AUTHENTIC CARS

The new Range Rover Sport will have much greater visual differentiation from the standard Range Rover than before, design director Gerry McGovern has revealed. The second-generation Range Rover Sport is due to be revealed in the middle of 2013 before going on sale at the end of the year. McGovern said the new car “would be given more personality than before” and it would be “separated a bit more” from the Range Rover. Insiders have revealed that the new Range Rover Sport line-up will include a seven-seat option for the first time, a model that should sell particularly well in one of the Range Rover Sport’s biggest markets, North America. McGovern didn’t confirm it for production but said it would be a “challenge” to make a seven-seat Range Rover Sport. “It’s a sporty car with a sleek profile,” he said, “so creating it would be a challenge if it is successfully to carry extra seats.” Under the skin, the new Range Rover Sport will be closely related to the new Ra

Porsche is poised to give the green light to a direct rival for the BMW 5-series and Mercedes E-class after more than a year of research and debate, according to company insiders. If the project is rubber-stamped, Porsche would for the first time be entering a mainstream market segment, albeit a premium sector dominated by the German ‘big three’. If the model gets the go-ahead, it will hit showrooms in 2016 at the very earliest, but it is still considered part of Porsche’s plan to sell 200,000 units annually by 2018. Michael Mauer, Porsche’s styling chief, was recently quoted as saying that a road car smaller than the Panamera “was a possibility”. It’s thought that Mauer’s design team have recently been able to spend serious time on the 5-series-sized concept, now that the Macan SUV and Panamera facelift are both heading for the showroom. Most expect that the ‘Pajun’ (a nickname derived from ‘Panamera junior’) will be a five-door fastback, like its bigger brother. A Me

Maruti is all set to launch an updated SX4 next year. The update will feature mostly cosmetic upgrades including revised front styling that consists of a new chrome-finish grille, re-profiled bumpers and headlamps while the rear is expected to get minor styling tweaks as well. The styling updates to the front are similar to the facelifted SX4 that is sold in China. We had bought you spy pics of the same car back in 2010.    The interiors will also be spruced up and our sources tell us that the top-end variants will come with a standard navigation system. No mechanical changes are expected on the facelifted SX4, which is currently available in petrol, diesel and CNG versions.

Future Aston Martins could receive Mercedes-Benz AMG engines, gearboxes and electric architectures following the British sports car maker’s cash injection from a private equity firm linked to the German giant. Investindustrial, an Italian equity firm that recently sold Ducati to Audi, has paid £150m (Rs 1,308.23 crore) for a 37.5 per cent stake in Aston. It will work alongside majority shareholder Investment Dar and minority shareholders including Aston CEO Ulrich Bez and Aston chairman David Richards. The deal cements Aston’s existing product development programme for the next five years. Investindustrial entered into a partnership with Mercedes and AMG when it owned Ducati. There is no confirmation of Mercedes being involved in the Aston deal, but sources have confirmed the ties between Investindustrial and Mercedes have been retained. A senior Mercedes source said on Investindustrial, “We know these guys. They were behind Ducati and we had a very closely knit market

Effective January, 2013, a range of car companies will hike prices across their model range. Car manufacturers are reeling under the pressure of a depreciating rupee value and rising input costs, and are subsequently looking to clear out their current year’s inventory. While the obvious upshot is that carmakers are offering sizeable discounts on their cars currently, the downside is that these discounts will be short-lived, with 2013 bringing in the said price hike. Renault will action a 1.5 percent price hike across its entire model range from January, 2013. This includes its Pulse hatchback, Scala saloon, Duster SUV, Fluence saloon and Koleos SUV. Luxury car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz will also implement a 1 – 3 percent price hike across its product portfolio, effective January, 2013. Toyota and Mahindra will hike prices of its entire model line-up with a 1 – 2 percent and 2.5 percent increase in prices respectively. The Mahindra-owned SsangYong brand’s Rexton SUV will also be s

BMW has given the Z4 a subtle cosmetic update and has added a new entry-level variant called sDrive18i to the global lineup. This new variant is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine producing 154bhp. That is enough to propel the six-speed manual sDrive18i from 0-100kph in 7.9sec. An optional eight-speed automatic is also offered. The engines in the other Z4 models - sDrive20i, sDrive28i, sDrive35i and sDrive35is - continue unchanged. Indian market Z4s come with only the sDrive35i variant which comes with a 3.0-litre turbocharged petrol motor good for 302bhp. It is priced at Rs 70lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai). Cosmetically, the changes to the updated roadster are minor, the revised LED headlights being the stand-out change. New alloy wheels option is offered, while there are minor exterior trim detailing changes. Other changes include the option of a new Design Pure Traction styling pack, which adds contrasting black and orange trim to the cabin. The interior also fe

The year-end brings with it a whole host of reasons for car buyers to celebrate. This time of year is one of the best to seal the deal on the car of your choice, as carmakers dish out huge deals and discounts in a bid to clear their inventories. And if buying a car that’s made in 2012 instead of 2013 isn’t much of a deterrent, there’s no better time than now to upgrade to a new set of wheels and make the most of your budget. Kicking off the list is Hyundai. The carmaker is offering a cash discount of Rs 60,000 on all the variants of its Santa Fe SUV. Fiat is also offering a whole range of discounts on the Linea. The Linea 1.4 Active Absolute edition is being offered with free insurance worth Rs 25,848, a cash discount of Rs 25,000, an exchange bonus of Rs 15,000 and a corporate discount of Rs 7,000, equaling to a chunky savings of Rs 72, 848. The Linea 1.4 Dynamic Absolute edition also has similar cash, exchange bonus and corporate discounts, but the free insurance worth Rs

Mercedes-Benz has revealed its significantly updated E-class. The mid-life makeover includes revised styling, updated engines, a higher level of standard equipment, new safety features and hi-tech options. The changes are described as the most comprehensive in Mercedes’ history. The heavily revised E-class is set to get its first public outing at the Detroit motor show in January. The major thrust of Mercedes’ efforts to increase the appeal of the E-class centres around its styling, which has been altered more significantly than is usual for a mid-life facelift, most notably at the front. The quad headlamp treatment, which had been a key design feature of the E-class since 1995, is gone, to be replaced by more conventional, prominent single-assembly headlights that feature LED daytime running lights as standard. Further changes have been made to the grille, where there are now two options, one sporty and the other more traditional. The front bumper and bonnet are also revi

Volkswagen’s first attempt at cracking the petrol hatch segment in India with the Polo 1.6 didn’t go according to plan, with the company now only making the 105bhp Polo to order. But VW still has an ace up its sleeve, and wants to have another crack at this niche segment. This time, VW will be bringing its latest tech to the fight. The German car maker plans to launch the Polo with its acclaimed 1.2 TSI petrol motor that pushes out an impressive 105bhp, which is as much as its current 1.6-litre’s output! This small engine gets a potent combination of direct injection and turbocharging, which is why the car makes such an impressive power output. VW will also be coupling this engine to its brilliant ‘DCQ200’ seven-speed DSG transmission. The beauty is that this car’s 1.2-litre engine capacity will allow this power-packed Polo to qualify for a lower rate of excise duty. The heady combination of a powerful engine and a fast-shifting twin-clutch automatic transmission could easily ma

The Jaguar C-X75 supercar has been axed. Global brand director Adrian Hallmark confirmed that the decision not to put the radical hybrid into production had been taken due to the current global economic crisis. Five working prototypes will continue to be developed until next May. Up to three of these will then be sold at auction, while one will go into a future Jaguar museum and the other will be kept by Jaguar for running demonstrations. “We feel we could make the car work, but looking at the global austerity measures in place now, it seems the wrong time to launch an £800,000 to £1 million (Rs 8.74 crore) supercar,” said Hallmark. “This is backed up by other products from us that people are screaming out for.” The C-X75 was first revealed as a concept at the Paris motor show in 2010. Its hybrid drivetrain included a pair of gas turbines to power the car once charge from the four electric motors, one mounted at each wheel, had expired. In May 2011, Jaguar confirmed the C-

Skoda has unveiled the third-generation Octavia – the successor to the car we know as the Laura here in India. It is larger than before and the company claims that it provides class-leading interior space. Based on a stretched version of the Volkswagen Group’s new MQB platform, the Octavia is now 4659mm long, an increase of 90mm over its predecessor. Width is up by 45mm to 1814mm, but the real gain is in the wheelbase, which has grown by 108mm to 2686mm. These figures better even the VW Jetta, which is currently one of the biggest cars in this class. The new Octavia has what Skoda claims is class-leading interior space, with 1782mm of interior length, and increased head, knee and legroom for front and rear passengers. Boot space is also up, albeit by just five litres to 590. The entry-level petrol engine will be a 1.4 TSI with 120bhp and 20.3kgm. There will also be a more powerful 1.4 with 138bhp and 25.4kgm of torque. The range-topping petrol model will be the 1.8 TS

Fiat plans to launch its performance brand Abarth here in 2013. Abarth is to Fiat what AMG is to Mercedes Benz. Carlo Abarth started his long association with Fiat in 1952, and the Fiat later bought over the performance brand in 1971. Abarth is known for stuffing big engines into small cars to make them go faster, although the new cars are more subdued and more practical.  The cars will most likely be sold out of 'Abarth Studios' within existing Fiat dealers, but Fiat hasn't ruled out the possibility of having exclusive Abarth dealers either. Initial offerings are likely to consist of the Grande Punto Evo with the possibility of the 500 Abarth as well. Fiat is also likely to be working on a diesel version for India. The Grande Punto Evo comes with a turbo-charged, 1.4-litre 165bhp engine mated to a six-speed manual. With its max torque of 25.5kgm, it'll get to 100kph in 8.2 seconds and go on to a top-speed of 213kph. Even more entertaining is its handling wh

It's official. Iconic American SUV maker Jeep is all set to enter the Indian market in the third quarter of 2013. Now owned by Fiat, Jeep plans to offer the Grand Cherokee initially and off-road fans will be thrilled to hear the retro-styled Wrangler will be offered as well.  Whereas Ford and General Motors came to the Indian market more than a decade ago, Chrysler and Jeep stayed away. The blame for this late entry rests partly on Chrysler’s decade-long financial difficulties and an unsuitable product line-up. Things are different today, however. Chrysler and Jeep are on a more solid footing and the introduction of their cars into the European market mean some of their products are more suitable for our market. Today, Jeep has a whole range of diesel SUVs, and products like the diesel Grand Cherokee could be followed by products like the Commander, Compass or Patriot, all of which are currently sold in Europe. And Fiat could look at its Jeep-based Freemont MPV too.   Th

BMW has confirmed that the next-generation coupé version of the3-series will become a stand-alone model and be badged 4-series. The significant change to BMW’s line-up is previewed by this Concept 4-series Coupé, which finally lifts the lid on one of the car industry’s worst-kept secrets: that the two-door 3-series will be become the 4-series and join the 6-series as a two-door variant of a BMW saloon. “The ‘4’ doesn’t just mark the start of a new cycle; it marks the start of a model with its own individual character and a stand-alone design,” says BMW. Although billed as a design study, the 4-series concept is understood to be a faithful representation of the production car. Only some of the more extreme elements, such as the flamboyant front and rear bumpers and air dams, will be toned down. These first official pictures show the new two-door to be a muscular and broad-shouldered design draped over a wide-stance platform. BMW has released the key dimensions for the

Come January 2013 and Audi will launch the updated Q5 in India. It made its debut at the Paris Motor show earlier this year. Known internally as the Q5 PI (for Product Improvement), the facelifted Q5 comes with exterior changes like the grille that now takes Audi’s new hexagonal shape. The detailing within the grille also differs depending on what engine is under the hood. The headlights get newly designed daytime running lamps, the bumper is altered and the fog lights have chrome ring surrounds. At the rear, the tail-lamps get different LEDs and there’s a new rear diffuser. Like the recently facelifted A4, the interiors too get subtle tweaks and improvements to uplift the general feel and finish of the cabin. Expect the new Q5 to come with a minor price-correction as well as it will be assembled in India. On the engine front, you can expect the bread and butter 2.0-litre TDI and the petrol 2.0-litre TFSI topped by the six-cylinder 245hp 3.0-litre TDI. Audi is currently offering

Volkswagen has put its plans to produce the Up in India on hold. And thus, for the next two years, the carmaker plans to appeal to the market here and shore up demand by introducing variants of its existing Polo and Vento. And first up in VW’s scheme is the CrossPolo – the hatchback off-roader. The CrossPolo, with its rugged off-road kit, trumps any regular hatch in terms of looks. Knowing the Indian customer’s fondness for off-roader appearances, this design should spell success for the manufacturer. The all-terrain looks appear tough enough to tackle Himalayan mountain roads and the ride height has been increased by around 15mm as well. A thick, matte plastic band extends across the chin, the flanks and around the rear. The wheel arches get the same treatment and there’s a scuff plate with a dull silver finish. The CrossPolo also gets silver anodised roof rails where up to 75kg of luggage can be mounted and secured. A silver diffuser at the rear and big 17-inch wheels complete t

JLR launched the all-new Range Rover in India on November 30. The all-new Rangie has been re-engineered to become more competitive as a genuine luxury car on-road as well as becoming more capable off-road. The new model is lighter, more frugal, more spacious and significantly more refined, according to Land Rover. The company says it is the world’s first SUV with all-aluminium monocoque construction and the new car is 180kg lighter than the previous model. A 40mm longer wheelbase gives the new Rangie improved rear cabin space. It has been benchmarked against luxury cars such as the Bentley Flying Spur and Mercedes S-Class for ride quality and tyre and wind noise. The latest Range Rover’s new-generation Terrain Response 2 system now includes an ‘auto’ setting, which analyses the terrain and can switch automatically between the five off-road settings. The new Range Rover will be available in India with a 4.4-litre V8 twin-turbo diesel engine that makes 334bhp as wel

BMW is testing the market for a sportier-looking, three-door coupé version of its battery-powered i3 electric hatch with the i3 Concept Coupé, which has broken cover ahead of the Los Angeles motor show. The BMW i3 Concept Coupé is lower and wider than the five-door i3 hatch due on sale in international markets next year and is distinguished by a more steeply sloped roofline, deeper rear side windows and a slightly more angled tailgate. Otherwise, it shares the basic styling treatment, 2750mm wheelbase and carbon fibre-reinforced plastic body construction — the so-called Life Module structure — with the i3 five-door. Although the three-door has yet to be signed off for production, senior BMW officials say that cost and production feasibility studies have been carried out. And it has emerged that a soft-top version of the three-door i3 is also awaiting sign-off, suggesting the i-car line-up could eventually support up to five models — three i3 hatch-derived mod

The renewal of Porsche’s sportscar line-up continues apace with the unveiling of a larger and lighter second-generation Cayman at the Los Angeles motor show. The new mid-engined coupé adopts a redesigned platform offering improved weight distribution as well as a series of weight-saving measures that are claimed to result in a lighter car than its predecessor. Sister car to the Boxster, which it will be built alongside at Porsche’s Zuffenhausen factory (and eventually the old Karmann factory in Osnabruck), the new Cayman receives slightly different proportions in a move that serves to stretch its silhouette and provide the basis for a larger cabin. Length is up by 35mm, width extends by a scant 1mm while height drops by 10mm over its predecessor at 4380mm, 1801mm and 1295mm, respectively. The Cayman once again shares its styling with the Boxster. Distinguishing features include daytime running lights and indicators housed within a round unit, more pronounced

The world’s largest maker of petrol engines, Honda, didn’t take easily to making diesels. Despite clear indications and global trends, the Japanese motorcycle and car manufacturer shied away from ‘dirty oil burners’ for years. Honda culture, you see, was all about petrol engines. Built on the bedrock of motorsport, high-revving petrol engines and driving pleasure, diesels were an anathema. But the skyrocketing price of fuel and a loss of marketshare in certain markets has forced Honda’s hand. The new i-DTEC diesel engine is the first small capacity diesel to be launched by Honda. Known as Earth Dreams Technology, this new 1.6 engine will make its introduction at the beginning of 2013 and offers a potentially class-leading combination of 118bhp and 30.5kgm torque.    “The key focus of our Earth Dreams Technology philosophy is to balance environmental efficiency with the dynamic performance expected of a Honda,” says Suehiro Hasshi of Honda. “It is important that

Mercedes has revealed a first set of images of the new Ener-G-Force SUV concept. This new Mercedes-Benz G-class-based concept may be the first indication of the carmaker’s plans to launch a direct rival to the Range Rover. The Ener-G-Force concept SUV is an imposing seven-seater that, in kitted-up highway patrol vehicle guise, is also Mercedes' entry into the annual Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge at next week’s LA motor show. Sources claim the Ener-G-Force is the forerunner to a new three strong line-up of Land Rover-rivalling off-roaders set to join its line-up in coming years, based around existing platforms and driveline combinations, including a long-awaited replacement for the iconic G-class in production since 1979 and a Range Rover rival. “The Ener-G-Force invokes the genes of the G-class,” said Mercedes' design Chief Gorden Wagener. “It could also be a clue about a new beginning for the off-road design idiom of Mercedes,” he added

Aston Martin’s majority shareholder is seeking to sell its stake and has approached potential buyers, according to online reports. Bloomberg claims the Kuwait firm Investment Dar Co, which owns 64 per cent of Aston, has hired financial advisory firm Rothschild to advise on the sale and several buyers have already been approached, including Indian firm Mahindra & Mahindra. Autocar is awaiting an official comment from Aston Martin on the reports. Investment Dar was part of a consortium fronted by Prodrive’s David Richards that bought Aston from Ford five years ago. Richards became chairman of the famous British sports car maker, which has been led by CEO Ulrich Bez since 2000, after the takeover. Bloomberg claims a sale of Aston is proving difficult, as a buyer willing to pay the $800 million (£640m) Investment Dar is seeking for its stake is not forthcoming. The report also claims Toyota conducted a one-week study around two months ago into the feasibility

This is the new Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster, a 690bhp V12 open-top hypercar that is, the Italian firm claims, “the most exciting Lamborghini ever built”. The Aventador Roadster uses a Targa-style two-piece carbon fibre roof, which weighs just 6kg. It can be removed by hand in “a few seconds” and stored in the front luggage compartment when not in use. The carbon fibre roof is made using Lamborghini’s own Forged Composite tech, which creates a material stronger than titanium but less dense. The hard-top for the Aventador Roadster addresses the main problem with its open-top Murcielago predecessor. With that car’s fabric roof raised, its top speed was limited to 160kph. The roof was also tricky to remove and store. Just like the coupé, the Aventador Roadster uses a normally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 featuring cylinder deactivation technology, stop-start and a seven-speed automatic gearbox. With the roof off, the new Roadster can hit a claimed 350kph and sp

Mercedes-Benz has revealed its new 622bhp 6.2-litre V8-powered SLS AMG Black Series ahead of the powered-up gullwing coupé’s debut at the Los Angeles motor show later this month. Sporting a series of aerodynamic and mechanical developments brought over from the SLS AMG GT3 race car, the headlining AMG model is the fifth in a series of limited production Black Series models. As tradition dictates, the SLS AMG Black Series is outwardly distinguished by series of exterior styling changes that serve to provide it with a distinctly brawnier appearance than the standard SLS AMG – all in keeping with its circuit bred lineage. Carbonfibre is used extensively for the more aggressive bodywork, including the deep front spoiler, bonnet and rear diffuser. An aerodynamic package is optional, which includes a lathe fixed rear wing. The rear bulkhead and centre tunnel are also fashioned from carbonfibre, changes which help shed the Black Series' kerb weight by 70kg over the standard SL