Honda Amaze diesel video review

Mercedes-Benz LuxeDrive

Mercedes-Benz entered India in 1994 and pioneered the luxury car market and was the best selling car brand till BMW took the top spot. Now, with a new generation of its luxury cars taking over the market, Mercedes-Benz has seen a spurt in recent sales. Events like the LuxeDrive have been planned with the aim to increase sales and overtake Audi (the current best selling brand) to reclaim the top luxury car brand in India tag.

Flipkart Cannon EOS 700D DSLR Camera

The LuxeDrive event lets you get close to the star cars and experience them first hand. The cars and your driving skills can be put to test through pre-set courses.  You can get to drive the cars yourself or get a demo. A selection of Mercedes-Benz cars have been lined up for display as well. These include the AMG models. An added attraction for the foodies will be the star Indian chef, Vikas Khanna who will present world class cuisine to enthral your taste buds. The LuxeDrive event will also include high fashion from some of the world’s most luxurious brands. You can also buy exclusive Mercedes-Benz merchandise on-spot.

The first thing that greets your eyes when you enter is a line up of gorgeous Mercedes-Benz cars. The line up in Bangalore included the A-Class, B-Class, CLA-Class, GLA-Class, C-Class, E-Class, M-Class, GLA45 AMG and the ML63 AMG.

Next up was the Slalom course to test the dynamic capabilities of the cars. You can choose between the A-Class, the GLA-Class and the CLA-Class. You can test the car’s handling by driving in a zigzag manner between obstacles and push the cars to their limits.

The off-roading section has been developed to test the SUV’s off-roading capabilities. The cars available were the ML-Class and the GL-Class. The course puts to test the 4matic all-wheel drive system available in these cars. The car learns the amount of traction available for each wheel and distributes power accordingly. This helps the car overcome any situation. The car is then made to drive on a 30 degree incline that tips the car sideways. The angle of approach and departure of the cars are then tested on a 30 degree inclination. This also tests the hill hold system during the uphill climb. During decent, the speed can be set between 2 to 18 km/hr and the car automatically maintains this speed.

In the last test, carried out by trained professional driver, the Pre-Safe system of the cars are tested. The C-Class and E-Class were used for this test. The car’s ABS and EBD functions are tested during emergency braking. The Pre-Safe allows the car to swerve in a controlled manner to avoid a collision. When an emergency situation is detected, it triggers the seat belt pre-tensioners. Any open windows are automatically closed partially.

With a new generation of fantastic cars that make you feel special, Mercedes-Benz is all set to overthrow Audi and take over the Indian luxury car market. If the Mercedes-Benz LuxeDrive is coming to your city, do not miss this unique opportunity to go and experience these cars first hand.

Thanks to The Car & Bike Magazine for the opportunity.

Lamborghini Huracan: Everything you need to know

Introduced in 2003, the Lamborghini Gallardo was meant to be a cheaper, more affordable and more sensible Lamborghini. It was termed as the baby Lamborghini and it went on to become the most successful Lamborghini ever. During the Gallardo era, Lamborghini manufactured 10 times more cars than what they were manufacturing earlier. 32 variants sold more 14,022 cars. That is nearly half of the total number of Lamborghini ever sold.

Its 10 year reign came to an end recently but it is being replaced by an all new car. Named the Huracan, it aims to continue the success of the Gallardo. Carrying Lamborghini’s tradition forward, the Huracan is named after a Spanish fighting bull. The Huracan aims to take the fight to the Ferrari 458 (458 is being replaced by 488) and the McLaren 650S. This means that it has to be good and every small detail should be worked upon with at most care and perfection.

Design:

With the new Huracan, Lamborghini had a design challenge. They had to keep up the design expectations from a car that was to become the successor for the best selling Lamborghini ever. Designed by Filippo Perini and his team, the Huracan sticks to Lamborghini’s design DNA, which is the silhouette of the car. It is the line that connects the front of the car to the rear. The Huracan was built with a single line. This means there is no division between the front, cockpit and the rear. Everything is connected. Just like the other Lamborghini models, the Huracan has precise lines resulting in sharp edges. This gives rise to convex and concave surfaces. The overall design gives a mix of aggressiveness and purity. To keep the sleek look of the vehicle, the air vents are overlapping surfaces. The rear has an aluminum grill to reduce size. The front of the car needs to have the aggressive look which should be depicted through the eyes. Thus, a double Y-shaped DRLs have been used to make the car instantly recognisable. The triangular and trapezoidal shapes used in the Gallardo have been replaced with hexagonal shapes. This has especially been used in a disguised in the side windows.

This theme is seen on the inside as well which sports a clean horizontally sculpted dashboard with hexagonal air vents. Compared to the Gallardo, the interiors of the Huracan seems to be stripped out. The idea was to reduce the volume. The new steering wheel has been give utmost importance since it is the first and most important point of contact for the driver. The human brain give the most attention to the top part of the steering wheel. Therefore, Lamborghini have included the side light indicators, high beam and blinkers, washer and wiper buttons on this part of the steering wheel. The bottom part of the wheel also has the ANIMA toggle switch. ANIMA stands for Adaptive Network Intelligent Management. ANIMA is the Italian for soul. The ANIMA toggle switch is used to switch between Strada, Sport and Corsa modes. These modes vary the engine response and sound, gearbox behavior, steering, all-wheel drive system and the dampers. The Huracan also gets new paddles and the engine start button, which is placed on the centre console, has been picked up from the Aventador. The car also gets a new 12.3 inch TFT virtual instrument cluster with a resolution of 1440x540 pixels. Different layouts can be chosen for the display. It can show the classic rpm display or it can show the speed of the vehicle. Along with the odometer, the navigation system can also be shown. When navigation is the most important requirement, the screen can be used to display only the navigation system. The TFT display also shows various reading like fuel level and the temperature of the engine and fuel. The car has more space and better visibility than the Gallardo. The Huracan seems to keep up to the expectations along with the Lamborghini traditions.

Aerodynamically, the car is step up from the previous Gallardo. Aerodynamics combines both engineering and design. The car should look good at the same time, it should be aerodynamically efficient. Compared to the old car, the Huracan has a 3% reduction in drag force and a massive 50% increase in downforce. This has helped improve aerodynamic balance and the grip levels. The car is now able to put more downforce at the front, reducing the chance of understeer. The car’s efficiency, that is the ratio between drag and downforce, has also increased by 8%. More attention was given to the underbody to keep it clean, which helps the rear diffuser. The Huracan also has a good cooling efficiency. All this has been achieved without using movable flaps and spoilers. The perfect flow also reduces wind noise and turbulence.

Engine and Transmission:

The Lamborghini Huracan is powered by a re-tuned version of the same 5.2-litre, naturally aspirated 90 degree V10 found in the Gallardo. Lamborghini have not taken the turbocharging or hybrid engines path for their road cars yet. The new engine, with multi point fuel injection, now makes 610 horsepower at 8250 rpm. This means a specific output of 117.3 hp per litre. The torque figure stands at 560 Nm at 6500 rpm. 75% of the torque produced is available from as low as 1000 rpm. The carbon dioxide emissions are down by 11% and the engine now obeys Euro 6 emission norms. The engine block is made out of cast aluminium alloy whereas the crankcase is made out of aluminium silicon alloy to give it better wear resistance. The engine, which has the new Iniezione Diretta Stratificata which combines direct and indirect injection to achieve higher power output but decreases fuel consumption and emissions at the same time, is mounted longitudinally. The car gets a stop start function as well.

The power from the engine is transmitted to all four wheels via a new hydraulic seven speed dual clutch transmission called the Lamborghini Doppia Frizione. This new tech translates into much faster gear changes which is a huge improvement over the single clutch transmission in the Gallardo. Both the clutches are 200mm in diameter which guarantees that the torque distribution is same. The gearbox is able to provide smooth shifting without any torque distribution. The new unit is just 60 centimetres long. The Huracan is also fitted with the latest launch control to give it outstanding acceleration figures. The car also features a new all-wheel drive system. It has a new full electronic controlled system whereas the Gallardo had a visco coupling unit. The all-wheel drive system is rear biased. It sends 30% of the power to the front wheels and 70% to the rear wheels. The maximum that can be sent to the rear wheels is 100% which makes it a rear wheel drive car wheres 50% is the maximum that can be sent to the front wheels.

Steering and Suspension:

The steering system is one of the most important parts of the car since it connects the driver to the car and gives vital feedback to the driver which enhances the driving experience. The Huracan features an electro mechanical rack-and-pinion power steering where in different modes or at different speeds, the wheel turns at different angles for the same steering input. This can be helpful while parking since you get a larger wheel angle. On the race track, Lamborghini Dynamic Steering gives a good feedback to the driver due to its variable steering ratio. The power assistance decreases as speed increases. The LDS also decreases understeer and oversteer by giving tiny directed counterteering impulses. The new steering mechanism also has improved precision and agility which helps improve the driver’s confidence.

The car is equipped with a double wishbone suspension coupled with magneto-rheological dampers. In strada or comfort mode, the suspension and dampers gives better comfort to the driver and passenger. In sport and corsa modes, it improves the handling characteristics of the car for track and dynamic usage. The suspension is made from forged aluminium to reduce unsprung masses. The pistons in the shock absorbers have tiny magnetic particles in the synthetic oil. When a voltage is applied, they align themselves perpendicularly to the flow of electricity. During turn-in, it raises the damping force at the outside front wheel. This reduces body roll and in-turn improves reaction time.

Brakes and Tires:

The new Lamborghini comes with carbon ceramic brake discs as standard. In the front, it is fitted with 380mm diameter brakes with six calipers whereas the rear has 350mm diameter brakes with four calipers. The new brakes are lighter and have better stopping power over the previous Gallardo. Carbon ceramic brakes have better heat dissipation capacity than normal steel disc brakes

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The tires fitted on the Gallardo replacement are new Pirelli P ZERO tires on standard 20 inch alloy wheels. The new tires have good grip levels thanks to the thread pattern. It gives good feeling and improves the confident of the driver. It has the right wearing and the right rolling resistance which is crucial for carbon dioxide emissions. It gives proper comfort for driving in city. On the track, it has been designed to react in extreme ways. It has a dedicated setup for maximum performance in every condition.

Iniertial platform and hybrid chassis:

The Huracan debuts the latest sophisticated Lamborghini Plattaforma Inerziale. This new technology maximizes vehicle performance and improves responsiveness of vehicular dynamics. Before its application in the Huracan, it has been used to calculate real time positioning of planes and rockets. The car has three accelerometers and three gyroscopes placed in its centre of gravity. They monitor all aspects of the vehicle’s performance and send the information gathered to the brain of the car. It then decides the necessary action to be taken to improve the performance and varies the amount of power going to each wheel. All the parts of the car are tuned to react to this system and give the exact output to maximize performance. The system measures X, Y and Z accelerations along with roll, pitch and yaw rates.

The new chassis gives the best balance between torsional stiffness and weight. It is made with the integration of two different materials – one isotropic and one non-isotropic. The chassis was designed in collaboration with Audi to decide the type of joints and curing techniques. The chassis combines aluminium and carbon-fibre reinforced polymer. Carbon-fibre has been used around the occupant cell. The orientation of the fibres gives good protection even during a side impact. The chassis gives the best balance between torsional stiffness and weight. The torsional stiffness has been increased by 50% compared to the Gallardo and there has been a 10% reduction in weight. The Huracan weighs 200 kilograms less than the Gallardo.

Result:

All this amazing tech on the new Lamborghini results in sensational performance. The Huracan hits 100km/hr in just 3.2 seconds and 200km/hr in 9.9 seconds. It has a top speed of over 325km/hr. The Huracan weighs just 1,422 kg (dry). This gives it a weight to power ratio of only 2.33kg/hp. The Huracan gives a combined efficiency of 8kmpl and a carbon dioxide emission of 290g/km. On the TopGear test track, the Stig took the Huracan around in 1:15.8 which is quicker than its bigger brother, the mighty Aventador. All these facts show that the Huracan is a sensational product.

Source - Lamborghini Media Centre
(image courtesy: Google Images and Lamborghini Media)

Mini Cooper D: Test drive

Mini recently launched the latest generation Cooper in India. Considering the poor sales of the previous generation car, Mini decided not to offer the petrol immediately and instead opted for a diesel with the petrol scheduled to be launched soon (first quarter of 2015). I drive the new 3-door Mini diesel to see if it’s any good.

Compared to the old car, the new Cooper has grown slightly. This allows an increase in the space on offer inside. The rear seats now have more head room and leg room. Boot space is now 211 litres. Another major improvement in this car is its fuel efficiency. Mini claim this car will return around 27kmpl (ARAI figures).

Unfortunately, the good points end here.

When I drove the Mini Cooper S, I absolutely loved the car. There are a few things you tend to expect from the car. Like the brilliant acceleration and the superb exhaust note. All these exciting stuffs are not available in the latest car. The new Mini Cooper is powered by an unenthusiastic three cylinder 1.5-litre diesel engine that puts out 116 horsepower and 270 Nm of torque. It is mated to a six speed Steptronic automatic transmission. This allows the Mini to accelerate to 100 from a standstill in a dreary 9.2 seconds.

The car retains its accurate handling but this has no effect with the diesel under the hood. The chassis begs for more power and hence the car cannot be enjoyed a lot. The ride is still hard but now you tend to notice it more since you are not so engrossed in enjoying the car. Mini should have worked on improving the ride since this is not a sporty car. The car runs on 16 inch wheels.

The Mini Cooper S I reviewed a few months back was the previous generation car. Compared to that, the new car has a few significant design changes. First, as I said, it has grown in size considerably. So it does not look like Mini at all. It is just too big. The round headlights are now stretched backwards and this in combination with the huge front grille looks, dare I say it, ugly. From the rear, it looks a little bulky as well.

Don’t get me wrong. The Mini Cooper D is still a good car. But it no longer is what you expect it to be. It is no longer a sporty car. With prices starting from 45 lakhs (on-road), it is definitely not worth it. There are many more cars that do the same job but offer more equipment and space and have more value since most of the equipment on offer is optional. With all the equipment, the price goes up to 55 lakhs. This is a car that is not worth buying. If you want a 3-door Mini Cooper, wait for the Cooper S and buy that. Mini should start assembling the 3-door Cooper in India to reduce costs and improve sales. For now, the car is full import.

Honda Amaze diesel: Review

Honda entered India with the City in 1998. Since then it dominated sales thanks to its reliability and affordable technology. But in recent times, Honda sales started dropping thanks to increasing petrol prices and a lack of diesel engine. Honda is now bouncing back with the Amaze, its first compact saloon with its first diesel engine.

Based on the Brio, the Amaze is under four metres in length (3990mm). The profile is simple and elegant. It looks like a Brio with a nicely integrated boot. It does not have the truncated boot look you get in the Swift Dzire.  Two sweeping lines along the sides masks the length. It gets a new “smiling” front grille. From all angles, the Amaze looks rather attractive. On the inside, the similarities with the Brio continue. The Amaze borrows it’s dashboard from the Brio. The front seats are also borrowed from the Brio but have better support. The seats are comfortable even during long distance drives. The similarities end there. Unlike in the Brio, Honda’s brilliant packaging liberates excellent legroom, both front and back, and large boot, which measures at 400 litres.

The Amaze is powered by a new Earth Dreams 1.5 litre, four cylinder turbocharged diesel engine developing a peak power of 100PS at 3600 rpm and a peak torque of 200Nm at 1750 rpm. It is connected to the front wheels via a five speed manual transmission. Turbo lag is negligible and a good amount of power is available from the peppy engine which will rev to 4000 rpm with ease. This makes overtaking a breeze. Gear changes are crisp though it is slightly heavy. The clutch is light and makes for easy city driving. The steering is precise and weights nicely. The well balanced chassis cuts understeer. But, the thin 14 inch tires which are used keeping fuel efficiency in mind offer less grip. Overall, the good handling package in combination with the peppy engine and crisp changes make for a very involving drive. This car will not disappoint enthusiasts. The ride quality is good. All bumps are absorbed nicely by the soft suspension and only the sharper ones are felt. Honda claims an efficiency of 25.8 kilometres per litre but realistically you can expect 22 kmpl on the highway and about 19 in the city. This makes it one of the most fuel efficient cars you can buy.

On the equipment list, you get turn indicator on ORVMs, power foldable and power adjustable ORVMs, driver seat height adjustment, trunk light, heat absorbing front windscreen and a 15.7cm Touch Screen Audio Visual Navigation system with steering mounted audio controls. On the safety front, you get front seat belt pretensioner, front dual SRS airbags and ABS with EBD which comes as standard in the diesel.

With prices starting from 6.42 lakhs (ex-showroom Bangalore), it looks like Honda has a winner on its hands. With a brilliant new engine married to a brilliant new car, Honda has made a fuel efficient yet fun to drive car. This is exceptional considering the fact that it is tough to get the best of both worlds. Without any doubt, this is one of the best cars you can buy at this end of the market.

Experience: A ride in a Porsche Panamera

Experience: A ride in a Porsche Panamera

It’s every petrol head’s dream to drive or at least get a ride in an exotic car. This time, I am the lucky one to hop into the passenger seat of a Porsche Panamera. A big thank you to Porsche Bengaluru for making this happen.

Porsche’s objective was to build a dynamic and powerful sports car for the track and a luxury saloon with four doors, a big boot and four seats to take the family around in comfort. The result is the Porsche Panamera, a GT car that combines the better of the two worlds beautifully, was launched in Shanghai, China in April 2009. Later, Porsche decided to improve the fuel efficiency of the car. So they decided to replace the petrol engine with a V6 diesel. The Panamera diesel was born on May 2011.

The diesel does not mean the car is a slouch either. The V6 produces 300 hp at 4000 rpm and a maximum torque of 650 Nm between 1750-2000 rpm. This, in conjunction with an 8 speed Tiptronic gearbox helps the 1.9 ton beast to hit 100 km/hr in about 6 seconds and reach a top speed of 259 km/hr. The claimed average efficiency for the diesel is around 15.64 km/l which is excellent for a sports car.

The Panamera, for long has been considered to be an ugly looking car. But to me, this car does not look bad. It looks its part. When you see the Panamera, you get a feeling that this car is a practical sports car, exactly what it was meant for. Its low stance looks brilliant when you stand back and admire the car. Yes the front could have been better and yes, white does not suit the car. But in any other colour, it actually looks good. You get a good looking rear wing which extends at speeds above 120km/hr. This can also be extended by the driver whenever required. The body is made out of a combination of steel and aluminium to help shed weight. The car sits on 18 inch wheels at the front and at the rear. The drag coefficient is rated at 0.3.

From the inside, the Panamera feels extra special thanks to its exquisite cabin. The demo car was fitted with optional full leather. The build quality and fit and finish is exceptional. You get four individual seats with a continuous centre console. There is enough room at the back but the visibility is hampered thanks to the high window line. The boot capacity is 445 litres which can be increased to 1263 litres by folding the 60:40 rear seats which fold flat. As standard, the car comes with five circular dials which show fuel and oil temperature, and a navigation map, among others and an instrument cluster with a high resolution 4.8 inch TFT colour which shows various other things. On the options list, you get either a BOSE surround sound system or a Burmester surround sound system. You also have the option of a four zone climate control which can be used to switch off air conditioning to the rear seats when there are no passengers at the back. You also get parking sensors all around the car which shows the proximity of obstacles and a reverse parking camera which essential since there is no rear visibility at all. This being a practical car, you get a lot of storage spaces inside the cabin. There are two cup holders above the glove compartment as well. The seats offer good support and are extremely comfortable.

Though the car has been designed to be dynamic and sporty, on the move, it feels to be engineered to be more luxurious than sporty. Even in sport mode, the ride is superb. The acceleration does not give you a kick in the head, instead it is more gradual. It just surges forward without too much drama. There is a decent amount of exhaust note but that’s only in sport mode. As you drive faster, the suspension automatically lowers by 10 mm. It can also be raised to improve the ground clearance when travelling over speed breakers. It then automatically lowers. For those who take their cars out to the track regularly, you get ceramic brakes as optional. For everyday driving, the regular disc brakes provide more than sufficient stopping power.

At an on-road price of around 1.5 crores for the standard Panamera diesel without customisation, it is approximately 2 crores cheaper than its rival, the Aston Martin Rapide. Though it cannot be compared to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, it does cost the same. The Panamera may not get as much equipment as the S-Class but it is definitely more comfortable, more luxurious and way more sporty. The Panamera is exactly what Porsche intended it to be, a good GT car catering to the practical family petrol head.