AUTHENTIC CARS

Land Rover has added a new 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine option to its Range Rover line-up in India.  The new 2993cc twin-turbo V6 diesel unit makes 255bhp and 61.2kgm of torque. It is mated to the same ZF-sourced 8-speed automatic gearbox that does duty in the other Range Rover variants.  According to the manufacturer, the 3.0-litre Range Rover will do the 0-100kph sprint in 7.9 seconds and will go all the way up to a top speed of 210kph. Two trim levels for the Range Rover 3.0 are available. The lower HSE trim is priced at Rs 1.44 crore (ex-showroom, Mumbai, pre-Octroi), while the Vogue is priced at Rs 1.64 crore.

These are reported to be the first pictures of the new MercedesCLA45 AMG, which will be officially unveiled at next week's New York motor show. The pictures, which have leaked on to the internet ahead of the car's launch, reveal the full styling of the CLA45 AMG, which will use the same running gear as the Mercedes A45 AMG, which was shown at the Geneva motor show.   Power will come from a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with 355bhp and 45.9kgm of torque. All four wheels will be driven through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.  

Pictures of the new Range Rover Sport have surfaced online ahead of its reveal at the New York motor show. The car will be officially unveiled on 26 March when it is driven through Manhattan the day before the show opens. The company had previously released a official teaser shot of the new car and says that the location of the Sport’s debut is entirely appropriate, because New York city is the model’s single biggest metropolitan market and the Sport is also currently Land Rover’s best-selling model in North America.   The unofficial images appear to show the Sport will share its basic design DNA with the Range Rover, but evolves the wing-mounted vents seen on the current car. The car also borrows heavily from the Range Rover Evoque.   John Edwards, who is Land Rover’s global brand director, said: “The all-new Range Rover Sport takes the model to another level. It is Land Rover’s most dynamic vehicle yet and showcases the best of British design, engineering an...

Land Rover has launched the facelifted Freelander 2. The locally-built SUV gets subtle updates inside and out. The changes to the exterior are limited to headlamps that get LED daytime running lamps, tail-lamps that get Land Rover’s twin-circular theme, new 17-inch alloy wheels on the top-spec HSE trim and three new colours. On the inside, the Freelander 2 gets a revised dashboard layout that features fewer switches and an electric parking brake. Also, the rotary dial for the Terrain Response System has been replaced by a switch and the car now comes with keyless go as well. The SUV also gets a 7-inch colour touchscreen with satellite navigation and a Meridian sound system. The rearview camera is also new and comes as standard fitment. The new Freelander 2 will continue to be offered with the same 2.2-litre common-rail turbo diesel engine that comes in two states of tune, 148bhp and 187bhp. Both versions come mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Speaking at the launch, Rohit...

Tata Motors unveiled a spruced up version of its Aria crossover at the Geneva Motor Show to gauge customer response for the European market. However, the updated Aria which features a host of cosmetic enhancements, a more powerful engine and automatic transmission is likely to be first launched in India in the second half of this year.  The show Aria’s cosmetic upgrades include a two-tone paint job, headlamps with black inserts, daytime running lights, new tail lamp inserts,  new 19-inch alloys (which fill the wheel arches quite well) and leather seats. The talking point however is the uprated engine and automatic transmission, which is a first in a Tata car.    The 2.2 litreDicor engine gets a new turbocharger and tweaks to the engine ECU which has resulted in a significant step up in power from 138bhp to 158bhp. There’s a bigger jump in peak torque from 32.63kgm  to a whopping 40.78kgm.    A new set of gearboxes have been developed t...

The new Range Rover Sport will be unveiled on March 26 when it is driven through Manhattan, a day before the opening of the New York motor show. The company has released this official teaser shot of the new car and says that the location of the Sport’s debut is entirely appropriate, because New York City is the model’s single biggest metropolitan market and the Sport is also currently Land Rover’s best-selling model in North America. John Edwards, Land Rover’s global brand director, said: “The all-new Range Rover Sport takes the model to another level. It is Land Rover’s most dynamic vehicle yet and showcases the best of British design, engineering and technological innovation.” The new Sport is based on the same all-aluminium, bonded and riveted PLA (Premium Lightweight Architecture) platform as the recently laucned Mk4 Range Rover. It will be built alongside the flagship model at the company’s new PLA production line in Solihull, West Midlands. It is expecte...

Mahindra & Mahindra has announced a recall of a select batch of its flagship XUV500 SUV model, manufactured between 2011 and 2012, to replace certain parts. The replacement of three parts, including the fluid hose, front power window units as well as the left wiper blade cover, is to be carried out with immediate effect. The company says the replacement will be carried out free of cost for XUV500 customers, who will be individually contacted. This recall is in line with industry compliance with SIAM’s voluntary code on vehicle recall announced in July 2012, and is Mahindra's first recall since then.

The next generation Mercedes-Benz S-class will be revealed in Hamburg on 15 May, Daimler chief Dieter Zetsche has revealed. "The S-class is the most important car of all to us," said Zetsche. "Its success makes us stronger going forward."   Extra importance has been placed on the S-class following the failure of Maybach. Zetsche said that Mercedes would "broaden the portfolio of the S-class" to make more luxurious versions aimed at the Rolls-Royce Ghost.   Zetsche believes that the S-class should have more success in the super-luxury market than the Maybach as it is a brand with "a stronger foundation".   "We can sell more cars at better prices with the S-class," he said. "Pushing the S-class upmarket will also further strengthen and balance the Mercedes brand at the top end just as we are going smaller with the A-class range of cars."   He also confirmed the next generation C-class would be revealed n...

This is the Swedish firm’s hundredth chassis built since the company set up shop in 2002. Headed for Hong Kong, it’s been built at a cost of 1.6m US dollars (around Rs 8.8 crore) – plus local taxes – and is covered in naked carbonfibre and gold leaf. Four-thousand man hours have gone in to hand-building it; Koenigsegg’s usual measure is just under three-thousand. The Agera S is the latest of Koenigsegg’s Agera-series models. It’s got 1016bhp and 112.1kgm of torque, and weighs 1400kg at the kerb with fluids onboard. Though not quite as quick as the firm’s Agera R, it’s capable of 0-100kph in 2.8sec, and 0-300kph-0 in a staggering 22.5sec. Koenigsegg’s philosophy on designing and fabricating its own components runs throughout. The 5.0-litre V8 engine’s pistons are ceramic-coated, and have uniquely shaped piston domes that encourage effective flame propagation, combat irregular combustion and allow the engine to run 1.4 bar of supercharger boost pressure and a compression ratio of 9.0:...

The Pininfarina Sergio, revealed at the Geneva motor show, is a conceptual tribute to the leader of the famed styling house, who died last year. The mid-engined, two-seat barchetta concept car is underpinned by Ferrari 458 Spider mechanicals, overlaid with a new carbonfibre body that incorporates a mix of classic Pininfarina design cues and futuristic touches. The most striking feature is the lack of a windscreen. Instead the Sergio cleverly deflects the airflow over the car’s bonnet to create a ‘virtual windscreen’ that channels air over the heads of the passengers and protects them from turbulence. A wing inserted in the front bumper compensates for the aerodynamic load on the front axle that is lost by the elimination of the windscreen. Access to the car is via half-doors that rotate upwards through 45-degrees. The lack of a windscreen makes it necessary for the Sergio’s occupants to wear crash helmets, which are stowed in a compartment near the doors. The r...

Mahindra has officially revealed that the replacement of the Reva electric car, the Mahindra e2o will be launched on March 18. The e2o was earlier showcased at the Auto Expo as the Reva NX-R. The e2o will be manufactured at Mahindra’s new plant in Bangalore. This plant, according to the company, has a rated annual production capacity of 30,000 cars.   The Mahindra e2o will come with an electric motor that derives power from 48-volt lithium-ion batteries capable of powering the car for about 100km on a single charge. Mahindra sees promise in this project and is considering leasing out the batteries which are an expensive component to replace. With prices likely to range from Rs 5.5-6 lakh, India’s latest EV won’t be cheap but SOPs on electric cars could bring prices down in the future.

The top finalists for the World Car of the Year (WCOTY), World Performance Car, World Green Car and World Car Design of the Year awards were announced at the 2013 Geneva motor show. For the WCOTY, 42 new cars were chosen from across the world as the initial entries, of which 10 were shortlisted. And at the Geneva show, World Car Awards co-chair Peter Lyon said, “In the voting for this year’s WCOTY award, we saw a closely fought race which resulted in not three but four finalists.” The finalists are Mercedes-Benz A-class, Porsche Boxster/Cayman (essentially convertible and coupé versions of the same car), Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86/GT86 (different names for the same car) and the Volkswagen Golf. This is the second consecutive year that Volkswagen is in the top three. The Up! was the 2012 World Car of the Year. For the World Performance Car award, the finalists are the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, the Porsche Boxster/Cayman and the Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86/GT86....

After a series of teaser images, Ferrari has finally taken the wraps of its much anticipated flagship hypercar, the LaFerrari, at the Geneva motor show. Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo says the company chose the name LaFerrari “because [this model] is the maximum expression of what defines our company – excellence”.   The mid-engined car is Ferrari’s first production hybrid, combining a 789bhp 6.3-litre V12 with a 120kW (the equivalent of 161bhp) electric motor, for a total output of 950bhp. The direct-injection V12 is a development of the engine in the F12 Berlinetta, producing its max power output at 9000rpm and redlining at 9250rpm. The combined torque output is in excess of 91.8kgm, produced at 6750rpm, and transferred to the wheels via a seven-speed, dual-clutch gearbox. Ferrari says this gets the LaFerrari from a standstill to 100kph in less than 3sec, 200kph in under 7sec and 300kph in 15sec. It is also a full 5sec quicker around the company’s Fiorano test t...

Honda has showcased the CR-V powered by a new 1.6-litre diesel engine at the Geneva Motor Show.  The CR-V is the latest model in Honda's range to receive the new 1596cc diesel engine, which provides the CR-V with 118bhp at 4000rpm and 30.6kgm at 2000rpm. The engine is the first in a series of efficient units Honda will roll out under the Earth Dreams Technology banner. The unit is the lightest diesel engine in its class and weighs 47kg less than Honda's 2.2-litre i-DTEC powerplant. Reducing mechanical friction of the engine was a key objective of Honda's development team, and at 1500rpm, the 1.6 i-DTEC has around 40 percent less mechanical friction than the 2.2-litre motor. Honda's engineers also worked to improve the volumetric efficiency of the cylinders, employing a high intake flow and a high-swirl head port that precisely controls the combustion process to reduce hot spots that create unwanted emissions. The engine air flow is managed by using an exhaust gas...

The Volkswagen Golf has been crowned European Car of the Year 2013. The seventh-generation Golf took the award by a huge margin, receiving 414 votes. The Toyota GT86 and Subaru BRZ took the runners-up spot with 202 votes. The Volvo V40 was placed third, just ahead of the Ford B-Max and Hyundai i30. The Mercedes A-class was ranked fifth, followed by the Renault Clio, Peugeot 208 and Hyundai i30. The award was accepted by Volkswagen’s development boss, Ulrich Hackenberg and design chief Walter de Silva. Judges praised the Golf for its “achievements in safety, fuel efficiency, dynamics and comfort”. Steve Cropley, ECOTY judge and Autocar editor-in-chief said: “The French superminis undoubtedly stole one another's votes. But it was a massive win for the Golf.” Today’s announcement, on the eve of the Geneva motor show, marks the second time the Golf has won. The Mk3 Golf took the award in 1992. The Renault Clio is the only other car to take the award twice.

Lamborghini celebrated its 50th anniversary at the Geneva motor show with the Lamborghini Veneno, a 740bhp road-going racer based on the Aventador. Lamborghini has said that all three units of the Veneno it will make have already sold for about €3 million (Rs 21.4 crore) each. The Geneva model is a Lamborghini prototype that it will continue to be tested on road and track. The fundamental design is based on the Aventador, but there are several key changes to create what Lamborghini calls a “street-legal racing car”. Its body, like the monocoque chassis, is fashioned entirely from carbon fibre-reinforced polymer. The bodywork is optimised for aerodynamic efficiency, creating downforce, reducing drag and cooling the 6.5-litre V12, which has had a 50bhp hike from its 690bhp state of tune in the Aventador. The front end works as one large aerodynamic wing. The front wings are separated from the body, as on sports prototype racers. The car’s underbody is smooth and ...

Toyota has unveiled a new three-wheeled electric vehicle ahead of the Geneva motor show. The Toyota i-Road is just 850mm wide and is designed for easy manoeuvrability on city streets. The three-wheel i-Road seats two people under a weatherproof cover and body. It can be driven without a crash helmet, and Toyota says the cabin has a ‘car-like environment’. The i-Road is 2350mm long, 1445mm high and has a 1700mm wheelbase. The narrow width means that up to four i-Roads could be parked in a single car parking bay. The zero-emissions, all-electric powertrain uses a lithium-ion battery to power two 2kW motors mounted in the front wheels. The driving range is around 30 miles, after which the battery can be fully recharged from a conventional domestic power supply in three hours. The i-Road uses a lean actuator and gearing mounted above the front suspension member, linked via a yoke to the left and right front tyres, to balance the vehicle during cornering. Toyota...

The first images of the Honda Civic Wagon concept have been leaked. Unofficial reports say that the Wagon concept is a pre-production model with additional trim that includes LED running lights, a body kit and large alloy wheels. Honda says the concept strongly hints at the production version, which will be built at the firm’s plant in Swindon. The car is likely to go on sale towards the end of the year. The production version of the Honda Civic Wagon is tipped to be the most spacious Civic yet. It will feature the hatchback’s range of petrol and diesel engines, but sales are likely to major on the recently launched 1.6-litre diesel. The latest iteration of the Honda NSX concept and the new Honda CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC will also make their European debuts at the Geneva show.

The new Rolls-Royce Wraith is the most powerful car ever built by the iconic British manufacturer. Powered by a 624bhp V12, it can accelerate from 0-100kph in 4.4seconds. Rolls-Royce also claims the Ghost-based coupé is its most dynamic car ever, with company boss Torsten Müller-Ötvös describing the Wraith as "having a hint of menace in the design that is new to the brand, but with the driving experience and performance to live up to that promise". Consequently, the Wraith is 183mm shorter in wheelbase than the Ghost, 130mm shorter in overall length, 40mm wider in rear track and 43mm lower in height. The suspension has also been stiffened to minimise body roll and ensure the driver gets a better sense of feedback when cornering. The steering weight is also heavier at high speeds and lighter at low speeds to encourage spirited driving. However, Müller-Ötvös emphasised that the Wraith should not be considered an outright sporting GT: "While the Wraith does p...

Photographs of the new Porsche 911 GT3 have surfaced on the internet, ahead of the car's official reveal at the Geneva motor show. No official details are available yet but unofficial sources state that the GT3 will be powered by a 3.8-litre flat-six engine good for around 450bhp. The car will likely be fitted with a rapid-shifting dual-clutch PDK transmission, which will help the Porsche accelerate from 0-100kph in a claimed 4sec. The 911 GT3 is expected to have a top speed of over 321kph.

Land Rover is set to equip the Range Rover Evoque with a nine-speed automatic gearbox. The new ZF-supplied 9HP transmission initially will replace the existing six-speed unit across all-wheel-drive versions of the Evoque, with “significant improvements in fuel economy and a corresponding reduction in CO2 emissions” promised.   The closer ratios are said to improve shift quality, refinement and acceleration response, and reduce noise at higher cruising speeds.   The top ratio in the torque converter gearbox is particularly tall to improve fuel economy, while the bottom ratio is much lower than that in the current six-speed unit to improve the Evoque’s off-road ability.   A ‘skip-shift’ function is also included, so gears can be skipped under rapid deceleration or firmer throttle use. The gearbox can also recognise driving styles and detect when more urgent shifts are required or when a relaxed shifting style is desired.   The Range Rover Evoque's ...

Nissan has confirmed that its performance division, Nismo, will produce an "ultimate" version of the Nissan GT-R. Following the opening of its new headquarters and development centre, Nismo is set to develop a line-up of performance-orientated Nissans. Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan, said, "It would be unthinkable for us to develop a range of Nismo road cars without including the GT-R. The standard road car is a global supercar and the GTR's performance on track reflects the passion and talents of the Nismo team. The GT-R Nismo will be special." Currently the standard GT-R, which is powered by a 542bhp 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V6, is capable of sprinting from 0-100kph in three seconds flat. The new Nissan GT-R Nismo will join existing Nismo models, including the Nissan 370Z Nismo and the Nissan Juke Nismo. Besides the Nismo badging, these models feature styling, interior and performance tweaks to differentiate them from the standard versi...

Ferrari has confirmed that its new Ferrari Enzo will be unveiled at the Geneva motor show.   The announcement was accompanied by a new detail picture of the car.   The new flagship hypercar, which will rival the McLaren P1, will have more than 800bhp and weigh as little as 1100kg according to unconfirmed reports.   Codenamed F150, the Enzo makes sophisticated use of carbonfibre in its construction.   With roots in the 2005 Enzo-based FXX track car, the new Enzo will use a development of the F12's 6.3-litre V12.   This will output 750bhp, with an additional 100bhp and 200lb ft expected to come from an electric motor.   Ferrari has not indicated a price for the new Enzo yet, but it's likely to be around £1,000,000 (Rs 82,948,092.33)

Hyundai, with its ix35 Fuel Cell vehicle, has become the first automaker in the world to start assembly-line production of zero-emissions, hydrogen-powered vehicles. The ix35 is based on the carmaker’s ix35 C-segment SUV.  Hyundai plans to build 1,000 ix35 Fuel Cell vehicles by 2015 for lease to public and private fleets, primarily in Europe, where the European Union has established a hydrogen road map and initiated construction of hydrogen fuelling stations.    After 2015, with lowered vehicle production costs and further developed hydrogen infrastructure, Hyundai will begin manufacturing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for consumer retail sales.    Built with proprietary technology, Hyundai’s ix35 Fuel Cell is powered by hydrogen. A fuel cell stack converts the hydrogen into electricity, which turns the vehicle’s motor. The only emission generated by the ix35 Fuel Cell is water. Hyundai’s ix35 Fuel Cell boasts drivability and performance similar...

The Union Budget was a bit of a dampener for the automotive industry as a whole. The market had experienced a bit of a downturn in the past year, and many had expected a bit of relief from the Finance Ministry. Unfortunately, nothing of the sort happened. In fact, customs duties and excise rates only increased.   Announcing the Union Budget 2013-14, finance minister P Chidambaram has proposed 100 percent custom duties on high-end luxury cars, up from the current rate of 75 percent. These 'high-end' cars are defined as those having a CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) value higher than US$ 40,000 (Rs 20 lakh) and/or an engine capacity exceeding 3000cc for petrol and 2500cc for diesel. This means, for example, that imported cars that currently cost about Rs 1 crore will cost approximately Rs 30 lakh more.    Luxury car manufacturers like Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar and Volvo, which import a significant number of models as CBUs, will be hit by this steep 25...

A four-seat version of the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale will be unveiled at the Geneva motor show. It follows the original MC Stradale, shorn of the standard GranTurismo's rear seats, which arrived in 2011.   The range flagship, the MC Stradale carries an array of modifications over the standard GranTurismo. The exterior features a carbonfibre bonnet with central air scoop, forged 20-inch alloy wheels and a new rear bumper arrangement. Maserati claims the interior includes "new materials and style".   As with the two-seat version, the new GranTurismo MC Stradale is powered by a 4.7-litre V8 producing 453bhp, which now also features in the GranTurismo Sport. It is paired with an MC Race Shift six-speed automated manual transmission.   The GranTurismo MC Stradale's claimed top speed is 302kph, with 0-100kph expected to take around five seconds. Improvements in efficiency have also been announced, although no figures have been released. Stopping powe...