Automan 157

157

SEP 2014 Issue no 157

now, the region’s Best Automotive Resource Automan SEP 2014

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MG6 | SsanYong Actyon Sport | Cadillac Escalade | M-B S65 AMG Coupe | Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II | McLaren P1 GTR | Lexus NX | Aston Martin Vanquish | Motorsports

cover story

24-28 2015 volvo xc90

2015 Volvo XC90 Second generation allnew SUV is a crucial model for the brand’s success

Oman and regional news

6-10 2015 jaguar f-type coupe and 2015 honda accord launched in oman. rEgional executive appointments. bmw i8 displayed, performance indicators and snippets.

NEXT ISSUE 2015 Porsche cayenne

world exclusive

8-9 2015 aston martin lagonda prototype

brandwatch

12-18 Ford launches aggressive new product rollout for Middle East & Africa, 2014 Engine awards announced, Saab owner faces bankruptcy, Mitsubishi details US-bound Lancer EVO, JLR Special Operations acquires private British Classic Car Collection, 50:50 chance for Nissan’s IDX, ‘Fluidic Sculpture 2.0’ design philosophy for new Hyundai i20, Nissan developing global market-bound body-onframe SUV, Mercedes-Benz upgrades E-Class, New midsize Volkswagen SUV will be produced in USA, Design awards for Kia models, Kia Sorento goes upmarket, Gen I Volvo XC90 production comes to an end, new Nissan plant in Thailand, Bentley to look at coach building business, JLR new engine Jaguar Land Rover opens up on new engine family, Toyota to produce FJ Cruiser Ultimate Edition for US only, Rolls-Royce planning new Drophead tourer for 2016, Bentley Mulsanne could see power upgrade, Aston Martin officially confirms Lagonda sedan production, New Land Rovers Discovery Sport to get third row, Daimler to increase stake in Aston Martin, 2015 Mustang performance details announced

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2015 Aston Martin Lagonda

Exclusive to Middle East, all-new model’s engineering prototype is undergoing hot weather testing in Oman

International news

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20-23 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Range Rover celebrates 25th anniversary of Great Divid Expedition, Historic Peugeots rally in UK, Sir Stirling Moss leads Maserati centenary parade, Ferrari Racing days return to Silverstone, Hyundai FCV SUV creates record, Dodge supercharges the Charger, world record price for classic motorcycle at auction

First drives

30-35 2015 cadillac escalade 36-39 2014 mg6 hatchback 40-43 2014 ssanyong actoyon sport pick-up

special feature

44-47 national auto museum washington

previews

50-53 lexus nx suv 54-55 mazda2 56-59 mclaren p1 gtr 60-63 mercedes-benz s65 amg coupe 64-67 rolls-royce ghost series II 68-69 vw scirocco 70-71 aston martin vanquish 72-74 bugatti veyron special edition 75 bmw x4

face-to-face

29 emre karaer / volvo car group 48-49 elsa abu nadir / harley-davidson

MOTORSPORTS

76-79 s014 F1 BelgiumGP race report, nissan gt academy,tribute to jack brabham

Chicane

80 Modern day conundrums

editor-in-chief 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.automan.me 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 Antony Karlo 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, Muscat Tel: +968 2479 4167, 2479 8157 Fax: +968 2470 0545 © 2014 All editorial content of Automan in the magazine and its website is copyrighted and may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the management of AL ROYA PRESS & PUBLISHING Automan accepts unsolicited exclusive editorial material, but reserves the right to publish any such material. Once published, the copyright for any such material will vest with AL ROYA PRESS & PUBLISHING

You need to mark this issue as a landmark. Yes, with the September 2014 issue we have completed more than 14 years as Oman’s only car magazine. In the bargain we have become the region’s best car magazine, especially when you factor in our non-syndicate positioning.

But the main reason for exultation this month is the world exclusive that we lead with – the new Lagonda. Admittedly, it is a car meant for the ultra-rich in the Middle East and will be available only on invitation. The car is in an early pre-production stage and in the region for hot weather testing. And the combination of Aston Martin’s and Oman Air’s sponsorship of Ahmed Al Harthy has brought about a partnership that brought the car in an Oman Air flight to Muscat.

We were in early, having been informed about the potential for a scoop. We’ve met the engineers testing the car as well as tailed the car for part of its test circuit. And we have proper photographs of the car, a few of which we can carry in this issue. We’ve seen the car inside and out and have a whole lot of information to share – but there’s only so much we can actually reveal at this moment. In true James Bond fashion – we would have to shoot you if we told you.

Another major global reveal also features in this issue. Our editor has been to Stockholm to participate in the rebirth of the Volvo brand with the XC90. Set to mirror the Tata Motor – JLR partnership, Volvo’s ownership by Geely is a declared hands-off approach one, allowing the brand to move back into making some of the world’s safest cars, while moving itself up into premium and luxury markets. It is a challenge, especially as it has to contend both with the established heavyweights like Mercedes-Benz and BMW, but also with the newly entrenched sweethearts of the segment, Jaguar Land Rover.

In this flurry of firsts, we also feature the Cadillac Escalade in its first comprehensive test drive. This big bruiser has evolved on its new platform into a good contender for a premium owner. It gives the freedom of space, upmarket fittings and greatly improved quality.

Additionally, we have a look at a small, rather out-of-the-way car museum in rural Virginia.

This is the second time we have stumbled upon a museum while out on holiday and this one in Luray offers a lot of car in a small footprint.

We can also give you a heads-up for next month – look out for our exclusive on the new Sonata and the new Accord in addition to a couple of cars we aren’t naming quite yet.

Now, Automan is available in bookshops in the United Arab Emirates too! Get your copy or let us know which outlets you would like to see us in

Oman & region

F

2015 Jaguar F-Type coupe arrives in Oman

news

irst it was the convertible and now it’s the hard top coupe. The first major car to be launched in the Sultanate last month was Jaguar’s most dynamically capable, performance focused, production vehicle, the all-new 2014 F-Type coupé .

The incoming car is built on the design of the C-X16 concept sports coupé and the F-Type convertible – winner of the 2013 World Car Design of the Year award. At the Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC [MHD] showroom launch, a bright red 340PS 3.0-litre V6 made its grand entry while the top-of-the-line model is powered by 550PS/680Nm 5.0-litre supercharged V8.

David Aziz, CEO, Automotive Products, MHD LLC, said: “It has been an exciting year for Jaguar in the Sultanate of Oman, particularly since the launch of the Jaguar F-Type convertible late last year. The car has done exceptionally well here in terms of sales and has also won ‘Best Debut 2013’ from Oman’s car magazine Automan. We have similar aspirations for the Jaguar F-Type coupe, and anticipate even stronger demand from our customer base for the coming year.” The Jaguar F-Type coupe will be available exclusively at the MHD showroom in Muscat with prices starting from RO34,950.

New Mercedes outlet in Sohar

BMW i8 on display in Oman BMW Group importer in Oman, Al Jenaibi International Automobiles, has opened its doors to customers keen to learn more about BMW Group’s cutting edge technology loaded hybrid scissor-door 2+2-seater, the all-new i8. The i8 is the second model after the i3 hatchback to be unveiled by BMW i, the company’s newly created sub-brand which focuses solely on developing sustainable products and services. The i8 features a completely new, exciting sports car design which includes sophisticated aerodynamics features. Using BMW’s LifeDrive architecture philosophy, the i8 is the worlds’ first series production car whose body architecture has been specifically

designed to combine electric and plugin hybrid systems. The car also uses a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder turbo charged petrol engine which can drive through the rear wheels like a normal car. Meanwhile, intelligent hybrid system also capitalises on an electric motor which sends drive to the front wheels resulting in a combined power output of 362hp delivered to all four wheels. When united, the dual motors (electric motor at the front and petrol engine at the rear) work together and help the car accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 4.4secs while using just 2.1 litres of petrol per 100kms and emitting just 59g/km of emissions.

Zawawi Trading Company (ZTC) - the exclusive distributor for Mercedes-Benz in Oman has opened a brand new, state-ofthe-art facility in Sohar. The ribbon cutting ceremony was attended by Sheikh Naif Bin Hamoud Al Maamari, Assistant of Wali of Sohar, Brigadier (Rtd) Waleed Zawawi and Mike Belk, chairman and CEO of Daimler Middle East and Levant. Clive Hammond, CEO of ZTC, said: “This showroom represents a significant milestone for Zawawi Trading Company and MercedesBenz as it brings world class standards, service, training and vehicles to customers in the Sultanate of Oman.” Besides service and parts, vehicles from the company’s Proven Exclusivity program will also be offered.

Good performance by Bentley Motors Honda Middle East announces MY 2015 Accord

Ninth generation of Honda’s best-selling midsize sedan, the Accord, gets a midcycle refresh. The model series for the Middle East markets will be sourced from China. Previously, the Accords were imported from the US. Among the upgrades common to both 2.4-litre i-VTEC four-cylinder and 3.5-litre i-VTEC V6 variants are cosmetics and some trim changes to exterior and interior.

Engineering changes to the smaller fourcylinder engine variant includes direct injection and migration to CVT gearbox.

Direct injection helps boost output and torque. The V6 is mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox.

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Mobile app from GAC

Bentley results overview: Lebanon, Saad & Trad: +80 per cent Al Wajba Motors, Qatar: +53 per cent Saudi Arabia, Al Ghassan: +29 per cent UAE, Al Habtoor Motors: +16 per cent Oman, Wattayah Motors: +114 per cent Bahrain, Ahmed Zayani & Sons: +90 per cent

Bentley Motors Middle East has announced its most successful half year ever with an overall increase in deliveries of 30 per cent in comparison to the same period last year. The results have also revealed a positive start for the new Flying Spur W12 since its arrival in the region in September, 2013. Neil Wilford, Regional Manager, Middle East, India and

Africa, Bentley Motors, said: “This is a particularly exciting time for Bentley Motors in this region. All of our key Middle East markets have grown during the first half of 2014 while our UAE and KSA dealers continue to hold the prestigious positions of the number one and two Bentley dealers in the world respectively.”

General Automotive Company, the exclusive distributors of Mitsubishi in Oman has launched a new mobile app specifically designed to provide a wealth of services in a simple, easy to use format assistance to both Mitsubishi fans and owners. The Android and iPhonecompatible app, called ‘Mitsubishi Oman’, gives its users quicker access and a faster response to numerous services that would normally require the user to either visit the webpage or the showroom directly, such as booking a test drive, booking a service and much more.

Sep 2014

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World Exclusive

Real deal T

This is probably the first time in the Middle East [and rest of the world for that matter] where a car designed and produced exclusively for the Middle East has been experienced during its development process. In this world exclusive, Automan brings some interesting aspects of how the Lagonda is being developed and prepared for its November 2014 debut Author: Chandan B Mallik | Photography: Elvis John Ferrao

news

he story so far: after several years of teasing, Gaydon, UK-based Aston Martin has now confirmed that it will revive the fabled Lagonda badge with a dedicated new product.

This commitment has already begun with the development an all-new luxury sedan, to be built in limited numbers on an exclusive basis for Middle East customers only. The first validation Aston Martin Lagonda prototype was quietly sneaked into Oman for engineering testing last month. Team Automan was given exclusive access for this development story as it unfolded.

Day One: The first pre-production Aston Martin Lagonda sedan was transported to Oman from UK by Oman Air. The car arrived in the Sultanate on August 19 solely for testing purposes.

Day Two: It’s a relatively warm and humid in August and at 8.00am sharp we arrived at the Aston Martin showroom in Muscat to spend a day filming the car with the test engineers. The plan of the day as devised by Fraser Dunn, vehicle engineering manager for this deep blue validation prototype was pretty straight forward: to drive the car and clock at

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Sep 2014

least 600-700kms in and around various locations in the Sultanate. That Oman was the first choice for Aston’s engineers is understandable. At this time of the year, the Sultanate’s climate can display sharp variations in character depending on which part of the country you are travelling. In and around Muscat it could be humid and once you drive towards the interiors, one could encounter rain or flash floods. And then you have an assortment of roads, elevations, new and old surfaces -- perfect for the relatively discreet job.

While the paperwork of the UKregistered mule [registration plate # KS14 KNX] was being prepared and relevant permissions sorted at ROP for a troublefree run, we used the available time slot to physically examine the car. As expected for prototype in this stage the car was wired up with an array of sensors – how many, Dunn wouldn’t reveal, but from observation of the numerous taped sensors on the painted carbon fibre bodied car -- on the roof, repeaters, near cooling radiators and so on. Their specific job is to collect data related to material reaction to expansion and contraction,

besides durability of adhesives and other bonding agents. This data is compiled by the on-board computers [concealed inside the boot of the car] and transmitted it live via GPS to Gaydon HQ for further analysis and action. A separate computer also tracked the car’s movements and mapped information from powertrain, distances travelled, terrain elevations, exterior temperature among other vital statistics.

At around 12.00pm, the paperwork formalities are completed and we are ready to move out. We watched engineer Dunn fire the car’s V12 6.0-litre engine to life in typical Aston Martin ritual by inserting the glass topped fob in the centre of the dash. We follow the Lagonda which takes the Muscat Expressway towards the Sur exit and we travelled further in to the interiors.

So what do we know of this car so far?

It’s a car specific for the Middle East and it is going to be built on a modified VH platform. The Lagonda’s main target will be the long wheel based German premium branded cars, when it comes to overall length. However, the benchmark engineering and luxury appointments will

surpass the Aston’s current portfolio of models when the final product arrives.

Unlike most of the current Aston Martins which boast of organic shapes, the incoming Lagonda is angular and is a befitting tribute to its illustrious predecessor. It sports limousine-like proportions and both front and rear ends have very individualist styling cues which are not seen in the current line-up. The lights [head and tail] have received special design attention and there seems to offer a sense of stealth. The side panels sport a soft crease line which we were told would be enhanced to give them a more purposeful interplay. The rake of the front A-pillar is more upright now.

From observation and experiencing the static car from inside sitting in both front and rear seats, the familiar positioning of the rear transaxle vis-à-vis rear seat is identical to that of other four-door model.

There’s definitely more leg room at the rear in the Lagonda and with me sitting in the rear seat, roughly there’s about nine inches worth of knee room and around 6-7 inches worth of headroom available. One big difference I noted while getting in and out of the car, especially at the rear, is that besides a wide door opening, the C-pillar contour is not constricted anymore. And considering that many Middle East owners will be wearing traditional head gear, that this element has been factored in, reflects specific attention to detail. The rear doors also open up with an angle which is less than that of front doors. Since the front doors are wider, the Lagonda’s frameless doors can open upward at an angle with a ‘swan’ effect.

In the first hour of the drive through Muscat and highways thereafter, we covered good distance. Dunn drove the car at normal pace and the car’s exhaust note is befitting a pleasantly tuned V12.

The last Lagonda produced by Aston Martin in 1987 for three years was known as the Series 4. It packed a 5.3-litre 5,340 cc DOHC V8, producing 280bhp and 408Nm of torque. It had 5-speed transmission, was a rear wheel drive and weighed around 2,225kgs. The incoming Lagonda will get the latest and updated version of the company’s 6.00-litre V12 and eight-speed transmission and surprisingly, despite the dimensional enhancements, it will weigh exactly the same as the Rapide S, which is 1,994kg. This according to Dunn was accomplished by extensive use of carbon fibre in the car’s construction.

Barring the bonnet, which is made of aluminium, the entire car is made of this extremely strong and lightweight resin composite.

Dunn also revealed that the way this

LWB car was constructed is unique to the industry and it was a first time application of this newly developed technology for this car. By using longer sections, its creators have ensured the desired torsional rigidity besides its ability to remain stiff and resist flexing. The test car was shod with asymmetric wheel combo – 245/40 ZR20 up front and 295/35 ZR20 Bridgestone Potenzas. According to Dunn, the car has been designed to offer neutral feel by using normal sports tyres and not run flats which also meant that the front and rear axle weight ratios are 50:50. The active chassis offers sport option which as expected tightens the car’s suspension, remaps the throttle and gear shifting characteristics.

Late afternoon, we reach one of the top idyllic scenic locations in the Sultanate.

We decide to do the static shoot of the car here with Oman heritage in the background. On the way, we got ample opportunities to shoot the car dynamically and we also encountered curious patrol cops on two occasions.

The mule will spend five weeks in Oman for its testing ritual and the test programme should see the car clocking minimum 20,000km before it returns to UK for further tests including crashworthiness.

Oman Air’s professional cargo division offered the expertise needed to deliver the car from its factory in the UK to Oman. Once the testing has been completed in the Sultanate, Oman Air will ensure that the car is air freighted back to UK.

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Oman & region news

Appointments Volkswagen

Abu Dhabi Motors Volkswagen Middle East has announced several new managerial appointments for its regional operations. Guy Edmunds has been appointed to the role of sales director. Edmunds’ new role within Volkswagen Middle East will focus on the development of the brand’s sales strategy in order to achieve its regional growth targets for 2018.

Boriana Savatova-Ince has been appointed dealer development director. In

her new role, she will manage and further develop the retail network with a core focus on people, premises and processes.

Meanwhile, Paul Peters becomes the new after sales director for the region.

Peters succeeds Norbert Fischer, who has returned to the Volkswagen Group headquarters in Wolfsburg. Prior to his new role, Peters was director of after

sales for Volkswagen Group in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he was tasked with establishing and leading Volkswagen after sales in conjunction with the founding of the company in the Kingdom.

Peters’ new position will see him focus on the continuity and development of the region’s after sales network and the brand’s commitment to Service Excellence.

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The sole dealer of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in the capital of UAE has appointed Joseph Tayar as Brand Manager of the ultra-luxury marquee. Tayar began his career in the automotive industry in 1999 in Lebanon as a car leasing and finance sales consultant for a number of brands before moving to Qatar in 2005 to join BMW Group importer Alfardan Automobiles. There he served as BMW Sales Executive and Consultant for General Manager of Abu Dhabi Motors, Arno Husselman, said: “We are delighted to welcome Tayar to the Abu Dhabi Motors family. His considerable experience makes him perfectly placed to further build and expand on our exceptional success that has seen the Rolls-Royce brand in Abu Dhabi go from strength to strength over the past few years – we are the most recognized market both internationally and regionally for sales and the world’s highest bespoke dealer. Joseph is uniquely positioned to lead our sales and marketing team to even further success.”

Hertz Global rental offers

Middle East residents travelling from August 26 until the end of the year can now take advantage of the Hertz’s ‘Global Sale’ programme which offers customers with up to 33 per cent discount on vehicle hire in more than 100 countries worldwide.

The Hertz Global Sale includes a wide range of vehicles from economical city cars to family hatchbacks, luxury vehicles and people carriers. Additionally, Hertz’s customers can enjoy discounted Hertz van rental in Germany, Spain (mainland) and Italy. A number of locations are also providing discounts on Hertz’s popular Prestige, Fun, Family and Green Collections, varying according to the country. Customers renting from the Prestige and Fun Collections can also benefit from Hertz’s Make and Model Guarantee.

Renault

Maserati Italian luxury car manufacturer has reported that its sales in the Middle East and Africa region have increased by 152 per cent in the first half of 2014 compared to last year’s result of the same period. In fact, the result of the first six months of 2014 exceeds the sales of 2013 overall. Within the MEA region, the trident brand reports its highest sales in the UAE. The market grew by over 226 per cent since last year. Second highest - in terms of vehicles delivered to customers - is Saudi Arabia, registering 231 per cent growth. “The MEA region and the emerging markets in general allow us to grow while maintaining our exclusivity in the existing markets. With the new Quattroporte and Ghibli we have a very strong product portfolio complementing the GranTurismo and GranCabrio. Over the coming years we look forward to a new introduction in the SUV segment and the Maserati Alfieri, which was first presented at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show,” said Umberto Cini, Managing Director of Maserati Global Overseas Markets.

Over the 2014 first six months, Renault Middle East reports 33 per cent sales increase in the GCC compared with a year ago. Renault sold 7,991 new vehicles. Of these, Saudi Arabia’s share was 4,824 vehicles representing a year-over-year increase of 44 per cent. Renault sales were up by 71 per cent in Qatar and up to 22 per cent in Kuwait.

Infiniti

Infiniti has announced its sales figures which have increased to 1,524 units across the Middle East in the first quarter of FY2014 (1st of Apr to 30th June) – representing a rise of 31 per cent compared to the same period for 2013. Infiniti’s SUVs contributed to over 67 per cent of total sales volume, with QX60 and QX70 remaining Infiniti’s core models. Meanwhile, the QX80 achieved an all-time record high in Q1 of 2014, with an increase of 44 per cent in sales. QX50 also saw 150 per cent rise in sales.

2014 Engine Awards

Ford announces new product rollout for Middle East & Africa Ford Motor Company has announced its aggressive product acceleration programme in its newest business unit, Middle East & Africa which will leverage the company’s One Ford global portfolio and target opportunities for growth in small, mid-size and large vehicle segments.

Ford pledged to launch at least 25 new vehicles by 2016 to Middle East & Africa – making the announcement during a special “Go Further” event in Johannesburg attended by 1,000 employees, Ford dealers, suppliers, government officials, and media.

The company also confirmed that several additional vehicles from its global portfolio will come to Middle East &

Africa in the near term – including the iconic Ford Mustang.

“Today, we are accelerating the introduction of our new products in Middle East & Africa, leveraging our One Ford plan – with a full family of vehicles offering the very best quality, fuel efficiency, safety, smart design and value,” said Jim Benintende, president, Ford Middle East & Africa. “Middle East & Africa spans Saudi Arabia to South Africa, and from Nigeria to Kenya, so customer tastes are as diverse as our markets. Thanks to our One Ford plan, we can offer vehicles and technology that customers want and value, tailored to the needs of our markets.”

While a panel of 82 jury members from 34 countries named the Mercedes-AMG 2.0-litre turbo found in the A45, CLA45 and GLA45 AMG models with 355 hp and 332 lb-ft as the best New Engine for 2014.

The electric powertrain from Tesla won Green Engine prize, and the 4.5-litre V8 from the Ferrari 458 Italia took home the honour of top Performance Engine yet again. And last but not the least, Ford’s 1.0-litre Ecoboost engine also made it to the awards list, third time in a row and bagged the 2014 International Engine of the Year prize.

Saab owner facing bankruptcy Swedish automotive brand Saab’s troubles are far from being over – and this time news is about its current owner, National Electric Vehicle Sweden being asked to declare on behest of a supplier of test equipment in a Swedish court. The fledgling automaker, owned by a Hong Kong-based energy company, earlier this year announced that 9-3 production had been halted due to a “short term cash problem.” The company blamed the issue on one of its minor stakeholders, Qingbo Investment Co, which has been accused of failing to fund ongoing operations.

2015 Mustang performance details announced Ford has revealed power outputs and performance details for the all-new Ford Mustang. The North America versions equipped with the new 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine will offer 310hp and 320 lb/ft of torque, while the 5.0-litre V8 engined versions will generate 435hp with 400 lb/ft of torque. The car will also will offer fully independent front and rear suspension, and an advanced lightweight body structure with extensive high12 | www.automanweb.com |

Sep 2014

strength steel and aluminium components for excellent ride and handling. The base kerb weight of the US specification Mustang 5.0-litre V8 fastback automatic is 1,691kg and the 2.3-litre EcoBoost fastback automatic weighing 1,598kg.

The 2.3-litre EcoBoost fastback has 52 per cent of its weight over the front axle and 48 per cent to the rear, while the 5.0-litre V8 has 53 per cent of its mass on the front wheels.

New Kia Sorento to go upmarket Kia’s third generation Sorento SUV will feature dramatic quality improvements at its launch next year. The new model boasts a lower roofline, higher waistline, more muscular stance, rounded shoulders at the rear, deeply sculpted body surfaces and swept-back exterior styling.

Meanwhile, the cabin promises to raise the bar in luxury thanks to a modern, wrap-around dashboard, high quality soft-touch materials and a range of advanced on-board technologies.

Styled at Kia’s design studios in Korea, Germany and the USA, the SUV’s interior styling was done by the design team

in Germany, which cited the finest modern Swiss watches as a key influence during the design phase. The smoothlycontoured cabin features a higher proportion of soft-touch materials, leather and stitching, as well as Kia’s latest HMI (human-machine interface). A large infotainment screen dominates the centre of the dashboard, which employs long, flowing shapes to cosset the driver and front passenger and to emphasise the width and space of the larger cabin.

The all-new Sorento will be showcased in Korea in late August, and is due to make its European Premiere on Thursday 2 October at the 2014 Paris Motor Show.

The Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) has now added to the Korean brand’s award haul with a pair of prestigious design titles: IDEA Silver for the GT4 Stinger concept car and IDEA Bronze for the 2014 Soul. The IDEA is an assessment of global design, which recognises designs that affect quality of life, and promise significant economic impact through innovation in categories such as Automotive and Transportation, Design Strategy, Computer Equipment and Environments. The 2014 competition included 2,000 candidates from 39 countries with each entry evaluated for innovation, benefits to the user and client, sustainability and visual appeal.

Gen I Volvo XC90 production comes to an end After more than 636,000 unit production, the last XC90 produced at the Torslanda plant headed to the Volvo Museum collection located in Gothenburg. The story began on 7 January 2002, when Volvo Car Corporation launched an eagerly awaited new model at the Detroit Motor Show.

It was a car that dealers and customers principally in America had been yearning

for – the Volvo XC90. A car that would be awarded more than 100 international distinctions, including “SUV of the Year” as early as 2003, and that was named Sweden’s most valuable export product, with an annual export value of more than SEK 40 billion in the peak years. Before sales started in 2003, Volvo’s dealers had already received 15,000 orders.

However, production of the current XC90 will continue in Volvo’s new car plant in Daqing later in the year, under the name of Volvo XC Classic, which will only be sold in China. The soon-to-arrive all-new Volvo XC90 will also be produced in the Torslanda factory. The new arrival was revealed in August, will start production at the end of January 2015.

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brandwatch news

Design awards for Kia models

brandwatch Jaguar Land Rover has recently purchased the largest-known privately owned collection of British classic cars in the world.

The haul included 543 cars amassed by British enthusiast James Hull. Jaguar models in the collection include an SS100, a rare alloy XK120, early E-types and a MK X owned by Sir William Lyons.

The acquisition underscores Jaguar Land Rover’s investment in its history, through its newly created Special Operations division which includes the Jaguar Heritage business. A brand

new Jaguar Heritage workshop at the historic Browns Lane, Coventry, site will maintain the Jaguars in the collection and this new facility will also offer restoration services of the company’s classic models.

The cars in the collection will be actively used to support Jaguar brand events and customer experiences around the world and in developing markets.

The collection which has been painstakingly assembled and restored has at its core over 130 Jaguars. These include early Swallow Sidecars and

Swallow coachbuilt Austin Sevens, plus a full and diverse range of pre-war SS models, 7 XK 120s - including a rare alloy-bodied example, C- and D-types, an XKSS, 8 E-types, 30 classic Jaguar ‘Mark’ model saloons plus 19 XJS models and over 20 XJ saloons with interesting and famous previous owners. The majority of these cars are in truly outstanding condition, with many having fascinating histories behind them. The collection also features many other iconic and famous British cars and models.

John Edwards, Managing Director of Special Vehicle Operations commented. “We are delighted that Jaguar Land Rover has come to an agreement with James Hull to secure the future of this very significant collection of Jaguar and British cars. We share the same objective as James to keep this unique collection in British hands and we are delighted this agreement secures their custody for the future. We look forward to continuing to work with James going forward as we develop our heritage activities.”

Hyundai Motor has revealed design renderings of the next generation i20 hatch.

Styled at Hyundai Motor’s Design Centre Europe, the new popular B-segment model features the brand’s ‘Fluidic Sculpture 2.0’ design philosophy, in a sophisticated and distinctive design. The long bonnet and generous shape are complemented with sculpted sheetmetal yet the overall architecture is clear and simple. The front presents a bold new interpretation of the well-established Hyundai hexagonal grille and a new thin horizontal strip connecting the headlamps. At the back, the wrap-around rear window and unique treatment for the lamp clusters combine with the car’s hatchback proportions to create a distinctive design.

More details about the car will be released ahead of its world premiere at the Mondial de l’Automobile 2014 in Paris in October.

Mercedes-Benz upgrades E-Class From September there will a number of changes for the E-Class range, including the introduction of the new 9G-Tronic gearbox, new standard equipment, more power and lower emissions. Mercedes-Benz developed the 9G-Tronic gearbox in-house and will be twined with the E 350 BlueTEC engine in the Saloon, Estate, Coupé and Cabriolet. The pairing brings a significant reduction of up to 17 g/km of CO2 emissions which now start from 136 g/km for the Coupé, 139 g/km for the Saloon, 142 g/km for the Estate and 143 g/km for the Cabriolet. Power has also been increased to a total of 258 hp (+ 6hp).

At the same time the E 220 BlueTEC will see an increase in power to 177 hp (+ 7hp), with a reduction in CO2 emissions of up to 16 g/km whilst still being paired

Automan’s take

New Land Rover Discovery Sport to get third row

Heritage is becoming an ever more important differentiating factor when it comes to experiential customer marketing and in developing our brands in new and emerging markets. Jaguar and Land Rover have realized this potential and now have a combined “back catalogue” of over one hundred and forty years to draw upon and some of the most iconic vehicles in the industry.

Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations will focus on designing and engineering high specification vehicles, bespoke commissions, heritage products and branded goods. The newly expanded heritage business was opened on 01 August.

JLR new engine Jaguar Land Rover opens up on new engine family Ingenium, is the name of a new family of premium diesel and gasoline engines designed, engineered and manufactured by Jaguar Land Rover. The Ingenium portfolio will deliver exceptional levels of torque, horsepower and refinement while offering reduced emissions and improved fuel consumption. The new engine will be configurable and have flexible architecture that enables seamless installation in a range of new Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles besides being scalable to create 14 | www.automanweb.com |

Sep 2014

smaller or larger displacement variants in the future.

It will also have the ability to accommodate a range of powertrain layouts including rear-, all- and four-wheel drive. The engine will also support manual and automatic transmissions as well as electrified hybrid drive systems For both diesel and gasoline versions, the engine is based on a strong and compact aluminum block. Sharing the same bore, stroke, cylinder spacing and 500cc

cylinder capacity, this modular design also enables both gasoline and diesel variants to share common internal components and calibration strategies. This reduced complexity simplifies manufacturing and raises quality while allowing for quick reaction to changes in global demand.

All diesel and gasoline Ingenium variants will be equipped with turbochargers. Additional features include high-pressure central direct fuel injection, variable valve timing and start-stop technology.

Usually, carmakers employ innovative designs in camouflage wrappings to ensure spy photographers don’t get the real details. But it seems that wrappings in prototypes are being used to communicate!

Land Rover has dropped the biggest hint yet towards the design of Discovery Sport, with the debut of a new camouflage wrap confirming that the new compact SUV arrives as standard with 5+2 seating in the UK. As if ‘peeling back’ the outer layer of the vehicle, the camouflage reveals that the Discovery Sport will in fact have two seats in the third row, enhancing its versatility and appeal as a compact, family SUV. Prototype cars

sporting the new camouflage design left Halewood, UK, where the Discovery Sport will be manufactured, to embark on final testing and development activity across several continents.

“As you would expect from a Discovery, the versatile Discovery Sport will feature 5+2 seating in the UK, offering spacious load space and configurable seating, while still retaining a more compact footprint than traditional 5-seat SUVs,” said Gerry McGovern, Design Director and Chief Creative Officer for Land Rover. The New Discovery Sport compact SUV will go on sale complementing the existing Discovery in 2015.

with the 7G-Tronic transmission. The E 220 BlueTEC SE Saloon now boasts the lowest CO2 emissions of the range at 116 g/km. Capacity of the E 400 AMG Sport will be known moving forward as the E 400 AMG Line and capacity of the V6 will increase for both the Coupe and Cabriolet to 3,498 cc, again with lower emissions of up to 17 g/km.

Collision Prevention Assist Plus will be fitted as standard to every E-Class variant to reduce the impact of rear-end collisions. A Premium and Premium Plus Package will also be available.

The Premium Package for the Saloon includes a Panoramic Glass Sunroof, Memory Package, Rear Split Folding Seats, and a Reversing Camera while the Premium Plus Package adds Keyless-GO Comfort Pack and a Harman Kardon® sound system.

Toyota to produce FJ Cruiser Ultimate Edition for US Toyota will continue producing the FJ Cruiser for a while for non-US markets as legislation and emission laws in US have effectively forced retired the model. It may be recalled that the FJ was introduced at the end of 2006 as the reincarnated FJ40-series Land Cruiser.

As a farewell gift for the US, Toyota has created the Ultimate edition based on the a FJ Cruiser Trail Team setup. This package adds style and substance and the SUV is finished in Heritage Blue paint along with black accents and a white grille. Less visible upgrades are made to the suspension, which runs 66mm front shock assemblies along with TRD race coil springs, lifting up the front end slightly for a leveled-off stance.

Power comes from a 4.0-litre V6 that produces 260 hp

and 271 lb-ft of torque. The powertrain is programmed to offer a broad torque curve that helps it to access its torque at low rpm. Gearing is crucial in any off-road machine and the FJ uses a 3.727:1 rearend axle ratio, along with a transfer case that includes a 2.56:1 low gear. A five-speed automatic transmission gets the power down and is controlled by a great big black TRD shift knob located in the center console, sitting adjacent to another TRD knob that controls the transfer case. With the automatic, the FJ is offered with two-wheel drive, four-wheel drive high or four-wheel drive low range facilities.

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news

JLR Special Operations acquires private British Classic Car Collection

‘Fluidic Sculpture 2.0’ design philosophy for new Hyundai i20

50:50 chance for Nissan’s IDX

New plant in Thailand

The retro-styled iDX concept that was presented at last year’s edition of the Tokyo Motor Show has been a talking point at Nissan. While concepts are generally produced to gauge feedback, Nissan is still debating whether to greenlight the project after it received positive reviews.

“It is under preparation and development. [The project is] 50/50 until some milestone to decide ‘go!’,” said Keno Kato, Nissan’s vice president of product planning, in a recent interview.

Kato San hinted that the platform for the car was the biggest point of debate.

Nissan engineers want the production

Nissan has announced the opening of its second production plant in Thailand. The new plant will be a production hub for the NP300 Navara, Nissan’s new generation pickup truck, destined for export to 45 countries around the world. Thailand is a key market for Nissan, an integral part of their growth strategy in Asia. The country now boasts two plants and an R&D facility, and is increasing in importance as the company’s Asian hub for exports and manufacturing.

Nissan has invested 3.7bn Thai Baht in the 580,000 square meter facility, bringing with it 2,000 new job opportunities. Full production capacity is expected to reach 150,000 units per annum.

version of the iDX needs to retain the concept’s front-engined, rear-wheel drive layout and at the same time they don’t want to build the car on the 370Z’s chassis.

While mechanical details are still vague at this very early stage of consideration, however, Kato San did reveal that he would like to see the coupe powered by an evolution of the 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine used in the Juke which means that the base iDX would be powered by a naturally-aspirated engine and more expensive models could get a turbocharged version.

Bentley to look at coach building business A few decades ago, a customer could buy a chassis from an automaker and then take it to a coachbuilder to get a custom bodywork job done. But nowadays, with tighter regulations and efficient unibody construction methods, no one is looking at this past practice. But there’s an exception: Bentley wants to get back into that business.

Bentley sales chief Kevin Rose has indicated that the company is looking into setting up a special division within itself to meet the demands of extremely wealthy customers who want to commission their own coachbuilt custom creations. The last bespoke creation we can think of right now is the 2002 State Limousine Bentley created for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in UK.

New midsize Volkswagen SUV will be produced in USA

Within the framework of its Strategy 2018 plan, the Volkswagen Group is expanding its industrial footprint in the US. The Board of Directors of Volkswagen Group of America has decided to award the production of the new midsize SUV to the Chattanooga plant in Tennessee. The Group will be investing a total of approximately US$900mn in the production of a newly developed, sevenpassenger SUV. Apart from investing in the production of a new vehicle, the Chattanooga location is to receive a new, independent National Research & Development and Planning Center of the Volkswagen Group of America for project coordination in the North American market.

At Chattanooga, the new SUV will be integrated into existing plant structures.

A total floor space of 50,000 m² will be added to the existing production facility.

The midsize SUV, which is based on the CrossBlue concept vehicle, was developed especially for the North American market.

The CrossBlue made its global debut at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Mulsanne could see power upgrade

A Nissan executive in Australia has revealed the company is developing a rugged body-on-frame SUV based on the global market Navara pick-up truck that was introduced last June. The yetunnamed SUV is expected to look nearly identical to the Navara Crew Cab from the 16 | www.automanweb.com |

Sep 2014

tip of the front bumper to the B-pillar. Beyond that, the SUV will feature an extended roof line, a large third side window and an upright tailgate out back. Mechanically, most trim levels will be equipped with a 2.5-litre fourcylinder turbodiesel engine available with either 163hp or 190hp.

Base models will come with a six-speed manual transmission, but Nissan expects most variants will be ordered with a seven-speed automatic unit. The Navarabased SUV will debut at a major auto show next year and go on sale in select global markets shortly after.

Automan’s take

Nissan developing global market-bound body-on-frame SUV It’s an emerging trend that’s seen Ferrari Special Projects build one-offs like the F12 TRS and SP12 EC and McLaren Special Operations the outlandish X-1, and naturally Bentley wants to get in on the action. By doing it in-house, however, Bentley would be able to pick the chassis up off the assembly line at the right time and provide the necessary support and factory backing.

Bentley’s chief executive has confirmed that the British automaker will introduce a new variant of its Mulsanne flagship by the end of 2014. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Bentley CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer revealed that “we will see Mulsanne developments at motor shows in 2014.”

This could mean a Mulsanne variant will retain the current car’s 6.75-litre turbocharged V8, but power will be bumped from 505hp to 550hp along with complementary torque enhancements.

Sep 2014

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brandwatch

While the Lancer Evolution has been discontinued in many of the other markets around the world, customers of this cherished model in the US will receive a modestly revised version.

The Evo GSR also has a new Premium Package that includes the contents from the Sight and Sound Package as well as heated front seats, leather upholstery, a power sunroof and additional sound deadening material - among other things like a new cup holder and revised side mirrors with integrated turn signals.

The range-topping Evo MR goes one step further as it gains automatic headlights, rain-sensing windshield wipers, colour-keyed heat extractor vents and additional chrome trim. The model also has a passive entry system, an auto dimming rearview mirror, additional sound deadening material and a ninespeaker Rockford Fosgate audio system.

Both variants are powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that produces 29 bhp and 406 Nm of torque. The engine is connected to a five-speed manual or a six-speed Twin-Clutch Sportronic Shift Transmission (TC-SST) and an all-wheel drive system.

news

Mitsubishi details US-bound 2015 Lancer Evolution

brandwatch news

Aston Martin officially confirms sedan production For several years, Gaydon, UK-based Aston Martin has been talking about a sedan production programme. The sportscar maker has now confirmed a bespoke product programme for its new super sedan that will also be used to revive the Lagonda nameplate.

The return of Lagonda follows in the wake of other headline-grabbing projects such as the One-77 hypercar, V12 Zagato and last year’s CC100 Speedster Concept – then seen as the ultimate Q by Aston Martin car – which started out simply as a centenary celebration design concept.

The incoming sedan will get Lagonda badging and will be built on the latest version of the company’s VH architecture. As a result of specific market demand, the sedan will be

offered exclusively in the Middle East.

The design of the sedan draws inspiration from William Towns-designed Lagonda of 1976 and features many of the same cutting edge engineering techniques seen in modern Aston Martin sports cars such as the use of carbon fibre in the body panels. It will be handbuilt at Aston Martin’s manufacturing facilities in Gaydon, Warwickshire in a dedicated building previously given over to the creation of the One-77 hypercar.

Aston Martin Design Director Marek Reichman said: “The debut of this luxury super saloon in the Middle East market will be an exciting moment not only for Aston Martin, but for discerning customers who are seeking the ultimate in luxury and personalisation.”

Based on VH Generation2, Generation4 underpins the new Aston Martin Vanquish. It is based on the Carbon architecture found in the One-77 and uses far more carbon fibre in its design than previous VH Chassis’ and it, in turn, will be used as a basis for all new Aston Martins in the years to come.

Daimler to increase stake in Aston Martin As part of an increasingly close partnership, Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler is reportedly preparing to increase its stake in Aston Martin by another one per cent, bringing the German automaker’s shares in the British company up to five per cent.

Mercedes-AMG is in the midst of developing a new engine with and for Aston Martin in an apparently similar arrangement to that which it has with Pagani.

Daimler will also furnish Aston Martin with electrical systems and other components, said to lead up to the eventual sharing of platforms: one to underpin future GTs and another to serve as the basis for a crossover with possible 2017 launch. The deal is said to have been brokered by Investindustrial. The Italian set-up bought 37.5 per cent of Aston Martin over a year and a half ago. Prior to selling Ducati to the Volkswagen Group, Investindustrial had brokered a partnership between AMG and the motorcycle manufacturer.

Rolls-Royce planning new Drophead tourer for 2016 A new Rolls-Royce model entering the top end of the market by mid-2016 has been officially confirmed by Torsten MüllerÖtvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars who said: “I am truly delighted to confirm the development of our new model which will open an exciting new chapter in the great story of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. We are currently developing an exciting and thoroughly contemporary interpretation of a pinnacle drophead tourer which will introduce even more discerning men and women to Rolls-Royce ownership.”

The new model will benefit from the success of the Phantom, Ghost and Wraith models. It will come with contemporary, graceful and sensuous styling and will deliver effortless, open-top touring 18 | www.automanweb.com |

Sep 2014

through the perfect marriage of modern Rolls-Royce luxury, style and elegance with an engaging and exhilarating driving experience.

Speaking from the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, West Sussex, Peter Schwarzenbauer, Chairman of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, welcomed the announcement, saying, “The announcement of a new RollsRoyce model is always a seminal moment in the automobile industry. When it arrives in 2016, this elegant and sensuous new car will build on the success of our current models and will play a key part in fulfilling Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ commitment to long-term sustainable growth.” The new car is currently undergoing a rigorous process of prototype testing as it enters its next stage of development.

Three years after launching at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, McLaren Special Operations (MSO) will return to the fairway of the 18th hole at the famous Pebble Beach automotive weekend. The set-up will use its presence at the venue to showcase its ultimate track-focused model, the McLaren P1™GTR, in design concept form. The concept has been prepared in response to requests from buyers of the road legal P1™ who wanted a track focused edition of their car. To be available for purchase only to this group as a fully comprehensive programme to include driving events, training and vehicle support, the McLaren P1™GTR will go into production in June 2015 when the 375th and final example of the road car has been completed. Also on display will be the recently launched MSO 650S Spider.

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Spotlight

Lexus has partnered with TUMI, which has been producing exquisite premium travel, business, and lifestyle accessories for over 35 years, to create the exclusive luggage set that complements the distinctive design of The Crafted Line vehicles. At Pebble Beach the brand will present Special Editions of the LS 460, GS 350, IS 250, ES 350 and RX 350 in striking ultra white and Obsidian exteriors with red interiors. The Crafted Line will also offer Lexus customers striking style with substance for 2015 model year along with a two-piece TUMI duffel bag set exclusively designed to complement these models.

Bugatti will celebrate the conclusion of its “Les Légendes de Bugatti” edition (Bugatti Legends). A year ago, Bugatti launched the exclusive model series during the Monterey Car Week. This year, the grand finale will take place at the same location with the world première of the company’s sixth Legend. This creation also

commissions, heritage products and branded goods.

Throughout the weekend, Land Rover will also display the Range Rover Longwheelbase, the Range Rover Evoque Autobiography and the “Great Divide” past and present 1990 and 2014 edition vehicles.

Toyota has revealed a second interior styling and exterior colour palette for an upscale interpretation of its FT-1 sports car concept. Developed by Calty Design Research in Newport Beach, California, the concept vehicle’s graphite exterior paint and light, saddle-coloured leather accents went on display for the first time at the Gordon McCall’s Motorworks Revival gala held on California’s Monterey Peninsula.

The original FT-1 concept in bright red ignited sports car enthusiasts and the automotive world with its January debut at the North American International Auto Show. The concept is being promoted as the spiritual pace car for the new direction of Toyota Global Design. Toyota’s rich sports coupe heritage dating back to the 2000GT, Celica, Supra, MR2 and most recently the 86 sports car.

honours Ettore Bugatti, founder and patron of the brand, and is based on the historical model Type 41 Royale. As with the five previous Legends, only three of the final Legends model will be produced. It costs €2.35mn.

Bugatti will present all six Bugatti Legends together for the first and only time.

Infiniti Infiniti is partnering with TEN: The Enthusiast Network and Microsoft during the event and will create a unique consumer experience that combines traditional displays with high-technology.

In addition to ride and drive activities at the Infiniti Performance Pavilion at the Pebble Beach Concours Plaza, Infiniti worked with Microsoft to create the ultimate interactive experience designed to give guests a taste of Infiniti’s concept sport sedan, the Q50 Eau Rouge.

Custom XBOX driving simulators running Microsoft’s Forza 5 will be specially loaded with the Q50 Eau Rouge, allowing visitors to virtually test their driving skills on the world’s most famous racetracks.

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news

six customer cars will be built.

Interestingly, all three vehicles are from Jaguar Land Rover’s newly created Special Operations division.

Under the leadership of managing director, John Edwards, this division will focus on designing and engineering high specification vehicles, bespoke

Toyota

Jaguar Land Rover The Los Angeles-based dealer partner of UK’s Aston Martin, Galpin Aston Martin has commissioned four new bespoke Q custom cars. Galpin’s lineup includes the 2014 Q by Aston Martin Vanquish Coupe, Q by Aston Martin Vanquish Volante, Q by Aston Martin DB9 Volante and Q by Aston Martin V12 Vantage S. Besides these cars, the Design Prototype 100 – DP-100 Vision Gran Turismo will also be on display.

Jaguar Land Rover will debut three product and these include the 550hp Range Rover Sport SVR (the venue also serves as the global debut for this car), the US production version of the Jaguar F-TYPE Project 7 and the prototype of the new Jaguar Lightweight E-type – of which

Bugatti

McLaren

Aston Martin

At this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, competition cars will also take centre stage as the 100th anniversary of the 1914 French Grand Prix will be celebrated.

Since 1950, Pebble Beach has been host to what is quite simply the finest exhibition of showcars in the world. Held each August on the 18th Fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is an annual gathering of rare and antique automobiles, international automotive luminaries and motorcar enthusiasts from around the globe. It’s an event of dazzling elegance, appropriately held at a classy resort famous for both its beauty and its refinement.

The Concours d’Elegance has always been the site of some of the automotive world’s most significant “firsts” and this year the event promises all the motoring extravaganza a hardcore petrol head or aficionado has earmarked and perhaps a bit more. Here are some of the highlights from this year’s event.

Lexus

2014 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

Range Rover to celebrate 25th anniversary of Great Divide Expedition

Historic Peugeots rally in southern England

In 1989 Land Rover embarked on an ambitious adventure to traverse the most demanding portion of the Continental Divide in Colorado. The 1989 Great Divide Expedition was the launch event for the 1990 Range Rover. With the Rocky Mountains as the backdrop, a caravan of stock Range Rover vehicles navigated their way along a route that took nearly two years to develop. Now 25 years later, to commemorate this legendary journey, a fleet of Range Rover vehicles will travel nearly 1,600km of unpaved roads and 4x4 trails along a portion of the original Great Divide route.

A limited number of seats available for customers who will navigate narrow rocky trails with steep drop-offs and mountain passes over 4,000m as part of the expedition in stock 2014 Range Rover vehicles.

Last month, more than 120 classic Peugeots met up for the annual International Peugeot Meeting, held this year in the UK, near Southampton. With a theme of ‘Best of British’, the participating cars all belonged to members of l’Aventure Peugeot, the Brand’s heritage arm with a museum in Sochaux near Mulhouse, France. As well as Britain, owners and vehicles came from France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Italy.

Sir Stirling Moss leads Maserati centenary parades

Racing great Sir Stirling Moss OBE was back behind the wheel of one of his favourite grand prix cars to lead both record Formula One and Maserati centenary parades at the 2014 Silverstone Classic, which was staged 2527 July at Silverstone Circuit in England.

The world’s biggest ever F1 parade also marked 50 grands prix at Silverstone – a major milestone that was reached in July. Maserati was the event’s official ‘Celebration Marque’ for 2014 and will be celebrating its first 100 years with a special cavalcade of its finest road and competition cars. Both special commemorative parades took place on the full Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit on ‘Super Sunday’ 27 July and, appropriately, both were fronted by Moss driving a Maserati 250F.

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loyal and passionate Ferrari clients given the chance to live their dream – to own and drive a Ferrari F1 car on a current GP circuit. The XX programme experimental development cars will also take to the track twice each day, with Client Test Drivers pushing their XX programme cars to the limit on the fast and challenging Silverstone Grand Prix circuit. These were considered a highlight of the Ferrari Racing Days at Silverstone in 2012.

In addition to the F1 Clienti and XX programme, Ferrari Racing Days also includes races from both the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli [one-make racing series] and the Pirelli Ferrari Open.

Hyundai ’s ix35 Fuel Cell SUV creates distance record Hyundai Motor’s ix35 Fuel Cell has driven a record distance for a hydrogenpowered production car on a single tank, covering 700km across three countries.

The economy drive was conducted by independent Norwegian non-profit ecopioneers Marius Bornstein and Arnt G. Hartvig. The ix35 Fuel Cell, the world’s first mass-production fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), was driven between Oslo (Norway) and Malmö (Sweden) via Gothenburg (Sweden) and Copenhagen (Denmark).

The journey took 10 hours to complete, at an average speed of 76 km/h, taking in city and highway driving.

The pioneering vehicle was in productionstandard specification, and exceeded its stated range of 594km, with the

trip computer still indicating nearly 10 kilometres of range available at the journey’s conclusion.

In April 2012, the two drivers travelled from Oslo to Monaco in an ix35 Fuel Cell, a distance of 2,260km, demonstrating the usability of fuel cell cars and the growing refuelling infrastructure. Frank Meijer, Head of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle at Hyundai Motor Europe, commented: “The distance travelled by the ix35 Fuel Cell demonstrates the viability and real-world benefits of hydrogen fuel cell technology – it’s an electric vehicle with long-distance range.

Hyundai Motor is the first automaker to mass-produce fuel cell vehicles, and we continue to promote the growth of Europe’s hydrogen refuelling network.”

Dodge supercharges the Charger The worst keep secret in Detroit is finally official as Dodge has taken the wraps off the 2015 Charger SRT Hellcat. Described as the “quickest, fastest and most powerful sedan in the world,” the Charger SRT Hellcat features a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 engine that develops whopping 707bhp and 880Nm of torque. It is connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission that enables the car to run the quarter mile in 11.0 seconds and hit a top speed of 328.3 km/h. Even more

impressive, the Charger SRT Hellcat can go from 0-160-0 km/h in less than 13secs.

The car also gets its specialized visual identification: Dodge designers have added an aggressive front face with a new grille that is flanked by LED-infused headlights.

The model also has a “power-bulge” aluminium bonnet with a cold air intake and heat extractors. Other notable highlights include a new rear bumper, a boot-mounted spoiler, a dual exhaust system and 20in aluminum wheels with Pirelli P Zero tyres.

World record prices tumble at UK classic motorcycle auction International auctioneers Coys have broken two world records at auction when they sold a 1931 Indian 1300 motorcycle for £90,000 and a 1953 Mondial 125 Monoalbero for £60,000 on the afternoon of July 11 at Blenheim Palace in the UK. Chris Routledge, Managing Partner at Coys, said: “We are back in the international collector motorcycle market, setting two world records and selling motorcycles to all four corners of the world, including some household name celebrity buyers. I’m really excited about our return to motorcycles and we have now secured a fantastic single owner collection for auction in autumn.”

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Spotlight

The Silverstone Grand Prix circuit will once again host the exciting Ferrari Racing Days in September, with a packed schedule of on-track activities from the F1 Clienti, XX programme, Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli and the Pirelli Ferrari Open. Apart from the end-of-season Finali Mondiali, the Ferrari Racing Days event at Silverstone is the only race meeting in Europe where Ferrari fans will be able to see all of these different track activities at the same venue on the same weekend.

The F1 Clienti will see important and historic F1 cars from Ferrari’s illustrious racing heritage take to the track each day for demonstration laps, with the most

news

Ferrari Racing Day returns to Silverstone

2015 Volvo XC90 SUV

Håkan Samuelsson

In a new direction In a spectacular presentation at the Artipelag, an ultra-modern art museum on the Baltic shore, last month, Sweden’s Volvo Car Group top executives not only introduced the brand’s first new vehicle built under Chinese ownership, but also the brand’s future aspirations.

Automan witnessed the proceedings and has the story Author: Chandan B Mallik

T

he similarities of the business model adopted are becoming obvious now. It seems that Hangzhou, Chinabased Zhejiang Geely, which bought Volvo from Ford Motor in 2010 for US$1.5bn has an ambitious master plan for its prized acquisition. Very similar to what Indiabased Tata Motors did with UK-based Jaguar Land Rover to put it back on track, between 2011 and 2015Geely has invested $11bn in Volvo. Geely has given the task to its top executives to promote Volvo car brand into premium territory. In 2010, Geely stated that it wanted Volvo to 24 | www.automanweb.com |

Sep 2014

account for 20 per cent of the premium car market in three years and had set a modest target of 200,000 vehicles for 2014.

The investment seems to have paid off. Volvo’s car division has returned to profit after losses in late 2012 and early 2013, and sales rose 10 per cent in the first half of this year, to 229,000 cars. From a brand that was treated as a division under its previous ownership to a standalone success, chief executive, Håkan Samuelsson at the Stockholm media presentation also highlighted the

relationship with the parent. “They have given us a new role as a stand-alone company. We are not a sort of division executing commands from some centre,” Samuelsson said of Geely. Since Zhejiang Geely Holding bought the company from Ford Motor in 2010, China has become Volvo Cars’ largest market.

At the presentation, Samuelsson also promised a slew of all-new global products and innovative marketing initiatives in the coming months while keeping the Swedish identity and heritage intact. “We are emphasizing our determination to

build the future of our brand on our Swedish heritage,” said Samuelsson.

Samuelsson also spelled out the significance of the new XC90 SUV for the brand. “This is one of the most important days in our history. We are not just launching a car, but also re-launching our brand. This day marks a new era for our company. The all-new XC90 paves the way for a portfolio of exciting new cars to come in the following years.”

The seven-seat sport utility will go on sale in April and will be sold in US, Europe, Middle East and Asia. Samuelsson expects the US to account for at least a third of sales and that the premium segment in Middle East would also account for a major chunk in the brand’s success. Samuelsson is confident that its new products will successfully compete with the likes of premium German brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi. Meanwhile, Volvo is targeting an operating margin of 8 per cent by 2020, up from

1.6 per cent in 2013.

In terms of sales, Volvo Cars has set an achievable goal of doubling its global sales to 800,000 vehicles a year.

To do this, Samuelsson says that the brand will continue to focus its traditional strength in emphasising on passenger safety while promoting Swedish design elegance. Citing an example in the incoming XC90 of both aspects, Samuelsson’s presentation showed a shockabsorbing seat meant to protect a passenger’s spine in a crash and automatic braking to avoid collisions with people or other cars on one hand, while the other side highlighted a gear shift lever inlaid with Swedish-made glass crystal.

Volvo said its goal was to ensure that by 2020, no one would be killed or seriously injured in a Volvo car. On the technology front, Volvo is also putting more emphasis on fuel economy and emissions than in the past, addressing the needs of some buyers who think Sep 2014

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big SUVs users are insensitive to climate change or legislation.

The second generation 2015 XC90 is the first model that is built on Volvo’s scalable product architecture. The said architecture allows the same chassis, seats, wheels and steering assembly to be used in a variety of bodystyles like sedans or stations wagons. Meanwhile, Volvo has promised that this flexible approach will lead to a complete renewal of its product line within four years.

From the production perspective, the platform also allows different models to be manufactured on the same assembly line, which saves costs and would bring Volvo more in line with German standards of manufacturing efficiency.

Depending on market, the incoming XC90 will be offered with a variety of highly efficient petrol and diesel powertrains.

Exclusive to the model will be a new range of 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol and diesel Drive-e hybrid engines. And for the first time there will be a potent front-wheeldrive variant. Two wheel drive versions will get a 2.0-litre petrol engine from Volvo’s new four-cylinder Drive-E engine family.

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the revs build up. Spinning the rear axle for four-wheel drive is a 79bhp electric motor, fed by a battery pack that runs along the spine of the car. Badged ‘T8’, the plug-in XC90 can be switched between

The Swedish car company is owned by China’s Zhejiang Geely. The auto maker is opening new factories in China, launching new engines and creating new vehicle architecture upon which a variety of vehicles can be built. The first vehicle off the new platform is the all-new second generation 2015 XC90 SUV no less than five different driving modes – Off Road, AWD, Pure, Hybrid and Power – selectable via touchscreen. Meanwhile, the top-of-the-line 400hp/600Nm model will use a petrol-electric plug-in hybrid setup that will enable the car of travel about 40km solely on battery power and also

have the lowest emissions at 69gm/km.

Swedish elegance will be seen in the interior of the car which has been inspired by an elegant living room and an optional sound system with 19 speakers that is capable of replicating the acoustics of the concert hall in Gothenburg, the hometown of Volvo Cars. Sitting at the centre of the interior is a new portrait-orientated touchscreen. This Tablet like system allows drivers access to apps for things like music streaming and a word-first ‘Park and Pay’ system. ‘Comfort’ chairs come as standard, featuring “an ergonomic shape that resembles the human spine” but there are optional ‘Contour’ versions which are designed to offer a bit more lateral support.

Safety will also be on top of the car’s agenda. Volvo safety experts claim that the seven-seat SUV will be one of the safest cars on the planet with two groundbreaking world firsts in terms of accident prevention. One system involves ‘run-off incidents’, when cars leave the road due to driver error or bad weather.

The XC90’s system automatically tightens the front seatbelts, while the seats are designed to minimise spinal injuries if the car encounters a hard landing.

The secondly world first is a ‘junction

Volvo has begun taking online orders wef from Sept 03 for a limited to 1,927 units production First Edition of the 2015 XC90 for US$65,900.

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face to face news Safety will also be on top of the car’s agenda. Volvo safety experts claim that the seven-seat SUV will be one of the safest cars on the planet with two groundbreaking world firsts in terms of accident prevention.

brake’ system that stops the car if the driver tries to pull out in front of an oncoming vehicle at a junction. Like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the XC90 also knows if it’s about to be rear-ended, and will flash its tail-lights to try to alert the inattentive driver behind. Plus, the car tightens its occupants’ seatbelts and applies its brakes to cut the whiplash risk.

The suite of safety technology is a major part of the brand’s ‘Vision 2020 policy’, which boldly states that no occupant should be killed or seriously injured in an accident in a new Volvo by the year 2020.

Volvo has high hopes that the premiumpriced sport-utility vehicle will help narrow the gap with its German rivals and improve profitability. “We think it’s absolutely necessary to come back to that territory,” Samuelsson said. “With this car, we will take a big step.” Production of the car in Sweden will begin in January and Middle East-destined cars will be made in week eight [February 2015].

In the interim period, as part of a new digital initiative, Volvo will sell on-line 1,927 First Edition models. The carmaker has begun taking online orders wef from Sept 03 and these cars will sell for $65,900. Twenty-nine markets have been earmarked for this innovative marketing campaign.

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Emre Karaer

General Manager Volvo Car MENA & CIS at Volvo Car Group Now that you have heard about Volvo’s global aspirations, what will be the role of your set-up?

Our Istanbul, Turkey-based office is responsible for Volvo car business in 28 markets in Levant and GCC. Out of these, 15 are active and we have to establish our brand in unrepresented markets like Iraq, Jordan, Iran, Khazakistan etc. We are expecting to appoint retail partners by the end of 2015 in these markets.

In your opinion, what difference does the all-new XC90 make for the Middle East?

The SUV market in the Middle East is quite active and 50 per cent of all sales in the SUVs come from the premium SUV segment. Till now, we did not represent this segment. With the all-new second generation, we will be able to compete with confidence in this segment. We are also expecting the new XC90 to drive up our volumes.

What are your volume aspirations for the markets you represent?

We would like to double our present sales to 1 per cent of global sales. In terms of numbers, we are looking to do 4,600 units.

Till now, we were not able to represent our brand in the premium SUV segment and with the arrival of the all-new XC90 SUV we will be able to do. I am confident that the new seven-seater XC90 will play a major role in our success. We will promote it as value brand positioning.

Wouldn’t that be a contradiction of promoting premium luxury with a value proposition?

Volvo will never compete with volume value for money brands. We strongly believe that we can compete with the best in the premium segment with our new SUV. Volvo is a unique brand that offers the finest in Scandinavian design, functionality, performance and luxury.

What engine variants will be available for ME in the new XC90?

We will offer the 3.2-litre T5 with 265hp and T6 with 320hp. Later on we will also introduce the T8 hybrid with 400hp. This model will be the most powerful and cleanest in the class.

What are the plans at the retailer level considering the brand moving up into the premium segment now?

Volvo has a Retail Excellence programme.

Under this programme every Volvo showroom will be renovated. In our markets, Lebanon, Dubai and Abu

Dhabi will be the first to adopt the new corporate identity. By 2015, all showrooms in the region will be completed and alongside we will introduce Volvo Personal Service. Each Volvo car customer will be assigned a technician and the customer will be able to see his/her car during servicing. The service programme will also be efficiency oriented and up to 65 per cent is expected to be saved in labour costs alone. In addition, we will soon be launch mobile apps for interactive services. We believe in best benchmarks in practice. These are part of the initiatives to make Volvo ownership experience more exciting.

Are there any plans for authorized preowned cars?

In Europe, Volvo cars has launched the programme and it will be introduced phase wise in ME markets. In 2015, the approved used car programme will be operational in Lebanon, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. A website for this will also be launched for customers.

What is Volvo Car Group’s Vision 2020 and how will it be applicable to markets in ME? Our new cars like the XC90 will have many features including several world first applications of safety technologies.

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2015 Cadillac Escalade

The great ‘bling’ factor The fourth generation, full-size new for 2015 Escalade SUV is a close sibling of the Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban and GMC Yukon. But what separates the Escalade from its brethren is the meticulous attention to detail and exemplary packaging.

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

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W

hen it comes to luxury fullsize SUVs, it’s just a handful of brands that can really claim the hot spot. From the US, it’s basically General Motor brands vs some Ford and its umbrella brands, while the third player -- Chrysler Group has abandoned the segment many years ago. GM’s premium luxury brand Cadillac has meticulously re-engineered its product line-up and the latest product to arrive is the top-of-the-line SUV, the Escalade.

The incoming Escalade is an entirely new design yet it is instantly recognizable as its familiar profile has been retained as it continues to use body-on-frame construction. The face of the car has received a lot of attention and the jewelry surrounding the intricate headlight cluster is a case in point. Besides integrating daylight running lights [SMD fired], corner assist beams and projector main beam, it is certainly one of the most detailed setups available in the market. The rear tail lamp is typical Cadillac, vertical and LED fired.

The side sheet metal of the car has also been attended to and in the recent past, we’ve witnessed the benefits of a raft of structural changes in the new Yukon and Tahoe/ Suburban SUVs. While the focus has been to make them much quieter than before and the new design philosophy of hinging the doors deep inside the frame as opposed to it overlapping them over the frame is also carried into the Escalade with the same objective.

The body-on-frame construction of the Escalade has allowed engineers to play around with the occupant accommodation requirements. While the rear live axle still dominates the floor space in the third row of the standard-wheelbase model, the long-wheelbase model is highly recommended for users inclined to use all the three rows. Front and second row get captain chairs and hence the access to third row is from the passage in-between the second row. At 130in [vs 116in in the standard wheelbase] it’s roughly 9in longer than the current Mercedes-Benz GL. That the cabin of the Escalade has been visited is now evidenced by the fact it is more brand focused than ever and it’s no coincidence that the kit – dashboard, instrument panel,

central console and trims elements have more than a passing resemblance to that found in the sedans like the CTS or XTS. No modern full-size luxury SUV will be without the usual array of modern gadgetry and the Escalade has its own way of conveying the same – through CUE [Cadillac User Interface] which attempts to combine many usages while minimizing the clutter of switches. However, as it happens, like these haptic systems which carmakers are keen to promote these days need a lot of patience and time to get accustomed to. The CUE operations is slightly better when compared to Ford’s dismal Microsoft-designed SYNC, but it will eventually fall behind the new Apple designed system or what Volvo plans to offer in its new XC90.

Meanwhile, facing the driver in place of the traditional gauge cluster is a 12.3in LCD screen with a customizable display.

The driver can choose to have it show navigation details, trip data, or audio info in whatever way is most pleasing

coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission. Efficiency oriented technology like direct injection, higher compression ratios and cylinder deactivation is now available for this set-up which help the engine offer 420hp and 460 lb-ft of torque, which in turn represent improvement of 17hp and 43 lb-ft when compared to outgoing model. This should come in handy as with the extra kit, the incoming Escalade has gained a few kilos.

The car’s ride quality has been an area where Cadillac is determined to outclass its domestic rivals, especially Lincoln’s Navigator. The Escalade uses independent front and solid-axle rear suspension, which is a bit surprising as the Navigator uses independent set-up with CCD dampers. The Escalade also benefits from the latest generation of GM’s magnetic damping technology.

Driving impressions The Escalade’s physical mass may look intimidating in a car’s rear view mirror, but when it comes to driving, it is as easy as any other luxury car on road. The SUVs pulls off effortlessly and is silky smooth. It would have been nice to see GM introduce its nextgeneration eight-speed automatic transmission in this car, but the Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speeder is up to the job with silky smooth changes and gears holding as long as they are required. Fun quotient is added when you drive the car using the Tapshift control.

The cabin is ultra quiet, thanks to the new door designs and insulation and even at legal highway speeds it can actually feel as if it is slower! The powertrain in this car is commendable.

Even for off-road beach duties, there are no issues related to ground clearance whatsoever and since a lot of torque is available engaging 4WD was rarely needed. On road, the car’s suspension takes care of the ride, and road imperfections are swiftly taken care of. The biggest surprise is the steering wheel feel, feedback and turn-in. Despite the size, it is such a delight to manoeuvre, even in tight places. Cadillac has opted for electric power-assisted steering in the 2015 Escalade, abandoning the outgoing model’s hydraulic set-up. Surprisingly, its performance in the Escalade seems

It’s the Escalade’s interior where Cadillac has made the biggest effort to separate its flagship from other GM products and the results are impressive

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to him or her. It can even be set up to show gauges.

In terms of comfort and space, the Escalade is a genuinely nice place to be in. The car offers command view and since the A-pillar is upright [compared to the heavily racked cars these days], one of the benefits is that occupants are very well protected from the elements – especially harsh sunlight.

What also doesn’t go unnoticed are the elements representing bespoke craftsmanship that has gone into this vehicle. The “cut and sew” interior is much more upscale than in previous Escalades. What we like in particular about the new Escalade was that despite similarity in packaging design and content with the CTS and designers have ensured that none of its dash or door trims are shared with any of the GMC and Chevy SUVs. Meanwhile, large 20in wheels, once the exclusive turf of rich modders and rappers are standard issue and even larger 22sin rims are available to order.

Cadillac offers only engine for this behemoth which is a 6.2-litre V8

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The CUE infotainment system: an expert’s view I am a big fan of the GPS technology and so make it a point to thoroughly check out the navigation in any automobile that has it as part of the standard package. The 2015 Escalade is kitted with a 12.3-in configurable digital instrument

display. Called the CUE infotainment system; for those of you who are uninitiated into the Cadillac way of nomenclature – CUE stands for Cadillac User Experience. The CUE infotainment system is entirely different from anything that GM has attempted on any of their cars before. The CUE is radically different, uses more-expensive capacitive screens – more like the iPhone screens rather than the less-accurate resistive screens.

The CUE screen is motion sensitive too, hiding away all the unwanted menus when not required and bringing them back instantly with a simple wave of the hand.

The navigation is pretty simple and straightforward. One can either pick up a point of interest and look for an address or do a full search with the name

of the location that you intend to drive to with your Escalade. I tried out a few locations, streets and buildings that I drove to over the few days that I had the Escalade with me and they turned up bang on the screen. There were no hits or misses in that front. Although, the only gripe that I see with the screen was with its permanent placement on the dashboard – Cadillac has not left any room for screen adjustment in case the driver needs to have the same angled towards him or her. Like the MyFord Touch, the CUE also needs a little getting used to. It’s not like the conventional touch pad. At times, I had to touch the menus on the dashboard twice to make sure that I did what I intended to do in the first place.

Nabeel Ferzan

to help it feel sharper when steering through the turns.

Weight comes on naturally, although as is the case with most EPAS systems, there’s very little feedback.

Body roll is expected and is negligible compared to say that of the Navigator. The best part is that it is very much in control and we didn’t encounter any swaying at the rear, even during fast cornering. And for drivers who are worried about this Cadillac’s size, the car offers the now-expected array of driver assistance gadgetry including lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic braking [for emergencies only] and effective blind-spot monitoring.

Bringing this car to a halt is the task of 13in front and 13.6in rear vented disc brakes. The Escalade can be brought to a stop quite easily and repeatably.

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Verdict In the past, the USP of the Escalade was its badge and edgy styling. Now, it has been transformed into a highly competent vehicle that can and will challenge the very best in the full-size luxury SUV segment. Driving dynamics, technology and a beautifully crafted interior are the ingredients that will woo punters to signing on the dotted line.

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2014 MG6

Designed and engineered in the UK for the global automotive market, SAIC-owned MG brand’s MG6 has reached the shores of Oman. Automan checks out the hatchback variant Author: Chandan B Mallik | Photography: Elvis John Ferrao

C

hinese giant Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) has kept its promise of reviving Britain’s MG brand after it took over from Nanjing in 2009. The doors of the Longbridge factory in the West Midlands, UK were slammed shut after MG Rover’s collapse in 2011, but the rejuvenated company is hitting the comeback trail confidently after producing the TF roadster in low volumes for the UK market. Now, it’s aiming for the big time with its new family global models. One of the latest to hit the Oman markets from the brand is the MG6 which is available in two bodystyles – sedan and hatchback. While the bodystyle is fastback, the model is marketed as hatchback.

The mid-sized MG6 is based on solid time tested mechanicals.

Actually, it is derived from the Roewe 550, which itself is distantly related to the Rover 75. Since, this is a global model, the reengineering took place in UK and the company claims that they have built a far more significant car than the TF roadster. The new MG6 is built

by SAIC in its new Lingang plant in China and Thailand production is expected to commence by the end of this year.

At first glance, the car looks sporty and quite modern with its pleasant profile.

At 4,653mm, the fastback is marginally longer than the sedan, but its wheelbase of 2,705mm is common to both variants.

The fastback sits lower than the sedan at 1,472mm. With these dimensions, it also means that the MG6 is larger than your average compact hatch. The brand’s UK design team has given the car some model specific styling cues like a large MG logo on the narrow grille and angular headlamps.

The car’s lower valance also gets a grilletype treatment complementing the other design-cum-functional elements. Beside

soft sheet metal creases on the bonnet the real design drama in our view is at the rear end of the car, beginning at the C-pillar from where the roof slopes down like a fastback and allows the car to have a small notch like boot. This aspect gives the car its profile and uniqueness. One this is clear: MG hasn’t opted to give the car a sporty profile by pushing all wheels to corners and leave it with ultra short overhangs like a MINI or Renault Cliosport or attempt to create a pure lifestyle hatchback like Kia’s Soul.

Overall, we think the MG is more stylish and modern than several the awkwardlooking models that are in the market place these days and should be able to make its presence felt in the compact family car segment.

Inside the cabin, SAIC-MG have tried to make the best out of the given unibody architecture and tried to overcome some of its limitations. As a result, a couple of things that grab attention and are a bit unusual would include small diameter of the instrument gauges [speedometer and tachometer] and the ultra thin base of the central console. Individual digital readouts are there for air-conditioning settings and a separate LCD panel resides in the top of the dash neatly tucked in.

Touch points are surprisingly good and fit finish is at par with most quality-oriented cars. From the utility perspective, the cubbies in the thin door panels will not be able to accommodate water bottles, and a flip up cupholder along with the menu operations takes a while to get accustomed to. And like some of the Aston Martins, the abundance of buttons takes some getting used to, particularly in conjunction with the LCD screen that offers multi functional capabilities. It’s a nice standard feature to have, but the

The MG6 was introduced three years ago, and marked the dawn of a new era for the SAIC-owned British brand.

When a hatchback

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graphics on this screen can be improved to bring it up to par. The oddly designed handbrake and its location remind us of that in the older generation Honda Civics.

While the car’s interior dimensions aren’t a match for the latest of the breed of cars, head and legroom for front occupants is good. And when it comes to rear headroom, it is somewhat compromised by the sloping hatch roof. However, MG does a decent job of seating five in comfort, without resorting to the sort of excessive lateral seat support that one finds in some cars trying to define luxury.

The car’s cargo carrying capacity is quite good 472 litres with the 40:60 split rear seats in place, which means it can carry a lot more than the 316-litre hold of the Ford Focus or the 350 litres available in the Volkswagen Golf.

For this market, the MG6 is offered with one powertrain set-up. It gets a fourcylinder, turbocharged 1.8-litre engine which belts out 160hp when mated to 5-speed automatic transmission which also comes with Tiptronic manual mode.

The car’s suspension set-up uses front Mcpherson struts attached to a sub frame suspension and multi-links at rear. On the safety front, Euro NCAP gave the MG6 a four-star crash test rating. DSC, TCS and EBA are standard safety electronic aids in the car. Both front occupants get SRS airbag protection.

Driving impressions Once inside the car, driver’s visibility is about average for the class, although the raked rear window provides a narrower view than that offered in most rivals but the car’s blind spot isn’t a real issue to be worried about. Firing the engine is a ritual

similar to that of an Aston Martin – slot in the key fob on the dash and push in to start/stop.

While 160hp is generally considered at the lower end of the scale these days for a turbocharged set-up with this displacement, however this heavily revised ‘K’-series engine is very smooth and responsive even at low throttle applications. There’s enough grunt available to ensure smooth take off and stress free driving, however, at full throttle it can feel a little restricted and its potential for more performance is also limited bit due to less number of cogs. The in-between gear shifts are a bit slow, but smooth transition takes place and they will hold long enough without hesitating.

The only niggle out here is that in ‘D’ mode you cannot engage manual shifting and Tiptronic manual works only in ‘S’ mode. In ‘S’ mode extra torque is available and hence can be used for a downshift manoevre.

That the MG6 benefits from UK engineering expertise is quite evident as the car’s set-up has been tuned to most type of roads. The car’s suspension is set

for a softer setting, which means it is able to offer a decent ride in typical city driving situations and it is easy to throw in and out of corners and handling is generally excellent for the class it represents. With revised spring and damper settings, new anti-roll bars, these tweaks mean the MG6

The MG’s decent handling doesn’t come at the expense of ride comfort, and the car does a good job of isolating passengers from thumps and bumps in the road. is also entertaining on the road. Compared to other similar models from China or Taiwan, turn-in is sharp and there’s good feedback through the steering wheel.

Steering feel is aided by the fact it’s a part

electric and part hydraulic system, unlike many of the numb full-electric systems on sale these days. The car’s NVH levels are reasonably well catered to but some wind noise does infiltrate inside the cabin.

Brakes are good for general duties but can feel spongy at times and can fade during hard braking.

Verdict With better and global quality cars now coming from Far East, the barrier and resistance to products from these countries is bound to change in the coming years. Products now emerging from the stable of Shanghai Automotive (SAIC) are good enough to be considered even in brand conscious markets like the Middle East. The MG6 is an impressive first effort from SAIC and in many areas like ride, handling and practicality, the car is able to stand up confidently with the best in class. At OMR 7,995.00, it can’t be beaten for value as no real rival sold in this market can come close for standard kit at this price which includes one year insurance, registration, 2-year/30,000 km service package and 4-year/120,000 km warranty.

While 160hp is generally considered at the lower end of the scale these days for a turbocharged set-up with this displacement, however this heavily revised ‘K’-series engine is very smooth and responsive even at low throttle applications.

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I

2014 Ssangyong’s Actyon Sport

Best of both worlds

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South Korean automaker Ssangyong’s 2014 Actyon Sport pick-up truck has the ingredients that make it a good choice for punters seeking on/off driving capability with decent levels of comfort. Automan checks out the vehicle in the Sultanate Author: Chandan B Mallik Photography: Elvis John Ferrao

n Oman, the sports dual-cab pickup market segment is relatively small compared to Asia or Europe.

However, it is not that small not to be noticed by several carmakers and the number of offerings and new brand entries keep on increasing as economic activity spurts growth.

The third generation Actyon Sport pick-up is one of the recent offerings from the brand in Oman in which Indian engineering giant Mahindra & Mahindra has 70 per cent stake. The 2014 edition is a result of two years development and an investment of over 60mn Euros Depending on market, the Actyon Sport pick-up is available in three trims. The Oman market gets the middle order spec.

The kit offered in the vehicle suggests that SsangYong is projecting the Actyon Sport as an alternative to the conventional 4x4 that we are accustomed to.

As a global model, the production ready new Actyon Sports pick-up was first showcased at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. And considering that in the motoring world Ssangyong in the past wasn’t exactly appreciated for it design prowess, this pick-up has been given a sharp and contemporary design package with pleasant proportions. Actually, it is faithful to the SUT-1 concept that was first revealed at last year’s Frankfurt motor show. It may be recalled that most SsangYong vehicles designed during the period 1995- 2007, including the original Actyon Sports were designed by Briton Ken Greenly, who also penned the equally controversial Musso and Stavic models.

The double cab version sold in Oman is 4,990mm long, 1,910mm wide, 1,790mm tall and rides on a 3,060mm wheelbase and is built on the rugged chassis of the outgoing model. The pick up has been styled to reflect SsangYong’s modern design language. From the front, it is dynamic yet sophisticated, complemented by a mesh radiator grille and trapezoidal bumper, and stylish black headlight bezels provide a luxurious touch. In profile, the sharp waist line runs to the rear bumper. Build quality is quite good by segment standards.

Meanwhile, inside the cabin, layout and general feel is atypical of a pick-up.

Most of the materials in the cabin are of reasonable quality, with the dashboard and doors employing soft rubbery trim.

The instrument panel is modest and decently appointed. However, there

are some quirky bits of design -- the digital clock appears to have been an afterthought and quite literally forced into a gap in between two vents with a odd digital readout. To handle rest of the equipment, there’s an array of buttons, a few grouped functions on the steering wheel and dashboard and two separate old fashioned backlit digital displays. In terms of practicality, SsangYong claims that the Actyon Sports has the secondwidest load area in its class as well as a two-tonne towing capacity. Besides this, Bluetooth connectivity is also offered.

The Actyon Sports is a comfortable vehicle with supportive seats, but rear legroom is adequate compared with most of its dual-cab rivals.

In international markets, Ssanyong offers this pick-up with a choice of diesel and petrol powertrains and manual/automatic transmissions. The Oman versions are powered by a 2.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine mated to 5-speed manual gearbox with overdrive.

Although, the Actyon is classified as a pick-up, its suspension set-up is more car oriented and uses double wishbone up the while a five-link set-up is used at the rear. Most competitors in the class still employ leaf springs at the rear which are known for durability when load-carrying but lack the ride comfort of coil springs.

For those largely unfamiliar with the Ssangyong brand, the company has been around in one form or another since 1954, and is currently the fourth largest car manufacturer in Korea, with global sales of more than 100,000 units across 93 countries.

Currently, it is owned by India’s Mahindra Our tester had 4WD option and there’s a switchable part-time electric high/low range switch on the dash for facilitatings the transaction.

Safety is maximised with the SsangYong Actyon Sports’ super strong tri-structure frame and two front airbags are standard Sep 2014

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Verdict The third generation 2014 Actyon Sports’ overall package puts it in the top league which is enjoyed by the likes of Toyota HiLux, Nissan Navara, Ford Ranger, Mazda BT-50 or Volkswagen Amarok.

The pick-up is designed for those who aren’t necessarily in need of the complete versatility of one of the veterans, but are in the market for a sporty dualcab with a practical bay. As the South Korean manufacturer continues to lift its game, the Actyon Sports is priced keenly enough to attract punters who are generally accustomed to looking at budget models, especially from Far East.

Actyon Sport’s is commendable in its refinement, proving to be quiet even when under load or up a steep.

and so is ESC. ESC is integrated with hill-start assist, traction control, active rollover protection, anti-lock brakes (ABS), electronic brake force distribution and brake assist.

Driving impressions The first thing that impresses in this pickup is cabin quietness and exceptionally smooth running of the engine. The ratios in the manual gearbox appear well suited for both on and off-road expeditions.

As expected, they are a bit notchy in operation but that’s not a weak feature.

The handbrake is mechanical which is good, but the travel is quite a lot when compared to modern vehicles. Although this is a pure pick-up, it behaves more like a polished crossover SUV. The suspension set-up offered is balanced to soak up 42 | www.automanweb.com |

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road imperfections and preventing the vehicle’s body to rattle or shake by controlling roll. This is impressive because you don’t have supercomputers trying to work out all the things for you.

Steering feel and feedback is really enjoyable. Off road, we went wadi bashing in and around Amerat along with a gravel track run near the dam. Even on gravel paths with loose surfaces there’s adequate torque available in any gear.

In fact, we did most of the runs in 2WD mode and found no need to engage 4WD. Ssangyong’s 4WD system is designed to give drivers greater stability on unpaved surfaces (4WD High), along with maximum traction at low speeds (4WD Low) and having the knowledge of its availability is always a handy feature.

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Automobilia

Hidden

wonders

Feature

If you have a keen eye for the automotive, even a holiday can turn up some unforeseen gems – like our editor got to see recently.

Author & Photography: Raj Warrior

A long overdue holiday saw us traipsing around Washington D.C. this summer. Along with the mandatory visit to the Capitol building we also visited a few museums – with the National Air and Space museum being the top of the agenda, having been on a personal bucket list for many years.

It’s not like I haven’t been to Washington before – the previous visit was courtesy a missed connection at Dulles and a day’s layover at a hotel in the outskirts. Hardly the basis you need to visit the capital city of the United States of America. But this time we had a lot of time on hand since we were to visit the city twice.

The Air and Space museum is part of the Smithsonian institution and celebrates America’s leadership in the skies. It is a must-see for any kid or parent. Unfortunately there

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isn’t a National Automobile museum right next door. The last National car museum we visited was the Bugattiheavy museum in Mulhouse, France.

We have covered that in a previous issue of Automan. In that case too we were on a holiday, driving through Europe and chanced to stop over in Mulhouse rather than Basel, just across the border in Switzerland.

It paid off with the discovery of a remarkable cache of old cars.

This time around the discovery was a little different. We drove out a couple of hours from Washington to the Shenandoah Valley in the Virginia countryside to see the Luray caverns – a tourist landmark that consists of a subterranean wonderland of grottos, caves and the ever-present stalactites and stalagmites.

To a visitor from Oman, some of the charm is carried over from the Al Hoota caves. The difference is in how organised the entire trip is – from properly formed walkways, to lots of guides, to magnificently lit features.

Almost every turn on the path comes out on a feature that is named – like Giant’s Hall, Saracen’s tent and Titania’s veil. At least a couple of thousand people make their way through the labyrinth every day and most of these visitors, once outside, make their way to the Car and Carriage museum right next door.

At first glance you may even miss the museum – it looks so much like the souvenir store that fronts it. The feeling you get is of an individual with a mission who decided to put together a collection. What’s really interesting is the number of carriages and cars that are accommodated in the little space.

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Arranged in ascending chronological order, the collection includes a Berlin Coupe de Gala from the early 1700’s, a mid 1800’s bicycle (or a Velocipede as it was known as) and a Conestoga wagon and a stagecoach. Visible in umpteen Westerns the latter two connect back to a time when even the Shenandoah Valley must have been a long journey from the capital, let alone a transcontinental crossing.

Some of the early automobiles show a spirit of make-do, with horse-buggies having been transformed to accept early engines – like the 1900’s cutunder buggy. These examples of making do are juxtaposed with the more prosaic – like the 1896 Peugeot four-seater called a vis-a-vis. This early automobile seemed to have quite a run, as we have seen examples even in Mulhouse. With 4HP from its 2-cylinder engine, the driver usually sat on the rear bench, steering the vehicle through a tiller placed amidships.

There is another iteration of the driver sitting behind in the 1905 Riley, three-wheeler that was more like a motorised rickshaw. It’s 6HP, two cylinder engine drove the single rear wheel while the passengers sat on the front bench or the single bucket seat as on the piece in the museum.

Some makes of early cars have faded into obscurity – like the Delauney Belleville custom-made town car of 1908. However others exist even today - like the Peugeot, there is also a single-cylinder Cadillac of 1906 (oddly enough it is a right-hand drive version).

Around the same time period are examples from the big stores – with a branded Sears autobuggy.

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Down the aisle, past a mint Rolls and various other cars stands an early 1927 Mercedes-Benz S Tourer, powered by a 6-cylinder 220HP engineand capable of above 175 kmph as well another unique Roll-Royce in black with almost reptilian scaling on it. This Silver Ghost is famous for having been owned by screen heartthrob Rudolph Valentino.

Another form of British Motoring is visible in the three-wheeler 1931 Morgan Super sports, which has a twocylinder 35HP engine mounted ahead of the front-axle, with the radiator sitting behind it.

The best looking of the entire lot of cars, by our reckoning has got to be the 1930 Cord Phaeton. Not only does it have the most beautiful profile of the lot, beating even the Mercedes S and the Silver Ghost, it also features a unique architecture, with a straight eight-cylinder engine driving the front wheels through a transmission placed in front of the engine. The Cord also had one of the first iterations of the cornering headlights, with two large reflectors for the straight ahead and a smaller 4” unit mounted on a swivel mechanism linked to the front axle.

Of course no museum about American cars is complete without the mandatory Model T Ford. Here were examples of the Model T in both its passenger and utility versions (as in a milk truck). Along with that was a later Model A (from 1931) and a 1932 RollsRoyce Shooting Brake.

While it isn’t a museum that anyone would actually travel to Luray to see, once there, it definitely qualifies as a do-not-miss.

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face to face

In your view, is there a chance of conflict between the new 750 and say established models like the 883 Iron?

While I won’t speculate on possible tradeoffs between Sportster and Street sales, I expect both platforms to complement each other and do well with customers based on their own unique merits.

news

How does the Street compare with the 883?

The Street 750 is a liquid-cooled engine, the Revolution X, tuned to meet the demand or urban riding around the globe. It’s stylish, agile and has the look, sound and feel of a Harley. In US markets, women accounted for 12 per cent of heavyweight-motorcycle sales last year.

What’s the scene in the Middle East?

There’s a definite growth in women riders in the MENA region, we’re around 150 today as compared to 40 only 4 years ago.

Several motorcycle brands are making a more concerted effort than ever to cultivate female buyers in part because its prime demographic­--aging male baby boomers--are getting past their cycling prime.

The all-new Harley-Davidson Street motorcycle series was announced by Harley-Davidson at the 2013 EICMA show in Elsa Abi Nader Milan for 2014 introduction. It will comprise Harley’s first all-new models in 13 years, and Harley’s first lightweight motorcycle since the 1974 Sprint. The 750 is powered by a 749 cc displacement version of Harley’s 60° SOHC V-twin, water-cooled Revolution engine dubbed the Revolution X. Automan spoke with Elsa Abi Nader, Regional marketing manager for Harley-Davidson Middle East and North Africa office based in Dubai to find out more about how this all-new machine will be introduced and its implications vis-a-vis with the rest of line-up of Harley.

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n one hand you have the ‘Project Rushmore’ portfolio of bikes and soon you will be introduced to an absolute new genre of H-D models – the Street 750 for instance.

From a marketing point of view what differences do you see?

Project RUSHMORE was a customerled initiative from Harley-Davidson that steered the launch of a new touring platform that allows our touring customers to see more, feel more, hear more and rush more. We are getting more customer and market input than ever before, listening, researching testing 48 | www.automanweb.com |

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and developing the products our clients want. Street is also a continuation of this customer-led strategy and talking with riders all over the world identified a whole new generation of urban young adults who are looking for motorcycles with the look, style and feel of a Harley at a price more accessible to them; hence the launch of Street 750.

What will be your strategy for the Street 750?

We have great success currently in expanding our reach to young adults through our current products; for instance Street Glide is #1 selling

motorcycle across all brands in the U.S. to young adults and all other demographics, in MENA the Sportster Forty Eight is our top selling bike. Street 750 will be one more option in our line of Dark Custom products that highly appeal to customers as it meets the lifestyle and riding needs of a growing generation of urban young adults. Picture cruising in Downtown Muscat when the traffic is at its peak..

What sort of customer profile will you be looking for and how will you approach them?They are mainly new riders that we call urban young adults; we will have a series of activities to approach them and engage with them closer to launch date in the MENA market.

Is this aspect applicable to the Middle East?

The Middle East is a fairly new market compared to established ones in the U.S. and Europe, biking is a new hobby that riders are still discovering and experimenting. Majority of our clients are new to brand or to biking in general so we still have a lot of potential.

Do you think the new Street 750 has what it takes to expose this storied American brand to the younger masses?

Street 750 has the look, sound and feel of a Harley that will appeal to a new generation of riders; it’s what they want and need, and why we built it. Its style and agility makes it an ideal rider training motorcycle as well for beginners and new comers.

What will be your biggest challenges in promoting the new 750?

Customer interest globally for Street has been extremely high since the launch, so a nice problem we will have in the short term is making sure all our customer orders are processed as efficiently as possible! We can’t wait to see more Street bikes take to the road in the not too distant future.

When is it expected to arrive?

Street 750 will arrive in the MENA region in Q1 2015, by latest in March depending on the country; customers can check with their local dealership or on our website for updates.

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2015 Lexus NX

The first all-new 2015 Lexus NX CUV rolled off the assembly line in Japan last month.

The NX also signifies the entry of the ‘mold breaker’ because it is the company’s first compact crossover and the first model to be offered with a turbocharged engine

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t was a scene of jubilation at the Lexus Miyata plant in Japan last month when the first red coloured NX CUV drove out the factory gates in the presence of local media. The RAV4-sized NX becomes the fourth and smallest model in the Lexus utility-vehicle lineup, slotting in below the RX350. The official debut of the NX took place at the 2014 Beijing auto show and with its arrival, the segment which sports models like BMW X3, Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz GLK gets a bit more busy.

Using design elements from the latest models in the line-up the NX gets the brand’s dramatic spindle grille and L-themed headlight treatment in a heavily sculpted sheet metal unibody set-up.

The cabin is designed to mimic a sports car more than regular sport-utility. As a result, it is bristling with new, onboard, standard and available technology, including a Lexus-first Wireless Charging

Following the design DNA set by the newgeneration Lexus GS and IS sedans, the 2016 NX brings dramatic design to a segment generally populated by boxy offerings Tray for compatible phones and devices; the new Lexus Remote Touch

Interface (RTI) with a touch pad; and a comprehensive Multi-information Display that features a Lexus-first G-Force meter and boost gauge. The car will be offered in several trim levels and will also have the F Sport package variant.

The 2015 Lexus NX will be offered with two powertrains: NX 200t with a turbocharged 235hp 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine and six-speed gearbox and NX 300h hybrid with 2.5-litre Atkinson-cycle petrol engine mated to a new automatic transmission with a unique kick-down feature. Lexus engineers specifically tuned the hybrid engine especially for use in the 2015 NX 300h with enhancements like water-to-oil cooler for the electric drive motor and a revised front drive reduction ratio, improving

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fuel economy and hill climbing. Besides, the new P314 transmission is designed to provide a kick-down function for greater acceleration performance. The transmission consists of an electric motor generator and an electric drive motor linked by a double set of planetary gears.

The planetary gearset simultaneously fulfills three roles: as a power split device between the generator and the front wheels; as a reduction gear for the electric motor and, when both work together, as an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The transmission offers sequential shift which allows maximum power to be delivered on demand and increases engine braking when decelerating. The NX 300h employs Lexus’ electronically controlled braking system known as ECB-R to provide cooperative control of stopping power and regenerative braking while saving on vehicle weight.

Both NX models offer their own version of pro-active all-weather drive (AWD) and hardware used in the two vehicles

are different too. In the NX 200t, the available Dynamic Torque Control AWD system will instantly vary front and rear torque split between 50:50 and 100:0 for optimum traction and fuel economy. In the 300h hybrid, it will offer the Lexus E-Four AWD system with an electric motor to drive the rear axle when required.

To minimize turbo lag, the four-intotwo exhaust manifold system pairs

cylinders according to their expansion or compression stroke to reduce pumping losses and eliminate exhaust gas interference. This results in improved acceleration response and wide torque band. The turbo engine produces 235 hp at 5,600 rpm with 258 lb.-ft. of torque

from 1,650-4,000 rpm and up to 17psi of boost at wide open throttle. A balance shaft enhances smoothness.

The Lexus NX uses MacPherson strut front suspension with high-rigidity components and low-friction moving parts. A newly designed trailing arm double wishbone rear suspension separates the coil springs and dampers to optimize agility, stability and ride comfort while also providing an unusually low floor for an SUV. Specially reinforced suspension components help to minimize the shake and shudder caused by lateral loads that change the tread width of a tire as the wheel reacts to an undulation.

The Drive Mode Select dial on the centre console will allow the driver to tailor the vehicle’s responses and driving feel to suit driving conditions. The system adjusts parameters for multiple systems, including throttle response and the power steering assist curve. The default setting is Normal. There is also ECO, for even more fuel-efficient driving, and Sport. The NX 300h has a button adjacent to the dial to select EV mode

Looking more sports-car than sport-utility, the 2015 NX’s cabin is bristling with new, onboard, standard and available technology, including a Lexus-first Wireless Charging Tray for compatible phones and devices; the new Lexus Remote Touch Interface (RTI) with a touch pad; and a comprehensive Multi-information Display that features a Lexus-first G-Force meter and boost gauge

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2016 MAZDA2

With more than 2.4mn units sold worldwide, the Mazda2 is the bestselling vehicle in Japan and several other markets. The all-new fourthgeneration was introduced in Japan last month

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irst introduced in 1996, a second generation followed in 2002 with the third-generation model being released in 2007. The fourth generation has been introduced for the domestic market promises to rewrite many elements in this segment of the business which is growing and also becoming intensively competitive.

Mazda’s sub-compact entry is known as the Demio in Japan. In its fourth iteration, the model receives its first complete redesign since the third-generation, which was introduced seven years ago.

The incoming car benefits from Mazda’s “KODO: Soul of Motion” design language

philosophy which now adorns most of its cars. The Demio was presented at the Geneva Auto Show in March as the Hazumi concept. In profile, the incoming model is similar =to its predecessor, although the tail is faster with definitive European influences at the rear. Compared to its bigger siblings, there’s actually smaller application of the form language. As a result, there’s a body-coloured strip in the grille and the grille now has seven slats instead of five. The new car also will sport a wheelbase stretch of 3.1in [for a total of 101.2in] and overall length of the global model is up 6.3in to 159.8in. Meanwhile, the car is 1.0in taller than before, but width

remains unchanged at 66.7in.

The cabin of the car suggests clearly that Mazda has upmarket aspirations with this model. It definitely looks at the premium contenders like Audi for inspiration. The car has a clean instrument panel broken up by large, circular air vents, and a trio of HVAC controls in the central console.

At the centre of the dash is a screen, and features like head-up display and gauge pack come directly from the bigger Mazda3.

When it arrives in the global markets after its official European reveal in October in Geneva, Mazda has promised that this small car will come with the full

suite of SKYACTIV® technologies that are now used in the Mazda3 compact car, Mazda6 mid-size sedan and CX-5 compact SUV. The 2016 Mazda2 will also features additional in-vehicle and safety technology with MAZDA CONNECT™ and i-ACTIVSENSE, respectively.

More market specific engine variant details will be revealed in October and for the Japanese domestic market, the car will be available with a SKYACTIV-G 1.3-litre petrol engine and a SKYACTIV-D 1.5-litre clean diesel engine mated to either a sixspeed automatic or a six-speed manual transmission that will drive the front wheels.

For the first time, the Japanese brand’s Skyactiv engineering ethos which aims to combine lightweight construction with fuel-efficient engines and transmissions will also appear in the Mazda2

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2015 McLaren P1 GTR

McLaren Automotive has released images and full information of its track-focused McLaren P1 GTR design concept which was unveiled at Pebble Beach Author: Chandan B Mallik

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hings are moving fast at McLaren.

Less than six weeks ago in UK, at the sprawling grounds of the world famous Goodwood Estate, McLaren confirmed first details of the McLaren 650S GT3 – the latest generation trackfocused racer which will contest GT3 championships across the globe from the 2015 season. Now, comes the next chapter in the brand’s aspiration.

It’s called the McLaren P1 GTR design concept for now and is technically based on the McLaren P1 road car. The key technical focus area in this track-focused McLaren P1 GTR design concept has been

to further optimise the aerodynamically efficient ‘shrink-wrapped’ body shape to help enhance performance, handling characteristics and also optimise driver engagement on track. As a result of these core demands, a host of changes have been made.

The front track of the car has been increased by 80mm and is coupled with a more aggressive GT-style front splitter.

Reprofiled low temperature radiator ducts seamlessly flow into the leading edge of the aggressively flared front wheel arches, while the active aerodynamic flaps are retained from the McLaren P1 in the floor ahead of the front wheels.

The bodywork is ‘shrink-wrapped’ around the carbon fibre monocage chassis behind the front wheels, and is designed to channel the air from around the wheel well. An additional aerodynamic blade is located behind the wheel arch to clean the air from the front tyres. This aero device flows seamlessly along the bottom edge of the dihedral doors, along the flank of the carbon fibre bodywork, to an additional side panel at the rear which ducts additional air into the high temperature radiator and improves the aerodynamic performance of the rear floor.

The profile of the design concept is quite dramatic, hunkered down on to the raceprepared suspension with a fixed ride height, lower than the standard car. The snorkel air intake is inspired by the design of the original McLaren F1, is still present within the roof structure of the carbon fibre MonoCage chassis. The wing mirrors have been repositioned to the A pillars, to put them closer to the eye line of the driver and reduce aerodynamic drag, while the trailing edge of the door-mounted radiator channels have been extended to draw more air down through the cavity within the door, and into the engine to aid cooling.

The design concept gets a set of lightweight 19in motorsport asymmetric alloys fitted with 10.5in wide tyres at the front and 13in at the rear. Tyre changes are made easier through an onboard air jacking system. At the rear, a large, there’s a twin-element fixed height wing that comes fitted with a hydraulically operated drag reduction system to boost acceleration performance, and has been honed to provide increased levels of downforce compared to the road car, working with the active aerodynamic flaps located ahead of the front wheels. The bodywork of the car has been reprofiled to

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improve aerodynamic efficiency below the large rear wing, and incorporates a quickrelease system without affecting the rear wing. While, the road legal McLaren P1 stows the rear wing within the bodywork, in the GTR with the fixed height moving mechanical parts have been eliminated. As a result, the engine bay is now a smooth, flowing surface.

Below the rear wing sits the exposed, centrally mounted exhaust, which is an all new design, developed exclusively for the McLaren P1 GTR. Made from specially created titanium alloys, the exhaust system highlights the characteristic of the

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The car has been thoroughly re-engineered from the ground up to ensure the McLaren P1 GTR achieves its target of being the ultimate drivers’ car on track. higher output 3.8-litre twin turbo V8. The design of the exhaust has also changed, with a straight cut twin pipe setup now used in place of the single exit exhaust.

The design concept runs on the bespoke slick tyres designed by Pirelli.

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2015 Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG CoupĂŠ

An even more awesome and athletic variation of the two-door S-class, the topof-the-line V12-powered S65 AMG CoupĂŠ will be available to order from end of September 2014 Author: Chandan B Mallik

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t’s got the badging right and promises to be the most sinister S-Class derivative AMG has ever built in this model series. No, we are not referring to the 577hp S63 Coupé that comes with Mercedes 4MATIC all-wheel-drive, but a genuine rear wheel smoker. As expected, here’s a fusion of extreme performance married to top end luxury and the S-Class derivative we are referring to is none other than the top-of-the-line 2015 S65 AMG Coupé.

The new S65 AMG Coupé is the fourth AMG high-performance car with a V12 engine which is instantly recognisable through its contoured sheetmetal and comes with a host of expressive and individual design elements.

The AMG 6.0-litre V12 biturbo tuned engine offers 630hp and 1,000Nm of torque helping the car to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.1secs. The exclusive carbon fibre/aluminium engine is built in Affalterbach according to the “one man, one engine” principle. Top speed of the car has been electronically limited to 250 km/h. The AMG Speedshift Plus 7G-Tronic is responsible for transmitting power to the rear axle. The flexible transmission is 62 | www.automanweb.com |

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also programmed to offer drivers three individual driving modes. The driver can choose between Controlled Efficiency (C), Sport (S) and Manual (M) by pushing a button on the centre console.

Helping the car in its ride quality, its road surface scan set-up uses technology that can detect surface undulations in advance with the help of a stereo camera.

In conjunction with magic body control,

The S65 AMG Coupé is among the most fetching and luxurious vehicles on the planet with amazing levels of equipment it lets the suspension adjust itself as if in anticipation to suit the situation, effectively compensating for irritating chassis movement. In addition the AMG sports suspension on the S65 AMG Coupé features specific elastokinematics - the driver therefore benefits from more

directness with a dynamic driving style While the electromechanical speedsensitive sports steering aids in giving the driver an engaging rear wheel drive experience on road or on track, the creature comfort package is covered in diamond-pattern Nappa leather and standard features includes a head-up display, an advanced adaptive cruisecontrol system with Steering Assist, a Burmester 3D surround system, besides a 360-degree camera that should help drivers prevent curb-rash on the rims.

The base S65 AMG Coupé rides on forged wheels in a multi-spoke design, size 8.5 x 20 at the front and 9.5 x 20 at the rear, with 255/40 R 20 and 285/35 R 20 tyres and stopping powere comes courtesy highperformance composite brake system or the optional ceramic brake system.

The ceramic set-up is more than 20 per cent lighter and ensures lower unsprung masses as well as enhanced driving dynamics, agility and ride comfort. Most of the safety kit that Mercedes-Benz offers is available in this car like PRE-SAFE® which is now programmed with Distronic Plus

Built in Affalterbach according to the “one man, one engine” principle, the AMG V12 delivers a peak output of 630hp and a maximum torque of 1,000Nm

The sports suspension is based on Magic Body Control and uses Active Body Control (ABC), Road Surface Scan and curve tilting function. The tilt function allows the car to lean into bends in a manner similar to a motorcyclist or skier Sep 2014

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2015 Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II

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A cornerstone of Rolls-Royce’s business model success, the redesigned Ghost Series II now comes with subtle changes.

Automan has the details

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t was at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, UK’s Rolls-Royce Motor Cars unveiled Ghost Series II for the first time. As a new model in the line-up, the Ghost was launched in 2009. The key reason for the commercial success of the Ghost was its attractive price point and authentic Rolls-Royce ultra luxury experience.

For the second innings, the Series II can be identified externally from its re-sculpted headlights which now come with embedded daytime running lights.

The lends a distinct visual signature up front and seems to gel well with revised surface treatments which now embraces a tapered ‘wake channel’ on the bonnet emanating from the Spirit of Ecstasy’s wings and running back to the base of the windscreen.. Mimicking a jet aircraft’s vapour trail, this is RollsRoyce designers’ way of hinting at the car’s dynamism even when the car is at standstill. The car’s bumpers have also gone under the scalpel and now appear with stronger stance and a sense of extra width and height. Call it bling,

chrome inserts have been added to the front air intakes, which now feed more air cooling to the front brakes.

In a bid to pamper the core customers of this car which mainly include a younger generation of successful men and women, Rolls-Royce will now offer more bespoke options. Bespoke customisation is widened now with the introduction of two new veneers: Paldao and Walnut Burr Crossband for this model series. Interior comfort and style are enhanced with re-designed seats both front and rear. Electronically adjustable thigh supports for front seat passengers complement a new seat structure and rear occupants can enjoy ‘lounge seat’ configuration.

Drivers familiar with this car will also note that the instrument dials and clock have also undergone subtle enhancements. Now, they are offered with individually applied polished metal chaplets around the dials, whilst the matt chrome centres ‘float’ in the middle of each instrument.

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The bonnet has also been tweaked with a strong “wake channel” running from the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy statute More paint and wheel options increase the mind-boggling personalisation potential of the car.

The eye is immediately drawn towards the resculpted headlights, with unbroken daytime running lights framing a new, more dynamic shape, giving Ghost Series II a distinct visual signature from the front. The new headlight also employs the latest in technology and is now built in such a way that the lights swivel with steering inputs and automatically dip when other vehicles approach. also been updated along with bespoke audio systems which uses 18 individually tuned speakers and two bass enhancers.

Interestingly, this year, the Spirit of Ecstasy figurine celebrates her 103rd birthday and Rolls-Royce has reproduced a crystal glass surface for the new one-touch multifunctional rotary controller through which users can access on-board Wi-Fi facilitates like email, file sharing, telephony and video-conferencing besides navigation among other utilities. The rotary

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controller’s touch pad also allows ‘pull and pinch’ features, replicating intuitive smart phone functionality.

While powertrain features are carried over, Rolls-Royce engineers even claim to have made the Ghost more comfortable and composed to drive with new hydraulic rear axle bearings enhancing the quality of the ride. There’s a Dynamic Driving Package too though. This offers more dynamic steering and suspension settings that come into their own when required.

The Ghost Series II’s also gets Satellite Aided Transmission, a technology that made its debut on Wraith in 2013. Satellite Aided Transmission utilises GPS data to allow the car to see beyond what the driver sees, anticipating their next move based on location and driving style. It uses this information to select the most appropriate gear from the 8-speed ZF gearbox. Meanwhile, performance for the short wheelbase version remains sharp for a 2,470kg hunk of luxury like the Ghost. It will ease up to 96km/h in 4.8sec effortlesly.

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2014 Volkswagen Scirocco

In 1974, the first generation VW Scirocco made its debut at the Geneva International Motor Show and an updated MY 2015 Scirocco will be introduced very soon as a niche lifestyle model.

Automan has the details

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t’s a coupe model that’s been with Volkswagen for around four decades and it’s also a model that is very much Europe-centric, but available in select markets like Middle East. For some reason, the US doesn’t get this model.

The current Scirocco was introduced as the IROC concept car in 2006 before it was greenlighted for production. The concept of both Volkswagens is closely related, even though the vehicles are separated by over three decades: The first generation Scirocco was an attainable dream car for many people. Because the Scirocco was an automotive superstar of the 70’s, styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro and equipped with four full-fledged seats, a proper trunk, large hatchback and a lot of self-esteem. The Iroc concept and the production variant faithfully remained true to this idea.

Since, the current Scirocco is quite a good

looking car with a smart profile and eye catching styling, for its refresh Volkswagen haven’t deviated too much from the established theme. Instead subtle detailing and engineering upgrades have been the core area of activity.

Changes to the exterior are subtle where front and rear sections have been restyled. Both the stock Scirocco and its performance ‘R’ variant now get xenon headlamps and LED taillamps as standard.

Along with the lighting upgrades, both bumpers also receive revised styling. The front bumper now features aerodynamic ‘blades’ in the outer section, similar to those on the latest-generation Golf GTI. Indicator, daytime running and fog lights lamps are integrated while on models with (optional) bi-xenon headlamps, the daytime running lamps are LEDs within the main headlamps. The range-topping

Scirocco R has been given a distinctive appearance with bespoke bumpers and 19in ‘Cadiz’ alloy wheels. The rest of the range also benefits from new alloy wheel designs.

Inside, the dashboard has been updated, with new-look dials and an auxiliary instrument cluster above the centre console, consisting of chronometer, charge pressure and oil temperature gauges – a tribute to the 1974 model.

Under the bonnet are six new turbocharged direct-injection petrol and diesel engines, all of which meet EU6 emissions standards and return between 67.3 and 35.3 mpg. All models in the range except the R now feature BlueMotion Technology modifications, meaning they come as standard with Stop/Start and also brake energy recuperation systems. The

The interior of the refreshed Scirocco sees redesigned seats with new fabrics while the ‘R’ variant gets individualised bespoke features pack designed by Volkswagen R GmbH

petrol range consists of a 1.4-litre petrol with 125 PS (was 122), and a new 2.0-litre 180 PS unit which replaces the previous 1.4-litre 160 PS unit. Despite an increase in capacity and power, it is more economical than the unit it replaces. The previous 2.0-litre TSI 210 PS has been replaced with a 220 PS unit that is also 19 per cent more fuel efficient. The new Scirocco R uses a 2.0-litre unit producing 280 PS: 15 PS more than before.

Two diesel engines are both 2.0-litre units, with either 150 PS or 184 PS, and up to 68.9 mpg. The 1.4-litre TSI comes only with a six-speed manual gearbox, while all other engines come with a standard six-speed manual gearbox with the option of a six-speed DSG gearbox. Depending on markets, four trim levels -- Scirocco, GT, R-Line and R will be offered.

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2015 Aston Martin Vanquish

he production and market arrival of 2015 MY cars in markets around the world takes place in the next few weeks, and British brand Aston Martin is also no exception. In its bid to keep the Vanquish, the brand’s top GT model up-todate, the carmaker has inculcated some serious performance oriented kit as well as much expected cabin enhancements.

The Vanquish along with sibling Rapide S will see the debut of the new and lighter by three per cent Touchtronic III eightspeed automatic gearbox. Co-developed with transmission specialist ZF, It is the first time that this state-of-the-art gearbox has been incorporated into a transaxle layout. The new gearbox has helped drop the 0-96km/h times from 4.1secs to 3.6secs (3.8secs 0-100 km/h) in the Vanquish. Withi this figure, the Vanquish is now confirmed

as the quickest accelerating series production Aston Martin in the company’s 101-year history.

Changes to gear and final drive ratios allow the cars to be not only quicker [130 milliseconds between shifts] but also more frugal, with reduced emissions too. The CO2 figure drops by an average of ten per cent – down to 298 g/km for Vanquish while economy is boosted to 31 mpg, on average an 11 per cent improvement and for the first time, the Vanquish is now capable of top speeds of 320km/h or above.

A reduction in exhaust gas back pressure as a result of ratio adjustment and other changes also benefits peak power, which rises by up to three bhp to a peak of 568 bhp in Vanquish and peak torque is up by 10Nm, too, to 630 Nm at 5,500.

Suspension changes include uprated dampers on the new Vanquish. The car is 15 per cent stiffer at the front and a full 35 per cent stiffer at the rear. Meanwhile, a retuned brake booster and amended rear suspension bushes are now 20 per cent stiffer.

Cosmetic upgrades include the arrival of new ten-spoke forged alloy wheel designs, available in a variety of finishes, besides new paint colour options like the availability of the special paint colour Diavalo Red, previously limited to the V12 Zagato. Inside, new leather trim colour options including the contemporary blueblack Dark Knight, and bold Fandango Pink. The car’s central console also has been upgraded and made contemporary with Touchtronic [haptic] controls. The Volante version also benefits from these engineering and cosmetic enhancements also.

A raft of significant enhancements to Aston Martin’s current Vanquish will keep it busy for the next few years

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Bugatti Veyron Ettore Bugatti special edition

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xclusivity is guaranteed when you invest roughly $3.14mn in this final special edition which Bugatti plans to limit to just three units. Like all previous five special editions it’s based on the Grand Sport Vitesse. The design of the carbon body of the Legends model “Ettore Bugatti” is based on a 1932 Type 41 Royale with the chassis number 41111 and sports a “yin-yang” colour split. The front part is made of hand-polished aluminium and finished with a clear coating. For the first time, this material is used for the entire front and side panels including the bonnet, the mirror bases and housings,

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The last in a series of six unique Bugatti Veyron 16.4 limited run models debuts this month on the Monterey Peninsula. This final instalment has been created to honour the man behind the legendary marque, Ettore Arco Isidoro Bugatti

the exterior door handles and the corners of the bumpers, the wings, the doors and the regions just behind them, the so-called “medallions”. The vehicle’s rear, sill panels and A-pillar trims are finished with darkblue exposed carbon.

Based on one of the most famous wheel rim designs in automotive history, the polished, diamond-cut wheel rims were specially developed for this vehicle and colour-coordinated with a dark-blue finish.

The eight-spoke wheel was created by Ettore Bugatti who was looking for a light wheel for his racing cars, like the famous Type 35. Ettore Bugatti thus made a

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2014 BMW X4

decisive contribution to the development of the aluminium wheel in automobile manufacture. The new wheel rim design on the Vitesse Legend therefore carries the name “Ettore Bugatti.”

For the first time ever, Bugatti is using two types of leather for the interior cabin where there are blue exposed carbon accents and a dancing elephant motif coated in aluminium as a tribute to the Type 41. This figure was originally sculpted

by Ettore’s brother Rembrandt and can be seen on the other five special editions.

As with the other Legend models, this variant comes with an 8.0-litre quadturbo W16 engine that makes 1,184hp and unequalled 1,500 Nm of torque from 3,000-5,000rpm. The car is capable of blasting from 0-100km/h in 2.6secs and can reach 408.84km/h with its removable top stowed. Bugatti claim that the Grand Sport Vitesse the world’s fastest production roadster.

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Following the footsteps of the X6/X5 derivative SUVs, BMW creates the all-new X4 as the sportier version of the X3

f it’s the business of derivatives in the automotive business, then the cash rich German premium brands are leaders of the game. Now, BMW enters the game with another “Sports Activity Coupe,” the X4. Mechanically, the X4 is based on the X3 and combines the elevated ride height and all-wheel-drive capability of a crossover with a profile of a coupe.

At 4,671mm in length, it is 14mm longer than the X3, but at 1,624mm high it is also 36mm lower. From a design perspective, the X4’s sheetmetal includes a sharply tapered roof, creased bonnet and upswept character lines. Up front, the car’s headlamps flow into the brand’s signature kidney grille.

Most of the interior in the X4 is essentially lifted straight from the X3 and hence there’s no shortage of premium materials.

White-on-black analog gauges contrast with BMW’s latest iDrive infotainment system, and controls composed of conventional knobs and buttons provide an alternate means of accessing oftenused features. The car’s feature pack includes navigation system with Google point-of-interest search and real time traffic information. The X4 also gets a touchpad mounted on the iDrive knob.

Depending on market and feature pack, BMW Apps, which lets users access Facebook, Twitter, web radio services and more through iDrive will be available.

The X4 is offered with two engines: a turbocharged 240hp 2.0-litre four-cylinder and turbocharged 300hp 3.0-litre inline-six.

Both engines are mated to eight-speed automatic transmission that provides quick, smooth shifts and can de-couple

the drivetrain in coasting situations from 50-160km/h in order to save fuel. A suite of EfficientDynamics technology features like Auto Start- Stop, Brake Energy Regeneration and on-demand operation of ancillary units are standard across the range. All-wheel-drive is standard.

Where the X4 really differs from the X3 is in the department of utility and dynamic handling.

The X4 is expected to be more sportier and agile and hence gets a more direct variable-effort steering system as well as standard performance control, which maintains a rear-biased torque split for sportier responses. An optional Dynamic Damper Control system tightens things up further with adaptive shocks that help to smooth out the ride and reduce body roll.

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Motorsports F1

Vettel gets new engineer for 2015

Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton saw his 2014 Belgian Grand Prix hopes controversially punctured following an early collision with Mercedes colleague Nico Rosberg at Spa-Francorchamps

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his was the last thing expected. The unfortunate incident in lap two of the race left 29-year-old Mercedes AMG Petronas racer from Hertfordshire, Lewis Hamilton retired. Hamilton overtook pole-sitter Rosberg in the opening seconds of the race as the world championship leader dropped down to third behind a fast-starting Vettel.

But Hamilton’s chances of a podium were punctured less than a lap later when he was clipped from behind at Turn Five by Silver Arrows sparring partner Rosberg and he had to limp back to the pits for fresh rubber, with the Mercedes

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hierarchy saying, post race, the German driver was at fault With five laps remaining Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo took the chequered flag for back-toback F1 victories.

World championship leader Rosberg, who started on pole position, recovered from his coming together with Hamilton to take second place in Belgium. However, the German was later booed on the podium.

Williams ace Valtteri Bottas completed the podium positions in the provisional Spa results, with Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen fourth. Sebastian Vettel took fifth place for Red Bull ahead of McLaren’s Kevin

Magnussen on the road, with Jenson Button just behind in seventh. Fernando Alonso crossed the finishing line eighth for Ferrari.

Magnussen was subsequently handed a 20-second penalty

by FIA race stewards for not leaving Alonso enough room on the run down to Les Combes, dropping down to 12th in the revised results.

That promoted Button up to sixth and Alonso climbed to seventh place. But once again the intense rivalry between warring Mercedes colleagues Rosberg and Hamilton stole the headlines for all the wrong reasons, with MercedesBenz Motorsport head Toto

Wolff and team chairman Niki Lauda both calling Rosberg’s overtaking move “unacceptable”.

An emotional Hamilton, meanwhile, was “gutted” by the outcome but said he will continue to push for the world title over the final seven races of the season.

Speaking in the paddock afterwards, Hamilton said: “I’m gutted with the result – not just for my own Championship hopes but for the team, as we really should have had a onetwo today.

“It’s been a tough year for everyone and the whole team has been working so hard – every time we’ve

been knocked down they’ve never given up. I didn’t fully understand what had happened until I saw the replay just now, but I gave him plenty of space, took the corner like I usually do and suddenly felt a big hit from behind.

“There was nothing I could do about it and that was effectively my race over. I wanted to retire the car early – not because I was giving up, but because I couldn’t catch the people in front of me and even with a safety car I don’t think I would have been able to pass them.

“The car was quite badly damaged and my thoughts were to preserve the engine after the last one was destroyed in Hungary.” Hamilton added: “What happens next is not my call – that’s one for the bosses to make. “But I’m now

almost 30 points behind in the Championship so that’s the main thing on my mind. It’s a big gap and it will be hard to recover from here. That’s tough to swallow – but ultimately it’s just been one of those days.”

Hamilton’s view differed from Rosberg’s official version of events. He said: “As drivers, we are here to entertain and to show the fans a good time, so our duels are always on the limit. I regret that Lewis and myself touched, but I see it as a racing incident – just as the stewards did.

Rosberg finished second to extend his FIA World Drivers’ Champions lead to 29 points, but his mistake in the opening laps could have huge ramifications for the Mercedes team going forward.

Struggling world champion Sebastian Vettel will get a new race engineer for the 2015 season. This year defending his fourth consecutive drivers’ title, the German has notably struggled in 2014 alongside new teammate Daniel Ricciardo. Australian Ricciardo drove through the Mercedes shenanigans on Sunday to win his second consecutive race - his third of the season and his career.

In contrast, and earning many multiples more millions, Vettel has yet to break through this season, and at the drivers’ circuit Spa-Francorchamps he finished fifth and almost a minute behind the sister car.

Vettel complained afterwards of a probable car defect, telling reporters he felt he had been sent into “war with a wooden stick”.

But that is not necessarily

why Vettel’s race engineer Guillaume Roquelin, known affectionately as ‘Rocky’, will no longer be in that role with the 27-year-old in 2015. “These are restructuring measures to improve the team,” Dr Helmut Marko told media at Spa.Team technical boss Adrian Newey is stepping back after Christmas, but Red Bull will not directly replace him.

“I think that at the track in Paul Monaghan, ‘Rocky’ and Simon (Rennie) we have three very able technical people and I see no reason why they shouldn’t be able to take those decisions,” Newey had said earlier in Belgium.

Germany’s Welt newspaper claims the promoted ‘Rocky’ will be replaced at Vettel’s side by Gianpiero Lambiase, currently Sergio Perez’s engineer at Force India.

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Nissan GT Academy

Tribute

Photo captions: Jack Brabham racing the Brabham BT24 during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone 1966.

The BT24 will be driven by his son David in the record GP car parade on Super Sunday at the Silverstone Classic.

In good form

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The Nissan GT Academy Team RJN GT-R finished last month’s British GT race at Brands Hatch in 11th place, narrowly missing out on the points in the penultimate round of the 2014 championship.

n a beautiful day at Brands, the racing was fast and furious from the second the lights went green. It was Hoy who took the start of the two-hour race, lining up mid-grid in 16th position where anything can happen as the cars barrel into the first corner.

Hoy made a superb job of the start, moving up from 16th to 12th by the end of the first lap and then gained another place on lap two before settling in for a full hour of racing.

“The start reminded me of the start of a bike race where everyone is jockeying for position,” explained Hoy. “It was full of excitement, not least due to a couple of ‘wheel on the grass’ moments.

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There’s no room for error at Brands Hatch so I had to knuckle down and focus. I got a good hard tap from behind at one point which caused me to lose a couple of positions and I made another mistake which caused me to lose a couple more places but I really enjoyed it and next time that happens I’ll know what to do!”

At the end of Chris’ stint it was time for Jann Mardenborough to jump in. Jann’s racing has been focused on the GP3 Series and Le Mans this year but he made a welcome return to the British GT Championship where he learned so much during his first year of racing in 2012.

“When I joined the race I was 11th and I didn’t have

sight of the car in 10th so I had to just go for it and see what happened,” said Jann.

“The GT-R is great in the 2014 specification compared to when I raced it here. We can really defend on the straights and we have more traction than before. I finished in 11th but despite being just outside the points the car is in one piece and Chris has gained more experience so it’s mission accomplished. I’m here to teach Chris and I’ve really enjoyed it.”

On paper it is a shame to finish outside of the points but the end game of Nissan’s participation in the 2014 British GT Championship is to prepare Hoy for Le Mans in 2016.

“The positive we can take from

today is the fact that Chris has a 100 per cent finishing record in British GT and that is half the battle won,” said Team Principal, Bob Neville.

“He continues to build his experience and we continue to be impressed by how he has applied himself to the task.

He made a great start today but just a couple of errors cost him four places. Jann did a stellar job as always but we just couldn’t find the grip today and finished outside the points.”

The final race of the British GT Championship takes place at Donington Park and the entire Nissan GT Academy Team RJN will be pushing to end the season on a high.

‘BLACK JACK’ HONOURED AT SILVERSTONE

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he three-time Formula One World Champion passed away in May aged 88 and is still the first – and only – man to win the ultimate F1 title driving one of his own cars. In total, the Australian legend – nicknamed ‘Black Jack’ – won 14 Grand Prixs in an amazing career spanning from 1955 to 1970.

Paying tribute to these outstanding achievements, the two races organised by the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association for rear-engined F1 cars that competed in 1965 or earlier have been dedicated to Brabham. They will be renamed the Jack Brabham Memorial Trophy for HGPCA Pre ’66 Grand Prix Cars and prizes will be presented by David Brabham, the youngest

The remarkable racing career of Sir Jack Brabham was honoured last month at the award-winning Silverstone Classic which took place during 25-27 July of Jack’s three sons.

David – himself an ex-F1 driver and Le Mans winner – also helped to head the record parade of Grand Prix cars, which was one of the highlights at the Classic on ‘Super Sunday’. He drove his father’s Brabham BT24 from 1967.

The special cavalcade featured more than 100 GP cars and was part of the high profile celebrations to mark Silverstone’s 50th Grand Prix – a historic milestone reached in July in the race won by Lewis Hamilton. Fittingly the winning roster also includes the name of Jack Brabham who won Silverstone’s 10th Grand Prix back in 1960.

“The Silverstone Classic this year will be a very special

event and one I am looking forward it to very much,” said David. “It will be an amazing experience for me to be part of the massive parade of 100 Grand Prix cars, driving the Brabham BT24 in honour of my father. There will also be quite a few cars in the parade that my dad drove through the years, so it will be good to see all of those as well. Jack meant a lot to a lot of people around the world and this is another great celebration of the man and his success.”

David will be joined at the front of the huge and historic parade by Stirling Moss, who will be behind the wheel of an iconic Maserati 250F. It’s a significant mount, too, as although Jack is renowned for competing in Coopers and, of

course, his own Brabhams, he did once race a 250F and that intriguingly was at Silverstone in 1956.

“Whether it’s through his own outstanding achievements or via the cars that hail from the company he founded, Jack Brabham will always be a motor sport colossus and we are privileged to be honouring his legacy at this year’s Silverstone Classic,” said Nick Wigley, event director. “Jack will always be associated with the move to rear-engined F1 cars and his two titles in 1959 and 1960 are testament to that. So it seems completely right to be dedicating the pair of HGPCA races for those machines – some of which he actually raced himself in period – to his memory.”

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Modern day conundrums In these days of the social media ascendant, is it any wonder that a phenomenon like the “Ice Bucket challenge” is doing the rounds. After all, it’s almost as if the IBC is made for Facebook – you challenge a bunch of your friends while posting a video of you drenching self with cold water. And you can check how many of them have chosen to follow in your footsteps of online exhibitionism. What is lost in the bargain is the charity angle – you are supposed to donate towards ALS research.

What happened to the old adage of not letting your left hand know how generous your right hand is, one that truly characterised charity. The new form of charity seems to be designed for the modern corporate environment – spend a hundred dollars on charity and ten thousand to tell everyone how generous you are.

Is it mindless herd mentality that makes us accept this concept of being tagged? I have given up doing anything as an outcome of being tagged. Why should I feed into this massive electronic guilt complex that is being propagated by a soulless media? Yes, I know some of you have had first hand sorrow with your dealings with ALS. It afflicts people and shatters families. It could happen to me or someone close to me. But by forcing me to do a challenge aren’t you making me a bearer of your guilt? I have lost loved ones to cancer, heart disease and stroke. Should I tag you to make you pay up for that?

The mindlessness of social media is all-pervasive. You let go your reasoning and even stop questioning logic. One example this month has been in the form of a viral Meme that says that August 2014 is special because it has five Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and that it will not happen again for another 800 odd years. It has been passed around as fact by so many people, without anyone bothering to verify it.

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

Want to comment or have your say?

Email at raj@alroya.net.

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

How difficult can it be? I scrolled through my calendar and saw that the last time it happened was in 2008 and the next time it will happen is 2025. And the logic is not too difficult to investigate. After all August has 31 days and hence will always have five of any three consecutive days. One in seven of those occasions will be with Friday beginning it. And only a leap year will disturb the cycle. It cannot be so unique. But do any of us question the huge statement below? No, we ‘like’ it and ‘share’ it.

We are ready to believe almost anything we read on the Internet. We forget that it’s people like us who put the stuff there in the first place. There have even been examples of ‘news’ carried by satirical sites ending up as breaking stories in mainline Newspapers, purely because the reporter and his editor have not bothered to read the fine print, question an unbelievable tale or verify from interested parties. Among the first lessons I learnt in the trade was that every story had three sides – the doers’, the bystanders’ and the independent experts’. The Internet has put paid to that rigorous approach at many news desks.

There are others out there who have had enough. The “Rice Bucket challenge” is a good example. It asks you to donate a bucket of rice to the needy. Not toss a bucket of good water over yourself.

But I still object to being tagged, whether it is for this or listing my ten best reads or even which of my friends I like best. I promise to never tag anyone either, so you won’t be subject to my playing with boredom impinging on your life in any way. After all, I wouldn’t want you to switch off from social media altogether, would I?

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JUNE 2014