Overdrive January 2011 Issue Preview

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January 2011 Volume 13 Issue 5 ` 125

Mahindra goes upmarket with premium korean suv; Fortuner, captiva & endeavour in crosshairs

Korando c

here mid-2011

70-page special

Free!

32-page JKTyre road safety & rules of the road supplement

COMPARED

ETIOS VS MANZA & DZIRE Does Toyota shake the establishment?

THE FAST SHOW Featuring

Bugatti Grand Sport Ferrari 458 Italia Bentley Conti GT Merc E63 AMG Ducati Multistrada Bufori La Joya Enthusiasts’ cars under ` 10 lakh

The

COUP DE GRACE!

EURO-EXPRESS! JAG XK AND FERRARI 458 ITALIA

PHANTOM

DROPHEAD COUPE

CRUISE MISSLE! NEW CONTINENTAL GT

TOPLESS, AND JUST AS FAST! VEYRON GRAND SPORT SUPER HIGH TECH WONDER! DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1200

CUSTOM CHECK. CU

BUFORI LA JOYA BUF

EXTRAORDINAR-E. E 63 AMG

AFFORDABLE, AVAILABLE AND HUGE FUN! CARS FOR THE INDIAN ENTHUSIAST

REASONABLY PRICED CED TO UNOBTANIUM, UNOBTANIUM 70 PAGES P OF CARS AND BIKES THAT INSPIRE AND AMAZE US Cover.indd 97

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January 2011 Volume 13 Issue 5 ` 125

COLLECTOR’S SPECIAL EDITION

Karun decides!

Enthusiasts’ rides under ` 10 lakh

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Call us on +91 20 33223341-50 or Fax us on +91 20 33223322 Email us at editorial@overdrive.co.in

motoringnews L o g o n t o w w w. ov e r d r i v e . i n / n e ws/

Honda Brio set for Diwali 2011 launch Brio will slot in below the Jazz, compete with Swift, i20

The Brio is unconventional, both inside and out. It promises lots of interior space, good fuel economy and an engaging driving experience. Plus, there’s the prestige of that ‘H’ on the grille - and all this at a starting price of ` 5 lakh

H

onda has revealed the production version of its new hatchback at the Bangkok Motor Show in Thailand. This is a production version of the New Small Concept that was displayed at the Auto Expo 2010 in Delhi. It has been christened the ‘Brio’, which signifies the youthful persona of the car according to Honda, and the word’s precise meaning is ‘the quality of being active or spirited or alive and vigorous.’ Its

exterior dimensions (3610mm x 1680mm x 1475mm) are smaller than the current Maruti Swift and are very nearly identical to the dimensions of the Chevrolet Beat.

However, Honda claims that there will be a very good amount of interior space, thanks to their ‘man maximum, machine minimum’ concept which maximises the space available for passengers and cargo while minimising the space required for mechanical components.

The prototype’s exterior looks almost

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Right ingredient Nissan drives in the diesel powered Micra Words Halley Prabhakar Photography Martin Alva

H

atchbacks in India were mostly petrol and primitive diesel units until the Maruti Suzuki Swift spawned a whole new segment a few years ago. The car matched and at times even bettered the performance of petrol hatchbacks. This combined with cheaper running costs led people to line up at dealerships resulting in a long waits for delivery. Car manufacturers in India now cannot sell a hatchback without offering a diesel variant. The ones who haven’t are planning to launch die-

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sel variants quick time. Diesel hatchbacks are gaining ground in India and so it is no surprise that Nissan has introduced a diesel variant of the Micra within six months after the launch of the petrol model. We have written extensively about the Micra’s style and handling so let’s dive straight into the test of the new diesel engine.

Engine The Nissan Micra uses a common-rail diesel engine (codenamed ‘K9K’) which is from a family of inline-4 engines co-developed by

Nissan and Renault. This engine is also found under the hood of the Mahindra Logan. The 1.5-litre is currently the biggest diesel engine in a hatchback in India. The 8-valve, 4-cylinder engine produces 64PS at 4000rpm and 160Nm at a low 2000rpm, similar to the Logan. Crank the engine and its quiet operation makes an impression.

There is very little vibration and the cabin is insulated well enough to keep the passengers guessing if it’s a diesel. Nissan has tuned the ECU in sync with Indian driving conditions so there is very little turbo lag and it

feels more like a petrol motor. The power delivery is smooth and linear and ideal for driving in the city. Most diesel hatchbacks have a sudden surge of power when the turbo spools up. The torquey nature of the engine gives the Micra the ability to cruise effortlessly at three-digit speeds.

Nissan’s V-platform is known to be lightweight as seen in the petrol Micra. The diesel variant is no exception. In fact the Micra is the lightest diesel hatchback in the country weighing just 992kg. Nissan says the use of newer manufacturing and material processing techniques and reducing the number of components has helped keep the weight low. This has resulted in a good power-toweight ratio of 64.51PS/ton. The slick and precise gearshifts are a boon in the city but we would have preferred a shorter throw for a more sporty demeanour. The clutch feels heavier compared to the petrol variant and takes little more effort to engage. The gear ratios however are tall and well spread out, matching the engine’s power delivery rather well.

Performance The Micra diesel isn’t exactly a rocket but is a capable car in terms of performance. Our performance test saw the Micra do the dash to 100kmph in 16.49 seconds. The Micra is more than 3 seconds slower to the ton mark compared to the smaller capacity Swift diesel but is in the same ballpark as the Volkswagen Polo. The top speed claimed by Nissan is 158kmph which is similar to its rivals.

The quarter mile comes up in a class competitive 19.9 seconds.

In terms of fuel economy, The Nissan Micra diesel returned an impressive 15.8kmpl in the city and 22.7kmpl on the highway. The overall fuel economy is 17.52kmpl which makes it the most fuel efficient car in its class, beating the Swift diesel’s 17.42kmpl. The ARAI claimed figure is 23.08kmpl and is class leading as well. The fuel tank holds 37 litres which means you get an incredible 648km range. The car’s weight clearly plays a huge role here. The Micra then is a car with impressive fuel economy and respectable performance.

Spec ificatio ns

P ER FOR MA NCE

Drivetrain

ACCELERATION

Type

4-cylinder inline

Installation

front transverse

Valvetrain

2 valves/cylinder, sohc

Displacement

1461cc

Bore X Stroke

76x80.5mm

Comp Ratio

17.9

Power to weight

64.51ps (xv)

4

22.7

City

Front

macpherson struts

Rear

torsion beam

brakes Front

ventilated disc

Rear

drum

6.28

Economy (kmpl)

monocoque

Suspension

60

3.51

sec 0

15.8

chassis type

40

Highway

Tank Capacity Range

17.52

75% Overall

37 litres 648km

14x5.5j rim, alloy(o)

Tyre (F/R)

165/70 r14

14x5.5j rim, alloy(o) 165/70 r14 General data

973

Standing 1km:na 70

8.09

80

10.50

8

90

100

12.97 12

40-50 50-60 60-70 70-80 80-90 90-100

4th

6.43S 4.57S 3.45S 3.30S 3.02S 3.26S

30-80kmph in 3rd

120

19.22

16

IN-Gear Roll-ON KMPH

110

16.49

22.83 20

24

28

32

BRAKING 5th

5.90S 4.87S 4.03S 3.75S 3.86S 4.00S

8.86s

27.63m/2.76s

80-0 kmph

44.25m/3.17s

100-0 kmph 0m

20m

40m

60m

80m

comp etitio n chec k

Wheels & Tyres Rim (F/R)

The 1.5-litre common-rail diesel engine offers class leading fuel economy Road Test

0-400m: 19.9s/107.2kmph 0 kmph

Interiors similar to petrol variant but even top of the line XV doesn’t get auto climate control

NISSAN MICRA XV

volkswagen polo comfortline

maruti suzuki swift vdi

Price (ex-mumbai)

` 5.85 lakh

` 6.08 lakh

` 5.45 lakh

Power

64PS@4000rpm

75PS@4200rpm

76PS@0000rpm

Torque

160Nm@2000rpm

180Nm@2000rpm

190Nm@000rpm

ROAD TEST

Length

3780MM

0-100kmph (sec)

16.49

16.16

13.2

Width

1665MM

Top Speed (kmph)

Height

1530MM

158(claimed)

166.4

152

Wheelbase

2450MM

Fuel Consumption

17.52

17.05

17.42

Kerb weight

992KG

Rating

Verdict The Nissan Micra petrol had the right ingredients to make it a success. The car has space, a frugal engine, class first features and good performance. Nissan now offers a competent diesel engine which is not only good to drive but also the most economical in its class. The pricing is slightly on the high side compared to the class leader, Maruti Suzuki Swift but the Micra offers more equipment and better quality. Nissan’s expanding distribution network should help with the sales while the long waiting periods for the Swift diesel and the Volkswagen Polo diesel may lead buyers to the Micra diesel.

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Korean courier M&M’s acquisition of Ssangyong Motor means that the new Korando C is headed to India Words Ray Hutton

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C om pa ro

e t ios

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Run for the Can the Etios hack it in a potentially fertile segment dominated by the Dzire and the Manza?

Words Bertrand D'souza Photography Gaurav S Thombre

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money

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C N B C - T V 18 OV E R DR I V E Award s 2011

I

t has been a storming year for the automotive industry in India.

The sales curves have defied every recessionary expectation and the manufacturers have kept the momentum going with launch after launch. At the end of the year, it is time for the industry’s most coveted recognition of automotive excellence to be decided. Welcome to the nominee listing for the 12th CNBC-TV18 OVERDRIVE Awards.

We have our much sought after Speedshift trophies polished up and ready and as you read this the Awards Jury will be hard at work evaluating the contenders. The jury, as per tradition, boasts stalwarts with global reputations from the automotive and motorsport fields anchored by the editors from Team OVERDRIVE. The jury will look for quality, value and relevance to our market in every category, just like our nation of automotive buyers and enthusiasts does.

This year, vehicles, products, services and organisations will compete for 20 awards in total. The jury’s scores will decide the awards and the sealed final scores will be revealed at our glittering awards night on January 4, 2011. And even as we celebrate another phenomenal year with the winners, OVERDRIVE remains committed to the environment with our Green Award.

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The nominees for our core awards are on the following pages. Write in to us with which vehicles you think should win and vote for your favourites - they are up for the extremely popular Viewer’s Choice Award as well.

Eligibility criteria Automotive products launched between January 1 and December 31, 2010, homologated for sale in India are eligible as candidates for the awards in the categories they qualify for. See our website for detailed rules and category definitions. All candidates are judged on design, engineering, performance, powertrain, dynamics, driver/rider involvement, safety, efficiency, ecofriendly attributes, value and over and above all, relevance to the Indian market. OVERDRIVE whets and shortlists the final contenders from the candidates’ list purely for logistics reasons. Prices, where needed, are considered based on current prices during judging.

All vehicles must complete OVERDRIVE road tests prior to judging to be considered. However, due to printing or space constraints, the actual test reports may be published later in print, electronic or online editions. Vehicles not present during judging will not be eligible for votes towards the awards.

The

COUP DE GRACE!

EURO-EXPRESS! JAG XK AND FERRARI 458 ITALIA

PHANTOM

DROPHEAD COUPE

CRUISE MISSLE! NEW CONTINENTAL GT

TOPLESS, AND JUST AS FAST! VEYRON GRAND SPORT SUPER HIGH TECH WONDER! DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1200

CUSTOM CHECK.

BUFORI LA JOYA

EXTRAORDINAR-E. E 63 AMG

AFFORDABLE, AVAILABLE AND HUGE FUN! CARS FOR THE INDIAN ENTHUSIAST

REASONABLY PRICED TO UNOBTANIUM, 70 PAGES OF CARS AND BIKES THAT INSPIRE AND AMAZE US

T E ST

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I n d i a’s

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Cars

Under ` 10 lakh We get F1 speedster Karun Chandhok to pick the best performer in the sub-10 lakh rupees bracket Location MMST Race Track, Chennai

W

e go off our rockers when we are on the racetrack, period. Editors and correspondents alike, we put every available car to the test to find out what it’s truly capable of and whether the sum of all its parts is fun or not. While last year Sirish tested some really expensive and powerful rearwheel-drive exotics, this year I put some budget cars through their paces. So we travelled down south to the MMST racetrack to find

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out which car in the sub-10 lakh rupees bracket had the best overall performance.

To make things even more interesting, we asked none other than our very own Formula 1 sensation, Karun Chandhok to do a hot lap in each of the cars. The results might shock you and Karun’s feedback certainly helps dismiss certain assumptions we had about the performance of these cars and makes some cars we thought brilliant look a bit more humble.

the fast show

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BUGAT T I V EY RON

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the fast show

Grand Prix Bugatti boosts the Veyron one more notch. Keeps the performance and raises the roof!

Words Shubhabrata Marmar

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Fe r rar i 4 58 I tal i a

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Mother of God!

the fast show

Its isn’t mum’s personal wagon, but she would certainly fancy one!

Words Bertrand D’souza

Dear mum, twenty-five years ago I promised to buy you a Ferrari. Well, I’m sorry to say that as much as I still harbour the thought, as a 9-year-old I was a bit naive. I had no idea that 1) A Ferrari is as expensive, 2) I wouldn’t win the Great Indian Sweepstakes 3) We’d have no place safe enough to park it without someone stealing its badges!

But I’d like to tell you that I recently drove my first Ferrari in and around Italy. A 458 Italia, in the kind of red that you’ve seen and admired on all those pin-ups that have constantly ruined your walls. It’s a sensational paint job, every bit much nicer than my posters. You’d have liked it. A lot! I know I enjoyed it immensely.

So in the event that I may not be able to keep one of my promises to you, let me tell you just what the experience was like.

The 458 Italia is one of the most recent supercars to be introduced by Ferrari. Launched just over a year ago the 458 Italia is an all new car, designed and built from the ground up. It replaces Ferrari’s F430 (one of the few Ferrari’s to not find place on my wall), which though cutting edge in its time is nothing like the 458 which is heavily inspired by Ferrari’s Formula One technology. Now when most manufacturers say that, it means you’d end up with a car in shiny colours with similar graphics. Not the 458, what Ferrari means by claiming this is the closest it has approached its Formula One car is that the 458 in all probability will hound a F1 car around a F1 circuit liked a dog after a bone, relentlessly close of the F1 car’s heels.

Now I know you don’t like watching the races and it’s as alien a concept as Punjabi fare is to a Mangalorean woman. I know you don’t understand why 22 men keep going around in circles with hardly anyone ever getting ahead of the other and still call it a race. But it is and those cars which look nothing like the cars you know of are the very pinnacle of automotive engineering.

The Ferrari Formula One car for instance is a work of engineered art. Every inch on that car has been designed to perform a particular task. There is noth-

ing in there because it looks good. Every part has to work hard, work well and work for long in the most demanding situations.

The very same characteristics have been embedded in the 458 Italia For instance the body work is not just a lot of flamboyant curves. That those lines, curves and sweeps of metal ultimately look fantastic together is a moot point. In fact the way this car’s bodywork swoops and flows with holes and appendages placed strategically is all down to the science of air distribution and flow.

Now air is a very important aspect when building a fast car, because even though we can’t see it, air has substance and weight and both of these affect the performance of a car. By forcing air faster through or across an object you can increase weight and as you drive faster the air in front of the car gets thicker. The consistency of air changes like water turning into jelly. So in the first case you can use air to make a car stable at high speeds because the car gets heavier and sits firmly on the ground, but you also need to sculpt a shape that will easily pierce jelly. That is why the 458 looks the way it does. As it spears itself through air faster and faster, the air rushes over those curves making it feel even more stable and focused at higher speeds than when crawling. In that sense this car is achingly beautiful; in fact if you knew what to look for you’d have noticed that it does not have a spoiler at the rear. That’s because the rear end is sculpted so that air presses down the tail end of this car significantly as the speeds increase.

The various holes and odd bits also help in several ways. For instance the two wing blades on the front bumper are a very technical element. They move, change position and can change the direction of air flowing over and under them, guiding the air towards either the brakes for more efficient cooling or to reduce drag at high speeds. The small vents which look more like someone forget to fill in some gaps besides the headlamps are trick bits that reduce pressure between the tyre and the wheel well by circulating the turbulent air in that space out to increase stability.

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GT2

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Driving the thoroughly revised, the most important and best-selling Bentley in sunny Oman Words Sirish Chandran

the fast show

B

rian Gush doesn’t get easily annoyed – at least that’s what I’m told. But two hours into dinner and he points out to our fellow diners that it’s the third time I’ve insulted him. The first was when I suggest that the Bentley Speed 8 that won Le Mans in 2003 was a re-skinned Audi R8, and the only reason it won was because the marketing men at Wolfsburg wanted the green car to win that year. Brian, as head of motorsport for Bentley, spent the next hour slapping that nonsense out of my head. The second was when I suggested the Mulsanne’s venerable V8 pushrod engine traces its lineage to a post-war American V8. After choking on his prawns the next hour is spent on a fascinating discourse on the engine’s history and why the rumour came to being (partly since Rolls-Royce used GM’s automatic transmissions at that time). Brian should know – he is also the director of chassis and

powertrain at Bentley. And just as he finishes I inquire about the Volkswagen Phaeton Coupe we will be driving the next day.

Did I mention when Brian stands up he’s not an insignificant man? And now he’s properly annoyed.

But first some perspective: launched in 2003 the Continental GT was not only the first all-new Bentley from the new VW era (they’d just gone through a messy divorce where BMW grabbed the Rolls-Royce name while the factory, cars, engine and people went to the VW Group) but it was the first car since 1931, when Rolls-Royce bought Bentley, to be developed purely as a Bentley. It was a hugely important car and to hasten development the Phaeton’s D1 platform was thrown at it including air suspension at the front and multi links at the rear. Plus it had the same W12 engine mounted ahead of the front axle like on the big VW (thus the Phaeton coupe barbs).

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Alter ego!

If the E-Class is Jekyll, meet Hyde!

Words Bertrand D’souza

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T

ake a glass of water, an ordinary glass of ordinary water. Add a generous dollop of any of man’s three best friends to it, Johnny, Jack or Jim. What you get is an elixir that millions around the planet are hooked to. And that is precisely what a MercedesBenz E 63 AMG is like, an ordinary executive luxury car with an intoxicating brew splashed to full measure to liven it up.

But what a brew! AMG which has been turning ordinary run-of-the-mill Mercedes-Benz passenger cars into some of the most fascinating cocktails have injected the new E-Class with some of their finest.

the fast show The result is an everyday car that is astonishing with its versatility.

I’ve driven several cars over the last ten years, from the cheap and inexpensive to Silicon Valley only exotics. For this issue I also drove one of the greatest Ferraris ever built, a 458 Italia and a few years ago even the last Renault V10 F1 car. Yet if there was one car that left a lasting impression it was - and no, I’m not going to say the E 63 AMG though your guess would have been close - it was the Audi RS4. That was a proper everyday supercar with such diversity to its abilities that it left me spellbound. Here was a car that you could drive everyday in the most refined, unassuming and docile

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JAGUAR XK

Cat’s whispers Touring in Jaguar’s stunning GT, the XK Words Shubhabrata Marmar

I

’m not an automotive romantic. I am sometimes amazed by what the forefathers of the automotive revolution achieved decades ago.

But I am usually not the guy who has automotive museums on his tourism itineraries. I might still make the effort to marvel at old motorcycles, but as thankful as I am that all these people did all of those things, I’m strictly a modern car and bike person.

I want my wheels to just roll. If I have to get greasy with it, then it’s not my cup of tea.

And that brings me neatly to the all-British, Ian Callum-penned Jaguar XK. The name itself is a rather hallowed name at Jaguar. And it belongs to the XK120, one of the few vintage cars that has the power to stop me in my tracks. Jaguar cognoscenti may throw the D-Type, E-Type and so forth as the most iconic Jags to date. Call me a philistine and deride my sensibilities if you must, but the XK120 (and the XJ220 supercar) are the two Jags that would be on my list if I were to ever make a car-oriented scrapbook.

The XK120, built between 1948 and 1952, replaced another iconic Jaguar, the pre-war SS100. The 120 referred to its genuine - windshield removed - top speed of 120mph, or 193kmph. The XK was the new Jaguar engine that the showcar was supposed to showcase.

The car proved so popular on debut that the company decided to put it into production. The first cars, all convertibles, featured aluminium panels on a ash (wood) frame, and later cars moved to steel for body parts to help with mass production - the boot lid, bonnet and doors remained aluminium. The XK engine displaced 3.4 litres making between 160 and 210PS from the DOHC inline six.

Performance was only one aspect of the XK120. It was offered as a convertible, a drop-head coupe and

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the fast show

Getting high We ride Ducati’s all-rounder, the new Multistrada MTS1200 Words Shubhabrata Marmar Photography Aditya Bedre

D

ucati has been the one marque that’s come tantalisingly close and yet remained distant in my riding career so far. I nearly rode a 916 in Mumbai ages ago, I’ve spend brief saddle-stints on the 999, the Monster S4RS and the 848, but an extended, unencumbered ride has remained elusive.

Today, I will break that duck. I always dreamt that my first true Ducati ride would be on a 916 or a 998.

Failing which, I’d make do with a 1198. But the twin headlamps coming rapidly closer belong to none of these - but a day long Ducati ride is guaranteed, so I guess I shouldn’t be greedy or picky.

The headlights belong to the Multistrada MTS 1200, obviously. I could joke that my first Ducati ride was on four motorcycles. For once, it wouldn’t be one of my bad jokes - the tagline is cheesy - the 4-in-1 motorcycle, and on the classy TV spots, Endless Transformations.

To explain that, let’s walk down history lane for a bit. Ducati has always made killer sportsbikes. But in 2003, they created the Multistrada. The name meant, literally, many roads. From its tall seating position, long travel suspension et al, Ducati intended the motorcycle to handle light off-road work. But Ducati insisted that the bike would handle the racetrack with grace, highways with aplomb and the urban melee effortlessly.

As it turns out, the Multistrada turned out to be a capable enough machine, but Pierre Terblanche’s styling didn’t find favour with the normally adoring Ducatisiti. The vertical headlamp, the weird rotating half-top-fairing et al, were simply too weird. As is usual with capable motorcycles that don’t quite gel, the Multi picked up a loyal bunch of fans, but wasn’t a runaway hit even by Ducati’s modest sales standards.

The replacement, though, is gorgeous. Not everyone will love the pronounced beak, but it’s a given for the type of motorcycle it is. It’s natural peers, the BMW R1200GS and the like are all slightly awkward looking. Trememdously functional, yes, but hardly design

icons. This is where the new Multistrada gleams with that Italian sexiness. Beak aside, it looks great from its svelte twin headlamps, to the shapely red panels (other colours are black and white), to the sweet looking exhaust tips right to the sleek tail end adorned with a large, functional grab-rail-cum-luggage-mount.

But this beauty is more than skin deep. The new bike is a lot more serious about its quartet of roles as well. What Ducati did was swap the older air-cooled engine for a motor that borrows heavily their 1198 superbike’s Testastretta motor. They added a heavier crankshaft for tractability, pared down the valve overlap from a top-end friendly 41 degrees to just 11 degrees - great for mid-range - and generally tuned the motor for torque. In the past, this sportsbike engine detuned for torque business has produced a fair number of disasters. But on the Multistrada it spells 150PS at 9250rpm and 118Nm at 7500rpm. For reference, that’s nearly 40PS more than the Suzuki Bandit we rode recently and 10Nm more as well. And Ducati are justifiably proud that the Multistrada actually makes more torque than the 1198 to just under 7000rpm.

The engine, it must said, is a small part of the story. The new 1200 also happens to be one of the most tech-laden motorcycles on the planet. The base version - this one - boasts Ducati’s extremely effective 8-stage traction control system. In addition, you get four riding modes - hence the 4-in-1 tagline.

Touring and Sport modes both offer the full 150PS of power to you. Touring sets traction control to level 5 - a middle-order setting with a progressive throttle response. Sport mode, sets the throttle response to a startlingly direct setting, with the traction control backed off all the way to 3 - Level 1 being Casey Stoner.

Urban mode offers a quick throttle, strong traction control (level 7) but 100PS on tap - enough for the urban cutthrust. And Enduro is progressive throttle, soft traction control (level 1) and 100PS. If you get the S model, you also get Ducati Electronic Suspension, in which case, JAN 2011 overdrive

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the fast show

Pepper spray The 2011 Porsche Cayenne S is hot and in your face Words Shubhabrata Marmar Photography Gaurav S Thombre

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da k a r toua r eg

Talisman A drive in Volkswagen Motorsport’s Dakar rally support vehicle Words Halley Prabhakar Photography Gaurav S Thombre

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the fast show

T

he trick to the Dakar Rally is actually very simple; just finishing the rally is accomplishment enough. To win the Dakar Rally on the other hand, you first need to be superhuman and then you need help. And that’s where this Volkswagen Touareg comes in. The blue behemoth in the pictures is the genuine Dakar-going article. It carries spares, service crews, tents, tools and provisions that the Race Touaregs usually found at the head of the sand cloud need to make it through the world’s longest, most gruelling, most intense off-road event. The rally involves more than double the stage mileage of any other rally.

There is no recce and one cannot physically go out and drive the route beforehand. The drivers go flatout on sand dunes and have only the barest of reference points to get through the desert. The desert is like an ocean and the dunes resemble waves in the sea – ever changing and in an existential sense, all alike.

The purpose-built Volkswagen Race Touareg has been the winner in the last two Dakar rallies (in 2009 with Giniel de Villiers and 2010 with Carlos Sainz at the wheel) making it the first diesel ever to win the Dakar.

The race vehicle is capable of doing over 180kmph in the desert making it one of the fastest cars in the field. I can only dream of driving a Race Touareg.

But thanks to Volkswagen India, we had a chance to drive the Volkswagen Motorsport Team’s Dakar rally service vehicle, the Volkswagen Touareg V6 TDI right here in India.

The service Touareg is adorned with the same Red Bull colours as the Race Touareg and has Dakar logos splashed all over it. The rear LED stop lamps in the rear tailgate looks exactly like in the Race Touareg. Without the service Touareg, it would be impossible to compete in a rally of the Dakar calibre. The service Touareg is JAN 2011 overdrive

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Breathless Driving the Rolls Phantom Coupe, hearing the sound of nothingness Words Sirish Chandran

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erene doesn’t even begin to describe it.

We’re doing 90 (miles an hour, around 140kmph), a perfectly acceptable 10mph above the speed limit, cruise control set, heading for some highly recommended fish-and-chips on the coast near Rolls-Royce’s home at Goodwood. As is to be expected of England it’s freezing and raining, the hostility levels of both ramping up as we near the cost. Traffic slows proportionately but cars also seem to be going out of the way to get out of the fast

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lane; a Rolls-Royce closing up in your rear-view mirror is at once a glorious and intimidating sight. I wriggle my butt into the decadently absorbent seats, fingers lightly working the helm, the only sound being that of nothingness (modern Rollers don’t have a mechanical clock to go tick-tock). Ahead of me stretches an impossibly long bonnet, polished steel in this case, the bonnet itself weighing and costing as much as my house, the flying lady perched so way out in the distance she could almost be in another country. The isolation is

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Top dollar Vintage era inspired car maker Bufori enters India with the pricey La Joya model Words Bertrand D’souza Photography Gaurav S Thombre

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arly vintage era cars built at the end of the the 1930s and those of the early classic era, the 1940s to the 1950s, are the finest examples of automotive art. The expansive bodywork with flowing lines, acres of gleaming steel and myriad detail touches made for very impressive styling. But the making of these splendorous coaches was no easy task, you can be sure. The tooling, dies and subsequent manufacturing were expensive, time consuming and, as safety and aerodynamics gained more importance than styling, unwieldy. By the early 60s mass production friendly origami-like shapes were creeping in and eloquent lines were fading out though several examples would go on to become collector’s items.

Yet this breed of car, or rather the style and manufacturing process didn’t go quite extinct. Morgan Motor Cars, one of just a handful of British car manufactur-

ers in existence since 1909, was the only one to keep that traditional line still alive. Post WWII, Morgan kept building cars that looked like they belonged to the vintage era but with contemporary powertrains. The chassis were still built from wood and the cars looked as graceful as they did in the old days but under the hood lay engines that were as modern as possible. The market for such cars was extremely limited however and hardcore loyalists weren’t too fond of the blend either. Nevertheless, that did not stop Morgan.

This story however is not about Morgan but about another little known manufacturer called Bufori.

Started by three Australian-Lebanese brothers Anthony, George and Gerry Khouri in 1986, the Bufori cars were inspired by American coupes of the 1930s.

They, like Morgan before them, began offering in small volumes cars that had their stylistic origins in the 1930s but came equipped with state-of-the-art powertrains.

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I N D I A’ S

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LANCIA4.3-LITRE STRATOS V8, 540PS,

0-100KMPH IN 3.3S, TOP SPEED: 274KMPH

motorsport F1 NEWS MOTOGP WRC INDIAN

2010 F1 Season review

Super season The 2010 season went down to the wire in a historic five-way fight Words Dan Knutson

T Adrian Newey’s RB6 was usually the fastest car, but it was by no means a runaway for the team

he five-way fight for the championship turned 2010 into one of the best F1 seasons ever. It also set up the foundations for 2011 which has all the ingredients to be another classic. Sebastian Vettel won his first world championship in 2010. It won’t be his last.

After a solidly competitive season in 2009, Red Bull Racing topped the charts in 2010, winning both the drivers’ and

constructors’ world championships. In all, its drivers racked up nine wins (five by Vettel and four by Mark Webber), 15 poles (10 by Vettel) and 11 other podium finishes.

Adrian Newey’s RB6 was usually the fastest car, but it was by no means a runaway for the team. Instead it went down to the wire in a historic five-way fight that also included Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and McLaren Mercedes team-mates Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.

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bootlid similar vehicle in your garage? write to us at editorial@overdrive.co.in

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Car buyers guide

Vo l kswage n VENTO F l eet i n t ro duct io n

The new air VW Vento is a breath of fresh air in our long-term garage Total Mileage 3200km Date acquired November ’10 THIS MONTH: MilEage 968km Fuel 95.8 litres eFFICIENCY 10.1kmpl

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f the Volkswagen Polo was the most anticipated car in our long-term garage this year, the Vento slots right below. And why not? The VW badge on the front and especially the steering, where you actually see it all the time, gives it a feelgood, premium air. That makes it a sedan you’d not only like to drive but also be seen in. I quite like the styling.

It’s very much today – neither futuristic nor dated as is the case with many of its competitors. Interiors are ditto Polo, so it didn’t take me even a minute to get used to any-

thing. The only difference is the brown and beige treatment to the dash that is a bit matured for my tastes. The highline trim comes with chrome accents and a factory fitted audio system. Sadly there is no aux or USB connectivity so I’m back to burning MP3s these days.

But what makes it even more inviting is the automatic transmission. Yes, our Vento comes with the 1.6-litre petrol mated to a 5-speed auto ’box. Slot it in D-mode and more than half your worries about getting past the evening traffic are gone. Needless

to say, the convenience is superb. Our Vento has its own share of small issues. The rear left indicator stopped working on the first day and then the whole tail lamp assembly went kaput. This was immediately taken care of at the service centre. Our car also doesn’t seem to have seatbelt warning light or buzzer for either the driver or the co-passenger. And like many other Volkswagens around, our car also fell victim to the badge snatchers, losing its rear emblem.

Vijayendra Vikram

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Gear & Gadgets The coolest stuff there is!

Videocon Ducati V6200

Videocon V6200 is India’s first mobile phone officially licensed by Ducati. The fully loaded phone has l features like a 2MP camera, torch, 6cm TFT Screen and a 4GB memory card. It also gets a ‘sports’ mode that has features like compass, thermometer, barometer, altimeter, pedometer and a UV sensor.

Also on offer is a GPS navigation system from MapmyIndia with a life time validity.

Price ` 12,000 Available at leading mobile phone outlets

Automoblox hotrods

Treat yourself to these full size hotrods this Christmas. Exquisite details include shiny chrome and wood finished parts

` 2,250 approx www.automoblox.com

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JCB Lifestyle shoes Are these boots or excavators?

JCB, the excavator and construction equipment brand has introduced its range of lifestyle as well as safety footwear in India. Made from high quality materials, these boots adhere to Indian safety standards and have rust resistant steel toe caps.

Need for speed: Hot Pursuit

Forget GT5, this is where you get to chase a Pagani Zonda F in a Lamborghini Murcielago cop car. The NFS franchise is back with the latest game, Hot Pursuit. Grab your copy and start chasing.

Price TBA www.ea.com

Priced between ` 700 and ` 3,995 Available at Reliance Footprint outlets

Tag Heuer Monaco V4

AC Schnitzer Quartz Chronograph 3

The Monaco V4 gets a new rose gold ruthenium and ceramic treatment to make it special enough for a limited run of 60 pieces. The world’s first watch with belt-driven movement also gets a distinctive case.

Modding BMWs to churning out superbly detailed chronos like this one, AC Schnitzer is about evrything automotive. The chrono features a brushed steel exterior and tachymeter markings on the inside bezel.

Price on request

Price on request

www.tagheuer.com

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