156 Automan August Issue 2014

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COVER STORY 12-17 2014 FERRARI CALIFORNI A T

OMAN AND REGIONAL NEWS6-7 ROLLS-ROYCE GHOST SERIES II ARRIVES INMIDDLE EAST, REFRESHED NISSAN LAUNCHED INUAE, KEY APPOINTMENTS AT VOLKSWAGEN MIDDLEEAST OFFICE, NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR FORINFINITI MIDDLE EAST. SAYARTI AUTO CARE NEWOUTLET LAUNCHED IN OMAN, BIGGER PARTS OUTLETFOR MITSUBISHI MOTOR CARS AND TRUCKS INOMAN, BANK SOHAR LAUNCHES FAST TRACK AUTOFINANCING

BRANDWATCH8-11 PEUGEOT RCZ/HYUNDAI VELOSTER SUCCESSORDILEMMA, FOURTH GENERATION MAZDA MIATACONFIRMED, DODGE UNVEILS MOST POWERFUL V8CHALLENGER, CITROEN’S NEWLY CREATED LUXURYBRAND DS DOING VERY WELL, 2015 PEUGEOT 508REVEALED WITH UPSCALE STYLING, JAGUAR F-TYPEPROJECT 7 DYNAMIC DEBUT, BMW CONFIRMS MEXICOPRODUCTION, MITSUBISHI MOTORS TO BAIL OUTCHRYSLER IN MEXICO, VOLKSWAGEN INTRODUCESEURO-SPEC 2015 PASSAT, CORE MODELS OF AUDI TO

GO HYBRID, BEETLE DUNE CONCEPT GREEN LIGHTEDFOR PRODUCTION, DAIMLER-INFINITI ENGINE PROJECTGOES ON LINE, MASERATI’S GRAND BUSINESS PLAN

FIRST DRIVES20-24 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ A45 AMG26-30 2014 ASTON MARTIN RAPIDE S

EXCLUSIVE FIRST DRIVE32-33 2014 NISSAN SUNNY

INTERNATIONAL NEWS FEATURE34-57 2014 GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED

PREVIEWS58-59 CHEVROLET CORVETTE ZO660-62 AGUAR F-TYPE PROJECT 763 BMW X664-66 BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT367 NISSAN VISION 202068-69 2015 FORD EDGE

ONE-OFF SPECIALS70-71 LAMBORGHINI 5-95 ZAGATO CONCEPT72 MINI SUPERLEGGERA

SPOTLIGHT74-75 HYUNDAI VELOSTER MIDSHIP CONCEPT

MOTORSPORTS76-79 S014 F1 BRITISH GP RACE REPORT, SEBASTIENBUEMI SETS THE PACE IN FIRST FORMULA E RACE,HYUNDAI RALLYE DEUTSCHLAND DRIVERS ARE READY,SUCCESSFUL DEBUT OF PIRELLI’S NEW RACE TYRE,FERNANDES SELLS CATERHAM FORMULA 1, VETTELNOT SO SURE, MOTO GP RIDER MARQUEZ TARGETSNINE OUT OF NINE

CHICANE80 GOING ON A TRAIN – BOON OR BANE?

12 COVER STORY |2014 FerrariCalifornia TTaste of Maranellos rst

forced-fed motor car in25 years

34Goodwood Festival ofSpeed

An annual event not to be missedby petrol heads

20 26

NEXT ISSUE

2015 LEXUS NX

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c lub m e m b e r s


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We may have pointed this out before – this year is turning out to be a year of new sports,performance and luxury cars. If you track from the year’s outset, we’ve featured onestunning vehicle after another as our main cover story. We are usually more balanced inour approach – after all, Automan is a mainstream automotive magazine with the onus ofhelping you decide on the next car you will buy. And we know that not all of us can affordsome of these mouth-watering sports cars.

But then, there also exists the child in all of us here – who, after salivating over theunattainable, wants to let the world know “what a great car that was.”

And when, in the span of three months you have two great cars like the new Lamborghini

Huracan and the Ferrari California T, you have to admit that things happen for a reason – inthis case, to make us happy.

The California T brings turbocharging back into Ferrari’s consumer lexicon. It almostseems a mistaken path. Both the Italian brands have eschewed boost in the past, largelybecause their naturally aspirated engines were peerless. In a discussion we had withRafaello Porro, Lamborghini’s director for development, he had atly refused to considerturbocharging. But that was ve years ago. In our latest conversation he clari ed sayingthat the regulatory environment h ad changed, the need for ef ciency had changed and sotoo had the market. So ‘never’ is now a maybe.

It was a bit of surprise to see that Ferrari was the more adventurous of the two brands, butthen Maserati uses turbocharged engines. But it wasn’t a given, considering the rigorousparameters that Ferrari sets itself.

Read our cover story to nd out exactly how brilliant the car is now – complete withredesigned body, new systems and electronics and much faster responses.

On the other hand – for the regular Joe – we bring an rst drive of the new Nissan Sunnyfrom our contributors from India, where the car is built. No one in the region has driven itat the time of going to press, so that’s an exclusive of sorts.

Another exclusive is our editor’s visit to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which serves notto just showcase new cars, but connects with the history and spirit of brands, especiallythose that have a strong connect with the United Kingdom. Again, it’s not just exclusive,it is the most comprehensive reort you will read in the region. So stay tuned for anothergreat month of our brand of motoring at Automan.

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u Dhabi Motors, the sole dealer of Rolls-yce Motor Cars in Abu Dhabi and Al Ainthe rst retailers to introduce the 2014ls-Royce Ghost Series II in the r egion.subtle re-design of the popular Ghostily sees understated exterior changespled with the latest in industry-leadingnectivity technology. “Ghost Seriesthe latest iteration of the celebratedls-Royce Ghost Collection,” saido Husselmann, General Manager of

u Dhabi Motors. “The Ghost Series IImises uncompromising control of thed thanks to precise and innovativeineering - driving it is an e ortlesserience. Every detail has beengned to create a dynamic feel and wehonoured to be the rst dealer in the

ddle East to share this masterpiece ofdern engineering with our esteemednts,”

anges to the Ghost Series II begin in thent, where re-sculpted LED headlightsircled by daytime running lights lendvehicle a more striking aesthetic. Aered ‘wake channel’ on the bonnet,

emanating from the Spirit of Ecstasy,evokes the sight of a jet’s vapour trail orwake of a fast luxury yacht and hints atthe car’s dynamism. Subtle re-sculpting ofGhost’s bumpers creates a stronger stance

and a sense of extra width and height,whilst the contemporary design is furtherenhanced with the addition of chromeinserts to the front air intakes, whichnow feed more air cooling to the frontbrakes. In addition, the famous waft linehas been re-designed on Ghost Series II tolean further forwards. While powertrainremains unchanged, the handling sectionof the car sees some revisions. Customerscan specify a Dynamic Driving Packagefor the Ghost Series II that o ers a moreinvolving driving experience with nocompromise to ride quality. It uses re-designed front and rear struts married tonew steering gear and adjusted damperssigni cantly increase Ghost SeriesII’s cornering ability, whilst enhancedfeedback levels are expected to be feltthrough a thicker steering wheel.

olls-Royce introduces 2014 Ghost Series II

I i i ME i meIn niti has moved forward with itsimplementation of an ambitious globalplan which began in 2012. And tostrengthen the regional operations,

Juergen Schmitz has been appointedas In niti Middle East’s rst ManagingDirector. Schmitz is expected to giveIn niti a sharper structural focus on t hepremium segment of the business andenhance the brand’s distinct identity inthe Middle East. Schmitz will assumehis new responsibilities with immediatee ect, and report to François Goupil deBouillé, Vice President, In niti Europe,Middle East and Africa (EMEA). SaidSchmitz on his new role: “In niti isentering a new era and I’m fortunateto be leading the brand in the MiddleEast. Globally, In niti has its third largest

market share here, which we and ourpartners plan to substantially increasein the coming years. I am committed torealising those ambitions while continuingto deliver our premium brand promise toour highly-valued customers.” Schmitzhas served In niti in the Middle East asGeneral Manager in 2011 and was previouslyRegional Director, In niti Central Europe.

Continental tosponsor AsianCup 2015German tyre brandContinental has signed

greement with the Asian Footballfederation to become the exclusive tyrener and o cial sponsor of the Asian Cup5. The tournament will be held in Australiaanuary next year and will see Saudi Arabia,wait, the UAE and other top teams fromund the continent, compete to becomempions of Asia. Dirk Rockendorf, Head ofrketing, Continental Middle East& Northca, said: “Football is the world’s largesticipation sport and especially fast-growinghe Middle East, and the Asian Cup 2015rs the perfect platform for football talent

m the Middle East to showcase their skills.”

Heritage welcomes refreshed for 2015Nissan SunnyThe original Sunny was launched in the Middle East under Datsunbrand in 1966 and is part of the Nissan and the Regional AutomotiveHeritage across its ten generations. Sunny is one of the top sellingmodels in the region. The 2015 Sunny builds on this solid foundationand strengthens Nissan’s presence in the increasingly popularB-sedan segment. “The Middle East is a key market for Nissan and theSunny in particular is one of our top selling models in the region andcontributes to around 15 per cent of our total sales. We expect thismodel to make a notable impact on our growth, doubling its salesvolumes by FY16,” said Samir Cherfan, Managing Director at NissanMiddle East, during the launch event in Dubai.The incoming Sunny will be o ered with a 1.5-litre petrol engine andincludes four spec variants with prices starting at $ 12,380 and will beavailable from all Nissan dealerships across the region from August01. [Eds note: see rst ME drive report on page 32]

The new Sunnywas alsolaunched inOman also


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Unlike the French volume brand Peugeot, Hyundai seemsto be caught in the crossroads. On one hand it is trying toremain a volume seller and also go upmarket with its ‘morevalue for money’ proposition, Hyundai has to rememberthat its ‘premium brand aspirations’ cannot be met if itdecides to discontinue low volume halo models.

After China-based Dongfeng and the French governmenteach injected $1.16bn into PSA Peugeot-Citroen, the grouphad announced a new strategic plan called “Back in thee”. According to this plan, PSA has to reduce the number of

dels it o ers from 45 at the present time to 26 by 2022. As ault of this directive, the fate of low volume models like theZ was not so clear. Peugeot introduced its 308-based RCZ in1 and it was po sitioned as an upscale sports car with uniquegn that boasts immaculate styling and features. In its career

now, the RCZ has also seen some new derivatives beinged to this car line-up. The good news now is that the halodel will not be discontinued. Peugeot CEO Maxime Picat has

rmed the company has made plans for a second generationhe Peugeot RCZ coupe. Picat told reporters in Holland thatcompany would develop a new RCZ because the sportingpe was important for the brand’s image.undai Motors is debating whether to continue with thetroversial Veloster three-door coupe/hatchback for its seconderation. The Veloster was launched in 2012 and a facelifteddel is expected to hit markets sometime within the next yearo. While Middle East is one of the more popular destinationsthe distinctive small car, sales have not lived up toectations in key overseas markets including South Korea, theand Europe. Only about 60,000 units were sold worldwideyear – its second full year of availability – with fewer than

00 units nding buyers in the domestic market.

uccESSor dIlEMMa WHAT’S HOT, WHAT’S NOT

There had been some doubt about the future of the RCZafter the parent company, PSA Peugeot-Citroen, wasrescued by Chinese automaker Dongfeng and the Frenchgovernment earlier this year. A u

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ge e i M zi mecially con rmed as a 2016 model, thenew MX-5 coyly made an initial debuthis year’s New York International Autow in the form of an exposed SKYACTIV-ssis. As the fourth chapter of the next-

eration roadster has been con rmed,ill be unveiled simultaneously in Japan,in and the United States on SeptemberWe’re excited to make this o cial,nnounce that the newest memberhe MX-5 Miata family will be arrivingn,” said Jim O’Sullivan, president andO, Mazda North American OperationsNAO). “Along with our colleaguesund the world, we continue tobrate the MX-5’s 25th anniversary and

k forward to sharing even more newshe near future.”

The all-new 2015 Dodge ChallengerSRT, with its supercharged 6.2-literHEMI® Hellcat engine, produces anunprecedented 707hp and 650lb.-ft. oftorque, making it the most powerfulChallenger ever, Dodge’s most powerfulV8 ever and the most powerful musclecar ever. The Challenger’s new 6.2-literSupercharged Hellcat engine is also the

rst factory supercharged HEMI, as wellas Dodge and SRT’s rst application o fV8 supercharger technology. For the

rst time in Chrysler Group history, theall-new 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT witha Hellcat engine comes standard with

two key fobs -- red and black. The redkey fob is the only key that can unlockthe full 707hp and torque potential ofthe Challenger SRT Hellcat engine; whilethe black key fob limits the driver to areduced engine output of 500hp.Dodge says that the Challenger SRTHellcat has been redesigned and totallyre-engineered to be the most true-to-form muscle coupe on the market withperformance-enhancing technologiesinside and out. The car gets a newTorqueFlite eight-speed automatictransmission and an all-new interiorinspired by the classic 1971 Challenger.

BMW ms MexiproductionThe BMW Group o cially con rmbuild a new plant in Mexico near thof San Luis Potosi with an investme$1bn. Production is planned to starand the carmaker will announce whBMW models will be built at the nelocation at a later date. BMW has bebuilding cars in its US plant in Sparfor the past 20 years.

d im e -I i i e giproject goes on lineOn June 26th 2014, In niti began aat the In niti Decherd Powertrain Pcollaboration between the Renault-NAlliance and Daimler AG. The rstto be assembled at the all-new facili2.0-litre turbocharged gasoline 4-cydeveloped by Daimler. The engines initially be used in European versionof the In niti Q50 sports sedan andMercedes-Benz C-Class assembledTuscaloosa, Alabama.

Presiding over the opening celebration were TeGovernor Bill Haslam, Infniti Motor CompanyPresident Johan de Nysschen, Infniti AmericaPresident Michael Bartsch, Infniti Decherd PowOperations and Battery Plant Vice President GEdwards and Erhard Schletterer, Director EngiProduction Mercedes-Benz.

Looking more upscale than itspredecessor, the facelifted modelfollows in the footsteps of the 108and 308. As a result, the car has beenequipped with a smaller grille, restyledLED headlights and a atter hood. Outback, the changes are less noticeablebut include a new rear bumper andrestyled taillights. The cabin is instantlyrecognizable but it features higherquality materials and a new center-console storage box. There’s also a7-inch touchscreen display with accessto Peugeot Connect Apps which canprovide everything from weatherforecasts to information about nearby

parking spaces. Other notable highlightsinclude a four-zone climate controlsystem, a JBL audio system and a heads-up display. There are also two newoptions including a rearview camera anda blind spot monitoring system.Under the bonnet, depending on market,two new engines will be available. Onthe petrol side, there’s a 1.6-liter THP165 with start / stop technology. Thoselooking for something more fuel e cientcan opt for the new 2.0-liter BlueHDi 180.The 2015 Peugeot 508 will be launchedin Europe on September 10th. The modelwill also be o ered in China and sales areslated to begin in January 2015.

M segrand pThe decisito aggressiexpand theMaserati bworldwide

announced in May as part of Fiat-Cve-year plan. Between now and 2

Maserati will roll out seven new moFollowing the redesigned Quattropand the all-new Ghibli, Levant and will be a new GranTurismo four-seacoupe in 2017, a cabriolet version o

Al eri in 2018 and a new GranCabseater convertible in 2019.

Dodge unveils most powerful V8 Challenger

2015 Peugeot 508 revealed with upscale styling

The outgoing Miata


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aguar F-TYPE Project 7ynamic debutollowing the static unveil at theoodwood Festival of Speed last

month, Jaguar chose a perfect occasionnd venue for the dynamic outing ofhe F-TYPE Project 7. In celebration ofhe Jaguar D-type’s 60th anniversarya car which won at Le Mans threemes and which inspired Project 7’senesis – F-TYPE Project 7 completed itsemonstration laps throughout the Le

Mans Classic weekend at the alongsidehe very rst D-type ever built, and witheveral examples of the all-new F-TYPE Roupé.

Volkswagen has published a full set ofdetails about the European-spec 2015Passat that is scheduled to debut at theParis Motor Show this coming October.As expected, the eighth-generationPassat gets a more dynamic-lookingdesign that borrows styling cues sucha narrow three-slat radiator grille, a

rippled hood and angular headlightsfrom recent Volkswagen concepts likethe T-Roc and the NMC. The next Passatis lighter than the current model thanksto the use of lightweight materials suchas aluminum and high-strength steel.Although it is slightly smaller than thecurrent model in all directions, cleverpackaging and a longer wheelbase allowit to o er a more spacious cockpit and

a bigger trunk. Inside, the Passat movesup a notch on the market thanks tonoticeably improved materials and morehigh-tech equipment.Tech-conscious buyers will be ableto order the Passat with a wide arrayof electronic driving aids includingSide Assist with Rear Tra c Assist,

Trailer Assist, Front Assist System withEmergency Braking as well as Tra c JamAssist. Finally, the Passat can park itselfwhen ordered with an optional newfunction called Park Assist. Buyers will beasked to choose between ten gasoline-and diesel-burning engines whoseoutputs range from 118 to 276hp via DSGtransmission. All engines come standardwith a start/stop system.

Mi s bis i M s c ys e i Mex

Chrysler de Mexico has said that itwill start selling cars in the lucrativesegment. Mexico’s B segment salescomprised nearly one quarter of all country’s new car transactions in 20Since its current portfolio lacks a sumodel, the group has approachedMitsubishi Motors Corporation for iMitsubishi Mirage G4 model. In thMitsubishi is concentrating on plug-hybrids and has said that it will not sMirage in Mexico under its brand nMitsubishi has said it would not sellMirage G4 in the US, but it will bein Canada. In Canada, the Mirage wsold with the same 1.2-litre, 74hp tcylinder that powers the US-spec Mhatchback. It has also been reportedin China the Chrysler version wouldslightly altered for a more upscale fit’s not known if that would be the cMexico. Sales of the new Chrysler bMitsubishi sedan will begin as earlyNovember 2014.

Automan’s takeChrysler has had a long history of serebadged Mitsubishi products in NoAmerica, starting with the Dodge Cseries (actually RWD Mitsubishi Gathe US market in 1970.

DS has just celebrated two years in China– the world’s biggest car market – witha special event at DS World in Shanghaifor customers, distributors, journalists,partners and brand representatives. TheDS brand was launched in Beijing on28 June 2012 with a range consisting of

imported DS 5 and DS 4 models. This wasfollowed by the introduction of DS 3 inSeptember 2012.The event saw the delivery of a DS5LS to the 10,000th DS customer, thelaunch of a new DS Club and the revealof the DS 6WR’s interior. DS 6WR is the

brand’s rst premium SUV, whichwill be launched in September2014. DS now markets a rangeof four models including twocars that are produced locallyat the Shenzhen plant. The twolocally manufactured cars are DS

5, launched in September 2013,and DS 5LS, introduced in March2014. With the launch of theDS 6WR in the autumn, it nowmarkets three locally-producedmodels – a feat achieved in justone year.

ore models of Audi to gobriddi is reportedly aiming to introduceg-in hybrid versions of all core modelshin ve years. The company’s research--development head, Ulrich Hackenberg,gests upcoming plug-in hybrid modelst upon the MQB platform will integrate

electric motor between the 1.4-litre TFSIine and the gearbox. The approachessentially follow the path being led byA3 Sportback E-tron, which gets halfts 201hpr rating from an electric motor.kenberg argues that plug-in hybrid

wertrains “meet all of our customers’ectations” and will be given top priorityfuture development. Engineers are working on a hybrid all-wheel-driveem for the MQB platform, relocatingelectric motor to help directly driverear axle. The larger MLB-Evo platformlso expected to be out tted with ailar system, though the company isconsidering a plug-in hybrid with a

chanically driven rear axle.

Beetle Dune Concept green lighted for production

Volkswagen introduces Euro-spec 2015 Passat

Citroën previewed the DS 6WR at last April’s Beijing Motor Show. It hasbeen designed to boost the rm’s presence in China, is boldly aimed at theAudi Q3 and the BMW X 1. The DS 6WR will be built in Shenzhen, China, andsold exclusively on the local market where DS-badged cars are distributed instandalone showrooms. No details on international launch have been made.

A u t o m a n ’ s t a k e

M e w s f rRover EvoqueThe Range Rover Evoque has becomunstoppable – at least when it comesbagging awards. The stylish CUV hthree more awards, taking its globalof accolades to a total of 161 in justhree years. Already widely acclaimjournalists, critics and owners, the mrecent successes have come from threaders of key global titles. In one resurvey the Evoque scored a near-pe94 per cent when participants were to rate their cars’ audio and entertaisystems as well as other technologysuch as phone connectivity and the ufriendliness of on-board computers.

ci e ’s ew y e e x y b dS i g e y we

Volkswagen has con rmed the Beetle Dune Concept that bowed earlier thisyear at the Detroit Motor Show. A recent video published by the Wolfsburg-based automaker revealed the Beetle Dune is planned for showroom launchin 2016 at the earliest. This means, the Dune treatment will be o ered onboth the standard Beetle and the Beetle Convertible.


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2014 Ferrari Califorinia T

The next generation of Ferrari’s smaller GT offering – the California T – ticks a new set of boxes, while setting your nerves on re. Automan

tested the car in the sylvan surroundings of Tuscany. Author: Raj Warrior

Automotive

Pure


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The last time we were in a FerrariCalifornia was on the then newlybuilt highway running betweensome points in Sharjah over to Kalba.Multi-lane with no speed cameras inplace. And the reins of a really fast car athand. Can we describe the joy of pushinga Ferrari in a drag race with a Germancar that just had to try to get ahead? If itwasn’t for that fact that we eventually hitcivilisation we may have even tried thetop speed of the car. But the lesson learntduring that test was that the Californiawas really di erent.It is a tough act to follow, even formanufacturer Ferrari. It was the rst timethat a V8 engine was being o ered in amid-front con guration, complete withfold-down rigid roof and the by-nowstandard 7-speed double clutch gearbox.While clothed as a GT car, the Californiashares a platform with the almost viciousperformance of the 458. And it too doesthe zero to whatever in almost nothingbit. So why then did we go out of our wayto say that the California wasn’t a girl’scar? It was because the California broughtFerrari into a new market segment and thecombination of everyday practicality, goodcity manners, a problem-free retractingroof and the Ferrari badge made it a carfor a new breed of customer.Nothing’s changed over the years since– the new breed of customer continuesto look for the combination and theCalifornia has been an outstanding successfor the brand. So when they came up withthe new model it had to build on all thevirtues while laying out a new equation interms of desirability. Have they done it? To

nd out, we ew out to Tuscany as guestsof Ferrari, to check out the car and meetthe people behind the brand.The new California does not seemremarkably di erent. Not at rst glance.It still is an all-aluminium platform. Doa double take and you realise that a lothas changed. The outer skin is all-new,there are convex surfaces where you sawconcave before, the headlight assembly isnow very FF and F12ish and even the grillehas been reshaped. The taillights, similarlyhave gone a touch more aggressive alongwith the use of LEDs. The switch betweenyesterday and today has been managedbeautifully – so much so that the Californiano longer seems an upstart, blendingin nicely with Ferrari’s model range andhistory, with touches of the 250 TestaRossa about its anks.But this is only the icing on the cake thatyou are served by the new engine. Forthose who would still ask – the T standsfor turbo and that itself seems highlyevolutionary for Ferrari. However, that’s

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONSENGINEType direct-injection 90° V8Bore and stroke 86,5 x 82 mm (3.41 in x 3.23 in)Unit displacement 482 cm3 (29.4 cu in)Total displacement 3,855 cm3 (235.25 cu in)Compression ratio 9,4:1Maximum power * 412 kW (560 cv) at 7500 rpmMaximum torque * 755 Nm (77 kgm / 557 lbft) at 4750 rpm in VII gear

DIMENSIONS ANDWEIGHTLength 4570 mm (179.9 in)Width 1910 mm (75.2 in)Height 1322 mm (52.0 in)Wheelbase 2670 mm (105.1 in)Front track 1630 mm (64.2 in)Rear track 1605 mm (63.2 in)Dry weight** 1625 kg (3582 lb)Peso in ordine di marcia** 1730 kg (3813 lb)Weight distribution 47% front - 53% rearFuel tank capacity 78 l (20.6 US gal / 17.3 UK gal)Boot\Trunk capacity 340 l, 240 l (12 cu ft, 8.5 cu ft)

PERFORMANCETop speed 316 km/h (196 mph)0-100 km/h 3.6 s0-200 Km/h 11,2 sWeight/power ratio 2,9 kg/cv (8.69 lb/kw)

TYRESFront 245/40 ZR19”Rear 285/40 ZR19”Front (opt) 245/35 ZR20”Rear (opt) 285/35 ZR20”

CCM3 BRAKESFront 390 x 34 mm (15.4 x 1.34 in)Rear 360 x 32 mm (14.2 x 1.26 in)

ELECTRONICSESC with F1-Trac system (Control for Stability and Traction)

GEARBOXF1, dual clutch 7 gears + Reverse

SUSPENSIONSFront: double wishboneRear: Multilink


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really the case, for the brand hasad exposure to the use of turbos inracing. It has been some time sincey placed a turbo in a regular car andintervening years have brought withm a huge change in turbo reliabilitye ciency, especially with the ability to-tune the boost to match the required

put.t single feature is what has made the

sence of a turbo both desirable andrated at once. The 4.3-litre V8 engine

he outgoing car has been downsized.9-litres, with some of t he engineduction processes being shared withnew 3.6-litre V8 that is appearing inMaserati line-up. Ferrari has gone toat lengths to keep the two engineserent, although it makes both. Incase of the Ferrari engine, the mostortant di erence is in its ability toand its focus on delivering power asosed to the push on the mid-range insister engine.course, the downsizing itself has beenught about by the need for better fuel

e ciency. The gearbox and its ratios thato er rather tall spacings from the 4th gearupwards, with a huge jump up from 6th to7th mirror that ideology. Put the gearboxin full auto, in comfort mode and youwould think that the car has gone all greenand tree hugging by the alacrity withwhich it jumps up to 7th gear. But that’sonly if you let it.Remember it’s a Ferrari and you don’t goand do things like shaving weight o the

at-plane crankshafts, o ering equal-

length exhaust pipes, using twin-scrollturbos and adding in a variable torquedelivery system unless you mean to stayon top of the performance graph.The excellence of this engine comes fromthe way in which it uses turbochargingwhile behaving like a naturally aspiratedengine. Well, almost! The equal lengthexhaust piping is to keep the purity ofthe engine sound, with a rather elaboratebranch down into the turbo. The entireassembly is cast in three sections, weldedtogether and then nished. In the bargainthe engine now sits lower than before,

o ering a better CG on the whole as wellas maintaining the ideal 47:53 front-rearweight split.With 560PS on o er and a turbo-assistedjump in torque to 755Nm, the end resultis an engine that is as much at home ona track car as it is in the shell of this GT.But the cold, hard numbers don’t quitesay the story of what else the engineo ers. Variable torque delivery means thatmaximum torque is on tap only when thecar is in the seventh gear. What this does

is compensate for the gear’s tallness, ina larger but similar measure to what itdoes in the 5th and 6th gear. If you thenaveraged the torque curve on the geartipping points you get a curve closer towhat you would get in a much largernaturally aspirated engine. The sound ofthe engine has also been kept close to thepure ideal by carefully mapping the equal-length pipes as well.We spent an evening talking to one ofthe development drivers, who talked usthrough the months of ne-tuning thatsaw him repeatedly put the test mules in


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harm’s way on the tight con nes of a two-lane Italian arterial road, pushing out infront of oncoming trucks just to see howthe turbo responded to the pedal. Powerhad to be available instantly, without thetypical turbo lag and when you actuallydrive the car you realise that the engineershave won.Take the car out on the twisty roadsof Tuscany and you really need all theresponsiveness of the new engine. Thechassis engineering is perfect – use thecar’s manettino and put it in sport modeand the new generation of magnahelicride control sti ens up the suspension tojust the right degree. Pop the paddles totake the car out of auto and you have a

beast that is cha ng to run. Third gear hasa range to it that seem like you wouldn’tneed to shift out of it, until you hit ahairpin on a climbing road and then justlove jumping into second. You can safely

oor the accelerator, move betweensecond, third and fourth and never have tostray into the higher ‘e ciency’ gearing.The engine revs seamlessly all throughout,you have to really be hunting for theturbo’s bark to notice it at all and thewheels stay rmly glued to the lane youare in – while you can induce tail slidingwhenever you want.

And the sweet sound of a high-revvingFerrari engine is your partner all the wayalong the drive. You barely notice the windnoise of the open-roof experience as thethroaty growl rises and fades in tandemwith your foot’s pressure downwards.The 200 mark rushes by in a blur – with atop speed of 316 km/h that bit happensrather frequently. And even the narrowroads can’t slow you down – on morethan one occasion we did the overtakemanoeuvre that the Ferrari driver told usabout, sprinting out into the opposite laneand quickly getting back ahead beforethe oncoming tra c hit us. Among all theheadlight ashing and honks we are surethere were some just to say “wow, that’s a

great car you are driving!” Anyway, that’sour take on it.The Calfornia really is a great car now –not just because of its engine. Redesignedinteriors, a new interface, larger displayscreens, better seats and a new steeringwheel all go towards pushing theCalifornia to the top of the heap. Whatkeeps it there are all the Ferrari touches –like the no compromise handling, keenlytuned response, amazing gearbox and thepresence of launch control – just in case!Now if only, we could win the Californiamillions lottery, or even just the Muscatversion to pay for the car.


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2014 Mercedes Benz A45 AMG

Genuineperformance n compactpackaging

The hatchback market in theregion is beginning to show somesigns of maturity and innovativecarmakers are now con dent enoughin introducing hot versions. AMG, theperformance arm of Mercedes-Benz hasgiven us an incredibly array of V8/V12-powered sedans, SUVs and sports cars toenjoy, this is the rst time an entry levelhatchback gets the fabled badging. WhileAMG has a lot of experience in doingbigger vehicles, it took over two yearsto perfect the A-Class based derivativewhich was rst presented to the worldo cially at the 2013 Geneva Motor Showas the A45 AMG. In terms of marketingand positioning, the A45 AMG allowsaccess to a new genre of customer[younger mostly] who have hithertobeen denied access to the high-priced,usually V8-powered cars till now.The di erence between the A45 AMGand a standard A-Class is not just

limited to cosmetics otherwise it wouldhave been an A-Class with an ‘AMGAppearance Package’. At rst glance asexpected when compared to the stockA-Class, the A45 is more muscular and

the front end is signed o by the AMG“twin blade” radiator grille and the crossstrut in the AMG front apron which arepainted in matt titanium grey. Betterengine cooling is ensured by large airintakes placed on the car’s side, whilethe side sills are also painted mattetitanium grey. For the rear, Mercedesinstalled a rear apron with highlightedair outlet openings on the sides, a mattegrey di user and, of course, the AMGsports exhaust system with two square,chrome-plated tailpipes. Our test carcame with rear aerofoil, additional

ics in front apron and larger frontsplitter which comes as part of the AMGAerodynamics package.Inside the cabin, there’s a mix of theA-Class and AMG features. Our test carcame with form- tting seats sportsseats in DINAMICA micro ber withred contrasting top-stitching [ARTICOmanmade leather also o ered]. There

multifunctional steering wheel comeswith shift paddles, and the dashboard sgenerously trimmed in carbon bre with

ve contrasting air vents in black/red andan AMG instrument cluster. A tablet type

LCD screen is xed in the upper daThe base of the central console is whyou get to see the AMG hardware bywhich we are referring to the AMG DUnit switch. While, the at bottomesteering wheel is carried over from thregular A-Class, the most noticeablechange is that the gear selector nowmigrates from its steering column stato the base of the central console.Put together, sophisticated materials,ambient mood lighting and contraststitching blend well into an already hlevel of build quality.Under the bonnet, well, for starters, lthe numbers not fool you. The A45 sound suggestive of something biggein terms of displacement or cylindersbut the truth is that it’s not. It is a trenexample of exemplary engineeringwhere downsized lightweight hardwthese days outclass the older, heavierones without sacri cing on perform

or e ciency. Thus, this car gets a higperformance 2.0-litre turbocharged cylinder engine that delivers a total o360hp and a peak torque of 331lbs-famount of power is enough to sprint

Make no mistake out here: the 2014 MercedesBenz A45 AMG isn’t just a hatchback with a smartappearance package. Automan discovered it true

performance colours in UAE Author: Chandan B Mallik | Photography: Nabeel Ferzan


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from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.6secs ando a top speed of 250km/h. Mercedes

o claims there’s Eco software built inping deliver fuel economy of 34mpg.hnically, the A45

MG gets the mostwerful seriesduction 2.0-litreine hand-builtording to theitional AMGosophy of “one

n, one engine”.h its speci c powerput of 181hp/litre itclasses the PorscheGT2 RS’s 172.2hp/

e and it’s interestingearn some of therets that have helped AMG reach theseels of power density. For starters, its a twin-scroll turbocharger, maximumestriction of the exhaust system,tiple sparks, innovative multiple fuelction strategy besides a highly e ectiveling system inspired by the SLS AMGspecial bearings and specially forgedons capable of handling high internalssures akin to those found in a dieseline. This cooling system includes ae section at the front level and is

mbined with an additional cooler in theeel arch. A high-performance electricmp takes care of the uid movement. Inition, the SLK 55 AMG sports exhaustem used out here features large

e cross-sections and an automaticallytrolled exhaust ap.

The engine is mated to an AMGSPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sportstransmission that helps send theengine’s power to the all four wheels via

Mercedes’s 4MATICall-wheel drive system.Depending on modeand demands it canshift torque betweenfront and rear wheelsup to 50 per cent.The chassis in this carhas been endowedwith a good amountof exibility be ttingany AMG product.Up front, the A45retains the A-class’sMacPherson strut

suspension set-up but is tted withsti er steering knuckles and changes tobushings, springs and dampers. At therear, the multi-link suspension is moreheavily revised – including becomingrigidly attached to the body via subframeto provide greater pr ecision and sti ness.Connecting the car to the asphalt are asstandard with twin-spoke AMG light-alloywheels, painted in titanium grey with ahigh-sheen nish, tted with 235/40 R 18tyres. Braking is by ventilated and cross-drilled disc brakes all round. There’s noceramic option and the tested had caliperspainted in red matching the other trim ofthe car.

Driving impressionsOne of the nice things about this car

is that it connects immediately withthe driver and is willing to perform ondemand. The more you drive this car andspend time with it, the more it becomesclear of its connection with AMG. Initially,when you take out the car on a typical citydrive, you can feel the commonality withother four-cylinder Mercedes siblings. Theexhaust note is quite normal, but whenyou leave the restricted city speeds anddig deeper into the throttle, the 2.0-litreengine begins to rev higher and along withits superb chassis and suspension set-upsignals the driver that it has come alive.You can thump out the car in a turn andit will willingly oblige by pulling stronglyand surprisingly, without any of the torquesteer one expects from small and powerfulfront- wheel drive cars. This is where AMGengineering comes in. We agree with theidea to adopt an AWD con guration forthe A45 otherwise this car would havebehaved like the superb, yet unpredictableFord Focus ST! The ST has so much torquesteer that it can be di cult and dangerousto control, especially by novice drivers. Onthe A45, power distribution between thetwo axles is handled by an electronicallyactivated multiplate clutch and the waypower is distributed on the y shows thelevel of exibility provided in the car. Innormal driving, the car uses is essentiallya front-wheel drive [in the interests o foptimum e ciency]. When performanceis demanded, the all-wheel drive cansplit the torque between front and rearaxles up to a ratio of 50:50. That’s notall, along the variables in uencing the

The A45 AMG is themost powerful seriesproduction car poweredby a 2.0-litre engine. Itsspecific power outputis roughly 181hp/litre,which outclasses thePorsche 911 GT2 RS’s172.2hp/ litre

The ECO start/stopfunction is alsoactive in “C” mode


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wer distribution ratio are vehicle speed,ral and longitudinal acceleration,ring angle, speed di erence betweenindividual wheels, selected gear andelerator position.ile the A45AMG is a hatch, there areeral similarities with the SLS AMG. Firstthat is noteds seven-speedG SpeedshiftT dual-clutchrbox. Nonder, thisdware is usedope with thermous powertorque of the

5 AMG engine.d then as perG fashion, the

5 comes withAMG Drivet. This software driven set-up allowsdriver to choose from di erent drivingdes. In Normal mode, gear changessmooth and seamless. In Sport, thegramme noticeably quickens theps. But it’s in the Sport Plus mode,ch should give enthusiastic drivers

ximum satisfaction as it deliversmpetition-grade downshifts and

simultaneously performs matched-revthrottle blips to keep the car composedduring serious driving. Aside from thestability bene ts, the blip-throttle soundsare thoroughly entertaining.Also entertaining is the non-fussy featurecalled “Momentary M mode”. Actually,

what it does is in C and Smode allows the driverto activate manual mode(“M”) without havingto remove a hand fromthe steering wheel, bysimply pressing the “up”or “down” shift paddleonce. This means in thistemporarily overridemode the driver is ableto shift gear manually[despite being in any ofthe automatic drivingprogrammes] with

automatic up- and down-shifting into thebargain. We also note that the gear shifttimes in manual mode “M” and in Sportmode “S” are very closed to those of theSLS AMG GT. Interestingly, the ECO start/stop function is also active in “C” mode.The chassis set-up in this car is extremely

ne tuned. You can toss this compacthatch through tight corners, take

advantage of its super sharp andresponsive steering, crisp throttleresponse, and neutral balance evenat very high cornering speeds. Hardbraking, turning the car into the corner,and downshifting all at the same time donothing to upset the car.

VerdictFor the rst time in the company’s historyextending back over more than 45 years,Mercedes-Benz’s performance brandis o ering a genuine high-performancevehicle in the compact class. Touted as themost a ordable AMG on sale in the region,the A45 AMG aims to not only competewith similar models from compatriotsBMW and Audi, but to completelyannihilate them with its superiorperformance capabilities.

The Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG isrepresentative of the“AMG Performance50” strategy for thefuture, which is to runup to the 50th birthdayof Mercedes-AMGGmbH in 2017


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2014 Aston Martin Rapide S

STYLISHCORPORATEBRUISER

The new 2014 Aston Martin Rapide S makes its debutwith yet more luxury and power in its quintessentiallyelegant four-door coupe silhouette. Automan checks

out the car in UAE Author: Chandan B Mallik | Photography: Author and Nabeel Ferzan

Another concept to realityaccomplished successfully by UKGaydon-based Aston Martin. Firstseen as a concept back in 2006, many inthe business thought that a productionRapide would never see the day. Well itdid and the good news is that it is readyfor its second career innings.In terms of product positioning, theincoming Rapide S replaces the outgoing

Rapide in markets worldwide. It maybe remembered that Aston Martinconceived the Rapide and presented itaround the same time when Porschewas looking at the Panamera. This was inthe year 2010 and till then the four-doorsports sedan segment was unchartedterritory for both sports car makers.However, common to both brands wasthe desire to set o a trend of coupe-styled four-door sedans. In that respect,the Aston Martin’s Rapide overtookthe Porsche in terms of design purity asthe latter was trying to create a booted

version of a 911.However, if one looks at the career graphand subsequent developments of thesecoupe-styled sedans in their generationone avatars, then the winner of thisBritain vs Germany game is ar guablyPorsche which has been able to dig inthe deep pockets of its parent groupand come up with hybrid, diesel andperformance Panamera variants. While

Porsche has taken a diverse engineeringapproach in its sedan o erings,Aston’s approach has been somewhatconservative. But being conservativedoesn’t necessarily mean losing out inthe game as it banks on heritage.The simplest way of describing theRapide S is that it is essentially a DB9with more distance between the wheelaxles. As of now Aston Martin hasn’tinvested in any direct replacementarchitecture for its aging VH platform butsays that several modi cations have beenmade to qualify it as Gen IV and still be

useful. The current VH platform on wthe Rapide is built utilizes an extrudealuminum bonded to an aluminium acomposite skin so it’s not completelyoutdated and also means that the RapS has similar construction as in Astonother sports cars. In pro le, the incocar is similar to its predecessor, but anew face, in particular a new grille dannounces its arrival. The car’s revis

front end design is matched at the reaby a striking new rear end pro le wincludes a more pronounced boot lid‘ ip’.As before, the front doors open atabout a 15-degree upward angle andbrutally raked windscreen has ensurethe front doors are smaller and one hto be extra careful while getting in orout of the car. And for those who arefamiliar with Aston Martin cabins, thinterior execution of this car will evomixed feelings. This is because of thi‘n’ match approach of doing things. O


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hand, one salutes the craftsmanshiphis car, especially when it comes toertise of saddlers which is obvious

m detailing of things like the hidep with a weapon-like metal knucklech hangs against the B-pillar to theyover dashboard

h its dismal andractical layout andipment. The leastwere expectingon’s designers tok at the clutteredtral console, solveawkward positioninghe display screen andast put the switchesome order byuping functions andoduce contemporaryutions like a singlent controller. Thetral console is sotered that there waspace for the petrolrelease which hasn unusually andonveniently placeder the dash on the A-pillar.

art from the ergonomic niggles,di cult to nd a surface inside thethat’s not covered in velvety-soft,eccably stitched leather, while exotic

ural materials like genuine woodeer are used to ll in the blanks. Theal nish gauges are now standardsome may nd it amusing to see

dial indicators for the speedometertachometer rotating in oppositections. Meanwhile, paddle shifters are

xed to the steering column.The driver’s seat is sculpted andcomfortable. While there’s ample legroomand headroom for taller drivers up front,however, the low-slung seating positionand coupe like greenhouse feel ensure

that it feels morelike a sports car thana traditional sedan.Outward vision isterrible, especially forshorter drivers. Therear seat certainlyo ers more spacethan the DB9, but thePorsche Panamerain this respect wouldfeel like a stretchedlimousine. Anotherdesign hurdle whichAston hasn’t beenable to overcome:creating more hiproom by narrowingthe transaxle’s widetunnel.In terms ofpracticality, luggage

space starts out at 317 litres but grows to886 litres when the back seats are foldeddown. And unlike traditional sedanswith rear bulkheads, the way the foldedseatbacks are nished and how theyrelease and gently fall into place is uniqueand interesting.Under the car’s long bonnet, for theRapide S, Aston Martin has uprated theAM11 naturally-aspirated 6.0-litre V12powerplant to deliver unprecedentedpower and improved in-gear acceleration.

Power is up by 17 per cent to 550hpand peak torque increases, too, upfrom 600Nm to 620Nm at 5,000 rpm.Meanwhile an even more markedimprovement in torque occurs lower downthe rev range, as pulling power rises bymore than 40Nm between idle and 4,000rpm with an additional 50Nm availableat 2,500 rpm. The car also bene ts fromthe new ZF 8-speed transmission. Dualvariable camshaft timing, knock sensing,even the fully catalysed stainless steelexhaust system are developments deriveddirectly from Aston Martin Racing’sWEC GT campaign to help maximiseperformance and e ciency. Meanwhile,the engine has been lowered by 19mmversus the position of the powerplant inthe previous car, with a correspondingreduction in the sports car’s centre ofgravity.For handling exibility, there’s adaptivedamping which can be dialed by the driver.Three modes – Sport, Sport Plus and

Track are o ered. The brake set-up usesdual-cast discs, 398mm diameter with six-piston monobloc calipers up front, whilethe rear is the same set up with 360mmdiameter discs and four-piston monobloccalipers.On the safety front, there’s three-mode traction control, anti-lock brakes,brakeforce distribution, electronic brakingassist, and parking sensors besides dualstage driver and passenger front airbags,front-seat side airbags, head protectionairbags for both r ows, plus pretensioningseatbelts.

Driving ImpressionsDue to the low slug seating, it takes a bitof juggle to get inside the car or close thedoor when inside. The Rapide S is an easycar to live with if you don’t mind its lowground clearance. And if you are buckledup, it’s near impossible to reach out andshut the door which swings upwards whenopened. An electric push button closingsystem would have been a thoughtfuladdition.Fire the engine using the key fob and theV12 engine roars into life and settles intoidle quickly. In the world of modern GTcars where performance numbers havereached supercar territory, the Rapide Sis at least a second slow in its 0-100km/hsprint, but that aspect doesn’t disqualifythe car. While reprogramming the enginesoftware has resulted in better torquedelivery, it feels much better and relaxedthan the outgoing Rapide as it builds itsspeed in a linear fashion with appropriatedriver input. Featuring double-layeredglass, the Rapide S is pretty quiet,especially when driven sedately, however,some road noise from the 20in wheels can

lter in but they don’t disturb the serenityinside the cabin. And as before, the V12engine’s exhaust note is compelling andas we experienced the car more with themiles, we realized that it can con dentlytake a corner and like a sports car. .Where the Rapide S clearly outshines itscompetitors is in the steering departmentwhere the feedback and response ispure and unadulterated, thanks to thehydraulically assisted set up. Meanwhile,the variable suspension shock absorbersdo an outstanding job in providing a

smooth and controlled ride be tting aluxury sedan. And despite improvementsin build quality and detailing, the NVHdepartment still has work to do. Wealso noticed, at least with our test car,a disappointing number of squeaks andrattles emerging from unidenti ed areasas the car went over rough patches. The8-speed ZF automatic transmission isultra-smooth, even in manual-shift modewhere the shifts are markedly quickerand the edginess of the older robotizedtransmissions is a thing of the past.The adaptive suspension button altersbetween Normal, Sport and Track modes.We noted that they are from the onesused in the Vanquish, but in its functioningit is somewhat di erent. We think it hasbeen deliberately re-programmed for asedan and hence Normal and Sport aremost useful. Normal brings a fabulousride, even on these huge wheels, andSport sharpens up the handling enough tohustle it along a deserted road. However,unlike sports cars, the chassis changesdo not involve things like gear shiftingor steering feel. Having a Track mode ina sports sedan is rarely heard of and wewonder how many Rapide S owners wouldactually take the car for a track day if thereare opportunities to do so?And a short note on living with the car.In terms of operating day-to-day things,while many modern sports sedans havemigrated to modern features like acentralized knob-based infotainmentcontrollers, the lack of such a devicemeans that you have to master themanually operated switches and dependon the labeled buttons. This disorderly

First seen as aconcept back in2006, the Rapide isan uncompromisedsculpture. It’s adramatic car, with a.

You sit so much insidethat it’s impossible forshorter drivers to seesome overhead trafficlights from the driver’sseat

The Rapide’s navigation is de niteletdown compared to the price tag tit demands. For someone who i s reto pay through their noses - close towhopping AED one million, this ischange and would hardly ever mattThe small pop-up screen at the top the centre console feels like it was aafterthought by the carmaker and thscreen is barely visible in the blarinMiddle Eastern midday sun.The Garmin derived navigation is othe least intuitive of navi’s that I hacome across in a long time and seemlike it’s a good decade behind in teits functionality. The menus need toaccessed through a push-to-select rswitch located down the centre conTo someone who is uninitiated to thAston way of doing things, the mencontrol switch can be quite intimidaFor this ultra-luxury and super-expfour-door sports saloon, an adjustabtouch-screen with a voice activatedlocation search would have beensomething that I would have really perhaps a little Bond touch!

Nabeel Ferzan

The curse of the navi!


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placement of the functional switches canbe irritating, especially, when you are ina hurry. The car’s standard navigationsystem is a Garmin unit and the test carwas supplied with an older map version.Also navigation in this system isn’t theeasiest to operate compared to what’savailable in the market these days.

VerdictThe overall impression is that Aston Martinhas created the Rapide S in a hurry andperhaps on a shoe-string budget. It hascreated a car that looks good but keytouch point areas have been neglected.Aston Martin has set its image in stone asa carmaker devoted to crafting alluringand expensive cars and such an exercisecould be counter-productive. WhileAston Martin doesn’t have access todeep pockets of a rich parent company,so it’s understandable how the strategyof o erings has to be limited whencompared to Porsche. It may soundabsurd, but considering the Rapide S’sengineering, design, pedigree and hand-crafted execution, its really very attractivesticker price and gorgeous looks makesit a standout contender for this market.Despite some of its aws, the Rapide S isan exotic sedan that owners will probably

nd themselves driving every day.

While the actual legroom has increasedslightly from the previous Rapide, thesame-sized door makes the in-and-outprocess just as di cult as the last car

The 2014 AstonMartin Rapide is nowcalled the Rapide S. Theincoming gets severalstyling upgrades and anupdated V12 engine

re are plenty of genuine designments inside the cabin, but the e ortomewhat subdued due to Aston’s lackttention in improving ergonomics andrading hardware.


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In Asian markets like India,competition in the C-segment sedanmarket is as intense as ever. Whilemodels sold in this class were enjoyinga small chunk of the large pie, Hondacame and simply monopolised thesegment with their path breaking newCity. Now, Nissan has upped its gamefor the Indian market in this segmentby refreshing the Sunny, a model thatalso enjoys healthy sales in the MiddleEast.It’s no secret that the Sunny has neverbeen a style icon. It’s more of a carwith neutral styling. The refresh seesseveral changes to the exterior whichmake it look fresh amongst a sea ofsedans now vying for buyer’s attentionin the C-segment. Up front, the newheadlamps are angular and seem tohave taken some inspiration from theAltima or 370Z. The grille is new andbigger with thicker chrome surrounds.The redesigned front bumper gets achrome lip and other cosmetic touchesinclude new mirrors shrouds with sideindicators. No changes have been madeto the sheet metal.The car’s cabin has received signi cantattention, more on the lines of theupdated Micra. Nissan has triedto transform the interiors of thecar drastically with changes to thedashboard, trim, instrument cluster,new multifunction steering wheel andmost of all the beige and grey interiorhas been replaced by an all blackinterior which makes the cabin lookandfeel so much better than before.For propulsion, Nissan continues to

o er 1.5-litre petrol and diesel millto power the Sunny. The HR15 Serpetrol engine now o ers 99PS and134 Nm of torque in the manualtransmission set-up (and marginallymore in the CVT).In terms of performance, the Sunnywill continue to be positioned towarback benchers and thus this car isn’tabout handling. Still, the vehicle islight on its feet, handles decently weand has decent grip on o er, as lonas you don’t push it. The steeringisn’t feedback rich but is light andthat makes the Nissan Sunny easy tomanoeuvre at all times. It does weigup better than some of the cars in thesegment and high speed stability lefus nothing to complain about. The Nlevels could have been better thoughroad noise is apparent inside the cabat high speeds. Braking performanc

good and the ABS has been calibratwell.Where the Nissan Sunny totally excis in the ride quality department. It’ssweet riding car, absorbing most of tbumps in its stride with relative easeThe suspension set-up is on the softeside, yet it feels mature and more thup for the job. The mature calibratioof the suspension prevents bouncineover bad roads while also ensuringthe car remains stable and tackles baroads in its stride without much vertmovement. Lots of interior roomalong with a good ride quality makethe Sunny a very comfortable car fooccupants.

Sunny day2014 Nissan Sunny [facelift]

Nissan Middle had planned a factory visit and testdrive of the refreshed 2014 Sunny which is builtin India. To our surprise, we were told that there

were not enough takers for this media trip from ME. As always Automan is rst to get the story for its

readers from this event Author: Faisal Khan


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The timing andsetting was perfect.Traditionally, Lord Marchanises the annual UK Essex-ed Goodwood Festivalpeed which features anctic mix of past, presentfuturistic motorcars andorcycles. It also seemedweather gods also hadft spot for this locationyear. A few miles away in

mbledon, some of the day’sches were totally washedbut Goodwood enjoyedrfect British summer with

uds and the sun playinge and seek intermittently., I did mention timing in myning statement. One ofd March’s rules for decidingdate for the Festival ofed each year is that thent does not clash wither the Le Mans 24-hour

e or any F1 GP, meaningpaddocks are usually fullacing royalty. The long listtars this year included thes of modern gladiators such as Markbber, Kimi Raikkonen, Jenson Button,

wis Hamilton and Sebastians Vettel andb while yesterday’s heroes ranged

m champions such as Wayne Gardner,n Surtees, Emmerson Fittipaldi, Didieriol, Hannu Mikkola and Dario Franchitti.s year, the featured marque wasrcedes-Benz who erected theressive main sculpture dedicated toevent. Incidently, Mercedes-Benz, celebrate 120 years of motorsport in4. Equally steeped in racing pedigreealian marque Maserati, who almostlusively built competition cars beforeWar and celebrates their centenaryyear. Was it therefore a coincidencethere was friendly competition

ween Mercedes and Maserati carsng to outwit each other in timings ‘onhill climb?

The mood and environment over thetwo days we spent at Goodwood waselectrifying. In carnival spirit, spectatorsoccupied the lush green grass in front ofGoodwood House, watched over fromthe balcony of the historic mansion byshepherds of speed and automotivearistocrats. While the ground wasreverberating to the cacophony ofexhaust notes of machines, soaringgracefully among white clouds wassupersonic display of ariel prowess byRed Arrows and RAF. Two days of never-ending parade of fast and noisy vehicles,some spitting ames or coughing asthey race against the clock whileothers stop to entertain the crowdby simply disappearing or somedrivers entertaining crowds byperforming tyre burnouts/doughnuts with their carsor blips/wheelies by bikers.

The Festival of Speed is now - as its namesuggests - a genuine celebration of allthings motoring, motorsport and even tosome extent aviation. In addition to these,the Festival of Speed also marked the50th anniversary of John Surtees winningthe F1 World Championship. . While thehill climb remains the main event of theFestival of Speed, there are many moreside numbers, which include the MovingMotor Show, the de facto British MotorShow, the Cartier Style et Luxe Concoursd’Elegance and the annual BonhamsFestival of Speed sale.What particularly impressed us wasthe crowd management, logistics andorganisation at this venue where over150,000 spectators got a clear viewof what’s happening up close. Thehay-baled lined hillclimb was safeand allowed spectators to getup close to the action and seeall these famous machinesin action and then there’salso the chance to rubshoulders with thestars, some of whomhave driven thesecars during theirillustriouscareers.Here arethe keyhighlights.Readon…

‘ Addicted to Winning - The Unbeatable Championsof Motorsport’ was the theme for the 22nd editionof this year’s edition of Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Automan witnessed this car crazy frenzy in all itsglory over two days.

Author: Chandan B Mallik Photography: author


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Audidi used the venue to introduce the thirderation all-new TT. Besides the new TT,di also showcased this year’s Le Mansner, an example of the R18 e-tronttro smeared and battle-scarred from24-hour race, at which Audi took itsh win in 16 years.

ARIELOn static display at the brand’s stanthe Ariel Atom 3.5R and two examthe ACE motorcycle concepts alongthe original Ariel Square Four. Accto Ariel, the brand will be creating lvolume handmade bespoke productThat aspect was quite clear at the staWhile both exotic naked machines htheir the exoskeleton frames inspirethe Atom four-wheeler, the suspenssystem up front o ered is either giror inverted catridge. The rear suspe

uses single-sided cast alloy swingarm with mono shock absorber. Theprototypes are production ready as mof the powertrain hardware comes frHonda’s 1,237cc water-cooled V4 cranking out 173PS and 129Nm offrom the VTR. Ariel will o er throwire technology combined with its ofuel mapping software to ensure peapower is always on tap across the enrev bandwidth. Ariel claims the bikecapable of hitting a top speed of 26with ease. The Ace will be o ered two versions -- manual and dual clutransmission [DCT] with the idea tto both track day and day-to-day ridThe Ace also completed its maiden hclimb here.

aSton MartInllowing a pre-festival teaser on the

eb, Aston Martin gave a glimpse intoe future with real-life models of theest virtual supercars available in theny Playstation Gran Turismo 6 dr iving

mulator. The car in question is the DP-100sion Gran Turismo which is expectedmake its virtual debut in Gran Turismon July. The DP-100 is envisioned as aid-engined supercar equipped with a12 twin-turbo engine delivering 800bhpthe 20in alloy wheels wrapped aroundMichelin tyres. Its creators say thertual concept manages to o er “anceptional level of detail with a fullynctioning suspension system and state--the-art electronics” along with “activerodynamics” which supports the car’snction within the game.esign Prototype or DP 100 virtual o eringr the game was developed in-houseer the course of six months. Someve criticized AM for not making any

gni cant changes to its designs but theyn’t say the same thing about the DP-100hich represents a considerable departureom the familiar look. Aston’s mid-gined concept was the nal piece in thempany’s centenary celebrations.


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Alfa Romeolfa Romeo’s stall was impressive withs latest merchandise rubbing shouldersith some of its peers, but in the dynamicction, the order of the day was

ampened by an accident. Alfa Romeo’sand plans for an impressive hill climbith 4C didn’t go as exactly plannedn the rst day of the festival. Insteadcompleting the run, it hit the safety

raw bales. The new Alfa Romeo Mitond Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde modelsad their UK debuts on the hill and Alfaomeo also commemorated the 60thnniversary of the Giulietta by showcasingme of its heritage cars, including the

955 750 Competizione and the GiuliettaZ Coda Tronca from 1960.

HONDA Honda used the event to showcase thNSX and new Civic Type R hatchbacproduction concepts. Alongside the con display, a selection of Honda racinclassics from the Honda Collection HJapan participated in the hill climb. Tincluded Senna’s McLaren Honda Mdriven over the weekend by Japaneseracer Takuya Izawa, and the 1965 RAF1 racer piloted by touring car stalwand current Castrol Honda WTCC drGabriele Tarquini.


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Land RoverLand Rover o ered a rst glimpse of a new highperformance prototype -- the thinly disguised Range RSport SVR. The Range Rover Sport SVR has been creaby Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations teaand all future SVR models will need to meet stringentkey performance criteria in order to wear the SVR badThe camou aged prototype Range Rover Sport SVR currently undergoing development prior to going on sain 2015. Details of the vehicle’s 550hp V8 powertrainstill under wraps, but crowds got their money’s worth iform of a thrilling soundtrack to match its impressive pPerformance data for the SVR will extend the Range RSport’s established capabilities as the fastest, most agileand most responsive Land Rover ever built.

Jaguarsitors to Jaguar’s stand at Goodwoodre welcomed by a static display of then rmed for production F-Type ProjectAnd a week later the car made itsnamic debut in front of packed crowdsring the Le Mans Classic race meetinger the weekend of 4-6 July, 2014.eanwhile, among the other Jaguarsrs, we spotted several interesting onesnging from Jaguar’s D-Types to the Silkt XJR-9.


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M l ecLaren took the wraps o the oranged white coloured 650S GT3 following aser announcement a week before. The

T3, wearing McLaren’s historic numberlivery is mechanically based on the

ad-going 650S Coupe. Technically, theck-only GT3 derivative is a follow-up to

e 12C GT3 but with a more aggressivedy kit made mostly from carbon bred including larger air intakes providingtimized cooling. McLaren Special

perations (MSO) has also con rmedmited production editions for its 650Sodel. The livery also suggests McLaren’sssible racing ambitions in future ase #59 number was once worn by thecLaren F1 GTR at the 24 hours of Leans in 1995 where it won on its debut, aat that still remains unique to this d ay.cLaren says the new 650S racer wassigned to meet the GT3 regulationsed in second-tier sportscar racing series

ound the world, like the Blancpaindurance Series and the Pirelli Worldallenge.

FordClassic Fords were quite abundant numbers at Goodwood and there we

some ne examples of models thatdominated the British series in the like the Galaxies and Escorts. And facross the Atlantic were Ford Nascfrom the 1960s right through to todFord’s list of cars also includes sevexamples of modern World Touringcontenders, high-tech DTM machineven a Peter Brock Ford Sierra andFalcon V8 Supercar stickered to loCraig Lowndes’ famous 00 Motors‘green-eyed monster!From the new car launch side, Fordthe event to introduce and even surpmany with its refreshed for 2015 FST. The world debut also saw the fointroduction of a new diesel-powereversion, as well. To prove that the FST is still as potent as ever, Ford sea one-on-one race up the GoodwoodHill. But instead of putting the two cside-by-side, former Stig from Top GUK, Ben Collins, piloted the real mthe course, and his rival drove the viversion in Gran Turismo 6. The twhatches set o at the same time and

nish was actually extremely close


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Nissansides track action and stand presence,ssan also gave a glimpse into theure with models of their latesttual supercars which are used in

e Sony Playstation Gran Turismo 6ving simulator. Nissan’s Vision 2020owcased a radical design direction thatikely to inspire the next-generation

T-R. According to Nissan Design Europesign Director Taisuke Nakamura:eople are quite enthusiastic to race ar in a virtual environment. It’s a newyling challenge without any constraints,undaries, so it was a purely designallenge from our side to see how much can go further to achieve an attractivesign. It’s like a virtual motor show toe.”e car draws inspiration from the

T-R and has a futuristic design that istremely slippery and aerodynamic.arting up front, there’s a “V-motion”

front fascia with slender LED headlightsand a front splitter. We can also see aventilated hood, side exiting exhaustsand a double bubble roof. The conceptalso has an aggressive rear di user and aprominent rear wing.For dynamic expressions, Nissan broughtto the table a road-legal version NismoGT-Rs to Goodwood and the prototypewhich set the record lap on theNurburgring. Very much like Alfa Romeo,Nissan also faced some embarrassingmoments with one of its GT-Rs aftersix-time Olympic gold medal winner SirChris Hoy, who was piloting a NissanGT-R GT3 ended up in an expensive shuntwith a hay bale. But that didn’t deterNissan putting up an impressive showwith its concept loaded stand where theJapanese brand had both the ID conceptmodels, GT-R Nismo and Time Attack,Juke Nismo and 370Z Nismo.

I i iAt the hill climb, In niti let loose its satin rQ50 Eau Rouge prototype which is poweredby the twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre V6 of theNissan GT-R. Other hardware in this car likesophisticated all-wheel-drive system comes f

the GT-R. What doesn’t come from the GT-Rthe In niti is the throaty exhaust note, whicsounded deliberately muted. Red Bull Racinteam principal Christian Horner and test drivSébastien Buemi took turns to drive the Q5Rouge prototype. Meanwhile, at the MovingMotor Show, all new In niti Q50 models wdisplay along with the ultra-exclusive In niVettel Edition SUV.


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ElementalNew players like UK’s Elemental used the venue to launchits new road-legal, track-orientated two-seater called theRP-1. The RP-1 is powered by a 276bhp 2.0-litre Ford EcoBoostengine and has a claimed kerb weight of 450kg. Elementalsays the car “incorporates a carbon bre tub, motorsport-derived aerodynamics and owner-tuneable suspension”.

lex shile the Lexus LFA took part in thepercar runs up the hill and entertainede spectators, the RC-F coupé also haddynamic UK debut. This new model

as rst unveiled at the Detroit motorow in January is powered by a V8 engineoducing “in excess of 450bhp” andcorporating technology derived frome Lexus LFA supercar.

ToyotaToyota’s focus at the festival was moretowards highlighting its rally heritage.Proof of the pudding came in form of animpressive display of Celicas and Corollasfrom the 1980s and 1990s.

Rolls-RoyceRolls-Royce celebrated a successfuweekend with the Wraith, the Britisbrand’s ultimate gentlemen’s granturismo. Also making its rst UK appearance was the Ghost Series IIMeanwhile, the Course Director’s cyear was a Rolls-Royce Phantom Cresplendent with race lights and oGoodwood decals.

HyundaiSouth Korean automajor Hyundai made its presence feltat Goodwood with its latest i20 WRC rally machine. In Hyundai Motorsport i20 World Rally Championship driDani Sordo clinched the fastest recorded laps around thmile Forest Rally Stage achieving a best aggregate time49 secs in total over three runs.


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BentleyBentley came exceptionally wellprepared for the Festival of Speed wan impressive line-up of its current cas well as rare examples spanning thbrand’s rich 95 year heritage. Arguthe Bentleyline-up on display atGoodwood showcased the best in Bluxury and performance.During the three day adrenalin pumactivity, the Bentley stand also witnthe global debut of the new ContineGT3-R – which is touted as the modynamic and fastest-accelerating Beever produced [See preview elsewhin this issue]. The limited to 300 unproduction car takes its inspiration fBentley’s race-winning Continentaracer.On the hill climb, came fresh from irecent victory at the second r oundof the Blancpain Endurance Series aSilverstone, the GT3 piloted by moday Bentley Boy David Brabham.Brabham also drove a Bentley Spesecond place at the 24 Hours of Le M2003, completing the famous BentleyTracing the roots of the brand’s raciheritage, three historic Bentleys werreunited for the rst time in over adecade to complete Goodwood’sfamous Hillclimb. The Speed Six Ba ectionately known as ‘Old Numbwon Le Mans in 1929 and 1930 wiBarnato partnering Henry ‘Tim’ Bir(1929) and Glen Kidston (1930) aswinning at Brooklands. This uniquecelebrated racing car was accompanby two more classic Bentleys. ‘OldNumber 2’ and ‘Old Number 3’ arein their original form and raced alonOld Number 1 at Le Mans in 1930.At the Bentley stand, the full line-upBentley’s road cars were displayed one of the latest additions to the ran– the Continental GT V8 S – also dup the hill by ve-time Le Mans wand Bentley Boy, Derek Bell. For ttime, Bentley also displayed a rangepre-owned models, on a separate stain the Exhibitors’ Area.


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M se iMaserati showcased its largest ever collection of cars at Goodwood aspart of the Italian brand’s 100 year worldwide celebrations. Maserati over the Stable Yard at the Goodwood estate for the duration of thisyear’s event with its past and present cars – including some of the raresmodels from its 100 year history and its entire current range. Pre-Waincluded the ex-Tazio Nuvolari Belgian Grand Prix winning 8CM, onfour V8-engined V8RIs produced in 1935 and the 8CTF driven to victhe Indy 500 in 1939 and 1940. Among the post-War Maseratis, the moutstanding car was Lukas Huni’s 250F, which was driven by Juan MFangio to score his nal and greatest Grand Prix victory [his fth WoChampionship] at the Nurburgring in 1957.The Maserati Al eri Concept headlined the festivities after it made itpublic debut alongside the GranCabrio MC Centennial Edition. In Sundshoot-out former GT1 World Champion and ex-grand prix driver MicBartels won the modern endurance racers-post 1980 class with his speliveried Maserati MC12 ‘Goodwood Cent 100’ and came a close secobehind Sebastien Loeb for the overall top spot, with a time of 45.82, j1.22s behind the winner. The car is decorated with artistic paintings oMaserati’s motorsport glories: Stirling Moss in a 250F, the MC12 FIAand even an outline of the Goodwood hillclimb route feature.At the Cathedral Paddock, over twenty Maserati’s ranging from the oldMaserati at the event, a Tipo 26M, to Fangio’s F1 championship-winn250F as well as several examples of the MC12 were up on display. Intimed shoot out, the Maserati 4CS in the Grand Touring Cars (pre-19the Maserati 300S and Maserati A6GCS came rst and second respecin the Road Racers of 1945-1964. Modern Maseratis like the Gr anTuMC Stradale and GranCabrio MC entertained spectators as they particiin the Michelin Supercar Run over the weekend.

Sir Sterling Moss withthe Alferi concept


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Me e es-Be zrcedes-Benz was the featured marquehis year’s Festival of Speed The tristarnd celebrated 120 years in motorsporth an impressive array of cars with many

ming from collectors or privateers. Cars

show ranged from early 1900s anderal pre-war Grand Prix cars, famousver Arrows models like the W196,Sauber C9 Le Mans-type sports car

ht up to last year’s Mercedes F1 racerven by Lewis Hamilton. Mercedes alsouted the revised CLS for the rst time

Goodwood 2014.ck action on the hill saw both old and

new car were being driven hard up the1.16-mile route. One couldn’t miss therace-winning 1928 Mercedes SSK throughto the mighty W 165 R Silver Arrow, the SL500 rally car and the ame-spitting Sauber-Mercedes C 9 endurance racer.Among the cars on display was the actualwinner of the last race held before theGreat War, brought from the UnitedStates by collector George Wingard.These cars starred in the ‘PioneeringGreats’ class alongside a slightly earlier1908 Mercedes Grand Prix car, whileother notable competition cars from theGerman company were found in manymore classes. Among them was the 1939

Tripoli Grand Prix winning W165, drivenby Sir Jackie Stewart and the 1954 W196,reunited with original driver Sir Stirling Moss.The action extended to production carsincluding the most potent AMG road car-- the SLS AMG Black Series. Also makingan appearance on the Hill was the car thatdrove from Africa to the UK on a single tankof fuel, an E 300 BlueTEC Hybrid. Behindthe wheel of some of the Mercs were someof the greatest drivers from recent times– including Dario Franchitti, Jochen Mass,Klaus Ludwig and Sir Stirling Moss. LewisHamilton, the 2008 F1 World Championdrove his regular Mercedes AMG PetronasFormula One team car on Sunday.

PorschePorsche was in top form with anexciting array of new models andsome legendary icons from itsmuseum were also shipped over forthe event. Porsche Le Mans worksdrivers Mark Webber, BrendonHartley and Marc Lieb attended theevent on selected days over theweekend and dutifully put the carsthrough their paces on the hill climb.Car s that we saw at the festivalincluded the 1998 911 GT1 [actual LeMan winner], 1987 962, 2008 opencockpit RS Spyder. Static displaysincluded the 1983 Gruppe

B Studie and 1969 917-16 cylinder. Inthe dynamic section, the plug-in hybrid918 Spyder, 911 Turbo S Cabriolet didthe rounds and in the First Glancecategory, the Macan Turbo, 911 Targaand Cayman GTS will make their

rst public appearance. The PorscheExperience Centre exhibited thecurrent model range including theBoxster GTS, Macan S Diesel, 911 Targa4S, Panamera S E-Hybrid, 911 TurboS Coupé, the Exclusive 911 CarreraMartini Racing Edition, Cayman GTS,Cayenne GTS and Panamera GTS eachin distinctive Carmine Red.

FerrariFerrari’s participation with 90 cars in the thedition of the Ferrari Cavalcade was an impsight with the one-o F12 TRS, making its debut on non Sicilian soil. The F12 TRS is bon the F12berlinetta as was commissionedexclusively by a Ferrari a cionado which isrumoured to be inspired by a 1957 250 TestRossa. To us, the F12 TRS is Flavio Manzonthe Ferrari Style Centre team’s homage to itinspiration.Grammy Award-winning English musician, bknown as the lead singer of the British funk/jazz band Jamiroquai, Jay Kay, brought his bnew LaFerrari painted in Kermit Green. Onthe 499 units to be produced, Jay Kay’s LaFmade an appearance in the Michelin Superca

Paddock at Goodwood where it was parkedalongside a red LaFerrari and the one-o F1


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Renaultault’s presence was quite strong andsplay arsenal was represented byous production and concept modelsing across motor sport and road. The all-new Renault Twingo was

display for the rst time in the UKad of its o cial launch in September,ng with the production version ofCaptur crossover and the latest Clio.

Four interesting concepts from the ‘LifeCycle’ series of design studies whichhas been initiated by Renault’s designdirector Laurens van den Acker were ondisplay. These thematic expressions wererepresented in the DeZir, Captur Concept,R-Space and Twin’Run. That’s not all.Three groundbreaking electric cars -- theall-electric Zoe supermini, Twizy and theSpark-Renault SRT-01E, the electric single-

seater which will compete in the Form ulaE series later this year were also on show.In the dynamic section, cars fromRenault’s 115-year participation in motorsport were on display and in action onthe hill and rally stage. Models includedthe Type K that brought Renault its rstinternational racing victory in the Paristo Vienna race in 1902 and the rally-bredRenault R5 Maxi Turbo.

CitroenCitroen unveiled its new Cactus hatchbackand latest C1 city car. It was the rst o cialouting for both models. Citroen alsocelebrated the 80th anniversary of TractionAvant, the model that helped to popularisefront-wheel drive when it was introducedway back in 1934.

PeugeotFollowing a teaser a week before unveil in Goodwood, Peugeot fullyrevealed the packaging for the 208GTi 30th Anniversary special editThe 30th Anniversary version wasshowcased in the Supercar & FirstGlimpse class of the event. The carcomes with several enhancements a new Euro 6-compliant 1.6-litre hpressure turbo four-cylinder gasoliengine delivering 205hp and 300NThis makes it 8hp and 25Nm morpowerful than in the previous iteratPeugeot also gave a glimpse of itsstriking 2008 DKR rally machine,also marks the brand’s o cial retuthe Dakar Rally in January 2015.


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BIKES GALOREBig bike brands and their charismatic riders were doing the rounin the paddocks and hill climbs. It was really good to see oldtimers from now defunct BSA and Norton kicking alive alongsimodern Japanese heavyweights and sports bikes. Honda’s famedduo Freddie Spencer and Stuart Graham were cool entertainersGraham – a successful racer on two and four wheels rode the R[a 250cc four-cylinder racer upon which Jim Redman won the World Championship] and Spencer, who burst onto the motorcworld championship scene in dominant fashion in the early 198showed his skills on his NSR500 racer up the hill. Bradley Smcurrent MotoGP rider for the Tech 3 Yamaha team rode the YZOW48 [the famous 500cc world championship patronized byKenny Roberts in 1980]. Isle of Man frontrunner John McGuiwas also seen in action on a Honda Racing CBR1000RR, whilcurrent Pata Honda World Superbike pair of Leon Haslam andJonathan Rea charged the Pata Honda CBR1000RR Firebladesthe hill. Other bike stars include Giacomo Agostini, Wayne GarChaz Davies and Dougie Lampkin with their respective machinMeanwhile, the bike paddock’s revealed some interesting and ramachines from Norton, Ducati, Suzuki among others.


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The all-new 2015 ChrevroletCorvette Z06 goes on sale in thefourth quarter of 2014 in the USeing prepared as the most powerfulduction car ever from General

otors and one of a few productions available in the United States that

mfortably crosses the 600hp mark. Asnow, according to GM, the Z06’s LT4percharged 6.2-litre V8 engine is SAE-ti ed at 650hp at 6,400 rpm and 88Nmtorque at 3,600 rpm.he LT4 Small Block sets a newnchmark for power and torque at GM,”d Steve Kiefer, vice president, GMwertrain Engineering. “The engine alsos the new Corvette Z06 on par withmost powerful supercars o ered in

merica, while delivering performanceh impeccable manners that make ittable for daily driving.”

mpared with other supercar engines,LT4 is a veritable fountain of low-end

que, producing 619Nm just o idled 847Nm by only 2,800 rpm. Theseures compare favourably, say with the2-powered Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, whichduces about 28 per cent less torquen the Z06, despite o ering about 12cent more horsepower and its peak

que comes at 6,000 rpm. The LT4intains 90 per cent of its peak torque802Nm from 2,500 to 5,400rpm. Thew LT4 engine performance also eclipses

the Porsche 911 Turbo S engine’s peakpower levels by 90hp and 182 Nm.“Torque is the pulling power of an engineand the LT4’s abundance of it at everyrpm in the engine’s speed range helpsthe 2015 Corvette Z06 accelerate quickerand respond nearly instantaneously,”said Jordan Lee, chief engineer for SmallBlock engines. “It’s the very de nitionof power on demand.” Compared to the

previous-generation’s 7.0-litre LS7 engine,the new Z06 engine produces 40 per centmore peak torque [244Nm] and 7.5percent more than the supercharged 2013Corvette ZR1’s [819 Nm]. At 3,200 rpm,the new LT4 surpasses the LS7 by 208 lb-ftof torque [252Nm]. On the horsepowerside of the graph, the LT4’s 650hp ratingis 29 per cent greater than the LS7’s505hp and 12 horses more than the ZR1’sLS9 engine.The new LT4 engine builds on the designstrengths of our previous superchargedengine and leverages the technologiesintroduced on the Corvette Stingray likedirect injection, cylinder deactivationand continuously variable valve timing.Interestingly, the LT4’s supercarperformance numbers are achieved withan engine that is nearly the same size asthe very compact LT1 engine introduced inthe 2014 Corvette Stingray.

The new LT4 engine is based on thesame Gen 5 small block foundationas the Corvette Stingray’s LT16.2-litre naturally aspirated engine. Itnow incorporates several unique featuresdesigned to support its higher output andother characteristics. In its construction,

it uses Rotocast aluminium cylinder headsthat are stronger and handle heat betterthan conventional aluminum heads,lightweight titanium intake valves, useshigh 10.0:1 compression ratio, forgedaluminium pistons, stainless steel exhaustmanifolds and an aluminium balancer that

Soon to arrIvE nEWCHEVY CORVETTEZo6 WIll land

WIth IncrEdIBlEpErForMancECREDENTIALS

are lighter than their LT1 counterpastandard dry-sump oiling system widual-pressure-control oil pump.The new supercharger spins at up to20,000rpm which means it is 5,000more than the supercharger on theCorvette ZR1’s engine. The rotors asmaller in diameter, which contributtheir higher-rpm capability – and enthem to produce power-enhancing bearlier in the rpm band. That boost iachieved more e ciently via a moredirect discharge p

156 Automan August Issue 2014

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