Automan 181

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now, the region’s Best Automotive resource novemBer 2016 Issue no 181

THIS MONTH

New wheels 6-13 The 2017 ChevroleT Malibu and

The all new seCond generaTion Koleos driven in dubai

OmaN aNd regiONal News 14-17 new renaulT Koleos launChed in

oMan, MerCedes-benz launChes glC in oMan, rolls-royCe launChes bouTique in dubai, infiniTi launChes q50 red sporT in oMan, baiC brand launChes in oMan, asTon db11 launChes in oMan, v-Kool Moves To new preMises, al fardan hosTs passione ferrari, world’s firsT audi sporT sTore opens in abu dhabi

BraNdwatch 18-23 nissan buys inTo MiTsubishi

CoverDrive – Volvo S90 RoadTest – Mercedes-Benz S400 L

MoTors, Tesla launChes nexT gen auTo piloT, geely launChes lynK wiTh volvo Cars, ford To revive bronCo, hyundai plans juKe rival, hybrid on ToyoTa supra? ToyoTa fT-4x To replaCe fj? honda To debuT wr-v, nissan Mulling z replaCeMenT, eleCTriC Cars on aMg agenda, apple wiThdrawing froM Cars? TaTa sons reMoves ChairMan

glOBal News 24-25 MerCedes-benz shows off

x-ConCepT, hyundai shows azera iMage, vw launChes aTlas, rolls-royCe announCes fashion ColleCTion

cOver stOry 26-33 we aTTend The regional launCh of The volvo s90 in oMan and TesT drive The Car wiTh The T6 engine

rOad tests 34-41 we drive The w222 MerCedesbenz s400 l in a loCal TesT drive

42-49 we drive The MaseraTi levanTe s wiTh The 430hp engine

First drive 50-55 2017 volKswagen Tiguan special Feature 56-59 paris MoTorshow Ten besT Bike laNe 60-63 a looK aT ClassiC and fuTure bsa MoTorCyCles

previews 64-65 land rover disCovery 66-69 bMw 5-series 70-71 MerCedes-benz x-Class 72-75 jaguar f-Type svr Coupe mOtOrspOrts 76-79 forMula one and MoTogp

PreView – Jaguar F-type SVR Coupé

chicaNe 80 The iMporTanCe of The iMage

MaKeover

editor-in-chief Mohammad Al taie

AL roYA PreSS & PUBLiShinG PO Box: 343, Postal Code 118 Al Harthy Complex, Sultanate of Oman

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The general car market may be in the doldrums but there are two segments that seem to be weathering the tough days – service garages and the used car dealership. or should we say that like every other economic slowdown, this time too people have found opportunity.

It’s easy enough to understand why the service garage is working harder than usual.As fleets and individuals put off their replacement decisions for a healthier time, the existing car needs to be maintained and often made to look newer and fresher with the tools at hand. it is actually the sort of business that should be the stock in trade of any service station. as the mean ownership cycle lengthens out, there is a need for new tyres, batteries and overhauls that would have been done in markets where the used car is shipped. but even that is changing. The number of small to medium businesses that have set up shop to trade in cars is quite staggering. from sourcing their cars from dealer’s showrooms, to the trade-in used cars that go as down payment for the new cars that still sell and then on to the cars that just have to be sold as the owner moves on to greener pastures, it looks like there is a substantial pool of cars available outside the usual showroom. and there seems to be a steady stream of business happening, often to the detriment of the mainstream industry.

www.carbrandz.com MAnAGinG editor raj Warrior raj@automan.me contriBUtinG editorS chandan Basu Mallik chandan@automan.me Anne Kurian deSiGn conSULtAnt Antony Karlo PhotoGrAPhY elvis John ferrao for Advertising & Marketing enquiries: advertising@automan.me diStriBUtion United ArAB eMirAteS dar Al hikma LLc alhikma@emirates.net.ae Tel: +971-4-2665394 | Fax: +971-4-2669827 Printer Al Anan Printing Press LLc Tel: +968 24446163 | Fax: +968 24446287 alananprinting.com | alananprinting@gmail.com © 2016 All editorial content of Automan in the magazine and its website is copyrighted and may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the management of Automan.

Automan accepts unsolicited exclusive editorial material, but reserves the right to publish any such material. Once published, the copyright for any such material will vest with Automan.

however, that is the least you would expect from a healthy open market and all it really takes is for these segments to get further organised and capitalised in order to compete. in the meantime, last month saw some healthy moves by opeC and russia to rationalise their future production, which saw oil rally a bit. while that rally already seems to be plagued by internal bickerings, one should hope for the region’s sake that the coming year will see oil at a floor of 50 dollars a barrel. That should bring some measure of relief to governments and corporates in the region as the needs of fresh business in 2017 mature. in the meantime, we’ve taken our move past the landmark 180 issue to effect a small visual refresh. after all, we are so linked to the car industry that it wouldn’t be amiss to call it our new 2017 model year look. what doesn’t change is our in-depth perception of the industry, unbiased editorial stance and some of the best production values of any magazine in the region. our online media and social connect is also growing and we do recommend that you check us out today.

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NewMetal

The new 2017 Chevrolet Malibu has had a major relook at its platform, with new construction techniques resulting in a lighter, significantly tighter handling sedan. What exactly does the mid-almost-large segment stalwart bring to the showroom?

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Lighter & better spec Malibu ‘17 Author: Raj Warrior | Photography: Supplied

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he car buyer is being chased by the industry. That is a truism that holds good like at no other time in the collective history of the four-wheeler. As global audiences evolve and their idea of what to expect in a car changes, the automotive industry is managing to almost keep pace, bringing technology and new drivetrains at a blistering pace.

Take a look at what’s happening with the Chevrolet Malibu. It is a rather storied marque, bringing with it an image of upmarket Americana and a hint of the salty spray off the Pacific Ocean. Over the years, the badge has gone from a variant of the rear-wheel drive Chevelle, to a standalone badge and has even weathered a phase out and return. Now, it is a regular feature of the American road and targets customers that may not be able to opt for the larger Impala. In this generation, which debuted as a 2016 MY car in 2015, the Malibu looks ever so much like a slightly different Impala.

This new car is built on a completely new platform (the E2XX), using the modularity of the new platform to offer a wheelbase that is stretched out by 4-inches over the previous car. What this does is instantly make the cabin significantly roomier with generous rear legroom and headroom dimensions, despite the almost coupé-like sweep of the roof towards the rear deck.

The car is also wider than before, with a lower roofline, so the end result is far more dynamic even before you factor in the new styling changes around the front grille that lend a visual feel of a squatter bonnet and wrap-around fascia. The styling includes generous use of chrome garnish strips to highlight the black maws of the grille, perhaps with a touch too much of enthusiasm, as the combination of the Chevy logo on the horizontal bar, chrome surrounds and bright new LED lighting is almost at bling levels. But, that’s what customers want nowadays, so who are we to argue? And it does keep continuity from the previous model generation.

The rear of the car is thankfully slightly less overt in its detailing, as is the profile itself, which uses the chrome treatment to highlight the greenhouse area. The profile looks quite dynamic and sporty, marred only by the rather prominent ratios of the front-wheel drive car with a front-axle set off to the rear of the engine centre-line.

But that’s really not the area where the sales pitch will happen. The new interiors have been really worked on. The dashboard is an amalgam of multilayered surfaces, with the lower grades getting a textured fabric inlay among

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2014 Chevrolet Malibu shown for comparison

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New for this generation: A whole new platform, modular FWD Lower weight by almost 130kgs Longer, wider and squatter than before New interiors with 8� centre display Integrated Apple CarPlay Advanced driver assist functions like pedestrian collision warning and stop, front collision warning, rear cross-traffic assist and automated park assist Available in three grades - LS, LT and LTZ

all the soft-feel plastics, while the higher grades get the benefit of pseudo-leather inserts. The look and feel of the fabric is so reminiscent of a Skechers outer surface that you automatically opt for the better looking LTZ interiors.

The actual design of the instrument panel and centre console is quite improved with the LT and LTZ variants getting the larger 8-inch display, while the base 7-inch is used on the LS. The major new features here are the provision of Apple CarPlay as part of the car’s infotainment kit, with almost seamless integration and operation. All you need to do is plug in the cable and authorise it from your phone. Additionally the car gets forward collision alert, rear cross-traffic warning, parking assist, lane keep assist and even pedestrian collision alert with braking.

The cars being sent to our region lack the US spec ability for tracking teenage car users as well as the choice of turbocharged engines that it comes with on the continent. Instead, the car gets the drivetrain off the last Malibu, a 2.5-litre ECOTEC engine with 186hp output mated with the 6-speed automatic transmission.

The gearshift lever is also a carryover from the past generation with its plus and minus so-called manual override offered as a button on top of the lever. As we had commented on in the previous generation, it isn’t usable as a regular tiptronic, needing you to rest your right hand continuously on the lever in order to operate the toggle. In any case you can’t use the toggle unless the gearshift selector is in L, effectively making the manual override some sort of fine control only for hill climb or trailer towing operations. And no, there is no paddle shift control available on the steering wheel. So the drive controls make this a sedan that is targeted at the fleet and commuter.

Driving Impressions Straight off the bat, the car is a significant improvement over the previous generation. Yes, the cabin is the biggest draw, that and the fact that the car is seriously engineered for a muted NVH experience. If all you are looking for is a comfortable drive with almost no interference from the road, this is the car for you. The lighter body does not sacrifice anything in terms of comfort – the torsional stiffness is definitely better.

The grunt from the 186hp engine is more than adequate for a car of this size. While it isn’t likely to leave many rubber strips on the tarmac, the feel you get is of a competent powerpack that has thankfully steered clear of going with a CVT like some of the competition. Steering effort is minimal, while the sense of feedback is rather muted although surprisingly accurate.

Once you realise that the car is meant to be a commuter’s delight you stop trying to fiddle with the +/- on the gearshift and settle into predictable rhythms.

Verdict A capable, competent, well-thought out package is our initial assessment of the car. While some of the selling is done on the basis of perceptible quality, the real gainer for the brand will be if their promise of a lower ownership cost stands the test of time. They are promising a lower cost than on the Camry and Altima and even factor in the Sonata as a runner up.

But then, that’s really the car’s strength – trying to offer a value for money package on a well-crafted platform. Seriously, all we would ask for extra is the option to select a more modern choice of engine and gearbox for some spirited driving.

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NewMetal The new generation of the Koleos is significantly changed – built on a larger platform it now targets the D-SUV buyer with its mix of roomy cabin, stylish interiors and tried and tested powertrain from its Nissan siblings

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Koleos is now bigger and better value

Author: Raj Warrior | Photography: Jorge Ferrari

T

he new Renault Koleos can be seen as the new genetically modified child of the broader Nissan Renault alliance. It isn’t quite a Renault as we know it, but then the current Megane is very much a similar creature. If you really want to split hairs, the old Koleos was of Korean origin although it eventually became very identified with the European manufacturer.

It did a lot more for the brand’s positioning than the Duster, which is a Dacia by birth. The Duster has had a fantastic run in terms of volumes, considering its appeal as an entry-level SUV. But back to the Koleos. This time around the gameplan has been to upgrade the ownership of this key model. The platform selected is of Nissan origin, expropriating the X-Trail mechanicals and structure and cladding it with a very unique skin.

The car looks completely different of course and it begins with features like the clamshell hood design, the new headlight treatment with LED piped lighting serving to emphasise the width

of the fascia and the nicely offset grille with its chrome on black effect. This varies depending on the trim you buy but it is effective.

The profile of the car is just as interesting. Here you can see the connection to the X-Trail a lot clearer than either the front or rear panels. The proportions are spot on, with the reasonably long wheelbase serving to accentuate the longish hood treatment. We also liked the way in which the C-D pillar arrangement allows for a generous half pane as well as brings to notice the wraparound rear windshield layout.

The rear section feels almost Porsche-like in its use of the wide windshield, lights that run practically the whole width of the car and the high tailgate. The upper variants offer a power tailgate feature which is very handy when you consider that the lifted gate goes quite high for a rather compact SUV. As a bonus you can activate the gate by swinging your foot under the rear bumper. It does seem like there is a lot NOV 2016

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of shopping being done nowadays! The cabin’s interiors have cleaned up nicely too. Even in the base version (without the tab-like centre console) you can see how the instrumentation has been improved. Of course, when you compare the features, the Koleos does tend to sell its higher feature pack to you. It’s not just the tab-like touch screen; the cabin also gets a rather liberal selection of ambient lighting options, Bose speakers and even a heads-up display at the very top end of the variants. Oh yes, there’s a panoramic sunroof as well! In fact, you would be hard pressed to find a better appointed cabin in

most of the competition’s vehicles. Renault says this is because the new Talisman and the Koleos were co-developed, so the treatment has been very similar.

At the launch of the car in Dubai, the brand’s managing director in the region, Marwan Haidamous declared: “New Renault Koleos is the perfect flagship of our new brand identity. Built from the ground-up, it features a new design, a new platform, new dimensions, new positioning in the range and new technologies.” He concluded: “The car combines the refinement of a large saloon car with the robust styling of an SUV.”

That does come across! Even to the point where the second row of seats get a degree of movement and adjustment that you won’t find in regular SUVs. Driving impressions The Koleos is a smooth, capable drive. It is saddled with a very good engine mated to a rather humdrum CVT transmission and tries to make the best out of the combination. You can lock the transmission into 4WD mode but don’t expect the CVT to allow you too much latitude for errors off-road. The engine is both fuel efficent and rather quiet - you wouldn’t think that

While you can see the proportions of the Nissan X-Trail on this generation of the Koleos, the brand has tried to differentiate it (successfully) with the styling and interiors. However, the legacy combination of the 2.5-litre 4-cylinder engine and FWD -biased CVT detract from its previous tight handling and performance 12

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it can spool out 233Nm of torque. That goes with the 170hp of peak power it has on offer and is actually more than enough for any city drive situations the vehicle will endure every day.

The vehicle’s 210mm of ground clearance isn’t very apparent on the 2,705mm wheelbase, but it still gives a decent approach and departure angle to the car.

However, we would advise you to stay out of the sand unless you really know what you are doing despite the much-touted 4x4i arrangement available.

On the other hand, you can really understand why so many car drivers would like to upgrade to the Koleos (or vehicles of the type). You get a very good road presence, sit higher off the ground and have features like blind spot warning

and Renault’s new generation of R-link on-board (which allows you to connect your phone and integrate it with the car’s infotainment).

Ride quality has also been worked on. It does tend to buck a little at speed breakers and bumps, but the steering has been isolated to a certain extent and the body is stiff enough to remain responsive.

You also get larger wheels with the available 18-inch alloys filling up the wheel wells quite nicely, although we would rate these as strictly on-road options.

Verdict The new Renault Koleos has a lot going for it. It helps that the vehicle is now bigger and offers a much better second row experience. It also helps that the styling

has been improved so drastically over the outgoing car. In some ways, the model has been made to look a lot more butch, so you will see a larger number of male buyers for the badge.

The model upgrade couldn’t have come at a better time for the brand. While it has been selling decent numbers due to the popularity of the Duster, it really needs to address the C and D-segment SUV buyer for profitability in the region. The Koleos is now ready to get the latter buyer. But what about the C-segment that it has left wide open? We were told that the brand has no plan to being the European Renault Kadjar in to mark out that territory and that in our opinion is a mistake. Renault pegs the Koleos against the Santa Fe. It really needs to match the Tucson too.

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New Renault Koleos launched in Oman The all-new second generation of the Renault Koleos launched in Oman with three variants. Suhail Bahwan Automobiles, the brand’s importer in Oman, expressed confidence that the new model will boost their presence in the segment.

The Renault Koleos is now built on the alliance’s C-D modular platform and shares the 2.5-litre 170hp

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4-cylinder engine and X-tronic CVT gearbox with other alliance vehicles. However, the vehicle is distinct with exceptional styling, a plethora of customer-centric features and a very modern cabin, Depending on the variant, the model offers features like an 8.7” portrait mode display, hands-free opening tailgate and ventilated seats. Interior trims include a leather-like

top of the line treatment along with power seats, push button engine start and blind spot monitoring as well as the ability to set a choice of interior ambient lighting colours.

Explaining that new KOLEOS exudes an inner strength, a spokesperson for Renault Oman said, “It stands out for its powerful, muscular exterior lines, unparalleled

four-wheel drive technology, and all-terrain ability thanks to ground clearance of 210mm.

Its record cabin space, the extensive range of equipment it proposes and its carefullyappointed interior position Renault KOLEOS as a reference in its class for comfort and refinement.”

Expressing delight at launching the new vehicle, the spokesperson said, “Renault KOLEOS comes at a time when SUVs are enjoying strong growth in Sultanate.”

The Koleos is available in three variants, PE, SE and LE with the PE also available as a 4x2 only. The 4x4 variants utilise the brand’s 4x4i technology that selectively sends power to the rear-axle when needed. The controls allow drivers to select Auto mode or to Lock delivery to all wheels as well as to keep the drive in FWD mode only.

The Renault Koleos is manufactured at the alliance plant in South Korea for all markets in the world except China.

The new Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe has arrived at the Mercedes-Benz Oman showroom.

Lawrence Good, CEO of Zawawi Trading, the company behind Mercedes-Benz Oman, welcomed the media at the launch. He said, “I am excited with the addition

of the new GLC Coupe to our portfolio, with its aggressive styling and choice of engines from the launch GLC250 we expect the AMG43 version to join us next year. It is the most appropriate SUV for our Omani customers and we are sure that we will sell our entire allocation.”

Later, Vikram Bhatia, the brand’s certified sales consultant gave a presentation on the GLC Coupe, highlighting the advanced new technologies available on the car, as well as giving an early indication on the pricing of the car, which is expected to be below RO

Oman & Region News

Mercedes-Benz Oman adds GLC Coupe to lineup 28,000/-. The GLC Coupe is a product squarely targeted against the BMW X4. Building on the new C platform on which the C-sedan has been made, the new SUV styling replaces the GLK at the entry level and broadens the stable. The aggressive Coupe like styling is meant to appeal to the increasing number of customers who find the crossover segment between traditional sedan and SUV to be attractive.

The GLC Coupe comes with standard fit sports suspension and a more direct steering with dynamic drive modes selection as well as a 4Matic permanent allwheel drive connected to the 9G-tronic automatic transmission.

The GLC250 is rated at 211hp from its 2.0-litre boosted engine. The torque rating is 350Nm between 1,200-4,000rpm.

LAUNCH OF FIRST EVER ‘ROLLS-ROYCE BOUTIQUE’ The cream of Dubai society were out in full force to join Rolls-Royce Motor Cars AGMC, the representative for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates, in celebrating the exclusive launch of the world’s first ever ‘Rolls-Royce Boutique’ at its premises in City Walk.

The new experiential showroom concept was launched by Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, RollsRoyce Motor Cars, Stathis I. Stathis, Managing Director of AGMC and Mamdouh Khairallah, General Manager of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars AGMC, amongst a VIP

guest list of Rolls-Royce owners, dignitaries and local celebrities including actress Mayssa Maghrebi, Emirati musician Fayez Al-Saeed, and Italian jewellery designer Roberto Coin, who displayed some of his rarest hand-crafted pieces to the discerning clientele.

Guests were treated to a tour of the Boutique’s experiential areas including the Inspiration Studio, Bespoke Atelier, Interactive Spirit of Ecstasy and Pinnacle Café.

In addition, a small ceremony was held to present the key to the first Rolls-Royce Black Badge motor car in Dubai to its new owner Mr. Aslan Atakshiyev.

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BAIC BRAND LAUNCHES IN OMAN UNDER SBA BANNER

Infiniti Q50 Red Sport launched in Oman The Infiniti Q50 has undergone an upgrade with the inclusion of a new 3.0-litre V6 turbocharged engine that boosts its output to 400hp in its fully boosted variant. The Infiniti Q50 Red Sport is now available in Oman with its official launch at the Muscat showroom Of importers Suhail Bahwan Automobiles.

Speaking at the launch the Infiniti Oman spokesman said, “We are delighted to unveil Infiniti Q50 which offers an

optimal blend of ride comfort and class-leading agility. Its new powerful and efficient turbocharged V6 gasoline engines headlined by Q50 Red Sport 400 delivering 400 hp is sure to impress the new generation of buyers.” tand inspiring performance to the new Infiniti Q50.”

The Infiniti Q50 range has now increased to four major variants beginning with a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine offering 208hp.

Aston Martin launches the new DB11 in Oman Aston Martin unveiled the new DB11 in its Oman showroom. The first product launched under the company’s ‘Second Century’ plan, DB11 is the new figurehead of the illustrious ‘DB’ bloodline and a dynamic sporting GT in the finest Aston Martin tradition.

Neil Slade, President Middle East North Africa – Aston Martin, who flew in for the launch, stated, “The DB11 is 16

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the first car of Aston Martin’s second century plan; this beautiful car has made waves in the industry and already won numerous awards in Europe following the first test drives in August and September. Coming with the latest technology and most up-to-date electronic architecture, DB11 is truly groundbreaking for Aston Martin.”

The latest automotive brand to enter Oman’s increasingly crowded car market is the BAIC marque, one of China’s largest auto makers, which gained a share of fame when it took over the SAAB brand from GM. Along with the launch of the brand, its first showroom at Wattayah was shown to the media along with the initial models with which the brand expects to target the market.

Mr. Li Ji, Senior Vice President, BAIC International said, “We are very happy to tie up with Gulf Great Sands which is a reputed name in Oman and have a good understanding of the local market. Oman is one of focus market for BAIC Brand Globalisation for which we are going to get many more products to suit the local market.”

Welcoming BAIC to Oman, Chairman of Gulf Great Sands LLC, Sheikh Ahmed Bahwan said, “BAIC Group has all the experience and expertise which has given us confidence on the product quality and safety standards. We are quite optimistic that customers of Oman will appreciate the BAIC products and therefore will bring success to this new automotive brand.”

Mr. Divyendu Kumar, Managing Director of Gulf Great Sands LLC said- “We are very excited to bring BAIC brand of vehicles to consumers in Oman. As

in everything that we do, after-sales customer care will continue to be our major focus area. We have ensured a high level of parts availability and a fully trained team of technicians and technical staffs with the help of BAIC international, before the selling of the BAIC cars commence in the market.”

The first models on offer are the X65 crossover, the A115 entry level sedan and the Grand Tiger TUV (a pickup).

The brand hopes to address further segments in the future including the active outdoors type with its BJ (derived from an old collaboration with Jeep).

The X65 has a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged engine capable of 174 HP output with a new Aisin 6-speed auto gearbox. The X65 is expected to meet C-NCAP 5-star ratings.

The A115 comes with a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder engine with 113hp output and a host of features that beat the norm in the class. The Grand Tiger TUV pickup launches in 2WD and 4WD models, with a 2.4-litre engine of Mitsubishi origin.

An interesting fact revealed at the press conference was that BAIC offers 5 years or 100,000 kms manufacturer warranty on all passenger vehicles and 3 years/100,000 kms manufacturer warranty on commercial vehicles in Oman.

V-Kool Oman shifted to a new, larger showroom in Al Khuwair, making it the brand’s largest showroom in the Middle East.

It was inaugurated jointly

by Mr. Haythem Macki, Partner, Mr. Vipan K. Handa, Deputy Group CEO & Board Member-KAPICO Group and Mr. Travis Smith, Vice President & General

Oman & Region News

V-Kool moves to new, larger premises in Muscat Manager – Performance Films Division, Eastman Chemicals Inc. The megastore showcases the most complete car care product range using sophisticated energy & heat measurement equipment.

The large coating bay can accommodate up to 14 vehicles at a time.

Alfardan Motors hosts “passione Ferrari” Ferrari Owners from Oman participated in an exclusive track event at the Dubai Autodrome.

The day involved a series of driving activities, involving technical theoretical sessions from the Ferrari Instructors.

The day’s program also included advanced

level training for those Ferrari owners who have participated in track days in the past. They were taught how to face various driving conditions including slippery road surface, technical maneuvers, driving into sharp curves and safe driving skills.

WORLD’S FIRST AUDI SpORT CENTER OpENS Audi Sport CEO, Stephan Winkelmann and H.E. Ali Bin Khalfan Al Mutawa Al Dhaheri, Founder and Chairman of Family Council Ali and Sons, officially inaugurated the world’s first Audi Sport Center in Abu Dhabi.

Audi Sport brand ambassador, and ninetimes Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen was present at

the event after starting the day’s milestone launch by taking to the track at Dubai Autodrome in the Audi Sport R8 LMS race car.

The new Audi Sport Center will be home to the Audi Sport RS and R models only, and will offer the complete Audi exclusive experience, enabling customers to fully personalise their Audi Sport models.

TAC wins the Regional MazTech Award Towell Auto Centre won the ‘MazTech’ award organized by Mazda Office Middle East in Bahrain recently. TAC team won Gold Medal in NonTechnical and Silver Medal in Technical category..

Kasber Johnson, National Manager –

Service congratulated the winners: “It is only because of their hard work and the support of TAC management that we could achieve such laurels. Our technical and non-technical teams met all the challenges with determination.”

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Business deal of the month – Nissan buys into Mitsubishi Motors Mitsubishi Motors is now formally part of RenaultNissan Alliance after cash-rich Nissan Motor Co. completed its acquisition of a US$2.3 billion stake in Mitsubishi Motors Corp. Mitsubishi, although in profit in 2015, had been hit by several scandals and quality issues. It expects to make a colossal loss of around £1.5bn this year. Most of that loss will follow the revelation that it exaggerated the fuel economy of its tiny Kei cars for more than two decades.

A Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance has therefore created the world’s fourth-largest auto group, after Toyota Motor Corp., Volkswagen AG and General Motors Co. Mitsubishi Motors current chairman and President Osamu Masuko will stay on as president of the company but it has been officially

Automan’s take Nissan and Mitsubishi have a longstanding relationship, Mitsubishi building some Japanese-market Kei car models for Nissan. This time, Nissan has effectively come to Mitsubishi Motors’ rescue following its admissions to improperly measuring fuel economy and manipulating test data. Secondly, it seems that the current trend of global 18

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industry push towards electrification and autonomous-driving technology is leading smaller carmakers to align with bigger rivals.

One of the keys to making the alliance succeed is how quickly Mitsubishi’s future programs are merged onto RenaultNissan alliance platforms as there’s a great deal of flexibility in the products.

Speaking at the recent Paris Motor

reported that Masuko San has requested that Nissan to also provide a senior executive to join the company’s executive committee to bolster MMC’s management.

Following the transaction, Carlos Ghosn has become Chairman of the Board at Mitsubishi. Beyond any doubt, Ghosn has proved over the years that he is a master business strategist. Nissan can now expect common platform utilisation and joint purchasing will yield savings equal to about 20 per cent of its investment. The two companies have highlighted financial services, pick-up trucks, and plug-in hybrid and electric cars among areas they can complement each other. The even larger Renault-Nissan Aliiance will build over 10 million vehicles a year.

Show, Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said: “This is not a deal where we say, ‘OK, we made the deal, now let’s think what we can do together’. No. The day we announce the deal, we’re going to tell you exactly what we’re going to do together.

And it’s massive. It’s massive between Mitsubishi and Nissan. And also, it may be very significant between Renault and Mitsubishi.”

Despite attracting some flak with current ‘Autopilot’ feature, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced last month that the company will equip new Model S and Model X vehicles with an enhanced suite of autonomousrelated hardware sensors. The full suite of sensors in these cars will offer drivers level 5 autonomy.

This means that they will be able to drive a car to a destination without intervening.

Over the past few months Tesla’s Autopilot feature has made headlines for the wrong reasons. Several fatal incidents involving Tesla vehicles

in USA, China have been recorded.

Most recently is the case of a driver in US who was tragically killed when his car’s Autopilot software failed to detect a tractor-trailer turning resulting in the fatal accident.

Following these incidents, videos of Tesla’s Autopilot software failing to detect other cars on the road have been doing the internet rounds.

This however, doesn’t imply that the software is the only culprit and investigations are therefore looking at other factors before coming to a definitive conclusion.

Meanwhile, German Transport

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Tesla moves forward with advanced autonomous features

Minister asked Tesla to stop using the term “Autopilot” for its cars’ autopilot system on the grounds that it may mislead drivers into thinking that the car can drive by itself.

Automan’s take Getting self-driving technology into its cars, on the road, and functioning properly is something that Tesla is very good at. Autopilot is currently state-of-the-art for self-driving application in a vehicle you can actually buy.

Geely takes next step with Volvo – it’s Lynk!

Geely, the Chinese automaker which owns Sweden’s Volvo has revealed a new product based on Volvo’s Compact Modular Architecture (CMA). In fact, the cooperation has gone a step forward as Geely decided to launch an all-new brand for it. The new brand is being marketed as Lynk & Co. The first vehicle is a compact SUV called the 01 and is not the only

car Lynk hopes to market by 2021.

Lynk & Co claims the SUV is the most connected vehicle ever made and can be shared by anyone at anytime through an open digital platform, like Airbnb for cars.

Lynk’s future product plans include a sedan, hatchback, and crossover.

Power will come from Volvodesigned 1.5-litre three-cylinder

engine or a 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit teamed with a dual-clutch transmission. Power will be put down to the front wheels or all four through an all-wheel-drive system.

All of Lynk & Co.’s vehicles including the SUV will be available with hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, while full electric propulsion is also a possibility.

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The 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor at the Baja race

Ford to revive Bronco SUV nameplate At the Chicago auto show earlier this year, Ford Motors had announced that it was planning to launch four completely new SUV models in the next four years without replacing any of the existing models.

The impression was given that Ford was consciously moving into additional SUV segments with these proposed new offerings.

Naturally, the question that comes to mind – which segments were under consideration and what naming nomenclature since Ford has not released any indication or details about which segments the new models will address against competition.

Interestingly, the revival of the Bronco nameplate seems high on the agenda as strong hints have come from latest a recent contract between the UAW and Ford related to future product production at the Michigan Assembly Plant in USA. The Michigan plant will assemble the Ranger pick-up for domestic uses and the new mid-sized Bronco SUV. The current-generation Ford Ranger is built in Thailand, South Africa, and Argentina, and sold in nearly every market around the world besides North America. The last generation two-door Bronco which ended production in 1996 was based on the Ford F-150 and speculation is ripe that

that Ford could build the Bronco based on the upcoming 2017 Raptor’s mechanicals.

Considering the Bronco will be built alongside the Ranger, it is likely the both models will share the same body-onframe construction and two/four-door variants may be offered.

Automan’s take It is widely expected that it expects to take aim at younger millennial car buyers, who have been slower than previous generations to buy new cars. Reviving an old and familiar nameplate like Bronco also makes sense at this juncture.

Hyundai planning “edgy, dynamic” Juke rival for 2017 On a product overdrive, Hyundai has announced plans to launch a small crossover in 2017. It seems that the success of Nissan’s compact Juke crossover has prompted this move and the new Hyundai product will be designed as a direct competitor for the Nissan crossover.

That’s not all. A smaller 20

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crossover sitting below the Tucson is also in the pipeline which is being designed specifically for Gen Y buyers.

It may be recalled that at the 2011 at NAIAS in Detroit, Hyundai presented the Curb crossover concept. This concept could influence the small crossover planned to come out in 2017.

BrandWatch

Hybrid technology to influence new Toyota Supra

The Concept FT-1 More interesting facts are emerging from the BMW-Toyota co-developed sports car. Interestingly, the technology applications in either manufacturer will be individual.

It seems that Toyota will use its hybridisation prowess and demonstrate to a different audience that electric motors don’t just have to be for improving fuel economy.

The latest piece of evidence has come from Toyota Europe president and CEO Johan van Zyl, who all but confirmed that a performance car with electrical assistance is on the

way. This fact is being treated as concrete evidence related to Toyota’s forthcoming new sports coupe.

“We already have some sporting models with hybrid powertrains on the Lexus side. But on the Toyota side, I think we will find that if we can have a World Endurance Championship racing car with hybrid technology, it can happen on a road car,” said Zyl. Till now, spy shots have revealed the new sports coupe takes its design influence from the FT-1 Concept mixed with styling cues from the last-

gen Supra and small hints of the 86.

Automan’s take Toyota’s latest TS050 endurance racing car combines a 2.4-litre V6 and an electric motor both axles.

The result is a total output of 987hp.

Toyota Motorsport GmbH, which does engineering on the company’s endurance racers, rally cars, and some production vehicles has confirmed a turbocharged hybrid powerplant under development.

Is the newly registered “FT-4X” nameplate Toyota’s FJ replacement?

Toyota phased out the retro-inspired FJ Cruiser from the US market a couple of years ago and also in some other markets a year ago. At the time Toyota did not make any announcement for a possible replacement.

However, there is a ray of hope for a direct replacement based on a recent trademark filing by

Toyota – FT-4X. In Toyota’s product development language, ‘FT’ stands for “Future Toyota” and 4X suggests 4WD or AWD. So, it is definitely pointing towards a possible SUV product. It is widely expected that the stunning FT-1 concept will morph into the next-gen Supra.

Automan’s take We are making a logical assumption based on the fact the FT-86 concept eventually became the Toyota 86.

Honda to debut WR-V

Honda is exploring new avenues in the compact crossover segment. Now, it plans to introduce an intermediate model to slot below the larger HR-V and CR-V. Honda’s new subcompact crossover will be launched in South America next year.

Christened as the WR-V, the subcompact crossover will compete against the

likes of Renault Duster, Ford EcoSport Fiat Urban Cross, VW Cross Polo and the Hyundai i20 Active.

Dimensionally, it can be best described as a Jazz/ Fit on stilts and is also expected to be built on this platform. In South America it will serve as a successor of the Honda Fit Twist.

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Nissan GripZ Concept

Audi to promote electric cars as standalone sub brand Rupert Stadler

Nissan mulling Z sports car replacement?

It’s been on the market for nearly seven years and Nissan’s 370Z is nearly at the fag end of its career and hence there’s a definite interest amongst aficionadas regarding its eventual replacement.

In a recent interview, Nissan Europe chairman Paul Wilcox had this to say when asked about the 370Z replacement: “I think dynamic performance is part of that heritage. I wouldn’t rule anything out, but we don’t comment on our future product.”

It seems that Nissan is

taking its time and looking at technology options and new design references. At the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, Nissan presented the Gripz concept with both hybrid and gas powertrains. In terms of dimensions and profile, the said concept appears to be the best bet. More news about the Z is expected in due course.

Automan’s take The idea of a sporty crossover to replace the Z has been teased for a number of years

by Nissan.

Electric cars on Mercedes-AMG agenda It seems that advancements in electric car technology have caught the attention of performance car manufacturers now.

Mercedes-AMG is the latest name going forward in its efforts towards electrified performance models. This indication has come from Tobias Moers, AMG’s chairman who has confirmed that his company is planning to launch an all-electric supercar in the future in addition to the already confirmed Formula 1-inspired hybrid vehicle.

“We’re working on a lot of projects as well, we have more than one project aside parallel to the hypercar for electrification, hybridization 22

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as well,” Moers said. “There is no plan for 2020 to have an electrified car, but if you ask me that question you will always get the answer that sooner or later there will be a pure electric driven AMG, because that’s going to happen.” Moers, however, hasn’t indicated any time frame for an electric or hybridised AMG variant.

Automan’s take Till now, the only pure electric AMG car to date is the SLS Electric Drive. Produced six years ago, it is still the record holder for electric driven production cars on Germany’s famous Norschleife.

Audi’s E-Tron has become synonymous with electric cars and now Audi boss Rupert Stadler has indicated that all electrically-driven cars will be sold under the E-Tron sub branding. The commercial application of the E-Tron lineup will include as sedan and city car to begin with.

“It is comparable to the first Audi Quattro, which was known simply as the Quattro.

In the long term the name E-Tron will stand for a pure electric driveline structure,” Stadler explained.

This means that the E-Tron badge will also appear as part of the model designation for future vehicles like with the current A3 Sportback E-Tron or Q7 E-Tron. The sedan and city car are expected to join the line up by the end of 2020.

Is Apple withdrawing from driverless car project?

The idea of building and selling autonomous or driverless cars by Apple seems to be fading fast. In its renewed business strategy, Apple is reported to be changing its focus from building its own complete car to developing a flexible autonomous driving system that will allow it to easily partner with existing car manufacturers.

The changes in tact is now referred as Project Titan which come after prolonged

internal struggles over Titan’s direction, management changes and wholesale staff departures.

Last month Apple sacked a bunchload of engineers from its fledgling car division.

However, Apple’s commitment to the project remains strong despite the retrenchments, with the company hiring people whose skills are more closely aligned with the new focus.

Snippets

India # 5 in world automotive production rankings

BrandWatch

With over 2.5 million cars manufactured in 2016 till date, India has overtaken South Korea to stand fifth in the list of world’s largest carmakers. The countries which are ahead of India are Germany, Japan, the USA and China. Last year, South Korea manufactured 4.5 millon cars while India had produced 4.12 million. Production in South Korea has been affected due sales drops in domestic and export markets.

Automobile Lamborghini competition for architects

Lamborghini has announced Lamborghini Road Monument, an international architectural contest that asks participants to design two installations inspired by the brand. The contest is open to young architects, designers and practices who will be briefed to design the entry points to the town of Sant’Agata Bolognese, where the company is headquartered. The goal of the competition is to offer the local area a new identity with two installations which will make a mark on contemporary architecture through their interpretation of the Lamborghini philosophy – “visionary, cutting edge and stylistically pure”.

Pininfarina to build 10 units of the H2 Speed Concept

Pininfarina CEO Silvio Pietro Angori has announced that they are planning to produce a limited run of the H2 Speed Concept dubbed as “a racing car for gentleman drivers”. Unveiled at the Geneva Show in March, the track-only H2 Speed will be mechanically based on a Le Mans Prototype 2 chassis and will be equipped with two electric motors coupled with a rear-wheel transmission from technical partner GreenGT. Prepare to shell out around US$2.5 million if you want one.

Honda to force feed CR-V

In line with its downsizing and turbocharging applications in popular models like the Civic, Honda has similar thoughts for its bestseller CR-V. The soon-to-be introduced 2017 CR-V adopts a more powerful version of the Civic’s 1.5-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder engine and in this application offers 190hp. The flipside is that peak torque is available along a narrower part of the rev range, from 2,000 to 5,000 rpm instead of the Civic’s broader 1,700 to 5,500 revs. This will be the standard engine on all but the very base CR-V. Meanwhile, 184 hp 2.4-litre naturally aspirated engine continues unchanged.

VW Group brands safe despite scandal

The fall out on VW Group’s brand portfolio which also includes Ducati, Scania and MAN following the US emissions scandal seems to be minimal. It was feared that VW Group might want to off load some of the brands to raise money to fund the compensations or fines or both.

VW Group Chairman Hans Dieter Pötsch told the German media recently that none of the company’s divisions were on the auction block as a result. The group is in a good financial situation and there are still options for additional loans, if necessary.

Tata Sons removes Cyrus Mistry as Chairman In a surprise announcement on October 24, the board of Tata Sons, the holding company for the multi-billion dollar conglomerate that spans diverse industries like software, automobiles, steel, tea and jewelry across continents announced the removal of its chairman Cyrus Mistry.

In a statement, the group said, “The Board has named Mr. Ratan N. Tata as Interim Chairman of Tata Sons. The Board has constituted a Selection Committee to choose a new Chairman. The Committee comprises Mr. Ratan N. Tata, Mr. Venu Srinivasan, Mr. Amit Chandra, Mr. Ronen Sen and Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, as per the criteria in the Articles of Association of Tata Sons.

The committee has been mandated to complete the selection process in four months.”

There is intense speculation about the reasons for the sacking.

Speculation is that the causes are linked to the move by the group to exit the British steel industry as well as to a recent falling out in their longterm partnership with DoCoMo for the Indian

telecommunications industry. Early morning indicators show a decline in stock prices across most Tata stocks, although expert commentators attribute this to sentiment rather than any actual risks.

Cyrus Mistry intends to challenge the move by the board in court. In a rather unprecedented manner, the move to remove him as chairman was introduced as one of the ‘other items’ and this may be one of the points he contests.

In the meantime the spat has become uglier, with Mistry going public with various issues within the Tata group, including legacy problem areas around Tata Steel, Tata Consultancy and the Indian Hotels group wherein he says that almost US$ 18-billion worth of write down in value will happen.

He attributes some of his perceived failures as the result of too much interference from Ratan Tata, while he has also gone on record to highlight the interference of the powerful Tata trusts.

Mistry remains chairman of most Tata companies, including profitable Jaguar Land Rover.

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Mercedes-Benz shows off its concept X-class It is the turn of Mercedes-Benz Vans to turn heads. The partnership between Daimler and the Nissan alliance has seen many products being launched in the latter’s stable. For a change, the new X-class is based on the platform of the new Navara and it looks like MercedesBenz has a winner on hand.

The X-class concept is intended to position the new class of vehicles in the Mercedes-Benz lineup in preparation for a 2017 global launch. According to the brand, it will make Mercedes-Benz “the first premium manufacturer to account for the changing customer requirements

in the global segment of mid-size pickups, and it will make the tough one-ton pickup with seating for up to five persons the first to be attractive as an urban lifestyle and family vehicle”.

The concept itself has two distinct variants or flavours. The powerful adventurer variant (in yellow) is meant to highlight the tough, go anywhere, offroading nature of the premium pickup.

Even the interiors are done up in loud colours and offer equipment suited to the outdoors. The stylish explorer is the diametrical opposite, meant to be an urban adventurer’s vehicle, with large

alloy wheels, low profile tyres and classic Mercedes-Benz interiors.

With the pickup, Mercedes-Benz Vans will expand its product range with a fourth model series. At the same time, the brand will become the first premium manufacturer to occupy the promising segment of mid-size pickups. Daimler AG will make investments in the high nine figures (euro) in the new model series by the time of the market launch. It will be launched in late 2017 under the name Mercedes-Benz X-Class. The key markets will be Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, Australia with New Zealand, and Europe.

Hyundai releases images of 2017 Hyundai Azera Ahead of the car’s launch in Korea next month, Hyundai Motor has released images of its brand new Azera (also known as the Hyundai Grandeur in Korea).

The car’s lines reflect a more aggressive design language with a sweeping profile and a prominent three-dimensional treatment of its new grille.

The headlights are also 24

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wraparound, with scooped out light points.

The interiors reflect a departure from the old Hyundai cabin, with hints of the Genesis interiors coming through, although the centre display is markedly different from the G90. Hyundai may need to look at keeping the two interiors distinct.

Volkswagen USA has announced the launch of its new 7-seater midsize SUV – the Volkswagen Atlas – targeted specifically for the needs of the US market. The new seven-seater SUV for the US market was unveiled on Santa Monica Pier at the end of historic Route 66.

The new Volkswagen Atlas SUV is built on the MQB platform (the group’s modular transverse engine platform) and is offered with a choice of two engines – the 2.0-litre TSI turbocharged inline 4-cylinder engine with 238PS as base and the larger 3.6-litre V6 VR6 engine with 280PS. Both of these are offered with the new 8-cog automatic transmission and is available in either front wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD) options.

The Volkswagen Atlas will be sold in the Middle East by the end of 2017.

The Volkswagen Atlas is targeted at a niche in between the VW Tiguan and the VW Touareg in terms of market positioning and will be manufactured

GlobalNews

Volkswagen USA launches new Volkswagen Atlas SUV

at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga plant alongside the VW Passat.

“This is the biggest and boldest Volkswagen we have ever built in the United States, delivering the distinctive design and craftsmanship we’re known for, now with room for seven,” said Hinrich J. Woebcken, Volkswagen CEO of North America Region.

The 7-seater Volkswagen Atlas has a length of 5,037 mm, a width of 1,979 mm and a height of 1,768 mm.

These generous dimensions make the vehicle a genuine seven-seater. The vehicle also debuts with the latest

generation of electronics including the Volkswagen digital cockpit instrument panel and a networked environment that includes Apple CarPlay. Android Auto and Mirrorlink.

The Atlas offers a selection of premium SUV driver assistance features. Depending on the equipment line, these include: Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC); Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking (Front Assist); Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Traffic Alert; Lane Departure Warning (Lane Assist), and Parking Steering Assistant (Park Assist).

Rolls-Royce announces fashion collection

JLR showcases connected vehicle technology Jaguar Land Rover showcased its latest Connected and Autonomous Vehicle technologies as part of the UK Autodrive demonstrations taking place at HORIBA MIRA. In a UK first, Jaguar Land Rover is working with Ford and Tata Motors European

Technical Centre to test connected technologies that will allow cars to talk to each other as well as the roadside infrastructure, such as traffic lights, in the future.

JLR is creating a fleet of more than 100 research vehicles for testing over the next four years.

The House of Rolls-Royce has announced its Spring/ Summer 2017 Couture collection. Signature detailing in vibrant colour will complement pallettes of classic white as Dawn is Inspired by Fashion.

Under the stewardship of Design Director Giles Taylor, a team of talented designers were handpicked from the worlds of

fashion, fine textiles and luxury accessories including textile specialist Cherica Haye from the Royal College of Art and leather technologist Michelle Lusby who previously worked at Mulberry.

They have conceived and executed Bespoke commissions with a depth of inspiration far beyond the traditional palette.

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CoverDrive

Luxury with intelligence Author: Raj Warrior | Photography: Author and Supplied

The second significant model from Volvo’s SPA platform, the Volvo S90 brings all the highlights of the XC90 to the sedan form. The car was introduced to the region’s media in Oman. Automan drives the car and draws some quick impressions

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olvo Cars have a clear agenda. They believe that the new top end of their stable that evolves from their SPA platform architecture, including the XC90 and both the S90 Sedan and V90 wagon will serve to push them into the territory that is so hotly contested by the German luxury marques – namely the premium E-segment of the likes of the 5-series and E-class.

That does call for a huge amount of

conviction to back their new products. Like we were told by Emre Karaer, the regional head of the brand, the S90 is nothing like their S80, which was itself reasonably popular. The new plaform has allowed the brand to make a car that truly represents a premium drive, allowing them to tailor the platform for specific virtues. The S90 thus will also get a long-wheelbase version that builds on the luxury interior, but that’s very China specific.

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When you see the Volvo S90 come up in the mirror, its combination of Thor’s Hammer headlights and common family styling may fool you into thinking it’s a slightly flatter XC90. The difference is all in the profile and rear end

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So, what exactly does the S90 bring to the market? And what do we have on offer that makes it a real competitor?

For starters, the platform looks like it has been engineered to meet Volvo’s oftstated goal of zero occupant fatalities by 2020. The body is now lighter than ever before, with aluminium used in the crumple zones while the occupant shell is largely boron steel. The material breakup is shown on page 32.

The wheelbase is 2941mm on a body that sits a little short of 5 metres. What this means is that the resultant front and rear overhangs are nicely limited at 873mm and 1149mm. You have to remember that the car is on a primarily front-wheel drive platform and thus the packaging has to be really nice in order to effect these ratios.

The platform itself allows for variations of almost all the dimensions except the distance between the front axle and the front firewall, which is fixed.

The styling uses all the new elements made mainstream by the XC90, including the Thor’s Hammer style headlight assemblies, full LED lights, newly prominent grille and logo and the use of a gentler, more rounded profile. The front fascia is very reminiscent of the XC90 but other than that the car does have a distinct identity. We really liked the profile and the primary ratios as we already described.

Even the use of chrome inserts around the car is kept at a rather subtle level, so much so that the lovely white colour of the test car paired up well with the shiny bits and

helped bring out the character lines along the profile.

But once you get to the tail, you really need to be a fan of this particular design language to appreciate it. Somehow it reminds you of the busy tail of the new Honda Civic and here it doesn’t do any favours for the shape. However the light signature will be unique.

Now open the doors and get into the interiors and there is the main difference.

You are reminded at the presentation and in real life about the uniqueness of Swedish design. The minimalistic cabin is centred around the large display that doubles up as the main controller although the essential audio and climate control units get small buttons and so too do the seat ventilation units on both sides.

The controller is called Sensus and it offers a huge degree of integration including the audio, navigation, vehicle drive settings and even proper pairing with Apple CarPlay, which uses a horizontal bit at the bottom of the vertical display unit.

The nice thing about the system is its tap to open panel structure and swipe across for various independent functions.

The audio system is really top of the class. It is an 18-speaker Bowers & Wilkins unit with a subwoofer that is integrated into the structure itself. What this does is fine tune the sound delivery at each of the four corner seats as well as provide a level of anti-noise damping for the various acoustic levels filtering in from the engine and the road.

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If there is any single shortcoming of the S90 in front of German competition, it should be Volvo’s dependence on a 2.0-litre engine pushed to perform the role of a larger V6. This is at a time when the 6-cylinder engine is seeing a rebirth elsewhere

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The other highlight of the cabin has to be the new seat construction. Between the dialled in steering feel and the nicely adjustable seat, the cockpit is a welcoming place, with the sort of seats that allow for a long drive with complete comfort.

The cockpit environment is further customised by the use of completely digital IP panel displays. The standard orientation is with speedo and tach roundels but the display adapts depending on the drive mode selected. The car also gets both heads-up display as well as night vision partnered with CitySafe and a more evolved system integrated with automatic pilot and collision avoidance not just for vehicles but for large animals as well, with the system recognising the living beings through their heat signature.

The automatic pilot is supposed to be good enough to lead a train of vehicles on roads with proper road markings.

The system uses cameras to read the road as well as the road signages (all the standardised ones at least). It communicates these to the driver as well

as using the input to pre-program the vehicle’s response to the road ahead. The odd bit is the fact that the car’s ability to sense the road extends beyond the usual reading of painted lines to realising where the edges are even on unmarked roads.

The steering moves on its own as long as there is a grip on the wheel. It doesn’t try to do the Tesla trick of taking over the steering completely.

The car is very much a technology showcase and nowhere is that more apparent than in the department of the engine and gearbox combination.

Here too, the S90 will be available with the petrol engine’s T5, T6 and T8 levels, although this really means that you get the 2.0-litre engine with trubocharger (T5), with supercharger and turbocharger (T6) and the two assists with an additional inline motor assist to offer the T8 spec.

The core performance idiom is that from the very beginning the car has been designed around the 4-cylinder engine, so Volvo have had to use technology to fill in the gaps in outright power.

The best of the combinations and definitely in terms of value versus the power offered is the T6 engine with its combination of supercharger and turbocharger that operate together till the 3,500rpm mark. What this does is fill in the gaps in the turbos ability to spool in power just above idling so that the car sprints off when the pedal is applied.

As if that isn’t enough, the engineers have also used the power of compressed air to add to the spool up. What the system does is keep a two litre air tank charged up and every time a quick takeoff is required the air is pushed into the turbocharger’s circuit to hit correct revolutions quickly.

All the cars we had on the media drive were of a similar spec level with the T6 engine, although one did have a bunch of accessories fitted on that included a factory designed rear spoiler lip, five-spoke alloy wheels and bits and pieces around the skirts and front and rear bumpers. All the cars had the T6 engine option with the automatic eight speed gearbox.

The T6 engine is a beauty. It is rated at 320 horsepower and offers a torque of 400Nm all the way from 2200-5400 rpm. In these cars the additional bit of hardware was that they came with the AWD layout, which in essence is front-wheel biased but can offer a full split back to the rear.

That being said, let’s not underrate the T5 engine. Though it lacks the supercharger, the engine does offer 254hp on a car that weighs in from only 1800kgs.

The eight speed gearbox offers overdrive on the top three gears and you can feel the engine go into a form of coasting very early on, especially if you choose the Eco mode of drive.

The drive modes in the car partner with active suspension control built on the top of the line spec air suspension. In effect the car loses out the extra bits of the XC90’s ride and drive mode controller that are specifically meant for off-road operation.

Here the focus is on either a comfortable magic carpet ride or a sportier handling and stiffer ride. Don’t expect a full blown sports sedan.

Somehow, Volvo have managed to bestow the S90 with a classy profile that simply outpaces both the front and rear fascia for elegance NOV 2016

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Classy leather on wood finish, Swedish minimalism and that multifunctional tab-like centre console highlight the quality of the upmarket cabin of the S90. This is definitely class-defining along the lines of the XC90.

Volvo have arguably the best automated pilot currently in a mainstream car. Our test car even recognised the shoddy unmarked roads around Yiti and Sifah Volvo Cars has developed an innovative way of delivering instant turbo response in diesel engines providing a distinct performance feel that many car makers struggle to achieve in their diesel variants.

PowerPulse works by drawing air from the air filter via a compressor to a pressurised two-litre air tank.

When the driver wishes to accelerate quickly during launch and during low-speed driving, the air is fed by a valve into the exhaust manifold to feed the turbo. This has the effect of delivering a quick and responsive pulse of power.

While Volvo has always been recognised as a safety oriented brand, the new SPA architecture brings with it an increased focus on weight reduction coupled with occupant survivability

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Driving Impressions Our test drive route wasn’t really too extensive or taxing. From the comfortable environs of the Barr Al Jissah hotel complex, the convoy of cars headed out towards the lunch stop at the Sifawy resort further down the Muscat coastline. You do get some straight stretches, but there is also a fair share of sweeping curves and tight two-lane roads.

The Volvo S90 is a class cabin to be in.

You hardly hear the engine come on when you twist the stop/start button and you have to keep the drive mode in sport to avoid the obligatory auto switch off.

The T6 engine is a wonder. We know that more companies are likely to follow this path in the future, but you certainly don’t expect the small capacity engine to haul away the car so fast. As you open up the engine, there is just a semblance of an extra roar, with any real noise in the form of a rumble from the tyres.

As we pointed out earlier, the driver assist functions are very prominent in their feedback. You can feel the steering vibrate and correct itself ever so slightly, but you never really have the guts to just let the wheel do the full bit and take over, albeit with your hands on the wheel. The issue is that we aren’t really made that way at all.

The steering feel is completely artificial though you still do get a good semblance of feedback from the column.

What was even more surprising was that the feel of the car is equally good from the rear seat. The cabin’s extra volume is evident in the increased legroom and while a new longer wheelbase version will debut, the company will also be selling a four-seater limousine spec in this wheelbase length.

AWD is very predictable. You really do expect the car to understeer, what with that hefty torque being applied to the front axle. But there is enough of a redistribution and some active vector management to try to mitigate this.

The car also actively helps you steer in, especially under power Verdict The big question that needs answering is how does the S90 stack up against the likes of the BMW 5, Mercedes-Benz E-class and the Audi 6. The stated objective is to take the battle to that segment and in that the product leaves very little to be desired.

It doesn’t of course have the little bit of edginess or particular character traits of these cars. The quattro on the Audi still remains by far the best interpretation of

AWD there is among these type of cars but the Volvo system does have its appeal.

The main three differentiators we see playing a part are, firstly, the taste for a particular ambience (of course the S90 does offer a bit of fine tuning in terms of light colour and intensity), but more broadly of the ambience of the interior.

Clean, broad lines, a very well defined colour palette with neutral tones and a minimum of dashboard clutter define the Volvo S90.

The second differentiator is in the readiness to accept the powertrain based on its actual performance over details like number of cylinders. The T6 will change anyone’s mind, as long as the disciple is willing to learn. The engine packs in a lot of surprises, including some of the best efficiency and emission levels.

Lastly, we believe that the price will be the draw. Admittedly, Volvo cannot really discount the car too much against any of these cars, but the way the prices have been going, they won’t need to. We believe the T5 version should begine at around RO 19,000 or thereabouts which does make for a very compelling case for the S90. Yes, the S90 will also be costlier with the T6 and T8 engines and top spec levels. And yes, it will get a Polestar version.

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RoadTest

More Magic Carpet than ever Author: Raj Warrior | Photography: Elvis John Ferrao

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This drive of the Mercedes-Benz S400 L happened as a direct result of our previous drive of the BMW 740Li. How does the car stack up against the new age displays and features on the Beemer? Automan tests the Stuttgart Titan in an ‘uncomparison’ drive

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e don’t get too many instances like this. The folks at MercedesBenz Oman had read our review of the BMW 740 Li and were curious to know what we would make of their new S-class? And we had actually commented in the story that we hadn’t driven the car yet, so they very kindly went about making it happen.

What would we make of the MercedesBenz S-class? It would really take a naysayer with an ego the size of the Burj Khalifa to begin to try to dissect the flagship sedan for faults. After all, the brand really made its mark with the large luxury car through most of its history, whether it was as the chariot of choice for second world war

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Germany, or the remarkable breed of the SEL cars right up to the current day.

Admittedly, some model generations didn’t quite measure up to the charisma of the marque, but with the last two platform generations, the W221 and 222 the car has really regained the pinnacle.

So what is it that the Sonderklasse brings to the table? At the launch of the new S-class in May of 2013, Dr Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG and Head of MercedesBenz Cars said, “Rather than being about safety or aesthetics, power or efficiency, comfort or dynamism, our aspirations were ‘the best or nothing’ in every respect.

No other car stands for the Mercedes-Benz brand promise more than the S-Class.” That

the brand has delivered on the promise is quite evident. Despite all the other model churn happening the S-class is still the go to model for almost everything related to luxury transportation, whether it is of 5-star hotel guests, airport limousines or for heads of states.

The S-class styling helps the car keep its appeal as a luxo-barge. We are back to the character of a big, beefy sedan with a prominent prow, a profile like the walls of a castle and a tail that has just that accepted degree of rearward taper that connects to the idea of richness. there really is no other fascia that’s quite ‘in your’ face as the S-class projects. You see the LED light signature in your rearview mirror and the

likelihood is that you will move out of the way of this monolith.

But the styling still avoids going down the path of depicting the car as a slab-sided behemoth. The volume is built up almost gradually as the taper of the front fascia devolves into the rising hoodline. The large wraparound headlight assembly takes car of the move towards the sides, with a dipping swage line across the fenders and doors serving to add an almost nautical feel of a raised prow. The proportions of the car really communicate with you. In the long wheelbase version, there is almost no matching the wheelbase of 3,165mm on a 5.2-metre long car. Despite the car being just a whisker under the 1.5-metre mark in

height the overwhelming feeling you get on the profile is of horizontal presence.

The rise and fall of the body shape matches well with the swage lines and the little trick of a not really flat bottom for the greenhouse.

The rear of the car is also designed to emphasise the width of the car. Every element draws your eyes across the width, from the chrome strip across the boot to the taper of the bootlid shutlines.

The S-class debuted with the tagline of being the first car without any light bulbs, of course referring to the way in which modern day diodes have taken over the role in so many ways. The front and rear lighting is thus very much a technology

The latest iteration of the S-class brings a shape and road presence that make it instantly identifiable.

In terms of styling, the evolution has been to a more muscular idiom, while keeping the classic proportions intact

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paradise, with greater visibility, efficiency and reliability built in. The light signature of the car is both dramatic and clearly identifiable in an instant.

However, all of this serves as much a preamble as it serves as a curtain-opener.

The interiors of the car are really where you want to be and even in the lowly S400 (for the badge) you get a real cornucopia of cabin opulence.

The dashboard is dominated by a huge digital panel which even migrates across to a panel for the instrument cluster. The decision to move away from the crafted analogue dials must have been a hard one for the brand, since it is so much more difficult to add a sense of elegance and opulence to the virtual dials. It is the conundrum facing watchmakers around the world and Mercedes-Benz managed to pull it off by the use of an almost chrome like effect in the graphic rendition with the dials being framed by the rich wood of the steering wheel.

Here is an area where the S-class really sets itself apart. While it uses the tech of the large display, it still doesn’t allow the dashboard to get swamped under by the panel. Rich wood and leather trim combined over the multi-layered surfaces of the dash allow your eyes to absord the elements associated with pure luxury.

Our test car had a very light interior and that in itself could have been almost sterile, but no, you can feel the way in which the designers fought against toning down the cabin. From the swirls on

the brushed aluminium speaker covers to the highly polished wood surfaces, to the precisely tailored leather - the message is clear. The customer is paying for a lavish interior and he or she should get it.

The lavishness also extends to the seats, available with massage functions

and adjustable all around, the amount of mechanisation means that you can go from relaxed couch potato to reasonably snug performance driver seat in seconds.

And you have to factor in the L. The long wheelbase is meant to bring out the S-class appeal for the rear row occupant, who usually owns the car. The legroom and headroom are among the best in class while the large tunnel really isn’t conducive for the occasional centre seat occupant. The trim specification for the

400 doesn’t extend to the displays for the rear, but you really can’t complain about the cosseting seats and the roominess.

Of course, the mood lighting with its range of colour choices and intensities also extends to the rear of the cabin and so does the effectiveness of the sound system, which at the top of the range is a Burmeister 24-speaker arrangement, with almost 1500W on offer. Mercedes calls the experience by the term 3D surround sound.

The engine is the aluminium intensive 3.0-litre V6 with biturbo assist that outputs a healthy 333hp and 480Nm of torque. Remember now that the car gets the latest technology but the 9G-tronic gearbox was introduced after the launch of this generation of S-class.

Which brings us to one of our pet peeves – more gears in a gearbox are usually about fuel efficiency, not performance.

In the S-class, the 7 gears available are obviously more than sufficient for the job, with only the top two gears really being about overdrive efficiencies.

Driving Impressions The S-class gets its priorities right. It puts on show all the quality surfaces and textures, light and sound and comfort.

When it comes to the essentials of driving performance and ride, it elects to keep all its bells and whistles hidden away, just doing its job right.

The driver facing controls for drive modes essentially toggle between

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The instrumentation with its focus on the large display panel manages to present information in specific zones – you get the traditional IP related stuff right in front, with secondary information and buttons on the divider between the screens.

Of course the car gets hard keys for audio and climate control as well as steering wheel mounted inputs as well as paddle shifts to complement the gear stalk.

While our test car had the AMG kit on board, it was still the S400. But even at this level, the interiors of the car shine as far as quality goes.

And it’s the AMG styling kit that brings along these larger than life alloy wheels.

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comfort and sport. The gearshift itself stays on the stalk, not having migrated to the centre console yet. You can opt for a tightened ride quality and specify the ride height. But under the skin, the tailor’s elves are hard at work to ensure that you don’t ever need to ask for more. Take a speed breaker on comfort mode and the nose dips as you come out of it. Take the same speed breaker in sport mode and you barely feel it. The car is scanning the road ahead and preparing the chassis for the dance of suspension give and firming up. While this model year doesn’t have the latest generation distronic and auto pilot on it, the S-class does have these driver aids on their catalogue, including the ability for the car to navigate curves and brake automatically.

But the real thrill is a rather competent powerhouse that is ready as soon as your foot is - you can connect to all the S-class drivers out there who seem to be always at the speed limit or over it. Takeoff is more than decent with even the 400 spec hitting the standing 100 in a slice over 6 seconds. The pleasure of having a biturbo unit with classy engine management and direct injection hits, with the car making quick work of the need for speed.

Admittedly, the way in which sport mode and sport suspension setting combine is far more to our tastes, so we decided to

keep it on that combination.

The body is tight, obviously the generous use of high-strength steel counts for a lot. But now the car also has more than 50% aluminium in its structure and the manufacturing process has resulted in a very stiff shell. On sport mode, with the stiffened suspension, you can literally ride rough shod over potholes and undulations and the body isn’t shaken. The NVH levels are also dramatically low. You can get the engine to growl and some of that comes into the cabin, but there’s hardly any road or wind noise and no squeaks at all.

The car also has defined a new low in aerodynamic resistance with its 0.24 Cd figure. This too helps in the quieter cabin.

Take the car at speeds around curves and you can feel the safety systems feather your speed and the car’s shift of mass. You can feel the tail fighting the laws of physics and thankfully Isaac Newton loses almost always, with the degree of electronic nanny onboard.

Verdict At the outset we had mentioned the natural competition to the S400 L as the BMW 740 Li. However, all through the report itself we have chosen to steer clear of comparisons so that you get a good idea of what the S400 has on offer.

And comparing these two cars is actually

counter-productive because you assume it’s a zero sum game. You could fall back on some of the old clichés – the BMW is the driver’s car as opposed to the Merc that’s more about the rear seat occupant, except that it isn’t only this. What the S-class does very well is to project a certain bling and opulence and road presence, while the 7-series elects for a subtler approach. The wood gleams in the S-class, while the metal gleams in the Beemer. The Merc way is to bring in loads of modern technology and push it in under the skin of the car, while the 7 revels in presenting a more gadget driven experience. Even the drivetrains are really cheese and cheese, a V6 versus an inline six, both massively boosted.

Yes, the seven still handles a little stiffer right out of the box, has the more business like interiors and the feel of technology running wild. But somehow we get the feeling that Mercedes-Benz is very comfortable with its connect with old school luxury, a slightly subtler approach to tech interfaces and a focus on offering the standard in comfort.

The buyer for the S400 L is going to be influenced by these characteristics of the car, as much as in its ability to cosset him or her through the daily drive. And it doesn’t really matter anymore whether he chooses to drive or be driven – the car delivers on its promise.

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RoadTest

It’s good to be this bad Author: Raj Warrior | Photography: Elvis John Ferrao

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Maserati’s Levante seeks to bring the battle for Sports SUV right into Porsche and Range Rover territory and it succeeds due to some brilliant engineering and those Ferrarisourced V6 engines

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he breed of top end SUV is becoming more crowded. You get most of the traditional offerings from Range Rover, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and Porsche, with a further choice of Japanese and American models that are beefed up and gentrified versions of mainstream model lines. But the utility vehicle in general was never an Italian forte and it took the acquisition of the Chrysler Jeep and Dodge group by Fiat to give them the muscle and means to address this lacuna in their lineup.

Of course any company that owns the development process behind Jeep already has an advantage as far as going off-road is concerned. But just going off-road isn’t

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enough for the breed of premium SUV. The performance angle largely covers the on-road performance of the vehicle and in that territory you don’t have to look out of your own stable if you are Maserati.

Of late, Maserati has really worked at becoming a volume player, with some rather fanciful figures being quoted which see more than 50,000 units being sold.

Remember, Maserati used to only deal in models that were a couple of notches below the Ferrari level, with the odd overlap in pricing. So when you get a model of the likes of the Ghibli that is targeted bang against the premium E-segment cars from Germany, you know that the brand is really serious about the target.

Seen in that context the Levante is really the best next move for the brand.

While it has the Quattroporte at the top end, the Ghibli to bring in the volumes and the likelihood of the Alfieri taking over from the outgoing GranTurismo and GranCabrio, it is the Levante that should do for the brand that which the Cayenne did for Porsche all those years ago.

So, coming back to the Levante. It is a further development of the Ghibli platform, following the path of the bulk of the crossovers. You take the unibody structure of the sedan and then move upwards, adding in ground clearance, larger wheels, more travel on the suspension and the finer bits of the all-

wheel drive system tuned to loose gravel and sand. And if you can afford it then also add in air suspension and ride height control. The Levante has all of that.

The styling of the Levante takes all the cutting edge styling elements of the Ghibli and builds on that. The LED ‘eyebrows’ of the light assembly bridge the high intensity LED headlights. The grille with its chrome on black 3D treatment sits around a rather large Trident and the fascia itself is dominated by the almost shark snout like feel of the hood dropping away to the grille. The additional set of foglights are mounted high leaving the entire lower airdam area and its honeycomb matrix free to ventilate the engine and wheels.

The profile has some very Maserati cues that extend beyond the three vents over the fenders and the trident on the C-pillar. The half glass on the C-pillar, the thrust forward front-axle and the raised haunches of the fenders are all classic Italian touches.

The rear has a certain familiarity about it, with initial references to how Infiniti it looked. But the combination does tend to have a logic about it and we would expect some fine-tuning of the rear end midmodel life cycle.

The interiors are completely unique to Maserati. There are hints of the Ghibli’s design and layout but there’s more headroom and the seating is slightly more

AT A GLANCE

Maserati Levante ON SALE Currently in showrooms ENGINES 3.0-litre V6 turbo engine with 430HP @ 5,750rpm and 580Nm@ 1,750 -5,000rpm (Levante S) 3.0-litre V6 turbo engine with 350HP @ 5,750rpm and 500Nm@ 1,750 4,750rpm (Levante) TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic ZF AT8 - HP70 LAYOUT 5-door, 5-passenger, front-engine, RWD with available Q4 All Wheel Drive with rear limited slip differential SUSPENSION Double Wishbone, adjustable Air Springs, Skyhook shock absorbers and rear Multi Link, adjustable Air Springs, Skyhook shock absorbers DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 3,004mm Length: 5,003mm Width: 1,968mm Height: 1,679mm PERFORMANCE Levante S 0-100 km/h: 5.2 secs Top speed: 264 kms Levante 0-100 km/h: 6.0 secs Top speed: 251 kms NOV 2016

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The Levante S has the charm of the Ghibli and its intenseness, but the added utility of the higher ride height and 4x4 controls. When you hit the right drive mode controls and the exhaust burbles, it’s difficult to remember to tone down your enthusiasm 46

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vertical in posture. But the overwhelming feel is of a sports car like snugness, with the deep tunnel serving to segment the cabin into twin cockpit areas.

The tunnel is also surprsingly wide, allowing for the inclusion of a twin armrest that opens upwards with its barn-door like arrangement to access the deep storage compartment. The dual cockpit feel is further highlighted by the leather clad dashboard that sweeps outwards from the central display.

The display panel is one of the highlights of the new cabin. The system integrates a host of disparate functions while sitting on top of a combined switch panel that offers immediate aircon and audio controls including phone buttons.

The display is carried over from the Ghibli and does show some commonalities with the wider CJD parts bin, but it has been tailored specifically for Maserati. the skinning is intuitive to use. Most of the immediately required controls are anyway on or around the steering wheel.

The gearshift lever is brought over from the Ghibli and is just a touch irritating to get used to. The catch is that the switch over from D to R is never really clean, you either end up hitting manual +/- shifts or go straight to P. It seems to be because the evolution of the shift from the CJD model has necessitated a more logical +/- layout along the front-rear axis, with the negative in front. Perhaps a further stop or gate is required to keep the manual controls out of the normal plane.

The width of the tunnel also results in the entire gearshift, drive mode and scroll wheel assembly sitting on the driver’s half, with the passenger half dedicated to a flip open cupholder assembly.

The 8.4” display aggregates the phone functions too. With a new system called AHA, the unit uses the phone’s network connection to offer live netork audio feed to supplement the radio channels on offer.

The car’s seating arrangement offers comfortable volume for five occupants, with the rear centre point being slightly challenged for legroom due to the tunnel.

But access is good, rear tailgate functions are all automated and the sound system is definitely worth blasting out loud.

The engine is the next big reason you would want to be in the Levante. Maserati tell us that the car is named after a warm, gentle wind in the Meditteranean. Once the heavily boosted 3.0-litre V6 rumbles into life there is nothing gentle about this Levante. The engine is a V6 unit that is supposedly designed and built by Ferrari in Maranello. The basic difference between the Levante and its S version is in the output from the V6 engine.

In both of these cases the engine remains a 3.0-litre unit matched with twin turbochargers. Of course the difference in output is a combination of different levels of direct injection control and turbo boost available. It seems a little unfair that there can be so much of a difference from what is essentially the same block.

In the S, the 430hp output is mated with a huge 580Nm of torque. You would be able to make the Levante dance with only half of the eight gears on offer. Combine this with the car’s Q4 AWD system and you get a rather intelligent drive that compensates for your inability to handle slippery surfaces. The car can handle sand as well as most other performance SUVs although the first requirement is to have a decent set of offroad tyres in place of the NOV 2016

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The Maserati Levante interiors display a dual cockpit layout with a large central tunnel and prominent door grab rails resulting in snug seating. The car is very prominently badged, almost like the brand doesn’t want you to mistake it for anything else.

The Levante S comes with the more powerful version of the Ferrari made 3.0-litre V6 twin turbocharged unit. here it delivers 430hp and 580Nm of torque across the rev band.

The marque’s 8.4� display combines most functions including system readout and internet feed selection although it is still easier to use the lower switch panel.

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low profile rubber on the S. The car shows a schematic of the power delivery on the central 8.4” display and you can see that the system defaults to a 20:80 front-rear split in most cases, although there are occasions when you go all on the rear too.

The car offers a selection of drive modes from Normal to I.C.E to Sport setting and getting an additional off-road setting.

Ride height control is also standard with a selection of ride heights including two that really help, one at the very top to ford obstacles as well as another that allows the car to settle 25mm lower to offer easier access.

This system is built on the Maserati Skyhook active suspension, aluminium suspension components of the car’s double wishbone and multilink layout and additional electronic controls that offer torque vectoring and off-road slip control.

Driving impressions At the outset, let’s say we like the idea of being behind the wheel of the SUv with the trident badge. It may not be the most effective offroader in town but it certainly is the one of the best performance vehicles out there. When you sit in the raised seat,

the road view is better than in the Ghibli, but you still get the same sense of connect and there is absolutely no retuning of drive habits. The car is almost sedan like in its ability to hug the road.

The engine is of course the best part of the equation. Put the car in Sport and everything tunes itself for a bit of hard driving. The suspension tightens up, the engine revs up ever so slightly and the dials show an appreciable different graphic. The engine roars with its natural symphony when the baffles are opened out in the exhaust and the rumble adds energy to your foot on the accelerator pedal, adding to the takeoff.

The Levante somehow seems to be slightly more intense than the Ghibli S. The weight distribution is almost exactly 50:50 front rear, but you hardly feel the rear as you drive through the curves. The grunt available results in enough neck snapping pulls away from slow speed and there is no hesitation from the gearbox. You’ve to remember that this is a proper automatic gearbox, not an automated manual.

Steering feel is slightly more distant than on the Ghibli but the suspension is so good we wish our regular cars had these as standard.

Verdict The Levante has been brought to market to capture market from the traditional premium crossovers. It does seem to be well kitted out for that despite its styling that got a mixed response from experts.

The strengths of the Levante are the very powerful engine, rather decent AWD system and the quality of the interiors. The Skyhook suspension and air ride height control are also major plus points.

When seen in the showroom, the car looks like it is much more of a presence than the Ghibli and its pricing is so close to the sedan that it may actually cannibalise sales from the car.

However, the brand hopes that the actual sales acquisition is from SUVs like the Cayenne, GLE and X5. For that is the real target segment and the kit carried by the Levante, including leather and wood and high grade interiors is all meant to empower it against competition.

But finally, the buy is going to be about the badge. Would you rather buy a popular German premium badge or the exclusive Italian one. That is exclusive until everyone else in town decides to buy one to help Maserati hit its 50,000 unit mark. But the Ferrari engine is still worth it.

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FirstDrive

Volkswagen has set out to reinvent its popular Tiguan with an allnew platform, some modern styling and a good powertrain that makes it more than handy both on-road and off the beaten path.

We check it out on a trip to Jebel Akhdar

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Crossing over to the completely changed Author and Photography: Raj Warrior

T

he ubiquitous little Volkswagen Tiguan has been through a whole model life cycle and now presents itself in showrooms with a new look, some great new improvements in kit and powertrains and a whole new energy behind it. After all, the compact SUV has been one of the hottest sellers for the brand, with up to a quarter of all the brand’s sales in Oman being linked to this popular model line.

In order to introduce us to the model and give us an opportunity to drive it, the local importers organised a media test drive with the regional press office.

The drive took us from the showroom in Muscat to the fantastic vistas afforded by the Alila Jebel Akhdar based above the Sayq plateau in the hills of the region.

As a destination, you could hardly ask for anything more Omani. And the car was a decent companion, with a collection of nicely specced 2.0-litre turbo powered Tiguan being divided up between the group, two to a car, with us getting an SEL. The Tiguan is now a whole new generation, not just a reskinning of the existing car. The first generation survived almost a full decade with part upgrades along the way. The second generation was only unveiled in 2016 and this car is subtly different. For instance, because of the development of Volkswagen’s modular platform strategy over these years, the Tiguan gets the benefits of the MQB platform right off the bat. It is lighter, significantly more composed and better equipped for modern times.

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The Tiguan served to define the previous generation of small crossover and now brings more power, a better chassis and a heavily upgraded passenger cabin to the equation. It will no doubt continue to be a popular choice among the region’s buyers

The Tiguan has also benefitted from the new styling language of the brand.

It looks closer to the current day Golf family, with the broad horizontal theme of the grille and headlights with LED piping as part of the kit. The shape had a bit of a clean up, with a slightly edgier design language that is complemented by the toning down of the round edges of the previous design. The proportions have changed ever so slightly, with a larger wheelbase of 2,677mm affording better legroom at the rear.

Like all modern makeovers, the largest change on offer is in the cabin.

Technology has put the best of modern day consumer electronics at the disposal of car brands and Volkswagen is no exception, cleaning up the cabin, moving infotainment and navigation to a modern high resolution display and offering in the SE and SEL trim the Volkswagen digital cockpit (that we have seen before in group products from Audi and Lamborghini).

The cabin now becomes a very driver biased arrangement with the centre console tilted ever so slightly towards the driver and with all the activity on the dashboard being either at the IP binnacle or on the central riser. You do get a rather odd combination of everything moving to the touch screen as a sign of

being top of class and then having dial type airconditioner controls below that.

But these dials are actually more form than a necessity, it’s just how the brand has chosen to lay out the digital control set for the aircon.

Everything is very modern indeed with small touches saying that the brand has thought the process through – like the larger monitor’s ability to sense when your hand is nearing the surface and presenting a pop up menu in anticipation of the need.

Additionally, the system also integrates Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink to make the infotainment environment an extension of your life.

The seats have also been reengineered with a specific focus on improving usability. The design looks distinctly modern and the second row gets slide position adjustment as well as that of the backrest. And the seats fold down almost flat to increase the luggage volume from 615 litres to 1,655 litres.

High tech manufacturing has kept the vehicle at a low weight that begins at 1,645kgs dry.

And all of this works very well with the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine and sevenspeed DSG gearbox on the SEL trim level.

While the new entry level on the model is taken by the 1.4-litre turbocharged

unit, the SEL really manages to highlight the best of the current breed, that is until it is joined by the Sport with its Golf GTI sourced 220hp engine.

The SE and SEL’s 2.0-litre is rated at 180PS and offers a torque of 320Nm from right above idling to almost the 4,000rpm level. This translates into a 0-100 figure of 7.7 seconds, something our co-driver was very keen to check out for himself although that meant pulling off the road every few kilometres. The vehicle tops out at 208 km/h and comes equipped with the 4Motion all-wheel drive system that defines the capabilities of modern VW group crossovers.

Here you get the ability to toggle the drive modes through a selector that broadly tells the system whether it is on the highway, climbing and off-road or in snow. The off-road setting brings with it both hill climb assist and hill descent assist although the latter is only up to 40 km/h and holds you back on the undulating roads of Jebel Akhdar.

Driving Impressions The Volkswagen Tiguan is a handy not so little crossover. We can understand why it has been so popular, but also see why so much of the driver mix is female oriented. It presents an easy way to stay high off the road, large mirrors, NOV 2016

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The real strengths of the new Volkswagen Tiguan are linked to its MQB platform’s lightness and superior torsional rigidity.

Add a very responsive 2.0-litre turbocharged engine and the phenomenal seven-speed DSG gearbox on that and you are looking at a decently peppy machine.

The interior upgrade is as marked, if not better defined. The electronics are all modern with integration to any type of phone (depending on the sytem’s release in the region). Apple CarPlay is anyway available.

One of the benefits of opting for top spec is the difference it makes in terms of the external light arrangement. That assembly is worth it.

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offerings like an immense panoramic roof and easy opening tailgate, airbags all around and a level of performance that allows you feel as if you can get this little mountain goat over anything.

The engine is peppy and draws a huge performance boost from the deep lungs of the turbocharger. There is just a hint of initial reticence and it’s off, taking the gears smoothly through to the next level.

Since you are left to choose the Sport mode by tapping the lever a notch back from the D point, you may miss it at first, but once you put the system in sport, it takes you straight there the next time till you tap back once again to return it to D. A very convenient arrangement, but one that you have to learn.

The handy paddle shift and shift lever located +/- ability is really useful on the roads as you descend from Jebel Akhdar.

The engine allows itself to be used for the braking process, revving all the way up into the 5,000 level and you never really need to step on the brakes other than at corners and for a bit of feathering.

We also managed a bit of an off-road run although that was more of a dirt path leading to a lookout point over one of the numerous valleys in the region. Hardly a real test of the car’s 4Motion system but then we expect to do a proper road (and

offroad) test at some other time. Here, the common group of variously skilled drivers found the going just a bit iffy due to a minor rocky crossing point.

We did of course manage to take the car on a deeply rutted climbing dirt path as we went scouting for a vantage photo point once we got down to Birkat Al Mauz.

The chassis bottoms out in deep ruts, so it is better to try to hit the high points with your wheels. The engine and 4Motion can take a bit of loading up and the body is tight enough to skip over the obstacles with a couple of bounces.

Verdict The Tiguan has undergone an upgrade that makes it very current and modern. If you were ever in the market for a 2.0-litre crossover, you would surely look at the new platform, considering that they have managed to keep the approx RO 9,000 odd entry point. However, that level only offers the 1.4-litre turbo engine and 2WD so you really do need to shop the variants properly according to your need.

There’s no doubt that the Tiguan will continue to be popular and be a mainstay of the Volkswagen model lineup, though increasing competition from the likes of the group’s own Audi could affect the sales of the top end models.

AT A GLANCE

VW Tiguan ON SALE Currently in showrooms ENGINES 2.0-litre i4 turbo engine with 180PS and 320Nm 1.4-litre i4 turbo engine with 150PS and 250Nm TRANSMISSION 7-speed DSG 6-speed DSG (1.4) LAYOUT 5-door, 5-passenger, frontengine, FWD with available 4Motion AWD PERFORMANCE 0-100 km/h: 7.7 secs Top speed: 208 kms NOV 2016

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Special

Feature

Meet the Ten Best stars of the show Author: Chandan Basu Mallik

The latest edition of Paris Motor Show concluded a few weeks ago and this year a few major brands did not attend. Those who did were able to steal the limelight and the focus out here was hybrid technology applications and future design ideas besides the usual array of production car introductions. Here’s Automan’s snapshot of the best from the show.

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Cool Hatchbacks

Cool Hatchbacks

KIA Rio Kia Motors presented its Gen IV 2017 Euro-inspired Rio hatchback with the promise of giving it the roomiest interior in its class and also the biggest cargo capacity. As a refreshed car, it gets a new infotainment system with connectivity options thanks to the integration

of both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. A segmentfirst safety feature is going to be the availability of autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian recognition. The new Rio will be available with a turbocharged, threecylinder 1.0-litre engine with around 100hp on tap.

Nissan Micra Nissan’s entry level model, the Micra gets a revolutionary makeover. As an all-new product, the Gen V Micra goes on sale next year. The incoming car’s looks are said to be inspired by the Sway concept from this year’s Geneva Motor Show featuring Nissan’s signature V-motion grille, squared-off rear end with the integrated roof spoiler and rear door handles cleverly concealed in the C-pillars. A trio of small gasoline and diesel engines will be available, with outputs rating from 75 to 90 horsepower.

Hyundai i30 Barely weeks after the 2017 Hyundai i30’s online debut, the sharper, modern car and its upmarket cabin fits perfectly with the brand’s moving upward philosophy.

European design cues are evident such as the large, downward tapering grille and swept back taillights. The flowing roof signs off into the roof-mounted spoiler.

The interior continues the exterior’s premium feel with. A large windscreen and sunroof allows the cabin to brighten up and for a change Hyundai’s designers also use brightly coloured trim. Standard models come with a five-inch infotainment system, and more expensive trims benefit from an eightinch unit with navigation.

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Cool Crossovers

Cool Crossovers

Audi Q5 The second-generation Audi Q5 SUV was one of the key launches from the German brand at Paris. The Q5 is Audi’s best-selling model globally, underscoring its importance to the German brand.

Like its predecessor, the Gen II Q5 takes the Q7’s chiselled looks and technology in a smaller package.

Audi has managed to both expand the Q5 in every direction and also trim nearly 80kg of flab through a mix of “maximum tensile strength” steel and aluminium. On the features front, the car benefits from Audi’s advanced driver information system packaging which includes a large 12.3in TFT display, also known as Virtual Cockpit, on top of the 8.3in MMI display atop the central console. MMI takes a page from Apple with its Personal Route Assist. The Q5 uses a 252hp 2.0-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder petrol and four TDI powertrains.

Suzuki Ignis Suzuki of Japan may have moved out of some of Europe’s markets but the brand continues to make interesting news time to time. The Ignis nameplate is being revived with an interesting design concept inspired by production models like the Gen I Cervo and Vitara blended with a hint of the Swift hatchback. Quirky yet appealing, the new Ignis manages to stand out from the current crop of highriding vehicles in its class.

Mercedes-Benz SLC The German premium brand presented the current SLK replacement which will henceforth be known as the SLC as per the new naming system. According the Mercedes, the name change is to acknowledge the “traditionally close relationship with the C-Class” where “much of the roadster’s technology is derived”, and can be differentiated from its SLK predecessor by the diamond radiator grille and reworked lower front valance.

The new rear wheel-drive two-seater roadster receives a pricing reshuffle, new engine options, improved safety technology, and the only manual gearbox in its entire passenger-car range. Powering the new SLC180 – available with a six58

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speed manual or no-cost nine-speed torque converter automatic – is a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol, producing 115kW of power and 250Nm of torque, marking the return of a sub-2.0litre engine into this segment.

Standard equipment on the SLC180 includes 18in wheels, satellite navigation, leather interior, heated seats, reversing camera, digital radio and Apple CarPlay connectivity. With peak torque available from 1200-4000rpm, the baby SLC will accelerate from zero to 100km/h in 7.9 seconds, or 8.1s with the automatic transmission option ticked, before hitting an electronically limited top speed of 210km/h.

Cool Concepts

Cool Concepts BMW X2

After using a familiar recipe to make a “coupe” profile out of a production crossover and crerating two models that look basically the same ahead of the rear doors, it seems that formula is about to change as BMW designers are now looking beyond cut and paste design ideas.

The Concept X2 could be described as a genuine revolution in BMW’s crossover SUV design. Instead of simply taking an X1 and sticking a fastback hatch on it, BMW has re-imagined its crossover coupe approach and created a strikingly attractive sporty little crossover.

Lexus UX Lexus UX Concept is the brand’s way of communicating its future design language. Like the NX concept, the UX concept was designed in Toyota’s studio in the South of France based on “inside-out” concept. In flesh, it appears with an overdose of body sculpting, flared wheel arches, muscular haunches, short front and rear overhangs in a profile that factors in the absence of a B-pillar quite convincingly. The stand out design feature is the unusual design presentation of the wheels in relation to the mudguards. The large 21in wheels actually extend into the tyres.

Lexus says it used laser carving to cut into the tyre sidewalls and then integrated the wheel spokes into rubber. The interior implements Lexus’ Kinetic Seat Concept for the first time and the cabin has got some fascinating detailing with “deconstructed” styling elements.

Mercedes Generation EQ In a way, Tesla’s success with electric cars has been closely watched by big players from Europe. Daimler has also shown interest and has quietly spent more than two decades in developing viable emissions-free motoring solutions. It seems the German set-up is now ready to move forward. Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche has insisted the fully scalable powertrains and architectures would give his company a battery-electric family of an SUV, a sedan, a wagon, a coupe, two- and four-seat convertibles and more.

The Generation EQ concept is a realistic indication of the brand’s thinking in this respect. All of them will be promoted under new sub-brand ‘EQ’.

Mitsubishi GT-pHEV Mitsubishi GT-PHEV Concept is the third iteration of the Japanese brand’s “Form follows Function” renewed design philosophy.

The concept presented is also being viewed as a possible replacement of the current Outlander. The GT-PHEV concept previews some new technology applications. The new system previewed uses three electric motors and a 2.5-litre petrol engine combo for propulsion. The plug-in hybrid package is intended for other future products. In the Outlander replacement, one 120bhp electric motor is used for the front wheels, and two 60bhp motors for the rear wheels. In the Outlander, power for the motors is generated by the petrol engine which can also directly drive the wheels or comes via the ‘next-generation’ battery pack under the floor.

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BikeLane

Anticipating the BSA revival

The author’s 1953 BSA A7 Star Twin

Long time classic BSA owner and Automan’s consulting editor Chandan Basu Mallik shares his excitement over the recent announcement by India’s Mahindra & Mahindra of a takeover and potential revival of the BSA brand.

The reaction to news of one of Britain’s iconic brands BSA [Birmingham Small Arms] being acquired by India-based Mahindra & Mahindra in October 2016 was met with both joy and scepticism across the globe. Thanks to the net, social media portals went abuzz and even debates started over its future.

So what is BSA and when compared to the revival of another British motorcycle marque like Norton or Brough Superior.

Why is it so significant? To understand these and more, we need to look back a few decades.

Touted as one the most innovative and profitable enterprises in Great Britain whose history can be traced to the Crimean War 1850s, the enterprise shot 60

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into prominence in early 1900s as the country was preparing for the then war eventualities.

Essentially, BSA began its business with local craftsmen in the Coventry area making firearms for Allied Forces. Popular firearms included the Lee-Enfield .303 rifle and Lewis machine guns.

By 1884, BSA diversified its business into civilian applications and started building bicycles. The next logical thing to do was to power bicycles with small engines. The experiment proved so successful that the company began making and selling its own motorcycles by 1905. From the very beginning of its business, BSA invested in core in-house capabilities which helped it dominate when most motorcycle

manufacturers were practically ‘cottage industries’ that relied on parts brought in from suppliers.

The two decades plus from the mid1930s through the early 1960s could be considered as the golden era for BSA in the motorcycle business, a period when the company was the world’s largest producer of motorcycles.

Most motorcycles sold were single cylinders with side valves or flat head arrangement and BSA was no exception.

But, by 1926, BSA engineered a brand new OHV (over head valve) designed Sloper single which was a huge commercial success.

While cash rich BSA dominated the world for many years, they failed to

Editor’s choice: Top 10 BSA models BSA’s product portfolio had an interesting mix of machines with various engine architectures ranging from under 125cc single-cylinder two strokes, 350/500cc single-cylinder four strokes, 500/600cc parallel twin four stroke, 650cc triple cylinder and 1,120cc V-twins. and extremely popular, even in India.

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C10/11/12: the ‘C’ family started out as a reliable 250cc four-stroke side valve air-cooled portfolio, but the engineering prowess that BSA had was evident in the success models where OHV was introduced on the same crank base structure ensuring reliability and stress free maintenance.

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Late 1940s A7/A10: among the notable bedrock family of parallel push rod twins. The solid architecture is still in vogue today with many modern motorcycle brands adopting it.

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1970s Road Rocket: it was the brand’s first radical three-cylinder road bike

B31/32/33/34: Single-cylinder four stroke 350/500cc machines with both civilian and military applications.

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1966 441 Victor: among the very popular unitised dual purpose bike models.

1971-73 BSA B50: considered as the punchy middleweight in the line-up. It was the last of the 500cc unit-construction singles with alloy engine.

recognise or even anticipate threats to the motorcycle business from the fast rising manufacturers from Far East, Japan in particular. The first taste the Japanese were coming to rule was indicated strongly at the Isle of TT races in early 60s. This wave caught the British motorcycle industry unaware and illprepared to tackle and when realised it was too late. Sadly, BSA stumbled their way into receivership and obscurity in the nineteen seventies.

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1910 BSA 3½ hp: the first motorcycle was exhibited at the 1910 Olympia Show, London for the 1911 season.

The entire production for 1911, 1912 and 1913 was sold out.

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Bantam: One of the well loved classic perennials, as the name denotes, it was the brand’s lightweight champion two-stroke machine displacing 125-175cc. It was among the longest serving model series

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1927-35 Sloper: when this machine was introduced it was considered as an engineering masterpiece.

Also known as the S-Series, it featured uniquely angled 493cc overhead valve and side valve engines.

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1919-38V-Twins: for 18 years, BSA showcased its engineering supremacy through V-architecture engines displacing 500c-1,000cc using OHV and side valves.

These machines were marketed under the G, J and Y Series.

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The author’s 1942 BSA C10

My association with BSA motorcycles can be traced my college days in early 70s. It was an aspiration to own one as in those days you had to be resourceful, have a deep pocket and have ‘expect the unexpected’ mindset. I was able to purchase a basket case plunger 1953 A7 Star Twin which had the basic parts but needed detailed TLC for its restoration. Imports to India were very much restricted after the 1947 Partition and hence OEM spares were becoming rarer by the day. A detailed rebuild in those days [70s-80s] required a good parts resourcing, innovation and lots of patience and experienced mechanics.

This machine was developed by BSA as its 500cc vertical twin as a direct competitor to the highly successful Triumph 500 Twin and arguably is one of the finest looking and performing machines machines to come out post war from Great Britain. This surefooted pushrod twin displaced 495cc and produced 26bhp. This particular variant has a limited production run from 1953-54.

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A bigger sibling A10 displacing 650cc was also produced and was better known as the Golden Flash. With further improvements to suspension and engine outputs, these models metamorphosed into A50 and A65 respectively. Privateers also entered races with these machines and BSA even produced high output variants. Interestingly, when Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy Engineering decided to enter the motorcycle business they built the first Kawasaki twins under licence from BSA and badged them as ‘W’. The A7 family machines were among top models very much cherished by owners due to its decent handling and strong construction.

Residual values have sky rocketed over the years!

The second BSA machine I own is a 1942 C10 250cc single cylinder side-valve four-stroke mated to 3-speed gearbox in a rigid frame. Side valve technology was the mainstay for many models and it found favour in war machines that BSA produced for Allied Forces. As one of the key war contractors for motorcycles

and other items, the group emerged from the war stronger and richer. In fact, 130,000 side valve motorcycles for the forces were produced! Despite its small displacement this machine was designed for day-to-day use and also represented BSA’s superiority in that era of motorcycle manufacturing as in those days most motorcycle manufacturers operated like ‘cottage industries’ depending on key components like engines, gearboxes etc from suppliers. The bedrock design of the crank case was taken forward in the coming years and also supported overhead designs of successive models like the C11 and C12s. The key feature of the C10 was low ride, compact and uncluttered design with a decent chassis balance and handling capabilities. The first application of a basic hydraulic front shock absorber system also was introduced in this model. The first variants came with mechanical girder forks. The third BSA I own also comes from the C12G family. The evolution of the model series is quite interesting.

Biking News Triumph introduces new Bonneville-based Bobber model

THE CHALLENGES FOR MAHINDRA WITH BSA MOTORCyCLES Even with savvy marketing methods, the overwhelming majority of buyers still rely on word-of-mouth recommendations from family and friends. With a brand that went out of circulation in 70s, there is no modern history or to refer to.

The motorcycle industry is now clearly segmented worldwide and hence product specialists have to decide which segments to look at carefully and then develop appropriate products.

As far as the motorcycling business goes, it isn’t entirely unknown territory for Mahindra. Mahindra Two Wheelers Limited (MTWL) was established in 2008 after the parent company Mahindra & Mahindra Limited acquired select assets of Kinetic Engineering which produced scooter using Honda technology. For the development of its scooter line-up, MTWL partnered with Taiwan-based Sanyang Industry Company (SYM) and Italy-based ‘Engines Engineering’ which provides research and product design based support. In 2011, MTWL became the first Indian company to participate in FIM Moto3, Motorcycle Racing

Championship. Mahindra’s presence in two-wheeler business in India is more or less established and there is some presence in motorsports which can help in the organisation’s global aspirations with the newly acquired brand.

The options for consideration could be retro-inspired like Triumph, Royal Enfield or modern cruiser or sports machines.

Then there’s the issue of deciding on displacement and number of cylinders and drive train besides chassis and suspension design. Whether Mahindra will develop all the technologies including modern applications and features like advanced electronics, ABS, variable valve management, Tiptronic gearing among others inhouse or will involve specialist set-ups is not clear as of now.

Besides engineer and product categories, the nomenclature system will also have to be examined. BSA has used specific names, numbers, combos over the years for their bikes. So, this would be a good time for qualitative market research to suggest optimal routes.

Last month in London, Triumph introduced a new factory designed model for the line up. The flexible character of the Bonneville T120 platform has allowed Triumph designers to create a classic profile in an all-new Bobber-styled motorcycle. Bobbers are characterized by their minimalist styling, low riding design and are widely believed to have been born of a tradition that began in the USA in the 40s.

The Triumph Bobber features a retuned 1,200cc parallel twin engine from the T120 that’s been programmed to deliver more torque and greater low-end grunt. It offers a low stance, single seat, wide flat bars, minimal bodywork and headlight, sculpted tank, wire spoked wheels, ABS and that all-important hardtail look. While sporting the old style looks, in terms of features, the bike is pretty modern as it comes with traction control and drive selectable riding modes: Road and Rain. Switchable traction control is standard and to help reduce driver fatigue, there’s torque assist clutch, which is designed to reduce clutch lever effort for the rider. Triumph has put in a genuine effort to accommodate comfort and convenience features for a wide range of riders.

India chosen as global hub for BMW small bikes BMW Motorrad has announced that it will make India its hub for its smallest displacement bike, the G310R which will hit markets soon. The development and production of the G310R will be done with TVS group which is also in the motorcycle business. The G310R was designed and developed by BMW Motorrad at Munich in Germany, while the production will be done by TVS Motors at its Hosur plant in Tamilnadu. The bike’s 313cc single cylinder engine is mated to a 6-speed gearbox and produces 34bhp and 28Nm of torque. The G310R will hit markets in early 2017. TVS will also launch its version of the the co-developed product for domestic markets.

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PreView

Discovery reinvented Previewed by the 2014 Discovery Vision Concept, the all-new 2017 Gen V Land Rover Discovery will bring new levels of sophistication, desirability and capability to the Discovery family Author: Chandan Basu Mallik

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aguar Land Rover has restored the Discovery nameplate for the incoming fifth-generation 2017 sevenseater SUV. While remaining visually connected with the Range Rover Sport and Discovery Sport, the 2014 Discovery Vision Concept has a lot under its skin to be talked about.

The incoming car is built on Land Rover’s aluminium-intensive Premium Lightweight Architecture (PLA) platform, which also underpins the Range Rover and the Range Rover Sport. It is 4,970mm long, 2,220mm wide (mirrors out) and 1,846mm tall, making it 141mm longer but both narrower and lower than before. Its 2,923mm wheelbase has also been increased by 38mm. These revised dimensions have allowed product specialists to optimise the exterior and interior packaging to all new benchmark levels.

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As a result, the car sports a new and quite dramatic design language which also is a radical departure from previous models, the LR4 in particular.

Interestingly, it retains some of the established Discovery DNA features like the stepped roof and characteristic C-pillar. New Discovery weighs from 2,115kg unladen.

Dynamic appearance of the vehicle was one of the priorities and hence a lot of attention has been paid in its detailing with sculpted surfaces, jewel-like headlamps and a faster raked windscreen angle. The state-of-the-art daytime running lamps with a distinctive new light signature also break the Discovery tradition nicely.

In profile, the sheetmetal appears to optimise volumes and proportions and wheel arches come with its distinctive castellations. At the rear, the LED rear

lamps have a horizontal orientation while the new one-piece tailgate delivers replaces the previous models split arrangement. A larger opening has been provided to make loading and unloading luggage easier and a carefully shaped rear spoiler plays a significant role in minimising dirt accumulating on the tailgate. Overall, the streamlined design detailing also ensures the car is the most aerodynamic Discovery yet, with a drag coefficient from Cd 0.33 to Cd 0.40.

The cabin presents itself as highly versatile seven-seat interior and as a premium product has been endowed with a completely new interior. The modern dashboard is highlighted by a large 10in touchscreen display powered by the company’s intuitive InControlTouch Pro infotainment architecture. The reconfigurable system includes advanced features such as door-to-door navigation,

downloadable apps and Wi-Fi connectivity for up to eight devices. Interestingly, Discovery’s trademark stadium seating arrangement has been incorporated for all occupants to enjoy excellent forward visibility. Numerous storage compartments and several USB charging points have been provided. Extra cargo space can be created by sliding the second-row seats slide forwards and backwards by 160mm. Other convenience features include Intelligent Seat Fold -- powered second- and third-row seats that can be raised and lowered both by switches and also by a smartphone app.

As always, the new Discovery will be offered in several trim configurations and depending on the level, the grade of feature options will be provided.

Panaromic roof, adaptive LED headlamps, 21in and 22in alloy wheels are among some of the factory kits available.

Depending on markets, customers will be offered a choice of powertrains including 3.0-litre supercharged petrol V6 with 340hp and 332 pound-feet of torque, or a Td6 turbodiesel of the same displacement. All engines including the 2.2-litre four-cylinder are paired with a smooth-shifting eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox. According to Land Rover, the V6

petrol variant will do the 0-100km/h sprint under 7sec. The suspension architecture is mounted on optimised steel front and rear subframes. The fully independent suspension uses a wide-spaced doublewishbone layout at the front and an advanced multi-link layout with an integral link at the rear.

The car will come with all-terrain capability with driver selectable pre-sets.

The car gets four-wheel air suspension, ground clearance can be up to 11.14in, and individual wheel articulation is listed at 19.7in. The car also benefits from the latest version of Land Rover’s Electric Power-Assisted Steering (EPAS) technology which also supports New Discovery’s Terrain Response 2 function by varying the steering feedback depending on the friction level of the road surface. The adoption of EPAS has also allowed Land Rover’s engineers to provide Park Assist technology. Another piece of technology comes from the Range Rover Evoque is innovative AllTerrain Progress Control technology (ATPC). The unique system allows the driver to set a crawl speed ranging from 2km/h up to 30km/h. Meanwhile, twospeed transfer box comes as standard kit and its fully synchronised ‘shift on the

move’ system allows the driver to swap between high and low ratios without having to stop the vehicle, at speeds of up to 60km/h.

Even with generous ground clearance of 283mm, combined with an approach angle of up to 34°, a break-over angle of 27.5° and departure angle of 30°, the car has auto height level adjustment for getting in and out of the stationary car in models fitted with air suspension. The vehicle body height drops by an initial 15mm when the ignition is turned off or a passenger unclips their seat belt and when the door is opened it lowers further by an additional 25mm to reduce the step-out height by its maximum of 40mm.

The vehicle returns to its automatic ride height or the height manually selected by the driver when pulling away.

The Activity Key, Land Rover says is another first in the large SUV segment and allows owners to lock and unlock the vehicle without the need to carry a conventional key fob. The Activity Key is activated by holding the wristband up to the ‘D’ in the rear Discovery badge.

This locks the vehicle and disables the conventional keys, which can be left safely inside the vehicle.

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PreView The ‘5’ grows up Seventh generation G30 2017 BMW 5 Series breaks cover prior to official Detroit 2017 debut Author: Chandan Basu Mallik

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he first images and details of BMW’s volume bestselling model have been released following a series of teasers. Career-wise the model has sold over 2.1mn units and hence holds a significant status in the line-up.

The incoming car which shares its platform with the 7 Series appears conservative but does convey a soft evolution of its predecessor as it retains its familiar profile but comes with marginal dimensional differences.

At 4,935mm, the car is 36mm longer, 6mm wider at 1868mm, and at 1,466mm it’s 2mm taller. The wheelbase has also been extended by 7mm and now stands at 2,975mm. More emphasis has been put into the feature pack and detailing to ensure that it retains its status as a business class sports sedan with a host of premium class technology applications.

The design team under Lebanese origin design director Karim Habib has ensured that while remaining faithful to the established design directives. The sheetmetal surface treatment on the car’s side could be seen as the biggest area of design attention and the design influence from the top-of-the-line 7-Series doesn’t go entirely unnoticed out here too. And for the first time, the 5-Series brings together two traditional BMW design elements which are usually separate from one another. The first one is the swage line turns up as it heads rearwards and secondly, the sweeping up the Hofmeister kink in its path rather than continuing into the rear. Meanwhile, up front the car’s nose gets an enlarged version of the kidney grille and LED lamps are fitted right across the range, similar to the stuff found in the current 7 Series.

While, the new detailing provides pleasant aesthetics, there are functional benefits too. For instance, detail optimisations have been incorporated to reduce the drag coefficient by 10 per cent when compared to its predecessor which means the car sports Cd of 0.22 now, a figure which can be considered as a benchmark for sedans. Helping the aerodynamic efficiency are elements like the active air flap control for the radiator which NOV 2016

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BMW love to load the cars with technological complexity and the incoming car is no exception.

Clever manipulation in design has ensured more space in the cabin than the outgoing model.

opens the louvres in the kidney grille and lower air intakes when more cooling air is required. And then you have a set of air curtains built in the front apron designed to cut air turbulence in the wheel arches.

Optimised trim and airflow channelling elements have been fitted along the whole length of the underbody.

The interior of the car is as expected and comes with a lot of direct influences from the 7 Series. BMW love to load the cars with technological complexity and the incoming car is no exception. Clever manipulation in design has ensured more space in the cabin than the outgoing model. Rear headroom and all-round elbow and shoulder room have been enhanced. The driver centric dashboard has also been lowered and door openings have been optimised to make it easier to get in and out. On the practical side, there’s a 10-litre gain is boot space which stands at 530-litre and trunk now has a wider aperture for convenient loading/ unloading of items.

In terms of handling packages, xDrive four-wheel drive will be offered across much of the range and can be mated to lowered M Sport suspension for the first time. Petrol engine options include the 2.0-litre 530i with 252hp and the 3.0-litre straight-six 540i with 340hp. Diesel driven markets will be offered specific powertrains.

When offered to customers around the globe, the car will be known for its suit of advanced driver assistance features like the optional adaptive cruise control and steering assistant that uses the car’s sensors to help keep it in its lane on a motorway at speeds up to 208km/h. The car’s ability to park by remote control is being touted as a key USP. This system which made its debut on the 7 Series and is offered as optional in the 5 Series allows the driver to manouevre the car using the car’s touchscreen remote control. This joins automatic parking that can steer the car into parallel or bay parking spaces without driver input. From a marketing side, BMW will also offer its Sport Line and Luxury Line equipment packages for the incoming model.

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PreView

The ‘X’ factor With the all-new X-Class, Mercedes-Benz formally enters the mid-sized lifestyle pick-up category Author: Chandan Basu Mallik

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nveiled in Sweden last month in production ready concept form, the Mercedes-Benz pick-up represents the brand entering into an all-new market territory in select markets.

The product is one of the fruits of codevelopment with Nissan-Renault Alliance and Mercedes-Benz are keen to promote X-Class as the world’s first true premium pick-up for the modern urban lifestyle.

Most of the hardware comes from the Alliance partner and hence it is mechanically based on the Navarra’s ladder platform. And that’s where similarities end with the donor platform.

While Nissan’s Navarra is a workhorse, the X-Class pick-up has been designed and packaged as a lifestyle vehicle with typical Mercedes attributes and flair when it comes to comfort, safety, options 70

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and accessories. As the current trend dictates, Mercedes has opted for the double cab option which can comfortably accommodate five adults.

From the styling perspective, the pick-up’s design remains faithful to the brand ethos and hence pools in several cues from other models in its expressive and dynamic appearance. The X sports extremely short front overhang and long rear overhangs and two long character lines on the sheetmetal completing the side profile. The front end appears as an evolution of the SUV models which carry a large powerdome on the bonnet and headlamps extending far into the wings.

The SUV family borrowed front apron and the flared wheel arches add to the sense of width. The design influence of the single-louvre grille with Mercedes star

logo comes from the family of coupés.

The flared front and rear wings make room for a wide track and large 22in tyre/ wheel combinations. The rear sports the familiar chromed SUV trim at the lower edge and a continuous LED light strip.

Inside, the pick-up gets a full on car-like treatment which means it is oriented towards comfort, luxury and conveniences. Natural nubuck leather has been used extensively along with oakwood trim. A lot of influences have come from the fashion industry, according to Mercedes-Benz and seat design takes cues from the sedans. The dashboard gets a car-like free-standing high-resolution central display as well as the central controller and multifunctional touchpad. All telematics functions can be controlled with the touchpad by

Globally, the market for non-commercial double cab pick-ups has been growing steadily and Mercedes honchos think it is a good enough opportunity not to be missed using gestures or by entering letters and characters.

Depending on markets, various powertrain and drive options will be available for the mid-sized Mercedes entrant. Both 4- and 6-cylinder diesel and petrol engines will be offered in 4x4 or 4x2 configurations. The smallest displacement is expected to be the 2.3-litre engine found in the Navarra while the top-of-the-line variant will be powered by a V6 diesel in combination with 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive.

The advanced Mercedes all-wheel-drive system combines an electronic traction

system, a transfer case with reduction gear, and two differential locks. The traction system and the electrically operated on-demand differential locks channel the power to where traction is best. Under extreme off-road conditions, the rear differential and the inter-axle differential can be locked. This will make it possible to safely master difficult obstacles and inclines. The X-Class will be able to haul more than 1.1 ton and its high torque will enable towing capacity of up to 3.5 tons.Modern driver assistance systems in the pick-up will be based on a combination of cameras, radar and

ultrasound sensors.

The first markets will be Brazil, Argentina, Australia, and South Africa followed by Great Britain and home country of Mercedes-Benz Germany. The Mercedes pick-up will be manufactured with cooperation with the RenaultNissan Alliance which is now six years old and going strong. Production for the European, Australian and South African markets will start at the Nissan plant in Barcelona, Spain, in 2017. Starting in 2018, the X-Class for the Latin American market will roll off the assembly lines at the Renault plant in Cordoba, Argentina.

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PreView

The SVR touch!

Author: Chandan Basu Mallik

Jaguars Land Rovers’ Special Vehicles Operations has unleashed two genuinely aggressive cars with ‘R’ badging. The second recipient of this badge is the F-Type 72

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hen Automan had an opportunity to interview John Edwards, Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations at the last edition of Dubai Motor Show, we discussed in depth about the mission of SVO and its business plans. The message from Edwards’s was very clear. He said SVO was more than just a restoration set-up for classic or vintage or a bespoke creator of cars for Hollywood flicks or special one-off projects. Edwards at the time said that his pool of engineering talent were capable of producing exceptionally capable cars from the existing portfolio of models under the guiding SVO philosophy of pushing the boundaries of the core JLR range in three directions -- in terms of luxury, in terms of all-terrain performance and in terms of sports performance.

And within months, the fruits were delivered as promised. The F-Type Coupe is among the first variants to roll out with full on SVR treatment.

So what’s the deal and business objective for the F-Type SVR project?

The brief is pretty simple and straightforward: the SVR treatment means that both the F-Type Coupé and Convertible are to deliver supercar performance. In the brand’s portfolio,

the F-Type R is already a benchmark in the sports car segment but this model represented the starting point for development of the F-Type SVR. To do this, engineers looked into every opportunity to exploit the lightweight aluminium sports car’s full potential while retaining its inherent tractability and dayto-day usability.

We are aware that weight reduction without performance penalties is a must for any performance car which uses a stock model as its starting point. The SVR F-Type is 25kg lighter than the AWD F-Type R. Further weight reduction is possible with options like Carbon Ceramic Matrix brake system and carbon fibre roof.

The first job which SVO has done and is visible is the exterior aerodynamic profiling. The front bumper sports larger air intakes with revised charge air coolers.

Bonnet vents have also been redesigned and the large the rear deployable wing delivers reductions in lift whether in the raised or lowered position. In Normal mode, the wing deploys once vehicle speed reaches 96km/h and 110km/h for the Convertible and Coupé respectively.

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enhancements, enables a reduction in the F-Type SVR’s drag and lift coefficients of 2.5 per cent and 15 per cent respectively compared to the F-Type R with spoiler deployed.

When the SVR’s wing is in the lowered position, the corresponding improvements are 7.5 per cent and 45 per cent.

The luxurious interior of the car has not been compromised and SVR customers will be pampered with some bespoke options when ordering the cars. Meanwhile, the familiar cabin comes with Jaguar’s latest connectivity systems. Driver gets 14-way SVR Performance seats finished in Jet black leather with a distinctive Lozenge Quilt pattern, contrast stitching and micro-piping and headrests embossed with the SVR logo. Customers also have the option of Siena Tan or Red leather. The shift paddles are larger than those in other F-Type models.

Unseen are certain revisions to the chassis set-up. The rear anti-roll bar is thicker and valves inside the continuouslyvariable dampers have been revised and the control software recalibrated. The front anti-roll bar diameter has been reduced slightly and there’s unique tune for the car’s Torque Vectoring system.

Adopted from the F-Type Project 7 under the bonnet is the latest evolution of Jaguar’s 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine which has been remapped to deliver deliver 575PS power and 700Nm of torque. The engine is mated to an eight-speed Quickshift transmission with revised gear ratios. The car

has been provide with driver selectable driving modes and with the DSC system it is possible to manipulate the traction control system (TracDSC) or switch it off completely.

The car comes fitted with a new and lighter by 16kg performance titanium Inconel exhaust system capable of withstanding higher peak temperatures. Compared to the F-Type R’s stainless steel system, Inconel’s increased thermal resistance meant that wall thickness could be halved to just 0.6mm. The new system also delivers an even more distinctive, purposeful, harder-edged exhaust note, especially once the active valves in the silencers open. The four exhaust tips are unique and are stamped discretely with SVR logos.

Keeping the car glued to the road are wider 265- and 305-section front and rear tyres (10mm wider than the F-Type R). Meanwhile, the torque on-demand all-wheel drive system’s Intelligent Driveline Dynamics (IDD) control technology has also been revisited and duly optimised to ensure optimum torque distribution between the front and rear axles and across the rear axle.

Fitted as standard in the SVR is Jaguar’s Super Performance braking system featuring large, 380mm and 376mm front and rear brake discs. Serious enthusiasts can also opt for Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) braking system and this set up will offer larger 398mm and 380mm discs and six- and four-piston monobloc callipers and comes with brake prefill system for optimised braking performance.

Jaguar has launched a 320km/h F-Type SVR which joins a 550bhp Range Rover Sport SVR launched last year

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Mexico too goes to Hamilton – title race hots up with Rosberg It seems that with each race the competitive intensity is peaking and so is acrimonious behaviour. At the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City, the battle for podium position one and two was almost nonexistent and very much as expected, but it was the fight for third spot that seemed to be the centre of interest.

Meanwhile, a lot of things were being talked about in Mexico. Among them was defending world champion Lewis Hamilton’s stellar performance which led to his charismatic victory over Nico Rosberg. With this win, Hamilton is in the record books tying with Alain Prost as the second most successful racing driver in F1 history with 51 wins.

For Hamilton, it was his second sweet victory in a week following his superb performance in the United States.

With this win, only 19 points separate Hamilton and Rosberg with just two races remaining.

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel track battle with Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo was the hot subject of debate. Sadly, the acrimonious battle late in the race also spilled over into the post-race podium ceremony in a rather nasty manner.

So what was the reason for such a

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situation? Well it seems pole-sitter Hamilton is partly to blame. In his attempt to stay ahead of Rosberg who was second on the grid, considering that the circuit was a difficult one, the battle for supremacy saw the cars locked up at the first corner and Hamilton went into the run-off area and gained a huge advantage ahead of the German. Rosberg also went briefly off the track as he was muscled off by Max Verstappen.

For this uncharismatic manoeuvre, Hamilton was surprisingly not penalized for gaining undue advantage by the stewards. Meanwhile, Rosberg managed to stay in second place and later admitted that he didn’t have the pace needed to stay with Hamilton. Rosberg’s focus was to retain the second place as he needed the numbers to keep his chances of winning the championship.

However, despite a decent performance, a tactical mistake at Turn 17 on lap 50 of the 71-lap race -turn, 4.304km circuit could have cost the German his chances, but quick thinking ensured that he was able to recover and stay in second place while an all-out war ensued between Vettel, Ricciardo and Verstappen for third spot.

So far so good and it was Verstappen’s

off-track sojourn on lap 68 while trying to stay ahead of Vettel which drew the ire of the former four-time F1 champion.

The radio conversation with the pit crew even included abuses to the FIA race director Charlie Whiting for not ordering Verstappen to surrender third place to him!

Verstappen third spot was almost assured had the stewards not slapped a five-second time penalty just before he took to the podium. And as a result, he was demoted to fifth with the Ferrari driver promoted to third. And that’s when hell broke loose.

Red Bull Racing team members went to see the race director and stewards following that and were able to successfully argue that Vettel had moved under braking on lap 69 while Ricciardo tried to pass him on the inside.

That manoeuvre demoted Vettel to fifth place behind Verstappen, who was now fourth, and Ricciardo who was now on the podium.

Behind the top five, the second Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen was way back in a lonely sixth place ahead of Force India-Mercedes’ Nico Hulkenberg, the Williams-Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa and the second Force IndiaMercedes of Sergio Perez.

A 10 second penalty for a move deemed dangerous Vettel drops from 3rd to 5th With a somewhat questionable decision, the Race Stewards have imposed a penalty on Sebastian Vettel, adding 10 seconds to his total time at the end of the Mexican Grand Prix. This means that Sebastian drops from third to fifth place. The penalty was imposed because of a move which was deemed to be “potentially dangerous� to Daniel Ricciardo. The move happened when Vettel was behind Max Verstappen, who refused to give back the position, despite the fact he had cut a corner of the track.

In the meantime the race stewards have announced that there would be no penalty imposed on Vettel for his colourful tirade on the team radio against FIA race director Charlie Whiting and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen in the closing stages of the Grand Prix following the tense battle.

50th career win for Hamilton at Circuit of the Americas

If one was in Lewis Hamilton’s shoes this year, the one has to agree that being beaten in the last five races could have severely affected one drastically. But it seems that Hamilton has the will power, determination and skills to overcome adversity. This was proven at the US Grand Prix where he got what he had aimed for. With Red Bull Racing breathing down Mercedes AMG F1’s necks, Hamilton put the ball squarely in Rosberg’s court by winning the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. Hamilton had not won a race since the German GP in July and his return to winning ways made him only the third F1 driver in history with 50 or more victories to his name.

Having been beaten by Nico Rosberg in the last five races, including a retirement due to a blown engine in Malaysia, Lewis Hamilton found himself trailing the German by 33 points in the race for the Formula 1 title after the Japanese Grand Prix. It left Rosberg in the position of being able to finish second in the remaining four races even if Hamilton won them to claim his first world championship.

It was the defending F1 champions’ fifth US GP win and third in a row. The results and figures tie him with the performance of Michael Schumacher as the driver with the most wins in America. Only Alain Prost has recorded 51 wins and Schumacher with 91 are higher up in the all-time wins list.

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After winning pole position during qualifying, Hamilton won the race aided by a clean getaway. This was something he has not always managed this year and subsequently keeping cool to dominate the 56-lap race around the 5.513km, 20turn circuit from the front of the field while Rosberg was left to fight for second place with Daniel Ricciardo.

Max Verstappen threatened to be a wild card for second place for a while but confusion during his second pit stop, when he incorrectly thought he had been called in. He dropped back far enough even for the lethargic Ferrari team to get ahead of the aggressive young Dutchman.

A few laps later his challenge was over entirely after a gearbox failure forced him to retire and lead to a virtual safety car period during which Rosberg was able to make an extra pit stop and thwart Ricciardo who had been planning to stay out for longer than the German after having stopped for fresh tyres after him prior to the VSC period.

Ricciardo’s disappointment was not as great as that of Ferrari’s, however, who never looked in the hunt for a podium spot and even less so after Kimi Raikkonen was forced to retire when a rear wheel was not securely attached during a pit stop.

Sebastian Vettel was the only Ferrari driver who finished in fourth place behind Hamilton, Rosberg and Ricciardo.

However, he was a long way behind and the only consolation he could get was a

fairly meaningless fastest lap after a late third stop for super soft tyres.

In fifth place was, perhaps, the driver of the race who showed his trademark speed, grit and aggression and the progress being made by McLaren-Honda.

Former two-time world champion Fernando Alonso put two late and aggressive passes on Williams-Mercedes’ Felipe Massa and Toro Rosso-Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.

Alonso’s pass on Massa was interesting as he was driving a car that was lacking in straight-line speed and the being able to overtake the more powerful combo of Mercedes and Ferrari was a delight and highlight to remember. Behind Sainz and Massa were Force India-Mercedes’ Sergio Perez, McLaren-Honda’s Jenson Button and Haas-Ferrari’s Romain Grosejan to complete the top ten.

Ali Al Balushi wins Red Bull Car park Drift Oman

Dovizioso takes wet Malaysian Gp, Rossi clinches championship second Andrea Dovizioso set off on pole position, joined by Valentino Rossi’s 46 on the second spot. Amazingly, the race ended with the two in the same positions, although neither of the two had got the best start. Despite the wet conditions, the starting grid got off without any contact incidents. The first couple of laps saw an intense battle for the top three positions develop between Dovizioso, Rossi, Crutchlow, Marquez and Iannone with the last man on the podium Lorenzo hanging on just behind the group.

A wet curve got the better of Cal Crutchlow who slid off the track, followed a few laps later by Marquez, who was at the time challenging for the

Snippets

Hulkenberg joins Renault Nico Hulkenberg has joined the Renault Sport Formula 1 team on a multi-year deal.

Earlier, the German driver had agreed to stay on with Force India until the end of the 2017 season, but an aggressive push from Renault team to hire him as its leading driver for next season has convinced Hulkenberg to switch sides.

Career-wise 29-year-old Hulkenberg has spent five years at Force India in two stints, first from 2011 to 2012, and then from 2014 to 2016,

second spot. Marquez’s toss is being attributed to the choice of the latest carbon fibre brake discs. He did manage to get back on his bike and eventually managed to end the race at 11th spot.

The other real contender was Andrea Iannone, who crashed his Ducati and literally threw away a podium spot once again. At the time Rossi was ahead but Dovizioso managed to take the fight back to the Yamaha, which seemed like it was having serious grip issues.

The race ended with an ecstatic Dovizioso in the lead ahead of Rossi, joined by Yamaha team mate Lorenzo in third.

having raced with Sauber during the 2013 season. He is currently placed ninth in the standings with 54 points, 26 behind teammate Sergio Perez. “I’m very happy to join Renault Sport Formula One Team in 2017,” Hulkenberg said.

The identity of Hulkenberg’s teammate is yet to be revealed. Current drivers Jolyon Palmer and Kevin Magnussen are among the candidates for the second seat, but it is understood that so is Manor’s Esteban Ocon.

In an exhilarating and smoky showdown, Ali Al Balushi, aka. ‘Lalou’, was crowned Oman’s ‘King of Drift’ for the fourth consecutive year at the Red Bull Car Park Drift Oman Qualifier, held on Friday in association with Oman Automobile Association at their premises. The champion drifter, after taking first place with 387 points, will go on to represent Oman in front of a home crowd at the Final hosted by Oman in December.

Second place was awarded to Haitham Al Hadidy (385 points) and third place to Tarek Al Shaihani (382 points).

The Oman Qualifier, now it’s seventh year, showcased 16 of the Sultanate’s most skilful drifters as they battled it out at speed on the twists and turns of a challenging

track. Roaring, smoky engines added to a high-octane atmosphere enjoyed by fans and spectators.

Soon after being announced as the winner, Ali Al Balushi said: “I’m so happy to take home first place for the fourth year. I can’t wait to compete for the regional title in front of all my family, friends and supporters in December.

At the final last year I came second, I promise this year it will be first.”

At just 18 years of age, first time competitor Haitham Al Hadidi took out second place just two points behind Ali Al Balushi. “It was an amazing experience and I feel so happy to have won second place in my very first competition,” said the young drifter.

Selection program for female drivers in 2018 discussed A dedicated effort to rope in talented female drivers has been the topic of discussion at the second FIA Women in Motorsport seminar in Lisbon, Portugal by the commission’s president Michele Mouton.

Based around the concept of a ‘karting slalom’, where go-karts and the other necessary equipment is provided by the local federation, the scheme is intended as a pilot program

that can then be used as a model for selection processes elsewhere in the world.

“We have a big project for 2018 that we are working on,” Mouton told media. “I just can say that it’s related to young driver selection in Europe. If you want to find good drivers to go to the top, you have to start with the grassroots.”

Mouton, however, wouldn’t be drawn on the number of girls it would involve, or how the selection process would work.

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THE IMpORTANCE OF THE IMAGE MAKEOVER Brand and image building is a time consuming, fairly investment heavy process. It wasn’t always the case, but nowadays you spend almost as much effort in managing your brand as you do in getting your product or service out to the market. Sometimes you are so fixated on the image that you forget that brand value and perception has always been an outcome of the sustained business model of the company; It is pegged to the quality and reliability of products, how the company responds to issues and finally on a perception of monetary value – how much are you willing to pay extra for a certain company’s products?

Why are we talking about this? Well, for one the Samsung Note 7 debacle hasn’t quite wafted away yet. Every time you get on an aircraft you are repeatedly assailed by messages of don’t bring it on board, some airlines say don’t check it in and don’t switch it on or charge it. But all the attention is of the negative sort. It is the biggest crisis yet to hit Samsung and it carries a double whammy – reportedly many Note 7 buyers are opting for the new

iPhone 7 as a replacement. In effect, Samsung is driving their customers to the competition! So how will Samsung handle the image issue? It looks like the Note badge may be dropped for future products, in effect ring-fencing the issue to the Note. But have you noticed that the real issue here was a lack of thorough product testing, lax quality controls and when the initial problems surfaced they were met with a knee-jerk reaction. As always, image and brand issues follow the real heroes (or villains in this case) the products.

On the other hand Volkswagen would have been hoping that their problems this year had such an easy fix. The dieselgate fiasco has hit the group hard and seems like it will continue to bleed the company for a few more years.

But what about the image solution in the US market? Diesel was always perceived as the less desirable alternative and with all the litigation the perception of it being a problem child has only increased. In the long run switching customers over to cleaner, smaller petrol engines and hybrids is possible, but you are now operating with an arm tied behind your back if diesel has been one of your core strengths. Volkswagen would have been wishing that all the diesel issues were tied to one small badge that it could quietly dump.

But why limit ourselves only to businesses? Look at what’s happening in the United States of America between the two images of the presidential candidates as they battle out the world’s costliest reality show in order to be elected leader of the self-proclaimed guardian of democracy. Donald Trump is the billionaire upstart who comes across as the champion of the bulk of non-college educated white Americans, while Hillary Clinton is trying to appeal to economic strata both above and below that of Trump. But how much of the rhetoric and appeal is linked to the image that they cultivate? Is Trump really the boorish oaf that he portrays? Is his version of an unpresidential President part of the gameplan? And is Clinton really as democratic as she claims considering the amount of industry involvement she carries?

As any car buyer knows, car companies have for long pedalled their products as a part of your lifestyle. You are enticed to buy a car because of the image that it helps you project to your family, neighbours and wider world. There is even a level of fine-tuning built in, depending on which of a competing set of brands you select. You could be seen as more of a go-getter or one who has already ‘got’ his bit. Admittedly all you are doing is borrowing the image from the product and brand, but who cares?

Even nations are getting into this whole story of brand building and image management. In most cases they have the liberty of having a longer timeframe to do stuff. Sometimes, they are in a hurry – like Qatar. On the other hand, you would agree that Turkey could do with some image management if it expects to be seen any longer as a secular, tolerant, modern democracy.

Serial billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk says, “Brand is just a perception, and perception will match reality over time. Sometimes it will be ahead, other times it will be behind. But brand is simply a collective impression some have about a product.” Let’s just say, get your product (or service, or country) right, the brand will take care of itself.

Raj Warrior is managing editor of Automan and has been in the thick of the Automotive journalism field from the past 19 years.

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