It is exactly three year’s since i visited Hyundai’s R&D facility in Namyang Korea and at that time I had written about how this car manufacturer is going to be a force to reckon with in the future. The R&D set up is like a small township and it has everything for a designer , from a wind tunnel to a banked oval in order to to test the finished product. The engineers have all the necessary tools to build a state-of-the-art automobile. Hyundai is moving forward in improving their cars. The i10 is One of the best small cars and the i20 is a class leader in looks and interior space in the hatch-back segment. Last year they also set a benchmark with the all new Santa Fe and now Hyundai is all set to take on the sedans with the new Verna.

The Verna started life as Pony Hyundai’s first product way back in 1976 and has come a long way since then by becoming one of the top-selling models globally. The new car follows in the footsteps of the i20 in the Fluidic Sculpture design philosophy of Hyundai. The large hexagonal grill blends nicely with the two-tone bezel headlamps and the L shaped fog lamps. The side character lines start above the fog lamps and extend all the way to the rear of the car. The coupe-like roof line and the sixteen inch alloys give the car a sporty stance.

The sporty theme is carried forward in the interiors of the car as the character lines flow throughout the cabin. High-gloss black and metallic colours give a futuristic and high- tech look to the interiors. There is a good amount of leg room for the occupants at the front and rear and can fit three people in the back seat. The quality and fit finish of the interiors is top class.

The new Verna test drive was held in Dubai and we only had the option of driving the 1.4 and 1.6 petrol engines with a five speed manual and a four speed auto box. The Drive from Dubai to Fujairah and back was around 350km with a lot of open highways with a small mountain section to test the car’s handling capabilities.

The new generation Gamma engine is a refined power plant as you have to look down at the rpm meter to see if the engine is on. The 1.6 engine develops a healthy 124 PS and a 154nm of torque. The power delivery is leaner and it gets stronger as the rpm goes up. The five speed manual gearbox has a good shift and the well-spaced gear ratios give the car a good drive ability in town and an excellent cruising capability.

The suspension set up is McPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam axle at the rear. The ride quality is on the firm side as expected , with the low profile sixteen inch wheels. The firm ride quality combined with the low profile tyres gives the car Superb handling.

In fact , the Verna has come a long way in its ride and handling capability when compared to the previous model as this car behaves more like a European car. The NVH level in the cabin is very good as there is hardly any road or wind noise penetrating into the cabin. During the 350km drive in the Middle-East heat the Verna cabin was nice place to be in as the AC kept the temperature down to a comfortable level.

We did not get an opportunity to test the top speed of the car as they are strict with their speed limit of 120kmph but I did manage to get her up to 160kmph and she was rock steady. What really impressed me was the handling of this car in the mountain section as she held on to her line around the corners as these were high speed sweeping turns , taken in excess of 110kmph. After driving the new Verna it is very obvious that Hyundai are intent on improving the quality of their cars.

Possibly few sport-utility vehicles (SUV) are as well known globally as the Toyota Land Cruiser. Its very name implies its go-anywhere ability. No wonder , the vehicle’s rugged and durable nature has lent it to easy use in some of the world’s most extreme conditions.

Indeed , from its humble beginning in 1950 as a development project based on the Willys Jeep and its launch a year later , the Land Cruiser has come a long way to turn 60 this year. Six decades have gone by and the legendary 4x4 still remains One of the toughest machines on four wheels. It has conquered the cold Arctic and the Antarctic wastes , crossed mighty deserts , ploughed its way through dense tropical rain forests and , all in all , taken the worst in its stride. As the Land Cruiser reaches this important milestone , Toyota are launching a new top-of-the-range 60th anniversary version of the five-door Land cruiser and the flagship , Land Cruiser V8 , maintaining the same robust construction but adding an array of driving controls for both on- and off-road performance along with some extra styling and equipment. The models are priced at Rs 36 , 61 , 203 for the 3.0 D-4D and Rs 45 , 40 , 200 for the V8 (both ex-showroom) in the international market.

The mighty 4x4 now becomes even more powerful with a re-engineered 3.0-litre D-4D engine under its hood , which churns out 182 PS of maximum power and a maximum torque of 420 Nm. All this without fiddling either with its fuel economy or emission levels. How much better could it get? The engine , fitted with a diesel particulate filter (DPF) , also meets Euro 5 emission norms.

History

The ancestry of the Land Cruiser dates back to the Toyota BJ of 1951 , first tested in August and initially developed for military use like the British Land Rover Series 1. It was more powerful than either with its Type B 3.4-litre , six cylinder , OHV gasoline engine generating 86 PS at 3 , 600 rpm and 215 Nm of torque at just 1 , 600 rpm. The model’s long-lasting success began when it was added to the Japanese police force after scaling the sixth hill station of Japan’s Mount Fuji , 2 , 500 metres high. In 1954 the BJ was formally named the Land Cruiser and went into mass production from being a made-to-order vehicle.

Although the Land Cruiser was introduced in the US market in the late 1950s , its tough performance had made it a strong contender in the Middle and Far East and in South America much earlier.

Responding to the growing demand for more refined four-wheel drives in the American market , Toyota introduced the first Land Cruiser station wagon , the F55 , in 1965. This was regarded as a vehicle competent enough to be driven on rough country roads as well as on their smoother urban counterparts.

Further development for the 4x4 came when Toyota combined the comfort and refinement of a station wagon with the uncompromising off-road strength of a heavy-duty vehicle , the result being the first Land Cruiser ‘Light Duty’ Series. From this point on the Land Cruiser pushed on through two further generations , in 1996 and 2002 , before the launch of the current model in 2009. The Land Cruiser 80 Series was replaced by the larger Land Cruiser Amazon in 1996 , which was subsequently replaced by the V8 in 2008.

More than five million Land Cruiser models have been sold in 188 different countries to date.

60th anniversary models

The key features on the Land Cruiser in addition to the previous model include a special 60th anniversary badge and carpet mats , a chrome tailpipe (also available as additional features on the 60th anniversary Land Cruiser V8 model) along with chrome front fog-lamp surrounding and clear-finish rear light clusters. The Land Cruiser V8 will also come with full black leather upholstery and chrome side trims.

Along with these two models Toyota will also be re-introducing their three-door version of the Land Cruiser. With only a manual transmission and five seats it comes equipped with 17-inch alloys , vehicle stability control (VSC) with active traction control (A-TRC) , climate control , smart entry and start system , Bluetooth , a six-speaker audio system and front fog-lamps. The three-door model is priced at Rs 22 , 26 , 507 (OTR).

Buyers in India don’t have the option of buying these models as yet , but surely there will be many potential buyers waiting eagerly to get their hands on one. As of now Toyota are offering the Prado and the V8 at Rs 66.33 lakh and Rs 1.05 crore , respectively , for the Indian customers.

The first drive of the new Audi A6 for the world media was held in Sicily , Italy , also known as ‘Godfather country’ , and the Audi folk made sure all the journalists knew what would happen to them if they did not write a positive report. Well , i am just kidding! Anyway , car manufacturers put in a lot of effort to select just the perfect driving conditions to showcase the capabilities of their new products.

The cars were ready at the Palermo airport when we landed. It was going to be the first part of our drive – from the airport to the hotel. Once we hit the motorway , I was rather surprised when I looked down at the speedometer and saw that we were cruising at about 180 km/h and yet it felt as if the car were doing around 90 to 100 km/h. The refinement and reduction in noise , vibration and harshness (NVH) within the cabin is phenomenal. It is also very deceptive , because you are isolated from the outside world with no wind or road noise creeping inside the cabin. The road surface , once we got off the motorway reminded me of the conditions back home and it was a good opportunity to test the ride quality of this car. Some of my fellow road-users must have thought that here was a nut who was aiming for all the potholes and rough patches on the road. The A6 took all of these as also the uneven joints on the bridges in its stride and just flattened them underfoot. The ride quality was top class despite the car being fitted with low-profile tyres as they conform to European specifications. The cars coming to India will ride even better as they will be equipped with a rough road suspension package and higher profile tyres.

The Audi designers have re-designed this executive-class flagship and have also added a mite of aggression that its predecessors lacked. Painted in high-gloss black , the large , low , single-frame grille featuring bevelled upper corners merges nicely with the sculpted front end. The horizontal orientation of the louvres underscores the width of the new car , as do the wide and low air intakes. The tapering LED headlights become broader as they extend outwards. The headlights take up the slanted lines of the single-frame grille and the way they angle into the hood gives the new A6 a sporty and aggressive stance.

The tornado line dominates the design of the A6 as it extends over the side flanks and defines its proportions. It starts at the headlights and extends along the fenders , the doors and the rear side walls to the tail-lights. The flowing lines end in a three-dimensionally sculpted rear section. The trapezoidal tail-lights emphasise the width; divided into two parts , their styling echoes the trapezoidal shape of the headlights. The boot lid bears the outline of a spoiler lip , giving the rear a sporty look.

The sporty theme of the exterior is carried into the interior of this car as well. The defining element of the cockpit area is the wrap-around inlay , beginning at the driver’s door and running in One large arc beneath the windscreen , then all the way to the front passenger door. The layered wood veneer used is now an Audi trademark and is the same that one gets in their flagship model , the A8. The leather seats offer good lateral support and comfort and also massage your back at same time. The music system is top of the line and one has to experience it to believe it. The acoustics will put some of the high-end audio systems at home to shame. This car is loaded to the gills with goodies and it is difficult to mention all of them.

The second day’s drive took us to the picturesque Sicilian mountains and countryside , an excellent location to test the handling of the car. The reduction in the weight of the new A6 is quite evident – now it is nimbler than its predecessor. It is not just the weight saved on the body shell that makes all the difference , it is the un-sprung weight saved on the wheels and suspension parts , which are made from forged aluminium. Saving 100 grams of un-sprung weight is like saving 10 kilograms from the car. The electro-mechanical power steering is light at low speed and weighs up nicely at speed and gives the driver excellent feedback. Surely the new A6 handles like a dream and you can throw it round corners with confidence as it holds the line as if it is running on rails. The drive select gives you the option of driving in the comfort mode if you want to cruise in luxury , then select ‘Dynamic’ and you can change the complete character of the car. Stiffen the suspension , change the gearshift rpm and the steering gets direct and all of these turn this car into a sports sedan.

There are two petrol and three diesel powerplants on offer and I tested all of them. All the engines have been further refined , producing more power and better fuel efficiency. Audi claim a fuel efficiency of over 20 km to a litre for the two-litre TDI. Needless to say , this will put a lot of small hatchbacks to shame. As I mentioned earlier , the in-cabin NVH levels are aided by better insulation in the bulkhead area and engine refinement. The entire range of engines deliver seamless power and are mated either to a multitronic or S tronic gearboxes and , finally , the power is put down on the road through Audi’s famous Quattro four-wheel drive system.

To sum up , the engineers at Audi have taken this car to a new and higher level in each and every department , be it the quality of the interior , external styling , performance , fuel efficiency , ride quality or handling. They have definitely raised the bar in this segment and the competitors had better watch out!

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Petrol is cheaper in Delhi than in Pune. Momos are better in Delhi than in Pune. Winters are colder and longer than in Pune and the roads are certainly wider in Delhi than in Pune. I’m sure none of these was the reason for the organisers to choose New Delhi as the venue , but these thoughts definitely crossed my mind as we were driving the Maruti Suzuki SX4 diesel for the first time in the country’s capital city.

Launched in 2007 , the company’s mid-size sedan has been doing decent numbers in that segment. However , considering the sky-rocketing prices of petrol it was natural that customers would think of other alternatives such as diesel , LPG or CNG and Maruti Suzuki could ill afford to waste time in launching a diesel variant of the car , which they did , but after a gap of almost four years. This diesel mill can stand competition from well-known names like the Volkswagen Vento , Hyundai Verna , Tata Manza and Ford Fiesta , which have been around for a considerable period of time. Maruti Suzuki will have to make sure that they do not lag behind in meeting the customers’ demands.

The SX4 diesel has the same 1 , 248-cc , DDiS , 16-valve DOHC unit under its hood that the company has been using on its other models like the Swift , Ritz and Dzire. Whereas the DDiS engine churned out 75 PS previously , it has now been re-tuned to deliver 90 PS in a heavier shell like the SX4. The company’s figures for power and torque read 90 PS at 4 , 000 rpm and 200 Nm at 1 , 760 rpm. The engine does a good job at the bottom end and , later , the variable geometry turbo unleashes its fury once it kicks in at the 2 , 000 rpm mark. The engine feels very refined and less noisy than its other diesel counterparts. Very little engine noise seeps into the cabin while the car is on the go. The gear shift of the five-speed transmission in the SX4 diesel has been changed to cable-type for a smooth shift. Short gear throws of the car also feel smooth and precise , thus making the whole task of driving pleasurable.

The claimed fuel efficiency figure stands at 21.5 km to a litre of diesel. The SX4 diesel will certainly become the highway companion for many if it delivers close to the figure it promises. Due to morning traffic madness , i was not able to exploit the full power the car had on offer , but keeping the feel of the car in mind , One can say that it will clock over 170 km/h on the speedo. Brakes are very effective to tackle those sudden surprises on City roads. The suspension feels a little on the softer side – good for city driving , but a little annoying for highway runs. Considerable amount of body roll was also perceptible at high speed turns. A smooth drive though it was , if you turn around and look at the pull the same engine has on a comparatively lighter car like the Swift , the SX4’s bulk sure makes the response of the engine seem slower. I suppose the reason for that comes from the compromise one has to make at the bottom end power to achieve a greater thrust at the top end.

The car’s cabin feels rich with fine beige leather upholstery and good fit and finish on the dash and around. Equipped with ABS/EBD , two airbags , 16” alloys , power steering and windows and a top-notch music system as standard features from the list of many more , the car has been priced at Rs 7.74 to Rs 8.62 lakh (ex-showroom , Delhi).

With their luxury sedan all set to make a debut in the Indian market , Maruti Suzuki’s focus seems to have shifted from basic cars to more refined and comfortable ones , but without making any compromise on the economy front. Where some major international players have already created a niche in the market with their innovation and quality , an Indian workhorse like Maruti Suzuki will have to go an extra mile to earn back that glory. With the finesse that the company is showing with their latest offering , it certainly looks like a feasible task. The final verdict: men will be men.

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AMG of Affalterbach , Germany , is a three-letter word sacrosanct in the car lexicon. It carries a reputation for performance and hardcore performance at that. i vividly remember the first time I got into an AMG (an SL63) more than a year ago and was simply bowled over by the power of V8 that is enough to give mortals a chill in the spine. Since then five AMGs have crossed all my expectations , all coming from the German company that once used to be a mere tuning shop busy fiddling with Mercedes cars and pumping them up for more horsepower. So when I heard of the G55 AMG coming for a test , I knew for sure that we were in for some fun. What’s more , the ‘G’ promised hardcore off-road abilities too.

Boxy , as if straight from a kid’s drawing book , the G55 AMG can easily be mistaken for anything from a blown up jeep to a Tempo Trax. The ruler-straight lines and a design that dates back by several decades are definitely not going to be able to impress all. There are a few who love the original G Wagon and only those few will be able to appreciate this One that carries every bit of the original G’s character. It was hardly surprising , then , that as I was driving down the old NH 4 , there were a few people who asked me for a lift , mistaking the G55 AMG for a people’s carrier a la the Trax.

However , once you get close to the G55 all the tiny bits from the AMG shop are revealed to you - the five-spoke dark , smoky alloys , for instance. Open the door and you instantly realise what differentiates the G55 AMG from any other car in this segment. The doors are heavy and I mean really heavy. The interior is posh , laden with leather and poplar wood (you get loads of options in that). Brushed steel garnishing here and there adds a class to the interior. The ambient lighting offered is out of the world and sets just the right mood. Once inside the car , you are in a world of your own , sitting high above the rest , moving around dominantly.

While I was getting accustomed to the buttons here and there on the dash and trying to figure out what the car had on offer , Sanjay was asking me to hurry up towards the shooting location. Key in , brake lever depressed and ignition turned on , the 5.5-litre V8 came to life with a growl that was music to my ears. The four pipes peeping out of the body just in front of the rear wheels produce a note that will leave you weak in the knees. A little prod at the throttle engrosses you further and prompts you to start the playtime. The G55 AMG manages standstill to 100 km/h in 6.49 seconds – that’s quick enough to push you deep into your seats. Thanks to the 510 PS of peak power and 700 Nm of maximum torque , there is abundant force to exploit , in fact more than what you would need in your day-to-day life. There is a brisk response from the supercharged V8 engine to the throttle input. Unlike a turbocharged diesel , you feel no lag while driving the G55 and there is power throughout the revs. None the less , the shifts from the five-speed automatic transmission feel a little sluggish after having driven cars equipped with dual clutch boxes.

Getting into motion and gathering speed is something that AMG engines are extremely good at and the one powering the G55 does its job well too. Once past 70-80 km/h , though , you start missing your previous SUV or sedan or anything else that you were driving before getting into the G. The suspension is quite stiff and gives a bouncy ride at slightly higher speeds – no wonder they had to restrict the engine at as low as 210 km/h. Yes , the G55 AMG is restricted at 210 km/h and a good decision too , because you are not going to be driving this car even at that speed given the kind of bouncy ride it offers.

Taking the G55 off the road was the plan for the day and I had been looking out for a good location to shoot for a long time before I spotted a small rocky route leading to a water body. With permanent four-wheel drive doing the job , I left the tarmac to exploit whatever the G had to offer. I started hunting for some more settings to make the off-road experience easier and worthwhile and I was taken aback for a minute or two. To my surprise , there was no button or dial to set the suspension for a different terrain. Neither was there an option to adjust the ride height. Lack of these settings on something that you call the ‘ultimate in off-roading’ is shocking. Agreed , you have got three differential locks , an option to shift from high gearing to low gearing , traction control , hill descent etc , but the absence of the aforementioned features was the last thing I expected of an off-roader for which one is expected to pay in excess of Rs 1.25 crore.

Another factor that led to a little disappointment was the tyres. Mercedes provide regular on-road tyres with the G that can negotiate your daily drive and are not meant for hardcore off-roading. With that in mind , I desisted from going deep into the water and stayed away from the stones that evidently had sharp edges. Though the G55 AMG has all the power and torque and four-wheel drive to negotiate off-roading , it failed to impress me to the extent I expected it to. Adding to these issues were the little cramped legroom at the rear and an indicated efficiency figure in the instrumentation cluster that never read anything less than 27.7 litre/100 km. That translates roughly into as little as 3.6 km per litre. Although one
does not expect much on the
fuel-efficiency front with a powerful , hand-crafted AMG engine roaring under the hood , 3.6 km to a litre is a little difficult to reconcile to even after driving in an extremely sane fashion.

At the end of the day , the G55 AMG is an enthusiast’s car and this is a fact that we cannot ignore. We also cannot ignore that this car will be bought by someone who knows the G Wagon history , appreciates it and is willing to live with a boxy wagon that looks more ordinary than the most ordinary car on the road. But at Rs 1.25 crore , it’s an expensive purchase , one that only those will go for who already have 10 different cars standing in their garage for 10 different purposes. This one will ably add to the collection of their lifestyle products.

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