This image of Hurricane Gonzalo was taken from the International Space Station by European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst on Oct. 16, 2014
COVERstory |
2016 Ford Explorer Moving up
32 Tokyo Motor Show Confidence returns to this venue as participation by automakers jumps
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cover story
32-37 2016 Ford Explorer
NEXT ISSUE
2016 Honda Pilot
Oman and regional news
08-19 2015 Dubai International Motor Show curtain raiser, Regional media’s first outing with Gen II 2016 Audi Q7 in Oman, Regional media gets first-hand experience of Cadillac V-Series products, Nissan’s Nismo performance arm arrives in region, New car launches -- 2016 BMW 7 Series, 2015/16 Geely GC9, 2016 Ford Explorer, Hyundai Tucson and Creta SUVs, Iveco’s ‘New Daily’ trucks
Brandwatch
20-23 Toyota in 2015: could be world’s # 1, Ferrari to raise production, Ferrari IPO oversubscribed, Ex VW CEO Martin Winterkorn to relinquish other VAG positions, French government ups stake in Renault-Nissan Alliance, Fiat’s Aegea project gets a formal name, Tax cuts to boost small car sales in China, Bogward products to be made in India by Beiqi Foton Motors, VW Phaeton to go all electric, New CLS-based model under consideration by Mercedes-Benz, Diesel gate scandal to affect other car manufacturers? Production Lincoln Continental to debut in January, Micro cars to be jointly built by Nissan and Mitsubishi, Mitsubishi Lancer EVO formally retired, Nissan’s new CVT, Volkswagen’s Group’s Strategy 2018 changed to 2025
International news spotlight 24-28 2015 Tokyo Motor Show
First drives
54 60
38-43 2015 Mini Cooper S 5-door 44-49 2016 Audi RS7 50-53 2015 Jaguar XE2.5t
Editor’s choice: Top 5 Tokyo concepts
20-23 Nissan IDS Concept 20-23Yamaha sports coupe 20-23 Lexus LF FC 20-23 Mitsubishi eX 20-23 Toyota Kikai
New car previews
54-55 Ferrari F12ftb 56-59 mercedes-benz s-class coupe 60-63 porsche 911 carerra 64-65 CATERHAM SUPERLIGHT
66-67 MITSUBISHI LANCER GT
techtalk
68-73 SUSTAINABILITY: OPTIONS AHEAD OF US
Motorsports 74-79 F1, motogp, regional, snippets
Chicane
80 Letting the machine take over
editor-in-chief Mohammad Al Taie
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We have been trying to avoid harping on Volkswagen’s issues this month, yet somehow there is always another twist to the sordid tale that calls for attention. The month end saw US federal authorities now add another facet to the issue of the not so clean diesel engines when it said that around 10,000 of the company’s 3.0-litre 6-cylinder units fitted in its premium brands like Audi and Porsche were also being added to the almost half a million smaller engines. Of course a month is now a long time in a car brand’s history. People have been fired, new management types hired and the company is strengthening its ethics oversight while fully co-operating with investigators around the world. If the engine has been sold anywhere, the authorities in that country will not want to be seen as slow to act. However this also brings with it some ironic moments, like when VW has to recall cars in India, where the bulk of vehicles sold are still Euro 3 compliant. And while on the topic of recalls, the exercise is on full-swing around the world, with defects ranging from defective seats, defective airbags, floor mats, leaking power steerings and engines with metal filings in them. It is almost as if every error that could crop up in making a car has now become visible and the world is working overtime to correct it. By our reckoning, one day in the not so distant future we will have more cars recalled in a year than were actually manufactured. But the issue with a business that’s on the scale of the global automotive business is that you are never actually making today’s car. Between R&D, engineering, tech trends and consumer behaviour, 90% of your effort is always on the car that will come to the showroom a couple of years in the future. The rest is all marketing. We don’t doubt that lessons being learnt from today’s fiascos will be applied in this next generation of cars. In the meantime, Muscat had a generous crop of today’s cars being launched in the span of a week in October – from the Ford Explorer, the new look Land Cruiser, the new Tucson and Creta and the brilliant new BMW 7-series, the third week of October was a car lover’s delight. As always, we have covered the lot, while having already met the new Explorer and Tucson in the flesh. The Explorer features on this month’s cover with an early testdrive. Look out in coming issues for the rest of the bunch.
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BMW
Touted as the world’s most progressive 2+2 seater plug-in hybrid sports car, its powertrain package uses an electric motor and a petrol engine. As a plug-in hybrid, it combines the performance and appeal of a sports car with the fuel consumption and emissions of a small car. It accelerates from 0-100km/h in 4.4 seconds, using just 2.1 litres of petrol per 100kms and emitting just 59g/km of emissions. An allembracing sustainability concept runs throughout the entire value chain of the BMW i8 using 100-per cent renewable electricity along with a high proportion of recycled and environmentally friendly materials.
Cadillac As one of the world’s lightest and most agile full-size luxury sedans, the Cadillac CT6 takes a big step towards more efficient and sustainable transportation by combining a variety of new technologies to achieve dynamic performance, efficiency and agility. It comes with the industry’s first application of cylinder deactivation technology on a turbocharged V6 engine. The car also features lightweight architecture that utilises 11 materials achieving strength, performance and competency. The world premiere of the XT5 SUV [all-new replacement of the SRX] will take place in Dubai. 8
NOV 2015
Audi Audi Middle East will present the allnew second generation R8, all-new Audi A4 and RS 3 Sportback. The RS model represent the high-performance automobiles of quattro GmbH. The regional premieres of these cars will highlight Audi’s brand philosophy “Vorsprung durch Technik”.
Chevrolet Chevrolet will unveil its newest product line-up for the Middle East region with no less than four new unveils. Chevrolet will be taking the wraps off the all-new 2016 Chevrolet Camaro, 2017 Chevrolet Malibu, 2016 Chevrolet Spark, and enhanced 2016 Chevrolet Silverado.
Infiniti
Infiniti will present the Q80 Inspiration, what it considers as the halo model for Infiniti’s design language and the Q60 Concept, its vision for a future sports coupe. Initially unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in 2014, it will be the first Middle East debut of the Q80 Inspiration. The Q60 Concept was first premiered at the 2015 North American International Auto Show.
GMC GMC has planned the regional premiere of the 2016 Sierra, its best-selling truck in the Middle East. The incoming model boasts a fresh appearance that takes its signature premium styling to a higher level – and offers new, advanced engineering features designed to complement its crafted interior. GMC will also showcase the brand’s latest in connectivity programmes. It has added Apple CarPlay capability to the 2016 Yukon and Sierra. Essentially, Apple CarPlay takes the iPhone features customers want to access while driving and integrates them into the vehicle’s display in a smart, simple manner with the brand’s IntelliLink system.
Maserati Maserati has announced that it will be exhibiting the Maserati Alfieri, a 2+2 concept car. The Alfieri is hailed as archetypal for the future design DNA of Maserati. The striking concept bears the name of the most prominent of the Maserati brothers - the engineering genius who founded “Officine Alfieri Maserati” in Bologna over a century ago. According to Lorenzo Ramaciotti, the mastermind behind the project, “The Alfieri is a transition point between 100 glorious years of history and the future that is opening up before us.” NOV 2015
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Toyota
Mirai is name plate that will mark its debut at Dubai and will represent a significant chapter in automotive history for zero-emission cars in this region. Toyota/Lexus have been selling hybrid vehicles to major fleet operators in the region and the production Mirai fuel cell vehicle has been recently been launched in the US and Europe following Japan.
Jaguar
Jaguar will showcase its new aluminium family of vehicles with its new Jaguar XE and Jaguar XF sedans at this year’s show. The all new Jaguar XE uses an aluminium monocoque body with the lightweight metal accounting for 75 per cent of the car’s structure. The weight reduction ensures that the Jaguar XE is the most fuel-efficient Jaguar yet with fuel consumption and CO2 emissions on the NEDC combined cycle of over 75mpg and less than 100g/km respectively. Jaguar will also hold the regional premiere of its F-Pace SUV. Land Rover will have big presence at this year’s show and besides displaying its cars, Range Rover has plans to celebrate 45 years of luxury, design and innovation. The brand will also introduce the manufacturer’s Special Vehicle Operations. On display will be the full Land Rover line including the Range Rover Sport SVR, Range Rover Evoque HSE Dynamic, Discovery Sport, Land Rover Defender Adventure and Heritage Editions and LR4 Landmark Edition
Automan’s take
Al-Futtaim Motors, exclusive distributor of Lexus in the UAE, offers the largest lineup of Lexus premium hybrid vehicles in the UAE, and will be showcasing three hybrid models at this year’s show the Lexus LSh, GSh and RXh These vehicles are equipped with cutting-edge hybrid technologies combining a powerful gasoline engine and an advanced electric motor allowing them to run purely on electric power at lower speeds whilst emitting zero emissions.
The regional show will have a lot to appeal for motoring aficionados in the region. While new car launches and world premieres will take centre stage, classic and historic car lovers will have the opportunity to see a magnificent collection, thanks to a new event addition. A collection of the finest and most significant cars in the history of the automobile from Europe, the United States and Asia have been generously loaned from Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Tomini Classics, the Sharjah Museum and the Al Ain Classics collections as well as from a number of proud owners from the Dubai Grand Parade for the duration of the show.Titled as ‘The Motoring Nostalgia Museum’, the display will take the visitors on a historical journey through motoring history with classics ranging from the 1950s to the 80s. Everything from a delectable 1951 Riley RMC Roadster with its graceful, sweptback looks that defined the immediate postwar period through to the model that virtually coined the “supercar” phrase, the twin-turbocharged, all-wheel drive 1988 Porsche 959 will be on display in their dedicated auto alley located in DWTC’s Zabeel 1 Hall. They will join a wide variety of cars covering the full spectrum of desire including a stunning 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, an original Land Rover, a striking 1955 300SL Gullwing Mercedes-Benz and a 1974 Ferrari Dino to name just a few. In keeping with the family friendly feel, visitors to Motoring Nostalgia will be able to take guided tours from resident experts. Visitors will also have the opportunity to hear forums covering topics such as how to buy and register a classic car in the UAE. Master craftsmen will showcase their skills and interest for disciplines including leather stitching, to a cobbler at work as well as artists painting, all of which shows an appreciation for classic cars as a lifestyle just as much as a beautiful motor vehicle. The 2015 Dubai International Motor Show will be open from 6pm to 10pm on November 10; 11am to 10pm on November 11; 11am to 11pm on November 12 and 13; and from 11am to 10pm on November 14. Ticket prices are AED 65 for single-day entry with children under 12 entering free. Price of ticket includes entry to the Motoring Nostalgia Museum and children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. 10
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Cadi
news
Oman & region
s t e g ia d e m l a n Regio f o e c n ie r e p x e first-hand s t c u d o r p s e i r e llac V-S
A
s part of an elaborate exercise aimed at getting media and aficionados familiar with Cadillac’s performance ‘V’ sub brand in the region, Cadillac Middle East introduced the lineup three V-Series-badged all-new cars at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi last month. For the event, select media and customers spent a day with the cars on track and also got the opportunity to meet one of the key members responsible for the V- Series products -- vehicle chief engineer Tony Roma who works in the groups’ Global Performance Luxury Car division in the US. Roma specially flew down to Abu Dhabi to 12
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present the cars in the pit lane converted ‘V’ garage. At the garage Roma did the walkarounds with the cars, namely the Cadillac CTS-V sedan, coupe and sedan variants of the ATS-V. Besides the cars, there were demonstrators highlighting the engines, brakes, sports seats among other model specific items. The V-Series cars can be identified by their badging and what differentiates them from their non-V siblings are the aerodynamic packages like bigger grille which facilitate air vents that supplemented drivetrain cooling and brakes.
Complementing these mechanical and exterior performance focused features as an equally driver focused interior with high-performance seats, optimized ergonomics and interfaces. The car’s muscle car like profile comes with wide flared mudguards and aggressive aerodynamics features. The interior features Recaro seats, faux carbon trim, and touches of dark suede. While discussing the features of the cars individually, Roma insisted that the ATS is quite capable of holding up its own against the world’s best sports sedan and coupe competitors like the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4 and to
some extent Infiniti Q70 [G37]. While, the ATS comes with four doors or two doors, the two-door coupe variant is slightly smaller than its sibling but comes with a wider track. It looks the same but actually has different sheetmetal. The ATS-V is powered by a 3.6-litre turbocharged V6 that offers 464hp and 445lb-ft of torque.It can sprint for 0-100km/h in under 4.0-secs. The stiff chassis is made of aluminium and steel and besides the magnetic damping system, it also comes with Performance Traction Management (PTM) system. The CTS-V performance midsize sedan is positioned as Cadillac’s fastest production car in history. The CTS-V is based on the
CTS sedan, but to make it faster and more powerful it uses lightweight materials and race-bred technology for track-worthy performance, according to Roma. Great attention has been paid by engineers in the chassis department which has been stiffened by 25percent over the regular CTS. This was done to ensure lesser body roll and more stability when cornering. The car’s bonnet is made of lightweight carbon fiber and features a functional vent that extracts hot air from the engine and also helps to create downforce. The grille has been increased by roughly 30 percent and the valance features larger front air intakes that help with additional cooling.
Tony Roma The CTS-V gets new supercharged 6.2-litre V8 that cranks out 640hp and 630lb-ft of torque. 0-100km/h comes in around 3.9secs and top speed is 32km/h, according to Roma. The engine is paired exclusively with GM’s 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters and launch control. Roma said in his presentation that, on paper, the CTS-V’s performance over shadows the BMW M5’s standard 560hp V8 performance comfortably and is close to with the performance of the 5.5-litre biturbo V8 used in the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG 4Matic. Common to all V-badge models is the Performance Data Recorder (PDR). PDR allows drivers to record high-definition video, with data overlays, of their driving experiences on and off the track. The data is recorded on a memory smart card. PDR for this car was developed with Cosworth, the British motorsports-engineering company that supplies General Motors’ Racing Teams with data acquisition and telemetry systems. In addition, both ATS-V and CTS-V models also feature a professional-level motorsports Cosworth Toolbox telemetry system that allows drivers to analyze their laps in incredible detail and find opportunities to improve and fine tune their driving and lap times. The telemetry software combines Cosworth’s professional-level motorsport data analysis with an easy-to-use graphic interface. All the 2016 models track tested were outfitted with the latest third- generation Magnetic Ride Control, which according to Roma delivers 40 percent faster damping response. This allows better chassis control by the driver, who can in turn optimize his performance requirements for touring duties and track day experiences. The track exercises were performed under supervision of the track marshals and included fast laps on the circuit and some handling exercises. NOV 2015
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Nismo arrives in region Nissan’s motorsport and in-house performance brand, NISMO, made its Middle East debut last month in Dubai. “NISMO is the ultimate essence of Nissan’s promise to deliver ‘Innovation that Excites’,” said Samir Cherfan, Managing Director of Nissan Middle East. NISMO was founded in September 1984 as a specialty company to support all motorsports activities of Nissan Motor Company (Nissan). We are aware of two Nismo production cars -- 370Z and the GT-R, but at the regional launch there was a third surprise in store. “We could not have launched NISMO in the region without including our most iconic model, the Nissan Patrol, in the range of NISMO vehicles. As a result, the event also marked the world premiere of the Patrol NISMO prototype. Recognizing that off-roading and motorsports are the life-blood of local driving enthusiasts, Nissan strongly believes the time is right to introduce the Patrol NISMO in the Middle East. “Bringing the high performance brand to the Middle East and launching the Patrol NISMO as a world premiere model is proof of our commitment to making thrilling driving experiences accessible to all our customers.” According to Cherfan, NISMO is an important part of Nissan’s long term product plan. “We view the addition of NISMO as a key element of our business expansion strategy based on our successful motorsports heritage in the region. The NISMO brand is a highly valuable, credible and desirable addition to our range and we are honored to bring the brand to the Middle East.” Regional media members were also given an opportunity to get familiarized with the cars at Dubai Autodrome.
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Hands-on d r o F y b ’ e f li r o f ls il ‘driving sk
For the first time in Oman, new student drivers were exposed to safe driving practices while behind the wheel, such as proper vehicle spacing, speed management, hazard recognition and safe vehicle handling in a specially setup and controlled environment. The four-day driver safety programme was brought to the Sultanate in a collaborative effort involving experts from Ford Motor Company, the brand’s local importer dealer, Arabian Car Marketing and Sultan Qaboos University. Ford runs this programme for new drivers under the “Driving Skills for Life” [DSFL] tagline. Ford DSFL was established in 2003 by Ford Motor Company Fund, Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), and a panel of safety experts with the mission
of teaching newly licensed drivers the necessary skills for safer driving, and the importance of making good decisions while driving. In its first 10 years, Ford Driving Skills for Life has directly trained more than 30,000 teens in nearly 900 school districts in 39 states, plus 15 international markets across Europe, Asia and North America. The hands-on clinic was set-up in one of the university’s car parks and several vehicles were used for demonstrations. A specially prepared new Mustang GT was fitted with special safety training driving kit like special plastic tyres at the rear. This was necessary to enable teaching students to control skids without needing to use a skid pan. The benefit of having these special tyres with plastic coating was clear
when we took to the wheels. Since, the Mustang is a rear wheel drive vehicle, the trainers demonstrated how to control oversteer in the slalom course. Likewise, if the same set-up was used in a front wheel drive car, then the focus would have been how to control understeer. The other exercise included simulation of driving under influence and also recognizing tricky road signs. According to the US-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16- to 19-year olds than any other age group. Per mile driven, teen drivers are nearly three times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than other drivers. In 2013, the DSFL made its Middle Eastern debut in the UAE, followed by KSA and now Oman. NOV 2015
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Regional media’s first outing with Gen II 2016 Audi Q7 in Oman
Audi Middle East organised the regional debut of the new top-of-the-line SUV model in Oman. With the new Gen II Q7, Audi has set some interesting standards in the premium SUV segment. The incoming model is built on a new group platform and even the base model is 325kg lighter than before. Although the exterior dimensions have gotten smaller, it offers substantially more interior room for passengers and luggage. The Q5 TSFI 45 is the variant that will be sold here with the bi-turbo 3.0-litre V6 engine mated to 8-speed transmission. The Q7 is feature loaded and its innovative assistance and infotainment systems take it to the front of the pack. The day long drive took the drivers and cars to some of the scenic routes and also included some off-road trails.
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The third generation of the Hyundai Tucson and the completely new Creta were launched in at a gala evening in Muscat The Korean embassy’s charge d’affaires and the head of their trade delegation accompanied Hyundai’s VP Jin Kim, who is the head of the regional office handling the Middle East and Africa at the launch event. They were hosted by the local distributors OTE group, whose chairman Sh. Saad Suhail Bahwan and managing director Anil Dua hosted the evening. In his welcome address, Mr Dua harked back to the 25 year association with Hyundai as well as to how the sales and after-sales network have grown across the Sultanate. Mr Kim then went on to highlight the importance of the new Tucson and the Creta in the product mix offered by Hyundai in the region, with
a rather lengthy and detailed product presentation that followed. The Tucson has been reviewed by us earlier, with its new looks and clutch of new technologies making it an attractive proposition for family and fleet markets in Oman. This new generation brings with it a choice of two engines – the 2.0-litre 4-cylinder unit as the base offering and a very European inspired 1.6-litre turbocharged unit as the premium offering. This marks a departure from the brand’s previous offering of a 2 and 2.4-litre unit. The smaller engine is more powerful and is offered with a 7-speed DCT gearbox for better response. In terms of features the car now offers
better infotainment options with a large colour screen, up to 6 airbags, a seamless panoramic roof, second row seating that has more legroom and adjustability options. The car also has blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert. As for the Creta, the India-made compact SUV has been designed to take on the Ford EcoSport and Renault Duster in the home market, thus putting Hyundai in a position to emulate this in Oman. The expectation is that this keenly packaged car will have an aggressive pricing to drive volumes. It comes to Oman with a 1.6-litre engine and six-speed auto gearbox along with a 5-speed manual and features like hill start assist.
2016 BMW 7 Series Al Jenaibi Automobiles, the Oman importer retailer of BMW cars arranged the first public viewing of the incoming BMW 7 Series at the Royal Opera House in Muscat. BMW Group has tried to redefine the positioning of the incoming car as an exclusive one that offers luxurious driving experience, looks ontemporary and incorporates the latest in groundbreaking technologies in the areas of lightweight design, powertrains including hybrids, chassis, operating systems, intelligent connectivity and interior ambience. BMW claims that the handing over of the baton from one generation to the next at the top end of BMW’s model line-up sees the brand presenting a raft of innovations unmatched by any of its rivals. Depending on variant, factors in enhancing dynamics, efficiency, comfort and safety have been considered and there’s use of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic in the body structure, engines from the BMW Group’s new generation of power units, including a plug-in hybrid 740e. On the performance side, there’s and active chassis which BMW calls Executive Drive Pro and the driving experience control switch with adaptive modes. BMW is the first to introduce its Laserlight technologies and the application finds its way out here. Optional Executive Lounge bespoke appointments and M Sport package will also be available to order. BMW also introduces a biturbo 2.0-litre engine with electric motors in the 740e set-up. Autonomous parking is also introduced in this car. NOV 2015
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2016 Toyota Land Cruiser
For the Middle East, just a few weeks for the regional automotive extravaganza in Dubai, Lexus along with its authorized importer retailers introduced the refreshed LX570 for their respective markets. The brand’s flagship premium luxury sport-utility now features the new corporate spindle grille, LED DRLS and LED taillamps. With a powerful V8, sophisticated 4WD chassis and seating for eight, the model remains one of the few SUVs that combine genuine luxury with true off-road capability.
2016 Ford Explorer Ford has upgraded its Explorer for 2016 with some cosmetic upgrades and new features. Two versions are sold in Oman and the model will be available in several trim and powertain options. The entry level XLT and Limited get a 3.5-litre Ti-VCT V6 engine offering 294PS and 346Nmof torque when paired with a six-speed SelectShift® automatic transmission. The Sport variant is powered by a turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 [Ecoboost] engine which offers 370PS and 475Nm of torque when paired with the same transmission. Ford’s Sync system is voice activated. Among the cosmetic changes is a redesigned bonnet and front new end with new grille design. Headlamps are LED fed and the cluster includes daytime running lights. The rear tail lamp design is also refreshed. 18
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2015/16 Geely GC9
Chinese automaker Geely which also now owns Volvo plans to expand its sedan line-up with new GC9 sedan in the Sultanate. Last month, Towell Auto Centre, which officially represents Geely in Oman announced that the first consignments of the GC9, the brand’s new premium sedan were on their way to the Sultanate. Geely’s new sedan takes its inspiration from the KC Concept which was showcased at the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show. The car’s design was signed off by ex-Volvo designer Briton Peter Horbury, who joined Geely in 2012 as its chief designer. Meanwhile, as part of the brand restructuring, Geely has dropped the idea of three sub brands and hence the Emgrand marque is now defunct. As a result, what we knew as the Emgrand GC9 is officially now the Geely GC9. Geely GC9 is the first model to be presented as a top luxury offering from China and it has received several engineering inputs from Melbourne, Australia-based Premcar – the outfit which under its previous Prodrive Engineering ownership, developed Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) models for Ford Australia until last year. This team finalized the suspension set-up for the GC9. The fastback profiled he 4,956mm long car on a wheelbase of 2850mm will be offered with a four-cylinder 2.4-litre and 3.5-litre V6 mated to six-speed automatic transmission developed in Australia by Geely-owned Drivetrain Systems International (DSI). Geely is hoping that the new car will represent a game-changer for the brand, not only taking the Chinese company’s levels of technology and safety to new levels, but also showing off the new design language.
Oman is Iveco’s first port of entry for ‘New Daily’ trucks
International Equipment & Contracting Company, a Suhail Bahwan Group member along with top officials from Turin-based Iveco introduced the re-engineered third generation Iveco Daily trucks for the Oman market. “Oman is the first country in the GCC to see the launch of the new Daily in the Middle East,” said Pierre Lahutte, Brand President at Iveco. “We give a huge importance to the Africa and Middle East region, particularly the GCC, as they are a critical area for Iveco.” For the Middle East, the trucks get an extra airconditioning pack and some modifications in the diesel set-up to ensure they are compliant with the fuel grade that is available out here. The Daily line-up for Oman introduced are the single wheel models with two wheelbase options [3,250mm and 4,100mm] which allows flexibility to the user and their specific customized needs like water tanker or recovery vehicle. Iveco offers the Daily with low ownership and servicing costs. “This product launch raises the segment standards to new heights in this region,” said Marco Torta, Sales Manager for Gulf region at Iveco. “More than 2.6mn Daily vehicles have been sold to date in over 110 countries worldwide and 80 per cent of the new Daily components have been redesigned for optimized performance.” NOV 2015
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brandwatch news
Toyota in 2015: could be world’s # 1
It’s a numbers game and with just a few weeks more till the end of this year, it seems that Toyota has an upper edge. Toyota has delivered 7.49mn vehicles from January through September and in the process also regained the lead in the global volume battle. This means Toyota has just beat Volkswagen’s 7.43mn numbers in the first three quarters. General Motors has shifted 7.15mn units in the same period. VW’s diesel emissions scandal might seem to be the current argument for losing the top position, the EPA’s violation notice only came on September 18. Actually, falling demand in China likely played a more significant part in the losses than the cheating software scandal.
Automan’s take
Volkswagen did have a lead over Toyota in the first six months of the year, but it now seems that Toyota will edge past VW with the 2015 title since VW’s current dieselgate crisis will likely have its effect on sales in the remainder months of the year.
Fiat’s Aegea project gets a formal name
Fiat has announced plans to resurrect its Tipo nameplate for the Aegea Project sedan that was introduced earlier this year in Istanbul, Turkey. Introduced in the late 1980s, the original Tipo was sold as a boxy hatchback with mass-market ambitions across the globe. It proved a strong seller in many markets, before retiring after less than a decade in production. The new Tipo has similar global ambitions, focusing on delivering a competitive value-for-money proposition in Europe and export markets where it will replace the Linea. Buyers in various markets will be able to choose from a wide range of gasoline and diesel powerplants, with power output ranging from 95-120 horsepower and a choice between manual and automatic transmissions. Designed in Italy and developed in Turkey, the Tipo will be built in the latter country where it will retain the Aegea nameplate. The company has not announced specific launch details or pricing. 20
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Winterkorn to relinquish other VAG positions
Former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn who took the blame of the ongoing dieselgate scandal will also resign from his other key positions within VW Group brands. After his departure from VW, Winterkorn was still serving as chairman of Audi and chief executive of Porsche SE, a holding company with a majority stake in VW. He was also chairman of truck maker Scania. Under pressure from labour unions, Winterkorn has agreed to resign from the remaining positions and completely sever ties with the company. Meanwhile, following Winterkorn’s departure, the company is continuing to proceed with an internal investigation that aims to identify any workers responsible for the scandal. Critics point out that, like GM’s ignition-switch crisis, the answer likely goes much deeper than a few rogue software engineers.
Tax cuts to boost small car sales in China China has decided to boost the declining auto industry by offering tax breaks. In a major decision it has reduced sales tax on small cars by 50 per cent. The tax break will run until the end of 2016 and apply to cars with 1.6-litre engines or smaller, a segment that accounts for nearly 70 percent of total sales in China. The move, announced by Chinese cabinet last month boosted shares of major Chinese automakers like Great Wall Motors BYD, BAIC Motor and SAIC Motor. Car sales in China, the world’s biggest market since 2009, were flat in the first eight months of the year and could contract in 2015 for the first time since the market took off in the late 1990s. In August, sales fell 3 percent from a year earlier to 1.7 million vehicles. Many analysts expect auto sales growth to hold in low single-digits in coming years and global carmakers are cutting production and reining in wages and other costs. China’s central bank has also provided support for auto financing firms by slashing the amount of reserves they need to hold.
Ferrari to raise production Currently, Ferrari is considered to be an exclusivity focused supercar brand with its fixed 7,000unit annual production. However, that is about to change as reports from Europe are suggesting that the Prancing Horse brand is preparing itself to significantly increase production to 9,000 units annually. This would roughly represent an increase of nearly 30per cent and the reason for removing the current production cap is to help meet growing demand in emerging markets. That’s not all. New products will also be created to accommodate demographic changes as the size and spending capacity of target client grows, according to Ferrari. It may be recalled last year that a debate related to production of cars during the tenure of then chairman Luca di Montezemolo and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles chief Sergio Marchionne resulted in the latter winning the battle and the former resigning. Montezemolo was in favour of maintaining the brand’s exclusivity while Marchionne who currently serves as Ferrari’s new chairman pushed for higher sales numbers and has aired confidence that production can be increased to 10,000 units without any ill effects.
Automan’s take
The Maranello-based car company has long known that it could sell many more cars than it currently builds. Till now the business model is based on balancing profits with exclusivity and short supply. However, parent FCA’s experience with upping Maserati production from 15,000 units to 75,000 units in just four years is beginning to show up. In 2014, Maserati deliveries were up by 137per cent globally.
Volkswagen’s Group’s Strategy 2018 changed to 2025
A five point agenda has been proposed by Matthias Müller, chairman of the board of management at Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft last month as part of damage control and future business objectives and prioritization. “We have to look beyond the current situation and create the conditions for Volkswagen’s successful further development,” said Müller. M üller announced that the cornerstones of the Group’s Strategy 2018 plan has been revised as Group’s Strategy 2025 and the core details will be presented next year. Here are the highlights of the 5-point plan:
Ferrari IPO oversubscribed
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles [FCA] officially launched Ferrari’s initial public offering [IPO] last month. The Italian company put up 10per cent stake up for sale that included more than 18mn shares on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “RACE” with a price offering range of US$48 to US$52 per share [total value between US$9.2 and US$9.8bn]. Demand for stock in the Ferrari IPO surpassed market expectations and the IPO was oversubscribed more than ten-to-one across its entire price range. Following completion of this offering, FCA expects to distribute its remaining 80per cent interest in Ferrari to FCA shareholders at the beginning of 2016. As part of the spinoff from FCA, Ferrari will assume US$3.1bn of debt. Enzo Ferrari’s son, Piero Ferrari, will also receive a 10per cent stake in the automaker as well as a $318.5mn cash payment.
1.
First priority is to support the customers affected by the diesel issue. According to Müller, Volkswagen is working intensively to develop effective technical solutions. In contact with the Kraftfahrtbundesamt (KBA – German Federal Motor Transport Authority) the implementation is set to begin in January 2016.
2.
Müller’s second priority is to systematically drive forward and complete the investigation into what happened. For this purpose,audit firm Deloitte has been engaged in addition to the steps already announced. According to Müller, those responsible for what has happened must face severe consequences.
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Müller’s third priority is to introduce new structures in the Volkswagen Group. “The key point is that Group management will be decentralised to a greater extent in the future,” he said. Board of Management will focus on addressing crossbrand strategies, leveraging synergies and ensuring that Group resources are used effectively.
4.
As his fourth priority, Müller is driving forward a realignment of the Group’s culture and management behaviour. He noted that the pursuit of perfection, the employees’ commitment and social responsibility in the Volkswagen Group must be retained. However, he believes that changes are necessary in how Volkswagen communicates and how it handles its mistakes.
5.
The Volkswagen CEO announced that the fifth priority will be to transform the Group’s Strategy 2018 into a Strategy 2025. “Many people outside of Volkswagen, but also some of us, did not understand that our Strategy 2018 is about much more than production numbers. According to Müller, the point is not to sell 100,000 more or fewer vehicles than a major competitor. Instead, the real issue is qualitative growth NOV 2015
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French government ups stake in Renault-Nissan Alliance In the Renault-Nissan Alliance set-up, the French government is the largest shareholder and the Japanese brand generates about two-thirds of the sales. CEO Carlos Ghosn wants to put more control into the Nissan side and observers suggest that the large stakeholder will not give up so easily. So what has prompted this desire? It is strongly believed that the French government is responsible for creating a wall of distrust, after giving him just a few hours of notice to raise their stake in Renault’s stock from 15per cent to 19.7per cent. To mitigate state control formally, Ghosn needs formal approval from the Renault board. The French government isn’t ready to just hand over power to Ghosn due to political reasons, mainly because it wants to protect jobs in the country. The Alliance “must not be destabilized by governance changes or adjustments that could also lead to conflicts of interest,” economy minister Emmanuel Macron told reporters.
Bogward products to be made in India by Beiqi Foton Motorst
Automan’s take
If successful, the proposed plan would overhaul the close partnership between the automakers. Whereas the French side currently has the final say in decisions, this move would grant both of them equal power. In addition, Nissan would become the largest owner of Renault, but the French wouldn’t have the same control over its Japanese ally. At the 2015 Frankfurt Show, some concept vehicles were showcased by a relatively unknown German brand called Bogward. Now, as things much clearer about the brand’s origins and organizational set-up, it seems that Beijing, China-based and Chinese government owned Beiqi Foton Motors has taken over the rights of the brand name. Interestingly, instead of looking at China as the possible domestic production and export base, Foton Motors is said to be in the process of reactivating its plans for India. It may be recalled that Foton had plans of entering India in 2011 and at the time had acquired land near Pune for establishing a manufacturing unit. However, those plans went into the freezer as India at the time wasn’t seen as a ripe market for Foton products like heavy and light-duty trucks, vans and buses. And after acquiring the German Borgward brand, things are now being fast tracked. The first vehicle to be manufactured would be the BX7 SUV which would be sold in markets like Africa, Southeast Asia and the Middle East in 2017. Domestic market launches are planned for next year
New CLS-based model under consideration by Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz is reportedly developing a C-Class-based four-door coupe. This is according to a new report coming out of Germany. It seems that Mercedes-Benz has started to develop a car that will slot between the CLA and the CLS. Tentatively called CLC, the segment-stretching coupe will be based on the long-wheelbase version of the C-Class that’s currently built in China exclusively for the domestic market. The bigger dimensions will allow Mercedes designers to give the CLC a flatter roof line, and to provide the passengers riding in the back with a lot more space. Using a longer rear-wheel drive platform will also help set the CLC apart from the less expensive CLA which will continue to ride on a modular frontwheel drive platform. The CLC will share its engines with the facelifted C-Class and also will have a petrol-electric hybrid drivetrain version. An AMG-tuned model equipped with the same 503hp twin-turbocharged V8 as the C63 S will round out the lineup. Interestingly, the CLC nameplate was first used from 2008 to 2011 on the final evolution of the C-Class Sport Coupe. The CLC was a budget-focused model designed to lure younger buyers into showrooms but it ultimately proved unpopular. It was then replaced by the C-Class based Coupe. 22
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Automan’s take
If the rumour turns out to be true, Mercedes will introduce the CLC before the end of the decade. When it arrives in showrooms, it will fight head-to-head against the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe.
Volkswagen announced last month that it is planning a massive shift in future product development based on major development thrust involving the MQB platform and marrying it to hybrid and plug-in technologies. One model which hasn’t done very well for the brand is the Phaeton and its fortunes could be revived an all-electric version. On the new Phaeton, Volkswagen said: “The specification features a pure electric drive with long-distance capability, connectivity and next-generation assistance systems as well as an emotional design.” VW also announced that US $1.14bn will be stripped from the company’s annual investment while focus shifts from diesel development to electrification. That’s not all. There will more work on the MEB [“E” for electric] platform to facilitate electrification of both passenger cars and light commercial vehicles under the VW Group umbrella. The standardized system will be designed for all body structures and vehicle types, thus allowing particularly emotional vehicle concepts, and will enable an all-electric range of 250 to 500km.
VW Phaeton to go all electric
Production Lincoln Continental to debut in January
Lincoln has confirmed that it will officially unveil the production Lincoln Continental in Detroit in 2016. The concept was revealed earlier this year at the New York Auto Show. While the Continental concept introduces a bold new design language with a focus on luxury, it’s styling and profile came under flak for being too similar to that of the Bentley Flying Spur. Despite industry criticism, the car’s front end features a glimmering chrome mesh grille, swept headlamps with LEDs and lasers, and a sculpted bonnet. The Continental will succeed the MKS and it will use Ford’s front-wheel-drive architecture from the Fusion and MKZ. The car will be powered by a 3.0-litre twin-turbo EcoBoost engine with all-wheel drive as an available option. Additional details will likely be disclosed ahead of the Continental’s January debut.
Micro cars to be jointly built by Nissan and Mitsubishi
Dieselgate scandal to affect other car manufacturers?
Nissan and Mitsubishi have announced plans to jointly develop a new generation of microcars. The next-generation of microcars will benefit from Nissan’s deeper involvement in development and testing and will also feature new technologies. All this will happen through their joint venture NMKV and both entities have confirmed plans for a new EV variant. Although no timeline has been announced, the production is planned to take place at Mitsubishi’s Mizushima Plant. It will eventually build the successors to the Nissan Dayz and Dayz Roox as well as the Mitsubishi eK Wagon and eK Space. Nissan CCO Hiroto Saikawa said “This new opportunity will enable us to deliver even more competitive vehicles to consumers by enhancing our product and lineup, by strengthening our partnership and combining the expertise of both companies.”
It seems that Volkswagen is not alone in the ‘dieselgate’ scam. Rumours are that Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi and Mazda could be the next automakers to come under scrutiny. This comes after a new study found that diesel vehicles produced by those companies release up to 20 times the legal levels of NOx. According to data obtained by media from vehicle testing firm Emissions Analytics, some vehicles produced by Honda, Mercedes, Mitsubishi and Mazda emit far more diesel pollutants during real world driving than they do during testing. “The VW issue in the US was purely the trigger which threw light on a slightly different problem in the EU - widespread legal overemissions,” Emissions Analytics’ Nick Molden said. “For NOx, [diesel] cars are on average four times over the legal limit, because of the lenient nature of the test cycle in the EU.”
Automan’s take
This is the first official confirmation that the Phaeton has a future at Volkswagen.
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Spotlight news
e th in s r a e y y e k w After several lo e th f o n io it d e th 4 4 ’s r a e y is th , s s e in s u b n a p a J in w o h S r to o M o y k o T l ia n n bie e r e h T . e iv s s e r p im t s o m e th r fa y b s wa m o fr ts n a ip c ti r a p e were some surpris Europe too allik
Author: Chandan B M
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D
espite the impact of economic slowdown in South East Asia which had impacted several editions of the biennial Tokyo Motor Show, there was no let down in terms of audience entertainment in terms of wild concepts and cool technology this year. These two
aspects are integrated and will always be the focus and USP of the Tokyo Auto Show. That confidence was returning to this part of the world was clearly indicated by the participation rather return to the fold by Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volkswagen, MINI, BMW and several
other brands from Europe. As expected, all eyes focused on Japanese companies who were eager to introduce a long list of concept and production models besides technology applications. Here’s a snap shot from the show and details of the key newsmakers.
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BMW
BMW Group came fully prepared with its fastest and most trackready new M4 GTS. The M4 GTS is ‘M’ division’s most hardcore vehicle and also one of its most expensive cars with a price tag of roughly US$160,000.
Honda
Lexus
Taking centre stage at the Lexus stand was the LF-FC Concept which represents the brand’s future vision in terms of design and technology that will come in the flagship 4-door coupe-inspired sedan which is due in a year or so. The LF-FC styling includes the “L-finesse” design philosophy along with an evolved version of the signature grille with a new mesh design. The rear is highlighted by striking new taillamps that adopt the same floating theme as the DRL.
Mazda
Honda’s stand was among the largest and the displays highlighted the diversity of its current product line-up. As expected, it also included innovative mobility solutions designed to improve the day-to-day lives of customers. Highlights included the debut of its all-new fuel cell vehicle, the FCV, the all-new NSX hybrid supercar and a range of racing machines from a range of international race series. The NSX is being engineered to give Honda back its mojo. Honda also presented the Odyssey MPV with a hybrid powertrain. Honda also took off the covers from the stealthy looking lightweight Supersports concept which is essentially the bike on which the production CBR250RR will be based. The new bike will be more of a track focused machine and will sit above the CBR250R in the product portfolio. Other Honda displays included the Project 2&4 concept, which is an amalgamation of Honda’s car and motorcycle division and is powered by a 1.0-litre V4 motor borrowed from the automaker’s MotoGP winning superbike. Two concepts – Neowing, a three-wheeler hybid vehicle and EV-Cub Concept, an electric commuter bike echoing the retrostyling of first-generation Super Cub were also on display. 26
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Mazda says that it has not given up on the rotary engines despite stopping production of the RX-8 in 2012. At Japan, the brand revealed a new design study called RX-Vision Rotary Sports Car Concept which it claims was inspired by racing heritage and technology applications. The concept introduces the nextgeneration SKYACTIV-R rotary engine and Mazda’s vision of the ultimate in front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sports car styling. Along with this display, Mazda had a section devoted to two racing-spec Mazda MX-5s, as well as the 1967 Mazda Cosmo Sport 110S – the company’s first rotary powered mass-production model.
Mercedes Benz
Nissan
After returning to the motor show after a hiatus, Mercedes-Benz wasted no time in presenting the Vision Tokyo Concept. It’s the latest trailblazing spatial experience to come from the brand highlighted by its monolithic structure, futuristic design lines and unique lounge ambience. Spatially efficient, versatile and intelligently connected, the Vision Tokyo is also capable of driving autonomously. At the same time, this five-seater continues a tradition of design-study showcars from the tri star brand that has included the Vision Ener-G-Force (Los Angeles, November 2012), AMG Vision Gran Turismo (Sunnyvale, 2013) and G-Code (Beijing, November 2014).
Mitsubishi
Nissan had quite a diverse line-up this year and exhibits include some familiar and some new stuff. The recently showcased Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo, Gripz concept and updated Leaf were among the known names. However, the true debut was the quirky Teatro for Dayz EV concept that imagines the ultimate vehicle for young people. According to Nissan, the Teatro for Dayz is designed for the so-called digital native generation – basically those with the Internet widely available from birth. The original Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo, a concept supercar that was first unveiled at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2014 has been updated with a new face and body colour for Tokyo. The Nissan IDS Concept unveiled embodies Nissan’s vision of the future of autonomous driving and zero emission EVs.
Porsche
The Japanese automaker showed off the third variant of its electric SUV. The key highlight was the eX compact SUV Concept. This vehicle not only previewed the company’s next-generation electric vehicle (EV) technology but also the application of the Dynamic Shield design language. The five-seater 4,240mm car’s powertrain includes a lithium-ion battery packs that drive the twin motor 4WD and S-AWC (Super All Wheel Control) system. Other features include the automated driving technology which combines connected car technology, utilizing next-generation information systems, and advanced active safety technology and augmented reality (AR) windscreen. We are now convinced that Mitsubishi is planning to slot a new compact crossover into its line-up between the Outlander and Outlander Sport and the eX could fit the bill.
Porsche has slipped a new GTS version of its compact Macan SUV into the model mix while gifting the entire range for MY2017 with added standard equipment. Under the bonnet of the GTS is a tuned version of the 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 from the Macan S, which produces 360PS and 500Nm of torque. Paired to a 7-speed PDK gearbox as standard, the GTS is capable of hitting 0-100 km/h in 5.2secs. Porsche also showcased the facelifted Carrera 4S, which is an AWD version of the Carrera S unveiled at the 2015 IAA in Frankfurt. NOV 2015
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Subaru
Suzuki
Prior to the show, Subaru had announced the global debut of two show cars – the Impreza 5-Door Concept which essentially previews the next generation Impreza, and the VIZIV Future Concept. The latter focused on technology and safety applications. The Impreza 5-Door Concept is the first of Subaru’s next-generation strategic vehicles envisioned in FHI’s Mid-Term Management Vision “Prominence 2020” programme which was announced in May 2014. It will also serve as an entry model in the Subaru line-up when it goes into production. Meanwhile, the VIZIV Future Concept gave an insight into Subaru’s design inspiration and its vision for automatic driving functions and advanced safety technologies.
Volkswagen
At the Volkswagen press conference, Herbert Diess, CEO of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand began his speech by apologizing for the current diesel scandal crisis. Diess who came from BMW has promised to win back customer trust. Meanwhile, the key concept model for Japan from VW was the Tiguan GTE, which was showcased in Frankfurt earlier. The Tiguan GTE is the first plug-in hybrid SUV from Volkswagen.
Yamaha As a follow-up to the 2013 MOTIV.e concept, Yamaha presented an eye-popping four wheel concept. In the past, Yamaha has teamed with with McLaren F1 designer Gordon Murray to develop a city car concept called the Motiv and this time it was a new sports car concept developed in line with Murray’s iStream principles. The 3,900mm long two-seater sports car is made of carbon fibre and weighs 750kg and takes a lot of inspiration from motorcycles. Yamaha also produced a surprise when it showed a motorcycle-riding robot. Unlike most two-wheeled debutants, Yamaha’s new Motobot isn’t starting out on a small capacity motorcycle, but release images show the humanoid robot riding Yamaha’s most sporting motorcycle, the 1,000cc R1M. 28
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Suzuki Motor Corporation seems to be on the offensive and the theme strongly highlighted was its future plans. Suzuki will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2020, so most of the displays depicted proposals for products and technologies. A range of concept models include the IGNIS, which gives shape to Suzuki’s foray into the new compact crossover genre and the MIGHTY DECK, a fun and practical mini car. Also on display was the Air Triser, a newly conceived three-row compact minivan with a private lounge. Meanwhile, the IGNIS-Trail concept focused on urban and outdoor versatility with even greater rough-road ruggedness. Last, but not the least was the Baleno, the brand’s all-new B-segment hatchback. It used to be bland in its earlier avatar and hence Suzuki has refined its styling, performance, fuel economy and practical features besides the introduction of allnew powertrain technologies.
Toyota
Toyota’s display was quite large and diverse ranging from the updated Prius, a fuel cell vehicle and some quirky concepts. Among the showstoppers was the retro-inspired all-new coupe S-FR concept that could be added to the line-up as the GT/FT 86’s smaller sibling, subject to audience feedback. If produced, it will sport FR (front engine/rear drive) architecture. The slightly larger than MINI S-FR was conceptualized as the kind of vehicle that attracts its own die-hard fan base, whose members love driving and customizing it. The second car on display that tickled the audience was the Kikai concept. Definitely, it was a retro conversation-starter at the show that salutes the company’s roots in monozukuri, the Japanese term for the art and craft of manufacturing. In fact, the KIKAI as a concept car was developed from an innovative design concept that challenges the conventional rules of auto making. The exposed buggy-esque car uses a 1.5-litre engine and motor-combined hybrid system and for the drive system, a mid-engine rear-wheel-drive (MR) layout has been adopted.
Concept # 1: Yamaha Sports Ride Although Yamaha is better known for motorcycles, scooters, outboard motors and designers of ultra-compact V engines, occasionally a four-wheeler in concept form does turn up at motor shows. This year was no exception. In 2013, the brand presented the MOTIV.e concept, designed and conceived by legendary British designer Gordon Murray who was also responsible for the design of the McLaren F1. The latest is that the MOTIV.e concept has been greenlighted for production. As a follow-up to the 2013 concept, Yamaha and Gordon Murray Design [GMD] presented a new sports car called Sports Ride Concept which is based on front-engine, rear-drive architecture. The project has been developed using iStream® Carbon, which is the world’s first affordable high volume carbon fibre chassis structure. It’s USP is that it brings Formula One materials and technology within reach of the everyday motorist. The new production system replaces the glass content in iStream® with carbon fibre which offers even more performance for lightweight and rigidity. GMD has been developing iStream® Carbon
for the last 2 years with partners Toray Industries, Innovate UK and ELG, and the process is now fully industrialised. Unlike any other carbon fibre chassis technology, iStream® Carbon is a fully mechanised system with a cycle time of just 100 seconds. iStream® Carbon is true Formula One racing technology utilising two carbon skins sandwiching a honeycomb core, unlike many expensive handmade supercars which employ monolithic single skin carbon panels. The 3,900mm long car is marginally smaller than the Mazda Miata and weighs just 750kg. No powertrain details have been released and Yamaha has no shortage of potent motorcycle engines that could be used. Possible candidates could include the small displacement 3-cylinder 1.0-litre engine from the MOTIV.e where it was believed to develop 70-80bhp As for the design, Yamaha took its inspiration from the artistic style of Elementarism and came out with an attractive sports car which looks just about ready to reach production and has a driver-focused cockpit with door straps instead of regular handles as a way to cut weight even further.
Concept # 2: Nissan IDS Nissan’s new IDS autonomous electric concept car presented at Tokyo signifies the next step of its plan to launch a number of autonomous vehicles by 2020. The concept is significant as it also previews key engineering and design technologies that will be incorporated on future Nissan vehicles. Technology applications will include carbon-fibre construction, efficient aerodynamic packaging and electric motors. Unlike many automated car concepts presented in recent times, the IDS is designed to be personalised. The car can be piloted by the driver using the manual drive mode. The car’s interior will also change depending on which mode it is in. In the piloted in autonomous mode, the seats rotate inward, and the steering wheel recedes into the dashboard, giving the driver space to relax. And when the driver selects Piloted Drive and turns over driving to the vehicle, the car’s performance -- from accelerating to braking to cornering – imitates the driver’s own style and preferences.
The electric car concept will have longdistance driving range and Nissan said that its 60kWh battery, in combination with a lightweight and aerodynamically designed carbon-fibre body was designed to also meet the specific needs. As a technology-cum-design demonstrator, the concept also highlighted potential solutions to one key challenge facing every automaker: how to enable autonomous cars to effectively communicate with pedestrians? The solution Nissan has come up with on the IDS Concept involves an outward facing display screen in the dashboard that flashes messages like “After You,” to pedestrians and cyclists. Nissan also incorporated an “Intention Indicator”—a strip of LED lights along the side body that shine white when pedestrians or cyclists are nearby to indicate the car is aware of them. The car’s autonomous driving functions can be controlled by voice or gestures. NOV 2015
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Concept # 3: Lexus LF-FC The top-of-the-line Lexus LS is due for a change soon and all hopes at Tokyo centred around a possible announcement. However, this did not happen, but instead Lexus conveyed two important messages as regards to what it has in mind for a large sedan that could rival the current segment leader, Mercedes-Benz S-Class. As a result the presentation of the LF-FC concept revolved around design and technology applications. The LF-FC concept is dimensionally bigger than the current LS and is marginally longer than the current longwheelbase Mercedes S-Class, Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Jaguar XJ, and Maserati Quattroporte. its highlights dramatic styling which now includes a “four-door coupe” silhouette, lower and sleeker roofline, an oversized “spindle” grille, daytime running light blades similar to the ones on the production IS. The rear end features highly sculpted taillamp assemblies and contoured bodywork. The concept’s unique cabrearward stance add to its sporty vibe supported by 21in wheels made from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic. Underneath the sleek sheet metal is a hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain. Power is sent to all four wheels, with two in-wheel motors used at the front. The fuel-cell stack is mounted in the rear of the car, with a control unit in front and a T-shaped array of hydrogen storage tanks. Lexus says this ensures balanced weight distribution, helping to improve handling. The interior was designed to reflect this car’s likely dual role as personal vehicle and chauffeur-driven limousine. There’s also some autonomous-driving technology, including “elevated traffic environment recognition, prediction, and judgment function” and gesture technology. No production plan information has been released, but it is believed the replacement LS may features some of the design and technology applications inside the cabin.
Concept # 4: Toyota Kikai Among several interesting cars and exhibits, Toyota presented an unusual 1+-seater concept called Kikai, which the manufacturer says has been designed to reconcile man and machine. In Japanese, the word kikai can mean both machine and opportunity. The car sports minimalistic design elements and most of its engineering hardware like engine, suspension, brakes are among elements which can be clearly seen from outside. As a result, the hot rod-cum-dune buggyesque vehicle offers an eye-catching, custom-built bolt-on component look. The interior can be accessed via minivan-like sliding doors and the cabin offers space for three passengers in a triangular configuration that puts the driver front and in centre. The concept’s cabin was bound in red leather upholstery and a small window near the driver’s feet allows occupants to see the tyres and suspension in actions. The steering is commanded through a retro-inspired, button-less wheel, and the instrument cluster consists of four analogue gauges mounted on a curved piece of tubing. Surprisingly, Toyota hasn’t revealed any powertrain details although the concept appeared to have been fitted with a petrol-electric hybrid drivetrain built around a four-cylinder engine located right behind the passenger compartment. An automatic transmission sends power to the rear wheels. 30
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Concept # 5: MITSUBISHI eX
Mitsubishi Motors has repeatedly reiterated the fact that its future business will be based on plug-in hybrids and electric cars. In the recent past several plug-in hybrid concepts have been showcased and at Tokyo last month, the Japanese brand showcased an all-new compact crossover SUV concept called eX. The eX Concept is Mitsubishi’s vision for a compact SUV powered by a next generation EV system. The SUV’s styling follows the trendy coupé silhouette while, the front end expresses a new interpretation of MMC’s Dynamic Shield front design concept. In both its exterior and interior, the concept indicates the direction future design is taking. The next-generation EV system employs a highcapacity and high-performance battery together with compact high-output electric motors making it lighter and more
efficient. With further weight reductions in the vehicle itself, it can provide a cruising range of 400km on a single charge. The 45KW/h lithium-ion battery which powers a pair of electric motors with combined output of 187hp is placed beneath the body which has lowered the centre of gravity. And together with its Twin Motor 4WD and S-AWC integrated vehicle dynamics control systems helps it provide handling control which faithfully reflects driver inputs as well as outstanding vehicle stability. Other features include the application of automated driving technology which combines connected car technology, utilizing next-generation information systems, and advanced active safety technology. When it detects danger it quickly and precisely utilizes its safety features and is also equipped with functions which detect
malfunctions or abnormalities early and advises the driver to take the vehicle in for repair or servicing. The twin-motor system incorporates Mitsubishi’s Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC) integrated vehicle dynamics control system which uses braking to control the front wheels and a transfer mechanism Active Yaw Control (AYC) that varies torque split between the rear wheels. The driver has three modes to choose from: Auto, Gravel and Snow. The eX also previews a variety of automated (and semi-automated running) driving technologies which are very compatible with EVs. These include an autonomous parking system and a highway driving assistant. In addition, an obstacle avoidance system uses cameras and radar mounted to the vehicle and communications with vehicles in the vicinity, to detect any obstacles for the car to avoid.
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2016 Ford Explorer
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Explorer revisited Ford Motor Company has refreshed its Explorer mid-sized SUV for 2016. We check out the recently launched XLT variant in Oman Author: Chandan B Mallik | Photography: Elvis John Ferrao
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n the automotive business some model names carry a lot of weight for the manufacturer. In the case of Ford Motor Company’s mid-sized Explorer SUV, there’s no exception. In its 25 years of existence, the Explorer has gone through several generations and witnessed a sea of changes. And even today, it remains one of the models that the Blue Oval brand can be particularly proud of. The first Explorer was built on a truck platform in 1990 and in the first two decades it continued on those underpinnings. However, there were some black spots in the Explorer’s career in 2008 when it got involved in the Firestone tyre/rollover debacle. At this juncture, Ford took a major decision to move the Explorer into crossover territory and repackage the vehicle to meet the market trends. In fact, it was adversity that helped Ford pave the foundation of the modern Explorer which was introduced in 2011. In one stroke, Ford engineers abandoned the old Explorer’s pick-up truck-based underpinnings with unibody construction and paired it with carlike driving dynamics and safety features. While, the downside was reduced maximum towing capacity, it was a feature not really used by majority of Explorer owners hence not on the priority list. The Gen V Explorer was recognized as a crossover also grew in dimensions – it was nearly 4in longer in overall length and 5in wider than its pickup based predecessor. At launch in 2011, the Explorer was outfitted with a newly developed normally-aspirated 290hp 3.5-litre V6. In terms of styling, the exterior design was also revisited and its design was 34
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The more things change, the more they remain the same, however. Though the refresh and new exterior detailing, the Explorer’s mission and concept is the same as before, that of a highly capable midsized family crossover SUV consciously connected to Ford brand design DNA. The wheel arches were inspired by the Mustang and a body character lines were influenced by the new Taurus sedan. The CUV also featured blacked-out A, B, and D-pillars to produce a floating roof effect similar to Land Rover’s floating roof design used on its sport utility vehicles; a design which Ford previously used on the Ford Flex. Up front, the 2011 Explorer introduced a new interpretation of the Ford signature three-bar grille and below the bumper, the signature trapezoidal lower grille offered visual continuity across Ford vehicles. The stepped style headlamps used were similar to the Flex, Edge, Escape, Expedition and F-150, as well as new stepped style tail lamps. Commercially, the Gen V Explorer has been a winner for the brand it Ford sells over 150,000 of them annually.
So, with such background, changing customer preferences and fast moving technological applications, Ford has kept the momentum alive with new powertrain introductions including a four-cylinder Ecoboost engine and two 3.5-litre V6 based set-ups. For the current iteration Ford has upgraded the model for MY 2016 with some cosmetic changes, feature packs and even added a new 2.3-litre turbocharged Ecoboost replacement engine [not available here]. Interestingly, the small Ecoboost is roughly half the displacement size with twice the horsepower of the V6 engine in the original 1990 model year Explorer. So what are the changes for 2016 in our markets? From the exterior, what is evident is a new grille and revised bonnet, which now has a clamshell effect, giving the front of the car a bolder and smarter appearance. Design tweaks also include a redesigning of the LED headlamps and fog lamps in the new front bumper. There’s now more than a passing resemblance with the Range Rover! Our test model was the XLT grade which features attractive chrome roof rails and an automatic rear hatch. The cabin of the model also ushered in a new era of interior quality for not only the Explorer, but also for the Ford brand as a whole in 2011. The hard and cheap looking plastics were replaced with softer materials, better switchgear was introduced and also some variants came with the touch-operated with the optional MyFord Touch infotainment system. The cabin also became more spacious than before. On the safety front, the Explorer
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gained inflatable second-row seatbelt airbags, which was an industry first for the automotive sector aimed at improving safety for smaller occupants. The core message that came out from this version was that Ford successfully gave the Explorer name a second lease of life very much in tune with what consumers look for in modern crossovers. It also drove well, offered good fuel economy for its class and retained most of the versatility of its predecessor. With the second- and third-row seats down, the Explorer boasts 81 cubic feet of cargo space. The test car had a second-row bench seat, which makes it a seven-passenger vehicle. Included in this package was the latest version of MyFord touch telematics system, Keyless entry, dual zone climate controls, premium audio system with nine speakers, remote start, a forward sensing system and the leather interior. The rest of the vehicle’s design remains largely the same, but the facelift alone gives it a whole new look, making the Explorer appear more sophisticated. Ford’s idea was also to make the Explorer feel more premium for its users and one of the focus areas was improving noise vibration and harshness [NVH]. As a result, all versions of the 2016 Explorer get improved door seals, special vibration36
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absorbing engine mounts and acoustic glass in upper grades. Engineers also revised the Explorer’s wheel wells to incorporate “air curtains” that smooth airflow over the wheels and minimize aerodynamic drag and noise. This is a feature which premium brands like BMW use on their SUV/SAVs. New for 2016 are 180-degree viewpoint cameras both front and rear, and both have washers to keep the view clear in all kinds of weather. Some features have been improved as well, including the enhanced automated parking system that not only can park in a parallel space but can pull into and out of a perpendicular parking space as well. The 294PS / 346Nm normally-aspirated 3.5-litre V6 with six-speed automatic transmission has been carried over unchanged. Our test car featured an allwheel-drive set-up which is electronically controlled via a pre-set rotary controller located on the base of the dashboard. The dial-a-terrain-response system is similar to that found in Land Rovers and depending on mode actively varies the torque split between the front and rear wheels accordingly. The all-wheel-drive system is quite flexible ad allows the driver to also manually prepare the Explorer for normal traction, sand or mud. It will deliver
an appropriate combination of engine power, transmission shift schedule, ABS activation, and torque split for each circumstance. Hill-descent control is also part of the all-wheel-drive system and can be activated/deactivated by the driver. On the hardware side, it features a variable centre multi-disc differential with computer controlled lock. Conventional front and rear differentials are used with 3.39:1 gearing. The centre multi-disc differential controls the front-to-rear torque split, biasing as much as 100 percent of torque to either the front or rear wheels. The power take off (PTO) unit includes a heavy-duty dedicated cooling system to allow the four-wheel drive system to supply continuous nonstop torque delivery to all four wheels indefinitely, without overheating. Explorer’s overall off road crawl ratio is 15.19:1 with high range – no low range – gearing only. The car also features four-wheel electronic traction control [ABS braking] is employed to simulate front and rear differential locks via aggressively “brake locking” the front or rear differentials, transferring up to 100 percent of torque from side-toside. In the right conditions, the Explorer can keep moving even if only one wheel has traction, regardless of which wheel
it is. The suspension set-up has been completely retuned for a smoother ride and to give each trim level its unique ride and handling characteristics. Driving impressions As most of the powertrain refinements that came in the 2011 Ford Explorer have been retained we found the V6 still quite efficient and confident. The car’s take off is smooth and response to throttle inputs is rewarded with good acceleration and plenty of torque, which is available at all times. The notable change on the move is that that car is quieter than before, thanks to the improved insulation efforts. Even as a unibody car, it feels rock-solid and its suspension offers well-damped performance over rough stretches. In terms of handling, driver gets the confidence to the way it negotiates a corner. The responsive and lightweight steering is a fine example of Ford engineers knowing how to tune electric power steering for the general job description which also factors in automatic parking system in some higher spec variants. Unlike sports oriented vehicles which are offered with paddle shifters on or behind the steering wheel, the Explorer offers drivers to manually select or lock gears only through the gear shifter. The best
part of this set-up is that the transmission is programmed to stay in the gear you tell it to, in manual mode and shifting with the lever on the center console. However, the speed of the shifts, as expected in a SUV is slower compared to sports cars. There have been changes in the electric power steering set-up for 2016 and it felt nimble and neutral. Explorers use MacPherson struts with an isolated subframe in front, and independent multi-links in rear, with stabilizer bars at both ends. There are some changes in the suspension for 2016 and we felt the damping set-up on the firmer side which means less tendency of body roll. The overall ride and handling quality in our 4WD model is quite commendable for a tall vehicle. Since the Explorer is a crossover on a car chassis, it can’t match be expected to match the outright 4x4 off-road capabilities. Given this is a lifestyle package, the car does have some off-road capability. Interestingly, the Explorer’s all-wheel drive system has no transfer case. This arrangement has saved weight and minimizes the fuel-mileage penalty. Its Terrain Management system controls stability and enhances traction through it modes: Normal, Mud and Ruts, Sand, and Snow. We took the car for an off-road course, and were pleasantly surprised that
absorbed deep ruts and cleared bumps so smoothly. In the Normal mode the vehicle sends about 90per cent power to the front wheels, 10per cent to the rear. Torque shifts to the rear as and when needed, which means that if the front wheels lose traction and can’t do as much work. The Snow/Gravel mode allows less wheelspin, provides conservative throttle control, and enables earlier transmission upshifts. The Sand mode provides more aggressive throttle, holds the transmission in gear longer, and desensitizes traction control. This is needed because to make progress in sand, sometimes a bit of wheelspin is required. Mud/Ruts allows more torque as throttle increases. Stability control is desensitized to help maintain momentum over soft or uneven surfaces. The Terrain Management in the Explorer also includes Hill Descent Control, which proved itself on a steep downhill on the off-road course, holding the Explorer’s speed to 6km/h without driver input. Verdict The Explorer is designed for families, and yet it has been packaged to meet most requirements of such users and more. The upgrades for 2016 make it even more attractive for punters. NOV 2015
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2016 Ford Explorer
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Mini blitz With each generation, MINI products are getting better and in many respects closer in performance to its parent BMW Group’s products. The recently introduced 2015 Gen III MINI Cooper S five door hatch can also claim that it is no fluke. Automan spends some time with this car in UAE Author: Nabeel Ferzan | Photography: author and Chandan B Mallik
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ver the past couple of years we have been bombarded with news that MINI is expanding its portfolio and realigning its business strategy which also includes sharing four wheel drive components with new and future BMWs to help reduce development costs and enhances profitability for both brands. But, there’s always a fear that such growing commonality can also backfire if either brand does not carefully plot its career path. We have been offered some hints in this respect from MINI a few weeks ago wherein officials spoke of realigning the product and brand strategy. MINI plans to grow into the premium compact segment which is somewhat of a surprise since it is a territory that’s currently covered by BMW. On one hand BMW launched its first FWD car last year, the 2 Series Active Tourer, which is based on a new architecture shared with the latest MINI and on the other MINI breaks the subcompact or smaller mould with the all-new Clubman wagon. The 3-door MINI Cooper hardtop hatch as it is known at the factory in Oxford,
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UK is now in its third generation and it was refreshed in 2014. The hotter version of the hardtop is the Cooper S. The hatchback has been expanded with the addition of the 5-door variant. From the exterior if one is familiar with the new styling and profile of the MINI hatch, then the 5-door version is arguably no more than a mildly stretched hatchback with an extra pair of doors built in. The 5-door body is roughly six inches longer with a wheelbase that has been stretched by three inches approximately. Despite the dimensional changes, designers have tried their best to ensure that the addition of rear doors doesn’t make the car look too awkward. As a differentiator between the siblings, the Cooper S get a protruding lower front valance with squared-off intakes, a twin central exhaust, a chrome-plated honeycomb grille and ‘S’ badges. The bonnet scoop is purely cosmetic and doesn’t feed air to the engine. In terms of accommodation, designers and engineers seem to have agreed to merge structural engineering with aesthetics
considering this is to be a proper 4-seater with room for one extra. Notable changes in the 5-door model are the side doors with frames [3-door hatch has frameless doors], an extra 72mm between the front and rear wheels, plus an extra 89mm at the very back to boost the boot. Half of the stretched wheelbase has been moved inside to facilitate extra legroom for rear occupants. The car’s width remains unchanged and rear passengers get C-pillars in their peripheral vision. Rest of the car bears a near identical interior to its 3-door sibling which means the cabin upgrades in the 3-door like the transition of the large speedometer from the central console to a more popular speedoover-the-steering-column arrangement. Meanwhile, the central console is now home to MINI Navigation XL and Bluetooth package that is centred on an 8.8in display and works in conjunction with the 10-speaker Harman/Kardon premium audio system. That the interior has been substantially reworked is evident from the way the switchgear has been relocated.
Meanwhile, the familiar line-up of toggle switches is still housed on the centre console, but the window buttons are now on the doors and a BMW-style iDrive controller sits between the front seats, replacing the old car’s joystick. The car also featured LED mood lighting. In terms of comfort, the front seats are designed to be sporty and come with signature styling cues. They are firm and designed to keep front occupants firmly in place. The rear seats, however, present a different story. With the tight confines, we think it is best suited for short trips or use by young adults. In terms of driver-assistance technologies on board, there’s no shortage. Feature pack in the test car included a head-up display, camera-based adaptive cruise control, collision and pedestrian-impact warnings, and even an automatic braking function. As with most modern cars these days, MINI has also joined the electricallyassisted power rack and pinion steering system bandwagon. Under the bonnet, same as in the 3-door version, the 5-door Cooper S comes with
The Cooper S gets a powertrain upgrade from a 1.6-litre to a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with 192hp on tap an upgraded version of the 2.0-litre twinpower turbocharged and direct-injected four-cylinder engine that produces 192hp between 4,700-6,000 rpm and 207 lb-ft of torque at 1,250rpm. Power is sent to the front wheels via six-speed automatic transmission. As standard package, the 5-door variant gets the same suspension packaging of the Cooper S which means it is comprised of MacPherson struts in front with a multilink kit in the rear. Other functional (and standard) driving or safety-based features included Dynamic Stability Control, Dynamic Cruise Control, Electronic Brakeforce distribution, ABS
and Corner Brake Control, which is MINI’s way of talking about brake-based torque vectoring. Driving impressions While, the base Cooper arrives with the 1.5-litre force-fed 3-cylinder engine, the Cooper S with the 2.0litre unit we had for the weekend brings together a much more rewarding drive. The 2.0-litre 4-cylinder is equipped with a twin-scroll turbo charger that puts out 192hp and 207lb-ft of torque at just 1,250rpm. The latter means that there is absolutely no lag off-the-line and whenever the driver spurs the car on; the response is almost immediate. It also touches the 100km/h mark in 6.9secs when mated to a six-speed manual transmission, although the one we had was mated to a six speed automatic transmission, which by far will be the most sought after in this market. The cabin of the 5-door screams if MINI’s usual toggle switches fare and centrallymounted information gauges. The car for its size is extremely comfortable, thanks
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to the contoured front seats and a near perfect driving position for the driver with decent all around view . If you move up the ladder, you will also get the full-on infotainment system except that they are not touch-screens. Drivers will have to use the switches located between the driver and passenger seats to navigate through the infotainment system. This was a major disadvantage and a complete no-no for me. The stiff chassis is suspended on front struts and a multiple link set-up at the back. The ride and handling balance is just about spot-on. It is comfortable on the tarmac with minimal body-roll and maintains its
A BMW-style iDrive controller sits between the front seats which replaces the old joystick. What remains unchanged is the sublimity and ride quality of the smaller car in this version
attitude when you stretch its legs on open highways. The steering is nicely weighted and greatly helps increase the driver’s confidence during spirited cornering. On the whole it imparts a very crisp feel – simply point the MINI and it does what you intend it to! We checked out the three driving modes – the Green Mode minimizes everything and hence that is definitely not the one want to be in with a MINI, the Sport Mode on the hand lets you hold the gears and downshifts automatically at corners to give you that extra bit of grip and confidence to blast out of the corner. The Mid Mode is again a bit of this and that. Overall, the five door Cooper S hatch is just about perfect – it rides and drives like its go-kart inspired two-door sibling which means it’s a real MINI and yet get all the space that you find in a Countryman and you really can’t ask for much more! Verdict The concept of a bigger MINI may be a contradiction in terms given the brand ethos, but one has to look at the practical side where the result is more interior room, increased cargo space and a more comfortable ride in a typical 5-door hatch with performance credentials to match.
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2016 Audi RS7
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Bahn bruiser gets better Quattro GmbH, Audi’s in-house high performance arm is responsible for creating higher performance versions of stock cars. And once they are done with it, they get their respective “RS” badging. We feature the refreshed for 2015 RS7 this month which represents itself as the top performance model in the series Author: Chandan B Mallik
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ollowing the introduction of the new A7 and S7 in 2012, the RS7 was introduced in 2014 by Quattro GmbH as Audi’s answer to the ever growing BMW’s M and Mercedes-Benz AMG set-ups. And in a relatively very short span in its career, the RS7 has won worldwide acclaim from critics as “Quattro’s best work yet”. So, the obvious question is how did this happen? To begin with the RS7 was created on the A7 mechanicals and currently represents the line-up as the top-of-line performance 46
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variant. If you want something not so aggressive, then there’s the middle order S7. The fact is that the first family member, the current A7, actually outclassed compatriot models like the Mercedes-Benz CLS550 and BMW’s 640i Gran Coupe in comparative tests and hence set the ground for the top RS derivative. Although, the RS7 is the newest of the trio and benefits from most of the latest kit from Audi, the Ingolstadt-based manufacturer has still found interesting
stuff for a newsworthy upgrade for the MY2016. The subtle upgrades touch the car inside and out. First to be noted are the new head and tail lamps. Audi has also included the latest Matrix headlamp technology in the family. The car’s honeycomb grille which can be had with glossy black, matte aluminium or carbon fibre finishes appears sharper. The front bumper has gone through a revision as the air inlets appeared altered a little bit. Audi has also introduced a new palette of colours including Floret Silver,
Thanks to optimised hardware management, the RS7 takes just 3.9secs to do the 0- 100km/h sprint and yet remain quite frugal as it has a fuel consumption of 9.5litres/100km with 221g/km of CO2 emissions
Glacier White, Sepang Blue and Mythos Black. Over all, the car’s elegant, flowing lines make it a more visually interesting alternative to many of its class rivals. The layout of cabin of the car is familiar, but there is revised instrumentation with a larger driver-information display [now with Google Earth] between the tachometer and speedometer. Improved electronics architecture helps upgrade the graphics and the integration of the infotainment and telematics systems. The MMI interface also gets its share of
refinements and this makes it even more user-friendly. Meanwhile, the night-vision display is also improved and wrapping out the interior accoutrements are the new colours and bespoke wood trims. In terms of practicality, the RS7 outclasses opposition with its nicely sculpted seats [front and rear] which offer excellent lumbar and thigh support. Besides this, the RS7 is the only car in which rear headroom feels on par with its conventional sedan counterpart [it’s usually reduced in some other cars].
Although the RS7 is supposed to be a performance machine, its interiors are luxurious and beautifully appointed. Our tester had wood accents with aluminum inlays. The attention to detail is top class and one stand out feature was the smaller, chunkier steering wheel. The car’s powertrain is carried over and mostly remains unchanged. This means we have a TFSI 4.0-litre V8 twinturbocharged engine delivering 560hp and a maximum torque of 700Nm, which is available from 1,750rpm right up to 5,500rpm. As before this engine benefits from cylinder-on-demand management. There’s one interesting element about the transmission set-up in this car. In the S7, Audi has provided a double clutch set-up. However, in the RS7, this is not the case and it is more to do the way the torque delivery is programmed in the RS7 in particular. The truth is that the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox can’t cope with the 4.0-litre’s engine’s massive torque demand. As a result, the RS7 uses a ZF automatic with an extra cog. In theory, the crispness of dual-clutch should be missed, but would appear quite normal around town in this quattro AWD set-up. For this variant to offer optimized performance, chassis, axle weight, torque distribution and rear wheel torque vectoring have been carefully plotted. As a result, axle weight distribution front:rear stands at 56:44per cent and 40:60 front:rear is the default torque split respectively. Like many of their products, the 7’s family uses a variation of the double-wishbone front suspension with a high-mount upper arm. The car uses air springs instead of coils and RS Adaptive Air Suspension is standard on the RS7. The RS 7 comes standard with an NOV 2015
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electronically controlled “Sport Differential” between the rear wheels. It’s not like the eLSD found in the new Chevrolet Corvette, its response characteristics correspond to the driver’s mode selection in the cockpit. The RS7’s 14in rear brake rotors also get the scallop treatment to save weight and the rear caliper is a single-piston sliding unit. Driving impressions We’ve driven several RS models in the past and hence are aware of what to expect. The RS7 is bred for performance as it makes all the right sounds and can be deceptive and whether it’s winding roads or on high speed highways, it begs to be driven fast as most of the torque is available at low revs. The RS7 is extremely driver-oriented and there are selectable menus that allow for selectable steering, throttle control and damping characteristics. This aspect allows drivers to customize the car in any way they see fit. We tried out all the driving modes available and even with the suspension set in comfort mode, it appears firm and well-sprung, and seems more compliant over bumps and rough patches. Even in default mode, it provides fantastic straight line performance. The torque delivery from the forced fed 48
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engine is linear accompanied by a typical turbo whine and reaches its power peak and redline higher in the rev range so comfortably. Since a Tiptronic function was available, we chose this option once out of restricted speed zones. Even in manual, it offers an automatic rev-matching function, but the blip comes when you take the shifter out of gear, so more shifts mean optimal performance and tons of entertainment. The ZF- eightspeed automatic responds so fast that few will miss the S7’s dual-clutch transmission! In Dynamic mode, where maximum performance can be extracted by the driver, it’s fairly easy to do so without getting overwhelmed. Depending on driving conditions, it is possible for an experienced driver to notch zero to 100km/h in 3.9secs in a controlled environment. On the handling side, the five-door RS7can exhibit typical understeer properties, but with less steering inputs and more throttle finesse through corners, the car rewards its driver with superb balance and poise. The adaptive suspension also plays a key role in not only keeping the rids smooth while still keeping the body flat and
stable, the reward for firmness is that it doesn’t lean in fast curves. So it stays level front to rear under hard braking or hard acceleration. The car’s brake performance from the large rotors and calipers are outstanding and the brake pedal has a consistent solid feel. Cornering the car like a stock sedan is a normal affair until the torque-vectoring rear sports differential chips in. When it does it is very eager to help the driver throw the RS7 into fast corners. Some drivers who are not accustomed to torque vectoring may find it a bit artificial. However, the car’s steering feedback is among its list of strengths and for an electric set-up, it is smooth, wellweighted and predictable. Verdict The RS7 isn’t just the most fun on roads and the most pragmatic four-seater, we think it offers pretty good value as an overall package.The feature upgrades in the RS7 have made this sleek, fastback profiled and aggressive styled a winner on looks alone, but since it is an elite member bearing an RS badge, it also has befitting performance credentials too. While its price tag suggests is not cheap, but it is as close as it gets to an R8 supercar with four doors.
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2015 Jaguar XE 2.5t
Not the hardcore extremist, but packs a punch
Jaguar’s all-new entry XE model will represented by several variants and the 2.5t version was the one we used for this month’s testing in Automan Author: Chandan B Mallik | Photography: Elvis John Ferrao
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aguar conceived the all-new XE with several agendas in mind. First it wanted to get rid of the legacy that it had created with the Ford Mondeo-based X-Type and also return to the fold with a credible sports sedan alternative to the premium German or Japanese brands. Well, after a few years of suspense, Jaguar has finally delivered a product designed ground up and it is as we know now as the XE sedan. In terms of positioning, the XE sits below the XF and Jaguar calls its new medium-size sedan a four-door F-Type, while referring to the top spec XE-S version. The smallest, most affordable Jaguar also launches with a new engine family, built in a brand new factory in England. With the 2.5t, technically, this is our second outing with the car. The first was a few months ago when we drove the car around Rioja, Spain’s wine country and also had a blast with the supercharged XE-S at the Circuito de Navarra preproduction prototypes. This time around, we get to drive an actual production car in Oman. With our first XE encounter with several variants over a period of two days on roads and on track, we returned with several positive impressions about the car. Like other XEs, we found the 2.5t also offers a soft and compliant ride which
sometimes conceals the car’s true abilities. We have driven the XE on track and pushed the car to its limits only to discover that it can handle any road abuse. What’s most impressive is the car’s neutral balance and on track we could understeer the car easily by playing with the fade-free brakes. The other crucial area for our evaluation is the steering feel and its capacity to respond in view of the multitude of electric power-assisted set-ups these days which in most cars feel artificial. However, there are exceptions and among the electrically assisted steering systems that top the list, we think the XE’s is at par with the current Porsche 911 Carrera which is arguably, among the best in the business when it comes to performance and feedback. In the XE, irrespective of variants, it appeared lightweight, neutral and at the same time offered lots of feedback to the driver. While, sophisticated software has played a key role in helping the car to steer so well, the chassis also has had its role cut for the job and then one also has to factor in things like a rigid yet lightweight body structure. In fact, quite a few engineering elements in the XE have come from Jaguar’s experience with the F-Type like the double wishbone front suspension. As
a rear wheel drive car, the rear subframemounted suspension packaging also gives it is sharp and responsive character through a modern multi-link setup which Jaguar refers to as integrated link. The axle weight distribution stands at 50:50 in the four-cylinder. The performance of the outgoing XF was also factored in the XE when it came to offering sharp reflexes. While the XE is smaller than the XF, its body structure is 20per cent stiffer and in its structure it uses 25 per cent steel and composites and the remaining 75per cent is aluminium. Over all, these, along with the charming and responsive powertrain get top scores from us. While diesel XE variants benefit from the all-new Ingenium family of efficient engines, the petrol versions come with engines sourced from Ford. The petrol engine range for the XE begins with the turbocharged, direct-injection 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit [also used XF and XJ sedans]. Refined for the new XE, the lightweight powerplant is available in two ratings: 200PS/280Nm and 240PS/340Nm. The latter set-up is designated as the 2.5t variant. The key USP of this engine is that it weighing only 138kg, these all-aluminium engines feature twin counter-rotating balancer shafts to cancel-out second NOV 2015
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order forces, offering the smoothness and power of a naturally aspirated six-cylinder but in a smaller, more efficient package when mated to the ZF 8-speed automatic transmission. However, the XE is also not entirely perfect and we were expected some of the pre-production niggles to be sorted out. Some of the finishes, including the plastics on the dashboard and doors of the pre-production cars lacked the perceived quality of say an Audi or Mercedes. While front accommodation is acceptable, the raked A-pillar can be obstructive for shorter drivers who tend to sit close to the dashboard, especially when getting in or out of the car. For taller drivers, it’s like any other premium sedan. The XE’s cabin looks cleaner than a BMW 3 Series interior, and feels more inviting than the Audi A4’s stark, Bauhaus-style cabin. However, rear accommodation isn’t the best and is somewhat behind when compared to the likes of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class 52
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While the mid-range 2.5t isn’t the most hardcore version of the Jaguar XE, its turbocharged engine feels and sounds better than expected and offers linear acceleration along with seamless gear shifts in terms of leg and headroom. The car’s boot capacity at 450-litres is also 30-litres less than of the Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and BMW 3 – the XE’s key rivals from Germany. The car’s interiors sports new design elements and the swooping
dashboard is XJ inspired complete with the arc continuing through to the door panels to give it that wraparound effect. The wraparound effect is nice but we think it also has eaten into the available space. Breaking the monotony is new 8.0in infotainment system which is known as InControl. The good news is that this is a vast improvement from Jaguar’s current touchscreen and this connectivity suite comes with Bluetooth phone and audio streaming and satellite navigation. The system is responsive, easy to use, and has hard buttons that shortcut to the main functions. As a driver, I tend to focus more on the road and let the passenger operate the touchscreen who can tap, pinch or swipe gesture controls. The system is simple to learn and the Meridian sound system with 11-speaker set-up including subwoofer wraps up the needs of audiophiles. Below InControl is what the driver is interested in – basically, the rotary shift
knob, with the Jaguar Drive Control settings in a row of buttons to the rear. The system alters the steering, throttle response, transmission setting, and if equipped, adjustable dampers between four settings. Switch from Normal to Dynamic mode and the gauges change their glow from blue to red. At night the ambient lighting shifts as well. And like other XE variants a full suite of safety features is also available in the XE 2.5t. Driving impressions The variants we drove earlier in Spain delivered sporty handling, a benefit of its rear-wheel drive and superb chassis management. The extra horses in this high output 2.5t are well put to use. Power delivery is immaculate and plenty of torque is available most of the time. The eight-speed automatic in normal mode offers silky smooth transitions and engaging the manual shift mode via paddle shifters throws in
The ride quality of the 2.5t is almost perfect. The car is brilliantly comfortable around town and superbly composed over rough asphalt the entertainment. In this mode it will blip between shifts like a sports car and the exhaust will gurgle delightfully when you lift of the throttle high in the rev range. The engine revs freely and when the gearbox is left to its own devices it will shift cleverly under braking and quickly when accelerating. While the XE 2.5t isn’t razor sharp as a BMW 3 Series sedan, but it is more engaging to drive than a Mercedes-Benz C-Class. However,
as expected the through fast corners the XE has a very playful nature and it will oversteer without feeling dangerously loose on the road. The best part is that the stability control system won’t intervene unless it’s absolutely necessary. Over all, the 2.5t is agile, lively, beautifully balanced and the electric steering system offers a nice amount of feel. The ride quality of the 2.5t is almost perfect. The car is brilliantly comfortable around town and superbly composed over rough asphalt. There’s a fantastic amount of grip from the tyres and yet the car feels light and nimble. The 2.5t likes to be pushed hard. Verdict In essence, the XE family is packaged as a genuine sports sedan and is down to a mix of good looks with styling cues taken from the F-Type, frugal yet powerful engines. The high output 2.5t does make it to the final cut for every premium medium sedan shortlist. NOV 2015
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2016 Ferrari F12tdf
Ferrari has introduced a specialedition of its F12berlinetta which it calls the F12tdf. This edition was created to celebrate the brand’s historic Tour de France automobile race Author: Chandan B Mallik
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ast month, Ferrari unveiled a hardcore F12 limited production version with “F12tdf�badging. Only 799 units will ever be made and Ferrari promises it brings improvements in engine, aerodynamics and vehicle dynamics compared to the standard F12 Berlinetta. Ferrari claims to have dominated the Tour de France in the 1950s and 1960s, with four consecutive wins achieved by the 1956 250 GT Berlinetta. The F12tdf has been masterfully reengineered using much of the existing F12 hardware. As a result at its heart and soul is the same V12 6,262cc engine. Its
output has been boosted and it develops an extra 40PS for a grand total of 780PS at 8,500 rpm while torque is also up by 15Nm to 705Nm at 6,750 rpm. All that power is channeled to the wheels through a tweaked version of the F1 DCT gearbox that now has 6 per cent shorter gear ratios and offers 30 per cent faster upshifts and 40 per cent faster downshifts. Thanks to these engineering tweaks, the F12tdf is capable of doing the 0-100km/h sprint in jaw-dropping 2.9secs and completes the 0-200km/h) journey in 7.9secs before topping out at more than 340 km/h. Ferrari’s test drivers have
already put the car through its paces at Fiorano and managed to lap the track in only 1min and 21secs. Usage of carbon fiber has helped shave off 110kg, when compared to the regular F12. Ferrari’s engineers also worked on the aerodynamics and the body changes have improved the car’s aerodynamic efficiency by almost 100per cent compared to the regular F12 Berlinetta. At 200km/h, the F12tdf generates 230kg of downforce which is 107kg more. This was made possible by installing a different rear diffuser and a new rear spoiler which is 60mm longer and 30mm
higher, along with a more inclined rear window and a revised concave structure of the boot. Stopping distance has been shortened, thanks to new one-piece calipers borrowed from the LaFerrari. The Tour de France package for the F12 brings wider front tyres [increased from 255 to 275] to help improve cornering. To offset the tendency to oversteer, engineers opted for a four-wheelsteering system which uses a modulebased control logic to automatically adjust the rear axle steering depending on the vehicle’s speed, steering wheel angle and speed of steering. NOV 2015
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Mercedes-Benz S Coupe
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Mercedes-Benz rekindles its CL era and aura with a swanky all-new twodoor S-Class based Coupe. Author: Chandan B Mallik
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fter a gap of several years, Mercedes-Benz has decided to look at an all-new product that’s simple yet elegant in appearance and also embodies the automaker’s design ethos called “sensual purity.” After digging into its coupe history and heritage, the CL was found to be the last representative and Mercedes-Benz changed the model’s name from CL to S-Class Coupe to signify the importance of its flagship status in the line-up. The Concept S-Class Coupé was unveiled in 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show to. It features an all-new design compared to the previous CL-Class model, inspired by other contemporary Mercedes models such as the smaller CLA-Class. The production version of the S-Class coupe was announced and unveiled in February 2014, with its first public showing at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2014.
Production of this car began in 2014 and depending on markets, the new S-Class Coupe [code C217] is being offered in both stock and AMG versions [see box]. The S-Class coupe was launched with the S500 model, known as the S550 in the United States market. In terms of styling and profile, the car combines the classic proportions of a large, sporty coupé with modern luxury and state-of-the-art technology characterised by typical rear-wheel-drive proportions and emphasised by the hallmark Mercedes dropping line. The long bonnet comes with sharp lines and powerdomes, the greenhouse is low and hence a high waistline. The wheel arches are flared and designed to take arrange of large wheels from 18- to 20in. With a wheelbase of 2,945mm, the Coupé is 5,027mm long, with a width of 1,899mm and a height of 1,411mm.
The interior design of the new S-Class Coupé is an expression of the brand’s design idiom – sensual purity. A combination of sculptural inspired components and the clear geometry of its basic architecture creates an avantgarde design form in the luxury car. Depending on variant, several powertrains are on offer. The stock S500 C217 coupe features a twin-turbocharged 4.7-litre engine paired with a 7-speed or a 9-speed (only for rear-wheel drive version) automatic transmission. In most markets, the S500 is fitted to a rear-wheel drive drivetrain with optional 4MATIC all-wheel drive. The model comes with semi-active air suspension [AIRMATIC] as standard. Also the car benefits from an updated to the hydraulic fully active Magic Body Control suspension which debuted on the W222 sedan model which is called called Active NOV 2015
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AMG gives the S Coupe full-on treatment At the New York Auto Show in April 2014, Mercedes made the first public showing of the S63 AMG 4MATIC model. The S65 AMG model, which includes a V12 engine, was unveiled in July 2014
Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG Coupe The S65 AMG Coupé is the new twelve-cylinder top-of-the-range model in the S-Class Coupé series. Unique drive comfort, benchmark performance and exquisite appointments are all hallmarks of this two-door vehicle. The irresistible contours of the V12 Coupé are accentuated by a host of expressive design elements in high-sheen chrome. The AMG 6.0-litre V12 biturbo engine comes with an output of 630hp and 1,000Nm of torque is unique in its segment as is the AMG sports suspension which is based on Magic Body Control with curve tilting function and Road Surface Scan capabilities. 58
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Curve Tilting. This new system allows the vehicle to lean up to 2.5 degrees into a turn, similar to the way a motorcycle leans into a turn. The leaning is intended to counter the effect of centrifugal force on the occupants and is available only on rear-wheel drive modelLike the W222 sedan, the C217 coupe includes fullLED lighting on the exterior (including full-LED headlamps with Intelligent Light System and Adaptive Highbeam Assist PLUS) and interior of the vehicle.
Optional headlight features include 47 Swarovski crystals in each headlamp: 30 crystals for the turn signals and 17 for the daytime running lights. Standard electronics features include the COMAND interface (with two 12.3in display screens and a touchpad/rotary knob controller), a rearview camera, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, a navigation system, real-time traffic and weather, voice controls, an incar WiFi hotspot, Mercedes mbrace
telematics and a 13-speaker Burmester surround-sound audio system with a sixCD changer, two USB audio inputs, an iPod interface, HD and satellite radios, TuneIn Internet radio and 10GB of digital music storage. The coupe gets 19in wheels, front and rear parking sensors, an automatic parallel parking system, keyless ignition and entry and upgraded leather upholstery.
The C217 model succeeded the Mercedes-Benz CLClass (C216) and is the current version of the S-Class coupĂŠ. It is also the first Mercedes coupĂŠ to carry the S-Class name since the 1990s.
efficiency. As the most powerful member of the BlueDIRECT engine family, the AMG 5.5-litre V8 biturbo engine boasting an output of 585hp and 900 Nm of torque. This model is also offered with all-wheel drive [AMG 4MATIC ] is available as an option. And there is a world first in the shape of the curve tilting function, part of the Magic Body Control suspension system, to further enhance both driving pleasure and comfort.
Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Coupe Through the Mercedes-AMG sub-brand, the second S-Class coupe model launched is the S63 AMG. This variant is the latest addition to the Mercedes-AMG model range which benefits extensively from the systematic implementation of the AMG Lightweight Performance strategy. Lightweight construction has reduced the vehicle weight by 65kg. Equally impressive is the combination of high driving dynamics, ambitious lightweight construction and groundbreaking
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2016 Porsche 911 Carrera
Porsche gives its 911 Carerra range a facelift and hardware upgrades for 2016 Author: Chandan B Mallik
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t’s no secret that the Porsche 911 has been the world’s best-selling sports car for decades and one of its secrets of its stellar performance is the application of more than four decades worth of experience with turbocharged engines. The current generation Porsche 911 Carrera has emerged as one of the significant milestones in terms of development steps in the history of this classic sports model. When it arrived in 2013, it came with almost 90 per cent 60
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redesigned or redeveloped components. It also benefited from an all-new lightweight body, efficient drivetrain and new suspension systems. And continuous developments at Porsche touching every model in the line-up, the upgrade programme for the model series looks at the car inside out. As a result, several exterior features of the 911 Carrera have been visually refined: these range from new headllamps with four-point daytime
running lights to door handles without recess covers, a redesigned rear lid with vertical louvres and new rear lamps including the characteristic four-point brake lamps. In the interior the new standard Porsche Communication Management with a multi-touch display which now offers a considerably expanded range of functions and greatly simplified operation. The completely new 3.0-litre engine generation with bi-turbo charging raises
the emotional driving pleasure in the 911 Carrera. Here it is tuned to 370hp and in the Carrera S 420hp. In both cases this represents a power increase of 20hp. The extra power in the 911 Carrera S result from turbochargers with modified compressors, a specific exhaust system and tuned engine management. That’s not all. The new engines also offer increased torque [60Nm in each case] with maximum torque of 450Nm and 500Nm respectively delivered constantly
from a low 1,700rpm up to 5,000rpm in both cases. At the same time with a maximum speed of 7,500rpm the new engine generation clearly exceeds the top speeds of conventional turbo engines underscored by the typical sonorous Porsche engine sound. On the efficiency front there’s more. Depending on the model variant, the new engine generation is almost 12per cent more efficient and fuel consumption is reduced by up to a litre
per 100km. The 911 Carrera with PDK transmission now consumes just 7.4 litres of fuel per 100Km [a reduction of 0.8 litre/100km], while the 911 Carrera S with PDK consumes 7.7 litre/100km [1.0 litre less per 100 km]. The 911 Carrera Coupé with PorscheDoppelkupplung [PDK] and Sport Chrono Package sprints from zero to 100km/h in 4.2sec making it two tenths of a second faster than its predecessor. The 911 Carrera S with PDK and Sport NOV 2015
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Chrono Package performs does the same in just 3.9secs [also 0.2 s faster]. This means that it is the first 911 in the Carrera family to undercut the magic four second mark. And the top speeds of both models have also increased further: the 911 Carrera now has a top speed of 295km/h [an increase of six km/h], while the 911 Carrera S now even reaches 308km/h [an increase of four km/h]. In conjunction with the optional Sport
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Chrono Package the 911 Carrera now has a mode switch on the steering wheel for the first time, derived from the hybrid mode switch of the 918 Spyder. The mode switch consists of a rotary ring with four positions for the driving modes “Normal”, “Sport”, “Sport Plus” and “Individual”. Depending on the equipment, the latter setting enables drivers to configure their own individual vehicle set-up, for example the PASM,
active engine mounts, PDK shifting strategy and sports exhaust system. In combination with PDK transmission the mode switch has an additional button, the “Sport Response Button”. When this button is pressed the drivetrain is preconditioned for maximum acceleration for 20 seconds, for example before overtaking manoeuvres. For this, the optimum gear is engaged and the engine management adjusted to an even more
spontaneous response for a short time. Porsche engineers have further increased the spread between everyday comfort and circuit performance. For the first time, the new PASM chassis [Porsche Active Suspension Management], which lowers the ride height by ten millimetres, is a standard feature on board all Carrera models. New standard wheels with five slim twin spokes carry tyres with reduced rolling resistance and enhanced
performance. Furthermore, on all variants the width of the rear rims has increased by 0.5 to 11.5 inches and the rear tyres of the 911 Carrera S now measure 305mm instead of 295mm. The active rear-axle steering that is available as an option for the 911 Carrera S is chassis technology adopted from the 911 Turbo and 911 GT3. It further enhances the turn-in behaviour of the 911. Improved handling is transmitted to the driver via the new steering wheel
generation with a design based on the steering wheel of the 918 Spyder. The basic steering wheel has a diameter of 375 millimetres; the optional GT sports steering wheel measures 360 millimetres. For unlimited everyday practicality Porsche offers a hydraulic lift system with integrated lifting cylinders in the struts of the front axle. Pressing a button increases the ground clearance at the front by 40mm.
With innovative turbo flat engines, an advanced chassis with an even greater spread between performance and comfort and a new infotainment systems, the refreshed 911 Carerra line-up it is exceedingly wellequipped for its class
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Caterham Superlight Twenty
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Caterham has revived the spirit of one of its most illustrious Sevens - the boisterous 1.6-litre Seven Superlight - with the launch of a new special edition model Author: Chandan B Mallik
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aterham, the UK-based boutique sports carmaker has recently partnered with UAE-based Al Futtaim and opened a retail showroom for Caterham cars in Dubai’s Festival City, as part of its ERAS Custom and Classic brand. The British brand used last month’s Goodwood Revival event to commemorate and launch a limited production variant of its Superlight model. The original Superlight was launched in 1996 and its production end in 2004, when Caterham decided to focus more on high performance track cars. Actually, the idea began a new era for the brand to prepare and offer track-biased Sevens with even more performance and lower weight at a pared down price point. Despite its ultra-minimalist character even for a Seven - the Superlight went on to become one of Caterham’s most coveted models, selling some 200 examples while in production. The limited edition of 20 Superlight Twenty models are powered by a 135bhp 1.6-litre Ford Sigma engine mated to a six-speed manual close ration gearbox. The car is offered with ‘Sport’ suspension pack and a limited slip differential. The car has been made lighter with the use of composites and numerous carbon
fibre components, including its cycle wings, rear wings, nose and minimalist aero screen. The body is finished in bare aluminium, as per the original Superlight, which saves six kilograms further contributing to the ultra-lightweight approach. On the engineering hardware side, a lightweight flywheel replaced the one used in stock machines. The limited production models also gets a numbered dash plaque, unique gauges, key and a gear knob bearing the ‘Superlight Twenty’ motif and is equipped with a titanium coloured chassis, carbon interior panels and specially-embroidered carbon sports seats found only on Caterham’s flagship model; the Seven 620 R. The special edition is only available as a Series 3 chassis with a limited list of options; in keeping with the minimalistic theme of the model. Just paint, weather equipment and a heater are available. On the performance level, the new model will hit 96km/h in 4.9secs from standstill and reach a top speed of 195.6km/h. Caterham says that every Seven meets slightly different driver demands, but perhaps more than any other in the range, the Superlight Twenty epitomises Colin Chapman’s fundamental principles of performance through light weight. NOV 2015
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2016 Mitsubishi Lancer GT
Mitsubishi’s Lancer sedan enters 2016 with a number of key design and feature improvements Author: Chandan B Mallik
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his could be the most exciting upgrade exercise for the Lancer which still has a few years in its career left to explore. Exterior enhancements include fresh new front end exterior design, new alloy wheel designs and choice of new exterior paint colours. Depending on markets worldwide, new value-oriented models are being been added to the Lancer line-up for the new model year. The ES and new SEL trim level will both available with a 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive system. Additionally, the entry-level Lancer ES model now boasts the most comprehensive standard equipment and features package ever included and all CVT models come equipped with a new generation CVT8 that improves both performance and fuel economy. Cosmetically, for 2016, the car gets a fresh and bold new signature design for the front face and grille section which house the new LED-fired daytime 66
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running lamps. All variants will be offered with the two new paint colours announced: New Diamond White Pearl and Alloy Silver. Newly designed 18in alloy wheels are being offered alongside the current 16in rims. A new chrome waistline strip signs off the exterior. The car’s interior also gets revitalised with a redesigned front central console complete with a convenient USB port as well as an improved new display audio system. The optional navigation system has been redesigned and includes a new reconfigured display screen. The Lancer ES and SE models now come standard with improved fabric seats and gloss black trim. Under the bonnet, all variants including the SEL AWD and ES, SE 2WD get the next-generation Continuously-Variable Transmission (CVT) which now offers improved fuel efficiency, smoother operation, reduced noise and better acceleration and shift performance. In addition to the standard equipment
package, the ES will be available with a new Sun & Sound package in CVT versions only that includes a power glass sunroof, rearview camera, a 6.1in display audio system with satellite radio with a 710-watt Rockford Fosgate® premium sound system. Safety ratings are quite good for the Lancers. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave it “Top Safety Pick” for seven straight model years (2009 through 2015). All 2016 Lancer models will have a long list of safety features/technologies including features like anti-lock braking system (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA); Active Stability Control (ASC) with Traction Control Logic (TCL); Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS); a seven (7) air bag Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) including driver’s knee air bag, dual-stage front air bags, front seat mounted side-impact air bags and front and rear curtain side air bags.
The facelift is mild and surprisingly doesn’t include the ‘Dynamic Shield’ grille which now adorns most of Mitsubishi’s new and upgraded models
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We continue our look at some of the key questions that have come back to the public gaze as a result of the Volkswagen diesel engine fiasco Author: Raj Warrior
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e have a running argument at the editorial desk – some of us think that the ‘dieselgate’ issue is a victimless crime, while for the other side the problem is with an environment that seems to be setting unrealistic performance criteria. Yes, environmental issues still have as many detractors as hard-core supporters and we don’t have to look too far for the former. However, for the majority of us, our role is principally confined to being an informed consumer. The largest malaise of the 20th century has been the growth of rampant consumerism that has put pressure on raw material sources, energy and a clean 68
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environment. Consumerism is not about to go away, regardless of what happens to our surroundings – at the best it may mutate into a less intense form, but a rising and increasingly affluent population around the world will continue to put a strain on resources and our ability to deliver without impacting the environment. As car buyers we have various approaches ahead of us, which in the immediate term are governed by standards laid down by authorities. Are they good enough? Do they actually address a move towards zero impact, the holy grail of planners? Or will we see a phase in the future where our air starts getting cleaner?
The latest synthesis report from the Intergovernmental panel on climate change has highlighted that “Human influence on the climate system is clear, and recent anthropogenic emissions of green- house gases are the highest in history. Recent climate changes have had widespread impacts on human and natural systems.”It goes on to list the contributing factors and the observed changes looking at the past three decades. Tighter regulations are around the corner, whether we like it or not. The question we need to ask at this stage is how relevant is the choice we make today about our car purchase in the context of the sum total
of human activity? What are the current standards? The Volkswagen issue has brought about a bit of soulsearching in mainstream manufacturers. While it is widely acknowledged that tough standards can usually be met in laboratory environments, the pressures of regular road usage lower the vehicle’s ability to meet these standards, thus requiring one of two approaches – either authorities recognise the need for a laxer regime that measures ‘on-road’ pollution or car manufacturers need to hone their delivery of cleaner cars. Let’s take a look at what the world has on offer today (in it’s major markets):
standards gets progressively tighter and that manufacturers are increasingly being hit with an average limit for their pool of cars.
For reference, the Volkswagen issue broke because the engines were found to deviate from both the Tier II limits set by the EPA and the LEV limits set by
CARB., the two being the US Federal and California state bodies responsible for pollution monitoring and enforcement. What were those standards?
Data Source: Delphi
While this graphic gives us a timeline of what we have ahead of us in the next couple of years, the main takeaways are that the sliding scale of
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Diesel engine technology, while mainly mainstream in Europe, has faced acceptance issues in the United States. The concept of fleet percentages weighting an overall acceptable pollution
level encouraged European car manufacturers to push their clean diesel engines in the challenging market, pushing it as a responsible alternative to the particular issues of a large, polluting petrol engine.
Now that Volkswagen has been caught out, the question is whether it is only a matter of time before the other manufacturers also are found wanting and results in the death of the diesel alternative
in the United States.
What this points to is a regime of standards that will necessitate the speeded up
introduction of hybrid or full electric drivetrains in future models. The trend has begun,
with most new launches by the European manufacturers factoring in large cars powered
by small petrol or diesel engines and supplemented with inline motor assists or
Data Source: Delphi
In Europe it will take some more time for that to become a particular issue. The standards, as they stand are in the Euro 5 and 6 levels.
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stop/start devices linked to large draw capacitors. What are the standards
around the corner? We need to keep our eyes firmly on the EPA and CARB as the bellwether standards
for car manufacturers. While the European standard is improving, it still doesn’t reach the Californian mark.
Data Source: Delphi
hub mounted electric motors, as well as energy recovery devices in the form of brake force regeneration and engine
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Tesla motors projects its car both as a conscious choice for clean driving as well as offering quick recharge and a reasonable range. More manufacturers are likely to follow this model to gain electric vehicle converts technologies using gasoline direct injection supplemented by port injection and phase switching of the valve train, allows smaller engines to save fuel while being able to deliver more power on demand. Add to this the rock solid reliability of the modern day turbocharger and its application in almost every new engine series being developed. How do we buy responsibly? The mantra taught in schools – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – can be largely applied to the concept of sustainability in automobiles. Reducing
could be done by using one multipurpose vehicle instead of three purpose-bought cars, buying smaller cars or buying cars with engines that are smaller and less thirsty. Any car is resource intensive. The less steel, fabric, foam, paint, glass and wiring you use, the less needs to be manufactured. Use a car with a smaller engine and less weight and the chance is that over the lifetime of the car, you will burn between 10 to 20% less fuel just by choosing a 1.6-litre engine over the 2.0-litre that is the pricier option.
proposed new CAFE rules for 2017 to 2025 that seeks to improve the fleetwide average mileage to above 40 mpg, which is a tough challenge considering that the normal family car in the US today averages only 36 mpg with much lower figures for trucks and SUVs.
The US government has
Data Source: CAFE
Here you can see the larger presence of the SULEV and ULEV in the fleet mix, while individual unit standards have also tightened. Manufacturers are going to have a hard time meeting the targets as it is. Electric car manufacturers or those that have electric cars in their mix may gain an advantage at this stage, but it isn’t as if the combustion engine, petrol or diesel, has had its day. Major systems and technology providers already have the next generation of clean diesel systems on offer, with pressures of 2,700bar and these will get higher. In the case of petrol, lean burn
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Reuse is another scenario that exists. The pattern of replacing your car with a new one largely depends on your affluence, where you live in the world and the median price of cars available to you along with broader indicators on economic health of the country and incentives available. An IHS Automotive survey indicates that average age of the typical US carpark New powertrains With the rather ostentatious launch of the Mirai, Toyota has put the ball firmly back in the Hydrogen court. This base gas has for many years been the promised salvation to our transportation problems. The negatives associated with it are its explosive nature, cost and energy associated with extracting it to useable form and the need to build refuelling stations that are able to power a hydrogen transport economy. BMW had done some pioneering work with this in the early 2000’s but had to admit that it was a concept ahead of its time.
will rise from around 11.4 years to 11.7 by 2019. Analysts predict that while longer road use till now was linked to economic necessity, in the future it will result from better products and technologies. Recycling is the last of this holy triad – but not the least. For us consumers, this is one aspect that stays largely out of our hands. While selling our car on to another buyer bridges the reuse and recycle tags quite nicely, recycling would be driven largely by an industry built up around scrapyards However, it still stands a commercial chance if countries that are busy promoting electric cars begin to factor in the real cost of what is seen as a zero impact system. After all, does the electricity come from a coal-fired plant, nuclear or hydro plant? How much is lost in transmission? How much of an environmental and commercial cost is attributed to the production and replacement of storage batteries? And can electric vehicles overcome the current barriers of charge time and range?
and salvage operations. Even in this respect, legislation is pushing consumer behaviour along with industry involvement. The European Union is pushing ahead of the rest of the world in this – by promulgating the
Reuse & Recycling Reuse & Recovery
End of Life Vehicle directive as early as the year 2000, it mandates that manufacturers have to put in place systems that allow any vehicle that has reached the end of its useful life to be recycled with two targets:
As of 1 January 2006
As of 1 January 2015
80%
85%
85%
95%
In addition to this manufacturers get an incentive for their ability to introduce recycled material in new cars sold in the form of tax breaks.
Data Source: US Department of Energy
Another path to reducing is by taking fewer journeys, through car-pooling and better planning.
The swing back to Hydrogen can be linked to the drop in cost of the fuel cell. At the time BMW were looking into
it the fuel cell cost close to $275/kw as opposed to an expected price of around $30/ kw in today’s scenario.
Conclusion What is obvious is that the goal of a clean form of personal transportation is a moving goal. As our ability to meet new targets evolves, the targets and the goalposts that they represent are shifted ahead. That is the reality that finally caught Volkswagen out this time and we predict that the challenges faced by moving towards a sustainable future will see more manufacturers have to face flak. In the meantime, the choice of a car powered by an internal combustion engine will be the one that bothers you for some time. NOV 2015
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F1
Race report: Russian Grand Prix Thrills, spills and lady luck favours Lewis Hamilton as he continues to dominate and wins this event-filled round with ease
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t was another comfortable cruise to victory for Lewis Hamilton at last month’s 2015 Formula One RussianGrand Prix. With this win, in top form Hamilton has sealed the Constructors’ Championship for Mercedes AMG for the second time in a row. But that is half of the story for Mercedes AMG because Hamilton’s teammate Nico Rosberg suffered another bout of bad luck. Throttle issues in his car forced him to retire on lap seven and this also means the German’s championship hopes this season are all but over. The win for Hamilton is his ninth of the season and 42nd of his F1 career. He now levels with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel in the all-time standings and ahead of him still are two legends -- Alain Prost with 51 wins and Michael Schumacher with 91 wins respectively. After a thrilling performance 74
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at the Sochi Autodrom, Vettel ended up crossing the line second. In the closing stages, the German was fast enough to reduce a 13sec gap to just 5.9sec, proving the performance and reliability of his Ferrari. The battle for third place was just as exciting. Force India’s Sergio Perez looked to be in the running for his first podium of the season but with his tyres fading fast, Williams’ Valtteri Bottas and Ferrari’s Kimi Räikkönen were able to overtake. There were tense moments all the way with Bottas and Räikkönen. Räikkönen pushed ahead with an overtaking manoeuvre but ended up crashing into the rear of his compatriot. It meant that Perez was able to cross the line third, almost 29 seconds behind the leader, and it also allowed Williams’ other driver Felipe Massa, who started the race at 15th on the grid,
to sneak through and secure fourth. Unfortunately, the crash ended Bottas’ race though he was later classified 12th. Räikkönen went on to cross the line fifth but was later demoted to eighth place after stewards added 30 seconds to his race time. This gave the fifth spot to Infiniti Red Bull Racing’s Daniil Kvyat who was racing in front of his home crowd. Sixth, meanwhile, went to Sauber’s Felipe Nasr. Seventh went to Lotus’ Pastor Maldonado, with Räikkönen then classified eighth. Filling out the top ten spots were McLaren’s Jenson Button in ninth and Toro Rosso’s Max Verstappen in tenth. Behind them were a string of retired drivers. At the start of the race, Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg lost control at Turn 2 and ended up crashing into Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson, with both drivers eliminated. Verstappen also
suffered a puncture in his attempt to avoid the crash. And yet another crash was suffered by Lotus’ Romain Grosjean. The Frenchman lost control at Turn 3 at slammed into a wall. Fortunately he was unhurt from the violent impact. Other drivers failing to finish included Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo who suffered suspension problems and Carlos Sainz who had brake problems. The results mean Hamilton now leads the 2015 Drivers’ Championship with 302 points. Vettel is 66 points back at 236, though remains in contention as there are 100 points still up for grabs. Rosberg now drops to third with 229 points. In the Constructors’ Championship, Mercedes has received the 2015 title thanks to its unbeatable 531 points. Ferrari is second with 359 points and Williams is a distant third with 220 points.
First major championship win for Bentley Continental GT3 The Bentley Continental GT3 has won its first major race car championship, as customer team Bentley Team HTP took the Blancpain Sprint Series drivers title following a pole position and two race victories at the final round at Zandvoort this weekend. Just two years after the Bentley Continental GT3 was launched, drivers Maxi Buhk [DE] and Vincent Abril [MO] fought off stiff competition from the 2014 championship-winning Audi, to take one of the most soughtafter titles in GT3 racing. “This is a fantastic achievement for Bentley Team HTP with the Bentley
Continental GT3,” commented Bentley’s Director of Motorsport Brian Gush. “The Blancpain Sprint Series is very competitive and there is no room for error. Maxi and Vincent with Bentley Team HTP have been the perfect team to take our race car to success.” Bentley Team HTP, which under the name HTP Motorsport enjoyed multiple GT3 successes over the past five years, joined forces with Bentley Motorsport at the start of 2015 and entered cars in the Blancpain GT Series, which comprises both the Sprint and Endurance championships.
Success for Porsche hybrid racer in Japan Porsche took an important step in the battle for the World Endurance Championship [WEC] by winning the fourth race in a row in Japan last month. The Porsche 919 Hybrid won the six-hour race in Fuji in the hands of Timo Bernhard [Germany], Brendon Hartley [New Zealand] and former Formula One driver Mark Webber [Australia]. The sister car – shared by Romain Dumas [France], Neel Jani [Switzerland] and Marc Lieb [Germany] – came second and secured another one-two result for Porsche. The WEC is considered one of the most important World Championships in motorsport besides
Formula One. By winning again in Fuji, Porsche has extended its championship lead over Audi and Toyota. In the GTE-Am class for productionbased GT cars, in which Porsche customer teams compete against Aston Martin, Chevrolet and Ferrari, Hollywood star and race driver Patrick Dempsey [US] achieved his first WEC win at the wheel of his Porsche 911 RSR. It is the current competition version of the iconic 911 1] production sports car. The best 911 RSR in the class GTE-Pro for professionals finished second and was in the hands of Frédéric Makowiecki [France] and Patrick Pilet [France].
RACING DRIVERS WANTED: 56 GAMERS ARE IN ABU DHABI FOR 2015 NISMO PLAYSTATION GT ACADEMY
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ast month, the NISMO PlayStation® GT Academy European Race Camp moved from UK to Abu Dhabi in UAE. The intensive, week-long racing driver boot camp saw 56 Gran Turismo® gamers from 11 European countries compete for the chance to embark on Nissan’s all-encompassing Driver Development Program and the chance to become a real racing driver, with Formula One technical genius Adrian Newey OBE on hand as head judge at the Yas Marina Circuit. The Red Bull Racing Chief Technical Officer stands alone in Formula One, with his designs having won 10 Constructors’ titles for three different teams. The British engineer has worked with some of F1’s greatest drivers, including Nigel Mansel, Mika Häkkinen and Sebastian Vettel. He now turns his attention to spot a rising star from the gaming world. “I have enjoyed a long association with Gran Turismo having designed the Red Bull X2010 prototype for the game, and we have also done some work at Red Bull with Jann Mardenborough,” said Newey. “As everyone knows, simulators play an increasing 76
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role in real-world racing, and it is no surprise that Jann and the other GT Academy winners are enjoying successful racing careers with Nissan. I am looking forward to getting involved in unearthing the next new talent.” Newey will have close support from GT Academy’s experienced chief instructor, sports car racer Rob Barff, as the racing driver hopefuls are put through their paces on and off the track in a series of challenges to test driving skills as well as physical and mental aptitude. Barff leads a team of top-level GT Academy instructors and high-profile country mentors including: ex-F1 driver Max Chilton [UK]; Dani Clos [Iberia]; Olivier Pla [France]; JP Kraemer [Germany]; Tim Coronel [Benelux]; Michela Cerutti [Italy]; and Josef Král [CEE]. GT Academy is getting bigger and better each year. In 2015, 24 countries across the world have participated in three virtual-to-reality competitions. Champions of Asia and an International competition have already been crowned at Silverstone, the traditional home of Race Camp, but the European competition is ringing the changes with the
move to the warmer climes of Abu Dhabi. The sun, sea, sand and impressive skyscrapers of Abu Dhabi will create a spectacular backdrop for the GT Academy TV show which was watched by 27 million people in 2014. “We’re very excited about our move to Abu Dhabi’s fantastic facilities,” said Olivier Pierini, Nissan Europe Manager of Sponsorship and Partnership. “As always, Race Camp will be a very tough test of the competitors’ natural talents and determination to succeed. At the end of the process, we shall have one winner who has a chance to make his dreams come true and join the ranks of our NISMO athletes competing around the world. Our past successes – with the likes of Lucas [Ordoñez], Jann [Mardenborough] and Wolfie [Wolfgang Reip], who has just won the Blancpain Endurance Championship – demonstrate how much is at stake.” The winner of GT Academy Europe will embark on the Driver Development Program with the aim to progress to a career as a racing driver. The results of the program have been spectacular: Lucas Ordoñez, an MBA student from Spain, spearheaded the
program in 2008, now races for Nissan in Super GT500 class in Japan and has two Le Mans 24 Hour podium finishes to his name; Jann Mardenborough, the 2011 winner from the UK, competes in the GP3 Formula 1 feeder series; and in just three years, Wolfgang Reip from Belgium has been transformed from gamer to Blancpain Endurance Series champion racing a Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3. “Race camp is something that is exciting for everyone involved in PlayStation and Gran Turismo,” said Gran Turismo series creator and President of Polyphony Digital Inc., Kazunori Yamauchi. “The manner by which the fastest gamer impresses the judges, and transforms from a virtual to a real racer, brings me great joy every time. There’s no need to stress the fact that it’s possible to give birth to a driver who has the potential to succeed in international circuits through this program anymore, but I think it is important to note that this experience at race camp is a moment in the limelight in the lives and memories of all its participants. I wish this year’s European challengers good luck.”
Ali Al Balushi to represent Oman at the Red Bull drift final this month
A hat-trick performance by Omani drifter Ali Al Balushi last month in the sixth season of the Red Bull Car Park Drift Qualifier that was held in Oman Automobile Association grounds in Seeb, Muscat, means that he will now represent his home country in the finals to be held this month in UAE. In a closely fought competition between 16 top drivers, the Omani “King of Drift” with his consistent performance impressed the three judges
and scored 381 points to take the lead, followed by Refaat Al Yahyaei (370 points) and third place winner Abdullah Al Balushi (316 points). The sixteen road cars were specially modified to take on the twists and turns of a track designed by reigning drift champion Ali Fegali with exceptional precision, while drawing the admiration of cheering spectators. The key to drifting success is high torque availability and on this Ali Al Balushi said: “I’m
so glad I won the Red Bull Car Park Drift for a third year in a row. Last year at the regional final, my car was tuned to offer 500hp, but this year I have further modified it to reach an output of 712hp making it the most powerful car in Oman. Judges gave points on the drifting skills including how drivers follow the track, performed the longest distance of continuous drifting, tyre smoke, exhaust note and overall presentation. “Last year I was so close to
winning but I lost one point in the engine sound so I’ve increased it this year,” said Balushi. The judges also looked for an impressive exterior too and deducted points if participants drifted the wrong way, spun their cars or hit any of the obstacles. Qualifying rounds took off at the start of the year in UAE, Tunisia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mauritius and Jordan. The Red Bull Car Park Drift Final takes place in Dubai onNovember 20.
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MotoGP
2015 Australia race report: Marc Marquez wins one of the most dramatic MotoGP races of all time as Lorenzo reduces Rossi’s lead in the standings to just 11 points
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epsol Honda’s Marquez emerged triumphant from an incredible Pramac Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix to record his 50th career GP victory and fifth of 2015. Marquez secured the race win in the end by just 0.249sec from Jorge Lorenzo, with Andrea Iannone completing the podium ahead of championship leader Valentino Rossi who had to settle for fourth. Marquez was involved in a race-long scrap with Movistar Yamaha teammates and title rivals Lorenzo and Rossi, plus the Ducati GP15 of Iannone. The battle between these four was simply breath-taking and besides perfect conditions there were many overtakes, lots of contact, a championship title on the line and even a bird strike! Action began at the start with Iannone who got the drive off the line to lead into Turn 1 with Lorenzo and Marquez in hot pursuit. Lorenzo would take the lead into Turn 8, and in a sign of things to come there was contact between Marquez and 78
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his teammate Dani Pedrosa at Turn 10 as the former defended his third position. Iannone re-took the lead on lap 2, only to be hit by a stray seagull on the entrance to Turn 4 to allow Lorenzo to move back to the front. The lead position was swapped several times between these three on the opening laps. Rossi, who had started from seventh on the grid, had been biding his time, before starting to move up the pack order by lap 3. He overtook the Repsol Honda of Dani Pedrosa and LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow to move up to fourth on lap 4 and join in the fun at the front. Lorenzo began to break away at the front, and by the end of lap 7 he had opened up a 1.4s gap, but just when it looked like he would disappear into the distance the chasing trio started to close. Unbelievably, despite constantly swapping places, the three started to reel in Lorenzo at the front. At the end of lap 13, Lorenzo’s lead was down to a second. At the end of lap 14 it was 0.5s, and fans were in for a treat as
Marquez, Iannone and Rossi caught Lorenzo at the front with 10 laps to go. From here on in it was anyone’s guess who would win, with Iannone using the incredible power of his GP15 to show some blistering pace on the straight. This meant each time once of the others passed the Italian; he was able wait until the Gardner straight to launch his Bologna missile back past. Lorenzo took the lead with 7 laps to go once more, and with just two laps to go had extended this lead to one second as the others fought against each other. The best was still to come though. As the riders entered the final lap less than second separated all four, as Lorenzo led across the line from Iannone with Marquez in third and Rossi fourth. Marquez passed Iannone in the Southern Loop to move into second and set off after Lorenzo. Rossi also came past his compatriot after contact at turn 4, before Iannone fought back into 3rd through Lukey Heights. Then at turn 10
Marquez blitzed past Lorenzo into the lead, as Rossi tried desperately to pass Iannone for the final time but failed. Marquez then managed to hold on through the final few corners to secure an amazing victory as the crowd went wild. Marquez had saved his best till last, putting in the fastest lap of the race on the final lap as he timed his move to perfection. It seemed a fitting way for the reigning MotoGP™ World Champion to break his MotoGP™ points duck at Phillip Island, as he became the youngest ever rider to reach the milestone of 50 GP wins. Lorenzo took second, his tenth podium of the year, to close the gap in the standings to Rossi to just 11 points with two races remaining. Iannone completed the podium, his third of the year and first since Mugello, while Rossi’s fourth was only the second time he has missed out on the podium this season. Marquez’s teammate Pedrosa came out on top in the battle for fifth as he crossed the line five seconds behind Rossi.
MotoGP thriller has Rossi knee Marquez – Pedrosa wins
Controversy can never be very far from MotoGP or Valentino Rossi for that matter. The Malaysian MotoGP at Sepang is now famous for all the wrong reasons
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he Repsol team are baying for blood and this time it’s Valentino Rossi who is seen at fault. The major talking point about the race at Sepang is the seventh lap interaction between Rossi and Repsol’s Marc Marquez who were battling for third spot at the time. Calling Rossi’s conduct unsportsmanlike, Repsol claim that he delivered a premeditated kick to Marquez that sent him crashing out. they further go on to state, “Repsol are deeply saddened that situations like that which occurred today in Sepang exist,
especially as the company feel proud of sporting values: Companionship, competitive spirit and commitment from riders. Without these values, it would not make sense for Repsol to participate in the sport as a sponsor. Repsol also call for a clear and strong regulation in the interest of the safety and physical integrity of the riders, which punishes behaviour like that seen today clearly and decisively.” While a closer look at the close encounter looks like there was contact between Marquez’ helmet and Rossi’s leg before Rossi lashes out, the Race
Direction has docked Rossi three penalty points which means he starts at the back of the grid in the next race at Valencia. The team has also not been allowed to appeal the penalty.
As for the race itself, Lorenzo raced a brilliant race that saw him move up the field from sixth to his number two position on the podium, smoothy passing Rossi who was also trying to make this a race to remember. Pedrosa built on his lead to put in an almost textbook race to get his second win of the season. He says, “The setup we used at this circuit in February during testing helped me a lot and I’m very happy to take this win for
my team, who have been behind me all the way and I feel very sorry for Marc because of what happened to him. I am especially pleased to finish the season very positively, as it has been a hard year but we are now recovering well and we’re in good form. Australia is always the hardest race of the year for me, but that turned out fine and I’m really glad we completed the fly aways like this.” Pedrosa is now fourth, following Marquez who hangs on to his third spot. Rossi will have one more shot at getting his championship sorted out, but it looks like he will have to do it the hard way, with Lorenzo just 7 points behind him at this stage. NOV 2015
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Letting the machine take over So now it’s official. Experts opine that if the self-driving car becomes mainstream, we are going to have to contend with the automotive variation of Asimov’s three laws of robotics. They go in the order that a robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law. Now let’s extrapolate that to the self-driving car. Pretty simple at first glance: don’t cause accidents and avoid accidents that are happening around you, don’t take orders from stupid drivers if that means anyone’s likely to get killed or injured and try to keep up your resale value if you can. But here’s the conundrum – apparently the software being written for self-driving cars doesn’t factor in a concept of one life being more precious than another. What do I mean, you ask? Well, consider for a moment that you are driving a car and you find that you have to swerve to avoid crashing into a car, but by swerving you would hit a pedestrian. Your natural reaction would be to do that, since you are trying to save Primus Optimus (that’s you). Now, while you would have to face the courts and spend some agonising soul-searching moments, you would be happy that you are safe. But the self-driving car decides otherwise. It is supposed to factor in all the odds and may decide that losing you is better than losing two pedestrians. Does that appeal to you as a responsible consumer? I am not suggesting for a moment that your microwave or television should kill you, but would you buy any durable that, were it to be allowed to think, decided that your life was just a footnote to the statistics?
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
Of course artificial intelligence is nowhere near the commercialisation stage. The car is only resorting to the programming put into it. It is just a fancier version of the automated cruise control systems that are already in place. In some ways it is a descendant of the logic that drives image control on your fancy new SLR cameras and your smart phone, albeit without these having a life-taking mode. You capture an image on full auto mode and the camera decides the f-stop, shutter speed, ISO settings and even the white balance. It looks for elements that it can recognise as faces and even knows when to release the shutter as the faces smile and open their eyes. You’ve no doubt seen the results. The images are never so great that you would want to send them out to be printed and never so bad that you wonder why you have bothered. The software will usually even compensate for your hand shaking as you capture your millionth inane photo. The self-driving car is to my mind something like this. Only, by the time we see a lot of them on the road, they will also be networked, so that they are actually talking to each other. If I still hark back to your camera or phone, it would be like your phone asking your friend’s phone to quickly snap a shot and send it over because it knows that despite all the logic on-board you have never been able to take a decent shot. The swarm of self-driving cars on the road will appeal to town planners and most commuters who think that getting from A to B should be about motion, not emotion. If they encountered a hot-blooded off-grid driver, what are the chances that they would gang up on him and swarm his Mustang to the layby? As for me, I believe that the selfdriving car needs to be reimagined. The simple way would be to provide an override button that simply adds a constant to the algorithm. The owner’s life is supreme and the car should prioritise its business of crashing safely to ensure that the owner survives. Either that or like the theme pack that you install on your mobile device, allow every owner to give their car a personality, safe, quick or putative rally driver, every selfrespecting runaround needs a character.
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