Automan J

8/6/2019 Automan J

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/automan-j 1/83

E X E C U T I V E S

E D A N G E T S C L

A S S Y

A N E W

C A R , N E W D I R E C

T I O N

2 0 1 1 T O Y O T A L A N D

C R U I S E R 5 . 7

- L I T R E V 8 \

\ 2 0 1 1 D O D

G E D U R A N G O

S Z A G A T O V 1

2 C O N C E P T \ \ M I N

I C O U P E

Visit us on ine at www.automanwe .co

No 119 JULY 2011 Oman’s Best Automotive Resource OMR 0.500 AED 5.00 QR 5

YOU’VE

WAITED

ALL THESE

YEARS

AND IT’S

FINALLY

HERE!

d e ta i l s i n s i

e

E X C L U S I V E Q & A

c h I e f d e s I

G N o f f

I c e r p

e t e r s

c h r e y e

r I N

A L L O u

r r e g u la r

f ea t u r

e s

8/6/2019 Automan J


8/6/2019 Automan J


editor-in-chiefMamma Al ta

AL roYA PreSS & PUBLiShinG

Po B: 343, Psal c 118

Al hay cmpl

Sulaa oma

emal: auma@alya.

Wbs: www.aumawb.m

eal :

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

cula :

tl: +968 2456 2360, fa: +968 2456 2194

PUBLiSher

ham Al ta am@alya.

editor & GM

raj Wa aj@alya.

execUtive editor

caa B Mall aa@alya.

deSiGn

Sawsa Al Muab sawsa@alya.

heAd of MArketinG

Mag Azz mag@alya.

circULAtion

bs@alya.

finAnce & AdMin

Abaam dal al@alya.

Printer

ruw M Ps LLc

tl: +968 2479 4167, 2479 8157

fa: +968 2470 0545

© 2011

All al Auma magaz a

s wbs s pyg a may b pu

ay m wu w s

maagm AL roYA PreSS & PUBLiShinG

Auma aps usl lus al

maal, bu ss g publs ay su

maal. o publs, pyg ay

su maal wll s w AL roYA PreSS &

PUBLiShinG

Fix it before it breaks

This month Automan takes an in-depth look at 12 cars that share one particular strength.

All the cars in the dozen highlighted under the Automan Select banner are stalwarts that

have either lasted for many decades or have come into the scene a few years back and

are points in their evolution that are quite disparate.

The point that Automan Select tries to make is also distinct from our approach in the Car

of the Year. Our Car of the Year is based on comparing the best cars nominated under

a range of segments – ranging from entry level all the way up to the best luxury or

performance vehicles. Under the Automan Select banner, we aren’t distinguishing models

into any categories or segments. What we are looking for in this edition of Automan

Select is improvement brought about in the models that have replaced their forebears in

the past year.

In some of these cases, the model in question has undergone a complete platform

revolution – like Ford’s Explorer, shirking the ladder frame and body conguration to

become a softer crossover. Or the Jaguar XJ which has eschewed the tradition that kept it

from evolving for years to a car that is so ultra-modern that you are surprised that it isn’t

from one of the German manufacturers.

These dozen cars all share one characteristic – they tell you that the manufacturers of

these models are listening to the customer and the customer’s demands. What does the

modern car buyer want that is substantially different from car buyers through the years?

Nothing. What is changing is the readiness of manufacturers to listen. The very concept of

a model year change of trim, lights or features was brought about by manufacturers who

thought that customers were happy with the frills. Today the buyer is communicating with

his wallet – he wants style, latest technology, safety and most of all the assurance that he

is buying a car that is far more than a device that only gets him from A to B.

The message that other manufacturers need to get is that you have to listen to your

buyer - stop thinking that they will buy the same old car packed as a new offering.

In addition this month we also look at the new A6 and new Durango – both of which

qualify for the tag of most improved model as well as carry an interview with Peter

Schreyer, KIA’s head of design. It isn’t often that we meet such people in Oman – usually

this is associated with a major product launch. In this case we butted in on a personal

visit – but the pleasant results are presented in our pages this month.

8/6/2019 Automan J


B r u t e f o

r c e

40 41

T o y o t a

’ s v e n

e r a b l e

e i g h t h

g e n e

r a t i o n

L a n d

C r u i s

e r m a

y

c a r r y

o v e r m

o s t l y

u n c h a n

g e d f

r o m t h e

2 0 1 0

m o d e l

y e a r , b

u t t h e

b i g n e w s

i s t h a

t a 5 . 7

- l i t r e V 8

a l s o

g e t s

a d d e

d t o t h e

p a c k a

g e f o r

2 0 1 1

.

A u t o m

a n c h

e c k s

o u t t

h i s m o

d e l

C h a n d

a n B M

a l l i k

R a j W

a r r i o r

As anoutsider broughtin todevelop a

clear identityfor the KIA brand,how

muchofresistance have youfacedfrom

withinthe organisationtoimbibingnew

ideas like a global identityas opposedto

the differentmodel for differentmarket

approach?

I haven’ tfaced any resistancefrom the

organisation. Ithinkthis iswhattheyexpected

when theybroughtmein. Theyhavesupported

methroughout. Theonlything isthatwestilldo

differentmodelsfor differentmarkets. But

theya l l look l ik e

KIA sso there is

onelanguage, the

sty le isthesame

only sometimes

in different

markets there is a requirementfor

dif ferentty pes of

cars– forex ample

theUSmarketis one

forsedansand SUVsand the European

market is onefor5-door. In a market l ik e

Koreaor even hereyou couldn’tsella5-door.

In Europetheywant5-doors and wagons. So

thiswayweneed to makeakind ofadifference

in regions, butagain, notfrom astylepoint of

view. A BMWlookslike aBMW everywherein

theworld and whynot. ThisiswhatItry to

build up – astrong identity. Onceyou havea

strong identityand astrongerimageyou can

experiment, butyou can getastronger image

onlybyhaving onerecognisableidentity.

Youa lsome ntione dtha tyou ha dto

create the new lookandidentity pretty

rapidly.Wouldthatmake owners ofolder

look KIAs feel like theyhadlost outby

notwaitingfor the newer model?

Iwould hopetheybuynew KIAs. (laughs)

How muchimportance doexterior and

interior designgetseparatelyunder your

watch?Do tastes ofdifferent regions

impactdifferentinteriors?

F irstofa l l , theex teriorand the interiora re

ofequa l importance . When you seea car

on thestreetorthepark ing y ou note that it

ca r. A sforthetastesofdif fe rentregions– it

isn’ tso much thesty leasit isthemateria ls.

Anotheraspectis thepricing. In someregions

theydon’twantto paya premium – selling the

carsa tacheaperprice . In thatcasewecan’t

useleather orsoft touch materials. In other

regionsthesamemode lsareposit ioned for

moreaffluentbuyers. In thosecasestheywant

soft-touch materials, navigation and thebest

you can getin leatherand everything. In those

caseswecan chargea l i t tlemoremoneyand

thebuyersare willing

to payit. In Europe

buyerswantaharder

suspension, whilein

theUStheywanta

sof ter suspension

and cup-holders.

You are

c o n s t a n t l y

l oo ki ng a t

popular culture for inputs incar

design.Butatsome levels youmustfind

yourselfconstrainedby the technology

thatis available.What are the new

boundaries youare facinginterms of

possibilities incar design?

I t h i n k o f t h e n e w b o u nd a ri e s a s n e w

possibilities. Oneof thenew possibilitiescan

befound in alternativedrivetrains, likeusing

e lectricmotors and hybrids. Thisshould

changethe sceneryquitea bit. Theway

theoi lpricesaremov ing, in countriesthat

don’ thavetheoi l , way sneed to be found

howto makethe electricity. Itwill taketime

butthesearecha l lenges. Justasaresa fe ty

rules. Asyou mentioned thereare newways

to uselighting – using which wecan make

a lotof improvements. Oneway isbyusing

LEDand l ight guidetechnologiesyou can

makean identity. When you seea carin

thenight you can instantlyrecognise it. The

Audiswere verywell defined likethat. Using

l ighty ou can makethecarhaveafacewith

the l ightsplay ing theroleof theeyes. A lso,

you can useadaptive headlighttechnologies

to improvesafety, having thelightswivel as

you go round corners. Wealreadyhave the

abilityto program acarto automaticallydip

itslights on sensing an oncoming car. There

area lot ofpossibi l it ies. Ibe l iev ethat it is

thenewtechnologies and thenewchallenges

thatbring design forward. Design doesnot

advanceon itsown justby changing aline or

somecolour. You need morethan that– anew

FACETOFACE

16 17

DESIGNS OF

A MASTER

When you read theman’sbiographyyou realisehowmuch theGerman

des ign ethosareparto ftheman. Afterstudying industrial designfrom theMunich Universityof Applied Sciences, hewon an Audischolarship to theRoyal Collegeof Artin London. Afterthat hejoined Audi and rosethrough thecompanyto becomethe chiefdesigner.Post2002 till 2005 hewaswith Volkswagen in thesame capacityand then Head ofAdvanced Designforthe VWgroup. Two carshewasresponsibleforare theoriginal AudiTT and there-birthed VWBeetle.

Hemoved to KIA in 2006 and hehasbeen adriving forceofthe newlookoft hebrand sincethen. Heisaw innero ftheRed Do tAward . Theperfectperson to partnerwith KIA’sthruston design, SchreyeroverseesoperationsatKIA’s design centresin Frankfurt, LosAngeles, Tokyoand Namyang in Korea.

Schreyeradmitsto afascinationwith studying peopleas theyusecars, especiallybrandshe isassociated with. Helooksin carswhileattraffic lightsand sees theperson driving itand whatemotionsheprojects.

KIA’sdesign chiefPeter

Schreyerwasin Oman

recently. RajWarrior met

him and gotan opportunity

to grill him on hisdesign

direction.

NewsFrom Oman and theregion

6

NewsFrom around theworld

10

72MotorsportsFormula One, WRC,

MotoGP

12

braNdwatchHyundai not interestedin Opel

16iNterviewPeter Schreyer, Kia

Motors Design Boss

4450

56

62

tested2011 Toyota LandCruiser 5.72011 Dodge DurangoCitadel2011 Kia Sportage2011 Ford Fusion

32 33

Audi has completely redesigned the A6 for the 2012 model year

with an emphasis on technology and performance. Automan finds

the package interesting after a date with the car on track and

asphaltAuthor ChandanBMallik Photographs authorand JorgeFerrari

Focus on

class and

efficiency

E D I T O R I A L N O M I N

E E

A U D I A 6 2 011

M I D- S I Z E S E D A N

cover story 32

16 44

80chicaNeControl freaks

AUTOMANSELECT

Automan’s take Near the topinmanydepartments includingpricingandvariants thatSUV punters are lookingatthese days.

Alsorevealedat

the November 2010 LA AutoShow, the refreshedfor

2011 Charger enters evolutionary

territorywithan all-new sheetmetal,

qualityandimprovedinteriors.

Italsoopens a new chapter in

unadulterated2+2 muscle

cars.

The original

Durangowas a fuelthirstybody-on-frame truck

thathad worse handlingand

fuel economythanth e larger Chevy

Suburbanwithless space inside thanthe

Tahoe. The new 2011 Durangolaunched

a few weeks agochanges all. for better

gas mileage whencruisingon the

highway. Mercedes’ride andHemi

power?That’s a tough-to-

beatcombination.

Styling Revealed attheat the2010 LA Auto Show,thecompletely redesigned newarrival looksl ik earea l Dodge—unmistakably tough and

Thenew caris bui l ton anew crossoverSUV unibody chassis[ a lso shared w iththeMercedes-Benz M-C lass and R -C lass]

Entry lev e l mode lsgetthe company ’sa l l-new 3.6-l itrePentastarV 6 engine. Thelatestversion ofthe reworked Hemi V8, with

seamlesscylinder deactivation foroptimizingfuel economyisalso offered. Full timeAWDisavailablein theV6, whilelowrange can belocked in theV8s [also with limited slip diff locks].Interiors &featuresDodge’sPresident and CEORalph Gilles’ teamhastransformed thisbareuti l i ty v ehicle intoaluxurious fashion statement. Thetop spec

C itadel mode l sportsa pleasanttwo-toneleatherbound cabin thatcombinessomeof thefeaturesand flexibilityof aminivan with alessupright seating and ahostof convenience

features.Handling&performanceByclass benchmark sthe Durango hasarefined rideand balanced performanceandbyprev iousDurango standardsit ’ sbeyondcomparison.Keycompetitors

VWTouareg, Mercedes-BenzM-Class, BMWX5,Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Hyundai

Veracruz, KiaSorento, Subaru Tribeca, Mazda

CX-9, and HondaPilot, GMC Acadia, Infiniti FXand LexusRX330.

StylingTherawand aggressivefacehas nowbecomerefined and businesslikewithout losing thehallmarkand signaturecrosshairgrill. Therear

end with itsfull-width LEDtaillamp connectsto the70s styling.EngineeringThenew car’sfoundation isan a l l-newchassis and suspension packagemated toefficientpowertra ins. Thenewchassisusesadvanced steels, nylon composites with

Chrysler’ssecond-generation rear-wheel-driveE-segmentarchitecture, to achievevery highstructural stiffness and torsional strength,which contributesto tighterhandling and

safety.PowertrainoptionsTheregula rrange includesthe 3.6-l itreV 6Pentastarand largerV8 Hemi engineswithEco drivemodes. PerformanceR/T versionsarealso offered.Interiors &features

M o re l u xu r io u s n o w w i th m a ny n e wcomfortand conveniencefeatures. Bespokeprogrammealso availablefor trimsincludingleatherand wood.

Handling&performance Asapure and modern ponycar, it’sdifficulttofaulttheon road prowessand handling ofthiscareven with theV6.KeycompetitorsFord Mustang and ChevroletCamaro.

What’s in? what’s out?


Bodytype:SUV sedan

Handling & performance Handling & performance

Engineering Engineering

Interiors & features Interiors & features

Score card Score card

Automan’s take a stylishandhighlyenterta iningCharger withundilutedperformance anda wide range toappeal the appetite ofmuscle cars.

2011:MOSTIMPROVED CARSFIRSTDRIVE

68 69

An ide a

l

F usion

A ut h or P h ot o gr a ph s

62 63

PREVIEW

A salways, theVillaD’Esteconcoursin Italywasthe

placeto belastmonth ifyou’rea diehard classic

caraficionado. Thisyear, besidestheusual array

ofexhibited and paraded beauties, wasacelebration of

sortsfor Gaydon, UK-based Aston Martin. Aston Martin

unve iled itsstunning newenduranceracerconcept

which ithasco-designed with Milan-based design house

Zagato, on theshoresof LakeComo astributeto the

badgewhich iscelebrating the50th anniversaryyearof

theiconic DB4GT Zagato in 2011.

A s t o n

M a r t i n ’ s

relationship with

Zagato goes back to 1961

when theduo worked on thefirstDB4GT

Zagato. Between 1986 and 2003, several

othermodels based on V8 Vantage, and

DB7 wereproduced [seeboxbelow].

For2011, thecollaboration hasbeen

renewed onceagain and thefruitof the

ef fort isready to raceenduranceracer

based on themechanicals ofthe current

V12 Vantage. However, Aston hasits

own in-housedesign set-up and rationale

behind the j o intv enturehasmoreto do

with intensitythan anything else. “Fifty

yearsago, Italian design houseswere

widelyseen asleading thewaywith new

designsbut nowand supported byour

independency, Aston Martin hasitsown

in-housedesign abi l i ty so this new

venturewith Zagato ismorecollaborative

than itperhapswould have been in the

past,”said DrUlrich Bez, CEOof Aston

Martin.

Considering thetimeperiod from sketch

to actual conceptualization, ithastaken

Aston Martin hasteamed up

with Italian design houseZagato

oneagain to help celebratethe

50th anniversary of the DB4

GT Zagato with an interesting

V12 Vantage-based concept

enduranceracer Author ChandanBMallik

Zagato

is back!

56 57

SPORTING

NATURE

INCLUDED A ut h or P h ot o gr a ph s

Y ou haveseen thesleeklinespassyou on theroad.

In themonthssincetheSportagehittheground

running with anew lookand somephenomenal

packaging, KIA hashad ahard time – in fulfilling the

demand forthe crossoverthat is – and buyersare

lapping up thenew direction putin placein termsof

product design,build quality, feature packaging and

performance. TheSportageisnowin itsthird generation

and almostasa completesurprise the2012 MYversion

ofthec arisin town to replacethe2011.

asubstantial shift in model preferencesfrom buyers

around theworld. Morethan 50% ofall SUV category

salesin marketslikeEuropeand Chinaareofcrossovers,

whilehardcoreSUVs arelargelyfavoured still in USA and

theMiddleEast.

Theideaof taking acar-based platform and extending

itasacrossoverisnotnew. Howevertheprev iousgen

Sportageproved theconceptfor KIA and thenew one

hasputthesea l ofex ce l lenceonhowto do agood j ob

ofit. At4.44 metresin length thecar beliesits growth.

62

66 56

22

Sa S u

M o T u

W e T h

F r

1

2 3

4 5

6 7

8

91 0

111 2

131 4

1 5

1 61 7

181 9

2 0 21

2 2

23 2 4

2 5 26

2 7

J u l y

M e r c e d e

s B e n z N E

W S L K

p o s t e r

autoMaNselect12 most improved carsfor 2011

19

cover story2012 Audi A6 32

previewZagato conceptMINI Coupe 70

66

First drive2011 Volkswagen Jetta 40

8/6/2019 Automan J


N N O U

N C I N G !

H E E V E

N T T H A

T

W I L L C H

A N G E

H O W Y O

U V A L U

E

Y O U R

C A R

YOUR CAR’S SEAL OF

EXCELLENCE!

8/6/2019 Automan J


MORE THAN 250 MODELS, 40 BRANDS

15 CATEGORIES AND ONLY ONE

WINNER IN EACH CATEGORY!announces the thrills and prestige of its own Car of the Year awards. Withenough packed in to take you through the year and a unique format of selection,Automan’s COTY awards will reward the best models on offer in Oman in 2011

13 Categories for Reader Voting

Additionally, our editors will also give two uniqueawards :

EDITORIAL NOMINEE

NAME OF THE CAR

CATEGORY

www.automanweb.com

8/6/2019 Automan J


regional news

MINI By Goodwood

BMw BeGINs retaIl

operatIoNs IN Iraq

t e most ig -en MINI ever uit. An in eeping

with its air of exclusivity and lifestyle aspirations,

this special one-off design edition of the three-

oor MINI was unvei e at t e recent S ang ai

Motor Show 2011. The project was developed in

c ose co a oration wit t e Ro s-Royce Motor Cars

esign team an overseen y Ro s-Royce interior

design chief Alan Sheppard. The car’s theme

trans ers t e unmista a e sty e o t e Britis uxury

car manufacturer to the equally unique MINI. The

exterior an interior eatures specia y eveope or

the MINI embody the inimitable style of Rolls-Royce

Design and generates an interior ambience dened

y sty istic armony, master u wor mans ip an

classic British elegance. The British origins of the

two ran s, t eir s are e ie in meeting t e

in ivi ua nee s an esires o t eir customers, an

the creative pooling of ideas between the various

ran s at BMW Group Design, provi e t e ue or

the collaboration between Rolls-Royce and MINI

to provi e t e secon mo e rom t e exc usive

MINI Yours pro uct ine wit a ascinating c arisma

and an incomparably high-quality ambience. This

espo e mo e is eing s owcase in t e regionand is available for order at the brand’d authorised

retai out ets.

BMW Group Mi e East aunc e its retai operations

in Iraq last month. Al Uroush Automotive Trading is

t e o cia importer-retai er an t e a -new a ter

sa es centre an new car s owroom is ocate in

Erbil. “The Iraqi people have an appreciation for

uxury ran s an t e mar et s ows strong growt

potential. We have already experienced signicant

eman or our cars, wit saes o 56 ve ice since

we announce our entry into t e mar et in January

this year,” said Reiner Braun, director of sales and

Mar eting or BMW Group Mi e East.

In a city famed for its glamorous nightlife

lled with millionaires, models, socialites and

celebrities, it was the Mercedes-Benz sparkling

three pointed star that stole the show in Beirut

last night, as the luxury automotive companylaunched its all new C-Class Coupé, and third

generation of its most successful sports car

ever - the SLK Roadster - in spectacular style.

Held at SkyBar, one of the Middle East’s

most fashionable nightspots, the stunning

Middle East launch of the innovative and

sporty new Mercedes-Benz models drew gasps

from the rooftop guest list of 800 VIPs, which

included Mercedes-Benz’ General Distributors,

customers, and media from across the

region.

The C-Class Coupé enters a new market

segment for Mercedes-Benz, offering a sportycompact coupé with classic proportions and

a forward-looking, expressive style, and

technology that includes a new generation

of telematics with internet access. From the

side, the new coupé beguiled revellers with its

at silhouette, powerful shoulders and narrow

C-pillar in a classic three-box design.

Also wowing the crowd were the C-Class

Coupé’s trim parts available in a porcelain

piano-lacquer look - a rst in automotive

engineering - complementing the car’s

exclusive interior feel.

The C-Class Coupé will be available in the

Middle East as C 250 BlueEFFICIENCY, andC 350 BlueEFFICIENCY engine versions. A

457hp 6.3-litre C 63 AMG Coupé V8 engine

version is also offered, with the option to be

boosted to 487 hp with the AMG Performance

package. An additional C 180 engine version

will be available in the Levant.

The launch of the new SLK Roadster marks

the third generation of one of the most exciting

and successful sports cars ever built,

d e s i g n e d to take driving

pleasure and open-air enjoyment to a new

level. It blends light-footed sportiness with

stylish comfort, a striking sports-car design

with total suitability for everyday use, and top

performance with exemplary ecology.Fittingly launched beneath the twinkling

night-sky, the SLK proudly introduced the

Middle East to its world-rst panoramic

vario-roof with MAGIC SKY CONTROL, which

switches to light or dark at the touch of a

button. Three new direct injection engine

powered SLK models will be available in the

region. Four-cylinder engines include the

184 hp SLK 200 BlueEFFICIENCY and 204 hp

SLK 250 BlueEFFICIENCY, and the 306 hp V6

engine in the SLK 350.

Speaking at the event, a delighted Frank

Bernthaler, Director, Sales and Marketing,Mercedes-Benz Cars, Middle East & Levant

enthused: “2011 is a momentous year for

Mercedes-Benz. 125 years since the invention

of the automobile by our founding fathers Karl

Benz and Gottlieb Daimler, we are still creating

cutting edge luxury vehicles with ground-

breaking designs. But this year is different.

With these new models, this is the year that

Mercedes-Benz stops being the car your Dad

drove, and becomes the car that you drive.”

Addressing the glittering audience from

giant LED screens as the evening crescendoed

towards the unveiling of the C-Class Coupé and

SLK Roadster, Mike Belk, President and CEO,Daimler Middle East & Levant, said: “Mercedes-

Benz cars, and especially our coupés, have

become like the stars of the Middle East’s social

scene. They’re condent, beautiful, desirable,

fashionable, ambitious, young and successful,

whilst always remembering our core values

of safety, quality, reliability, comfort and

efciency. There’s denitely no missing the

glint of the three pointed star either.”

New Mercedes-BeN Models dazzle

Middle east

8

8/6/2019 Automan J


1 0 - J u l - 2 0 1 1

1 1 - J u l - 2 0 1 1

1 2 - J u l - 2 0 1 1

1 3 - J u l - 2 0 1 1

1 4 - J u l - 2 0 1 1

M u s c a t ( A l M a s a M a l l )



A l m e r a t S o u q

A l m e r a t S o u q

S a l a l a h S o u q





A l K h o u d

S o u q

A l K h o u d

S o u q

A l K h o u d

S o u q

A l K h o u d

S o u q

A l K h o u d

S o u q

8/6/2019 Automan J


10

regional news

Dhofar AutomotiveDhofar Automotive, the ofcial distributor of

Jeep in Oman, is giving motorists the perfect

opportunity to escape the heat of the summerevery day from only RO 8,990 with the re-designed and sleeker looking Jeep Cherokee.Jeep has managed to take everything intoaccount when designing the Cherokee andcustomers can expect to nd a perfect blendof styling, convenience, storage, multimediaand high performance with a strong focus onsafety and security.

Fast Rent A Car

Fast Rent A Car is offering great half-pricedeals on all bookings in the UAE this summer.While also making international bookings forresidents travelling overseas easy courtesyof a special tie-up with the world’s largestcar rental broker, Holiday Autos. This specialpromotion runs up to August 29. The dealoffers car hirers either two days for the

price of one, or half a day rental for a fullday. A Toyota Yaris or Mitsubishi Lancer canbe driven away for as little as Dh90 per day

under this offer.

Mitsubishi Oman A brand new multimedia campaign has

been launched for some Mitsubishi Lancermodels by Mitsubishi Oman. The campaignis dedicated in promoting the GLX 2.0, GLS2.0 and GT 2.0 models and is built around

‘show your personality’ theme. Ambitious,Bold, Calm, Mysterious and Practical are thevirtues which are being used to describethe car and participating audience membersare encouraged to match their personalitieswith these. A special Face Book page[lancer.ex.oman] has been creatred which

allows individuals to log in access and shareinformation. Meanwhile, an audience call-inradio campaign also encourages participationthrough a quiz and interaction to work out

just what kind of Lancer EX personality theyare throughfun andlight heartedquestions.

10

ECOPIA may soun a it o or a tyre

sub brand, but Bridgestone Middle East

& Africa FZE are proud to launch this eco-

rien y pro uct in t e region. ECOPIA is

a next-generation tyre that maintains grip

even t oug ro ing resistance is re uce .

Its advanced technology delivers a highsafety performance and braking is not

compromise at a . EC

a combination of silica w

t at compare to conve

eat generation an en

innovative tyre shape con

an e ormation uring

the rib-linked blocksgroun contact w en

an e iver an en

stopping performance, e

wet con itions.

“We are proud of

new in o tyre t at

rivers to give respe

the environment,”

S oic i Sa uma, presi

ridgestone Middle East

uring t e aunc . Com

tests s owe t at

improves fuel efciencycent w en compare to

standard tyre. ECOPIA EP

in t e Mi e East & A ric

quarter o t is year.

BrIdGestoNe rolls out eco-frIeNdly ecopIa

reGIoNal suMMer specIals

B r e a k i n g

n e w s

New 2011 audI a6 IN oMaN

JordaN hosts GMc BraNd

eveNt

ZawawI tradING INroduces

‘proveNexclusIvIty’ used car

proGraM

Now on sale, the new sedan model from Audi is

making its debut in the Middle East with two V6

engines. In the Sultanate, the prices for the A6

will start from OMR19,960 for the 2.8-litre FSI

quattro model and will go up to OMR24,590 for

the top end 3.0-litre TFSI Quattro variant. Both

models come with ve year service and three year

warranty as a standard. Both models feature the

new S tronic transmission and latest generation

of quattro four-wheel drive. With its light body,

sporty chassis and a wide array of new assistance

and multimedia systems, the executive sedan

features groundbreaking solutions in every area of

technology.

GMC hosted regional brand event for media across

a number of world-renowned locations in Jordan

last month. The ‘GMC Trail Jordan’ was put together

to enable participants test GMC vehicles.

Zawawi Trading Co. LLC., the authorized general

distributor of Mercedes-Benz in the Sultanate of

Oman, has launched a new website dedicated to

its Daimler AG approved pre-owned car program

‘ProvenExclusivity’. The new site www.oman.

mb-usedcars.com showcases the pre-owned

Mercedes Benz vehicles available through Zawawi

Trading Company. The user-friendly website gives

comprehensive details such as vehicle information

and specications, accurate mileage and prices.

Details of each vehicle available for sale is

accompanied by a studio photograph.

(l-r) Bridgestone Middle East and Africa FZE ofcials Akihiro Ichikawa, Technical Service Manager, TakumiKakara, Marketing Director and Kentaro Hara,General Manager of Consumer Tyre Marketing withthe new ECOPIA tyre during the Ecopia launch.

8/6/2019 Automan J


A l l N e w

.

1 7 ” S P O R T Y A L L O Y W H E E L S

S P O R T Y C H R O M E P E D A L S

S c a n

t h e c o d e .

V i s i t M o b i s i t e ,

b o o k a

t e s t d r i v e t o b e s u r p r i s e d .

* I n t e r n e t c h a r g e s a s p e r s e r v i c e p r o v i d e r .

C A M R Y

E X E C U T

I V E

N o w

i n O m a n

.

V i s i t

t h e

n e a r e s t

T o y o t a

s h o w r o o m

t o d a y !

S a u d B a h w a n A u t o m

o t i v e L L C ( I S O 9

0 0 1 C e r t i fi e d )

W a t t a y a h T e l . : 2 4 5 7 9 0 5 0 • B r a n c h e s T e l . : A d a m 2 5 4 3 4 1 2 2 , A l K a m i l 2 5 5 5 7 0 1 0 , B a h l a

2 5 4 2 0 8 1 0 , B a r k a 2 6 8 8 2 1 5 0 , B . B . A l i 2 5 5 5 3 6 9 2 , B i d a y a 2

6 8 0 3 9 0 0 , B u r a i m i 2 5 6 6 0 1 2 4 ,

R E A R S P O I L E R ( L I P T Y P E )

E x c l u s i v e C h r o m e G r i l l e

T u r n S i g n a l o n O u t e r M i r r o r

M u e r C u t t e r

“ E x e c u t i v e B a d g e ”

4 –

S p o k e L e a t h e r S t e e r i n g

L e a t h e r G e a r S h i f t K n o b

C h r o m e I n n e r D o o r H a n d l e s

B l u e t o o t h K i t

8/6/2019 Automan J


12

world news

Last month, the usually quiet town of Cernobbio on the banks of Lake

Como in Ita y was virtua y converte in to a regatta or automotive

acionados. Besides a stunning array of cars representing classic, period

or modern, enthusiasm for the group was further lifted for the rst time

wit motorcyc es a so jost ing or attention. As aways, t e Concorsod’Eleganza Villa d’Este brought together a selection of classic models and

ew concept cars to t e accaim o t e assem e au ience.

Included in the categories, motorcycles also competed for class and

overall victory in a competition of their own, as fans of two-wheeled

c assics ea e to t e Vi a Er a or Satur ay s motorcyce concours.

Another new feature of the Concorso was the sale held by RM Auctions

wit a ine-up o 32 extraor inary cars on t e oc . Our aim was to

take this long-established event into new territory while preserving its

character,” said Karl Baumer, President of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa

Este an Director o BMW Group C assic, out ining t e reasons e in

the changes. “The main initiative we introduced to give people extra

opportunity to visit t e Concorso was t e a ition o a secon pu ic

day.”

The jury awarded the Trofeo BMW Group, and with it “best of show”

onours, to a 1968 A a Romeo 33 Stra a e, w i e t e time- onoure

Coppa d’Oro prize decided by public referendum went to an Alfa Romeo

C 2500 SS rom 1942. T e Concept Cars an Prototypes category,

eanwhile, was topped by the Aston Martin Zagato celebrating its world

remiere at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. Another model making

ts e ut at t e event was t e BMW 328 Hommage, unvei e y t e

avarian company to mark the 75th birthday of its iconic BMW 328

sports car rom t e 1930s.

The Trofeo BMW Group in the rst Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este

for motorcycles was won by an American Pierce Four from 1910. After

resenting t e awar , Genera Director o BMW Motorra Hen ri von

8/6/2019 Automan J


Our fuels are backed by unique technological expertise, and over 100 years of research and development bysome of the best scientists from around the world.

Shell Super is the only petrol available in Oman which has a special formula designed togive you extra kilometres* at no extra cost.

QUALITY FUELS DESIGNED FOR EXTRAKILOMETRES* AT NO EXTRA COST.

www.shelloman.com.om

*Comparison between a standard fuel and the same standard fuel containing our fuel economy formula. Actual benefits may vary according to vehicle, driving conditions and driving style.

13

Kuenheim shifted the spotlight to plans for

the years ahead: “We are looking to develop

this concours into a meeting point for all

enthusiasts of motorcycle design. That ts in

with both the tradition of the BMW motorcycle

brand and the passion for bikes here in Italy.”

8/6/2019 Automan J


141414

R ssian investor Vladimir Antonov says

e is no onger part o a p an to uy

and then lease back property to Saab and

sta e Saa isn t giving up t at easi y as

it tries its uc once again wit anot er

possible Chinese rescuer. Youngman, better

nown or ui ing re- a ge Proton an

Lotus cars, MAN trucks and Neoplan buses

or t e C inese mar et is t e atest wou -

be saviour for Saab Automobile. Youngman

Automobile [full name Zhejiang Youngman

Lotus Automo i e Co Lt is reporte to

have signed a three-way deal with Saab

owner Spy er Cars NV an its new C inese

distributor Pang Da Automobile for joint

ventures. The agreement suggests not only

ma e an istri ute Saa cars in C ina ut

also create a sub brand – tentatively dubbed

‘Child’.

S ou a go we , Youngman wi uy a 29.9

er cent slice of Spyker to become the Chinese

anu acturing partner or t e strategic a iance

and Pang Da will be responsible for distribution

t roug its uge ea ers ip networ o more

than 1100 outlets.

Although, the deal is worth €245mn, the

catc is t at it sti nee s to e approve

y Chinese and Swedish authorities and

t ir parties suc as Genera Motors an

the European Investment Bank. It may be

ecalled that in Saab’s previous attempt with

awtai Motor, t e stum ing oc came rom

the aforementioned organisations. The latest

attempt to s ore up t e aiing Swe is ran

comes as Saab tries to wrap up the sale of its

Tro attan aci ities an ease t em ac to

ease its cas crunc .

Is China’s Youngman going to save Saab nally?

A team from Pang Da on a visit to the Saabuseum

Speculation is ripe on the heels of leaked

news out of Europe that General

Motors CEO Dan Akerson had

personally contacted

Opel CEO Karl-

F r i e d r i c h

Stracke. It is suggestedthat both Volkswagen and various

Chinese parties are seriously considering

a bid for the beleaguered GM unit. Although,

“top-level” talks between Opel’s chief rival VW

and the government of Germany have taken

place, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is

said to prefer that Opel be taken over by VW

rather than a Chinese entity.

A well know automotive magazine says that VW

would be interested in acquiring Opel in part

to help preserve its supplier and engineering

base in Germany. VW, like Germany, is cautious

about Chinese investment that could see Opel

depart German soil almost entirely. Unlike Volvo, which was acquired by China’s Geely

last year,

Opel is

a much

la rge r

a n d

l e s s

premium brand

that could benet

more from low assembly and

engineering costs in China. VW’s case is

strong as it has about $20bn in reserves that

could easily be tapped to acquire Opel.

GM has not been able to turn a prot on Opel

in years and instead has invested heavily in itsKorean new car development centre, which is

largely responsible for the automaker’s small

car renaissance. Analysts think that Opel is

deeply entrenched in GM’s global product

development and engineering, which makes it

exceedingly difcult [and costly] to separate

the brand.

Hyundai not interested inGM’s Opel

Hyundai has an ambitious growth plan

for Europe, but the carmakers says that

its European growth strategy won’t include

acquisition of another brand such as Opel.General Motors has neither conrmed nor

denied plans to divest itself of its money-losing

Opel unit, although analysts have suggested

that the Detroit automaker looks like it is in a

selling mood.

GM put Opel up for sale about two years

ago when it was going through its structuredbankruptcy. “We are not interested in Opel,” a

Hyundai spokesperson told Reuters in Seoul.

Instead, the Korean automaker will work

toward its goal of selling 500,000 cars in

Europe by 2013 on its own.

Hyundai hasn’t seen the same level of

growth in Europe as it has in the United States,

although it is optimistic that it can achieve

a 5 per cent share of the market by 2015.

Although it looked like Opel might nd a new

owner in a Canadian-Russian consortium, GM

abruptly changed its mind and decided to hold

onto the Germany unit it has fully owned since

1931 even though it has put more engineering

emphasis on its GM-Daewoo division in Korea

lately.

brandwatch

8/6/2019 Automan J


It’s no secret that Lincoln is planning to

aunc seven re res e or comp ete y new

odels between now and 2014, but achieving

uch a feat is no easy task if the kitty isn’t

noug . For is reporte y putting its money

where its mouth is, by injecting $1bn in its

ailing luxury brand and has formed a tactical

team o 85 experts to sort out Linco n s woes.

The rst new model to roll out will be the

ew MKZ, a compact model based on the

C-p at orm un erpinning t e For Focus,

followed by a compact and a mid-sizecrossover. T ese cars are expecte to e

among the seven new or refreshed models

incoln has planned.

Honda announced last month that it

expects its u -year operating pro t to

drop 65 per cent in the wake of Japan’s March

11 9.0 magnitude earthquake. Despite this

orecast, Hon a says its g o a pro uction isearing normalcy. Parts shortages as a result

o Japan s massive eart qua e ave orce

ost Honda plants to run at just a fraction

of their normal capacity, greatly limiting the

automa er s a i ity to get ve ic es to t e

arket place. Honda says that fact combined

wit rising raw materia costs an an estimate

$500mn repair bill to x its earthquake

damaged facilities will drag down this year’s

operating pro t y 65 per cent. For t e sca

year ending March 31, 2012, Honda expects

to ta y an operating pro t o 2.49 n.

However, Honda is quite optimistic and

expects its Japanese production to be “nearly

orma ize y t e en o June, wit overseas

roduction returning to normal no later than

Septem er. Hon a is sti ope u it can se

3.3mn vehicles this year, marking a drop o

just 6 percent from the year earlier. “We’re

expecting sa es o near y one mi ion ve ic es

n both the third and fourth quarters, out of the

tota 3.3mn t is year, Hon a CEO Fumi i o

Ike said. Honda plans to boost production by

20 per cent, particularly at its US plants, to

eet its sa es goa s.

151515

2012 Nissan Maxima to be refreshed inside out

VW targeting bumper sales in China this year

A billion dollars for Lincoln brand boost

i e Nissan as yet to p ysica y s ow t e c anges,

the automaker has revealed that the 2012 Maxima wil l

e sporting a new front fascia, new rear combination lights

n new 18- an 19in esigner w ee s. Stepping insi e t e

axima will reveal a bevy of changes, including a change

to w ite or t e meter c uster i umination co our, new Dar

iano-hairline trim, a new Atlantic Cherry wood tone trimolour and an all-new Beige interior colour. No mechanical

pgra es ave een suggeste so ar.

W th its sights rmly set on the rapidly-

growing C inese mar et, Vo swagen

says t at it is on trac to se more t an

.2mn new cars this year. “We want to

aintain our mar et s are o 20 per cent,

CEO Martin Winterkorn told Auto Motor und

S ort a German car ma azine recent .

although he didn’t reveal additional details.

A ow-range ran wou est suit C inese

consumers, who are among the world’s most

rice-sensitive.

VWs sa es are up 15.3 per cent t roug

the rst ve months of 2011 even as sales

ave enera ta ere o in res onse to

Honda’s gloomy forecast for 2011

Automan’s take: New Lincoln models will

be based on regular Ford platforms, though

they will be differentiated more by their styling

as well as technology and powertrains.

8/6/2019 Automan J


161616

E rlier this year at the Chicago Auto

ow, C evro et unvei e its range-

topping ZL1 Camaro. Details were vague

at t e time an some coo etai s o t e

Shelby rival were inadvertently slipped in

by Al Oppenheiser, director of concept and

ve ic e integration or GMs Per ormance

Division, at an event at the Camaro’s

Os awa, Ontario pro uction p ant, ast

month. The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will arrivepac ing at east 500 p an a six-spee

manua transmission, ut, Oppen eiser

also conrmed that the ZL1 will be offered

wit an automatic transmission.

iven the ZL1’s bigger brother – the

Corvette ZR1 – is o ere exc usive y wit

a manua gear ox, it was t oug t t at t e

Camaro mig t o ow t e same pat .

owever, oo ing to appea to a wi er

audience, the six-speed auto box is

eing o ere . On t e per ormance

front, Oppenheiser conrmed that the

Camaro ZL1 wi avai a e wit t e same

er ormance Traction Management system

sed in the ZR1. The Performance Traction

anagement system recent y e pe t e

Corvette ZR1 to a 7:19.63 Nurburgringap time. Fina y, Oppen eiser in icate

t at t e ZL1 wou it s owrooms wit a

orsepower rating trumping the Cadillac

CTS-V. C evro et as so ar on y state t at

the ZL1 will have at least 550hp. Knowing

GM, we wou oo nort o t e CTS-Vs

current 556 p.

Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler isc ose to a ecision on w at to o a out

its other luxury brand, Maybach, and one of

the options being weighed is making Maybach

a su - ran o Merce es-Benz.

ast week we reported that Daimler was

consi ering a partners ip wit Aston Martin in

order to keep the Maybach brand alive. In that

report, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche candidly

a mitte t at May ac as een a isma

failure for the company.

Accor ing to a new report y Automotive

News Europe, Daimler has three options on

the table. One is to demote the division to a

su - ran o Merce es-Benz, t e secon is totry to forge an alliance with Aston Martin while

t e t ir is to iscontinue t e ran a toget er.

r

va

w

2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to outclass CTS-V?

Maybach to get demoted?

brandwatch

Last month, Volvo recalled 7,558 S60 sedans

in the US for faulty fuel delivery system

software, but now the Swedish automaker is

announcing another fuel-related recall.

Although, much limited in its scope this

time, only 448 S60s in the US have been

affected. The more severe in its nature as the

problem stems from a leaky fuel line that can

lead to a vehicle re. The National Highway

Trafc Safety Administration explains that

the fuel-line quick connector can potentially

detach, which could cause the engine to stall.

It is also possible that the line could develop

a slow leak, which may or may not create a

strong enough odour of gasoline/petrol to

become noticeable to the driver.

Volvos in recall

8/6/2019 Automan J


Lotus CEO Dany Bahar has

ecently proclaimed that his

ompanys upcoming Esprit mo e

will offer more “authentic” driving

xperience t an t e Ferrari 458 Ita ia

nd McLaren MP4-12C.The replacement Esprit is still

out two years rom its pro uction

aunch, but Bahar guarantees that

t e car wi ave t e c aracter

and emotion” that he claims the

cLaren MP4-12C ac s. Ba ar

says t e Esprit is a ering to its

development scheduled, with the

rst prototypes s ate to it t e

track this November. As expecte , Lotus wi n

tune t e new Esprit on Germany s

amed Nurburgring as well as the

In ia a circuit in Spain. Lotus is

also putting the nishing touches on a new

test trac at its Het e ea quarters.

W en it aunc es in t e spring o 2013, t e

sprit will be the rst car to use Lotus’ new in-

ouse esigne V8. Lotus origina y p anne to

source the Esprit’s V8 from Toyota, but Baharsays t e new engine wi e 80 g ig ter an 40

er cent sma er t an t e Toyota unit. Despite

ts small size, the Esprit’s V8 is expected to

ro uce 570 p.

L ke several automakers in Japan, Toyota is

ti recovering rom t e evastating Marc

11 earthquake. However, the automaker hasannounce t at its recovery is progressing

faster than rst estimated. Toyota expects

nventory levels of most North American

ve ic es to return to norma y Ju y, a

outpacing its original November timeline.

A t oug severa o Toyota s Japanes

suppliers are still reeling from the country’s

assive earthquake, the automaker has

anage to source nee e parts rom Nort

American manufacturers. Toyota plans t

switc ac to its origina supp iers once t e

situation returns to normal, but the move has

ensured full production of models like the

Ava on, Camry, Coro a, Hig an er, MatrixSequoia, Sienna and Venza.

W i e Toyota s Nort American ma e

vehicles will return to normal supply levels

ext month, the automaker is still facing

nventory s ortages or its Japanese- ui

cars. Toyota builds its Yaris, 4Runner and FJ

Cruiser mo e s in Japan.

171717

C sh rich German sports carmaker Porsche

as sc e u e an extraor inary genera

eeting for its shareholders in December to

vote on a merger with Volkswagen. This is

ne o t e na s teps nee e to comp ete t e

tie-up formalities. “Our clear, common goal is,

n remains, t e merger, sai Vo swagen

EO Martin Winter orn at Porsc e s annua

eeting in Stuttgart.

ot automa ers, w ic are run y t e same

anagement team now, are condent that the

erger wi go t roug , a t oug VW wi ave

t e option to acquire Porsc e y ot er means

f necessary should their efforts fail.

A an u o comp ex tax issues stan in t e

way of the merger’s completion, but Porsche’s

FO says e is wor ing irect y wit German

authorities to clear things up. Porsche is being

nvestigate ot in Germany an in t e

nited States for market manipulations, which

could force the merger to fail.

orsc e as s ice its e t y a out 2.15 n

ahead of the merger. Although Porsche’s

nancia stan ing was so i a ew years ago, it

ncurred substantial debt when it tried to buy

Volkswagen. When its efforts failed thanks to

a worsening nancia mar et, Porsc e s too

on rapidly-growing debt.

In ate 2009, Vo swagen oun t at it a to

acquire 49.9 percent of Porsche. It holds the

option to acquire the remaining 50.1 percent

etween ate 2012 an ear y 2015, w ic is

still an option should the merger fall through.

Esprit to challenge Ferrari and McLaren

Porsche moves forward with VW merger Toyota post-earthquake recovery progressing well

Automan’s take: It may be recalled that the proposed Porsche and VW’s merger has been quite

curious eversince Porsche unsuccessfully tried to take over much larger VW, only to be swallowed up by

its intended purchase.

8/6/2019 Automan J


Face to Face

18

Designs of

a MasterKIA’s design chief Peter

Schreyer was in Oman

recently. Raj Warrior met

him and got an opportunity

to grill him on his design

direction.

8/6/2019 Automan J


As an outsider brought in to develop a

clear identity for the KIA brand, how

much of resistance have you faced from

within the organisation to imbibing new

ideas like a global identity as opposed to

the different model for different market

approach?

I haven’t faced any resistance from the

organisation. I think this is what they expected when they brought me in. They have supported

me throughout. The only thing is that we still do

different models for different markets. But

they all look like

KIAs so there is

one language, the

style is the same

only sometimes

in different

markets there is

a requirement for

different types of

cars – for example the US market is one

for sedans and SUVs and the European

market is one for 5-door. In a market like

Korea or even here you couldn’t sell a 5-door.

In Europe they want 5-doors and wagons. So

this way we need to make a kind of a difference

in regions, but again, not from a style point of

view. A BMW looks like a BMW everywhere in

the world and why not. This is what I try to

build up – a strong identity. Once you have a

strong identity and a stronger image you can

experiment, but you can get a stronger image

only by having one recognisable identity.

You also mentioned that you had to

create the new look and identity pretty

rapidly. Would that make owners of older

look KIAs feel like they had lost out by

not waiting for the newer model?

I would hope they buy new KIAs. (laughs)

How much importance do exterior and

interior design get separately under your

watch? Do tastes of different regions

impact different interiors?

First of all, the exterior and the interior are

of equal importance. When you see a car

on the street or the parking you note that it

is attractive and that may bring you to the

dealer’s showroom to see what it is about?

When you open the door and sit inside you

don’t want to be disappointed, you want to

feel that this a great interior too. I always

look at a car as a holistic product, not as the

exterior and interior. Everything is designed as

a whole and should be done in such a way

that exterior and interior t together as one

car. As for the tastes of different regions – i

isn’t so much the style as it is the materials

Another aspect is the pricing. In some regions

they don’t want to pay a premium – selling the

cars at a cheaper price. In that case we can’

use leather or soft touch materials. In other

regions the same models are positioned for

more afuent buyers. In those cases they wan

soft-touch materials, navigation and the besyou can get in leather and everything. In those

cases we can charge a little more money and

the buyers are willing

to pay it. In Europe

buyers want a harde

suspension, while in

the US they want a

softer suspension

and cup-holders.

You are

c o n s t a n t l y

looking atpopular culture for inputs in car

design. But at some levels you must nd

yourself constrained by the technology

that is available. What are the new

boundaries you are facing in terms of

possibilities in car design?

I think of the new boundaries as new

possibilities. One of the new possibilities can

be found in alternative drivetrains, like using

electric motors and hybrids. This should

change the scenery quite a bit. The way

the oil prices are moving, in countries that

don’t have the oil, ways need to be found

how to make the electricity. It will take timebut these are challenges. Just as are safety

rules. As you mentioned there are new ways

to use lighting – using which we can make

a lot of improvements. One way is by using

LED and light guide technologies you can

make an identity. When you see a car in

the night you can instantly recognise it. The

Audis were very well dened like that. Using

light you can make the car have a face with

the lights playing the role of the eyes. Also,

you can use adaptive headlight technologies

to improve safety, having the light swivel as

you go round corners. We already have the

ability to program a car to automatically dip

its lights on sensing an oncoming car. There

are a lot of possibilities. I believe that it is

the new technologies and the new challenges

that bring design forward. Design does no

advance on its own just by changing a line or

some colour. You need more than that – a new

technology to somehow progress design.

19

When you read the man’sbiography you realisehow much the German

design ethos are part of the man. After studying industrial designfrom the Munich University of

Applied Sciences, he won an Audi

scholarship to the Royal College of Art in London. After that he joined Audi and rose through the companyto become the chief designer.Post 2002 till 2005 he was with

Volkswagen in the same capacityand then Head of Advanced Designfor the VW group. Two cars he wasresponsible for are the original AudiTT and the re-birthed VW Beetle.

He moved to KIA in 2006 and hehas been a driving force of the newlook of the brand since then. He is

a winner of the Red Dot Award. Theperfect person to partner with KIA’sthrust on design, Schreyer overseesoperations at KIA’s design centresin Frankfurt, Los Angeles, Tokyoand Namyang in Korea.

Schreyer admits to a fascinationwith studying people as theyuse cars, especially brands he isassociated with. He looks in carswhile at trafc lights and sees theperson driving it and what emotionshe projects.

8/6/2019 Automan J


V i s i t a P r o t o n

s h o w r o o m o

r c a l l :

A z a i b a : 2 4 5 9 6 4 3 4

S o h a r : 2 6 8 4 0 1 9 3

S u r : 2 5 5 4 4 2

1 6

S a l a l a h : 2 3 2 1 0 1 4 3

T

i

l

F

t

i l l

H

d

i t

U S B

M

t

b i

R

I D E

L O T U S

&

H A

N D L I N G

F U

N C T I O N

& C O M F O R T

D E

S I G N E D F O R

S A F E T Y

A C T I V E

1 . 6 D O H C

C A M P R O

I A

F M

8/6/2019 Automan J


automan select 2011: most improved cars

21

Buying a new car is now mostly seenas a medium to long term investmentthese days. Essential information

about any purchase decision, especially carscan overwhelm anyone and this is true fortransportation solutions also. In this region,consumers are exposed to almost 50 car

brands which offer a staggering choice of over 300 model or trim combinations. Andeach year, as part of the business cycle, everyautomotive player has an extensive programmefor its line-up – be it mid-cycle upgrades,model replacements or all-new segmentintroductions. Compared to the past few years,the rst six months of 2011 have actually beenquite active despite the economic slowdownand current automotive crisis [short suppliesas a result of the earthquake and Tsunamithat has hit Japan’s industry]. Meanwhile, theglobal automotive market has made signicant

strides in ensuring that products get extendedshelf life and are noticed by consumers. Toachieve these, industry has invested in makingproducts more appealing and competitiveby addressing issues that can signicantlyhelp move sales such as upgrading features/trims, engineering and performance related

improvements [to cope with new legislation],refreshing styling and even replacing themodels that have reached the end of theirrespective careers or lifecycles.

Actually, these days buying or a new car islike investing in a sports franchise. Like anyseasoned sports outt for sale, you have torun a meticulous background check on thevarious components [players, performance,nances, stats etc] and rank them ideally.When it comes to choosing the ideal car you’vealso got consider your favourites [like veteranplayers whom you can depend on as always].

While in form, any punter would expect investment to be great, but also needs factor in the ground reality that could also bcouple of players who have gotten complaceas competition has overtaken them and aresult they have gone into decline but hascope to improve with some inducements.

the same time, there are some team membwho have been around for a while but havereally been noticed despite reasonaperformance. And then there are some ware beginning to earn their stripes by reagetting their act in place and returning iform.

Automan has been monitoring the Ommarket closely for over a decade and have compiled a researched selection of cthat we think currently represent the ‘bimproved’ in their respective categories.Read on…

Whether you are looking for a fuel-efcient small car, a sporty convertible,a SUV or a family minivan, Automan explains why for consumers, it is agood time to invest in a new car.

Author Chandan B Mallik

8/6/2019 Automan J


22

automan select

Automan’s take Stylish, nely nished interior; all-wheel drive; strong supercharged V6 engines

Launched with great

fanfare in the region last

month, the all-new XXX generation

is understated and yet luxurious. It

certainly deserves consideration

alongside its capable European

and Japanese rivals.

Au i A6 Au i A6

Styling Revealed at the North American International

Auto Show at Detroit in January, the the 2012model has been completely redesigned withsporty, upscale styling.Engineering

Audi has focused on weight reduction andhence extensive usage of aluminium in chassisand body parts. With the exception of thewheelbase which has been extended by 2.7in,most dimensions remain unaltered.Powertrain options

V8 engines have been droped in favour of two V6 engines displacing 2.8- and 3.0-litre

respectively. The supercharged 3.0-litre withmultitronic transmission and Quattro all-wheeldrive.Interiors & featuresMore luxurious now with many newcomfort and convenience features. Bespokeprogramme also available for trims includingleather and wood.Handling & performance

Although the car rides on the A7 platform,

it feels quite different. The new normallyaspirated and tweaked supercharged V6

make good for absence of an V8. Chassisand suspension management are well-suitedfor AWD. The interior now represents a needbenchmark in style, quality and bespokeoptions.Key competitorsMercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5 Series andto a lesser extent, with the Inniti M, JaguarXF and Lexus GS.


Bo y type: sedan

ty ing

owertrain options

an ing & per ormance

Engineering

Interiors & features

Score card

8/6/2019 Automan J


Automan’s take As a package, the new Explorer will be really hard to beat. In the US, it is already on sale, sales of the Ford Explorer soared by almost

138 per cent in April. It ranks 14th in the overall most in demand cars of 2011.

23

Ford also moves

into crossover SUV

territory with is all-new unibody

Explorer, one of its bedrock SUV

badges. Till now the Explorer was based

on body-on-frame architecture and

with the all-new Explorer, Ford has set

several unique benchmarks for the

segment in terms of construction,

engineering and features.

ordord xp orer xp orer

Styling This three-row reinvention is longer andwider. Its smooth and sharp styling hides itschunkiness. With delightful proportions, shortoverhangs and uid lines, the car is more

aerodynamic than before.EngineeringBased on the new Taurus architecture,Ford claims 10 segment exclusives in thiscar including some in safety, with optionalinatable rear seatbelts and standard curvecontrol, which applies braking to individualwheels as needed to correct corner trajectory.Powertrain optionsThe new Explorer will offer quite a range

of options. It can be equipped [for the rsttime] with front-wheel drive or “intelligent” four-wheel drive. The largest engine is a 3.5-litre V6 engine [same as Edge] that promisesto offer the best in class fuel economy with

a impressive towing capability. For somemarkets Ford will also offer EcoBoost 2.0-litreI-4 engine. The car is offered with a uniquesix-speed transmission and a SelectShift

Automatic transmission on top trim levels.The V6 actually offers more horsepower andis up to 25 per cent better on fuel mileage.Interiors & featuresThe interior look expensive and narrows thegap between itself and premium offerings.

Ford’s interactive MMI technology applicationis one of the bestHandling & performanceWith its rigid chassis and careful tuning ofthe independent suspension, smooth car-like

manners are expected on-road. But the car’snew four mode Terrain Management systemthat calculates engine and throttle calibrationstransmission shift patterns, stability andtraction-control systems is eerily similar tothat in Land Rover’s and should help give thecar its performance edge over rivals.Key competitorsJeep Grand Cherokee, GMC Acadia, HondaPilot and Dodge Durango


ody type: SUV

Sty ing

owertrain options


Engineering


Score card

2011: most improved cars

8/6/2019 Automan J


24

automan select

Automan’s take Near the top in many departments including pricing and variants that SUV punters are looking at these days.

The original

Durango was a fuel

thirsty body-on-frame truck

that had worse handling and

fuel economy than the larger Chevy

Suburban with less space inside than the

Tahoe. The new 2011 Durango launched

a few weeks ago changes all. for better

gas mileage when cruising on thehighway. Mercedes’ ride and Hemi

power? That’s a tough-to-

beat combination.

odgeodgeurangourango

Styling Revealed at the at the 2010 LA Auto Show,

the completely redesigned new arrival looks

like a real Dodge — unmistakably tough andmuscular.EngineeringThe new car is built on a new crossoverSUV unibody chassis [also shared withthe Mercedes-Benz M-Class and R-Class]Powertrain optionsEntry level models get the company’s all-new 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 engine. Thelatest version of the reworked Hemi V8, with

seamless cylinder deactivation for optimizingfuel economy is also offered. Full time AWDis available in the V6, while low range can be

locked in the V8s [also with limited slip diff locks].Interiors & featuresDodge’s President and CEO Ralph Gilles’ teamhas transformed this bare utility vehicle intoa luxurious fashion statement. The top specCitadel model sports a pleasant two-toneleather bound cabin that combines some of the features and exibility of a minivan with aless upright seating and a host of convenience

features.Handling & performanceBy class benchmarks the Durango has a

rened ride and balanced performance andby previous Durango standards it’s beyondcomparison.Key competitors

VW Touareg, Mercedes-Benz M-Class, BMW X5,Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Hyundai

Veracruz, Kia Sorento, Subaru Tribeca, MazdaCX-9, and Honda Pilot, GMC Acadia, Inniti FXand Lexus RX330.


Body type: SUV

ty ing

owertrain options


Engineering


Score card

8/6/2019 Automan J


25

Also revealed at

the November 2010 LA

Auto Show, the refreshed for

2011 Charger enters evolutionary

territory with an all-new sheetmetal,

quality and improved interiors.

It also opens a new chapter in

unadulterated 2+2 muscle

cars.

odgeodgeargerarger

Styling The raw and aggressive face has now become

rened and businesslike without losing thehallmark and signature crosshair grill. The rearend with its full-width LED taillamp connectsto the 70s styling.EngineeringThe new car’s foundation is an all-newchassis and suspension package mated toefcient powertrains. The new chassis usesadvanced steels, nylon composites with

Chrysler’s second-generation rear-wheel-driveE-segment architecture, to achieve very high

structural stiffness and torsional strength,which contributes to tighter handling andsafety.Powertrain optionsThe regular range includes the 3.6-litre V6Pentastar and larger V8 Hemi engines withEco drive modes. Performance R/T versionsare also offered.Interiors & features

More luxurious now with many newcomfort and convenience features. Bespoke

programme also available for trims includingleather and wood.Handling & performance As a pure and modern pony car, it’s difcult tofault the on road prowess and handling of thiscar even with the V6.Key competitorsFord Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro.


ody type: sedan

Sty ing

owertrain options


Engineering


Score card

Automan’s take a stylish and highly entertaining Charger with undiluted performance and a wide range to appeal the appetite of muscle cars.


8/6/2019 Automan J


26

automan select

Automan’s take Although Bentley would want everyone to consider its 2011 Continental GT as an all-new car, like an aging Hollywood star, the

2011 Bentley Continental GT just needed a little work to be done.

A few years ago,

UK-based Bentley Motors

boasted that its new luxury “gran

turismo” coupe would open up a whole new

market segment. In an era where predictions

in the motoring business have been sort of a

roller coaster ride for many, at least Bentley were

spot on with that prediction. The seminal and highly

successful Bentley Continental GT introduced in 2003

not only represented the rst step in Bentley’srenaissance but also dened a whole new

market segment. It was a luxury GT offering

excellent usability that remained true to

the Bentley grand touring spirit.

ent eyent eyCGTCGT

Styling For Crewe’s design team, the new CGT coupewas an opportunity to set a bold and excitingdirection for one of Bentley’s most reveredbadge once again. The car’s existing prolehas been sharpened with stronger character

lines and a modded face.EngineeringBentley has carried forward the existingchassis but has focused on weight reductionelsewhere. Aluminium Super Formingtechnology has been employed to create thefront mudguards and boot lid.Powertrain optionsWhile displacement downsizing is a globaltrend, there’s no downsizing the proven

6.0-litre, 12-cylinder, twin-turbochargedpowertrain. Actually output is up to 567bhpand torque stands at 700Nm. New technologiesinclude a new Quickshift transmission whichenables double downshifts. Thanks toadvanced FlexFuel technology it can also run

on both standard unleaded petrol (gasoline)and sustainable bioethanol (up to E85) or anymix of the two. Meanwhile, a new high-output4.0-litre V8 engine option will be introducedin late 2011.Interiors & featuresThe interior combines form, practicality andinnovation. More luxurious now with many newcomfort and convenience features, perhapsthe most stylish new storage device in the car

is the exquisitely designed, folding, removablecase designed to hold items such as keys andpens and which can also be slipped into apocket or bag.Handling & performanceThe car now offers more dynamic handling,

improved comfort, and benets from up-to-date electronics.Key competitorsTrue competition at this lofty level is rare.

The Aston Martin DB9 provides more drivingexcitement at a similar price and the lesserpriced Maserati GranTurismo is arguably oneof the more attractive cars. Mercedes-Benzalso has a CL600 and its AMG derivatives.


Bo y type: coupe

ty ing

owertrain options


Engineering


Score card

8/6/2019 Automan J


27

Value for money has

become a permanent USP for

Hyundai-built motor cars which is in

contrast to its image a few years ago. While

the global motoring industry bears the brunt of

the economic meltdown, Hyundai is perhaps the

only volume carmaker [along with Kia] which

actually gained robust sales worldwide. Now,

Hyundai is on a design, engineering andquality drive.

yundai yundailantralantra

o y type: sedan

Sty ing

owertrain options


Engineering


Score card

Styling here’s quite a bit of design inuence fromthe larger new Sonata which itself boastsof Hyundai’s ‘uidic sculpture’ language.

As a result, the new coupe-styled Elantrais crisp, clean, downright sporty in what isgenerally considered an economy segment.EngineeringThe new platform design allows the car to belarger and yet lighter without sacricing onsafety or comfort.Powertrain optionsHyundai’s astonishing improvements inpowertrain engineering are among reasonswhy the new Elantra is so much better. Its new

145hp 1.8-litre engine mated with a standardsix-speed transmission (either manual orautomatic) also produce an impressive fueleconomy of up to 40 mpg in highway driving.Interiors & featuresOffered in two trim levels, an array of features complement a good dose of stylewith upmarket t and nish. The top trim ismore luxurious with many new comfort andconvenience features. The cabin has addedenough volume to be classed by EPA a mid-size car and by key dimensions like head andlegroom.Handling & performanceThe car’s 1.8-litre engine actually produces

power and torque almost equivalent to manyof its 2.0-litre rivals, yet it seems a little lazyin highlighting its capabilities. Hyundai hascalibrated the throttle for signicant responseand hence it has to be pushed. While it’s fairlyhappy doing so, peak power comes at 6,500rpm before a soft rev limiter chips in for engineprotection. The new chassis and independentsuspension assist the car to ride rmly andalso ensure that the cheap feel of budget carsis not felt at all.Key competitorsFord Focus, Kia Rio, Honda Civic, Nissan Tiida/Sunny, Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3, ChevroletCruz


Automan’s take a stylish and highly entertaining Charger with undiluted performance and a wide range to appeal the appetite of muscle cars.


8/6/2019 Automan J


28

automan select

Automan’s take The Optima D-segment saloon has been transformed from a nobody to a game changing designer statement with engineering

and performance to match. If Kia ofcials have always maintained that the new Optima represented a paradigm shift for the company, we have to agree

that it truly is. Single-handedly, it has virtually shaken and stirred the segment. Aimed at the fast-growing mid-size family sedan segment, this is a car of

remarkable nesse for its sticker price and will surely not be overlooked for years.

Premiered at the 2010

New York International Auto

Show, the Optima is one of Kia

Motors rst all-new replacement

models to be penned by ex-Audi

chief design director Peter

Schreyer.

iaiaptimaptima

Styling The Optima isn’t quite as sultry as itsmechanical sibling, the Hyundai Sonata, but isin a class of its own. Designed at Kia’s studiosin Frankfurt, Germany and Irvine, California,

the car’s design focus is no longer Korean oreven Asian for that matter but comes acrossas is a true world car. Wider and lower thanthe model it replaces, it is based on an all-newmidsize platform that allows for distinctivedimensions and proportions. The sweepingchrome arc that ows from the A- to the

C-pillars is a distinctive design motif in thiscoupe-like prole car.Powertrain optionsA four-cylinder 200hp 2.4-litre or 2.0-litre

engine is available with six speed transmissions

depending on market.Interiors & featuresThe sedan’s chic cabin complements the sharpand stylish exterior. Materials used give aluxurious feel and the cabin is endowed withmany new comfort and convenience features.Premium features include push-button start

with smart key and dual-zone automaticclimate control.Handling & performanceThe bigger four cylinder pot is able to offerthrifty acceleration and is quite smooth under

most operating conditions. A bit noisy whenpushed, otherwise poised and relaxed. Chassisand suspension are more European biased infeedback and response.Key competitorsHonda Accord, Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima,Hyundai Sonata, Ford Fusion, VW Passat.


Body type: sedan

ty ing

owertrain options


Engineering


Score card

8/6/2019 Automan J


29

Chevrolet

was the creator of the

rst sports utility vehicle back

in the 1930’s with the Suburban. The

rst generation Captiva hit the market

back at the end of 2006 marked a turning

point for the brand and now, the bow-tie

brand’s compact SUV has been given a major

makeover for 2011. Revealed as a major

facelifted model at the 2010 Paris MotorShow, the car has been extensively been

re-engineered to offer upscale styling

comfort and handling.

hevrolethevroletaptivaaptiva

Styling A new face and some detailing on an existingprole doesn’t tamper with the car’s three rowtheatre seating or seven occupant capacity.EngineeringA lot of engineering work has been carried outin the area of noise, vibration and harshness

(NVH) to improve overall renement. The AWD system has improved mount isolationwhich enables lower engine speeds to beused without unsettling vibration; the enginehas a new hydraulic mounting which reducesvibration at idle; the engine sound intensityinside the cabin has been reduced and isnow more than 3db lower than the outgoing

model. For the rst time on Chevrolet Captiva,Hill Start Assist (HSA) has been included.Powertrain optionsThe 2011 Captiva offers efcient new enginesdisplacing 2.4- and 3.0-litres respectively.The underperforming 3.2-litre V6 has beendropped. The new engines which employ

variable valve timing (VVT) are mated to anew six-speed transmission.Interiors & features

An array of nishes and textures including allnew seat fabrics and interior trims gives thecar a more up-market feel and look. Designershave also included trendy features such as asice-blue back lighting, auxillary inputs, USB-

port connectivity and Bluetooth connectivityHandling & performanceCustomers will retain the option of choosingbetween two and four-wheel drives, the fruitsof the improvements in chassis hardwaremake the Captiva feel an even safer, morecomposed and enjoyable drive on the road

One of the great advantages of the newcompact automatic transmission is that it hasallowed the engineers to enhance crumplezones, increase interior space and lower thebonnet line.Key competitorsHonda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Kia SportageHyundai Tucson and Ford Escape.


o y type: SUV

Sty ing

owertrain options


Engineering


Score card

Automan’s take The refreshed model with stylish and nely nished interior is very much a car of the times and is more than just being lifestyle

oriented. Specically, designed for families and their everyday requirements, it offers some usable off-road capabilities. It certainly deserves consideration

alongside its capable European and Japanese lifestyle-oriented SUV rivals.


8/6/2019 Automan J


30

automan select

Automan’s take Near the top in many departments including pricing and variants that SUV punters are looking at these days.

As a model, the Jeep

Grand Cherokee in the past

suffered from several shortsighted

policies initiated during the previous

ownership. Yes, we specically are referring

to the years when the Jeep brand was controlled

by then-DaimlerChrysler [DC]. DC was notorious for

introducing several cost cutting measures in the brand

and the once-luxurious cabin of premium materials in

the capable old Grand Cherokee became a thing of thepast. But all that is past history now after Chrysler

split from the Daimler and aligned itself with

Fiat. The results of the new alliance are

beginning to be noticed at all

levels.

Jeep GranJeep GranCherokeeCherokee

Styling Revealed at the at the 2010 LA Auto Show,

the completely redesigned new arrival lookslike a real Dodge — unmistakably tough andmuscular.EngineeringThe new car is built on a new crossoverSUV unibody chassis [also shared withthe Mercedes-Benz M-Class and R-Class]Powertrain optionsEntry level models get the company’s all-new 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 engine. Thelatest version of the reworked Hemi V8, with

seamless cylinder deactivation for optimizingfuel economy is also offered. Full time AWDis available in the V6, while low range can belocked in the V8s [also with limited slip diff locks].Interiors & featuresDodge’s President and CEO Ralph Gilles’ teamhas transformed this bare utility vehicle intoa luxurious fashion statement. The top specCitadel model sports a pleasant two-toneleather bound cabin that combines some of the features and exibility of a minivan with aless upright seating and a host of convenience

features.Handling & performanceBy class benchmarks the Durango has arened ride and balanced performance andby previous Durango standards it’s beyondcomparison.Key competitors

VW Touareg, Mercedes-Benz M-Class, BMW X5,Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Hyundai

Veracruz, Kia Sorento, Subaru Tribeca, MazdaCX-9, and Honda Pilot, GMC Acadia, Inniti FXand Lexus RX330.

ody type: SUV

ty ing

owertrain options


Engineering


Score card

What’s in? What’s out?

8/6/2019 Automan J


31

The 2011

Jaguar XJ is the

vital link that completes

the evolution of Jaguar’s

new family tree which was

revealed at the 2009 Frankfurt

International Motor Show.

JaguarJaguar XJ XJ

Styling Jaguar’s Design Director Ian Callum [also

responsible for styling the late-model XK andpath-breaking XF] has morphed a modern boldface into the all-new XJ. The overall packageis quite stunning.

EngineeringJaguar understands XJ customer requirementsquite well and designed the platform toaccommodate standard and longwheelversions. There’s application of Jaguar’s next-generation unique lightweight constructiontechniques and material usage.Powertrain options

Depending on market, the new XJ offersthe choice of four powerful and renedengines. All of them benet from the latest

in powertrain technology to help deliver anoutstanding combination of performanceand class-leading efciency. The supremelypowerful supercharged 5.0-litre AJ-V8 Gen IIIheads the line-up, while naturally aspiratedpetrol V8s are also available.

Interiors & features A coupé prole cloaks a cabin that offerscomparable levels of space to conventionalsedans, but with more style. There isgenerous accommodation for ve occupants,while long-wheelbase models provide rear-seat passengers with even greater levels of comfort thanks to an additional 125mm of rear legroom. The exquisitely designed interiorhas a strong sporting character throughout. Apanoramic glass roof, standard on all models,

dramatically enhances the sense of light andspace inside the new XJ.Handling & performanceThe XJ delivers a driving experience that is

just as memorable as the car’s appearanceBenetting from technologies pioneered on the

exciting new XFR and XKR models, includingcontinuously variable damping (AdaptiveDynamics), electronically controlled readifferential (Active Differential Control) anda quick ratio power-steering system, the newXJ combines responsive, sporting dynamicswith the rened, supple ride expected from aluxury Jaguar.Key competitors Audi A8, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW

Series and Lexus LS.


ody type: sedan

Sty ing

owertrain options


Engineering


Score card

Automan’s take The all-new Jaguar XJ brings seductive mix of striking design, breathtaking performance and engineering without compromise.


8/6/2019 Automan J


automan select

The all-new

completely redesigned third

generation Volvo S60 made its

international debut at the 2010

Geneva Motor Show. It was launched

into one of the automotive world’s

most competitive segments.

Vo vo Vo voS60S60

Styling With its stylish, clean and sophisticatedcoupé-like design, the S60 is clearly a carwith beautiful lines that have been carefullypenned by Steve Mattin, the British designerresponsible for the original Mercedes A-Classand the pre-face-lift version of the current-generation Mercedes SL. Volvo has denitely

jumped quite a few steps in automotive designover the past decade and continues to do so.Engineering

Audi has focused on weight reduction andhence extensive usage of aluminium in chassisand body parts. With the exception of thewheelbase which has been extended by 2.7in,most dimensions remain unaltered.Powertrain options

A single forced fed in-line 3.0-litre engineusing a twin-scroll turbocharger offers peak power of 304hp at 5,600 rpm and peak torqueof 440Nm between 2,100-4,200 rpm. Aisin-built six-speed automatic transmission withclutchless shifting [Geartronic] sends powerto all wheels.Interiors & features

More luxurious now with many new comfortand convenience features. However, from thepracticality vs design view, the car isn’t entirelyawless. With only 380litres at its disposal,the boot space is marginally bigger than ahatchback such as the VW Golf, or better yet,the Audi A3.Handling & performanceThough its short overhangs, 18in wheels and

taut proportions make the new S60 appearroughly the same size as its more streamlinedpredecessor, this sedan is actually 60mm longer.The engine is now able to offer increased anddollops of torque at very low engine speedswith spritely acceleration. Although, there areno shift paddles on the steering wheel one canselect gears sequentially using the gearshifter

and the throttle blips complement the high andlow exhaust notes. The car’s fourth-generationof Haldex’s all-wheel-drive system and driver-oriented chassis management system makesthe car a delight to drive.Key competitors

Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, BMW 3Series, Lexus IS and VW Passat .

What’s in? What’s out?

Body type: sedan

tyling

owertrain options


Engineering


Score card

Automan’s take Stylish, nely nished interior; all-wheel drive and responsive acceleration

32

8/6/2019 Automan J


Automan’s take When the CLS rst arrived, there was no competition. It was a unique sedan that was as comfortable and luxurious as it was

stylish. Now it is longer, wider, taller and heavier than its predecessor, but the best part there anything controversial about the car.

33

The Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class has

undergone its rst redesign since its

introduction back in 2005 when it

virtually single-handedly pioneered

the coupe-sedan fusion trend.

Mercedes-Mercedes-enz CLSenz CLS

ody type: sedan

Sty ing

owertrain options


Engineering


Score card

Styling Outrageous proportions such as a longbonnet, narrow-look windows with framelessside windows, dynamic roof sweeping back atan angle towards the rear were the hallmarksof Gen 1. The proportions have stayed thesame and yet everything is different, butthe new CLS somehow manages to lose theunderstated elegance of its predecessor. The

heavily-sculpted panels and a more masculineoverall design could be the reason.EngineeringMercedes has focused on weight reduction andhence extensive usage of aluminium, ultra-rigid high-tech alloys and specially composedpolypropylene components. As a result, thenew construction has called for new joiningtechniques: instead of welding, a combinationof gluing and riveting has been used.Powertrain options

The CLS comes with more powerful andefcient engines.And depending on marketscustomers will have a choice between fourpetrol and diesel engines, with four, six andeight cylinders and an output range of between204 hp to 408 hp and displacements from2,143cc to a monstrous 4,633cc displacement.In addition to optimisations in the powertrain- all CLS models are tted with the enhanced

7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission asstandard - the sophisticated ECO start/stopsystem helps to ensure extreme efciencyeven when driving in urban trafc. The carwill be launched with rear-wheel drive rstand from September 2011 onwards, for therst time as a 4MATIC with all-wheel drive.Interiors & featuresIn addition to Mercedes’s usual choice of wood,metal and leather trims, the passenger cabinwill have four identically shaped seats, with a

similar level of adjustment front and rear, anda full-cabin center console. Individual sectionsof the leather dashboard are sewn togetheby hand in a process that takes several hoursaccording to Mercedes, and then heat-shrunkover the structure underneath. With safety inmind, all CLS coupes will include Pre-Safe, ABSantilock brakes with Brake Assist, Attention

Assist, traction control and the ESP electroni

stability control. Active Blind Spot Assist and Active Lane Keeping Assist are also available.Handling & performanceLighter and more efcient than its predecessorit is expected to exceed the benchmarkstandards it has already set. With the newsystems on board, there should be a feel omore precision in the car.Key competitors One of its toughest competitors will be the allnew Audi A7 Sportback.



8/6/2019 Automan J


34

{coVer storY}

a m gn a6 f 2012 m

n m n ng n fmn. amn fn

kg nng f n k n

Author Chandan B Mallik Photographs author and Jorge Ferrari

Focus onclass and

efficiency

8/6/2019 Automan J


8/6/2019 Automan J


36

8/6/2019 Automan J


37

8/6/2019 Automan J


38

8/6/2019 Automan J


39

8/6/2019 Automan J


40

coVer storY

Styling Construction

Interiors

Perfomance

Powertrain

What’s in what’s out

8/6/2019 Automan J


41

Mo o f h o go ng a6’ o wr q pp w h

x or g h y nr ng n, prmnn 4 x4 q ro

n xr y or mn o f op on q pmn . t h

n w a6 rop h v8 n f or o f f f n t sFi v6

-p

8/6/2019 Automan J


42

N J n ingin

afer er of ng rul pre bn,

volkwgen brng n he new Je lue

pkge egne o ke on pef ompeor

from oue uul hunng groun. Author Raj Warrior

First driVe

8/6/2019 Automan J


43

The usual hunting grounds of the

automotive majors have gone through

a major churn in the past few years.

Most of us grew up on the hierarchy of the

automotive food chain where GM towered

above everyone else. In the exciting couple

of years leading up to the latest nancial

debacle Toyota managed to put paid to

that hegemony, largely because of a spurt

in sales, while being helped along by GM’s

own inefciencies. In the process, the order

as people accepted has shifted and when

Volkswagen states that it is aiming for

number three slot worldwide you wonder

“aren’t they already there?’

That was one of the messages that the

Volkswagen team were putting out on the

occasion of the regional launch of the new

Jetta. The Jetta is one of the models that

best exemplies the global nature of the

VW brand. To the uninformed it is easiest to

call it as a Golf with a boot, but that would

be doing both the Jetta and the Golf an

injustice. At the same time most European

buyers aren’t even aware that such a model

exists. However look at the platform and

you will see what’s so important about the

business proposition.

The Jetta has had a patchy history, with

hits and misses in its iterations. It has at

times been called the Bora and Vento too

but then the Golf itself has also been called

the Rabbit. A few years ago, when VW

wanted a sedan that suited the Chinese

market, it brought out a China specic mode

called the Lavida, which to all purposes

was a variant of the Vento. Then around

a year ago another market-specic mode

was launched in India, called the Vento

All said and done the Jetta is reported to

have sold around 9.6-million units since i

started, with much of the volume comingfrom the US. This iteration of the car makes

it the sixth generation.

Oddly enough, this time the Jetta is also

being projected as an appropriate sedan fo

Europe while replacing the fth generation

car in our region too. However, there are

subtle differences to the cars being sold

here and in Europe. For instance the Jetta

6th gen gets a choice of latest technology

TSI and FSI smaller engines along with

TDI engines, while the car gets a pretty

mainstream tried and tested 2.0-litre uni

without most of the high tech add-ons.

The new Jetta itself (atleast the car tha

comes to the region) is built in VW’s Mexico

plant. This plant makes the cars that are

sold in the bulk of the Americas and enjoy

being part of the NAFTA and a dollar-priced

sourcing. That makes the cars built here

inherently lower priced than getting the ca

out of the European zone and with none o

the image problems of cars built in India

or China.

8/6/2019 Automan J


4444

Coming to the car itself, it looks like it can

ght the battle it has been charged to win.

The value segment of the sedan market in

the region has been vacated by most players

with European and Japanese brands facing

costing issues coupled with an ongoing effort

to move up the brand perception ladder. That

has made the traditional C-segment market

one that has mostly Korean manufactured

products, with some in-roads being now made

by clever solutions like those presented by

Renault’s Fluence and Chevrolet’s Cruze. Of

course both KIA and Hyundai are making the

most of the situation by projecting cars like

the completely revamped Cerato and Elantra,

thereby making it imperative that brands like

VW need to take drastic measures if they want

to retain volumes in the region.

The car now denitely looks part of the

new family with the treatment of the front

fascia resembling the Golf 6 and the Scirocco

to some extent. At 4.64 metres in length, the

car is longer than ever and has also added a

few notches on the width. In terms of styling

the treatment of the lower airdam, notched

waistline and the tail with large bumpers and

a shortened deck due to the swoosh of the

rear windshield make the car look slightly tail

heavy. Other than that it carries a bit of the

prole made famous by the Passat CC.

The interiors have also got a major brush-

up, with the functionality of the typical VW

monochrome interior getting some nicely

done chrome highlights, colour on the dials

and a centre console that avoids looking drab

because of some ingenious styling that creates

a pocket surrounding the gearlever. There is

also a most convenient tray in front of the

gear shifter where you can stow your mobile

First driVe

8/6/2019 Automan J


454545

phone. All quite well thought out.

The car comes with a 2.0-litre 115bhp

engine coupled to a six-speed automatic

gearbox. The engines 170 Nm of torque peaks

at 4,000 rpm and provides the gearbox with

a good level of input throughout the range.

Oddly enough, after a long time, we had the

car’s geartrain shut off the engine when we

selected manual mode and let the car stop

at a signal. It just happened once but left us

wondering if there was a tuning issue.

First impressions of the car are largely

positive. The Jetta is now better equipped

in terms of being able to compete with

Japanese and Korean cars in terms of

larger leg room and headroom and a safetypackage that includes the full complement

of airbags and chassis control programming

that puts it ahead in many parameters. There

are some touches which communicate the

attempt to keep the car in a value band –

like the exposed trunk lid swing hinges (one

covered with plastic to encapsulate the light

harness, while the other remains utilitarian

in its barrenness.

The Jetta starts at RO 7,350 in Oman, with

higher packages pushing upwards anothe

1,000 odd Rials. To be fair to VW, the price

bracket is competitive, especially when youconsider what a Civic or Corolla is priced at

nowadays. However, one of our presenters

was comparing competition with the likes of

the Sunny and Cerato. The Jetta is hardly

likely to appeal to those buyers. As for what

the new Jetta will do for the volumes in this

segment – we will have to wait and see the

results. It isn’t quite the VW as we know it –

a Golf is a lot more appealing and better for

the brand overall.

8/6/2019 Automan J


46

tested

8/6/2019 Automan J


B r u t e f o

r c e

47

t o y o ’

s e n

e r b e

e i g h h g e

n e r

i o n l

n d c r u i s

e r m

y

r r y

o e r

m o s y u

n h

n g e d f r o

m h e 2

0 1 0 m

o d e

y e r , b

u h e

b i g n

e w s i s

h

5 . 7 - i

r e v 8

s o

g e s

d d e

d o h e

p k g

e f o r 2 0

1 1 .

a u o m

n h

e k s

o u

h i s m o d

e

A u t h o

r C h a n

d a n B M

a l l i k P h

o t o g r a

p h y R a j W

a r r i o r

8/6/2019 Automan J


8/6/2019 Automan J


49

If you have lived in the Middle East long enough,

then it’s no secret that Toyota’s Land Cruiser models

have served and weathered several generations with

great aplomb. As a bulletproof model, i t also commands

an iconic status amongst die-hard 4x4 users in the

region and despite the global economic downturn and itssubsequent impact on the automotive industry worldwide

[which also feverishly triggered the downsizing trends

across segments], the current eighth generation SUV

seems to defy all odds and continues business as usual.

For 2011, it has also received a career boost. Most of

us familiar with the body on frame Land Cruiser pedigree

also are aware that despite the region’s unparallel loyalty

with the Land Cruiser, there was one large gap between

the models sold in the Middle East and US [the model’s

largest two markets besides Australia]. Actually, all Land

Cruisers sold in the US are powered by a 5.7-litre V8,

also known as the 3UR-FE, which also propels the full-

sized pick-up truck Tundra. The good news for the region

is that now this power variant has been added to theline-up which bridges the demand gap and also opens

up a new career dimension for the said model line-up,

especially amongst rivals.

From the exterior, the 5.7-litre V8-engined Land Cruiser

carries its familar mass and powerful prole. The only

differentiation externally and most obvious for the new

variant is the badging – one for the engine credentials

and the other relates to its 60th anniversary year. While

most of the curves on the body are a modern mix of

soft and wide, the car’s bonnet is at and unmistakably

linked to its past design heritage. The exterior sheetmetal

design has some aggressive elements thrown in – such

as the ared wheel arches, large compound headlamps

and horizontal four-slotted grille.

Besides the engine, the real kit that transforms and

kind of redenes the performance and handling of the

car is under the sheet metal. The rst major change is

in the way the suspension has been redesigned. Toyota

has replaced the torsion-bar mechanism with a newly

adopted coil-spring front suspension while the solid axle

at the rear remains unchanged with its four-links and

Panhard rod. But what is offered to whet the appetite

of the drivers is Toyota’s Kinetic Dynamic Suspension

System which according to our understanding is a system

which technically disciplines anti-roll-bar rates without

sacricing off-road performance. And how it does it is

also as interesting as the system itself. What we know

is that there’s a mechanically operated hydraulic linkage

between the front and rear anti-roll bars that responds

when the two axles articulate in opposite planes

disengaging the bars. As always, the car’s interior is as rened with high

quality materials and excellent t and nish. Theoretically

the cabin can accommodate eight adults, but the third

row doesn’t get the generous treatment of the Sequoia

because of the at seat bottom and high oor. Access to

the third row is simple via a one-touch tumble-forward

second-row seat. Middle row occupants get generous

head and shoulder room, along with slide and recline

adjustments. With the rear seats upright, cargo space

is 16cft [about the same as a midsize car]. Surprisingly

third-row seats do not fold down or can be removed as

with some new SUVS or MPVs. Instead, they fold up

against the sides of the cargo bay in the old fashioned

way, because of the huge amount of fuel capacity builtin underoor.

Driving impressionsWhat began as a routine test ended up much longer

and detailed as we decided to delve further into

its capabilities. This is one of Land Cruiser’s strong

personality traits and qualities of being able to involve

the driver and occupants all along. The command view

for the driver ensures good visibility all around [a must

for a large vehicle] and the reworked suspension seems

extra condent, especially when it comes to contro

wallowing on the highways. Besides offering a luxurious

and comfortable ride, it doesn’t mean that the car has

lost its go anywhere or playful nature. We took extra

measures to check out the suspension’s abilities off-

road and were happy to note that it offers compliant

articulation off-road also. The job done by suspension

engineers is commendable and what impresses is how

the precision and balance between the extreme ends of

what a typical luxury SUV customer demands has been

met competently. In fact, we pushed the vehicle off-road

and were also able to perform some drifting without any

fuss. Thanks to its composure and nine inches of ground

clearance and not to forget the dual-range full-time all

wheel drive, with its lockable Torsen centre differentia

8/6/2019 Automan J


50

and array of electronic assistants.

And this then brings us to the powertrain

package. While the extra large V8 displaces

5.7-litres, it pumps out 381hp at 5,600rpm

and 401lb-ft of torque at 3,600rpm. Gear

ratios in the six-speed automatic transmissionare a bit different than the smaller sibling and

feature a low, 3.33:1 rst gear while the fth

and sixth gears act as overdrives. Actually,

the top end ratios are designed for optimizing

fuel economy. Despite the fuel economy

drive [which usually compromises overall

performance as seen in some recent cars],

Land Cruiser devotees will not be disappointed

as we are pretty sure that from a product vs

mission objective perspective, executive chief

engineer for the current Land Cruiser project,

Hideki Watanabe, was fully aware about the

job requirements of the bestselling SUV of any

kind in the Middle East! We are happy to note

that Watanabe has made it abundantly clear

that his objectives were to maintain priority

on essential four-wheel-drive functions while

pursuing what he called an advanced and

rugged design direction.

The all-aluminium normally aspirated

engine and six-speed transmission combo are

perfectly mated and seem to be designed to

impress both on and off court. It features an

array of Toyota high-tech bits such as variable

valve timing, a variable-volume intake system

and most importantly an electronic y-by-

wire throttle. As a result, the engine is silky

smooth and super quiet on the highway and

it is only when you dig in for more power doyou hear a muted yet melliuous note from

the engine bay. While the low revving engine

offers generous torque, the car also feels tight

and there’s no shortage of response to driver

inputs. Thanks in part goes to the stout new

frame with fully boxed sections and no fewer

than eight cross members, which has helped

in improving torsional rigidity.

While engaging the car’s full-time four-

wheel drive with low-range gearing enhances

the car’s off-road capability, so does “Crawl

Control,” a three-speed hill ascent and

descent mode [in which the throttle and brake

are electronically manipulated to maintain a

constant, controllable speed over challenging

terrain] helps the driver to concentrate on the

obstacles ahead.

Besides performance and handling,

utility has been improved at every turn. For

its class and price point, the kit offered is

comprehensive. It’s really difcult to locate an

area which might have been overlooked. Every

convenience item known has been intelligently

integrated, beginning with ergonomically

placed controls, heated second-row seats, and

even a refrigerated centre console cooler box.

And as with all of Toyota’s 2011 models, the

Land Cruiser also has the company’s “Smart

Stop,” a throttle override/brake enhancementsystem. The car’s chrome-accented Optitron

style gauges are mounted in a deeply

shaded instrument pod, anked by a multi-

information display and shift-position indicator

are easy to read. Overall, the colour tones and

combinations used in the interior are a bit on

the conservative side. Our tester had grey

leather trim with slim silver accents and wood

grain moldings. Four-zone climate control is

standard, with a total of 28 air outlets and a

standard high end JBL audio system with 14

strategically located speakers. Depending on

trims, optional packages add navigation and a

factory tted DVD entertainment system.

To think that a well-designed and kitted

Toyota vehicle will lack safety features is next

to impossible for the large SUV comes with an

array of active and passive safety equipment,

including airbags—including front-knee and

three-row curtain—and Toyota’s optional

pre-collision system, which tightens the front

seatbelts when the various electronic sensors

detect skidding or sudden hard braking.

tested

8/6/2019 Automan J


51

t h ln cr r to yo ’ g o b r b y

ho w, n ’ no rpr ng h mor

xp o f h mo hn n y o hr

Verdict As a large SUV, the 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser

is a strong choice for seasoned punters in the

segment. The segment has also diversied a

bit and the spectrum offers and interesting

array of models that depict capabilities or

value for money. Despite the proliferation of a

new generation of large crossover SUVs, the

ubiquitous Land Cruiser still rules and as a

package is still hard to beat.

8/6/2019 Automan J


52

test

A w o r t h y

s u c c e s s o r

8/6/2019 Automan J


53

doge’ ll-new hr-generon 2011 durngo

m be be on he unbo Jeep Grn cherokee

plform, bu h fferen or o ell.

auomn hek ou he op orer cel moel Aut or:Chandan B Mallik otograp y:Nabeel Ferzan and author

e d I t o r I a l N o M I N e

e

d o d G e d u r a N G o 2

011

l a r G e- s I Z e s u v

8/6/2019 Automan J


54

test

After Chrysler rebounded from near

bankruptcy in 2009, thanks to new

owners Fiat, it wasted no time in

delivering a slew of new and refreshed

products across its three mainstream brands.

First to roll out in the SUV line-up was the

Jeep Grand Cherokee, which in turn set up

the tone for rejuvenated Chrysler LLC. Now,

that success story is followed by the arrival

of the third generation all-new Durango and

upgraded Dodge Charger sedan.

The new Durango starts its career in an

era where most automakers are looking at

fuel and emissions efciency, displacement or

cylinder downsizing, enhanced performance,

quality interiors and lots of functionality and

quality space management.

To do this and more, the 2011 Durango

switches camps [from body-on-frame to

unibody] very much like the other mainstream

crossover SUVs. However, this doesn’t mean

that the SUV has gone soft in its styling as a

result. Despite a change in prole and overall

design, it’s unmistakably a Dodge tough truck

in the styling, with a big cross-hair grille

and elegant detailing which makes it look

more rened than the macho but bland old

Durango.

Meanwhile, chrome has been generously

used to differentiate the entry and top end

models along with some other features such

as HID lamps. Although the rear end of the

car is sloped more than the previous model, i t

is not as upright as the Honda Pilot. A cargo

hatch is powered but does not open the glass

separately. Rear wipe/wash and a small spoiler

are standard on all variants.

Technically, the new Durango rides on

a stretched version of the co-developed

Mercedes-Benz ML platform which is also used

in the new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and

has nearly the same wheelbase (119.8in) and

track (64in front and rear) as the old Durango.

So it’s still not a midsize, but clever exterior

dimensions ensure that the Durango falls right

in the middle of the three-row mix of SUVs.

While it’s no secret that the outgoing

Durango’s cabin was a victim of the then

owner’s cost-cutting programme, this new

one achieves quite a few highs and is clearly

benchmarked against premium performance

SUVs. While, there’s no groundbreaking design

here, but the dashboard design is attractive

and every surface we touch is supple and

sufciently upscale. Outward visibility is fairly

good, thanks to a slimmed A-pillar. Front

heated and ventilated seats are well contoured

and cushioned and are covered in perforated

high-grade Nappa leather in the Citadel model.

Chrysler has incorporated an impressive array

of practicality in the car which boasts of 28

different seating congurations, with up to 85

cubic feet of cargo and storage areas. With

second- and third-row seats folded at, the

Durango can t large six-foot objects with

ease. Visibility over the third row is aided by

an electrically operated dropdown headrests,

which comes in handy when the third row is

not in use. Third-row access is very good. A

simple strap-pull folds and tilts up the second

row seat, and the walk-through oor space

to reach the third row is almost twice what a

No o ong go, r’ k h For e xp orr n dog

drngo wr m z su v w h f r frm nr

h r b n bo , po wr b y r r n w p

from p k -p. t h ’ hng no w

8/6/2019 Automan J


55

Tahoe has for reaching the second row. There

is more room back here than the legroom

dimension implies. The cargo deck is 32ins

off the ground and has one small deep bin

on the left side and a broader one under the

main oor. Cargo volume is 17cft behind the

third row, 48 cft behind the second, and 84 cft

behind the front seats. A simple lever operation

drops either third-row seat at, and with the

right seat section folded at in each row you

can secure ten-foot-long objects inside.

The Durango’s entertainment electronic

gizmo kit on the centre console won’t

overwhelm, but it’s a bit behind its arch rival,

the 2011 Ford Explorer, which offers state-

of-the-art MyFord Touchdriver connectivity

technology. However, one doesn’t miss out on

modern features such as iPod integration, a

keyless ignition, adaptive cruise control, blind-

spot monitoring or a back-up camera with rear

cross-trafc detection in the Durango.

The car’s Durango power plant, in this

case of the Citadel was the 5.7-litre Hemi V8,

mounted longitudinally in the engine bay with

Chrysler’s 545RFE ve-speed transmission.

Hemi, power is rated at 360 hp, and 390 lb-

ft at 4,250 rpm with up to 7,400 lb of trailer

towing with rear wheel drive. While Multiple

Cylinder Displacement is available in the Hemi

and helps in fuel economy, the V8 powerd

model also gets four-wheel drive with low-

range gearing for steeper inclines/descents, a

neutral position for at-towing.

The suspension package seems to be

comfort oriented and has a new short/long

arm up front and isolated multi-link at the

rear with a cradle arrangement for improved

on-road handling and comfort. Aggressive

shock and spring rates and large sway bars

are part of the package to handle body roll in

hard cornering situations. Driver gets electro-

hydraulic steering. Another thing we noted

that unlike the older Durangos, the 2011

Durango uses ve-lug wheels, which means

a wider choice for those wishing to customize.

Twenty-inch tyres and wheels combos are

available and spare wheel is tucked under the

chassis.

As a family oriented vehicle, there’s quite

a bit of safety kit. Standard safety features

include standard front seat-mounted side ai

bags and standard side-curtain air bags that

cover passengers in all three rows, active head

restraints and Electronic Stability Control.

Driving ImpressionsIn general, the front seats are very comfortable

supportive without being conning and able to

handle long distances without feeling too rm

The eight way power settings are easy to use

and best feature for the driver is the four-way

power lumbar and a six-way power cushion

for passenger side.

The tilt/telescoping steering column

accommodates a range of drivers and the

power column links to the driver seat/mirror/

audio preset memory system. Unlike some

new SUV’s, the foot well offers free space, so

there is plenty of room for your left leg to relax

8/6/2019 Automan J


56

{ test}

Engine revs and speed instruments house

smaller fuel and coolant temperature gauges,

with the EVIC electronic vehicle information

center between. EVIC displays everything from

fuel economy or oil temperature to how long

the lights stay on when you park, operated via

the left thumb-switches on the steering wheel.

All controls, the door handles, door pocketsand the cupholders are illuminated an icy-

blue, the gauges off-white.

Most controls are straightforward. Climate

controls are split into three zones, or can be

matched with the touch of one button; rear

controls are operable if the driver approves

by pressing a button. The Dodge Durango is

easy to drive and delivers a comfortable, quiet

ride empty or loaded. The way it responds

to steering and braking inputs will please

those who enjoy driving and go completelyunnoticed by those who don’t. And most of

the credit goes to its unibody architecture,

which offers a near perfect weight distribution

and hence more car like driving. For a large

SUV, the steering actually provides actual road

feel. Chassis and suspension are orderly, and

encouraged us to explore corners at speeds,

something we would never have attempted in

the old Durango. But when one really wants to

go fast in corners, the stability control [which

can’t be disabled] systems politely reminds usthat this is not a sports car and duly steps in

and does its job.

The Hemi-led variable valve powertrain

offers abundant torque and will happily cruise

at triple-digit speeds up to the electronically

limited maximum limit. While the Hemi offers

360hp, what makes the difference is the 50

per cent increase in torque and lower revving

character that makes it feel more powerful.

In fact, the 5-speed automatic to which it is

mated to ensures that the engine’s offers peak

performance without being thrifty, thanks to

the seamless Eco drive mode where half of

the cylinder bank is deactivated even at low

city speeds.

Even more impressive is its ride smoothness

and minimum body roll, which we think in

some respects is even more rened than the

Grand Cherokee – thanks to the Dodge’s extra

ve inches in the wheelbase and the stiffer

unibody structure [consisting of 52 per cent

advanced, high-strength steels] which has

reduced the chassis/body ex considerably

when compared with the previous body-on-

frame design.

Despite its boxy shape, aero proling has

ensured a drag coefcient of approximately Cd

0.35 and with better NVH management, the

interior is exceptionally quiet on the move.

Another signicant change on the 2011

Dodge Durango is the use of an electric motor

to drive the hydraulic power steering pump.

Effort levels feel about right, but as on any

heavy SUV, steering feel is absent. The steering

ratio (19.1:1) and 3.67 turns lock-to-lock are

pretty close to the old Durango’s numbers.

VerdictNow the near retirement phase is over at

Chrysler and the redesigned 2011 Dodge

Durango emerges as a viable and signicantly

improved 21st-century family seven seater

SUV. There’s little doubt that the new Durango

has been able to correct and improve on most

of its predecessor’s misgivings. Unlike last

time, this Durango will be competing with the

Chevrolet Traverse, the eagerly anticipated

2011 Ford Explorer and to some extent with

the Mazda CX-9. However, the Durango clearly

stands apart as the solo SUV that offers a V8

option and bona de towing capability.

t dng n , f, g q n n

c . i’ g f f mn

’ knn f f n nn n f.

8/6/2019 Automan J


8/6/2019 Automan J


tested

58

SPORTING

NATURE INCLUDED

Y ou have seen the sleek lines pass you on the road.

In the months since the Sportage hit the ground

running with a new look and some phenomenal

packaging, KIA has had a hard time – in fullling the

demand for the crossover that is – and buyers are

lapping up the new direction put in place in terms of

product design, build quality, feature packaging and

performance. The Sportage is now in its third generation

and almost as a complete surprise the 2012 MY version

of the car is in town to replace the 2011.

We picked up a base version of the car to test what

makes it such an appealing buy for many erstwhile sedan

owners. At around the same time we had the honour of

meeting KIA’s head of design Peter Schreyer who was in

Oman on a private visit.

The current Sportage moves the model upwards in

its positioning in the crossover segment, helped in a

great measure by the design improvements, not just

over the previous generation but also when compared

to competitors. The basis of this move was because of

a substantial shift in model preferences from buyers

around the world. More than 50% of all SUV category

sales in markets like Europe and China are of crossovers,

while hardcore SUVs are largely favoured still in USA and

the Middle East.

The idea of taking a car-based platform and extending

it as a crossover is not new. However the previous gen

Sportage proved the concept for KIA and the new one

has put the seal of excellence on how to do a good job

of it. At 4.44 metres in length the car belies its growth.

Visually the overhangs have got shortened, adding the

wheels-in-the-corner attitude that Schreyer’s design

brings with it. Yes the sports car like prole does a lot

for it too.

The interiors are the next best thing to happen to

the car. From a neatly framed gearshift lever (encircled

in a circular boss) and a forward biased centre console

complete with climate control, MP3 CD player and

provision of USB input slots for the iPod generation

the high quality plastics seem like they are a match for

8/6/2019 Automan J


59

Kia’ mjor oerhul of he sporge

for My 2011 brough u prou

h wll be remembere beng

roro of me n pe – he

rgh ple he rgh me. Now whhe 2012 lne-up lble, we look

he r’ ppel gn.

Author Raj Warrior Photographs Raj Warrior

8/6/2019 Automan J


tested

60

In comparison to the previousgeneration vehicle, the level of qualityand attention to detail apparent inthe new Sportage is in an entirelydifferent sphere

‘ ‘

Another thing that’s a nice detail is the line on the top of the windshield[the top edge of the screen isn’t a straight line, having higher, roundededges], which you can see on both the Sportage and the Optima — it’snot straight, which I think is unique. I was really surprised we were ableto do this

‘ ‘

The program began with different proposals from theCalifornia and Frankfurt studios. Initially, we weretempted to do a kind of more rugged, off-road type of car but fairly quickly we decided to go in the directionof a more sleek, urban crossover

‘ ‘

‘ ‘

‘ ‘

8/6/2019 Automan J


p s n sg dign

61

‘

‘

Sportage sketches showingstrong shoulder line carriedfrom the Kue concept, andclean rear section‘ ‘

8/6/2019 Automan J


tested

62

any Volkswagen’s interior, while the strategically placed

chrome and garnish push it closer to an Audi for feel.

One thing that is apparent for the Sportage is that

the car is ghting well above its weight-range in terms

of pushing the brand ahead – and doing a good job of

it. Any blind assessment of the car would have placed

it a few thousand Rials above, until you realise that its

a KIA. Perhaps the only parts of the car that still saythat with any conviction are the presence of entry-level

versions with only one airbag! One wonders if people

really don’t care about their safety to that degree? And

we nd that odd because even the 2.0-litre version gets

cruise control and a keyless entry system along with

steering audio remote.

The higher version is powered by a 2.4-litre unit and

gets the panoramic sunroof. The difference between the

two engines is only 11 horsepower (164 bhp for the 2.0-

litre as opposed to the 175hp for the 2.4-litre, but the

larger unit isn’t missed on most city roads. The six-speed

auto gearbox more than makes up for the sometimes

stressful conditions of a loaded engine by quicklydownshifting, even two cogs when necessary. The

torque at 194Nm is good enough to propel the rather

light crossover over all surfaces.

The Sportage gets an Active Torque on-demand

system to drive its four wheels. Dymax is an electronically

controlled single high ratio all-wheel drive system from

Magna Powertrain. It continuously monitors driving

conditions and anticipates when all-wheel drive will be

needed, whereas most systems only react to changing

conditions.

Dymax normally delivers 100% of engine torque to thefront wheels. But the torque can be redistributed up to

a maximum of 60:40 front-to-rear. For off-road driving,

owners can manually select lock mode, which gives a

50:50 torque split at speeds of up to 40kmph.

Off-road, the car’s light weight and ability to stay on

top of the sand helps maximise the benets of the Dymax

system. You can run it through quite soft sand if you

know what you are doing, especially in terms of keeping

the momentum and avoiding braking. The engine revs

quite nicely all the way to the 6,000rpm band and the

gearbox does the remaining.

But that really doesn’t matter to the bulk of the sedan

owners switching loyalty to the crossover. The Sportageis sporty enough on the road and long drives can be

quite pleasant when ensconced in the new KIA cabin.

8/6/2019 Automan J


8/6/2019 Automan J


First driVe

64

An ide a

l

F usion

8/6/2019 Automan J


65

For h mnge

reurgene on he bk of prou remp. the

new Fuon one of

hee moel kng on

eblhe ompeon

n he c-d egmen. Author Raj Warrior Photographs Raj Warrior

8/6/2019 Automan J


First driVe

66

t Fn’ n gnn

n ’

The brand that has best typied the large

American car to us, Ford, used to be

also known for its trucks and assorted

large variants. Not so much for anything

smaller than a Crown Victoria unless you

chose to bring up the Mustang or jumped over

the Atlantic to highlight some of the signature

models produced by Ford Europe. Now,things are getting curiouser and curiouser

(to paraphrase a fantasy gure). For Ford

has started producing models that address

the needs of the new buyer in America – one

who doesn’t want a large engine or tonnes of

metal to haul around. And the best witness

to the new reality is the popularity of the

2010 Ford Fusion, a car that was built to

offer competition to the C-D segment’s most

popular models in the US including the Camry

and Accord.

And what better way to get competitive than

to start out with a good platform – in this casethe entire move of introducing the Fusion in

the US was as a car to t the Mondeo’s prole.

In Europe, the Mondeo is one of the largest

selling sedans – in the America’s the platform

derived from Mazda’s GG platform, Ford’s CD3

platform was used to build the Fusion.

After a thorough revamp of the rst

generation Fusion, which in most other cases

would have qualied the model to be called

the second generation – the Fusion entered

the 2010 MY with styling, features and

comfort that made it a thoroughly American

competitor the the other CD sedans. In the

bargain the Mondeo was withdrawn from theUS market and we have seen the implications

of a costly Euro do the same in showrooms in

the Middle East (or at least in Oman) where

model rationalisation has meant that the

model range starts from the 1.6-litre Focus

and then goes on to the 2.5-litre Fusion and

then on to the Taurus.

In Oman the Fusion is available in two

variants – the S and SE, with prices from RO

7,895 to RO 8,295.

The Fusion always enjoyed a good platform

– what it suffered from was a particular

blandness. With the 2010 MY evolution,

things have changed signicantly. The low-

cost nature of the platform evolution still

allowed for a redesign of the outer skin. The

visual distinction is apparent right from the

new look Ford grille with the three large bars.

There is a distinct effort to provide variance

across the fascia – the headlights have also

got a shape, a trapezoidal one that matches in

with the grille. The car gets projector lamps,

additionally the headlight assembly is now

horizontally laid out as opposed to the stacked

layout of the previous car.

Other major changes include a busy lower

airdam, with the design signature carried

around the car with a three-dimensional effect

given to the rear deck by the addition of a

notch as well as redesigned taillights.

In the process the 2010 and later models

manage to look more aggressive than before.

This is communicated by the relatively squat

height of 1445mm on a length of 4841mm on

a wheelbase of 2728mm. The large 17” inch

wheels boost that impression.

Less aggressive, yet far more modern are

the interiors. The steering wheel regains the

simplicity of the traditional Ford layout, with all

the cruise control and audio buttons coming

onto the inner boss. The S variant gets only

the former. However, the speedo console is

common with a large three circle layout in

vignetted blue and white to mark the points.

The light controls sit on the console, while

the wiper, turn signal and dipper controls are

on a stalk on the left of the steering wheel,

with no stalk on the right. If you were used to

the separate stalks that old Ford’s came with,

the stalk is positioned exactly where the top

stalk of the old assembly was – one wonders

why it isn’t taken closer to the 270-degree

position for ease of access.

The Fusion also gets a more pronounced

treatment of the dashboard that removes

most of the horizontal elements in favour of

8/6/2019 Automan J


a vertically aligned layout. The SE version o

t e car gets a 10-spea er Sony soun system

along with power operated driver’s seat to

oost the already formidable offering in terms

o a 6-air ag comp ement, A vance Trac wit

Stability control and Traction Control.

T e steering w ee a so is c aime to e

mproved because of a new electronic poweassist. At ow spee s it oes e p a ot, especia y

n t e par ing ot. However at spee s, t e

steering doesn’t load up, remains soft and has

a ea centre.

While the Fusion does get Ford’s BLIS (blind

spot warning in t e US, ere t e car ma es o

wit a in spot mirror – not so muc ecause

t is needed. The blind spot can be addressed

y a justing t e mirrors correct y – ut t e

small extra convex corners need some getting

se to or rivers not use to it.

T e ong w ee ase o t e car a s some

seful legroom to the rear seats as well ass ortene over angs. T e strengt o t e ca

as a family car is furthered by the roominess o

t e ca in an t e exce ent NVH t at iso ates

ractica y a noise. T is is a eature t at is

ncreasingly becoming a part of the Ford Line-

p. T e Fusion is powere y a 4-cy in e

.5-litre Duratec engine that generates 175

orsepower an a torque o 233Nm, ma ing i

ore t an enoug to an e ay to ay activities

n the Fusion. However, even with the six-speed

gear ox, t ere is no int o t e sportiness

company ofcials claim. The overwhelming

mpression is o a competent commuter se an

quiet, responsive an compose . Pus t eaccelerator in and the gearbox does respond –

ut t e so t suspension, over y assiste steering

and over anticipative chassis electronics ensure

t at t e car ees comp ete y i erent rom t e

on eo or instance.

On straight roads the Fusion’s composure is

ts strengt . T e gear ox respon s quic y an

almost imperceptibly and at most stretches you

ave to rein ac t e engine to stay in spee

imits. However w en you it t e curves two

things happen – the body roll comes creeping

n an t e gear ox oesn t move ast enoug

allowing the engine to get loaded. Of course we

can overcome t at wit t e neat itt e manua

override button on the top of the gear lever

That is an acquired skill since we normally

expect to o somet ing a ot more overt.

All in all the Fusion does a good job o

competing wit t e run o t e mi C-D segmen

sedans. It offers size, comfort, power and

a compelling package – at a price that stays

competitive in t ese times o a rising Yen an

uro.

m ng n kgng mkng

m m

67

8/6/2019 Automan J


68

PreView

As always, the Villa D’Este concours in Italy was the

place to be last month if you’re a diehard classic

car acionado. This year, besides the usual array

of exhibited and paraded beauties, was a celebration of

sorts for Gaydon, UK-based Aston Martin. Aston Martin

unveiled its stunning new endurance racer concept

which it has co-designed with Milan-based design house

Zagato, on the shores of Lake Como as tribute to the

badge which is celebrating the 50th anniversary year of

the iconic DB4GT Zagato in 2011.

Aston Martin has teamed up

with Italian design house Zagato

one again to help celebrate the50th anniversary of the DB4

GT Zagato with an interesting

V12 Vantage-based concept

endurance racer Author Chandan B Mallik

Zagato

is back!

8/6/2019 Automan J


69

A s t o n

M a r t i n ’ sr e l a t i on sh i p

with Zagato goes

back to 1961 when

the duo worked on the

rst DB4GT Zagato. Between 1986 and

2003, several other models based on V8

Vantage, and DB7 were produced [see

box below].

For 2011, the collaboration has been

renewed once again and the fruit of the

effort is ready to race endurance racer

based on the mechanicals of the current

V12 Vantage. However, Aston has its

own in-house design set-up and rationale

behind the joint venture has more to dowith intensity than anything else. “Fifty

years ago, Italian design houses were

widely seen as leading the way with new

designs but now and supported by our

independency, Aston Martin has its own

in-house design ability so this new

venture with Zagato is more collaborative

than it perhaps would have been in the

past,” said Dr Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston

Martin.

Considering the time period from

sketch to actual conceptualization, i

has taken less than a year. In 2010, the

B r e a k i n

g

n e w s

8/6/2019 Automan J


70

PreView

The DB4GT Zagato project marked the rst time when Aston and Turin-based design

house Zagato worked together. The DB4GT Zagato was a lightweight car and only 19 were

built. The car had its racing debut in 1961 at the famous Goodwood’s Easter meeting where

it nished third with Stirling Moss at the wheel. This was followed in 1986 by the V8 Vantage

Zagato and V8 Zagato Volante and in 2003 with the DB7 Zagato and American-only DB-AR1

roadster. The rst DB4GT Zagato shown to the public in late 1960 spent much of its life as

a racing car after launch. Later perhaps the two most famous DB4GT Zagatos, registered ‘1

VEV’ and ‘2 VEV’ were raced with success by such names as Jim Clark and Roy Salvadori.

The fascinating story of these cars and the nature of high performance and low weight which

drove the Zagato projects gave the inspiration for the rst two V12 Zagatos to be created as

endurance race cars.

Specication

Aston Martin V12 Zagato En urance Race

Car

o y

Two door, two seat coupe body Bonded

a uminium structure Bespo e stee ro cage.

and crafted Aluminium body.

ngine

All alloy quad overhead cam 48 valve

935cc V12 Compression ratio 10.9:1 Front

id-mounted engine, rear wheel drive.

Transmission

Rear mid-mounted, six-speed automated

anua gear ox wit auto s i t manua

select shift manual (ASM/SSM) electric

ydraulic control system Magnesium alloy

torque tube with carbon bre propeller shaft

Twin P ate competition c utc . Limite s ip

differential.

Suspension

All round independent double wishbone

wit u y a justa e Mu timatic DSSV

dampers.

ra es

[Front]

Venti ate oating groove iscs wit 6

iston calipers

Rear

Venti ate oating groove iscs wit 4

iston calipers

uel System

120- itre en urance racing ue tan

Automan’s take By far, the V12 Zagato is an elegant yet brutal design which reects the great

balance between race performance and pure Aston Martin style. The original DB4GT Zagato was a true icon,

powerful and graceful; the new design is a true representation of the spirit of DB4GT Zagato.

Blast from the past

initial meetings between Aston Martin and

Zagato were spent on discussing sketches

incorporating the design DNA of both

companies. Chris Porritt, responsible for the

engineering of the limited production One-

77 has also worked on the project with the

initial design team. Obviously, the skills and

knowledge gained from specialised projects

has helped bring the unique design of the V12 Zagato to reality.

As per Zagato’s synonymous design

signature, the car features a new

handcrafted body made in aluminium.

Using the craftsmanship and skill of nearly

100 years of heritage in the metal shaping,

every panel formed used an English wheel

and traditionally crafted body bucks. Each

front wing alone comprises seven separate

pieces of aluminium, combined and then

hand nished to give one owing form.

Another iconic Zagato design cue is the

double bubble roof created in this case fromve individual pieces.

Designed for the focused driver, the

V12 Zagato has been honed with pure

driving enjoyment in mind. The V12 Zagato

combines Aston Martin’s most dynamic

bonded aluminium platform with the power

of the 6.0-litre V12 engine producing 510bhp

and 570Nm of torque and mated to a six-

speed automated manual gearbox with auto

shift manual/select shift manual (ASM/SSM)

electric hydraulic control system.

Why was the V12 Vantage chosen as the

basis of the project? One of the key reasons

in favour was that a V12 Zagato has provenits capabilities on the race track as early as

2009 with a class win in its debut race at

the 24 hour race at Nürburgring in close

to production specication. Actually, this

car has gone on to form the basis of the

new Aston Martin GT3 race car

unveiled last month.

8/6/2019 Automan J


8/6/2019 Automan J


72

PreView

BMW Group has released the rst ofcial

photos and some details of MINI’s rst-

ever two-seater -- the all-new 2012

MINI Coupé. The new arrival when launched

later in the year will come in several spice

varieties: base, ‘S’ and a range topping John

Cooper Works [JCW] tuned version.

While retaining the classic and contemporary

prole, the standout feature of this car is its

“helmet roof” design. Aerodynamics are also a

priority in this car and hence there are spoilers

on the roof and in the rear. The latter spoiler

is designed to deploy automatically at speeds

over 80km/h. Despite its two-seat setup, there

is sufcient stowage space behind the front

seats and a wide-opening tailgate.

The new model will be offered with three

four-cylinder petrol engines and one diesel.

The MINI Cooper Coupé’s naturally-aspirated

1.6-litre petrol engine will deliver 121bhp and

160Nm of torque. The MINI Cooper S Coupé

gets a 1.6-litre turbo unit offering 181bhp and

240 Nm of torque. The range-topping JCW

(John Cooper Works) versions will also include

overboost functions. This tuned engine will

offer an output of 207bhp and 260 Nm of peak

torque. The overboost demand function will

MI N I

g e t s

a d v e n t u r o u s

8/6/2019 Automan J


73

add 20Nm of torque for quicker acceleration.

The diesel on offer is the MINI Cooper SD

Coupé has a higher displacement. The 2.0-

litre diesel unit is good for an output of

141bhp and 305Nm of torque.

The coupe is claimed to have the best

acceleration ever for a MINI --to the tune of

a 6.1secs 0-to-96 km/h time with top speeds

reaching around 240km/h. The coupe goes

on sale in Q3 and MINI will use the interim

period to build up its case. MINI is quite keen

to lure more male buyers to the brand as

suggested by the three teaser commercials

which will go on air in September. Shot like

a movie trailer the campaign highlights the

MINI Coupé’s slogan “Another Day. Another

Adventure”.

MINI introduces new

Coupé sport model with

four variants including a

range-topping JCW Coupé

Author Chandan B Mallik

8/6/2019 Automan J


74

Button takes last-gasp

win in Canadian epic

8/6/2019 Automan J


f the spray. Then came more bad news

for McLaren, as Button got a drive-through

ena ty or going too ast e in t e origina

afety car.

e serve t at, t en ive in or interme iate

irellis and was for a while the fastest man onthe track. Alonso did likewise, but they were

ust moving up t e or er w en t e rain came

ack. Before long the race was red agged as

on itions ecame impossi e.

At the end of lap 24 the order was: Vettel,

t e amazing Kamui Ko ayas i w o a yet to

it is Sau er, Massa, w o a stoppe , t e

enaults of Nick Heidfeld and Vitaly Petrov,

au i Resta in t e Force In ia, We er an

Alonso, Pedro de la Rosa and Button.

T at was ow t ey restarte two ours an

ve minutes ater w en t e rain na y ease .

Vettel soon pulled away again as Kobayashioug t a va iant rear-guar action against

assa and a suddenly revitalised Schumacher.

T e German move up to secon p ace on t e

1st ap as Ko ayas i s i momentari y o t e

track and held Massa wide as he recovered.

T e Brazi ian sustaine ront-wing amage

which dropped him back after another pit

top, ut now t e men to watc were We er

n , incre i y, Button, w o on interme iate

irellis and then slicks had started to charge

ac rom ast p ace a ter aving to ma e an

nscheduled stop after a collision on the 37th

ap wit A onso. T e Spaniar spun an t e

a ety car came out yet again as t e Ferrariwas beached on a chicane kerb. The stewards

nvestigate t e inci ent a ter t e race an

eemed no action necessary.

Just as t ings were rewing nice y anot er

cci ent, t is time w en Nic Hei e tagge

the back of Kobayashi and then had the front

wing o is Renau t o ac un er t e car,

esulted in a fth safety car deployment on

t e 56t ap. T e race resume or its na

ector on t e 61st ap, now wit DRS ena e

y the FIA. Schumacher came under intense

ressure from Webber and Button. The

ng is man soon ispose o t em ot an

set off after Vettel, slashing down a 3.1s

advantage until the German made a crucial

ista e on t e na ap as e s i wi e on a

wet patch and surrendered the lead. Button’se emption was comp ete.

ehind them, Webber passed Schumacher

to take third despite a baulky downshift and

ntermittent KERS per ormance, w i e Petrov

and a recovering Massa overtook a fading

o ayas i. Jaime A guersuari an Se astien

uemi made it a good day for Toro Rosso by

taking eighth and 10th places, sandwiching

u ens Barric e os Wi iams. Ros erg a

een well in the hunt here, but slipped back in

t e c osing stages.

edro de la Rosa’s return to F1 racing earned

im 12th, while Tonio Luzzi beat the Virginsair an square as HRT won t e new teams

section after a super drive. He was followed

y t e Virgins o Jerome D Am rosio an Timo

Glock, and team mate Narain Karthikeyan who

was penaise rom 14t to 17t or cutting

a c icane. Jarno Tru i was Team Lotuss soe

survivor in 16th after Heikki Kovalainen’s T127

ro e a rives a t.

orce India had a bad day too; Paul di Resta

was up in sixt p ace ear y on, survive some

a ventures e ore serving a rive-t roug or

contact with Rosberg, and then crashed near

t e en an was c a ssi e 18t . A rian Suti

got a similar penalty for overtaking under thesa ety car, an was a so e aye y a puncture

a ter a so itting Ros erg.

esides Hamilton, Kovalainen, Alonso and

ei e , Pastor Ma ona o ai e to nis .

A remarkable race sees Vettel extend his

ea ing wor c ampions ip points ta y to

161 as Hami ton rops to ourt on 85, e in

utton on 101 and Webber on 94. Alonso

emains t on 69. In t e constructors

stakes, Red Bull have 255 points to McLaren’s

186 an Ferrari s 101.

75

motor sPorts -F1

de la rosa stands

in For Perez in

canada

Formula One veteran Pedro de la Ros

replaced Sergio Perez at Sauber for thCanadian Grand Prix on safety ground

after the Mexican rookie felt unwell followin

opening practice. Perez crashed heav

in Monaco qualifying and was unable

participate in the Monte Carlo race. He spe

two nights in hospital after suffering concussio

and a bruised thigh, but safely passed th

FIA medical to compete in Montreal th

weekend. “This development hit

by surprise, because Sergio

underwent thorough medical

checks, rst in the hospital in

Monaco, then in a hospital inZurich, and nally, the FIA

doctors gave him the green

light this Thursday,”

conrmed team

boss Peter Sauber.

“Nobody could

have foreseen

that he would

feel unwell.

Maybe we are

being overly

cautious, but

when it’s about

the health of our drivers

we take zero

risks.”

Lotus have announced an expansion of their

wind-tunnel operations after signing a deal to

use one of the two tunnels run by Williams. The

development means the team will run a two-

tunnel programme from September, with the

Aerolab facility in Italy working in conjunction

with the one at Williams’ Grove site.

“There are a number of reasons why I

am delighted that we have signed this deal,”

explained Lotus team principal Tony Fernandes.

“From a practical perspective there are the

obvious benets of increasing our wind tunnel

activity and using a state of the art facility in

the UK, and I am sure that will immediately

help Marianne Hinson (Head of Aerodynamics

and CFD) and her team to work even more

effectively in one of the key areas of the

ongoing development of our team.”

Lotus are currently building a dedicated

wind-tunnel facility at their Hingham base and

once their own facility is up and running, al

activity will be transferred to the team’s site.

lotus announce williams wind-tunnel deal

8/6/2019 Automan J


76

Vettel victorious

in red-faggedMonaco thriller

R ed Bull’s Sebastian Vettel rode his luck

for all it was worth in Monaco. He got the

pole, then had it inadvertently safeguarded

after Sergio Perez’s accident. Then in the

race, just as he was under massive pressure

on worn tyres from Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso

and McLaren’s Jenson Button, a nail-biting

race was brought to a temporary halt when

Toro Rosso’s Jaime Alguersuari crashed in

heavy trafc in the Swimming Pool, taking out

Renault’s Vitaly Petrov in the process.

The incident happened as the leaders were

threading their way through the backmarkers,

but the race was soon suspended as it became

apparent that the Russian had momentarily

been knocked unconscious and needed

medical assistance. He complained of pain

in his left ankle at the accident scene, but

further examination and a full body scan in

the Princess Grace Hospital conrmed that

there was no swelling or broken bones and

he is expected back in the paddock within a

few hours.

When the race resumed for its nal six laps,

8/6/2019 Automan J


77

motor sPorts -F1

at 16.04, everyone had tted the freshest

tyres they could muster and McLaren’s Lewis

Hamilton’s rear wing had been repaired after it

had been savaged in the Alguersuari incident.

Vettel, back on much-needed fresh rubber,

won easily from Alonso and Button. A frustrating event had started well, with

Vettel leading condently from Button and

leadership lap to the team’s tally - after a

snafu in the Red Bull pits when Vettel’s front

right tyre wasn’t ready.

Vettel was now on Pirelli’s soft compound,

not the super soft, and Button opened a

commanding lead that at times was as muchas 14s. But then the ow of the race was

interrupted for the rst time when Massa,

having just been passed by Hamilton for 10th

place, crashed in the tunnel after getting off

line. At the same time Michael Schumacher’s

Mercedes had ground to a halt at Rascasse.

The safety car was deployed for the rst

time as the resultant debris was cleared up.

Button still led Vettel and Alonso when the

racing resumed on Lap 39, but even on super-

soft rubber the McLaren driver could not pass

the Red Bull and on Lap 48 Button dived in for

a third stop, switching to softs. He droppedto third but stayed ahead of a gaggle of cars

at that stage led by Force India’s Adrian Sutil

and Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi who had both

done very long opening stints and then been

cleverly pitted by their teams as the safety car

had come out.

Now it was Vettel leading again, chased

by Alonso, whose Ferrari was now also on

soft tyres. Could they both possibly go the

distance without a further stop?

As the race progressed, Alonso decimated

Vettel’s one-time ve-second lead, as Button

came storming in on them. It was building up

to a fascinating climax, with Alonso admittinglater that he was prepared to try a do-or-die

effort when the time came, when the incident

happened on Lap 68 that blew the race.

Under pressure from an overtaking Pastor

Maldonado in the Williams, Sutil went wide at

Tabac and hit the wall in the Swimming Pool

with his right rear wheel. As the Force India

then ran wide in the second section of the Pool,

a lapped Alguersuari ran over the kerbs and

launched himself into the back of Hamilton,

who’d just passed Maldonado, smashing the

McLaren’s rear wing and inadvertently then

forcing an innocent Petrov into the wall with

a heavy impact.

As the decision was taken to suspend the

race, everyone stopped on, but didn’t cross,

the start/nish line at the end of the 72nd

lap. It’s permissible to work on the cars, so

everyone went for the freshest tyres they

had. After the restart behind the safety car

at 16.04, Vettel was able to open the gap he

needed over Alonso as Button fell back, so the

top three was all sealed long before the 78th

and nal lap.

e Bahrain race originally due to take

ace on Marc 13, was postpone

ue to civil unrest in the island state. Aecision on whether to reinstate it had

een expecte at t e start o May, ut t e

IA extended the deadline at the request

Ba raini aut orities. FIAs Wor Motor

port Council (WMSC) announced that the

011 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix

wou ta e p ace on Octo er 30. T e 2011

ormula 1 Grand Prix of India, which had

een sc e ue or t at ate, wou now

ecome the season nale combined with

t e FIA Annua Genera Assem y an Prize-

iving Ga a. T e ecision meant t at t e

011 FIA Formula One World Championshipwou now comprise an unprece ente 20

ounds, with India having to wait to stage

ts inaugura Gran Prix at t e a new Bu

nternationa Circuit. T en a ter a ew ays

f increasing dissent from various teams,

ernie Eccestone came out wit a rm sign

f not supporting the idea. Whether it was

ust t at or s eer pragmatism Ba rain Gran

rix organisers eci e to wit raw rom

taging a round of the 2011 FIA Formula

ne Wor C ampions ip. It o owe t e

week of rumblings. “Whilst Bahrain would

ave een e ig te to see t e Gran Prix

rogress on Octo er 30t in- ine wit t eWorld Motor Sport Council’s decision, it has

een ma e c ear t at t is xture cannot

rogress and we fully respect that decision,”

a rain Internationa Circuit BIC c airman

aye R A zayani sai in a statement.

“Bahrain has always sought to play a

ositive ro e in t e continue eve opment

f Formula One, from pioneering F1

acing in t e Mi e East, to e ping ot er

ountries in aci itating t eir own races in

ew territories, as well as providing our own

nique experience an universa we come

to Grand Prix supporters.

Ba rain as a so ute y no esire to

ee a race w ic wou urt er exten t e

alendar season and detract from

t e enjoyment o F1 or eit er

rivers, teams or supporters. We

want our ro e in Formu a One to

ontinue to e as positive an

onstructive as it has always

een, t ere ore, in t e est

nterest of the sport, we will not

ursue t e resc e u ing o a race

t is season.

bahrain 2011 almost

reinstated, then out

Alonso. Then Button pitted on lap 15, Vettel

on 16 and Alonso on 17. All three were able

to resume long before Ferrari’s Felipe Massa

led the pursuit, because for a long time he’d

been held up by Nico Rosberg’s fast-starting

Mercedes.

Now Button was the leader - adding

McLaren’s 10,000th Formula One race

8/6/2019 Automan J


8/6/2019 Automan J


Last-gasp win or Loeb

in Argentina thriller

79

motor sPorts -

Ogier appeared to be in control with four

tages left to run only to roll on the day’s

rst stage. He was a e to comp ete t e run

with the fth fastest time but his lead had been

trimme to 21.5s. O greater signi cance,

owever, was the damage he’d inicted on

is Citroen DS3 WRC, which included the loss

power steering. Wit t ree stages e ore

the nish and no service, Ogier was unable torevent urt er time oss. Despite starting t e

vent-closing Power Stage 3.3s up on Loeb,

e slipped to third in the overall classication,

.3s e in winner Loe an 4.9s own on

ord’s Mikko Hirvonen, who also moved ahead

n t e 3.90- i ometre test.

T is is rea y incre i e ecause I never

thought this would be possible after my

ena ty on Fri ay, sai Loe in re erence to

the 60-second penalty he received for entering

regroup a ea o sc e u e. It s een a

ifcult rally and, okay, my rivals have had

roblems, but it’s a very good feeling now.”

irvonen starte t e na morning in seconosition in his Fiesta RS WRC but slipped

e in Loe on stage 16. However, e was

ble to recapture the runner-up spot when he

oved ahead of Ogier on the nal stage.

En ing t e wee en wit a po ium is a

ood result but it’s not been a great event

ecause I ve strugge or t e spee , sai

irvonen, who is now 13 points adrift of Loeb

n the title battle. Ogier had been on course

or is t ir victory o 2011 at t e start o

the day only to roll after taking a deep cut

t roug a corner on Sun ays opening test.

The dejected Frenchman said his car had

een “impossible to drive” afterwards, adding:

I trie to o w at I cou ut it was so ar .

t was a stupid mistake for sure.”

etter Solberg made up for the

isappointment o is power steering ai ure

on Satur ay a ternoon, w ic cost im a s ot

at victory, by claiming his rst Power Stage

win o t e season to nis in ourt overa in

is privateer DS3 WRC and earn three bonus

oints. Ma s Ost erg c aime t p ace in is

-Sport Sto art Fiesta on is Ra y Argentina

debut. “I’m very happy because my aim wasto e sixt ut now I am t an I ve got

good experience for the next time I come

ere, sai t e Norwegian.

e erico Vi agra was t e top Argentine

driver in sixth overall despite brake troubles

ampering is Munc i s Fiesta over t e c osing

stages. Jari-Matti Latvala’s recovery from his

etirement on ay two nette sevent p ace

and crucial manufacturers’ championship

oints for Ford. The Finn had trailed Matthew

Wi son at t e start o t e ay ut w en

Wilson’s Fiesta suffered an engine glitch after

ngesting too muc water in t e water sp as

on stage 17, Latva a was a e to move a ea .The highlight of Briton Wilson’s rally occurred

on t e Power Stage, w ic e comp ete wit

the fth-fastest time. Production Car World

a y C ampions ip aces Hay en Pa on an

atri F o in comp ete t e top 10 in nint

and 10th places respectively.

onster Wor Ra y Team star Ken B oc

eturned to action under SupeRally to nish

18t a t oug it prove an event u na

orning for the American, whose fth fastest

time on stage 17 was his best in the WRC so

ar. Near t e en o stage 16 I got a ate

[pace note] call, got beached and got a front-

ig t puncture, sai B oc , w o a so su ere

a half-spin on the Power Stage.

Sebastien Loeb cancelled out an overnight decit of 47.7s to Citroen team-mate Sebastien Ogier to win Rally Argentina for the sixth time in a tensenish shown live on television throughout the world.

block

comFortable

again in the wrc

K n B oc as sai t at getting com orta en is For Fiesta RS WRC again too away

some of the frustration he felt after he failedto complete the entire competitive route onally Argentina last week.

oc was ma ing is return to t e worc ampions ip o owing is s a e owncrash on Vodafone Rally de Portugal at theend of March. He relied on SupeRally restartegu ations to nis 18t overa a ter arives a t ai ure e e is Monster Wora y Team entry on Satur ay morning. “It was a tough rally and mechanical issues

are never fun to go through but that’s parto motorsport, sai t e American. But I was

a e to get com orta e in t e car again a teortugal], which was important for me.”

lock and co-driver Alex Gelsomino had beenn contention for a top 10 nish in Argentinae ore t ings went awry on Satur ay morningIt was rea y isappointing a ter I ma e i

through the car-breaking stuff of Friday,” saidlock. “I was actually doing fairly decent stage

times compare to Fe erico Vi agra , a goooca river. But it wasn t meant to e an I mgutte I i n t get to o Satur ay a ternoonsstages.”

hile Block failed to land driversc ampions ip points in Sout America, yeac ing t e nis in Vi a Car os Paz on

Sunday afternoon he scored manufacturerschampionship points for his Monster teamfor the third time this season. The Americanac e squa o s nint in t e ma es

c assi cation.

8/6/2019 Automan J


8/6/2019 Automan J


82

after a rather taxing day around the Ides of June, I found myself wondering about what had

happened to me? But of course you need to experience the day to relate. It started with me beingcalled on airport drop duty by a friend. Now most of you know how it is – a phone call asking “Can

you drop/pick me up at so and so time?” I have been guilty more often than not of being the person

asking for the favour. I’ve done it in India (telling myself that the bad taxi service warranted it) and

I’ve done it elsewhere because it is safer to be picked up in a strange country rather than hazard the

cost of nding yourself stranded.

But here in Muscat, it is more a social phenomenon. Of course we see our friends off and get treated

to the same pleasure in turn. So with a car packed to the roofrails with luggage and party I found

myself trying to nd a car space to drop them off at Muscat Departure. With no slot available since

some people understand drop off zone as “parking”, my party jumped off while I was still in the

driveway and unloaded all the luggage in around a minute. My path was in turn blocked ahead by

three vehicles but that didn’t stop one worthy white haired passenger from screaming at me to

drive into the car ahead so that his car could squeeze into a half-slot that had just opened up.

As I pressed the button to put my window down I could see myself responding with anger and

some choice remarks. You’ve seen that happen before – Road Rage at its best. But as the

window came down I surprised myself by smiling at him and telling him “cool down, sir”.

I had listened to the small voice that was telling me “ahem, is this how you want to start

the day?”

The whole day, I felt pleased that I had done something along the lines of ‘paying it

forward’. No I am not a peaceful soul. Anyone who knows me can endorse that the anger is

just below the surface. But now I felt a different man. How would I know that this new-found

patience would be tested again the same day? Switch to Madinat Qaboos service road and a rage

lled driver of a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Nope, he wasn’t happy to be tailing me and didn’t like my

signalling him to overtake. The poor sod wanted to play chicken with me by swerving into my fender

as he overtook and then slowing down and actually reversing into my bonnet, only to stop inches

away and then turn off onto a side road. Again, I was laughing while I told my wife that today was

my day to keep cool. Five minutes later another impolite driver stole the parking that I was waiting

for – with my indicators on. To the refrain of “cool, cool” from my wife, I waited found anotherparking and then went across to the guy and told him in the nicest way that it was time he learnt

some manners.

What a day? Managed to navigate it without killing anybody, no punch-ups and nothing bruised

except the misguided ego. Is that what spiritual teachers through the millennia have been teaching?

And do the really calm people do this day-in and day-out? Somehow I can’t picture myself following

this path all the time, but there you have it – your instant cure for road rage.

As a beginning can we switch back to the manners that struck me on arrival in Muscat almost a

decade ago? It was here that I rst realised that drivers looked each other in the eyes as they passed

at slow speed or at junctions – and smiled. Everything else came from that – giving way, not honking

and not stealing a parking that was staked out. Let’s take it a day at a time – I can’t ask for more

than that. Perhaps, if we can stop getting stressed on the roads our day will be much better at work

and at home.

Raj Warrior is editor of Automan and has been in the thick of the Automotive journalismfield from the past 15 years.Want to comment or have your say? Email at [email protected] yourself or your message will be trashed and your id blocked

{ChiCane}

Can we control our fate?

8/6/2019 Automan J


Automan J

Documents

Transcript of Automan J