2015 Audi RS6 Avant to be launched in India on June 4, 2015

Audi India is out to make a brave move. While station wagons don’t really catch the fancy of Indian customers, Audi is planning to bring one to our market. The difference is, this station wagon can manage a top whack of 305kmph and while doing so, it can manage a 0-100kmph sprint in 3.9s! The station wagon in reference is the Audi RS6 Avant and it’s coming to India next month.

 Powering the Audi RS6 is a 4.0-litre TFSI biturbo V8 petrol engine that produces 560PS of power and 700Nm of torque. An eight-speed tiptronic transmission feeds the output to the quattro system. The car sits on 20-inch wheels by default, with the option of 21-inchers as well.

 When Audi updated the entire A6 line-up last year around the Paris Motor Show, the RS6 also received the tweaks and the upgraded equipment. So the RS6 gets the Matrix lights aka adaptive LEDs which will certainly make it to the India-bound model as well. The RS6 will also preview the new styling that you can expect on the A6 and S6 facelifts later this year, which includes the single-piece grille, the new LED DRLs and the revised theme for the taillights.

The Audi RS6 Avant is scheduled to be launched in India on June 4, 2015 and it will sit over the S6 in the line-up, so expect the pricing to be between Rs 1 crore and 1.25 crore. Stay tuned for more updates.

New Honda Jazz review, test drive

A high price may have hurt the original Honda Jazz’s chances, but there’s a new one heading our way. Here's our exclusive review. 

 Photographer Yang has just driven the new Honda Jazz to our rendezvous point in downtown Singapore. But he doesn’t give me much of a chance to have a thorough look at the car. He’s expecting rain and wants to make the most of the even light we have this afternoon, and within no time I’m belted up and ready to drive. I’m told the route will take us through the heart of the city to emptier roads in the suburbs where I can ‘drive faster’. You see, most of Singapore is covered by a web of speed cameras, radars and perhaps even telepathic devices that would fine me if I so much as think of speeding.

But I don’t intend to really max out the Jazz I’m driving either. That’s because the Singaporean Jazz comes with 1.3-litre and 1.5-litre petrol engines, and it would be silly to put my license (and bank balance) in jeopardy for engines not destined for India. At this point, you should know that the Indian Jazz models will get the same 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engines as the Honda Amaze. Remember, for a small car (read sub-four-metre in length) like the Jazz to qualify for excise benefits, it must use a petrol engine below 1200cc or a diesel engine below 1500cc. Let’s start with the diesel engine, which will see application in the Jazz for the first time. Given that the four-cylinder, fixed geometry turbo unit makes about 99bhp in the Amaze, City and Mobilio, it’s safe to assume Honda will not tinker with this engine’s power output on the Jazz. This would also make the Jazz the most powerful premium diesel hatchback this side of the Volkswagen Polo GT TDI. While Honda could pitch the Jazz as a performance diesel, its i-DTEC engine is actually more about excellent driveability than outright punch. Given our start-stop traffic conditions, I don’t think the bulk of buyers will mind the compromise. Perhaps of equal interest (and arguably its trump card) would be the Jazz diesel’s fuel economy. The Amaze and City diesels perform superbly on this front and the Jazz should be no different. Just how well the Jazz diesel does will, in part, be a function of the gearbox it will come with. In all likelihood, Honda will equip the Jazz with the Amaze’s five-speed manual. But let’s not forget, the City carries the same engine mated to a more efficiency-oriented six-speed manual.

Renault Lodgy India spec officially revealed

Launching in March 2015; 85bhp and 108bhp 1.5-litre diesel engines; expected price from Rs 8 lakh. 

The Lodgy launch is not too far away, and Renault now wants to get people excited about its new MPV, and has released its first official image. The headline, of course, is that it is massive, and has a long 2,810mm wheelbase – an ideal combination for freeing up interior space in an MPV. Like the Renault Duster, this car started its life as a Dacia, and with the switch to the Renault badge for India, it has been given a few changes.

 

 There’s a new chrome bar grille with a massive Renault logo, a new chin (unpainted, since it is often easily scratched) and updated tail-lights too. On the inside, there will be a lot of bits borrowed from the Duster, including things like the instrument cluster, infotainment system, control stalks, steering wheel, gearlever and air-con controls. Here too, expect a few subtle differences from the Dacia version of the global markets, including a bump up in quality.

Power is expected to come from the same 1.5-litre dCi engine as the Duster, in both its 85bhp and 108bhp guises. While this may not seem like a lot, bear in mind that the torque – 25.3kgm – is more than what you get from the Toyota Innova’s 2.5-litre engine. It also has the advantage that, at 1,350kg, this monocoque MPV is a whole lot lighter than the ladder-chassis Toyota. However, actual driveability with the car fully loaded up remains to be seen.

However, we’ve driven this car

, and can tell you that its highlight is the space it offers. There is plenty of useable space on offer in the second, and even the third row, and comfort level is good too. Even with all the seats in place, there is a decent amount of boot space available, thanks to the very upright tailgate.

When it goes on sale around March 2015, we expect the Renault Lodgy to cost between Rs 8 lakh and Rs 12 lakh, which could make it not only a viable rival to compact MPVs like the Maruti Ertiga and Honda Mobilio, but also to the expensive but popular Toyota Innova.

New Skoda Superb here in 2015

Skoda's third generation Superb will be shown officially in February, but details have already emerged that give us a good indication of what the new car will be like.  To begin with, Skoda's foray into the realm of entry-level luxury will continue unabated. The new third-generation Superb will look more grown-up on the outside, even more spacious on the inside, and better

equipped than the previous-gen car. Based on VW's MQB platform architecture that's shared with cars like the new Passat, Octavia and Golf, it will also come with a set of well-engineered mechanical bits. 

The biggest difference over the current car, however, will be the new, smoother flowing profile and the more grown up luxury car look (think Audi A6 or A8). What has allowed this to happen is the fact that Skoda have done away with the twin door rear; the unique bit that allowed the luggage compartment to be accessed via both a large hatchback lid as well as a traditional boot lid. The removal of all the extra hardware has resulted in a less upright rear and an smoother overall profile. And it looks much nicer around the back too, the curved rear section and the semi fast-back-like raked rear windscreen add a coupe-like sportiness. Despite this, the Superb is more practical that the older car; boot space is up by more than 60 litres, at 625 litres, and you can expand that to 1,760 litres once the rear seats are folded down. 

 

Up front, the new Superb gets Skoda's new two part, butterfly-shaped grille and a set of larger headlamps with a distinct hollowed out section below them. The nose now looks more aggressive, and the sharp cutlines on the bonnet and fenders, and the tastefully flared wheel arches add to the sporty stance. Now 20mm longer, a considerable 50mm wider and using a new stretched (by 80mm) wheelbase, the new Superb will be larger still on the inside. The legroom has improved over the older car, the cabin is wide enough to fit three abreast in the rear, and the roominess up front is better as well. Despite its larger size, the new Superb will also be around 75kg lighter. 

 

Because it shares its platform with cars like the VW Passat, the new Superb is also likely to have a lot of the latest goodies found on VW's new B8, such as adjustable dampers and a new-gen infotainment system. There will be a slight roll back on the heavy use of traditional materials like wood, leather and chrome. This is to ensure that Skoda falls in line with the Volkswagen group's hierarchy; above the Czech brand sits Volkswagen, then Audi and Bentley. However, the new car will not be any less luxurious, according to Skoda's design chief Joseph Kaban (spl): "It will be a younger, more youthful interpretation of luxury, and you will find the car has no compromises." 

Power is expected to come from a 2.0-litre diesel motor tuned for around 170bhp or the 1.8-litre 177bhp turbo-petrol engine. The current automatic DSG gearboxes are expected to be carried forward. Expect the new Superb to hit Indian dealerships towards the end of 2015.

Toyota Camry facelift India-bound

Toyota launched the current-generation Camry in India back in 2012 and is now looking to launch its mid-cycle facelift in our market next year.

Toyota showcased the Camry facelift at the Moscow motor show in November this year and the same updated car is expected to hit Indian showrooms in the first of 2015. The facelifted Camry gets styling changes both outside and in – up front, the headlamps are re-styled with LED daytime running lamps and the grille is all-new with a band of chrome on top of it. There’s also a new protruding chin along with the re-designed bumper. These changes align the Camry’s styling with the carmaker's current generation models such as the new Corolla Altis.

At the rear, the boot lid gets mild styling tweaks and the tail-lamps get new LED inserts. The chrome strip on the boot lid is now thinner and divides the tail-lamp into two parts. The alloy wheel designs are also expected to be new on the updated car.

On the inside, the 2015 Toyota Camry has a sporty looking three-spoke multi-function steering wheel instead of the four-spoke unit in the current car. The instrument cluster has also been updated, with blue backlight and a larger 4.2-inch screen at the centre. The multimedia screen on the centre console is also bigger at 6.1 inches.

The updated Camry is not expected to get any changes under the skin and is likely to continue with the petrol and petrol-hybrid set-ups that are on offer currently.

Toyota, so far, has sold 1,360 current-generation Camrys since its launch here in 2012, of which 579 are hybrid models. The carmaker assembles the current-gen Camry in India via CKD kits to keep costs low and will follow the trend with the updated Camry as well.

Suzuki Alto RS Turbo revealed

Targeted at the Japanese car market, the Alto RS Turbo is the performance version of the Suzuki Alto. 

  Suzuki has revealed a hotter version of the Alto for the Japanese market. A turbocharged version of the Kei car, the Alto RS Turbo, will make its debut at the Tokyo Auto Salon in January 2015.  

 Like all Kei cars, the Alto RS Turbo uses a 660cc petrol engine; power output though, is still unconfirmed. The standard Suzuki Alto uses a naturally-aspirated 660cc engine that produces either 48bhp or 51bhp.

 Cosmetic enhancements on the Turbo RS include racing decals, abundant use of chrome, 17-inch alloy wheels, Recaro seats and ‘RS’ stickers. The bumper-lip, decals and wing mirrors are finished in the same colour as the alloys to further enhance the car’s sporty appeal.

This will not be the first Alto RS Turbo. There have been a few versions earlier, and in fact, there have been hotter versions of Kei cars from other manufacturers as well. But obviously, all of these are restricted to the Japanese car market.

New Hyundai i20 achieves sales peak

Passenger car sales bounced back with the November numbers up by 10 percent after two consecutive months of lower sales. The star of the month was the Hyundai Elite i20 that sold 10,500 units, its highest tally since the car made its debut in July. The other star was the Maruti Omni which sold 7,214 units, racing ahead of the Hyundai Eon and Bolero.

 Maruti’s Alto, whose K10 now offers an AMT variant, sold 24, 201 units and was followed by the Swift (which now has a facelift) and Dzire  with 17,900 and 14,009 units sold, respectively.  The Hyundai Grand i10 continues to be on a roll with 8,396 units sold. Among new models, the Fiat Avventura sold 366 units.

In the mid-size segment, the Honda City was back in the Top 10 after a three-month gap with 7,251
units sold. The Maruti Ciaz sold 5,232 units while the Skoda Rapid and VW Vento were almost neck and neck with 958 and 894 units sold, respectively.

In the UV segment, the Bolero sold 6,300 units, its lowest in the current financial year. The Maruti Ertiga sold 5,003 units.

New cars for 2015: SUVs and MPVs

The promising MPV, SUV segments are only going to be heated further when the likes of Maruti, Ford and Hyundai add more models to the mix next year.

1. Maruti YBA compact SUV

Factfile
Coming: End 2015
Est price: Rs 7.5-10 lakh
Engine(s): 1.2 petrol, 1.5 diesel
Rivals: Ford EcoSport, Fiat Avventura

2. Hyundai ix25

 

 Factfile
Coming: Mid 2015
Est price:Rs 10 lakh
Engine(s): 1.6 petrol, 1.6 diesel
Rivals: Renault Duster, Nissan Terrano

3.Maruti S-Cross

 Factfile
Coming: March 2015
Est price: Rs 13-14 lakh
Engine(s): 1.6 petrol, 1.6 diesel
Rivals: Mahindra XUV500, Renault Duster AWD

Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Pirelli Edition unveiled

Lamborghini has yet again announced the production of an exclusive new special series, they like to call this one the Aventador LP 700-4 Pirelli Edition. As the name suggests its has been created to celebrate the long and ongoing partnership with Italian tyre manufacturer Pirelli. The brands have been working together since 1963, from then to now all Lamborghini cars have been equipped with Pirelli tyres.

All technical features have been retained from the regular Aventador including the carbon fiber monocoque, the V12 engine, pushrod suspensions and the permanent all-wheel drive. The details for the Pirelli series has been designed by the Lamborghini Centro Stile. Standard equipment for the exterior will include the transparent engine hood, the engine compartment in carbon, glossy black Dione 20/21 inch rims, P Zero tyres with red logo and red calipers (yellow only in the case of the Rosso Mars exterior).

The exterior sports a two-tone color scheme giving customers two options. The first one being matte black for the roof, the pillars, the rearview mirrors, the engine hood, and the front, rear, side and moving air intakes, in contrast with six glossy finishes for the rest of the body. The second option incorporates glossy black for the upper parts of the car and the air intakes, in contrast with four matte finishes for the rest of the exterior.

A thin red stripe runs along the roof and the engine hood, the rearview mirrors, and the outer profiles of the air intakes, a feature designed to recall Pirelli branding. The Pirelli logo in red, is visible at the start of the two roof lines and on the tyres.

The interiors of this Pirelli Edition are upholstered with black Alcantara with red contrast stitching. The red stripe on the body is also repeated on the inside, running along the interior ceiling and the seats, which feature the Lamborghini and Pirelli crests embroidered in red. Leather inserts adorn the door panels and the seat sides. To underscore its exclusiveness, each car will have a ‘Pirelli special series’ plaque inside.

The new Pirelli edition will be available in Coupé and Roadster forms. Production will be in a special series and orders taken by dealers will be delivered summer 2015.

Jaguar F-Type Coupe India review

We drive the 543bhp Jaguar F-Type R-Coupe in and out of town for a full week.

  The monsoons may have had a slow start, but on this evening in early August, it’s pouring buckets. From my vantage point inside Jaguar Land Rover’s very swanky corporate showroom in Worli, Mumbai, all I see is an opaque sheet of rainfall. The flooded conditions seem apt to put any of the Land Rovers on display to the test, not the 543bhp (and 69.3kgm), rear-wheel-drive rocketship I have just  been handed the key to. I’m itching to drive, but better sense tells me to hold out. I just can’t let impatience and unnecessary bravado cut short my week-long stint with what promises to be Jaguar’s most exciting sports car in decades. A lot of Jaguar literature and a few coffees later, I notice the downpour has reduced to a mild drizzle. Visibility is better and traffic seems to be in motion too — that’s the green signal I’ve been waiting for.  I want to make a fast getaway, but quickly realise I’d need the equivalent of a racehorse’s blinkers to keep me walking straight to the car’s door. It looks just so damn hot, I simply have to stop to take one hard look at it. Eventually I peel my eyes away from the F’s shapely form, making a mental list of all the details I’d like to see up close later on. Like the door handles that pop out as you press the unlock button on the key fob, which is such a neat touch. 

 It’s quite a drop into the cabin, but the beautifully contoured bucket seats offer a comfortable landing. On the outset, frontal visibility seems good and I’m quite taken by the welcome gesture or Jaguar handshake. It’s performed by a platform hidden atop the centre console that rises to reveal the air-con vents, a bit gimmicky but literally a very cool touch. Starter button depressed, the engine rumbles to life to settle at a gruff idle. Gear lever clicked to D, and I’m off. But I’m not in the clear — rush hour has begun and traffic is thickening. All plans for an initial joy ride are cancelled and I decide to call it a day. It’s on the journey home that my right foot gives in to temptation and I weigh down hard on the accelerator at the first opportune moment. What follows has me thrilled and petrified at the same time. The Jag’s tail momentarily steps out of line as the Pirellis struggle to put down all that power on the wet surface. Meanwhile, the exhaust roars loud enough to alert every living being in the vicinity that there’s a big cat on the prowl. This is going to be a very fun week. . 

continuous.... >>

most expensive car in the world

Lamborghini Veneno Roadster

Country of Origin: Italy
Engine: 750-hp, 6.5-liter, 12-cylinder
0-62 mph: 2.9 seconds
Starting price: $4.5 million

Lamborghini says it plans to build only nine copies of the Lamborghini Veneno Roadster in 2014. Among many other innovations its lightweight body design makes extensive use of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer. Top speed is 221 mph. 

Described as “an open racing prototype with an extreme design and breathtaking performance”, the Lamborghini Veneno Roadster is based on the coupe version that was revealed at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.

Unlike the coupe, which was built in only three customer examples, the roadster will be offered in nine examples, with pricing set at €3.3 ($4.5 / £2.8) million before taxes. The convertible shares its 6.5-liter V12 engine with the Veneno coupe, which means that no less than 750 horses are trapped behind the rear bonnet. The exclusive supercar features CFRP-made monocoque and body, while the interior sports lightweight Forged Composite bucket seats and the company’s already familiar CarbonSkin.  

Next-gen Audi A7 to get more stylish

Audi has confirmed that the next generation of its A7 fastback will be even more stylish that what it already is. The A7 is a radical looking car that combines the practicality of a sedan bodystyle with a swoopy coupe-like silhouette.

Design work on the new Audi A7 has already been completed by Marc Lichte, who joined Audi from Volkswagen earlier this year. The car is expected to launch in international markets in 2017. The new A7 has a lot of design elements that see inspiration in the latest Prologue concept that Audi showcased at the Los Angeles motor show. But Lichte has bot revealed any specific details.

The Prologue concept gives not only a hint at this new A7, but also the new A6 and the A8. All of these models are currently being developed; the A6 is also expected to debut with the A7 in 2017, but the flagship A8 will debut globally next year. Lichte has also added that it will be the A7 that will carry the most attention-grabbing design, and that it will not only stand out amongst these three models, but will be different from future Audis as well.

Mercedes’ AMG Vision Gran Turismo

Someone must like us after all! Mercedes’ AMG Vision Gran Turismo going into production

Mercedes-Benz AMG unveiled a life-size replica of its AMG Vision Gran Turismo concept at the 2013 LA Auto Show. The AMG wizards created the car as a virtual-only racer for the new Gran Turismo 6 video game.

Although we knew it was only a plastic model of the car, we were in awe of its beauty and hoped and prayed that someone would build the thing, as we desperately wanted to drive it.
Shockingly, our prayers have been answered – but not by Mercedes AMG. Instead, a small coachbuilder in Florida will build five of the cars with one already spoken for. Found on James Edition, the real-life Vision will be based on the 2014 SLS AMG GT but with a body made completely from carbon fiber, which, apparently, will decrease the weight of the package by 200 pounds.

In Gran Turismo, the AMG Vision is powered by a twin-turbo 5.5-liter V8 that makes 577 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. The SLS GT – and now the real-life Vision – will be powered instead by a 6.3-liter that makes 583 hp and 479 lb-ft. Yes, it might be slightly less powerful than the dour AMG men originally planned. From an auditory standpoint, however, it’s a huge upgrade. The SLS’ V8 sounds like someone is trying to summon the devil with dynamite. It’s rather splendid.

Although Mercedes never said how fast the AMG Vision would go 0-60, the SLS GT will do it in 3.7 seconds. With a lighter weight body, it should do it a smidge faster.
What will the in-the-flesh AMG Vision cost you? $1.5 million. But, for that, you get wheels that are

“custom forged by world famous wheel designer ADV.1 The interior will be sightly [sic] modified to the customers color request. The car will have a chrome paint job and with have a retractable rear spoiler and custom exhaust.”

I know $1.5 million feels like a lot of money for a chromed-out AMG with a new body bolted on. Think about it this way, though. If you get one of the five AMG Visions, you’ll finally be able to get that racecar bed you’ve always wanted because your car will be so hot that women will sleep with you regardless of your nerdy bedroom furniture.

If that’s not worth $1.5 million, I don’t know what is.

auto&tech™ ©2013

Audi S6/S7/S8

Think of Audi’s ‘S’ cars as the sportier cousins of the normal line-up with the S variant’s more powerful engines and slightly extroverted design details being the key differentiators here. India will get the entire S range that includes the S4, S5, S6, S7 and S8 in 2012.  The new S6 that was launched at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show comes with a 414bhp, 4-litre twin-turbo V8. Performance will be entertaining, to say the least.  Another new addition to the S line is the S8. Marrying sports car performance to limo-like luxury, the S8 shares its engine with the S6, but power is an even higher 513bhp. Pricing is yet not known, but expect these S cars to cost considerably more than the current range-topping variants for each model. However, the S5 will be a cheaper option to the more powerful RS5. S6 will spearhead Audi’s S line’s entry into India. S8 is sports car and limo rolled into one. . Sportier petrol S7 will join diesel A7 sibling.

auto&tech™ ©2012

Mercedes B-Class!!!

With the new B 180, Mercedes-Benz is targeting a whole new demographic in India. Will this new car tempt buyers into trying something different?

The test car came with a sports package that includes low-profile tyres on 18-inch rims and a lowered, sports suspension. The launch car comes with what Merc calls a comfort suspension, which offers higher ground clearance, softer suspension settings and more practical 16-inch wheels on the base petrol variant, while the B 180 Sport gets 17-inch wheels.

The sports kit no doubt adds to the ground-hugging looks of the B-class, but look past the eye candy and you’ll see what looks like a shrunken R-class. There’s that low bonnet, steeply raked windshield and high roofline, and despite the unusual shape, it won’t take long for even untrained eyes to tell it’s a Benz. Every current Merc styling cue is present – the oversized grille with the huge three-pointed star in the centre, the clamshell bonnet and the bumper with its integrated LED lamps all point to Stuttgart.

auto&tech©2012

Bugatti Veyron Super Sport ” Special Edition ” Cars

Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is the world’s fastest car from 2010 with a top speed of 431 km/h (268 mph).The car has a W16 configuration engine with 8 litre displacement.The engine produces 1200 hp and 1500 Nm of Torque.

Only 30 cars will be made.In this Limited Production run of 30 cars Bugatti also sells “Special Edition” Cars which are very rare .Thus making the price of the Special Editions being so high than the standard Super Sport.The Super Sport price starts from $ 2.5 million.The special editions are priced more than the standard version.

auto&tech™ ©2012