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magnum opus!
F1: Thrills and spills in monTreal, Valencia and silVersTone
BenTleys all-new Flagship saloon Brings Back The mulsanne name
also driVen: 2010
honda ciVic Type r
ToyoTa sequoia has some good news: now iT comes wiTh awd
No 108 August 2010 Omans Best Automotive Resource OMR 0.500 AED 5.00 QR 5
Tyres
specialFocus:
allyouneedToknowaBouTTyres
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editor-in-chiefMamma Al ta
AL roYA PreSS & PUBLiShinG
Po B: 343, Psal c 118
Al hay cmpl
Sulaa oma
emal: auma@alya.
Wbs: www.aumawb.m
eal :
tl: +968 24479888 e 300, fa: +968 24479889
cula :
tl: +968 2456 2138, fa: +968 2456 2194
PUBLiSher
ham Al ta am@alya.
editor & GM
raj Wa aj@alya.
execUtive editor
caa B Mallk aa@alya.
co-ordinAtor
Paba n Kaam paba@alya.
deSiGn
Sawsa Al Muab sawsa@alya.
heAd of MArKetinG
Mag Azz mag@alya.
MArKetinG
Su Ma su@alya.
Supm Plps plps@alya.
circULAtion
bks@alya.
finAnce & AdMin
Abaam dal al@alya.
Printer
ruw M Ps LLc
tl: +968 2479 4167, 2479 8157
fa: +968 2470 0545
2010
All al Auma magaz a
s wbs s pyg a may b pu
ay m wu w s maag-
m AL roYA PreSS & PUBLiShinG
Auma aps usl lus al
maal, bu ss g publs ay su
maal. o publs, pyg ay su
maal wll s w AL roYA PreSS & PUBLiSh-
inG
The month of July saw a host of corporate gures being released and the
e wet er in ustries as ar as spen ing patterns t at concern us o air ine an car
anufacturers have almost universally shown as healthy swing back to prot or have
own a ea t y growt in sa es. Peop e seem to e trave ing again a ter t e un o
009 an car sa es ave increase or car companies ave earne to ma e o wit ess
less people, fewer factories and in some cases fewer product lines.
Admittedly there was a time of worry not just for the big three car manufacturers
f Detroit, but for the entire range of global car companies. The past year has seennteresting ran uyouts appening an many ea ines ave a so een generate on
eals that just couldnt make it past the nishing line. A few car companies have quietly
een ten ing to t eir usiness an oosting t eir saes positions at t e cost o t e
sta is e ea ers. T e Hyun ai-KIA a iance as reac e its avowe goa o ecoming
ne of the top ve car manufacturers worldwide. Some companies have also had to
ear pro ems not associate wit t e nancia me t own, i e Toyotas uge reca .
ow, the gures seem to be communicating a rebound in their business, largely driven
y sa es to t e non-tra itiona mar ets o t e BRIC countries, ut a so ri ing on t e
elative stability of the Middle East for the large-engined cars and SUVs that almost no
ne e se wants.
The countdown is well and truly on for a return to the capitalistic nature of the industry,
it t e US taxpayers money t at was transient y app ie to stop t e ee ing o
eneral Motors and Chrysler Corporation set to be returned to the government. The
mpending IPO of General Motors should generate a lot of interest since the company
as een we an tru y re orme . In t e C rys er case, new manu acturing practices
ntroduced by FIAT have ensured that the new Jeep Grand Cherokee is built to a
tan ar t at is we an tru y a ove t e C rys e r norm.
n the meantime, we at Automan have been changing as well in this, our 10th year. We
ave intro uce new sections an ee e up our ong term avourites, w i e investing
n editorial excellence with the infusion of new talent. All good portents for the
orthcoming sales season of Ramadan 2010.
Signs of recovery ahead
74
fusing jargon you mighthearfrom asalesmen
orexpertsmightmake yourpurchaserather
stressful. Despitewhatappears to beatough
scenario, you haveoften wondered whatdo
all those numbers, letters, symbols, mysteri-
ouscodesreally mean in simpleterminology
and whatisthepurposeof such detailing?
ell, thereare two main purposes: therst
isto help identifythe sizeand specication of
thetyres correctly. Thesecond isto conrm
thatthe tyrehasbeen tested and approved to
countrysafetystandards. Forexample, tyres
co ing from Europewith havea mandatory
arking known asE marking.
lthough notillegal, iti snotrecommended
to havetyreswith alowerspeed rating orload
capacitythan themanufacturerrecommended
tyrespecication foryourvehicle, orto have
aco b ination o fd ifferenttyrecons truction
types. lwaysconsultyourvehiclehandbook,
eanwhile, we help you understand the
variousbits related in helping understanding
thetyresab itbetter.
So, letsbegin with theimportantstuff:
esides, theseare othermarkingsand the
listincludes:
Thet emperaturerating -an indicatorof
howwell thetyrewithstandsheat buildup. A
isthe highestrating; Cis thelowest.
Thetraction rating -an indicatorof how
well thetyreis capableo f s topp ing on wet
pavement. AAis theh ighestrating ; C is
thelowest.
Thetread-wearrati ng -a comparativerat-
ing fortheuseful lifeofthe tyrestread. A tyre
with atread-wearrating of200, forexample,
could beexpected to lasttwiceaslong asone
with arating of100. Tread-weargradestypi-
tion, properwheel alignmentand othervari
ablefactors. In otherwords, dontthink tha
atread-wear rating of100 eansa3 ,
miletyre.
Encoded USDOT information isa two
lettercodethatidentieswherethetyrewa
manufactured indetail. In other words, wha
fac to ryand in somecases , whatc ityit wa
manufactured in.
OETyres In thesameway that o rs ch
spec ies h igh per fo rmance - rated tyre
thereseven moremarkingson thesidewall o
atyrethatcan deno tetyrestted aso r ig ina
equ ipment(OE)to var ious akeso fveh ic
In somecases, thepreferred Etyres ar
s lightlyd ifferentthan thesa e-naed tyre
withouttheOEspec ication . Fo rexa p leo
someHondaSUVs, thetyres thatares ta p
with DZ havealowerrolling resistancetread
pattern than thosethat arent.
71
7
itsworking life. Unlikecolderclimates, wherethelifespan ofatyreis higher, thehotMiddle
Eastregion posesextra challengesforanytyre aker in a s ituation wheretyresareconstantlybeingsubjected to extremes. In this
section, wehaveidentied vemajorfactorscontributing to tyrefailureand guideyou with
si ply easy-to-understand instructionsonhowto preventthem.
1. dtyreos t CC es tab lishments in the reg ion
reco end amaximum fouryearper iodfortyre usagein cars. And itreallydoesnt
atterhowmuch mileageyou havedoneorthatthe tyrehasstill adequatetread depth.
To determ inetheageo f yourcar s tyres ,begin with checking thetyre sidewall forthe
anufacturersdatecode. Itwill bein theformofafour-digitnumber, stating themonth and
yearthe tyrewas produced. Unfortunately,theresno equivalentto an expiration date.
nd itsnotagood ideato instal tyreson yourvehiclethathavebeen sitting on a warehouse
shelfformanyyears.
and sidewallsfrom exing. Friction from this
exing generates heat, and thatdegradestherubberand thefabricconstruction ofthetyre.
And dontbe fooled bytheappearanceofthetyres. Itsimpossibleto seeifyourtyres are
underinated withoutusing a tyrepressuregauge. Theproperpressuresareprinted on
astickeron thedriversdoorfra eor insidetheglovebox. Theyare also inthe owners
manual.3. Overinfatio
Thetyre ination pressuresprinted on thetyres idewall are thetyre anufac turer s
maximum permitted pressure, notnecessarilywhatthevehic le anufac turer reco ends.
Overinated tyreswill havepoorgrip, and thetread will wearpre aturelyin thecenter.
4. DeterioratioExposureto ozone, road cheicals and
ultravioletli ght accelerate degradation ofrubber. Butthisisprobably oreofaproble
forvehicles thatare parked outsidein thesun. Tyresidewall rubberisper eated with
oilsthatare designed to leach outslowlyand
sidewall plies, itstimeto changethattyre.
5. Physical damage Anyforeign objectthatpenetratesthetyre far
enough to causealeak issufcientreason torequirethetyre to beremoved from therim
and inspected byatyretechnician fordamage
zone and UV rays can have adverse
ts on rubber. Ageing is one of them >>
FOCUSONTYRES
57
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{news}
4
is act was state y mem ers o atopevel executive team from Fuji Heavy In-
ustries, owners o t e Su aru ran in Japan
w o visite t e region ast mont . T e team,
headed by Hidetoshi Kobayashi, corporate vice
presi ent an c ie genera manager were in
the Sultanate for a meeting of the distributors
to iscuss ways to improve t e mar et s are
of Subaru vehicles. Oman has emerged as
the best selling market for Subaru in the GCC
an A rica, prompting us to ocus more on t is
market for further growth in sales, said Ko-
ayas i.
obayashi said that the distributors meet
was e speci ca y in t e sutanate eepingn mind the success and growth Subaru has
ac ieve , t an s to active retai partner OTE
Group. Subaru plans to achieve one per cent
growth by 2015 in the GCC, and for Subaru,
Oman as a mar et accounts aroun two per
cent which is double its global market share,
one o t e ey reasons t at Oman wi remain
a top priority market for the company in the
coming years.
In 2009, Su aru saw its sa es go up 16 per
cent in the US and by 86 per cent in China on
a year on year asis. T e year 2010 oo s
romising and we will be aggressive and com-
etitive to ive up to w at ot er ran s aveto offer, added Kobayashi.
T e OTE Group as een oing a goo jo
of promoting our cars in Oman through differ-
ent c anne s o mar eting, w ic as resu te
n goo sa es gures. OTE is trying to ma e
the brand Subaru a very recognisable one.
W i e Su aru is aso panning to intro uce
eco-friendly vehicles in the market soon, it will
continue to ocus on its esta is e core mo -
e s, name y t e Legacy, w ic comes in two
variants 2.5lt and 2.5lt GT, and the Impr-
eza XV, WRX an STI mo e s. Meanw i e, its
ports car project with Toyota is on track.
Suhail Bahwan Automobiles, the sole im-porters of Renault cars in Oman introducedthe all-new 2011 Fluence last month. The Flu-
ence is the replacement of the outgoing Me-gane and was rst revealed in August 2009.
Mechanically based on the exible Renault/
Nissan C platform, it has been positioned be-
tween the compact family saloon C-segment
and the upper-medium segment in the brands
line-up. The Fluence can also be considered as
a stylish notchback version of the Mgane III,
which was developed as Renault Samsungs
new SM3 in Korea and has been on sale since
November 2009.
The car for this market is offered with a host
of advanced features including a 1.6-litre 16V
110bhp engine mated to an automatic X-Tron-ic CVT gearbox, ABS with emergency brake
assist (EBA), electronic stability control (ESC),
up to six airbags, ve three-point seatbelts
with pre-tensioners and load limiters, cruise
control, and speed limiter. The Fluence is built
at the Oyak-Renault plant in Bursa, Turkey.
Renault GCC has a busy schedule ahead
with an impressive array of new model intro-
ductions across the region by the end of this
year. The back to back launches are in line with
the French manufacturers plans to expand its
market share within the small and mid-size
passenger car segments. In June, the San-
dero, its entry level model made its regional
appearance followed by the launch of the Flu-
ence this month. The new Megane hatchback
is due in September and a refreshed Safrane
will arrive in November. Close to home, sales
gures for Renault vehicles in Oman leapt
by 200 per cent in 2009 over 2008, and an
astounding 225 per cent between the rst-
halves of 2009 and 2010.
RENaUlT REplaCES mEgaNE wiTh all-NEw FlUENCE iN OmaN
-r: Hidetoshi Kobayashi, Tsuyoshi Nakai, Yasushi Nagae and Hiroyuki Karamatsu from Fuji Heavy Industries, Japan with Sheikh Saad Suhail Bahwan, V R Dilip and Anupam Singh of OTE Group, Subaru
OmaN TOp maRkET FOR SUbaRU
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The rst glimpse of some cars ahead of theforthcoming Paris Motor show in Octobersuggests that design and technology will be
top on the agenda for local manufacturers.
And not wanting to be outclassed on domestic
turf by imports from Asia, both Peugeot and
Renault seem to be on an overdrive when it
comes to communicating whats in store for
the masses at the French fashion capitals mo-
tor show in the coming months.
Among the early bird releases come some
interesting details about Renaults hottest con-
cept car, DeZir. With DeZir, Renault wants to
indicate the brands new styling and engineer-
ing direction. The DeZir project is the rst to
come off Laurens van den Ackers design team
and marks the start of a sequence of concept
cars that will provide an insight into Renault
designs new vision for the future. It also lays
the foundations for the styling cues of Re-
naults forthcoming electric or hybrid powered
vehicles. Powered by an electric motor, DeZir
could prove that electric vehicles and styling
can be compatible in a single package.
Meanwhile, rival Peugeot with the D-seg-
ment 508, introduces the marques new de-
sign look which has evolved from the stylistic
codes rst unveiled on the SR1 Concept Car.
The stylish exterior design is elegant and time-
less and full of French chic, equally at home
in Paris or London. The interior of the car
combines hi-tech with the use of high quality
materials and every detail has been chosen to
offer indisputable perceived quality, both visu-
ally and to the touch. An exceptional in-
terior space, a very
generous boot,
and a level
of standard
specication
provide inte-
rior comfort
and conve-
nience of a
very high level.
The 508 has been designed to optimise
the performance of its engines, enhance en-
vironmental efciency, reduce weight and im-
prove aerodynamics, matched at all times to
a broad range of highly efcient engines. Af-
ter launch, Peugeots HYbrid4 technology wil
become available on the 508 and will provide
200bhp performance with all-wheel drive and
emissions of 99g/km of CO2 or zero in electric
mode.
The 508 will be built on PSA Groups plat-
form 3 in saloon and stationwagon guises and
will be produced in
Rennes-La-Ja
nais
in France, for the European market and in
2011, at Wuhan in China, for the domestic
market.
5
all-NEw JagUaR xJ aRRivES iN OmaN
RENaUlT TO ShOwCaSE dEZiR CONCEpT aT paRiS
Jaguar announce t e arriva o t e a -newXJ at its exclusive Oman importer Mohsinai er Darwis LLC ast mont . Sporting a new
design language and some unique featuresuch as panoramic glass roof [standard on all
o e s an p asma instrumentation, t e a -
ew Jaguar XJ brings a daring new spirit to
automotive uxury. T e arriva o t e a new
XJ is a momentous occasion for the Jaguar
rand in Oman. This stunning new product
wi e nite y impress our existing Jaguar cus-
tomers and also bring a new set of customers
nto our s owrooms. We are oping to capita -
ze on this advantage to increase our market
are signi cant y, sai Davi Aziz, irector
automotive at MHD LLC.
The new Jaguar XJ will offers the choice ofour power u an re ne engines, w ic use
the latest powertrain technology to deliver
an outstan ing com ination o per ormance
an c ass- ea ing e ciency. T e top en cars
get the supercharged 510hp 5.0-litre AJ-V8
en III engine w ic wi sprint t e car rom
-100km/h in 4.9sec, while two milder en-
gines, a 470 p superc arge an 385 p nat-
ra y aspirate petro V8s are a so avai a e.
The new model will be offered to customers
with bespoke options and a choice of four
specication levels Luxury, Premium Luxury,
ort o io an Supersport an prices wi range
from RO39,500 to RO 49,500. Building on thesuccess o t e new XK an XF mo e s g o -
a y an in t e Mi e East, t e intro uction
f the all-new XJ is a landmark for the revita-
ised Jaguar brand. Clearly positioned as the
ompany s our- oor ags ip, it exten s t e
ppeal of the XJ to a new generation of cus-omers, sai Hanna Naji, mar eting irecto
f Jaguar Land Rover MENA region.
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6
Its ofcial now that the new Bugatti will be
christened as the Super Sport. Improvingupon the Veyrons already impressive 1,001
horsepower, Bugatti engineers have now t-
ted the Super Sport models 8.0-litre sixteen-
cylinder engine with larger turbochargers and
intercoolers, resulting in a massive 1,200hp
and 1,106 lb-ft or torque. To cope with that
added power, the Super Sport features a re-
vised chassis and improved suspension, al-
lowing for lateral acceleration up to 1.4G.
But the real story of the Super Sport is
its incredible top speed. Using Volkswagens
13-miles Ehra-Lessien test track, Bugatti test
driver Pierre-Henri Raphanel was able to pi-lot the Veyron Super Sport to a landspeed
record-setting top speed of 267.91mph. That
mark was reached by averaging the Super
Sports two test runs, the rst topping out at
265.96mph and the second at 269.86mph.
The Guinness Book of Records was on hand
to verify the record. The Veyron Super Sports
speed shatters the 255.83mph record previ-
ously held by the Shelby Supercars Ultimate
Aero. Fittingly, the Ultimate Aero took its title
from the Veyron in 2007.
bUgaTTi aNNOUNCES vEYRON SUpER SpORT
aSTON maRTiN iNTROdUCES v8 vaNTagE N420
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Although no ofcial announcement has
een ma e, t ere are extra strong rumours
n the US about General Motors Co GM.UL
ans to e its registration or an initia pu -
ic offering during the week of August 16.The timing has been chosen to be after the
xpecte ate or its secon quarter resu t
nnouncement. A GM ling with the US Se-
urities an Exc ange Commission wou
e the rst step toward an IPO to reduce
t e US governments owners ip in t e auto-
a er a ter a 50 i ion ai out in 2009. By
ling with the SEC in August, GM is aiming
to comp ete its IPO e ore t e Novem er
S elections, according to the sources, who
s e not to e name ecause t e c ose -
oor preparations remain con entia .
GM also remains in talks with banks forea er an consumer nancing or more
redit-worthy borrowers, one of the sources
ai . One concern or potentia investors
as een w et er GM eaers an poten-
tial car buyers have the same kind of access
to nancing as competitors wit in- ouse
nancing operations like Ford Motor Co.
eanw i e, GMs secon -quarter earnings
eport are expecte to s ow t e automa er
enerated cash for a second consecutive
arnings perio , accor ing to one o t e
ources.
{news}
7
RaNgE ROvER EvOqUE gOES UNdERCOvER pRiOR TO laUNCh
I you t oug t t at t e compact segment wasust the playground for premium brands,then think again. South Koreas Hyundai prom-
ses to re e ne t e compact segment an t e
rst hint in this direction came at the Busanotor S ow in Sout Korea w ere a pre-pro-
uction fth generation 2011 Hyundai Elantra
[Avante for domestic market] was showcased.
ow t e car is rea y or commercia re ease
nd as always the domestic market gets the
ew arriva rst in August. T e new E antra
as undergone a complete design transfor-
ation and wears Hyundais corporate Flu-
ic Scu pture esign anguage, w ic t e car
aker is heavily promoting in the new or re-
acement mo e s. T e new Avante E antra
ncompasses Hyun ai s atest am itions, ea-
turing the best styling and performance in its
ass, sai Steve S. Yang, presi ent an CEO
Hyun ais G o a Business Division.
The car will be powered by a 1.6-litreamma GDI Gaso ine Direct Injection our-
ylinder engine offering 138hp and 167Nm
torque via a six-spee automatic transmis-
ion. Hyun ai promises t e car to e 10 per
ent more fuel efcient than its closest com-
etitors. Besi es ig eve o it suc as HID
(High Intensity Discharge) headlights and LED
tai ig ts, t e interior wi ave a air y arge
CD in otainment screen, tie to a GPS screen
nd ambient lighting.
2011 hYUNdai ElaNTRa gOES UpSCalE GM plans to file for ipo
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{news}
8
e on y Japanese car ever to win t e pres-
igious World Car of the Year overall
awar , t e egen ary Maz a2 wi e avai a e
n Oman before the commencement of the
oy Mont o Rama an. Wor Car o t e
Year (WCOTY) is the most respected award
for any automobile company and is chosen by
a jury o 48 top auto journa ists rom 22 coun-tries. Till date only three German car brands
ave won t is awar ue to its ig y strin-
gent criteria.
The compact Mazda2 hatchback will be
avai a e in 1.5- itre engine wit t e w o e
ot of advanced features as standard which
are not current y eing o ere y ot er
competitive models in its class. Since its
aunch, the Mazda2 has received more than
0 awar s g o a y, inc u ing Car o t e Year
n over 20 countries, acclaimed for its beau-
ti u esign, sporty riving per ormance, an
outstanding eco-friendly features. At TAC,
we believe that the new Mazda2 will make
an immense contri ution towar s urt er es-
tablishing the Mazda brand in the sultanate,
sai Annurag C aw a, Hea o Mar eting an
Communications, Towell Auto Centre.
The second car that will be offered to cus-
tomers is t e mi -size crossover CX-7 SUV.
This stylish Mazda CX-7 is one of the worlds
rst pro uction SUVs to com ine a sporty e-
sign and driving experience with SUV practi-
cality and roominess. Since its launch in 2006,
t is unique sports crossover SUV as stea i y
gained in popularity around the world, selling
a out 190,000 units an winning 15 automo-
tive awar s.
The region benets from the facelifted CX-7
version, w ic is just as sporty- oo ing as e-
fore with an extremely at A-pillar angle of 66
egrees, a rising waist ine an roo spoi er,
powerful wheel arches inspired by Mazda RX-8sports coupe and large wheels. The new face-
i t mo e re nes t is pac age o attri utes
even further and takes ad-
vantage of nimble turbocharged
2.3- itre engine w ic pro uces a ea t y
244hp. From the specications perspective,
t e SUV is en owe wit an impressive ist o
standard features including 18in alloy wheels,
xenon headlamps, Bose music system with
6 CD MP3 in as , eat er seats, smart ey,
reversing camera, climate control air-condi-
tioning, cruise contro an Dynamic Sta i ity
Contro .
TwiN TREaT FOR maZda FaNS iN OmaN
SUZUki RElEaSES
mORE dETailS OF
all-NEw SwiFT
e forthcoming all-new Swift is positioned
s Suzu i s atest wor strategic mo e
and makes further developments in design,impact sa ety, riving per ormance, an ing,
improved fuel consumption and signicantly
lower emissions at 116g/km which will make
it one o t e very c eanest petro engine super
minis on sale. Extensive use of higher strength
stee ma es t e new car ig ter an sti er
than before as well as offering renement in
underbody design. The latest body structure
as a so e pe improve impact sa ety or pe-
destrians as well as occupants.
Varia e gear ratio steering, increase trac
and larger diameter wheels with lower pro-
le tyres allow for even better handling than
t e ig y acc aime outgoing Swi t t at rstwent on sale ve years ago. The new Swift
as grown in engt +90mm wit a 50mm
increase in wheelbase and a slight increase in
height of 10mm. For the powertrain, a new
1.2- itre petro engine incorporating Dua VVT
(Variable intake and exhaust valve timing) is
uti ise w ic pro uces 94PS at 6,000rpm,
slightly more than the outgoing 1.3-litre
unit. Torque is a so improve to 118Nm at
4,800rpm. Fue consumption on t e com ine
cycle is now 56.5mpg for the manual trans-
mission mo e , an improvement o 7.8mpg
over the previous 1.3-litre unit.
e spiritua successor to Frenc automa -
r Peugeots open-top car heritage and
t e atest a ition to 206 CC, 307 CC an 207
CC family for Oman is the 308 CC. Peugeot,arguably is world leader in coup-cabriolet
o y sty e cars an as pro uce c ose to
700,000 s of 2+2s in both B and M1 seg-
ents wor wi e.
It may be recalled that Peugeot has been
a continuous pioneer in the segment of fold-
ng roo cars since 1930, wit nota e mo e s
such as the 401, 601 and 402 Eclipse. De-
spite engineering c a enges Peugeot as nev-
er lost its desire to give motorists the freedom
to drive in either the coup or cabriolet con-
guration t roug t e magic o a rigi roo
that neatly folds into the boot. As a coup-ca rio et wit our u size seats, t e 308 CC
enets from wider tracks and a wider body
compare to t e 307 CC, as we as a ront
seat structure w ic o ers ot generous eg
room to the rear occupants and provides a
goo amount o space. T e car is powere
by a forced-fed 1.6-litre turbocharged directinjection our cy in er petro engine o ering
150 p via six-spee manua or automatic
gearbox. The car is offered in Sport, SE and
GT mo e s an price rom RO 10,595 an is
available at Zubair Automotive Group.
pEUgEOT 308 CC STOpS mUSCaT TRaFFiC
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9
m-b ShOwS SpECial g-wagEN CONCEpT
FORdS NEw 2011 ExplORER will FOCUS ON EFFiCiENCY
M rce es-Benz as intro uce a new ar-oured truck concept designed for thee ence in ustry app ications. T e Merce es-
enz G-Wagen Light Armoured Patrol Vehicle
.X was s own o or t e rst time ast mont
uring Eurosatory 2010 in Paris.
The vehicle is based on the LAPV 5.4 and
t e 6.X was meant to carry arger an eavier
argo, while offering better protection as well
s agi ity. It uses an unspeci e common-
ail diesel engine that lets the concept hit
50 km/h even if carrying 1,300kg of cargo.
Various agencies wou e p ease wit t e
trucks armour plate design, that lets repair
teams quic y remove an rep ace amage
ieces. Additional plates of armour may be
nstalled quickly and as needed. This includes
rotection rom an mines t at can e a e
t the LAPVs oor.
Ot er eatures on t e o -roa er inc u e
variable air shock absorbers that can be ad-
usted on the y to provide up to 450mm of
earance. Hy rau ic ra es wit venti ate
discs were also added to make rough terrain
easier to navigate. A co-operation wit t e Eu-
opean Aeronautic De ence an Space Com-
any provides command centre capabilities
wit a ata recor er, communications system,
and even a radio jamming system.
li shufu to head new VolVo Cars
board
i S u u, t e oun er an c airman o Z eji
ang Gee y Ho ing Group Co., wi ecome t e
chairman of a new board for Volvo Cars afte
t e C inese company comp etes t e acquisi
tion formalities of the Swedish carmaker from
or Motor Co. Former Vo vo c ie executive
ans-O ov O sson, wi act as t e vice c air
an of Volvo Cars. We have made signi-
cant progress in assem ing t e team t at wi
develop Volvo Cars under Geelys ownership,
i sai in a statement. Meanw i e, Z ejiang
Geely is in talks to hire Stefan Jacoby, mos
ecently head of Volkswagens US operations
to e Vo vos next c ie executive.
It s no secret t at For s o y-on- rame Ex-lorer SUV not only had an enviable career,ut a so serve as a a o mo e in t e seg-
ent for the brand, much like the Mustang inthe sports car segment. But thats not good
noug anymore as uying tren s ave s i t-
d towards highly efcient and sporty cross-
vers. As expecte For wi continue wit t e
xplorer badge, but has recreated and repack-
ged it for 2011 and onwards. Just like rival
Jeep w ic as recent y intro uce t e a -
ew Grand Cherokee, Ford has solid reasons
to e optimistic wit its 2011 Exp orer.
ast month, Ford simultaneously unveiled
t e Exporer at a num er o me ia events
roun t e US an Cana a. Since t e ocus is
n efciency, no department has been spared.T e a -new Exp orer wi now ri es on a ig t-
weight but proven unibody platform derived
rom t e automa er s D3 pat orm w ic was
rigina y esigne y Vo vo. Su stantia y up-
ated since it rst debuted in 2005, it now
n erpins t e Taurus, F ex, Linco n MKS an
Volvo XC90. With a length of 197.1in and a
wi t o 90.2in inc u ing t e exterior mirrors,
t e 2011 Exporer is arger t an t e outgo-
ng model and just three inches shorter than
GMC Aca ia.
owertrains will range from Europe-sourced
37 p 2.0- itre tur oc arge wit ECO oost
o 290hp 3.7-litre V6 engines and the V8 will
e roppe . Bot engines wi e mate to
ix-speed automatic transmissions. The XLTn Limite trim eve s wi eature a s i ter-
ounted +/- toggle switch for manual-style
earshifts. The V6 Explorers can be equipped
it e ectronic terrain management contro
ystems offering snow, sand, mud and nor-
wheel-drive system.
The Explorer has some new safety features
nc u ing in ata e seat e ts in t e ac sea
that help protect occupants heads and chestsn a cras . A curve contro system e ps eep
the car on track when the driver goes too fas
nto a tight curve. And its MyFordTouch dash
oar system a ows rivers to c ange t e
temperature, make calls and hear text mes-
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{Brandwatch}
10
JagUaR FUTUREplaNS REvEalEd!Sou o ccorn to n, ten e cn eect n
rry of ne oes, ncun bmw 3 Seres fter
con fro Jur n te con yers.
Jaguars new chief, Tata Motors CEO Carl-Peter Forster, has outlined an extensivemodel expansion plan that commits the Brit-
ish car-maker to a high-performance two-door
roadster, an X-Type replacement and a wagon
version of the XF.
Forster is also in charge of the Indian com-
panys newly acquired Jaguar and Land Rover
operations, listed the new models in an inter-
view with German magazine recently in which
he detailed what Jaguar must do to be suc-
cessful.
The former GM Europe boss gave the
thumbs up to a sporty roadster and spiritual
successor to the legendary E-Type that would
compete with the Porsche Boxster. Jaguar has
been playing with the idea of such a vehicle
since the 1970s, coming close when it devel-
oped the F-Type concept at the Detroit motor
show in 2000.
That model idea was struck down by then-
Jaguar owner Ford, but Tatas takeover has
re-energised the roadster plan, which has the
support of long-time Jaguar designer Ian Cal-
lum. While the roadster is bound to attract the
most attention, it is a redesigned BMW 3 Se-
ries rival that could provide the most volume
for the prestige car manufacturer.
Jaguar has just wound up production of the
X-Type, a Mondeo-based mid-sizer born of the
Ford takeover of the brand, which was sup-
posed to challenge the top-selling BMW and
dramatically drive-up Jaguar sales.
While, Forster did not expand greatly on his
plan for the new mid-sized model, but sug-
gested that it might not be a mainstream sa-
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{news}
11
loon, a position that suggests a different ap-
proach to the previous X-Type.
This model is expected to be based on an
all-new platform which would give Jaguar theopportunity to make the vehicle a rear-drive
like the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-
class. The X-Type was produced in front-drive
and all-wheel drive variants.
A wagon version of the XF saloon is also in
the grand plan and will be aimed squarely at
the European market, while a long-wheelbase
version of the XF will be produced with the
booming Chinese market front of mind.
Forster also suggested that new four-cylin-
der turbo-petrol and four-cylinder turbo-die-
sel engines would be required to meet more
economical buying trends.
Its getting clearer now how Jaguar is revitalized its portfolio with a clearer focus
towards the premium rear-wheel volume segments currently dominated by BMW and
Mercedes-Benz with the 3 Series and C-Class respectively. A smaller sporty roadster
that would compete with the Porsche Boxster is also on the cards.
CadillaC posts iMpressiVe Gains
in Middle east
n t e rst a o 2010, saes o GM s pre
ium brand grew 29 per cent over the same
erio in 2009, or a tota o 1,617 units. T is
ate of increase in regional sales of Cadillacve ices as outpace t e regiona in ustry
estimates. In Sau i Ara ia, t e region s arg
est market, Cadillac sales in the rst half of
2010 increase y 52 per cent over t e same
eriod last year, the UAE grew by 27 per cent
uwait went up y 30 per cent an Le anon
grew by 56 per cent. First half 2010 Cadillac
nit sales in the regions three largest markets
were 560 in Sau i Ara ia, o owe y 356 in
the UAE and 304 in Kuwait.
renault-nissan allianCe inks Mou
with indias bajajenau t-Nissan A iance con rme as
onth that it has signed an accord with Pune
In ia- ase Bajaj Auto or ma ing a new ca
for the Indian and other emerging markets
ajaj-Renault are already making an ultra-low
cost car, w ic it p ans to aunc in 2012. Baja
Auto, Indias second-largest motorcycle mak
er ma es Pu sar an Discover motorcyc es as
well as three-wheelers. Bajaj has conrmed
that its partnership with Renault-Nissan al
iance to ma e u tra ow-cost car was intac
and the project was on schedule.
toyota to roll out etiosToyota is looking at exporting the small ca
rom In ia to various overseas mar ets an is
expected to launch the new small car Etios,
y t e en o t e year. Toyota an its oca
artner Kir os ar Motor Private Lt ave se
p a new factory with an initial production ca
acity o 70,000 cars per annum. T e p an
will go on stream in December. The capac
ty o t e new aci ity wi e exten e up to
2,00,000 cars per annum in two years.
rolls-royCe doubles sales in Me
While the world may be complaining about
ecession an stagnation, Ro s-Royce Moto
Cars as seen saes in t e Mi e East region
n the rst half of 2010 increase by 98 per
cent year on year. W i e a ea ers in t e
iddle East reported impressive gures, Abu
a i an Sau i Ara ia were a e to ac ieve
an even more outstan ing resu t an tre e
their sales. Four out of the top ten selling
ea ers ips wor wi e are ocate in t e re
gion and Mohammed Yousuf Naghi Motors
t e so e ea er in t e King om o Sau i Ara
ia.
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12
bmw CONFiRmS 1 SERiES m
BMWs M division has many reasons tocelebrate this year. Last month, the M3completed 25 years in the business and its
M badged X5 and X6 are doing exceptionally
well. Now, BMW M chief Kay Segler wants to
take the experience to an altogether new level
for the rst time. BMW Group is actively work-
ing on ways to expand its customer base and
hopes that performance variants of its smallercars will attract younger customers to the
brand. In a new direction for the performance
brand, the 1 Series is now in sight.
Last month at Ascari, during the M3 GTS
rst drive [rst drive report to appear in next
issue of Automan], BMW ofcials conrmed
that its M-badged baby, the 1 Series M Coupe
is almost ready for production. This means
that the smallest M car could hit the show-
rooms as early as 2011.
That the probability of a smaller car be-
low the M3 under development has been in
circulation for a while and several spy shots
have also appeared in media. BMW M chief
Kay Segler conrmed the model addition,
and added that a small, affordable M model
in the tradition of the rst M3 was one of his
urgent goals. Segler ruled out the M1 name
because that had powerful historical associa-
tions with the BMW sportscar produced be-
tween 1978 and 1981. So we have decided
to follow our second nomenclature method,
he said. This means the new arrival falls in the
naming tradition of the Z4 Roadster, X5 M and
X6 M, where BMW has put the brand identier
at the end of the name.
At Ascari, we were given a rst taste of the
car as a passenger. The cars are in their nal
phase of testing and validation before it goes
in for production. Three prototypes one at
Ascari, one in southern France, and one at
BMWs proving centre are currently undergo-
ing testing and the programme is expected tolast 5-6 months.
The mechanical package is based on the
135, and unlike the 4.0-litre V8-powered M3,
the 1 Series M Coupe is expected to get the
twin-turbo 3.0-litre straight six from the Z4
sDrive35iS. The M boys will further tweak the
engine and suspension to give the car its dual
road and track character. We can expect it to
pack 260kW about 35kW more than the 135i
Sport on which it is based. A six-speed manual
gearbox will be standard during introduction,
though we think that a dual-clutch auto could
be offered later.
The rst hand details that we can reveal
are interesting. Despite the famous swirl black
and white camouage, its clear that the car
boasts a signicantly wider track than the
standard 1 Series Coup and the lower va-
lance up front is aerodynamically proled and
designed to accommodate the intercoolers
for the turbo chargers, while the side ducts
will channel air to cool down the brakes. At
the rear, the M Divisions trademark quad ex-
hausts are present.
Since the chassis is lowered, theres less
space between the wheel arches and the tyres
than the regular 1 Series models. The proto-
type, we observed was also wearing meaty
19in wheels. We think there will be an option
with 18in rims also. While we were assured
that the test car was not the nished prod-
uct inside, we could not fail to spot light grey
M instruments ahead of the chunky steeringwheel. Since the car is supposed to attract
younger customers, we can be assured it will
be generously equipped with kit, ranging from
Alcantara leather seats, satnav among others
mod cons.
As a passenger sitting next to a BMW test
driver we felt what its like on the limit from
the passenger seat. The noise from the en-
gine was a little muted, but thats the penalty
for going down the turbocharged route rather
than high revs and natural aspiration was
quite evident in the corners. The car is fast,
and an educated guess suggests a 0-100km/h
time of about ve seconds is quite possible.
The cars is much more impressive than the
regular 1s straight-line speed is how it tackles
corners. It surely feels lighter on its feet than
its bigger M siblings. Turn-in is lightning quick
and we noted the driver taking full advantage
of tapping the power really early and then ad-
just the angle of the car with the throttle. And
thats possible theres an M3s rear axle, fea-
turing the M differential in this car!
Baby coupe to get BMWs potent M treatment in bid to attract a new genre of customer
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Playboy. PLAYBOY and RABBIT HEAD DESIGN are trademarks of Playboy and used under license by Co
Hollywood
new original fragrance for me
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dtrt Mct Phrmc & str llCav t n tt n omn
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{cover story}
14
At lAst Bentleyreturns home
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15
Te -ne 2010 musnne s Cree, Uk-se bentey motors
frst -ne oe eeoe roun-u n tree eces. auton
scoere ts re rtues urn sojourn t te cr n
Scotn recenty
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>
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17
In the history of Crewe, UK-based Bentley
Motors, the return of the Mulsanne badge
for its all-new production model is more
than just an emotional comeback. In an un-
certain business climate where many auto-makers are struggling to keep tradition alive,
some forward thinking at Bentley Motors has
virtually re-written an illustrious chapter in
the top end of performance luxury motoring.
What is remarkable is the fact the Volkswagen
owned premium luxury marque has proven
to the motoring world that it is still possible
to continue with the spirit of its remarkable
history and heritage history without running
the risk of nding itself nowhere, if the vari-
ous bits in the equation were sensibly put into
action.
The name Mulsanne wasnt coined aftersome Mediterranean archipelago. Actually, its
christened after a legendary straightaway on
Le Mans Circuit De La Sarthe, which Bent-
ley think was most appropriate in represent-
ing the companys aspirations for this model.
During the product presentation in Scotland,
Bentley executives repeatedly highlighted the
fact that the new Mulsanne was an authen-
tic and timeless modern classic and 100 per
cent faithful to Bentley heritage. Now, this is
an interesting argument, considering the fact
that in the current environment of car mak-
ing, the rather lengthy model lifecycles that
small-volume manufacturers are often forcedto adopt makes it crucial to ensure that the
entire package is right the rst time.
And Bentley has been spot on that aspect
with the new Mulsanne, supersized ultra
luxury saloon car. So, it doesnt come as a
surprise that the design chapter for the Mul-
sanne focuses on dimensions and proportions
rst as anything else. At rst glance, besides
the overwhelming presence, it seems to have
preserved the Arnages exclusivity, and yet re-
main detached from the Continental. It does
have that glorious coachbuilt look, thanks to
cutting edge solutions for construction and
bespoke options. [Eds note: Mulliner, the of-
cial bespoke supplier will also offer custom
solutions later].
The Mulsanne is boxy upfront and appears
to be chiseled out of a solid block. Breaking
the monotony is the traditional Bentley ma-
trix grille, classic round inner headlamps with
chrome surrounds, anked by two, smaller
outboard lamp clusters, all featuring the lat-
est in lighting technology. The iconic Flying
B retractable radiator mascot is available as
an option. The long bonnet, short front over-
hang and long rear overhang give the car a
limousine-like prole and elegant proportions
through soft creaselines which interplay with
light to give a long and low silhoutte.Physically, the car is really large with an
overall length and width just shy of 220in and
76in, respectively. Compared to the Arnage,
the Mulsannes wheelbase is nearly seven
inches longer at 128.6in and in overall length
by 18in. We think the inuence of emerging
markets such as China where generous rear
accommodation is a strong consideration, has
been a key deciding factor in these new di-
mensions. While, overall height is up a frac-
tion to 59.88in and despite being loaded with
an array of features, thanks to the use of
lightweight construction materials such as alu-
minium and resin composites, the Mulsanne
stands healthy at 2,590kg, which is more or
less about the same as the outgoing Arnage.
Before we move any further, however, it is to
be understood that according to Bentley that
the Mulsanne isnt the direct replacement of
the Arnage, although the outgoing model se-
ries represented the same slot in the hierar-
chy.
At the beginning of the Mulsanne project
in 2007, the outgoing Arnage chassis was
also considered as a possible carry over, but
shelved as it couldnt meet the new dimen-
sions or styling-led requirements and which ledto an all-new platform being created. Theres
no arguing that the cars overwhelming front
face has some unusual design elements, es-
pecially, the odd front headlamps. Although,
they are more of a historical reference out
here, they are actually more of an aesthetic
reference to the 1950s S-Type. We can em-
pathise with the idea of trying to morph a
50s design element into a 21st century style-
sheet, and regardless of what we think, those
lights are housed into the cavity superformed
front mudguards. Meanwhile, the doors and
bonnet are also made of aluminium using the
same process. In superforming, metal sheets
are pre-heated and complex shapes formed
using vacuum systems, which cannot be done
in conventional stamping methods.
At the rear, the boot lid not being made of
aluminium may surprise many. No, it wasnt
a cost cutting exercise, but rather a techni-
cal requirement. It uses layered composite
polymer in its construction and somewhere in
those layers are the antenna for the nav sys-
tem. Similarly, the sensors for the new keyless
entry system are cleverly embedded in the
door handles. The car uses labour intensive
methods for construction and each car takes
400-man hours to build, which is about 15 pe
cent longer than that of the Arnage.The cabin welcomes it occupants with a
full dose of traditional craftsmanship. It takes
over 170 hours to assemble these individua
components, be it leather upholstery or Bent
leys trademark metal bullseye air vents and
their accompanying organ stop regulators.
remember vividly in the Arnage, the regula
tors were attached to vanes that governed the
vents, but in the Mulsanne its not like that
Since the car gets the quad-zone HVAC sys
tem from the A8, the air control is done via
electronic switches. Its commendable the way
the previous mechanisms feel has been suc-
cessfully replicated.
Meanwhile, the broad swath of veneer or
the waistrail in Bentley-speak that forms an
unbroken ring of wood around the occupants
in our test car was nished in a gorgeous pia
no black. Bentley says more traditional choices
are available, including nine different veneers
and beyond that, there are over 100 paint n
ishes, 24 leathers, 21 shades of carpet and
23 shades of seatbelt webbing complete with
colour-matched buckles!
As this car is intended for both owner and
driver to enjoy, nevertheless, both get a com-
prehensive handcrafted dashboard and instrumentation with inverted dial needles, which
are evocative of early Bentleys while the entire
instrument panel design is a subtle reminder
of the Bentley wings motif.
As a new model, the Mulsanne is mile
ahead of its predecessors, especially in the
electronics department. The Mulsanne boasts
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18
of a cutting-edge setup, thanks to its Ger-
man ownership, the car gets a substantially
reworked version of Audis extremely user-
friendly Multi Media Interface (MMI) infotain-
ment architecture, which makes the naviga-
tion system in the Arnage, quite archaic. While
the system is basically the same as on the
2011 A8, but it operates without a touchpad.
Instead of Audis all-in-one controller, Bentley
has instead chosen to install the system ver-
tically in the central console stack below the
HVAC controls which is quite consistent with
the marques upper-crust image. Theres an
eight-inch navigation display screen hidden
behind a veneered door, a 60GB hard drive
for data and navigation storage, and even an
iPod hook up port. Since the car is extra wide,
Bentley has given it extra eyes in form new
optional side view cameras. And for audio-
philes, theres a 2,200-watt Naim audio sys-
tem which relegates sound through 20 strate-
gically placed speakers.
In VAGs parts bin, theres an array of mod-
ern V6, V8, V10 and W12 engines to choose
from, but end of the day, it was more of heri-
tage reference that dictated the displacement
capacity and type of engine to be employed
for the job. As a result, the new Mulsanne gets
a 6-litre (also pronounced as six and three-
quarters) V8 with 90-degree banks and in its
half a century, Bentley has offered just one
eight-cylinder, but this isnt the same engine.
In fact, it is a highly upgraded version of the
Arnages L-series V8 block, which can trace its
origins back to the rms rst V8 from 1959
has been used, but components inside such
as pistons, connecting rods and forged crank-
shaft are now much lighter. Team Bentley has
also introduced cam phasing and variable dis-
placement management or cylinder deactiva-
tion to the forced fed bi-turbo powerplant
both are technological rsts in the ultra-luxury
segment and have been brought in to improve
fuel economy and lower emissions.
In this garb, the 6-litre V8 delivers
505bhp at 4,200 rpm and 1,020Nm of torque
from just 1,750 rpm. The new 6.75 is mated
to a ZF-sourced eight-speed gearbox, and the
Mulsanne is the rst large Bentley to be t-
ted with paddleshifters. The latter are simple
spoke-mounted +/- pull tabs similar in look
and operation to those used on Audis. The
chrome nish shifters and knurled nger grips
mimic the pattern on the outside door han-
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19
dles. The steel chassis also houses an active
suspension system, so there are air springs all
round and the car rides on 265/40 Pirelli P Ze-
ros mounted on standard 20in wheels. Larger
21in are optional and so are carbon ceramic
brakes with eight piston calipers. As part of
the new software, the Drive Dynamics Control
system allows the driver to select three driv-
ing modes - Bentley, Sport and Comfort.
Theres also provision for drivers to save their
own custom settings also.
Whether you are in the drivers seat or as a
back seat passenger, this car is like a palace on
wheels. However, it was the Mulsannes extra
width [car plus extra wide door mounted side
mirrors] combined with Scotlands narrow-
gauge country roads that initially challenge
our driving skills. It took about half an hour
to get acquainted and from there on, the drive
was not as complicated as we had anticipated.
As we discovered during different phases of
driving that this isnt really the sort of car that
feels like it shrinks around the driver when
putting foot on to those drilled pedals. Despite
its weight, this rear-wheel drive car is excep-
tionally quick and does 0-96km/h in 5.1secs
at. On straight tarmac, we pushed the V8
and its solid locomotive steel-chassis close to
290km/h. And at street legal speeds, the car is
unstressed even with four of the cylinders de-
activated. The variable displacement system
works like a treat. And in any mode the car is
eerily quiet inside the cabin.
The car is so well connected with the driv-
er that on the road, not only you experience
the Mulsannes super rened character, it is a
massive improvement over the Arnage and
we think it is much more sportier in most de-
partments than its direct rival, the Rolls-Royce
Phantom. The reworked and redesigned rela-
tively low-revving V8 engine is highly civilized
quiet, and will only be heard when theres
some prodding. In the highlands of Scotland
with two border crossings, we enjoyed the lei-
surely paced wafts along at 80 mph and high-
er in virtual silence. The aerodynamic proling
for this slighty boxy proled car is amazing
with incredible isolation from wind and road
noise. Part of that is due to the acoustically
treated windows, but the engineers have done
an incredible job of reducing wheel and tyre
noise also.
Mulsanne also has a few cans of surprises
too. It can dive into corners like a sports car
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20
and thanks to the superb air suspension tun-
ing and the steering feedback [we chose to
customize our own settings via the DDC knobthats adjacent to the gear selector. In the
comfort setting, the highway ride is glorious,
especially in the extra generous rear seats,
but we felt the steering in this setting was
light and the ride a bit compromised on those
winding country roads. In these roads we felt
that the custom setting worked better. What
we did was to combine the heftier weight of
the sport steering to the B suspension set-
ting, which offers a terric compromise be-
tween handling and ride comfort. Meanwhile,
the sport setting ensures that the suspension
settles down more rmly, but the rear-seat
ride quality, although still admirable, is nota-bly stiffer, which isnt too bad!
For a driver, the delightful aspect of driving
the Mulsanne is its really accurate and com-
municative steering which makes one feel as
if driving a smaller car. The most impressive
aspect of the handling is how stable it is on
corner entry, with body control that would
shame many lighter, supposedly sportier ve-
hicles. Despite short sidewalls on the 265/40
Dunlop SP SportMaxx GT rubber, we didnt
observe any ride harshness, even in Sport
mode. Our tester didnt have ceramic brakes
and unless one is going to use the car as a
long hauler all the time, we think the massive
15.75in steel discs up front, and 14.5in out
back are quite competent. Since we adhered
to Scotlands lilting country roads most of the
time, we never came close to testing the stan-
dard systems limits on such as a steep down-
hill run to really get them hot and bothered.
In t e automotive usiness w ic is now c ar-
acterized by takeovers and revamps by eithercarmakers or venture capitalists, theres al-
ways an e ement o uncertainty wit t e re-
ationship and the products that will come out
rom t e marriage. W i e VW AG as owne
entley since 1998, it may seem a bit long to
think that the Mulsanne is the rst new big
ent e y pro uce . T an u y, t e German
owners have understood the British marques
Verdict
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22
Bentley 8-litreThe 8 Litre was the largest and most luxurious
Bentley luxury car made prior to the purchase
of the marque by Rolls-Royce. It used a mas-
sive 7,983cc straight-six engine and rode on
a long 3,658mm or longer 3,962mm wheel-
base, making it the largest car produced in the
United Kingdom up to that time.
The car was conceived similarly to the Bu-
gatti Royale as a halo car to vault the maker
into position as the supreme maker of luxury
cars in the world. However, like the Bugatti,
the 8 Litre Bentley failed to sell in sufcient
numbers to make a prot. Launched at the
1930 London Olympia Motor Show in October
1930, just as the great depression hit Europe,
the chassis was priced at 1,850, making it an
exclusive and pricey vehicle.
The six-cylinder engine used a one-piece
iron block and cylinder head with a crankcase
made from an exotic magnesium alloy called
Electrons. The cylinder head featured four
valves per cylinder, as well as twin-spark igni-
tion; both were state-of-the-art at the time.
The bore was 110 mm and the stroke was
140mm. The manufacturer claimed a maxi-
mum speed of approximately 200 km/h).
A four-speed manual transmission with a
single-plate dry clutch sent power to the rear
wheels, however the placement of the gear
shifter was unlike modern cars. Because of
the handbrake placement obstructing the
drivers entry, drivers found it better to use
the passenger door instead. The rear door
swung in the opposite direction [aka suicide
doors]. While semi-elliptical springs were used
all around, and 4-wheel servo-assisted drum
brakes were also specied, the car wasnt as
rough one would expect it to be.
Only 100 of these cars were produced: 35
were on a 145-inch wheelbase and 65 were on
a 153-inch wheelbase; fewer than 25 per cent
were tted with open bodies. It is suggested
that the car was a prime reason for Bentley
Motors going bankrupt, but when on Rolls-
Royce bought the company in 1931, it imme-
diately disposed of all 8-Liter spare parts.
As a result of their rarity, they are much
sought after by collectors: It is believed pres-
ently that only 78 chassis survive and the car
in the pictures was a company car for WO.
Bentley have meticulously restored the car to
its original sheen. At the event, we were given
taxi rides in this closed-body historical car.
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{cover story}
23
>
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{Road Test}
24
hons gof gTi syer, te Uk-ut Cc Tye-R, s fny rre
n On. auton scoers ts true enes
PocketRo
cket
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{Road Test}
25
Honda in general is generally a consid-
ered a conservative carmaker that con-
sistently cranks out modestly rened
cars. Besides its attempt to produce neo-lux-
ury cars and charge premium pricing, it oc-casionally produces a wicked little something
that sneaks through the cracks and reminds
us that it can also offer a little spice too.
As a self-confessed Honda acionado, at
times, I personally feel that Honda has split
personality, very similar to Japanese compa-
triot Subaru. Subarus claim to fame comes
through its boxer-engined all-wheel-drive rally
race cars, whereas Honda combines a strong
racing heritage with a reputation for more
mundane mainstream models.
But all this is changing gradually, and if
one follows Honda through the recent motorshows New Delhi, Detroit, Geneva, Beijing
among others Honda has certainly been
making noises with impressive concepts and
ideas what its thinks future motoring could
look like.
While we dont know how many concepts
will actually make it in to production, but we
do know that the Civic Type R three-door
hatch has nally arrived in several Middle East
markets, Oman being among them.
The Middle East markets, till the pre-global
economic meltdown phase, hardly attracted
small cars, let alone compact B-segment
hatchbacks. But all that has begun to changeand admittedly, rarely does a pint-sized hatch-
back generate so much excitement in markets
that has been predominantly SUV and large
car dominated. But with now more openness
and acceptance of smaller sub-B segment cars,
the market is getting interesting with several
automotive brands from Japan, Korea, India
and Europe vying for consumer attention.
Theres a bonus also attached to the equa-
tion if you follow how this segment is shaping
up. Till now, the market for performance ori-
ented small hatchbacks has been small with
the exception of Volkswagens all-time GTI,
Seats Leon FR and Cupra models, and Re-
naults Clio sport models.
From Hondas perspective, the Civic Type R
is the highest performance spec of the Civic
series. The Type R designation is usually giv-
en to models that have been developed and
tuned in-house, but not by Mugen, Hondas
ofcially owned tuning set-up. These non-Mu-
gen performance models also end up in circuit
competitionas high performance derivatives
and in the case of Honda, the lineage can be
traced directly to the 1992 Honda NSX Type R,
which featured a lightweight chassis, stiffened
body, ne tuned engine and upgraded perfor-
mance brakes.
Honda Civic Type- R is a high-performanceversion of Civic introduced in 1997. It is cur-
rently in its third generation and comes with
two distinct varieties One for European and
one for Japanese, domestic market. The Mid-
dle East gets the European version. The Civic
Type R has earned itself a cult following in
Europe.
As a spiritual successor to the previous
generation that was retired from active duty
in 2007, it seems the development focus has
revolved around bold and emotional styling
teamed up with a further development of the
previous Type Rs race proven and high-rev-
ving powertrain.
The Civic Type R is offered only as a three
door hatch in the UK, so it uses a different
chassis and mechanical components in its sus-
pension. When compared to its saloon cousin,
the rear suspension, formerly a double wish-
bone set-up, has been simplied changed to
a less complex torsion beam axle. While the
Honda runs on 225/40 R18 Y88 Bridgestone
Potenza tyres and despite seemingly tight
wheel arches and low ground clearance, it can
accommodate larger 19in alloys with 225/35
tyres. The car has a curb weight of 1,350kg.
From the design aspect, although the car isa hatch with a clear emphasis is on coup-like
styling and the highly stylised and individual
personality has been achieved not by a radical
change of design, but by a series of unique
detailing such more sharply tapered rear side
windows, bold side skirts, a noticeably wid-
ened track and the large wheel wells. The spe-
cial character of the Civic Type R is highlighted
by well drawn-down body coloured front and
rear skirts, a rear spoiler plus a radiator grille
with enlarged air intake.
The rear is signed off with a bumper that
features a built in diffuser and completing the
aero package with a huge rear wing.
Despite being built in the UK, the build qual-
ity, tolerances and materials of this three door
car are top notch Honda standards and the
whole set-up works well with good ergonom-
ics and extremely supportive two tone sporty
seats with extra side bolstering. Although
theres a raked windscreen and seating posi-
tion is low, the outward visibility is good and
getting in and out of the car is facilitated
through the extra wide doors. However, due
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to the nature of the cabin layout and extra
side bolstering, the front seat has to slide back
for ingress and egress. Meanwhile, the rest of
the interior layout is familiar, especially Civic
saloon owners who not only will appreciate
the genuine touch of sportiness and gener-
ous amount of space for the both front and
rear passengers, despite its diminutive size.
Some clever engineering has gone in here.
In this car, the fuel tank has been positioned
centrally under the front seat similar to some
other family models, and this allows a low, at
rear oor in the back.
As expected, the interior is very sporty in
design and very well executed. It also
combines elements from motor racing and
from high-quality sports cars. Large black
Alcantara bolsters with red stitching provide
the driver and front seat passenger with both
good side grip and an ergonomically perfect
sitting position. Yes, we do miss the Recaro
seats and Momo steering wheel of the older
edition! However, the drilled aluminium pedals
make up for that sporty appeal.
The dials in the fascia are also red illumi-
nated and set off by brushed metal switch
panels. We particularly liked the oating dis-
play in the centre of the instrument cluster
which is just as modern and functional as that
of the 5-door. The most essential information
is placed at the very top of the display and rel-
atively far forward, which distracts the driver
less from the actual trafc situation and re-
quires the eyes to adapt less. While, second-
ary information is spaced around this central
focus, it always remains in the eld of vision
without distracting.
The steering wheel is covered in perfo-
rated leather with red stitching. The knob
of the gearshifter is also machined from bil-
let aluminium, and theres a special engraved
production serial number tag, similar to the
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>
Maserati Granturismo Limited Edition at the
base of the central console.
For a sports car, we were surprised with
the extra content. Actually, theres quite a bit
of kit and includes dual layered digital instru-
mentation, dual zone air-conditioning, a leath-
er-wrapped steering wheel, a six-CD changer
and a digital information centre computer. As
a modern car, the stereo has USB and auxilia-
ry inputs for MP3 players. Full power features
and cruise control are also standard.
Then theres practicality too. The stowage
capacity behind the front seats is generous
with a capacity of 485 litres with seats folded
up. The rear seats feature special kinematics
by which the back-rests can be lowered and to
create more space. All you need to do is just
release the back-rest catch. Rear seats can
also be split asymmetrically (60:40) to release
more space.
Red is a popular and dominating colour in
the car hence it appears almost everywhere in
some form and the other interesting feature
related to colour is the use of a special colour
from the days of Hondas F1 winning car from
the 60s called Championship White and a
Honda log with a red background.
Unlike the saloon version which is powered
by a 1.8-litre normally aspirated four pot, the
Type R is powered by a 2.0-litre DOHC i-VTEC
naturally-aspirated four cylinder engine fea-
turing VTC variable inlet camshaft technology.
It offers 198hp at 7,500rpm and 193 Nm of
torque at 5,600rpm and this is a commend-
able effort, since most other manufacturers
have resorted to force feeding fuel with turbo-
chargers for additional boost. Honda has been
among the top normally-aspirated engine de-
signs when it comes to extracting maximum
output. This engine is tad shy of the one litre
100hp club!
And going by the gures the segment av-
erage is slightly on the higher side, if one
considers immediate competition. Conside
the output from the Seat Cupra R edition, a
265bhp, it denitely puts the Honda or even
for that matter its own cousin the Golf GTI in
to shade. We think in an automatic gearbox
dominated market, the Type Rs main prob-
lem for the Middle East market could be its
manual six-speed gearbox, which is norma
for European markets. However, we think an
automatic unless it was a Volkswagen-Aud
direct shift gearbox (DSG) wouldnt make
much sense or difference as a traditionally
cogged gearbox with Tiptronic would readily
kill the fun factor in this car.
As with Honda cars, occupants usually dont
have to worry about safety in this car, as pas-
sive safety as always has been prioritized at
Honda. Safety kit includes front, side and cur-
tain SRS airbags and double pretensioners on
the front seatbelts.
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{Road Test}
What is interesting is the fact that this cars
main selling points are its engine and drivingdynamics and hence were not really expect-
ing it to be a heavily laden with features.The
Honda Civic Type R does look the business,
and sounds willing too. The steering is as
expected slightly heavy due to the wide low
prole tyres and its feedback to the drivers
input is pretty commendable. The suspension
is stiff, but not as stiff as that of the Lotus Ev-
ora, hence one could say it is a mix of luxury
and sportiness in a bundle. Although, it will
not 100 per cent absorb road imperfections,
but the nice thing is that the tight build of the
car and its stiff body ensures that there arenot unwanted rattles or shakes.
We had the car for several days and sub-
jected it to various road and driving condi-
tions. In general, it is a spirited car, but its
not as aggressive or extreme as say the Seat
Leon Cupra R. Its free willing and high-rev-
ving engine continues entertain with no drop
in torque delivery. What would excite a driver
of this car is with the tweaking, the high rpm
VTEC range is now broader and more acces-
sible. This means effectively that the switch
to long duration valve timing in the reworked
engine covers the range from 5,400 to 8,000
rpm up to the peak power output. With previ-ous engines, this output was available up to a
speed of 7,900 rpm, but we think it has been
toned down to meet the current European
legislation.
The driver is informed of the cam change
via an i-VTEC indicator just to the right of the
digital speedometer. Since the car is virtually
glued to the ground it can actually appear
faster than you think. The stiff chassis makes
for excellent dynamic handling, with the car
staying level and balanced around the corners
and theres plenty of feedback from the tyres
through the steering wheel, which is a pretty
impressive for the size and shape of this car.
Even with the short throw manual shifter,
it is capable of fast shifts, depending on the
driver and its quite normal to do the 0-100
km/h sprint in around 6.6secs with a top speed
around 235 km/h. The sharper wedge prole,
sleek surfaces and improved aerodynamic
packaging ensures that the car slices throughany wind resistance with least counter effort.
The suspension in this road rocket is taught,
so cornering is great fun with a steering that
offers superb feedback combined with a gear
ratio that makes better usage of the high-
revving engine.
Despite the surefooted handling of the
Civic 5-doors MacPherson strut/torsion beam
chassis arrangement that is carried over to
the more sporty Civic derivatives, the car is
tad stop short of being razor sharp and this
is where Mugen takes over.
This is also perhaps one of the reasons whya Type S derivative was created [not available
here yet] with revised spring and damper set-
tings to help deliver sharper chassis dynam-
ics, while a 20 mm wider rear track and 17in
light alloy wheels shod with
225/45 YR17 tyres provide enhanced grip.
Anyhow, for our market, we have to live with
18in alloy wheels and 225/40 YR18 extra leg-
room and greater freedom of movement in
general on the front seats.
Anyhow, for our market, we have to live
with 18in alloy wheels and 225/40 YR18tyres
until alternative options are offered.
The current combo is good as there is anexclusive steering-assist setting that contrib-
utes signicantly to the cars sharp responses
to driver input.
Stopping power is assured and on the dot,
thanks to the large 300mm ventilated front
brake discs and 260mm solid discs at the rear.
Of course, a car with this magnitude of kit
also gets ABS, Electronic Brake force Distribu-
tion (EBD) and Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA),
designed to assist the driver in maintaining
control during cornering, acceleration and
sudden manoeuvres. The key niggle so far,
the rear spoiler looks cool but restricts rear
visibility and secondly, we thought that the
working arrangement with the starter button
was odd. You can use it to re up the engine,
but you still need to put the key in the ignition
and turn it. Arent modern push button starter
motor switches meant to make life easier.
Driving impressions
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VerdictEnd of the day how does this European ma-
chine stack up? As a relatively young and new
ghter in the growing hot hatch game, the
Type R should be capable of taking a lot of
beating in the region as there isnt much ri-
valry in the segment. One advantage of this
model arriving a bit late in the Middle East is
that it has given its creators extra time to study
competition, rework the packaging wherever
applicable and on top of it, taken a leaf out of
its revolutionary ancestors books.
In the UK, Top Gear Magazine awarded the
European Civic Type R its Hot Hatch of 2007
praising the cars controls and comparing it fa-
vourably as a drivers car.
However, in four years the market dynam-
ics has changed and so has the car industry.
With more and more potent hot hatches com-
ing from competitors such as Ford with its Fo-
cus ST, Opel with its Astra OPC and Volkswa-
gen with its superb Golf GTi, the benchmark
in the segment has considerably moved up.
Although, the Civic Type R is well-package
handles and performs well, but by toda
standards it does fall short dynamically esp
cially in the areas steering and chassis balan
when compared to extreme rivals.
Over all, the car has an individual perso
ality and is practical with the classic Hon
virtues such as guaranteed driving pleasu
together with brilliantly low fuel consumptio
The car is on sale in the region and is attra
tively priced.
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3030
Back with a bangTe seent enerton -ne 2010 m s eenreostone s four-oor sorts crs y Nssn. is t rey
erfornce sorts soon or just cr t sr styn?
auton soes te re.
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313131
{ }
It e Mi e East, t e Nissans Maxima
as been one of the carmakers most suc
essful models. The model was originally
nown as t e Datsun 810 or Bue ir w en
the model series was formed in 1976. In 1982
t e mo e series o cia y ecame t e Maxima
n a year that also saw Datsun metamorphosento Nissan. Nissan started selling the Maxima
rom t e t ir -generation mo e in t e Mi e
ast in 1990, a year after it was launched and
continue se ing t em ti 1994. Instant y, i
was regarded as rst Maxima with true sport
ng cre entia s an it came at a time w en
issan was enjoying a pro uct renaissance.
issan continued enjoying success with
t e ourt an t generation a so. T e sixt
generation Maxima, code-named A34, was
on y so in t e Unite States, Cana a an
exico an ence we never saw it in t e re
gion ofcially, barring a few personal importsence, t e outgoing Maxima t -generation
sold from 2000 was the last ofcial Middle
ast import. Meanw i e, t e arriva o t e Ati
a in ot 2.5- itre an 3.5- itre gar s starte
encroaching into the slot made vacant by the
a sence o Maxima. In t e US, w ere ot
odels were sold simultaneously, it was not-
e y Nissan t at t e igger-engine A tima
a signi cant y cornere a siza e c un o
aximas market share.
atura y, t is situation pose a serious
dilemma for product strategists. What to do
wit two success u mo e s rom one ran
wit very simi ar c aracteristics? Wou roping a model work? Not really. So, the option
was to separate t e mo e s in terms o posi
tioning and character. For the Maxima it was
eci e to ocus it wit a a ance etween
sport an uxury, w i e t e A tima cou con
centrate more on comfort and convenience.
it support rom Nissan, t e sixt gen
eration [model code A34] during its lifecycle
saw severa engineering innovations inc u e
suc as t e VQ35DE DOHC 3.5- itre engine
and some cosmetic upgrade and CVT trans-
ission uring its mi -cyc e re res in 2007.
ith the product positioning clear at Nissan
or t ese two mo e s, we are not surprise
wit t e i ea t at Nissan now wants us to
elieve that the all-new seventh generation
axima mo e co e A35 is a proper ou
door sports car. But we have questions be-
cause w en anyone mentions a new our
oor sports car to us, w at imme iate y
conjours is a rear wheel drive tyre-smoking
ur urgring-tune an per ecte ot meta
capable of vanquishing the likes of BMW M5s
at t e street corner rags. So w ats in t e
axima package and how does it differentiate
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{First drive}
33
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{First drive}
>
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A car thats touted as a four door sports car
porting a power u engine mate to a contin-
ously-variable transmission may sound a bitdd to genuine sports car acionados who are
se to s ort t row manua s i ters or state-
f-the-art direct shift gearboxes. So, the big
uestion is ow can a CVT o er sporting c ar-
cter in a car like the Maxima? Nissan says
he Maximas CVT set-up belongs to the three-
o e Xtronic systems, w ic un i e ot er CVT
et-ups, actually allows the driver to use either
a e s i ters or a gate stic s i t to s i t
he gears through six programmed steps. In
t er wor s, t ere s ou e a ee o t e
ogs up or owns i ting.
After the driving the Maxima for few ki-ometres, one egins to empat ise wit t e
ackage. Interestingly, only 20hp and approx-
matey 94 g i erentiate ot cars. In act,
e power to weig t ratio in ot cars are very
lose, yet the Maxima feels much more spir-
te an aggressive. Muc o t is c aracter
as deliberately inculcated in the Maxima by
assis engineers w o too extra measures in
ti ening it aong wit t e c assis guys w o
esides this, the engine in the Maxima
eems to e a ree revver an it s to o wit
he increased air intake and increased fuel
urn e ciency an owere ex aust ac pres-
ure. T e y rau ic steering system seems toffers better adaptability for slow as well as
ig spee maneuvers t an t e spee sensi-
ive power steering of the Altima.
egar ess, pu ing t e trigger resu ts in a
aunc wit a minima amount o torque-steer,
which is important in the high-power front
rive segment. T e revise Xtronic S-CVT wit
ver 700 new shift algorithms now features aew Ds Drive Sport mo e, w ic we cou
mmediately feel under foot. Nissan claims a
uick gear-ratio change in the downshifts
t e CVT coming into a turn, o owe y
n auto gear hold, on exit. We would have to
gree: power just ept win ing up as we ac
e erate t roug a turn.
The new Maximas suspension has been
t oroug y sorte as we . A strut-coi spring
uspension rules in the front of the new ag-
ip, w i e a rear muti- in wit sta i izer a
olds sway out back. (pun intended). Steer-
ng is now controlled by a Twin-Orice Poweteering System TOPS , w ic soun s pain
ful, and is similar to equipment found in the
50Z. We oun it trac e we an transmit
ted a good amount of road feel. Not overly
arsh, nor marshmallow soft, it offered great
oa an ing t roug a variety o routes
anging from bumpy backwoods country lanes
to major expressways in t e
At 290 horsepower, the Maximas V6 is right
t the top of the class in terms of power de-
ve opment or its size, ut it s not pea y o
ranky because the valve and intake systems
eep it optimize or w atever gear an rev
ange. It has both variable valve timing andvariable intake system, a system that opens
wi e at a out 4,500 rpm, wi e enoug t a
you can hear the engine sound change dra-
atica y, a ing to t e riving enjoyment.
Driving impressions
{ }
35
Verdict
At that price, Nissans brand-new Maxima
proffers a high-output V-6, an advanced con-
tinuously variable transmission, oodles of
electronic conveniences, and whats claimed
to be one of the best-performing front-drive
chassis in the world.
The Nissan Maxima is one of the most fun-to-
drive cars in the class, and one of the best-en-
gineered front-drive sporty sedans available,
from its accurate, quick steering to the engine
power to the remarkably good performance of
the CVT. It isnt the roomiest car in the class,
and it isnt the least expensive. Instead, its
designed as a premium car for drivers who
want something sporty.
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{also driven}
36
Te leus gS 300 contnues to eers n unute
conton of uury n sorty erfornce. as ys
seer ortnt tecnooy ennceents ees te gS
on te to oes n te seent for 2010.
Unadulterated fun
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{also driven}
37
Brand and model perspective
Lexus designed and created the GS with
a purpose. It wante to ri ge t e gap
between the ES and LS, and to provide
exus wit a true per ormance sa oon to com
ete in the mid-luxury class dominated byGerman premium brands. The rst generation
ear-w ee rive GS was intro uce in 1993
for US, Europe and selected markets in Asia
Ti ate, t ree generations o t e GS ave
een produced and the GS 300 continues to
serve in t e region wit a ost o tec noo
gy- e so utions an improvements. T e cur
ent model was introduced in 2006 and was
actua y t e rst to a opt t e ran s ig y
stylized L-nesse design language and is built
on a new y- esigne mi size pat orm w ic
s a so use on t e secon generation IS
Since it is an advanced platform it continuesnc ange or 2010. An as e ore, t e ca
etains its 112.2in long wheelbase, long bon-
et, pu e - ac ca in an s ort rear pro e
Its tapere , vertica gri e surroun e y ou
wraparound but independent headlamps, typ-
ca o t e current GS mo e s ut interesting y
conveys the brands design progression. The
ower va ance eatures integrate og amps
an wit its ra e A-pi ars an overa we ge
role commands an impressive and low Cd
0.27 rag coe cient.
This cabin is an exceptionally lively place to
e in w et er you are t e river or its passen
ger. It invites you wit its European am ienceed by ultra-premium wood, polished-meta
accents an eat er trim, esi es o ops o
comfort and space for ve adults. It has a
ig -precision ee an most touc points con
vey very ig qua ity an t at inc u es intui
tive response of controls as well. Lexus offers
t ree interior eat er co our com inations
ight Grey leather with Dark Grey Birds-eye
ape woo trim, Parc ment eat er wit
Go en Bir s-eye Map e woo trim, or Bac
eather with Red Walnut wood trim.
As e tting t e status o t e ran , Lexu
designers strive to keep controls simple and
ntuitive, avoi ing nee ess comp exity. T e
SmartAccess ey ess entry an pus -to-star
gnition allow the driver to keep the access
o in a poc et or purse. Au io an c imate
control systems are easy to understand and
operate. T e unique instrument pane ig ting
system re ies on varia e-transparency g ass
to minimize reections from the dials and to
e p optimize visi i ity in a ig ting con i
tions.
at we a so i e is t e memory unction
settings for individual drivers. Theres a pop-
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{also driven}
38
Lexus is known for a smooth ride and
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