Automan 174

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NOW, THE REGION’S BEST AUTOMOTIVE RESOURCE MARCH 2016 ISSUE NO 174

ling really work

All-wheel drive Mase

er and hand w o p y h w s w o sh 4 Q S rati Ghibli

Also inside: Chicago Motorshow Tests 2016 Volvo XC90 2016 VW Passat 2015 Triumph Thunderbird Infiniti regional managing director Juergen Schmitz

New Wheels

6-11 2016 Volkswagen Passat, 2016 Toyota Prius, 2016 Honda Accord Coupe

Spotlight

12-14 Infiniti Q50 ride and drive event in the UAE highlights the power behind hybrid drivetrains. Oman hosts a Ferrari esperienza event

Oman and regional news

12-13 Nissan gets new partner in Saudi Arabia, Landrover BAR team wins Oman leg of America’s cup and Mazda2 picks up award 14-17 Mitsubishi winds up another year’s edition of its Team Pajero owner experience event calendar

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Brandwatch

20-21 Maserati Levante surfaces ahead of Geneva show, Nissan spells out new direction on intelligent driving, Audi results and Lamborghini gets new Boss

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International news spotlight

24-27 Chicago Motorshow Round-up

Cover story

28-33 2016 Maserati SQ4

Road Tests

34-39 2016 Toyota Prius 40-45 2016 Volvo XC90 46-49 2015 Triumph Thunderbird

Face to Face

50-51 Infiniti MEA MD Juergen Schmitz

Concepts

52-55 Going Boldly where no man

needs to Drive – Nissan IDS Concept 56-59 A precise new Design Direction – the Acura Precision Concept

Previews

60-63 Lexus LC500 64-65 Porsche 718 Boxster

Motorsports

66-79 special season opening focus feature on the teams, drivers and races of the 2016 calendar

Chicane

80 Making the right waves

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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publisher Hatim Al Taie

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FINANCE & ADMIN Sumy Mol

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www.carbrandz.com Managing editor Raj Warrior raj@automan.me contributing EDITORS Chandan Basu Mallik Anne Kurian Design Consultant Antony Karlo photography Elvis John Ferrao For Advertising & Marketing enquiries: Sayantani Ghosh sayantani@automan.me Or 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.

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The year began on a mixed note, with local concerns outweighing the general state of the global economy. Despite most opinions to the contrary, car manufacturers seem to have had the best year ever in 2015, both in terms of numbers as well as profitability. And some manufacturers who cater to the upper segments of the car buying market have really set new benchmarks in both of these criteria.

What does this tell us about the condition of the economy? Aren’t we all in the process of tightening our belts? We are speaking of lay-offs and consolidation, with companies adopting a wait and watch attitude, all the while hoping that petroleum prices rise to power local government coffers. And yet, premium and luxury car manufacturers seem to have never had as good a year ever. Read this against the backdrop of the GCC markets being the favourite hunting grounds for these luxury and premium brands and what this tells you is that the rich are able to weather any problems with the economy far better than the poorer citizen and expatriate.

However, as we look ahead to 2016, most market insiders are decidedly more cautious in their assessment. While it seems to be fashionable for the moment to be pessimistic, the year will be challenging. But the outcomes will vary depending on how each one of the countries of the regional economy react to the conditions. We are hearing about the possibility of VAT being introduced along with additional tightening of corporate tax structures. Of course, the withdrawal of subsidies will see changes in how we view fuel, electricity and water. Fuel price at the pump has already risen and come down marginally due to the global price of petroleum.

The cars we have on this month’s cover seem to be at both these ends of the discussion.

The Maserati Ghibli SQ4 seeks to draw customers from the regular premium E-segment to a slightly more aspirational level, the same sort of draw that it seeks to bring with its Levante SUV, uncloaked just before the Geneva motorshow.

The other car is the Toyota Prius. It is seen as the pioneer in its segment, with the brand having invested heavily in placing it as a Eco solution. The Prius is loved by Hollywood stars as well as the professionals of Silicon Valley. But does it really address the markets of the GCC? Do we need such high-technology vehicles in markets that even in unsubsidised fuel markets care more about volume and number of cylinders than saving fuel. It is definitely a car that makes for an interesting drive as well as offers solutions well ahead of the problem generation.

We also take this chance to highlight the lead-in to the Formula One season. The 2016 season is largely seen as a work-in-progress one, before the design changes of next year’s cars become reality. But this high-stakes, high-cost business is evolving, hopefully staying clear of the economic worries of the year.

Automan is now in its 16th year of publication. Expect a great deal from us through the year in terms of all your favourite automotive content

NEWWheelS 2016 VW Passat

Volkswagen launches new 2016 Passat with media drive in Dubai

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uilding on the position that the brand has reached in the region with its US sourced Passat, Volkswagen recently held a media event to familiarise journalists with the revamped model.

The 2016 Passat is available across the region in four configurations - S, SE, SEL and Sport - and features more aggressive styling than its predecessor, with a new hood, front fenders, grille, front and rear bumpers, trunk lid and LED headlights and taillights.

Thomas Milz, Managing Director, Volkswagen Middle East said, “The new Passat is the epitome of a perfectly balanced model – combining great features, enhanced value and a refined driving experience. The striking new design evokes passion and excitement and is a package of perfect affordable innovation, innovative technology and safety features.”

The new exterior offers slimmer 6

Mar 2016

headlights, a more substantial four-bar grille, and a muscular, domed hood, with all features blending harmoniously to give the Passat a wider, more planted stance at the front end. Additionally, a new chrome strip on the trunk ensures the rear lights appear lower, enhancing the grounded appearance, while chrome on the window surrounds, bumpers, and door trim compliments the more premium nature of the design upgrade.

Inside, the 2016 Passat showcases an extensively upgraded interior, for a more sophisticated look and feel including a new steering wheel and two-tone décor panels, and refined chrome and piano black trim.

The Passat features the second-generation in-car infotainment system, also known as MIB II by Volkswagen. The system features touchscreens as standard equipment on all models. On most models, the display utilises a capacitive touch sensor (similar to smartphone and tablet technology)

enabling gesture controls like swiping and pinch-zooming rather than the resistive touchscreens that require pressure and have slightly longer response times. Most infotainment units also feature a proximity sensor, which detects when a hand is nearby and automatically switches its display to allow easier selection of specific features. USB and Bluetooth connectivity are standard on all 2016 Passat models.

The system also integrates AirPlay, MirrorLink and the Android system.

Customers will be familiar with the car’s offering of a 2.5-litre 5-cylinder engine that generates 170hp and is mated with a sixspeed gearbox with tiptronic.

Additionally new features introduced to the Passat include an automatic trunk opener that senses the presence of the driver behind the car and opens the trunk if the car is on the driver and the car is locked. Of course the driver needs to swing his foot below the rear bumper to get the trunk to open.

2016 Volkswagen Passat What’s changed in this model year?

The next iteration of the model cycle is on us and Volkswagen has largely changed only what needs to be changed. Now the car gets LEd DRLs, a high tech centre console, better integration with smart phones and media and a new generation of its SDcard based navigation systems.

In the bargain, the car also gets a new, almost white interior as well as a light tan one, both of which go well with the redesigned surfaces and touch points. And yes, convenience gets a boost with hands-free entry and start as well as handsfree trunk opening.

Mar 2016

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2016 Volkswagen Passat Important points to note

Not the best boot hinge design we’ve seeen, this one uses corrugated piping to hide the harness

While the thunder of this feature has been stolen by KIA and Hyundai debuting it on cheaper SUVs, the convenience of a hands-free trunk opening may appeal to some. Also, it doesn’t work if the car is already unlocked, in that case you have to open the boot through the release.

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MAR 2016

The Volkswagen LED signature treatment ensures that the Passat is clearly identifiable

The redesigned dashboard brings a softer feel to it and a dependence on the larger screen of the new interface

Volkswagen has not fiddled with the tried and tested 170hp 5-cylinder 2.5-litre unit considered just right for the region’s markets

The headlights use LED piping for use as DRLs, while the projector elements offer a better throw and spread of the beam.

The wheels range from the 16” steel wheels with covers to a 17” alloy option on the SE and SEL, to a full-blown 18” offering on the Sport version.

MAR 2016

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NEWWheelS 2016 Toyota Prius

Posing before the Prius Hybrid officials from Toyota’s operations include Mr Sugiura, Mr Yoshitsugu and Mr Miyamoto

Toyota launches Prius Hybrid in Oman Toyota has finally taken the big step of bringing its hybrid Prius to the region. At the launch in Oman, held at the Al Bustan hotel, Toyota officials from the global operations and regional office were present along with officials from the importer and media.

The Toyota Prius Hybrid launches at a time when fuel prices in the United States are at a low, while fuel prices in this region are increasing due to withdrawal of government subsidies and market price linkage. This makes the Prius Hybrid’s phenomenal fuel efficiency a major draw.

The Prius Hybrid is the first commercially produced hybrid and launched in 1997. This is the fourth generation of the Prius hybrid.

“For eighteen years, Prius has continued to build a legacy of outstanding efficiency 10 MAR 2016

and innovation for hybrid technology,” said Kouji Toyoshima, Chief Engineer of the car. “It has always been a revolutionary car with a unique DNA. So I asked myself: What is essential for the next generation? The answer was our development concept of ‘Beautiful Hybrid’. We wanted the Prius to turn into a charming, beautiful hybrid vehicle, while maintaining its essential qualities such as outstanding fuel economy.”

The Prius hybrid features a 1.8-litre petrol engine running on an Atkinson cycle, that is paired with two electric motors on the front-wheels that act as drive as well as offer regenerative braking in order to charge the battery pack of the car. It allows for slow speed driving on purely electric energy, with the petrol engine coming into play once

the system realises that more power and energy is needed.

While the combined powertrain is rated at 121hp, the petrol engine offers a 95hp peak while the electric motors offer 53hp. The car is the first new model built on Toyota’s new global architecture (TNGA). Takayuki Yoshitsugu, the regional chief representative said,”The

Prius underlines Toyota’s continued commitment to progressive thinking and being environmentally conscious.

More than just a car, we see the Prius as an opportunity to really make a difference, which essentially is what Toyota is all about as we seek to fulfil our vision of leading the way towards the future of mobility.”

NEWWheelS 2016 Honda Accord Coupe

Honda Accord Coupe with sensing technology launches in Oman The latest generation of Honda’s Accord Coupe has launched in Oman, with local importer Oman Marketing and Services Company bringing the car in both the engine variants on offer with a range of new features bundled under the tag of Honda Advanced Sensing technology.

Along with new styling elements that bring the car closer to the current day version of the sedan version (including new grille, new headlight and taillight and the greater use of LED lighting both for DRLs as well as high visibility lights), the car launches with two Earth Dreams engines, i.e the 2.4-litre 4-cylinder and the 3.5-litre V6 units have been reengineered to provide for a cleaner, more fuel-efficient drive and offer greater output

in both variants. The smaller 4-cylinder is now rated at 185 hp while the 3.5-litre unit is rated at 276hp. The body is built to the company’s ACe structural technology.

Honda is also promoting a clutch of safety features under its Advanced Sensing tag.

These include adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, with the ability to adjust the steering wheel to keep in the lane, collision mitigation braking that not only senses the likelihood of a potential collision and warns the driver, but also applies brakes in case of real danger and finally Road departure Mitigation that prevents the car from wandering off the road, especially if it senses no input from the driver. In that case it corrects the steering as well as applies the brakes in order to

keep the car on the road, while issuing warnings.

The 3.5-litre equipped car also gets Lanewatch, that works like an extended blind spot monitoring system to provide visibility of the lane on the right of the car on the central monitor.

The regular suite of vehicle stability control, traction

control, ABS and EBD pair with Hill start assist.

The car is available in three grades in Oman – the 3.5-litre with Advanced Sensing, the regular 3.5-litre unit and the 2.4-litre EX grade. These are available in six exterior colours with beige interiors in either fabric in the 2.4-litre or leather in either of the higher grades.

MAR 2016

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2016 Infiniti Q50 Hybrid

The Toyota Prius Hybrid offers increased fuel efficiency, while the Infiniti Q50 Hybrid sells on the contrary notion of lots of power. The end result is the same – more bang per litre of fuel (or engine capacity)

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ast year, Infiniti called journalists from around the region to be part of an excludive event where they highlighted the hybrid drivetrain of the Q50. Unlike this year’s headline event of the Toyota Prius coming to the region, Infiniti’s hybrid came with a much lower share of voice, largely due to the mainline petrol engine variants of the Q50 being cars that buyers were interested in for their drive-by-wire technology as well as the bundling of class defining features in the cars. This is the point that Infiniti were 12 MAR 2016

seeking to rectify while also continuing their association with Formula One, although they have moved out of their race winning partnership with Redbull.

The Q50 Hybrid features a combination of a 3.5-litre V6 engine and an inline motor assist that sits in the transmission tunnel connected to the rear-wheels that provides a combined peak power of 360hp. Of this 67hp is provided by the electric motor. But the more important figure is that of the torque.

Most turbocharged engines offer stellar

acceleration characteristics when they reach the state where engine exhaust output is stable. That is usually at just under 2000rpm in the normal petrol engine. To avoid the effects of turbolag, some manufacturers use superchargers to handle the lower rev band.

In the Infiniti Q50 hybrid powertrain, that zone is more than compensated for by the inline motor assist. It can deliver peak torque right from zero and that means that the combined system then has a far better take-off acceleration curve.

The combined system clocks in with a torque figure of 640Nm out of which the electric motor contributes 290Nm. It’s these torque figures that allow the Q50 hybrid to hit the standing 100 km/h in 5 seconds.

Infiniti has also been placing hybrid technology in other vehicles like the QX60 Hybrid. In that car the function is similar though it does go a long way to boost the performance of the 4-cylinder engine.

During the orientation on hybrid and Infiniti’s links with the same, the team spoke of how the Q70 was the first car to feature the hybrid and had at one stage won recognition as the world’s fastest accelerating hybrid car.

They also connected the use of this technology to Formula One where the car uses brakeforce regeneration and the added power of the electric boost to aid performance.

Where the Formula One and Infiniti hybrid technologies differ, however, is how the recovered electrical energy is stored. The battery in the Q50 Hybrid maintains a constant level of on-call energy; ready to be deployed, whereas the Formula One system nearly entirely depletes its battery and must re-harvest energy and charge the battery before the next burst of power.

This year Infiniti shifts its connection with Formula One to the new Renault Sport Formula One team as a technical partner, with special emphasis on providing expertise in the hybrid drivetrain.

“At Infiniti, motorsport is an important part of our business strategy,” said Roland Krueger, President Infiniti Motor Company. “Forming a technical collaboration and enabling technology transfer road-to-track and track-toroad is the logical next step. The establishment of the Renault Sport Formula One Team by our Alliance partner Renault provides us with an ideal opportunity to enter this next phase of our long-term motorsport strategy.”

Infiniti’s strong expertise will be used by the Renault Sport Formula One team in Viry-Châtillon as a team of Infiniti hybrid specialists move from Infiniti’s technical center in Atsugi, Japan, to France to support development of the Renault Energy power unit.

At the same time, Infiniti will use the experience from the F1 ERS system to further enhance its hybrid powertrains for road cars.

Seen above is a graphic that outlines the process by which electric traction is delivered to the rear wheels of the Infiniti Q50.

Below is a graphic that shows a comparison of how the Infiniti Q50 Hybrid transmits its electric power in comparison with the method applied on a Formula One car. The basic difference is that the battery on the sedan is very rarely taken to depletion point while the F1 car operates through a series of almost full discharges.

MAR 2016

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Ferrari Esperienza

Ferrari aficionados in Oman were offered an opportunity to participate in a Ferrari Esperienza event, hosted by local importer Alfardan Motors

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lfardan Motors, the local importers for Ferrari, hosted a customer event at the Al Husn at Shangrila Barr al Jissah hotel in the middle of February.

A select group of customers, VIP guests and media were invited to participate in the Ferrari Esperienza event and get an opportunity to drive the Ferrai California T and Ferrari 488GTB along the roads around the resort and down towards Yiti.

The experience involved participating in a product and drive briefing and then driving the cars guided by professional Ferrari instructors who had flown in from Maranello for the event.

About the 488GTB Recently launched in Oman in September 2015, the 488GTB boasts a new 3902 cc turbo engine which is coupled with a seven-gear F1 dual-clutch gearbox 14 MAR 2016

featuring Variable Boost Management which optimally distributes torque (a maximum 750 Nm in seventh gear). The smaller of Ferrari’s GT cars has a long heritage to follow and the move to bring it in line with the California T’s use of a turbocharged engine was done in order to provide better power and performance while staying within the new emmision standards proposed under Euro 6 and newer legislations.

The GTB uses extensive aerodynamic body elements to reduce its drag, with an ability to change underbody airstreams depending on the speed of the car.

In addition to that the car makes the best use of the second generation of Ferrari’s stability control programming that allows the cars to aggressively take corners with drift built in (in the top drive modes on its steering wheel mounted controller) as well as offering impressive braking.

About the Ferrari California T The Ferrari California T epitomises the sublime elegance, sportiness, versatility and exclusivity that have distinguished every California model since the 1950s.

Sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds flat and from 0 to 200 km/h in 11.2 seconds, the California T is a brilliant expression of Ferrari’s sporty DNA, while its retractable hard top (RHT) and 2+2 configuration, amongst other features, make it supremely versatile. Like all Ferraris, the California T boasts cuttingedge technological solutions that make it absolutely unique, most notably the new turbocharged V8 engine.

Using equal length inlet and exhaust piping, a flattened crankshaft and a sophisticated oil sump arrangement, the car is capable of high speed manouevres while bringing with it the pleasure of open-top motoring.

Petromin is Nissan’s new Partner in Saudi Arabia Nissan has announced a new business partner - Petromin Corporation (Petromin) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Petromin will join Alissa as the second strategic partner to Nissan as it continues its growth and expansion across the Kingdom.

“We announced in November 2013that Nissan was going to renew its strong bond with the Kingdom, with a direct presence in the form of Nissan

KSA,” said Samir Cherfan, Nissan Middle East’s Managing Director. “We committed to strengthening the brand’s product line-up and to bring the best of this great company to Saudi Arabia by developing Nissan’s sales and service coverage and quality.”

“Nissan and Alissa have managed to renew the bond with the kingdom and to reestablish a strong sales and service network. We are

achieving fast growth while achieving high standards in customer service. Sustainable growth and customer satisfaction excellence is the path for Nissan and its business partners”, he added.

Samir Nawar, CEO of Petromin said: “We could not be more excited about working alongside Nissan to help achieve its stated goals. The addition of car showrooms and workshops to our vast

network of service facilities, which comprehensively covers the entire country, is perfectly placed to provide Nissan owners with the kind of customer service they rightly expect and demand.

We have been in this industry for nearly five decades and Nissan’s competitive edge will surely be sharpened with our involvement and drive.”

2016 GMC Terrain for Just 1,023 AED A Month in UAE GMC dealerships in the UAE – comprising Al Ghandi in Dubai & Sharjah, and Bin Hamoodah in Abu Dhabi – are currently running a monthlong promotional campaign (until March 31) for the 2016 Terrain, one that provides buyers with a comprehensive array of benefits including a 5 year installment plan that 16 Mar 2016

starts at just 1,023 AED per month. The offer includes free registration, free insurance, a three-year/60,000 kilometers free service package, and a five-year unlimited mileage warranty. The warranty also comes with Roadside Assistance for a period of four years.

Oman & region news

LAND ROVER BAR DIG DEEP TO WIN IN OMAN LEG OF THE AMERICA’S CUP

Despite a race weekend of light winds, penalty starts and a collision, Land Rover BAR’s fast boat speed and good tactical decisions allowed them, in true British style, to recover from the brink to win this weekend’s Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series regatta.

Martin Whitmarsh, Land Rover BAR Chief Executive Officer said: “Overall it’s been a fantastic weekend, and we have proved we are the come-back kids as we came back every time despite the challenges. The boys were fantastically quick on the water and that enabled them to keep their heads up and fight their way through the field. They deserved this great win for the huge amount of effort and courage they showed.”

The first day of competition saw Land Rover BAR dominate the way after finishing two races in first position, and one in third. Despite a collision with Groupama Team France in the

first race and a subsequent penalty at the starting line the Land Rover BAR team battled back to finish third before winning the next two races.

Super Sunday, with double points at stake, saw the main action of the weekend. All the teams were pushing hard and Land Rover BAR received starting penalties in each of the three races leaving them at the back of the fleet with a fight on their hands. Superb tactical sailing saw the team climb their way through the fleet to finish with second, third and fourth place finishes to seal the overall win. The British Challenger is the only team to have won two of the four regattas in the America’s Cup World Series.

The 76 points secured this weekend halves the gap with Emirates Team New Zealand in the overall rankings and the team now sit just one point behind Oracle Team USA - in third place with 185 points.

Mazda2 wins Best Compact of the Year 2016 award

The all-new Mazda2 has been recently crowned as the Best Compact Car at the Wheels Car of the Year 2016 award ceremony, Australia’s most coveted motoring award judged by the best of the best

in the industry. The stylish fourth-generation Mazda2 is also the winner of the much coveted 2014-2015 Car of the Year Japan award and Germany’s illustrious 2014 Golden Steering Wheel Award.

Mar 2016

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Mitsubishi Oman has just concluded the latest round of Team Pajero Desert adventures, events that allow owners to experience the 4x4 terrain and experience actual off-road driving conditions under expert guidance.

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news

Oman & region

eginning in November 2015, the Team Pajero Adventure comprised of several two-day trips and saw over 1600 participating in over 270 Mitsubishi Pajeros, cumulative over all the trips so far, driving into the popular yet challenging Wahiba Sands. Organised

by GAC specifically for Pajero owners and enthusiasts, each of these trips gives Pajero owners a taste of a true desert adventure in the vehicle best suited to handle the challenge – the Mitsubishi Pajero.

Commenting on the success of this event, Manoj Ranade, GM of General Automotive Company said, “The Pajero has been a constant favourite in the region and with good reason. Its capabilities and reliability are amongst the best in its class and our annual Team Pajero Adventure trips allow our customers to experience this first hand. Furthermore, our annual ‘Team Pajero Desert Adventure’ events have witnessed growing demand with each passing year. As a result we doubled the number of trips from three to six last season, and offered six trips right from the beginning this season.”

As with all the previous trips, over 220 people and 15 GAC staff in 45 Customer Pajeros and 10 Marshall Vehicles respectively participated in the final trip; following a predefined course as they headed to Wahiba Sands. Once at the Al Raha Camp, the convoy of Pajero vehicles were escorted by Marshalls and provided with specialised desert driving training.

The drivers were then taken on a dune bashing session, after which the group is taken atop a dune overlooking the camp to witness the stunning sunset. Once back at the camp a large number of activities and entertainment was prepared for the families to enjoy. The following morning, Camel riding sessions and dune bikes were provided for the customers to use at their discretion. The convoy left the camp and returned to the Azaiba showroom shortly after.

He also added, “On behalf of GAC I would like to thank all the staff responsible for their hard work and commitment in making this event a success. I would also like to thank each and every one of our customers for their participation in the event, loyalty to the brand and their valuable feedback. Given the overwhelmingly positive response we have received from our guests so far and its growing popularity, our customers can look forward to yet another Team Pajero Adventure when the 2016 – 2017 season is launched in the final quarter of this year.”

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We also spoke to Rajesh Sharma, the National Marketing Manager for Mitsubishi on various aspects of the event.

Considering the expenses involved, have you reached a level where the events are self financing in terms of new prospects?

The event was planned as a driving experience for the new customers, to demonstrate to them the prowess of vehicle called Pajero. Till date the event is organized on the same principles. There is a loyalty budget allotted for such activities basis which these ideas are given wings to.

It would be true to say that such events are leading to increase in sales rather than new sales financing such events.

How do you manage to keep your events distinct from other brands events?

Being the trend setter always helps in being recognized. Ofcourse, being copied is also a big threat, but at the same time a compliment. The event has evolved over the years. Various modules have been added to it to give the customers not just the driving experience but the benefit of being a part of the Pajero family. The event encapsulates the entire driving experience within the greater realm

20 Mar 2016

of bonding, brotherhood and enjoying together. Whilst some other events are aimed at the driver, Team Pajero involves the families and also friends in some cases.

It’s a challenge to give the same level of experience and joy to each customer but the entire internal team of General Automotive Company has mastered this art. With everything being handled internally it becomes a very enriching experience when at the end of every event customers come and compliment the entire team for the great experience.

Could you summarise the current season for us in terms of highpoint and achievements?

The season has once again put Team Pajero on top of the most talked about events in Oman. Social Media has also helped to take the message further to all and all of this has helped us to strengthen the sales of Pajero in an otherwise sliding market. The event showcased the true value of the mere vehicle bought, to many and to others it helped strengthen the bond with family and friends through the invaluable experience they got. A bond which goes beyond our rational realm.

Today over 300 cars are on Oman roads from this season, proclaiming ‘Proud Member Team Pajero’. A sign of them having experienced the fruits of this event. After all a Pajero is not merely 4 wheels. Its an experience which makes our

customer, ‘Partners for Life’.

What is the normal mix of owners? Do you get many complete novices? Have you had any lady lead participating cars?

The Team Pajero event has always been one where we have always had a good mix if nationalities, both Omani and Expats.

And amongst them we have customers of various skill levels in terms of desert driving.

But this season we have seen that almost 60-70% of our attendees have been first timers in the desert. For them it was an overwhelming experience also learning the nuances of desert driving.

Have you had any serious incidents? Do you get any cases of participant regret?

During any of the Team Pajero events, there have been no serious incidents involving the convoy. Utmost care has been taken by the team to ensure all customers and crew follow the laid down rules of the event. And it’s a matter of great pride that not a single customer has ever regretted in any way being a part of this event. Infact year on year customers have shared their appreciation both with us and their peers to make this event larger, better and popular.

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Levante debuts in Geneva ‘Nissan Intelligent Mobility’ announced

Maserati reveals the exterior form of the Levante, the first SUV in the brand’s more than one hundred year history the new model completes the existing range of saloon and sports cars, extending the offering together with the Quattroporte, Ghibli, GranTurismo and GranCabrio models.

Maserati’s design signature is clearly visible on the sides the three iconic air vents on the front wings, the trapezoidal C-pillar with the “Saetta” logo and the large, frameless door windows. The rear is dominated by the very tapered back window and streamlined shape, both typical of a highperformance sports car.

At a technical level, the Levante’s chassis is designed to combine the outstanding onroad performance typical of every Maserati with unrivalled handling even

22 Mar 2016

on very lowgrip surfaces and an excellent offroad performance and ride. The new SUV boasts a high level of content as standard, with all versions featuring sophisticated electronic suspension with controlled damping and air springs, which can be set on several levels, “Q4” intelligent allwheel drive and 8speed automatic transmission specially calibrated for the brand’s new SUV. When it comes to power units, the Levante is equipped with both petrol and diesel engines that are all Euro6compliant.

The Maserati Levante is built at the Mirafiori plant in Turin the first cars have already come off the assembly line with the launch planned for this spring in Europe, to be followed by the rest of the world later this year.

Pursuing a goal of zero emission vehicles and zero fatalities on the road, Nissan unveiled its ‘Intelligent Mobility’ vision at the Geneva International Motor Show.

Created to guide the Nissan product evolution, Intelligent Mobility will anchor critical company decisions around how cars are powered, how cars are driven, and how cars integrate into society, all while staying focused on creating more enjoyable driving experiences..

At the core of Nissan Intelligent Mobility are three areas of innovation: • Nissan Intelligent Driving – creating more driver confidence, spearheaded

by Nissan’s autonomous drive technology, Piloted Drive • Nissan Intelligent Power – more efficiency, more power, spearheaded by electric vehicles (EV) • Nissan Intelligent Integration – new links between vehicles and society Each area represents cutting edge technological advances by Nissan – safety innovations through autonomous technology such as high-stability control and high-reliability drive systems; high-efficiency powertrains, including alternative and conventional fuel engines with advanced transmissions; and energy management solutions.

“Our Intelligent Mobility vision is a framework to move customers around the world toward a safer and more sustainable future,” said Carlos Ghosn, CEO. “To realize this vision, Nissan has launched a long-term strategy, supported by significant R&D investments.”

news

brandwatch

Audi CEO Stadler: “We plan to continue our growth in 2016”

The Audi Group plans to launch more than 20 new or revised models and to continue its growth in 2016. Despite major challenges, the Ingolstadt based company performed successfully last year and set a new record for unit sales: Worldwide deliveries increased compared with 2014 by 3.6 percent to 1,803,246 automobiles. As a result of the strong demand, the company achieved a new record also for revenue, posting a figure of €58.4 billion. Operating profit amounted to €4.8 billion and

operating profit before special items of €5.1 billion was at the high level of the previous year.

Before the worldwide rollout of important models like the new Audi A4, the operating return on sales amounted to 8.3 percent despite the challenging conditions, and was thus within the strategic target corridor of eight to ten percent; before special items it was 8.8 percent.

This year, Audi will maintain the high speed of its product initiative. With the new Audi Q2 for example, the company

intends to conquer a new market segment and continue the success story of the Q family. At the same time, Audi is developing the key areas of electrification and digitization.

Investment of more than €3 billion is planned in 2016. In Mexico, a completely new and ultramodern automobile plant will be opened. In addition, more than 1,200 experts in strategic areas for the future are to be recruited in Germany.

During the Annual Press Conference held at the company’s headquarters in

Ingolstadt, Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, stated, “We successfully mastered a year of challenges.

We will now invest in 2016 alone more than €3 billion for the mobility of tomorrow, and we will push forward with the electrification and digitization of our products.” With more than 20 new or revised models, Audi intends to gain more new customers and continue along its growth path this year.

STEFANO DOMENICALI TAKES OVER LEADERSHIP OF AUTOMOBILI LAMBORGHINI Stefano Domenicali will become the new President and CEO of AutomobiliLamborghini on March 15, 2016.

He succeeds Stephan Winkelmann, who will take over as CEOof sports Audi affiliate quattro GmbH. “Over the past eleven years Stephan Winkelmann has transformed Lamborghini into a global leader in the manufacture of super sports cars. His successor, who also possesses a wealth ofexperience in this area, will be continuing this success,” says Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board Management of AUDI AG and Chairman ofthe Administrative Board of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. Stefano Domenicali

says: “I am very excited to be taking on the challenges of this great legacy. It is now my duty to continue the successes that my predecessor Stephan Winkelmann achieved for Automobili Lamborghini.”

Stephan Winkelmann comments: “I have been responsible for Lamborghini for a significant periodof time in its history, and in the process have always aimed to use the brand’s potential to achieve very ambitious goals. Lamborghini’s key corporate data displays continual, profitable growth with a focus on the development of new products, new processes, and many other corporate sectors.”

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More direction from Chicago Chicago 2016

The North American International automobile show’s 2016 edition did much to highlight the swing back in fortunes of car manufacturers For a change, Lexus did not have any stand-out debuts for Chicago, especially on the tail of the big ticket LC500 unveil at Detroit. Here too, the LC500 played the main role along with a series of live performances from R&B artistes in the taping og a live TV show called Lexus and verses.

The LC500 is Lexus’ new interpretation of the range topping luxury coupe, replacing the SC in its pantheon. Powered by the naturally aspirated V8 5.0-litre unit that also powers the RC F and GS F, the LC paired with these cars on the stand to project the new F direction.

In addition the stand also had the entire range of the product line-up, including the hybrid variants.

Lexus Nissan The all-new Armada was unveiled the evening before the motor show ony for it to feature prominently on stand among the Winter Warriors themed section.

For the rest of the world, we may be more familiar with the new Armada as the Patrol.

“With the introduction of the all-new, secondgeneration Armada full-size SUV, the last piece of Nissan’s transformation of its SUV and crossover lineup falls into place following the recent makeovers of our Pathfinder, Murano and Rogue models,” said Phil O’Connor, Director, Chief Marketing Manager, Nissan North America, Inc. “We’re particularly proud that with this new Armada we’re setting a new standard in class, offering advanced safety and security features usually reserved for much higher priced luxury sedans or premium SUVs.” All three Nissan Winter Warriors feature custom heavy-duty track systems with custom matte-black finish frames. The snow tracks are 48 inches long, 30 inches high and 15 inches wide and replace the vehicles’ wheels and tyres. The suspensions and wheel wells were modified to fit the snow tracks, but otherwise all drivetrain components, including the engines and Xtronic transmissions, are factory fresh.

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A key component to Kia Motors’ Green Car Roadmap was unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show today as Kia Motors America (KMA) hosted the global debut of the all-new 2017 Niro Hybrid Utility Vehicle (HUV). A no-compromise vehicle that combines driving enjoyment with eye-catching design, functional utility and hybrid efficiency, the all-new Niro strikes the perfect balance for today’s consumers and stakes claim to a unique position between the hybrid-electric vehicle and CUV segments.

KIA

“The Niro hits the sweet spot by offering the best combination of outstanding mpg, an engaging driving experience, utility, and most importantly, a stunning design that doesn’t shout ‘hybrid,’” said Orth Hedrick, vice president product planning KMA. “The subcompact CUV market continues to be one of the fastest-growing segments in the world, and the Niro offers a uniquely alluring yet practical package that consumers haven’t seen before.”

Subaru First shown at Los Angeles last year, the all-new Impreza that will follow this concept will be the first example of Subaru’s next-generation vehicles using a new modular platform. The design is sportier and less angular than the previous generation Impreza, but with a powerful stance expressing Subaru’s new Dynamic x Solid design language. The new design direction hints at not only the new Impreza design, but of Subaru’s future models.

Audi

The new R8 and the new A4 were the stars of the show. The A4, is completely redesigned for the 2017MY. Buyers have their choice between the A4 Premium, Premium Plus and top-tier Prestige trim levels. Sole powertrain at launch is a 252-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-litre TFSI engine that mates to a seven-speed dualclutch automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard and Audi’s quattro allwheel drive is optional. According to Audi, the new A4 can race from 0-to-60 mph in 5.7-seconds. The five-passenger cabin boasts leather seating surfaces, LED ambient lighting, three-spoke multifunction flatbottom steering wheel with shift paddles and seats with power lumbar adjustment.

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Ford Ford unveiled the Sports appearance package for the Ford Explorer XLT. The addition of the package expands Explorer offerings to six models. Other versions include base, XLT, Limited, Sport and the Platinum edition.

The new XLT Sport Appearance Package joins the Explorer family beginning this summer.

The 2017 Ford Escape, launching in the coming months, will feature a unique Sport Appearance Package as well.

“Our Sport Appearance philosophy is rooted in the fact that we know exterior appearance is the No. 1 consideration in SUV purchase decisions,” said Omar Odeh, Explorer brand marketing manager. “The XLT Sport Appearance Package is a dramatic offering that gives customers another attractive option.”

Fiat The Fiat 124 Spider, built in close co-operation with Mazda (on whose Mx-5 it is based) was shown at the Fiat stand.

In North America, the Fiat 124 Spider is available with the proven 1.4-liter MultiAir Turbo fourcylinder engine, the engine’s first application in a rear-wheel-drive vehicle. The engine delivers 160 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. of torque, and is available with a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic transmission.

RAM Bob Hegbloom, Head of Ram Truck Brand, FCA North America, unveiled the 2017 Ram Power Wagon at the Chicago Auto Show. The ultimate off-road truck, 2017 Ram Power Wagon features a number of off-road specific enhancements, including: a unique suspension creating 14 inches of ground clearance and more than two inches of lift; a best-inclass 410 horsepower, 6.4-liter HEMI® V-8 engine; locking differentials; a12,000-lb. electric winch; unique 17-inch wheels, and 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac tyres.

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Toyota The Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro will join the rest of the TRD Pro series in the 2017 year. The car was unveiled at the Chicago show. The 2017 Tacoma TRD Pro is designed to not only look tough, but to perform in the toughest off-road environment. Based on the Tacoma TRD Off-Road 4x4 Double Cab Short Bed model in either 6-speed manual (with clutch start-cancel switch) or 6-speed automatic transmission, the new Tacoma TRD Pro will be available in three exterior colours. Along with that a racing livery RAV4 SE that will be raced by Ryan Millen was also shown.

Honda The new Honda Ridgeline will begin sales later on in 2016, but in the meantime the company is building on the momentum of last year’s launch. In Chicago, the truck was shown with a bunch of accessories.

It is supposed to offer Superior on-road performance – with the segment’s best handling, ride quality, cabin quietness and all-weather traction capabilities – courtesy of its unibody construction, sophisticated chassis, and available i-VTM4™ torque-vectoring AWD system. Class-leading space – with the largest and most versatile cabin and the only 4-footwide flat bed space in the midsize pickup segment, along with payload capacity rivaling top competitors.

Hyundai The Hyundai Santa Fe lineup continues to dramatically improve for the 2017 model year.

The improvements span everything from fresh exterior design and LED lighting signatures to additional infotainment, convenience and safety technologies and new Drive Mode selection with Sport, Eco and Normal settings. The 2017 Santa Fe line-up continues to offer front- or all-wheel drive and seating options for five, six or seven passengers. The 2017 Santa Fe Sport is powered by an efficient 2.4-litre four-cylinder direct-injected engine with 185 horsepower or the more powerful, turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with 240 horsepower. 2017 Santa Fe (three-row) uses the acclaimed 3.3-litre Lambda II V6 engine, with 290 horsepower.

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2016 Maserati Ghibli SQ4

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Raj Warr

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Elvis Jo

The brilliant Maserati Ghibli seeks to attract customers from other premium E-segment models. And the S version with the Q4 all-wheel drive arrangement helps the cause along with a great handling experience

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S

ergio Marchionne’s big gamble with growth seems to have paid off for the conglomerate.

Ever since the Fiat group bought into Chrysler’s operations, the integration has deepened to a level where it is no longer blasphemous to speak of platform sharing and badge engineering. Although that may not be entirely true when it comes to a brand like Maserati.

The catch with Maserati is that it is still seen as a purists brand. Let us put aside for the moment the fact that they are debuting the Levante SUV to get more fatcat owners into their stable. Maserati only accepts association with Ferrari, no other brand stands up to their ideals.

So it wasn’t odd when a couple of years back the Maserati product specialists took great pains to explain the originality of the Ghibli. We may see it as a shared platform, but for Maserati there was enough difference in the evolution to warrant an independent tag. They give credit to the Quattroporte as the platform’s origin and you can see the similarities, while there surely were learnings from the wider FCA. You can however give Maserati designers due credit for spawning a creation that truly takes the place of the smaller

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sibling of the Quattroporte. Even the choice of engine made a huge difference.

Admittedly the smaller displacement of the 3.0-litre V6 engine came as a bit of a surprise. But with the S tune, the biturbo engine output is above 400 horsepower and that combines with a quick shifting eight speed gearbox.

The Ghibli stands out from the crowd with its styling. Every bit the traditional Maserati, it takes the Trident brand’s ethos to every panel, with the shark like snout, cleverly crafted headlights and flowing side panels complementing the thrust out fenders. The pride of place just aft of the front wheels is hogged by the typical Maserati air-intakes. These are functional considering the turbocharged engine’s need for ventilation.

Modern day technology in terms of lighting (focus lights and LEDs) plays a major role in communicating this as a modern day car. And we must say that the rich blue of the test car is a stand out colour, going very nicely with the deep red and black treatment of the interiors. The interiors are a good mix of luxury and a performance theme. Scooped out sports seats, a steering wheel that just slips into your grasp and an instrument pod that

wouldn’t look out of place in a Ferrari are all part of the equation. The Maserarti Touch control is a stand out feature of the car. It takes the logic and technology of the group’s interface to a unique level.

From this model year onwards, the MTC has a greater integration with Apple devices due to the chipset it features.

Siri takes over the voice control and you can pair your phone seamlessly with the device.

Another small feature we really liked was the placement of the left and right turn indicators in the two separate dials of the IP. It doesn’t quite take you to Ferrari’s choice of the appropriate switch positions on their steering, but the feel is similar.

We aren’t too sure of how the optional Ermenegildo Zegna interior with its marriage of silk and leather would feel, but the chosen leather seats and dark interiors are completely to our taste.

The car is of course different to the regular Ghibli that you would buy. For its takes the purist rear-wheel drive characteristic of the Ghibli to a new level with the Chrysler engineered AWD arrangement.

It may seem counter-intuitive at first to expect the AWD to make the car feel more Maserati-like. But that is what happens.

Driving Impressions The fact that this is an all-wheel drive is communicated by the Q4 badge. The system remains rear-wheel biased with power transfer to the front-wheels achieved through a wet-plate clutch in the transfer case. When you start the engine and put the car in drive, the power split shows up as 50:50 on the panel in between the two nacelles of the speedo and tachometer. That would mean that you would expect the default mode to be an even split but that is not the case. The system is highly sensitive to accelerator input and measures weight shift as well as wheelspin and power delivery. Under quick acceleration the car shifts more of the power to the rear (we saw the 20:80 ratio settling in most of the time) and the second you relax and lift your foot off the pedal the power delivery shifts to 100% to the rear. That is D mode. But things change with your selection of other drive modes.

So, you have a system that plays to a lot of strengths - a phenomenal power delivery of above 400hp, the torque flatness that only a good turbocharged can deliver, undetectable (or almost) turbolag and a ZF eight-speed automatic

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gearbox that is just as happy in full manual mode. The car even has a mechanical limited-slip differential that plays a handy role when you are pushing the car really hard. But that would be about par for a performance sedan that seeks to outshine the rest of the E-segment champions.

The Ghibli’s exhaust is also engineered to add to the excitement, with a variable baffle arrangement, wherein the valves stay shut upto 3,000rpm and then open to enhance the richness of the exhaust note.

So, as you thunder around a curve enjoying the suppleness of the Ghibli’s light aluminium double wishbone suspension, you not only feel the nuances of the road through the seat, you feel it through your ears as well.

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Verdict We’re from that breed of people who love the Italian supercar just as much as we love their approach to performance sedans. That said, neither of these would really sell in today’s day and age without sticking to the highest standards of technology, design, engineering and product excellence along with reliability, all of which need to partner the latin flair of machismo and excess.

Yes, the Ghibli does take the equation to a realm of greater sensibility. To start with the car isn’t priced too far out from the rest of the benchmark premium E-segment. And it does bring a package to the table that makes for a compulsive nod to the affirmative.

Whether it is the option to buy into designer interiors, particpate in a personalisation programme or even to just choose between the standard 8-speaker audio systems, Harmon & Kardon 10-speaker or the Bowers & Wilkins Premium sound system with signal enhancement and 15-speakers and a 1,280 watts amplifier, you never had it so good with choices.

You definitely need to buy the S version over the regular Ghibli, even if it’s just for the extra bit of torque and power and the Q4 tries to take you a little bit further on that path. That may just be the bit you choose not to opt for if you are a rearwheel drive purist. But in our opinion it’s worth having as a backup plan.

At the heart of the car’s brilliance is the S tune of the Ferrari engineered and produced 3.0-litre biturbo engine. That, coupled with the ability of the transmission to shift the torque between a 50:50 front rear split to sending all the power to the rear.

The Ghibli does make a differential nod towards fuel economy both with its eco mode on the transmission choices as well as the system’s dynamic ability to read how you are driving and compensate for better fuel economy.

However, once the baffes are open over 3,000rpm you fully appreciate the car’s brembo brakes, seen here with the calipers coloured in a distinctive red.

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2016 Toyota Prius

With its twin drivetrains and some brilliant engineering, the Toyota Prius comes to the region hoping to change some entrenched beliefs Author: Raj Warrior | Photography: Elvis John Ferrao 34 Mar 2016

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his is an occasion that doesn’t come too often for a motoring journalist in the region. We get to drive fast cars, cars with large engines, some economy stuff and some that don’t really fit into particular slots. But the one breed that we normally don’t get here are cars that propound the intelligent ecological loving path of the Toyota Prius.

We understand that the jury is out on that particular arrangement too. How does a car that has two drivetrains – i.e. electric and petrol engine – claim to be minimalist in anything else?

To begin with the Toyota Prius is not new. It was launched around1997 and is already in its fourth generation. Over the generations, the car has evolved on its initial idea of using an electric hybrid combination to deliver better fuel economy, phases of pure electric driving and the greater power on offer of the electric boost on a small petrol engine. In fact we’ve even driven the first generation of the Prius on Toyota’s track in Japan sometime in 1999 during an extended visit.

At the time, the concept was in its infacncy

and very few people actually saw a future largely because of the state of battery technology at the time.

But Toyota has persevered through the years, boosting the technology on offer and increasing the value proposition of the car. The Prius is much-loved by Hollywood film stars and Silicon valley types who enjoy the green credentials that the car provides.

We’ve also had car czar Bob Lutz telling us during a 2008 dinner in Paris about how much money Toyota was investing in the Prius but how all of that made sense because of the sheer amount of goodwill and green points it earned in return.

Remember, he was heading GM at the time.

Now, in its fourthe generation, the Prius is available in global markets both as a regular and plug-in hybrid. The difference a plug-in hybrid brings is a larger battery pack and greater range on pure electric energy. In the regular mode the battery pack is smaller and depends largely on the ability of the petrol engine to kick in with its charging on demand.

Let’s look at drivetrains. The regular petrol engine is a 1.8-litre, 4-cylinder VVti engine that combined with the electric assist tops out at 121hp of power. On its own the engine offers 95hp and 105 lbft of torque.

As you would expect from the car, the engine is tuned for an Atkinson cycle operation. The electric motors offer a maximum of 53kW peak output (that’s 71hp). As you’ll notice, the situation does not arise of both the engine and motors offering peak output together – which is what you would expect only in a performance environment, not one geared for fuel efficiency.

The electric motors are placed on the two front wheels and serve as regenerative sources for electric power during braking as well as when the car is cruising along under no load conditions. For the interested driver, the exact mode that the car is going under is visible from the display. You see the energy flow to the electric motors as the car sets off and the moment the engine kicks in you see the battery power taper off. At some stage you see the flow of energy back to the Mar 2016

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battery as well. That’s also visible as you apply the brakes. And when you drive for enough time and switch off the engine the car scores your driving in terms of fuel efficient driving.

The latest Prius is the first car built on Toyota’s new global architecture that aims to lower the centre of gravity and provide more stability and safety. But the combination of the platform and the styling has offered a car with a dramatic Cd of 0.24. To achieve this tiny figure the car also offers grille shutters to divert air over the hood and lower resistance and

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the characteristic tweak of the rear gate that moves air ever so smoothly into the slipstream.

The interiors of the car are very futuristic and tech inspired, especially those on our test car that had a combination of light and dark surfaces, with the almost white soft-feel plastic of the dashboard matching with the piano black finishes of various trims.

The dashboard is multi-tiered and characteristic of the wider Toyota design trend in modern cars. These surfaces sometimes seem to just rise out of the

background, the centre of the assembly is dominated by the large central display.

You don’t need to have that kept on the drive information, because you also see the necessary information on a smaller readout at the top of the console.

The large display serves as an extension of your smart phone as much as it does as a Navigation and entertainment console.

But after sometime, especially when you are testing the car’s performance, you will default to the finer details of how the drivetrain is working, inluding readouts on efficiency.

The seats are generous and legroom is large, both up front and for the rear bench passengers.

If you put aside for a moment that the car is supposedly special because of its drivetrains, you will see a rather generous package sitting under the meek identity.

It has all the creature comforts you would expect including leather-wrapped steering wheel, a full suite of airbags, reversing camera, blindspot monitoring, lane change assist and is even offered with a headsup display and leather seats in its higher version.

Driving Impressions You would expect the car to be underwhelming because of its fixation with fuel-efficiency. It isn’t. Of course you don’t get any tearaway starts even with the electric motor. Unlike the Infiniti Q50’s hybrid drivetrain, this one’s tuned for economy and that means that you wouldn’t usually try to floor the accelerator.

When you press the start button, there is no commotion. The petrol engine remains off, and to engage the drive you have to use the fly-by-wire drive controller that

needs to be pulled towards the driver and tapped down for D mode. To get it to N the controller should be held pulled to the left. It takes a little getting used to. Once in D mode, you can further nudge the drive to a battery only mode if needed. Getting it back to park position is done by pressing the P button next to the controller. For a second we wondered whether that was an electric parking brake till we remembered the foot operated pedal off to the left of the footwell. The systems battery voltage tops out at 600W, delivering a highly efficient electric mode.

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The Prius is designed from the ground up to be super efficient. This begins with the highly efficient 1.8-litre petrol engine and the two electric motors on its front wheels as well as to the 53kWh battery pack that it carries in this regular hybrid version. The efficiency of the car is improved by influencing driver behaviour with readouts of actual consumption and efficiency during a drive cycle.

The Prius also has one of the highest class cabins we’ve seen. Its unique combination of white and black interiors with very tactile surfaces adds to the class of the car.

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The petrol engine is also more efficient than previous units, with a boost to 40% thermal efficiency with features like EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) and the use of the Atkinson cycle.

The transmission is through a planetary CVT arrangement making for a compact unit. Considering that you barely notice the engine switching on as you drive, it will be only a very perceptive driver who ever notices the complete flatness of the delivery curve.

Just as you wouldn’t really notice that a huge amount of the braking force is due to the electric motors act as generators instead.

The suspension is of a rather stiffer tune than we would have expected from a US centric car, but it does comes in handy especially over speedbreakers and such, where the normal sedan would bottom

out. The car is responsive around the corners, but the electric power steering is not the most direct in communicating feel.

When the car trundles along on only electric power, there’s a complete lack of sound outside and in the cabin, except for a bit more tyre noise than we would have expected. To make up for that, the car beeps when it senses pedestrians or cyclists around, in order to warn them.

When the petrol engine switches on, the sound is still muted although you can opt for a slightly more vigorous drive mode by selecting the appropriate mode.

Drivers will appreciate the amount of glass around for the visibility although the view out the back is slightly impeded by the cross bar of the glass tailgate and the rising windowsill line for the rear seats.

That’s when you really begin to appreciate the large 7” screen with camera.

Verdict Its hardly a million dollar question, but what really needs to be asked is whether the Toyota prius makes a difference to the informed buyer in the region and Oman? Are you ready to shell out a couple of thousand Rials over a regular drivetrain equipped car from the same manufacturer (even taking all the features and extras that the car has) for the sake of the guaranteed extra mileage? The car should get you better than 25 km/litre in actual conditions and with the car’s instrumentation egging you on to improve your green driving it should get even better.

It is a pity that unlike in the US or Europe, we don’t actually get an incentive or rebate for thinking green. Until that happens, the chances are that the Prius will only appeal to a discerning few.

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2016 Volvo XC90

From big and boxy to a sleek reborn version – the all-new Honda Pilot takes the largest of its SUVs into new territory – one where looking good counts for at least as much as driving well. Automan tests the car.

Author: Raj Warrior | Photography: Elvis John Ferrao

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ur fond image of the XC90 was one that was laid out a decade ago when Volvo entered the segment of a reasonably large SUV, with seven seats and a powerful engine on offer. true to its gloabl footprint in the day, there were a range of engines on offer, but it was for this model that Volvo had debuted their narrow 60-degree angle V8 engine sourced from Yamaha Marine origins. For almost its entire lifetime, if anyone in the middle east ever bought an XC90, that V8 engine partnered it on the road.

Now, the XC90 has been reborn into a world were the V8 engine itself is part of a dying breed. Admittedly, the lower fuel prices of the past year may have added some type of longevity to the format, but it faces a tough battle, even in fullsize SUVs. And then technology in general has zoomed way ahead, both in terms of the reliability and efficiency of turbocharged engines, as well as in hybridised drivetrains, so that most manufacturers are using small turbocharged engines with inline motor assists to offer the performance of the older V8 engines.

This generation of the XC90 pays homage to the V8 with its T8 designation but the engine is no longer the larger displacement unit of before. Modern Volvos have changed a lot as has the

company itself. Now the petrol engines carry a T5, T6 and T8 designation but they are all based on the same 2.0-litre fourcylinder engine which is only turbocharged in the T5 variant, turbo and supercharged in the T6 and adds on an inline motor assist powered by a battery in the T8 configuration. The change is tangible in the power outputs.

Our test car was the T6 version in a deep blue colour and this car has all the power you need. The engine output is 320hp with a max torque output of 400Nm. This is mated with an eight-speed automatic gearbox with a straight pass through in sixth and overdrive in both the gears above that.

Volvo has set itself a rather large goal.

It has to reinvent its presence in the premium SUV space while reinventing its whole line-up. And in the process it is also taking the XC90 higher up the value chain.

The external styling has been worked on so that you really wouldn’t mistake the car for anything but an XC90, without looking like the older car in the least (except perhaps around the tailgate).

There is generous use of LED lighting in the new “Thor’s Hammer” arrangement that the company will be using on all new Volvos. What this does is move the LED headlights to the forefront.

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The rest of the fascia has hints of other European marques’ design but the bold grille makes the car stand out from the crowd. The body sits on a 2984mm wheelbase and comes in a couple of inches short of the 5 metre mark but it’s the width of the car that really communicates.

The roominess is carried over into the interior with a scooped out cabin that follows the minimalistic feel of the new Volvo interior. Almost all the activity is centered around the large central display although there are the minimum of other controls at hand just below that - with the audio basics and drive mode control sitting just north and south of the gearshift lever.

The car’s HMI is based on a system called Sensus that can handle voice recognition as well as touch. In our day out with the car we paired it with our phone and for a change this unit can even keep track of messages and events that happened before the pairing. Ask the system to call up the phone list and all you actually need to do is voice the item number of the dialled, missed or rejected call as it shows up on the list. The system just works.

The seats are comfortable, and seem like they are made with just a little bit extra of wiggle room around them. The driver’s seat is slightly on the firm side, but comes with an extendable thigh support as well as lumbar adjustment.

The Volvo XC90 also gets the whole gamut of safety technology that Volvo is putting in its cars to hit its goal of having no fatalities in Volvo cars by 2020. This includes the latest generation of City Safe and this model year the company also will offer a form of self-piloting in the car’s ability to stay in its lane and stay in its position in traffic courtesy of Pilot Assist.

The system takes care of steering, braking and accelerator for the driver.

And its safety package also brakes the car automatically if the driver is likely to drive out in a crossroads ahead of an approaching car. Even the reverse camera has a unique way of plotting out the car’s track in relation to the steering wheel input, which seems closer to the reality that we experience, rather than seeing straight lines or generic curves with coloured bands.

Driving Impressions The car lives up to the reputation of Volvo’s T6 rating taken from its older V6 turbo engines. In the T6 rating both a supercharger and the turbos are present so even when you choose to step on the accelerator you don’t really register any turbo lag. The cylindrical drive mode controller is rather unique as is the knob used to start and stop the engine. Scroll to the drive mode you want and you instantly get a whole different beast under you.

In dynamic mode, the gearshift is much faster and more prone to switch to lower ratios at the drop of a hat. Also the engine tries to stay revved above the 2000 mark in order to keep the turbocharger in its sweet spot. In comfort the aim is to shift as smoothly as possible while in Eco mode the shift pattern is linked to the best fuel efficiency for any given driving pattern.

Of course the system allows you to tune in various parameters to give yourself an individual setting – so you can actually dial in stiffer steering response while leaving gearshift patterns running at regular levels or vice versa.

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The 2016 Volvo XC90 gets the classiest interiors with a combination of leather surfaces a a very high grade of plastic. The new generation of Volvo interiors eschews the floating console in favour of the large new central display with almost every function offered on a tabbed menu arrangement. The car also has the ability to pair seamlessly with all major smart phone platforms as well as to communicate online with the owner’s phone through an internet access point.

Of course the traditional Volvo fascination with a safe cabin also extends to one of the safest arrangements to accommodate young children with the special centre seat of the second row.

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The car is provided with paddleshifters and allows you to move into manual mode whenever you choose. The car is available with air suspension with five modes and that partners well with the offroad mode available in the drive modes.

But even without the air suspension, the car’s double wishbone front suspension and new integral link arrangement for the rear (complete with a transverse leaf spring) make for a supple ride with the perfect combination of load carrying characteristics.

Verdict The XC90 always stood apart from the general SUV crowd because it represented an ideal for Volvo. With the new generation nothing seems to have changed. You won’t be mistaking this car for any other European SUV, despite its dimensions. The brand has set out a path that really requires an exceptional product to carry through. That’s the load of the expectations that the Xc90 has to carry as it takes the competition into the upper segments of the Premium zone.

The engine technology on offer is a great advantage and so is the move to a consolidated central screen, however much of a learning experience that can be. But Sensus is what really makes the cabin environment stand out 9other than the trappings of leather clad luxury and scandinavian minimalism.

Would we recommend the SUV? Yes we would, especially if you like a car that is so very different from anything else you could have chosen from the increasingly crowded marketplace.

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2015 Triumph thunderbird

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In a cruiser market dominated by big bore American bikes, what chance does the Triumph Thunderbird have? We take it out for a test around town Author: Raj Warrior | Photography: Elvis John Ferrao

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he motorcycle industry is in a fix in Oman. No one quite knows whether expatriates can get new bike licences or whether they can even buy new bikes. The service industry depends on expatriates riding small bikes to service their clientele. But its the larger bikes that bring in the big spenders and between the layoffs of high earning expatriates and the licence issues, no one really knows what sells anymore.

Even Harley-Davidson is having to tread carefully in order to retain its marketshare among big bikes. So what chance then does the local dealership for Triumph have with its big bore twin the Triumph Thunderbird?

Getting the product right is half the game.

The issue here is that the Thunderbird has to appeal to the bulk of Harley users

with the familiar layout of switches and controls, including getting the riding pegs and gearshift lever up front. But is it just that? What would really help is to taking the traditional bells and whistles of the thumper and produce a refined rider that brings the more discerning onboard.

In that department, the Triumph Thunderbird is way ahead of the Harley mainstream. From the get go the motorcycle displays a level of finesse and class that very few Harleys show. The only one we can really say even comes close is the Fat Bob and that too the latest generation.

The Thunderbird is a traditional Triumph in that it has a parallel twin arrangement (not the V-twin of the Harleys). The largely oversquare layout of the cylinders features a bore of 103.8mm and stroke of only

94.3mm with 270-degree firing intervals to deliver the even Triumph characteristic rumble. This is helped on by the chromed exhaust arrangement of its two to one to two split. The engine is relatively high tech compared to the average thumper, featuring DOHC and lightweight parts. The 1597cc engine offers an output of 86PS and 146Nm of torque at only 2,750rpm.

The reliability and efficiency of the engine are boosted by the use of longlife materials in the belts and pulleys to avoid the need to open out the casings frequently.

The fuel gauge and the speedometer are placed on top of the 22-litre fuel tank on a nacelle that then obviates the need for an auxiliary readout. This throwback to the large analogue dial is welcome, especially in the face of everyone switching over to Mar 2016

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The Triumph Thunderbird is offered in two colour schemes, with blue or red variants.

Detailing shows how modern technology can pair up with classic shape forms, with the teardrop shape of the tank being reflected in the speedo nacelle and tail light.Accessories available include nice saddle bags and a forward guard with footpegs for riders who like that layout.

The Triumph Thunderbird uses its 700mm saddle height to entice smaller statured riders, while its refined engine and gearbox then make their ride less of a chore 48 Mar 2016

a digital display. The gearbox offers six gears with a really tall top gear that helps to improve the fuel efficiency at cruising speeds.

Ride quality is perfect, with a low saddle allowing even my shorter colleague to straddle the twin tube steel frame and plant his legs on the ground. The vibration from the engine is hardly noticeable and at the handles you never have to fight the bike’s bulk. It’s only when you are at a halt that you feel the weight on the handlebars. The wheelbase is just a bit shorter than we expected considering the Triumph Thunderbird’s bulk but you soon learn to trust the innate balance that the bike brings to the road. The front wheels get 19” and the rear 17” wheels, both being 5-spoke alloys.

When you get the Thunderbird into traffic, you can see that most other road users automatically tend to leave a space around you. perhaps its the bulk and presence of the Triumph Thunderbird that brings about that allusion to respect but its more likely the fact that most car drivers don’t really know how to handle a biker.

But the traffic signal serves as a good spot to show them how smoothly the bike takes off, with the least bit of effort and no clatter at all.

We ride a smaller Triumph Bonneville so the character of the twin thumper is quite familiar to us. But the grunt on offer in this bike is something else, You can pop the gear one over where it should be and the bike still pulls without loading the engine.

The engine isn’t really free revving but it rises to the occasion once you are past that torque high point and its better to be on the highway then. The chase car has to work to keep pace, although you do miss the large windshield of the LT version of the Thunderbird.

Does the Thunderbird have the wherewithal to take on the Fat Bob? Now that would be a very interesting shootout and one that we would love to conduct.

Let’s see what we can arrange.

In the meantime the bike’s fortunes are more closely linked to the availability of big buck spenders who will take the motorcycle out for a test ride. The bike will do the rest.

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50 Mar 2016

RW: What is special about the new QX50?

JS: As the name indicates, this model has a longer wheelbase and offers more room to the passengers, especially on the rear seat, but we are also changing the design a bit, we are refreshing it, we have a new front and rear bumper, new fascia, lower and wider stance of the car. We are also adding new 19” alloy wheels, so it is a real refresh.

RW: Is there a change in identity? Are you trying to make it look more masculine in the bargain?

JS: It looks more masculine. It’s true that it looks a bit more SUV style. Even the predecessor was very successful, we have gained a share in the segment – what we call the C SUV segment – and we obviously expect that this car which will come into sale by sometime in April-May here in Qatar and the wider region will enter with an enhanced performance.

RW: How is the QX80 doing?

JS: The QX80 has done very well. You know it’s our flagship model and we have just refreshed it around a year ago. We are very happy with the performance. We are selling around 1600 cars a year showing a slight increase. So it’s moving very well.

RW: Will the brand shift its association with performance, considering that you’ve moved away from the Formula One investment? Or do you still use the platform of performance?

JS: We have announced a new engine family – a new V6 3.0-litre twin-turbo that will enter ur line-up, not in all models, but for example we have announced that this comes into the new Q60 coupé shown at the Detroit motor show just a couple of days ago and this new engine obviously takes us in this direction. It is a performance-oriented engine. We are adding a new high power version with 400 horsepower, which is fully new in the Infiniti lineup. This sort of proves the point you’ve raised the question about.

We have not changed this. Nevertheless, we are also looking into new segments. The Q30 is one of these examples where we are going into a segment, which is below where our current entry

RW: Would there be any positional shift because the Formula One tie-up no longer exists?

JS: No. Formula One does not drive our strategy. It was a support to enhance and make clear why we were going into a certain direction, but it is not changing anything in our plans.

RW: Coming back to your other drivetrains – the hybrids. What’s been the scene on that, any significant uptake registered?

JS: We are offering here in the Middle East hybrid drivetrains on the Q50. We have more hybrids globally on offer on other models.

Here in the region, so far, hybrids are not very well known or very well accepted by customers. It’s not our problem alone, it is a reality for all automotive brands. So the situation remains that it’s on offer, for us here it is part of the high-end, high-performance offer, which is different to its presence in other markets where it is more of a fuel saving opportunity. Our Q50 hybrid is a highperformance car. It is the fastest hybrid in its segment globally.

We are looking at the market, it might change and we may have other models available globally which we can easily bring into the region as soon as the demand structure is changing.

RW: You’ve grown volumes in 2015. Have you also been picking up marketshare?

JS: Dramatically I have to say. We have gained 0.5% share, bringing us close to 6% in the premium segment and we are one of the fastest growing premium brands in the region.

RW: Have you increased the differentiation between Infiniti and Nissan in terms of showroom presence?

JS: We believe it has changed dramatically and in fact the sales figures I just quoted are proof of this. I’ll share a little insight of what happened in the company a while ago. For Infiniti we now have dedicated design centres everywhere on the planet, in all the big markets, where people are looking for the needs and request of Infiniti customers. All this goes together into the global product development. The Q50, Q30 are products coming from this process. I think there is now a very clear distinction.

Not to forget we are working very hard on improving the Infiniti experience in the showroom. This means that we now have nearly all of our showrooms Infiniti exclusive, what we call IREDI showrooms. This is a process that is still ongoing but very soon all of our showrooms will be exclusive and on top of this we have a very dedicated customer experience programme for our customers and their expectation levels. This distinction is also mirrored by our training programmes for staff.

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face to face

level Q50 was and we are looking into new customer groups in this premium compact segment. Q30 is one of the cars we are bringing into the region in the next three-four months. Basically, the brand develops in several areas.

news

Juergen Schmitz heads the Infiniti brand presence in the Middle East region. As the brand’s regional managing director, he basks in the record performance of 2015 and touches on how powertrains will help drive volumes for the brand. We spoke to him at the Qatar Motor show where the brand was launching the long wheelbase version of the QX50.

CONceptual

Nissan IDS Concept

52 Mar 2016

Nissan highlighted its Intelligent Driving System or IDS Concept at the Tokyo Motorshow, playing to the call of the event to showcase autonomous drive as well as electric drivetrains

The Nissan IDS Concept takes the learnings of the Leaf to the next level, offering a self-piloted electric vehicle with a decent autonomy Mar 2016

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ost new concept cars are focussed on highlighting the latest advances in technology.

But when that discussion comes to powertrains, the participants are largely electric traction based. Admittedly, hydrogen fuel cells seem to be coming back with a bang, but as Nissan’s IDS (Intelligent Driving System) concept shows, you don’t have to deviate too much from today’s best in class to achieve your goals.

The Nissan IDS Concept takes the electric drive system from the brand’s Leaf electric vehicle and advances the concept further placing a 60 kWh battery in the car that should give it a range of almost 300km.

But that isn’t the real huge leap forward.

That comes in the form of a carbon-fibre construction body built to accommodate four chairs that can swivel around in order to give the occupants a feel of being in a

54 mar 2016

living room. The seats are arranged in the traditional two by two configuration of a normal car, but the seats are motorised and the two seats in the front swivel all the way around to face the rear seats.

For this the driver has to select piloted drive mode – the steering wheel that is available in Manual mode then recedes into the dashboard and a large monitor comes out to show all the parameters.

In many ways, the IDS takes Nissan a step closer to its goal of introducing their 1.0 version of piloted drive in production models this year. The system is set to be launched in the orderly traffic systems of Japan, to be later moved into markets in Europe, China and the US. In terms of design, the IDS concept takes the purity of form that the EV platform affords and avoids making it a bland shell. The carbon-fibre structure displays the form of a hatchback, but the large

wheelbase with the wheels thrust as far out into the corners as possible make it easier to accommodate the needs of the cabin. Typical Nissan cues remain, like the prominent fascia. But the view is dominated by the huge panoramic glass roof that puts the interiors on display.

The dashboard is very influenced by current trends as well as traditional Japanese idiom. Wood and nature blend into future materials, with the central display lording over the cabin .

In manual mode, the interior reverts to a traditional layout, putting the control back in the hands of the driver.

The company is at pains to stress the importance of communication in the idea of the IDS concept. They expect the car to transmit information to the driver and the driver talks back to the car.

“A key point behind the Nissan IDS Concept is communication. For

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autonomous drive to become reality, as a society we have to consider not only communication between car and driver but also between cars and people. The Nissan IDS Concept’s design embodies Nissan’s vision of autonomous drive as expressed in the phrase together, we ride,” says Mitsunori Morita, Design

Director. The car also speaks to the world around it, through an LED strip that forms the side bodyline and serves as a means to let pedestrians know that the car has sensed them as well as a panel at the front windshield that actually flashes out messages to others, like “After You”.

The artificial intelligence built into the

car is able to handle voice instructions as well as gestures, which would make for an interesting combination in a real-life situation.

“In every situation, it is about giving the driver more choices and greater control.”

Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn said at the show.

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CONceptual

Acura Precision Concept

A Precise New Design Direction for Acura

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For long seen as a follower of parent Honda’s design direction, the Acura brand is now trying to break out of its shell with the Precision design concept

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The aim seems to be to set out an independent design direction. In the process, the Acura Precision concept definitely brings a level of excitement to the brand, with a profile that seems best suited for a more focussed sports sedan. This is definitely echoed by the brand’s DNA of Precision Crafted Performance.

“The Acura Precision Concept is more than simply a concept vehicle, it is a design study model that literally will shape the direction of all future Acura products around our Precision Crafted Performance DNA,” said Dave Marek, Acura global creative director. “The Acura Precision Concept is the leading edge of a renewed commitment to delivering

Precision Crafted Performance in every facet of the product experience and creating a powerful and very exciting direction for the next generation of Acura models.”

The shape is very muscular, with pronounced haunches, sharp detailing and the use of LED lighting to enhance the shape and contours. The wheels and tyres are based on a 22” size and aggressively sculpted alloy wheels.

The designers use the term “quantum continuum” to describe the way they have treated the interiors, especially with the use of new materials.

The human machine interface (HMI) is designed to offer a curved screen and a floating touchpad.

No mention was made about the drivetrain, but then this is being touted only as a design concept.

The seating is designed to match a high class lounge or home’s interior.

It isn’t difficult to see how this concept can translate into a performance sedan for the brand although the interior’s use of cantilevered seats and surfaces is unlikely to see production. Nor will the lack of a B-pillar be accepted with the current standards for side impact protection.

The Acura Precision Concept was created to explore new and challenging ideas for future Acura design, particularly Acura sedans. The concept was created by Acura’s California Design Studio under the direction of Acura global creative director, Dave Marek. The exterior design was led by Michelle Christensen, principal exterior designer, with the interior design created under the leadership of John Norman, principal interior designer. Both Christensen and Norman also played a key role in the creation of the Acura NSX. 58 MAR 2016

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“Sharper, Edgier and definitely packing oomph, the Precision design concept brings excitement to Acura’s visual language”

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MAR 2016

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Lexus LC500

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It’s been a long time coming. The Lexus LC500 is the new flagship 2+2 coupé for the brand, complete with the power of the naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 that powers the RC F and GS F.

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hen you set about powering a change in a brand’s offering, the best way is to make the flagship model tell the story. In terms of performance, the limited run LFA did its job of reinvigorating the brand. Now Lexus has debuted the model that will take over the task. The LC is the production version of the stunning LF-LC concept that wowed audiences four years ago at detroit. This

year, the LC did that job.

“The LC 500 has been an important product for Lexus and me personally,” said Akio Toyoda, Chief Branding Officer and Master Driver for Lexus. “A few years ago, we decided to guide the future of the brand with products that had more passion and distinction in the luxury market. This flagship luxury coupe’s proportions, stunning design and

performance make a strong statement about our brand’s emotional direction and will grow the Lexus luxury appeal globally.”

The past few years have seen the brand make the leap from a purely luxury focussed one to a performance driven one. The results of that can be seen in the new RC as well as the more exacting F versions of the RC and GS. Mar 2016

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The LC serves as a focal point for many of Lexus’ current styling cues – a pronounced spindle grille, strong C-pillar treatment, edgy flanks and the new triple LED headlights pair with the sharply rising waistline and the aggressive tailight treatment to communicate the Lexus new age styling.

The LC500 sits on a 2,850mm wheelbase with dramatically low front and rear overhangs, courtesy of the rear-wheel drive arrangement of the naturallyaspirated V8. The engine delivers 467hp and 389 lbft of torque and features an active exhaust with baffles that open out over 3,500rpm to provide both a freeflow as well as a louder engine note. Of course this car too gets the sound generator in 62 MAR 2016

order to boost the sound of the revving engine to the driver over the insulation.

The transmission is the new 10-speed automatic transmission that is reputed to outperform a DCT gearbox in shift times.

The car sits on either 20” or 21” wheels with the show car shod in 245/40 RF21 up front and 275/35 RF21 at the rear.

The dynamic balancing of the car begins with the brand new GA-L architecture for the brand’s new rear-wheel drive sedans. This has been stiffened, while the placement of the wheels gives the car a front midship layout.

The LC 500’s engineers focussed on the platform’s fundamentals by placing most of the mass, including the engine and the occupants, in a position more centralised

and lower in the chassis to improve the centre of gravity. The battery has been shifted to the boot, while the doors are aluminium outside and carbon-fibre inside.

The weight distribution is 52:48 front to rear. The light weight of the platform is further enhanced by a carbon-fibre roof and composite material in the trunk’s floor. The basic shell itself uses lots of ultra high strenth steel. Internally, Lexus engineers referred to this mass-arranging tactics as the “inertia spec.”

Chief Engineer Koji Sato says,“We spent more than triple the usual amount of R&D time to pursue linear steering and to find the sweet spot for road contact feel. We also focused our efforts on suspension rigidity and enhancing geometry. Thanks

to advancements in product engineering, we are now at a world-class level for suspension rigidity, and performance when lateral g’s are applied.�

The suspension on offer is a multilink arrangement with double ball joints on the upper and lower control arms for finesse.

The new LC also debuts with a standard top end Pioneer system (or the Mark Levinson system as an option), on top of a full suite of safety elements like active radar cruise control and pre-collision.

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MAR 2016

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2016 Porsche 718 Boxster

With the move to the 718 classification, Porsche brings order to its naming as well as tantalising us with the possibility of other sports cars in the future

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orsche have had to manage a major reorganisation of their entry sports cars only a year into the new body style. With the 718 classification, Porsche attempts to bring a structure to the model naming while continuing with the legacy of the Boxster and Cayman tags.

In the process the brand also seeks to pay homage to their 718 cars of the 1960s and their four-cylinder turbos, although these weren’t really the most remembered in their pantheon.

In this the 718 Boxster has undergone styling changes that identify the car as different from last year’s Boxster, although the powertrains are now two modern versions of four-cylinder turbocharged units. The milder of the flat-four turbo units is a 2.0-litre unit with 300hp on tap, while the S version offers 350hp from a 2.5-litre unit equipped with variable turbine geometry.

The engine layout is rear-mid as in the previous generations’.

Torque on both the engines has also gone up with the smaller 64 MAR 2016

unit offering 380Nm and the larger one 420Nm, from just under 2,000rpm to the 4,500rpm bracket. And the performance figures are no less interesting – with PDK and the sports chrono package, the cars hit the standing hundred in only 4.7 and 4.2 seconds respectively and offer top speeds of 275 and 285 km/h.

In terms of styling, the front fascia looks wider and incorporates a larger area for cooling air. The sides get aggressively styled to incorporate larger sills and air intakes on the wings. The styling of the tail is characterised by the central lip and the LED lighting.

Cars equipped with active suspension management allow the car to ride 10mm lower, with the S version allowing a sport chassis configuration that takes it down a further 10mm.

The sport chrono package adds an individual setting to the Normal, Sport and Sport plus settings. When combined with PDK, the car allows you to also dial in a sports response element through a button.

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Making the right waves Let’s talk about gravitational waves. Or actually let’s say that gravitational waves and humankind’s discovery of proof that they exist may actually mean something to most of us out there who would just go, “Huh?” when people talk about a LIGO detector and the joy of hearing two black holes collide. “Huh?” Yeah, that’s what I mean.

The theory that gravity existed in the form of waves was proposed by Albert Einstein almost a century ago. Since then, we’ve never been able to detect these waves, largely because we start with the knowledge that gravity is technically a very weak force. How do you measure gravitational waves generated by astronomical bodies, without having your readings clouded by the gravity of the Earth and its moon? The LIGO arrangement is apparently tuned to such finesse that within days of the setup launching and being fine tuned, the signature of the gravitational ripple of two colliding black holes was registered in the contraption. Of course, I use the term contraption with the greatest of respect, for not only could it detect something that originated a billion plus light years away (and hence the same time in years in the past), it could hear that above the sound of our noisy Earth.

Does it even matter to us? We’ve had confirmation of the Higgs-Boson and now gravitational waves. How does it even make an iota of difference to the common man?

Are we going to benefit because of this? Will gravitational drives or anti-gravity be the next announcement? Are we all going to get cars that can levitate and zip around with no expenditure of energy? Isn’t that what the boffins try to tell us when they provide the backstory to movies like Interstellar?

Raj Warrior is now managing editor of Automan and has been in the thick of the Automotive journalism field from the past 18 years.

Want to comment or have your say?

Email at raj@alutoman.me Identify yourself or your message will be trashed and your id blocked

The story of almost all new developments in transportation are based on the better understanding that we have of the higher thought processes of science. From the wonders of LED and Laser lighting, global positioning satellites, to the nano particles that form the paint coats on your car, to the sheer computing power under the hood or even the maintenance-free batteries and engine oils, we can attribute almost every advance to a much higher level of understanding of the physical domain as well as to our ability to chemically alter almost everything.

But none of this predicates a need to know anything about the fundamentals. You just need to know that your paint doesn’t fade, your car knows exactly where it is and can take you where you need to go and that nothing can escape the sheer brilliance of your headlights.

Once we allow ourselves the satisfaction of knowing that our lives run just fine without any need to grasp the complexities, life goes on just fine. We don’t need to know how the traffic ystem works, just that by siply following the rules we are able to avoid accidents.

Touching a switch brings all the technology you need on tap, That allows us to sit back and postulate as to what are the next great discoveries that we would like to witness, discoveries that will change our lives without our needing to understand anything of the processes. Like when do we get to teleport like the folks at Star Trek offer us? Or fly around in multi-layered traffic lanes like Star Wars, the Fifth Element and Total Recall propose?

The discovery of gravitational waves may not end our dependence on Mother Earth anytime soon, but I’m sure it will impact our everyday lives in the future and a not so distant one at that. Till such a time, we’ll be tied down to the ground by the very force that produces these waves.

80 Mar 2016