Car Of The Week : Mazda MX-5

In today’s day and age, a good value for money, fun to drive, reasonable and practically made sports cars are a rarity. Finding a roadster which scores well on all the above-mentioned aspects is like finding a needle in a hay stack! Mazda seem to have just the car that fits the bill – Mazda MX-5. The MX-5 was launched in 1989, but the seeds for project development were sown in 1976. What began as a casual conversation between a journalist and the heads of R&D at Mazda, led to the creation of a brilliant Mazda roadster.

  The MX-5 has a conventional roadster body with sleek curves and is certainly a head turner while on the road. The MX-5 is based on the Jinba Ittai design language used by Mazda across all 4 generations of the MX-5. Jinba Ittai refers to ‘rider and horse as one body’ this simply means creating a compact car with great driving dynamics, at the same time also meeting global safety standards. The MX-5 is a rear-wheel drive, front engine roadster with the very crucial 50:50 front & rear weight distribution. This gives the MX-5 a very good balance and excellent driving dynamics. Mazda chose to go ahead with a wishbone or a multi-link suspension set up on all 4 wheels, hence giving the car superior grip and maximizing tire performance. The design of the first-generation MX-5 was highly inspired from the likes of the Lotus Elan. However, it has come a long way and now in its fourth generation looks stunning! The current generation Mazda MX-5 was launched in 2015, offered with 2 naturally aspirated direct injection petrol engines – 1.5 L & a 2.0 L producing 129 bhp & 158 bhp respectively. The car is offered both with a 6-speed manual as well as an automatic transmission. A manual transmission in today’s age? Vintage, isn’t it? Yes, driving the MX-5 in manual is just the thing dreams are made off! In a time when automatics are on the rise in cars across all segments, Mazda has made an awesome choice going ahead with the manual. The MX-5 is a car an auto enthusiast would cherish. With quick responsiveness, amazing ride and handling, power when you need it, and the manual transmission of course! Well the MX-5 is not as quick as the likes of the Porsche 911, but with a 0-100 km/h time of 5.8 seconds, it gets the job done impressively. The MX-5 is a 2-door coupe car which can seat only 2 occupants. In its latest avatar, the Mazda MX-5 RF comes with a retractable roof.

The MX-5 is one of the best and highest selling 2 door roadsters in history. It could well be classified as a more affordable alternative to the Porsche 911, with the MX-5 being priced at almost half! This truly is a legendary car, and one we certainly look forward to when Mazda enters India.  

BMW Launches the new 2017 5 Series in India

Let’s visualise a global sports tournament of the highest calibre, where cars are the athletes. Car brands the world over take part by fielding various entries (cars from their own model ranges) across many categories (car type/classification) – Family, SUV, Multi-purpose, Luxury, Business, Compact; to take part in the tournament. The best athletes in their own respective categories may be hotly contested. However, when it comes to the Business category things are quite different; there is one clear winner. This winner is the all-new 2017 BMW 5 Series. This remarkable car is truly a ‘Business Athlete’.

   BMW has finally brought the 2017 5 Series to India. Launched on 29^th June 2017, in grand fashion at an event in Mumbai, the 5 Series didn’t disappoint as it mesmerised the invited guests with its sheer brilliance. The 5 Series is one of the most important cars of recent times for BMW, its success in the fastest growing market is of paramount importance to BMW.  Being one of the best-selling luxury sedans of all time the 5 Series now in its latest 7^th generation has all the underpinnings to be a huge hit in the market. The newest 5 is an evolution rather than a revolution from its previous generations. The beauty and uniqueness of a BMW 5 Series are that it delivers a perfect combination of luxury and driving satisfaction. This perfect blend delivers sheer driving pleasure. The new 5 Series is now lighter, more athletic, more tech-laden, innovative, more fun to drive than the outgoing generation. The previous generation 5 Series, was criticised for missing out on the BMW DNA of offering great drivability and focusing more on luxury. With the new 5 Series, this is not the case! BMW has done a fabulous job in creating a complete package with an equal balance of both driving performance and luxury. There is a whole host of new technology and innovation such as – Gesture Control, Remote Parking etc.

 
Mr.Vikram Pawah,  Group President BMW India said that the new 5 Series is a dynamic game changer for the brand. Nowadays cars which offer the best of 2 worlds – performance & luxury are very rare. The 2017 BMW 5 Series is one of those rare gems. We shall have to wait and watch how the 5 Series performs, there are very exciting times ahead!

VW Tiguan - VW has the Indian premium segment in its sights!

Having entered the Indian market in 2007, Volkswagen did not take a long time to establish itself as an important player in the Indian landscape. The model range on offer at that time offered something quite different to the cars Indians were used to, and hence gained quite a bit of a fan following. The Polo, Vento etc. were heavier, more powerful, better in fit and finish great on overall quality when compared to their Asian counterparts. For a market dominated by Asian car manufacturers whose product offerings concentrated more on the efficiency, practicality, the overall ease of running and maintaining a car; this was a sudden but welcome change. VW has been renowned the world over for producing great family cars, they have created a good foundation in India effectively following the same strategy. With India being the fastest growing market VW now wants a slice of the premium and SUV segments. Back in 2008, VW introduced the Touareg SUV in India – a large SUV with a powerful V6 engine, lot of technology and a luxury appeal. However, due to the high pricing it did not gain a lot of traction in the market, was later discontinued in 2012.

   Fast forward to 2017, VW has introduced the Tiguan to the Indian market. This highly anticipated car has finally come to Indian shores, and VW has pinned their hopes on the Tiguan to make a good impression on the Indian market. The Tiguan is a mid-sized SUV based on the VW group’s MQB platform. The Tiguan is smaller in size when compared to the likes of the Toyota Fortuner and the Ford Endeavor, however, the compact design and slightly lower stance gives it a good road presence at the same time giving an elegant but sophisticated appeal. The front grille is bold with thick chrome slats and the LED headlamps complement them well. The rear headlamps are beautifully crafted and the way the shoulder line meets them is the icing on the cake! On the inside, the Tiguan comes with a familiar VW cabin with well-placed interiors having top-notch quality. Though the car is an SUV, the cabin gives the driver a feeling of driving a much smaller car. There is good visibility all-around and the seating position is high, hence giving a good command of the road ahead. There is a large touch-screen infotainment system with a good user interface. However, the absence of a navigation system is a letdown. The rear of the cabin is quite good offering decent legroom; however, a little wider cabin would have been great. Sitting 3 adults comfortably might be a squeeze. There is a tray table behind the seats in front offers added convenience while travelling. The backseats can slide forwards and backwards, they recline backwards to giving passengers added comfort. The boot space is quite generous and more than adequate for airport runs or a quick family getaway. In case you need more luggage space, VW has got you covered as you can flip the back seats with the pull of a lever. In order to open the boot, all you need to do is swing your leg under the rear left-hand side of the car, there is a sensor which swings open the boot for you. Closing the boot is all about pressing a button. Loading and unloading luggage into the boot is an easy and practical job, thanks to the well-designed boot lip. Now, the mechanicals; the Tiguan is powered by the workhorse of the – 2.0 L TDI Diesel engine, producing 140 bhp. This gem of an engine is mated to a 7 speed DSG gearbox. This combination makes driving the Tiguan effortless both in the city as well as on the highway. The steering wheel is light but evenly weighted, giving good engagement, feedback keeping the driver assured as always. Just like all the VW cars, the Tiguan is a very good highway cruiser offering good stability even at high speeds. Even around corners, the car drives well and is well-balanced thanks to its low centre of gravity, minimising body roll. The added benefit of a 4X4 system is that the Tiguan can comfortably go off the beaten path, whenever you are in the mood for adventure. The Tiguan is not an out and out adventure junky, but do not let the size and dimensions fool you! The Tiguan gets the job done. There is a terrain selector allowing you to select the kind of terrain the car is being driven over. The car computer will then adjust the 4X4 system accordingly.

   The Tiguan begins at an upwards of Rs.28 Lakh. Yes, this is quite a steep price for a VW car, especially in India. The market hasn’t yet perceived the VW brand to be at a premium level to command a high price for an SUV in the same segment as the Fortuner, Endeavor. Well…to put things into perspective, the real target for the Tiguan is not the customer who would buy a Toyota Fortuner or a Ford Endeavor but VW is targeting the customers who would consider buying the BMW X1, Audi Q3, Mercedes-Benz GLA. VW wants to move up to the pyramid and now has the premium segment in sights. With the Tiguan in its arsenal, it could be a very interesting and exciting proposition. We shall have to wait and find out how the Tiguan performs in the market.  

Car Of The Week : Maserati Levante

Performance SUV’s have been on the rise worldwide. Gone are the days when an SUV was only perceived to be a vehicle for utility, long drives on the highways etc. Car manufacturers have very successfully been able to shed the image of the SUV as a utility vehicle. In recent times, SUV’s world over has been an epitome of luxury and performance. The Land Rover Range Rover and the Porsche Cayenne are brilliant examples with respect to luxury and performance. Though the SUV remains extremely popular in India, the very niche market of the performance SUV has still to properly take off.

The combo of performance and an SUV is rather physics defying. SUV’s aren’t supposed to be flying around at supercar speeds, neither are they supposed to be flung around corners while being glued to the road! Porsche has been leading the way in this segment, one of the first brands to introduce a performance SUV with the Porsche Cayenne in 2003. Other brands have also followed suit. One such brand is an unexpected one – Maserati. The Italian luxury, supercar manufacturer is very underrated when it comes to supercar manufacturers hailing from Italy. Often overshadowed by its cousin Ferrari, Maserati produces brilliant cars too!

  The car we shall be focusing on today is the Maserati Levante. The Maserati Levante is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV based on the Kubang concept car. The name Levante is derived from Italian and means ‘East’ dedicated to the early history of Maserati. Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 2016, the Levante is a beautifully designed car. An aggressive grille with the familiar Maserati trident, sleek headlamps, a coupe-like roofline which meets the rear of the car ever so well; the Levante just like the great Italian paintings is a masterpiece. Maserati has a pedigree for manufacturing beautiful Italian supercars – the Gran Turismo, Ghibli etc. are illustrious examples. Well…. the Levante is an SUV -  but it is one which is meant to be driven enthusiastically! Hence the low ground clearance and compact size, giving it a low centre of gravity; which is ideal for a sports car. The interiors are very well put together, they ooze luxury and sport. The Levante comes in 3 variants – Levante, Levante S, Levante Diesel. All 3 variants have a V6 engine producing – 350, 430, 275 bhp respectively. A 4-wheel drive set-up along with an 8-speed automatic gearbox is the configuration on offer. Maserati is also set to add a V8 variant producing a mammoth 580 bhp, by 2018. Do not underestimate the Levante, it is a very quick car! With very impressive 0-100 kmph times of about 6 seconds, pretty quick for an SUV.

   The Maserati Levante is in a league of its own with the likes of the Jaguar F-Pace and the Porsche Cayenne – a league of supercar SUVs. Though it is not on offer in India yet, it will surely be a very exciting prospect for this country. 

BMW ups the game with the 8 Series Concept

Concept cars are great mediums for car manufacturers to showcase their R&D efforts towards the various aspects of producing a car. The various aspects of car production or the various departments aiding toward final deliverance of a production ready car are – Design, Technology, Mechanical expertise (engine, powertrain related), alternative fuel based systems (hybrid, electric etc.). Many a time a concept car does not completely materialise as a finished product offered for purchase to the customers. But that’s is a given, as the objective of a concept car is not to increase sales but to showcase a future path for the car manufacturer and to act as a statement of intent by showcasing its manufacturing capabilities. Concept cars have throughout pushed boundaries of various car design aspects. Most of the times a concept car will be a precursor to the other future range of cars for the market or as an evolution of design language.

  BMW recently unveiled its 8 Series concept car. Hold on…. the 8 Series has not been launched yet this is again just a concept! There are many cars which bring to light the notion of love at first sight. The BMW 8 Series concept is one of them! To sum up the car in a few words – an illustration of sheer excellence and beauty. Concept cars are designed in a very radical, unorthodox and futuristic manner. They come across as bold, energetic, evolutionary, advanced and years ahead in the future. But the 8 Series concept is not your regular concept car. At first glance, it is a very clean car with respect to sculpture and design. There are very few lines on the car and clearly, BMW has emphasised more on car sculpture. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class; arch rival of the BMW 7 Series already has a coupe and a cabriolet variant. Since a long time, BMW has been searching for a good coupe and cabriolet car in the mould of the flagship 7 Series. They seem to have found a superb solution with the 8 Series. The 8 Series is in all essence going to be the coupe variant of the 8 Series. The official confirmation will have to wait until the unveiling of the production version of the 8 Series in September. BMW has done a fabulous job of integrating styling cues and elements from within its model ranges. Styling cues from the 6 Series, i8 and the all-important Vision Next 100 concept car are quite evident. The L-shaped tail lamps are just the icing on the cake! Well, no BMW can be completed without its distinctive kidney grille. The 8 Series gets a beautifully designed, large, conjoined kidney grille – a first for any BMW car. Being a car to continue the flagship heritage, the 8 Series will share a lot of engine and powertrain options as well as features with the current 7 Series. Expect the car to have a lot of space for both passengers as well as their luggage. Though BMW has not given any information on technical and mechanical details for the 8 Series, it is safe to assume that there will be a hybrid or electric variant of the car.

Yes, it did take BMW 19 years to revive the 8 Series, but it has been surely worth the wait. They have gone on to showcase one of the most spectacular concept cars in recent memory. BMW has certainly upped the game with the 8 Series!  

2017 Maruti Suzuki Dzire - The Urban Legend Is Back In a New Avatar

The Maruti Suzuki Swift D-Zire was a very popular car when introduced. It was based on the Maruti Suzuki Swift, the ever-popular hatchback was a very good value for money packaged product, economical, reliable, overall easy on the pocket Another important factor to the great success of the Swift D-Zire was it enjoyed a first mover advantage in the compact sedan market of India. A first mover advantage is an advantage a product enjoys for being the first-of-its-kind product in a niche market. Maruti Suzuki was very quick and decisive to enter the compact sedan segment. When the Swift D-Zire was launched, no one had imagined the need for a compact sedan, however, the emergence of the cab aggregators such as Uber, Ola and the customers wanting a practical car in the urban environment, spurred the Swift D-Zire to glory. Being successful in the market is a feat but, sustaining the position of the undisputed leader for quite a few years is a whole other level of achievement. Sustaining the position of the undisputed market leader is something Maruti Suzuki knows a lot about, and the Swift D-Zire is evidence of that.

Well, Maruti has brought the undisputed market leader back in an all new avatar. Off late there seems to be a design revolution at Maruti Suzuki, both on exteriors and interiors of their recent cars. There was a time a few years ago where it seemed Maruti was not prepared to break the trend of designing trendy and more youthfully appealing cars. The likes of the Baleno, Ciaz, Ignis are some of their best-designed cars on the market today. The transition towards a more youthfully appealing style is a step in the correct direction. This most importantly highlights their plans for the Indian market. As recently as yesterday, Maruti brought back the Dzire in a swanky new avatar, fueling a life a modernism and excitement! The external design of the Dzire is more rounded and curvy than ever before, gone are the lines and sharp edges. Oh and yes……. the has been a change in the name of the car, it is no longer called the Swift D-Zire it is now the Maruti Suzuki Dzire. This has been done because Maruti wants to break the association of this car from the Swift hatchback, creating a new identity for the car. The large front grille surrounded with chrome makes the car look youthful and bold. The headlamps are now LED projectors with DRLs. The car is made on a new design architecture – HEARTECT. This as Maruti says has made the car safer, stronger, more rigid and most importantly a whole 105 kg lighter. Moving inside the cabin has been made more modern and contemporary. There is a new dashboard design and a new steering wheel which gives a sporty look. The old Swift D-Zire had championed space and practicality……the new Dzire continues the legacy. There is now even a rear passenger AC vent. With respect to the technology on offer, Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, and a push button Start-Stop option are now made available. For an upmarket feel – wood and chrome inserts are also available. The same 1.2 L VTVT petrol and 1.3 L DDiS diesel engines do duty on the 2017 Dzire. Hence, offering assured fuel efficiency. These will be mated to a manual and automatic gear options. However, the automatic will be only offered on variants V upwards.

With prices beginning at 5.45 Lakh the new Dzire is quite competitive and more than capable of sustaining the competition. It should prove to be very crucial to the success of Maruti’s new age vehicles. 

Jeep Sends the Compass to India

Indians love their SUVs. This love affair has been going on for quite some time. Countrywide the number of SUV users is huge. Over the past 5-7 years, the number of SUVs used in the urban Indian environment has never been higher. This can be advocated our road conditions, higher disposable income, the need for a bigger family car etc. Nevertheless, an SUV has been a sort of statement of intent or a statement of achievement for a few in the society. When SUVs were introduced in India they did not have a great impression in the Indian market. This was mainly because they were diesel only cars, cumbersome to drive, lacked efficiency and maintenance a costly affair. Car manufacturers have managed to shed this image by offering vehicles easy to drive, efficient and easy on the maintenance. The major SUV manufacturers in India are – Mahindra, Tata, Toyota etc. (for passenger vehicles). The car manufacturers in the luxury segment are Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW, JLR etc. The newest entrant to the Indian SUV scenario is Jeep. Jeep’s Indian journey began in 2016. The oldest manufacturer 4X4 utility vehicles had finally entered India. Jeep’s legacy of producing 4X4 vehicles extremely capable of taking you anywhere dates to 1941. The only brand capable of giving Jeep a run for its money with respect to 4X4 vehicles is – Land Rover. Both the Jeep Grand Cherokee & the Jeep Wrangler are excellent vehicles. However, they did not quite make a good first impression on the Indian market. This was mainly due to the pricing of both the cars with the Grand Cherokee & the Wrangler priced at an upwards of Rs.95,00,000 and Rs.70,00,000 respectively.

   12^th April 2017 – Jeep launched its third offering for India, the Jeep Compass. Jeep’s most affordable model yet! Promises to be a game changer for the brand in India. Based on its elder sibling – the Grand Cherokee, the Compass is a compact SUV perfect for the urban environment. What is more exciting is that the Compass comes with the world-renowned Active Drive Mode, Jeep’s own 4X4 management system. The Compass comes with a 4X4 option, but will also be offered with 4X2. On the exterior, the Compass has a bold, aggressive look with a modern flair to it. With a decent 178mm ground clearance, the Compass can take on our roads with ease. The iconic 7 slat Jeep grille gives the car a unique identity. The rear of the vehicle is designed well too with a beautiful integration of the tail lamps with the overall design of the car. The large wheel arches and the big wheels give the car a rugged look. Moving inside the cabin is large and spacious giving passengers an airy feel. The layout is practical, you will find the buttons, knobs, and switches exactly where you would want them to be. The rear of the cabin has generous space too, comfortable for 3 passengers to sit comfortably on long journeys too. The Compass will be powered by 2 engine options – the 1.4 L Multi-Air petrol engine producing 160 bhp & a 2.0 L ECO diesel engine producing 170 bhp. Both these engines will be mated to a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed automatic gearbox. The Jeep Compass comes with the Select 4X4 Management System – enabling the driver to select the condition of the terrain and environment the car is being driven in. This system has 4 modes: Auto, Snow, Sand and Mud. Each mode can change the power delivery to the front and rear wheels thus making the car very efficient in the respective driving conditions. The Compass will come with a whole host of safety features; ABS, EBD, Electronic Stability Control, Hill Start Assist, Hill Hold Assist, Airbags etc. The Jeep Compass is the first vehicle from the brand to be made in India. With heavy localization, the Compass is expected to be priced very competitively. We expect the price to begin at an upwards of Rs.17 lakh with the top end going till about Rs.26 lakh. With production at the new Ranjangaon facility expected to begin by June, the Compass shall hit the Indian roads by August.

   A great looking car, practical layout, good engine and powertrain, a world class 4X4 system and an offering form a legendary brand, finally, an excellent price – the Jeep Compass has all the requirements to be a superstar in the Indian car market. It will surely give competitors such as the Renault Duster, Nissan Terrano, Hyundai Tucson, Mahindra XUV 500 a run for its money. This should be a real game-changer for Jeep in India.