automan august 2010

8/8/2019 Automan August 2010

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magnum opus!

F1: Thrills and spills in monTreal, Valencia and silVersTone

BenTleys all-new Flagship saloon Brings Back The mulsanne name

also driVen: 2010

honda ciVic Type r

ToyoTa sequoia has some good news: now iT comes wiTh awd

No 108 August 2010 Omans Best Automotive Resource OMR 0.500 AED 5.00 QR 5

Tyres

specialFocus:

allyouneedToknowaBouTTyres


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editor-in-chiefMamma Al ta

AL roYA PreSS & PUBLiShinG

Po B: 343, Psal c 118

Al hay cmpl

Sulaa oma

emal: auma@alya.

Wbs: www.aumawb.m

eal :

tl: +968 24479888 e 300, fa: +968 24479889

cula :

tl: +968 2456 2138, fa: +968 2456 2194

PUBLiSher

ham Al ta am@alya.

editor & GM

raj Wa aj@alya.

execUtive editor

caa B Mallk aa@alya.

co-ordinAtor

Paba n Kaam paba@alya.

deSiGn

Sawsa Al Muab sawsa@alya.

heAd of MArKetinG

Mag Azz mag@alya.

MArKetinG

Su Ma su@alya.

Supm Plps plps@alya.

circULAtion

bks@alya.

finAnce & AdMin

Abaam dal al@alya.

Printer

ruw M Ps LLc

tl: +968 2479 4167, 2479 8157

fa: +968 2470 0545

2010

All al Auma magaz a

s wbs s pyg a may b pu

ay m wu w s maag-

m AL roYA PreSS & PUBLiShinG

Auma aps usl lus al

maal, bu ss g publs ay su

maal. o publs, pyg ay su

maal wll s w AL roYA PreSS & PUBLiSh-

inG

The month of July saw a host of corporate gures being released and the

e wet er in ustries as ar as spen ing patterns t at concern us o air ine an car

anufacturers have almost universally shown as healthy swing back to prot or have

own a ea t y growt in sa es. Peop e seem to e trave ing again a ter t e un o

009 an car sa es ave increase or car companies ave earne to ma e o wit ess

less people, fewer factories and in some cases fewer product lines.

Admittedly there was a time of worry not just for the big three car manufacturers

f Detroit, but for the entire range of global car companies. The past year has seennteresting ran uyouts appening an many ea ines ave a so een generate on

eals that just couldnt make it past the nishing line. A few car companies have quietly

een ten ing to t eir usiness an oosting t eir saes positions at t e cost o t e

sta is e ea ers. T e Hyun ai-KIA a iance as reac e its avowe goa o ecoming

ne of the top ve car manufacturers worldwide. Some companies have also had to

ear pro ems not associate wit t e nancia me t own, i e Toyotas uge reca .

ow, the gures seem to be communicating a rebound in their business, largely driven

y sa es to t e non-tra itiona mar ets o t e BRIC countries, ut a so ri ing on t e

elative stability of the Middle East for the large-engined cars and SUVs that almost no

ne e se wants.

The countdown is well and truly on for a return to the capitalistic nature of the industry,

it t e US taxpayers money t at was transient y app ie to stop t e ee ing o

eneral Motors and Chrysler Corporation set to be returned to the government. The

mpending IPO of General Motors should generate a lot of interest since the company

as een we an tru y re orme . In t e C rys er case, new manu acturing practices

ntroduced by FIAT have ensured that the new Jeep Grand Cherokee is built to a

tan ar t at is we an tru y a ove t e C rys e r norm.

n the meantime, we at Automan have been changing as well in this, our 10th year. We

ave intro uce new sections an ee e up our ong term avourites, w i e investing

n editorial excellence with the infusion of new talent. All good portents for the

orthcoming sales season of Ramadan 2010.

Signs of recovery ahead

74

fusing jargon you mighthearfrom asalesmen

orexpertsmightmake yourpurchaserather

stressful. Despitewhatappears to beatough

scenario, you haveoften wondered whatdo

all those numbers, letters, symbols, mysteri-

ouscodesreally mean in simpleterminology

and whatisthepurposeof such detailing?

ell, thereare two main purposes: therst

isto help identifythe sizeand specication of

thetyres correctly. Thesecond isto conrm

thatthe tyrehasbeen tested and approved to

countrysafetystandards. Forexample, tyres

co ing from Europewith havea mandatory

arking known asE marking.

lthough notillegal, iti snotrecommended

to havetyreswith alowerspeed rating orload

capacitythan themanufacturerrecommended

tyrespecication foryourvehicle, orto have

aco b ination o fd ifferenttyrecons truction

types. lwaysconsultyourvehiclehandbook,

eanwhile, we help you understand the

variousbits related in helping understanding

thetyresab itbetter.

So, letsbegin with theimportantstuff:

esides, theseare othermarkingsand the

listincludes:

Thet emperaturerating -an indicatorof

howwell thetyrewithstandsheat buildup. A

isthe highestrating; Cis thelowest.

Thetraction rating -an indicatorof how

well thetyreis capableo f s topp ing on wet

pavement. AAis theh ighestrating ; C is

thelowest.

Thetread-wearrati ng -a comparativerat-

ing fortheuseful lifeofthe tyrestread. A tyre

with atread-wearrating of200, forexample,

could beexpected to lasttwiceaslong asone

with arating of100. Tread-weargradestypi-

tion, properwheel alignmentand othervari

ablefactors. In otherwords, dontthink tha

atread-wear rating of100 eansa3 ,

miletyre.

Encoded USDOT information isa two

lettercodethatidentieswherethetyrewa

manufactured indetail. In other words, wha

fac to ryand in somecases , whatc ityit wa

manufactured in.

OETyres In thesameway that o rs ch

spec ies h igh per fo rmance - rated tyre

thereseven moremarkingson thesidewall o

atyrethatcan deno tetyrestted aso r ig ina

equ ipment(OE)to var ious akeso fveh ic

In somecases, thepreferred Etyres ar

s lightlyd ifferentthan thesa e-naed tyre

withouttheOEspec ication . Fo rexa p leo

someHondaSUVs, thetyres thatares ta p

with DZ havealowerrolling resistancetread

pattern than thosethat arent.

71

7

itsworking life. Unlikecolderclimates, wherethelifespan ofatyreis higher, thehotMiddle

Eastregion posesextra challengesforanytyre aker in a s ituation wheretyresareconstantlybeingsubjected to extremes. In this

section, wehaveidentied vemajorfactorscontributing to tyrefailureand guideyou with

si ply easy-to-understand instructionsonhowto preventthem.

1. dtyreos t CC es tab lishments in the reg ion

reco end amaximum fouryearper iodfortyre usagein cars. And itreallydoesnt

atterhowmuch mileageyou havedoneorthatthe tyrehasstill adequatetread depth.

To determ inetheageo f yourcar s tyres ,begin with checking thetyre sidewall forthe

anufacturersdatecode. Itwill bein theformofafour-digitnumber, stating themonth and

yearthe tyrewas produced. Unfortunately,theresno equivalentto an expiration date.

nd itsnotagood ideato instal tyreson yourvehiclethathavebeen sitting on a warehouse

shelfformanyyears.

and sidewallsfrom exing. Friction from this

exing generates heat, and thatdegradestherubberand thefabricconstruction ofthetyre.

And dontbe fooled bytheappearanceofthetyres. Itsimpossibleto seeifyourtyres are

underinated withoutusing a tyrepressuregauge. Theproperpressuresareprinted on

astickeron thedriversdoorfra eor insidetheglovebox. Theyare also inthe owners

manual.3. Overinfatio

Thetyre ination pressuresprinted on thetyres idewall are thetyre anufac turer s

maximum permitted pressure, notnecessarilywhatthevehic le anufac turer reco ends.

Overinated tyreswill havepoorgrip, and thetread will wearpre aturelyin thecenter.

4. DeterioratioExposureto ozone, road cheicals and

ultravioletli ght accelerate degradation ofrubber. Butthisisprobably oreofaproble

forvehicles thatare parked outsidein thesun. Tyresidewall rubberisper eated with

oilsthatare designed to leach outslowlyand

sidewall plies, itstimeto changethattyre.

5. Physical damage Anyforeign objectthatpenetratesthetyre far

enough to causealeak issufcientreason torequirethetyre to beremoved from therim

and inspected byatyretechnician fordamage

zone and UV rays can have adverse

ts on rubber. Ageing is one of them >>

FOCUSONTYRES

57


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{news}

4

is act was state y mem ers o atopevel executive team from Fuji Heavy In-

ustries, owners o t e Su aru ran in Japan

w o visite t e region ast mont . T e team,

headed by Hidetoshi Kobayashi, corporate vice

presi ent an c ie genera manager were in

the Sultanate for a meeting of the distributors

to iscuss ways to improve t e mar et s are

of Subaru vehicles. Oman has emerged as

the best selling market for Subaru in the GCC

an A rica, prompting us to ocus more on t is

market for further growth in sales, said Ko-

ayas i.

obayashi said that the distributors meet

was e speci ca y in t e sutanate eepingn mind the success and growth Subaru has

ac ieve , t an s to active retai partner OTE

Group. Subaru plans to achieve one per cent

growth by 2015 in the GCC, and for Subaru,

Oman as a mar et accounts aroun two per

cent which is double its global market share,

one o t e ey reasons t at Oman wi remain

a top priority market for the company in the

coming years.

In 2009, Su aru saw its sa es go up 16 per

cent in the US and by 86 per cent in China on

a year on year asis. T e year 2010 oo s

romising and we will be aggressive and com-

etitive to ive up to w at ot er ran s aveto offer, added Kobayashi.

T e OTE Group as een oing a goo jo

of promoting our cars in Oman through differ-

ent c anne s o mar eting, w ic as resu te

n goo sa es gures. OTE is trying to ma e

the brand Subaru a very recognisable one.

W i e Su aru is aso panning to intro uce

eco-friendly vehicles in the market soon, it will

continue to ocus on its esta is e core mo -

e s, name y t e Legacy, w ic comes in two

variants 2.5lt and 2.5lt GT, and the Impr-

eza XV, WRX an STI mo e s. Meanw i e, its

ports car project with Toyota is on track.

Suhail Bahwan Automobiles, the sole im-porters of Renault cars in Oman introducedthe all-new 2011 Fluence last month. The Flu-

ence is the replacement of the outgoing Me-gane and was rst revealed in August 2009.

Mechanically based on the exible Renault/

Nissan C platform, it has been positioned be-

tween the compact family saloon C-segment

and the upper-medium segment in the brands

line-up. The Fluence can also be considered as

a stylish notchback version of the Mgane III,

which was developed as Renault Samsungs

new SM3 in Korea and has been on sale since

November 2009.

The car for this market is offered with a host

of advanced features including a 1.6-litre 16V

110bhp engine mated to an automatic X-Tron-ic CVT gearbox, ABS with emergency brake

assist (EBA), electronic stability control (ESC),

up to six airbags, ve three-point seatbelts

with pre-tensioners and load limiters, cruise

control, and speed limiter. The Fluence is built

at the Oyak-Renault plant in Bursa, Turkey.

Renault GCC has a busy schedule ahead

with an impressive array of new model intro-

ductions across the region by the end of this

year. The back to back launches are in line with

the French manufacturers plans to expand its

market share within the small and mid-size

passenger car segments. In June, the San-

dero, its entry level model made its regional

appearance followed by the launch of the Flu-

ence this month. The new Megane hatchback

is due in September and a refreshed Safrane

will arrive in November. Close to home, sales

gures for Renault vehicles in Oman leapt

by 200 per cent in 2009 over 2008, and an

astounding 225 per cent between the rst-

halves of 2009 and 2010.

RENaUlT REplaCES mEgaNE wiTh all-NEw FlUENCE iN OmaN

-r: Hidetoshi Kobayashi, Tsuyoshi Nakai, Yasushi Nagae and Hiroyuki Karamatsu from Fuji Heavy Industries, Japan with Sheikh Saad Suhail Bahwan, V R Dilip and Anupam Singh of OTE Group, Subaru

OmaN TOp maRkET FOR SUbaRU


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{news}

The rst glimpse of some cars ahead of theforthcoming Paris Motor show in Octobersuggests that design and technology will be

top on the agenda for local manufacturers.

And not wanting to be outclassed on domestic

turf by imports from Asia, both Peugeot and

Renault seem to be on an overdrive when it

comes to communicating whats in store for

the masses at the French fashion capitals mo-

tor show in the coming months.

Among the early bird releases come some

interesting details about Renaults hottest con-

cept car, DeZir. With DeZir, Renault wants to

indicate the brands new styling and engineer-

ing direction. The DeZir project is the rst to

come off Laurens van den Ackers design team

and marks the start of a sequence of concept

cars that will provide an insight into Renault

designs new vision for the future. It also lays

the foundations for the styling cues of Re-

naults forthcoming electric or hybrid powered

vehicles. Powered by an electric motor, DeZir

could prove that electric vehicles and styling

can be compatible in a single package.

Meanwhile, rival Peugeot with the D-seg-

ment 508, introduces the marques new de-

sign look which has evolved from the stylistic

codes rst unveiled on the SR1 Concept Car.

The stylish exterior design is elegant and time-

less and full of French chic, equally at home

in Paris or London. The interior of the car

combines hi-tech with the use of high quality

materials and every detail has been chosen to

offer indisputable perceived quality, both visu-

ally and to the touch. An exceptional in-

terior space, a very

generous boot,

and a level

of standard

specication

provide inte-

rior comfort

and conve-

nience of a

very high level.

The 508 has been designed to optimise

the performance of its engines, enhance en-

vironmental efciency, reduce weight and im-

prove aerodynamics, matched at all times to

a broad range of highly efcient engines. Af-

ter launch, Peugeots HYbrid4 technology wil

become available on the 508 and will provide

200bhp performance with all-wheel drive and

emissions of 99g/km of CO2 or zero in electric

mode.

The 508 will be built on PSA Groups plat-

form 3 in saloon and stationwagon guises and

will be produced in

Rennes-La-Ja

nais

in France, for the European market and in

2011, at Wuhan in China, for the domestic

market.

5

all-NEw JagUaR xJ aRRivES iN OmaN

RENaUlT TO ShOwCaSE dEZiR CONCEpT aT paRiS

Jaguar announce t e arriva o t e a -newXJ at its exclusive Oman importer Mohsinai er Darwis LLC ast mont . Sporting a new

design language and some unique featuresuch as panoramic glass roof [standard on all

o e s an p asma instrumentation, t e a -

ew Jaguar XJ brings a daring new spirit to

automotive uxury. T e arriva o t e a new

XJ is a momentous occasion for the Jaguar

rand in Oman. This stunning new product

wi e nite y impress our existing Jaguar cus-

tomers and also bring a new set of customers

nto our s owrooms. We are oping to capita -

ze on this advantage to increase our market

are signi cant y, sai Davi Aziz, irector

automotive at MHD LLC.

The new Jaguar XJ will offers the choice ofour power u an re ne engines, w ic use

the latest powertrain technology to deliver

an outstan ing com ination o per ormance

an c ass- ea ing e ciency. T e top en cars

get the supercharged 510hp 5.0-litre AJ-V8

en III engine w ic wi sprint t e car rom

-100km/h in 4.9sec, while two milder en-

gines, a 470 p superc arge an 385 p nat-

ra y aspirate petro V8s are a so avai a e.

The new model will be offered to customers

with bespoke options and a choice of four

specication levels Luxury, Premium Luxury,

ort o io an Supersport an prices wi range

from RO39,500 to RO 49,500. Building on thesuccess o t e new XK an XF mo e s g o -

a y an in t e Mi e East, t e intro uction

f the all-new XJ is a landmark for the revita-

ised Jaguar brand. Clearly positioned as the

ompany s our- oor ags ip, it exten s t e

ppeal of the XJ to a new generation of cus-omers, sai Hanna Naji, mar eting irecto

f Jaguar Land Rover MENA region.


8/85

{news}

6

Its ofcial now that the new Bugatti will be

christened as the Super Sport. Improvingupon the Veyrons already impressive 1,001

horsepower, Bugatti engineers have now t-

ted the Super Sport models 8.0-litre sixteen-

cylinder engine with larger turbochargers and

intercoolers, resulting in a massive 1,200hp

and 1,106 lb-ft or torque. To cope with that

added power, the Super Sport features a re-

vised chassis and improved suspension, al-

lowing for lateral acceleration up to 1.4G.

But the real story of the Super Sport is

its incredible top speed. Using Volkswagens

13-miles Ehra-Lessien test track, Bugatti test

driver Pierre-Henri Raphanel was able to pi-lot the Veyron Super Sport to a landspeed

record-setting top speed of 267.91mph. That

mark was reached by averaging the Super

Sports two test runs, the rst topping out at

265.96mph and the second at 269.86mph.

The Guinness Book of Records was on hand

to verify the record. The Veyron Super Sports

speed shatters the 255.83mph record previ-

ously held by the Shelby Supercars Ultimate

Aero. Fittingly, the Ultimate Aero took its title

from the Veyron in 2007.

bUgaTTi aNNOUNCES vEYRON SUpER SpORT

aSTON maRTiN iNTROdUCES v8 vaNTagE N420


9/85

Although no ofcial announcement has

een ma e, t ere are extra strong rumours

n the US about General Motors Co GM.UL

ans to e its registration or an initia pu -

ic offering during the week of August 16.The timing has been chosen to be after the

xpecte ate or its secon quarter resu t

nnouncement. A GM ling with the US Se-

urities an Exc ange Commission wou

e the rst step toward an IPO to reduce

t e US governments owners ip in t e auto-

a er a ter a 50 i ion ai out in 2009. By

ling with the SEC in August, GM is aiming

to comp ete its IPO e ore t e Novem er

S elections, according to the sources, who

s e not to e name ecause t e c ose -

oor preparations remain con entia .

GM also remains in talks with banks forea er an consumer nancing or more

redit-worthy borrowers, one of the sources

ai . One concern or potentia investors

as een w et er GM eaers an poten-

tial car buyers have the same kind of access

to nancing as competitors wit in- ouse

nancing operations like Ford Motor Co.

eanw i e, GMs secon -quarter earnings

eport are expecte to s ow t e automa er

enerated cash for a second consecutive

arnings perio , accor ing to one o t e

ources.

{news}

7

RaNgE ROvER EvOqUE gOES UNdERCOvER pRiOR TO laUNCh

I you t oug t t at t e compact segment wasust the playground for premium brands,then think again. South Koreas Hyundai prom-

ses to re e ne t e compact segment an t e

rst hint in this direction came at the Busanotor S ow in Sout Korea w ere a pre-pro-

uction fth generation 2011 Hyundai Elantra

[Avante for domestic market] was showcased.

ow t e car is rea y or commercia re ease

nd as always the domestic market gets the

ew arriva rst in August. T e new E antra

as undergone a complete design transfor-

ation and wears Hyundais corporate Flu-

ic Scu pture esign anguage, w ic t e car

aker is heavily promoting in the new or re-

acement mo e s. T e new Avante E antra

ncompasses Hyun ai s atest am itions, ea-

turing the best styling and performance in its

ass, sai Steve S. Yang, presi ent an CEO

Hyun ais G o a Business Division.

The car will be powered by a 1.6-litreamma GDI Gaso ine Direct Injection our-

ylinder engine offering 138hp and 167Nm

torque via a six-spee automatic transmis-

ion. Hyun ai promises t e car to e 10 per

ent more fuel efcient than its closest com-

etitors. Besi es ig eve o it suc as HID

(High Intensity Discharge) headlights and LED

tai ig ts, t e interior wi ave a air y arge

CD in otainment screen, tie to a GPS screen

nd ambient lighting.

2011 hYUNdai ElaNTRa gOES UpSCalE GM plans to file for ipo


10/85

{news}

8

e on y Japanese car ever to win t e pres-

igious World Car of the Year overall

awar , t e egen ary Maz a2 wi e avai a e

n Oman before the commencement of the

oy Mont o Rama an. Wor Car o t e

Year (WCOTY) is the most respected award

for any automobile company and is chosen by

a jury o 48 top auto journa ists rom 22 coun-tries. Till date only three German car brands

ave won t is awar ue to its ig y strin-

gent criteria.

The compact Mazda2 hatchback will be

avai a e in 1.5- itre engine wit t e w o e

ot of advanced features as standard which

are not current y eing o ere y ot er

competitive models in its class. Since its

aunch, the Mazda2 has received more than

0 awar s g o a y, inc u ing Car o t e Year

n over 20 countries, acclaimed for its beau-

ti u esign, sporty riving per ormance, an

outstanding eco-friendly features. At TAC,

we believe that the new Mazda2 will make

an immense contri ution towar s urt er es-

tablishing the Mazda brand in the sultanate,

sai Annurag C aw a, Hea o Mar eting an

Communications, Towell Auto Centre.

The second car that will be offered to cus-

tomers is t e mi -size crossover CX-7 SUV.

This stylish Mazda CX-7 is one of the worlds

rst pro uction SUVs to com ine a sporty e-

sign and driving experience with SUV practi-

cality and roominess. Since its launch in 2006,

t is unique sports crossover SUV as stea i y

gained in popularity around the world, selling

a out 190,000 units an winning 15 automo-

tive awar s.

The region benets from the facelifted CX-7

version, w ic is just as sporty- oo ing as e-

fore with an extremely at A-pillar angle of 66

egrees, a rising waist ine an roo spoi er,

powerful wheel arches inspired by Mazda RX-8sports coupe and large wheels. The new face-

i t mo e re nes t is pac age o attri utes

even further and takes ad-

vantage of nimble turbocharged

2.3- itre engine w ic pro uces a ea t y

244hp. From the specications perspective,

t e SUV is en owe wit an impressive ist o

standard features including 18in alloy wheels,

xenon headlamps, Bose music system with

6 CD MP3 in as , eat er seats, smart ey,

reversing camera, climate control air-condi-

tioning, cruise contro an Dynamic Sta i ity

Contro .

TwiN TREaT FOR maZda FaNS iN OmaN

SUZUki RElEaSES

mORE dETailS OF

all-NEw SwiFT

e forthcoming all-new Swift is positioned

s Suzu i s atest wor strategic mo e

and makes further developments in design,impact sa ety, riving per ormance, an ing,

improved fuel consumption and signicantly

lower emissions at 116g/km which will make

it one o t e very c eanest petro engine super

minis on sale. Extensive use of higher strength

stee ma es t e new car ig ter an sti er

than before as well as offering renement in

underbody design. The latest body structure

as a so e pe improve impact sa ety or pe-

destrians as well as occupants.

Varia e gear ratio steering, increase trac

and larger diameter wheels with lower pro-

le tyres allow for even better handling than

t e ig y acc aime outgoing Swi t t at rstwent on sale ve years ago. The new Swift

as grown in engt +90mm wit a 50mm

increase in wheelbase and a slight increase in

height of 10mm. For the powertrain, a new

1.2- itre petro engine incorporating Dua VVT

(Variable intake and exhaust valve timing) is

uti ise w ic pro uces 94PS at 6,000rpm,

slightly more than the outgoing 1.3-litre

unit. Torque is a so improve to 118Nm at

4,800rpm. Fue consumption on t e com ine

cycle is now 56.5mpg for the manual trans-

mission mo e , an improvement o 7.8mpg

over the previous 1.3-litre unit.

e spiritua successor to Frenc automa -

r Peugeots open-top car heritage and

t e atest a ition to 206 CC, 307 CC an 207

CC family for Oman is the 308 CC. Peugeot,arguably is world leader in coup-cabriolet

o y sty e cars an as pro uce c ose to

700,000 s of 2+2s in both B and M1 seg-

ents wor wi e.

It may be recalled that Peugeot has been

a continuous pioneer in the segment of fold-

ng roo cars since 1930, wit nota e mo e s

such as the 401, 601 and 402 Eclipse. De-

spite engineering c a enges Peugeot as nev-

er lost its desire to give motorists the freedom

to drive in either the coup or cabriolet con-

guration t roug t e magic o a rigi roo

that neatly folds into the boot. As a coup-ca rio et wit our u size seats, t e 308 CC

enets from wider tracks and a wider body

compare to t e 307 CC, as we as a ront

seat structure w ic o ers ot generous eg

room to the rear occupants and provides a

goo amount o space. T e car is powere

by a forced-fed 1.6-litre turbocharged directinjection our cy in er petro engine o ering

150 p via six-spee manua or automatic

gearbox. The car is offered in Sport, SE and

GT mo e s an price rom RO 10,595 an is

available at Zubair Automotive Group.

pEUgEOT 308 CC STOpS mUSCaT TRaFFiC


11/85

{news}

9

m-b ShOwS SpECial g-wagEN CONCEpT

FORdS NEw 2011 ExplORER will FOCUS ON EFFiCiENCY

M rce es-Benz as intro uce a new ar-oured truck concept designed for thee ence in ustry app ications. T e Merce es-

enz G-Wagen Light Armoured Patrol Vehicle

.X was s own o or t e rst time ast mont

uring Eurosatory 2010 in Paris.

The vehicle is based on the LAPV 5.4 and

t e 6.X was meant to carry arger an eavier

argo, while offering better protection as well

s agi ity. It uses an unspeci e common-

ail diesel engine that lets the concept hit

50 km/h even if carrying 1,300kg of cargo.

Various agencies wou e p ease wit t e

trucks armour plate design, that lets repair

teams quic y remove an rep ace amage

ieces. Additional plates of armour may be

nstalled quickly and as needed. This includes

rotection rom an mines t at can e a e

t the LAPVs oor.

Ot er eatures on t e o -roa er inc u e

variable air shock absorbers that can be ad-

usted on the y to provide up to 450mm of

earance. Hy rau ic ra es wit venti ate

discs were also added to make rough terrain

easier to navigate. A co-operation wit t e Eu-

opean Aeronautic De ence an Space Com-

any provides command centre capabilities

wit a ata recor er, communications system,

and even a radio jamming system.

li shufu to head new VolVo Cars

board

i S u u, t e oun er an c airman o Z eji

ang Gee y Ho ing Group Co., wi ecome t e

chairman of a new board for Volvo Cars afte

t e C inese company comp etes t e acquisi

tion formalities of the Swedish carmaker from

or Motor Co. Former Vo vo c ie executive

ans-O ov O sson, wi act as t e vice c air

an of Volvo Cars. We have made signi-

cant progress in assem ing t e team t at wi

develop Volvo Cars under Geelys ownership,

i sai in a statement. Meanw i e, Z ejiang

Geely is in talks to hire Stefan Jacoby, mos

ecently head of Volkswagens US operations

to e Vo vos next c ie executive.

It s no secret t at For s o y-on- rame Ex-lorer SUV not only had an enviable career,ut a so serve as a a o mo e in t e seg-

ent for the brand, much like the Mustang inthe sports car segment. But thats not good

noug anymore as uying tren s ave s i t-

d towards highly efcient and sporty cross-

vers. As expecte For wi continue wit t e

xplorer badge, but has recreated and repack-

ged it for 2011 and onwards. Just like rival

Jeep w ic as recent y intro uce t e a -

ew Grand Cherokee, Ford has solid reasons

to e optimistic wit its 2011 Exp orer.

ast month, Ford simultaneously unveiled

t e Exporer at a num er o me ia events

roun t e US an Cana a. Since t e ocus is

n efciency, no department has been spared.T e a -new Exp orer wi now ri es on a ig t-

weight but proven unibody platform derived

rom t e automa er s D3 pat orm w ic was

rigina y esigne y Vo vo. Su stantia y up-

ated since it rst debuted in 2005, it now

n erpins t e Taurus, F ex, Linco n MKS an

Volvo XC90. With a length of 197.1in and a

wi t o 90.2in inc u ing t e exterior mirrors,

t e 2011 Exporer is arger t an t e outgo-

ng model and just three inches shorter than

GMC Aca ia.

owertrains will range from Europe-sourced

37 p 2.0- itre tur oc arge wit ECO oost

o 290hp 3.7-litre V6 engines and the V8 will

e roppe . Bot engines wi e mate to

ix-speed automatic transmissions. The XLTn Limite trim eve s wi eature a s i ter-

ounted +/- toggle switch for manual-style

earshifts. The V6 Explorers can be equipped

it e ectronic terrain management contro

ystems offering snow, sand, mud and nor-

wheel-drive system.

The Explorer has some new safety features

nc u ing in ata e seat e ts in t e ac sea

that help protect occupants heads and chestsn a cras . A curve contro system e ps eep

the car on track when the driver goes too fas

nto a tight curve. And its MyFordTouch dash

oar system a ows rivers to c ange t e

temperature, make calls and hear text mes-


12/85

{Brandwatch}

10

JagUaR FUTUREplaNS REvEalEd!Sou o ccorn to n, ten e cn eect n

rry of ne oes, ncun bmw 3 Seres fter

con fro Jur n te con yers.

Jaguars new chief, Tata Motors CEO Carl-Peter Forster, has outlined an extensivemodel expansion plan that commits the Brit-

ish car-maker to a high-performance two-door

roadster, an X-Type replacement and a wagon

version of the XF.

Forster is also in charge of the Indian com-

panys newly acquired Jaguar and Land Rover

operations, listed the new models in an inter-

view with German magazine recently in which

he detailed what Jaguar must do to be suc-

cessful.

The former GM Europe boss gave the

thumbs up to a sporty roadster and spiritual

successor to the legendary E-Type that would

compete with the Porsche Boxster. Jaguar has

been playing with the idea of such a vehicle

since the 1970s, coming close when it devel-

oped the F-Type concept at the Detroit motor

show in 2000.

That model idea was struck down by then-

Jaguar owner Ford, but Tatas takeover has

re-energised the roadster plan, which has the

support of long-time Jaguar designer Ian Cal-

lum. While the roadster is bound to attract the

most attention, it is a redesigned BMW 3 Se-

ries rival that could provide the most volume

for the prestige car manufacturer.

Jaguar has just wound up production of the

X-Type, a Mondeo-based mid-sizer born of the

Ford takeover of the brand, which was sup-

posed to challenge the top-selling BMW and

dramatically drive-up Jaguar sales.

While, Forster did not expand greatly on his

plan for the new mid-sized model, but sug-

gested that it might not be a mainstream sa-


13/85

{news}

11

loon, a position that suggests a different ap-

proach to the previous X-Type.

This model is expected to be based on an

all-new platform which would give Jaguar theopportunity to make the vehicle a rear-drive

like the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-

class. The X-Type was produced in front-drive

and all-wheel drive variants.

A wagon version of the XF saloon is also in

the grand plan and will be aimed squarely at

the European market, while a long-wheelbase

version of the XF will be produced with the

booming Chinese market front of mind.

Forster also suggested that new four-cylin-

der turbo-petrol and four-cylinder turbo-die-

sel engines would be required to meet more

economical buying trends.

Its getting clearer now how Jaguar is revitalized its portfolio with a clearer focus

towards the premium rear-wheel volume segments currently dominated by BMW and

Mercedes-Benz with the 3 Series and C-Class respectively. A smaller sporty roadster

that would compete with the Porsche Boxster is also on the cards.

CadillaC posts iMpressiVe Gains

in Middle east

n t e rst a o 2010, saes o GM s pre

ium brand grew 29 per cent over the same

erio in 2009, or a tota o 1,617 units. T is

ate of increase in regional sales of Cadillacve ices as outpace t e regiona in ustry

estimates. In Sau i Ara ia, t e region s arg

est market, Cadillac sales in the rst half of

2010 increase y 52 per cent over t e same

eriod last year, the UAE grew by 27 per cent

uwait went up y 30 per cent an Le anon

grew by 56 per cent. First half 2010 Cadillac

nit sales in the regions three largest markets

were 560 in Sau i Ara ia, o owe y 356 in

the UAE and 304 in Kuwait.

renault-nissan allianCe inks Mou

with indias bajajenau t-Nissan A iance con rme as

onth that it has signed an accord with Pune

In ia- ase Bajaj Auto or ma ing a new ca

for the Indian and other emerging markets

ajaj-Renault are already making an ultra-low

cost car, w ic it p ans to aunc in 2012. Baja

Auto, Indias second-largest motorcycle mak

er ma es Pu sar an Discover motorcyc es as

well as three-wheelers. Bajaj has conrmed

that its partnership with Renault-Nissan al

iance to ma e u tra ow-cost car was intac

and the project was on schedule.

toyota to roll out etiosToyota is looking at exporting the small ca

rom In ia to various overseas mar ets an is

expected to launch the new small car Etios,

y t e en o t e year. Toyota an its oca

artner Kir os ar Motor Private Lt ave se

p a new factory with an initial production ca

acity o 70,000 cars per annum. T e p an

will go on stream in December. The capac

ty o t e new aci ity wi e exten e up to

2,00,000 cars per annum in two years.

rolls-royCe doubles sales in Me

While the world may be complaining about

ecession an stagnation, Ro s-Royce Moto

Cars as seen saes in t e Mi e East region

n the rst half of 2010 increase by 98 per

cent year on year. W i e a ea ers in t e

iddle East reported impressive gures, Abu

a i an Sau i Ara ia were a e to ac ieve

an even more outstan ing resu t an tre e

their sales. Four out of the top ten selling

ea ers ips wor wi e are ocate in t e re

gion and Mohammed Yousuf Naghi Motors

t e so e ea er in t e King om o Sau i Ara

ia.


14/85

{news}

12

bmw CONFiRmS 1 SERiES m

BMWs M division has many reasons tocelebrate this year. Last month, the M3completed 25 years in the business and its

M badged X5 and X6 are doing exceptionally

well. Now, BMW M chief Kay Segler wants to

take the experience to an altogether new level

for the rst time. BMW Group is actively work-

ing on ways to expand its customer base and

hopes that performance variants of its smallercars will attract younger customers to the

brand. In a new direction for the performance

brand, the 1 Series is now in sight.

Last month at Ascari, during the M3 GTS

rst drive [rst drive report to appear in next

issue of Automan], BMW ofcials conrmed

that its M-badged baby, the 1 Series M Coupe

is almost ready for production. This means

that the smallest M car could hit the show-

rooms as early as 2011.

That the probability of a smaller car be-

low the M3 under development has been in

circulation for a while and several spy shots

have also appeared in media. BMW M chief

Kay Segler conrmed the model addition,

and added that a small, affordable M model

in the tradition of the rst M3 was one of his

urgent goals. Segler ruled out the M1 name

because that had powerful historical associa-

tions with the BMW sportscar produced be-

tween 1978 and 1981. So we have decided

to follow our second nomenclature method,

he said. This means the new arrival falls in the

naming tradition of the Z4 Roadster, X5 M and

X6 M, where BMW has put the brand identier

at the end of the name.

At Ascari, we were given a rst taste of the

car as a passenger. The cars are in their nal

phase of testing and validation before it goes

in for production. Three prototypes one at

Ascari, one in southern France, and one at

BMWs proving centre are currently undergo-

ing testing and the programme is expected tolast 5-6 months.

The mechanical package is based on the

135, and unlike the 4.0-litre V8-powered M3,

the 1 Series M Coupe is expected to get the

twin-turbo 3.0-litre straight six from the Z4

sDrive35iS. The M boys will further tweak the

engine and suspension to give the car its dual

road and track character. We can expect it to

pack 260kW about 35kW more than the 135i

Sport on which it is based. A six-speed manual

gearbox will be standard during introduction,

though we think that a dual-clutch auto could

be offered later.

The rst hand details that we can reveal

are interesting. Despite the famous swirl black

and white camouage, its clear that the car

boasts a signicantly wider track than the

standard 1 Series Coup and the lower va-

lance up front is aerodynamically proled and

designed to accommodate the intercoolers

for the turbo chargers, while the side ducts

will channel air to cool down the brakes. At

the rear, the M Divisions trademark quad ex-

hausts are present.

Since the chassis is lowered, theres less

space between the wheel arches and the tyres

than the regular 1 Series models. The proto-

type, we observed was also wearing meaty

19in wheels. We think there will be an option

with 18in rims also. While we were assured

that the test car was not the nished prod-

uct inside, we could not fail to spot light grey

M instruments ahead of the chunky steeringwheel. Since the car is supposed to attract

younger customers, we can be assured it will

be generously equipped with kit, ranging from

Alcantara leather seats, satnav among others

mod cons.

As a passenger sitting next to a BMW test

driver we felt what its like on the limit from

the passenger seat. The noise from the en-

gine was a little muted, but thats the penalty

for going down the turbocharged route rather

than high revs and natural aspiration was

quite evident in the corners. The car is fast,

and an educated guess suggests a 0-100km/h

time of about ve seconds is quite possible.

The cars is much more impressive than the

regular 1s straight-line speed is how it tackles

corners. It surely feels lighter on its feet than

its bigger M siblings. Turn-in is lightning quick

and we noted the driver taking full advantage

of tapping the power really early and then ad-

just the angle of the car with the throttle. And

thats possible theres an M3s rear axle, fea-

turing the M differential in this car!

Baby coupe to get BMWs potent M treatment in bid to attract a new genre of customer


15/85

Playboy. PLAYBOY and RABBIT HEAD DESIGN are trademarks of Playboy and used under license by Co

Hollywood

new original fragrance for me

Vegas

dtrt Mct Phrmc & str llCav t n tt n omn

MiaMi

Malibu


16/85

{cover story}

14

At lAst Bentleyreturns home


17/85

{cover story}

15

Te -ne 2010 musnne s Cree, Uk-se bentey motors

frst -ne oe eeoe roun-u n tree eces. auton

scoere ts re rtues urn sojourn t te cr n

Scotn recenty


18/85

{cover story}

16

>


19/85

{cover story}

17

In the history of Crewe, UK-based Bentley

Motors, the return of the Mulsanne badge

for its all-new production model is more

than just an emotional comeback. In an un-

certain business climate where many auto-makers are struggling to keep tradition alive,

some forward thinking at Bentley Motors has

virtually re-written an illustrious chapter in

the top end of performance luxury motoring.

What is remarkable is the fact the Volkswagen

owned premium luxury marque has proven

to the motoring world that it is still possible

to continue with the spirit of its remarkable

history and heritage history without running

the risk of nding itself nowhere, if the vari-

ous bits in the equation were sensibly put into

action.

The name Mulsanne wasnt coined aftersome Mediterranean archipelago. Actually, its

christened after a legendary straightaway on

Le Mans Circuit De La Sarthe, which Bent-

ley think was most appropriate in represent-

ing the companys aspirations for this model.

During the product presentation in Scotland,

Bentley executives repeatedly highlighted the

fact that the new Mulsanne was an authen-

tic and timeless modern classic and 100 per

cent faithful to Bentley heritage. Now, this is

an interesting argument, considering the fact

that in the current environment of car mak-

ing, the rather lengthy model lifecycles that

small-volume manufacturers are often forcedto adopt makes it crucial to ensure that the

entire package is right the rst time.

And Bentley has been spot on that aspect

with the new Mulsanne, supersized ultra

luxury saloon car. So, it doesnt come as a

surprise that the design chapter for the Mul-

sanne focuses on dimensions and proportions

rst as anything else. At rst glance, besides

the overwhelming presence, it seems to have

preserved the Arnages exclusivity, and yet re-

main detached from the Continental. It does

have that glorious coachbuilt look, thanks to

cutting edge solutions for construction and

bespoke options. [Eds note: Mulliner, the of-

cial bespoke supplier will also offer custom

solutions later].

The Mulsanne is boxy upfront and appears

to be chiseled out of a solid block. Breaking

the monotony is the traditional Bentley ma-

trix grille, classic round inner headlamps with

chrome surrounds, anked by two, smaller

outboard lamp clusters, all featuring the lat-

est in lighting technology. The iconic Flying

B retractable radiator mascot is available as

an option. The long bonnet, short front over-

hang and long rear overhang give the car a

limousine-like prole and elegant proportions

through soft creaselines which interplay with

light to give a long and low silhoutte.Physically, the car is really large with an

overall length and width just shy of 220in and

76in, respectively. Compared to the Arnage,

the Mulsannes wheelbase is nearly seven

inches longer at 128.6in and in overall length

by 18in. We think the inuence of emerging

markets such as China where generous rear

accommodation is a strong consideration, has

been a key deciding factor in these new di-

mensions. While, overall height is up a frac-

tion to 59.88in and despite being loaded with

an array of features, thanks to the use of

lightweight construction materials such as alu-

minium and resin composites, the Mulsanne

stands healthy at 2,590kg, which is more or

less about the same as the outgoing Arnage.

Before we move any further, however, it is to

be understood that according to Bentley that

the Mulsanne isnt the direct replacement of

the Arnage, although the outgoing model se-

ries represented the same slot in the hierar-

chy.

At the beginning of the Mulsanne project

in 2007, the outgoing Arnage chassis was

also considered as a possible carry over, but

shelved as it couldnt meet the new dimen-

sions or styling-led requirements and which ledto an all-new platform being created. Theres

no arguing that the cars overwhelming front

face has some unusual design elements, es-

pecially, the odd front headlamps. Although,

they are more of a historical reference out

here, they are actually more of an aesthetic

reference to the 1950s S-Type. We can em-

pathise with the idea of trying to morph a

50s design element into a 21st century style-

sheet, and regardless of what we think, those

lights are housed into the cavity superformed

front mudguards. Meanwhile, the doors and

bonnet are also made of aluminium using the

same process. In superforming, metal sheets

are pre-heated and complex shapes formed

using vacuum systems, which cannot be done

in conventional stamping methods.

At the rear, the boot lid not being made of

aluminium may surprise many. No, it wasnt

a cost cutting exercise, but rather a techni-

cal requirement. It uses layered composite

polymer in its construction and somewhere in

those layers are the antenna for the nav sys-

tem. Similarly, the sensors for the new keyless

entry system are cleverly embedded in the

door handles. The car uses labour intensive

methods for construction and each car takes

400-man hours to build, which is about 15 pe

cent longer than that of the Arnage.The cabin welcomes it occupants with a

full dose of traditional craftsmanship. It takes

over 170 hours to assemble these individua

components, be it leather upholstery or Bent

leys trademark metal bullseye air vents and

their accompanying organ stop regulators.

remember vividly in the Arnage, the regula

tors were attached to vanes that governed the

vents, but in the Mulsanne its not like that

Since the car gets the quad-zone HVAC sys

tem from the A8, the air control is done via

electronic switches. Its commendable the way

the previous mechanisms feel has been suc-

cessfully replicated.

Meanwhile, the broad swath of veneer or

the waistrail in Bentley-speak that forms an

unbroken ring of wood around the occupants

in our test car was nished in a gorgeous pia

no black. Bentley says more traditional choices

are available, including nine different veneers

and beyond that, there are over 100 paint n

ishes, 24 leathers, 21 shades of carpet and

23 shades of seatbelt webbing complete with

colour-matched buckles!

As this car is intended for both owner and

driver to enjoy, nevertheless, both get a com-

prehensive handcrafted dashboard and instrumentation with inverted dial needles, which

are evocative of early Bentleys while the entire

instrument panel design is a subtle reminder

of the Bentley wings motif.

As a new model, the Mulsanne is mile

ahead of its predecessors, especially in the

electronics department. The Mulsanne boasts


20/85

{cover story}

18

of a cutting-edge setup, thanks to its Ger-

man ownership, the car gets a substantially

reworked version of Audis extremely user-

friendly Multi Media Interface (MMI) infotain-

ment architecture, which makes the naviga-

tion system in the Arnage, quite archaic. While

the system is basically the same as on the

2011 A8, but it operates without a touchpad.

Instead of Audis all-in-one controller, Bentley

has instead chosen to install the system ver-

tically in the central console stack below the

HVAC controls which is quite consistent with

the marques upper-crust image. Theres an

eight-inch navigation display screen hidden

behind a veneered door, a 60GB hard drive

for data and navigation storage, and even an

iPod hook up port. Since the car is extra wide,

Bentley has given it extra eyes in form new

optional side view cameras. And for audio-

philes, theres a 2,200-watt Naim audio sys-

tem which relegates sound through 20 strate-

gically placed speakers.

In VAGs parts bin, theres an array of mod-

ern V6, V8, V10 and W12 engines to choose

from, but end of the day, it was more of heri-

tage reference that dictated the displacement

capacity and type of engine to be employed

for the job. As a result, the new Mulsanne gets

a 6-litre (also pronounced as six and three-

quarters) V8 with 90-degree banks and in its

half a century, Bentley has offered just one

eight-cylinder, but this isnt the same engine.

In fact, it is a highly upgraded version of the

Arnages L-series V8 block, which can trace its

origins back to the rms rst V8 from 1959

has been used, but components inside such

as pistons, connecting rods and forged crank-

shaft are now much lighter. Team Bentley has

also introduced cam phasing and variable dis-

placement management or cylinder deactiva-

tion to the forced fed bi-turbo powerplant

both are technological rsts in the ultra-luxury

segment and have been brought in to improve

fuel economy and lower emissions.

In this garb, the 6-litre V8 delivers

505bhp at 4,200 rpm and 1,020Nm of torque

from just 1,750 rpm. The new 6.75 is mated

to a ZF-sourced eight-speed gearbox, and the

Mulsanne is the rst large Bentley to be t-

ted with paddleshifters. The latter are simple

spoke-mounted +/- pull tabs similar in look

and operation to those used on Audis. The

chrome nish shifters and knurled nger grips

mimic the pattern on the outside door han-


21/85

{cover story}

19

dles. The steel chassis also houses an active

suspension system, so there are air springs all

round and the car rides on 265/40 Pirelli P Ze-

ros mounted on standard 20in wheels. Larger

21in are optional and so are carbon ceramic

brakes with eight piston calipers. As part of

the new software, the Drive Dynamics Control

system allows the driver to select three driv-

ing modes - Bentley, Sport and Comfort.

Theres also provision for drivers to save their

own custom settings also.

Whether you are in the drivers seat or as a

back seat passenger, this car is like a palace on

wheels. However, it was the Mulsannes extra

width [car plus extra wide door mounted side

mirrors] combined with Scotlands narrow-

gauge country roads that initially challenge

our driving skills. It took about half an hour

to get acquainted and from there on, the drive

was not as complicated as we had anticipated.

As we discovered during different phases of

driving that this isnt really the sort of car that

feels like it shrinks around the driver when

putting foot on to those drilled pedals. Despite

its weight, this rear-wheel drive car is excep-

tionally quick and does 0-96km/h in 5.1secs

at. On straight tarmac, we pushed the V8

and its solid locomotive steel-chassis close to

290km/h. And at street legal speeds, the car is

unstressed even with four of the cylinders de-

activated. The variable displacement system

works like a treat. And in any mode the car is

eerily quiet inside the cabin.

The car is so well connected with the driv-

er that on the road, not only you experience

the Mulsannes super rened character, it is a

massive improvement over the Arnage and

we think it is much more sportier in most de-

partments than its direct rival, the Rolls-Royce

Phantom. The reworked and redesigned rela-

tively low-revving V8 engine is highly civilized

quiet, and will only be heard when theres

some prodding. In the highlands of Scotland

with two border crossings, we enjoyed the lei-

surely paced wafts along at 80 mph and high-

er in virtual silence. The aerodynamic proling

for this slighty boxy proled car is amazing

with incredible isolation from wind and road

noise. Part of that is due to the acoustically

treated windows, but the engineers have done

an incredible job of reducing wheel and tyre

noise also.

Mulsanne also has a few cans of surprises

too. It can dive into corners like a sports car


22/85

{cover story}

20

and thanks to the superb air suspension tun-

ing and the steering feedback [we chose to

customize our own settings via the DDC knobthats adjacent to the gear selector. In the

comfort setting, the highway ride is glorious,

especially in the extra generous rear seats,

but we felt the steering in this setting was

light and the ride a bit compromised on those

winding country roads. In these roads we felt

that the custom setting worked better. What

we did was to combine the heftier weight of

the sport steering to the B suspension set-

ting, which offers a terric compromise be-

tween handling and ride comfort. Meanwhile,

the sport setting ensures that the suspension

settles down more rmly, but the rear-seat

ride quality, although still admirable, is nota-bly stiffer, which isnt too bad!

For a driver, the delightful aspect of driving

the Mulsanne is its really accurate and com-

municative steering which makes one feel as

if driving a smaller car. The most impressive

aspect of the handling is how stable it is on

corner entry, with body control that would

shame many lighter, supposedly sportier ve-

hicles. Despite short sidewalls on the 265/40

Dunlop SP SportMaxx GT rubber, we didnt

observe any ride harshness, even in Sport

mode. Our tester didnt have ceramic brakes

and unless one is going to use the car as a

long hauler all the time, we think the massive

15.75in steel discs up front, and 14.5in out

back are quite competent. Since we adhered

to Scotlands lilting country roads most of the

time, we never came close to testing the stan-

dard systems limits on such as a steep down-

hill run to really get them hot and bothered.

In t e automotive usiness w ic is now c ar-

acterized by takeovers and revamps by eithercarmakers or venture capitalists, theres al-

ways an e ement o uncertainty wit t e re-

ationship and the products that will come out

rom t e marriage. W i e VW AG as owne

entley since 1998, it may seem a bit long to

think that the Mulsanne is the rst new big

ent e y pro uce . T an u y, t e German

owners have understood the British marques

Verdict


23/85

21

>


24/85

{cover story}

22

Bentley 8-litreThe 8 Litre was the largest and most luxurious

Bentley luxury car made prior to the purchase

of the marque by Rolls-Royce. It used a mas-

sive 7,983cc straight-six engine and rode on

a long 3,658mm or longer 3,962mm wheel-

base, making it the largest car produced in the

United Kingdom up to that time.

The car was conceived similarly to the Bu-

gatti Royale as a halo car to vault the maker

into position as the supreme maker of luxury

cars in the world. However, like the Bugatti,

the 8 Litre Bentley failed to sell in sufcient

numbers to make a prot. Launched at the

1930 London Olympia Motor Show in October

1930, just as the great depression hit Europe,

the chassis was priced at 1,850, making it an

exclusive and pricey vehicle.

The six-cylinder engine used a one-piece

iron block and cylinder head with a crankcase

made from an exotic magnesium alloy called

Electrons. The cylinder head featured four

valves per cylinder, as well as twin-spark igni-

tion; both were state-of-the-art at the time.

The bore was 110 mm and the stroke was

140mm. The manufacturer claimed a maxi-

mum speed of approximately 200 km/h).

A four-speed manual transmission with a

single-plate dry clutch sent power to the rear

wheels, however the placement of the gear

shifter was unlike modern cars. Because of

the handbrake placement obstructing the

drivers entry, drivers found it better to use

the passenger door instead. The rear door

swung in the opposite direction [aka suicide

doors]. While semi-elliptical springs were used

all around, and 4-wheel servo-assisted drum

brakes were also specied, the car wasnt as

rough one would expect it to be.

Only 100 of these cars were produced: 35

were on a 145-inch wheelbase and 65 were on

a 153-inch wheelbase; fewer than 25 per cent

were tted with open bodies. It is suggested

that the car was a prime reason for Bentley

Motors going bankrupt, but when on Rolls-

Royce bought the company in 1931, it imme-

diately disposed of all 8-Liter spare parts.

As a result of their rarity, they are much

sought after by collectors: It is believed pres-

ently that only 78 chassis survive and the car

in the pictures was a company car for WO.

Bentley have meticulously restored the car to

its original sheen. At the event, we were given

taxi rides in this closed-body historical car.


25/85

{cover story}

23

>


26/85

{Road Test}

24

hons gof gTi syer, te Uk-ut Cc Tye-R, s fny rre

n On. auton scoers ts true enes

PocketRo

cket


27/85

{Road Test}

25

Honda in general is generally a consid-

ered a conservative carmaker that con-

sistently cranks out modestly rened

cars. Besides its attempt to produce neo-lux-

ury cars and charge premium pricing, it oc-casionally produces a wicked little something

that sneaks through the cracks and reminds

us that it can also offer a little spice too.

As a self-confessed Honda acionado, at

times, I personally feel that Honda has split

personality, very similar to Japanese compa-

triot Subaru. Subarus claim to fame comes

through its boxer-engined all-wheel-drive rally

race cars, whereas Honda combines a strong

racing heritage with a reputation for more

mundane mainstream models.

But all this is changing gradually, and if

one follows Honda through the recent motorshows New Delhi, Detroit, Geneva, Beijing

among others Honda has certainly been

making noises with impressive concepts and

ideas what its thinks future motoring could

look like.

While we dont know how many concepts

will actually make it in to production, but we

do know that the Civic Type R three-door

hatch has nally arrived in several Middle East

markets, Oman being among them.

The Middle East markets, till the pre-global

economic meltdown phase, hardly attracted

small cars, let alone compact B-segment

hatchbacks. But all that has begun to changeand admittedly, rarely does a pint-sized hatch-

back generate so much excitement in markets

that has been predominantly SUV and large

car dominated. But with now more openness

and acceptance of smaller sub-B segment cars,

the market is getting interesting with several

automotive brands from Japan, Korea, India

and Europe vying for consumer attention.

Theres a bonus also attached to the equa-

tion if you follow how this segment is shaping

up. Till now, the market for performance ori-

ented small hatchbacks has been small with

the exception of Volkswagens all-time GTI,

Seats Leon FR and Cupra models, and Re-

naults Clio sport models.

From Hondas perspective, the Civic Type R

is the highest performance spec of the Civic

series. The Type R designation is usually giv-

en to models that have been developed and

tuned in-house, but not by Mugen, Hondas

ofcially owned tuning set-up. These non-Mu-

gen performance models also end up in circuit

competitionas high performance derivatives

and in the case of Honda, the lineage can be

traced directly to the 1992 Honda NSX Type R,

which featured a lightweight chassis, stiffened

body, ne tuned engine and upgraded perfor-

mance brakes.

Honda Civic Type- R is a high-performanceversion of Civic introduced in 1997. It is cur-

rently in its third generation and comes with

two distinct varieties One for European and

one for Japanese, domestic market. The Mid-

dle East gets the European version. The Civic

Type R has earned itself a cult following in

Europe.

As a spiritual successor to the previous

generation that was retired from active duty

in 2007, it seems the development focus has

revolved around bold and emotional styling

teamed up with a further development of the

previous Type Rs race proven and high-rev-

ving powertrain.

The Civic Type R is offered only as a three

door hatch in the UK, so it uses a different

chassis and mechanical components in its sus-

pension. When compared to its saloon cousin,

the rear suspension, formerly a double wish-

bone set-up, has been simplied changed to

a less complex torsion beam axle. While the

Honda runs on 225/40 R18 Y88 Bridgestone

Potenza tyres and despite seemingly tight

wheel arches and low ground clearance, it can

accommodate larger 19in alloys with 225/35

tyres. The car has a curb weight of 1,350kg.

From the design aspect, although the car isa hatch with a clear emphasis is on coup-like

styling and the highly stylised and individual

personality has been achieved not by a radical

change of design, but by a series of unique

detailing such more sharply tapered rear side

windows, bold side skirts, a noticeably wid-

ened track and the large wheel wells. The spe-

cial character of the Civic Type R is highlighted

by well drawn-down body coloured front and

rear skirts, a rear spoiler plus a radiator grille

with enlarged air intake.

The rear is signed off with a bumper that

features a built in diffuser and completing the

aero package with a huge rear wing.

Despite being built in the UK, the build qual-

ity, tolerances and materials of this three door

car are top notch Honda standards and the

whole set-up works well with good ergonom-

ics and extremely supportive two tone sporty

seats with extra side bolstering. Although

theres a raked windscreen and seating posi-

tion is low, the outward visibility is good and

getting in and out of the car is facilitated

through the extra wide doors. However, due


28/8526

{Road Test}

to the nature of the cabin layout and extra

side bolstering, the front seat has to slide back

for ingress and egress. Meanwhile, the rest of

the interior layout is familiar, especially Civic

saloon owners who not only will appreciate

the genuine touch of sportiness and gener-

ous amount of space for the both front and

rear passengers, despite its diminutive size.

Some clever engineering has gone in here.

In this car, the fuel tank has been positioned

centrally under the front seat similar to some

other family models, and this allows a low, at

rear oor in the back.

As expected, the interior is very sporty in

design and very well executed. It also

combines elements from motor racing and

from high-quality sports cars. Large black

Alcantara bolsters with red stitching provide

the driver and front seat passenger with both

good side grip and an ergonomically perfect

sitting position. Yes, we do miss the Recaro

seats and Momo steering wheel of the older

edition! However, the drilled aluminium pedals

make up for that sporty appeal.

The dials in the fascia are also red illumi-

nated and set off by brushed metal switch

panels. We particularly liked the oating dis-

play in the centre of the instrument cluster

which is just as modern and functional as that

of the 5-door. The most essential information

is placed at the very top of the display and rel-

atively far forward, which distracts the driver

less from the actual trafc situation and re-

quires the eyes to adapt less. While, second-

ary information is spaced around this central

focus, it always remains in the eld of vision

without distracting.

The steering wheel is covered in perfo-

rated leather with red stitching. The knob

of the gearshifter is also machined from bil-

let aluminium, and theres a special engraved

production serial number tag, similar to the


29/8527

{Road Test}

>

Maserati Granturismo Limited Edition at the

base of the central console.

For a sports car, we were surprised with

the extra content. Actually, theres quite a bit

of kit and includes dual layered digital instru-

mentation, dual zone air-conditioning, a leath-

er-wrapped steering wheel, a six-CD changer

and a digital information centre computer. As

a modern car, the stereo has USB and auxilia-

ry inputs for MP3 players. Full power features

and cruise control are also standard.

Then theres practicality too. The stowage

capacity behind the front seats is generous

with a capacity of 485 litres with seats folded

up. The rear seats feature special kinematics

by which the back-rests can be lowered and to

create more space. All you need to do is just

release the back-rest catch. Rear seats can

also be split asymmetrically (60:40) to release

more space.

Red is a popular and dominating colour in

the car hence it appears almost everywhere in

some form and the other interesting feature

related to colour is the use of a special colour

from the days of Hondas F1 winning car from

the 60s called Championship White and a

Honda log with a red background.

Unlike the saloon version which is powered

by a 1.8-litre normally aspirated four pot, the

Type R is powered by a 2.0-litre DOHC i-VTEC

naturally-aspirated four cylinder engine fea-

turing VTC variable inlet camshaft technology.

It offers 198hp at 7,500rpm and 193 Nm of

torque at 5,600rpm and this is a commend-

able effort, since most other manufacturers

have resorted to force feeding fuel with turbo-

chargers for additional boost. Honda has been

among the top normally-aspirated engine de-

signs when it comes to extracting maximum

output. This engine is tad shy of the one litre

100hp club!

And going by the gures the segment av-

erage is slightly on the higher side, if one

considers immediate competition. Conside

the output from the Seat Cupra R edition, a

265bhp, it denitely puts the Honda or even

for that matter its own cousin the Golf GTI in

to shade. We think in an automatic gearbox

dominated market, the Type Rs main prob-

lem for the Middle East market could be its

manual six-speed gearbox, which is norma

for European markets. However, we think an

automatic unless it was a Volkswagen-Aud

direct shift gearbox (DSG) wouldnt make

much sense or difference as a traditionally

cogged gearbox with Tiptronic would readily

kill the fun factor in this car.

As with Honda cars, occupants usually dont

have to worry about safety in this car, as pas-

sive safety as always has been prioritized at

Honda. Safety kit includes front, side and cur-

tain SRS airbags and double pretensioners on

the front seatbelts.


30/8528

>

{Road Test}

What is interesting is the fact that this cars

main selling points are its engine and drivingdynamics and hence were not really expect-

ing it to be a heavily laden with features.The

Honda Civic Type R does look the business,

and sounds willing too. The steering is as

expected slightly heavy due to the wide low

prole tyres and its feedback to the drivers

input is pretty commendable. The suspension

is stiff, but not as stiff as that of the Lotus Ev-

ora, hence one could say it is a mix of luxury

and sportiness in a bundle. Although, it will

not 100 per cent absorb road imperfections,

but the nice thing is that the tight build of the

car and its stiff body ensures that there arenot unwanted rattles or shakes.

We had the car for several days and sub-

jected it to various road and driving condi-

tions. In general, it is a spirited car, but its

not as aggressive or extreme as say the Seat

Leon Cupra R. Its free willing and high-rev-

ving engine continues entertain with no drop

in torque delivery. What would excite a driver

of this car is with the tweaking, the high rpm

VTEC range is now broader and more acces-

sible. This means effectively that the switch

to long duration valve timing in the reworked

engine covers the range from 5,400 to 8,000

rpm up to the peak power output. With previ-ous engines, this output was available up to a

speed of 7,900 rpm, but we think it has been

toned down to meet the current European

legislation.

The driver is informed of the cam change

via an i-VTEC indicator just to the right of the

digital speedometer. Since the car is virtually

glued to the ground it can actually appear

faster than you think. The stiff chassis makes

for excellent dynamic handling, with the car

staying level and balanced around the corners

and theres plenty of feedback from the tyres

through the steering wheel, which is a pretty

impressive for the size and shape of this car.

Even with the short throw manual shifter,

it is capable of fast shifts, depending on the

driver and its quite normal to do the 0-100

km/h sprint in around 6.6secs with a top speed

around 235 km/h. The sharper wedge prole,

sleek surfaces and improved aerodynamic

packaging ensures that the car slices throughany wind resistance with least counter effort.

The suspension in this road rocket is taught,

so cornering is great fun with a steering that

offers superb feedback combined with a gear

ratio that makes better usage of the high-

revving engine.

Despite the surefooted handling of the

Civic 5-doors MacPherson strut/torsion beam

chassis arrangement that is carried over to

the more sporty Civic derivatives, the car is

tad stop short of being razor sharp and this

is where Mugen takes over.

This is also perhaps one of the reasons whya Type S derivative was created [not available

here yet] with revised spring and damper set-

tings to help deliver sharper chassis dynam-

ics, while a 20 mm wider rear track and 17in

light alloy wheels shod with

225/45 YR17 tyres provide enhanced grip.

Anyhow, for our market, we have to live with

18in alloy wheels and 225/40 YR18 extra leg-

room and greater freedom of movement in

general on the front seats.

Anyhow, for our market, we have to live

with 18in alloy wheels and 225/40 YR18tyres

until alternative options are offered.

The current combo is good as there is anexclusive steering-assist setting that contrib-

utes signicantly to the cars sharp responses

to driver input.

Stopping power is assured and on the dot,

thanks to the large 300mm ventilated front

brake discs and 260mm solid discs at the rear.

Of course, a car with this magnitude of kit

also gets ABS, Electronic Brake force Distribu-

tion (EBD) and Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA),

designed to assist the driver in maintaining

control during cornering, acceleration and

sudden manoeuvres. The key niggle so far,

the rear spoiler looks cool but restricts rear

visibility and secondly, we thought that the

working arrangement with the starter button

was odd. You can use it to re up the engine,

but you still need to put the key in the ignition

and turn it. Arent modern push button starter

motor switches meant to make life easier.

Driving impressions


31/8529

{Road Test}

VerdictEnd of the day how does this European ma-

chine stack up? As a relatively young and new

ghter in the growing hot hatch game, the

Type R should be capable of taking a lot of

beating in the region as there isnt much ri-

valry in the segment. One advantage of this

model arriving a bit late in the Middle East is

that it has given its creators extra time to study

competition, rework the packaging wherever

applicable and on top of it, taken a leaf out of

its revolutionary ancestors books.

In the UK, Top Gear Magazine awarded the

European Civic Type R its Hot Hatch of 2007

praising the cars controls and comparing it fa-

vourably as a drivers car.

However, in four years the market dynam-

ics has changed and so has the car industry.

With more and more potent hot hatches com-

ing from competitors such as Ford with its Fo-

cus ST, Opel with its Astra OPC and Volkswa-

gen with its superb Golf GTi, the benchmark

in the segment has considerably moved up.

Although, the Civic Type R is well-package

handles and performs well, but by toda

standards it does fall short dynamically esp

cially in the areas steering and chassis balan

when compared to extreme rivals.

Over all, the car has an individual perso

ality and is practical with the classic Hon

virtues such as guaranteed driving pleasu

together with brilliantly low fuel consumptio

The car is on sale in the region and is attra

tively priced.


32/85

3030

Back with a bangTe seent enerton -ne 2010 m s eenreostone s four-oor sorts crs y Nssn. is t rey

erfornce sorts soon or just cr t sr styn?

auton soes te re.


33/85

313131

{ }

It e Mi e East, t e Nissans Maxima

as been one of the carmakers most suc

essful models. The model was originally

nown as t e Datsun 810 or Bue ir w en

the model series was formed in 1976. In 1982

t e mo e series o cia y ecame t e Maxima

n a year that also saw Datsun metamorphosento Nissan. Nissan started selling the Maxima

rom t e t ir -generation mo e in t e Mi e

ast in 1990, a year after it was launched and

continue se ing t em ti 1994. Instant y, i

was regarded as rst Maxima with true sport

ng cre entia s an it came at a time w en

issan was enjoying a pro uct renaissance.

issan continued enjoying success with

t e ourt an t generation a so. T e sixt

generation Maxima, code-named A34, was

on y so in t e Unite States, Cana a an

exico an ence we never saw it in t e re

gion ofcially, barring a few personal importsence, t e outgoing Maxima t -generation

sold from 2000 was the last ofcial Middle

ast import. Meanw i e, t e arriva o t e Ati

a in ot 2.5- itre an 3.5- itre gar s starte

encroaching into the slot made vacant by the

a sence o Maxima. In t e US, w ere ot

odels were sold simultaneously, it was not-

e y Nissan t at t e igger-engine A tima

a signi cant y cornere a siza e c un o

aximas market share.

atura y, t is situation pose a serious

dilemma for product strategists. What to do

wit two success u mo e s rom one ran

wit very simi ar c aracteristics? Wou roping a model work? Not really. So, the option

was to separate t e mo e s in terms o posi

tioning and character. For the Maxima it was

eci e to ocus it wit a a ance etween

sport an uxury, w i e t e A tima cou con

centrate more on comfort and convenience.

it support rom Nissan, t e sixt gen

eration [model code A34] during its lifecycle

saw severa engineering innovations inc u e

suc as t e VQ35DE DOHC 3.5- itre engine

and some cosmetic upgrade and CVT trans-

ission uring its mi -cyc e re res in 2007.

ith the product positioning clear at Nissan

or t ese two mo e s, we are not surprise

wit t e i ea t at Nissan now wants us to

elieve that the all-new seventh generation

axima mo e co e A35 is a proper ou

door sports car. But we have questions be-

cause w en anyone mentions a new our

oor sports car to us, w at imme iate y

conjours is a rear wheel drive tyre-smoking

ur urgring-tune an per ecte ot meta

capable of vanquishing the likes of BMW M5s

at t e street corner rags. So w ats in t e

axima package and how does it differentiate


34/85

32


35/85

{First drive}

33

>


36/85

34

{First drive}

>


37/85

A car thats touted as a four door sports car

porting a power u engine mate to a contin-

ously-variable transmission may sound a bitdd to genuine sports car acionados who are

se to s ort t row manua s i ters or state-

f-the-art direct shift gearboxes. So, the big

uestion is ow can a CVT o er sporting c ar-

cter in a car like the Maxima? Nissan says

he Maximas CVT set-up belongs to the three-

o e Xtronic systems, w ic un i e ot er CVT

et-ups, actually allows the driver to use either

a e s i ters or a gate stic s i t to s i t

he gears through six programmed steps. In

t er wor s, t ere s ou e a ee o t e

ogs up or owns i ting.

After the driving the Maxima for few ki-ometres, one egins to empat ise wit t e

ackage. Interestingly, only 20hp and approx-

matey 94 g i erentiate ot cars. In act,

e power to weig t ratio in ot cars are very

lose, yet the Maxima feels much more spir-

te an aggressive. Muc o t is c aracter

as deliberately inculcated in the Maxima by

assis engineers w o too extra measures in

ti ening it aong wit t e c assis guys w o

esides this, the engine in the Maxima

eems to e a ree revver an it s to o wit

he increased air intake and increased fuel

urn e ciency an owere ex aust ac pres-

ure. T e y rau ic steering system seems toffers better adaptability for slow as well as

ig spee maneuvers t an t e spee sensi-

ive power steering of the Altima.

egar ess, pu ing t e trigger resu ts in a

aunc wit a minima amount o torque-steer,

which is important in the high-power front

rive segment. T e revise Xtronic S-CVT wit

ver 700 new shift algorithms now features aew Ds Drive Sport mo e, w ic we cou

mmediately feel under foot. Nissan claims a

uick gear-ratio change in the downshifts

t e CVT coming into a turn, o owe y

n auto gear hold, on exit. We would have to

gree: power just ept win ing up as we ac

e erate t roug a turn.

The new Maximas suspension has been

t oroug y sorte as we . A strut-coi spring

uspension rules in the front of the new ag-

ip, w i e a rear muti- in wit sta i izer a

olds sway out back. (pun intended). Steer-

ng is now controlled by a Twin-Orice Poweteering System TOPS , w ic soun s pain

ful, and is similar to equipment found in the

50Z. We oun it trac e we an transmit

ted a good amount of road feel. Not overly

arsh, nor marshmallow soft, it offered great

oa an ing t roug a variety o routes

anging from bumpy backwoods country lanes

to major expressways in t e

At 290 horsepower, the Maximas V6 is right

t the top of the class in terms of power de-

ve opment or its size, ut it s not pea y o

ranky because the valve and intake systems

eep it optimize or w atever gear an rev

ange. It has both variable valve timing andvariable intake system, a system that opens

wi e at a out 4,500 rpm, wi e enoug t a

you can hear the engine sound change dra-

atica y, a ing to t e riving enjoyment.

Driving impressions

{ }

35

Verdict

At that price, Nissans brand-new Maxima

proffers a high-output V-6, an advanced con-

tinuously variable transmission, oodles of

electronic conveniences, and whats claimed

to be one of the best-performing front-drive

chassis in the world.

The Nissan Maxima is one of the most fun-to-

drive cars in the class, and one of the best-en-

gineered front-drive sporty sedans available,

from its accurate, quick steering to the engine

power to the remarkably good performance of

the CVT. It isnt the roomiest car in the class,

and it isnt the least expensive. Instead, its

designed as a premium car for drivers who

want something sporty.


38/85

{also driven}

36

Te leus gS 300 contnues to eers n unute

conton of uury n sorty erfornce. as ys

seer ortnt tecnooy ennceents ees te gS

on te to oes n te seent for 2010.

Unadulterated fun


39/85

{also driven}

37

Brand and model perspective

Lexus designed and created the GS with

a purpose. It wante to ri ge t e gap

between the ES and LS, and to provide

exus wit a true per ormance sa oon to com

ete in the mid-luxury class dominated byGerman premium brands. The rst generation

ear-w ee rive GS was intro uce in 1993

for US, Europe and selected markets in Asia

Ti ate, t ree generations o t e GS ave

een produced and the GS 300 continues to

serve in t e region wit a ost o tec noo

gy- e so utions an improvements. T e cur

ent model was introduced in 2006 and was

actua y t e rst to a opt t e ran s ig y

stylized L-nesse design language and is built

on a new y- esigne mi size pat orm w ic

s a so use on t e secon generation IS

Since it is an advanced platform it continuesnc ange or 2010. An as e ore, t e ca

etains its 112.2in long wheelbase, long bon-

et, pu e - ac ca in an s ort rear pro e

Its tapere , vertica gri e surroun e y ou

wraparound but independent headlamps, typ-

ca o t e current GS mo e s ut interesting y

conveys the brands design progression. The

ower va ance eatures integrate og amps

an wit its ra e A-pi ars an overa we ge

role commands an impressive and low Cd

0.27 rag coe cient.

This cabin is an exceptionally lively place to

e in w et er you are t e river or its passen

ger. It invites you wit its European am ienceed by ultra-premium wood, polished-meta

accents an eat er trim, esi es o ops o

comfort and space for ve adults. It has a

ig -precision ee an most touc points con

vey very ig qua ity an t at inc u es intui

tive response of controls as well. Lexus offers

t ree interior eat er co our com inations

ight Grey leather with Dark Grey Birds-eye

ape woo trim, Parc ment eat er wit

Go en Bir s-eye Map e woo trim, or Bac

eather with Red Walnut wood trim.

As e tting t e status o t e ran , Lexu

designers strive to keep controls simple and

ntuitive, avoi ing nee ess comp exity. T e

SmartAccess ey ess entry an pus -to-star

gnition allow the driver to keep the access

o in a poc et or purse. Au io an c imate

control systems are easy to understand and

operate. T e unique instrument pane ig ting

system re ies on varia e-transparency g ass

to minimize reections from the dials and to

e p optimize visi i ity in a ig ting con i

tions.

at we a so i e is t e memory unction

settings for individual drivers. Theres a pop-


40/85

{also driven}

38

Lexus is known for a smooth ride and

automan august 2010

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