Automan 150

Find us Online :

www.automanweb.com

|

Facebook: AutomanMag

|

Twitter: @automanmag

| Youtube: AutomanVideo

now, the region’s Best Automotive Resource

OMR 0.500 AED 5 QR 5

Feb 2014 Issue no 150

14

YEARS

2013

cars tested shortlisted

2014 Porsche Cayman S in UAE

2014 Nissan Patrol in Jordan

2014 Detroit Motor show report

winner in each category

28

COVERstory |

Mission impossible

With the refreshed 2014 Nissan Patrol in Jordan

firstdrive |

Extended life

42

Aston Martin gives the aging DB9 a few more miles in its career with interesting upgrades

48

54

60

in this issue CONTENT METER

cover story 24-27 2013 AUTOMAN COTY WINNERS 28-35 2014 Nissan Patrol 36-41 2014 PORSCHE CAYMAN s NEXT ISSUE 2014 chevrolet camaro ZL1

Oman and regional news 6-11 Q&A WITH Kalyana Sivagnanam,

Director,Ford Middle East & North Africa,

0

10

AMG Performance Tour 2013

Porsche at Qatar Motor Show

Al Jenaibi child buckle up campaign

Chevrolet sponsors 29th GCC Club Cup

Audi Oman sponsors corporate workshop

Volksfest 2013/2014 Oman winner announced Team Pajero Adventure in Oman

20

KTM 1290 Super Duke R launched in UAE Regional performance indicators

brandwatch 12-15 Top management changes at Mitsubishi

Motors, Fiat-Chrysler merger spawns new

logo, Marchionne puts Jeep on the million

30

track, Lexus to fast track F performance

models, McLaren’s fourth model planned,

Opel files trademarks for Cascada, Calibra

in the US, Ford announced upgrades to Sync

AppLink, Cadillac’s Don Butler to head Ford’s

6

5

24 Qs with Kalyana Sivagnanam, Director,Ford Middle East & North Africa

, n cars o i t c u and rod Star p g concepts in stunn troit @ De e r o m

connectivity programme, Open Automotive

Alliance announced at CES, Tata Motors MD

40

Karl Slym passes away, New role for Renault India General Manager Marc Nassif

International news 16-22 2014 NORTH AMERICAN international

AUTO SHOW REPORT

50

tested 42-47 2014 ASTON MARTIN DB9 first drive 48-53 2014 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER 54-58 2013 RANGE ROVER SPORT 60-63 2014 ford F-150 FX previews 64-65 ROLLS-ROYCE GHOST V-SPEC 66-69 NISSAN CONCEPT SEDAN 70-73 KIA STINGER GT CONCEPT MOTORSPORTS 76-79 FORMULA ONE, regional HAPPENINGS,

60

70

NISSAN GT ACADEMY, WRC

16

80 Chicane 80

editor-in-chief

2014

Mohammad Al Taie

AL ROYA PRESS & PUBLISHING PO Box: 343, Postal Code 118 Al Harthy Complex Sultanate of Oman Email: automan@alroya.net Website: www.automanweb.com Editorial office: Tel: +968 24479888 Extn 300, Fax: +968 24479889 Distribution: Tel: +968 24490386, Fax: +968 24121045 Subscription: Tel: +968 24493701, Fax: +968 24121045 publisher Hatim Al Taie

hatim@alroya.net

EDITOR & GM Raj Warrior

raj@alroya.net

executive EDITOR Chandan B Mallik chandan@alroya.net contributing EDITOR Anne Kurian annekurian@alroya.net HEAD OF Design Sawsan Al Muharbi sawsan@alroya.info photography Elvis John Ferrao marketing Sayantani Ghosh sayantani@alroya.net circulation books@alroya.net FINANCE & ADMIN Sumy Mol

sumy@alroya.net

Website & IT Mohammed F Draz mohammed.draz@alroya.net Printer Ruwi Modern Printers LLC Tel: +968 2479 4167, 2479 8157 Fax: +968 2470 0545 © 2013 All editorial content of Automan in the magazine and its website is copyrighted and may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the management of AL ROYA PRESS & PUBLISHING Automan accepts unsolicited exclusive editorial material, but reserves the right to publish any such material. Once published, the copyright for any such material will vest with AL ROYA PRESS & PUBLISHING

During the past month, three high profile road accidents have brought back the topic of road safety to the top of mind. A common theme among all these accidents is one of human error. Oddly enough, concentrated effort through the years has managed to lower Oman’s accident and road fatality rate, but the problem seems to be set to rise again.

The issue is not one of lack of regulation. We know that ROP has been constantly sending out the message of staying in speed limits, staying off the mobile phone and of taking rests during long trips. It isn’t one of poor quality of roads or indeed of lack of regulation of the cars sold locally. Oman enjoys some of the best driving roads in the world and the cars that are sold here beat the safety norms in their home markets as well as the GCC. The problem is finally our lack of intent to improve as drivers. We allow our children to sit in the cars unharnessed, we call and answer that “important” call while driving at 100 km/h and we forget common courtesies like indicating a turn, leaving a safe gap from the car ahead or keeping our headlights dipped. Frankly we need to ask ourselves whether we are a menace to other road users and are we allowed to be – just because we had the basic sense to get a driving licence and can afford to buy a high powered car?

How many more children need to die before we say that our bad driving causes every one of them?

At the same time another statistic has hit us in the drop in retail sales of cars in Oman. We are sure that most of the industry is just as perplexed as to why that should be the case?

2013 was not a bad year – there were no financial issues and the economy in general has been growing at a steady pace. At the same time, as a result of some good policy directives, new projects are coming online, construction is in full swing around the country and new companies and businesses are opening. Admittedly some of the old order is being swept aside as the new comes in, but more Omanis are entering the workplace and there has been a growth in skilled expats as well.

So why aren’t we buying more cars? A car is a must for anyone in the workplace in Oman.

But somehow car sales aren’t matching the entry of people into the job market. This must have surprised many industry insiders – especially of those brands that have done better than before. It looks like some brands are losing volume and market share. Again change is the only constant. We rather expect 2014 to be a swing back year where pent up demand should translate into a greater volume for the car industry. Here’s good luck to them while hoping that these extra cars land up in the hands of responsible and safe drivers.

14

YEARS

We congratulate all the winners of the Automan Car of the Year 2013. Look out for a web-based voting scheme this year!

Oman & region

‘

‘

news

The Middle East and Africa is a region with tremendous potential for growth for the automotive industry with sales likely to increase by about 40 percent to around 5.5 million units by 2020

5

Qs with Kalyana Sivagnanam, Director,Ford Middle East & North Africa

1

sales likely to increase by about 40per cent to around 5.5mn units by 2020.

Ford intends to be a strong player in this region, bringing our customers more world-leading Ford and Lincoln vehicles and technologies

Can u tell us a bit about your role and responsibility at Ford?

I am the director for the Middle East and North African Markets recently established Ford Motor Company’s Middle East & Africa Business Unit, overseeing the sales, marketing and customer Service operations in the region’s 17 markets, out of the Dubai regional office.

2

What is the does the fifth global unit mean for Ford?

The fifth global business unit is called Ford Middle East and Africa, came into effect as of Jan 1, 2014. It will operate out of Dubai and the new set-up is divided into two sub-regions – South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East and North Africa – covering 47 markets across the region.

3

What’s the outlook for this region?

The Middle East and Africa is a region with tremendous potential for growth for the automotive industry with

6

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

Ford Middle East sales break the 85,000 unit milestone in 2013 In 2014, Ford and Lincoln gearing up to launch seven new products To support the business, Ford has recently announced the creation of its fifth Dubai-based global business unit – Ford Middle East and Africa – as of Jan 1, 2014. The new unit is divided into two sub-regions – South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East and North Africa – covering 47 markets across the region.

Middle East’s results come in just weeks after Ford Motor Company announced total US sales of 2,493,918 units, cementing Ford as America’s best-selling vehicle brand for the fourth consecutive year

4

What benefits will this region see in the coming months as a result of the One Ford global strategy?

With considerable investments already in process as we bring more products to customers through our One Ford global vehicle and technology portfolio, including 17 new or refreshed vehicles in the next 24 months such as Fusion, EcoSport, Lincoln MKC, Mustang and all-new F-150, to name but a few.

5

You also have customer service operations under your fold. What’s going to happen in this respect?

I am happy to report that our retail partners are now willing to invest in infrastructure required to expand their service capacities and raise the bar on customer satisfaction across the region.

AMG Performance Tour 2013

Loosely translates into power, thrill and speed with the best and youngest MercedesAMG fleet of cars at Abu Dhabi’s YAS Marina Circuit

8

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

Oman & region

W

news

ith a combined 14,904hp and 19,165Nm of torque, AMG signed 2013 off with an adrenaline pumped Performance Tour with the most impressive line-up of MercedesAMG vehicles to date. The late afternoon-evening event was held at the YAS Marina Formula 1 Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

From the most powerful production four-cylinder engined A 45 AMG, all the way up to the top end SLS AMG Black Series. The AMG Performance Tour participants experienced the thrill of driving on the world famous Formula 1 racing track besides learning driving skills from the professionals representing MercedesBenz‘s high performance division.

With enough combined power to almost launch a rocket into space, the youngest ever fleet of MercedesAMG cars featured in the Performance Tour 2013 included: A 45 AMG, C 63 AMG 507 Edition (Coupé and Sedan), E 63 AMG S 4MATIC, CLS 63 AMG S 4MATIC, S 63 AMG, SL 63 AMG, SLS AMG GT and the SLS AMG Black Series.

Speaking at the AMG Performance Tour, Dirk Fetzer, Director Sales and Marketing at Daimler Middle East & Levant said: “The concept of time is certainly challenged once you’re in a Mercedes-AMG car – it’s almost like launching into another dimension.

I am sure this is precisely what the engineers at Affalterbach have in mind when designing these incredible vehicles. Each car we have included in the Performance Tour this year has earned its place with a remarkable background, design and technical specifications that make each and every machine truly epic.” The sign off to the event was a friendly drag race at the dedicated strip in the sedans.

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

9

Porsche to organise five regional premieres at Qatar Motor Show Five regional premieres have been earmarked by Porsche, Middle East for the forthcoming 2014 Qatar Motor Show. The Qatar Motor Show will see the revolutionary super sports car, the 918 Spyder, showcasing its ground-breaking and powerful E-Mobility credentials at a regional exhibition for the first time. The smallest and newest Macan SUV will also be showcased along with the brand’s latest modern classic, the 911 Targa 4S, boasting unique state-of-the-art roof technology which shapes one of the most recognisable 911s.

Porsche will also have on its stands bespoke models like the new Cayenne Platinum Edition and for the first time ever, the long wheelbase Executive version of the Panamera Turbo S sedan.

Christer Ekberg, Managing Director of Porsche Middle East and Africa FZE, said: “2013 was a very special year for the brand, with exciting model introductions, the celebrations around the 911 as well as the significant increase in our new car deliveries. That said, with the sheer depth of stunning new models set for launch in 2014, we can’t help but be excited about what the year holds and it all starts in Qatar.”

The 2014 Qatar Motor Show begins from 21 February and will run for four days at the Qatar National Convention Centre in Doha.

Corporate Workshop

Audi Oman, represented by Wattayah Motors, sponsored a ‘Skills for Life’ corporate training workshop, hosted by Light & Shadow Enterprises at the Grand Hyatt Muscat last month. The ‘Skills for Life’ workshop was conducted by Dr. Abhijit Das, Chief Trainer of the International Corporate Training Company Egetes and the International Institute of Behavioral Studies.

Volksfest 2013/2014 Oman winner announced

29th GCC Club Cup

W

Chevrolet has become the Official Sponsor of the 29th GCC Club Cup, an annual football league championship for top clubs in the Gulf region. A sponsorship contract was signed on January 21 in the presence of Markus Leithe, Regional Marketing Director of GM Middle East Operations, and Adnan Merheb, Sales Director - West Asia of World Sport Group.

attayah Motors - exclusive dealers for Volkswagen in Oman have announced the first winner of their new campaign – the Volksfest 2013/2014.

Hazaa Mohammed Al Maqabali recently bought a Volkswagen Golf GTI and has won a four-day trip for two trip to the home of Volkswagen – in Wolfsburg, Germany. Hazaa Mohammed Al Maqabali will visit Volkswagen’s main factory - the “Autostadt” as well as enjoy a tour in the picturesque city of Wolfsburg.

Hyundai Motor Company has announced that the new, enhanced 2014 Elantra is now on sale across the Middle East, introducing a number of exterior and interior design upgrades as well as a range of cutting-edge features and an enhanced 6-speed transmission.

10

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

Child safety campaign Al Jenaibi International Automobiles launched a campaign ‘Mommy & Me 2014’ that encourages families to use child car-seat restraints. The exhibition targeting women with children was held at Al Bahja Hall, Al Qurum last month. The BMW Group importer in Oman will offer the public complimentary Stay Alert Stay Alive booster cushions appropriate for children between the ages 6-11 years. In addition, educational brochures will be provided for guidance on the different child car seats available for different ages. The team will also be educating parents on the right procedure to install car seats keeping their children safe throughout their ride.

Booster seats for children aged between four and 11 years old have been shown to reduce the risk of injury compared to seat belts alone. To qualify for a booster cushion, children need to weigh between 22 and 36 kg, the internationally recognised safest weights.

Regional performance indicators

Nissan

Nissan has announced sales for December 2013 of 2,249 Nissan Patrols across the GCC, an increase of 58 per cent compared to 2012, representing an SUV market segment share of 28 per cent.

Rolls-Royce

Al Jenaibi International Automobiles, the sole dealer of Rolls‑Royce Motor Cars in Oman, has announced 10 per cent growth in its sales in 2013.

Ford/Lincoln

Ford Middle East has reported total sales rising 12per cent year-on-year and breaking the 85,000 unit milestone. In Oman, sales grew by 26per cent in 2013, with Arabian Car Marketing, the local importer-dealer for Ford and Lincoln, recording a strong fleet sales growth of about 40 per cent. The Middle East’s positive results come in just weeks after Ford Motor Company announced its 2013 full year pre-tax profit of $8.6bn, one of the company’s best years ever.

maserati

Maserati has reported an outstanding 2013 with impressive 24.5 per cent year on year growth in the region and 148 per cent globally.

KTM 1290 Super Duke R launched in UAE

Pajero Adventure in Oman

M

itsubishi Pajero owners had a field day in Oman, thanks to a dedicated desert adventure programme, organized by General Automotive Company, the official distributors for Mitsubishi in the Sultanate. The month of January saw three waves of participants and on popular demand there’s one more planned for this month. Mark Tomlinson, the General Manager of General Automotive Company, said: “We organize these excursions to the desert in groups of no more than 50 vehicles so that our customers and their families get the opportunity to fully test the capabilities of the Pajero in a safe, controlled and fun environment. The Team Pajero Adventure has received a terrific response every time it is conducted with an ever increasing number of Pajero owners taking part in these events.

The event beganat the Mitsubishi showroom at Athibah, and after an on road drive, the convoy moved towards Wahiba Sands.

Participants were able fully test their off-road driving skills and the Pajero’s capabilities at the Al Raha Camp in Bidiya under the guidance of experienced marshals.

K

TM Middle East Al Shafar introduced the Austrian manufacturer’s newest model in to the Middle East region-- the 2014 KTM 1290 Super Duke R at the Dubai Autodrome. Organized as the ‘KTM 1290 Super Duke R Experience’ the brand invited riders to check out the bike at the circuit. The specifications of KTM’s new Super Duke R certainly hint at something special: 416 lb. (claimed) curb weight; 106 ft.lb. of torque, Bosch Ride-By-Wire fueling, Traction Control, and ABS. The chassis is a chrome-moly trellis painted in KTM’s signature orange. And wraps the liquid-cooled, 75-degree V-twin engine that displaces 1,301cc. The additional 100cc over the RC8 motor comes from a 2mm longer stroke and a 3mm bigger bore. The Super Duke’s compression ratio is slightly reduced at 13.2:1.Peak output is around 180hp that comes around 8,870rpm, although the rev-limiter cuts in at 10,500 rpm. The motor’s power is transmitted via a back-torque limiting slipper-clutch to a smooth shifting, six-speed gearbox.

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

11

Marchionne puts Jeep on the million track

C

Lexus to fast track F performance models

hrysler Group’s SUV Jeep brand is in focus of global business this year and beyond. This is not just because CEO Sergio Marchionne has set an ambitious target of one million global sales of Jeep SUVs in 2014 [representing a huge, 37 per cent jump from 2012], but because of Marchionne’s skill and tactics used in clearing away housekeeping obstacles such as the complete unification of Fiat and Chrysler and a now-ended federal investigation of the safety of several old Jeep models in rear-end collisions.

Marchionne is now free to execute his plan for filling out the rest of the Jeep product lineup and turning the icon of American SUVs into a truly global brand and contributing in this goal will include strong demand for the new Jeep Cherokee, the mid-size SUV re-introduced in a new version late last year, sales of Jeep’s top seller last year, the larger Grand Cherokee [despite some production bottlenecks at a Detroit plant] and a new unnamed compact future model. “We’ve got the small Jeep coming out of Europe,” Marchionne told reporters, pointing to some late-year sales for the unnamed compact SUV to debut at the Geneva auto show in March.

W

hile media and audience reaction to the Lexus RC F was well-received at the Detroit, Toyota’s luxury division isn’t done with performance models yet. A report from Japan hints that a next-generation IS F sedan will be produced concurrently with the grand touring coupe.

Apparently, Lexus wants to take direct aim at Lexus’ German competition and hence the decision to fast track the IS-F. Key rivals targeted are the Mercedes C63 AMG and BMW M3/M4, which are offered in both two- and fourdoor configurations. Power would likely come from the RC F’s naturally-aspirated 5.0-litre V8, estimated to produce just north of 450hp and 383 lb-ft of torque, with a fuel-saving Atkinson-cycle cruising mode and direct- and port-injection. Likewise, the RC F’s eight-speed automatic and torque vectoring differential will follow.

Newly married Fiat and Chrysler gets renamed, adopts new logo

McLaren’s fourth model planned

F

M

cLaren Automotive has confirmed it will add a fourth model to its supercar lineup.

Tentatively called the P15, it will be positioned between the quarter-million-dollar MP4-12C and US$1.15mn P1.McLaren chief executive Mike Flewitt confirmed that the P15 will employ a turbo engine mounted midship in the carbon fibre tub that underpins all modern McLaren road cars. The engine is assumed to be an advanced version of the 616hp 3.8-litre turbocharged V8 that powers the MP4-12C, but Flewitt says that the car is such a long ways off that technology could very well change by the time it’s ready for production.

Meanwhile, McLaren is working overtime on bringing its Porsche 911 Turbo-fighter to production.

The car is code named as the P13 will carry a price tag in the US$198,000 range and will be offered in open-top and track-ready performance versions. McLaren estimates that the P13 could account for more than half its sales, or as many as 2,500 units once it goes on sale. The P13 is expected to go on sale later this year as a 2015 model.

12

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

ollowing Fiat’s acquisition of the minority equity interest in Chrysler Group LLC, previously held by the VEBA Trust, the Fiat Board of Directors has reviewed options for the most appropriate governance and corporate structure.

As a result on January 29, the Board of Directors of Fiat S.p.A. (“Fiat”) approved a corporate reorganization and the formation of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (“FCA”) as a fully-integrated global automaker. This arrangement will help establish a true peer to the major global automotive groups, in both scale and capital market appeal, the Board has decided to establish Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V., organized in the Netherlands, as the parent company of the Group. FCA’s common shares will be listed in New York and Milan.

“A new chapter of our story begins with the creation of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. A journey that started over a decade ago, as Fiat sought to ensure its place in an increasingly complex marketplace, has brought together two organizations each with a great history in the automotive industry and different but complementary geographic strengths. FCA allows us to face the future with a renewed sense of purpose and vigour,” said John Elkann, Chairman of Fiat.

brandwatch

Opel files trademarks for Cascada, Calibra in the US

Ford announced upgrades to Sync AppLink

G

The Cascada name is currently in service on a four-seat cabriolet which Opel sells in Europe and Vauxhall does in UK. The Calibra name hasn’t been used in over a decade but was used on a coupe based on the Opel Vectra, and was also sold by Holden in Australia and Chevrolet in South America.

Breaking news

Cadillac’s Don Butler to head Ford’s connectivity programme It’s no secret that Ford has received its fair share of flak for the sometimes recalcitrant MyFord Touch infotainment system and its Sync voice-controls and has realized that it needs an expert to fix these niggling issues. Blue Oval is so serious about this that it has created a new position of Executive Director of Connected Vehicles and Services in the organization and convinced Cadillac’s VP of global strategic development Don Butler to take on this job. Butler, a virtual General Motors lifer after spending nearly 30 years with the company has been reportedly looking a career options since August 2013. Butler will now be responsible for the Blue Oval’s global connectivity strategy. “Not only does Don understand the connected car landscape, but probably just as important, he understands customer expectations,” said Raj Nair, who, as Group Vice President of Global Product Development, is Butler’s new boss. “Having a leader with technology experience both inside and outside the industry is a rare combination – we’re excited to have Don join our team.”

Future trends: Open Automotive Alliance

A

uto brands from Audi to Hyundai to Chevrolet made it clear at CES that superenhanced in-vehicle internet connectivity is among their most important technological priority these days.

Chevrolet announced that the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette, Impala, Malibu And Volt would be the first GM vehicles to come optionally equipped with OnStar 4G LTE, an industry first across multiple product lines, to be followed quickly by the majority of the 2015 Chevy line-up in the US and Canada. Among other things, the initiative will create a Wi-Fi hotspot in GM vehicles. GM is also participating in the recently rumoured huge new telematics initiative led by Google, called the Open Automotive Alliance, which also includes Audi, Honda, Hyundai and chip maker Nvidia in an effort to customize Google’s Android platform for vehicles that will allow for things such as app access and remote vehicle diagnostics. Work on the new electronic “ecosystem” will further “our mission to bring vehicles into our owners’ digital lives and their digital lives into their vehicles,” said Mary Chan, president of GM’s Global Connected Consumer unit, in a release. Ricky Hudi, Audi’s head of electrics and electronics development, said: “The worlds of consumer and automotive technologies have never been more closely aligned, and this alliance will only pave the way for faster innovation.”

news

eneral Motors had always big plans for its European brand Opel. Outside continental Europe, Opel products are rebadged as Vauxhall in UK, Holden in Australia and Saturn in North America.

Ever since, GM has gone low on Daewoo, it has renewed its focus on Opel. For US, GM is also looking at rebadging some Opel products as Buick. That’s how models like the Insignia [rebadged as Regal] and Mokka [sold as Encore] will eventually make their way to American showrooms.

The buck doesn’t stop there. In a bid to avoid duplication within the brands, GM is looking at new model names.Recent filings with the United States Patent and Trademark Office reveal that GM has applied to register the nameplates Cascada and Calibra in America. Interestingly, GM has filed the trademarks through the Opel division itself and not through Buick or one of its other North American brands.

A

mid the flurry of infotainment announcements at the Consumer Electronics Show in the US last month, Ford is trying to maintain a lead in an area where it blazed trails by expanding and enhancing its Sync telematics platform and swiping a veteran executive with experience in General Motors’ OnStar operation to help out.

Ford announced that it will expand availability of its Sync AppLink to 3.4mn more vehicles later this year with a free upgrade that enables current Ford owners to access and control smartphone apps via voice command. The company ran into problems with consumers over the last couple of years as subsequent generations of Sync became more complicated to operate and owners pushed back via third-party ratings such as Consumer Reports.

But Ford has worked hard to overcome those difficulties, and its latest moves with Sync represent an attempt to re-assert itself in the pole position of a telematics revolution that is vastly reconfiguring the very notion of a car and which is drawing in not only automakers but also a wide range of tech companies in what Ford futurist Sheryl Connelly has called a “quiet riot of innovation.”

“Sync launched a sort of connectivity arms race in the industry,” Jim Farley, Ford’s CMO, said in a statement. “The opportunity is much bigger than just in-car technology—it’s now about connecting the vehicle to a larger ecosystem leveraging the ‘internet of things.’ We are creating a seamless and immersive experience for customers that begin with their first visit to our digital sites and continue throughout their ownership experience.”

Alliance members believe that coming up with open standards of innovation for the “connected car” will help extend mobile experiences seamlessly to the vehicle.

Timing from each automaker will vary, but alliance members said that they expect to see the first cars with Android integration by the end of this year.

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

13

brandwatch

people

Don Butler

It’s no secret that Ford has received its fair share of flak for the sometimes recalcitrant MyFord Touch infotainment system and its Sync voice-controls and has realized that it needs an expert to fix these niggling issues. Blue Oval is so serious about this that it has created a new position of Executive Director of Connected Vehicles and Services in the organization and convinced Cadillac’s VP of global strategic development Don Butler to take on this job. Butler, a virtual General Motors lifer after spending nearly 30 years with the company has been reportedly looking a career options since August 2013. Butler will now be responsible for the Blue Oval’s global connectivity strategy.

“Not only does Don understand the connected car landscape, but probably just as important, he understands customer expectations,” said Raj Nair, who, as Group Vice President of Global Product Development, is Butler’s new boss. “Having a leader with technology experience both inside and outside the industry is a rare combination – we’re excited to have Don join our team.”

Karl Slym

Marc Nassif

Egyptian Marc Nassif who was appointed Executive Director of Renault India and Country General Manager for Renault in India in 2009 and regarded as the man behind the brand’s super success in India will be taking up a much larger role within the company, which could include a special focus on the Asia-Pacific region.

News of Nassif’s departure hasn’t been made official, but it was made public within sections of Renault’s

dealer community. For the India operations, there are strong indications that Sumit Sawhney, Executive Director, is one of the leading contenders for the top position.

Nassif, who has been with Renault India since 2006, has played a critical role in the company’s turnaround since the time it pulled out of its Logan small car joint venture with India’s Mahindra & Mahindra. At that time, not many thought the French automaker could manage a revival. Today, India is quickly on the way to becoming one of Renault’s top 10 markets.

While the Duster compact SUV has spearheaded the recovery of the brand in India, Nassif has used handson approach in decision making by taking lessons from the Logan debacle. Nassif realized the importance of localised knowhow for the Indian market and among the key tasks he orchestrated was to set up a strong engineering and R&D base. The next step was the creation of a strong retail network and supplier base that could also participate in global vehicle programmes.

Osamu Masuko

Suicide or Accident? In its official statement, Tata Motors announced the tragic demise of its Managing Director, Karl Slym, in Bangkok. Slym was in Bangkok to attend a meeting of the Board of Directors of Tata Motors Thailand Ltd. The probable cause of death of this 51-year-old executive is being investigated by Thai Police. First hand reports suggest that Slym fell down from the hotel balcony on 22nd floor to the fourth floor where he succumbed to his injuries before being found by hotel staff.

Karl Slym joined Tata Motors in October 2012 and brought with him years of experience with several global car manufacturers. He started his career as a general manager at Toyota, moved to GM in 1995, and since then has held various roles across geographies like director of manufacturing at Gliwice, Poland. He then went to GM in the US and Canada and later became head of quality, APAC-Seoul, following which he moved to India. GM India’s limited success, from the Spark small car to the Beat and the Chevrolet Cruze, was largely lead by him. The company that had struggled to find its feet here for more than a decade (GM set shop in India in 1995), was able to tot up some volumes during his stint. He was also successful at protecting the India business from GM’s global troubles (the bankruptcy period of 2010-11).

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation will appoint managing director Tetsuro Aikawa to replace Osamu Masuko as president. Masuko San, who has led the automaker for the past nine years, will become chairman after stepping aside.

The new structure will take effect on April 1 and current chairman Takashi Nishioka is expected to resign, according to learned sources. The management changes would come as Japan’s second-tier automaker seeks to leave behind an arduous decade of slumping sales and a tenuous capital structure that had threatened its standing in the increasingly competitive global auto industry. Aikawa, a 35-year veteran of Mitsubishi Motors, hails from an engineering background with expertise in product development and manufacturing. His father is a former president and chairman of the car maker’s top shareholder, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd, earning him the title “Prince” within the Mitsubishi conglomerate. Aikawa will be faced with the task of putting the car maker on a growth track by relying on operational tie-ups to save costs and make up for its lack of scale. Meanwhile, Masuko, 64, has won wide respect among investors since arriving in 2005 from trading house affiliate MMC with the seemingly herculean task of reviving the battered carmaker. That’s not all. The Japanese maker of the popular Pajero and Outlander SUVs last year announced a potentially wide-ranging project-based alliance with Nissan Motor Co and Renault SA RENA.SA that would allow it to tap the Franco-Japanese group’s resources to develop cars jointly.

14

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

The year of turnaround Three years ago, automakers showed off their latest and greatest at the 2014 edition of the North American Auto Show in Detroit with a lot of optimism and hope. And it seems the resilient industry is more optimistic about its prospects this year with the gradual recovery of global markets Author: Chandan B Mallik

I

t’s no secret that the past couple of years have been tough for the automotive industry which had to face the effects of global economic meltdown that resulted in lower sales and production and a cap on investments.

The bright side was this period also acted as a wake-up call to an industry which was focused on limited safe territories to look beyond.

And this is where emerging markets like China, India, Brazil and Russia came in to help industry rewrite rules as to how to go about in global markets. As a result, these new

16

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

markets are now not only dictating product lines but also encouraging automakers to look at flexible approaches in car building while optimizing production costs. And all that has been evident in the motor shows in the past couple of years.

Some hints of what was coming to Detroit as the season’s opening motor show was evident at Tokyo in November 2013. Nevertheless, the excitement continues in the industry and hopefully 2014 will be as busy.

We also made a special observation of how

US-based domestic brands went toe-to-toe with European rivals at the Motor City show, revealing important new cars and concepts.

As expected, the biggest unveilings in Detroit were American badges, but this year’s edition has taken an increasingly international twist.

Foreign brands like, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Honda, BMW, Audi and and Asian brands took to the stage this year with major international unveilings.

Here’s a snapshot of what was on offer. Read on…

Spotlight

Top

BMW M4

Formerly known as the M3, the Munich’s high-performance coupe gains a new name and loses two cylinders. The V8 is abandoned for a twin-turbo straight-six which is also 178 lbs. lighter than before.

Both performance and efficiency have been optimised.

news

newsmakers @ Detroit 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Z06

With 625hp and 635 lb-ft of torque, America’s popular sports car just got a whole lot better. Not only faster, the new Z06 also brings an array of new technologies to the Corvette range, including an eight-speed automatic and a Performance Data Recorder system.

Chrysler 200

Chrysler Group LLC’s midsize sedan slot has been weak till recent but the automaker wants that to be history. With the sharp looking new 200, complementing upmarket interior and an efficient ninespeed automatic should be the ingredients helping the prospects of the 200 in a rather busy and highly competitive segment.

Ford F-150

Detroit also saw the debut of the next-generation of America’s best-selling pick-up truck which is said to be heavily inspired by last year’s Atlas concept.

The incoming pick-up goes on an efficiency drive and makes use of lightweight aluminium in its construction as a means of flab reduction. Losing up to 318kg, swanky looks and improved fuel economy should also set the 2015 F-150 apart in its class. This truck also furthers the segment’s engine downsizing trend with a 2.7-litre EcoBoost twin-turbo V6.

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

17

Top

newsmakers @ Detroit 2014

Lexus RC F

‘Bland and boring’ are two words that Lexus doesn’t want to be associated anymore. The premium luxury arm of Toyota has been giving us all the signs and ample evidence of its blue-blooded ambitions. Officially, Lexus is getting serious about becoming the “new BMW.” Proof of pudding comes in form of the RC F, which boasts a 450hp V8, rear-wheel-drive and a three-mode torque vectoring system.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

While Stanislas Wawrinka claimed his first Grand Slam title in dramatic fashion when he upset injury-troubled world number one Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final last month, in the automotive circuit, the “budget” S-Class aka all-new C-Class could be this year’s underdog. With the new CClass, Mercedes-Benz is consciously moving upmarket to make room for a new entry-level model.

Acura

Honda’s premium brand is known as Acura in the US and this year it seems the brand is in reorganize mode out there. In a bid to simplify its sedan lineup, Acura’s marketing team has suggested the merger of its TSX and TL lines into a single model - the TLX. This idea debuted in prototype form in Detroit. Although touted as a concept, the TLX Prototype is expected to accurately preview the look of the future production model. Positioned between Acura’s entry-level ILX and range-topping RLX models, the TLX borrows cues from both -- including the RLX’s “Jewel Eye” LED lamps and the ILX’s sharp character lines.

Audi

Audi Allroad Shooting Brake, a four-seat E-Tron hybrid showcar powered

by Audi’s 292hp 2.0-litre TFSI four-cylinder backed by a 40kW electric motor and a secondary 85kW motor. The motors also support the Quattro allwheel drive when extra traction and power is called for. As previewed a week before at the Consumer Electronics Show, the Allroad Shooting Brake features Audi’s forthcoming Virtual Cockpit technology, which includes a massive 12.3in TFT screen that provides digital gauges and info for the navigation and audio systems, among other features. It is now widely believed that the basic design of the Allroad Shooting Brake will be grafted on to the next-generation Audi TT, of course with some modifications. On arrival we can expect the rear end of the hatchback to follow the conventional route and its suspension closer to the ground.

Interestingly, Detroit also saw the debut of the two-year old Q3 SUV. It seems the success of BMW X1 and Range Rover Evoque has wakened up the four-ringed band to look at this segment as part of its volume aspirations.

18

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

Chevrolet

Incoming GM CEO Mary Barra must be very pleased with the results of two of Chevrolet models. For the first time in history, Chevrolet has taken out both categories in the prestigious North American Car and Truck of the Year awards. Its 2014 Corvette Stingray sports car was picked by the judges for the car category while its 2014 Silverado 1500 pick-up truck was picked for the truck/utility category in this year’s event.

Meanwhile a trio of Corvettes wooed the crowds beginning with the new C7 Z06, which is the hottest street going version built on the aluminium architecture of the Corvette C7.R racecar. nlike its predecessors, it features a supercharged engine that produces 625hp and 635lb ft of torque. Chevrolet claims that it’s currently clocking faster lap times than the outgoing Corvette ZR1, indicating that it’s a seriously capable car.

BMW

BMW Group was surely dressed to impress and it had a few reasons to appeal to enthusiasts of the blue and white propeller logo company. BMW had a number of debuts at the show this year. We got our first official looks at the 2014 2 Series coupe, 2015 M3 sedan and the 2014 M4 coupe on the show floor. The electric i3 city car and its plug-in hybrid i8 supercar cousin were there as well, along with 2014 BMW Z4 convertible. We can summarise the presentation by saying that 1-series replacement gets bigger and new M3 and M4 get lighter.

Chrysler Group

Chrysler Group completed its roll out of refreshed models just in time for the North American International Auto Show and its key reveals included the refreshed Chrysler 200C, 200 C S and Dodge Viper.

Top on the Chrysler agenda has been the 200C which has been now designed to re-establish the model’s presence in the American mid-size sedan segment. The refreshed sedan appeared as menacing as it is elegantly draped in layers of chrome with an exterior is distinguished by a bold grille, LED-infused headlights and sculpted bodywork.

A lot of attention has gone inside the car also.

Cadillac

A recharged Cadillac unveiled the new ATS Coupe, which the performance luxury brand thinks will make it closer to competing with its European rivals – BMW and Mercedes-Benz in particular. BMW’s new 4 Series coupe has been launched and with this two-door version of the ATS sedan, Cadillac has its sights set on giving the Germans a hard run for their money.

The base four-cylinder turbocharged engine has nearly 14per cent more torque than its four-door counterpart and a six-cylinder is also available.

Enhancements like a robust engine cooling system, limited-slip differential and Brembo brakes prove that Cadillac is serious about track performance.

Honda

Honda was back on track with its mainstream bread and butter models and the focus this year was on the compacts – the Fit [Jazz in our markets], in particular. Unlike most other cars that get redesigned and get bigger, the Fit actually loses 1.6in in length, but gets a bit wider. The real news is that the interior is larger and more useful. With the Honda-exclusive Magic Seat® offering multiple configurable seating positions, the Fit provides an unrivaled 52.7 cubic feet of cargo space when the second row seats are folded flat. With an overall height of 60in, the Fit allows for easy loading of items into the rear cargo and ingress/egress for passengers. The car also features an all-new direct-injected 1.5-litre DOHC i-VTEC engine capable of generating 130hp at 6,500 rpm and 114 lb.-ft. of torque at 4600 rpm.

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

19

GMC

In the US, Chrysler and Ford have both discontinued their smaller truck offerings, ceding the market to Japanese automakers such as Nissan with its Frontier and Toyota with its Tacoma. And that leaves General Motors with the responsibility of ensuring American presence in the segment with its all-SUV GMC brand.

As a result GMC is thinking ahead with the introduction of a new mid-size pick-up truck called the Canyon. With fuel prices and emissions standards on the rise, it sees the opportunity to offer a more fuel-efficient alternative to pickup buyers who might not need the capabilities of a full-size truck. The new GMC Canyon targets small-business owners and other professional users, whereas Chevrolet’s version of this pick-up, the Colorado, which debuted at the 2013 Los Angeles auto show, is more geared toward outdoor usage.

Hyundai

Hyundai has kept the pedal to the metal for years now in its bid to become one of the major players in the global economy and, especially, the US market. This year, however, Hyundai’s focus will be reinvigorating its model line-up. The South Korean car-maker is planning to introduce at least three new models in 2014, and the line-up could include a sporty sub-compact SUV similar to the Curb concept it unveiled in 2011.

The first model to roll out will likely be a full-sized medium-class sedan replacement for the discontinued YF-Series i45. This new car will make its world premiere as the LF Sonata at the New York International Auto Show in April. It will sport a more subdued version of the current Fluidic Sculpture styling language. The new Sonata will be feature packed to take on the likes of Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, Chevy Malibu and Kia Optima. Following the Sonata, there’s the new look Genesis sedan and down to the B segment, the ageing i20 hatchback is also expected to be replaced this year. The next-gen i20 is also poised to spawn a sub-compact SUV to take on the Chevrolet Trax, Ford EcoSport, Nissan Juke, Renault Captur, Suzuki S-Cross and Peugeot 2008.

Mercedes-Benz

The C-Class used to be Mercedes’ most affordable and biggest-selling model series from the German brand. But with the value-oriented CLA-Class now assuming that position in the line-up, the C-Class naturally moves up market. Mercedes have packaged the new C-Class on the lines of a baby S-Class, with a level of luxury and features several classes above its pay grade. It’s larger but lighter than before and, in typical Mercedes fashion, introduces high-tech features like an adjustable air suspension and crash-avoidance systems typically not found in this segment.

20

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

Infiniti

The name Eau Rouge comes from a difficult turn at Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps Circuit. Even the professional brave hearts fear that particular corner during competition and naming a car which takes such a reference may seem to be an unconventional idea to many. However, Infiniti thinks otherwise and even goes forward to suggest that this was an exceptional idea to help the brand capitalize on the sponsorship it has with the Red Bull Racing Formula One team. At the press conference Infiniti launched a new concept based on the new Q50 sedan called the Q50 Eau Rouge which it claimed comes “infused with the enticing spirit of Formula One.”

Kia

After several pre-show teasers, Kia formally unveiled its GT4 Stinger Concept at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show. It’s a 2+2, rear-drive coupe with a detuned version of the 2.0-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder used in the Kia Optima GTS racer from the Pirelli World Challenge. With a 103.1in wheelbase and an overall length of just 169.7in, it’s only a few inches longer than a Toyota 86 and is considerably shorter than the 182.3in long Hyundai Genesis Coupe. Most keen observers think that a production GT4 would be more of a Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ fighter than a rival to the Hyundai Genesis Coupe. While the Kia has clearly been influenced by the success of the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ twins, Schreyer admitted that the Mazda MX-5 was the inspiration for the project.

Meanwhile, Kia could also look at a soft-top version of the GT4 Stinger coupe if the swanky three-door coupe were given the production go-ahead. Kia Motors Corporation president Peter Schreyer said at Detroit that he would be inclined to engineer a convertible offshoot as well. A decision on green-lighting the GT4 Stinger balances on critical and public reaction to the concept car.

Mazda

Less than two weeks before the Mazda Skyactiv Prototype makes its race debut at the 2014 Rolex 24 at Daytona, the Japanese Zoom-Zoom brand brought its diesel-powered racer to the floor of the 2014 Detroit Auto Show. The red prototype marks Mazda’s official return to prototype racing.

MINI

MINI is close to celebrating the 15th anniversary of the brand’s revival and its re-launch in the US market. At Detroit the British brand showcased a new concept called John Cooper Works MINI. This concept looked decidedly better than the standard car that debuted in Los Angeles late last year. Styling cues like the bigger grille, lowered front valance and flared wheel arches make the car more visually compelling.

Lexus

The premium Japanese Toyota brand has accelerated development work on the NX series. The NX represents the brand’s foray in the mid-sized SUV segment, where models like Audi Q5 and BMW X3 are very popular. A Lexus production version expected to be premiered before the end of this year. Previewed by the LF-NX concept car at last September’s Frankfurt motor show, the new NX will give Lexus a belated presence in one of the fastest-growing luxury segments.

It will be interesting to see how the production NX eventually comes out as some of the concept’s design elements divided critics when it first appeared at Europe’s largest car show last year. While Lexus continues its push to add eye-catching style to its repertoire as per directives from president Akio Toyoda, it is expected that some of the edgy elements may filter in, but overall execution will be streamlined as evidenced by its more recent show and road cars. This means an end to the years of conservatism in design.

Nissan

At the Tokyo Motor show in November 2013, Nissan Motor Company executive vicepresident Andy Palmer gave us as a hint that a rear-wheel-drive 2+2-seater coupe could slot in well below the current 370Z sports car in terms ofpricing, positioning and size.

At Detroit, Nissan confirmed that the Tokyo motor show-starring IDx Concept would find its way to production sometime within the next two years. However, Palmer made the distinction of singling out just one of the two IDx concept vehicles [one was stock Nissan and other Nismo treated] as a manufacturing certainty, but which one, we still don’t know. “I am not saying that we won’t do both, but we definitely will do one of them. I’d sit in somewhere … where 200SX/Silvia used to sit,” said Palmer. The first of the two, dubbed the IDx Freeflow is seen as a more accessible and eco-minded version designed to use engines displacing 1.2-litre to 1.5-litre with CVT continuously variable transmission, while the Nismo version gets the usual performance enhancements and badging.But the biggest news at the stand was Nissan’s stunning sports sedan concept. We are aware that Nissan is in the midst of overhauling its design language and about a year ago we got a glimpse at the new design direction in the Resonance crossover concept, which was followed in Shanghai by the connected-car Friend-Me hatchback concept. Many believe the Sedan Concept previews the future Maxima.

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

21

Toyota

A radical metamorphosis is taking place at Toyota. Toyota opened the 2014 season with its top players at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show. First to come off the ramp was the striking FT-1 Concept [short for “Future Toyota,”]. Most of us believe that the FT-1 concept is the successor of the supposed Supra Concept we talked about last year. The FT-1 draws inspirations from the FT-HS and the Lexus LF-LC concepts from 2007 and 2012 and has been penned by Toyota’s Calty Design Research team. “Our team was heavily influenced by Toyota’s sports car past, especially Celica and Supra, and we sought to capture some of that history. It is an aggressive, track-focused sports car concept with a presence that has been amplified for shock and awe,” said Alex Shen, Calty’s Studio Chief Designer.

Porsche

Porsche is continuing to extend its performance and high efficiency competence via intensive development work in the field of hybrid technology ever since the brand decided to return to Detroit. Along with coupe and convertible variants, the Targa has been a popular variant in the Porsche 911 range since 1965. We may recall that it was the first “safety cabriolet” which made its debut at that year’s Frankfurt Auto Show. The 2014 Detroit Auto Show marked the debut of the 2014 Porsche 911 Targa. From a design perspective, the new Targa continues in the traditional and yet familiar formula used in several generations which is combining the traditional 911 profile with a unique B-pillar design and wrap-around rear screen. As expected, two Targa models will be available at launch, namely the 911 Targa 4 and Targa 4S. Both variants are all-wheel drive and get the wider track of the all-wheel-drive coupes and convertibles to accommodate the bigger drivetrain. Porsche Traction Management keeps the efforts of the two engines in check--the 350hp, 3.4-litre Targa 4 and 400hp, 3.8-litre 4S. Porsche’s double clutch transmission is also offered.

Volkswagen

In addition to bringing the US market-spec 2015 Golf R to Detroit for the 2014 NAIAS, Volkswagen brought the all-electric e-golf which has made several appearances on the auto show circuit already as well as a couple concept vehicles. But the car that attracted the audience was the urban dune buggy concept built on the VW Beetle R-Line. The VW Dune Buggy concept is aimed at those that love the outdoors. Two inches of extra ground clearance improves the VW Beetle’s off-road performance and since interior cargo room is at a premium, Volkswagen has built in an innovative roof rack that integrates with the rear spoiler to help transport your skis, snowboards and surfboards. On the technology application front, the Passat Bluemotion was an interesting take to improve fuel economy where VW also showcased the industry’s first four-cylinder engine with cylinder deactivation technology.

Volvo

At the Tokyo show, Volvo’s focus was on design with a concept. At Detroit, the Scandinavian brand went a step further with a concept car whose design is said to be “Inspired by modern sports equipment.” The two-door, four-seat XC Coupe showcased was factory fitted with a complementing ski box, looking sharp on its large 21in wheels. According to Volvo, the box isn’t an afterthought. As for the rest of the concept’s genetic makeup, no details were revealed. However, Volvo has admitted that the XC Coupe rides atop its new boron-steel-intensive Scalable Product architecture and derivatives will include a “plug-in hybrid” version.

22

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

2013 Automan

Automan’s Car of the Year [COTY] is Oman’s most prized automotive award for excellence. And after a hectic year of testing cars in Oman, various in the region and internationally, Automan proudly announces the winners of the models in their respective categories in this issue. A total of 55 candidates were eligible for Car of the Year 2013 award and all of the contenders are new vehicles available now or available before 2013MY year end in the GCC markets. All cars under consideration for COTY have been driven

by Automan editors exclusively. Cars which were launched by manufacturers but not made available to Automan have been excluded from this assessment.

COTY winners announced Small Car

Performance SUV

Peugeot 301: Best car in the booming small car segment, thanks to great handling and impressive refinement.

Small SUV

Midsize SUV

Nissan Pathfinder: a sleek, aerodynamically styled exterior, a premium interior, class-exclusive user-friendly technology and a new unibody platform and advanced drivetrain that helps it achieve best-in-class fuel economy while maintaining class-lead towing and off-pavement capabilities.

24

www.automanweb.com

Range Rover Sport: Lighter, stylish and positioned appropriately in the line-up with a clear cut agenda, this is the ultimate in off-road, SUV luxury that many carmakers would love to emanulate.

FEB 2014

Toyota RAV4: once a segment pioneer, the new RAV4 offers a thoughtful balance of performance and all-around capability, including class-leading cargo capacity and striking design and a compelling array of standard features.

Oman & region

Large Car

news

Performance Car

Ferrari F12 berlinetta: a new generation of Ferrari powertrains that deliver unprecedented performance from an exceptional new V12 engine, unparalleled handling and innovative design and aerodynamics.

Large SUV

Lexus LX570: refreshed inside out, the eightpassenger Lexus LX 570 continues to deliver on challenging off-road adventures as well as luxurious daily driving.

Toyota Avalon: From a ‘where am I positioned’ in the line-up to a focused slot with all the luxury and efficiency attributes.

Premium SUV

Audi Q5: Sporty, attractive and versatile - the Audi Q5 is performance SUV within the segment with very little to complain about.

The year-long programme saw Automan testing over 90 cars in different locations around the globe.

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

25

Luxury Car

Premium Car

Mercedes S-Class: In a battle of the big three Germans, the rock-solid Mercedes-Benz’s S-Class successfully takes the top honours.

Cadillac CTS: Finally, a focused global model that is capable of taking on Europe’s finest.

Hot Hatch

Sports Car

Porsche Cayman: Balanced handling, unadulterated driving experience without the technology restrictions or excuses.

VW Golf GTI: Reigning champ the Volkswagen GTI retains its crown as king of the hatchbacks. It was a comprehensive victory for the seventh generation model, well ahead of Ford’s Focus ST etc.

Irrespective of location, each car was put through the paces where the testers observed their dynamic ability, steering response, chassis and suspension when it 26

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

Midsize Car

Mazda6: style and functionality go hand in hand. A combination of fuel economy and dynamic ability makes it compelling.

Best Debut

Jaguar F-Type: Spiritual successor to the E-Type isn’t just on paper. And by introducing a wide range of powertrains and pricing options, there’s one coupe for everyone.

Editor’s Choice

Rolls-Royce Wraith: Bordering on the GT, this is the first Rolls-Royce with some impressive sporting capabilities.

changed direction, grip availability and even things like stability control. In addition, the feature and convenience pack was also considered according to market requirements FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

27

COVERstory | 2014 Nissan Patrol

The big gets better In a midlife revamp, the Nissan Patrol is back with restyled exteriors, new interior colours and a more modern package.

Author: Raj Warrior | Photographs: Author & supplied

28

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

29

The mid-life Upgrade has now brought the Patrol into territory that is typically Infiniti Yet with the new entry grade adds appeal for the fleet market

T

he Nissan Patrol has had a rather exciting year. For Nissan as a brand, you couldn’t ask for a better flagship SUV. If it has any competitor at all the Patrol has only the Land Cruiser to contend with – and with the launch of the Y62 platform in 2010, Nissan upgraded its game to take on the LC200 platform. Sales of the marque are up with 2012 sales in the region hitting 15,000 units and the first three quarters of 2013 bringing up the volume to similar levels. The

30

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

brand expects to close the financial year at the 20,000 levels and with the changes being brought in for the 2014 model year, expects to hit the 30,000 mark.

Additionally, 2013 was a memorable year for the brand based on its “What if?” campaign, closing with a world record attempt at the Sharjah airport where an essentially unmodified Patrol hauled a IL76 transporter plane with a weight of over 170 tons. And finally, some semblance of order has been put

in place in the critical Saudi Arabian market with Nissan Middle East entering as the national sales company.

So things are looking rather upbeat for Nissan as the 2014 MY Patrol hits the showrooms.

To highlight the model and its changes the company laid out an elaborate test drive event in Jordan that was originally scheduled for December only to get literally snowed out as a freak snowstorm hit the Levant region.

So we caught up in mid-January with the

rescheduled event that covered two days of driving from the shores of the Dead Sea to the hills around Petra and back through the central plains to Amman.

The Patrol stays on the Y62 platform that debuted in 2010. You could treat it as a midlife restyle, with most of the work done on the outer panels which in any case are the first target of a touch up. The fenders and front lower airdam get sleeker and most of the

rest of the change is reserved for the tailgate region which company officials admitted was one of the problem areas in customer feedback, with many considering the tailgate as too bland. If you haven’t had your fill with the restyle, then count your blessings with the new lighting combination - with the front LED piped headlight surrounds now having a signature identity.

In addition to this the interiors too have gone

through a revamp. There is a new interior colour in tan (to complement the grey and beige interiors that were already on offer).

The tan is partnered with a light wood trim and seems to have been put on the table as a result of feedback from customers.

The company seems to have a strong ongoing feedback program that has resulted in different generations of models continuing to be offered side by side in certain markets

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

31

- like the Y61 platform, which was supposed to be superseded in 2010 is still on offer due to demand in Australia and the Middle East region.

One part that hasn’t really changed is the powertrain - with the huge 5.6-litre unit being the only size on offer although this time there are two variants - with the VK56DE and the VK56VD giving you a choice between regular and direct injection and a subsequent difference in the power output available.

In terms of grades of spec levels too there has been a change. Now the entry level is the XE with 6-speed manual (also on the SE-T1 model), 5-speed auto with manual mode on the rest of the SE grades and a 7-speed auto

32

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

with manual on the LE grades.

The bigger changes that the Patrol now has are in the inorporation of a feature set that is taken straight out of the Infiniti parts bin - around view monitors, lane-departure warning, rear cross traffic sensors and independent monitors with independent video or gaming streams.

Of course in terms of performance the Patrol has its own unique blend of grunt and grace.

The torque from either of two V8 engines is already among the best on offer - remember that this is the vehicle that towed an IL76.

The rumble of the engine is audible with the windows lowered but once you raise them the cabin is an insulated cocoon with almost no

audible feedback.

The initial part of the drive involved a departure from our hotel on the Dead Sea and a climb into the mountains surrounding it. All in all the climb seemed substantial until you realise that most hill climbs in Oman are more arduous. Up through the switchbacks, a stop for coffee and tea over some freshly baked fatiras with some stunning views on the side and a descent back to the main road heading south brought us almost up to our lunch stop which was a little off the wadi rum area.

The evening turned out to be just a touch more demanding - after a sojourn through some villages that brought us out at little Petra, the entire convoy had to drive through some off-road tracks to a look-out point where we waited as the Sun headed towards

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

33

the horizon. Part of our drive back to the hotel just outside Petra was back over the off-road tracks in the dark. However, we have tested the Patrol Y62 before and there was no stage of the entire drive that would have us screaming out about something new we discovered. If any changes have been brought about in the underbody, they are

34

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

small in nature and really can be confused in the gearshift patterns of the two different auto gearboxes that we drove over the two days.

The second morning began with a walk into the hillside tomb city of Petra, albeit the smaller condensed version due to the fact that we were anticipating a three hour plus

drive back to Amman airport for an early evening flight.

The drive back to Amman saw the Patrols stretch their legs at greater than regular highway speeds - quiet, composed and definitely an elegant and luxurious alternative to an outright luxury SUV purchase.

For that’s where the bulk of the marketing effort for the Patrol seems to be focussed - with a direct injection engine for the top levels, far better interiors, feature rich cabins and an almost Infiniti like appeal.

All of that is of course without giving up on its performance credo with Hydraulic body motion Control, one of the most effective 4-wheel drives in town and the grunt of the V8 engine. The target of 30,000 units being sold in the region seems reachable, but what really needs to be seen is whether the Y62 can take the battle completely to the LC200 in the region, especially in the larger volume segment of the desert travellers and the leasing fleets.

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

35

COVERstory | 2014 Porsche Cayman S

Evocative performer

36

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

A

s a relatively new badge in the Porsche line-up, the Cayman name is just eight years old. When the model was first launched in 2006 model, it was mechanically based on the Boxster and was initially considered more of a variant of a Boxster than a standalone. And, why not? Most Caymans and Boxsters are assembled in Finland for Porsche

by Valmet Automotive. The close relationship between the Boxster and the Cayman goes beyond this as the Cayman (internally known as project 987c) and the second generation Boxster roadster (project 987) shared the same mid-engined platform and many other components, including the front mudguards and boot lid, doors, headlights, taillights besides the cab forward stance of the interior.

Despite the close proximity with the Boxster, the sheetmetal of the first generation Cayman had borrowed some styling cues from two classic Porsches, the 550 Coupé and the 904 Coupé.

This is as perfect Porsche can be expected to deliver for its second generation all-new 2014 Cayman S. Automan took the car out for a spin in UAE Author: Chandan B Mallik | Photography: author and Nabeel Ferzan

In a bid to separate the models in the hierarchy and as part of establishing the Cayman’s standalone identity-cum-personality, the Cayman’s successor has been designed and engineered ground up instead of adopting a pure parts bin approach [which Porsche could but it would have led to its own set of limitations]. In fact, the new Cayman is the third sports car model series from Porsche to take advantage of state-of-the-art lightweight body construction.

the overall effect aided also by its lowered by 10mm chassis [11mm in the ‘S’], thus pushing the wheels closer to the corners more than before. Porsche has also widened the track of the Cayman by 36mm and that of the Cayman S variant by 40mm. The wheel arches are also big enough to allow the standard 19in rims be shod with 235/40 tyres in front and wider 265/40 profile tyres in back.

At first glance, the car’s stance appears to have changed in line with its proportions. The overall profile and design DNA seems to have matured, thanks in part to the 60mm longer wheelbase and broader track. Despite having grown just 33mm in length, the front overhang has been shortened by 26mm to compensate

Like the Boxster, the Cayman’s character lines have been sharpened and it appears precision cut and although bit edgy in places, seems balanced. While the lowered centre of gravity should help in performance, the windscreen has been shifted forward by 100mm while the sloping roof line appears to

have moved far back now with both utilitarian and aerodynamics in mind, also evident from the GT3-inspired functional air induction scoops on the sides. Up front form meets function quite nicely, and in some respects aggressively. The lower valance is larger now as it houses larger than before cooling ducts on either side. The stretched headlights now come with four-point LED daytime running lights and mounted directly to the rear lid is the thin blade of the rear spoiler, which in contrast to that of the Boxster is placed higher and also deploys at a steeper angle. The newly designed tailpipes of the exhaust system are placed centrally in the valance and depending on design there visual differentiation [an oval tailpipe for standard, while the ‘S’ gets two-branch bifurcated tips] between the standard and ‘S’ models. What we liked overall in the new Cayman’s design and profile is that it appears better defined and exceptionally well-differentiated from the previous model.

In its construction, one of the engineering objectives was reduce weight while improving power to weight ratios without sacrificing torsional rigidity. As a result, the car now uses more aluminium in its architecture [which it shares with the new 911]. Aluminium makes up to 44per cent of the Cayman’s bodyin-white and is used in the front and rear body shell, floorpan, doors, and in front and rear boot lids. This mixed aluminium-steel construction has helped reduce weight by around 47 kg while torsional rigidity has also improved by 40 per cent.

Unlike older sports cars where interiors were secondary considerations, the new Cayman’s interior exhibits the Porsche’s design culture.

The cabin is genuinely luxurious, while not forgetting about the functional aspects and ergonomics. Build and material quality are

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

37

now amongst the industry finest. As always, instruments are more about visual efficiency and detailing, something Porsche has excelled in since 1957. Unlike many sports cars, the Cayman offers cabin and useful storage space besides two boots.

Our test vehicle was the Cayman S, which gets a revised 3.4-litre version of Porsche’s classic boxer engine. Along with various tweaks to the induction system results in 325hp [plus 5hp] and 272 lb-ft of torque at 4,500rpm to the wheels through the double clutch PDK seven-speed gearbox.

The test car came with active suspension which allows the driver to select between two different modes: ‘Normal’ which is a blend of performance and comfort, and ‘Sport’ where the set-up is much firmer besides a further 10mm drop of chassis. The car’s front axle use redesigned MacPherson struts and the set-up has been recalibrated to offer better anti-dive qualities.

The electronic aid called Porsche Torque Vectoring or PTV which the sports car maker has introduced is something every enthusiast would want in a sports car. The technical story is that PTV mates a mechanical differential lock with the car’s anti-lock brake system and slows the appropriate inside rear wheel when cornering.

Driving impressions

Some cars have it all together right from the start and it communicates the same the very moment you fire the engine, select gear and set off down the road. I am happy to note that this new second-generation 2014 Porsche Cayman S is among those cars we have tested in recent times.

38

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

Even before we had drawn the frameless door open and climbed in, we already had a fair idea of what to expect from this strictly twoseater coupe. The upgraded 3.4-litre engine is eager to deliver the best of both worlds which means it is equally at home providing for docile part-throttle traits in an everyday city driving environment and captivating liveliness when the conditions allow, particularly above 4,000 rpm where the camshaft profile is noticeably altered and it really begins to deliver, in a track situation.

Significantly, we note some interesting aspects of the remapping of the engine where peak power and torque are delivered have now risen by 700rpm and 1,300rpm respectively.

This has allowed the engine to offer a slightly better torque delivery than in the old Cayman S. While its core character hasn’t changed in any way greatly noticeable, but there is now even more reason to explore the upper end on open or winding fast roads. The best attribute, the one that sticks in your memory well after you’ve climbed out, remains the sound it makes at wide-open throttle.

Changes to the induction and exhaust system have enhanced what was already a stirring soundtrack, providing the Cayman S with the aural attributes to back up its exceptional dynamic characteristics.

With a 0-100km/h sprint time of 4.4secs approximately, the car feels quick but not supercar quick in a straight line, but the performance is where you get your bang for the money with the 2014 Porsche Cayman S. Another aspect, we particularly recognize is the advantage of the torque vectoring system which Porsche has introduced. With its engine mounted low down wholly within

Although enthusiasts will prefer the more potent engine in the Cayman S as it delivers the one-of-a-kind experience of a high-revving engine wailing directly right behind your head

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

39

the wheelbase and the majority of its weight concentrated over the rear wheels, the Cayman has never lacked for traction but PTV seems to have improve it even further.

Also on our short list of niggles relates to the new Cayman’s electric-assist power steering system set-up. Although the steering effort

40

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

is spot-on and its precision is in-perfect, it lacks the tactile feedback that distinguished the original Cayman’s steering or even older Porsche’s with hydraulic set-ups. But it is the chassis that really shines, as its actions are superbly responsive. There’s proper compliance and it is never harsh, even on badly pitted pavement when the suspension

is set up in Sport mode. The brakes are beyond any criticism.

Verdict

In short, the 2014 Porsche Cayman S is stunning piece of machinery to behold.

This Cayman hasn’t lost any of its ability to entertain and more importantly, it has enough

Notably, the Cayman S is an easier car to drive hard than a 911, as its responses are more immediate, predictable and forgiving

merits to stand out on its own. Punters in the market looking for a new sports car will find the 2014 Porsche Cayman merits strong consideration and will find that it probably is the only mid-engine coupe in this price range.

Potential rivals include the new Nissan 370Z and arguably the 911 itself. All are interesting cars, but if you want to own the purest vision of a Porsche sports car, there’s no substitute for the 2014 Porsche Cayman.

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

41

RoadTests | 2014 Aston Martin DB9

42

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

Still compelling

Aston Martin hasn’t produced an all-new mainstream product for a while, which means that Aston is in the unfortunate position of having to celebrate its centenary with little more than upgrades and a few specialedition models. Automan checks out the upgraded for 2014, hardtop two-door coupe, the DB9 in Oman Author: Chandan B Mallik | Photography: Elvis John Ferrao

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

43

While the DB9 lacks the fun factor of some smaller, nimbler cars like the Porsche 911, it’s still athletic.

The adaptive suspension provides much of the magic in this regard, whether absorbing poor roads in Normal, chasing up winding roads in Sport mode

A

ston Martin’s middle-order DB9 was designed by Ian Callum and Henrik Fisker, and was first revealed at the 2003 Frankfurt Auto Show. The DB9 was the successor of the DB7 and it was the first model built at Aston Martin’s Gaydon facility.

In the current pecking order of the line-up, it is the DBS which sits at the top end and then you have a V12 Vantage which is closer to

44

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

the DB9’s price bracket. In order to give some differentiation, the suave and elegant DB9 was attended to for the 2010 model year and then again last year to bring it up to speed.

While no new features join the spec sheet for 2014, last year’s additions of a pop-up navigation screen, rearview camera, and automatic headlights help keep Aston Martin’s DB9 GT sports car up-to-date.

Marek Reichman, Director of Design, Aston Martin has largely retained the original Ian Callum profile of the car and focused more on the jewelry and detailing. Some of the updated design influences can be seen from the Rapide and One-77. The front bumper is new and sports a more Rapide-esque nose, clear lens adorn the rear lamp clusters and a more definitive treatment on the side-skirts.

It may be noted that the five horizontal vanes

The DB9 has been the subject of several subtle, model-year changes during the years so, even though it first appeared in 2003, it doesn’t feel outdated.

that make it up are chamfered to create an aerofoil profile and they also feed air into the new Carbon Ceramic Braking system, which is now standard in this model. At the rear, the 2014 DB9 adds a more pronounced rear boot ‘flip’ to further enhance the aerodynamic performance of the car.

Inside the cabin, we observed that the revised DB9 has become yet more elegant and more

luxurious, thanks to some nice detailing and materials. The hand stitched leather welt [first seen on Virage] is inspired by luxury leather goods and detail and craftsmanship can be seen in the jewel-like glass switchgear.

The interior’s tightly fitted leather and trim feel modern while the retractable LCD touchscreen now offers sharper resolution but the digital displays elsewhere appear from a different era and mismatched. Aston says the

navigation software has been upgraded and it is easier to use than before. Despite the modest additions and improvements, if there is a place where the Aston is beginning to feel its age, it’s in the cabin. The DB9’s small rear seats are still unpractical, there’s not improvement in cargo space management.

Since the DB9 has been around for almost a decade, the model has been witness to several

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

45

in-house engineering enhancements which have been applied on the newer or limited editions. One of the ace cards Aston Martin has enjoyed so far that it has based all its cars on the ‘VH’ extruded/bonded aluminium architecture. The benefit is that when Aston makes a significant engineering change, it can be rolled across all models and some of the tweaks made to lighten the chassis also find their way in the current DB9.

That’s not all. In the earlier years of its career, the DB9’s performance was often criticized as its engine and handling felt weak. With European sports car manufacturers seemingly

46

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

having just one high-level response to updating their offerings—add more power— Aston went to work under the DB9’s bonnet and as a result the current version of the DB9 incorporates many improvements. T First, this DB9 sees the introduction of the new generation AM11 V12 engine which takes some of the ‘Gen4’ VH architecture hardware technology [developed for forthcoming allnew super GT] that has been tuned to suit the character of DB9. The result is an engine which offers effortless torque of up to 620Nm and peak power of 510hp. Key features of the AM11 unit include a revised block

and new head including dual variable valve timing, enlarged throttle bodies, uprated fuel pump, revised intake manifold and machined combustion chambers. Transmission is a ZFderived 6-speed sequential shift automatic transmission with paddle shift operation. The DB9 has a top speed of 295km/h and a 0 to 100km/h time of 4.6secs and despite it being lighter at 3,800lbs, it is not as fast as others in the peer group.

Carbon ceramic brakes now come as standard and the large brake rotors [398mm diameter at the front, 360mm at the rear] are mounted onto the bespoke disc bells

While no new features join the spec sheet for 2014, last year’s additions of a pop-up navigation screen, rearview camera, and automatic headlights help keep it up-to-date. using a ‘floating disc’ system. This allows the discs to flex relative to their mountings thereby making them less prone to ‘judder’.

The discs are cross-drilled and dedicated air intakes mounted behind the lower front grille also force feed air into the brake discs to aid cooling. This braking arrangement helps save around 12.5kg versus a conventional cast iron system.

Mechanically there’s just the one change related to suspension. Adaptive dampers are now fitted as standard and they have two driver selectable modes – normal and sport.

The old optional Sport Pack is now redundant.

Driving impressions

Given the fact that the DB9 is among the oldest in the pack which has been significantly upgraded, it is able to exude the purest of grand tourer experiences. The DB9 rides with fluidity, and steers precisely, smoothly and with decent feel. It is also is fast, comfortable, and quiet unless provoked. The six-speed

paddle-shifted ZF automatic transmission clicks quick shifts, but we think it lacks the crisp, throttle-blipping precision of a modern dual clutch which we find in a lot of fast cars these days. The transmission set-up seems to have a tight control over the torque converter so it never feels slushy. We liked the decent spread of power and fine response from the engine and the exhaust note from the 12 cylinders is a delight especially when the baffles open up in sport mode.

We also recall the fact that in early DB9s, many drivers felt there was a tendency of some unwanted steering kickback. Aston engineers rectified this issue by designing a much stiffer cross-member behind the dashboard and the steering column is mounted to it. The arrangement has delivered: it has reduced the knocking effect through the steering wheel considerably.

On the handling front, with the new adaptive damping system, the DB9 handles quite

satisfactorily. Tyre grip is good and it’s approachable in the style of the best long, front engined, rear wheel drive GT cars.

Having driven other models in the Aston line-up, we can confidently say that this car is more mature and relaxed than the V12 Vantage. Interestingly, despite being built on very similar architecture the two feel different – the Vantage is the sports car and the DB9 every inch a grand tourer.

Verdict

Closing in on a decade on the market, the Aston Martin DB9 still manages to capture the essence of the British marque. The model even survived an attempt to replace it with the Virage, which itself lasted only two years on the market. With the improvements, the car is as contemporary as it can be. We’re not arguing with its sleek exterior, elegant interior or powertrain. In fact, we’re rather taken by the whole package and think there are still a few miles in this car’s career.

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

47

firstdrive | 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander

48

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

A

s a car brand, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation [MMC] is regarded as Japan’s second-tier automaker, an image which MMC is now keen to leave behind an arduous decade of slumping sales and a tenuous capital structure that had threatened its standing in the increasingly competitive global auto industry. Mitsubishi has survived the odds, thanks to its very strong fundamental foundations and a focused product approach engineered by outgoing president Osamu Masuko [Masuko will become chairman of MMC wef 01.04. 2014].

The first generation Outlander designed

by Olivier Boulay for the American and European market was essentially a rebadged and modified Japanese domestic market Mitsubishi Airtrek. This version was also sold in some other markets under the name Mitsubishi Airtrek, while in the rest of the world, it retained the Outlander name.

With the commercial success of Gen I Outlander, Mitsubishi prepared the Gen II in 2007 Outlander with a compelling blend of driven-to-thrill dynamics, bold styling, five- or seven-passenger versatility, plus the segment’s first flap-fold tailgate for easy loading besides several user-technology firsts for the compact SUV segment. It was also dimensionally larger as it was based on a new performance-engineered global platform that’s also shared with Lancer and Lancer Evolution models.

Mitsubishi have moved forward with Gen III, the incoming model to inculcate it with new level of innovation and premium feel besides

Eleven years after Mitsubishi Motors Corporation first coined the term “crossover”, the Japanese brand has unveiled its third embodiment of this concept with the all-new next generation Outlander at the 2012 International Geneva Motor Show. The production version has now arrived in Oman and Automan is among the first to test drive this new arrival Author: Chandan B Mallik | Photography: Elvis John Ferrao

introduction of a re-focused design language.

Similar in dimensions to the outgoing model, the car is offered in both five and seven seating arrangement as before. Compared with the most SUVs in the segment, the Outlander’s profile is sleeker, but the quirky front has a snout to it that gives the Outlander an unconventional look.

Compared the shapely and aggressive sheet metal design of competition, we would say the Outlander is modest and conservative, but the clever use of blackout greenhouse trim helps gives it a larger visual appearance.

While rest of the sheet metal isn’t over cooked, the character lines which run from tip to toe [from the headlamp to the brake lamp lenses] are elegant. While many would say the sheet metal appear slab sided and solid, Mitsubishi designers have been successful to some extent in reducing the visual mass through the clever use of blacked out rocker panels.

The biggest change is noted inside the cabin. The interior accommodation appears big and spacious, thanks to an uncluttered arrangement of the instrument panel and flattened dashboard. Materials used are soft to touch and fit, finish and tolerances of the dual coloured dashboard and appointments are among the finest the industry has to offer.

The car’s dashboard has lot of controls which are nicely angled toward the driver and we liked the simple layout of instrumentation – be it the speedometer or tachometer along with the various status meters. Among the graphic display, the features an interesting pictogram on the instrument panel that suggests how economically the car is being driven! A built in monitor offers an at-a-glance view of what’s going on inside. Convenience feature lists also includes USB and Bluetooth connectivity.

The seats have been re-shaped to offer better support and the operation of the fold-flat 60:40 second row and 50:50 third row has been simplified for ease of use. The Outlander’s third-row seating is suitable for small children more than adult. Cargo capacity behind the front, second and third row seats dial in at 63.3, 34.2 and 10.3 cubic feet, respectively.

Considering, the 2014 Outlander retains the

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

49

same wheelbase, length and track, but offers more interior room, Mitsubishi designers have done a great job in most departments.

Safety features on all Outlanders sold in Oman include Active Stability Control (ASC) with Traction Control Logic (TCL); Hill Start Assist (HSA); anti-lock brakes (ABS) with brake assist and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD); and dual air bag supplemental restraint system (SRS) consisting of driver and passenger side dual-stage air bags. The Outlander was recently named a Top Safety Pick Plus by the independent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in the US.

Driving impressions

Our test car was the 2.4-litre four-cylinder version. The new Outlander is also available with a bigger 3.0-litre V6 engine and Mitsubishi’s sophisticated “Super All-WheelControl” all-wheel-drive. The 2.4-litre engine in our test car puts out 166hp and 162 lbft. of torque through a continuously variable transmission. Riding on a conventional MacPherson strut front and mutli-link rear suspension, the Outlander controls its front wheels via an electrically-assisted steering rack.

On the road, the car is very quiet. This is

50

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

a little surprising because the styling and aerodynamic profiling didn’t suggest to be specifically designed to reflect that but they are good in helping deliver coefficient of drag 0.33Cd and it shows up very well on the move.

Like Nissan’s preference for CVT transmissions, Mitsubishi’s four-cylinder Outlander CVT feels up to the job and between the quiet engine and creamy smooth CVT, we couldn’t feel the ratio changes on the move. Although we kept monitoring the tachometer, we could see some movement, but could hear or feel nothing.

After driving the car for several days in varied terrain, we can confirm that Mitsubishi has raised the bar, thanks to innovating engineering that can make a CVT feel like a genuine automatic transmission.

Acceleration and torque delivery is good for the displacement and one need not expect a super sedan lift off. Power delivery is linear and very smooth while it feels a bit different

While most of Mitsubishi’s Outlander line-up uses a small, 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine that makes 166hp, while the top-end 3.0-litre V6 engine offers 224 hp and 215 pound-feet of torque.

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

51

52

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

to a conventional automatic when extra power is required [in an equivalent downshift situation] and this is because most CVTs do their best to keep the engine running at the most powerefficient rpms.

The car’s electric steering is actually well balanced with reasonably good feedback and makes the car much lighter than it actually is. Unlike the sports focused SUVs on offer these days, when pushed into a corner, we did noticed some light delay in the response to our input, but, since it appears neither overly boosted nor sloppy, it struck us as appropriate for this segment.

Mitsubishi claims that the new Outlander is more than 90kg lighter, thanks to the use of more high-tensile steel and design changes to the suspension which include stiffened subframes and new strut mounts in front while the new multi-link rear suspension is an evolution of the former Outlander’s design that includes new suspension arms for reduced unsprung weight, makes the handling feel lighter and tighter during cornering with less body roll.

The new car’s driving character is also made livelier with the push-button-activated and electronically-controlled All-Wheel Control (AWC) system features three distinct driving modes the highly fuel-efficient “AWC Eco,” the standard “Normal” setting and the maximum traction “LOCK.” This means that it can also perform light off-road duties as well. And here’s how the S-AWC system works: in Eco mode, up to 20per cent of the drive will go to the rear wheels if needed for traction; in Normal mode up to 50per cent and in ‘Locked’ it’s mostly 50:50 but can to go 30:70 front/rear. With such flexibility and superb electronics, we were able to track the car over some trails and water-filled wadis without any hassles or worries.

Verdict

The new Outlander definitely comes across as a vehicle with a lot of substance in terms of competence and convenience. But when you consider the pricing point and options available, the Japan-built Outlander offers exceptional value for money. Price as tested: OMR 9,550.

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

53

alsodriven |

2014 Range Rover Sport Supercharged

Under India’s Tata Motors ownershi p, Britain’s Jaguar and Land Rover is on a roll. The British luxury off-road brand seemingly can’t put a wheel wrong,releasing only its fourth allnew Range Rover and its secondgeneration Range Rover Sport last year, both of which have come in for rave reviews Author: Chandan B Mallik Photography: Elvis John Ferrao

54

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

Automan was among the first few magazines in the world to have test driven the all-new Land Rover Range Rover Sport in UK extensively, when it was first unveiled in 2013 and now we drive this car in the Sultanate.

Product positioning in the line-up

It is placed firmly at the heart of the marque’s new three-model portfolio between the Range Rover and the life-style oriented Evoque. The Sport is a now a premium SUV that represents a shift in focus for this SUV-oriented luxury British brand. While traditional Land Rover models have combined unbeatable off-road performance with the amenities of a luxury sedan, the Range Rover Sport represents Land Rover’s entry into the growing and popular high-performance SUV arena.

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

55

Exterior design Range Rover Sport has been designed to capture the distinctive DNA of its predecessor, but with a bold evolution in design in a familiar profile. New design interpretations of Range Rover Sport design cues include the signature clamshell bonnet, floating roof and side vents on the mudguards. The vehicle also features bold new versions of the powerful wheel arch graphic, horizontal body feature lines and distinctive rocker mouldings. While retaining the powerful Range Rover Sport character, the front end has a more modern, streamlined appearance, with its slimmer lights, rearward sloping grille and more sculpted corners.

56

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

Powertrain options

Engineering

The car was developed alongside the current Range Rover and hence shares some commonality with its sister vehicle. However, 75 per cent of parts are unique to this model and for this 2014 model, its structure has shed at least 10 per cent of its weight. This was done by replacing the steel backbone with a stiffer aluminum structure. A solid base with less weight are primary advantages in automotive physics and is significant when it comes directly to influence the way the new Sport feels and handles.

The new Sport is just 62mm longer than its predecessor, yet at 4,850mm, it is shorter than other 7-seater SUVs and most E-segment sedans. A significantly longer wheelbase (increased by 178mm) provides greater room and improved access for rear passengers. The new Sport is 149mm shorter and 55mm lower than the new Range Rover on which it is based and model-for-model weighs 45kg less.

The model is offered in two trim levels, both featuring 5.0-litre V8s. The HSE model produces 375hp and 375 lb-ft of torque, while the Supercharged [our test vehicle] model’s V8 develops an impressive 510hp and 461 lb-ft. Both engines are paired with a six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift control. Terrain Response 2 auto, two-speed transfer-case, torque vectoring differential, paddle shifters come in the supercharged version.

Inside the cabin Level of equipment is exceptionally high. Material quality has been raised to a new level, with more luxurious soft-touch surfaces in key touch points around the cabin. Standard kit includes grained leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, 14-way power front seats with individual, 60:40 splitfold rear seat, aluminium trim, cruise control, USB/ iPod port with full iPod integration, 8in touchscreen, navigation, 380-watt/8-speaker Meridian stereo, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, rear view camera among other things.

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

57

Driving impressions Handling performance is a definite step up from other Land Rover models.

The Range Rover Sport is the first Land Rover to offer the company’s Dynamic Response suspension system, which is standard on the Supercharged model.

Besides super acceleration, impeccable road manners that mimic a sports sedan more than a SUV, the car’s Dynamic Response works perfectly as advertised. The active system gives the car more agile feeling when the roads get twisty, as compared to previous Land Rovers. Off-road performance is still within the Range Rover Sport’s repertoire as well and Oman’s varied terrain is the perfect place to check out these capabilities. What amazes us is that despite being smaller than the Range Rover, the Sport combines the quiet, confidence-inspiring control and ride of the bigger sibling with more enthusiasm, higher grip and a sportier edge.

Considering some of the key German competition from BMW, MercedesBenz, Audi and Porsche, thie Britain built and engineered Range Rover Sport feels lithe and agile, thanks to way it is configured.

The car’s dedicated Terrain Response System takes care of nearly any offroad task thrown at it. It offers five different settings that adjust throttle response, gear changes, vehicle ride height and the differentials to optimize performance in various working environments like asphalt or sand.

The weight of the distributed very well during cornering, and the default power split favours the rear axle to help it feel more like a rear-wheel drive car. Meanwhile, supporting the performance is the air suspension, which soaks up dips with ease and keeps the road imperfections at bay from the occupants.

58

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

!

NG I C N OU T THAT N AN VEN E G E N THE LL CHA ALUE WI YOU V R CA W HO OUR Y

2014 NOW IN ITS 3RD YEAR

YOUR CAR’S SEAL OF EXCELLENCE!

RoadTests | 2013 Ford F-150 FX

Ford has emphasized continuous improvement by adding something substantial to its F-Series pick-up trucks every year. Automan checks out the 2013 Ford F-150 FX in Oman Author: Chandan B Mallik Photography: Elvis John Ferrao

60

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

What is a F-150 FX?

Basically, the Ford F-150, which is a light duty version of Ford’s F-Series truck range. Variety is the spice of life, and spice keeps things lively and fresh. This logically explains why the Ford F-Series of trucks have been so popular for 65 years. Depending on markets, there are three body styles, three bed lengths, four engines, rearwheel- and four-wheel drive and an extensive list of standard and optional features from which to choose from. The current twelfth generation F-150 was introduced for the 2008 model year as a major update of the Ford fullsize truck platform. These trucks are distinguished by their Super Duty-styled grilles and head lamps.

Standard cab models have twodoors instead of four. Ford offers many options in the F-150 lineup – from entry to high end with pricing based on hardware and features. The top-of-the-line F-150 is represented by the Raptor, also sold in Middle East and now the FX variant has been introduced.

Design For 2013,

Ford design team gave the truck some mild exterior styling tweaks but the truck retains its characteristic profile as before.

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

61

Safety

Standard safety features for all 2013 Ford F-150s include fourwheel antilock disc brakes, stability control, trailer sway control, dual front-seat side and full-length side curtain airbags and safety canopy system for occupants.

Powertrain

As part of a major focus on fuel economy, the entire engine line-up for the F-150 (excluding the SVT Raptor) was updated for the 2011 model year. This may surprise many, the F-150 is actually offered with three different powertrains in the US ranging from twin-turbocharged EcoBoost 3.5-litre V6, a standard 3.7-litre naturally-aspirated V6, 5.0-litre V8 and 6.2-litre V8 at the top. In Oman, the FX is sold with a Mustang GT-sourced V8 which produces a healthy 360hp at 5,500rpm and 380-lbft of torque a 4,250rpm. This engine is mated to a 6-speed SelectShift automatic transmission with tow and haul mode and electronic shift-onthe-fly 4x4 systems. The rear differential can be locked by the driver.

62

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

FX package

This is more cosmetic oriented than functional as most of the hardware is already taken care of.

Unique 20in black wheels come with 275/55R profile tyres, and then there are those tape stripes and tubular runner boards, Standout features in this truck are the black “Bar Style� grille insert and headlamps and tail Lamps with black surround.

Driving impressions

In general , the functional life of the F-150 series is well suited as a work truck due to its rugged structure and hardware underneath. As with other models in the line-up, the FX version also uses

leaf springs in the rear. The benefit of this over a coil spring which give it the edge in capacity but unlike coil springs, there’s a comparatively unsettled feel over the road. On road, there’s a lot of grunt available from the 5.0-litre V8 and the truck appears mostly stress free. The cab is quieter and impacts are absorbed with a well-isolated feel.

Steering is surprisingly light for a vehicle of this

size and weight.

And despite its ‘lifestyle’ attributes, the FX can perform like a truck off road whenever needed.

Only one has to remember its limitations – key among them are its relatively low-profile tyres and a low-hanging front bumper. The optional locking rear differential is a boon for slippery surfaces.

Overall, it’s a seasoned performer.

Interiors

As part of the FX theme which also continues inside the cab, there’s black leather trimmed seats with alcantara inserts, sixway adjustable power seat, leather wrapped, colour-coordinated steering wheel. As such the F-150’s cabin has always been convenient and comfortable, but it lacked the high end luxury feel when compared to several luxury market offerings. As an affordable “lifestyle” vehicle, Ford has tried to offer a nice balance between utility and class appeal.

However, the most important feature inside the cabin is the integration of Ford’s MyFord Touch infotainment system which Blue Oval has developed with Microsoft. MyFord Touch was the first mainstream application of integrating infotainment features and some of its operational complexities have been improved.

Meanwhile, the FX trim models feature two 4.2in LCD screens.

The dash-mounted touch screen controls radio, mobile phone, and navigation while the LCD between the gauges displays the trip computer, options for gauges, and towing setup.

Verdict

The F-150 FX appears as the most refined “traditional” truck on the market with an affordable price tag. Not only have there been 12 generations of the F-150 series of pick-ups, but within the current 2013 Ford F-150 lineup, there are seemingly endless ways to configure one to your liking.

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

63

PREVIEW | 2014 Rolls-Royce Ghost V-Spec

Uber-luxury British marque Rolls-Royce has added a limited-edition V-Specification variant to its Ghost four-door sedan range featuring a more powerful V12 engine and even more high-end features

64

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

R

olls-Royce has announced the V-specification for its Ghost models. Just to make things clearer, the ‘V’ post fix isn’t used as a denominator like other high performance car manufacturers. For Rolls-Royce, it’s a Roman numeral representing five years, which commemorates five years since the launch of the 200ex concept which previewed Ghost.

The V-spec Ghost features a slightly tweaked version of the twin-turbocharged 6.6-litre V12 petrol engine found in the rest of the range, boosting power by 22kW to 442kW. This has also lifted the straight line performance over the regular model, with a zero to 100km/h sprint time of 4.7secs, 0.2 seconds quicker than the standard Ghost.

Rolls-Royce will offers buyers any one of the 44,000 colours from the palette or choose one of five new exterior colours especially created for the V-Specification variant, such as Graphite, Black Sapphire, Black Kirsch, Arctic White and Infinity Black. Further exterior options include chrome exhausts and

21in part-polished alloy wheels.

Bespoke touches in the cabin included V-Specification badging on the handcrafted leather interior as well as engraving on the tread-plates, while further branding can be found embroidered on the rear armrest. Steel inlays on the multimedia screen cover at the front and an exclusively designed clock with a black crown surrounding to the face adds to the super-premium feel of the cabin.

“This limited series celebrates one of Ghost’s defining characteristics; the exquisite 6.6-litre Rolls-Royce V12 engine,” said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “Since its introduction in 2009 an extraordinary marriage of assured presence and remarkable driving dynamics has endeared Ghost to a new generation of highly discerning businessmen and women, ensuring the car’s position as the statement of choice for a growing band of successful entrepreneurs around the world.”

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

65

PREVIEW |

Nissan Sport Sedan Concept

The Nissan Sport Sedan Concept showcased at Detroit this month is a design study with a particular emphasis on next-generation design and sporty style. It also previews a future production vehicle, possibly the new maxima

66

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

67

N

issan starting off the company’s 80th birthday in style with the unveiling of the Nissan Sport Sedan at this year’s opening motor show in the US. Shiro Nakamura, senior vice president and chief creative officer for Nissan said: “It is a statement and direction for the future of Nissan sedans,” as a reference design point.

Along with the Nissan Resonance and FriendME concepts that were introduced in 2013, the Sport Sedan Concept shares the new V-Motion front aspect, “floating” roof and boomerangshaped headlights and taillights. The exterior of the concept is marked by low, wide proportions, with a lowered bonnet line and reduced ground clearance compared to traditional sedans.

A number of current Nissan styling cues can be seen in this car, but with certain futuristic elements.

Take for instance the boomerang headlights and taillights which are still there, but they’re much more exaggerated and full of LEDs now. Nissan’s new signature grille also grows up aggressively as the V-motion graphic which is also seen in the new Rogue. Sharply creased mudguards have more than a passing resemblance of the GT-R, as are the slim roof sitting on blacked-out A-pillars.

A slimmed C-pillar takes inspiration from the IDx Freeflow concepts, while the overall shape seems inspired by Infiniti’s rear-wheel-drive sport sedans Inside, the SSC continues to be futuristic, but

The Sport Sedan concept is much more than a concept car Shiro Nakamura, senior vice president and chief creative officer for Nissan.

68

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

with a production-friendly layout. The gauges and infotainment system are translucent blue displays with silver trim, and the words, numbers, and images appear to hang in space. Blue accent lighting around the interior complements the displays. Controls are simple, uncluttered, and appear nearly productionready. The dash, doors, central console and seats are wrapped in stitched leather.

Nevertheless, the overall profile of the car is powerful with wheels and tyres which seem to be pushed out to the four corners. The car rides on custom billeted 21in aluminium alloys mounted with low-profile 275/30R21 tyres. The front-wheel drive Sport Sedan concept will be powered by a 300plus hp 3.5-litre V6 engine backed by a sport-tuned Xtronic CVT and features an innovative suspension layout with performance shock absorbers. The concept was created by Nissan Design America in San Diego, California and developed at the Nissan Global Design Center in Atsugi, Japan.

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

69

PREVIEW | Kia GT4 Stinger concept

70

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

Kia Motors unveiled the brand’s most aggressive concept car ever when wraps came off the Kia GT4 Stinger at the 2014 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS).

Kia’s eye-catching design language moves in a bold new direction with the introduction of the GT4 Stinger

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

71

T

he inspiration for this car was simple. Kia’s US design team approached the Kia GT4 Stinger project with an eye toward weight reduction, functionality and pure driving enjoyment. The idea was further emboldened by the brand’s on-track success in the Pirelli World Challenge racing series with a pair of turbocharged, GTS-class Optimas. As a result, the concept shuns the luxury trappings of a traditional Grand Touring car and embraces the elemental experience of truly engaging with the vehicle.

In profile, the GT4 Stinger’s body lines appear simple and the car gets the latest iteration of the signature Kia grille rests low to the ground for maximum engine cooling and cold-air induction. The grille surround glows white and features a multi-layered, satin-black border, a theme found throughout the car. Flanking the grille on both sides are vertical LED headlamps, and front-brake cooling vents moulded into the bumper provide a clean, smooth appearance. A carbon fibre front splitter mounted below the bumper provides added down force for the car at high speed.

The long bonnet gently rises to meet the cowl and two chrome accent pieces add visual interest to the otherwise rippleless pond of Ignition Yellow sheet metal. The bonnet closely embraces the front wheel arches, which are flared in the mudguards up front. The result is a pronounced edge at the vehicle’s shoulders that eventually becomes the belt line.

72

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

Continuing around the car, the transparent A-pillars provide a more than 270-degree view from the driver’s seat. The layered slots cut into the pillars reduce weight while improving outward visibility. The greenhouse design provides an aggressive side profile and takes dome cues for the Soul hatchback. Along the rocker panels are satin black accent pieces with integrated functional cooling ducts to enhance air flow to the rear brakes.

Around back, the body widens to cover the large 275-series Pirelli rubber. The glass hatch opens to reveal a built-in storage compartment and rear strut-tower brace. The LED taillights illuminate from inside the outer edge of a blacked-out panel just above the dual exhaust ports in the rear bumper.

The interior is purposeful in design and practical in nature. A pull of the billet-aluminium door handles reveals incredibly lightweight doors, but their generous width makes dropping into the molded leather race-inspired bucket seats a breeze.

There is no carpet, only a rubber floor mat underneath the billet-aluminum pedals. Front and center to the driver is a thick D-shaped steering wheel and red LED-illuminated instrument panel with large tachometer and gear indicator. In keeping with the track theme and taking inspiration from sports and competition cars of the past, interior door handles have been replaced by red-stitched pull straps. In fact, the Kia GT4 Stinger makes due without the luxury of a stereo.

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

73

MOTORSPORTS |

F1 season 2014 car roll out begins

Has the FIA has gone a step too far when it comes to pushing teams into producing ‘ugly’ cars?

Formula One participating teams have come up with innovative solutions like a nose appendage to conform with the sport’s radical new rules. A variety of solutions are expected up and down the pitlane in 2014, as teams make the most aerodynamically of the new, lower maximum nose height, inserted in the rules for safety reasons. Last month, teams began releasing details of their 2014 season cars.

Ferrari CEO Luca di Montezemolo is optimistic

74

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

about the 2014 Formula One season. “It’s time to win,” said Montezemolo during the unveil of the Ferrari F14 T racer. “This is the chassis that’s meant to do it, and it is also Exhibit C in this wild, functionover-form F1 pre-season: the Ferrari F14 T.” The low, trunk-like snout is another imagining of the year’s regulations, after the probing proboscides found on the McLaren and in the image of the coming Williams. The public name of the chassis internally called 665 was chosen by

Ferrari’s social media fans, F14 T referring to the brand, the year and the turbocharged powerplant, not the McDonnell-Douglas F14 Tomcat.

The 60th Ferrari to contest an F1 season retains the pull-rod front and rear suspensions of cars from the last two years but little else. The narrower front wing, having to package and cool the additional power unit equipment, reworking the rear wing and even moving to brake-by-wire has changed

F1 set to change qualifying for 2014

every other aspect of the car.

Ferrari’s F1 driver Fernando Alonso is hoping the F14 T will make the fifth time the charm; in his fifth year with the team, he wants to win the championship this year instead of coming

in second again, just like Michael Schumacher won his first title with Ferrari after five years with the team.

Williams has already released details of their new ‘anteater’-nosed single seaters, and now the ‘nostril’-nosed silver and black McLaren MP4-29 has been launched online.

And, perhaps in retaliation for apparently poaching its boss Eric Boullier, Lotus rained on McLaren’s launch parade by simultaneously releasing the first photo of its new E22, which will not be officially revealed until Bahrain next month.

Lotus’ black and red car has a notably different solution at the front of the car, with the two parallel nose tips resembling a musical ‘tuning fork’.

Force India’s 2014 car will also feature a Williamslike ‘anteater’ nose. Although the Silverstone based team beat Williams to releasing a computer-generated image of its new car, Force India’s picture depicted the VJM07 only from the side. It was therefore not possible to see if the orange, black and green car has the same ‘anteater’ nose as Williams’; a solution expected to be adopted up and down pitlane as teams interpret the new aerodynamic rules.

Asked what the 2014 Force India’s nose looks like from the front, technical boss Andy Green answered: “Thin -- like the nose of an anteater.”

Just weeks ahead of the Melbourne season opener F1 management ooks set to introduce an eleventh-hour change to the qualifying rules for 2014. Team bosses, Bernie Ecclestone and the governing FIA will meet in Bahrain on February 21, to discuss the issue.

Among things to be discussed are changes that would ensure drivers cannot sit out the decisive ‘Q3’ segment of qualifying, in order to save tyres and for other tactical and reliability reasons. Some believe a return to the free-for-all hour long sessions of the past is the answer because the current three-part formula has added nothing to the Saturday spectacle.

UK’s Telegraph’s F1 correspondent Daniel Johnson added: “To try and maintain the spectacle, (the) strategy group has asked the teams and the FIA to come up with ways of forcing drivers to go for the best grid positions in Q3.

“Plans likely to be discussed are believed to include supplying drivers with an extra set of qualifying tyres, specifically for the final part of the session,” he added.

Not likely to get voted through in Bahrain, meanwhile, is an extension of Bernie Ecclestone’s highly unpopular new ‘double points’ concept.

To keep the title alive until the end, drivers will score twice as many points at the season finale in Abu Dhabi this year, but F1’s chief executive has written to the teams asking they vote for the concept to also include the preceeding two races.

Red Bull’s Christian Horner, no fan of the concept initially, indicated he would support extending the scheme to three races because that would “take away an element of lottery over that last race”.

But because the proposed change is occurring so late, it would require an unanimous vote, and there are reports the Mercedes-powered teams have no mind to support it. Other teams are reportedly also not keen, and a British media report added: “More than one top team believes it would be wrong to change the rules a month before the start of the season.”

Brawn retires from F1 Formula One stalwart Ross Brawn has announced his retirement from the sport, ending months of speculation on what team he could end up following his decision last November to quit as team principal at Mercedes AMG. The British engineer, 59, made the announcement during a recent fishing trip in Scotland.

“I’m retiring--it’s not tongue in cheek,” Brawn is quoted as saying. “I’m going to take a year to enjoy the fishing and then see what life brings.”

This ends a chapter of F1 that started all the way back in 1978 when Brawn first started out in the sport as a machinist for the newly formed Williams team. During that time, teams Brawn has been

associated with managed to rack up 16 titles, half of which were Drivers’ Championships.

Brawn’s rise to fame was during his years with Benetton, where he oversaw Michael Schumacher’s first two championship wins in 1994 and 1995.

He then followed Schumacher to Ferrari and was instrumental in the German’s five consecutive championship wins from 2000 to 2004.

In 2006, Brawn took some time off from the sport but returned to help run Honda’s effort in 2008. Honda pulled out at the end of the season and subsequently sold the team to Brawn. The following year, the team, rebranded Brawn F1, would take out both the Drivers’ And Constructors’

Championships.

Brawn then sold the team to Mercedes-Benz, which at that point was only operating as an engine supplier. Despite the regrouping of Brawn and Schumacher in the Mercedes camp, the team failed to make any significant progress. Schumacher left at the end of 2012 and Brawn followed a year later.

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

75

MOTORSPORTS |

New Nismo athletes take victory at Dubai 24 Hours

T

he four newest Nismo Athletes, the winners of Nissan PlayStation GT Academy 2013, along with inaugural winner Lucas Ordonez, stormed to the SP2 class victory at the Dubai 24 Hours today. This is the first Dubai 24 Hours victory for GT Academy winners.

Dubai was the first international race for European winner Miguel Faisca, German winner Florian Strauss, US winner Nick McMillen and Russian winner Stansislav Aksenov, who have all only been racing for three months so to bring the No.123

76

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

Nissan 370Z Nismo across the line first after 24 hours of racing was an incredible achievement.

“We came here to gain racing experience and our goal was to finish the race so it is amazing to win,” said European winner, Miguel Faisca. “We have all learnt a lot as it was a tough race with so many cars.

There wasn’t a single lap where you didn’t have to overtake or be overtaken. It was a great pleasure to compete in our first 24 hour race.”

“In the last three years I have finished third, then second and now in first place at the Dubai 24

Hours,” said Ordonez. “It is always a very important event for me and of course for the new winners.

This is their first international race so to win it is a dream for them. The fact I have third, second and first is very special for me and I will make sure I line up the trophies at home. As always a big thank you to Nissan, to RJN and everyone involved here.”

The drivers of the Nissan GT Academy Team RJN’s sister car, the No.126 Nissan 370Z Nismo, joined them on the podium, taking third place after fighting back from problems during the night.

Karun Chandhok, James Moffat, Tor Graves and Ashley Oldfield were competing in the ‘international’ car, entered to pose the question of where GT Academy will go next. That question will be answered soon but now it is time to celebrate a double podium finish in Dubai.

“You need luck in a 24 hour race,” said Chandhok. “We didn’t get our share of the luck but we fought back and took a podium finish. It’s a shame we had a few problems as we were matching the pace of the sister car at the start of the race.

The podium is a massive reward for the RJN boys so it was good to get it for them.

This event has been an education for me, learning about GT Academy. I have only seen it from the outside before and have read about it in magazines. I hope it will launch in India soon. It’s good to see these guys getting the opportunities that people like me didn’t have. They have been given a golden opportunity and they need to make the most of it.”

“It was great to be the first Aussie to benefit from the Nismo Exchange,” said James Moffat who switched from V8 Supercars to a GT car for this race. “I’ve always wanted to do a 24 hour race and I’ve definitely got the bug now. A smoother run would have been good but that’s racing. All credit to the team for getting us back out there each time we had a problem. To get two cars on the podium is a great effort so well done to them.” “The fact that over the years we have finished third, then second and now first in the race is an indication of how the academy keeps improving in every area, from the way that we approach our racing to the way that we prepare our guys for every challenge they face as new drivers,” said Nissan’s Global Director of Motorsport, Darren Cox. “It’s great that we had nine different nationalities of drivers here and they all finished on the podium. It shows the international flavour of Nissan Motorsport and we look forward to seeing which new markets we will move into next.”

Season 3: 2014 GT Academy

N

The Nismo Athlete Global Team The Nismo Athlete Global Team has arrived at Mount Panorama – and in doing so, has officially brought ‘Godzilla’ back to Bathurst.

The last time a factory-entered Nissan GT-R raced at Bathurst was in 1992, when Jim Richards and Mark Skaife earned their secondconsecutive Bathurst 1000 victory for Nissan.This weekend at the 2014 Bathurst 12 Hour, Nissan will aim to repeat that success with a line-up of four drivers from across the globe.

The team’s Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3, as well as drivers Rick Kelly (Australia), Alex Buncombe (England), Wolfgang Reip (Belgium) and Katsumasa Chiyo (Japan), were unveiled in pit lane at the Mount Panorama circuits.

issan and Sony PlayStation have joined forces again to bring GT Academy back to the Middle East for 2014. The hugely successful inaugural competition in 2013 turned Qatari Salman AlKhater, a mechanical engineer, into a class-winning race driver at his first attempt. Now, the GT Academy Middle East offers the same opportunity to another aspiring motorsport maestro.

“GT Academy is a unique programme offering Playstation gamers the chance to move from virtual racing on Gran Turismo to the reality of being a professional racing driver,” said Darren Cox, Nissan Global Director of Motorsport. “GT Academy Middle East proved a huge success in its inaugural year in the region, 2013. The success of GT Academy around the world is demonstrated by the careers winning entrants go on to forge in the tough cut-and-thrust of competitive motorsport. We eagerly anticipate welcoming the region’s next competitors to Race Camp,” said Samir Cherfan, Director, Managing Director, Nissan Middle East. “Demonstrating innovation as a unique concept and raw excitement among the many thousands of competitors, GT Academy encapsulates Nissan’s beliefs. We urge anyone who dreams of grabbing the once-in-lifetime chance to take the track and compete in the world of GT,” added Chelfan.

First launched in 2008, GT Academy was designed to identify gamers with the most natural racing talent in the virtual world, before working with them to transform them into a professional racing driver in the real world. Selection is initially made through times set on a customized stage within the Gran Turismo game, now in its sixth generation. The fastest gamers then have the chance at a Regional Final event, before the very best head to Race Camp where they are assessed on their fitness, mental attitude and car control. Ultimately the winner gets a seat behind the wheel of a Nissan 370Z GT race car. For season 3, this year, the age level for contestants has been reduced to 18 and the only other qualification besides fitness is a mandatory manual driver’s licence.

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

77

MOTORSPORTS |

THREE-WAY BATTLE FOR EMIRATI DRIVERS IN INAUGURAL UAE DESERT CHAMPIONSHIP

T

hree Emirati drivers will battle for outright supremacy in the cars division of the UAE Desert Championship, after a tight Round Three contest of the new national rally series attracted a record 96 competitors on two and four wheels at the weekend.

Finishing fourth in the penultimate round of the 2013-14 Baja-style rally, Ahmed Al Maqoodi retains his lead over Mansour Al Helei and Ahmed Al Fahim in the cars overall category, but all three can snatch the inaugural championship trophy when the final round returns in two weeks time.

78

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

Al Fahim won both the cars and buggies classes on the 18km loop of undulating desert terrain in his Polaris RZR, but still trails Al Maqoodi and Al Helei overall, while Al Helei’s second place in a Nissan Patrol means he is guaranteed the T2 class title.

Another Emirati, Mohammed Shamsi won the quads class on a Kawasaki 450 while pre-race favorite Sebastian Husseini failed to finish after running out of fuel. The result means Shamsi leads the quad class outright and only needs to finish the final round to secure the overall title.

Meanwhile, UAE-based Sam Sunderland dominated

the bikes class, as he led throughout on a Honda CRF 450, completing seven laps and winning easily with a margin of nine minutes over Sean Gaugain and Mohammed Al Balooshi.

Gaugain’s consistency, however, keeps him in the front-running to win the overall title in the bikes class. His second place follows one win and another second in the first two rounds of the UAE Desert Championship, meaning he will be hard to peg back in the final round.

Organised by the Emirates Motor Sport Federation, with TAG Heuer Middle East as the official

timekeeper and founding partner, the UAE Desert Championship is run with the support of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE), the national motor sport authority.

Dr. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the ATCUAE and Vice President of the FIA, commented: “The UAE Desert Championship continues to grow from strength to strength, with every round attracting more entries than the previous.

“Last weekend’s record number of entries highlights the increasing popularity of the series and vindicates the decision to launch such a championship that supports desert rallying on a local and grass-roots level. We are confident that the final round will attract more than 100 entries, capping off a hugely successful inaugural edition.”

The fourth and final round of the UAE Desert Championship, which provides a natural link into April’s latest edition of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, is scheduled for 14 February 2014, with the location to be confirmed nearer to the time.

AL QASSIMI LOOKS FOR NEW CITROËN ABU DHABI DUO TO MAKE STRONG WRC CHALLENGE The UAE’s Sheikh Khalid bin Faisal Al Qassimi is hoping the new-look Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team can make a powerful start to the 2014 FIA World Rally Championshi p in Monte Carlo

2013-14 UAE Desert Championship – latest standings Cars, overall 1. Ahmad Al Maqoodi, Polaris RZR XP 2. Mansoor Al Helei, Nissan Patrol

3. Ahmed Al Fahim, Polaris RZR 4. Almhan Ibrahim, Nissan Patrol

5. David Mabbs, FJ Cruiser

6 Khalid Al Jafla, Polaris 2012 XP

7. Ian Barker, Nissan Patrol

8 Michael Ziegler, Toyota Landcruiser

9. Michel Fadel, Polaris XP900

62pts 58pts 45pts 32pts 25pts 25pts 20pts 20pts 15pts

Buggies 1. Ahmad Al Maqoodi, Polaris RZR XP 2. Ahmed Al Fahim, Polaris RZR 3. Khalid Al Jafla, Polaris 2012 XP 4. Michel Fadel, Polaris XP900

69pts 45pts 25pts 15pts

Motorbikes, overall 1. Sean Gaugain, Kawasaki KXF450 2. Mark Grams, Honda CR250R 3. Rashed Abdullah, Honda CRF450 4. Ross Runnalls, Kawasaki KX450F 5 Sam Sunderland, Honda CRF 450 6. Cameron Waugh, KTM SX250 7. Jimmy Jonsson, KTM SXF350 8. Sebastian Husseini, Honda TRX700xx 9 Mohammed Shamsi, Kawasaki 450

69pts 60pts 44pts 41pts 41pts 37pts 32pts 30pts 30pts

Quads 1. Mohammed Shamsi, Kawasaki 450

2. Colin Mercer, Honda TRX700

3. Humaid Al Mashghouni, Yamaha Raptor 4. Sebastian Husseini, Honda TRX700xx 5. Obaid Al Kitbe, Honda TRX450

6. Patrick Gersch, Yamaha Raptor

7. Colin Wilken, Yamaha Raptor

8. Nasser Al Ali Abdullah, Suzuki LTZ450 9. Alex MacFarlane, Honda TRX700

72pts 54pts 51pts 47pts 36pts 33pts 28pts 20pts 18pts

A

l Qassimi, who will compete in four selected WRC events this season starting in Sweden next month, is attending the legendary Monte Carlo Rally to support the team and its new driver pairing of Northern Ireland’s Kris Meeke and Norway’s MadsØstberg. As chairman of Abu Dhabi Racing, Al Qassimi initiated the sponsorship agreement with eight-times WRC manufacturers champions Citroën Racing which is entering its second year, and he believes Meeke and Ostberg can prove to be a strong combination.

“Although I will not be taking part in the opening round, we at Abu Dhabi Racing were very keen to attend Rallye Monte Carlo and show our support to Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT in this iconic event,” he said. “The new season will be extremely tough, with a very high level of competition, but this team has won the FIA WRC manufacturers’ championship eight times and will be looking to gain as many points as possible and make a strong challenge for the title.”

“I’m looking forward to the new season, and I’m giving my best wishes and support to Kris and Mads. They will need time to adjust and settle in as new members of the team, as I did last season, but that doesn’t mean that they will not be fighting for rally victories.”

A first loop of three stages run twice in the Haute Alpes region is followed on Friday by a leg featuring classic Monte Carlo stages of 49.25km and 36.70km. That night, the competitors head south to Monaco for Saturday’s final leg comprising two loops of two stages in the hinterland of Nice - one by day and the other by night. The rally ends on Sunday with the traditional awards ceremony in the square of the Prince’s Palace in Monaco.

Al Qassimi, who will this season be partnered by Northern Irish co-driver Chris Patterson, begins his own WRC programme in Rally Sweden (5-8 May), followed by the rounds in Portugal (3-6 April), Italy (6-8 June) and Spain (24-26 October).

FEB 2014

www.automanweb.com

79

ChicaneOpinion |

Is safety negotiable?

It’s been some years since I’ve really had a look at the safety standards applied to cars in India. If you spend enough time in Oman you begin to believe that the acceptable standard for any car is a minimum of 2 airbags, perhaps ABS and intrusion beams and if you insist there would be ESP. But it takes some off-beat news to remind you that’s not the case everywhere.

The new global new car assessment program came out with some interesting results from their recent test of five entry level cars from India, all of them best sellers in the home market and with a couple of them even being exported to other countries. The common theme was that none of them came with airbags as standard, with the Tata Nano having no airbags in any grade. The common result was that they all scored a resounding zero on the test. Really? Are the so bad? Well the can’t be good if they haven’t scored anything!

Oddly enough the Hyundai i10 is made for world markets in India and when specced to levels that it should have in Europe it manages to get 3 stars in the Euro NCAP. So is the difference only because of airbags? All the manufacturers involved have stated that they meet Indian standards, with only Volkswagen declaring that henceforth the Polo would only be available with twin airbags.

The deeper question here is who is responsible for safety? Is it a government that shows abysmal apathy towards its own population by allowing low safety standards or can we hold manufacturers responsible? That is especially true of global majors who know that they are going below an acceptable norm when measured by global standards. After all, it is an inherent admission that a human life is valued differently depending on where in the world the human lives.

To make matters worse, the authorities in India do not seem to have even noticed. They churn out bad roads and allow ill-equipped drivers and vehicles on the roads. Now they are going to allow a new breed of four wheeler, called the quadricycle, to play havoc and add to the 140,000 road fatalaties they have every year.

And the great Indian public remains happy that they are getting cheap cars in a heavily taxed regime.

In so many ways living in Oman seems conducive to a longer, healthier life. It isn’t as if we don’t have our share of speedsters and maniacs on the road. You see the taxi drivers throw caution and the rulebook to the

Raj Warrior is editor of Automan and has been in the thick of the Automotive journalism field from the past 15 years.

winds as they shunt across to the kerb or around a roundabout in the slow lane. And the kids on people’s laps! God save them! Yet it somehow seems safer as long as you know that the authorities aren’t turning a blind eye.

In the meantime, I’ll be driving my 0 star scoring Nano in India only because I bought it to replace the

Want to comment or have your say?

Email at raj@alroya.net.

Identify yourself or your message will be trashed and your id blocked

80

www.automanweb.com

FEB 2014

vagaries of riding a scooter there. Between the bad roads, dust and pollution-laden air and inclement weather, even zero is a higher score than minus anything. For you must remember that for scooter riders, even a helmet is optional.

IS

RX

LX

FREE REGISTRATION****

LS

6 YEARS PROTECTION******

FREE SERVICE**

Campaign Period: 25th Dec. to 20th Feb. 2014. The above benefits are applicable for all purchases except Government Organisations & Ministries. *2 years / 40,000 kms (whichever is earlier) on all models. **Free one year Registration on all models. ***Aman Bahwan 6 years unlimited mileage protection. Pictures & colours are indicative. For further details, please visit your nearest Lexus showroom.

GX

Come drive a Lexus and experience amazing!

Corporate Enquiries: 99443728 Muscat: 24578913, Al Mawaleh: 99221863, Barka: 99476314 Buraimi: 25660271, Sohar: 99881526, Ibri: 99101368 Nizwa: 25213016, Salalah: 99103579

GS

2014 R A N G E

Fulfilling your dream of owning a Lexus gets easier this season.

Packed with cutting-edge technology and exceptional driving performance, for you to reach an entirely new level of driving pleasure. Choose from a wide range of elegant Sedans to legendary 4WDs, high performance and track proven F Sport versions to the world’s first fully Hybrid range.

PRESENTING ALL NEW

FEEL THE FUTURE

ES