MAHINDRA XUV 500
Coming
our way from the country's leading UV maker Mahindra &
Mahindra is this new age, new wave soft-roader, the XUV500 (XUV - Five
Double O). The new Mahindra is no softie, keeping in sync with its
maker's reputation for the rugged, but in this new baby rugged melds
with style and the concoction of the two is deadly delicious! Not many
details and information can be divulged right now but our pictures of
the car speak louder than words. Adil Jal Darukhanawala lends
commentary to Kunal Khadse's photo-artistry
The big bold high tech face of the new Mahindra XUV500. The grille is different while the front end treatment with projector headlamps, LED day-time running lights, large front bumper with streaked air dam and recessed fog lamps make for a menacing look. “Objects in the mirror are closer than you think” would get an altogether new meaning for others in class.
Straight out of Mad Max – imposing yet in the slickest manner possible, the XUV500 dishes out the style drill from practically any and every angle.
The devil is in the details and these are finely carved, but what is of even greater import is the fact that the craftsmanship is of a high order. Panel gaps on the car we drove and inspected were uniform yet close and the metal-plastic-glass medley on the exterior made for delightful aesthetics.
The XUV500 in profile is all muscle and snazzy-style personified – like a strapping athlete in a designer suit! The large pronounced wheel arches with their machined-look plus the character crease at the waist level along with a similar smaller line at the door sill level imparts a good stance when viewed with the sharply raked windscreen and the well penned glass area. In profile one can clearly see some hints, on proportion, from Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V and Suzuki Vitara et al but overall the XUV500 is distinctive on its own. Another important observation about the new Mahindra is the absolutely clean and sanitized under-vehicle layout with nary any plumbing or wires or ungainly accoutrements spoiling the show or the under-floor air flow.
No one can mistake the XUV500 for anything else, even from the rear though the badging might help those overtaken understand the reason they have had to give way! Note the twin exhausts with oval end cans and the large round silencer boxes.
Pricing Ex-showroom Delhi
XUV 500 W6: 4x2:*Rs.10.8 Lakhs
XUV 500 W8 4x2:*Rs.11.95 Lakhs
XUV 500 W8 4x4:*Rs.12.88 Lakhs
*(ex-showroom Delhi invitation pricing)
INFORMATION FROM ZIGWHEELS..
EXTERIOR PHOTOSHOT
Coming
our way from the country's leading UV maker Mahindra &
Mahindra is this new age, new wave soft-roader, the XUV500 (XUV - Five
Double O). The new Mahindra is no softie, keeping in sync with its
maker's reputation for the rugged, but in this new baby rugged melds
with style and the concoction of the two is deadly delicious! Not many
details and information can be divulged right now but our pictures of
the car speak louder than words. Adil Jal Darukhanawala lends
commentary to Kunal Khadse's photo-artistry
Mahindra’s XUV500 breaks new ground for the firm in that it is not just its new age offering in this millennium, but also the firm’s first all-monocoque passenger vehicle, its first with a transverse-engine, front wheel drive layout and also one which finally makes the break from its distinct Jeep lineage. And again let it be said that its design was signed off before the Ssangyong acquisition! The sheer dynamism of the design on the move is further heightened by the wedgy swoop of the belt line and the sharply raked windscreen. The subtle roof rails play their own part in the overall aesthetique and by and large thanks to the brilliant surfacing of the external sheet metal, the overall sheen and finish of the XUV500 is magnificent. In fact it puts many Indian-assembled and painted high end luxury cars to shame.
Form follows function they say but here in our smallish first drive, it was great to experience the XUV500 function in a form which should impress not just in class but also those who would have made do with sedans.
Well planted stance, decent manners and a good balance between ride and handling should really pull in the troops to cheer for the XUV500. The meaty 5-spoke alloys are shod with 235 x 65 – R17 Bridgestones and with the underpinnings they do make for the vehicle’s dynamics to bear positively for the occupants – be it the driver or passengers.
The XUV500’s tail light cluster treatment is distinctive yet simple and very effective. Note the manner in which the leading edge of the reflector is also made into a style detail.
The XUV500’s large tailgate flips upwards to reveal large load area with the rear row of seats folded flat. The spare tyre sits below the floor and is easily accessed from below in the same manner as in the Toyota Innova.
DRIVER CONSOLE
Tell-All Cluster
Instrumentation Americana seems to be the theme for the XUV500’s tell-all cluster. Styled like one of the mean muscular Pontiac Firebirds of the 1970s, the twin round instruments pack in the speedo (calibrated to 220km/h) and the fuel gauge on the left while the one of the right has the rev counter lined up all the way to 7000rpm with the smaller central dial having tell tales for temperature and oil. The central console is business personified yet has a good feel to it. The large sized switches plus the rotary controls knobs make access and useage very simple. The digital touch screen is also very user friendly. The chromed strips and that large chromed rotary knob for the audio system and that polished top cover of the dashboard makes for an irritating reflection in the windshield which can get a bit disconcerting for the driver.
Spacious and Ergonomic Seating
Seats are large, well cushioned and profiled, and generally the best of any Indian-built vehicle in the UV space. What further help are the well defined floor height and the large expansive door openings. All put together these make for very ergonomic ingress and egress, something which should delight the family no end. The third row of seats is good and overall the packaging designers and engineers have learnt from rivals as to what not to do and also how to get everything spot-on first time out.
ENGINE REVIEW
The heart which pumps the thrust for the XUV500 is this freshly tweaked 2.2-litre M-Hawk engine which is now in an east-west layout as against a north-south placement in other Mahindra vehicles. This engine develops 140bhp but more importantly has 330Nm of torque to delight its driver. Mated to this engine is another first for an all Indian vehicle – a six-speed manual gearbox, developed in-house by Mahindra itself as is the front wheel drive transfer case. Base models will be front wheel drive while another version will have an all wheel drive layout with a torque on demand mechanism also delivering drive to the rear wheels. More on this later but while we are at it, the under bonnet aesthetics are top class.
Handsome and wholesome the XUV500 is and it also shows in the way it carries itself on its large 17-inch alloys shod with 235-65-R17 rubber. The alloys are striking in their turnout and distinctive to behold. For a vehicle with strong forward thrust, the XUV500 doesn’t skimp on the retardation at its disposal, disc brakes abound on all four wheels and in addition there is ABS, EBD plus ESP to ensure safety and peace of mind. If that’s not all, there are driver and front passenger air bags, start/stop is standard equipment and there is also hill descent control for the top line offering.
That’s the way aha, aha I like it! The interior treatment of the XUV500 is bold, butch and brilliant to behold and use! The central stack has a large touch-screen digital display for GPS, air-con controls, music system and other ancillaries. The steering wheel design is refreshingly modern and really well executed. The controls fall nicely to hand (and foot!), a case in point being the parking brake lever angled towards the driver’s left. Large air vents on the dash direct cool air flow to the front seat hotshots while quality of interior trimming is well defined though it could have been better. Slight irritants abound but by and large the business end of the interior is a fine place to ply one’s craft! While trim is of a high order, colour choice is pretty subjective.
Skoda Laura vRS: First Drive
by Abhishek Nigam Photography: Kunal Khadse
Posted on 15 Sep 201137298 Views4 Comments
Posted on 15 Sep 201137298 Views4 Comments
It
already had the go and now Skoda has added the much needed show as
well. India's most performance focused has finally been unleashed. Say
hello to the Skoda Laura vRS!
Reading novels was never my thing, however there are always some narratives which become an absolute must read. For me it was “The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”. Ever since I read it in my younger days I was completely besotted by it. The whole notion regarding the split personality bit wherein within the same person there are two distinct personalities had me captivated to no end. In fact the novels impact is such that it has become a part of the language, with the phrase “Jekyll and Hyde” coming to mean a person who is vastly different in moral character from one situation to the next.
But my reference here is not a person but the all new Skoda Laura vRS. Now before we delve into the cars character lets take a look at a little vRS history. The Skoda Octavia became a popular car since its inception, however it was the diesel sold in higher numbers primarily because the petrol motor wasn’t upto the mark. That’s when Skoda unleashed the Octavia with the magical vRS badge. With a stonking 1.8 litre turbocharged mill pumping out 150 PS, stiffer suspension set-up and a hot looking body-kit, the vRS was the enthusiasts dream. While there were other fast cars too, none were as focused as this Skoda. With the new Laura taking the older Octavia’s place there were a lot of people awaiting the vRS badge. And although a little late, it’s finally here.
The Laura in TSI guise was already a brilliant car and now in vRS trim it’s even better than brilliant. While there is good news as far as the exteriors and interiors are concerned the news on the engine is…well, good and bad. Skoda haven’t touched the engine at all so those expecting the 2.0 TSI with the superb DSG gearbox will be disappointed, however, the 1.8 TSI unit was an exceptional engine in the first place and hence its not a bad thing either. In fact the standard Laura TSI looked a little to staid for that engine. Now in the vRS avatar it finally has the show to match the go.
To add to the show, the Laura vRS now comes with a sportier front bumper with an integrated lip spoiler which comes with fog lights of a different design as well. There are also the twin spoke alloys which look absolutely fab. Then there is the boot spoiler which is a must for a car with any sort of sporty intentions. The exhaust tips too are now polished twin pipes and definitely look the part.
In India for the ongoing shoot of the next Mission: Impossible film, the road-ready concept car brings its glamour to the capital
It isn't a surprise that the BMW EfficientDynamics was chosen for the forthcoming Mission Impossible movie as its stellar futuristic looks and sportcar performance are exactly suited to the high adrenaline pace that the movie franchise has built over the years. However this car is more than just a movie gimic, it is a testament to BMW's vision on making cars that are a pleasure to drive yet extremely efficient.
The BMW Vision EfficentDynamics is a road ready four seater that is capable of accelerating from 0-100km/h in just 4.8 seconds. What is ground breaking however is the fact that this car is powered by a three cylinder turbo diesel engine mated an advanced hybrid synchronous motor at the front axle and a full hybrid engine at the rear axle which churns out 328 horse power yet return a fuel efficiency figure of 26.5 kilometers per litre. CO2 emissions are restricted to just 99 grams per kilometer, which is far superior to any conventional hybrid car seen today. No doubt this car is standing testament to its name for it promises to be both efficient and rather dynamic!
The car has been built to be extremely lightweight. In fact BMW claims to have incorporated just about every element they can think of in terms of gaining on overall efficiencies to make this car the ultimate in terms of dynamic driving pleasure as well as super efficient. The energy management system includes Brake Energy Regeneration, and the car can run on a combination of its three engines. In electrical mode the car is capable of offering zero emissions and a range of 50 kilometers, however in full hybrid mode with the diesel engine running, the car is capable of covering over 700 kilometers on a 24 litre tank of diesel.
When will this car become a production reality hasn't been announced, however BMW hasn't shot down the idea just yet. What is great however is that elements of this car can be found in BMW cars sold out of showrooms today, such as the Brake Energy Regeneration system, or the electronic powersteering system. BMW has taken elements and incorporated them throughout their product range, which can only get better with time. The Vision Efficient Dynamics is the future, and we are lucky to have seen it first hand here in India.
BMW EFFICIENT DYNAMICS
The Mission Impossible franschise has kept its audience at the absolute edge of their seats ever since the first installment of the complete trilogy was released back in 1996. With every sequel getting more intense and even more extreme than the one before, all the three movies till date have been an absolute treat to watch whether it was the risky stunts performed in them, the beautiful women playing their parts or the fabulous sports car and heavy duty superbikes in its gripping chase sequences.
Carrying on that tradition, the latest and soon to be released fourth installment of the Mission Impossible franchise, titled Mission Impossible : Ghost Protocol has now partnered with german luxury car maker BMW, which is now the film’s main automotive partner. And believe it or not, it is the same BMW Vision Efficinet Dynamics concept car that the german car maker recently showcased for the very first time in Delhi, that will be making an appearance in Tom Cruise’s next film. (Read : BMW Efficient Dynamics Visits Delhi)
Sophisticated technology and one of the most striking designs among the current concept electric supercars makes the BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics one of the most eligible automobiles to share center stage in one of Hollywood’s most popular action movie franschisees.
Excited about BMW’s most modern and cutting edge concept car being showcased in the next Mission Impossible movie, Ian Robertson, BMW AG Board Member for Sales and Marketing , said “We are thrilled to be involved again in another Hollywood Blockbuster. With its futuristic design and large glass surfaces, the car offers a fascinating perspective on the future of sheer driving pleasure in combination with providing maximum efficiency. Also with BMW ConnectedDrive technology, the car is perfect for Ethan Hunt to outsmart his pursuers through narrow streets and busy city traffic.”
LAND ROVER EVOQUE FIRST DRIVE REPORTS....
With the all-new Evoque, Range Rover has taken a very different route from its traditional past.
DETAILS
- Make Range Rover
- Model Evoque
- Edition SD4
The Evoque is a completely new direction for Range Rover. It’s a new car in a new class for a new kind of customer – it’s far removed from the traditional uprightness of a Range Rover. We drove the Evoque SD4 as it’s the one that will be the popular choice when it is launched in India by end-2011.
The five-door Evoque is a compact SUV. Stand next to it, and you’ll see it’s about the size of an Audi Q3 — it is shorter and squatter than the baby Audi, and about a million times better-looking as well. Under the skin, the Evoque is suspended at the front by MacPherson struts and a multi-link rear. It is upto 100kg lighter than the Freelander, though partly because it is much shorter and partly due to more extensive use of aluminium, both in its body panels and suspension, and plastics in the body.
The five-door Evoque is a compact SUV. Stand next to it, and you’ll see it’s about the size of an Audi Q3 — it is shorter and squatter than the baby Audi, and about a million times better-looking as well. Under the skin, the Evoque is suspended at the front by MacPherson struts and a multi-link rear. It is upto 100kg lighter than the Freelander, though partly because it is much shorter and partly due to more extensive use of aluminium, both in its body panels and suspension, and plastics in the body.
Step inside and you’ll notice one intrinsic Range Rover characteristic that’s missing — the commanding view out. You sit a lot lower and as a result it feels a lot sportier and very un-Rangie. This apart, you’ll love the interiors, especially the soft-touch surfaces on the dashboard, and the way everything feels properly expensive. Automatic Evoques get Jaguar’s rotary gear lever that rises from the centre console and, further down, switches for Land Rover’s Terrain Response off-road system that reconfigures the car’s software and hardware depending on the surface you’re driving on.
The cabin is a comfy place to be because the seats are widely adjustable, as is the steering and there’s more headroom than the roof-line would suggest. However, the huge wing mirrors obstruct forward view. And, if you can discount the short squab of the rear seats, it’s a lot more accommodating than you would think. There’s loads of legroom, good headroom and it’s nowhere near as claustrophobic as the tapering window-line would suggest. Indian cars will get the massive panoramic sunroof as standard. However, Range Rover has omitted a spare wheel which, in an SUV, is quite unacceptable.
Push the engine start button and you’ll be surprised by the lack of clatter from the 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel. The engine remains impressively refined even near its red-line. The 2179cc engine makes 187bhp and 42.8kgm of torque and the motor delivers this power in a nice, linear manner. However, it doesn’t feel very quick when you put your foot down. The six-speed auto isn’t the best around either, sometimes refusing to upshift or downshift despite repeatedly pulling the steering-mounted paddles.
Still, the Evoque shows remarkable composure and tight body control. There’s not a squeal from the 18-inch tyres on the car and it even changes direction eagerly. It’s just that the electric steering is too light and a bit inconsistent off-centre. The Evoque feels best when you’re not pushing on and with Dynamic mode switched off. It’s here that you’ll discover a ride that deals with most surfaces authoritatively with only the sharper bumps kicking through.
This SUV is far more adept off-road. In rainy conditions we selected ‘mud and ruts’ on the Terrain Response system and we could feel the dulled throttle response, essential for driving on slippery surfaces. You can even feel its traction control system monitor wheelspin as the Evoque claws its way up the slope. The thing is, the Evoque feels so capable over these non-existent sections of road that all it demands of you is to select the right off-road setting, steer and feed in throttle. It doesn’t have a low-range transfer case though.
Indian Evoques will be slightly different from the European ones. The biggest change is with the air-intake for the engine, which will be placed higher. Engineers are also working on tuning the suspension to work with smaller wheels and higher profile tyres. What this will do to the styling that demands big wheels is yet to be seen. And lastly, all Indian Evoques will get an industrial grade horn.
When launched, prices will start from an estimated Rs 49 lakh, and this is probably where the Evoque might get stuck. It is expensive, whichever way you look at it, and considerably more so than a Q3 or an X1. What you will get for the extra money though is a truly high-quality, stunning-looking and entirely desirable small SUV.
The cabin is a comfy place to be because the seats are widely adjustable, as is the steering and there’s more headroom than the roof-line would suggest. However, the huge wing mirrors obstruct forward view. And, if you can discount the short squab of the rear seats, it’s a lot more accommodating than you would think. There’s loads of legroom, good headroom and it’s nowhere near as claustrophobic as the tapering window-line would suggest. Indian cars will get the massive panoramic sunroof as standard. However, Range Rover has omitted a spare wheel which, in an SUV, is quite unacceptable.
Push the engine start button and you’ll be surprised by the lack of clatter from the 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel. The engine remains impressively refined even near its red-line. The 2179cc engine makes 187bhp and 42.8kgm of torque and the motor delivers this power in a nice, linear manner. However, it doesn’t feel very quick when you put your foot down. The six-speed auto isn’t the best around either, sometimes refusing to upshift or downshift despite repeatedly pulling the steering-mounted paddles.
Still, the Evoque shows remarkable composure and tight body control. There’s not a squeal from the 18-inch tyres on the car and it even changes direction eagerly. It’s just that the electric steering is too light and a bit inconsistent off-centre. The Evoque feels best when you’re not pushing on and with Dynamic mode switched off. It’s here that you’ll discover a ride that deals with most surfaces authoritatively with only the sharper bumps kicking through.
This SUV is far more adept off-road. In rainy conditions we selected ‘mud and ruts’ on the Terrain Response system and we could feel the dulled throttle response, essential for driving on slippery surfaces. You can even feel its traction control system monitor wheelspin as the Evoque claws its way up the slope. The thing is, the Evoque feels so capable over these non-existent sections of road that all it demands of you is to select the right off-road setting, steer and feed in throttle. It doesn’t have a low-range transfer case though.
Indian Evoques will be slightly different from the European ones. The biggest change is with the air-intake for the engine, which will be placed higher. Engineers are also working on tuning the suspension to work with smaller wheels and higher profile tyres. What this will do to the styling that demands big wheels is yet to be seen. And lastly, all Indian Evoques will get an industrial grade horn.
When launched, prices will start from an estimated Rs 49 lakh, and this is probably where the Evoque might get stuck. It is expensive, whichever way you look at it, and considerably more so than a Q3 or an X1. What you will get for the extra money though is a truly high-quality, stunning-looking and entirely desirable small SUV.
Fact File
Price Range (in lakhs)*
| Ex-showroom price | 49 lakh (estimated) |
Engine
| Fuel | Diesel |
| Installation | Front, transverse, AWD |
| Displacement | 4 cyls in-line, 2179cc, common-rail, turbo-diesel |
| Power | 187bhp at 3500rpm |
| Torque | 42.8kgm at 2000rpm |
Transmission
| Gearbox | 6-speed auto |
Dimensions
| Length | 4355mm |
| Width | 1965mm |
| Height | 1605mm |
| Wheel base | 2660mm |
Chassis & Body
| Weight | 1715kg |
| Tyres | 235/55-R19 |
Performance
| 0-20 | 2.4 | ||||
| 0-40 | 1.5 | ||||
| 0-60 | 4.5 |
RENAULT KOLEOS REVIEW
Renault's new Koleos is a user-friendly and a clever SUV, but a bit too pricey.
The face-lifted Renault Koleos made its world debut in India on September 8th, pipping the official launch in China by a few days. To be first in the world may not be of much significance to Indian customers but its a statement by the French car maker on the importance of the Indian market. With the Koleos, Renault wants to take its brand further upmarket with its fully loaded SUV but is it up to the job? A long drive from Bengaluru into the forest of Karnataka reveals the answers.
The styling changes with the face-lift have yielded a smarter, more conventional looking car. If you liked the Fluence, you will like the Koleos. The headlamps have a similar shape and house projector lamps. The two piece grille of the original car has now been replaced by a big chrome affair with three horizontal slats and a big Renault logo in the middle. The rest of the car remains the same.
For India, the Koleos comes in only one variant but it’s packed to the gills with kit. Standard equipment includes six airbags, cruise control, parking sensors, automatic 4-wheel drive, and rain and light sensors. The highlight though is the 8 speaker BOSE music system that is a headbanger’s delight. However, Renault could improve the interior quality as the wide expanse of the dash top looks rather bland. The plastics could also be more tactile. However, the switches and the controls for the air-con and music system have a nice knurled finish and are great to use.
Powering the car is a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine producing 150bhp of power and is mated to a six speed automatic gearbox. While the figures are impressive on paper, out on the road the Koleos lacks punch. The mid range feels a tad weak and you miss that strong, spikey surge of a turbo-diesel when you get into the meat of the power band. However, the linear and lag-free nature of the engine encourages you to drive without a sense of urgency. And that's just as well, because when you rev it hard and past 3800rpm and there's a distinct vibration that creeps into the cabin. The gearbox can be a bit slow for spirited driving but shifting to manual mode enhances the experience dramatically
The suspension is one of the highlights of the Koleos. It is pliant for the better part, soaking up bad roads with utter ease though an underlying firmness can be felt at lower speeds and over sharp edges where a mild thump sometimes filters through. Despite its size and weight, the Koleos is easy to drive and its car-like manners inspires a lot of confidence. No doubt, the high stance translates to a bit of body roll through corners but the well-sorted suspension ties the Koleos down nicely and the overall body control and stability is very impressive. The electrically assisted power steering is quite accurate and offers sufficient feel which adds to the driving pleasure.
On the inside, the Koleos’ rear bench is pretty spacious and supportive with the right amount of bolstering and adequate knee-room. Even the front seats (fully-powered for the driver) are comfortable, managing to keep aches or pains at bay even after a long drive. There are some neat touches too like the way the rear seats flip forward with the simple tug of lever and the clam shell opening of the tail gate which enhances its versatility.
The Koleos makes a strong case as a user-friendly SUV with its compact dimensions, automatic gearbox and long list of equipment. In its latest avatar it looks pretty good and is reasonably well finished. However, performance is far from scintillating and the Koleos despite its equipment list doesn’t feel as premium on the inside as its Rs 22.99 lakh price tag suggests. It's a smart SUV that's not so smartly priced.
Fact File
Engine
| Power | 150bhp |
| Torque | 32.6kgm |
Transmission
| Type | Six speed Automatic |
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