New Hyundai 'Fluidic' Verna AT

With the Verna making its debut in our long term fleet this month, I knew I just had to get my hands on the keys. I've driven the petrol and diesel versions before, however they came fitted with a manual transmission. This car however is essentially the top of the line 1.6 Petrol variant with an automatic gearbox

Ever since Hyundai unveiled the all new Verna earlier this year, I must say that I have been smitten by its good looks. The sleek sculpted body, chiseled lines, swept back headlights and its aggressive sporty stance definitely got me staring, and if the sales figures are a testimony to the success of the Verna, I can very confidentially add that I am not alone in my thought that the Verna is a striking car that has the potential to dominate its segment.

With the Verna making its debut in our long term fleet this month, I knew I just had to get my hands on the keys. I’ve driven the petrol and diesel versions before, however they came fitted with a manual transmission. This car however is essentially the top of the line 1.6 Petrol variant with an automatic gearbox.  About two weeks ago, my jet black Verna was delivered to me with just 2560 kilometers on the odometer, making it a pretty new car. In fact it still has the new car smell lingering in it! Ever since I got my hands on the wheel, the Verna has literally been on the move non- stop thanks to a wedding in the family and everyone is familiar with the sheer amount of running around that goes with a great Indian wedding. Regardless, over the last two weeks I have managed to clock over 500 kilometers and 99 per cent has been in city traffic. The automatic gearbox has been a boon in the mad rush of stop/go traffic, however I was disappointed to find out that it is only a four speed gearbox. It is offered with a tiptronic function; however the four speed box doesn’t seem to draw on the maximum potential of the engine. Ride quality is decent thanks to the soft suspension set up and that has been a blessing on my manic dashes between work and attending family functions. I do intend on taking the Verna AT out on a nice highway jaunt  on one of these weekends and I do hope that the car performs equally well in that environment as well.

Apart from charging around Delhi, my journey with the new Hyundai Verna AT has been also about unraveling the little gizmos and gadgets that are standard on the top of the line version. It’s quite a surprise to see a car come so packed in this this particular segment and in these early days the two items that I have really come to enjoy are the rear view camera and display as well as the keyless entry system.

There’s still a lot to unravel in Hyundai’s latest offering and I am looking forward at doing so in the coming months, however, right now I personally need to get done with the mad rush known as Delhi’s wedding season first!

Ownership Rating
Performance	7 out of 10
Fuel Efficiency	7 out of 10
Ride & Comfort	8 out of 10
Maintenance	9 out of 10
Drivers Delight	7 out of 10

2013 Fiat Linea T-Jet : First Drive

To juice the lucrative mid-sized sedan segment and to quench the increasing thirst for petrol turbos, Fiat brings in upgrades to the T-Jet. Ravi Ved takes it for a spin to find out what's new

When the Fiat Linea was introduced in the late 2000s, it was meant to hoist the Italian marquee to the top of sales charts in the Indian C-segment sedan space. More importantly, it was also to fill up the space left empty after the Petra’s decommissioning. However, the Linea couldn’t quite shake up the market as much as Fiat would have hoped for and although the T-Jet launched later did make for an interesting offering, being one of the few petrol turbos available in its time, the high price when pitched against similar cars in the segment didn’t quite let the T-Jet to take wings and set sales soaring. 

 

With the launch of cars like the Volkswagen Polo GT TSI and the much-awaited Ford Ecosport recently, the love for turbocharged petrol-engined cars in India seems to have been rekindled in the Indian market, and Fiat decided to cash in on this enthusiasm early on by giving the Linea T-Jet a new lease of life.

So what’s new in this refreshed 2013 T-Jet? While the body shell remains the same, as does the engine, with the 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol unit producing 115PS @ 5,000rpm and an impressive 207Nm of torque at 2,200rpm, Fiat has brought about changes where they matter most. The petrol-powered Linea is now offered in three trim levels namely, Active, Dynamic and Emotion.

 

The ground clearance on the Active and the Dynamic variants has been increased to 185mm. Now this itself was sufficient to start with but Fiat went ahead and raised the top-end Emotion’s ground clearance by an additional 5mm. Whilst the T-Jet’s underbody doesn’t scrape while driving over those massive speed bumps or potholes, it has compromised the car’s handling marginally while cornering. But considering that we drive more often in the city than go corner craving, the move is justified. 

To fulfil customers’ ever-expanding demand for more features, the new Linea T-Jet comes with additional equipment such as automatic headlamps, an audio system with remote, rain sensing wipers, ABS, EBD and disc brakes on all four wheels.

 

The top-end variant also gets 16-inch alloy wheels, wider 205/55 R16 rubber and new white leather upholstery as opposed to the earlier beige. Both the Dynamic and the Emotion variants get twin airbags as well as the Microsoft Blue and Me infotainment package. 

The highlight of the new T-Jet, of course, is its price. The car was initially launched in just the top-end variant, which too at an unbelievably high price that made it more expensive than a few diesel cars on sale.

Jaguar F-Type Launched

It is certainly more than just another addition to Jaguar’s impressive line of sports cars and GT models. As the British marquees only open top two-seater sports car ever made since the iconic E-Type, the F-Type represents a return to the company’s heartland, and it is now finally here in India.

Only two of its three variants selling internationally will be available in India, the F-Type S and F-Type V8S. They are powered by Jaguar’s new 3.0-litre V6 supercharged petrol engine with 380PS on tap, and its 5.0-litre V8 supercharged petrol that produces a massive 495PS.

The range-topping F-Type V8S will reach 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds and has a top speed of 300 km/h. The lower spec V6 F-Type S version will take 4.9 seconds to cover the same distance and tops out at 275 km/h.

Commenting on the launch of the F-Type, Rohit Suri, Vice President, Jaguar & Land Rover India, said, “The Jaguar F-Type is our all-new, two seater sports car and we believe it will be a game changer for the Indian sports car market. With its stunning design and driver focused engineering, this car will further enhance the appeal of our brand and I am confident that it will arouse senses and stir emotions like no other car in India.”

All-new Duster to be presented at 2013 Frankfurt show

Besides the face-lifted CUV, the show will also be an opportunity for visitors to see the six concept cars in their lifecycle design strategy together for the very first time

Concepts cars have always been among the major attractions at the Frankfurt Motor Show each year, and Renault’s global unveil of its new concept car will certainly help the 65th edition of the International Automobile Exhibition (IAA) maintain that tradition.

For Renault Duster fans however, the company has something far more exciting up its sleeve. Alongside other highlights, that would include an opportunity for visitors to see the six concept cars in the lifecycle design strategy together for the very first time, the company will present a face-lifted version of its best-selling compact SUV, the Duster.

                               Renault DCross concept photo is for representation purpose only

The French car maker’s electric vehicle range will also be on display this year, including the ZOE, which was launched recently in Germany.

With the Frankfurt show as its backdrop, Renault will be unveiling several key models featuring the firm’s new brand identity. Innovation and motor sport developments, like its Energy range engine will be presented alongside the recently unveiled Energy F1 2014 engine.

Audi A3 saloon : First Drive

Audi, unlike Mercedes-Benz, already had identified the bandwidth it wished to explore between the A4 at the upper end and the A3 Sportback at the lower end so slotting in a saloon rendition of the A3 seemed to be just what the good doctor ordered says Adil Jal Darukhanawala in a recent drive of the new Audi A3 sedan coming soon to India

It is a sign of the times that give a car maker a sliver of a hint or a slight sniff of a trend and one can be rest assured that the product planners would hammer the designers and engineers to churn up something to slot into the thinnest of niches and then go about expanding this to attain the critical mass so very much needed for commercial success/survival, call it what you will.

The Audi A3 saloon is a product of this thought process as much as it has to do with Mercedes-Benz having been quick off the mark with its CLA saloon hewn out of the same third-generation A-class mould. So if Stuttgart could go down this avenue laughing all the way to the bank could Ingolstadt afford to be far behind? One might say how could this happen, don’t Mercedes and Audi have their C-class and A4 already pegging this space? Enter the marketing spooks who now hanker for a slightly lower perch from the C-class / A4 set, a segment which now goes by the predominantly Teutonic term ‘sport limousine’ when for all to see and understand is just that it is another sedan!

Of course that would be missing the point because this is a car which Audi is planning to bring to India once the rupee has gone back to sensible levels vis-à-vis the dollar but how long that would take is best known to nobody!

Even then Audi India gave us a day to experience this all new A3 saloon in and around Gyor (where it is built) and Budapest in Hungary and I must say that this niftily styled automobile is not just fresh yet different while retaining the Audi DNA in its makeup but its compact dimensions do not make it any less practical for occupants in space, comfort and performance.

Audi, unlike Mercedes-Benz, already had identified the bandwidth it wished to explore between the A4 at the upper end and the A3 Sportback at the lower end so slotting in a saloon rendition of the A3 seemed to be just what the good doctor ordered! And with saloons having pride of place in snobbish high growth markets in Asia like China as well as in the US, growing just that much bigger but not as much as the A4 was the way to go.

The overall lines clearly spell out the Audi look and feel (inspired no doubt by the A3 e-tron concept from 2012) and when coupled to a lean persona bereft of the traditional Ingolstadt heft associated with its designs, the new A3 sport limousine is impressive.

The cabin comes in a variety of trim and tailoring with loads of customizable accents and equipment levels and while the dashboard is funky yet well crafted, one can make out the target age group whom Audi is puckering up to. The Audi MMI interface has been further tweaked, the infotainment system has been ratcheted up, tech on call has been bolstered appreciably, there being the option of penciling in the auto-braking / adaptive cruise control already used to telling effect on the A3 Sportback.

So what about the power driving the front wheels and I say this because quattro could be missing the price-proposition completely for a car in this class though I for one would love to drive such a machine everyday over the front pushers. Two petrol engines are specified, these being the 1.4 and 1.8-litre TFSI units mated to the standard spec six-speed manual, which is a mighty good and effective piece of kit to play with.

Of course there is always the S-tronic automatic option to fallback upon if you are the lazy sort but should you think about going overboard Audi has laid it out for you really cool – how about an S3 sedan with a 300bhp 2.0 TFSI motor with accompanying 380Nm of push force to hurtle you and startle that Porsche Cayman tootling along? This is a genuine 4.9 second performer from standstill to 100km/h, can be whipped to its electronically limited 250 km/h top speed, employs quattro gear, sporty suspension and comes with all the bells and whistles the Audi performance armoury can rustle up. Lovely but that would take it over a base A4 and such wouldn’t it? Not a good recipe for India methinks.

However, what would be and is in fact delectable is the 1.6-litre TDI mill mated to the 6-speed manual transmission and boy oh boy this has got to be the pick of the lot for our conditions. Strong and eager in its delivery even though on paper it is nothing to rave home about! However, and here it comes, this is the same engine that does duty in a myriad of other cars seen in India from the VW Group and they have never felt this great before, ever. Period!

In fact, Audi doesn’t even specify a 1.6-litre in Europe (I presume because there was nothing about it in the large and detailed glossy coffee table tech book on the car they gave us) but I feel that in its makeup, state of tune and delivery plus also on the operational side of things, this engine stands out for outstanding value with ample performance to delight.

Brings us back to where we began, Budapest airport and the strong dollar further causing a few more creases in the makeup of the Audi India product planners! If this is going to be a CBU project one can kiss it goodbye here in the now and present but if it is going to be a CKD with loads of locally sourced content then not just the A3 saloon but many more of its ‘sport limousine’ ilk just about stand a chance. Will have to wait till second-quarter 2014 to have the answers.

2014 Honda Jazz details revealed

Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG to be launched on July 25

If subtle and very fast is how you like your cars then the nearest Mercedes-Benz showroom is where you will find what you need. While the newly launched new E-Class is already fast enough, the E 63 AMG which will be hitting showrooms soon is sure to show you an all-new level of speed. Differentiating it from its mortal stock E-Class are the AMG twin blade radiator grille in silver chrome and the so-called A-wing while the striking air outlet openings at the sides, the black grille and the two sets of twin chrome tailpipes belonging to the AMG sports exhaust system definitely announce your arrival. There is also an S-model which boasts even more aggressive styling.


On the insides, superior quality materials, excellent workmanship and an exclusive atmosphere are common to all E 63 AMG models. With the standard-fit nappa leather upholstery, the black interior of the E 63 AMG S-Model features grey contrasting topstitching on the AMG sports seats, the door centre panels, the door armrests and the centre console. The car is also loaded to the brim with features like Active parking assist, Attention Assist, Collision Prevention Assist, LED headlamps and a fantastic Bang and Olufsen BeoSound surround sound system.


But the E 63 AMG’s real party trick lies under the hood. The 5.5 litre biturbo V8 pushes out a supercar rivalling 558 PS and a massive 720 Nm of torque. While the S-Model puts out a mental 586 PS and 800 Nm of torque. Transferring all that power to the rear wheels (all four wheels in case of the S-Model) is a 7-speed AMG Speedshift sports transmission. Acceleration as a result is brutal and the E 63 hits 100 km/h in just 4.2 seconds while the S-Model thanks to more juice and extra traction from the 4Matic decimates the 0-100 km/h run in 3.7 seconds. Top speed, like in all models is electronically limited to 250km/h. But with these numbers, the E 63 AMG is propelled straight into the world of supercars.  This bombshell of a car from Stuttgart should be in showrooms soon with the launch happening as early as next week. Keep watching this space for more!