Overdrive April 2010 Issue Preview

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April 2010 Volume 12 Issue 08 Rs 100

POLo& FIGO shake up the establishment ford figo 1.4tdci vs ritz vdi

volkswagen polo vs jazz, swift & i20

TESTED

Formula 1 2010 kicks oFf!

Karun Chandhok’s journey to F1 + All the action from Bahrain

Polo 1.2 TDI Merc GL350 CDI Chevy Cruze AT Audi A4 3.0TDI Merc E250 CB Twister vs Jive Aston Martin Rapide MV Agusta F4

first Drive

first LOOK

ride

6th gen 5 Series is best yet

Indian launch in June

Dyna, Night Rod & more

BMW 5 Series

Nissan Micra

Harley-Davidson

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April 2010 Volume 12 Issue 08 Rs 100

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

Nissan’s India hatch breaks cover Nissan readies to produce and sell the Micra hatch in India

Production to start in May at Chennai; Nissan promises competitive prices, more space, more equipment and better driveability

T

he Nissan Micra which made its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show last month, starts production in Chennai in May and will be on sale in India in July. This new model underlines Nissan’s ambitions for India, where it aims for 5.5 per cent of the market, equivalent to its share in countries where it has been long-established.

The five-door Micra is the first model built on Nissan’s new global V-platform. This

will be used for a variety of models - a four-door saloon and a small MPV will follow the hatchback - sold in 160 countries and made in four locations - India, China, Thailand and Mexico.

For India, the Micra falls into the premium B Plus category with its main competitors, the Hyundai i20 and Suzuki Swift. Prices have yet to be announced but Nissan expects them to match the cheapest rival and yet offer more space, more equipment and better driveability.

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Motoring News Vincent Cobee, the V platform programme director, says: “This is not just a new car, it’s a breakthrough product”.

Geneva show visitors might think that he is exaggerating: the new Micra is neat but neither distinguished nor distinctive. In short, it looks a bit like every other modern small car.

European customers, who will get the new Micra built in Chennai from October, will be disappointed that it has not retained something of the unusual style of previous models. Both the original Micra, introduced

in 1983 and its 1993 successor had a cheeky rounded shape which reflected their easy-to-drive and cheap-to-own character.

Compared to its predecessor, which was not sold in India, the new Micra is 6cm longer, 5cm wider and sits on a 2cm longer wheelbase. It is a similar size to the Swift.

At 945kg, it is lighter than the old car and the direct competition.

The weight saving has come from a new engine and some judicious paring of suspension components, like the torsion beam rear axle.

Quirky interiors may not suit all tastes but will get beige trim. No CVT auto for India.

It is designed around a new three-cylinder 1.2-litre petrol engine, with variable valve timing. It produces 80PS and 108Nm in naturally-aspirated form but six months after launch it will also offer a supercharged direct injection version with 98PS and 142Nm. The supercharged engine produces only 95g/km CO2, thanks in part to a standard stop-start system. It will go on sale in India in the foreseeable future. A decision on whether to offer a diesel has still to be made, but it is likely to be the Logan’s 1461cc four-cylinder that produces 65.9PS and 160Nm. We expect the diesel Micra to go on sale within this calendar year.

The accommodation is good, with room for tall and bulky passengers in the back.

The roof line is clever and deceptive as it rises at the centre above the rear seats and flows into a rear spoiler which incorporates the central brake light. The high-spec models on show in Geneva were nicely

The Micra grows 6cm longer, 5cm wider and sits on a 2cm longer wheelbase. It is a similar size to the Swift. At 945 kg, it is lighter than the old car as well as the Swift

Tata Motors will supply 1000 air-conditioned buses to Hafil Transport of Saudi Arabia to transport girls to schools

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motorcyclenews L o g o n t o w w w. ov e r d r i v e . i n / n e w s

Super Ten Yamaha Super Tenere makes a comeback. BMW R1200GS better watch out

Y

amaha has finally revealed its XT1200Z Super Ténéré – or Super Ten, as it was affectionately known in the 80s when it was a popular adventure bike model.

The 2010 bike’s been rebuilt from scratch, retaining nothing of its outdated predecessor, with the basic adventure bike specs of twin-cylinder engine, shaft drive, 19inch front wheel and big trail bike style all present. But Yamaha has also added an electronics package that appears to trump

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BMW’s. Then again, Yamaha has decades of success in the gruelling Dakar rally to support its claims to authenticity.

The Super Ten’s liquid-cooled 1199cc parallel twin engine with 270-degree crank gets traction control that’s available in three modes (TCS1, TCS2 and Off), and Yamaha’s YCC-T ride-by-wire with two power modes, Sport and Touring. The claimed power output of 109PS and torque figure of 114Nm are similar to those of BMW’s 2010 R1200GS with its updated engine. A dry

sump is used to keep the Super Ten’s engine as short as possible and enhance ground clearance, with oil held in the crankase. The short 1540mm wheelbase and sidemounted radiators contribute to a compact design, where mass is centralised for agility.

The new Super Ten uses ABS with Yamaha’s Intelligent Unified Brake system, which redistributes the braking forces. The ‘first edition’ will make its European debut as a Special Version adventure model.

- Harriet Ridley

Dr i v e

B M W 5 s e r ies

5’s jive

The new BMW 5 Series is finally the hotstepper it was always meant to be!

Words Bertrand D’souza Photography BMW

O

n our television show I confessed to being something of a BMW fan. I do, honestly, like the cars it makes. They have a lot of character, are good as every day wagons and are even better when you want to drop the hammer. Except for the 5 Series which I thought was a car trying too hard to bridge the divide between performance and comfort. It tried to strike a perfect 50:50 balance but ended up being a bit of jack of all trades... It was pretty tasty in either petrol or diesel flavour, quick and agile with sports car like performance delivered at the drop of a hat. The only ask was for comfort, the 5 Series being too stiffly sprung for our roads, so to get the best out of its dynamic abilities you needed a race track (remember all the tyre-shredding shots from our last track test?). Why India, it was even too stiff on European roads and not only did you feel everything you drove over, you often found yourself bouncing around unpleasantly over less that perfect roads.

The 5 Series is hugely important for BMW; the previous generation E60 brought in more than 50 per cent of annual net profits to BMW’s coffers from around the globe and over five generations have sold more than 5,555,555 units. And now there’s the 6th generation 5 Series, the F10, pushing a whole new envelope. It promises an evolution of the top selling BMW and that brings me back to bright and gorgeous Portugal though, unfortunately, I have only myself to blame for not being prepared for a rather cold Portugal. So if you saw me shivering on the show it was not just because it was nearly a degree below zero; the new 5 is just the car I’d always wanted it to be - exciting enough to get me quivering.

This 6th generation 5 Series is a much sharper package overall than its predecessor, primarily thanks to its ride and handling upgrade. The core of this new 5 Series is its new chassis and suspension, intended to provide a new dimension to the car, which is comfort. BMW very candidly with this new chas-

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C om pa ro

VW P olo

vs

Swif t, Jaz z & i 20

Version 1.2 The new Polo 1.2 faces-off against the Honda Jazz, Hyundai i20 and the Maruti Suzuki Swift Words Bertrand D’souza Photography by Gaurav S Thombre

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T

he bottom line of this comparison story is that the Volkswagen Polo is the best premium hatch to buy in India today. Most of you may nod your heads and say this was expected because every new car invariably is a test winner. It happened with the Swift and the Jazz and now it’s the turn of the Polo, so nothing new there. But let’s not take away from the fact that every manufacturer precisely aims to better every other car in the market. Did it ever make sense to aim lower than the competition? Think not.

What I must admit though is that the premium hatchback segment is toughly contested, because most of the cars in the segment are very close to each other in terms of spec and feel. Today most premium hatches have a 1.2-litre petrol engine to avail of excise duty cuts and all have similar trim and equipment levels with every feature you possibly want. I’ll be the first to admit that making a choice is not easy. Before you actually hand over the cheque to the overzealous salesperson the banks will decide on which is the best car for them to sanction your loan on safely. This will happen after your father or uncle or nephew or cousin has narrated their experiences with that particular brand. Even before that however your wife will decide what she looks best in based on her friends’ recommendations, or if she’s the grounded sort, which makes the most economic sense without eating into household expenses. Before going to your spouse your colleagues, peers and friends will have awarded status points to everything you’ve researched. And that research is what we’re here to provide. But before I begin, a short backgrounder on the segment, the way it is perceived and why you should be looking at it with more intent.

The premium hatchback segment actually came to life some three years ago when Chevrolet launched the SR-V and Ford the Fusion.

These cars were spacious, offered more luxury and frills than regular small cars but cost a lot more than what was considered reasonable for a hatchback. Neither of these did very well but then the market for these cars was still maturing. Then came the Fabia which, in our opinion, raised the premium hatchback segment by a notch. That too was considered prohibitively expensive but definitely made a lot more sense than the SR-V and Fusion and before long it was joined by Hyundai’s i20. Honda joined the party with the Jazz, the most expensive of them all, which actually made the i20 look like good value and consequently saw its sales jump to levels Hyundai never envisaged.

But the one complaint most consumers had against these hatches was that they didn’t represent enough value. A point which I argued in a column and to re-emphasise: these large and luxurious hatches cost serious money because they offer more than the average small car. The technology is contemporary and therefore expensive, the features bountiful and the space and luxury opulent (what you may not know is that engineering the tailgate of a hatchback is more expensive than a saloon’s boot!). You could easily compare any of these hatchbacks with any C-segment sedan and they would not fall short.

Yet most people readily buy a sedan but will seldom use the boot if at all. Count how often in the last month you have opened the boot of your sedan? I’m willing to bet it’s not more than once.

That this segment is going to get extremely popular and is only going to see a larger number of cars is on the cards. What the cards also foretell is that these cars are going to be priced on the higher side of things. Now consider the fact that in most developed nations the larger your car, the more you’re taxed, be it vehicle tax, road tax, environment tax or congestion tax. It’s a no brainer then to see why small cars and hatchbacks are getting increasingly popular the world over.

And the same could very well be the state of affairs in India’s future.

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Turm-oil R it z V d i ABS

vs

F i g o TC D i T i ta n i u m

The diesel hatches are at war. Segment-leader Ritz meets new Ford Figo

Words Shubhabrata Marmar Photography Gaurav S Thombre

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F

ord is making no bones about the fact that it needs to establish itself as a significant player in the Indian market. And the first step towards that, stated with typical candour, is that the Figo needs to succeed. Except that the new hatch enters a market that’s throbbingly alive like a online Quake deathmatch from hell. Thankfully, it’s far from unarmed. Ford itself is being transformed. Alan Mulally has started the process of unifying the business so that the many aspects of being a successful car maker work together, be it vehicle development or its attendant processes, like marketing, branding etc. The Figo is the first example of this new way of doing

cars at Ford that we’re getting to drive. Simply put, it means that the Figo isn’t a for-India hatchback. It’s an international hatchback that keeps India as a very, very important target market, but keeps a weather eye on other international emerging markets as well.

The small pointers to this are little details like the indicator stalks being located on the left of the steering wheel, and the bonnet release being placed on the passenger side. But the upside of this local-global kind of car is that the quality consciousness that is higher than what passed for acceptable or good in India. But the question here, of course, is how good is the Figo and will it be able to do what Ford hopes it can?

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Dr i v e

VW Po lo d ies e l

Diesel do The new VW Polo goes the diesel route

Words Sirish Chandran Photography Gaurav S Thombre

W

ithout a diesel engine you might as well call it quits in India. The Honda Jazz is a fantastically competent hatch but in the absence of a diesel sales are hardly ticking over. It’s the complete opposite with the i20 which does have a diesel engine.

The diesel Polo will go on sale in May after it completes homologation. It’s an engine which has nothing in common with the Fabia’s 1.4TDI PD. It’s a brand new 3-cylinder common-rail diesel, the smallest of its kind in India, and is in step with VW’s gradual phasing out of pumpe duse engines from all new cars. India is the first country where the engine is being launched. Europe will get it later this year, on the Polo Bluemotion.

Bluemotion is VW’s umbrella brand for fuel saving and CO2-reducing technologies.

In Europe the Polo Bluemotion gets, as standard, automatic start-stop where the engine shuts down when stationary and restarts when first gear is selected. Brake energy regeneration allied to a smart alternator does most of the battery charging while decelerating or braking and can even shut off the alternator to reduce engine load and improve economy. To reduce drag there are low rolling resistance tyres mated to cleaner aerodynamics including a blanked out radiator

grille, flat undertray, side skirts, rear spoiler and 10mm lower ground clearance.

Obviously for India lower ground clearance will just not work. Start-stop, brake energy regeneration and the aerodynamic body-kit cost money which very few will pay the premium for. But we’ll love its fuel efficiency and that’s what this engine majors on – in fact in Europe this is billed as a the most economical fiveseater in the world. Though we don’t have the ARAI fuel economy figures on our Mumbai-Pune drive the trip computer showed 1920kmpl. The engine is claimed to be 22 per cent more efficient that a conventional fourcylinder TDI engine with the same power output and emissions are similarly lower.

To extract the best possible fuel efficiency there is a gear-shift indicator integrated in the instrument cluster which indicates, via up and down arrows, the most energy-efficient gear for prevailing driving conditions.

It urges you to ride the torque curve rather than rev the engine and by guiding drivers into the most efficient band it’s sure to boost real world economy by a fair bit.

Three-cylinder engines aren’t known for their refinement but this engine is surprisingly silent. At idle it’s even quieter than the petrol. It is also surprisingly eager to rev and revs climb quite energetically when you floor

Specification Type In-line 3-cylinder, 1199cc Max power 75.0PS@5400rpm Max torque 180Nm@2000rpm LxWxH 3970x1682x1453mm Price Rs 5.42 to

6.82 lakh, ex-Delhi Ride quality, handling Needs more power

+ -

Super efficient new 1.2-litre TDI motor

it. However with 75PS of power performance isn’t really breathtaking with 100kmph taking 16.16 seconds, over half a second slower than the Ritz. Top speed is 164.8kmph.

The diesel Polo gets a different gearbox to the petrol, with longer ratios optimised for fuel efficiency. However the diesel’s ’box has long throws and is notchy, nowhere near as nice to stir as the petrol.

The diesel Polo drives every bit as nicely as the petrol. It’s similarly refined and performance is barely half a second off the petrol’s time. Despite being 100kg heavier than the petrol there’s little perceptible degradation in handling or steering feel while ride quality remains class leading. At a starting price of Rs 5.42 lakh going up to Rs 6.82 lakh fully loaded the Polo is pricey but should definitely lure those looking for a premium diesel hatchback.

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F e at u r e

M ah ind ra G r e at escap e

Dune dashing Storming through the sand at the 58th Mahindra Great Escape Words & photography Sandeep Srikanth

F

or motoring journos, a Mahindra Great Escape is almost a rite of passage. First run in 1996, Mahindra has staged over 50 of these off-road excursions since. I attended the 58th edition, at Jodhpur.

I am not an off-road enthusiast. But since Rajasthan was the venue, I was hoping to get away without a hefty laundry bill.

After a night in a tent in the idyllic Khimsar Dunes, Sunday morning dawned with 50 Mahindra SUVs. Boleros, Classics, Scorpios, Automatic Scorpios and even a prototype 4x4 Xylo. The stylish Thar Concept was a left-hand drive prototype so there was no chance to sneak a drive.

First the participants including M&M Vice Chairman Anand Mahindra were briefed by rally legend, OVERDRIVE regular and Clerk of the Course Hari Singh. As this edition

featured novice drivers, he had dialled down the difficulty.

I found myself in a 2006 Scorpio with another journo and the local owner/driver.

We reached the dunes, and I learnt the first rule of driving over sand - deflate the tyres.

Lower pressures mean a wider tread so you sink in less and get more traction.

Shift selector to four-high, into first gear, touch of throttle and we were off bouncing across the sand. I put my foot down to climb the first crest. Ears and brain filled with unwanted advice and steering wheel squirming in my hands, we cleared the first dune only to run smack into the drop on the other side.

First gear, wheels absolutely straight, foot off the clutch and brake, let the car do the rest and just like that I learnt my second rule of sand driving. The rest of the course got

progressively harder and as the confidence built so did the speeds. But seeing former rally driver Rohitaaz Kumar blitz down a slope in his Invader, with a quartet of screaming girls hanging on for dear life in the back, I knew I’d a lot to learn.

I rode shotgun with Rohitaaz for the rest of the session and learnt the third rule: drive as fast as you can! The faster a car moves, the less it bogs down on a loose surface.

Almost three-fourths of the convoy made it through. Impressively, every Mahindra SUV made it through. My opinion of the Scorpio was turned on its head by the way it dispatched the dunes.

That really is the what the Great Escape is about, to introduce owners and prospective owners to the off-roading potential of Mahindra SUVs. Would I do it again?

Absolutely! Munnar, here I come.

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Rubber soul Apollo gives tyre technology an upward swing Words & photography Vijayendra Vikram

I

n a world without tyres petrolheads will not exist. Tyres are a most crucial aspect of a car that actually transmits the power developed in the engine, be it a inline-three or a massive W12, to the road. Be it transporting industrial cargo on trailers or smoking wheelspin on a performance car, it is the tyres that take the beating firstly. Since it’s performance and fuel efficiency that are the most talked about, tyres and their role is largely ignored and misunderstood - a layer of rubber that keeps the car rolling is what tyres are regarded as. However with the changing times tyre technology has evolved well beyond merely ensuring faster lap times on racetracks, to playing crucial role in making cars safer in the real world. Modern tyres can make or break the dynamics of a car. Thankfully, even Indian tyre manufacturers are thinking beyond thick black rubber bands on rims. The second Vehicle Dynamics Workshop 2010 (VDW) organised by Apollo Tyres at Chennai confirmed this.

The first day of the two-day event was devoted to technical presentations by representatives of institutions renowned for tyre research as well as their effects on vehicle dynamics. The dossier featured detailed mathematical derivations elaborating on the science involved in everything, even in reducing tyre noise. A mandatory tyre labelling system that comes to effect from November 2012 in Europe has set tyre manufacturers rushing to produce wholly environment friendly tyres. This is similar to evaluation of emission norms. According to the agreement between the EU and ETRMA (European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers’ Association), each tyre will be graded according to its contribution to fuel consumption, wet braking performance and rolling noise. The first two will be given a rating between 5igns. This means consumers can pick the tyre according to its performance even without using it.

Frank Gautenin from FAST Institute of Vehicle System Technology briefed us about how tyres contribute to a quieter ride. When the vehicle is moving at low speeds (less than 40kmph) tyres contribute to as much as 40 per cent of the noise. Research has shown that softer compounds decrease noise levels but they tend to increase aquaplaning and rolling resistance, which is not good for the overall efficiency. Softer compounds reduce the excitation of tyres and hence the noise. Groove design too contributes a lot, especially the central grooves. Another aspect is tyre vibration that is largely APR 2010 overdrive

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ROAD TEST

audi a4 3.0t d i

Sports suite

876

OD Rating Price Rs 36,40,000 ex-showroom, Mumbai

+ Spacious interiors + Incredible performance + Fuel efficient - Expensive

Fancy a sporty saloon? The A4 3.0TDI hits all the sweet spots Words Bertrand D’souza Photography Gaurav S Thombre

W

ould you think me weird if I said that these days an Audi doesn’t entice me as much as a Mercedes does? There was a time when I would often have heated debates with Chandran supporting Audi over BMW, and Mercedes at the time was nowhere in the picture. Ironically the roles have reversed, Mercedes seems more interesting to me these days and while the debates still rage on Audi really does not figure in the verbal sparring. Strange as it may sound, I think I can explain this. BMW has always been the very pinnacle of desirability and it has stayed there steadfastly. How Audi and Mercedes traded places is by Mercedes reinventing itself in a manner no one expected. Suddenly its cars had so much more character, they were finally great to look at and were a damn sight better to drive as well. Audi on the other hand was much too predictable. In fact I would go as far as saying even more clinical and reso-

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lutely German than Mercedes. That, and the fact that there’s far too much in common, visually, between the A4, A6 and A8 wore a bit thin on me. I’m sure that opinion will change once the A8 comes in but right now, in my mind (and possibly yours too, considering the number of them on the road) Audi majors more on SUVs. The A4 though is selling strongly thanks to its great combination of space, ride comfort and high quality. And now Audi has introduced the 3.0-litre diesel engine in the A4 extending that car’s range to five engine variants. Being diesel may not sound like much until you realise that this diesel is by far one of the most formidable engines Audi has in its arsenal. And suddenly the scene changes and the picture takes a new turn!

ENGINE Formidable is actually a mild term for an engine that makes 239PS of max power at 4000-4400rpm. This V6 common-rail direct injection diesel is a little short on max

power compared to the top of the range petrol, the 3.2FSI. However it makes 500Nm of max torque and that is over a 100Nm more than the 3.2FSI. The 500Nm of torque is linear through 1500 to 3000rpm and that means, in any gear if you floor the throttle, the A4 3.0TDI bites back viciously.

This nearly all-new engine, with minor tweaks to suit Indian conditions, is a lightweight component made from vermiculargraphite cast iron. Optimised components within it ensure efficiency is not compromised at the expense of more power. However given that this 3.0-litre diesel has been reworked for the A4, it should have sported the latest common-rail technology that run at 1800bar pressures rather than at 1650bar.

The 3.0TDI nevertheless uses the most contemporary VGT turbocharger and a charged-air intercooler for optimised breathing. It also uses a 6-speed tiptronic gearbox though with the kind of performance it is capable of it should have had paddles behind the wheel to shift gears.

PERFORMANCE It is rare to read an official statement which actually claims that a diesel engine gives the same car much better performance character than its petrol counterpart. That is exactly what Audi claims in its release and it should come as no surprise especially since Audi has been accumulating laurels in motorsport with its diesel engines. Once again diesel power blows away the myths around petrol, with the 3.0TDI A4 registering scintillatingly quicker times than the 3.2FSI. It does 100kmph in 6.5 seconds, a full twotenths of a second quicker. From the time it begins accelerating from standstill there are no blank spots in the power delivery. The surge of torque is immaculate and past the quarter mile and the kilometre, momentum keeps building up rapidly right up to its 250kmph controlled top speed.

The performance advantage with diesels is that you don’t have to cringe at the end of the day for having been too hard on the gas Sp ec if i cat i o n

pedal. In that respect, there is hardly a car in which you could enjoy diesel power more than in the A4 3.0TDI. In overenthusiastic mode she will still run for around 8 kilometres on a single litre of crude while the best she can stretch that same litre of crude is a healthy 15.6kmpl.

DRIVETRAIN

ACCELERATION

Type V6 DIESEL WITH common-rail injection Installation longitudinal Valvetrain 4 VALVES/CYL DOHC Displacement 2967 cc Bore X Stroke 83.0X91.4mm Max power 242PS@3500-4000rpm Max torque 500Nm@1400-3250rpm Comp Ratio 16.81 Power to weight 143.4ps/ton Transmission 6-speed tiptronic

0-400m: 14.5S/154.1KMPH

type

MONOCOQUE

Mighty V6 TDI engine has sportcar like performance without compromising efficiency

P ER FOR MAN CE

Drivetrain

chassis

3.0TDi gets quattro tech and impeccable, unruffled handling

Like the 3.2FSI (our 2009 Performance Car of the Year) the 3.0TDI utilises Quattro 4-wheel drive with a 40:60 torque split. This gives it fantastic dynamics, cornering grip is just unfeasibly high and she finds grip even in impossible situations - whatever the speed turn into a corner and the front digs in and powers through. In the wet it boggles the mind. And that’s allied to ride quality which is among the best in this class. It really is the best blend of both worlds. And since the traction control can never entirely be switched off, the on-the-edge thrills always get a whip to come back into place.

0 kmph

40

60

1.5S

sec 0

70

2.9S 3.6S 2

4

Economy (kmpl) 15.6

9.9

8.0

City

75% Overall

Highway

Tank Capacity Range

80

4.5S

64 litres 633.6km

Road Test

876

Standing 1km: 1KM: 26.7/ 198KMPH 90

5.5S

100

6.5S

110

120

7.6S

6

130

8.9S 8

IN-Gear Roll-ON

10.5S

140

150

12.0S

10

160

13.8S

12

15.7S 14

16

18

20

BRAKING (with ABS)

(Kick-down) 40-100kmph 5.63S

23.18m/2.08s

80-0 kmph

TOP SPEED 250kmph (limited)

45.82m/2.95s

100-0 kmph 0m

20m

40m

80m

100m

Suspension Front/ REAR

5-link with DOUBLE wishbone &anti roll bar / independent WITH trapezoidal-link &anti-roll bar

Brakes Front Rear

ventilated discs discs

Wheels & Tyres Front & rear

225/55 r16

General Data LxWxH Wheelbase Kerb weight Fuel tank

4703x1826x1427mm 2808mm 1690kg 64 litres

comp et i tion ch eck

Audi A4 3.0 TDi

Mercedes-benz C220cdi

BMW 320d

Price (ex-mumbai)

RS 36.40 LAKH

32.8 LAKH

31 LAKH

Power

242PS@3500-4000rpm

177PS@3800rpm

186PS@4000rpm

Torque

500Nm@ 1400-3250rpm

410NM@2000rpm

350NM@1750-3000rpm

0-60kmph (sec)

6.5

9.49

8.4

Top Speed (kmph)

250 (limited)

215

225

Fuel Consumption

9.9

11.78

16.28

ROAD TEST

Rating

Verdict So does the A4 3.0TDI change the way I perceive Audis? Well, it does do a pretty good job at being one of if not the best entry level luxury diesel in the country. The styling that was once fresh isn’t jaw-dropping any more. But what really puts this car in perspective is its powertrain and in that respect with such magnanimous power ratings and Quattro drivetrain, it’s hard not to make a statement. Or change my view! And I do like this car, but not in the scream-it-from-the-rooftops kind of way. No, I like it for being a car that is easy to drive within the limits but is a scream beyond it. I like it because it’s diesel and is effortless at chewing miles. I like it because it shocks people when you tell them it’s a diesel and then leave them floundering in your wake. And I like it because it’s a car you race on a Sunday and drive to work on Monday.

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chevro l e t c ruz e at

Highway star The Cruze automatic blends power and ease of driving

877

OD Rating Price Rs 13,45,000 ex-showroom Delhi

+ Performance + Features + VFM passenger space - Rear feel - Steering - Turbo lag

Words Halley Prabhakar Photography Gaurav S Thombre

G

eneral Motors was the first manufacturer in the world to introduce automatic transmission on a car - available on Oldsmobile and Cadillac cars under the Hydramatic name. Seven decades later, GM India has launched the Chevrolet Cruze with an automatic transmission under the same name here in India, and even more interestingly a lot of world-wide development for these automatic transmissions happens at GM’s R&D centre in Bengaluru. The D-segment star from GM has been around from October last year and over the last few months we have written a lot about the Cruze. So we’ll drive straight into the test of the new automatic transmission and find out how it fares compared to its manual sibling.

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Transmission The 6-speed automatic transmission used in the Cruze is GM’s Hydramatic 6T40 transmission. This transmission also does duty in several GM cars around the world including those with in-line six- cylinder powertrains.

As with any car equipped with a manual transmission, constant use of the clutch in heavy traffic caused the left leg to tire in the Cruze, particularly since it has a heavy clutch and additional clutching was required to compensate for the turbo lag. With the automatic transmission the Cruze is now effortless to drive in traffic. You do feel the turbo lag but now there’s no need to work your left leg and hand, just step on the throttle, kickdown and the turbo spools up. And when the turbo spools up there’s rapid acceleration on

hand - enthusiastic drivers will love the wheel-spinning surge of power that you get every time you boot the throttle. The tall gear ratios are tuned to aid in better efficiency.

Like most automatic transmissions the Cruze also features a tiptronic shifter, allowing you to manually select gears for a more sporty drive. Manual mode also holds on to gears (unlike other trannys that automatically upshift at the redline) which is great while in the mountains but since there is a lag in gear shifting and you could knock against the rev limiter if shifts aren’t timed right.

Driving on the highway is effortless and this is where the automatic transmission comes into full use. The shifts are smooth, power delivery is linear and it downshifts rather quickly - this after all is a six-speed ‘box not a five-speeder as found in the Captiva. With the automatic the

There is no doubt that the strong acceleration of the Cruze pins you back on the seat every time you floor the throttle. The performance even betters most petrol D-segment cars available in India.

In terms of fuel economy the Cruze AT returned a city efficiency figure of 9.8kmpl which is respectable considering it is an automatic transmission. Where it shines however is on the highway, returning 15.8 kilometres to a litre of diesel which is 0.7kmpl more fuel efficient than the manual Cruze (manual Cruze returns 10.6 and 15.1kmpl respectively).

The overall fuel economy is 11.30 kmpl and the fuel tank holds 60 litres of fuel which means you get a 678-kilometre driving range.

However the fuel economy figure of the Cruze is considerably less compared to the Skoda Laura 1.9 DSG and Volkswagen Jetta 1.9 DSG’s figures of 13.10kmpl and 13.18kmpl respectively. The Cruze AT can be described as car that has impressive performance combined with respectable fuel economy.

Cruze really lives up to its name and is a very accomplished highway cruiser.

Performance

The most powerful D-segment motor

Only distinguisher

Feature rich LTZ

6T40 auto tranny

Sp ec if i cat i o n

The manual transmission Cruze is a diesel rocket and the automatic version is no exception. The Cruze automatic is powered by the same 4-cylinder in-line 2.0-litre VGT diesel motor as available on the manual Cruze. The common-rail motor produces a maximum of 150PS at 4000rpm and a mammoth 327Nm of torque at a low 2600rpm. Our performance test saw the Cruze AT do the dash to 100kmph in just 9.9 seconds and the top speed recorded at 209kmph (manual takes 9.36 seconds to 100kmph and the top speed is 202kmph) making it the quickest and fastest automatic D-segment diesel car available in the market today, even besting the 2.0-litre Laura with the DSG automatic gearbox. The quarter mile and standing kilometre are achieved in 17.4 and 31 seconds respectively.

P ER FOR MAN CE

Drivetrain

ACCELERATION

TYPE COMMON-RAIL DIESEL, VGT INSTALLATION TRANSVERSE, FWD VALVETRAIN 4 VAlVES/CYLINDER, SOHC DISPLACEMENT 1991CC BORE X STROKE na MAX POWER 150PS@4000RPM MAX TORQUE 327NM@2600RPM COMP RATIO 17:5:1 POWER TO WEIGHT 98.68PS/TON TRANSMISSION 6-SPEED AUTOMATIC

0-400m: 17.40s/128.1kmph 0 kmph

40

sec 0

TYPE MONOCOQUE

4.3

2

4

Economy (kmpl) 15.8 9.8

City

chassis

60

2.4

Highway

Tank Capacity Range

11.30

75% Overall

60 litres 693km

Road Test

877

Standing 1km: 31.0s/169.3kmph 70

80

5.4

6.8 6

90

8.3 8

IN-Gear Roll-ON

100

110

9.9

120

11.7 10

130

13.9 12

16.2 14

16

18

20

BRAKING (with ABS)

(Kick-down) 40-100kmph 7.5S

209kmph

26.16m

80-0 kmph

TOP SPEED

0m

20m

40m

60m

80m

Suspension FRONT & REAR MACPHERSON STRUT WITH LINEAR

CYLINDRICAL COIL SPRING

COMPOUND CRANK TYPE WITH NON-LINEAR COIL SPRING

comp et i tion check

Brakes FRONT REAR

DISCS DISCS

ROAD TEST

chevrolet cruze at ltz

skoda laura 1.9 dsg

volkswagen jetta 1.9 dsg

Wheels & Tyres

Price (ex-delhi)

Rs 13.45 lakh

Rs 15.40 lakh

Rs 16.67 lakh

FRONT & REAR

Power

150PS@4000 rpm

105PS@4000 rpm

105PS@4000 rpm

Torque

327Nm@2600rpm

250Nm@1900rpm

250Nm@1900rpm

0-100kmph (sec)

9.9

10.66

12.8

Top Speed (kmph)

209

188

188

Fuel Consumption

11.55

13.10

13.18

General Data LXWXH WHEELBASE KERB WEIGHT FUEL TANK

205/60 R16 4597X1788X1477MM 2685MM 1520KG 60 LITRES

Rating

Verdict The Chevrolet Cruze AT is an impressive car. The automatic transmission combined with the powerful diesel motor makes it one of the best automatic D-segment cars. The Cruze AT is available only as a LTZ variant that offers comfort as well as safety, features such as a multi information display, stereo with 6-CD changer, steering mounted audio controls, power folding and heated outside mirrors, rain sensitive wipers, leather upholstery, automatic climate control, cruise control, sunroof, keyless entry and ignition, ABS and dual airbags. Priced at Rs 13.45 lakh ex-showroom Delhi it is Rs 3.22 lakh cheaper than the Volkswagen Jetta Comfortline DSG and Rs 1.95 lakh cheaper than the Skoda Laura 1.9 Elegance DSG. Looking for a value for money car with a powerful engine and features galore? Gift yourself a Cruze AT LTZ. APR 2010 overdrive

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Me rc ed es e 25 0

Backseat driver If the three-pointed star and backseat comfort are all you’re looking for, the new Merc E250 might just be the perfect deal

878

OD Rating Price Rs 41,13,000 ex-showroom Mumbai

+ Comfort + Refinement + Equipment levels - Performance - Slow shifting gearbox

Words Vijayendra Vikram Photography Gaurav S Thombre

T

he three-pointed star makes a car special, given its aura reeking of class. It’s the ultimate sign of having arrived, an unforgettable motivating force.

Mercedes has had a long innings in India and enjoyed a dominant position until BMW and Audi gate-crashed the party. New model updates of the S-Class and the C-Class were offered as countermeasures. The whole model range was extended and the threepointed legend continued. However, the EClass, Mercedes’ largest selling model around the world, was left behind. The previous generation E-Class just couldn’t measure up to the sportier BMW 5 Series or the tech laden Audi A6 and was dying a slow death.

Then the new E arrived last year in movie star flourish rather than a diplomat-style persona and it made the glitterati swoon. Impor-

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tantly, the new Merc was more driver friendly.

The last generation car was ideal for the chaueffeur-driven types, rather than a self driven pleasure wagon. But the fat cats cannot be ignored so when Mercedes India launched two new stonkers – the E350 and E350 CDI, we knew the toned down, volume generators would soon follow. Sure enough, Merc unveiled the E250 and E250 CDI about two months ago. Though the E250 CDI would be the one to keep cash registers ringing, the E250 petrol is a cheaper E for petrol lovers.

Visually there is hardly any difference between the range-topping E350 and the E250.

The E250 will be available in the Elegance trim, against the Avantgarde-only E350. Not that it feels cheaper, being a Merc. The major distinction is the new multi-spoke alloys that I find sportier than the chunky five twinspoke ones on the 350. Only the eagle-eyed

would notice that the front grille sports an extra slat. While the E350 gets classy black piano finish wood in the cabin, the E250 gets brown walnut effect wood and black leather upholstery that feel equally premium. But look farther and you notice that the chrome is not so abundant.

It brims with equipment such as the COMAND multimedia system, Bluetooth connectivity for mobile phone with a full keypad on the dash, a 20-speaker audio system and even Attention Assist, the drowsiness detection system. My one grouse remains the antiquated parking assist system which unlike the BMW and Audi systems still uses LEDs for guidance. It’s high time Merc incorporated it with COMAND to show a full image of where the car’s going.

What sets the E250 apart is the powerplant, a V6 2497cc petrol engine producing

206PS of max power at 6100rpm and max torque of 245Nm coming in between 5000rpm and 5500rpm. We’ve seen this engine previously on the C250 and here too it is mated to the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic gearbox. The E250 also sports steering mounted paddles for gearshift. Internationally, the E250 is sold as a CGI, which means it gets the same power and higher torque (310Nm) from a much smaller 1796cc, inlinefour direct injection petrol engine. That’s a stonker for its capacity and we wish we could get that instead instead of the present E250 which lacks performance. From the moment you step on the gas, it feels lazy. The numbers tell the story. The 0-100kmph sprint in 10.8 seconds may sound quick but that just does not hold up against the competition. The quarter mile comes up in 17.7 seconds while the E250 takes a good 31.9 seconds to touch the kilometre mark from a standstill. Top speed is close to 230kmph.

The gearbox, though smooth, isn’t particSp ec if i cat i o n

ularly quick and despite a sport mode gaining respectable momentum takes an eternity.

Even in manual mode using the paddleshift fails to impress and there is noticeable lag between tapping the paddle and the gearbox actually shifting gears.

There is no sense of urgency with this car and the engine feels quite unstressed and relaxed while cruising on the highway. The motor feels very refined and power delivery isn’t peaky. The good mid-range makes for effortless overtaking too.

I like the steering which is neither dead nor stressfully heavy. The E stays poised round corners and the grip is fantastic. There is gentle roll but it’s not unsettling. The ride too is cossetting thanks to the Direct Control rear suspension with selective damping.

That’s fundamentally what this car is intended to do, not blaze away for glory but pamper and spoil its occupants. That is why at the end of my drive I was ensconced in the plush backseat!

ACCELERATION

Type V6, Petrol Installation Longitudinal Valvetrain 4 valves/cyl Displacement 2497cc Max power 206PS@6100rpm Max torque 245Nm@5000-5500rpm Comp Ratio 11.3:1 Power to weight 118.7ps/ton Transmission 7-speed Automatic

0-400m: 17.7s/130.7kmph 0 kmph

40

3.1

sec 0

60

Front & REAR

14.2

Mechanical-hydraulic Disc brakes Mechanical-hydraulic Disc brakes

Wheels & Tyres Front & rear

8J x 17H2 / 245/ 45 R17

General Data LxWxH Wheelbase Kerb weight Fuel tank

90

100

10.8

110

12.6

120

160

14.9

27.2

12

16

IN-Gear Roll-ON

20

24

28

32

36

40

BRAKING (with ABS)

8.5

6.67

(Kick-down) 40-100kmph 8.21s Highway

878

Standing 1km: 31.9s/168.4kmph

8

Economy (kmpl)

City

Road Test

80 litres 680.0km

42.7m/2.85s

100-0 kmph

75% Overall

0m

20m

40m

60m

80m

DIRECT CONTROL suspension with selective damping system

Brakes Front

Rear

80

4

Tank Capacity Range

Suspension

70

5.07 6.18 7.68 9.25

chassis Monocoque

The V6 petrol unit is smooth but down on poke

P ER FOR MANCE

Drivetrain

type

Elegance trim gets you different wood and leather

4868x2071x1471mm 2874mm 1735kg 80 litres

comp et i tion chec k

Mercedes-benz E250

BMW 525i

audi a6 2.8 FSi

Price (ex-Mumbai)

Rs 41.13 lakh

Rs 41.1 lakh

Rs 38.57 lakh

Power

206PS@6100rpm

215PS@6500rpm

204PS@5750-6800rpm

Torque

245Nm@5000-5500rpm

246Nm@4000rpm

280Nm@3000-5000rpm

0-100kmph (sec)

10.8

7.9

7.3

Top Speed (kmph)

230

242

240

Fuel Consumption

8.5

7.52

10.8

ROAD TEST

Rating

Verdict With the new E-Class, gone are the days when you bought a Merc just for the love and import of the three-pointed star.

The new E is equally good to drive, and if you want performance look no further than the E350. But if it’s all about backseat comfort, the E250 makes perfect sense. At Rs 41.13 lakh, ex-Mumbai, it’s about five lakh rupees cheaper than the 350. You get similar equipment levels, plush ride and a bootful of snob value. The engine is quite refined and your chauffeur wouldn’t mind doing those extra hours behind the wheel. Not many would care, but it’s also a bit more fuel efficient. Although there are similarly specced offerings from BMW and Audi, its biggest competitor is the E250D that will save you another lakh and a half rupees, and it’s a torquey diesel.

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Rapide fire Is the Aston Martin Rapide the most beautiful four-door car in the world?

Words Ray Hutton

“The Rapide is a sports car,” Says Ulrich Bez, the chief executive of Aston Martin. Normally, he wouldn’t feel the need for such emphasis: expensive, hand-crafted British sports cars are Aston’s business. But the £140,000 (Rs 1.1 Crore ) Rapide is something new, the company’s first four-door, four-seater car since the Lagonda of the 1970s.

Bez doesn’t want this car to be misunderstood. It is not a rival for the Bentley Continental Flying Spur or the über-sedans from Mercedes, BMW and Audi and it differs fundamentally from its most obvious counterpart, the Porsche Panamera.

Aston characterises it like this: the Porsche was designed as a low-line car providing generous space for four adults and the body was shaped accordingly, hence its humpbacked look; the Rapide is an Aston Martin DB9 with more room for people and luggage but no compromise to its gorgeous, flowing style.

Bez loses no opportunity to talk up his products. He describes the Rapide as ‘the most beautiful four-door car in the world’ and says that the aesthetics were crucial: “The proportions had to be perfect. If we couldn’t have achieved this, we wouldn’t have made it.”

So this is not a car for the part-time driver who likes to conduct business from the back seat while the chauffeur negotiates weekday traffic. Neither is it suitable for making the grand entrance at a film premiere or society ball; it would be difficult for a skirted lady (or a Scotsman) to retain modesty while emerging from the back.

It is better to think of the Rapide as a more versatile and more practical version of a traditional Aston. Unlike the DB9, the rear seats are comfortable for adults, providing the passengers are less than 1.8m tall and not too bulky. The Rapide’s rear doors hinge forward and slightly upwards – Aston calls this ‘swan wing’ - and there has been extensive paring of the structure and trim around the seats to allow the maximum amount of space and ease of entry and exit through the small door apertures. There is more APR 2010 overdrive

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Tall order

The Mercedes-Benz behemoth hits Indian roads.

Words Halley Prabhakar Photography Gaurav S Thombre

W

e really like the Mercedes-Benz M-Class that combines the ruggedness of an SUV and the luxury of a car. In fact, we liked it so much we declared it the winner after a gruelling shoot-out at the Little Rann of Kutch, over the BMW X5 and the Audi Q7. However the M-Class hasn’t sold as well as the Audi that has captured Indians buyers’ fancy. We see more of the Q7 than Mercs and Beemers on Indian roads today. Now, to take the Q7 head-on, MercedesBenz has launched the GL-Class. How does it fare? Let’s find out.

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F e at u r e

sup e rcar s h ow

The 911 Turbo headed the Porsche fleet

Spirits got Ecstatic at the event

The R8 looks best in white

Supercar mania Supercars show makes Delhi to stop and stare Words Kshitij Sharma Photography Nasir Mohd

The Bumblebee Camaro headed the supercar caravan. Megan Fox was sorely missed though The Cayman S like the 911 was eye wateringly tasty

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The Prancing Horse from Italy meets thoroughbreds from Britain

W

Jaguar’s latest, the XKR stunning in red

Her Majesty could step out any minute

hen you hear about a car show in Delhi it is not usually met with an enthusiastic response because more often than not you get to see only vintage cars. It’s not that we don’t like them; it’s just that almost every car show in Delhi turns out to be vintage car rally and not everybody is able to appreciate these vintage beauties. But just

add the word ‘super’ before the ‘car show’ and it becomes something else altogether

Maserati GTS, the capital has no dearth of funds

The mighty Ms from Bavaria were dime a dozen

add the word ‘super’ before the ‘car show’ and it becomes something else altogether.

It becomes a massive orgy of ogling eyes, dropped jaws, lolling tongues, camera shutters clicking in frenzy and civilised people clambering over each other like barbarians just to get a glimpse of their dream machines. And this is exactly what happened at the first ever Supercar Show in Delhi, no exaggeration.

The show was held at The Claridges, New Delhi and was presented by Bellset Entertainment in association with OVERDRIVE. The sponsors included Dri Wash, BG additives and fuel stabilizers, Carlsberg, Zampa Vineyards and the event was supported by the CannonBall Club and Pria. This was an event dripping with such exclusivity you could taste it in the air. You consider yourself extremely lucky if you get to see just one supercar but seeing over 40 of them with the smallest engine being a V8 is an outright elating experience.

The start though was delayed because the Delhi A-listers believe in being fashionably late and the show in the early stages saw a Fer-

Place your bets for the traffic light GP. The Murcielago LP-640 or the autorickshaw

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R i de

ha rley- dav i dson

Thunder breed The Milwaukee bred Harley-Davidson bikes thunder to Jaipur Words Shubhabrata Marmar Photography Sanjay Raikar, Firdaus Shaikh

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C om pa ro

H ONDA C B T w ist e r

vs

T VS j i v e

Different strokes Out of the world looks or clutchless convenience?

Words Abhay Verma Photography Gaurav S Thombre

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V

ikram and I lead the biker pack at OVERDRIVE. We’ve ridden ridiculous distances on two wheels, some monstrously powerful wheels at that and we are still hungry for more. What we’ve never done is proper commuting, the sort of riding that defines motorcycling for millions in India. That means pottering along on 100cc motorcycles daily from home to college or work. I started riding on a Pulsar 180 to the envy of Vikram who started with an RX135.

And we’re mutually jealous of each other. But the templated 100cc motorcycle is finally evolving. The CB Twister looks great for a commuter and it does strike a chord, at least with Vikram. If two motorcycles offered identical performance and economy, after all, would

you pick the uglier one? It’s a simple, direct sales proposition, no? And that, more or less, is what the Twister says.

On the other hand, while form-over-function Vikram was drooling over the Twister, I’m smitten by the TVS Jive. It says, with equal simplicity, that it does everything a commuter is supposed to, but it’s miles more convenient and comfortable. And since we both like to stick to our guns, this rapidly degenerated into an argument. An argument we’re going to settle right here. To help, we donned the clothes and the mindsets of the commuters for a day which meant I had to wear a tie, while our resident style guru got to flaunt another of his hip-cool casual outfits. Some things just don’t work out right for you, no?

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MV agusta F 4

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Super avatar Priceless heritage, drop-dead looks and loads of technology, by far the best MV Agusta F4 ever Words Harriet Ridley

T

he heartbreak of Harley-Davidson having to sell MV Agusta becomes all the more poignant at the launch of the revamped F4. This piece of Italian exotica has always been fast, but this is by far the best version MV has ever produced.

It’s 12 years since Massimo Tamburini, the design genius behind the 916, gave us the MV Agusta F4, and enthusiasts will be relieved to see that new designer Adrian Morton has stuck with the F4’s original look. The Englishman simply sharpened the F4’s design up beautifully with details including a narrower front end, sleeker fairing and a welcome return to the 10-spoke star-shaped wheels of the early F4s. One of the most noticeable changes of the 2010 F4 is the new four-into-one exhaust system that has four removable square-section end cans instead of the old circular ‘organ pipe’ cans. But the changes are far more than skin deep. Lurking underneath that gleaming red and silver fairing are a new trellis steel/cast aluminium frame that’s narrower, shorter, lighter and stiffer in all the right places; a lighter and longer (for APR 2010 overdrive

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wome n bi k e rs

Hell’s angels Is there an ideal two-wheeler for women?

Words Firdaus Shaikh Photography Gaurav S Thombre

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N

aari shakti! I screamed that as an interjection in a fierce debate between Vikram and Abhay. Boys that they are, they were arguing over which of the current scooters would be perfect for the urban male. Talk about chauvinism! Isn’t it bad enough that the men have decided that motorcycles are too masculine for men and now they want the scooters too. That set me thinking. If there can be an ideal scooter for guys, could there not be an ideal motorcycle for girls? Cyndi Lauper was spot on. Girls just wanna have fun. And the boys shouldn’t monopolise that.

So I set about looking for a motorcycle that my girl friends would love to ride. And before

you snigger, not only do quite a few of them ride bikes, the wheels range from scooters to Bullets and include a few 100cc commuters as well. I ride too, and not the puny 10PS scooters either. I have always been ready to ditch economy for performance and my personal bike is a Bajaj Pulsar 180. And I don’t wobble around town either - just ask the boys.

Over the past couple of years of buzzing around Pune on my 180, I’ve noticed a constant rise in the number of women riding an ever more diverse range of motorcycles. It sounds cliched but today’s urban female is ambitious and she rubs shoulders with the guys in almost every walk of life. In fact, when it comes to choosing a bike to buy, she

aspires for something that goes with her personality - not her nail polish. Something that looks good, feels comfortable and performance is never at the bottom of the list, either. In fact, contrary to all the conventional wisdoms, I do believe that women today find the same things exciting as the guys. Except for other girls, that is, in most cases.

Is there such a thing as a perfect motorcycle for the fair, better-looking and way smarter sex? Consider why women buy bikes. Like I said, our lookouts aren’t that different from the men. But we do have different needs. For instance, our anatomies are different. We’re shorter in most cases to start with and the way we are built what we think is comfortable can be acutely painful

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Cyc lot h on 2010

Pedal pushers Pedal to the metal at the Mumbai Cyclothon Words Piyush Sonsale Photography Mayur Kadam

I

am always game for a ride. But that was before I leanrt that this particular ride wasn’t engine powered. What can I say? Being an auto-head, when somebody talks about a ride, it’s a motorcycle that comes to my mind always.

It wasn’t always like this. The bicycle was my preferred and loved means of transport as a kid. After school though, it became uncool to ride one, thanks to the paisewala papas’ brats who discovered the joys of internal combustion early. I naturally began to avoid pedalling by arranging pillion rides on a friend’s scooter and even by walking to college sometimes. The transition was made easier by my passion for motorcycles and now I was the right age to ride one as well. So when someone stole my welldusted cycle as it rusted in my garage, I got my first motorised two-wheeler. That was the end of cycling for me.

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But now I had occasion to rediscover bicycles. The revolution in bicycles has passed me by, while they received disc brakes, coil spring suspension and such.

The designs too look quite radical. So when OVERDRIVE was invited to ride in the Cyclothon, I was game.

The Cyclothon 2010 was a cycling event organised by Sport18, the sport media arm of Network18. It began last year as an event to promote cycling in India and had its second Sunday out in Mumbai recently. A whopping 7000 cyclists tuned up to take part and the enthusiasm even at 7:00 on a Sunday morning was tangible.

The young and the old, beginners and professionals, everybody had their own sub-event, as it were. There were four categories for non professional cyclists: a 2km ‘kid’s ride’ for children between the ages of eight and 13. Two 24km rides,

‘Amateur’ for seasoned cyclists and ‘Corporate’ for corporates, both with a minimum age of 18. The fourth category was called ‘Green ride’. It was a 12km ride for amateur cyclists above 14 years of age. This was short enough for us, and we were old enough to qualify as well.

For professional Indian bicycle racers, there was a 50km race while international professional bicycle racers had a 100km race called neatly, ‘Tour de Mumbai’. Both these professional races had a limited number of participants specially invited by the organisers. The newly completed Bandra-Worli sea-link bridge was part of these races. The race for Indian professional cyclists was held under the guidelines of the Cycling Federation of India (CFI) while the international one was recognised by the international body Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).

Since Team OVERDRIVE works round the clock, we hardly get any exercise. So to avoid any embarrassment, we participated in the ‘Green ride’ (nicely disguised excuse, no?). We had four entries and the four of us had varying levels of fitness.

Vikram and (enthu marketing bod) Nikhil are lean, most suitable for cycling. I am muscular and our fourth entry, Jatin Joshi, our ever-enthu artist, casts the biggest shadow, literally that is. Lined up with the

I saw only happy faces, enjoying the simple, physical joy of riding a bicycle almost 3000 participants on the Green ride, we had the trendiest cycling gear and machines. We may not have been the fittest, but style we could manage. Firefox, the premium bicycle brand in India gave us three uber cool geared rides with sporty names like Reloaded, Cyclone and Target.

The Target and Cyclone had scooter-like gear shifters while the Reloaded had paddle shift gear shifters and all bikes had trendy paint jobs. We were green, but at least we were mean, eh? Once we were off we rode together; we didn’t have a choice, the crowds left us no option, really. But as the peloton spread out, Nikhil, the only regular cyclist in our crew shifted gears and whizzed away. I was riding at a steady pace,

slowly passing other participants. About five minutes later, when I looked over my shoulder, Vikram and Jatin were nowhere to be seen. I continued pedalling, enjoying the atmosphere created by cheering spectators. Riders from the ‘amateur’ ride, which was the previous category, kept coming from the other side, which included some dabbawalas who were specially invited. Throughout I saw only happy faces, enjoying the simple, physical joy of riding a bicycle. There were check points on the way, with water and medical aid, for those who found the physical effort a bit too much. It took me about 15 minutes to reach halfway down the route from where the riders had to turn around - the ride was a loop. As I took the turn to head back, I thought, “This was 6km? I can do this everyday.” But shortly after that I was out of breath. Then I spotted Vikram and Jatin pedalling along, still to make the u-turn, engaged in conversation of some sort, outwardly oblivious to the excitement around. Maybe they were just conserving energy? At the finish, the area was crawling with happy cyclists, parents among others.

Nikhil seemed tired while I needed only two sips of water to feel ready for another 12km. Vikram and Jatin were just happy to have finished. Spoilt by the motorised, easy life? We have forgotten what good exercise bicycling is. In our chaotic traffic, it isn’t perhaps the most practical form of transport. But on that morning, the nostalgia was palpable.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way

Age no bar, even toddlers decided to go green the wheels Reloaded, Cyclone and Target might seem terms straight out of an action packed Playstation game but these were actually our rides from Firefox for the Cyclothon. Piyush was quick to grab the Reloaded, which was the best specced bike of the lot. This means it came with full suspension, front and back as well as a front disc brake. It even had 21-speed gears to better handle the gradients of Bandra. Vikram took the Target with just the front suspension and came back complaining about its stiff seat that was literally a pain in the butt. Oh yes, 21 gears with a rotary grip shift kept him from panting during the ride too. All that was left for Jatin was the Cyclone with 18-speed gears and boy, he did really well to complete the ride.

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motorsport F1 NEWS MOTOGP WRC INDIAN

At the pinnacle Karun Chandhok steps into elite motorsport echelon Words Anand Philar Photography sutton-images.com, Wallace Sports

Endowed with the Chandhok racing genes, Karun has the right credentials and track record for Formula 1

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ne thing going for Karun Chandhok is that despite being a third generation racer from his family, he does not have to endure frequent (and of course, unfair!) comparisons with his peers.

But the motorsport genes in him, passed on from grandfather Indu and dad Vicky, have

eventually taken him to the stratosphere called Formula 1.

Those in the know never doubted for a moment that Karun would at some point break into Formula 1 and not just because of his bloodlines, but more to the point, the support system he enjoyed besides his intermittent performances, like the victory at Spa

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Clockwise from top left: Driving in the British F3 championship in 2003. Celebrating victory in GP2 in 2007 in the Belgian GP with Durango. In 2008 he moved to the front-running iSport GP2 team partnering Bruno Senna. In the Formula Renault V6 Asia series he handsomely won the championship taking seven victories in twelve races.

in 2007. Karun might not have had highly distinguished stints in the other Formula series, like the British F3 or the GP2, but in flashes Karun delivered enough to be noticed. At the end of the day, he was a package that was difficult to ignore. That the newly formed Hispania Racing Team (HRT) signed him on ahead of a couple of other aspirants with bigger moneybags, speaks for itself.

It is a given in Formula 1 that connections and networking count for as much as, if not more than a driver’s talent or the kind of sponsorship funds he can bring to the table.

In this context, much of the credit must go to his father Vicky whose ceaseless and smart efforts paved the way for Karun’s entry into Formula 1 as only the second Indian after Narain Karthikeyan to do so.

Karun’s career was built on the family support that he received from the day he expressed a desire to become a racing driver although he could barely fit into the cockpit of a single-seater in view of his rather rotund physique. Vicky, for instance, put all he had, including family fortunes, on the line and took the kind of risks that would have knocked out a lesser mortal to ensure that the son he doted on not only pursued his dreams but also fulfilled them.

The sheer doggedness with which father and son went about their mission is a story in itself. For them, no odds were insurmountable, no challenge was beyond them, and even the many skeptics who doubted (and still do) Karun’s ability as a top notch racer were water off duck’s back for the Chandhoks. Ultimate-

ly, for Vicky, it was all about ‘getting the boy’ into Formula One and to this end, he has succeeded. On his part, Karun did all he could to advance his racing career. When in his teens, he shed kilos like a tree does leaves in autumn. Thereafter, he was on full throttle, first winning the Indian championship and then the Formula Asia title before heading to England that was to become his second home when he rented a cozy house in Brackley, just a few miles down the road from Silverstone.

When Karun first started out, motorsport barely evoked any interest among the public or corporate India. Thus, sponsorship was hard to come by although JK Tyre pitched in substantially as they have done with many other young aspirants. “I had to skip test sessions because of lack of funding. During the race, I had to be cautious so as to avoid any damage to the car as each nut and bolt cost a bomb. This definitely impacts your performance because you are not always on the limit and tend to compromise so as to bring the machine home in one piece,” Karun recalled looking back on his days in the British F3.

After spending a few up-and-down seasons in Formula 3, World Series, Renault V6 and A1 GP Karun returned to Asia to win the Renualt V6 Asia series and then took the big step forward by moving to GP2 in 2007 when he signed up with the Italian outfit Durango. It was more by compulsion than choice that he got into a team that did not enjoy top rating.

Yet, he pulled off a brilliant win at Spa and that performance brought him to the atten-

tion of racing scouts. Later that year, he tested for the Red Bull Formula One team to set the tongues wagging about him winning a race seat in 2008. Adding to the speculation was the entry of Vijay Mallya who bought over Spyker to launch the Force India team.

Vicky’s long-standing friendship with Mallya needs no recounting as the two had raced together at Sholavaram in their youth.

Thus, it was taken for granted that sooner or later, Karun would be donning the Force India colours. However, it was not long before Mallya announced the roadmap for his team and it did not include Karun whom he acknowledge as being ‘like my own son’, but with a rider that he (Karun) was not yet ready for the big league of Formula One. Vicky swore that he never ever broached the topic with Mallya about Karun driving for Force India. “After all, running a Formula One team is like any other business. Vijay has his priorities and we appreciate that. It’s his money, his team and his interests and we cannot question him,” was Vicky’s reaction.

Now that Karun has won a race seat, only time will tell whether he has the ability to be competitive in a field that includes the likes of Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa besides a host of quality drivers; more so considering that the HRT cars went into the first race without the benefit of a test run.

Karun has warned against harbouring high expectations as he is only too aware that getting into Formula One is one thing and establishing yourself is quite another.

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F1 Bahrain GP

Red blaze Ferrari blazes to 1-2 finish in Bahrain season opener Words Dan Knutson Photography sutton-images.com

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ernando Alonso’s debut with Ferrari couldn’t have gone any better as he led team-mate Felipe Massa to a one/two sweep of the season opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

“A very special day for me as coming back to the top of the podium is always special,” Alonso said after earning his 22nd F1 victory, “but I think it is even more special with Ferrari with all the history behind the team and all the expectations a driver has when he drives for Ferrari. There is no better way to start the relationship. I am in the best team in the world.”

Massa qualified second but lost the spot to Alonso at the start, and an overheating engine caused Massa to back off and thus Alonso was able to lead comfortably.

This was Massa’s first race since his nasty

accident last July, so to finish second was a nice way to make his comeback.

“It is just fantastic to be here,” he said.

Lewis Hamilton finished third, which was a better result than the McLaren Mercedes team had hoped for.

“Unfortunately I lost a bit of ground, braked a little bit late into turn four with a lock up and went a bit wide,” Hamilton said of the start of the race, “and then I was in a very bad position and (Nico) Rosberg got past me. I was held up behind Rosberg for the first half of the race. I was much faster but it is very difficult to follow here while trying to look after your tires. Perhaps if I was ahead of him I could have carried on and followed the train these (Ferrari) guys were creating.”

Finishing one/two certainly shows that Ferrari probably has the best overall package

Fernando Alonso ensured Ferrari begin the 2010 season on a winning note

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as the 2010 season gets underway, because while the Red Bull Renault is faster it is also more fragile.

Sebastian Vettel started from the pole in his Red Bull and led for 33 laps. But an electrics glitch caused him to lose pace and he drifted back, losing first place to Alonso on lap 34 of 49 and eventually finished fourth.

“I think we controlled the race,” Vettel stated. “At one point Fernando got a bit closer but then I think he realised that if he continued that way his tires wouldn’t last very long. The failure cost us victory today, but that’s life.” If Alonso could have really caught and passed Vettel, or if the German could have held off the Spaniard became a moot point when Vettel had his mechanical problems.

Voice your opinions www.overdrive.in/blogs

Knut’s bolts

opinion

dan@overdrive.co.in

the lofty peaks D A N

F

K N U T S O N

ormula One has enjoyed an era of incredibly close competition in recent years with just a couple of seconds separating the cars from the front to the back of the grid. Those days are over. The three new teams – Lotus, Virgin and HRT – were struggling at the back of the grid and way off the pace of the established teams.

Those that decried the drop in quality of the F1 field don’t remember that small teams have been a core part of the sport forever. The numbers and quality of the teams depend on the current financial climate, but ‘fresh blood’ as Mark Webber calls it is essential for the sports survival.

Of the current teams, only Ferrari and McLaren existed prior to the 1970s.

“You must have respect for a new team who is arriving in this particular economic crisis period and to invest money to be in F1,” said FIA president Jean Todt. “I don’t think it is a time to criticise but to support and help, and to help them, and it is in the interests of everybody.” McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh said the new squads face enormous challenges. “F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport, and if new teams could arrive and immediately be competitive, then we really have not been doing our jobs,” he explained. “There has been an enormous effort with all those smaller teams to be here, and to try to be competitive they have a big mountain to climb. (They have) bright people, hard working people, intelligent people, and they now have to get down to work to developing a F1 team and car. I’d have been surprised if they had been up with the established teams.”

Adrian Sutil reflected that it took Force India years to get to its current top 10 status, and says it will be the same for the new teams.

As for lap time differences, in the 1970s, there were often gaps of several seconds between the front row and the third row of the grid, and this was with competent teams and drivers. So to have larger gaps in 2010 than in recent years is not that big a deal. The drivers that griped about having slower cars in the way should take a look back, or perhaps go and race at Le Mans where speed differences are a challenge for 24 hours. On another topic from the Bahrain Grand Prix, an important question is if F1’s new rules improved the show. The feeling in the paddock is to give it a few races to see how things pan out, yet Bahrain was not a thrilling race. Predictably, without the variety of fuel loads used in qualifying last year, the fastest cars started at the front of the grid and finished at the front of the race. With the top nine cars all qualifying and starting on the softer of the two Bridgestone slick tyre compounds, they were all on the same strategy of one pit stop. Overtaking is always difficult in F1, and it is even more impossible with the cars wallowing around with 150 litres of fuel on board.

“Obviously the qualifying and the starts are maybe the two key points this year,” Alonso said. “Unfortunately with no refuelling in terms of strategy or in terms of overtaking it will be very difficult to see any. After the first corner more or less the positions will be settled.” McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh told the BBC that F1 needs to make immediate changes to spice up the show. Perhaps making two pit stops mandatory and making a bigger and more significant difference between the hard and soft compound tyres.

“F1 has to be entertaining,” he said.

“People have to be switched on to what is going to happen in the race; if it’s processional they are not going to be.”

it took Force India years to get to its top 10 status

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Indian Karun at Bahrain

Fast lane frenzy Life in the fast lane is not all honey and roses, Formula One’s newest entrant, Indian Karun Chandhok finds out on his debut Words Anand Philar Photography sutton-images.com, HRT media

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arun Chandhok probably realised over the Sakhir weekend that you need to dig up the dirt to find the gold.

Much like Gregory Peck in the movie Mackenna’s Gold, Karun found his Formula One dream world crumbling and cascading around him as he tried to raise a gallop he was forced to keep for another weekend in another city called Melbourne.

So much for all the brouhaha that his Formula One debut generated in the fortnight leading up to the season’s opener in Bahrain.

“Absolute chaos,” was how Karun put it, bravely masking his bitter disappointment after his run lasted less than three laps.

That the new-born Hispania Racing F1 Team made it to Sakhir was a miracle of sorts.

The first steps of this toddler were hesitant

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and it attempted to run even before it could walk and Karun found himself baby-sitting while team-mate Bruno Senna squeezed in a few tentative laps.

Such was the situation that the team couldn’t get a seat ready for Karun. “The seat wasn’t right and also the seat belts. I had to learn power steering and the electronics. It was like sitting for an exams without studying,” he said when OVERDRIVE caught up with him at the Bahrain airport before his flight back to England.

Looking back at the weekend, he said: “It was very chaotic and certainly not the most relaxed Formula One race weekend. I wasn’t sure whether the car would run or not. I had never before driven this car and half the circuit was new (with the addition of 900 metres to the original length) to me.

When Karun walked into the garage on Friday for the first of the two scheduled free practice sessions, he was hoping to put in a few laps. “I had no illusions, but was hoping that I will be able to do at least 15 laps in each of the sessions. But then, the moment I engaged the first gear, I lost the hydraulic pressure, and that was it!” he recalled.

“On Friday night, I was hoping that the car would run the next day. On Saturday, I managed four timed qualifying laps, but the engine was in safety mode and the electronics was on default settings. In fact, the team was shocked that I managed to give it a run!”

Worse was to follow. The signs were ominous even as he took position in the pit lane ahead of the start of the race. His heartbeat nearly matched the revs of a speeding F1 car when he discovered a fuel leak by accident,

seven minutes before the start of the race.

“It did no good for my nerves and I quickly leapt out of the car. In fact, I spent much of my time at Sakhir doing just that – getting in and out of the car all through the weekend,” he said. Yet, Karun went ahead when the pit lane opened soon after the start of the race.

But on the third lap, he hit a bump and went off and with that ended his first Formula One experience as he spent the remainder of the afternoon on the pit wall.

Despite the many misadventures during the weekend, Karun earned a few stripes for his calm demeanour that helped him deal with the disappointments. So, how did he manage it? “Actually, I told myself that there were things that were beyond my control and it was best for me not to get stressed. I guess, it is in our family that we keep a perspective

in mind,” he explained. From the day he signed up with the Spanish outfit, Karun’s life changed forever. Life in the fast lane is not exactly paved with honey and roses. “There was absolutely no time to think of anything else and the fact that I am now a Formula One driver is yet to sink in fully. I would say there was no time to even feel good or excited, for I had to attend to a million things.

“I had a visit to the factory, attend to Media interviews, my emails, messages and of course constant phone calls. There was hardly any time to breathe, much less think about being a Formula One driver. In fact, I am waiting to get back to Brackley, switch off the phones and my laptop, and have some time for myself.

“On race day, when I got on board of the truck for the pre-race parade, it really hit me.

I mean, being on the truck with 23 other guys was a fantastic experience. Obviously, it meant a lot to me to be part of such an exclusive club,” he recounted.

Off the track, it was an Alice in Wonderland experience for Karun. Although during his GP2 days he had been part of the Paddock scene, it was different when being a F1 driver.

“It was amazing to be stopped every few yards

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MotoGP Season Preview

Ducati desmosedici gp10 Riders: Casey Stoner, Nicky Hayden

pOwer ANd the glory The imminent phasing out of the 800s means the 2010 season will be the last chance to win a championship on a true grand prix prototype... and claim a pure-blood title Words Michael Scott

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Yamaha YZR-M1 Riders: Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo

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here’s a special distinction to this year’s MotoGP championship. It is almost the last chance to win a championship on a true grand prix prototype. Unpopular with the riders, the down-size 800cc prototypes will make way in 2012 (and maybe even 2011) for a return to full one-litre size, with regs that will restrict revs, restore torque, and re-extend the shrinking powerbands. Production-based engines will be allowed.

This makes 2010 the pure-blood title. It adds extra lustre to the feather that the winner will be able to add to his cap. In the main, the year looks like being more of the same: racing titan Valentino Rossi versus the tide of youth.

All are one year older – Rossi in the wrong direction. Will that tip the balance of power? It will probably take the full season for us to find out. With the Hungarian GP – cancelled last

year – back on the list, the calendar returns to a full 18 rounds (17 for 125 and Moto2, which don’t visit Laguna Seca). But the entry list has stayed static – at 17. Static, but far from stagnant. It is unfair to describe the departed riders (including MotoGP race winners Chris Vermeulen and Toni Elias) as deadwood, but they’ve been replaced anyway by a quintet of rookies, with plenty of vigour for new growth.

There’s not too much change expected up front. Rossi will be facing attack on two, possibly three fronts.

The most important is from his own Fiat Yamaha team-mate, the increasingly impressive and fast-maturing Jorge Lorenzo. Valentino made his feelings clear when Yamaha signed the thrusting young Spaniard up to stay for 2010. He thinks a number one rider should be treated with more respect. Funnily enough, this was exactly why he left Honda for Yama-

ha, back in 2004. Could this trigger a careerending move to Ducati in 2011?

Valentino generally had the beating of Jorge last year, but as the self-possessed Lorenzo was fond of saying: “I am young, and I am getting better.” The sentiment remains true in all respects for 2010. For the record, he will be 22 at the first race under floodlights at Qatar. Rossi will be 31. And Stoner will be 24. The Australian is Rossi’s second problem. Easier in some ways, because at least he is on a different machine: this introduces new possibilities in racecraft... and also gives a valid excuse on days when the Fiat Yamaha just can’t beat the Marlboro Ducati. Casey came back at full strength after his extraordinary mid-season break last year. During the break, he finally isolated lactose intolerance as the reason his finely tuned athleticism had gone awry in 2009. There are no question marks over his ability as a racer.

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Indian Desert Storm

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tough enough Words Kshitij Sharma Photography Raj Kapoor

The 2010 edition of Desert Storm stakes claim to the title of India’s toughest rally “Get off the f***in’ track!” were words I kept hearing at the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm 2010. Along with the Raid de Himalaya it’s billed as the toughest rally in India and this year the distance was increased to 3000km spanning four states.

The ‘Storm runs four formats, Xtreme, Moto Class, Ndure and Xplore. The Xtreme category is the no holds barred race to clock the fastest time. The participation of three Grand Vitaras added more sizzle to the ever-present fleet of Gypsys this time around. The Moto class features the bikers and like the Xtreme class, it’s all about speed. The Ndure and Xplore are TSD (time, speed, distance) events.

The Ndure featuring 4x4s has a higher average speed, while the route is the same as for the Xtreme class. The Xplore, featuring twowheel drive cars and runs a similar route but minus the high intensity stages.

The 2010 edition of Desert Storm had the highest number of participants ever, 250, and featured over 100 cars and 20 bikes. The cars included Gypsys, Vitaras, Scorpios and Endeavours while the bike class had Yamahas, Hero Hondas, Apache RTRs and even a Su-

zuki Shogun. The Storm for the first time ever had a physically disabled participant, Deepa Malik in the Xplore category, driving a modified clutchless Esteem.

On Valentine’s Day at 1:30pm, the rally was flagged off from Noida to Paota, 120km away on the Delhi-Jaipur highway.

Day 1 Stage one began at 12:30am, the destination was Sheruna, 180km from Paota (Haryana).

The 72km stretch through a riverbed strewn with gravel, sand and boulders proved gruelling on a moonless night. Suresh Rana and Sunny Sidhu, auxiliary lamps blazing on their Gypsys, were the first to cross the bridge. We were eager to see how the Grand Vitaras would fare but Lhakpa’s vehicle developed suspension issues while Harvijay retired after falling into the water. which left only one Vitara running. The attrition was spreading everywhere as some cars overturned, some got lost and quite a few handed in their time cards at dawn.

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

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G e a r & g a d g e t s H o t o n I c e Helpdesk

Better riding

Car buyers guide

B i k e b u y e r s g u i d e S h a k e n n s t i r r e d

bmw 5 3 0 d

Hello gorgeous!

Welcoming the BMW 530d into our fleet Mileage 2190km Date acquired March ’10

For a design that’s nearly a decade old the 5 still looks crisp, sharp and stunning – a real tribute to Chris Bangle’s design genius

I

love Pune. Now there are myriad reasons for it but one of the main factors is that commuting times and distances are short. Compared to Mumbai, where Bert’s stuck in the car for nearly two hours (each way!), my commute is practically nothing – 20 minutes, if there’s traffic. But when there’s a car like the 5 Series in the garage, I begin to wonder, maybe my commute is just too short? You’d think I’m mad but the 5 is unlike any other car I’ve had – it actually makes me long for a longer com-

mute, to spend more time in the car, enjoy the car, and eventually get to work all charged up.

Welcome then to the newest and poshest member of our long-term fleet, the BMW 530d. And before you ask – yes, we know this is a run-out model – Bert has driven the new 5 Series (F10) in Portugal and as you would have read (page 68), was very impressed.

That car though will come to India by August; until then you have this 5th generation E 60 and we’re here to find out if, for a model on its last legs, it’s still worth your attention.

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OD garage

bmw 53 0 d

Driver focused layout immediately makes you the boss inside. All functions well within reach That it commands attention is without question. For a design that’s nearly a decade old the 5 still looks crisp, sharp and stunning – a real tribute to Chris Bangle’s design genius (and to think that back then Bangle was our favourite whipping boy). Styling is a matter of personal taste but to my eyes today’s BMWs have a gone a bit too soft, too conservative. The toning down started with the 7 Series and the new 5 Series looks too much like a scaled down 7; an inoffensive, mellow, please-all design to the old 5’s aggression and in-your-face brashness. But does this 5 look old? I certainly don’t think so, not even against the new E-Class.

The chassis is beautifully balanced. It’s a delight with incredible feel and communication both from the seat of the pants and steering Does it feel old from the inside? Again – no!

There really is nothing that feels old or of poor quality. I even think the design is quite modern and sporty and typically BMW with the nice big dials for revs and speed and a thick smalldiameter steering wheel hinting at the performance and dynamic potential. The tan leather upholstery looks and feels posh and overall it’s a cabin that won’t fail to draw wows. Our car has the recently upgraded second-gen iDrive which is so easy and intuitive to use (and allied to an excellent interface) that pairing my mobile took half a minute. It also has terrestrial television and though it can only catch Doordarshan it came handy to watch Sachin’s magnificent double-ton innings against South Africa while we were out on a shoot.

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There’s also ample space in the cabin and the seats are just superb. But ride quality is a bit of a downer – the big 18-inch wheels and run-flat tyres result in a stiff ride. At city speeds this is never really a bother because while the suspension is firm there is no harshness. But on the expressway the small undulations makes for a jittery ride at 200kmph. And the same small undulations throw it off-line when cornering at high speeds. Bert says ride quality is the main area where the new 5 Series has made a big stride forward.

But that’s the thing; the 5 is so stable and effortlessly quick that massive numbers on the speedo come up without even trying. The chassis is beautifully balanced, the E60 uses an aluminium front subframe and steel rear for perfect weight distribution and it’s a delight with incredible feel and communication both from the seat of the pants and the steering. Switch off stability control and she can pull sportscar-like drifts (as you would have seen in the January issue’s track test) and that’s because the in-line six diesel kicks out 235PS of power and a humongous 500Nm of torque. That torque is another reason for the effortless performance; just breathe on the throttle and she thunders ahead.

But you know what makes this car really special – it’s almost brand new! When she was delivered there was just 2000km on the clock and she still has that lovely new car smell which we rarely get in test cars that rotate between too many testers. We have three months to add to that odometer – won’t be very difficult now that I’ve found a really long route to the office.

Sirish Chandran

Driver’s perch is superbly supportive and comfy

The 5 offers room to stretch, if you aren’t driving

It doesn’t measure 42” but the display is big

18-inch 5-spoke alloys look gorgeous

Better Riding Using your suspension

Geometry class Your motorcycle’s suspension allows you

to change the chassis geometry as you ride by small amounts. How to make the most of what you have PRO TIPS FROM SHUBHABRATA MARMAR

U

Photography Gaurav S Thombre

nlike your car, you motorcycle’s chassis actually changes its set-up as you ride it. Rake and trail, for instance, determine the steering character of your motorcycle. The bigger the rake and trail - think chopper the more your motorcycle will want to go straight. The smaller the rake angle and trail - think racebike - the quicker your motorcycle will want to turn, perhaps at the expense of stability. You can use this to your advantage.

When I ride into an intersection, I am never on the throttle. Closing the throttle has two advantages. The obvious one is that it transfers weight on to the front wheel and should you need to brake really hard, the motorcycle’s halfway to being ready for it just because you closed the throttle. The less obvious advantage is that the weight transfer causes the suspension to shorten in length to absorb the extra weight, which reduces your rake angle and trail, sharpening the steering.

With a closed throttle, you bike can steer significantly quicker than on an open or

even throttle. If you need to swerve to avoid a hazard, a closed throttle is a distinct advantage when you turn in.

Similarly, when you need to ride through a pothole, or over a log, you tend to decelerate - this is the right thing to do.

But at the moment that you go over the object, a compressed fork compromises steering and therefore stability, which is why bumps feel bigger and more unsettling when you hit them on the brakes (no suspension travel left to cope, plus sharper geometry). Stand on the pegs and open the throttle gently just before you hit the bump. This allows your body to be suspended by your legs in addition to the motorcycle’s suspension) which feels more stable and opening the throttle makes the steering geometry lazier, so the front isn’t easily deflected.

Opening the throttle also extends the forks for maximum absorption - a topic we have covered before in OVERDRIVE. Finally, the extra weight over the rear wheel also helps the motorcycle find traction which can be a huge help on rough or slippery surfaces.

If you need to swerve to avoid a hazard, a closed throttle is a distinct advantage when you turn in.

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learning curve Find a deserted road and try a quick left-right-left direction change using counter-steering like we have discussed before. Do it again, keeping the throttle opening as even as possible. Then try it once more, this time keeping the throttle a little bit open, under gentle acceleration.

And finally, try it with the throttle closed. You will find that in the last exercise the motorcycle will suddenly feel noticeably lighter to turn and much, much more responsive to your intentions. Similarly, try the three throttle openings on a rough patch of road, first seated normally and then standing up on the footpegs. Again, you will notice that the smoothest passage over the rough road is felt when you’re gentle on the throttle and standing on the pegs.

THROTTLE Closing the throttle quickens steering, while opening the throttle makes your motorcycle more stable

POWER Accelerating gently over bumps will make the going feel smoother and the bike will be more stable as well

GEOMETRY As your suspension moves it alters your chassis geometry just enough to allow you to use this to your advantage

BRAKING Intersections are best entered on a closed throttle to allow you to brake hard or swerve in an emergency

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Gear & Gadgets To p - n o t c h t o y s f o r t h e m o s t d i s c r i m i n at i n g t a s t e s

Nordschleife merchandise

Wear the ‘Ring on your wrist or flaunt it on your chest The Nordschleife 24-hour watch is dedicated to the Nurburgring 24-hour race, hence the unusual number of hours in its dial. Also on offer are T-shirts. We particularly like this one that explains the circuit quite well. The watch will set you back by about Rs 5000 while the T-shirt is priced at Rs 1250, excluding duties. www.nordschleife.us

Packard Bell VR46

Cool laptops as prescribed by the Doctor himself.

Although it comes with a high-def screen and eight-hour battery life, it’s the ‘sun and moon’ graphics by Aldo Drudi that make it special.

Rs 31,000 onwards www.packardbell.com 198

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Thrustmaster

This Ferrari Motors Gamepad is specifically designed for prolonged gaming with its long handles and precise control. Works with PS3 and PC.

Rs 1,900 approx (excl. duties) http://store.ferrari.com

Hot Wheels Custom Motors Hot Wheels Custom Motors feature interchangeable parts so you can put together some incredible looking vehicles. The more cars you have, the more parts you get to work with.

Price TBA www.hotwheels.com

Ferrari FXX mouse This cute Ferrari FXX car mouse uses optical and wireless technology to provide lightning fast clicks.

Rs 2500 approx (excl. duties) http://store.ferrari.com

Beru Factor 001

Just what happens when F1 techies get extra time The Factor 001 is the product of British engineering firm Beru F1 Systems and features a carbon-fibre monocoque frame and carbon-ceramic brakes.

It also features an LCD touchscreen that displays biometrics and various other readings.

Rs 15.05 lakh onwards www.factor001.com

Tag Heuer Formula 1 Indy 500 Tag Heuer celebrates its partnership with Indy Racing League with this limited edition chrono accurate to 1/10th of a second.

Rs 74,000

Available at leading watch stores APR 2010 overdrive

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