are far more tractable, developing decent torque and close to 500bhp, together with a uniquely evocative sound that’s about as close to perfection as my ears have ever heard. If my lottery numbers come good I hereby swear to make it happen. L

‘When BMW put a McLaren F1 V12 into an X5, it created a sublime monster’

Richard is a contributing editor to evo and one of the magazine’s founding team

@DickieMeaden

www.

evoIndia.com

57

I N BOX

evo.editorial@gtopublishing.com

@evoIndia

evo India, Project GTO Publishing, No 5, Siddharth Terrace, Nagar Road, Pune - 411006, India

Short and sweet Short, sweet, crisp and with stunning photography. The convertibles special has to be your best work and let me congratulate you. This is how stories need to be done in this day and age. Take great pictures to grab my eyeballs and keep your stories tight and well written so we can enjoy it in bite sized pieces. Keep up the good work.

Rishi Dogra

innovation indeed. Armed with cool and funky looks, it can give any other new car model a run for its money. With the new Baleno and Vitara Brezza added to the stable, the sales numbers just seem to be climbing up in the last couple of months.

They have also managed to increase their share of the pie in the total market-share.

Their strong service network across India is one of their USPs. Srinath HR

M power for evo?

Catch ’em young

What a coup!

GOODNESS ME WHAT A COVER YOU GUYS PULLED off. I have been noticing that over the past few months you have been doing some really good Indian stories, but most of that has been with regular vehicles like the Safari and even the Datsun. But the topless special was extraordinary. The stars must have really aligned for you to bring all these cars together.

A Merc and a BMW I can understand, but a Rolls and a Ferrari.

Wow! And wasn’t that the first time the Dawn was being driven in India? Wasn’t it an exclusive to you? Every once in a while you guys pull these rabbits out of your hat and that’s why you will have a loyal reader in me for the foreseeable future.

David Crasto

The Letter of the Month wins a pair of Maui Jim sunglasses

Meet Vikrant, my son. The most regular reader of evo India. With his morning "doodh" and his mum yelling in the background.

Jasmeet Singh

Maruti’s Ignis shocker Maruti Suzuki never ceases to surprise everytime there is a new model released.

Even when they have an inkling of a clue that their numero uno position is under threat from other car makers, they come up with something which will upset the calculations of other car makers. Maruti Suzuki Ignis (Driven, evo India #41) seems to be a definite game-changer. It might be targeted at the millennials, but trust me, the car has enough oomph and charm that even hardcore auto lovers would love to have this in their garage.

For a company which had humble beginnings with the much-loved Maruti 800, it has come a long way in terms of

Next car to the Valley?

The valley run drag races are round the corner. Hope to see you return with something even more powerful than that AMG you brought last year.

Madan Krishnan

Blast from the past I remember seeing this 356 Speedster in your posts from the Morocco leg of the Mercedes GLA drive last year. I had also written to ask when you will be carrying the story. But I guess it was worth saving up for the convertible special. That’s an extraordinary mix of cars you got together.

Sunil Mahajan

Subscription queries?

Write to us directly at evo.subscriptions@gtopublishing.com

58 www. evoIndia.com | March 2017 58 www.evo.co.uk

Reach out

to us!

Disclaimer: Views expressed in the letters are not evo India’s

LET TER OF THE MONTH

You do so many gorgeous stories with the AMG cars. Why not start a similar series with BMW M cars? I remember a story you did on a runway taking all the M cars, why don’t you make M reviews a regular series?

Kunal Kapoor

MVO E RC LVOE DSES9 0- BDE4N ZI NES C3 R5 0I PTD I O N

60

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

WO R D S b y S I R I S H C H A N D R A N P H O T O G R A P H Y b y G AU R AV S T H O M B R E

BLURRED LINES It’s the 10th generation of Mercedes’ most important model in India

www.

evoIndia.com

61

WHERE DOES THE E-CLASS END AND THE S-Class begin? That’s the task at hand as we slip into the back seat of Mercedes-Benz’s most important model in India. Starting with the fifth generation W124, 34,000 E-Classes have been made and sold in India, representing a neat 34 per cent of all Mercedes sales in the country – and most of those cars have been enjoyed more from the rear seat. Keeping that in mind Mercedes have equipped all the new V213 test cars with a neatly attired chauffeur and insist we start our test drive by reclining the back seat and experiencing the most important attribute of this new E-Class. Space. Acres of space.

The wheelbase has gone up by 205mm over the current E-Class to now measure over three metres while overall length is over 5 metres. Viewed in profile the sheer length of the new E-Class is apparent and what it does is provide a whopping 320mm of rear seat space. To give you a benchmark the current E-Class has 203mm.

With all the space the rear seats also recline to give you a very comfortable perch and it gets those super-soft head pillows from the S-Class. What it does not have are doors that suck themselves shut, seat massagers, adjustable leg rests (all three acceptable) and even seat coolers (a big miss).

Hugely comfortable Stretched out This could be a game changer; if nothing it’s a gutsy move by the leader in the luxury space and one that will have sent its competitors into many a boardroom huddle. In India the new E-Class will only be available in the extended wheelbase variant. In fact this is the first, and till now, the only right-hand drive market in the world where the E-Class is made in the long wheelbase configuration.

Of course we aren’t new to long wheel base variants – the S-Class and its rivals are only sold with a stretched-out wheelbase and we even have a long wheelbase 3 Series, cleverly disguised as the 3 GT. And in China, a market that is very similar to India in that expensive cars are primarily chauffeur driven, the C-, E- and S-Class (and all their rivals) have been sold in the long wheelbase format for quite some time now.

In fact, 20 per cent of this new E-Class comes from China, particularly the doors, floor pan and door trims. Roland Folger, the boss of Mercedes in India told me that the biggest challenge was the China-Germany-India integration, and also the crash tests (in Germany) because this is the first time the stretching business has been applied to a righthand drive car.

We head out on the narrow by-lanes of South Goa and after the space, the next thing to hit you is the comfort of the new E-Class. Running air suspension as standard, the ride in the Comfort setting is fantastic, providing brilliant isolation from road imperfections and getting even better as speeds build to even mask an unmarked speedbreaker the chauffeur fails to slow down for. And what's even more impressive is that the new E-Class runs on run-flat tyres, Goodyear Eagle F1s in this case. (The downside is that there's no spare wheel and so the space saver spare is strapped in the boot, eating into a third of the space). There’s also excellent sound insulation and you can barely hear the rumble of the diesel V6 motor or any other tyre or road noise.

Behind the wheel We ask the chauffeur to head back to the hotel and I take the ’wheel to find out that the E-Class does not feel like a stretched-out car. Of course you are made aware of being in charge of a rather large vehicle but it does not feel cumbersome and when we get lost it becomes apparent that the turning circle is actually better than our Innova tracking car. Also the long wheelbase does not pose any problems over Goan speedbreakers though I suspect the suspension-

WE START BY RECLINING THE BACK SEAT AND EXPERIENCING THE MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTE – SPACE 58

www.

evoIndia.com | December 2016

M E RC E D ES - B E N Z E 3 5 0 D

Left: E-Class’ cabin takes a dramatic leap forward in terms of quality, design and craftsmanship, reminding one of the S-Class in no small way

www.

evoIndia.com

63

L A M B O R G H I N I H U R ACA N S PY D E R L P 6 1 0 - 4

DRIVING ENTHUSIASTS WILL HAVE TO TRAWL THROUGH THE MENUS TO DEACTIVATE THE ESP

M E RC E D ES - B E N Z E 3 5 0 D

MERCEDES-BENZ E 350 D Engine 2987cc, V6, turbo-diesel Transmission 9-speed auto Power 255bhp @ 3400rpm Torque 620Nm @ 1600-2400rpm Weight 1920kg 0-100kmph 6.6 seconds Top speed 250kmph (limited) Price (ex-showroom, Delhi) `70 lakh (estimated)

lift function will have to be employed over some of Mumbai’s streets.

The new E-Class is best experienced in Comfort mode where the ride is supple and the driving experience unhurried. This is a hugely relaxing car to drive, the V6 motor pushing her along in a mighty wave of torque, the suspension soaking up imperfections, the steering allowing her to be placed precisely over narrow roads and isolation near-SClass-like. Stick it in Sport mode (there’s even Sport+) and the ride gets noticeably stiffer though still quite comfortable, the gearbox gets quicker, the steering gets weightier and there’s more enthusiasm to piloting the E-Class. I even got a screech from the rear tyres when I gave it a bit too much gas round a tight bend. But that’s not how the new E expects to be driven. It will cover ground very quickly but it does so in a relaxed and unhurried manner, so much so that you’re surprised by how quickly you’ve reached your destination.

And how fresh you are!

Driving enthusiasts will have to trawl through the menus to find the ESP deactivation function and even then the ESP will cut in when it detects oversteer; it can’t be fully turned off. You have to be really aggressive with both the throttle and also the speeds you are carrying through the corner to get the tail to slide. But when the tail does slide it doesn’t feel overwhelming and it’s actually quite easy to catch, a testament to the torsional stiffness of the body shell as well as the suspension setup. But the new E-Class, even in Sport+ mode is softly (or more appropriately luxuriously) sprung and you do feel the body roll. There’s also a fair bit of understeer when pushed and you have to be aggressive with the throttle to get the rear to slide a bit and tighten a line (you also need lot of room to do all this!). Bottom line is that while the new E-Class is even more focused towards luxury and comfort it can entertain when the fancy strikes you.

Boat loads of torque Two engines are available at launch, the four-cylinder E 200 petrol and the 3-litre V6 diesel (the only engine we experienced on the drive) that perfectly (purr-fectly?) suits

www.

evoIndia.com

65

M E RC E D ES - B E N Z E 3 5 0 D

the character of the new E. With every new car, manufacturers are finding more power and torque from existing engines and the headline number of this motor is the 620Nm of twist force that gives the E a solid turn of pace without ever feeling stressed or hurried. You tickle the accelerator, surf the wave of torque and big numbers pop up on the speedo without you even realising. It makes 255bhp of power and thanks to nine speeds in the automatic gearbox the acceleration time for the 0-100kmph sprint has gone down to 6.6 seconds (top speed, as before, is limited to 250kmph). On the subject of the gearbox, this new 9G Tronic gearbox never felt like it was shuffling unnecessarily between cogs and in Sport mode downshifts are quick enough to not draw any complaints (though still not as quick as a twin-clutch unit).

The family look We stop off at Cabo de Rama to take some pictures and it gives me an opportunity to scratch my head trying to make out the differences between the E-, S- and C-Class. This is Merc’s new family look, one that looks more dynamic and modern, but I also think the new E-Class looks way too similar to the other cars in the range.

And there’s a lot of the S-Class inside the new E! The 12.3inch TFT screen is taken straight from the S-Class, so too the overall design theme and even a lot of the switchgear. It makes the E-Class cabin feel really high quality, very plush and expensive. And you can knock yourself silly choosing between the 64 different ambient lighting colours. There’s also a killer 13-speaker Burmester stereo and a more sophisticated menu interface complete with Apple CarPlay and Andriod Auto. If I have to complain it is that the 12.3inch screen isn’t a touchscreen. If Maruti and Hyundai can do it across their model lines why can’t Mercedes?

118

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

THE NEW E-CLASS IS A SIGNIFICANT STEP UP ON ALL THE KEY PARAMETERS

Left: High quality Zegna silk and Italian leather interior make the cabin a very luxurious place.

Below: New 8.4 inch touchscreen compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; 20 and 21 inch rims available

Facing page top: TFT screen is lifted from the S-Class. Below: V6 diesel makes a stomping 620Nm of torque to deliver effortless performance

Expect it to be more expensive The current E-Class costs `63.5 lakh, expect the new E-Class to be at least ten lakh rupees cheaper and be priced in the region of `70-75 lakh. The obvious question is doesn’t this leave a big hole between the C- and the E-Class? Well not really, with prices of the C-Class having gone up there was a very small gap between the two and tweaking the pricing strategy does space out the cars. And will the new E- eat into the S-Class’ space? Again unlikely as the S-Class still has the luxury, features and more importantly the brand cachet to maintain its customer base.

There’s no question that the new E-Class is a significant step up on all the key parameters – luxury, style, cabin furnishings – even setting the benchmark on all these fronts. But what will be interesting to see is whether E-Class customers will stomach the ten lakh rupee (15 by the time you add taxes) price hike (prices will be announced on the last day of February). It’s a bold gamble and the entire industry will be keenly watching how this unfolds. L www.

evoIndia.com

67

S T I L L C R A Z Y ?

AMG wants its latest cars to be more civil. We, on the other hand, don’t.

So does the new 603bhp E 63 S look to the future or the past – or both?

by DA N P RO S S E R

M E R C E D ES -A M G E 6 3 S 4 M AT I C +

WE’RE REACHING A TIPPING POINT. IT wasn’t all that long ago that hot hatches were fairly modestly powered things, but these days the quickest of the breed are closing in on 400bhp. Supersaloons are now beyond 600bhp, too, thanks to the new MercedesAMG E 63 S. The darling old brake horsepower is going to have to be retired soon, the poor little poppet. As a unit for describing a car’s performance, it’s just falling hopelessly out of touch.

But there could be a solution. Perhaps we can adapt the earthquake-measuring Richter scale, reimagine it for our own purposes. As the fastest, baddest cars on the planet, the million-quid, carbonfibre-everything hypercars would slot in right at the top with a 9.0, which, according to the wording of the Richter scale, is enough to cause ‘permanent damage to ground topography’. Seems about right. A really quick sports coupe, meanwhile, would come in at 6.0 (‘damage to a high number of poorly built structures’) and one of

those baby-faced little electric cars would be rated at 2.0 (‘felt slightly by some people’).

I reckon that would place the new E 63 S at around 7.0: ‘causing damage to many buildings, even some welldesigned ones’. But, strangely, it wasn’t the ludicrous power output that made me spit tea at my keyboard when the car was unveiled ahead of the LA motor show in November last year, but the inclusion of a drift mode.

It caused outrage amongst well-adjusted individuals, as well as some stupid ones, because a drift mode – the very hallmark of a pea-brained performance car – seemed so incongruous on such an expensive and prestigious sports saloon.

The E 63’s 4-litre twin-turbo V8 is familiar from the AMG GT and the smaller C 63, but this version, the most potent one yet, gets uprated internals and twin-scroll turbos. The range-topping S model is good for 603bhp and 850Nm from 2500rpm, while the entry-level version plods along with a mere 563bhp and 750Nm.

www.

evoIndia.com

69

M E RC E D ES -A M G E 6 3 S 4 M AT I C +

For the first time on an E 63 there’s no rear-wheel drive option, which to sideways merchants everywhere must seem like a monumental disaster, but to the rest of us comes as quite good news given that seismic power output. The 4Matic+ system sends drive to the rear axle only until it senses the rear tyres losing traction, at which point up to 50 per cent can be diverted forwards. The base model gets a mechanical locking differential in the rear axle while the S uses an electronically controlled item. The gearbox is a newly developed nine-speed automatic.

The chassis uses clever air suspension, with double wishbones on the front axle and a multi-link setup at the rear, just like a regular E-Class. However, the AMG gets a reinforced bodyshell, a new rear axle, wider tracks, a hollow rear anti-roll bar, bespoke wheel carriers and more aggressive suspension geometry. Indeed, the chassis makeover leaves no kerbstone unturned in the pursuit of sharper, more responsive dynamics.

Eighteen hundred and eighty kilograms plus enough torque to rotate Anglesey requires some stopping power, so the front brakes use 390mm discs with six-piston calipers.

Carbon-ceramic brakes are an option on the S and come with huge 402mm rotors at the front.

That all looks very promising, but there is one little bug hiding away in the spec sheet. The steering is an electrically assisted system with a variable, speed-dependent ratio.

Mercedes claims it delivers ‘optimum steering feel’. If that turns out to be true it’ll be a world first, because most variable steering systems are remote and unintuitive.

Clearly, modern AMGs are quite different to the fire and brimstone, all torque and no traction brutes that defined the brand for so long. Four-wheel drive and downsized, turbocharged engines are a far cry from the likes of the 6.2-litre C 63 AMG or the untameable SLS AMG Black Series – cars that dripped with character and had no need for such artifice as a drift mode. They would have kicked such a thing to the ground then done a burnout on it.

AMG CEO Tobias Moers has been on a crusade to refine the brand’s image and bring some civility and dynamic precision to its cars – to inject its road-going models with some of the polish of Mercedes-AMG’s ultra-civilised and ultra-precise Formula 1 team. That’s all well and good, but let’s just hope he’s remembered the importance of character and a little bit of old-fashioned silliness in amongst it all.

Top right: Drift mode in all its sideways, smoky glory. Right: 4-litre V8 gets twin-scroll turbos for the first time as well as new pistons; it also features cylinder deactivation. Below right: Deep bolstered sports seats are paragons of support

70

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

It picks apart a twisting road with a grace and agility I’ve never before experienced in a car this vast This new E 63 doesn’t have the wings and diveplanes and distended arches of the most extreme AMGs, but it isn’t that sort of car. Beneath an autumnal Portuguese sun, it looks the part, the sinister Grey Magno paint with dark wheels being a particularly gorgeous combination. The cabin, too, is superb, with premium materials and a low-slung driving position.

Although the car is refined in town and on the motorway, and the ride quality is mostly very good, there’s just enough about the tension over bigger bumps, the subdued rumble from the exhaust note, the stiff-feeling structure and the weight in the steering to let you know there’s something more to this E-Class.

It’s familiar but different, like shaking hands with an athlete.

And when you switch the car into Sport Plus, that athlete turns out to be a mixed martial arts champion who’s suddenly got you in a headlock with one arm while smashing you in the mush with the other, your face both reddening and whitening as the punches rain in but the oxygen drains away. It’s quite a transformation. It’s true that all AMG E-Classes have had a split personality of sorts, but there’s more bandwidth now between the buttoned-down Monday morning and shirtless Saturday night aspects of its persona.

It’s just so damn fast. With close to two tons to haul, it doesn’t quite fling itself down the road with the ferocity of a 911 Turbo or modern McLaren, but with huge performance, so much grip on turn-in and mid-corner, unimpeachable traction and such good body control, it picks apart a twisting road with a grace and agility I’ve never before experienced in a car this vast.

There’s good pliancy over bumps in all but the stiffest damper mode, and even in the most comfortable setting the chassis keeps the huge body weight under tight control, so it rarely feels as though the car is getting wayward or scrappy.

The way it responds to steering inputs is very impressive, too, helped by the fact that the E 63 is technically a rear-wheeldrive car on the way into bends. Four-wheel drive cars can feel understeery because their front tyres are dealing with steering inputs at the same time as trying to transfer torque to the road, but the E 63’s 4Matic+ system only sends drive to the front axle on the way out of a corner. If you stand on the power very early you can just about feel the rear axle starting to swing around, but as quickly as it begins, that oversteer is stamped out by the four-wheel-drive system shuffling torque forwards.

Hit a compression heavily or rattle the E 63 over a rough road surface at speed and you quickly appreciate the quality of the damping. The steering is very good, too, and although

Above: Ceramic brakes are an expensive option, but perhaps a worthwhile one given the car’s 1880kg kerb weight.

Above, far right: Dash is dominated by a broad digital display featuring instrumentation and the infotainment system

‘optimum steering feel’ is somewhat misleading, the rack is very direct with a predictable and intuitive rate of response.

Any number of pseudo-biblical phrases could be used to describe the E 63’s engine, but ‘thundering powerhouse’ would seem to do it best. It combines massive torque output throughout the rev range with the response and linear delivery of a normally aspirated engine. Even the massive, rumbling soundtrack is right on point despite the muting effects of two turbochargers. The gearbox is quick and responsive, too, only losing out to a dual-clutch transmission when upshifts are called for right at the limiter.

Inevitably the car starts to feel a little out of its depth when we’re released ducks-and-drakes style onto Portimão circuit, but with the pace set by the brilliantly disobedient Bernd Schneider – who may well have been instructed to keep us hacks under a watchful eye but after two or three corners has clearly stopped giving a damn – we do have an opportunity to try out the controversial drift mode.

And let me tell you now: we were wrong. The E 63’s drift

mode is a wonderful thing. All it does, and I really mean all it does, is make the car rear-wheel drive. Whereas the system in the Focus RS overloads the outside rear tyre to pitch the car into a slide before firing torque forwards to gather itself up again – easy, prescriptive and not particularly rewarding – the E 63’s drift mode simply locks the centre-clutch open, dumping every ounce of power onto the rear axle.

Sideways merchants rejoice! Whereas other drift modes do all the work for the driver, the E 63’s still requires skill and judgement, which is where the fun in such loutish behaviour comes from. If there’s a fundamental problem with the E 63’s drift mode, it’s simply the choice of epithet.

This is where AMGs old and new intersect. This E 63 is the fastest, most refined and most clinically effective car of its type, but with that centre-clutch locked wide open it suddenly becomes as brutally overpowered and wantonly excessive as any fast Mercedes to date. Slotting in right at the top of the class, the new E 63 has just caused permanent damage to the supersaloon establishment. L

Mercedes-AMG E 63 S 4Matic+ Engine V8, 3982cc, twin-turbo CO2 203g/km Power 603bhp @ 5750-6500rpm Torque 850Nm @ 2500-4500rpm Transmission Nine-speed automatic, four-wheel drive, limited-slip differential, torque vectoring Front suspension Double wishbones, hydraulic cylinders, coil springs, adaptive dampers, anti-roll bar Rear suspension Multi-link, hydraulic cylinders, coil springs, adaptive dampers, anti-roll bar Brakes Ventilated carbon-ceramic discs (option), 402mm front, 360mm rear Wheels 9.5 x 20in front, 10 x 20in rear Tyres 265/35 ZR20 front, 295/30 ZR20 rear Weight 1880kg Power-to-weight 326bhp/ton 0-100kmph 3.4sec (claimed) Top speed 250kmph (limited; 300kmph with AMG Driver’s Package) Estimated price `1.7 crore (ex-showroom, Delhi) evo rating: ;;;;4

72

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

TATA H EXA V R I VA L S

It’s the toughest test the Tata Hexa will face P H O T O G R A P H Y b y G AU R AV S T H O M B R E & RO H I T G M A N E

IT’S NOT A CAR. IT’S NOT AN SUV. Neither is it an MPV. A straight off comparison test doesn’t really work for the Tata Hexa. You’d obviously compare it with the Innova Crysta but even before you read the verdict you can conclude that the Hexa is less of a people mover and more of an SUV. You will take it touring so we pitted it against what we think is the most comfortable SUV you can buy today. You will drive it in the city so we set out to find how much longer a big crossover takes on the city commute over a tiny city car. You might take it (a bit) off-road so we pitted it against a Duster AWD, our benchmark for soft-roading. We even attempt to answer the age-old car versus SUV question. And then the most important question, can it be a serious contender for the Indian Car of the Year. Time to ring the bell for seven rounds with obvious and not so obvious rivals.

74

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

ROUNDS WITH THE HEXA

WO R D S b y S I R I S H C H A N D R A N

ROUND 1:

THE BENCHMARK It’s bleeding obvious isn’t it? If the Hexa has to make any sort of impact it has to stand tall against the new Innova

76

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

TATA H EX A XTA V TOYOTA I N N OVA C RYSTA 2 .8 Z X AT

I

I SPENT A WEEKEND LAST month in Mumbai for the Mahindra Blue’s Festival and, turns out, the friend we were staying with had just booked an Innova Crysta. His factory is on the outskirts of Mumbai and he needs something comfortable in which to stretch out on the nearly two-hour commute. And reliable, you don’t want to be breaking down in Bhiwandi. That he now spends his weekends hunting for apartments in Bandra with enough parking for a Crysta is another matter altogether.

As we walk to Mehboob Studio, conversation, much to the irritation of the better halves, veers around to the big Tata I spent half an hour trying to park in Bandra. Just looking at the Hexa – far, far kinder on the eyes than the Crysta if you ask me – is enough to plant seeds of doubt in Anoop’s head. Add to the fact that after totting up registration and insurance the Hexa automatic is a whopping five lakh rupees cheaper than the automatic Crysta and I can literally hear his mental calculator firing away.

I apologise for ruining his evening.

Next morning lunch turns to brunch: Anoop has barely slept and wants to try out the Hexa.

I don’t have the ConnectNext App on my phone so we rely on Google Maps to take us to a new burger joint next to my old office in Parel and, to summarise his detailed road test over a juicy quarter-pounder, Anoop concludes he’d buy the Hexa, even if it were five lakh rupees dearer, provided it had a Toyota badge on the nose.

Perceptions are hard to get rid of, and that is (and will be – for the foreseeable future) the Hexa’s biggest challenge. That’s terribly unfair but Anoop is spending serious money and I’m in no position to predict how tight the Hexa will

feel after 50,000km, let alone the 1,50,000km Innovas clock without breaking a sweat.

What I can tell you is that this test car has done 15,000km, and it feels brand new. No squeaks, no rattles, no play in the steering or suspension, no screeching fan belt. To be clear this is something we have come to expect on all modern cars and, in all fairness, this Tata feels like any modern car. Anoop also points out that the interiors look better than the Crysta’s – better styled, more SUV-like, better selection of colours; more macho to give it one word. If only the Hexa had a larger touchscreen (the Crysta’s is almost double the size) and just went with the flow and bundled Apple CarPlay rather than foisting ConnectNext Apps on you. And while they are at it how about some space for the mobile phone in the centre console and larger speedo and tacho pods?

A double espresso to beat out burger-induced drowsiness and we head back home to Pune.

My wife’s immediate reaction is surprise at how silent it is at a cruise. I’m impressed by how well tied down the ride is. You can feel a nice tautness that is usually the preserve of German cars, and a firmness at low speeds, but potholes and speed humps barely slow it down. This feels like an SUV, not an MPV, and the way it smothers poor roads is deeply impressive. It eggs you on to jump everything in your path!

And as we hit the expressway it doesn’t feel like a handful. There’s no float and she stays properly planted at speeds clocked by enthusiastically driven Mercs and BMWs. I particularly like the high seating position that allows you to look over the roof of the Mercs and BMWs and all round visibility is also terrific, but sitting so high also makes it a little unnerving for the wife who thinks we are going way faster

Left, from the top: Tata has upped its game on the interior front; navigation is on the ConnectNext mobile phone app; plush seats and plenty of room in the Innova Crysta; Innova interiors are top notch

THE HEXA FEELS LIKE AN SUV, NOT AN MPV, AND THE WAY IT SMOTHERS POOR ROADS IS DEEPLY IMPRESSIVE

than we actually are. Also the steering really needs reach adjust, my arms are stretched out way more than I like. And another discovery – for a branded sound system, JBL in this case, there really should be more depth and bass.

Back in Pune, the Crysta is parked in the office and first things first it feels so much more car-like. The electrically-adjustable seats go down really low and the steering adjusts for reach. That feeling of quality is a notch higher though I’m not a fan of all the ambient lighting.

The seats are more cushy and there’s more space at the rear – with wider seats too. To be driven to Bhiwandi and back everyday Anoop has made a wise decision, even the stereo sounds better. And his driver will appreciate the more urgent throttle response and acceleration of the 2.8 diesel compared to the Hexa’s 2.2. The Crysta also handles really, really well (begging the question why does the Fortuner feel so ponderous) but the Hexa is more dismissive of bad roads, jumping speedbreakers and flying over potholes that will force a Crysta to drop down two gears. The clincher remains, as affirmed by the double takes of all the Bandra boys with their manicured beards, the really cool styling and positioning of the Hexa.

The crossover concept always had potential but Tata Motors made a royal hash of it the first time round. The Hexa not only atones for past mistakes but is something I’m actually looking forward to running as a long termer (and answer the biggest question – what it will feel like after 50,000km). I have no doubt were this 2015, car magazines would have been screaming ‘Tata Beats Toyota’. But the 2017 Innova is such a vast improvement that it is now a luxury car riding on mechanicals that we all know can survive an apocalypse. But still, I’m not fully convinced it is that much better to command a five lakh rupee premium over the Hexa.

Perceptions. Now how do you get rid of them? L

TATA H EXA & F O R D E N D EAVO U R

ROUND 2:

ELEPHANTS IN THE ROOM Can the Hexa stand up to the in-your-face Endeavour?

WO R D S b y A AT I S H M I S H R A

A

ASK ANY SUV OWNER why he has got something that barely fits in his parking slot and he’ll give you one of two standard retorts — that he enjoys the commanding driving position or “bhai, sahi presence hai.” I suspect the amount of real estate he gets for his buck is also a factor, though he’ll never admit it. With Tata claiming the Hexa is an SUV, we’ve parked it against the burliest (and nicest looking, don’t forget) SUV to see if it can hold its own in this battle for street cred.

The Endeavour is massive, it looks like its been lifted straight outta Detroit and plonked on our Indian roads. It’s from the land where everything is supersized, and it unabashedly

muscles its way through the swarms of small desi cars. It dwarfs SUVs twice it’s price and it makes mini-buses look like vans.

The Hexa is no pushover, though. Pratap Bose’s design team is clearly equipped with more than just rulers and have lavished the Hexa with genuine style. The Hexa has size so it isn’t overshadowed by the Endeavour, though it has to be said the Ford is more classically-SUV with its high-profile tyres housed in huge wheel arch gaps that hint at lots of wheel travel, massive chrome grille to scare cars it’s tailgaiting, and a sculpted bonnet that is unyieldingly high. The Hexa has more finesse, the lines are finer, the headlamps shapelier, and with their smokey, blacked-out effect they lend the Hexa an aura

of malevolence. It has a mean-looking bulge on the clamshell bonnet, and looked at head on, the shoulder lines have a nice heft to them.

The whole shape is more slippery while 19-inch wheels ensure it stands tall and looks rich. It’s still imposing, but not unnecessarily so. It’s the Vin Diesel to the Endeavour’s Dwayne Johnson.

It’s the Mayweather to the Endy’s Mike Tyson.

The Endeavour may still tip the scales on an absolute level, but the second you bring price in to the equation, the Hexa seems to have the upper hand. Both will send bikers scurrying out of your way, both will require two slots in your garage and both will ensure you get a second look. But at the Hexa’s price point you most definitely get a lot of bang for your buck. L

H EXA & N A N O ( ! )

ROUND 3:

HEXA IN THE CIT Y The pros and cons of a big car in the city WO R D S b y A N A N D M O H A N

T

THE HEXA IS MANY things – a tourer, a people mover, an SUV, a mild offroader – but a city car? Say hello to its sibling, the Nano.

Just like you can get five Hexas for the price of a Q7 so too can you get five Nanos for the price of a Hexa, so this is far from a comparison test. What we are here to find out is how much longer your city commute will take when you switch from a dinky Nano to a (comparatively) massive Hexa.

Half past nine in the morning (unless there’s a shoot we journos don’t wake up early) and I catch up with Ryan for breakfast before heading to work. Ryan is in the Nano Twist, complete with power steering and the AMT gearbox, and I can see how effortlessly he finds gaps where

58

www.

evoIndia.com | December 2016

none exist. However the Hexa has power and in my part of the city, where the roads aren’t as busy, he disappears in my rear view mirror.

At the next junction the Nano catches up, weaving its way through other office commuters and gets out before I can even move. The Hexa is a wide car and when you are in chock-a-block traffic, it gets really frustrating with something this big. It is 152mm wider than a Nano and over 2.6 metres longer so I am not able to squeeze it into tight spots.

To catch up, I find the next patch of traffic and drop the Hexa off the road’s shoulder. It’s a bit of off-roading but the Hexa easily takes it. Ryan can’t take the same route as his 12-inch wheels transmit every small undulation into the cabin and the light body lacks the stability of the

Hexa. Also the Hexa’s size now works in my favour, motorcycles and other dawdlers give it a wide berth and space magically opens up.

This cat and mouse game goes on till we reach office – at the same time! – so I can conclude that despite its size the Hexa takes the same amount of time on city commutes. What is surprising though is I am fresher than Ryan in the Nano.

Here’s why: the size of the Hexa means people not only give you a wide berth but other SUVs, even busses, do not cut you up or squeeze you out. The excellent ride means you aren’t shaken up. The cabin not only looks great but also has a soothing effect on the subconscious.

Logic dictates that a smaller car will get you from A to B faster than a bigger car. But that’s not how our cities work, do they? L

TATA H EXA & AU D I Q 7

ROUND 4:

ROCKY AND CREED Rocky may have taken on Apollo Creed and won, but can the Hexa really hold a candle to the Q7’s ride quality WO R D S b y A N I N DA S A R DA R

T

TO MY KNOWLEDGE there are few vehicles that can match the Audi Q7 on the ride quality front. So when Sirish casually mentioned over lunch that he thinks the Hexa has equally good ride quality, I smiled at what I thought was a typical exaggeration to establish a point. Turned out he was serious. In fact, he put his money where it matters and wrote in his first drive review, “The Hexa delivers what is the best ride, over bad roads, that you can get on anything sold in India today.” That, coming from the man who had spent two weeks driving the Q7 up and down the country on our quattro Xpedition.

Now the Hexa is a fifth of the price of a Q7, this is not a comparison test – what I’m out to do is find out how close the Hexa comes

to the Audi’s ride quality benchmark. I get a particularly nasty patch of tarmac on my way home and this, I decided would be the perfect testing ground. The Q7 with its sophisticated air suspension skims over this surface filled with ruts and shallow ridges. Only the couple of deep potholes slow it down.

Out of the Q7 and into the Hexa, the initial impression is that at low speeds the Tata is a fair bit stiffer. But the ride improves astonishingly as speeds rise. I keep at it to find out where the chink in the Hexa’s suspension is, but after eight runs I’m still stumped.

Over a coffee break I wonder how a humble double wishbone setup with coil springs at the front and a five-link rigid axle with coil springs at the rear can almost match up to the Q7’s airsprung independent front and rear setup. The

only thing common is both ride on 19-inch rims, though the Audi’s tyres are significantly wider.

Coffee over, I change tack and try again. This time I don’t stop as soon as the patch is over.

Instead I carry on till the end of the road to the sharp left-hander and that’s where the difference becomes evident. As long as ride quality is the only parameter the Hexa is nearly as good as the best but the difference in sophistication becomes clear when the question of balance between ride and handling arises. Don’t get me wrong, the Hexa isn’t a bad handler. In fact for its size, the Hexa handles quite well. Except that the Q7 is much, much better.

To be fair, most vehicles from the Tata stable have been good riding cars but the Hexa takes things to a new level. It seems that by aiming for the stars Tata have landed on the moon. L www.

evoIndia.com

81

TATA H EXA & S KO DA O CTAV I A

ROUND 5:

CHALK AND CHEESE Back to the old question, should you get a car or an SUV? WO R D S b y A AT I S H M I S H R A

F

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO you moved from whatever your first car was to a sedan.

A City, or if you’d really, really made it the W124 E-Class – the ultimate embodiment of success. Today though it is an SUV. Whether it’s the Brezza or Fortuner or Q7, an SUV is what everybody wants; what commands respect.

But bullying power aside there are a number of practical considerations to make before you decide on a car or an SUV. Take the Skoda Octavia, the best sedan you can get for Tata Hexa money – would you switch from the obvious choice to an SUV-MPV crossover?

Simply put, the Octavia outdoes the Hexa when it comes to sheer driving pleasure. It’s

82

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

a superbly knit package, the engine is more powerful, more refined and far more efficient, the gearbox is excellent be it them manual or the absolutely fantastic DSG, the pedals have a superb feel to them, the steering talks to you, the brakes are sharp, the accelerator is well weighted. With all this nestled in a superb chassis, the Octavia can out do, out handle cars a class above on a good road. And did I mention its high-speed cruising ability?

But that’s about it. When the roads start falling apart it has got to slow down. That’s where the Hexa comes in and makes life carefree. The Hexa may not be able to show up the Octavia in terms of The Thrill of Driving, but it certainly does in terms of simply being versatile. In a country where road conditions

are fickle, the Hexa certainly offers more peace of mind. Higher ground clearance, a more supple suspension, the option of all-wheel drive should things get really rough — it has got you covered.

Though Tata has come a long, long way when it comes to fit-and-finish, the Octy is still ahead.

However, the Hexa has a trick up its sleeve that the Octavia really has no answer to — more seats. The Octy is spacious, quite possibly the most spacious in its class. But seating seven?

Erm… pass.

Whether you require a car or an SUV really boils down to utility, but over a week with these two we discovered that the Hexa does make a solid case for itself over one of the few cars we’d spend our own money on. L

TATA H EXA & D U ST E R AW D

W

WE TURNED OFF THE tarmac and headed straight for the quarry. Scraping the sump guard over a couple of bumps, a very concerned Gaurav, our photo Ed, asked “Will the Hexa manage?” Me being the resident off-road enthusiast, I took it upon myself to find out.

Now I can testify to the Duster’s capabilities – on our ‘Border Challenge’ series I have gone to the remotest parts of the country, dune bashed in Rajasthan, waded through the waters at Kanyakumari and even made my own trail in the snow near the Indo-China border. It might not have a low-ratio gearbox but the Duster AWD has proved to be more than up to the task of tackling all kinds of situations, both on and off-road.

Having said that, Tata Motors has been in the game long enough. I learnt to drive in dad’s Tata Sierra (two doors and huge rear windows which couldn’t be wound down to

WO R D S b y RYA N L E E

ROUND 6:

KICKING UP DUST Where the road ends, the fun begins cool passengers baking at the back!) and even though it did not have 4WD it could do a hell of a lot. And then there’s the Safari with which we’ve been off-roading all over the country on our Reclaim Your Life series. The Hexa has great DNA then.

Slotted in Rough Road (driving modes, even AWD, is only available on the manual) we continue along the dusty path up to the quarry. Since it sits 10mm lower than the Duster AWD’s 210mm ground clearance it did scrape its underside a few times but apart from that we had no traction issues whatsoever. And with 400Nm of torque (and nearly 50bhp more power than the Duster) the Hexa can motor up steep inclines with ease where the Duster can run out of steam. But off-roading is not only about driving on dirt, it is also the ability to

tackle various obstacles.

The ability to drive through a trench is all about the approach and departure angles of your vehicle. The Hexa has a longer wheelbase, longer overhangs and sits lower and that means while driving through a trench you have to be careful not to damage the bumpers. The Duster because of its compact size managed to get through the same challenge with the bumpers intact. Another major factor that comes into play while off-roading is articulation. The Hexa surprised us by going over boulders and bigger obstacles but because the Duster is lighter and more compact it did it with relative ease.

So, when it comes down to off-roading/ soft-roading, the AWD Duster does have the upper hand. Then again the Hexa is way more luxurious, spacious and upmarket than the Duster. And when was the last time you found a 7-seater that could be taken off-road? L

Left: Knob on the centre console to pick drive modes.

Above: Colour display shows you what mode the Hexa is on. Also best not to off-road on an empty tank!

www.

evoIndia.com

83

TATA H EXA & H Y U N DA I C R ETA

WO R D S b y S I R I S H C H A N D R A N

FINAL ROUND:

THE ICOTY The Hexa says hello to last year’s Indian Car of the Year

W

WE ENDED THE FIRST round musing about perceptions. Now let me tell you how Creta changed perceptions. Unlike Maruti, Hyundai never shied away from bringing in their more expensive cars and SUVs to India.

But, like Maruti, Hyundai was always viewed as a maker of cheap, great value, small cars. Then came the Elite i20 and Hyundai got in excess of 10,000 people a month to spend a considerable amount of money on a small car. That laid the foundations for the Creta, a (compact) SUV that 9000 people are putting their money down on every month. That includes my dad, my uncle, five of my cousins, my CA and many, many friends. All spent over `18 lakh – on a Hyundai!

And taking a cue from their readers, Indian automotive journos shook off their obsession with affordability and named it the 2016 Indian Car of the Year. It was, and still is, the most expensive car to win the ICOTY gong.

84

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

Net result? Today nobody raises an eyebrow at the Elantra’s and Tucson’s prices. The Creta’s success means Hyundai is no longer viewed as (only) a maker of cheap and cheerful cars.

That’s what the Hexa needs to do, to change the perception around the brand so that my friend Anoop will drop twenty lakh rupees on a Tata. To stay squeak and rattle free for the next twelve months so that when auto journos get together at the ICOTY farmhouse in Lonavala the Hexa will be considered seriously.

Whether it will win, who can say? What we did do was drive it to our farmhouse outside of Pune, a journey our long term test Creta does every second weekend, and found the Hexa to be quicker, more comfortable, thirstier too but with more space for family or tractor parts or feed for the bulls. And it doesn’t cost that much more than the Creta (three lakh rupees more) to eliminate it from the reckoning for the ultimate prize. It’s only the start of the year but we already have a strong contender for the 2018 ICOTY. L

Above: We took the Hexa to the evo India farm, a trip our long term Creta, the 2016 ICOTY winner, makes at least twice a month

VO LVO S 9 0 D 4 I N S C R I PT I O N

WO R D S b y A N A N D M O H A N P H O T O G R A P H Y b y RO H I T G M A N E

THE WINDING ROAD Twelve hills and AMGs to the summit.

This is the first one

AMG HILL CLIMB

www.

evoIndia.com

87

EVERYTHING IS IN SPORT PLUS. I’VE left the gearbox in auto mode instead of manual because concentrating on learning the climb through the first few corners and upshifting at the redline was a little overwhelming to begin with. A tug of the left paddle at the exit of a hairpin and exiting the corner with the ferocious traction of the all-wheel drive C 43 AMG, I was eating away at the Nandi hill climb like a man possessed.

A fast apex-hunting run from the base to the summit in the C 43 AMG with the exhaust note of the turbocharged V6 reverberating through the dense foliage alongside the winding road. This is the AMG hill climb.

“Straight roads are for fast cars, curves are for fast drivers.” Colin McRae’s words separate the men from the boys. Drive your car long and hard on arrow-straight highways and all you will do is spend on fuel bills. You will learn little about the car and even less about the art of driving fast. But find a winding road and a few kilometres up and down the road will teach you the skills to balance its weight, how much throttle to use, how hard to brake, which gear to choose and how far ahead to look. The winding road is your greatest teacher.

58 88

www.

evoIndia.com | December March 20172016

Preconceived notions AMG sedans have always been fast, muscular, tyre-shredding monsters. Massive V8s sending all of Affalterbach’s protein shakes to the rear wheels. You’ve got to be a bit of a hooligan to drive one, let alone tame one. So when I picked up the C 43 AMG from the AMG Performance Centre in Bangalore the day before, its deep red hue aside, it looked like a C-Class sleeper car. I knew there was a turbocharged V6 under the hood but it didn’t look like a car that will wield 362 horsepower and 520Nm under its sheep skin and do the 0-100kmph sprint in 4.7 seconds. I’m a fan of cars with split personalities though. If you want an everyday fast car, compliance in the suspension and comfortable interiors are a must. The C 43 AMG is a very comfortable car and loves to carve corners, as I found out while snaking through the first few kilometres up the hill climb.

Uphill task Tipu Sultan built a fort on this hill and it took the British army three weeks to capture it; the hill was that tough to climb up. As it stands today though, the tarmac road to the entrance gate of

Inset: Without the AWD system, climbing up these narrow stretches would be frightening at speeds.

Right: Darting between a series of hairpins

AMG HILL CLIMB

A FEW KILOMETRES UP AND DOWN A HILL CLIMB WILL TEACH YOU THE SKILLS YOU HAVEN’T LEARNT IN YEARS OF HIGHWAY DRIVING

MERCEDES-AMG C 43 Engine 2996cc, V6, turbo-petrol Transmission 9-speed auto Power 362bhp @ 5500-6000rpm Torque 520Nm @ 2000-4200rpm Weight 1690kg 0-100kmph 4.7 sec Top speed 250kmph (estimated) Price (ex-showroom, Delhi) `74.35 lakh

www.

evoIndia.com

117

A SHORT WALL SEPARATES YOU FROM THE DROP WHILE TO MY RIGHT IS THE SHEER CLIFF

118

www.

evoIndia.com | January 2017

the fort on top is 8km long. It climbs to a height of 1478 metres above sea level and as luck would have it, we got freshly paved tarmac all the way to the top. The surface was smooth enough to give racetracks a run for their money. It curves up the base of the hill for the first part where the road is fairly open. You can see far ahead and hold triple digit speeds in short bursts. A short wall separates you from the drop while to your right is the sheer cliff. There is no run off anywhere but the fast series of corners lets you get into a rhythm, carry high speeds and thread it through a series of bends. The elevation is gradual till you reach a wide sweeping left-hander where the first rays of the sun bounce off the long bonnet of the C 43 AMG. It’s a fast sweep and the speeds I carry are a little too much as it suddenly narrows. The trees are tall and thick on both sides and in between rocks protrude from the mountainside so I lift off the gas, dial down the speed a little and enter into the steeper section of the climb.

Tight spot The narrow hill climb henceforth brings in corners at a rapid rate and heavy braking into corners and quick acceleration out of bends is the order of the day from now on. The winding road doesn’t flow from one corner into another once I approach the first of ten hairpins. Carrying momentum and easing off the accelerator is not the driving style suited to this part of the hill. In

the previous long sweeping corner sections, I was using more of the power, but as the hairpins start, I ride the C 43 AMG’s deep torque reserves. Since it is turbocharged and hence high on torque, I get to play with 520Nm at 2000rpm, giving the C 43 AMG plenty of thrust at hairpin exits. I’ve hardwired my brain to back off the gas when I’m attacking a hairpin in an AMG. It is guaranteed oversteer and if you are too hot on the gas, you’ll get one final view of the landscape. In the C 43 AMG, I didn’t have to do that. The AMG sends power to all four wheels so I can step on the power early, the tail doesn’t step out like in a rear-drive monster. Neither is there any ugly understeer if I feed in too much power, unlike in other AWDs. It just grips and goes, all four wheels clawing up the hill at speeds that don’t seem natural for a car with four doors and all the luxuries it comes packed with.

Because the surface all the way to the top is so smooth, the suspension can be set at its stiffest setting. It improves the dynamics considerably and gives the confidence to drive faster. It feels like a relay race between hairpins, getting from one to another till you enter the gates to the fort.

The car turns in with a lot of agility, the vented discs work well to shave off speed and the grip from the Continentals is immense. It’s a short climb so the summit comes quickly, I enter the gate for the fort, loop around the roundabout and blast back down.

M A AS EMRAT G HII LLLEVA C L NI MT BE

Left: Body control in hairpins is impressive and the AWD system puts the power down early to blast out. Right: Freshly laid tarmac and excellent front end grip made for a thrilling hill climb

The way back A hill climb is challenging, and that is why it is fun.

The more you ride the curves, the faster you will get. As your speeds increase, you will notice the smaller mistakes you have been making and finetune your driving style. You will learn a lot about the car in the process. I was feeding power earlier through a turn towards the end of the drive than I was when we started as I had learned to trust the AWD system. I was downshifting to the correct gear in the 9-speed ’box after a few runs up the hill too. I was driving with precision and I was driving fast. The C 43 AMG up Nandi hills was an adrenaline rush. What it did overall was heighten my reflexes. It is natural to be more attentive as the road curves and that made me a calmer driver on the way back. The sense of speed makes you act quicker and once you feel it, it stays with you at all times. Mastering the art of the winding road will make you a safer driver everywhere. We have been doing that for a while now in all sorts of cars and SUVs and have learnt a lot from it. But we haven’t carved a hill with AMG chisels quite like this before. The C 43 AMG climb to Nandi hills is the start of greater things to come. L

Subscribe to

INDIA

6 `449 issues for

Have your issue of Fast Bikes India delivered to your door!

SAVE

29% OFF THE RICE COVER P

Subscribe Online www.100kmph.com/fastbikesindia

ORDER DETAILS: Total Period

We will deliver not just more bikes across genres, but we will also take you on motorcycling adventures, meet movers and shakers, hit the high notes on racetracks, fast forward into history and spice up your biking world beyond anything else.

Adil Jal Darukhanawala Editor

No. of Issues

Cover Price

Newsstand price

You pay

Discount %

6 Months

6

`100.00

`600.00

`449.00

25%

1 Year

12

`100.00

`1,200.00

`879.00

27%

2 Years

24

`100.00

`2,400.00

`1,709.00

29%

Name : ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Address :

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

City: –––––––––––––––––––– Pin: ––––––––––––– State:

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Company : ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Occupation : –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Mobile : ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Designation: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Age: –––––––––––––––– Gross Annual Income (INR): E-mail:

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Do you own a vehicle: Yes / No Make

–––––––––––––

Year: –––––––––––––––

PAYMENT DETAILS Issuing bank: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Chq Number: ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Date: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

` I agree to receive sms and mail regarding subscriptions For non-Pune cheques please add `100.00

Subscribers Signature: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Mail this form along with your cheque/DD to Project GTO Publishing | No. 5, Siddharth Terrace, opposite Aga Khan Palace, Nagar Road, Pune 411 006. Ph: 020 2668 4343 To subscribe e-mail us at subscriptions@gtopublishing.com Terms & Conditions:  The subscription will start from next published issue.  While utmost effort will be taken on the delivery front GTO will not be

responsible for any delay in deliveries by postal department or courier company  All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts

and forums in Pune.  Cheques/ DD to be drawn in the name of Project GTO Publishing LLP, payable at Pune.  Address: No. 5, Siddharth Terrace, Opposite Aga Khan Palace, Nagar Road, Pune 411 006  For non-Pune cheques please add `100.00

Subscribe today & benefit from:

Never miss an issue of Fast Bikes India Saving over 29% off the cover price

subscriptions@gtopublishing.com

VO LVO S 9 0 D 4 I N S C R I PT I O N

ADVENTURES Six months after the Safari bit me with the adventure bug, a drive to Coorg is a nostalgic farewell

# R EC L A I M YO U R L I F E

OF A LIFETIME WO R D S b y A N A N D M O H A N P H O T O G R A P H Y b y RO H I T G M A N E

I 96

www.

IN THE SECOND HALF OF SEPTEMBER 2016, I very nonchalantly drove to a place called Gonikoppal in Karnataka in the Safari that’s seen in these pages. We do a lot of travel stories at evo India and every one is unique but with the Safari, we were pushing further and driving to hard-to-find places. After a long day at the wheel, we stayed the night in Gonikoppal. The next morning we proceeded an hour and a half south of this place to our first adventure in the Safari. We drove through a river and explored jungle trails, got bitten by leeches and got the Safari sideways too for kicks. After so much fun, I was looking forward to the series of stories coming up. We drove to Bangalore the next day, and on our way, there was a road block. The police informed us that we couldn’t proceed because there was a curfew. We assumed it would be in one of the passing towns so we took a detour, drove through a small village and joined the highway a little ahead only to find another roadblock. This time there was no police, only angry protesters were burning logs. After calling a few friends, we found out that the Kaveri river dispute had put this part of the state on high alert. We were unfortunately in the middle of it.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

Thankfully I was driving an SUV like the Safari and not some car. Every road that led to Bangalore had roadblocks with burning logs and angry mobs so we stayed off the main roads, found the smallest arterial roads on Google Maps and drove through them. The situation was so tense that we couldn’t stop anywhere.

We just had to keep moving and stay away from any groups of people. That day I drove the Safari through fields, through slush, on dirt tracks, on roads that weren’t wide enough to keep the mirrors open, over burning logs and away from riotous mobs. It took me 14 hours for a five-hour drive. We saw a burning building in front of us, charred buses and trucks, and escaped hot-headed goons by driving over dividers and gassing it over speed breakers.

The day would easily pass off as an action scene in a thriller movie. But we got to our hotel in Bangalore without a scratch, the anti-climax I was very happy about. If not for this SUV, I wonder how we would have survived that day.

We couldn’t dare take out our cameras for fear of being attacked so there is no proof of that day.

But starting off from Bangalore to Coorg in this Safari for our last story in this series, I feel so nostalgic writing about this adventure.

Above: Such open fields in Coorg are rare but a lot of fun in a Safari. Right: One hill leads to another and driving past coffee plantations is all you do here

# R EC L A I M YO U R L I F E

EVERY ROAD THAT LED TO BANGALORE HAD ROADBLOCKS WITH BURNING LOGS AND ANGRY MOBS

The drive to a place called Polibetta is almost the same as to Gonikoppal. So we passed Mandya on the highway, I remember the spot where the police roadblock was, we even stopped at the same cafĂŠ en route for masala dosas for breakfast. We passed the Dubare Elephant camp on the way where two tuskers were in a tussle, drove past the detour to Nagarhole wildlife sanctuary and then we turned in to the road that went through Tata Coffee plantations where we were going to stay for the next few days. A peaceful drive to Coorg was exactly what I wanted after our last drive in this region. Since we were in early and the rest of the day was ahead of us, we drove in to Nagarhole. The sanctuary has a tarmac road passing right through the forest and private vehicles are allowed to enter. Rohit had missed all the jungle drives we did in the past few months so he insisted we spend a lot more time at Nagarhole.

Animals live by patterns. They will stay away from busy roads where vehicles pass regularly.

Even inside forest trails, if too many people enter a space, spotting animals will be rare.

Forest officials as a result control the number of vehicles entering the forest every day. Private vehicles aren’t allowed to venture into these trails but if you are lucky, a few animals might cross the road. Spotted deer line these roads for the safety they present. Most carnivores will not come to these areas so the deer feel safer here as we found out during our drive through the forest. Hundreds of them can be seen in the 38km stretch. Hope dies fast though and after crawling for almost an hour and spotting only deer, I was about to pick up some speed and get out of our boring jungle drive. Just then, we stopped in our tracks. A massive male elephant with tusks as big as my arm spotted us before we saw it, turned its head towards us and challenged us to a staring match. It was barely a hundred feet away and alone. We were alert of the situation as lone males are known to be aggressive and hormonal. Nothing could be done besides waiting for him to pass. We were

www.

evoIndia.com

127

# R EC L A I M YO U R L I F E

A MASSIVE MALE ELEPHANT TURNED ITS HEAD TOWARDS US AND CHALLENGED US TO A STARING MATCH

# R EC L A I M YO U R L I F E

Clockwise from left: Deer leaping out of harm’s way at Nagarhole; a Dhole and his meal; the luxurious Tata Coffee Plantation Trail bungalow where we stayed; a wild elephant crossing the road

in awe but there was also nervous energy in the air for the next couple of minutes till he crossed the road and went in to the bushes on our left.

What a sight! Our adventure in Coorg had well and truly begun.

We got to the sprawling Tata Coffee plantation trails bungalow after driving through Nagarhole. A 148-year old bungalow restored and appointed with Victorian furniture sat in the middle of coffee plantations. It’s a lovely place to unwind for a weekend with luxurious rooms and delicious food but we didn’t have much time. The wild elephant spotting in Nagarhole had convinced us to take the full jungle safari in hired vehicles the next morning with the hope of spotting the tiger so we were up at 4am for another tour of the jungle.

It took us six hours into the numerous trails without a single major spotting though. Wild elephants, bison, deer, monkeys, boars but no tiger or leopard. I took a nap for a while but was woken up as we came to a halt. A pair of Dhole (wild dogs) had hunted a deer on the road just

100

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

minutes before we reached and were feasting on it a few metres away from us. It is a very rare sight.

Again like a hook, that sighting encouraged us to drive through the sanctuary one last time in the Safari. We didn’t see anything interesting on the way back and were further out of Coorg as we exited the far gate of Nagarhole. A couple of hours through the winding roads of Coorg gave a nice tour of the stunning landscapes in this region and by sun down, we were back to our bungalow. Two days had passed but we were yet to get the Safari into 4WD. That opportunity wasn’t presenting itself after driving for hours. The hills of Coorg are full of coffee estates and as big as the Tata Coffee Estate is (over 25,000 acres), driving private vehicles inside their property is not allowed. You drive out of the Tata Coffee estate and another coffee estate follows, then another and another. A few hours later, we found a trail that didn’t look like private property and ventured in. The Safari was built so that you can explore unknown places, and when the

roads end, at a twist of the shift-on-the-fly 4WD system, drive further. A narrow trail opened into an open field and there were places where 4-low was required to get out, but nothing too tough considering all that we’ve done in the Safari. We have driven across rivers and over deserts, crossed the Rann, camped in the wild and explored forests, a joy ride in a field was an easy end to our adventures.

Maybe a tough, adrenaline-rush day wasn’t meant to be after all we’ve taken the Safari through during its time with us. We have seen enough, gone to the back of beyond where cell phone networks can’t dream of reaching us and are left with memories of the stunning visuals this country has to offer. We have had extraordinary experiences during our adventures, made good friends and left the urban jungle behind to really truly live. We have reclaimed life in the truest sense with the Safari. L Special thanks to Plantation Trails for hosting us.

For bookings, visit www.plantationtrails.net

WE’VE GONE TO PLACES WHERE CELL PHONE NETWORKS CAN’T DREAM OF REACHING AND ARE LEFT WITH MEMORIES OF THE STUNNING VISUALS THIS COUNTRY HAS TO OFFER

www.

evoIndia.com

113

RIVER RUSH WO R D S b y A AT I S H M I S H R A P H O T O G R A P H Y b y RO H I T G M A N E

102

www.

evo India.com | March 2017

R ES P O N S E F EAT U R E : # R E D I 2 GO

Taking the Datsun redi-Go out for a day of rafting to get our adrenaline fix

www.

evo India.com

103

THAT THING THEY SAY ABOUT ADRENALINE is true: it’s insanely addictive and you will constantly be looking for your next fix once you get a taste of it. Do something wildly exciting (or wildly stupid) and you will be conscious of it flowing through your veins — your heart rate elevates, your muscles tense up, you become acutely aware of your surroundings.

Everything you see and hear singes itself into your memory. Your synapses are firing faster than ever, you are subconsciously registering, analysing, poised to react. You feel indestructible.

You probably weren’t even looking for it the first time it hit you — a rabid dog chasing you down the street, a passing car missing your elbow by millimetres, losing your footing on a flight of stairs but catching yourself before you hit the floor. But then you feel it again, some other time. And then again. And again. And again. And you like what you feel. So you actively seek that sensation — the tips of your fingers tingle with anticipation, constantly looking for avenues to satiate your hunger for a high. But our hyper urban lives keep us rather restricted from doing so. It’s tough, finding a safe, legitimate activity to induce that rush. Walking on the edges of buildings, hanging out of moving trains and racing on the streets may give you that rush but

104

www.

evo India.com | March 2017

T HE R EDI- GO NEED S T O BE ROBUS T ENOUGH T O DE A L W I T H OUR A DR EN A L INE- INDUCED A D V EN T UR E S

R ES P O N S E F EAT U R E : # R E D I 2 GO

then you’re just asking natural selection to have its way with you. It’s downright stupid. Don’t do it.

Instead, look for a safe environment, where you aren’t a hazard to society. And that’s precisely what I’ve been attempting for the past couple of months with the Datsun redi-GO. The redi-GO is a bonafide city car. It is tiny, designed to squeeze through heavy city traffic on your daily commute. It has got a small 800cc engine and so it’s economical, but makes 53bhp and 72Nm and is more than comfortable around the city. But it is also affordable, and in this limited edition Sport livery, it looks pretty cool. That means youngsters like you and I are going to be buying it, and we’re going to need it to be robust enough to deal with our adrenalineinduced adventures over the weekend. As a journalist

Top: Tamhini ghat makes for a rather fun drive. Far left: “Never let go of the end of the paddle, it might hit someone in the face,” said our instructor.

Left: Sanskriti Farms makes for a relaxing stay after a day of rafting with your buddies

who takes his job very seriously, I took it out for a day of white-water rafting to put this fundamental requirement to the test.

There’s this company called Kolad Rafting that organises white-water rafting adventures right in our backyard, some 100km from our base in Pune. The Kundalika river flows near the town of Kolad and you can raft there in a two-hour window every morning.

Why just two hours, you ask? That’s because the gates of a dam further upstream are opened every morning for just two hours so that a nearby energy plant can generate energy from the flowing water. The rocky river bed means that the water is choppy enough for a good time out rafting, but only when the water levels are high enough. When the gates are shut, the water

www.

evo India.com

105

R ES P O N S E F EAT U R E : # R E D I 2 G O

level drops considerably and it just isn't any fun.

To get to Kolad from Pune, you’ve got to pass through the scenic Tamhini ghat. The road is well surfaced for the most part, with just a couple of short rough patches of tarmac. The route is rather scenic as well — you drive past the sparkling blue waters of the Mulshi reservoir, along craggy mountain faces and through rolling fields of tall, dried grass (mildly reminiscent of Donald Trump’s hair). The ghat is also notorious for being home to wildlife like leopards, however the wildest life we saw were a couple of helmet-less jokers in chappals and shorts racing down the ghat on battered scooters.

The redi-Go was a pleasant surprise on the ghat roads though. So long as you aren't trying to push it and find the limits of grip on every corner, it will carry a brisk pace through the twisties. The engine may be small, but the car is light and so it still has enough grunt to carry itself up slopes.

It wasn't long before I was sitting on an inflated raft, paddle in hand, waiting for the first set of rapids. My

fingers were tingling again, I knew the adrenaline was close. We’d just been briefed about the dos and don’ts of rafting — how to paddle, how to brace for the rapids, how never to take off the lifejacket. I’ve rafted plenty of times before and could have given the brief myself if I had to, but my mind was occupied by the anticipation of what lay ahead.

The first rapid was but a teaser — it was choppy, but not very violent — some water splashed in to the raft and gave us a sense of what was yet to come. The rapids got a little more intense with each passing one and we had to paddle harder to get out of them. At one point the raft bucked and tried to throw us off, and that’s when the adrenaline hit not just me, but everyone on the raft. We had a fairly good grip (you use our legs to grip the raft) and everyone managed to stay on the raft, but it was a close call. And we wanted more. It’s exhilarating, taking on an unrelenting force of nature like a flowing river and coming out unscathed.

The entire session lasts over two hours and you

I T IS E X HIL A R AT ING , TA K ING ON A N UNR EL EN T ING F ORCE OF N AT UR E A ND COMING OU T UNS C AT HED

Above: The redi-GO is more than capable of delivering that rush.

Left: The water levels rise considerably when the gates of the dam are open. Right: A calmer patch of water between the rapids

126

www.

evo India.com | February 2017

travel around 12km downstream in the process. From there, you can either choose to stay on at Kolad, or drive back home. We stayed on at Sanskriti Farms, a quaint little place with cottages in the heart of a paddy field. It’s the perfect place to kickback in a hammock with a book, and relax after a day of adventure.

The Datsun redi-Go came through and has enough adventure junkie cred. It made it to the rafting site without a hitch and even did a fair bit of off-roading to take us to points from where shutterbug Rohit could shoot photographs of the rafts. I got my fill of adrenaline for the time being, but I was going to be back. Apparently the rapids in the Kundalika are even more monstrous in the monsoons and I'm definitely coming back here to give it another shot. L You can contact Kolad Rafting at +91 9821454434 or koladraftinfo@gmail.com — they organise day trips as well as overnight rafting trips on the Kundalika river.

www.

evo India.com

153

SAVE up to 56% on the news stand price

FREE 6 Motor Sport India magazines a year

FREE 4 OFF ROAD magazines a year

#ForEnthusiastsByEnthusiasts

+

+

OFF ROAD

evo India

12 ISSUES EVERY YEAR

Tenure

(in months)

12

24

Type

(select any one)

4 ISSUES FREE

You get

You pay Discount

` 799 ` Digital ` Print ` 1,260 ` Print + Digital ` 2,160

56% 30% 40%

` Digital ` Print

56%

` 1,599 ` 2,160

` Print + Digital ` 3,600

12 issues of evo India + 6 free issues of Motor Sport India + 4 free issues of OFF ROAD

40% 50%

24 issues of evo India + 12 free issues of Motor Sport India + 8 free issues of OFF ROAD

MOTOR SPORT 6 ISSUES FREE

PAYMENT DETAILS Issuing bank: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Chq Number: ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Date: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

` I agree to receive sms and mail regarding subscriptions For non-Pune cheques please add `100.00

Subscribers Signature: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Mail this form along with your cheque/DD to Project GTO Publishing | No. 5, Siddharth Terrace, opposite Aga Khan Palace, Nagar Road, Pune 411 006. Ph: 020 2668 4343

Name : ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Address :

To subscribe e-mail us at evo.subscriptions@gtopublishing.com

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

City: –––––––––––––––––––– Pin: ––––––––––––– State:

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Company : ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Occupation : –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Mobile : ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Designation: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Age: ––––––––––––––––

Terms & Conditions:  The subscription will start from next published issue.  While utmost effort will be taken on the delivery front GTO will not be responsible for any delay

in deliveries by postal department or courier company  All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts and forums in Pune.  Cheques/ DD to be drawn in the name of Project GTO Publishing LLP, payable at Pune.  Address: No. 5, Siddharth Terrace, Opposite Aga Khan Palace, Nagar Road, Pune 411 006  For non-Pune cheques please add `100.00

Gross Annual Income (INR): –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– E-mail: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Do you own a vehicle: Yes / No Make

–––––––––––––

Year: –––––––––––––––

Order Online: www.store.evoindia.com

With deserted roads and scenery to die for, should Iceland be on everyone’s list of must‑do driving destinations? evo charts a lap of the Nordic nation to find out

by A N T O N Y I N G R A M

M A Z DA M X- 5 I N I C E L A N D

IT TAKES A LOCAL TO SNAP ME OUT OF MY blissful ignorance. Partly because the thrashing of a Nissan Patrol’s 44-inch tyres is difficult to ignore when it’s occurring at eye level, but mostly for the look its occupants give as they pass. Incredulity would cover it, but pity is an appropriate surrogate. Either way, the drawnout passing manoeuvre and perplexed looks are enough to remind me that what I’m doing isn’t, by Icelandic standards, normal.

Driving certain cars endows one with something approximating celebrity. The Nissan GT-R, even after all these years, still has the presence to make people stop, stare and whip out a cameraphone.

Italian supercars do too, and while you can slide by crowds unnoticed in a Porsche 911, doing the same thing without attracting admiring glances in a Mercedes-AMG GT or a BMW i8 is nigh on impossible.

The Mazda MX-5 doesn’t quite pull off this feat in the UK, but in Iceland, with the roof down, you’d struggle to draw more attention if you were Björk. Mazda’s roadster is not a familiar car on the Nordic island: Reykjavík’s lone Mazda dealer has sold just two. Not two this month, or this year – two in total. From worldwide sales of over a million since 1989. Given the city receives around 40 more rainy days than London every year and 400 hours’ less sunshine (and it’s among the milder areas on the island), this is perhaps not surprising. As I stroll around the world’s northernmost capital on a crisp evening, I spot a bright yellow third-generation Toyota MR2 parked outside an apartment block, and briefly wonder whether I’ve stumbled across the residence of the village idiot.

Keen to discover more villages that might be missing theirs, I set off to the north on the first leg of a journey that few will ever attempt

112

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

Akureyri

Reykjahlíð Egilsstaðir

I C E L A N D Reykjavík

Breiðdalsvík Hoffellsjökull

Jökulsárlón

Selfoss

F a r o e I s l a n d s

Above: Spectacular Goðafoss waterfall lies not far from Akureyri in the northern part of the island. Right: This MX-5 is an ‘Icon’ special edition; extra features include a new chin spoiler and racy decals S C O T L A N D Edinburgh

M A Z DA M X- 5 I N I C E L A N D in a small Japanese convertible: Iceland’s Route 1 ‘Hringvegur’ ringroad. The highway, equivalent to a British A-road in most places and still surfaced with gravel in a couple of sections, winds its way around the entire country over the course of 1332 kilometres. It cuts through mountains and volcanic regions, hugs fjords and rocky outcrops, and skims a narrow path between the Atlantic coastline and the tonguelike glaciers that rasp their way down from the island’s highlands before calving off great chunks of ancient ice at the coast.

Leaving the cosy confines of Reykjavík’s Hotel Borg and instantly dropping the roof isn’t quite as uncomfortable as I’d expected. It’s midSeptember and surprisingly mild, and while Atlantic gusts swirl their way around the cabin, the sun is putting up a good fight, highlighting patches of the green, mountainous terrain that surrounds the city.

The MX-5 is not a fast car – certainly not in 1.5-litre guise, as here.

On paper it only loses a second to the 2-litre model to 100kmph (8.3sec versus 7.3), but from the moment I pull out into traffic in Reykjavík, the half-litre deficit is immediately apparent. As the road starts to climb and twist, it’s clear you need to work the four-cylinder unit hard, though like the larger motor there’s an inertia-free feeling to the way it responds to throttle inputs and a sense of mechanical integrity about it that melts any fears you may have about spending long periods in the higher reaches of the rev range.

‘When I itch, I must scratch,’ the Icelandic say. It’s equivalent to our more familiar ‘if the shoe fits…’, and it’s somewhat relevant here because in Iceland the 1.5’s outright lack of pace isn’t frustrating so much as appropriate. The national speed limit is just 90kmph (56mph) and drops to 80kmph (50mph) on gravel. Exceeding

ROU T E 1 SK I M S A N A R ROW PAT H BE T W E E N T H E AT L A N T IC A N D T ONGU E - L I K E GL AC I E R S

M A Z DA M X- 5 I N I C E L A N D

these limits by more than a few kmph brings with it an instant fine equivalent to around `6000, and this rapidly rises into hundreds and even thousands of rupees as the speed increases. There’s no getout-of-jail-free card for tourists, either. Which is unfortunate, as big speeds can land you in a cell until the justice system can find a judge to preside over your case. 129bhp? Er, that should be fine, thanks.

Anyway, one of the great joys of convertible driving is being able to supplant actual speed with the sensations of it, and the latest MX-5 nails the required balance. It lets enough of a breeze into the cockpit to let you know you’re motoring along, but even as the temperature drops it remains refined enough to make roof-down its default state. Like the engine, the car’s heating system feels faintly over-engineered; the temperature knob is never twirled into its final third and I daren’t venture beyond one illuminated segment on the heated seats for fear of being rendered infertile. I’ve brought a hat and gloves along but for most of the trip they will go unused, as the former gently cooks my head and the latter’s woollen construction is not conducive to gripping the leather-rimmed steering wheel.

The further I stray from Reykjavík, the less it seems like Iceland is inhabited at all. With everyone travelling at roughly the same pace on the gently flowing roads, it’s rare to encounter any cars in your own lane, and oncoming traffic seems to comprise mainly gailycoloured camper vans or the near-ubiquitous rental Suzuki Vitaras full of starry-eyed tourists. The scenery is changing but I can’t shake the familiarity – verdant mountains redolent of those in the Scottish Highlands give way to views of the arid yet occasionally chilled

114

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

landscapes between the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada.

Roughly halfway along the north coast and around 370 kilometres into the trip, America fades back into Scotland as the road descends into Akureyri, an important fishing port and the island’s secondlargest city. A tight schedule means a stop isn’t possible, but the brightly painted buildings provide a brief flash of colour in my peripheral vision before I cross the Eyjafjörður (‘Island fjord’), hang on to the Mazda’s lower gears, and climb back towards the centre of the island. There’s a rasp to the exhaust and blips of the floor-hinged throttle pedal are accompanied by a chuff of induction noise. Like with the original MX-5, you know it’s been cynically tuned to sound like a sports car of yore, but it feels so much more genuine than the piped-in noises you’ll find elsewhere and more satisfying as a result.

The shift action itself is predictably slick, too, though the constant engineered-in vibration of the gearlever seems a rose-tint too far. The shifter in the first-generation MX-5 doesn’t shimmy in the same way but feels even oilier, more mechanical to slot.

The scenery wants for little, but so far Route 1 isn’t exactly taxing for a low-slung sports car. You feel the country’s topography leaves little figurative room for a road-builder’s creativity. Wide, flat valleys carved by glaciers draw simple paths between towns and villages.

There’s little incentive to send a road winding up a mountainside and cascading down the opposite face, as those who laid spaghetti through the Alps or aforementioned Rockies seem to have done.

The straights are long, the curves gentle. The surface is perfect, too, resilient to poor weather but untroubled by the hundreds, rather

Above left: Ingram plays the conscientious tourist to perfection.

Above: Smooth sweepers carve through the volcanic landscape. Top right: Aurora Borealis lights up the night sky

than hundreds of thousands, of cars that pass over it each day. Where landscapes haven’t been carved by ice they’ve been formed by ancient lava flows, leaving vast, flat volcanic plains and Arctic tundra.

Lakes, too, and as Hringvegur curls around Mývatn (‘Lake of Midges’, whose winged inhabitants have mercifully disappeared by the autumn, leaving the roadster’s nose unspeckled) the road finally breaks into some tighter turns. It’s still possible to maintain the country’s speed limit but the corners encourage you to build some load through the MX-5’s chassis. In 1.5-litre form you get 16inch wheels (an inch smaller than those on the 2-litre), no limitedslip differential and no uprated Bilstein dampers. The combination makes the car even more prone to roll – wiggling the steering to and fro rocks the car around its roll axis like the springs are made from trifle – but where the more powerful model can feel disjointed and rides firmly despite ample body roll, the softer car seems a little more fluid.

Reykjahlíð lies to the north-east of Mývatn and marks the gateway to the eerie, active-volcanic landscape south of the Krafla Caldera (a huge geological cauldron). Plumes of steam rise from deep geothermal wells, whose sulphuric smell instantly pervades the Mazda’s cabin. Yellowstone Park, the similar prehistoric terrain of which I visited a few years ago, is where my thoughts land this time.

A hardy few explore the thin trails that lead through bubbling pits of boiling mud. For the first time, there’s a tangible sense of the island’s churning geology in action. Krafla and a series of other volcanoes that cut through Iceland from its northern to its southern coast are the

THE F U RT H E R I ST R AY F ROM R E Y K JAV Í K , T H E L E SS I T SE E M S L I K E IC E L A N D I S I N H A BI T E D AT A L L

www.

evoIndia.com

115

M A Z DA M X- 5 I N I C E L A N D

116

www.evo.co.uk

P LU M E S OF S T E A M R I SE F ROM DE E P GE O T H E R M A L W E L L S, W HOSE SU L PH U R IC SM E L L I NS TA N T LY PE RVA DE S T H E M A Z DA’ S C A BI N

ever-present reminder that Iceland is being torn asunder, stretched between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.

Few places I’ve ever visited match the isolation of Iceland’s northeastern plains. America’s deserts come closest, but the roads that slice through them are pockmarked by civilisation. In Iceland, you feel like the only living being for miles around. The roads often track arrow straight, with no obstacles to disrupt their path towards the horizon. At 90kmph, you get plenty of time alone with your thoughts.

I mostly mull on whether the person who implemented that speed limit had ever left the confines of Reykjavík.

As night rolls in, and with around 644 kilometres covered, I reach Egilsstaðir, the country’s largest easterly town. Parking up, I finally pull up the roof. This, just like the process of stowing it, is the work of one arm. People have long claimed this possible of MX-5s but the current car is the first that doesn’t require you to have a ball-joint mid-spine to comfortably reach back from the driver’s seat.

L E AV I NG T H E N E X T MOR N I NG, F L A SK F R E SH LY brimmed with hotel coffee, I drop the canvas before even thumbing the starter button. At this time of year autumnal colours stain the few deciduous trees that cling on to life in the subpolar climate, and damp roads from an overnight shower add a different, whooshing timbre to the sound of tyres on tarmac.

It doesn’t last for long as just south of Egilsstaðir is the first section of gravel road. The surface is smooth at first, with a firm layer below a thin topping of loose chippings, but as the track climbs up into glacially formed ranges along the coast, the road becomes rougher and small steering corrections are required to keep the MX-5 on course. Low-lying cloud begins to obscure the views either side and I hug the hillside rather than straying too close to the inevitable, shrouded drop to the other side.

And then, as suddenly as the mist had rolled in, it disperses.

Churning, sinister clouds hang above the valley, its earthen yellows and browns broken only by small patches of green farmland and the glistening snail-trail left by a river. And before it all, two perfect, gravel-strewn hairpins that strive to trim some height from the mountain road before it rollercoasters into the valley below. On regular all-season tyres the front wheels scud away at the loose surface and the steering refuses to filter back many messages, neither of which inspires confidence when local authorities have a laid-back attitude to Armco placement. With no limited-slip differential, slides are a little more scrappy than they might be with one installed, but after a day of sticking rigidly to speed limits, this one small section

www.evo.co.uk

117

MINIMAL T R A F F IC A N D S W E E PI NG T U R NS H AV E M A DE T H E M X-5 A PE R F EC T M AT C H

feels like it was designed with MX-5-driving tourists in mind.

As the road reaches the coast at Breiðdalsvík the tarmac returns, but a few miles further and it’s gone again. Of the entire route, just 32 kilometres remain unpaved, but the sense of adventure they lend to Route 1 – particularly in a small, open-topped two-seater – far outweighs that implied by the limited distance. They’re also the gateway to some of Hringvegur’s best driving roads, as it tightly grips the coastal topography in both direction and elevation.

The crests, swoops and compressions again bring to mind Scotland, and the occasional open stretch is enough to pass ambling tourists without troubling the speed limit. The MX-5 doesn’t feel quite as tied-down on undulating roads as a similarly priced hot hatch, but there’s balance that few of those can replicate with their front-biased weight distribution. The steering still irks – the response is there, the feedback isn’t – but it’s hard not to feel Mazda has met its brief to develop a car that more or less anyone can enjoy.

Southern Iceland is also home to its most iconic views. Here my data banks are empty – nothing I’ve ever seen compares to the massive Vatnajökull Glacier as its outlets churn their steady paths towards the North Atlantic. Hoffellsjökull appears first, a twisting river of ice sandwiched between two mountain ranges. Every few miles a new outlet appears, coinciding with a metal bridge that spans either side of the glacier’s outwash plain.

It’s still a surprise when Jökulsárlón appears, however. Iceland’s most famous glacial outlet, the lake is home to a changing field of electric-blue icebergs (the colour the result of a lack of lightrefracting bubbles of air), which separate from a glacier nearly a mile inland. It would be serene but for Jökulsárlón’s status as one of the country’s biggest tourist attractions, and after briefly setting foot in the inevitable gift shop I decide it’s high time for more isolation.

After 962 kilometres of roofless driving, Iceland finally shows its precipitatious side as an Atlantic squall rolls across the southern plains. After a few miles of kidding myself, I decide it’s becoming a little too fresh and finally raise the hood and cocoon myself in the Mazda’s compact cabin. Rain lashes against the windscreen and wind tries to push the car’s nose from its path, and I begin to appreciate how useable the modern MX-5 has become.

Beyond the town of Selfoss the Hringvegur starts to descend back into Reykjavík. The cloak of darkness highlights through street lights just how small the city is. Small, but after two days in almost total isolation, still a shock to the system as I join the back of a queue of traffic. The MX-5 has always been about preservation of momentum, keen responses and sheer brio making up for any deficiency in performance, and the last few days of minimal traffic and sweeping turns have made it a perfect match. If Mazda of Reykjavík hasn’t sold at least three MX-5s by now, I might have to return in my own MX-5 to convince them further. L

Above left: Stunning blue icebergs at Jökulsárlón. Top right: Iceland’s glaciers make for a magical and imposing sight. Left and right: MX-5’s roof stayed down for all but a handful of Route 1’s 1332 kiometres

M A Z DA M X- 5 I N I C E L A N D

Mazda MX-5 1.5 ‘Icon’ Engine In-line 4-cyl, 1496cc CO2 139g/km Power 129bhp @ 7000rpm Torque 150Nm @ 4800rpm Transmission Six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive, ESC Front suspension Double wishbones, coil springs, dampers, anti-roll bar Rear suspension Multi-link, coil springs, dampers, anti-roll bar Brakes Ventilated 258mm discs front, solid 255mm discs rear, ABS Wheels 16in front and rear Tyres 195/50 R16 front and rear Weight 975kg Power-to-weight 134bhp/ton 0-100kmph 8.3sec (claimed) Top speed 204kmph (claimed) Basic price `17.5 lakh (In the UK, excluding Indian taxes and duties) On sale Now evo rating: ;;;;2

5th Cartier ‘Travel with Style’ Concours D’Elegance

WOLSELEY SLAYS ‘EM ALL! WO R D S b y A D I L J A L DA RU K H A N AWA L A P H O T O G R A P H Y b y K A I Z A D A D I L DA RU K H A N AWA L A

I 120

www.

IT WAS A DAZZLER WHEN I HAD SEEN it being restored almost 8 to 9 months ago but even I had not expected that come the fifth edition of the Cartier ‘Travel with Style’ Concours D’Elegance, it would be adjudged the Best of Show! Shrivardhan Kanoria’s 1914 Wolseley 30/40 HP royal landaulette was majesty personified as it caught the eye of the acclaimed jury and also those who knew that this now defunct marque had at one time been a strong rival to hallowed brands in Britain.

So highly original was this car that it became a historian’s delight to go through its entire repertoire, on both the mechanical as well as the coachwork aspects. And to see this grand upright Edwardian purring its way from its parking slot to the winner’s ramp not once but twice (it also bagged top honours for pre-war European classics) was a glorious sight.

And speaking of glorious sights, in the ten-

evoIndia.com | March 2017

year, five-event history of the Cartier Concours, this year’s event excelled in its choice of venue which was the majestic Falaknuma Palace, erstwhile home of the fabulous Nizams of Hyderabad. Towering over the city of Hyderabad, thanks to the Nizam’s daughter, Princess Esra, it played gracious host to the event which saw 73 fine cars (and also 39 motorcycles) spread amongst eight classes vying for honours in their respective categories.

This year, as in 2015, one got to see another dimension in the Indian classic car scene – that of pre-1950 cars imported as rust buckets almost, and then brought back to their near original finery by some of the best names in the business. Viveck Goenka, Madan Mohan (of 21 Gun Salute fame), Diljeet Titus, etc had a flurry of cars which they had acquired overseas and to the see their quality of restoration indicates the very high level restorers have taken their craft to

C L A S S I CS Main pic left: Srivardhan Kanoria’s 1914 Wolseley 30/40 HP took Best of Show and also was best among the pre-war European classics.

Pics on this page from top: Viveck Goenka’s ex-Bikaner 1954 Studebaker Conestoga station wagon bagged top honours in the Preservation Class; his 1957 Hindustan Landmaster Traveller took top honours in the Indian Heritage Class; Siddharth Khona’s 1915 Ford Model T Runabout was runner-up in the class for American pre-war classics; runnerup to the Kanoria Wolseley in the European pre-war classics was this superb ex-Nawanagar 1927 Lanchester 21 HP restored and entered by Madan Mohan of 21 Gun Salute Rally fame

in India. While there certainly is a new debate as well about Indian provenance in Indian events as regards some glorious new welcome additions because of this move to import old cars this isn’t the time or the place to debate that. However I just wanted to state that if ever there had to be an effort that trumped everyone it had to be in the form of the 1949 Bristol 400 Coupe of Amit Sapre which was also rightfully acknowledged as the most outstanding comefrom-the-dead car in the field for the Cartier Resurrection Cup which it won hands down.

This car was dug out from the premises of a building having been buried deep in the ground and next to impossible for many to restore, only because there was virtually nothing tangible to restore but quite a lot to resurrect! I think this was the leit motif for Amit along with the brothers Engineer – Nekzad and Kaizad who run Niki’s Garage in Mumbai to tackle this, and having heard of the Cartier event, gave this trio the fillip to go about it on a war footing. As such the result speaks volumes about the way the car has turned out and also highlights what careful detailing, an eye for the exact specifications and materials plus the attitude and patience needed for such a herculean task can achieve when all these gel together. Take a bow you three!

There was an exhibition class where none of the cars on display were judged but three such cars caught my eye. The first was a 1910 Wolseley 50/60 HP belonging to the Nizam of Hyderabad and in the ownership of his family. Taking into account the Napiers and the 1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost ‘throne car’ (Best of Show at the 2011 Cartier Concours in Delhi), this Wolseley forms a nice quartet of Edwardians in the Nizam’s garage. The second car was a 1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom II with wooden skiff bodywork owned by Viveck and Zita Goenka. Formerly owned by the Maharaja of Travancore who had ordered it with a Hooper limousine coachwork, this was later changed to sport this glorious boat-tailed body.

However, the car that was to shade all and

This year’s event excelled in its choice of venue – the majestic Falaknuma Palace, erstwhile home of the fabulous Nizams of Hyderabad

www.

evoIndia.com

121

From top: Even though entered in the exhibition class (wonder why), the car of the show according to me and many others had to be this overwhelmingly imposing Windovers-bodied 1919 Daimler 45 HP Special of the Seth Hukumchand family of Indore; the FIVA Preservation Trophy went to this unmolested and absolutely untouched original 1921 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost of the Maharaja of Wankaner; classy wooden bodied boat tailed coachwork on Viveck Goenka’s 1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom II formerly from the Travancore royal garage

everything, even the winning Wolseley I might add, in this edition of the Cartier Concours D’Elegance had to be the massively imposing 1919 Daimler 45 HP Special owned since new by the Sir Seth Hukumchand family of Indore.

This car with its large imposing bodywork painted a rich golden hue, had many pure gold fittings in its time (some of which had been vandalised) and also loads of ivory in many places within the cabin. This Windovers-bodied car was walled up and interred in the family mansion in Indore and only just restored for this event and brought to Hyderabad. Awesome to behold, it was surely the car of the show for me.

The class for European pre-war classics had some great cars. Apart from the winning Wolseley of Shrivardhan Kanoria, the car that caught my eye was a magnificent 1927 Lanchester 21 HP Tourer that was formerly owned by the Maharaja of Nawanagar and had been spirited out of the country before Madan Mohan bought it and restored it back to its former state. And at the other end of the scale in this very class was the perky little 1929 Triumph Super 7 of Padma Lal. This car had gone through many mutations before it was restored and this roadster body grafted on.

The class for pre-war American classics had some great examples of Yankee machinery for the masses as well as the high and the mighty, and overall honours were taken by the 1936 Pierce-Arrow 1602 sedan that had been brought back to life by Diljeet Titus. Following on as runner-up in class was a most handsome 1933 Cadillac V12 Series 370-C imported in an abject state of being and completely restored here by Madan Mohan. Cadillacs dominated this class and it was great to see the large roadsters with V8 and V12 engines vie for the connoisseurs eye. Rarities in this class were Yash Ruia’s 1929 Graham-Paige Model 615, a 1922 Moon 6-40 of Madan Mohan, plus a 1930 Buick 60 Dual Phaeton owned by Kailash Charan. Siddharth

Obvious question that comes to mind is how would Manvendra Barwani be able to improve on this come 2019?

122

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

From top: Amit Sapre’s eclectic Bristol 400 Coupe motors on to the ramp to collect the Cartier Resurrection Cup; Amal Tanna’s magnificent 1936 Chrysler Imperial Aeroflow won the Americain Aerodynamique class; Yashwardhan Ruia’s 1929 Grahan-Paige 615 Phaeton is a truly rare example of the marque in India

Khona’s 1915 Ford Model T runabout was truly brilliant in its turn out and amusingly well stocked with the many different accessories that ol’ man Henry could conjure up! And yes this all black Tin Lizzie was runner-up in this class.

A very special class titled Americain Aerodynamique (no typos here, these are the exact words mind you) was fittingly won by Amal Tanna’s 1936 Chrysler Imperial Aeroflow.

Very well restored entirely here in India from a virtual basket case imported from overseas, this Chrysler bested Viveck Goenka’s 1936 Cord 810 Winchester Sedan among others in this class.

Shantanu Reddy’s rare 1949 Triumph 2000 Roadster took the top spot among the European post war classics while Viveck Goenka’s 1959 Edsel Villager station wagon was the winner among the American post war classics. A very lovingly turned out 1961 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL owned by Sandeep Reddy bagged top honours among the roadsters which also had a very fine example of the Jaguar E-Type Series I from 1962 in the fray. There were two classes for small and large Rolls-Royces and the first of these saw Manu Raman’s 1936 25/30 HP car sporting Thrupp & Maberly coachwork best the others to take top honours. Inder Krishnama’s magnificent 1921 40/50 HP Silver Ghost with Barker barrel body tourer coachwork was the winner among the Grand Rolls-Royce class.

The Indian heritage class which seems to be coming along nicely over the last four editions saw Viveck and Zita Goenka’s 1957 Hindustan Landmaster Traveller take top honours over Keshav

Rao’s 1958 Hindustan Ambassador among others.

A special award and category has to take mention here. The preservation class is gaining traction in events of this kind all over the world and here a supremely elegant not to mention a rare example of the 1954 Studebaker Conestoga (ordered new for the use of the Bikaner royals) went on to bag the Mark Shand Adventurer Trophy for its owner Viveck Goenka. I just couldn’t take my eyes off this elegant station wagon and the patina it carried, replete with distinctive art deco searchlight on its roof!

And on to the most impressive - for me - in this category had to be the absoluetly original 1921 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost with James & Company tourer coachwork of the Maharaja of Wankaner. I had seen this car more than two decades ago in the royal garage at Wankaner and here it was brought, ticking along nicely but unmolested and un-retouched, by Yuvraj Kesri Sinhji. Not surprisingly and very deservedly it was awarded the FIVA Preservation Trophy.

For his yeoman patronage, noted car enthusiast and supreme collector Sharad Sanghi of Indore was accorded the Cartier Honour Trophy.

It was a great show for the first time in Hyderabad and dare I say it, the setting overpowered the cars unlike the previous venues in Mumbai and Delhi. That apart, it was absolutely glorious to see a clutch of great cars that curator Manvendra Singh Barwani had brought together. Obvious question that comes to mind is how would he be able to improve on this come 2019? L www.

evoIndia.com

123

Lamborghini’s biggest hitter has upped its game, with more power, four-wheel steering and improved aero. Its got a new name, too – Aventador S – and it might just be the best V12 Lambo ever made

by S T E V E S U T C L I F F E

QUANTUM LEAP WHEN THE LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR WAS first unleashed upon us in 2011, the atmosphere among the upper echelons of the world’s fastest cars was considerably less dense than it is now. Back then McLaren Automotive was still in its infancy, the P1 was little more than a speculative rumour amid the news pages of this magazine, and the 918 Spyder and LaFerrari were still in the minds and on the drawing boards of their designers and engineers at Weissach and Modena respectively.

Back then, in fact, the Aventador’s carbonfibremonocoque chassis, its radical pushrod suspension and its seven-speed single-clutch gearbox mated to a Haldex four-wheel-drive system were absolutely at the cutting edge. And then a couple of years later the floodgates opened, and the world of fast cars changed forever.

Which left the dear old Aventador looking a wee bit sorry for itself technically. So Lamborghini’s reaction, under the guidance of its ebullient new boss Stefano Domenicali, former F1 team chief at Ferrari, is the car you see here: the Aventador S. Don’t think of this car as a direct rival to the triumvirate of hypercars from you-know-who, because in reality it is nothing of the sort. For starters, it costs a third of the price of such cars. Second, it remains powered by a tweaked

124

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

L A M B O RG H I N I AV E N TA D O R S

www.

evoIndia.com

125

L A M B O R G H I N I AV E N TA D O R S

version of the wondrous 6.5-litre V12 from the original Aventador, with not an electric motor or a turbocharger in sight. And third, it will sell in vastly greater numbers than any of the royal trio did, with no restriction on production numbers, even if there’s already a decent waiting list.

The big news technically is the new electronic fourwheel steering system. But as you can see, there have been numerous design changes as well, including a delightful new treatment around the rear wheelarches that is an unashamed nod to the Countach. Front, back and sides, the car looks quite different from the original in the flesh, even though the fundamental template remains. The way the car flows through the air has changed, too. Thanks in part to a new active electronic rear wing, Lamborghini claims the S develops 130 per cent more downforce than the old car, and that it’s 50 per cent more efficient aerodynamically overall. Which are some claims.

And the development of the S doesn’t stop there.

The electronic dampers and suspension have also been comprehensively re-engineered so that they react and respond in accordance with the new four-wheel steering system. There’s also a bespoke new Pirelli tyre, developed because the dynamics of a car with rear steering alter the demands placed on the rubber. And finally, the dynamic drive program that previously featured three modes – Strada, Sport and Corsa – has been re-written to include a fourth setting called Ego. Forget the narcissistic connotations of the name if you can because, in practice, the Ego setting finally allows the driver to alter the parameters of the steering, powertrain

126

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

and suspension separately from one another, which is a minor eureka moment for the Aventador. No longer do you have to put up with thump-in-the-back upshifts in Corsa mode just because you want maximum response from the steering and dampers. Take your S to the Nürburgring, for example, and Ego will enable you to select the softest suspension settings (desirable at the Ring) but with the engine, steering and gearbox set to full attack, and so on.

The other key technical change is the fitment of one single ECU to control all the car’s dynamic functions.

There are many other smaller ECUs to deal with stuff like the air con, the new TFT instruments, the lights, the electric seats and so forth, but the engine, sevenspeed automated-manual gearbox, steering, ESP, 4WS – everything to do with the fundamental dynamics of the car – are all controlled by a single electronic unit.

What are the advantages of doing this? Lamborghini’s technical overlord, Maurizio Reggiano, says it has enabled his engineers to develop a harmony of response that you simply can’t achieve when separate ECUs control separate dynamic functions. By having one brain control the whole shebang, you get a consistency of reaction to a driver’s inputs that Lamborghini has never been able to achieve before, and that, says Reggiano, is apparent at any speed.

On paper, then, the ‘dramatically improved’ S would appear to represent strangely good value. I know that sounds like a weird conclusion to reach considering the outlay, but think about it for a second, and then consider the raw numbers.

The V12 engine develops a whopping 730bhp at

Above: Front bumper is among several aero changes that help the new car develop 130 per cent more downforce.

Right: Redesigned rear arches are in homage to the Countach

After a while you realise that, at long last, Lamborghini has finally got what this whole driving thing is all about

www.

evoIndia.com www.evo.co.uk

127 127

It’s a genuine track weapon that can be driven – and relished – right up near to the edge without scaring yourself half to death

128

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

8400rpm – a rise of 40bhp – and an unchanged 690Nm at 5500rpm, and the car weighs a mere 1575kg dry. Its headline performance statistics might not quite be up there with the fastest hypercars but 0-100kmph is still not far off at 2.9sec, thanks to the car’s launch control and AWD. Neither is 8.8sec to 200kmph, and the top speed of 350kmph means the S is rarely going to get spanked by anything, at any price, on top end.

Plus, of course, there’s the way it sounds, and the Krakatoa-like way in which it responds to the throttle, both of which are unique to the Aventador and specifically its huge atmospheric V12.

Reggiano’s also dead right about the harmonic clarity of the car’s reactions to your inputs. On the move the first thing you notice is how much less steering input is required, how direct this makes the front end feel, and how much more feel, proper feel, there is through the rim.

Then you notice how much cleaner and more consistent the throttle response is. In the old car you’d sometimes get strange bursts of unwanted revs from relatively small doses of throttle, followed by almost no response. But in the S every millimetre of travel on the pedal makes a difference. You instantly feel much more in control of the car as a result. You drive it rather than the other way round, and from this initial realisation flows a more gradual journeying of the penny south, and after a while you realise that at last, at long last, Lamborghini has finally got what this driving thing is all about.

And the key word is ‘detail’. The old car never lacked much when it came to generating headline numbers, neither was it short on pure brute force or noise. From the outside looking in, it seemed to have everything. But from behind the wheel it could be a clumsy car in some respects, with brake-pedal responses that didn’t quite match those of the throttle, steering that always felt detached from the rear axle somehow, and a four-wheel-drive chassis setup that was nothing if not determined in its desire to provide safe but endless amounts of understeer. Fundamentally it felt like a big, heavy car on the move, did the Aventador; bigger and heavier than it actually was. The detail, for whatever reason, was absent. It felt almost as if the engineers were happy to sign everything off at 90 per cent then go home, working on the assumption that the customer would never notice.

With the S, though, they’ve gone all the way and then some, and this is almost certainly a consequence of Domenicali’s famously obsessive approach to detail – his desire to get deep beneath the skin with the engineering and fine-tuning of his cars. To the point where even the engineers admit that he can be somewhat challenging to work for, even though they adore his overall approach.

So, this four-wheel steering system. How does it work and what does it do for the Aventador’s dynamic repertoire? In simple terms, it turns the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the fronts by up to three degrees at low speeds, then at higher speeds it turns them in the same direction as the fronts by up to 1.5 degrees. The switching ‘window’ is 125-185kmph, depending on how much yaw is detected, and the transition is seamless. All you’re aware of is much sharper front-end bite on turn-in,

Above left: It’s not all V12 fireworks – within, the S gets Apple CarPlay and customisation options that are ‘virtually limitless’.

Above: Multi-spoke wheels are borrowed from the Aventador SV

L A M B O RG H I N I AV E N TA D O R S

Left: Pilot Sport Cup 2-shod Mégane is frisky on cold tarmac but devastatingly fast in the right hands. Below: Focus ST is 29bhp down on the Leon, but it’s the disparity in chassis control that’s most noticeable on our test route

with maybe a hint of neutral oversteer that never develops into full-blown oversteer. It’s a massive step in the right direction. At high speed the car feels, to all intents and purposes, pretty much glued at both ends, with far less steering input required to get it to turn, plus a lovely sense of control on the throttle mid-corner.

And because the car is so much better balanced under power across all speeds, the engineers were able to send much more torque to the rear axle at any given time. This has the effect of making the S feel like a rear-wheel-drive car most of the time, and a very well set up one at that.

We do lots of laps at the Valencia MotoGP circuit, in all sorts of conditions. In the soaking wet the car is still a touch understeery, true, but mainly because anything and everything understeers around this strangely greasywhen-wet circuit; as things dry out, the car feels sharper and sweeter with every lap, and then in the bone-dry the Aventador S properly blows me away.

The engine we knew about already. It’s a thing of rare loveliness and its longevity, says Domenicali, is guaranteed for many years yet. In the S it pulls harder in the mid-range and revs a further 150rpm before its limiter intrudes, at 8500rpm. And it sounds even more incredible in this installation, too, if such a thing is possible. Thank the lighter exhaust system for that. We also know about the gearbox, which works OK but not brilliantly compared with the best. The carbon-ceramic brakes, which are excellent in their overall power, now deliver a lot more feel through the pedal, which gives you more confidence.

But the chassis, well, it’s something else. Seemingly out of nowhere, Reggiano and his team have turned their big V12 monster from a wild animal into a genuine track weapon, one that turns in properly, is quite beautifully balanced mid-corner, has mind-boggling traction on the way out of bends and which can be driven – and relished – right up near to the edge without scaring you half to death.

And it’s the harmony of response that Reggiano talks about that lies at the core of the car’s appeal. Everything in the Aventador S works ‘as one’ now, and it feels lighter on its feet and much better sorted as a result. Reggiano’s claim is that the collective effects of the 4WS system, the new suspension software, the aerodynamic improvements, the single ECU and the bespoke Pirelli rubber have shortened the wheelbase of the car – subjectively – by half a metre.

Sounds ludicrous if you think about it, but he’s not wrong. I climb out of the S thinking that it feels like a Huracán with a V12. Except, if anything, it feels better than that car, even the rear-drive LP580-2, because it turns in better, feels more neutral everywhere and is more agile. It’s more connected to the bits of your mind and body that are on high alert when driving a car like this quickly.

Oh yes, and on the road it also rides less uncomfortably than before when in Strada, thanks to the revised damping, and it benefits from a smoother-shifting auto setting within the gearbox. And a slightly more intuitive instrument display that alters in design as you scroll up through the various drive modes. It’s just a better supercar.

A much better supercar. L

Lamborghini Aventador S Engine V12, 6498cc Power 730bhp @ 8400rpm Torque 690Nm @ 5500rpm Transmission Seven-speed ISR automated manual, four-wheel drive, limited-slip differential, ESP Front suspension Double wishbones, inboard coil springs and dampers, anti-roll bar Rear suspension Double wishbones, inboard coil springs and dampers, anti-roll bar Brakes Carbon-ceramic discs, 400mm front, 380mm rear, ABS, EBD Wheels 9 x 20in front, 13 x 21in rear Tyres 255/30 ZR20 front, 355/25 ZR21 rear Weight (dry) 1575kg Power-to-weight (dry) 471bhp/ton 0-100kmph 2.9sec (claimed) Top speed 350kmph (claimed) Estimated price `6.5 crore

evo rating: ;;;;3

www.

evoIndia.com

129

WO R D S b y S I R I S H C H A N D R A N P H O T O G R A P H Y b y RO H I T G M A N E

A SERIES OF EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS Or more accurately what happens when you go into the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm with zero preparation … except for growing a beard

THIS STORY BEGINS ON THE FIFTH day of the Dakar at the start of the year. It’s late at night at the bivouac in San Salvador de Jujuy in Argentina, a scene of frenetic activity. Mechanics are furiously mending their cars, bikes and quads; drivers and riders have finished working on their road books and are asleep in their motor homes (or, for those on a budget, tents); the trucks are just coming in, the ground shuddering as a Kamaz rumbles past me; and I slide into a spot of day dreaming. Maybe day dreaming is not the appropriate word considering it’s late at night but I’ll describe the picture being painted in my head: it’s that of your correspondent – a little

older, a little greyer, rocking a beard – back at the Dakar, but this time with a competitor tag round his neck.

The next morning I watch C S Santosh being flagged off at half past four. Five years ago if somebody had suggested an Indian would take part in the world’s greatest motorsport event I’d have laughed at his face but here’s an Indian rider who showed the rest of the country that the Dakar wasn’t an impossible dream. Just watching him go through hell and back, day after day on the Dakar, is deeply inspirational and a match lights up in my head.

“Bro, I want to do the ’Storm”, I ping Aniruddha.

www.

evoIndia.com

131

M A RU T I S U Z U K I D ES E RT STO R M

Aniruddha, henceforth referred to as Anu in the interests of brevity, is my go-to guy for anything to do with motorsport, especially rallying. He’s the guy who brought everything and everybody together to kick-start our national championship rally team Slideways Industries. He has also competed twice in the Indian version of the Dakar, the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm, and so knows what it takes.

“You mad or what?” replies Anu. “Rally starts in 3 weeks.”

And so begins a series of extraordinary events…

Meet the ’ol girl On Republic Day a friend at Maruti Suzuki tags me in a tweet, a picture of a Gypsy leading the Presidential convoy, the caption says 30 years and still going strong. I can only think of the Merc G-Wagen with a longer lifespan and when you think of it, isn’t that a remarkable innings?

Our armed forces still swear by it. The Gerrari boy’s wildly modified Gypsy won last year’s Rain Forest Challenge. And it remains the go-to rally car for rally raid events across the country. Of course you could do it in a Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara but the only one I could find, at two week’s notice, carried a thirty lakh rupee price tag! Rent for a Gypsy is under a lakh of rupees. Service and spares is another lakh of rupees. And that’s that. It’s a remarkably affordable rally car, a remarkably resilient and tough rally car. You might break down, the Gypsy will never break down.

Except, the Gypsy I’m staring at looks like it has been to both the wars on the western front.

I can’t really blame my friend Sandeep

Sharma, a.k.a Sandy, for finding this Armygreen Gypsy for me – I gave him three days notice. But that's the thing about the Gypsy, no matter what it looks like, no matter what you think it can or cannot do, the Gypsy will keep on going. I feel sorry for the hell we will be puting it through in the Rajasthan theatre but I don't think the Gypsy needs my sympathy.

No time to waste then. First things first we slapped on a fresh set tyres, instantly doubling both the value and capability of the Gypsy. Turns out it was the only thing to work flawlessly through out the rally but we will come to that later.

Then it was off to a spare part market to get the Gypsy ready for battle. Old windscreen is kicked out (I’m not exaggerating, kicked out!) and a new one goes into the rubber beading using a rope trick, no sealant business here.

New tail lamps and headlamps. Vents for the roof scoop (which fell off in two hours). New horns. New fuses. Stickers bearing our names and blood group. A bracket for the spare wheels.

In between all this Anu, who has gone to pick up the Hella 3000 auxiliary lights, calls and asks how the Gypsy is looking.

“Feels tight”, I lie through my teeth. Don’t want him taking the next flight back to Pune!

Next morning we realise the extent of our very own unpreparedness. We don’t have our insurance in place, or indemnities, or pictures, or a tow rope, or a GPS, or a medical kit… I could go on with all that we did not have. In my defence, in all my years of rallying, Nikhil Pai my regular co-driver would handle all this.

Anyways the Northern Motorsport guys are super organised and I also discover a smile can

Above: Thanks to C S Santosh’s Dakar exploits, the moto class was bursting at the seams.

Below: Team Maruti Suzuki’s Suresh Rana en route to victory.

Facing page top: Team Godwin’s Akshay Ralli tows our stricken Gypsy out of the first stage of day 2. Facing page below: TVS Racing’s R Nataraj won the ‘Storm

IF I CAN GIVE YOU JUST ONE PIECE OF ADVICE IT WILL BE THIS – DON’T WAKE UP THREE WEEKS BEFORE A CROSSCOUNTRY RALLY

take you very far in pre-event documentation.

An hour later our Gypsy is in the stickering bay where the visual appeal of the ’ol girl is doubled.

And then we fail technical scrutiny.

Turns out the thickness mandated for the fuel tank guard has gone up and it has taken everybody unawares. So it’s off to a mechanic to get that sorted out, who in the process slices a wire that turns out to be very important in getting the Gypsy cranked up, and by the time we are done the scrutineers have gone home.

Next morning we get all the OK stickers.

Take the ceremonial start in the afternoon, buy a bunch of supplies from Big Bazaar and head off to Hanumangarh – an eight-hour drive that gets me reacquainted with a non-power steering car after, I think, 15 years.

I ask Sandy who will set up the Gypsy. What set up, he asks incredulously. I’ve rallied a fair bit and even when I competed in the Esteem and Baleno we used to set up our cars. Tear up and down an empty road with our tuner sitting in the passenger seat with a laptop tuning the ECU. More tearing up and down a twisty road to fine tune the suspension settings. With the Gypsy there’s nothing. Forget Reigers or anything, it runs original shocks though with two dampers at every corner. And… wait for this… it still runs leaf springs, though they’re stiffer Tiger leaf springs. Wheel alignment? We don’t even balance the wheels!

Smooth sailing?

If I can give you just one piece of advice it will be this – don’t wake up three weeks before a cross-country rally. We didn’t test our car, didn’t spend time in a workshop with it, didn’t learn how to drive it, and we were going to pay the price for it all.

Driving to Hanumangarh we discovered that the transfer case was jammed and wouldn’t shift into four-low. Luckily RK, our service crew chief, had anticipated problems with our ’ol girl and had hired a workshop where his guys worked through the night to get her in some sort of shape for the start of the rally.

Day one, stage one. Sandy comes up to me.

“Do not drive this like your INRC car.” What he means is if I barrel into a corner at the speed I am used to we will be on our roof. It means if I chuck it into a corner like I have been taught, we will understeer into Pakistan. It means if I attack a bump like you must in an INRC event, our spines will be crushed.

As we chew the kilometres I drive the Gypsy like we are in Rally Sweden, using the sand banks to bounce it back on track (which Aman

www.

evoIndia.com

133

M A RU T I S U Z U K I D ES E RT STO R M

later tells me is the completely wrong thing to do). Not only is there no power steering but the steering has so much play that I’m sawing at the ’wheel just to keep it straight. It’s exhausting work, made even more exhausting by the fact that she has an overheating problem. And on sand there's so much resistance that it feels like it isn't moving; I keep screaming at the ’ol girl to move, move, move and if I pressed the throttle any harder there would be a hole in the firewall.

Half way into the stage the temperature needle is above the H mark and Anu tells me to stick it in fifth and save the engine. In first service Sanjay Agarwal, a fellow competitor driving a Franken-Vitara (V6 motor from the old XL7 into the body shell of the 2.4 Vitara) retards the timing so the engine runs cooler. While that has a slight benefit it reduces the power even more. More overheating on the next two stages and on the final transport to Bikaner, the engine boils over, the coolant bottle explodes and steam rises from the bonnet.

Fortunately for us RK’s service team is just behind and we drain half a water tanker into the radiator, realise it is choked, replace the radiator and limp to the final time control in Bikaner before handing the Gypsy to RK where they again work through the night to keep me in the competition.

134

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

Where’s the nearest airport?

Eight kilometres into the first stage of day two I’m parked up, figuring out the quickest way to get back to Pune. The engine died on us. First we think it has overheated and blown but it’s still cranking over (not firing) so it has to be something electrical. We check, swap and replace all the fuses. Nada. Swap and replace the two relays. No go. Check all the wire, battery terminals. Nothing. Anu says it’s going to be a long day before we’re towed out of this mess. I look around and there’s not a single tree to sit under while I figure out options on the Make My Trip app.

And then we meet Ralli What a spectacularly named rallyist! Akshay Ralli and his buddy Rohit Chhoker are first time rallyists and in all the excitement had forgotten to pick up their time card at the day’s start in Bikaner. Naturally they were disqualified when they came to the start of the stage but after much pleading the Sweeper Car allowed them to follow him to get a taste of the dunes before heading back home.

With nothing to gain or lose our new best friends are happy to help us out and with our tow strap latched on to Ralli’s Team Godwin Gypsy we towed ourselves back to Bikaner

Top: Sanjay Agarwal’s V6-engined Vitara led the event briefly. Above: Northern Motorsport’s president Jayesh Desai wishes us luck

where, as luck would have it, we bumped into our service crew chilling at a dhaba. We also repay the favour and get RK to sort out some issues with Ralli's Gypsy. These guys are running in the Ndure class that while running to the TSD format takes the same route as the Xtreme guys. And the average speeds on the sand stages are high enough for them to have to really drive their heart out.

The Ndure and the Xplore (for two-wheel drive cars, skipping the dunes) is where the next generation of rally drivers will come from and I personally feel these guys should be supported and promoted even more than the Xtreme competitors. After all this is where I graduated from, after winning the TSD category, overall (no Ndure or Xplore classifications back then), back in 2004.

Never, ever, say never In a rally, when you’re out, you’re out. You can re-join for leg points but you’re out of the overall standings. Except this is a cross-country rally, spanning a week, and just like in the Dakar competitors can re-join despite DNF-ing (Did Not Finish) the previous day. There’s a caveat though and the truckload of penalties we were slapped with saw us start the third day at the

Above: Suresh Rana takes cover under the shade of his own Vitara in mid-stage service, Niju bakes in his Sparco suit, Sandy chills on a tyre and Karan plots the plan of attack for the next stage. Below: Sandy in action on the sandy bits

I DRIVE THE GYPSY LIKE WE ARE IN RALLY SWEDEN, USING THE SAND BANKS TO BOUNCE IT BACK ON TRACK

Top: Niju Padia took the Pajero Sport to second before the protests and penalities kicked in. Below: Even TSD competitors get sand stages. Below right: Winners Suresh Rana and Ashwin Naik.

Facing page: Chevy V8-engined Nissan Patrol sounded glorious

very back of the field. Dead freaking last! I really, really wanted to go back home but Anu, a true-blue sportsman if there were any, insisted we carry on. “Anything can happen. We cannot quit. We have to continue. We have to reach Jodhpur.” There’s always a silver lining though and for us it was the fact that there wasn’t anybody behind to overtake our sputtering Gypsy.

Day three was a monster day with a monster 198km stage. Can you imagine driving for over four hours, flat out... in something that has no power steering, if I need to remind you. Three service points were identified in the stage but the clock would keep ticking and all the time spent in service would be added to our stage time. I mull over skipping service and making up some time but quickly dismiss the thought when the engine temperature needle crosses the H mark in the first five kilometres. I stick it in fifth gear and ask Anu to keep an eye out for huts that we could take shelter in when the car packs up.

Being down on power we get stuck in a dune just 5km short of our service crew waiting for us at the 97km mark. Luckily the Gypsy is a

light vehicle and some shovelling and backand-forth rocking is enough to pry her loose.

I reverse back down, take a longer run up, go flat out over some vicious ruts so as not to lose momentum and finally make it up, seeing stars after banging my head against the roll cage.

5km later we meet our service crew, pour water over the radiator, dump 20 litres of fuel (we don’t have an auxiliary tank either!) and are back off.

It turns out to be an eventful stage. Despite the ’ol girl being down on power we overtake a bunch of Gypsys. We even spend 20 minutes yanking Bani Yadav who had managed to beach herself spectacularly. Fellow competitors helped us out when we broke down on day two and it is only right that we pay our dues and help out a stricken competitor. But despite all this we still clock the second fastest time in our T2 class.

Much to our surprise the ’ol girl made it to the end of the stage and as we chug back to Jaisalmer she stutters, putters and breaks down 20km short of the city. And that's where our luck turns. Couple of Rajasthanis taking fuel to their village on the Pak border give us 10 litres and we finally discover the silent villain. Turns out the fuel pump was faulty all throughout and was robbing us of power. RK replaces it in overnight service, advances the ignition timing back to where it should be, connects the fan directly to the crank to sort out the overheating and the next day it’s like we have a new car to ourselves. The 20 horses that were sleeping suddenly wake up and – finally! – we are no longer a disgrace to the rallying fraternity.

Night rallying Two big Hella auxiliary lamps add twenty bhp to a rally car, at least in the driver’s head.

It looks so bloody cool! And rallying in the

M A R U T I S UZU K I D ES E RT STO R M

T1 V T2

TWO BIG AUXILIARY LAMPS ADD TWENTY BHP TO A RALLY CAR night is a fantastic experience. Of course I’m a bit knackered thanks to the previous day’s struggles but as we start the 100km night stage at 3 in the morning, I’m fully charged up. And with the Gypsy finally working properly we make solid time. The Hellas only light up the track in front of you so there’s no distraction from the scenery; it focuses the mind. The cooler temperatures make it more comfortable.

And it somehow feels more peaceful. Calmer, weird as it might sound.

Forget driving, the tricky part of night rallying is navigation and Anu is a bit stressed.

This the first time he is co-driving and I must say he’s doing a spectacular job of it, though he has become a little hoarse after our intercom went kaput on the long stage.

Unlike an INRC rally where you recce the stage before the rally, in a cross-country rally you are given GPS tracks the night before the stage. You go in blind. The roadbook only marks out the major turns, cautions and direction changes but the co-driver doesn’t have advance information on every corner to give the driver.

Instead his head is buried in two GPS units as he tracks the way points and ensures we are on the right track and don’t miss way points or stray into Pakistan. The bits where the track splits

into two or three, staying on the right track becomes really tricky at night. It’s a completely different experience to stage rallying and, dare I say it, equally enjoyable.

As is the norm ever since we restarted and were pushed to the back of the grid we catch the first Gypsy within 7km, but after struggling past we realise overtaking at night isn’t going to be as easy as we’ve experienced in the day. The next one is caught and passed in the next 5km, again after nearly pushing him off the track. But then we get stuck from the 30km to well past the 80km mark by the number #120 Gypsy who refuses to let us past despite being way quicker.

What makes overtaking at night even more difficult is that the sand kicked up by the car in front blinds you, you can’t go off-track to take another path to overtake and in the night you can’t see whether there’s a ditch or a drop on the sides so you don’t want to bump and push the other competitor into a big accident. We only get past when Anu makes a good navigation call. Yet, despite being stuck for over 50km, our stage time is in the top five. The ’ol girl is finally running!

Overtaking is for the racetrack

A GYPSY IS A GYPSY, RIGHT? Wrong. In fact the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm runs four distinct classes and there’s no overall winner.

The fastest cars are in the T1 >1350cc class with Suresh Rana headlining the class in his Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara running a 2.4-litre engine and riding on proper rally-spec Reiger dampers.

T1 denotes the modified category and there were a fair few interesting cars here. Gaurav Chiripal was back in his Grand Vitara, but he’d swapped the four-cylinder 2.4-litre motor for the V6 motor from the Grand Vitara XL7 that was launched in India over a decade ago. Sanjay Agarwal also had a similar V6-engined Vitara but he’d converted the rear end to a pick-up body style. Then there was the most glorious sounding 4x4 on the event, a Nissan Patrol with a V8 Chevy engine.

And Gypsy king Sandeep Sharma was running a Baleno 1.6-litre engine in his Gypsy in this class.

In the T2 >1350cc class (T2 for stock, like Group N) Niju Padia was the fastest driver in his Mitsubishi Pajero Sport. And adding variety and colour to the grid were two Isuzu D-Max V-Cross pick-ups, making their rally debut.

The T1 < 1350cc class Amanpreet had turned up in a sweetly prepared Gypsy running a twin-cam 1.3-litre motor from the old Swift Sport (which was never sold in India). There was a Swift, running an all-wheel drive system, but was too fragile and broke down almost every day. Full credit to the crew though who kept putting it back together and kept going on till the penultimate day. And Team evo India entered in the T2 < 1350cc class – the stock class with a stock engine and not even power steering.

The last stage of the Maruti Suzuki Desert

www.

evoIndia.com

137

SOME SECTIONS REMIND YOU OF THE VAST EMPTINESS, EVEN THE SANDS OF THE DAKAR Storm is a short and fast 40km stage. After the shenanigans of the night stage I’m fully charged up and (ridiculous as it might sound) our car is finally working properly. In the first 10km I catch and pass #126. In the next 5km I pass #130. In another kilometre, I catch three Gypsys dicing with each other, who have forgotten that rubbing fenders is best left for the racetrack where there’s runoff and tyre barriers.

I’ve made up 5 minutes in 20km (cars are left at 1min intervals) but still they won't let me pass. After being held up by #120 on the night stage I was fully charged and cut past #128 & #120 before they could even realise I was on their bumper. Now to pass #116 who is in a much faster Gypsy, the same lady I had towed out of the stage to keep her in the competition.

Anu calls a 90 left ahead. I see the track ahead and cut right across the corner praying there are no ditches to crash into. She sees me cutting across yet tries to nose ahead and my rear bumper smashes into her front left. And despite all this we set the second fastest time overall. It has taken me the very last stage of the rally but we have finally shown the grid that we aren’t hopeless drivers.

Protests and shenanigans On the agonising six hour transport to Jodhpur we do some mental math. If we’ve been overtaking cars on every stage for the past three days and making time hand over fist how the hell are we still fifth and dead last in our class?

Much head scratching and written requests to the results room reveals we were given two extra hours of penalties for the day we broke down. From dead last we shoot up to second in class! And then two days after the event we get

138

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

From top : Huge number of Isuzu V-Cross’s took part in the event; TVS Racing’s R Nataraj put on a great show to win the moto class; Competitors work with the service crews, sometimes through the night, to stay in the competition. Facing page: Maruti Suzuki DGM Parampal Singh and Exxon Mobil’s Dhiraj Bhushan hand over some really nice trophies to Team evo India

a call telling us that penalities were incorrectly applied and we actually finished third.

Meanwhile Northern Motorsport takes cognisance of our complaint about #120’s dangerous driving and slaps him with an hour and fifteen minutes of penalties. As expected he goes mental thinking that’s the reason we’ve vaulted past him (penalty or not we would still be second after making up over two hours on the stages on him) and he puts in a formal protest even paying twenty grand in protest fees. We have a good laugh.

But we aren’t the only one’s protesting! At the front Maruti Suzuki Motorsport’s Suresh Rana and Ashwin Naik took their fifth Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm victory despite having to nurse his Vitara over the last days. Behind him Niju Padia drove commendably to take second in his Pajero Sport but the Isuzu guys protested that he was running a differential lock and Niju was demoted down the order.

As for the other front runners Gaurav Chiripal in his V6-engined Vitara ran Suresh very close on day one but blew his engine after hitting the sump on day two and retired. Sanjay Agarwal, also in a V6-engined Vitara led on day three after Suresh was given a 16-minute penalty for an uncharacteristic early check-in into a Time Control but blew his gearbox at the end of the day. Aman blew his engine on the long 198km stage and elected to go back home rather than continue with penalties. And Gypsy king Sandy blew his engine.

In the moto class our Dakar hero, Hero MotoSport’s C S Santosh, won the rally but the truck transporting his bike to the final time control (bikers need not ride their bikes on transport sections) broke down and by the time he got to the bike and rode it to the final

M A R U T I S UZU K I D ES E RT STO R M

Time Control he was late by half an hour and that dropped him to second. Santosh also had a horrid crash on day three where he overshot a corner and hit a barbed wire fence that wasn’t marked on the road book. The wire caught him in the helmet (his goggles were punctured!), he blacked out and had to be assisted by fellow riders. “What if the wire had caught me in the neck?” he asked me when I met him that night!

And not only was he shaken up but for the rest of the rally he had a nerve tingle that meant he couldn’t even straighten his left hand. TVS Racing’s Nataraj won the moto class but it has to be said the TVS boys on their smaller machines

rode superbly to stay within shouting distance of Santosh.

A really nice trophy It has to be said that the Northern Motorsport guys and Maruti Suzuki Motorsport know how to put on a great show. It’s rare to find an organiser who is concerned about competitors.

In fact most INRC organisers act as if they’re doing competitors a favour by organising events. On the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm though we were all looked after really well.

Every night we slept in really good hotels, ate good meals, generally were very well taken

care of. Two stages were delayed but that was because of local issues, otherwise everything ran to clockwork – no mean feat considering the stage distances and the remote areas we were rallying in. If there’s one irritant, it’s the enthusiasm with which fines are imposed in scrutiny every morning – I paid 500 bucks for a faulty parking light – but that’s hardly going to dissuade me from coming back next year.

Northern Motorsport are also genuinely interested in improving the standard of crosscountry rallying so that we are better prepared if and when we graduate to international events.

Long stages, night stages, GPS navigation, stages that in places do resemble the Dakar, even the friendly prods to come better prepared with a better looking car next year – it’s all so that the standard of rallying moves North. And the best part is at the end of it all they send you home with a really, really nice trophy, inspiring you to come back the next year, put in the miles and hopefully get closer to whatever rainbow you’re chasing. Even if it sounds as far fetched as the Dakar. L

Don’t miss the full report on the 2017 Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm in Motor Sport India magazine, free with this issue

www.

evoIndia.com

139

Y E A R S of

WILLIAMS

140 www. evoIndia.com | March 2017 140 www.evo.co.uk

4 0 Y EA RS O F W I L L I A M S

Spectacular innovation is the norm for racing outfit Williams, and as it turns 40, evo charts the cars and the people that have made it a motorsport legend

by A N T O N Y I N G R A M

www.

evoIndia.com www.evo.co.uk

141 141

WILLI A MS GR A ND PR IX ENGINEER ING celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2017. Established by Frank Williams in 1977 from the bones of Wolf-Williams Racing (itself formerly Frank Williams Racing Cars), it has defied its independent status by becoming one of the most successful Formula 1 teams of all time. It sits third, in fact, behind Ferrari and McLaren, but unlike either of those teams, Williams has never sold road cars to fund its racing efforts, instead – as the team itself puts it – it exists purely to race in the top echelon of motorsport, F1.

The team has taken nine constructors’ titles and seven drivers’ championships, and boasts a personnel roster that has included some of F1’s biggest names. Drivers such as Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna have all raced for the Wantage-based team, and that impressive roll call is only likely to increase as the team now works hard to regain its competitive streak.

Williams has enjoyed plenty of success outside Formula 1 too, tackling everything from Group B rally monsters to Le Mans-winning prototypes, achieving considerable success in touring cars, and working with the newly reformed Jaguar Racing to engineer one branch of motorsport’s future: Formula E cars. With further arms in aerospace, defence, the energy sector and automotive engineering under the Williams Advanced Engineering banner, the company’s contribution outside F1 can almost match its presence within the racing world.

Therefore, over the following pages we take a look at a handful of key people and moments from the team and company’s first four decades.

Williams has never sold road cars to fund its racing efforts, instead it exists purely to race in the top echelon of motorsport, F1 ADRIAN NEWEY EMPLOYED BY WILLIAMS BETWEEN 1991 AND 1996, F1 engineer Newey (pictured left, with Frank Williams) has a career in the sport as illustrious as any driver’s. In recent years he’s become known for his contribution to Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel’s dominance, and prior to that he helped Mika Häkkinen score titles in 1998 and 1999, along with a constructors’ win for McLaren in ’98.

But perhaps his best work was with Williams – in 1991 his then-new FW14 scored multiple victories in the hands of Nigel Mansell and Riccardo Patrese, and in 1992 the revised FW14B, one of the most advanced Grand Prix cars ever, dominated, with Mansell taking nine victories and Williams ten wins from 16 rounds. Prost then won in 1993, Damon Hill came close in 1994, and after a difficult ’95, the Patrick Head and Newey-designed FW18 was again dominant: between them, Hill and Jacques Villeneuve won 12 of the season’s 16 races.

4 0 Y EA RS O F W I L L I A M S

1979 REGAZZONI VICTORY

Above: Swiss driver Clay Regazzoni gives Williams its first ever GP victory – at Silverstone in 1979

FROM ITS DEBUT IN 1977, WILLIAMS WAS ALMOST immediately on the pace. The season itself was a learning year with Patrick Nève, but the hiring for the ’78 season of Australian Alan Jones – who would subsequently take the title with Williams in 1980 – quickly brought points and podiums. Yet it was Swiss star Clay Regazzoni who gave Williams its first victory, at the 1979 British Grand Prix. Teammate Jones had put his Williams on pole and the two diced in the early laps, but a series of retirements, Jones included, put Regazzoni up front, where he took victory by 24 seconds over Renault driver René Arnoux.

As if to prove the abilities of both himself and the Williams-Ford FW07, Jones took a hat-trick of victories in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, and another in Canada, landing him third in the 1979 standings.

OVE RALL S TATS First team race 1977 Spanish GP F1 starts 665 (655 as a constructor) F1 pole positions 128 F1 race victories 114 F1 Constructors’ World Championships 1980, 1981, 1986, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997

www.

F1 Drivers’ World Championships 1980 (Jones), 1982 (Rosberg), 1987 (Piquet), 1992 (Mansell), 1993 (Prost), 1996 (Hill), 1997 (Villeneuve) F1 fastest laps 133 Le Mans victories as a constructor 1999 BTCC titles as a constructor 1995, 1997

evoIndia.com

143

4 0 Y EA R S O F W I L L I A M S

FW14B THE EARLY TO MID-1990s WAS A PURPLE PATCH for Williams Grand Prix Engineering, and the FW14B remains one of the most successful F1 cars of all time.

A revision of the Adrian Newey-designed FW14 that dominated the mid-to-latter stages of the 1991 season, the FW14B of 1992 was a technical marvel. Power came from a 3.5-litre Renault V10 – rumoured to make as much as 30bhp more than rival engines – while Nigel Mansell made best use of the newly introduced active suspension to take nine wins and secure the championship with six races remaining. The suspension allowed the car to run at the perfect height for both straights and corners, and Mansell and the FW14B just clicked: in his home race at Silverstone, the Brit’s pole position time was a full 1.9sec ahead of teammate Patrese’s best, and he in turn was nearly eight tenths ahead of Ayrton Senna’s McLaren.

Above: Against all odds, Pastor Maldonado was a winner in F1. Below: Mansell’s credentials, meanwhile, were rarely, if ever, in any doubt

2012 LATEST WIN: MALDONADO FEW OF WILLIAMS’ SIGNINGS HAVE BEEN quite as controversial as Pastor Maldonado. The Venezuelan, widely derided as a chequebook driver, showed undoubted pace during his time in F1, but also continued his dubious reputation for calamity in lower series with a string of incidents, collisions, penalties and fines. All of that was briefly forgotten at the Spanish Grand Prix in 2012, where Maldonado showed his other face: that of someone with the pace and resolve to put the car on pole and lead from lights to flag. In the process he fended off Fernando Alonso, took his only F1 race win, and broke an eight-year Williams drought since Juan-Pablo Montoya’s victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2004. The team hasn’t won since, but Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas have managed to score several podiums in recent years.

Few will forget Murray Walker’s lump-in-throat moment as Hill took the title in Japan DAMON HILL

OUTSIDE THE F1 PADDOCK

IF YOU’RE EVER FACED WITH someone complaining about a single team dominating F1, then remind them that such situations have occurred nearly as often as they haven’t. In 1996 the driver pairing of Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve took 12 victories from the available 16 races, making the FW18 one of the team’s most successful chassis. And it was the Brit who had the upper hand, scoring eight of those wins and revelling in the FW18’s reliability, strong Renault engine and Newey-designed aerodynamics. Few will forget Murray Walker’s lump-in-throat moment as Hill – always something of an underdog, supporting Prost in ’93, leading the team after Senna’s death in ’94, and narrowly losing out to Schumacher that same season – took his only title in Japan. Tough times followed, but Hill and Williams did everything they needed to in 1996.

WILLIAMS’ ROSTER OF EXTRA-CURRICULAR activities is nearly as impressive as its GP results.

Did you know, for instance, that it developed the mighty MG Metro 6R4 rally car in 1984, and the Le Mans-winning BMW V12 LMR of 1999? Few will forget Williams’ impact on the British Touring Car Championship in the 1990s – when it took over Renault’s team in 1995, it turned the already competitive Laguna into a championship winner, resulting in driver and manufacturer titles in 1997.

The early ’90s also saw the launch of the Renault Clio Williams, though this one wasn’t actually a Williams product, instead being the work of Renault Sport. More recently, the firm’s expertise has seen it develop flywheel hybrid systems, as used in the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid, and work with Jaguar in Formula E and Nismo on the GT-R. L

Left and above: Hill and Villeneuve dominated in the FW18 in ’96. Below: Williams flywheel from the hybrid 911 GT3 R race car

www.

evoIndia.com

145

There was plenty of scepticism about Formula E when the electric race series launched in 2014, but it has since developed into a sporting event that could teach Formula 1 a few lessons about racing and competition, argues Antony Ingram

FORMULA 1 M A NSEL L V ER SUS SE N NA AT Monaco in 1992. The rain-sodden BTCC feature race at Donington Park in ’98 (also featuring ‘Our Nige’). Button’s charge from the back at the 2011 Canadian GP. René Arnoux and Gilles Villeneuve bashing wheels at Dijon in 1979. Asked to name the greatest races of all time, most of you could probably reel off a similar list.

Mine would also include the final few laps of the 2016 Buenos Aires ePrix. Why? Sébastien Buemi on the charge of a lifetime, having started from the back of the grid.

British driver Sam Bird fighting for rear grip as he defends a lead he’s had since the flag dropped. Both drivers with enough battery energy to drive flat-out to the finish.

‘My car last year was very overweight,’ Bird tells me. ‘And all that weight was at the rear and quite high up, which made for a very oversteery car…’

It wasn’t the only race last year that he fought with his car. ‘No matter what we

146

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

did with the setup, after a couple of laps the weight came into effect, I’d overheat the rear tyres, and be sliding all over the place,’ he says. That came to a head at round 4 in Buenos Aires. Buemi’s onboard footage was incredible – Bird’s car stepping out of line at nearly every turn.

There was more action in those final few laps than I’ve seen in F1 for years.

Some will scoff at including Formula E in a list of greatest anythings. You may already be turning the page. But do me a favour: seek out that Buenos Aires race.

You won’t regret it. And the races (and qualifying) are held on Saturdays, so you can still enjoy a snooze at around 1pm each Sunday without missing any action.

It might be difficult for petrolheads to marry the ideas of excitement and electric drivetrains, or motorsport without sound (Formula E does have sound, just not the kind we’re used to), but racing is racing and Formula E enjoys some of the

best four-wheeled competition around right now.

Bird will tell you the same. As will the 19 drivers he competes against and rates highly. Higher than some in F1. I ask him the obvious question: if he got that call from Mercedes, or Red Bull, would Formula E be a distant memory?

‘No. I don’t have the £15million (`125 crore) needed for a seat,’ he says. ‘That’s what’s great about Formula E – drivers are paid for their talent. It’s not just arrive and drive. Nobody is here because of sponsorship.’ That feeling of exasperation every time an F1 team hires a Maldonado with millions in sponsorship behind them? Not in Formula E: every driver is there on merit.

Also easy to appreciate is the appeal of a series where the cars are so closely matched. F1 is characterised by vast budgets and dominant teams exploiting loopholes in otherwise restrictive rules

FORMULA E (think blown diffusers, or Mercedes’ split turbocharger), leading to stretches where previous winners don’t get a lookin – and low-budget backmarkers fall ever further behind. Formula E’s budgets are much lower, development more gradual.

No team is leaps and bounds ahead, even if some – Renault e.dams, ABT, DS Virgin – have made greater progress than others.

In a couple more seasons’ time we’ll see even greater changes, but the racing should remain close.

There are still problems to be ironed out.

When pushed, Bird admits he’d like more performance, but that will come. They already make more power than during the 2014-15 season, using less energy.

Eventually, battery technology will improve to the extent that the gimmicky car swapping will no longer be necessary.

Regardless, excitement levels will still be high. Formula E’s street-circuit approach works on many levels: silver-

Formula E’s street-circuit approach works on many levels: city backdrops, bumpy surfaces that test the skill of the drivers, and a real sense of jeopardy

screen city backdrops; low grip (tyres and tarmac), bumpy surfaces that test the skill of the drivers; accessibility for spectators; and a real sense of jeopardy, since one mistake could end a driver’s race. Packed with character (and overtaking spots) they’re a real antidote to the soulless Tilkedesigned ribbons F1 has long suffered.

Better still, there’s interest in setting up tracks in ‘old’ markets like France, Italy, Germany, the UK and America, rather than government-backed outposts.

That Formula E cars aren’t as quick as those of some other single-seater series barely matters, as the close confines and even closer racing make the action look far more dramatic than it would on an open course with acres of friendly run-off.

Anyone who has ever watched Formula Ford, or even Mini Se7ens, will realise that speed is less important to the racing spectacle than close competition. We’ll just have to get used to the noise… www.

evoIndia.com

147

E L ECT R I C F U T U R E

BEYOND HYBRIDS

The trouble with hybrids tends to be the component we are so fond of championing – the internal combustion engine.

So should we ditch that part altogether and go fully electric?

by DA N P RO S S E R HYBRID POWERTR AINS are a stopgap technology. By and large hybrid cars are less satisfying to drive than full EVs, hindered as they so often are by their limp, laggy engines and meagre electric-only ranges. All too often they don’t match their claimed fuel economy figures in the real world, either, unless you can stop to plug in every 15 kilometres. In fact, it’s not unusual to drive a hybrid car and think, ‘This thing is being let down by its combustion engine, not its electric motors…’

Of course, there are one or two petrolelectric sports cars that marry monstrous engines with some form of electrification to devastating effect – the Porsche 918 Spyder would seem to be the prime example, mating a screaming race-derived V8 to a plug-in hybrid unit – but that’s little comfort to those of us who don’t earn a footballer’s pay packet.

BMW’s i8 demonstrates the frustration

H

148

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

better than most. Its three-cylinder, 228bhp combustion engine is unresponsive and unsatisfying to wring out. Its soundtrack is so dismal BMW actually had to fake the exhaust note using the stereo. Like a lazy, disinterested bass player who drags the rest of the band down with him, that charmless engine is what stands between the otherwise brilliant i8 and greatness. With the weight of the engine and the gearbox and the fuel tank and whatever else given over to motors and battery packs, the i8 would surely be better to drive, and perhaps even faster. That said, I have often thought the i8 would be faster and better to drive if its entire drivetrain was replaced by a whacking great V8, but that seems unlikely these days.

The Honda NSX isn’t saddled with such a miserly combustion engine as the i8, but even its twin-turbocharged V6 is unremarkable at best and entirely flat on the ear, too. The new Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, meanwhile, is a particularly guilty offender. Its V6 is coarse,

the calibration between the two power units is clumsy at times, and the electric-only range is pretty limited at a claimed 25-50 kilometres.

When you drive a really good EV you simply don’t miss the petrol engine, not even in something fast and exotic. The strange, relentless power delivery and sci-fi soundtrack of an electric performance car are so compelling that you just don’t pine for pistons and spark plugs. And if the EV in question uses a single motor on each wheel, as Rimac Automobili’s Concept One does so effectively, it can pull off moves that few petrol-powered cars could hope to keep step with.

I don’t wish to sound the death knell for the four-stroke performance car. Being a terrible Luddite I would basically prefer it if all highperformance cars did without any form of electrification at all. But if they absolutely must – and these days it seems that they must – let’s be smart about it and get rid of the noisy, oily, smoky, smelly bit altogether. L

FORD MUSTANG UPGRADES Available at

Nationwide Supercar Service | Tuning Tel:+91-80-41712727 Fax:+91-80-23458093 www.racetech.in info@racetech.co.in

/ RacetechIndia / RacetechIndia

Orange Trio K T M h av e l a u n c h e d t h e u p d a te d 39 0 a n d 20 0 D u ke s t h i s m o n t h b u t i n b i g g e r n e w s t h e y h av e a l s o l a u n c h e d t h e 2 5 0 D u ke

B

AJAJ AUTO SEEMS TO BE ON a roll. At the fag end of 2016, Bajaj gave Indian bikers the fabulously priced Dominar.

Within a month and a half of that KTM India launched the updated RC 390 and 200. While most manufacturers would have been happy to rest for a while, the IndoAustrian firm has now not only launched the new cosmetically and mechanically upgraded versions of the ever popular 390 Duke and 200 Duke but also launched a brand new 250 Duke. The 390 Duke carries a sticker of `2.25 lakh, exshowroom, Delhi while the 250 and 200 Dukes will lighten your pockets by `1.73 and `1.43 lakh, both prices being ex-showroom in Delhi, respectively.

The 390 Duke of course continues to be the company's

flagship model and gets a radical design update that is inspired directly by the much larger 1290 Super Duke. In its new avatar the 390 now gets a split LED headlamp and even sharper styling than before. Look closely and you'll realise that the headlamp units are slightly assymetrical. The 373.2cc liquid-cooled single has been retained but with the BS IV updates that have already been seen on the RC (read the RC 390 review on pg.158), including the ride-bywire throttle and that side slung exhaust. The PASC slipper clutch that had already been fitted to the 2016 bike has now been updated and improved too.

On the chassis front the steel trellis is new and so is the 41mm dia WP inverted front forks, which only

373 249 200

cc single cylinder mill, shared with the RC 390

150

www.

cc single is what the new 250 Duke gets for a heart

evoIndia.com | March 2017

only gets BS IV updates and some cosmetic changes

get 142mm of travel in place of the earlier 150mm of travel. So, expect the bike to be stiffer at the front.

The rear sub-frame is also new, as is the larger 320mm dia brake disc up front in place of the old 300mm rotor. The bike also gets a fancy TFT screen with multiple readouts in place of the old (and somewhat dull) LCD instrumentation.

There's good news for the touring enthusiast as well for the old 390's 10-litre petrol tank has now been replaced with a 13.4-litre unit.The 200 Duke meanwhile only gets a change of livery and BS IV updates in its MY 2017 guise.

The talk of the town however has to be the 250 Duke. Although there were rumours about this bike being launched in India, Bajaj Auto MD Rajiv Bajaj quashed them at

the launch of the RC in January.

So when KTM announced the 250 Duke just a few weeks later, it took the Indian biking community by storm. The bike is powered by a 248.8cc water-cooled single that puts out 29bhp and 24Nm of peak torque. On the styling front, the bike misses out on the split headlamp style of the 390 but is still radical and quite distinctive.

In keeping with KTM tradition, the pricing is competitive and the 390 Duke continues to offer great value. But will people continue to buy the 200 if the 250 can be bought for just thirty grand more?

NEWS

by JEH A N A DIL DA RUK H A NAWA L A

LAUNCHED

HERO PASSION PRO i3S

Af ter the Splendor and the Achiever, Hero MotoCorp has added its i3S technology to the Passion Pro. The bike retains the 97.2cc single-cylinder, air-cooled, carburetted motor but is now BS IV compliant. The bike also gets the AHO (automatic headlight on) feature that complies with the new set of governmental regulations.

Variant

Price

Spoked rims, drum brake `50,955 Alloy rim s , dru m b rake `51,905 Alloy rim s , disc b rake `53,805

Bigger FZ is here!

Prices ex-showroom, D elhi

Ya m a h a t a ke s t h e w r a p s o f f i t s n e w q u a r te r- l i t r e n a ke d o f f e r i n g

Y

AMAHA ADDED SOME much needed life to the 150cc segment way back in 2008 with the FZ16. It was a beefy muscular bike which had a large section rear tyre, the largest in its segment back then. The bike had decent performance and went toeto-toe with the likes of the Bajaj Pulsar 150. During its life, the bike also got multiple visual updates with the engine receiving Yamahaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Blue-Core tech.

But the need of the hour was a quarter-litre naked and Yamaha seemed to have fallen behind on that front. In 2017, Yamaha have finally launched the FZ25. Opting to go for a naked street fighter FZ

setup rather than the hooligan MT setup, the FZ25 will hopefully make up for lost ground and take the fight to the re-launched Bajaj Pulsar NS 200, and the 2016 IMOTY TVS Apache RTR 200 4V. The 249cc single-cylinder fuelinjected air-cooled unit has been tuned to make the bike an allrounder rather than a focused machine, with the motor making 20.6bhp at 8000rpm. The peak torque is rated at 20Nm which is generated at 6000rpm. The engine is mated to a 5-speed transmission.

A 282mm disc up front and a 220mm rotor at the rear are employed for the job of retardation and should be good enough for the

bike. Unfortunately, despite a 2017 launch Yamaha have thought fit to not provide the bike with ABS. The diamond frame chassis is sprung by the means of conventional telescopic forks up front and a monoshock at the rear.

With a petrol tank that can hold 14 litres of fuel and Yamahaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s claimed fuel efficiency figure of 43kmpl, the FZ25 should be good for an estimated range of over 600km.

At `1.19 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi, the FZ25 makes a strong case for itself as a one-bike-manyuses kind of motorcycle. However the lack of ABS, even as an option, could be a deterrent for the safety conscious consumers.

HERO ELECTRIC FLASH

Hero Electric, one of the pioneers of the Indian electric two-wheeler industry, has launched its latest product named Flash recently.

Aimed at early adopters, the Flash features a 250-watt motor that can go up to 65km on a single charge.

This new e-scooter is available in two different colours and doesn't need a driving licence at all.

Variant Stan dard

Price `19,990

Price ex-showroom, D elhi

T R I U M P H S T R E E T T R I P L E 76 5

THE WO R D S b y A N I N DA S A R DA R P H O T O G R A P H Y b y T R I U M P H M O T O RC YC L E S

THRILL OF Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bigger yet lighter and nimbler. Behold the all-new Triumph Street Triple 765

RIDING

www.

evoIndia.com

153

Left: Sharper than ever.

Right: Triumphant formula. Bigger bore, longer stroke plus changes equals more power and torque.

Below: On track it can hold its own against many a sportsbike

HURTLING TOWARDS TURN ONE ON THE Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the flickering 228 on the 5.5-inch full colour TFT screen of the RS barely registers as I try to keep my head out of the wind blast. There were times when I was afraid that the chin bar of my helmet would dig a hole in the 17.4-litre petrol tank. And that perhaps is the single most significant flaw of this bike, if you take it for a track day. I couldn’t have wished harder for some sort of protection from the buffeting, because in every other aspect the Triumph’s new Street Triple 765 RS is almost perfect.

Love, they say, comes in shades. Some fleeting like the leaves of autumn while others are solid like the oak tree. Some happen at first sight while others grow over time. Where the Triumph Street Triple is concerned it was love at first sight for me and I always assumed that it was the oak kind of love that would last a lifetime. But it seems that my love for the brilliant Street Triple 675 was more like the leaves of autumn, now that there is the new 765.

The latest in this long line of Street Triples carries the burden of a legacy that dates back to 2007. At the time this light, fast and agile machine set roads and tracks on fire with its distinctive character and

154

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

that superb in-line triple engine. When the next update arrived in 2013, the reaction from riders across the globe was exactly the same as before.

They were delighted. As was I, when I first rode the bike after its launch in India in 2014. It was powerful but unintimidating, felt like a big bike yet light on its feet, it was comfortable and yet handled brilliantly. It felt perfect and I didn’t think there’d be a better one. But Triumph being Triumph, they have upped the game, and how.

At the heart of all these updates is of course the allnew 765 in-line triple cylinder howler of an engine.

To get to the new capacity, Triumph’s engineers took the superb 675cc engine of the Daytona and then went about increasing both the bore and the stroke.

Then they added a new crankshaft, con-rods, pistons and balancer shaft before replacing the iron liners of the old Street Triple 675 with Nikasil plated aluminium barrels. The result? Increased power and torque throughout the rev range and across all three Street Triple models that are going to be sold. In the case of the top-spec RS version, at 3,000 revs the engine produces more torque than the peak torque of the old engine and peak power at 121bhp is a full 16 per cent over the previous bike.

Triumph has also worked on the transmission to improve acceleration by shortening first and second gears. The other important update of course is the addition of ride-by-wire, which makes the power delivery crisper and more linear.

Triumph has also updated the chassis with a new gull-wing swingarm, new fully adjustable Showa front forks, a top-spec Ohlins monoshock at the rear and Brembo M50 monoblocs. These are of course all for the top-of-the-line RS version that we got to ride while the more affordable R and even more affordable S will get less fancy kit.

T R I U M P H ST R E ET T R I P L E 76 5

I WAS AFRAID THAT THE CHIN BAR OF MY HELMET WOULD DIG A HOLE IN THE TANK

www.evoindia.com |

evo India

163

T R I U M P H S T R E ET T R I P L E 76 5

Back to the circuit, I get on the brakes and the bite and the feel from those top class Brembos is phenomenal. And speaking of levers, Triumph has not only given them span adjustment but you can also adjust the amount of progression you want.

It’s a superb thing really for those who want that level of customisation. Stock set up is good enough for me, thank you very much. As my head stops shaking, the track comes back into focus and I have just enough time to get my bearings sorted before I reach my turn-in point for the first corner, a sharp right-hander followed by an equally sharp lefthander before turn three, which is a sweeping right.

It’s incredible how MotoGP riders do this lap after lap on circuits around the world.

With fresh appreciation of their challenges I flick the bike into the set of turns. What seems daunting at first is made easy by the Triumph, which cuts through the corners like a scythe through a field of corn. Turn-in is instinctive and the bike, having lost a couple of kilos over the smaller outgoing model, is superbly nimble on its feet as it dances on the super sticky Pirelli Diablo Rosso Supercorsa tyres. It’s only the newly added chicane at the penultimate turn before the main straight that catches this Street Triple out for it has been placed at the end of a short but fast straight that’s also downhill. Powering back

156

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

through the final turn you exit almost on the kerbs of the main straight. Throttle pinned, you quickly go through the six-speed ’box without having to roll off, for in RS guise an upshift-only Quickshifter is standard kit. And with that, I complete a lap of the circuit as the bike blasts past the electronic board that today reads Triumph. On race days it tells you which rider from which team is in which position on the track. Thankfully, today the board was happy to remain static.

But long before we reached the track, our ride took us from the isolated mountain top Hotel Montanya outside Barcelona over Spanish motorways and through some beautiful twisty roads. The ride on public roads reveals another side to the new Street Triple 765. It’s incredibly easy to ride and thoroughly unintimidating despite the increase in power and torque. Or perhaps, it’s because of that increased torque. The fact that all this torque is spread over a wider rev range only helps matters. Thanks to the improved driveability of the engine, the rider has to work less on keeping the unit revving in its sweet spot. So be it pottering through the 50kmph built up zones of the quaint villages nestled in the Catalonian mountains or overtaking trucks on motor ways, we relied mostly on our right wrists and did not feel the need to

TRIUMPH STREET TRIPLE 765 RS Engine 765cc, in-line triple, liquid-cooled Transmission 6-speed, 1 down, 5 up Power 121bhp @ 11700rpm Torque 77Nm @ 10800rpm Weight 166kg (kerb) 0-100kmph NA Top speed NA Price (estimated) `11 lakh

AROUND TWISTS AND TURNS, THE BIKE FEELS AS SUREFOOTED AS A MOUNTAIN GOAT

Left: Bite and feel from the Brembo M50 deserve slow applause. Below: Pirelli’s Diablo Rosso Supercorsa tyres cling to tarmac like a gecko.

Facing page, top: Drive out of corners is creamy.

Facing page, bottom: Suspension setup on RS feels stiff, even on smooth Spanish tarmac

continually work the gearbox.

Around the tight twists and turns of the mountain roads, the bike feels as surefooted as a mountain goat. It never steps out of line and the amount of lean you can carry through a turn will surprise many a hardened rider. And you will certainly need a larger helmet because with this bike, mark my words you will give in to the temptation to smile. Turn after turn. It really is that good. The Supercorsa rubber that would prove itself so capable on the race track is as great a road tyre, even over the damp patches that we went through, and it hangs on to the tarmac like velcro. Unfortunately, this also means that you’ll probably be replacing tyres sooner than you would on the R and the S versions.

While the engine and the chassis are brilliant, special credit has to be given to the Triumph engineers who worked on the bike’s riding position and ergonomics. They’ve hit bullseye.

The handlebar, seat and footpeg relation feels completely natural, be it on the road or on the race track. After a full day of riding around on the road and then thrashing the bike around the Spanish circuit, I was more than pleasantly surprised that I wasn’t feeling as fatigued as I thought I would be.

But as I said before, the Street Triple 765 is a near perfect bike for it does have a flaw. Although the roads in Spain are many times smoother than what we are used to, the RS still feels stiff. It thuds over every single bump on the road. So, and in spite of Triumph’s many reassurances, I would say the Street Triple RS will require an iron back to ride on our Indian roads.

Although we rode only the range-topping RS spec bike in Spain, the Street Triple 765’s Indian chapter will start when Triumph India gets the base S spec bike here in June or July. Following that will be the R at the start of the festive season and the RS will only be here by the end of the year. Given that the bikes will come to India via the CKD route, Triumph should be able to price these motorcycles competitively in the range of `9.5 to `11 lakh from the S to the RS. And at that price, the Ducati Monster 821 will have its work cut out. L www.

evoIndia.com

157

KT M RC 3 9 0 & R C 2 0 0

WO R D S b y A AT I S H M I S H R A P H O T O G R A P H Y b y G AU R AV S T H O M B R E

158

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

TRACK FOCUSED

The BS IV compliant KTM RC 390 has been given a side slung exhaust, ride-bywire and a fresh skin as well

www.

evoIndia.com

159

KT M RC 3 9 0 & R C 2 0 0

KTM RC 390 Engine 373cc, single-cyl, liquid-cooled Transmission 6-speed, one down, five up Power 43bhp @ 9500rpm Torque 35Nm @ 7200rpm Weight 147kg (dry) 0-100kmph NA Top speed NA Price (ex-showroom, Delhi) `2.25 lakh

160

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

WE MAY BE SPOILT FOR CHOICE WHEN it comes to entry-level naked motorcycles in India, but the exact opposite is true for trackfocussed sport bikes. The lack of tracks in our country probably has something to do with it, but this hasn’t stopped bikes like the Yamaha R15 and KTM RC 200 from selling well. They’re great bikes if you want to start out racing, or even if you just want to go corner carving on your favourite riding road. Both bikes are great to hone your riding skills, but both have power outputs that aren’t particularly high. Now before you step up to the world of Daytonas and Panigales, you might want to get used to a slightly more aggressive machine than what you learned on, and that is where the Yamaha R3s and KTM RC 390s enter the picture — they bridge the massive void between the entry-level sport bikes and larger capacity supersports; and the RC 390 does so without being too heavy on the pocket.

KTM just launched the updated RC 390, with a fresh livery and a few mechanical changes that allow it to meet Euro-4 emission norms, and with it BS IV norms as well. The biggest changes are, of course, the new upswept exhaust, the

ride-by-wire system and an updated front disc brake. In a world of constantly tightening emission norms, this was an essential update until the next generation of 390s roll out of the KTM factory. The changes aren’t massive and this is nothing but a mild mid-life refresh, but the changes have made a discernible difference to the way the bike behaves.

First off, the ride-by-wire system. The direct connect between the throttle and the throttle bodies is replaced with a whole lot of electronic wizardry where sensors determine exactly what you’re asking of the engine when you twist the throttle open and the ECU sends out instructions accordingly. The biggest upside to this is that it allows very precise fuelling in to the combustion chamber, and is crucial in limiting the emissions of your motorcycle to a minimum. The other big change is the exhaust.

Now, instead of the underbody unit, the 2017 RC 390 gets an upswept one. BS IV regulations that will come in to force this year have tightened the amount of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen dioxide bikes are allowed to emit per kilometre. This new exhaust obviously deals with the emissions better but it has also

The rideby-wire has ironed out the snatchiness the older 390 was notorious for

Left: The RC 390 remains an eager corner carver. Below: It can play hooligan as well.

Top: Power output from the 373cc engine remains same but torque is up by 1Nm

subdued the exhaust note. No longer is it the guttural note, but a more refined, thrummier one. It’s still raw and is still worthy of a bike with the capabilities of the RC 390, while being a bit more sophisticated. The upswept exhaust also translates to better ground clearance and less scraping of the underbody at high lean angles.

Another compulsion on BS IV-spec machines is to pass a SHED test, that determines how much fuel the bike loses through evaporation from the tank. KTM has fixed the RC 390 with their EVAP system that minimises this to meet permissible limits. The RC 390 now gets better stopping power courtesy a larger brake rotor up front. Out goes the older 300mm disc and it has been replaced by a larger 320mm unit.

But do these updates really change the way the bike feels? We had a go at Bajaj’s test track at Chakan, Pune and our first impression of the changes are largely positive. The ride-by-wire has ironed out the snatchiness that the older 390 was notorious for and is much smoother.

This is quite uncharacteristic of the 390, but the change is a welcome one as you now have much more precise control over the throttle. The bike is much easier to manage at lower speeds and should now be much easier to handle in our crowded cities, but even when you’re really ripping it, you have a better sense of what the throttle is up to. In fact, this translates in to

more confidence to get on the throttle out of corners and an overall more friendly machine.

The 2017 RC 390 has the same power output of 43bhp while peak torque has been bumped up by 1Nm from the 373.2cc engine. The new regulations haven’t strangled the engine and it still feels as frantic as it did before. I managed to touch 168kmph on the speedo down the long main straight of the Bajaj test track, before I had to call upon the new brakes to slow me down.

The brakes have a surprisingly good feel to them — they are sharp, yet progressive and let you know exactly what’s going on in the front.

ABS isn’t too intrusive under hard braking and you don’t have to think twice about banging down the cogs to shave off speed courtesy the slipper clutch.

www.

evoIndia.com

161

2

1

3

4

WHILE THE RC 390 UNDERWENT significant changes to get it to conform to Euro 4 and consequently the BS IV norms that will be adhered to from April, the RC 200 hasn’t needed any changes. In fact, this new RC 200 is mechanically identical to the older one. The only changes here are visual and ergonomic. Like the 390, the RC 200 now gets a glossy paint finish and unlike the older one, this job is predominantly white. It also gets a thicker seat padding and wider rear view mirrors that are now actually functional. The new bikes also get an automatic headlamp on feature to comply with future norms.

KTM RC 200 Engine 199.5cc, single-cyl, liquid-cooled Transmission 6-speed, one down, five up Power 25bhp @ 10,000rpm Torque 19.5Nm @ 8000rpm Weight 137.5kg 0-100kmph NA Top speed NA Price (ex-showroom, Delhi) `1.72 lakh

1: Auto-headlamp on is a new feature on the bikes. 2: The underbody exhaust is replaced by this side-can. 3: It gets the same digital instrument cluster from the older RC. 4: Glossy paint job makes it stand out more

All this aside, the bike retains all that DNA from the older one that made it such a popular machine among enthusiasts. The brilliant chassis complemented by the Metzeler tyres make it the same sharp, agile machine that the older one was. It is as comfortable on sweeping turns as it is on quick switchbacks — it is extremely flickable and immensely confidence inspiring in corners.

In addition to all this, the bike gets a couple of minor ergonomic changes as well. One major grouse that KTM owners had was that the seat was far too firm and tended to get uncomfortable. KTM has addressed this with a new seat that they claim has 12mm of added cushioning than the older one. They have also swapped the minuscule rear-view mirrors on the older bike with wider, more usable mirrors

162

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

on the MY17 bike. Visually, the changes are few.

It retains the old instrument cluster — the new colour display that the 2017 Duke gets is not yet integrated on this bike. It gets a new livery that injects a much-needed dose of freshness to the bike — the new decals have more of the KTM orange and black, and less of white, going with the whole aggressive theme of the motorcycle.

Instead of a matte finish though, the bike now gets a glossy paint scheme, which makes it really stand out. So you won’t miss the shine of a new bike anymore on the new RC either.

The new RC 390 then, is the same old wine essentially, albeit in a bottle that’s a bit more polished and far less polluting. The MY 2017 RC 390 costs `2.25 lakh (ex-showroom, Pune) and is still the go-to, affordable supersport north of the Yamaha R15 and KTM’s own RC 200. L

1

3

2

4

1: White backed dials are retained on the Race. 2: The red rims and gold painted Bybre caliper match the new livery well. 3: New graphics hark back to Aprilia’s MotoGP machine, the RS-GP. 4: Variator on the Race has been tweaked for better acceleration than in the stock scooter

Quick ride

Aprilia SR 150 Race

The racy moto-scooter gets even more racier and not visually only Words: Jehan Adil Darukhanawala | Photography: Vishnu G Haarinath What is it? This is a variant of the brilliant Aprilia SR 150, India’s first and only moto-scooter. On its own the Aprilia is a good looking and very impressive scooter, and now, with the new livery, it’s even more stunning. And the changes aren’t all cosmetic either.

W

All-new? Well the 154.8cc single-cylinder engine remains the same as it’s stock variant.

But the CVT has been retuned to give it better acceleration. Apart from that the power figures remain unchanged.

What else?

The only way to ‘be a racer’, which is Aprilia’s tagline, is to look like one. So the racy little SR 150 now gets livery that is inspired by the Aprilia RS-

GP. From the silver to the Italian tri-colore, the high quality sticker job is nearly identical to what was seen on the bikes of Alvarro Bautista and Stefan Bradl last year. The rims too now come in the same shade of red as the race machines while the Bybre caliper has been painted golden.

Fun to ride? You bet! Given that the Race retains the stock SR 150’s geometry and cycle parts, the

Specification Engine 154.8cc, single-cyl, air-cooled Transmission CVT Power 10.25bhp @ 6,750rpm Torque 11.4Nm @ 5000rpm Kerb weight 122kg Price (ex-showroom Mumbai) `70,288

former is as much fun to ride. In fact, it’s a shade better on the Race for Aprilia has tweaked the variator for even more bottom and mid-range grunt. As a result, drive out of corners is improved on the new variant. Aprilia in fact claims that the Race is a second quicker in the drag to the quarter mile than the regular scoot.

Efficient? Although we can’t confirm how efficient the scooter is but the fact that this has better bottom and mid-range should see an increase in economy.

Value? For just about three grand more than the regular scooter, you get MotoGP livery (the only scooter in the country to offer this) and an even peppier version of the already racy SR 150. The straight answer is yes, it’s good value alright. L www.

evoIndia.com

163

WO R D S b y A N I N DA S A R DA R P H O T O G R A P H Y b y G AU R AV S T H O M B R E

2017 BAJAJ PULSARS All six motorcycles that form the Bajaj Pulsar line up have been updated to comply with BS IV norms along with specific updates to some bikes

Pulsar 150 | `74,603

62 evo 164 www.

India evo| June India.com 2016 | March 2017

Pulsar 135 LS | `60,178

HERE’S A BAJAJ PULSAR lurking in every die-hard Indian biker’s past is what my friend, a certified Pulsar fan if ever there was one, once said. Half a decade later, at the cusp of swinging a leg over the new range of BS IV compliant Pulsars all lined up neatly at the Bajaj test track in Chakan, I’d have to agree. Just look at that line up. If you’ve not owned any of these at some point in time or another, you’ll certainly know someone who has because the Pulsar is what truly transformed the performance motorcycling scene in India.

What’s common to each of these six motorcycles is that they have all been made BS IV compliant, feature Auto Headlamp On (AHO) and have a new set of graphics. Beyond that however, some of these bikes feature a few more changes. So here goes: Pulsar 135 LS The Pulsar 135 LS has now been made more commute friendly with a slightly taller screen and a heel-and-toe gear shifter in place of the earlier toe-only shifter. The old split seats and split type grab handles too have been replaced with a single piece unit and a single grab rail

Pulsar NS 200 | `96,453 All prices are ex-showroom, Delhi

R I D D E N : 2 0 17 BA JA J PU L SA RS

respectively. Delivery of the 13.4bhp of peak power and 11.4Nm of max torque from the air-cooled 134.6cc single-cylinder engine feels marginally more linear even though the engine’s character remains as delightfully racy as ever. On the go, the 135 LS feels light and nimble, and flicking it through a set of tight corners feels easy and effortless. On the whole however, at `60,178 (ex-showroom, Delhi), the 135 LS is perfectly placed to introduce an element of thrill in the daily commute.

Pulsar 150 This is the bike that no one talked about but the one that had the most significant change.

The bore is now smaller while the stroke has increased. As a result, there is a 0.98bhp drop in peak power to 13.8bhp with an accompanying 1Nm gain in max torque to 13.4Nm. The extra torque also helps improve drive through bends with the power being made available in a more linear fashion once the throttle has been wound open. Bajaj has also worked on the NVH levels of the bike to create a more refined riding experience.

The bike has lost some of its old dynamic abilities but now boasts a plusher suspension set up. Although we couldn’t really test ride

Pulsar RS 200 | `1,33,883 (ABS)

quality on Bajaj’s smooth test track, there was a hint of the wallowing feeling one gets when the suspension has been softened. The rest of the bike remains the same and is just as enjoyable as before at `74,603 (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Pulsar 180 The 180 feels no different from what it was like earlier because apart from the addition of the rear disc brake and the changes necessary to make the engine comply with the new emission norms, there’s precious little that has changed.

With no mechanical changes to the bike, the new 180 feels exactly like the old 180, which may not be a bad thing given how many people find the old bike endearing.

Pulsar 220F In the case of the Pulsar 220 the only changes that have happened are the BS IV updates and the new graphics. As a result, the bike feels as good as it ever did. There’s plenty of grunt from the engine of this best-selling Pulsar for all sorts of riding, be it touring or tackling a set of fast twisties or an occasional trackday.

Pulsar NS 200 The NS 200 makes a return to the Pulsar line

Pulsar 220 | `91,201

up in BS IV guise and with a new belly pan and new graphics. That liquid-cooled single feels more refined than the unit on the old NS but the rest of the bike feels exactly the same.

It still handles turns with as much confidence as it ever did. If you want a naked street bike that does everything with a very high degree of competence then look no further.

Pulsar RS 200 The previous RS was perhaps a shade too radical in its design for a consumer base whose aesthetic sense is largely conservative. So, the RS’s styling has been toned down with the new graphics making it more acceptable to that consumer base. This should help sell the bike that is powerful and is blessed with excellent dynamics. Interestingly, the RS continues to be the only bike in the Pulsar line up to get fuel injection. Around the track, the RS 200 feels as confident and capable as it always has. Its linear power delivery from fairly low down in the rev range means easy ride-ability for the user. At the same time there’s enough top end grunt to cruise at triple digit speeds. On the whole a bike that was always good to ride and is now compliant with all new regulations and looks better too. L

Pulsar 180 | `79,545

www.

evoIndia.com

165

Superhero It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a Harley!

166

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

H - D ST R E ET G L I D E S P EC I A L

WO R D S b y A B H I S H E K WA I R AG A D E P H O T O G R A P H Y b y RO H I T M A N E & V I S H N U G H A A R I N AT H

VERY BOY'S CHILDHOOD dream is to be a superhero. It has not been too different with me â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I have always been fascinated with Batman, Superman and the likes.

But at a primal level, what is it that attracts us to these heroes? More often than not, we are enamoured by the idea of being an inspiration to the world. It's about possessing something unique, that makes the world look up to you, fear you and respect you. And the HarleyDavidson Street Glide Special does precisely that, and it does so effortlessly.

If you are a true-blue Harley fan, then allow me to tell you that these (iconic) features no longer make it to the bike, but Harley understands that this character plays an important role to Hogs. You will be happy to know that it still vibrates while it idles. Not as violently as its siblings though.

Another change is the Showa forks that make life easier (and fun) on the open road. You won't burn a hole through your pants, thanks to improved ignition timing, a new cooling head unit and relocation of the catalytic converters. Everything else is carried over in the traditional Harley way.

Too big for your feet?

Just another Harley?

No, the Street Glide is special. Powered by the allnew Milwaukee-Eight, 1745cc, air-cooled engine that replaces the Twin Cam after a hiatus of 18 long years, it is surprisingly hassle-free. The four-valves, V-twin setup is now rubber-mounted and counter-balanced to minimise vibrations. But that has resulted in a less bassy exhaust note. Even the old 'potato' soundtrack has been banished.

Honestly, I have never been too fond of Harleys. But when I first saw the Special, I just felt that it was uber cool, especially in this matte black paint. This is one bike that will not get you bored at traffic lights as you can glance over its beautiful lines and admire them. I could never really have my own space to appreciate the lines though as I was mobbed by crowds. One time, I was stopped at a traffic light by a cop who wanted to take selfies with the

www.

evoIndia.com

167

H - D ST R E ET G L I D E S P EC I A L

H-D STREET GLIDE SPECIAL Engine 1745cc, V-twin, air-cooled Transmission 6-speed, one down, five up Power NA Torque 150Nm @ 3250rpm Weight 361kg (dry) 0-100kmph NA Top speed NA Price `31.25 lakh

168

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

YOU WILL BE ASTONISHED TO FIND THAT THE SPECIAL IS EXTREMELY NIMBLE

Left: The Special excels on wide, open roads. Extreme left below: A recipe for confusion. Right top: Makes you feel like a pilot. Right: Those who dare... corner

Special. On the highway, there was even a kid who almost leaped out of the window to grab some photographs of the bike. Yes, the Special will turn you into a celebrity with the whole world around you turning into paparazzi.

Of course, the bike is heavy at almost 400kg. But on the move, you will be astonished to find that it is extremely nimble. In fact, I can stick out my neck and say that it is borderline 'sporty' for a Harley. You can throw the bike around corners and the comfortable seat just holds you in position. Although the handlebars are swept backwards, the riding position is almost perfect for my build.

The riding experience deserves a book to itself. The hydraulically actuated gearshift is precise and smooth as well, thanks to anti-backlash gear treatment. My only grouse is that it lacks that aural pleasure. The lugging ability is great and the cruiser can pull forward even in higher gears. The motor is obviously torquey and can cruise all-day long at speeds over 130kmph without hassle, even in sixth. Truck on the horizon? Downshift with a loud clunk, open her up and the trucker will know you're behind him. The Special always makes a dramatic entry. The acceleration is smooth and steady, thanks to much more stable combustion, supplied by twin-sparks.

The Dunlop tyres provide decent amount of grip for this mammoth of a bike. But planning to go in the wet? Not recommended for the faint-hearted. Also, the four-pot Brembos with ABS should be lauded for allowing you to live another day.

I had a good laugh at Aatish, who was enjoying the Thar's (appalling) highway manners as he followed me to the shoot location. And I was not surprised. But the traffic on our way back reminded me that karma is really a bitch. Slow-speed manoeuvring with the Special is a task. Especially U-turns. I can bet that the turning radius is larger than many a sedan.

Should I buy a car instead?

The Special is a touring bike and the experience is not limited to riding pleasure alone. The massive front cowl plays host to dials that overload you with information.

There is also a massive 6.5-inch touchscreen paired with Harley's Boom audio system and a navigation system.

And true to its name, it is boomingly loud. You can pair your phone or listen to the radio and entertain the traffic around with your playlist. Thoughtfully, the touchscreen can be operated with gloves.

The lockable panniers are massive too. To stay true to the American-ness, I packed food for five from McDonalds and still half the pannier was left empty. Believe it or not,

the complete gear that I wore for the shoot was stored in the pannier.

Then there is the 'couch' for the pillion. One of the plushest seats you will ever find on a motorcycle, the Special will make your spouse happy. Do you still need a reason to pass up that Audi?

Does it give you superpowers?

I have never said this about a Harley, but admittedly, I have never felt more special riding a motorcycle than on the Special. And no, it's not because of the name. There are many bikes on the road that look cool but not every bike can garner as much attention as the Special does. But the beauty is not limited only to aesthetics, it is extremely functional too. This Harley has so much character that it inspires you to be that special person, that is: the best version of yourself.

That is the stuff superheroes are made of. L www.

evoIndia.com

169

A round-up of this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s motorsport happenings

by JEH A N A DIL DA RUK H A NAWA L A

TEN YEARS, NINE EDITIONS and five wins for Team Nemesis racing from College of Engineering Pune, has made them the most successful team in the Mahindra BAJA SAE India. Nemesis have been one of the 27 founding teams of the event which started way back in 2007.

The objective of the event is to make a buggy that can sustain four hours of endurance racing on a course which features obstacles of great difficulty. The course had to be redesigned for the year, as the previous one had a really high climb which was a hassle for all competitors to climb up. Even the dynamic events had their degree for detail s 108 of toughness pg e e r a m p e d up.

The suspension test saw multiple buggies rolling and toppling

T

E! IB

S

SUBSRC

5 star performance for CoEP Team Nemesis Racing wins the Mahindra BAJA SAE India for the third year running P H O T O G R A P H Y b y J E H A N A D I L DA RU K H A N AWA L A down the hillock while the manoeuvrability test was even twistier than before. Not to forget the new traction test. Instead of the conventional hill-climb, the organisers switched it to a sledge-pull event where a buggy was made to pull nearly 1500 kilos or material in a trolley across a hundred metres.

The BAJA vehicles have also evolved over time. The lightest vehicle in 2007 weighed close to 350 kilos. In 2017, the lightest vehicle came from NIT Jalandhar as it weighed just 125.6kg, the lightest car ever recorded at the event. Even the average weight has dropped down to 160kg from 450kg, a stark improvement in build quality and engineering practices. The teams have also adopted newer technologies and

equipment to kit their buggies making them lighter and faster, like the use of the FOX air shocks and CVT transmission to replace the old Maruti coil springs and the Alfa gearbox.

With that being said, still the biggest obstacle the teams face is making it past the safety check, especially the brake test. The rulebook clearly states that when the brakes are applied, all four wheels of the buggy should lock and come to a halt in a space of 10 metres while travelling at a speed of 40kmph. The authorities take this very seriously as this isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a matter to take lightly.

Coming to the main race itself, NIT Jalandhar began on pole of the pyramid grid. But by the end of the first lap, it was ALARD College of Engineering, Pune who had built up a massive

Racing Snippets

JAGAN WINS FIFTH TITLE

TVS Racing’s Jagan Kumar wins his fifth National Championship at the finale of the MMSC 2W NRC. Jagan retained his Super Sport upto 165cc title, helping TVS once again claim the crown from Honda.

In the bigger 300-400cc class, Ami van Poederooijen won all races on the weekend to become the first champion of the class as he rode his KTM RC 390 to victory. Honda’s Rajiv Sethu won the Pro Stock upto 165cc on the Honda CBR 150R while Joseph Mathew won the Stock upto 165cc class on the Yamaha YZF-R15.

lead of over half a minute over the field. The cars were facing a massive struggle getting through the slush pit which caught out the unwary. With lack of driver knowledge in such situations as well as lack of torque generated by the 302cc Briggs and Stratton lawnmower engine, several contestant were getting stuck in the muck, necessitating their extraction via means of an ATV or a tractor.

While the cars woud get stuck in the pit, there would be a massive pile-up behind them and here’s where CoEP managed to get past Alard, with an hour still to go. The Nemesis car

Facing page: Team Nemesis’s MK VI ran flawlessly throughout the four hour race.

Above: The water puddle was the biggest hurdle for the buggies. Right: The racers awaiting the clearance of a competitor stuck in the water puddle

thereon ran flawlessly and went on to win the race and with that the whole event for the fifth time, the third time running.

The BAJA also ran an electric vehicle competition which took place on an easier track. While the objective of the eBAJA remained the same, the complications in design were a major hurdle for the college teams.

Nevertheless, Team Kraftwagen from Sinhgad College of Engineering, Vadgaon, Pune won the race and the crown for the first time after its sister college SKNCOE won it on the previous occasions. L

TATA PREPARE FOR TRUCK RACING The fourth season of the Tata Prima T1 Truck racing championship is upon us. Tata have been working on developing a new breed of highway-to-speedway drivers with the Tata Racing Program (TRP) 2.0, in association with the MMSC. The races are scheduled to take place on March 18-19 at the BIC, with three races in all taking place at the weekend.

AMEO CUP TESTING BEGINS Volkswagen Motorsport India have begun the testing of their new Ameo Cup car at the Buddh International Circuit. While the company is still mum on the powertrain used in the Ameo Cup car, they have claimed that the new vehicle will be nearly three seconds quicker than the previous Vento. The Ameo Cup car also gets a massive aerofoil as part of the aero package developed for the car. More details in our motorsport magazine.

From daily drivers and riders to supercars, evo India fleet is the most comprehensive in the business

THIS MONTH M A R U T I S U Z U K I B A L E N O // H O N D A B R - V // H O N D A C B H O R N E T 1 6 0 R // P O R S C H E 9 1 1 G T S

END OF TERM

Maruti Suzuki Baleno It’s surprisingly quick at Autocross!

HERE IN MAHARASHTRA, we don’t get to participate in too many motorsport events. Depending on time and everybody’s availability, we’re sometimes allowed to get our kicks from a fun test session with our rally cars in Coimbatore. But this year, we were lucky enough to get a round of the Maruti Suzuki Autocross championship in Mumbai and so

H

172

www.

decided to give Autocross a go.

While rallying has been popular for years, Autocross has only more recently gained a lot of popularity since it’s now also run as a national championship. Organised by Northern Motorsports, Autocross, in simple terms, is like running a shortened rally stage on dirt, with the course marked by traffic cones rather than unforgiving trees and

evoIndia.com | March 2017

other natural obstacles you find on a proper rally. So a few weeks ago on a Saturday morning, I drove in to the Bandra-Kurla grounds with our long-term Baleno.

Fitted with 15-inch JK dirt Tyres (the same we’ve been successfully running on our Polos in the INRC), the Baleno seemed like a perfect choice for this type of event with its compact dimensions and fluent

handling. After all, it does have rallying in its heritage, with the older Baleno still running strong in the national championship. Being a stock vehicle with just different tyres, the Baleno qualified in the class for stock two-wheel drive between 1050cc to 1297cc. There are many other classes for prepared and modified cars in all drivetrain configurations.

The track was about 400 metres long with each competitor required to do two loops to complete a lap.

Most of the track was hard-packed dirt. I knew this day was going to be interesting with the Baleno.

With brake booster disconnected and ABS disabled (both to prevent locking up on dirt), I was off on my one and only qualification lap. While the chance to get acquainted with the course was nice on the walking recce, it was apparent that the infield conditions were going to be ever-changing, with more and more cars passing.

During my qualifying lap, I learned that in these circumstances, autocross was going to be a bit different from rallying, requiring a lot of patience when going through the tight and slippery corners. I was surprised by how nicely the car had adapted to being driven hard, and also at the Baleno’s sharp steering that made the quick sections of the track a delight while being quick and precise at direction changes on the tighter bits. The slightly stiff suspension setup that we often complain about during street use was really put to work, providing excellent body control and minimal

roll. Makes you wonder if this is exactly what their intended use was. And while the Baleno has great steering and overall feel, I also learned that the chassis is equally talkative. It has good midcorner communication, with the back end coming out on a corner very progressively. Sure, this is no hardcore race car or even extreme street car, but I really see potential in the Baleno if well prepared.

By the end of the day, I realised that I had actually clocked a time that was not only fastest in the stock category but also one of the fastest in the overall standings.

Not bad for a bone stock car, with just dirt tyres slapped on at the last minute. All in all, my experience with the Baleno at the Autocross was a blast and I’d strongly suggest anyone with an itch for some

Top: En route to a shoot, Gaurav’s last with the Baleno.

Left: It’s hard to say goodbye to this peppy city runabout.

Below: Final run at Autocross was a blast

sideways action to give it a try.

I’ve had a quick blast in it and returned it to Gaurav for a final few weeks in the fleet. He had grudgingly handed over the car’s keys to me after knowing what I was going to use it for. I like the way he runs his cars, drives them well and keeps them clean. It reminds me of the stories of his daughter learning all the controls on the centre console, the night drives with Jenny, his dog and his weekend trips with the entire family. That’s the Baleno for you – a comfortable and spacious family hatchback that doesn’t shy

away from a bit of Autocross. As its tenure comes to an end in the evo India fleet, we all will miss it. Gaurav sure will, some of his best work has come hanging from the back of the boot of the Baleno. L Aniruddha Rangnekar (@aniruddha_ar)

Date acquired Duration of test Total mileage Mileage this month Overall kmpl Costs this month

www.

December 2015 14 months 16,559km 1659km 17.3kmpl Nil

evoIndia.com

173

Honda BR-V

Honda BR-V

I LIKE THE HONDA BR-V. For me, it ticks many boxes. It’s spacious and feels so too and it rides well too.

But the party piece here has to be that 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel engine under the bonnet. Its 98.6bhp and 200Nm peak output may not sound like a whole lot but I recently saw a different set of numbers that had me stumped.

Recently, on a trip to Mumbai and back I suddenly saw the figure 24.1 in the trip computer with the average fuel economy readout! It shocked me enough to pull over and take a photograph. It also got me thinking.

Was it all down to the engine that I was at the receiving end of this phenomenal fuel economy or did my driving have something to do with it too? A bit of both would probably be the honest answer.

With loads of torque packed low down the rev range, the 1.5 i-DTEC

I

Use the 1.5 i-DTEC well and you’ll be richly rewarded

has excellent driveability, which means less shifting of gears and less mashing of the throttle to the metal to get going. So, it certainly had the potential for high fuel economy even before I got to the driver’s seat. But once my right foot was on the pedal, it was up to me to use that potential.

In this case, and the following day, when I drove with a relatively light right foot and used the momentum of the vehicle as much as I could I was richly rewarded. Moot point?

Use it wisely and the rewards are rich for owners of the BR-V diesel in these days of fuel price increases. L Aninda Sardar (@anindasardar) Date acquired Duration of test Total mileage Mileage this month Overall kmpl Costs this month

October 2016 2 months 10,482km 1282km 22.2kmpl Nil

Honda CB Hornet 160R

Honda CB Hornet 160R Touring on a sports commuter AFTER A HIATUS OF TWO months, I have finally managed to spend some quality time with the Hornet. Pune has no dearth of weekend getaways.

On a Saturday afternoon, I planned to head to Pavana, which is around 50km away from where I live. The Sus road patch has no traffic and allows you to achieve great speeds without breaking a sweat. Unsurprisingly, there are those unwanted speed breakers which throw all kind of surprises. But the Hornet’s dual disc setup incorporated with Honda’s combined braking system saves your spine, every single time. And the slick gearbox has perfectly calibrated ratios which means, tractability is brilliant. Speeds as low as 20kmph can be managed even in the third cog. Pavana road has some seriously fast and slow corners and the Hornet takes everything in its

A

174

www.

stride. However, I have had more fun on other 150-160cc bikes – the MRF tyres give up before the chassis does.

But none of those can match the straight line stability of the Honda. I even took the Hornet for an off-road escapade and the torquey motor helped me through the slush without a hiccup.

If that wasn’t enough, I headed to Navi Mumbai the very next day.

Yes, many people laughed at me for taking a 160cc on a highway but, ‘In Hornet, we trust’. It can do as much as 115kmph with ease and the best part is that you can always

Date acquired Duration of test Total mileage Mileage this month Overall kmpl Costs this month

evoIndia.com | March 2017

March 2016 11 months 6931km 1102km 39kmpl Nil

rely on the chassis to stick to its words. Being a Honda, the engine is extremely rev-free and can go all the way to 10,000rpm. Overtaking is a breeze – just one or two clicks and you are good to go. Even cross winds at high speeds do not deter the composure much, which is a boon on the highways. I can stick my neck out and say that this is the best 160cc for the highways in the country today.

I have been riding the Hornet for a few months now. It has done over 6000km but there are hardly any

rattles or vibrations. All the body panels still feel as good as new and there are no signs of wear. Yes, there are minor issues such as the odd fuel gauge that is hardly functional and the lack of an engine kill switch makes life difficult at traffic lights.

But it can be forgiven as it is light on my wallet with a fuel efficiency figure of 39kmpl, even in the city. What is there that this Honda cannot do well? L Abhishek Wairagade (@abhibhi)

In association with

December 2015 14 months 5000km 300km Who cares!

Nil

Photography: Akshay Mehra

Date acquired Duration of test Total mileage Mileage this month Overall kmpl Costs this month

Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Living with a supercar

THE PORSCHE 911 IS ONE of those cars that I had always dreamt about as a kid and eventually I had to buy one. That high revving naturally-aspirated engine revs up to 8000rpm putting out 444bhp, the quick-shifting PDK gearbox, you have to own one, to really experience the joy of driving a 911 Carrera GTS. It has been around a year and I have clocked 5000km. I use my 911 almost every day and I love it. The only thing I realised after driving it for so long is, I have got used to the power of the GTS. But having said that, the GTS is faster and more powerful than the Carrera S, but not as mad as the GT3. As a member of the CannonBall Club, I get a chance to partake in a number of drives and events the club organises. It is a great platform, where I get to meet like-minded enthusiasts who share the same passion for supercars as I do. When you talk about

T

modifications, I have not tampered with the mechanicals at all. Most of the changes are cosmetic. I have installed a new rear wing, custom livery, redesigned tail lamps and a rear diffuser and exhaust. If there is one thing that I really miss on the GTS, it is the front styling of the GT3, it looks super cool. I have a few ideas of what cosmetic modifications I wish to make and they are primarily focused at the front end of the GTS. Right from the time I visited the dealership, till I got my car delivered, the whole experience has been wonderful. In fact the guys at Porsche went out of their way to get the GTS for me. I have not yet given my GTS for a service, but I am sure the Porsche Gurgaon service centre will be top-notch as well.

As a car, the Porsche 911 Carrera GTS stands out in a crowd, be it a party or the race track, the GTS is quite the showstopper. Within a week of buying my GTS, I took it to the Buddh International Circuit (BIC)

for a track day and the experience was thrilling. Driving around the circuit, despite nursing the car through the sessions, I managed to clock an impressive 2 minutes 24 second lap time around BIC. The 911 Carrera GTS is a good blend of power and comfort. When pushed to its limit, it is aggressive on the track and on a normal day, it is pretty comfortable to drive around in the city as well.

Well, if someone had to ask me what car to buy, if not the GTS? I would certainly say the Lamborghini Huracan, but having said that, I do not regret buying the 911 Carrera GTS one bit. L Raman Mittal

“As with any 911, the GTS is a lovely driver’s car. It’s more powerful and faster than the Carrera S but a tad more comfortable than the hardcore, tarmac-ripping GT3, providing the ideal blend of practicality with performance.”

Paritosh Gupta CannonBall Club, Founder CannonBall Club Rating ;;;;f

www.

evoIndia.com

175

Tried & Tested

The best motoring products, put through their paces by the evo India

BENELLI MESH JACKET `7,400 DSK Benelli India showrooms ATGATT. All The Gear All The Time. The adage holds true for whenever you head out on two wheels. There are a host of options in the market for a decent entry-level mesh jacket which can be called upon to take on our tropical climate. DSK Benelli has come out with its own option and we tested it out on our Golden Quadrilateral ride astride the Benelli Tornado 302 and TnT 300 in September last year.

With the cool autumn breeze still some distance away when we undertook the ride, the mesh panels on the front of the jacket were extremely helpful in keeping the wind circulating and keeping body temperature in check.

The jacket however is ready to tackle the Indian monsoon as well and comes with a rain liner that came in handy when we passed through some intense rain that we encountered in Karnataka as well as Uttar Pradesh.

The only downside is that the attaching buttons on the liner are a little flimsy and one of them came off on one of the three jackets that we were using on the ride.

Even without the liner, the inner breast pocket as well as the outer pockets around the stomach are water-proof and they come handy to store your small belongings.

However the real USPs of these jackets are the protective pads on the shoulder, elbow and back. Made by Planet Knox, a UK based company, the soft protective pads are CE certified.

The addition of these pads makes the jacket one of the few available in the Indian market at this price point. The jacket comes with adjustable straps on the arms as well as the forearms to hold the pads in place. The straps also allow the user to get the jacket to fit snugly around the limbs.

There is only one small hiccup that I faced. It was little constricting around the neck area after closing the strap.

But it isn't enough of a hiccup for you to not get used to it.

At `7,400, the jacket makes a strong case for itself for a beginner or an intermediate rider especially with the high quality equipment and stitching found on it.

Jehan Adil Darukhanawala (@bawabiker)

HTC DESIRE 10 PRO `26,490 estore.htc.com/in If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re on the lookout for a sub-`30,000 phone then the HTC Desire 10 Pro makes for a good option to invest in. We have used it for a couple of months and have no complaints to report. The 5.5-inch screen is protected by Gorilla Glass that prevents the screen from shattering or getting damaged easily. The screen offers high brightness, wide viewing angles and rich colour. At 165g, the Desire 10 Pro is also light. The phone is powered by a 1.8GHz octa-core Mediatek Helio P10 processor and gets a 4GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage memory.

Needless to say we faced absolutely no issues with the speed of functioning, be it running an app or playing a game or taking photos and videos. And we did use the phone for a lot of photos and videos when we took it to the Dakar Rally in South America and then to the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm here in Rajasthan. The 20MP primary camera with an aperture of f2.2 and laser auto-focus and dual tone LED flash at the rear records crisp and clear images. There is a nice depth of field effect and the camera focus mechanism is quite quick

176

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

too, which is especially handy when shooting a moving vehicle. Audio visual quality is top notch too. The only downside to the audio visual aspect of the Desire 10 Pro is that it only shoots in full HD. By itself this isn't an issue but there are phones in the same price range that will offer both full HD as well as 4k video. Even the front camera, a 13MP unit, offers bright and clear selfies. In low light conditions, there is a fair amount of noise that you will notice in the photos. That said, the images are still passable for use on social media. On the battery front, the Desire 10 Pro's performance is par for the course and not exceptional. With moderate use it will last nearly a day on a single charge, however with heavy app usage you're looking at a battery life of two-thirds of a full day before you need to plug the phone back into the socket. Good looking, fast operating and with good image and video quality, the HTC Desire 10 Pro is excellent value for money.

Aninda Sardar (@anindasardar)

YOKOHOMA G012 GEOLANDAR A/T-S `6,200 per tyre Yokohama India dealerships Last month I rallied a Gypsy for the first time in my life, on the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm, and as you might have read in that story the only thing to work flawlessly throughout the six day event were the Yokohama tyres. Prior to the rally I wasn’t sure what tyres to run, whether to go for the full rally-spec Advans or stick to the all-terrain Geolanders. I’ve had very good experiences with the Geolander tyres that ran on my Outlander a few years ago and Aniruddha, my co-driver, also advised me to stick with these tyres as they’re better suited to the sand dunes than specialist rally tyres that can generate too much grip and hence bog the Gypsy down.

We ran the LT (Light Truck) spec of the 215/75 15-inch G012 Geolandar A/T-S tyres on our Gypsy, the stronger sidewalls allowing us to run very low tyre pressures on the sand stages without worrying about punctures.

For six days on the rally while things kept breaking apart on our Gypsy, the one thing that gave us no problems were the Yokos. The

only thing we did was check tyre pressures, lower it to 20PSI for the stages and that’s about it.

These tyres are also perfect for the capabilities of the Gypsy.

The tyres generate enough grip on sand and also some of the gravel patches. I could push the Gypsy safely to the limits, there were no unprovoked tail-out moments.

And on the many, many bumps that we hit at some crazy speeds the tyres didn’t get damaged. The only time we got bogged down in the sand was when our engine was 20bhp down on power. Once the engine was sorted we never came close to getting stuck in the sand and on the last stage we set the second fastest stage time, overall, which was also thanks to the performance of the tyres.

We asked for 8 tyres for the rally which turned out to be too many.

We only used the four that the Gypsy ran on and even those have so much life left in them that we’ve kept it in our Delhi office to slap on to the next Gypsy we are buying for other rally raid events.

Sirish Chandran (@SirishChandran)

SAREGAMA MUSIC CARDS `600 saregama.com

Gone are the days when us audiophiles used to show-off our cassette and CD collections that glorified our wall units. In fact, even cars have gotten rid of those old school, chunky cassette and CD players today with every car manufacturer moving to smarter touchscreen displays. As you play hide and seek with the integrated USB/SD Card reader, hidden somewhere on the dashboard or armrest, you realise that the world has moved really fast, in the past decade or so.

As we head towards the world of iTunes and Apple Music, the physical aspect of owning music is dying a slow death. And even worse, when you look at the technical aspect of it, the compressed audio format kills the joy of listening, when compared to a CD's output. To cater to us, the 'music enthusiasts', Saregama has launched music cards that come in nicely packaged boxes, with a detailed booklet listing all the tracks and artist details.

Each of the 21 music cards has a 4GB

capacity and stores over 200 songs. Why only 200 you ask? Because of the higher bit rate (320kpbs), the quality is not compromised and each track occupies more space than a regular MP3 (128kbps) or AAC file. Each of the track gets its own ID3 tags, so when you play it in your car, the album art, artist and album details are displayed on the screen.

The collection includes everything from Mohammad Rafi to modern day Bollywood tracks. Even Tamizh legend Illayiraja's handpicked songs and other devotional albums can be added to your collection.

The music cards make for a great gift idea and can be bought online on Saregama's official website or amazon.in.

Also, if you buy it from Saregama, the delivery is free and you also have the option of gift-wrapping the music card. Start collecting now so that you can 'show-off' your collection to your children someday.

Abhishek Wairagade (@abhibhi)

www.

evoIndia.com

177

NEXT MONTH M E R C E D E S - A M G GT R I T â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S A G E N U I N E 9 1 1 G T 3 R I VA L

Art of speed

Ford Racing Puma bodykit

by R I C H A R D L A N E

F

FAMILIAR WITH THE TICKFORD CAPRI of 1982? Looking like a Group 2 machine that escaped Touring Car enslavement only moments before the sponsor livery arrived, it sported skirts and bumpers that draped provocatively to the tarmac and a blanked-off snout that gave it an unhinged demeanour. And yet despite the nefarious aesthetic and a 205bhp turbo V6, it sold poorly and was eventually killed off by the Sierra RS Cosworth, which was less expensive and even faster.

Tickford’s take on Ford’s pert Puma nearly 20 years later was a similar story. This time the bodykit was considerably more curvaceous, but again the car was a commercial flop. In 2000 the Racing Puma came in at `19 lakh, whereas a Subaru Impreza Turbo cost `18 lakh (in the UK, excluding Indian taxes and duties), was much faster, more practical and had genuine motorsport pedigree, so no contest.

In the end Ford’s ambition to shift 1000 cars proved way off the mark. Just half that volume was realised while something of a Scooby infestation took root in the UK. In fact, with fewer than 200 customer orders placed and marketing executives beginning to lose all hope, one of the greatest drivers’ cars ever to wear the blue oval would surreptitiously appear on Ford’s company-car scheme.

180

www.

evoIndia.com | March 2017

Each Racing Puma started out as a standard Puma built at Ford’s Cologne plant. Upon arrival at Tickford’s workshop in Daventry, a 12-stage conversion took them from tasty but tame to the embodiment of attainable exotica. The 1.7-litre Zetec engine was rebuilt with a new inlet manifold, new camshafts and a sports exhaust, Sparco seats that fitted the driver like a glove were installed and 17-inch Speedline alloys bookended tracks widened by 70mm at the front and 90mm at the rear.

Then there was the bodykit, the effect of which was to transform a car that was simply cute into one that was cute in a break-your-face kind of way. With the addition of a carbon splitter and wheelarches that were flared, no one would have guessed the Racing Puma had its roots in the humble Fiesta.

But the kit hid a dirty secret. While the front wings were hydroformed aluminium, the rear quarter panels were steel. Not only that – where the donor car’s front wings went straight in the skip, the rear panels did not; Tickford merely bonded the new bodywork on over the top, which accounts for the car’s surprisingly heavy kerb weight. Unforgivable? Well, yes, especially in a car that pitted a paltry 153bhp against 215/40 Pirelli P7000 rubber. It did look rather tasty, though… L

RNI NO. MAH/ENG/2015/68789

EVOLUTION

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL ISSUE

MAR - APR 2017

National 2W C'ship Wrap up

PLUS

MS AUTOCROSS

AMEO CUP

MRF CHALLENGE

SAND BLASTING

Suresh Rana takes 5th Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm victory

TATA PRIMA T1 TRUCK RACING PREVIEW

All the action from South America

I N R C S E A S O N W R A P U P // K A R U N C H A N D H O K O N 2 0 1 7 F 1 S E A S O N

VOL 2 ISSUE 1

MARCH - APRIL 2017

In exclusive association with FMSCI Website www.fmsci.co.in

Editorial Email motorsport@gtopublishing.com Website www.motorsport.evoindia.com Printed & Published by Project GTO Publishing No 5, Siddharth Terrace, Nagar Road, Pune - 411006, India Phone: +91-20-26684343 Editor Sirish Chandran Managing editor Selina Chandran Assistant editor Aninda Sardar Principal correspondent Anand Mohan Senior correspondent Aatish Mishra Correspondents Ryan Lee, Jehan Adil Darukhanawala, Abhishek Wairagade, Vishal Joshi Photo & video editor Gaurav S Thombre Photographer Rohit Mane Editor-at-large Adil Jal Darukhanawala Contributing editors Byram Godrej, Aniruddha A Rangnekar, Yohann J Setna Columnist Karun Chandhok Art director Aslam Kabeer Assistant art director Jatin Joshi Image editor Jitendra Chillal Editorial advisory board Akbar Ebrahim, Rajan Syal

Advertising & promotions Email: contact@gtopublishing.com General manager - North Vipul Jain Dy general manager - South K Srikanth Dy general manager - West Sujata Dedhia

Subscriptions & distribution Email: motorsport.subscriptions@gtopublishing.com General manager Sreekumar R Nair Senior managers C N Venkatanarasimman, Devaraju Gowda Manager - North Ranvir Bisht Subscription rates Motorsport India is a bi-monthly supplement with evo India magazine. Subscriptions rates are for evo India + Motorsport India + OFF ROAD India 1 year - `1,800.00 2 years - `3,600.00 Motorsport India is also available as a stand-alone subscription 1 Year (6 issues) - `600.00 Please draw cheque/DD in favour of Project GTO Publishing LLP, payable at Pune and add `50.00 for outstation payments.

Online payments through www.evoindia.com/subscriptions

Printing Kala Jyothi Process Pvt Ltd S No 185, Kondapur, R R Dist 500 133, Hyd Ph- +91 40 - 23010861 The publisher and editors make every effort to ensure accuracy of content. However no responsibility can be taken for any effect from errors or omissions and for any investments or decisions taken on the basis of the information provided herein. The publishers don't take responsibility for any claims made in the advertising carried within the magazine.

All material published in this magazine is copyright protected and unauthorised reproduction is prohibited without express written permission of the editor. All rights in the material, title and trademark of this magazine belong to Project GTO Publishing LLP absolutely under exclusive association with FMSCI and may not be reproduced, whether in whole or in part, without its prior written consent.

Also distributed as supplement along with evo India - March 2017 Printed and published by Sirish Chandran on behalf of Project GTO Publishing LLP under exclusive association with FMSCI.

Ed Speak

SIRISH CHANDRAN

I

write this on the way back from the MMRT track in Chennai after witnessing the close-fought final race of the MRF Challenge series. As you will read in our race report, Harrison Newey, son of Red Bull F1’s technical director Adrian Newey, clinched a tied championship courtesy more race wins while Mick Schumacher, son of Michael Schumacher, finished third behind the current German F4 champion, Joey Mawson. Having big-name drivers coming back to the championship year after year is validation of the concept and also a clear indication of how popular the series has become among international junior formulae. And despite there being not a single Indian driver on the 14-car grid, this is still an Indian series.

There’s MRF, obviously, not only promoting the series but supplying tyres to the grid. The (carbonfibre) chassis comes from Dallara while this year the power units are from Ford Montune (replacing the Renault Sport units of the past four years) but everything is put together, run and maintained by J A Motorsport in Coimbatore.

A continuous effort to make the cars quicker means lap times have dropped by 3-4 seconds this year and J Anand wants to bring it up to Formula 3-pace next year, from the current F4 speeds. Narain Karthikeyan is testing the new aero package for next year as well as a paddle shift gearbox. And Chennai-based MMSC organises the race weekends, even the two rounds in Dubai and Bahrain (which turns out to be cheaper than racing at BIC, go figure).

The series now attracts big names from across the world and everybody pays the 50,000 US dollar entry fee for 14 races that span 4 weekends. No free lunches here.

If that sounds a lot (in the Indian context) I must tell you that it is a fifth of what it costs to run in the German F4 series, albeit a full season. The total prize money kitty is `64 lakh. And the really smart thing is that the MRF Challenge is timed to coincide with the European winter where most series have a testing ban. The series also runs on some F1 tracks, the BIC for the three years that Formula 1 came to India, Abu Dhabi last year, and this year’s season opener at Bahrain which was also a support race to the World Endurance Championship. This makes it attractive to many GP2 drivers who need seat time at F1 tracks.

If there’s one thing missing it's the spectators. Even though Sachin Tendulkar spent half his Sunday at the races, even though there were car and bike stunt shows, even though the racing was close with a fair number of spectacular accidents, there were only a few hundred spectators. It’s great to have live streaming of the races but let’s not forget the value, the importance even, of a grandstand filled with racing enthusiasts.

The series remains a testament to what a professionally run and well thought out racing series can achieve, even in a country where the standard of racing isn’t much to talk about. And hopefully the day is not far when Indian racers will learn to market themselves, raise the cash, benchmark themselves against some of the best young talent in the world and use the series as a springboard to an internationally successful racing career. L sirish@gtopublishing.com

@SirishChandran

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

7

Contents VO L 2 I SS UE 1

M A RC H - A P R I L 2 017

PG 36

2017 DA K A R R A L LY

All the dope from the toughest rally in the world, where our boys made us proud

P H O T O G R A P H Y b y D P P I / E .VA RG I O L U

NEWS 14

44

Jehan becomes the only Indian to win a Grand Prix

75

V W V EN T O CUP

16

Karminder Singh bags a fully paid drive for the upcoming Ameo Cup

2 017 A ME O CUP P R E V IE W

Sirish Vissa divulges as well as stays mum on the details of VW India's forthcoming Ameo Cup

76

2 016 M A RU T I S UZ UK I N AT ' L S UP ER L E A GUE t s d CH A MP IONS HIP

18

A GR A TA J C A R R A L LY

18

54

58

With over 350 events, Karani adds another record to his name

TATA P R IM A T RUCK R ACING

We catch up with Vicky Chandhok and bring you all the updates for the 2017 season

19

F M S CI P R I Z E DIS T R IBU T ION

2016 National champions are crowned at a grand ceremony in Hyderabad

COLUMNS 22

RACE REPORTS 2 017 M A RU T I S UZ UK I DE S ER T S T OR M

Q' S T O T HE P R E S IDEN T

64

36

INTERVIEWS

The toughest race on the planet, Peterhansel wins his 13th title as KTM wins its 16th

26

A RUN M A MMEN

44

We find out how MRF is helping Indian motorsport grow nationally as well as worldwide

2 016 MM S C 2 W NRC

Jagan Kumar wins his fifth national championship as bike racing comes to an end

Karna Kadur wins the INRC title for the VW Polo

54

2 016 -17 M A RU T I S UZ UK I AU T OCRO S S CH A MP IONS HIP

South Zone racing ends as Mumbai hosts the wildcard round

64

2 016 MR F CH A L L ENGE

The international winter series culminates as the champion was crowned after a nail biting finish

24 Karun Chandhok gives a forecast for the 2017 F1 season

2 017 DA K A R R A L LY

50

Akbar Ebrahim answers your motorsport queries

M A N IN T HE K NOW

Five titles for Suresh Rana with major drama in the Moto class

2 016 INRC

Maruthi wins the championship in a Maruti

FEATURES

L IMC A R E C OR D F OR S HR IK A N T K A R A NI

28

2 017 MR F F16 00

The MMSC's premiere formula racing series kicks off

JEH A N DA RU VA L A W INS N Z GP

650km of TSD rallying with a surprise in store for you

72

80

INTERNATIONAL 80

W RC

The 2017 rallying season begins with some familiar names winning the Monte Carlo and Sweden rallies

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL 10

L E T T ER S

A huge shout out to all our friends who have written in to us on our first anniversary

F EF EAT AT UURREE

#7, March-April 2017

MOTOR SPORT INDIA IS ONE!

As we celebrate the 1st anniversary of India's only nationally-distributed motorsport magazine here are a few of the messages that have poured in

Motor Sport India is also available at all major race events

Maruti Suzuki is proud to be the pioneer in motorsports today. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been inclined towards the idea of motorsports for a long time now. It is very integral to the way we think at Maruti Suzuki.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re trying to address this new age customer.

Customers, who are becoming younger by the day, constantly looking for a different kind of experience and are willing to go that extra mile to seek thrill and adventure and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where motorsports comes in.

Motorsports in India is currently at a very nascent stage, with a very niche group of enthusiasts vying for the sport. There is no dearth of FMSCI approved events, ensuring availability of multiple formats that suit the taste of every kind of motorist across the nation. It is now the responsibility of like-minded corporates to join hands to make it more mass and the vision should be making it a mainstream sports.

We at Maruti Suzuki have a very diverse portfolio of events. Rallies like Maruti Suzuki Raid De Himalaya, Dakshin Dare and recently concluded Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm have become cult events over the years. Different set of challenges await competitors in each of the rallies. Today, these rallies see a huge following

10

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

of adventure lovers and sports enthusiasts, and have been iconic, in their own right. In 2016-17 we have introduced two more championships in formats which are comparatively more accessible.

Maruti Suzuki FMSCI National SuperleagueTSD Rally Championship marked 6 new and different territories this year and Maruti Suzuki FMSCI Indian National Autocross Championship will be concluded in the first week of March after successfully conducting 7 rounds in north and south zones. Participation is very exciting in both the championships and seems to be the way ahead for future.

The realization of motorsports being safe, affordable and accessible is something that will happen eventually, but will require combined efforts of the corporates well as the regulatory bodies/federation.

Motor Sport India magazine is one such effort which is helping the sport and the sportspeople by giving the general public and enthusiasts a glimpse in to the world of motorsports and

#1, March-April 2016

imparting a taste of the challenges faced by this niche set of enthusiasts, who brave these challenges year after year to pursue this crazy passion they hold in their hearts. I would this this opportunity to congratulate Sirish and team for completing one year of Motor Sport India magazine and association with Maruti Suzuki Motorsports.

Vinay Pant AVP Marketing, Maruti Suzuki

From a very long time, from the days when I was racing, I was keen to have access to a motorsports magazine focusing on Indian motorsport. This finally happened last year and is a landmark for Indian motorsport and its stakeholders and participants. The magazine has been going from strength to strength with every passing issue and we will strive to work even more closely with the editorial board to give all our participants, organisers, sponsors and manufacturers the maximum exposure possible.

It is of great significance to have completed one year and I would like to congratulate the editorial team for doing a fabulous job. Knowing Sirish for the go-getter that he is, I am sure he will come up with more avenues and tools to truly reflect the hard work, determination and achievements of all concerned.

Akbar Ebrahim President, FMSCI

Please accept our thanks and congratulations on the 1st anniversary of your magazine Motor Sport India. We see so much of negativity in the public about motorsport that it is refreshing to have a positive, educative magazine like yours

M OTO R S P O RT I N D I A I S O N E !

covering virtually every motorsport event in the country. We think the magazine is a great motivator for many young enthusiasts who need the right direction. Our motorsport schools / teams are doing a good job with limited resources, and we appreciate all the coverage you give us.

Anil Kumar S

Congratulations to Motor Sport India on your first anniversary! I look forward to many more years of your stories highlighting the excitement of motorsports and the joy of driving for readers across India.

Guillaume Sicard

#3, July-August 2016

President, Nissan India Operations

Director, Apex Racing Academy

Congratulations on turning one! Motor Sport India Is a magazine whose time has come when motorsport is rapidly growing in the country.

It's driven by the passion of those who love motorsports and brought out by those who love motorsports. All the very best!

C S Santosh You know who he is!

#2, May-June 2016

I would like to congratulate everybody on the successful first anniversary issue of the Motor Sport India magazine – the only magazine devoted to motorsport in India.

It is really fantastic to know that there is a dedicated motorsport magazine in India as motorsport is thriving and also the integral part of every global automotive manufacturer. It is good to see the two wheeler manufacturers in India are actively involving in Motorsport and nowadays even four-wheeler manufacturers are looking at motorsport.

A magazine like this will certainly help lot of motorsport enthusiasts. My best wishes to Sirish and his team.

J Anand MD, Jayem Automotive

Orange Festival of Adventure and Music in the farthest corner of the country, Arunachal Pradesh, is equally yours.

It has been a great pleasure to personally know you bunch of dedicated journos, contributing to nation building in your own style. Accelerate on… pedal to the metal!

Lhakpa Tsering President, Motorsports Club of Arunachal

Congratulations to the whole Motor Sport India magazine team for one year of insightful and engaging coverage of motor racing! It’s wonderful to be part of your journey and learn of all the exciting developments in Indian motorsport on a global scale. It is always a great pleasure to receive your magazine and I look forward to helping celebrate many more milestones to come.

Dilbagh Gill Team Principal, Mahindra Racing Formula E Team

Congratulations on your First Anniversary!

Motorsports is a sport that should be developed in our country. To encourage talent, the Gautam Singhania Rolling Trophy has been presented to FMSCI for "The Indian Motorsports person of the Year". I am glad there is an auto magazine devoted to this global sport! All the best!

Gautam Hari Singhania Founder, Super Car Club of India

Kudos to Sirish and Motor Sport India’s spirited team for completing one glorious year. As the Indian automotive market gets strengthened, there couldn’t have been a more opportune time to acquaint car owners with aspects that bring out the fun of driving. As part of our DNA, all Ford products in India quintessentially deliver the Fun of Driving in each of their segments – from Figo and Aspire, all the way up to the legendary Mustang. We are happy to have associated with Motor Sport India in creating some memorable content with our special series 'Track Attack' and look to stay engaged with Motor Sports India to support such engaging content in the future.

Kapil Sharma Ford India Communications

Motorsport in India is now going through an exciting phase where a dedicated magazine like Motor Sport India is an excellent way to increase awareness on the category. Kudos to the team on crossing this milestone and congratulations on a successful debut year!

We have a similar reason for celebration at Hero MotoSports as we complete our 1st anniversary in April. Our debut year has given us initial successes with an impressive showing at the Merzouga and OiLibya Rallies in Morocco, followed by a solid performance in our first ever Dakar and, finally closing our debut year with a podium finish at the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm 2017. We take pride

Would like to wish the magazine all further success and with your experience, am sure it will grow to much greater heights.

KD Madan MMSC trustee and councillor to FMSCI

Many congratulations and a happy anniversary to Project GTO Publishing for a valiant effort in treading the tough territory of Indian motorsports.

The credit for the success and the popularity of the Arunachal Festival of Speed and the

Getting a taste of bike racing astride the race-spec TVS Apache RTR 200 4V

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

11

F EF EAT AT UURREE in being part of this growing category, and look forward to taking the sport further, both on the national and international circuit. We do wish for many more fans and followers to come together, in creating the ecosystem for world class riders, world class teams and many new customers.

Congratulations once again and all the best from the Hero MotoSports Team!

Markus Braunsperger

the only Indian manufacturer competing at the highest level of international motorsport in MotoGP racing and Motor Sport India being the only magazine dedicated to covering motorsports across India. The magazine has also come a long way in a short time with insightful and incisive coverage that is truly reader friendly. Keep up the great work!

Mufaddal A Choonia

CTO, Hero MotoCorp Ltd.

CEO, Mahindra Racing

The last decade has witnessed an increase in the pace of growth for motorsports in India, and we are glad to be a part of this dynamically growing environment. For any sport to grow it is important that the right catalyst foster its growth and Motor Sport India magazine has been a great supporter and facilitator in accelerating this growth. The magazine not only supports and promotes the sport but also tells some unique and interesting stories of the racers and enthusiasts. The magazine helps to educate, grow, support and encourage the motorsport ecosystem and we at Volkswagen look forward to interesting times ahead. We extend our heartiest congratulations to the entire team on completing its first year journey and wish them ample success for the coming years.

Michael Mayer

The members and office bearers of Coimbatore Auto Sports Club wish to congratulate the editorial board of Motor Sport India magazine for their successful publication of an informative Motorsport magazine and appreciate their dedication.

Prithiviraj J

Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars

My warm congratulations on behalf of Mahindra Racing to Motor Sport India magazine on the completion of its first anniversary with the March 2017 issue. Both are pioneers in their respective fields with Mahindra Racing being

Hon. Secretary, Coimbatore Auto Sports Club

It is one year since the first issue of Motor Sport India magazine was published by Project GTO Publishing. Congratulations!

Since then, we have seen the arrival of magazines dedicated to off-road vehicles and to motorcycles. All the above have been delightful to read. Your publications have gone from strength to strength. Well done. The first jubilee is traditionally known as the paper anniversary, an appropriate designation for a glossy journal.

May this paper anniversary turn to silver, gold and diamond anniversaries. Our club looks forward to celebrating your centenary in the next century.

Ravi Kumar Chairman, Calcutta Motor Sports Club

Setting the second fastest time at the Valley Run in the C 63 AMG S

Motor Sport India magazine which is the only dedicated magazine to the sport in India, has done a commendable job. As a brand that was born on the race track, Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-AMG has been closely associated with motor sport and we are proud of our global achievements in the realm of motor sport, F1 in particular. We wish the Motor Sport India team all the best in your effort of making motorsport more popular in India, by covering it widely. Stay unstoppable in all your efforts.

Roland Folger MD & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India

In between all the automotive news of launches and reviews comes a refreshing and adrenaline-filled magazine called Motor Sport India. I would like to congratulate the team on their 1st anniversary and applaud their outstanding contribution and dedication for covering motorsports in India. Looking forward to many more reviews of Elite Octane's drag racing and motorsport initiatives. In addition to the above, looking forward to Sirish's participation for some blistering quarter mile runs.

Rongom Tagore Mukerji Director, Elite Octane Inc. & FMSCI Drag Racing Commission Member.

My heartiest congratulations to Motor Sport India and its magnificent team on its first anniversary on a job well done. It has been a wonderful year for Indian motorsports with many youngsters emerging from the ranks and making the country proud. We have seen the sport grow in the nation, with a number of fine drivers making their mark even from remote corners of india. We at JK Tyre Motor Sport are proud to be part of this revolution and believe that in the not too distant future motor sports will become one of the most popular sports in the country.

I wish you all the very best in the years ahead.

Sanjay Sharma Team Motor Sport India walks the talk! We've participated in numerous events to get a first hand feel of what competitors, organisers and sponsors go through. Here's us enroute to a podium finish in the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm

12

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

Head, corporate communication and motorsport, JK Tyre & Industries ltd

M OTO R S P O RT I N D I A I S O N E !

As Motor Sport India celebrates its first birthday, I take the opportunity to congratulate all those involved with the content and production of the magazine. Indeed, motorsport enthusiasts now have something worthwhile to look forward to. Whether it is bikes, cars and their upkeep, Motor Sport India has, over the last year, certainly provided a wide canvas for its readers. As one who has been a pioneer in promoting motorsport and nurturing budding talent, I must say MSI has the best of the game in its pages.

I trust the coming issues will have much more to offer. On behalf of the team at Sportscraft, here’s hoping that the magazine will continue to provide readers meaningful insight, unique perspective, critical analysis and expert advice.

All the best for many more anniversaries.

Shrikant Karani Sportscraft

Motorsport in India has come a long way – from the time it started with enthusiasts racing in the mid-20th century till now with world-class champions representing the country across

various categories of the sport. FMSCI, over the decades that it has been actively encouraging motorsport in the country, has played a vital role in bringing the sport to the level it is at today.

But all this while, there was a gap between the enthusiasts who formed the world of motorsport and those who didn’t even know the existence of this adrenaline-pumping world. The incredible job of bridging this gap and going beyond that to encourage those in the sport and giving them the recognition that they always deserved was done by the motorsport magazine.

Sirish Vissa Head, VW Motorsport India

TVS Motor Company congratulates Motor Sport India for the first year milestone. In addition to supporting all the initiatives from TVS Racing, Motor Sport India has helped fuel interest and recognised the efforts of the racing community. We truly appreciate the fantastic effort by GTO Publishing to provide extensive motorsport coverage to Indian readers. Wishing the team good luck for the future.

Varghese M Thomas, Vice-President, Corporate Communication, TVS Motor Company

TSD-ing at the Maruti Suzuki Deccan Rally

#4, September-October 2016

Motorsport or rather the success of it has to be driven by passion and by people who literally have high octane flowing through their veins. The administrative success of governing bodies in the past is a perfect example of the statement I make. They have always had the sport in mind and I’m glad to see that your

#5, November-December 2016

Team Motor Sport India raced in the Vento Cup, even clinching one podium

exclusive motorsport magazine has turned the corner with one year completed and is heading out for a larger footprint. On my personal behalf and on behalf of the Madras Motor Sports Club may I take this opportunity to wish you guys all success. As you saw at the MMRT, we are on a constant upgrade mode and we’re happy to have the team from evo India at our track anytime!

Vicky Chandhok MMSC vice president, FIA APRC chairman

Many congratulations on your first anniversary and wish you luck for the bigger achievements that await Motor Sport India. I have had a chance to follow Motor Sport India over the last few months and wish to congratulate the team on the carefully curated content and the keen insight into the auto industry that they present with every issue. I applaud you on becoming the only motorsports magazine circulated all over the nation – no mean feat.

Vimal Sumbly MD, Triumph Motorcycles (India) Private Limited

#6, January-February 2017

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

13 63

LA K HA NAWA ADIL DARU

by JEHAN

Daruvala wins the New Zealand GP The young Indian joins an illustrious list of drivers like Sir Jackie Stewart and Bruce McLaren to have won the race

A

A WINTER BREAK IN Europe means the young talent out there is looking to stay in practice and enter series taking place in the Asia Pacific region. One of the prestigious ones is the Toyota Racing Series held in New Zealand which Jehan Daruvala has been part of for the last two years. Jehan had performed brilliantly in his debut season by racking up a couple of podiums and a win. This season too he has been equally impressive in the series.

Arriving at the fifth round, Daruvala stepped it up a notch and proved to be the strongest driver in practice as well as qualifying, grabbing pole position for the first race around the Chris Amon circuit in Manfeild, New Zealand. Daruvala lined up ahead of Pedro Piquet, son of former F1 champion Nelson, with the Indian’s lap 0.07 seconds faster than that of the Brazilian.

Ferrari Academy Racing driver Marcus Armstrong was a further 0.08 seconds behind the two with Thomas Randle lining up third in the final race – the New Zealand Grand Prix.

Jehan got off well but was demoted

12 14

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March September 2017 2016

to second at the first corner by Piquet as he was on the dirty side of the circuit at the braking point. He held on to second position thereafter and lined up third in the reverse grid for the second race. He had a small incident and had to bring home a damaged car in seventh.

But in the final race, which was the highlight of the entire weekend, Jehan pulled out all the stops to win the prestigious race. The 35-lap race is one of two races (the other being the Macau GP) in the world to gain a Grand Prix status and not feature on the Formula One calendar.

Jehan got a better start than race one and was able to pull away from the field. It looked like it was going to be a relatively easy affair for the Sahara Force India Academy driver but the race had to be stopped for an incident between Luis Leeds and Christian Hahn.

Upon restart, Jehan did come under a bit of pressure from Armstrong in the final few laps but Daruvala held on to win his first race of the 2017 season. With the win, Jehan becomes the first Indian to win a Grand Prix and joins the illustrious list of previous winners who have gone on to

become Formula One legends like Keke Rosberg, Sir Jackie Stewart, Sir Stirling Moss, John Surtees and Bruce McLaren.

“I am happy with the pace I have had throughout the series. Winning the Grand Prix is absolutely fantastic and is a proud moment in my racing career so far. I am completely focused on what lies ahead and I am confident of a good first year in Formula 3,” said the Indian teenager.

Jehan now gears up for his maiden FIA F3 season as he is on the right trajectory to make it to F1. L

I

“IT IS THE QUICKEST touring car that we have made and hopefully it may also be the quickest one in India.” A highly enthusiastic Sirish Vissa relates to us as he and his Volkswagen Motorsport India team gear up for the 2017 season of the new Ameo Cup. After a couple of seasons with the Vento, Volkswagen has decided to employ their latest sub-4 metre sedan Ameo for the new season.

VW has taken mighty effort in developing the new car, especially with the chassis. While they are tight-lipped on the powertrain front, Sirish claims that their car is nearly two seconds faster than the Vento after their first round of testing at the Buddh International Circuit. The new Ameo Cup car is rumoured to get a larger engine and a new gearbox, but details are scarce at this moment. What we do know is that the new engine will have a Motec ECU, which is slightly more expensive. In the previous season, the company suffered two blown engines at the BIC due to poor fuel quality.

These new ECUs will take care of this issue and will be beneficial in the long run.

Considering the company’s withdrawal from the WRC programme as well as Audi’s retirement from endurance racing, the investment into the new programme is considerably high. The reason for this is the company’s mandate to allow the growth of customer sport, and one of the most successful ones around the world is the one that the Indian division carries out. The new power unit is designed for reliability

62 16

Motorsport India MOTORSPORT INDIA | July | March 2016 2017

Promising times for the Ameo Cup

Sirish Vissa on the development of the new 2017 Volkswagen Ameo Cup car for the next four seasons of racing, irrespective of the body shells the company decides to adopt for the future.

As the Ameo’s wheelbase is quite similar to that of the Polo, VW has had to work on the suspension setup for the revised wheelbase, while the components remain the same. The Polo R Cup car had good cornering abilities, especially quick during turn-ins. The succeeding Vento was extremely stable mid-corner due to its larger wheelbase. While testing the Ameo Cup car, VW found it to be a bit too twitchy, unsettling the balance of the car during corner entry as well as in the fast corners.

Hence, they had to design a proper aerofoil creating more downforce and helping the car to bear both aforementioned qualities of the Polo and Vento. The rear wing is manually adjustable but it remains to be seen whether each driver can tweak it to his liking or if it will remain the same for all.

While the Ameo is currently running the 2016 MRF rubber, there are tyre tests scheduled at the MMRT in Chennai as the bulk of the championship takes place there.

They will be carrying out tests for nearly

30 different compounds from MRF and the final tyre choice will only be announced when the car is launched.

This all-Indian developed car will make its race debut mid-2017 and Sirish hopes that they will have a strong grid of nearly 24 cars for the season. The testing has been carried out by their 2014 Polo R Cup champion Karthik Tharani adding to the all-Indian effort. There is a bump of `50,000 for the drive for participants, which in the grand scheme of things is not too much. The Ameo Cup will have four rounds which will most probably run on all three circuits in the country.

While the Ameo Cup car is on its way to being the country's quickest touring car, VW Motorsport India is also confident of their ITC-spec Vento’s progress. “The project is still under development. With the new rules favouring newer generation of cars we are in a much better position than last year. The allowance of turbos and sequential gearbox (like the ones run on the R2 rally Polos) will make the Vento a much better unit for 2017.

Hence we are still optimistic of the project,” said Vissa. L

F E AT U R E

T

THE MOTORSPORT CLUB of Agra formed in 2012 has been running a number of events across all formats of motorsport, which includes TSD rallies, speed runs, off-road competitions, expeditions and vintage car rallies. The club recently announced the fourth iteration of the Agra Taj Car Rally, which is set to kickoff on the March 31 and will end on April 2.

The Agra Taj Car Rally will follow the TSD (time, speed and distance) format in which participants will cover close to 650km in and around Agra. The rally will be divided into two broad categories â&#x20AC;&#x201C; novice and expert. Apart from that, the Agra Taj Car Rally will also have special classes for ladies, corporates and young enthusiasts, who are looking for a platform

Agra gears up for the Agra Taj Car Rally 2017 The annual TSD rally is slated to begin on March 31 WO R D S b y RYA N L E E to step into the world of motorsports.

According to the club, the 2017 Agra Taj Rally will be one of the biggest motorsport events in the region and around 100 teams with around 250 participants are expected to take part in the rally.

To keep with our anniversary celebrations this month, the Motorsport Club of Agra will give a free entry to a crew of two to one of our lucky readers.

Stay tuned to our social media handles for details on how you can win! L

Limca Record for Karani

S

SRIKANT KARANI AND HIS motorsports team of Sportscraft have been inducted into the Limca Book of Indian Records for having organised a record 350 events since their very first event in 1984, the McDowell Vintage Car rally.

Karani is renowned for organising the annual Monsoon Scooter rally with Gulf lubricants. He is also known to oraganise gymkhana events involving trucks, rickshaws and tractors. L

62 18

Motorsport India MOTORSPORT INDIA | March | March 2016 2017

Clarification In our article on the first motoring event held in India, in the January 2017 issue, the photographs were reprinted/reproduced with kind permission of The National Library, Kolkata.

All documents were courtesy the Calcutta Motor Sports Club.

F E AT URE N EWS

2016 National Champions crowned HAT A YEAR 2016 HAS been for Gaurav Gill. He won his second APRC title, then became the only man to win all rounds of an FIA-sanctioned series and now has been awarded the FMSCI Motorsport Man of the Year award at the FMSCI awards ceremony held at the Park Hyatt Hotel, Hyderabad on February 3.

The awards were a first for new FMSCI President, Akbar Ebrahim, as he narrated his plans for the growth of motorsport all across the country. “This is a special day for motorsports as the FMSCI was formed exactly on this day, 44 years ago.

I am proud to say that we had as many as 350 tournaments through the year, which makes us the third most active motor sporting country in Asia,” said Akbar.

While Gill walked home with the Raymond Gautam Singhania Rolling Trophy, B Vijayakumar was awarded the Lifetime Achievement award for being an

active participant for nearly half a century, setting up the second active race track in the country and building many championshipwinning race cars. Amongst the national champions, the FMSCI also recognised the involvement of women in the sport with Mira Erda, Sneha Sharma, Aishwarya Pissay, Shruthi Nagarajan and Bani Yadav being awarded individual honours to help the cause of female participation in their discipline of motorsport.

FIA President Jean Todt, one of the key personnel behind the success of Michael Schumacher and Scuderia Ferrari in Formula 1, was present at the occasion.

“You are a country of over a billion people.

We have a great challenge ahead of us.

But it provides us so many wonderful opportunities too,” said Todt. “India has always been a very strong federation in the FIA and I want to tell you that you now have a very strong ally in me to develop motorsport in the country,” he added.

Gaurav Gill being awarded the Raymond Gautam Singhania Rolling Trophy

B Vijayakumar was awarded the Lifetime Achievement award

MMSC FMSCI Indian National Racing Championship (4W)

2016 ITC champion Arjun Narendran

2016 IJTC champion Keith DeSouza

Arjun Narendran

National Champion Driver

Indian Touring Car

Red Rooster Racing

Championship Winning Team

Indian Touring Car

Keith DeSouza

National Champion Driver

Indian Junior Touring Car

Red Rooster Racing

Championship Winning Team

Indian Junior Touring Car

Vikash Anand

National Champion Driver

MRF FF1600

Raghul Rangasamy

National Champion Driver

Super Stock

Race Concepts

Championship Winning Team

Super Stock

Raghul Rangasamy

National Champion Driver

Formula LGB 1300

Wallace Sports & Research Foundation

Championship Winning Team

Formula LGB 1300

Ishaan Dodhiwalla

National Champion Driver

Volkswagen Vento Cup

2016 SS and FLGB 1300 champion Raghul Rangasamy

2016 Vento Cup champion Ishaan Dodhiwalla

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

63 19

F E AT URE N EWS

FMSCI Indian Rally Championship (4W) Abhilash P G

National Champion Driver

IRC Overall

Srikanth Gowda

National Champion Co-Driver

IRC Overall

R3A PGA Motorsports

C'ship Winning Team

IRC Overall

Karna Kadur

National Champion Driver

INRC Overall

Nikhil V Pai

National Champion Co-Driver

INRC Overall

Mahindra Adventure

C'ship Winning Team

INRC Overall

Karna Kadur

National Champion Driver

INRC 2000

Nikhil V Pai

National Champion Co-Driver

INRC 2000

Yokohama India

C'ship Winning Team

INRC 2000

2016 INRC champion co-driver Nikhil Pai

2016 INRC champion driver Karna Kadur

2016 IRC champion Abhilash P G

2016 INRC champion team Mahindra Adventure

Maruti Suzuki FMSCI National Superleague TSD Rally Championship (4W) Karthick Maruthi

Champion Driver

NStsdRC

Musthafa M

Champion Navigator

NStsdRC

MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship

2016 Super Sport 300-400cc champion Ami van Poederooijen

2016 Super Sport upto 165cc champion Jagan Kumar

20

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

Ami Van Poederooijen

Champion

Super Sport Indian 300-400cc

Rockstar Racing

Champion Team

Super Sport Indian 300-400cc

KTM

Champion Manufacturer

Super Sport Indian 300-400cc

Jagan Kumar

Champion

Super Sport Indian 165cc

TVS Racing

Champion Team

Super Sport Indian 165cc

TVS

Champion Manufacturer

Super Sport Indian 165cc

Rajiv Sethu

Champion

Pro Stock upto 165cc

Ten10 Racing

Champion Team

Pro Stock upto 165cc

Honda

Champion Manufacturer

Pro Stock upto 165cc

Joseph Mathew P

Champion Rider

Stock upto 165cc

Sparks Racing

Champion Team

Stock upto 165cc

Yamaha

Champion Manufacturer

Stock upto 165cc

2016 Pro Stock upto 165cc champion Rajiv Sethu

2016 Stock upto 165cc champion Joseph Mathew P

F M S C I AWA R DS N I G H T

MRF MOGRIP FMSCI NATIONAL SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP

2016 SX1 champion Abdul Wahid Tanveer

Abdul Wahid Tanveer (TVS Racing)

Champion

SX1 Group A (250cc 2 Stroke, 500cc 4 Stroke)

Jagadeesh Kumar B

Champion

Novice Class Group C 2/4 Stroke upto 260cc

Nataraj R (TVS Racing)

Champion

Indian Expert : Group B 2/4 Stroke Upto 260cc

Nataraj R (TVS Racing)

Champion

Indian Expert : Group C 2/4 Stroke Upto 260cc

Suhail Ahmed

Champion

Expert Class : Group C 2/4 Stroke upto 260cc

Rugved Barguje

Champion

SX2 Group A (250cc 2 Stroke, 500cc 4 Stroke)

Karan Karle

Champion

Junior SX Group A/B/C/D upto 250cc 2/4 Stroke

2016 Indian Expert Group B champion R Nataraj

2016 SX2 champion Rugved Barguje

2016 Junior SX champion Karan Karle

MRF MOGRIP FMSCI INDIAN NATIONAL RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP (2W)

2016 2W INRC champion team TVS Racing

Abdul Wahid Tanveer

Champion

2W INRC Overall

TVS Racing

Champion Team

2W INRC Overall

Abdul Wahid Tanveer

Champion

Super Bike Pro Expert

Vishwas S D

Champion

Super Bike

Shivakumar R

Champion

Super Sport 130cc

Rajendra R.E.

Champion

Super Sport 165cc

Suhail Ahmed

Champion

Super Sport 260cc

Venu Ramesh Kumar

Champion

Super Sport 400cc

Aakash Aithal

Champion

Super Sport 550cc

Syed Asif Ali

Champion

Scooter

JK Tyre FMSCI National Rotax Max Karting Championship

JK Tyre Racing Championship (4W)

Shahan Ali Mohsin

Champion

Micro Max Kart

Anindith Reddy

Champion Driver

Euro JK16

Manav Sharma

Champion

Junior Max Kart

Vishnu Prasad

Champion Driver

LGB Formula 4

Ricky Donison

Champion

Senior Max Kart

Meco Racing

Champion Team

LGB Formula 4

2016 Junior Max karting champion Manav Sharma

2016 Euro JK16 champion Anindith Reddy

2016 LGB F4 champion Vishnu Prasad

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

63 21

FOEAT P I NUIROEN

Qs to the

President

Every month the FMSCI President answers your motorsport questions

Is it mandatory to homologate cars for the saloon car championship?

Can I bring any car to race? - Ravi Sharma There are substantial changes to the technical regulations for the Touring Car classes for 2017. In this, one can enter a non-homologated car by completing a Technical Data Form process with the Technical Commission. To support this, the Technical Commission has introduced the restrictors of different sizes for different cubic capacities for the TC 2, TC 3 and TC 4 Classes. These restrictors will nullify any deviations made by the engine builder in terms of specifications of the related components of the engine. In the case of homologated cars, the specs are available to be checked. In the case of non-homologated cars, there are no certified specs by means of a homologation and thus with the introduction of the restrictors, it has now become possible to also enter them. Please do mail the FMSCI for the required process and they will in turn direct you to the Technical Commission to guide you through the same.

I

Akbar Ebrahim President, FMSCI

Send your queries for the FMSCI president to motorsport@GTOpublishing.com

22

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

The Esteem cup is a fantastic initiative. So does it mean the future for the touring cars championship doesn't include the Esteem? - Sandeep Shanbhag The Esteem Cup runs to the 2016 IJTC Regulations. As most of the cars were Esteems and since these cars are not manufactured anymore, the class has now been made into a Cup and not as a National Championship class for Touring Cars. Instead the IJTC regulations for 2017 have been upgraded and now renamed TC 2 (Touring Car 2) to allow more current generation cars to compete and provides more scope for engine and chassis modifications but not as

expansive as the TC 1 Class. To permit non-homologated cars to compete, the restrictor rule has been brought in and the size of the restrictor varies based on the permitted cee cee range.

Why are student build events such as Baja and FSAE not under the purview of the FMSCI? - Vishnu Mahajan The Baja and FSAE events are for dynamic and static tests and are not for any gravel or tarmac racing competitions. This does not fall under the purview of the FMSCI currently as there are no regulations in the FMSCI that govern such type of events and the FMSCI only governs the operation of all sporting competition events. Whenever these events include a track or gravel race for the products, the FMSCI issues a permit only for the racing part of the event with stipulated rules and regulations.

I read that there are plans to have an All India Race Meet like in the nineties with all the promoters coming together for a two weekend race meet.

Is that happening? - Sarvesh Kumar Yes, talks are on with the promoters of the two National Championships. We will see how this progresses.

Could we expect bigger bikes in the national championship categories? Dharmesh Shah Currently the 600cc and 1100cc bikes are run in the JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship as a support Series at the BIC. This is being expanded.

MMSC runs one round of the Asian Road Racing Championship. It is possible that MMSC may also include the bigger bikes in their National Racing Championship for 2017 for the MMSC and BIC tracks in Chennai and Noida as these bikes are currently not permitted to be raced at the KMS track in Coimbatore. L

MRF F1600 MRF F1600 National Racing Championship, 10 - 12 March, 2017 at MMRT, Chennai.

Contact us for more details!

Leading Designer & Manufacturer of India's Fastest Racing/Track Day Cars.

JA MOTORSPORT

Inde2.0 Contact Hetal +91 8870476775 hetal@jamotorsport.com ja@jamotorsport.com www.jamotorsport.com

Join us

www.facebook.com/jamotorsport

MRF 2000

MRF Challenge - Arun Mammen, MD at MRF along with Mick Schumacher, Harrison Newey & Joey Mawson at MMRT, Chennai

FOEAT P I NUIROEN

Man in

the Know

Karun Chandhok Ex-F1 racer and current F1 commentator

"F1 NEEDS FERRARI TO BE FIGHTING FOR WINS AND THE PRESSURE TO SUCCEED ON THE TEAM IS HIGH"

@karunchandhok

24

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

Karun airs his views about everything in the world of motor racing

HE RULE CHANGES FOR 2017 are unique wherein for the first time in F1 history, the objective of a rule change has been to make the cars significantly faster and I do hope that it works. We want to see the best cars and drivers in the world fighting on the ragged edge for two hours, not lapping six or seven seconds a lap off their qualifying pace.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no question that in the Pirelli era, the drivers have had to spend the races driving below the limit and managing their tyres much more than the previous Bridgestone era which has been the cause of some frustration for the drivers and their engineers.

I think the cars will look better with the bigger tyres and the proportion of the front and rear wings will be better, so aesthetically the cars will look nicer. Whether they look more spectacular or not is going to come down to how fast they are through the corners I believe.

The initial aim was to make the cars 5 seconds per lap faster but by the time we got to Abu Dhabi last year, there were mutterings of that number being closer to 2.5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3 seconds depending on the circuit.

The drag element of having bigger tyres is huge and once again the weight limit has increased, up to 728 kilograms now (just for comparison, the minimum weight number in 2009 was only 605 kilos!).

Can Bottas take the fight to Lewis?

Valtteri has been given the opportunity of a lifetime to jump into the dominant car of the recent past. The new regulations could mix up the pecking order but Mercedes are too good a team now to not be a World title contender.

Going up against Lewis Hamilton is not going to be an easy challenge and could be the making or breaking of Valtteri. Either he will take the fight to Lewis and therefore establish himself as one of the elite or he will be relegated to the role of the number two.

KARUN CHANDHOK

Toto Wolff, Niki Lauda and the team are coming off the back of a season full of internal battles so they will be looking for a low stress relationship between their two drivers. Lewis outside the car created more headaches than they would have liked in 2016 but they’ll tolerate it all because in the car, an on-form Lewis Hamilton is unbeatable.

Can Red Bull fight Mercedes?

For the sake of the show in Formula 1, we would all hope so! I do believe that this is a battle that we can’t judge too early in the year, as we’re going to see a very high rate of development throughout the season.

Red Bull have shown in the last few years that aerodynamically they’re as strong as ever but let’s be clear, the Mercedes hasn’t exactly been a lemon in the corners! At a high downforce track like Budapest last year, where people expected the Red Bull drivers to perhaps challenge Mercedes, they ended up nearly half a minute behind at the end of the race – and Adrian Newey said to me at the time that he thought the Mercedes drivers were backing the pack up early on.

The aero rule changes are huge for 2017 but I think it would be wrong to rule out the fact that the token system for the power units has now gone. This means that the development race between the engine builders is well and truly on too and in order to topple Mercedes, it’s not going to be enough for Red Bull to build a better chassis. Having Torro Rosso also using the same power unit now will help Renault as there should be more scope for sharing

information but will it be enough to push the senior team back to the top? Only time will tell.

What of the rest?

Both Ferrari and Mclaren are coming into 2017 on the back of turbulent times in the recent past.

F1 needs Ferrari to be fighting for wins and the pressure to succeed on the team from the tifosi around the world is still higher than anyone else. The merry-go-round at the top with the Domenicali – Mattiachi – Montezemolo – Marchionne – Arrivabene circle along with the Pat Fry – James Allison – Mattia Binotto shuffle has undoubtly created a degree of instability over the past few years and it will be interesting to see how the Scuderia performs in 2017.

In its first season of the post-Ron Dennis era, 2017 is arguably a more important year for Mclaren than their long term Italian rivals. There’s no question that the Honda power unit package has failed to live up to the pre-2015 expectations but by all accounts, they’re starting 2017 with a completely new design architecture.

Watching if Honda hit the ground running and not suffer the reliability woes of their 2015 campaign is going to be one of the big stories of the Barcelona tests I think.

The midfield battle between Force India, Williams, Torro Rosso and McLaren was very entertaining to watch with Haas occasionally able to throw their hats into the ring.

Force India did a very good job last season and pound for pound, were probably the

best “value for money” team of 2016. The battle for fourth place really started to swing in their direction as the season went on, as Williams couldn’t get their updates to work as effectively as the Silverstone based squad.

Williams now look set to have the brilliant Paddy Lowe re-join them from Mercedes which will give them some guidance but F1 teams are no longer a one man team.

Renault had publicly declared that they would need until 2018 to start to reap the rewards of their late re-takeover of the Enstone squad but even so, I’ll bet the sight of the yellow cars on the back row of the grid on occasions last year didn’t please anybody in the boardrooms in Paris.

More physical cars again?

I think the drivers are all excited about the prospect of being challenged to their physical limits again. Personally, I always found a perverse sense of pleasure when you got out of a car after a physically tough race like Malaysia or Budapest and felt like you had put your body and mind through a solid work out. Drivers are sportsmen at the end of the day and we got into the sport expecting to feel physical pain.

It’s amazing the differences in the physical effort needed with a relatively small increase in G-loads when you’re in the zone of three to four ‘G’ of lateral force.

The physios and drivers will have a rough idea of how much faster the cornering speeds will be from their simulator programs and that will mentally get them in the zone of training harder and preparing for it more. L

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

04 25

FI NETAT RE E RVUI EW

26

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

ARUN MAMMEN

A S TOL D to SIR ISH CH A NDR A N

“Racing in this part of the world is still very untouched” Speaking to Arun Mammen, managing director, MRF Limited e supported the Indian Grand Prix for three years We did a support series for Formula 1, the first F1 race in Delhi. That was when we got involved in racing in a bigger way. Then we decided to upgrade our car and we got into F2000.

That time the championship was more or less in India. Then we went overseas, to Bahrain. We did a support series for WEC. Then we went to Dubai, we have gone to Abu Dhabi, we did a night race in Qatar.

Then also Delhi and Chennai. We have been evolving.

The reason why we are focused on Asia and Middle East is because racing in this part of the world is still a very untouched area. Europe is a very saturated market for racing and this part of the world is still reasonably young in motorsports and we have great facilities in India and Middle east. Most of the tracks we drive on are Formula 1 facilities.

Most of the components are made in India Dallara gives us the chassis. Until last year we were using Renault engines, this year we have upgraded our car with Ford Montune engines which makes 250bhp. Apart from that most of the other components are developed and made here (in India). Quite a bit of the car is carbonfibre because it has to be strong and light so that is the direction we are working on. Next year we are taking

further steps. They are looking at probably making it into a paddle shift. These are the challenges we have to tackle as we go along.

MRF is in this for tyre development MRF has been in motorsports for over 2530 years and we have been developing tyres for practically all categories of motorsport, whether it's go-kart racing or motocross or rallying and of course circuit racing. Even in the Formula 2000 cars our tyres have evolved. The tyres we raced last year are not the same tyres we race now and for the following year we are working on a new range of tyres. In fact Narain was here yesterday and he was testing the new tyres that we will introduce into these cars next year.

We sell our motorsport tyres Currently we are the control tyres for the Honda Civic European Championship. We are also giving tyres for individual people for rallies and races and we are looking into getting into some kind of gravel racing in Europe. We are sponsoring the (rally) championship in Australia and the control tyres will be MRF. We sell our motorsport tyres in Europe, in Asia and that is a great avenue to get into the regular street tyres because racing is something that needs a lot of passion, speed and power. It’s a very young sport so it's a great avenue to get into various markets in Europe and maybe Middle East or even African markets.

Rallying has always been our backbone We have been in the INRC and were looking at other championships. Then ten years ago we decided to go outside and that’s when we got into APRC. We have evolved with our cars – first we were driving the Evos and then we moved on to the Skodas. Even the Skodas we drove last year and this year are different – this year we drove the R5.

We're always driving new cars, and are constantly adapting to the change. The tyres are evolving, they're not the same tyres. We are developing our products to cater to the needs of these vehicles.

Biking is big We do a lot of biking in Asia because Asia is big and India also is a huge market for two wheelers. Most of our biking is in India, we haven't really gone international on the biking front but there is always an opportunity.

Demonetisation is a challenge, definitely There has been a slow down in the economy as well as the automobile market.

Also there was a setback in their sales so nationally they will have a setback.

Tyre companies will also have a little bit of strain on their sales. We are slowly coming out of demonetisation but the duration, how long it will take, it will probably be another month or two. But we should be fine. L

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

27

F E AT RAC E RU E PROERT

Sand Bl Fifth title for Rana as Santosh's pain becomes Nataraj's gain

FTER A CLEAN SWEEP IN the three rally raids in 2016, team Marutiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Suresh Rana (co-driver Ashwin Naik) defended his Xtreme class Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm title successfully to rack up a total of five Storm wins. Driving a Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Rana came out on top at the end of the five days of sand blasting with the competition faltering along the way.

Northern Motorsports, the organisers of the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm, had made a few interesting changes to the rallying schedule as they pushed most of the longer stages to the latter part of the rally. This was done to allow competitors to remain in the fight for longer, instead of crashing out on the first or second day itself.

On two wheels, Dakar hero C S Santosh was on course to repeat his 2016 performance and clinch the first rally victory of Hero MotoSports Rally team on Indian soil. But on the final transport stage to the final checkpoint, his vehicle carrier (bikes are allowed to be loaded on to their carriers post the timed section) broke down. By the time Santosh could unload the bike and get to the finish line, he had already missed his scheduled time and checked in 15 minutes late. The organisers therefore imposed a 30-minute time penalty which saw him dropping down the order and handing TVS Racingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s R Nataraj the Moto class title.

28

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

lasting

WO R D S b y J E H A N A D I L DA RU K H A N AWA L A & P H O T O G R A P H Y b y RO H I T M A N E , M A RU T I S U Z U K I

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

29

F E AT RAC E RU E PROERT

The rally didn’t feature Aravind K P, who is still nursing his wounds from the 2017 Dakar, or the Polaris vehicles. But it saw the debut of the Isuzu D-Max V-Cross in Indian motorsport with three cars taking part, two of them in the Xtreme class while the last one was part of the Ndure class.

The rally began with the ceremonial start at the GIP Mall, in Noida on January 29; the participants made it out to the start of their first day of rallying in Hanumangarh, Rajasthan the same day.

LEG 1: Hanumangarh to Bikaner, 3 stages, SS total: 75.78km The day began in Hanumangarh and the participants were made to tackle short sand trails for most part of the stage.

This was in complete contrast to the previous editions as the initial few days bore the large chunk of stage distance with the latter half being fairly easy for the participants. But in 2017, Northern Motorsport have turned it all around as the rally got tougher from here on.

Rana got the perfect start to the event as he topped the day’s proceedings by 51 seconds from Gaurav Chiripal (with codriver Srikanth Gowda) who was also driving a Grand Vitara. Sanjay Agarwal (with co-driver Shivaprakash E) were able to end the day third, a further 3 minutes 53 seconds off the pace in their pick-up styled Grand Vitara. Team Maruti’s Harpreet Bawa (with co-driver Virender Kashyap) got across the finish line in fourth in their Maruti Gypsy; followed by team Desert Raider’s Amanpreet Ahluwalia (with codriver V Venuramesh Kumar) in their heavily-modified Gypsy which ran with a four-wheel drive system and a twin-cam GTi 1.3-litre engine, previously found in the Maruti Suzuki Swift Sport.

But the day’s biggest news was the retirement of Aabhishek Mishra (with co-driver PV Srinivas Murthy) on the second stage itself. Mishra was running a super tuned Grand Vitara when he hit an unsuspecting bump and broke his oil sump casing, bringing his challenge to a halt.

It was right after the 2016 Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm that Hero decided to snap up C S Santosh for their rallying team and look what dividends it has paid

30

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

Above: Nataraj believes in getting one wheel up. Left: The rally is flagged off from GIP Mall in Noida. Below left: The Xtreme class was flooded with Gypsys. Below: Sanjay Agarwal led proceedings at the end of Leg 2

off. Santosh, on the back of a successful Dakar finish, took the day’s honours from 2016 SX1 champion Abdul Wahid Tanveer. Riding the RTR 450 FX, Tanveer was not far off from Santosh however the Hero rider ended the day with a slender lead of 20 seconds. TVS Racing’s R Nataraj was a couple of minutes off the two, ending the day in third. Sanjay Kumar and Rajendra R E completed the top five on the day, but were significantly off the pace from the front trio.

Above: The dunes gave the cars a tough time.

Inset: Santosh lost the title in the final transport stage

LEG 2: Bikaner to Jaisalmer, 3 stages, SS total: 137.67km The second day of the 'Storm stepped up a gear as the participants made their way towards the dunes of Jaisalmer. The day’s running comprised of three stages clocking 138km in total.

Hero MotoSport team did receive a scare in the final stage of the day as their rider Santosh was involved in a nasty crash where he blacked out with other riders coming to his aid. He did however complete the stage and remained the leader of the Moto class with a lead of eleven and a half minutes over TVS Racing’s R Nataraj. Nataraj inherited second after his teammate Abdul slipped down to fourth as his front tyre’s mousse came out. Five minutes behind Nataraj was Sanjay Kumar, as he completed the top three.

However an uncharacteristic mistake

by Rana where he checked in eight minutes early, resulted in a sixteen minute time penalty and cost him the lead. Sanjay Agarwal took full advantage of Rana’s penalisation to take over at the front.

He now led the Xtreme class from Bawa,

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

31

F E AT RAC E RU E PROERT

the gap between the two at almost five minutes. As a result of the penalty, Rana slipped down to third, eleven minutes behind Agarwal. Niju Padia (with codriver Nirav Mehta) moved up to fourth in their Mitsubishi Pajero Sport followed by Ahluwalia.

N ATA R A J R ,

TVS Racing, Winner Moto class I am delighted to win Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm this year and quite happy with my performance. I was able to maintain good speeds throughout the stages even when the conditions were challenging.

Also happy that my TVS Racing teammate Tanveer finished second, which made this win even more special. I hope to continue this good form going into the next season.”

Top: The Isuzus fared well in their maiden outing.

Above: The TSD rally ran simultaneously.

Right: The locals make it out to the annual event religiously. Facing page top: Karthick Maruthi won the Xplore TSD class.

Facing page below: Abdul fought back to make it a TVS 1-2

LEG 3: Jaisalmer Loop A, 1 stage, SS total: 198.87km The mammoth nearly-200km stage around Jaisalmer was brutal on both man and machine. In the previous years, there were dedicated areas as well as compulsory times allotted for service during the stage. But with the event kicking it up a notch, compulsory service time rule was scrapped for 2017.

The day saw many of the front runners of the Xtreme class either bowing out or dropping down the order. Here’s where Rana’s experience came to play as he lost the least amount of time in the dunes and retook the lead from Agarwal. Agarwal failed to make it through to the end of the day and so did Harpreet Bawa.

As a result, Sandeep Sharma (with codriver Karan Arya) climbed up to second spot in his Gypsy, five minutes between him and Rana. Padia too benefitted from the breakdowns around him to climb up to third followed by Himanshu Arora (with co-driver Chirag Thakur) and Harwinder Singh (co-driver Gurkirat Maan).

Santosh was seriously shaken up after his harrowing crash on the previous day. He was second best to Nataraj but still managed to hold out at the front by

42 seconds. The two were quite evenly matched. Abdul was able to get back into podium contention but he was 20 minutes behind the leading men. Sanjay and Rajendra held their positions.

SURESH RANA,

Team Maruti Suzuki, Winner Xtreme class After looking at the competitor list, I was very excited to be competing in this strong field. But many of them had troubles and that eased the pressure on me. But we made an error by checking in early and hence we had to push the vehicle in the marathon loop stage. Nevertheless, it's great to win my fifth title here and I hope to repeat it again!”

LEG 4: Jaisalmer Loop B, 2 stages, SS total: 162.87km After the final set of stages around Jaisalmer, Rana amassed a healthy lead of nearly 12 minutes over the field. Rana was able to slug his car to the finish and avoid any incidents, though it had started spewing white smoke. Padia was able to gain the second spot from Sandeep Sharma as the two were separated by 13 minutes.

There was certainly no stopping the Hero MotoSports team as Santosh continued to lead the Moto class despite incurring a 15-minute penalty. Santosh was able to stay out ahead of TVS Racing’s R Nataraj as the two went into the final day with just nine minutes and eleven seconds apart. Rounding off the top three was Nataraj’s teammate Abdul Wahid Tanveer who made his way back to the fore after the tyre incident on the second day.

LEG 5: Jaisalmer to Jodhpur, 2 stages, SS total: 140.79km The final day of the rally began an hour later than its scheduled time of 2am, as the rally faced several inquests from the local sarpanch regarding the permissions for carrying out the event. The night stage had to be cancelled for the bikes, leaving the final afternoon 41km stage for the two-wheelers.

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

33

F E AT RAC E RU E PROERT

Rana cruised his way to the finish line in Jodhpur to win his fifth Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm title by nearly 45 minutes.

The reason for the massive win being Sandeep Sharma's retirement on the day followed by Niju Padiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s penalisation for running differential locks in the T2 class.

Padia was unaware of the rule changes of the T2 category which were introduced at the Dakar and hence was penalised 5 hours.

As a result, Himanshu Arora (with codriver Chirag Thakur) took second spot in their Gypsy. It was a welcome debut for the Isuzu team as Saazid Singha (with co-driver Parishut Jhina) took the first ever podium for the D-Max V-Cross.

Harwinder Singh dropped a position on the final day to Sanjay Razdan (with codriver Karan Aukta).

Major drama happened in the Moto class as the provisional winner Santosh incurred a massive 30 minutes of penalty after he checked in 15 minutes late at the final TC. As a result, TVS Racingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s R Nataraj was crowned the 2017 Moto class winner and the team made it a 1-2 finish with Abdul Wahid Tanveer coming home 14 minutes later. Santosh dropped down to third, 26 minutes behind the winner Nataraj. Sanjay Kumar dropped out of the race on the final stage handing fourth over to Rajendra as Ashish Raorane earned himself a top five finish.

Another aspect of the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm is the simultaneously run TSD classes. Run with relatively easier focus on man and machine, the TSD

34

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

Top: Suresh Rana and Ashwin Naik receive their Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm title from (L-R) Maruti's Bhuvan Dheer, Exxon Mobil's Rupinder S Panital and Northern Motorsport president Jayesh Desai

classes focus more on precision driving.

The vehicles need not be souped up and fully rally-raid spec with separate categories for 2WD and 4WD vehicles.

The Ndure class ran on the same route as the Xtreme class did while there were two parts for the Xplore category. Xplore A was for participants who wanted to run the rally only till Jaisalmer while Xplore B was for the entire rally.

2016 Maruti Suzuki National Superleague TSD champion crew of Karthick Maruthi and co-driver Sankar Anand took top honours in the 2WD Xplore B class. Maruthi gained the least amount of penalties and ended the rally with a penalty time of 37 minutes and 8 seconds. Fellow Superleague participant Jagmeet Gill (co-driver Chandan Sen) came second in class with an addition of slightly over 30 minutes of penalties. Ajgar Ali (co-driver Mohd Musthafa) garnered a further hour’s worth of penalties and finished third.

Ajgar Ali won the shorter Xplore A class, garnering 22 minutes of lesser time penalties than Karthick. Anupam Chandra (with co-driver Adheesh Agarwal) came in third in a Maruti Suzuki Swift.

In the Ndure class (for four-wheel drive cars), Nikunj Toshniwal (co-driver Suvrajit Dutta) were able to finish ahead of team Desert Raider’s Arpit Gupta (codriver T Nagarajan) and Suresh Kumar Dudi (co-driver Rajith Purusuthman).

Toshniwal won the class by completing the stages with a penalty time of 1 hour 39 minutes and 24 seconds. Arpit gained eight minutes more of penalties and hence had to settle for second. L

2017 MARUTI SUZUKI DESERT STORM RESULTS Xtreme Class Pos 1 2 3 4 5

Driver/Co-driver Suresh Rana / Ashwin Naik Himashu Arora/Chirag Thakur Saazid Singha/Parishut Jhina Sanjay Razdan/Karan Aukta Harwinder Singh/Gurkirat Maan

Vehicle Grand Vitara Gypsy Isuzu D-Max Gypsy Gypsy

Time 11:50:44 12:36:06 12:46:25 12:51:32 12:58:35

Vehicle TVS Apache RTR450FX TVS Apache RTR450FX Hero Speedbrain 450 TVS Apache RTR 180 KTM 390 Duke

Time 08:00:34 08:14:13 08:26:48 10:24:30 10:35:05

Moto Class Pos 1 2 3 4 5

Rider R Nataraj Abdul Wahid Tanveer C S Santosh Rajendra RE Ashish Raorane

Xplore B Class Pos 1 2 3

Driver/Co-driver Karthick Maruthi / S Sankar Anand Jagmeet Gill/Chandan Sen Ajgar Ali/Mohd Musthafa

Vehicle Vitara Brezza Vitara Brezza Swift

Penalties 00:37:08 01:11:52 02:10:22

Pos Driver/Co-driver Vehicle 1 Ajgar Ali/Mohd Musthafa Swift 2 Karthick Maruthi / S Sankar Anand Vitara Brezza 3 Anupam Chandra/Adheesh Agarwal Swift

Penalties 00:15:13 00:37:16 01:23:11

Xplore A Class

Ndure Class Pos 1 2 3

Driver/Co-driver Nikunj Toshniwal/Suvrajit Dutta Arpit Gupta/T Nagarajan Suresh Kumar Dudi/Rajith Purusuthman

Penalties 01:39:24 01:47:34 03:30:10

Maruti Suzuki Motorsport has been at the fore in making the sport more affordable and accessible. From actively supporting rally raids they have now added autocross and TSD rallying under their umbrella Maruti Suzuki National Superleague TSD Rally Championship Organised in conjunction with Himalayan Motorsports, Maruti Suzuki’s TSD series traverses the length and breadth of the country with six rallies taking place over the season.

Maruti Suzuki Autocross Championship The very first concrete championship for autocross racing in India, the series features some unique bits, absent from other autocross events run across the country such as a twin-track with a cross-over bridge.

Maruti Suzuki Dakshin Dare The third of the rally raids held in the country, the Dakshin Dare takes place in South India and to keep things interesting features new routes every year including coffee plantations and wind farms.

Maruti Suzuki Raid-deHimalaya T h e toughest r a l l y of the country, the Maruti Suzuki Raid-de-Himalaya is the highest motorsport event in the world. Starting in Shimla, the rally climbs to 6000m above sea-level with nearly 300km covered daily.

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

35

F E AT RAC E RU E PROERT

DONE &

WO R D S b y J E H A N A D I L DA RU K H A N AWA L A & P H O T O G R A P H Y b y R E D B U L L , K T M , H E RO, T V S

DA K A R

DUSTED

Stephane Peterhansel increases Dakar wins tally to 13 as Sam Sunderlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s maiden win helps KTM bag their 16th consecutive Dakar

F E AT RAC E RU E PROERT

HEN IT COMES to sport, some unbelievable winning streaks have garnered their holders a cult fanatic status. Usain Bolt’s nine Olympic Gold medals (eight now but he did win that one), Sachin Tendulkar’s century of centuries, Roger Federer coming back from injury to win his 18th Grand Slam at the Australian Open against Rafael Nadal, who himself has 14 Grand Slams to his name. These men have etched their names in sporting history with such accolades. A name that should come to mind when you think of motorsport is one Stephane “Mr Dakar” Peterhansel.

The moniker that he has earned over his career is so apt as even at the age of 51, he manages to be the top dog at one of the toughest and most challenging events in

38

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

motorsports – the Dakar rally.

People end up being greats by just coming across the finish line and attain demi-god status if they win one or perhaps are able to repeat their feat. But 13 Dakar wins just hits the ball right out of the park.

And the fact that Peterhansel was able to achieve this on two as well as four wheels is commendable.

Another major achievement at the 2017 Dakar rally was KTM's victory, which now means the Austrian team has won 16 consecutive titles making them the most successful team to have taken part.

You have to hand it to them as they have managed to do it year in year out, facing strong opponents such as Honda, Yamaha and Husqvarna, yet make it look so easy.

They did have a wee bit of nerves in the early part of the 2017 rally but champions do know how to claim their rightful honours.

Here’s how the 2017 edition unfolded: AUTO

The Peugeot DKR 3008 was by far the best machine in the cars class this year. Sure, the Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux had more power but the French manufacturer had made a beautiful prototype racer which was lighter than its Japanese rival. The notso-mini Mini Countryman had received the John Cooper Works treatment for the Mini X-Raid JCW team.

Toyota managed to lure former Dakar winners Nasser Al-Attiyah and Nani Roma from Mini to form a formidable driver line-up with another Dakar winner Giniel de Villiers. The Minis meanwhile were forced to retire Bryce Menzies even before the rally started as he suffered an injury to his shoulder. Hence their factory cars were piloted by WRC rally winner Mikko

DA K A R Hirvonen, Yazeed Al Rajhi and Orlando Terranova. Peugeot stuck with the same four drivers from the previous year as Peterhansel teamed up with nine-time WRC champion Sebastien Loeb and Dakar greats Carlos Sainz and Cyril Despres.

Toyota did gain the upperhand in the relatively short first day courtesy of Al-Attiyah but the Qatari lost his lead the following day to the Peugeots. To make matters worse, on the third day he damaged his rear suspension while going over a ditch, ending his Dakar journey fairly earlier than expected.

Hence Nani Roma was the only major threat to the Peugoet’s bid for the 2017 title. But the Peugeot drivers were unfazed as Loeb and Peterhansel duelled fiercely for daily honours. Sainz too sought to remain in the hunt but the Spaniard messed up a right-hander and went tumbling down a hill in spectacular fashion. He escaped unhurt but had to curtail his 2017 run.

While Loeb was certainly the faster

driver, Peterhansel’s experience paid off as Mr Dakar was able to edge out a couple of minutes in the latter half of the rally over Loeb and maintained his composure to win the Dakar for the 16th time, his seventh in a car. Loeb had certainly worked on his offpiste navigation with his co-driver Daniel Elena massively to prepare for the Dakar and it may have ultimately paid off but Peterhansel was just an ounce better.

Despres completed a Peugeot 1-2-3 albeit him finishing some 33 minutes behind the winner. The Toyotas had to be content with a fourth for Roma (1 hour 16 minutes behind Peterhansel) and fifth for de Villiers (another half hour behind).

Upon winning his 13th Dakar, Peterhansel said, "We were fighting with six or seven drivers at the beginning of the race, and after a while there were only four. During the last week, we were only two – Seb and myself. We fought really strongly and I'm the winner in the end, but it's a small detail. This is the victory of

AUTO Pos 1 2 3 4 5

Name Stephane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret Sebastien Loeb/Daniel Elena Cyril Despres/David Castera Nani Roma/Alex Haro Bravo Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz

Diff: to leader 00:05:13 00:33:28 01:16:43 01:49:48

Team Peugeot Peugeot Peugeot Toyota Gazoo Toyota Gazoo

Top: Giniel de Villiers had a tough time challenging the Peugeots in his Hilux.

Above: Peterhansel and Loeb share a light moment. Right: The Minis had a disappointing run

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

39

F E AT RAC E RU E PROERT experience. There were no team orders, it was just a fight between drivers who have the same car. A 14th victory? Why not!"

BIKE It could have been Honda’s best chance to put an end to KTM’s Dakar title-winning streak as they went on to win over half of the stages that were run in this year’s rally.

Their CRF 450 Rally was finally a potent challenger to the KTM’s 450 Rally and their rider line-up was far stronger than KTM’s. The Husqvarnas and the Yamahas were also in the reckoning but none of their riders were able to expose the chink in KTM’s armour as the Honda riders did.

The rally began with ex-Honda, now Sherco TVS Racing pilot Joan Pedrero leading the rally by winning the first stage.

But as the rally progressed, the favourites started to filter through to the front of the pack. While 2016 winner Toby Price was the overall leader on the second day, he slipped down the order the next day allowing the Honda of Joan Barreda to take a sizeable lead. In his haste, Price misjudged a river crossing, lost control of his KTM and crashed into the riverbed. He was airlifted and taken to the hospital in La Paz, Bolivia. He had fractured his femur in four parts. Sam Sunderland now became the

40

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

DA K A R Facing page, top: Aravind had a disappointing debut at the Dakar.

Facing page, below: Santosh brought the Hero-Speedbrain bike home in 47th. Right: Matthias Walkner made it a factory KTM 1-2

lead KTM rider. Sunderland though, had never completed the Dakar in his previous attempts. Neither had his teammate Matthias Walkner, whose 2016 rally ended much like Price's rally this year.

Here’s where Honda made their biggest error. They opted to run light on stage four and fuelled mid-way through the waypoints. The fuelling undertaken was found to be done in an illegal area and hence each of their three riders – Barreda, Ricky Brabec and Michael Metge – were handed a time penalty amounting to an hour each.

Sunderland inherited the lead with Pablo Quintanilla of Husqvarna just twelve seconds behind. His gap to teammate Walkner, then fifth, was just a minute shy of the half hour mark. From there on till the end of the rally, the gap remained in the same margin but crucially Quintanilla, Yamaha’s Adrien van Beveren and satellite KTM rider Gerard Farres dropped behind Walkner.

The Hondas still believed that the Dakar would throw up a surprise like it always does and chased down stage victories on a daily basis. But the time deficit to Sunderland was too much for them to make up on the course, given that few of the stages were cancelled or shortened.

Hence, the young Sunderland held his nerve to join the illustrious list of riders such as Marc Coma and Cyril Despres who have won the Dakar astride a KTM. Walkner made it a factory 1-2 while Farres sealed an all- KTM podium. Beveren fell short by a minute to earn himself third while Barreda brought his Honda home in fifth.

"It's overwhelming. When I crossed the line, the emotion really took over.

It's been difficult to stay calm, especially when making navigation mistakes, but we're here, we did it, and I couldn't be any happier. Hopefully we can create some English interest now! I came from a motocross background and with the rally, it's different, it's a long time to stay focused.

MOTO Pos 1 2 3 4 5

Name Sam Sunderland Matthias Walkner Gerard Farres Adrien van Beveren Joan Barreda

It has taken some time to change and I've learned the hard way like everybody. I kept fighting and never gave up," said an emotional Sunderland at the podium finish in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

INDIANS AT DAKAR For the first time in the Dakar's history, there were two Indian riders taking part – C S Santosh and Aravind K P. But what was even more exciting was the fact that they were doing so with two Indian factory teams. C S Santosh got his ticket from Hero MotoSports while Aravind was there with the Sherco TVS Racing team.

Aravind's Dakar campaign was short lived – on Day 1 itself he fractured a bone in his palm after he crashed while trying to overtake a slower rider. He soldiered on, but on Day 4, his injury coupled with the

Diff: to leader 00:32:00 00:35:40 00:36:28 00:43:08

Team KTM KTM KTM Yamaha Honda

harsh stages tired him out, forcing him to retire.

Santosh's experience of attempting his third Dakar showed as he managed to finish 47th. He was all over the leaderboard during the rally – on Leg 3 he finished 104th, the next day he climbed up to 64th and then 60th. Then he dropped to 87th on account of missing out on two way points.

Crucially, he managed to finish every day of the rally and he made it to the finish line in Buenos Aires.

It was a great outing for the manufacturers as well. Joaquim Rodrigues of Hero MotoSports finished 12th, closely missing out on a top 10 finish in his debut outing. Team Sherco TVS also had a great finish with Juan Pedrero Garcia finishing 13th in the overall standings with Adrien Metge 22nd. L

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

41

F E AT RAC E R EUPRO ERT ISHNU G WOR DS b y V

44

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

R ISHNA N S R I N I VA S A K y b Y H P A R & PHOTOG H A A R I N AT H

n from the o ti c a e th ll a u se, we bring yo lo c a to s w a r pionship d m n a so h a c g se 6 in c 1 0 a r 2 r e le As th onal two-whee ti a n e th f o d n u final ro

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

45

F E AT RAC E R EUPRO ERT 1. Mathana Kumar pilots his CBR 250R ahead of the rest.

2. Rajiv celebrates his double win of the weekend

VS RACING DOMINATED the season in the Super Sport Indian class with Jagan Kumar bagging his fifth title, while Rajiv Sethu won his first title in Pro Stock 165cc for Honda Ten10 Racing.

It was Joseph Mathew who bagged two separate championship trophies, winning the National Stock and Suzuki Gixxer Cup Novice class. Here is what went down at the fifth and final round of the MRF Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship (INMRC) that took place at the MMRT in Sriperumbudur on January 20-22, 2017.

Super Sport Indian upto 165cc: The points tally till the fourth round in the Super Sport Indian (165cc) was lead by TVS’s Jagan Kumar with 141 points. On the final weekend, Jagan Kumar was the fastest

46

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

man in the class, clocking 1 minute 58.3 seconds to take pole. Jagan’s advantage paid off as he lead Race 1 comfortably from Harry Sylvester (TVS Racing) and Mathana Kumar (Honda Ten10 Racing).

In Race 2, S Kannan (TVS Racing) finished right on Jagan’s tail who took a double win to clinch the title. This was Jagan’s fifth title in recent years. TVS swept the constructors championship as their riders took home 1-2-3 in the championship.

Super Sport Indian 300-400cc: Ami Van Poederooijen (Rockstar Racing) was leading the championship coming in to the weekend. Both races of the weekend ended the same way — Poederooijen coming out first, with teammates Amarnath Menon K and Abhishek V finishing second and third respectively. Ami was crowned

the champion for the newly introduced category in INMRC.

Pro Stock upto 165cc: Coming in to the weekend, Hari Krishnan (Honda Ten10 Racing) led his teammate Rajiv Sethu by a narrow 8-point margin.

The experienced Vivek Pillai (Rockers Racing) started on pole but things didn’t go as planned for the former 600cc winner as Race 1 saw the young Rajiv Sethu charging from last position on the grid. Sethu was forced to start from there after he suffered an engine blow during qualifying, but he climbed up the order to win ahead of his teammate Mithun Kumar and A Prabhu finishing second and third. Rajiv once again proved his mettle by taking the lead in Race 2, taking home a double win and his maiden title. It was a disastrous

1 weekend for Hari Krishnan as he crashed in both races despite leading them, costing him the championship.

Stock upto 165cc: The four-way battle for the title was lead

by Anish Shetty (United Tech Torque) till the end of round 4. He started from pole, but was later disqualified for running an illegal machine and it was Joseph Mathew on his Yamaha R15 alongside his teammate Peddu Sri Harsha of Sparks Racing who took 1-2 followed by Abhay Prashan in third. The Sparks racing trio of Sebastian, Joseph and Harsha took home 1-2-3 in Race 2. The disqualification of Anish and Anthony Peter (who was second in the championship) paved the way for Joseph to clinch the title, Yamaha retaining their 2015 manufacturer crown.

2 Honda CBR 250 Open: After a disappointing run in the national championship, Honda Ten10â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hari Krishnan started from pole and maintained the lead from Mathana Kumar and Ananth Raj, finishing in this order in both races.

This was the first time this season that Hari managed a double win, but it was Mathana who lead on points and took the title.

Honda CBR 150 Novice: Anish managed to get his CBR 150 R on to pole, but his bad luck continued as he ended up losing Race 1 to Piyush Ranjan from Patna who was closely followed by Soorya P M and Shreyas Shankar in second and third. Piyush won Race 2 as well with the Kerala boy Mahesh Murali and Soorya P M taking home second and third. With a safe fourth place in Race 2, Anish added

valuable points to his kitty as he took the title in CBR 150 R category.

All-ladies Honda race: In the Honda all-ladies support class, Aishwarya Pissay clocked 2 minutes 18.15 seconds to take pole and went on to improve her own timing to 2 minutes 16.6 seconds in the race marking her as the fastest woman of the weekend on board the CBR 150 R. She was followed by the local girls Ryhana Bee and Niranjanie Ravishankar who later settled for second and third.

TVS Apache RTR 200 Open: Prashanth Kumar was on pole in Open category followed by Arun Muthukrishnan and K Kannan in P2 and P3. The three kept swapping places in Race 1 and finally it was Kannan in first with Prashanth in third

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

47

F E AT RAC E R EUPRO ERT This picture: Poederooijen won the first season of the Super Sport Indian (300-400cc) class. Below: Aishwarya was the fastest girl on track that weekend

while Arun retained his position in second.

In Race 2, Arun sealed his win, with Kannan in second and the veteran Shyam Shankar took third spot. Kannan managed to get enough out of the weekend to claim the title.

ran wide when he was in contention for the win in Race 1, giving way to Aaron Gunawardena the win in Race 1, and he won Race 2 as well. It was Rajinikanth who finished a second in both races. Meka finished third and fourth in Race 1 and 2, allowing him to clinch the title.

TVS Apache RTR 200 Novice: Bangalore boy Yashas RL started from pole in the Novice category and went to dominate the weekend with a double win and bagged the Novice title. Hari Prasath and Yuvaraj finished second and third, while in Race 2, Peddu Sri Harsha and Aditya Rao were on the podium alongside Yashas.

AATA: The TVS support race for females trained under Alisha Abdullah, witnessed the pacesetter Haritha R taking the win on board the Apache RTR 160 ahead of Goaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Olesya and fellow Bangalorean Renuka Gajendran.

Suzuki Gixxer Open:

2 48

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

With the former Group D winner Meka Vidhuraj leading the points tally it was Kanpurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vivian Gladwin who took the pole slot. Things got mixed up when Gladwin

Suzuki Gixxer Novice: It was the local boys who stole the show with Joseph Mathew being the fastest on the Gixxer and he converted his pole position into a much needed double win to take top honors in the class. The second rung of the podium was held by Vishal S in Race 1 and Amaranth Rajan in Race 2 while Alexander finished third in both races. Notably, Joseph Mathew was the only rider to have won in both the National championship and the One Make Championship.

The riders head for their summer break and will be seen back in action at the INMRC 2017 championship. Talks are on to make the female class as an all-girls championship run in the 2017 season.

With TVS Racing dominating the Super Sport Indian category, the big question is whether Honda will be able to give them a run for their money next year. L

2 0 1 6 M M S C 2 W N RC

NATIONAL RACING CHAMPIONSHIP Super Sport Indian 300 - 400CC

Super Sport Indian upto 165 cc

Pos

Name

Motorcycle

Points

Pos

Name

Motorcycle

1

Ami Van Poederooijen

KTM RC 390

185

1

Jagan K

TVS Apache RTR 160

Points 191

2

Abhishek V

KTM RC 390

145

2

S Kannan

TVS Apache RTR 160

140

3

Amarnath Menon

KTM RC 390

93

3

Harry Sylvester

TVS Apache RTR 160

135

4

Pukhraj Singh

KTM RC 390

92

4

Deepak R

Yamaha YZF-R15

95

5

Siddhanth K

KTM RC 390

66

5

Sarath Kumar S

Honda CBR 150R

93

Pro Stock upto 165CC

Stock upto 165CC

Pos

Name

Motorcycle

Points

Pos

Name

Motorcycle

Points

1

Rajiv Sethu

Honda CBR 150R

194

1

Joseph Mathew P

Yamaha YZF-R15

154

2

Hari Krishnan R

Honda CBR 150R

153

2

Anish D Shetty

Yamaha YZF-R15

122

3

Vivek Pillai S

Yamaha YZF-R15

115

3

Antony Peter E

Yamaha YZF-R15

120

4

Prabhu A

Yamaha YZF-R15

101

4

P M Soorya

Yamaha YZF-R15

100

5

Dinesh Kumar D

Yamaha YZF-R15

90

5

Piyush Ranjan

Honda CBR 150R

81

HONDA

TVS

Open Pos 1 2 3 4 5

Open Name Mathana Kumar S Rajiv Sethu Hari Krishnan R Abhishek V Ami Van Poederooijen

Points 186.5 122 118 91.5 86

Novice Pos 1 2 3 4 5

Pos 1 2 3 4 5

Name Kannan K Arvind Ganesh Rahil Peerzade Prashanth Kumar T Ramakrishnan

Points 153 132 88 80 77

Name Yashas R L Yuvaraj S Kamaran Alam Aditya Rao Peddu Sri Harsha

Points 218 131 113 89 45

Novice Name Anish D Shetty P M Soorya Piyush Ranjan Shreyas Shankar Sannake Mahesh Murali

Points 188 153 147 114 113

Pos 1 2 3 4 5

SUZUKI Open

Novice

Pos

Name

Points

Pos

Name

Points

1

Meka Vidhuraj

176

1

Joseph P Mathew

200

2

R Rajinikanth

153

2

Amarnath Rajan

144

3

Vivian Gladwin David

144

3

Clinton Corderio

73

4

Prabhu V

104

4

Peddu Sri Harsha

64

5

Vishvadev Murlidharan

102

5

Alan Victor Fernando

63

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

63

RFACE EATR EUPRO ERT

WO R D S b y J E H A N A D I L DA RU K H A N AWA L A & P H O T O G R A P H Y b y A N A N D P H I L A R

A POLO CHAMPION Four years in the making, Karna Kadur earns the VW Polo its first INRC overall title

2

013 RALLY OF CHENNAI. The 1600cc class had a new vehicle making its Indian rallying debut â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Volkswagen Polo. With our Ed Sirish at the wheel, the Polo won the rally making it a force to be reckoned with. While Slideways Industries brought the Polo into the rallying community, many others too took to the vehicle as it was a breath of fresh air in a category which was full of ageing Maruti Suzuki Esteems and Honda Citys.

The forthcoming seasons saw it storming away with rally wins, as well as the class titles. But the overall title always seemed to be out of its grasp because of the presence of bigger capacity vehicles such as the Mitsubishi Cedia and the Mahindra

50

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

SuperXUV, not to forget the likes of the Lancer Evo VIIIs and Xs also in the mix.

In 2016 however, the Polo finally conquered the hill as Karna Kadur with co-driver Nikhil Pai were crowned the overall champions of the INRC class in the Red Rooster prepared Team Yokohama Polo.

The season had much to talk about with the separation of the rallying championships with the IRC category open for any car, while the INRC was restricted to only two-wheel drive cars.

Within the INRC category there was a separate INRC 2000 class which combined the 2000cc and 1600cc class cars into one class, pitting the Polo directly against the Mitsubishi Cedia.

At the first rally of the year in

Coimbatore, the mighty SuperXUVs of Amittrajit Ghosh (with co-driver Ashwin Naik) and Sunny Siddhu (with Srinivas Murthy) romped away to 1-2 win with Dean Mascarenhas (with co-driver S N Shanmuga) completing the podium.

Dean bested the Cedias in the INRC 2000 category with the Polo capturing all spots on the podium. Bopaiah KM (with codriver Karumbiah G) came home second with Kadur fighting back from sixth in class to third.

Gaurav Gill (with co-driver Musa Sherif) was forced to retire even before the start of the SS1 in Coimbatore. Hence he was desperate to get a better result at one of his favourite rallies of the calendar â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Nashik. Being the only tarmac rally of the season, Nashik saw Gill driving the wheels

2 0 1 6 I N R C S EA SO N This picture: Kadur cruised to win the INRC and the INRC 2000 title. Right above: Abhilash P G won the 2016 IRC category. Right below: Ghosh missed out on the title yet again

off the SuperXUV. Arjun Raoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s R2-spec Polo was a minute off Gill in second with Ghosh coming home in third. Chettinad Sportingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dr Bikku Babu (with co-driver Milen George) and Kadur followed Ghosh, the two of them closely separated in the INRC 2000 class.

Rallying returned to the north after a decade with the Rally-de-North. The rally was super technical and the stages were extremely tight, making it harder for bigger cars like the SuperXUVs. The Polos were extremely quick, especially the R2spec vehicle of Rao which won the rally.

Kadur came home second, winning the INRC 2000 class, with Gill wrestling his SuperXUV to third.

The Chikmagalur rally was host to the APRC as well and hence Gill was out of the

running for the INRC title as he drove his Skoda Fabia R5 at the event. The narrow stages were a nuisance for the SuperXUVs and both of them retired from the rally. It was a closely fought battle between Kadur and Bikku for the overall win, as well as the INRC 2000 class with the Yokohama driver winning it by just a minute at the end.

The momentum swung massively in the favour of the Polo drivers, with Kadur in the driving seat. Bikku needed to win the rally and hope that Kadur failed to score any points. Ghosh was right behind them heading into the final K-1000 rally in Bangalore. Kadur only needed to finish in the points to win the title.

Bikku crashed out in the first stage of the rally itself giving a massive boost to

Kadur. Thereafter it was plain sailing for Kadur as he ended the rally sixth overall, clinching the INRC as well as the INRC 2000 titles.

Abhilash P G (with co-driver Srikanth Gowda) took three rally victories in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII to win the 2016 IRC championship. His main rival Samir Thapar (with co-driver Gurinder Mann) had initially won the Coimbatore rally but was penalised for leaving service park early and hence lost the victory to Abhilash.

Samir crashed out of the following two rallies in Nashik and Delhi.

In the newly formed FMSCI Cup for the old Esteems and City VTECs, K J Jacob (with co-driver Manoj Mohanan) had four class victories to their name and were adjudged the winners of their class. L

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

51

RFACE EATR EUPRO ERT

WO R D S b y J E H A N A D I L DA RU K H A N AWA L A P H O T O G R A P H Y b y M A RU T I S U Z U K I

KEEPING IT

SIMPLE

Three more rounds of the 2016 championship take place including the wild-card round in Mumbai 54

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

AU TO C ROS S

EAVE YOUR FANCY EVO VIIIs, your Pajeros and what-nots at home, cause this ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a rally or a raid that you need high-tech gizmos to participate and set competitive times. This is autocross where a simple Tata Nano (there was one that we know of) could outsmart the best of the hot hatches, as the 2016 Maruti Suzuki Autocross championship held three more rounds of its series which saw the culmination of the South Zone take place in Hyderabad as well as the wild-card round in Mumbai. The third round took place for the North Zone competitors in Gurgaon.

South Zone Round 3: Hyderabad The Sikh Village grounds in Secunderabad

played host to the final round of the South Zone autocross. The round received a decent number of entries, but there were no participants in the 4WD Open class.

Vishal Raj shone at the event as he set the fastest time of the event in his Maruti Suzuki Baleno. Vishal hence was able to gain maximum points from the round and emerged as the champion of the South Zone in the 2WD Open class with 45 points.

Driving the same Honda City VTEC, B C Roopesh and Prashanth R were able to join Vishal on the podium in the class.

Vishal goes to the grand finale and joining him from the Southern Zone would be Dr Bikku Babu, Prashanth R and B C Roopesh as the four of them have qualified for the 2WD Open class finale.

Avin Nanjappaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s win in Bangalore ensured him the ticket to the finale in the

Facing page: Vishal Raj was the champion of the 2WD Open class South Zone.

Top: Precautionary driver's safety briefing takes place before each round.

Above: You can run a stock car and still be competitive

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

55

RFACE EATR EUPRO ERT

4WD Open class. Being the only other participant in the category, Dheeraj K V also qualified for the finals with two spots left to be filled up.

North Zone Round 2: Gurgaon The northern boys came out in strong numbers for the second round with many 4WD vehicles jumping around, making the event a marvellous spectacle. The course was set-up at the Leisure Valley grounds in Gurgaon.

The fight for the win in the 4WD Open class was a fiercely fought one with Amanpreet Ahluwalia battling it out in his Gypsy with Gaurav Chiripal and his yellow Grand Vitara. The most notable absence in the class was that of Suresh Rana who was the fastest man in the previous round in Chandigarh. Ahluwalia won the heat and took the top spot from Chiripal followed by Samrat in his Gypsy.

Jagbir Nirwan was the fastest man in the 2WD Open class as he added 25 points to his tally in a Maruti Baleno. Aditya Singh Thakur brought his Esteem across the line second fastest, while Philippos Matthai and his heavily modified Zen, nicknamed Merlin, picked up the final podium spot.

Wild-Card Round: Mumbai The concept behind holding a wild-card round was that any participant who wished

56

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

Left: Chiripal getting some air in his Grand Vitara. Above: A twin track layout has been adopted for 2017. Below: Jagmeet Gill winning the 4WD Open class in Gurgaon. Bottom: Matthai's Merlin was indeed magical

AU TO C ROS S

South Zone – Hyderabad 2WD – Open Pos 1 2 3

Name Vishal Raj B C Roopesh Prashanth R

Car Maruti Suzuki Baleno Honda City VTEC Honda City VTEC

North Zone – Gurgaon 2WD – Open Pos 1 2 3

Name Jagbir Nirwan Aditya Singh Thakur Philippos Matthai

Car Maruti Suzuki Baleno Maruti Suzuki Esteem Maruti Suzuki Zen

4WD – Open Pos 1 2 3

Name Amanpreet Ahluwalia Gaurav Chiripal Samrat

Car Maruti Suzuki Gypsy Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara Maruti Suzuki Gypsy

Wild Card – Mumbai to better his points tally irrespective of his zone would be allowed to compete and better his championship credentials. This meant that the boys from the South Zone could rack up more points after the Cochin round was washed out.

Philippos was miles ahead of the competition in the 2WD Open class in his Merlin, lapping the course three and a half seconds quicker than his closest rival Lakshay Veer Dabas, who was driving an Esteem. Dhruva Chand Rashekar was a further second slower in his Honda City, as all three of them opted to add their points to the North Zone tally.

However in the 4WD Open class, Raunaq Singh and Sartej Kumar Malreddy, winner and runner-up in the class, chose to put in their entries for the South Zone. This enabled them to qualify for the grand finale at the Buddh International Circuit. Both Raunaq and Sartej ran Gypsys and so did third place finisher G Arvind Reddy.

Only the Jaipur round remains for the North Zone qualifiers, which has nearly seven drivers slugging it for the four spots in the 4WD class. But Philippos on the other hand has ensured himself of a guaranteed spot in the finals by amassing 65 points in the 2WD Open class. The Jaipur round is scheduled for February 18-20 while the finals will take place at the Buddh International Circuit on March 3-5. L

2WD – Open Above: The draginspired lights kick off each autocross heat. Below: Small hatches were the preferred machinery for majority of the arrive-and-drive heats

Pos 1 2 3

Name Philippos Matthai Lakshay Veer Dabas Dhruva Chand Rashekar

Car Maruti Suzuki Zen Maruti Suzuki Esteem Honda City

4WD – Open Pos 1 2 3

Name Raunaq Singh Sartej Kumar Malreddy G Arvind Reddy

Car Maruti Suzuki Gypsy Maruti Suzuki Gypsy Maruti Suzuki Gypsy

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

57

F EF EAT AT UURRE E

READY FOR TRUCKIN'?

WO R D S b y J E H A N A D I L DA RU K H A N AWA L A & P H O T O G R A P H Y b y A D I T YA B E D R E

58

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

TATA P R I M A P R EV I EW

As Tata Motors prepares for its fourth season of truck racing, we catch up with Vicky Chandhok on training the new crop of highway-to-speedway truckers

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

59

F EF EAT AT UURRE E WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO witness the sheer might and presence these mastodons exuded when they hurtled down the straight of the Buddh International Circuit for the third season of the Tata T1 Prima Truck Racing championship. The third running of the event was witness to a fantastic initiative for Indian highway truckers where they were moulded into truck racing drivers with the help of the MMSC. Now in its fourth season, Tata has persevered to inculcate more of the same racing mentality into newer generations of highway drivers while ensuring the previous batch continue their training. Hence this year at the Tata Racing Program (TRP) 2.0, 214 new drivers joined the previous sixteen in order to get the 2017 batch ready.

The race structure for 2017 is changed a bit. While there were two races for the drivers from the British Truck Racing Association (BTRA) and two races for the Indian ones, this year-round there will be just three races in all. The international drivers will be part of the mega finale race with two separate categories for the Indian racers – the Championship class comprising

60

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

of the 2016 batch and the Super class to be filled with the newly trained drivers. Each of these Indian races will feature ten drivers now instead of six, adding to the excitement.

Devised by Karun Chandhok and vetted

by Aditya Patel, the TRP 2.0 began early January with the 214 hopefuls taking to the track in Tata Xenons for level one. The basics of track driving knowledge was taught to them. A more detailed level two featured the Tata Ultras, with the race-ready Primas coming in for the final two levels.

“It has been a hectic 40 days of training.

We wanted to bring new Indian drivers to the fore and invited our previous ones to be a part of it as well. The training team of national champions led by Aditya have done a fantastic job yet again. We are on the verge of finalising the final 16 Super class drivers who will undergo a final training session in the first week of March at the BIC,” said Vicky Chandhok.

Vicky is optimistic of the new lot doing well. “This year we have made use of the race-spec Prima instead of the stock one as there are quite a lot of changes in the two.

Hence the new driver knows what it is to drive in a full racing seat with harnesses in

place, even if he doesn’t qualify for the other rounds. We have also fitted these Primas with a passenger seat for training as the trainers can guide the drivers better while out on the track itself,” added Vicky.

The new 2017 Primas have received few updates which will make them slightly faster. While the rubber from JK Tyres remains the same as last year, the tyre degradation is lesser than in previous seasons. The trucks now come with a three-way adjustable Ohlins unit for better tuning. The trucks have also been lowered which increases downforce and reduces the overall centre of gravity of the vehicle. But apart from the above there aren't any other significant changes done to the Prima.

The final round of selection process takes place from March 3 wherein the 16 Super and 16 Championship class drivers will get a taste of the Buddh. Six drivers from each class will then be eliminated, and ten from each group will qualify further, giving us our 20 Indian drivers for the season.

If you want to see these trucks in action, make sure to head out to the Buddh International Circuit on March 18-19 and get ready for some truckin'! L

TATA P R I M A P R EV I EW

1 Facing page: The training Primas also now have a codriver seat for the instructors. 1: Class of 2016, drivers and their mentors. 2,3: There are no mule trucks this year. Level 4 was carried out with the race ready Primas. 5: Dropping the truck down has increased the downforce massively. 5: Batch of 2016 getting a revision of the racing syllabus

2

5

4

3

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

47

SAVE up to 56% on the news stand price

FREE 6 Motor Sport India magazines a year

FREE 4 OFF ROAD magazines a year

#ForEnthusiastsByEnthusiasts

+

+

evo India

OFF ROAD

12 ISSUES EVERY YEAR

Name : ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Address :

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

City: –––––––––––––––––––– Pin: ––––––––––––– State:

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Tenure

(in months)

E-mail: ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

24

` 1,599 ` Digital ` 2,160 ` Print ` Print + Digital ` 3,600

–––––––––––––

Year: –––––––––––––––

PAYMENT DETAILS

56% 30% 40% 56% 40% 50%

COMBO OFFER Tenure

(in months)

Type

(select any one)

You get

You pay Discount

12

Designation: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Age: –––––––––––––––– Gross Annual Income (INR): ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Type

(select any one)

` 799 ` Digital ` 1,260 ` Print ` Print + Digital ` 2,160

Company : ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Occupation : –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Mobile : –––––––––––––––––––––––––––

6 ISSUES FREE

evo India + Motor Sport India + OFF ROAD India

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Do you own a vehicle: Yes / No Make

MOTOR SPORT

4 ISSUES FREE

12 issues of evo India + 6 free issues of Motor Sport India + 4 free issues of OFF ROAD 24 issues of evo India + 12 free issues of Motor Sport India + 8 free issues of OFF ROAD

evo India + Fast Bikes India You get

You pay Discount

12

` Print

` 2,125

65%

12 issues of evo India + 12 issues of Fast Bikes India

24

` Print

` 3,850

68%

24 issues of evo India + 24 issues of Fast Bikes India

Issuing bank: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Chq Number: ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Date: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

` I agree to receive sms and mail regarding subscriptions For non-Pune cheques please add `100.00

Subscribers Signature: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Mail this form along with your cheque/DD to

Terms & Conditions:  The subscription will start from next published issue.  While utmost effort will be taken on the delivery front GTO will not be responsible for any delay

in deliveries by postal department or courier company  All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts and forums in Pune.  Cheques/ DD to be drawn in the name of Project GTO Publishing LLP, payable at Pune.  Address: No. 5, Siddharth Terrace, Opposite Aga Khan Palace, Nagar Road, Pune 411 006  For non-Pune cheques please add `100.00

Project GTO Publishing No. 5, Siddharth Terrace, opposite Aga Khan Palace, Nagar Road, Pune 411 006. Ph: 020 2668 4343 To subscribe e-mail us at evo.subscriptions@gtopublishing.com

Order Online: www.store.evoindia.com

F E AT RAC E R EUPRO ERT

WO R D S b y J E H A N A D I L DA RU K H A N AWA L A & P H O T O G R A P H Y b y A D I T YA B E D R E

64

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

MRF CHALLENGE

elp him h s n i w ey's seven w e N n o s hallenge C F Harri R M e 2016 clinch th

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

65

F E AT RAC E R EUPRO ERT

This picture: Dubai Autodrome hosted the second round. Below: Aron escaped a nasty crash which saw him flipping sideways

O ONE CAN AFFORD to have a poor weekend.

The competition all around the world is extremely fierce and one slip-up can cost the entire championship. Exactly what Mick Schumacher, the 2016 MRF Challenge championship leader after Abu Dhabi didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take into consideration as a couple of DNFs in Dubai and the one at Buddh International Circuit have greatly impacted his championship chances.

At the end of the first round, Mick had a slender lead of three points over Ralf Aron, but had a 14-point buffer on Italian F4 champion Joey Mawson. Brit racer Harrison Newey sat fourth with 53 points.

DUBAI Mawson showcased why he was the German F4 champion as he set the lap record for the MRF Challenge at the Dubai Autodrome in qualifying. But Newey had other plans for the race as he put immense pressure on Mawson, the latter buckling under stress on lap five allowing Newey through.

Mawson did start to come into the clutches of Schumacher but the race distance was far

66

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

1 2

3 4

too little for any change to occur.

Brazilian Felipe Drugovich won the second race after starting from the front row. Pole-sitter Juri Vips couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t keep Drugovich or Mawson behind him for a long time, but he had enough in the bag to keep the charging Schumacher at bay.

Newey came back strong in the third race after former teammates Schumacher and Vips collided on the opening lap itself, deploying the Safety Car. Mawson managed to pass Newey at the restart but an error handed the lead and ultimately the win to the Brit. Drugovich too benefitted from Mawsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s error and hence gained second spot.

In the final race of the calendar year, Mawson picked up his second win on the weekend and took the lead in the championship after Newey and Schumacher were both forced to retire due to mechanical issues and a puncture for the latter. Drugovich bagged yet another podium rounding off a fortuitous weekend. Zane Goddard picked up his maiden podium of the series.

BUDDH After a strong performance in the practice

session on Friday, Mick went on to grab pole position by setting a blistering lap time of 1 minute 50.749 seconds, the fastest lap by any driver in the F2000 car at the circuit. He was joined by Harrison Newey on the front row.

The German prodigy got the best start he could hope for in the first race as he was untouchable throughout the entirety of the race. Behind him however, championship contender Felipe Drugovich got the better of Newey right off the line. Drugovich came under some serious pressure from Newey and championship leader Joey Mawson, but the Brazilian driver held his nerve to earn second with Newey not letting Mawson past himself. Rinus van Kalmthout equalled his best finish of the season as he finished fifth.

The Safety Car came out early in the second race as Pavan Ravishankar and Drugovich collided at turn three on the

1 & 2: Neither Newey nor Mawson gave each other an easy run. 3: MRF ZLO slicks have been consistently improving over the years.

4: Schumacher and Newey share a light moment in the pits

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

67

F E AT RAC E R EUPRO ERT

This picture: Schumacher leads the field at the BIC. Below: Mawson, a worthy championship rival to Newey

opening lap itself. Mawson got the perfect launch at the restart to thwart then leader Kimi Schramm. Schramm couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stay his ground as Ralf Aron, Schumacher and Newey got by. But the trio made their moves a bit too late to challenge Mawson as the Australian won his second race of the season and thereby extended his lead in the points tally. Aron and Schumacher joined him on the podium.

Schumacher romped away to yet another pole-to-flag victory in race three as the young German was unchallenged for the second time this weekend. Newey had another poor start to the race and lost out his starting advantage to Mawson.

Although he did slipstream down Mawson at the kilometre-long back straight of the BIC, Mawson got the position back by outbraking the Brit into turn four.

The final race of the weekend was the most dramatic of the lot. Quite contrary to his earlier races, Newey got off the line and grabbed the lead of the race in the opening lap itself. Behind him the train of cars of Aron, Mawson and Schumacher was having a cut throat battle for second.

Schumacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s audacious move on Mawson led to the two coming together forcing the latter to drop down the order to eighth while Schumacher was fit to carry on.

Schumacher then tried to put a move down Aron on turn three but both of them ran wide allowing Drugovich past them.

62

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2016

As Schumacher tried to get the better of Aron at the following corner, he clipped the Brazilian Drugovich in due course, ending their races on the spot and bringing out the Safety Car for the second time in the weekend. With just a couple of laps left, the race finished behind the Safety Car as Newey picked up his first win of the weekend ahead of Aron, and Mawson made his way up to third before the carnage had taken place.

MMRT Newey knew coming into the round that he had to pick up as many points over Mawson as he could to win the title. One wrong move and his hopes would go down the drain. He also had to be wary of the threat from Schumacher as the German had an outside yet potent chance to claim the title for himself.

The fastest Indian, Narain Karthikeyan drove the car during the practice session with MRF ambassador and master blaster Sachin Tendulkar taking to the track for a few sighting laps.

Schumacher struck the first blow by setting the fastest lap time around the MMRT in the practice session. While it may have been early advantage for Schumacher, Newey replied by bagging pole position and more crucially two extra points in the championship. Schumacher was right on his tail but to the liking of

MRF CHALLENGE

DRIVER'S CHAMPIONSHIP Pos 1 2 3 4 5

Driver Harrison Newey Joey Mawson Mick Schumacher Felipe Drugovich Ralf Aron

Points 277 277 213 169 168

both of them, Mawson qualified seventh, a disastrous affair for the championship leader. Red Bull junior driver Dan Ticktum qualified third ahead of the Estonian pair of Vips and Aron. Drugovich qualified sixth.

Newey sped away to win the first race after managing to keep his nose ahead of Schumacher into turn one. Schumacher meanwhile lost second to a fast starting Aron, who had got past Vips and Ticktum right at the start. The German didn't lose ground on Aron, retaking the position

1

back on lap seven. Behind them, Mawson desperate not to lose too much of his championship lead picked off Drugovich easily and had to fight hard to get fifth from Ticktum.

Reverse starting order helped Mawson run away from the pack on the opening lap thereby regaining some of the lost points from the first race. Pole-sitter Ticktum lost his lead to Mawson on the opening lap and then second place to Aron a couple of laps later. Nevertheless, the rookie held on to clinch his maiden podium in the series.

Newey got past Vips in the latter stages to take fourth with Schumacher dropping a position to Drugovich and finishing seventh.

Another pole-to-flag victory for Newey in the third race of the weekend left him twelve points off Mawson who finished fourth. Schumacher meanwhile had a horrendous start, losing out to Vips and

Aron. Vips had a tough time keeping the two former teammates at bay, but ultimately held on to finish second ahead of Aron.

Meanwhile, Schumacher got frustrated in his unsuccessful attempts of getting past the two Estonians and crashed out in the final laps, ending his championship hopes.

Newey knew he had to win the final race and hope that Mawson finished fourth or lower to claim the crown. Mawson took an early lead in the race but the race had to be red-flagged due to a collision between Aron and Neil Verhagen. Upon restart, Mawson had Newey and Schumacher hot on his heels. The Australian made a small error halfway through the race and that was enough for Newey to capitalise.

Schumacher also zoomed past Mawson, his lead now just two points over Newey. But Newey clocked in the fastest lap of the race and earned two points which tied him with Mawson on 277 points.

But with seven wins to his name versus three to Mawson, Harrison Newey was crowned the winner of the 2016 MRF Challenge. Schumacher ended the series third with 213 points. Drugovich held on to fourth in the standings by a single point over Aron.

After winning the championship, an emotional Harrison Newey said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is just an unbelievable feeling to win the title like this. I knew I had to set the fastest lap if he was in 3rd and to do it this way is just amazing. This has been a great season with strong competitors in Schumacher, Mawson and Aron.â&#x20AC;? L

3

2

1: Felipe Drugovich held on to fourth in the title. 2: Red Bull Racing's Chief Technical Officer was privy to all of his son's races.

3: Narain tested out the 2017 car which has a new aero package as well as a paddleshift gearbox, at the BIC and the MMRT

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

69

Subscribe to

INDIA

6 `449 issues for

Have your issue of Fast Bikes India delivered to your door!

SAVE

29% OFF THE RICE O C VER P

Subscribe Online www.100kmph.com/fastbikesindia

ORDER DETAILS: No. of Issues

Cover Price

Newsstand price

You pay

Discount %

6 Months

6

`100.00

`600.00

`449.00

25%

1 Year

12

`100.00

`1,200.00

`879.00

27%

2 Years

24

`100.00

`2,400.00

`1,709.00

29%

Total Period

We will deliver not just more bikes across genres, but we will also take you on motorcycling adventures, meet movers and shakers, hit the high notes on racetracks, fast forward into history and spice up your biking world beyond anything else.

Adil Jal Darukhanawala Editor

Name : ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Address :

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

City: –––––––––––––––––––– Pin: ––––––––––––– State:

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Company : ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Occupation : –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Mobile : ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Designation: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Age: –––––––––––––––– Gross Annual Income (INR): E-mail:

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Do you own a vehicle: Yes / No Make

–––––––––––––

Year: –––––––––––––––

PAYMENT DETAILS Issuing bank: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Chq Number: ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Date: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

` I agree to receive sms and mail regarding subscriptions For non-Pune cheques please add `100.00

Subscribers Signature: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Mail this form along with your cheque/DD to Project GTO Publishing | No. 5, Siddharth Terrace, opposite Aga Khan Palace, Nagar Road, Pune 411 006. Ph: 020 2668 4343 To subscribe e-mail us at subscriptions@gtopublishing.com Terms & Conditions:  The subscription will start from next published issue.  While utmost effort will be taken on the delivery front GTO will not be

responsible for any delay in deliveries by postal department or courier company  All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts

and forums in Pune.  Cheques/ DD to be drawn in the name of Project GTO Publishing LLP, payable at Pune.  Address: No. 5, Siddharth Terrace, Opposite Aga Khan Palace, Nagar Road, Pune 411 006  For non-Pune cheques please add `100.00

Subscribe today & benefit from:

Never miss an issue of Fast Bikes India Saving over 29% off the cover price

subscriptions@gtopublishing.com

RFACE EATR EUPRO ERT

WO R D S b y J E H A N A D I L DA RU K H A N AWA L A P H O T O G R A P H Y b y A D I T YA B E D R E

MRF CHALLENGE Main: Nayan Chatterjee raced away to victory at the Buddh. Right: Vicky Chandhok at the start of the first race at the MMRT

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RACING RETURNS

MMSC’s flagship formula racing series begins FTER AN ABSENCE OF two years, the MRF F1600 series returns to the Buddh International Circuit for the season opener of the 2017 MMSC FMSCI National Racing Championship. The championship is slated to have six rounds, the latter five taking place at the MMRT, Chennai. The first two rounds were held during the same weekend as that of the MRF Challenge.

Round 1: Buddh International Circuit Series debutants Ananth Shanmugam and Nayan Chatterjee jostled it out with the seasoned racers. Ananth was quick right off the bat, securing the first pole position

of the season. His lap time of 2 minutes 5.89 seconds was enough to displace 2016 Euro JK16 champion Anindith Reddy from the top of the qualifying leaderboard.

Chatterjee’s session was brought to an abrupt end due to a technical snag.

Nevertheless, he was able to set a decent lap time to qualify third ahead of Anshul Shah and Alex Bora.

Ananth lost the lead right at the start of the race and within the space of a few corners dropped down to third, thanks to Nayan’s impressive moves. However, Ananth made his way past Chatterjee on lap three and charged down Anindith, passing the Hyderabadi driver on the following lap.

Alex climbed up a spot to finish fourth.

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

73

RFACE EATR EUPRO ERT In the following reverse grid race, the trio of Chatterjee, Reddy and Shanmugam swapped furiously for the win. The three of them made little of pole-sitter Bora as they left the field in a trail of dust.

Shanmugam lost ground on the other two midway through the race, allowing them to duel amongst themselves. On the sixth lap, Reddy too made an error into the first corner allowing Nayan to open a gap and thereby cruising down the remaining laps to win the race.

Round 2: MMRT Just half a second covered the first two rows of the grid as the series headed home to the MMRT. 2015 MRF F1600 champion Karthik Tharani took top honours in qualifying, as the Chennai driver was one of the only two drivers to lap the MMRT in under a minute and forty seconds. Raghul Rangasamy joined Tharani on the front row followed by Sandeep Sharma and Anindith.

Tharani managed to win his first race of the season by putting down the marker in the opening laps of the first race. Rangasamy tried to keep up with the fast-paced Tharani, but a driver error allowed Reddy to slip past Rangasamy, who offered little resistance.

Reddy himself put in some quick laps and was on Tharani’s tail in the final few laps.

However, Tharani held on to win his first race of the season by 0.305 seconds from Reddy. Rangasamy completed the podium with Sandeep coming home in fourth.

With the reverse grid order in the second race, Sandeep was able to run away with the win. Rangasamy could make no

With four race winners in four races, the series is wide open. That being said Anindith Reddy leads the championship despite not winning any races so far. He would look to change that at the third round of the championship which takes place on March 10-12 at the MMRT. L

impressions out at the front and managed to stay in second for the entire duration of the race. Behind them, a feisty battle ensued between Reddy and Tharani.

Neither giving room to the other, Tharani had to try an audacious move in sector two to get past Reddy, which he did successfully. Tharani tried to attack the duo at the front but it was too little too late for him, ending the race on the last step of the podium.

ROUND 1: BIC

ROUND 2: MMRT

Race 1 Pos 1 2 3 4 5

Race 1 Name Ananth Shanmugam Anindith Reddy Nayan Chatterjee Alex Bora Anshul Shah

Gap – 5.61 7.00 32.02 34.60

Name Nayan Chatterjee Anindith Reddy Ananth Shanmugam Anshul Shah Alex Bora

Gap – 3.33 5.65 16.80 22.47

Race 2 Pos 1 2 3 4 5

74

Top: Karthik Tharani returned to the series after missing out at the BIC. Above: Anindith Reddy has been super consistent and leads the championship

Pos 1 2 3 4 5

Name Karthik Tharani Anindith Reddy Raghul Rangasamy Sandeep Kumar Arya Singh

Gap – 0.31 1.76 3.84 11.75

Name Sandeep Kumar Raghul Rangasamy Karthik Tharani Anindith Reddy Chetan Korada

Gap – 0.54 4.10 9.02 12.27

Race 2

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

Pos 1 2 3 4 5

V E N TO C U P

P H O T O G R A P H Y b y A D I T YA B E D R E

KARMINDER EARNS 2017 AMEO CUP DRIVE Karminder Pal Singh wins all three races of Vento Cup support race T IS ALWAYS GOOD TO START the year with a victory, but to win three right in the first weekend of racing certainly adds a tank of nitrous to your confidence level. That must have been what Karminder Pal Singh, runnerup of 2016 Volkswagen Vento Cup felt as he won all three races of the Vento Cup support race to the MRF Challenge at the Buddh International Circuit. The resultant series win earned Karminder a fully paid drive in the new 2017 VW Ameo Cup, first details of the same on page 16.

1

Last year’s championship runner-up in the retiring Vento Cup, Karminder made the most of his experience of racing the Vento Cup car to take pole position for the first race of the weekend. His brilliant start allowed him to keep his nose ahead at the first corner and run away with the victory.

Sandeep Kumar benefitted from Karthik Tharani’s retirement to gain second spot as Ameya Walavalkar, returning to racing after an absence of four years, made his way to third from his starting position of seventh.

A reverse grid starting order too didn’t shake Karminder’s momentum. He and Ameya took apart the front pack one at a time. The duo allowed 2015 Vento Cup champion Anindith Reddy to engage in the battle for the win but ultimately Karminder proved to be too strong, as the Delhi-boy took over at the front on lap five. Anindith

too was able to get past the struggling Ameya but couldn’t challenge Karminder for the win and hence had to settle for second spot.

It was a pole-to-flag win for Karminder as he completed a hat trick of wins at the BIC and hence bagged himself a fully paid seat for the 2017 Ameo Cup. Anindith and Sandeep maintained their starting positions throughout the race to finish second and third.

“Congratulations to Karminder for a perfect weekend that secured him a place in Ameo Cup 2017! We are now gearing up for our Ameo Cup which starts in a few months’ time. There is a lot of work to be done before we can line up all our Ameo race cars on the grid later this year and we are now shifting into top gear to get the new series rolling,” said Sirish Vissa, head of Volkswagen Motorsport India. L

2

Main: Karminder gets a flying start. 1: The new Ameo Cup car testing is underway.

2: Sirish Vissa hands over the official 2017 Volkswagen Ameo Cup ticket to Karminder

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

75

F EF EAT AT UU RREE

The TSD rally championship comes to an end with Karthick Maruthi and co-driver Sankar Anand winning the championship

76

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017

M A R U T I S U Z U K I N St s d RC

WO R D S b y J E H A N A D I L DA RU K H A N AWA L A P H O T O G R A P H Y b y M A RU T I S U Z U K I I M AG E S

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

77

F EF EAT AT UU RREE E HAVE SEEN Maruti Suzuki being an active supporter of motorsports in the country as they have been the title sponsors of all three rally raids â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Desert Storm, the Dakshin Dare and the Raid de Himalaya. While these mega events may occur annually, Maruti Suzuki took upon themselves the onus of organising a TSD championship series in 2016, in conjunction with Himalayan Motorsports, with the sole aim of spreading knowledge of motorsports in the country and coined it the Maruti Suzuki National Superleague TSD Championship.

Now since TSD rallying has been quite popular in the country, Marutiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s series was designed to be a pan-India initiative with six rounds of precision driving taking place over the course of the season. We in fact were privileged to be an active part for three rounds, albeit in the nonchampionship amateur class and took in the sights when the fourth round took place for the fifth Mughal rally.

With just two rounds left in the championship, Karthick Maruthi (with co-

1

2

3 4 6 5

62

MOTORSPORT INDIA | July 2016

1 & 2: The combination of Maruthi, Anand and the Brezza worked wonders. 3 & 4: Arunachal gave some fantastic views. 5: Ajgar Ali putting the S-Cross through its paces. 6: A healthy number of entries for the Rally of Himachal. 7: Going through the tulip is a must before you set off for the day.

8: Sachin Singh missed out on the title

M A R U T I S U Z U K I N St s d RC driver Sankar S Anand) held a slender lead of 3 points in the championship standings from Sachin Singh (with co-driver Prakash M) with Maruthi winning the first two rounds of the series with ease in the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza.

Maruthi though had a horrid time in the fifth round in Arunachal. He was penalised heavily in the first leg of the rally itself as he was imposed with a time penalty of an hour. While he did make very few mistakes in the two test stages as well as in the final leg, which he won, he couldn’t do anything about the deficit to the front runners and hence finished fourth in the rally. This allowed Jagmeet Singh (with co-driver Chandan Sen) to pick up their first win of the season with a penalty time of 7 minutes and 18 seconds. Ajgar Ali (with co-driver Mohd Musthafa) made few more errors than Singh and hence took second with a penalty time of 8 minutes and 41 seconds.

Sachin Singh too made some errors on the opening day, but none so serious as his rival Maruthi. In the end, Sachin was happy to finish ahead of the championship leader and close the gap down to two points.

The original finale of the series was to have taken place in Gujarat but it was moved to Himachal Pradesh. The series

5

5

finale received a healthy number of entries as nearly 23 cars lined up at the start of the Himachal rally.

Here’s where Maruthi brought his A-game to the party as he racked up his third win and consequently the 2016 title.

He drove the Brezza to accumulate the least amount of penalties ending the rally with a penalty time of 6 minutes and 55 seconds.

Sachin knew he would have had to win and Karthick would have had to finish off the podium for him to be crowned champion, but that wasn’t the case. In the end, he

7

8

brought his Maruti Suzuki Swift home in second, picking up the runners-up spot in the championship. Ajgar Ali missied out on second by just 15 seconds and had to settle for the last spot on the podium.

“It has been an exciting year of rallying and sure I was putting my best efforts to win the championship. The win would not have been possible without the perfect combination of the driver, navigator and the car. I am extremely excited and cannot wait to come back for the next rally,” said the champion Maruthi. L

F E AT U R E WORDS by AATISH MISHRA PHOTOGRAPHY by RED BULL

1 2 3

Sebastien Ogier Jari-Matti Latvala Ott Tanak

ELD ON JANUARY 19-22, defending champion Sebastien Ogier racked up his first victory with M-Sport on his very first outing in the Ford Fiesta WRC at the Rally Monte Carlo. Meanwhile, JariMatti Latvala got the new Toyota Yaris WRC on to the podium in second while M-Sport managed a third place finish as well, courtesy Ott Tanak.

This season was always going to be interesting — VW pulled out and that means Hyundai has the best chance yet to grab the title. M-Sport picked up Ogier, and Toyota and Citroen have both made a comeback. All this, plus the new rules that allow cars to have more power and more aggressive aero means this season is going to be special.

New team, same story The season started with a bit of a downer when Haydon Paddon’s Hyundai i20 WRC hit a spectator who eventually succumbed to his injuries. It led to the first stage being cancelled and Paddon withdrawing from the rally. His teammate Neuville managed to secure the lead at the end of the first day, ahead of Ogier by 7.8 seconds.

Ogier was caught out by ice on the second day and went in to a ditch, dropping him to ninth. Meanwhile, his M-Sport teammate Tanak took over second place on SS4 after Citroen’s Kris Meeke damaged his suspension. Neuville continued in the lead, ahead of Tanak and Toyota’s Juho Hanninen with Ogier climbing up to fourth within one stage of his incident. He eventually made it to third when Hanninen retired. While he lost a bit of pace getting used to the new M-Sport Ford Fiesta, Ogier performed well on the last two stages of day two to take

over second place from Tanak.

Neuville stayed in the lead on day three, with Ogier 51 seconds behind. But suspension damage on the last stage of the day forced Neuville out of the running, handing the lead to Ogier. The final day had the potential for an M-Sport one-two finish, but an engine problem on Tanak’s car saw him drop down to second giving up second place to the Toyota of Latvala.

SS16 was cancelled due to safety reasons, and Ogier kept himself out front until the end. He proved that the M-Sport team was there to stay and so did the Toyota, who managed a podium on their first outing in 16 years. Going ahead, Hyundai as well as Citroen have their work cut out for them. L Top: The number 1 car of Ogier is now a Ford Fiesta. Left: Ogier comes out on top in the first rally of 2016

ARI-MATTI LATVALA HAD a superb weekend as he managed to win Rally Sweden in his Toyota Yaris WRC, the team’s first win in just their second rally after a 16-year hiatus from the championship. Ott Tanak and Sebastien Ogier finished second and third on the podium for M-Sport.

Jari-Matti started the rally on pace, finishing the Super Special 0.6 seconds ahead of Thierry Neuveille. Neuville took over the lead after the first full stage however, he clipped a rock in SS4 and that sent him back to second place. Kris Meeke also managed to post some quick times, being second quickest in one of the stages and was placed third at the end of the first day. Meanwhile Ogier was the first car out on to the stages and had to sweep them, could not post competitive times and trailed the lead by 19.1 seconds.

From then on, Neuville showed his pace, and built up a sizeable lead over the second place Latvala. By the end of the first day, Neuville had extended his lead in the front to 28.2 seconds while Latavla and Tanak in second and third respectively. Ogier’s

Below: The first win for the new Toyota Yaris in its second rally.

Right: Latvala becomes new championship leader

Toyota tames the snowstorm sweeping cost him more time, putting him in fifth behind Kris Meeke, 55 seconds off Neuville.

A stage on day 2 was cancelled as the FIA ruled that it was dangerous owing to the higher speeds the 2017 WRC cars are capable of. Meanwhile, Ogier began catching up, moving in to fourth past Citroen’s Kris Meeke. Ott Tanak began roping the second place Latvala in as well, while Neuville went about extending his lead in the front. Meeke was in fifth place when he lost control of his car after going too hot on to a bend and crashed in to a snow bank — he lost eight minutes trying to extricate his beached car.

However, disaster struck Neuville on the 1.9km Super Special stage at the end of day two — he crashed and damaged his steering, knocking him out of the lead and destroying any chance he had of winning the rally. Latvala inherited the lead, but Ott Tanak was just 3.8 seconds behind him and Ogier a further 12.8 seconds behind.

It would have been a close fight to the finish, but Tanak suffered from a loose rear end and Ogier spun out on a corner, giving Latvala some breathing room. Latvala went on to win from Tanak and Ogier. At the end of the second round, Latvala leads the championship with 48 points, followed

by Ogier with 44 points and Tanak with 33 points. L

1 2 3

Jari-Matti Latvala Ott Tanak Sebastien Ogier

www.motorsport.evoindia.com

63 81

C A L E N DA R

Motorsport calendar for March and April 2017 N AT I O N A L

-

M A R C H

2 017

Dates

Event

Status

Vehicle

Place

Promoter

4-6

Maruti Suzuki FMSCI Indian National Autocross Championship 2016 Finals

National

4W

BIC, Noida

Northern Motorsports

4-5

WIAA Women’s Rally to the Valley

TBA

4W

Mumbai

WIAA

10-12

2017 SJOBA Rally

Open

2/4W

Chandigarh

SJOBA

10-12

MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Racing Championship 2017 - Round 3

National

4W

MMRT, Chennai

MMSC

10-12

2017 Valley Run

Open

2/4W

Aamby Valley

Sportscraft

18-19

2017 Tata Prima T1 Truck Racing

International

4W

BIC, Noida

MMSC

21-23

Ultimate Karting Combat

National

4W

Bhopal

Blizzard Motorsports

24-26

MMSC FMSCI National Drag Championship 2016 – Rounds 2 & 3

National

2/4W

MMRT, Chennai

MMSC

Mar 31 - Apr 2

The Taj Agra Car Rally 2017 (TSD)

Open

4W

Agra

Motorsports Agra

N AT I O N A L

C A L E N DA R

-

A P R I L

2 017

Dates

Event

Status

Vehicle

Place

Promoter

7-9

2017 Baja India

International

2/4W

TBA

Northern Motorsport

15-16

2017 Bengaluru Drag Fest

Open

2/4W

Taneja Aerospace

Team 46 Motor Racing

22-23

MMSC FMSCI National 2W Dirt Track Championship 2016 – Rd 1

National

2W

Bangalore

MMSC

28-30

2017 Vroom

Open

2/4

Bangalore

Geneva services, Bangalore

F O R M U L A

1

W R C

82

C A L E N DA R

Venue

Dates

Australia China

M O T O

G P

Venue

Dates

26 March

Qatar*

26 March

9 April

Argentina

9 April

Bahrain

16 April

America

23 April

Russia

30 April

*Night race

WS B K

Venue

Dates

Venue

Dates

Mexico

9-12 March

Thailand

12 March

France

6-9 April

Spain - Aragon

2 April

Argentina

27-30 April

Netherlands

30 April

MOTORSPORT INDIA | March 2017