AUTHENTIC CARS

Jaguar has added a new top-end variant to its XJ range in India. The new variant called the XJ Ultimate gets additional features added to an already loaded XJ saloon. It gets distinctive styling tweaks which include unique lower front air-intakes and a grille with chrome finish and LED day-time running lamps. The XJ Ultimate gets 20-inch Margoa alloy wheels with a dual-tone shade, the rear gets oval tail-pipes and there is an Ultimate badge on the boot-lid along with side air-vents on the front fenders.   The Interiors get detailing such as wood veneer crafted from ebony that form into a Herringbone pattern with mirror image upper and lower halves, separated by a strip of piano black veneer.   The dashboard-mounted clock also has special detailing which is unique to the XJ Ultimate. Three leather surfaces are on offer - Jet on Jet, Ivory seats and lower surfaces with either Mineral or Bordeaux uppers. The standard rear bench has been replaced with two bucket s...

This is VW’s radical, lightweight XL1 which promises an EU-certified economy of 111.16kpl and 21g/km CO2 emissions when it goes into limited production later this year following its Geneva motor show reveal next month. Powered by a 47bhp two-cylinder 800cc TDI engine backed up by a 27bhp electric motor and 5.5kWh battery pack, the two-seat car is claimed to have a Cd rating of just 0.189. First shown as a running concept two years ago, the XL1 is being built at the VW-owned Karmann factory in Osnabrück, alongside the VW Golf cabriolet and the new Porsche Boxster. The XL1 has a carbon-fibre body, weighing in at just 795kg and is some 3.8m long and 1.66m wide, only marginally smaller than a VW Polo supermini. However, it is only 1.15m high, some 129mm lower than a Boxster. VW says the XL1 has its top speed limited to 159.9kph, but that it can hit 100kph in just 12.7seconds. It uses aluminium double wishbone front suspension, a semi-trailing link suspension at the rear; c...

Set to get its first public outing at the Geneva motor show in early March, the new RS Q3 crowns the popular Q3 line-up with performance that puts it at the sharp end of the compact SUV ranks, ahead of competition such as the 242bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder BMW X1 for outright straight line pace. The RS Q3 is distinguished from lesser Q3 models by a series of traditional RS design elements. Included is a high-gloss black honeycomb grille insert, matt aluminum grille frame, deeper front bumper with sizeable air ducts for the engine bay and front brakes, coloured keyed wheel arch flares, deeper sills underneath the doors, matte aluminium-look exterior mirror housings, a more prominent spoiler atop the tailgate, a deeper rear bumper with an integral diffuser unit and larger chrome tailpipe. At the heart of the new go-fast SUV is Audi’s turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder petrol engine. In the RS Q3, the transversely mounted unit kicks out 306bhp at 5200rpm along with a stu...

Italian design and coachbuilding firm Bertone has created this exclusive shooting brake concept version of the Aston Martin Rapide. The concept known as Bertone Jet 2+2 has been created for the Geneva motor show to celebrate both Aston’s centenary and 60 years of collaboration between Aston Martin and Bertone.   The Jet 2+2 follows the Jet 2 concept car from 2004, which was a shooting brake version of the Vanquish. It has been commissioned as a strict one-off by an Aston Martin collector and has the Gaydon firm’s approval.    The elegant Jet 2+2 retains the same mechanicals as the Rapide, and the same dimensions as well. Power comes from a 470bhp version of Aston’s 5.9-litre V12 taken from the current Rapide, rather than the more potent 550bhp version from the upcoming Rapide S. That model also makes its debut in Geneva.   The biggest change from the Rapide to Jet 2+2 is its altered shooting brake-style body. Stretched, muscular lines help accentu...

General Motors India has begun regular production of the petrol Chevrolet Enjoy MPV at its Halol manufacturing facility. The car is slated for launch in the first quarter of this year.  The petrol engine will be a 94.6bhp, 1.4-litre unit and the diesel motor will be an evolution of the 1.3-litre Fiat-sourced Multijet engine. This version is likely to use a fixed-geometry turbocharger (FGT) and will be rear-wheel driven.   The Enjoy will be more spacious than the Maruti Ertiga; it will offer a lot more storage space as well, since the second- and third-row seats of the seven-seater can be folded flat or removed altogether. GM India is targeting a price similar to the Ertiga’s, so there should be pretty tough competition in the MPV segment once it is launched. The Ertiga sells about 5,000 units a month and is a major success in its category.   The Enjoy, which marks an important role in GM India’s product roadmap, is actually a Chevrolet-badged Wuling CN-1...

These are the first official pictures of the new Jeep Cherokee - the first Jeep-branded product to be created from the ground up by the Fiat-Chrysler alliance. It is slated to be officially unveiled at the New York motor show in March, and will replace the company’s smaller SUV, the Liberty, internationally. Not to be confused with the Grand Cherokee, which is a full-size luxury SUV, the Cherokee is an entry-level crossover that will rival the likes of theHonda CR-V and Nissan X-Trail In Europe. This could be one of two future smaller Jeep offerings for India and will be positioned below the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee. The new Jeep Cherokee is based on a version of Fiat’s ‘Compact Wide’ platform, which underpins the US-market Dodge Dart saloon, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta and the Fiat Viaggio. The platform is capable of accommodating a four-wheel-drive system, V6 engines and diesels, all of which will be available in the new Jeep. The petrol V6, which is unlikely to make it ...

Mercedes has given its new Mercedes CLA45 AMG an early reveal in digital form, ahead of the hot new saloon’s official debut at the New York motor show next month. This sole image of the CLA45 AMG was revealed by Mercedes to promote its involvement in the new DriveClub racing game franchise on the upcoming PlayStation 4 gaming console. Mercedes has officially confirmed the CLA45 AMG will use the same running gear as the A45 AMG hatchback, which was recently shown ahead of its Geneva motor show reveal later this month. Power will come from a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with 355bhp. All four wheels will be driven through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The current-generation BMW 5-series (Codename: F10) has been on sale since 2011. But the German carmaker is already testing a mildly reworked version of its Mercedes E-class rival and this is the first-ever undisguised spy picture of the updated 5-series spotted in China.  As seen from the picture, the 5-series gets more heavily structured bumpers and the lamp graphics are mildly revised. The rear styling gets mild tweaking as well.   However, there are no spy pictures of the interior, but our sources tell us that BMW plans to provide the 5-series with the latest version of its iDrive multimedia system and a configurable instrument display already introduced on the recently facelifted 7-series. Not much is known about the upgrades under the hood, but we can expect the engine line-up to be more fuel-efficient than the current offerings. Expect BMW to unveil the 5-series facelift at one of the upcoming motor shows internationally with an India launch to take...

Ford is working hard to give the upcoming EcoSport a very aggressive starting price by heavily localising the car to lower costs. The expected price for the base petrol variant will be in the Rs 5 lakh bracket. In the flesh, the EcoSport manages to be very modern and aggressive at the same time. The open-mouthed grille, high bonnet-line and heavily raked windscreen make it look stunning. Also, the off-roader-style tailgate-mounted spare wheel isn’t counted in the overall length of the car. This will enable the EcoSport to duck under the crucial four-metre mark and avail of the small car excise benefit sub-four-metre cars have here.   India will be one of the first markets in the world to get the new EcoSport. It will come with two engine options – the award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol which puts out approximately 123bhp and the 1.5-litre diesel similar to the one that does duty in the Fiesta. Initially, the cars will be only front-wheel drive, with no seven-seate...

Volvo has overhauled the majority of its range in what it describes as “the most extensive development of existing models” in the firm’s history. The S60 saloon, XC60 SUV and S80 saloon all get a new family look and improved equipment levels. Volvo's updates aren't limited to just exterior changes, however. The S60 models benefit from new interior trim and adaptive cornering lights. The S80 saloon is available with a new luxury 'Executive' interior package that provides bespoke trim options. The XC60, Volvo's best-selling model, is now devoid of black trim and torque vectoring is standard fit. The look of the new models incorporates styling references from the Volvo Concept You, a big saloon concept revealed at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show. The more rounded and dynamic family look of the previous models is replaced by a visually widened front end, more prominent horizontal lines and slimmer lights. A key addition to the firm’s BMW 3-series-ri...

The new Bentley Continental Flying Spur is faster, more powerful and more efficient — and company bosses say they have resolved the refinement issues that hindered the outgoing model. Pictured here, the new Flying Spur will be displayed at the Geneva motor show, where prices will be revealed. It will go on sale this summer. The 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12 now delivers 616bhp at 6000rpm (up from 552bhp). It is linked to a new eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox that shifts in under 200 milliseconds. The top speed remains at 321kph. The styling has been tweaked inside and out. The focus has been on making the exterior look lower, wider and more aggressive. Details such as LED headlights also contribute to this, as do the new lines, which Bentley design boss Luc Donckerwolke says are among the boldest and sharpest it has ever created. Extensive use of new, stronger, lightweight materials also means that the new Flying Spur weighs 50kg less than the outgoing model despite ...

The Global 500 survey, which analyses the financial and brand performance of major companies, has found that Ferrari is the world’s most powerful brand. Owned by Italian manufacturer Fiat, Ferrari achieved the highest brand rating despite being smaller and less valuable than some of its rivals. According to the survey, which was condcted worldwide, Ferrari outperforms much larger manufacturers such as BMW, Volkswagen and Audi, as well as all the other brands. Although one of the key considerations for brand value is revenue, the company’s margins, revenue per customer, advertising and marketing spend are also considered. While Ferrari can’t compete with the bigger carmakers in terms of size, it excels in areas such as brand affection and loyalty. Ferrari recorded an increase in net profits of 7.6 percent during the first nine months of 2012, ramping its profits up to £131.4 million (Rs 1,104 crore). Total turnover for the company was £1.52 billion (Rs 12,781 crore). No oth...

Isuzu’s big MU-7 SUV is a natural competitor to the Toyota Fortuner and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport in markets like Thailand, and the carmaker is looking to replicate this in India as well. Isuzu dealerships in Delhi and Hyderabad are currently in the process of being set-up. However, Isuzu is now taking bookings for this burly SUV and its versatile pick-up sibling. The MU-7 is priced at Rs 24.16 lakh (ex-showroom, Hyderabad), while the D-Max is priced at Rs 6.87 lakh for the single cab version and Rs 8.09 lakh for the double cab version.  The MU-7 is a huge SUV, as you can tell from its appearance, there’s nothing subtle or half-hearted about its styling. The nose has a prominent ‘V’ shape to it, and the blocky headlights and grille give it the appearance of a battering ram. The Isuzu badge sits inside a simple chrome grille and there’s a large, and no doubt functional, intake on the bonnet as well. The styling of the MU-7 has recently been upgraded, with the biggest change hav...

Lamborghini looks set to steal the Geneva motor show headlines with a front-engined V12 GT that’s designed to rival the Ferrari F12. Company chairman Stephan Winkelmann has told Autocar that Lamborghini will reveal “something truly extraordinary that’s based on the V12" at Geneva next month. The concept will form part of the company’s ongoing 50th anniversary celebrations. According to Winkelmann, the car will have two doors, two seats and a V12 engine — but its underpinnings will not be based on those of theAventador. This means that it will be a front/mid-engined car, just like the Ferrari F12, but featuring Lamborghini’s staple of four-wheel drive and forged carbon construction. Autocar understands that the new Lambo will be a concept for future consideration, not a model that is confirmed for production. Winkelmann has admitted that his main focus right now is persuading the board of the Volkswagen Group, which owns Lamborghini, to green-light the Urus S...

Photographs of the new McLaren P1, taken at the official shoot at the Bahrain International Circuit, have been released ahead of the car’s debut in the United Arab Emirates. The P1 is currently being taken on a global tour to attract potential buyers. North America, likely to be the biggest market for the car, has already figured on the tour. The Middle East is expected to be another vital market. No more than 500 P1s will be built, but the run of the hypercar is yet to sell out. McLaren Automotive regional director for the Middle East & Africa, Mark Harrison said: “After a successful launch in Bahrain, we are very excited to be bringing the McLaren P1 to the United Arab Emirates." The McLaren P1, set to rival the new Ferrari F150 and Porsche 918 Spyder, is designed to be the best driver's car in the world. F1-inspired engineering is utilised throughout, with the P1 featuring advanced aerodynamics and carbonfibre construction. It's estimated that...

This is the new Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG, the firm’s first hot hatch and, with 355bhp, the most powerful production hot hatch ever built. It will enable AMG and Mercedes to enter a new market as both firms attempt to attract younger buyers.   The A45 AMG will provide Mercedes with a rival in the European markets for the likes of the BMW M135i and the next-gen Audi RS3.  Based on the new A-class, the A45 marks the first time that AMG has produced anything smaller than the C-class, previously always its entry-level model and the vehicle that AMG boss Ola Kallenius describes as the firm’s “bread and butter car”.    The A45 will be significantly cheaper than the £58,000 (Rs 79.8 lakh ex-showroom Delhi) C63. It will be priced at around £36,000, pitching it slightly above the M135i but below the next Audi RS3 in European markets.   The A45 uses a four-cylinder engine, a first for an AMG-built car. It is a 1991cc turbocharged petrol with the highest s...

Volkswagen boss Martin Winterkorn has stated that production of a new super-budget car will start in 2015. During an interview for a German magazine, Winterkorn said,“We are developing a budget car for the price range between €6000 and €7000 (Rs 4.3 and 5.1 lakh). Some three million cars are sold in this segment each year in China alone.” The development of the new car, according to Winterkorn, won’t be carried out entirely by Volkswagen. He told Der Speigel, “We have to adopt new methods. The base development will be carried out in Germany. It will then be further developed in China with our partner and produced from 2015." Keeping the cost of the car so low is only possible by building and partly engineering the car in a low-cost country, with both parts and materials also being sourced locally. It’s likely that existing Volkswagen technology will be used in the new budget car, further helping to keep costs down. Volkswagen’s technical chief, Ulrich Hackenberg, ...

Fiat is re-launching the iconic Alfa Romeo brand with the new mid-engined, rear-drive Alfa 4C compact sports car. The stunning new lightweight model, seen here officially for the first time ahead of its Geneva motor show reveal next month, will be the first of a range of new Alfas over the next few years, and will spearhead the Italian firm’s return to the US market. The production two-seater 4C coupe, complete with its carbonfibre chassis, returns to the Geneva show two years after a concept of the same name was introduced.   Power for the new sub-1000kg model, which is tipped to cost less than £50,000 when it launches in the UK at the end of the year, comes from an all-aluminium turbocharged 1.7-litre engine. Alfa is keeping exact technical details of the 4C under wraps until in Geneva on 5 March, only confirming figure being a power to weight ratio of less than 4kg for every 1bhp.   Information leaked by Alfa dealers in Switzerland suggests the 4C will be o...

BMW is planning to introduce a new BMW X6 within the next 18 months in direct response to a raft of similarly conceived four-wheel-drives already confirmed by rivals such as Audi, Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz. Sister car to the third-generation X5, the second-gen X6 forms an integral part of an expanded range of sporting four-wheel-drive models currently under development at BMW’s engineering headquarters in Munich. Joining the high-riding luxury SUV in the German car maker’s burgeoning line-up from the middle of the decade will be the smaller but more affordable X2 and X4 models ― a move that is set to bolster BMW’s number of dedicated four-wheel-drive models from four today to six by 2016. The new X6 is set to adopt an even more aggressive appearance than that of today’s model, which has proven popular in markets such as China, North America and Russia. BMW design sources have indicated to Autocar that the new model will move further away from the X5 not only in...

Chevrolet will launch a convertible variant of its new Corvette Stingray at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The official announcement follows recently leaked pictures that appeared to show the convertible undisguised. As yet, Chevrolet has released no further details on the seventh-generation Corvette convertible. The unofficial images show a flush rear deck, suggesting this convertible will follow its Corvette C6 predecessor in having a fabric roof rather than a folding metal one. It should also be noted the convertible loses the coupé's full-width rear spoiler. The Corvette was designed as an open car from the outset, so should require little modification to create a convertible. With the roof not integral to the Corvette's structure, there should be little dynamic sacrifice as a result of losing the roof. Expect an identical mechanical specification to the coupé. This means it will be powered by a 6.2-litre V8 with 450bhp and mated to either a seven-speed ma...

Mercedes-Benz claims its new CLA180 BlueEfficiency Edition is the world’s most aerodynamically efficient series production road car, with an overall drag co-efficient of 0.22. The saloon forms part of a five strong line-up of CLA models set to make their public debut at next month’s Geneva motor show. In comparison to the CLA’s cD figure, Toyota’s Prius is rated at 0.25 and the BMW 320d EfficientDynamics at 0.26. The key to the car’s wind cheating properties is a relatively small frontal area (2.21m2) and a series of small but effective refinements not found on other CLA models. These include a reworked front apron, improved sealing for the headlamps surrounds, an adjustable radiator shutter and serrated spoilers to guide air into the wheelhouses. Powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine developed with Renault, the CLA has 120bhp and. It reaches 100kph in 9.9sec. Mercedes-Benz is planning to extend its aerodynamic development work with the opening of a ne...

Mercedes will launch an updated and more powerful version of the G-Class SUV in India on February 19. The new G-class will be called the G63 AMG and it will replace the G55 AMG. The G-Wagen’s design has largely remained unchanged through its 33 year lifespan.  Although the design hasn’t evolved much, the G-Class is loaded with technology. The updated G63 made its public debut at the Bejing Auto Show earlier. The reworked G-class gets a series of subtle exterior styling tweaks, a new engine mated to an updated gearbox, a lightly altered interior and a brace of new electronic driver aids. The G63 AMG is visually distinguished from their standard siblings by a two-slat grille, a deeper front bumper with larger air ducts, red brake callipers and unique 20-inch wheels. As with the outgoing G55 AMG, the G63 AMG also receives side mounted exhaust pipes that exit from underneath the rear doors on either side. Power comes from a 544bhp version of AMG’s contemporary twin-turbocharge...