The new 2013 Range Rover

The new 2013 Range Rover is lighter, more frugal, more spacious and significantly more refined. We give you our first impressions.

     

Land Rover created a sensation when it launched the original Range Rover back in 1970. An interesting blend of hardcore offroad vehicle on the one hand and semi-luxury car on the other, it transformed SUVs forever. Now, four decades later, Land Rover hopes to do the same with the new Range Rover, a car that is much greener, even more luxurious, better to drive on road and all but unstoppable off it.

To make such a large leap forward, JLR started with almost a clean sheet and a radically different approach. The new Range Rover, or the L405 as it is called internally, is the first SUV in the world to use an aluminium chassis, which makes it much lighter than any of the competition. Some models in fact are a massive 200kg lighter, and this gives it a huge advantage as far as performance and efficiency are concerned. Other tech highlights include four tall air springs, a new eight-speed gearbox and an even better four-wheel-drive system.      

We drove both the petrol and diesel V8 versions and we were very impressed, to put it mildly.

The new twin-turbo 4.4-litre diesel SDV8 (expanded from the previous 3.6 V8) now packs a generous 334bhp. It’s attached to an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox. Performance is effortless. You only really hear the engine as it starts, even the idle is subdued and there is a faint V8 “woofle”. Mostly the car just glides as if propelled by a giant elastic band attached to the horizon, gear changes are rarely felt, and refinement on the move is almost as good as that of a petrol car. Squeeze harder on the gas and 0-100 takes a brisk 6.9sec, and the eight-speed gearbox allows you to access the best part of the diesel engine’s powerband, even in everyday driving.

The petrol V8 has a supercharger strapped on for added performance. It gets the same eight-cylinder motor as before, turning out the same 503bhp but performance is much stronger as it is lighter and has an eight-speed gearbox too. Planting the accelerator pedal unleashes a kick of thrust that is unrelenting and scarcely believable and acceleration still feels strong after the car has crested 200kph. 

There’s a new-found sense of athleticism to the way in which it drives as well now. On the roads it feels tall but more stable than the previous model, with an even smoother ride and an even more relaxed and accurate steering. Stability in long high-speed corners is sensational and the uprated Brembo brakes give you enough confidence to carry speed into corners. On tighter corners you do feel the weight more and the active anti-roll bars need to work harder. What’s not surprising is just how light and easy to drive it feels even in city traffic; the earlier car was something special as well.

Also not surprising is just how good it is offroad. You can raise the car right up on its air springs to ‘walk’ over the largest obstacles, active differentials keep sending torque where traction is best, and the low range only adds to the big SUV’s offroad prowess.

It’s also much more of a luxury car now. The levels of quality on the inside are right up there with luxury cars like the S-class. The grain of wood and leather is second to none, there’s a mind-blowing Meridian sound system and, like any luxury car, it’s stuffed to the brim with luxury features.

Expected to hit showrooms this year, the new Range Rover elevates the SUV to an all-new plane; its combination of luxury, performance and offroad ability quite unique. The best things in life, however, cost an arm and a leg, and this is the case with the new Range Rover too – it’s expected to cost around Rs 1.7 crore.  

Fact File

Price Range (in lakhs)*

Ex-showroom price

Rs 1.7 crore (estimated, ex-showroom)

Engine

Fuel	Diesel / Petrol
Installation	Longitudnal
Type	4367cc V8 diesel / 4999cc V8 petrol
Power	334bhp at 3500rpm/ 375bhp at 6500rpm
Torque	61.1kgm at 1750-3000rpm /52.05kgm at 6500rpm

Transmission

Type	Four wheel drive
Gearbox	8-speed auto

Dimensions

Length	4999mm
Width	2073mm
Height	1835mm
Wheel base	2922mm

Chassis & Body

Weight

2160kg (3.0 diesel) 2200kg (5.0 petrol)

Suspension

Front	SLA suspension with twin lower links with air springs/ Adaptive Damping/ passive anti roll bar
Rear	Integral link suspension with air springs/ Adaptive Damping/ passive anti roll bar

Brakes

Front	380mm ventilated discs
Rear	365mm ventilated discs

Honda Amaze review, test drive We drive Honda's new Dzire competitor - and its a diesel!

Honda's much-awaited Brio-based Amaze could be a game changer for Honda in India. That’s the feeling we got when we drove the car at the Honda-owned Motegi race track in Japan. To give you a brief, the Amaze is a sub-four-metre saloon, much like the Maruti Swift Dzire, which Honda used as a benchmark extensively when engineering this car. However, where the Dzire has divided opinion for its truncated tail, the Amaze has a far more traditional three-box look. In fact, the integration of the boot onto the hatchback body is fairly cohesive. There’s a strong link to the City in the Amaze’s wraparound tail-lamps,which also serve as the end point for the sharply rising belt line. The boot lid itself doesn’t look all that special but it does open to reveal a useable luggage bay. Honda hasn’t disclosed boot volume yet but what’s clear is that the Amaze has trumped the Dzire in this area.
At 3990mm, the Amaze is significantly longer than the Brio, and 60mm of the length extension is over the wheelbase. This, along with the different roof line, has warranted the need for larger rear doors. Further forward, it’s only the restyled front bumper and an additional chrome slat on the front grille that differentiate the Amaze from the Brio.  
The big shock is once you step inside. The cabin is far more spacious than you’d expect and kneeroom is really impressive too. Sure, it’s not as spacious as the larger full-size saloons like the Toyota Etios or Tata Manza but it’s certainly a lot more spacious than the Dzire. Seat comfort is really good too, helped by a large centre armrest, though some may find the seat back a tad too reclined. A low centre tunnel helps middle passenger comfort but the cabin’s limited width means sitting three abreast in the back will still be quite a squeeze.
Up front, the cabin looks familiar. The dashboard is identical to the Brio, so you get a slightly Spartan centre console and plastics that, while well put together, don’t look rich. Even the comfy front seats are carried over from the hatch, so just like the Brio, the driver’s perch does not get height adjustment. You can expect the top-end Amaze to feature an audio player with USB, steering-mounted audio controls and a rear defogger, which are not available on the Brio. In-cabin storage spaces include a total of four cup holders. You get bottle holders on each of the four doors though the exposed metal near them is a sign of cost-cutting by Honda.

Space and comfort aside, what's also important is the engine under the bonnet of this car. It will be Honda's first diesel engine in India, and though Honda hasn't revealed the 1.5-litre i-DTEC motor's power or fuel-efficiency figures, expect around 90bhp and an official ARAI-tested figure in the region of 25-26kpl. The engine is a scaled-down version of the 1.6-litre diesel that Honda sells in Europe, so this four-cylinder unit has a twin-cam, 16-valve head. On the Amaze, this engine will come with a fixed geometry turbocharger.
Driving it around the Motegi test track in Japan, the motor impresses with its refinement. Even better, though, is its responsiveness. It pulls well from as low as 1200rpm, and there's a gentle surge at 1500rpm when the turbo comes on song. Honda has tuned the engine to deliver the bulk of its power under 3000rpm, which is where the engine will reside in typical city driving scenarios anyway. Also cementing its city-friendliness are the gearshift and clutch action, both of which are smooth and light. However, hold onto a gear longer than necessary and you will find power fall sharply post 3800rpm on its way up to the 4500rpm limit. What’s clear is that this is not a free-revving motor like what we’re accustomed to from Honda. It’s also in the upper reaches of the rev band that you’ll find the engine sound increasingly thrashy, though refinement at lower engine speeds is impressive.
While driving, we also find the steering has more weight than the Brio's and this is a good thing. The heavier diesel engine at the front has required Honda to stiffen the front springs though the rest of the suspension is the same as the Brio’s – front MacPherson struts and a rear torsion bar. Even the wheel size at 175/65 R14 tyres are the same. However, given the smooth surface on which we drove, it was impossible to say how the Amaze will take to India’s potholed roads.
The Amaze is no doubt an impressive car. It’s got a spacious enough cabin and a refined diesel engine that promises to be fuel efficient too. It will also be sold with the Brio’s peppy 1.2-litre, 88bhp petrol engine. If Honda can price the Amaze at par with the Dzire it has the potential to shake up the Indian saloon car market. Honda's truly back in the race and how!

Model Honda Amaze Maruti Dzire Mahindra Verito Tata Manza Toyota Etios LxWxH 3990x1680x 1500mm 3995x1695x 1555mm 4247x1740x 1540mm 4413x1703x 1550mm 4265x1695x 1510mm Wheelbase 2405mm 2430mm 2630mm 2520mm 2550mm Engine 1.2 petrol/ 1.5 diesel 1.2 petrol/ 1.3 diesel 1.4 petrol/ 1.5 diesel 1.4 petrol/ 1.3 diesel 1.5 petrol/ 1.4 diesel Power 88bhp/ 90bhp* 86bhp/ 74bhp 75bhp/ 65bhp 89bhp/ 89bhp 90bhp/ 68bhp Torque 11.1kgm/ 21kgm* 11.6kgm/ 19.3kgm 11.2kgm/ 16.3kgm 11.8kgm/ 20.4kgm 13.4kgm/ 17.3kgm

* - estimated

Fact File

Price Range (in lakhs)*

Ex-showroom price

Rs 6-7.5 lakh (estimated)

Engine

Fuel	Diesel
Installation	Front, transverse, FWD
Power	90bhp (estimated)
Torque	21kgm (estimated)

Transmission

Gearbox

5-speed manual

Dimensions

Length	3990mm
Width	1680mm
Height	1500mm
Wheel base	2405mm

Chassis & Body

Tyres

175/65R14

Suspension

Front	Independent, MacPherson struts
Rear	non-independent, torsion beam axle

GM India launches new Spark starting at Rs 3.26 lakh

New Delhi: General Motors India on Thursday launched an all-new version of its entry level small car Chevrolet Spark, starting at Rs 3.26 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

The new Spark is available in both petrol and LPG options and is costlier by up to Rs 10,000 from the existing comparable versions of the model, which will be discontinued, the company said.

The small car is now available between Rs 3.26 lakh and Rs 3.81 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) for the petrol variant and Rs 3.81 lakh and Rs 4.10 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) for the LPG option.

"The introduction of the all-new Spark reinforces GM's commitment to continually roll out new and upgraded products ...," General Motors India President & Managing Director Lowell Paddock said in a statement.

Apart from new design such as the twin-port grille, the new Spark has is powered by a 1-litre petrol engine with new- age innovations that ensure smooth, noiseless, efficient, powerful, reliable and low-maintenance operation, the company claimed.

GM India is offering a three-year/100,000-km standard warranty under the Chevrolet Promise Cost of Ownership Programme , which also provides free maintenance for three years or 45,000 km (whichever is first). 

PTI 

Mahindra SsangYong Rexton review, test drive and video

The Rexton is SsangYong's first offering in India after being taken over by Mahindra. Does it pack in enough to put up a good fight?

Mahindra & Mahindra’s acquisition of the Korean Ssangyong brand paved the way for the Indian car manufacturer to further strengthen its position in the SUV segment. And while last year’s launch of the well-received XUV500 marked Mahindra’s first premium SUV offering, M&M has now introduced the Ssangyong Rexton premium SUV to take things up a notch. The Rexton, in a nutshell, is a big, body-on-frame SUV that will compete with the likes of the Toyota Fortuner, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Ford Endeavour.
For an SUV that is both longer and wider than the already large Toyota Fortuner, the Rexton lacks the road presence that even the marginally smaller Pajero Sport has in spades. That’s down to the facelifted Rexton’s sloping bonnet, gently peeled-back headlamps and curvy grille, which lend the front a certain softness.

Despite that, however, the car manages to look a whole lot better than the model it replaces and the overall styling, especially at the front, is quite contemporary. That chrome-rich grille gives the front plenty of flash, the headlamps with their projector pods are smartly detailed, and those heavily flared wheel arches give the design much needed muscle. Further back, the wraparound rear windscreen looks quite neat and injects much flair to the tail section.
Open the Rexton’s doors and you will find that the cabin looks plush, everything appears solidly put together, and the leather seats with their soft cushioning and smart stitching are really inviting too. Panel fit is excellent and the soft-touch plastics on the dashboard-top feel like they’re from an expensive German saloon.
The Rexton also comes loaded with features like a touchscreen interface for the audio system, DVD player, Bluetooth telephony, satellite navigation, sunroof, climate control, rear parking sensors, automatic headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, cruise control and steering-mounted audio controls.
However, it’s when we move to the back that the Rexton’s cabin loses some points. For starters, the slightly low-set seats and high floor compromise the seating posture to some extent, though it’s still better than an Endeavour. The cabin also isn’t as roomy as the large exteriors lead you to believe.
As for the last row of seats, the less said the better. You sit virtually on the floor with your knees pointing towards your chin, and with no headrests for these seats, your neck is left unsupported too. If there’s some consolation, it’s that the rearmost section gets a pair of air-con vents with their own blower speed control.

The Rexton comes with a 2.7-litre, in-line five-cylinder DOHC turbo-diesel motor, with the option of five-speed manual and five-speed auto transmissions. Curiously, the engine is tuned differently for the two gearboxes, so as a manual it produces 162bhp and 34.7kgm of power and torque, respectively, while in the automatic it produces a far more substantial 184bhp and 41kgm. The automatic variant also comes with permanent all-wheel drive, and this allows the Rexton to get off to a clean start and post a quick 0-100kph time of 10.92 seconds.
However, the engine makes quite a racket, one that gets progressively louder as the revs rise. The nine-blade radiator fan is responsible for most of this. Then there’s the slow-witted automatic gearbox that takes much away from the driving experience. You can change gears manually via buttons on the steering wheel, or alternatively, a switch on the gear lever.
While the Rexton Auto’s 11.18kpl ARAI-tested figure makes it quite the diesel-guzzler, its power delivery is nice and linear, and for relaxed driving in the city or on the highway, the engine should cope well enough.
Weighing in at around two tonnes the Rexton is just as heavy as its body-on-frame contemporaries. Its suspension, which is a combination of double wishbones in the front and coil springs and a live axle at the rear, is also similar to what you’ll find on the Fortuner and Pajero Sport. Driving around Mahindra’s test track, we found the Rexton too softly sprung to derive any pleasure out of driving it with enthusiasm. However, the high-profile 235/75 R16 tyres do absorb a lot of the road shock and, in that sense, work admirably to shield you from smaller surface blemishes.
Mahindra’s new flagship, then, is a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, it’s smart looking, well-built, comes loaded with features and has a cabin that’s premium enough to give it a serious edge over its rivals. On the flipside, the noisy engine, slow auto gearbox, bumpy ride and mediocre handling all take away from its appeal. Tipping the scales back in its favour, however, is the fact that Mahindra has launched it at a killer price. At Rs 19.67 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai), the Rexton Auto is a few thousand more expensive than the Endeavour 4x2 Auto and a full Rs 2 lakh cheaper than the Fortuner Auto. The lesser-equipped manual Rexton is an even more appealing proposition, with a price of Rs 17.67 lakh, which makes it the most affordable SUV in this class, by far. At these prices, buyers are likely to gloss over the Rexton’s not-so-good aspects and think of it more as a value buy. Mahindra has successfully played on the VFM card before, so there’s no denying the Rexton’s potential to strike a chord with Indian buyers.
Watch video review here

Fact File

Price Range (in lakhs)*

Ex-showroom price

Rs 17.67lakh (MT), Rs 19.67lakh (AT)

Engine

Fuel	Diesel
Type	5-cylinder, 2696cc
Power	162bhp (MT), 184bhp (AT)
Torque	34.7kgm (MT), 41kgm (AT)

Transmission

Type	Torque on demand/ All-wheel drive
Gearbox	5-speed manual, 5-speed auto

Dimensions

Length	4755mm
Width	1900mm
Height	1840mm
Wheel base	2835mm
Ground clearance	252mm