Magus Cars India Blog

Have you seen a professional wrestler do the Russian ballet? Well I haven’t either, but I suspect that it would have to be a very convincing performance indeed in order to actually enjoy watching what you can only imagine would be an ungainly wrestler attempting to perform a pirouette. Which brings me to the BMW X6, which is an SUV attempting to be a sports car. The same logic applies-it would have to be a truly exceptional to look beyond the inherent contradiction, and appreciate the X6 for its supposed dynamic abilities and audacious character.

BMW aren’t strangers to rewriting the rule book. When BMW launched the X5 in 1999, they transformed the way an SUV (sport utility vehicle) handled on-road, and therefore (rightfully) coined an all-new acronym - SAV (sports activity vehicle).

With the X6, they’ve coined yet another acronym - SAC (sport activity coupe). Let’s see if it’s justified this time around as well.

From the Inside

Shut the soft-close doors as you enter the X6 and you’re greeted by a cabin that’s swathed in Nappa leather from the dashboard to the knee pads. Interior quality, as you’d expect from a high end BMW, is extraordinary - it’s difficult to imagine how an automaker could further improve on quality. To give you an example of the toys in the cabin, if you look only at the seats ¬ordinarily you would expect them to move up, down, front, back and perhaps also provide lumbar support as well. Well, if that’s as far as your expectations extend, you wouldn’t be anywhere near as imaginative as a BMW seat engineer - for the seats in the X6 are infinitely adjustable. You caIJ..single out any point in each of the front seats and adjust them~ccordingly. There are a few-dozen motors in each seat that allow you to add bolstering or support to just about any part of an individual seat - all the while being massaged, cooled or heated at the same time.

In terms of expected drawbacks, the sloping roof line doesn’t really affect interior space that much. In fact, even boot space is plentiful - that is, of course, unless you really do want to ferry around the kitchen sink, in which case an Xs may be more appropriate. The real downside, however, as you’d imagine, is rear visibility, which is limited at best through the steeply-raked and high-set rear windshield. Luckily, this particular car had a rear-view camera and sensors to help when reversing - the large side-view mirrors were helpful as well. On the whole, though, it’s a magnificent cabin in which to spend time - especially the drivers’ seat.

So, you find yourself sitting behind a beautiful three-spoke steering wheel, which is thick and sporty, in a seat that’s supremely comfortable but also hip hugging if you want it to be, staring at paddles to manually shift through the six-speed gearbox, and you begin to wonder if they’ve taken this sporty theme a little too seriously - after all, the X6 still weighs in excess of two tonnes and sits fairly high off the ground. However, you only question it till such time as you push the Engine-Start button - following which, everything you know to be true about the laws of physics simply goes straight out the window.
From outside

When I first saw the X6 in the US earlier this year, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. It really did look like the silhouette of a coupe transposed on the body of an X5. And while it did look bold and completely original, I wasn’t quite sure that it was a cohesive design.
Well, when I saw this particular X6 in Delhi, it came as a bit of a surprise but it really did look stunning. It’s aggressive - menacing even - appearance and massive 20-inch wheels meant that there was no way it would go unnoticed. In fact, viewed from certain angles (the back especially, with its steamroller rear tires), it looked like a character from the film Transformers - you could almost envision it, if displeased, standing up on two feet and smacking you across the face.

The massive rear tires, at 315/35 R20, are something you’d normally expect exclusively on Lamborghini’s. Nevertheless, they do look purposeful indeed - especially since they’re encasing dinner-plate sized brake discs. However, being Run Flats, the tires would be agonizingly expensive to replace - although, its best not to even broach the subject of value for money in this case. On the whole though, the X6 does look very impressive indeed, and the overall design is surprisingly cohesive once you get used to it.

 
On the Road

Your senses just haven’t been tuned to process what the X6 is capable of. The marketing speak may claim that this is a sports car with the driving position of an SUV, but surely that can’t be true. Then you go around a corner for the first time, and the X6 takes the bend completely flat with no body roll whatsoever - belying its tall stance and relative girth.

Moreover, the chassis feels extremely taut and stiff. It probably helps that the engine compartment conceals two braces, one strut-brace that wraps itself behind the engine and another brace in front of the motor - both of which ensure that the X6 turns into a corner with no hesitation at all. The active steering on this particular car also works to camouflage its size - the result of which is steering response that’s direct and immediate in an uncanny sort of way. Of course, steering feels isn’t exceptional, but the overall effect is quite mind numbing. It’s even a little disconcerting - sitting as high up as you do, you just don’t expect the X6 to be anywhere near as agile as it really is.

It’s a case of simply turning the steering wheel at any speed, and having the car respond to your inputs - no matter how outrageous they may be. Adding to this feat is the Dynamic Performance Control, which, unlike traditional stability control systems, doesn’t simply apply the brakes to the wheel that’s slipping (which in turn slows you down), but instead supplies additional torque to the wheels that have grip. This not only helps you drive around the corner safely, but quickly as well. In fact, it’s near impossible to breach the monumental limits of this car on Indian roads.

The model we tested was an xDrive3sd, with a 3.0 liter, twin¬turbo, straight-six, direct-injection diesel engine producing 28S horsepower. The first thing that strikes you about this particular engine from behind the wheel is that it’s extremely difficult to tell that it’s a diesel- it’s actually rev-happy. Being a diesel, and that too one mated to twin-sequential turbos, the power delivery is instantaneous. Once you exceed 3000rpm, the second turbo kicks in, and you’re immediately propelled to illegal speeds. You’d think that 3000rpm would be difficult to achieve in a diesel, but not one as smooth as this. The revs climb with tremendous ease all the way to its sooorpm red line, and it doesn’t run out of steam at the top end like most diesels. The only time you can tell that it is in fact a diesel is when you’re stationary with the windows down, and you can actually hear the clatter.
The X6 really does provide a mix of effortless speed and tremendous stability on the road - a good combination no doubt. And the brakes are no less impressive either, as they shed speed without incident every time - and do so with practically no dive at all, a testament to both the massive brakes and its stiff chassis.
Just to put the finishing touches on a complete package, on the convenience front things are equally good as well. Active steering means that it’s extremely light while stationary, which is surprising considering the size of the rubber. The ride quality is also unexpectedly good considering the 20-inch wheels and rubber-band thin sidewalls. And the drive-by-wire joystick-
like gearlever, which you’ll find on most new BMWs, is also very useful and easy to use. Once in a while there are certain innovations that aren’t just gimmicks - they actually work, and this is one of them. You simply press a button to engage Park, flick the lever forward to engage Reverse and flick it backwards to engage Drive. And speaking of innovations that actually work, this X6 has another - a heads-up display. Courtesy
of your favorite jet fighter, this is a digital display of speed projected in the direct field of vision of the driver. I thought it would take some getting used to, but it’s completely intuitive and unobtrusive, while ensuring that you don’t have to take your eyes off the road.
Can we conclude, then, that the marketing speak is true - the X6 really is a sports car cloaked in the body of an SUV? Well, as you’d imagine, it’s nowhere near as tactile as a true sports car, but it could probably outperform most - and that’s certainly very impressive indeed.

Verdict

BMW may not be taking orders for the X6 as yet, but you can order yours courtesy of Magus Cars - importers of specialty cars that aren’t ordinarily available in the country, Now, you might say that this isn’t exactly an appropriate time to consider an import that could well exceed a figure consisting of seven zeros. But the old adage holds true even In this economy, ‘if you have it, flaunt it’ - especially since it can only help end conversations centered around the word, ‘recession,’ And that’s not to mention the fact that the X6 is a truly incredible machine - like BMW intended, it really does signal a paradigm shift. Personally, I didn’t want to like this car, It seemed too audacious to be genuine, With too much marketing speak to actually conceal any substance, But then I drove it, and gained even more respect for the engineers at BMW - who obviously consider it a part of their job description to defy Newton’s laws of physics, which they well and truly have done

It’s not often that any auto enthusiast gets lucky enough to drive the full range of Porsche sports cars, and that too at an exotic location like Amby Valley. Audi, BMW and Mercedes also have some seriously fast sports cars, but they continue to radiate their overall brand image of superlative wealth, comfort and power. The image of Porsche, however, radiates an undiluted persona of sportiness. Heads turn, the eyes of pretty girls widen, and their men-friends turn a faint shade of green from envy whenever a Porsche roars into sight.

We arrived to see over a dozen Porsches waiting for us to burn their rubber. The long tarred strip of the yet to be commissioned airstrip is surrounded by thickly forested volcanic hills of the Deccan Plateau. The 7-day Porsche world roadshow was a rather expensive sales promotion exercise to give their customers and potential customers a motoring experience that they would always boast about. Our group of automotive journalists were their guests on the last day.

Although most of us were experienced drivers, we were all first re-taught some of the basics because it’s well known that the most dangerous part of any car is the nut behind the wheel. So we were reminded of how to sit in a car with the arms slightly bent, and holding the wheel at 9-O’clock and 3-O’Clock positions to provide maximum steering control. The legs slightly bent to provide good down force on the brakes and accelerator, as well as to prevent splintering of the bones in the event of an accident. And there was no clutch – they were all automatics with manual steptronic transmissions.

We first got into a convoy of six Cayenne SUV’s that we drove down the steep khud over rocks, soft mud, and pools of water before turning around for the steep climb back. There was no need to constantly move the right foot from the brake to accelerator and back because of a ‘creeping’ device allowed the vehicle to keep moving forward slowly, so that only the brakes needed to be pressed to control the forward movement. On the uphill sections, this device prevented the vehicle from rolling backwards, so that only the accelerator needed to be jabbed. It felt a bit uncanny on the faster twisty stretches because the electronic sensors on the Cayenne’s wheels kept the vehicles absolutely flat to reduce rolling on turns or diving while braking. The 4,800cc V8 Cayenne Turbo quietly delivered a huge 500bhp, while the 380bhp Cayenne S was no slouch either. Though we enjoyed its great performance, we also admired the beautiful interiors with a sunroof and every luxury imaginable.

Our next challenge was the slalom, where we drove Porsche’s famous little 2-door Boxster with its revolutionary flat (‘horizontally opposed’) engine to lower the centre of gravity for an amazing ability to handle the tightest of corners. Their 245 to 295bhp engines were also ‘mid-mounted’ between the front and rear axles for perfect weight distribution – keeping the open topped car glued to the road. We had to drive as fast as we dared through sets of plastic cones in a twisty circle and halt precisely. It was enough to convince the greatest cynic that the handling of a Porsche is beyond belief.

Our third round was to take the slightly bigger Cayman coupe along with a Cayenne SUV to understand the meaning of handling and the best way of getting traction out of all four wheels with and without the Automatic Stability Control. We were then taught to brake with full downward force on the disc brakes with the anti-locking ABS systems that came on and off at high speed to keep the wheels rolling a little so that fresh rubber was always in contact with the road — in order to keep the vehicle in line even under extreme braking.

There are few things like the thrill of speed to get the adrenalin flowing, but it has to be said that, though the marvels of electronics make fast driving surer and safer, one cannot also forget the thrill of mastering the old mechanical monsters with their wobbly wheels, twitchy steering and balky brakes.

Actually sports cars are wildly impractical with very little ground clearance, too little inner space for the family, minimal baggage room, heavy fuel consumption from their big engines, and the high cost of buying or even repairing the smallest scratch. But those who want to project the image of living in the fast lane don’t care. Their Porsche is purely for fun, and is their uncompromised personal lifestyle statement.

This article was originally published in the October issue of autoXchange (www.autox.in), and the original version can be found at http://www.autox.in/feature-dec08.html

I’m not going to bore you with details as we have already covered the Scaglietti in a previous issue but for those who don’t have a copy at hand, suffice it to say that the Scaglietti 612 is named after Sergio Scaglietti, a famous car designer who specialised in Ferrari designs during Enzo’s early years. Scaglietti (and his brothers) used to repair damaged Ferraris but having caught Enzo’s eye with a rebodied Ferrari of his own design, he started designing for him. However, the 612 is a Pininfarina job done as a tribute to Scaglietti, and has been in production since 2004. Well, to get to the point, the fact is that autoXchange – yours truly in particular – got a taste of Scaglietti in Jaipur. Both cars were at the Rambagh Palace hotel in Jaipur, and I was hanging around them hoping to get a ride.

For the last half-hour Andrea Costantini had been giving me the dope on the car…like how Ferrari has used aluminium for the chassis and bodywork, just like in the 360 Modena. Also, thanks to the properties of aluminium and the sophisticated production technology employed, overall bodyweight has come down a full 40%, and the key to its handling proficiency is the optimised weight distribution, 46% at the front and 54% at the rear.

Also, one does need to be a little careful in traffic since, even though the Scaglietti is nicely proportioned, it’s actually 4.9m long and 1.9m wide – making it longer, wider and taller than a Lamborghini Gallardo, and longer than a BMW 5 Series as well.

Then Andrea starts the engine, telling me about the aluminium V12 unit, the Tipo F133E in Ferrari parlance. From 5.7litres (5748cc), the engine develops 540bhp of power at 7,250rpm and 588Nm of torque at 5,250rpm, which endows this family car (yes, it’s a four-seater) with a max speed of 320kph, 300kph with four occupants, and a 0-100kph time of 4 seconds. The quarter-mile comes up in 12 seconds. This car employs Ferrari’s 6-speed ‘F1A’ semi-automatic box with paddle shift operation.

Driver’s briefing over, Andrea walks me over to the driver’s side door and producing that scarlet key fob, unlocks the door for me. Settling into the seat I find a three-spoke steering wheel that seems to have been borrowed from one of Michael Schumacher’s earlier F1 cars staring me in the face, the yellow prancing horse badge dominating the centre of the hub. On the left spoke is a big red ‘Start’ button and the right spoke has a red, three-position selector switch – the Granturismo manettino its called, Andrea informs me from the passenger seat, which in the Scaglietti is on the right hand side.

Immediately behind the steering wheel, in the centre of the instrument binnacle is a large tachometer, unmistakable due to the yellow dial face. On the right is the speedometer, calibrated up to 340kph while to the left of the tach is a black display, which lights up on turning the key to first confirm that I’m indeed sitting behind the steering wheel of a Scaglietti 612, and then switches to display information – time, ambient temperature, mode, oil and water temperature, fuel, distance and speed.

Andrea points to the manettino (mah-net-TEE-no) and continues to brief me. The manettino allows the driver to choose the mode he or she wants to be in - Comfort, Sport or CST Off. Comfort is for relaxed travel while Sport firms up the suspension and also alters the engine map for a more spirited drive. Selecting the third option switches off the electronic driving aids i.e. stability and traction control, but that is ideally used on a racing circuit and not a public road, Andrea informs me.

This article was originally published in the October issue of autoXchange (www.autox.in), and the original version can be found at http://www.autox.in/driven-scaglietti.html

The XK can trace its roots back to the famed XK 120 of the late 40s. This was the first post-war sports car from Jaguar, and one that literally took the world by storm.

The XK marked the beginning of the sensual and slippery shapes from Jaguar. The XK 120 got its name from its impressive top speed of 120mp/h (193km/h) – making it the fastest production car in the world at the time. The original XK was also responsible for laying the foundation for the legendary Le Mans winning C-Type and D-Type Jaguars of the 1950s.

The XK name was revived by the company in 1997 with the XK8, which was a contemporary design with beautiful lines but a car that lacked the dynamic qualities to match the best from Germany. The latest generation XK, launched in 2006, aims to rectify these shortcomings. It not only continues Jaguars heritage of producing gorgeous cars but also revives its tradition of technical innovation as well – it has a lightweight, but extremely stiff, all-aluminum chassis.

The XK-R, meanwhile, takes the driving experience one step further by providing tremendous grunt and, supposedly, handling to match. The latest XK has even been hailed as the best new Jag since the iconic E-type of the 60s – high praise indeed. Let’s find out if it’s warranted.

Aesthetics

First things first, this is an absolutely stunning car – if it goes even half as well as it looks, it’ll be a memorable drive indeed. The perfect proportions and exquisite lines of the XK-R convertible certainly drew a lot of attention. But more than that, wherever the XK went, it led to numerous questions regarding the make and model of the car, which suggests that Jaguar has largely fallen off the radar – at least in the US market. On the other hand, it does mean that the XK is more exclusive as a result.

The other thing that you can’t help but notice is the similarity in design between the XK and recent Aston Martins, especially elements such as the high shoulder line of the wide rear fenders. Not that this should be a concern mind you, since the current range of Aston’s are perhaps the most beautiful and elegant cars on the road today. And this similarity is no coincidence either, as Jaguar’s Design Chief, Ian Callum, worked on several Aston Martins when both marques belonged to Ford’s Premier Automotive Group.

Other elements of the design such as the long bonnet and catfish-like face do evoke memories of the legendary E-Type, which is a further credit to design team since today’s cars are required to meet various safety legislations that place great restrictions on design freedom. The XK is also the first production car to feature a Pedestrian Deployable Bonnet System (PDBS). This deploys the bonnet, which is to say it rises up instantly when it senses that a pedestrian has been struck – preventing the head of the victim from colliding with the solid engine block beneath the bonnet, the main cause of fatal injury in such instances.

The two best features by far, however, are the seats that were infinitely adjustable, allowing you to find the perfect driving position, they even had a knob to control the amount of side bolstering (which is highly recommended on all cars), and the adaptive cruise control that quite literally doesn’t require any driver input on the highway other than steering. You simply set a cruising speed and the car does everything else. If the vehicle in front of you brakes suddenly, the XK-R will brake automatically ensuring a safe distance. The adaptive cruise control will then wait for the road to clear and, when it’s safe to do so, accelerate to the previously set cruising speed. All the driver has to do is take a leap of faith, and thereafter make sure to stay awake in order to steer the car when needed.

The only criticisms, if any, were that the 19-inch chrome alloy wheels on our test car looked like they came straight out of a rap video, although these are optional. The only real criticism, then, is that there are a few sharp edges inside the cabin – small details the likes of which you’ll probably find taken care of in any of its German rivals. All in all, though, it’s a breathtakingly stunning car. And like Jaguars of old, the interiors are luxuriously appointed with wood and leather – although I’d prefer the all-aluminum trim that’s more popular in Europe. More importantly, unlike some Jaguars of old, the XK is not only comfortable but contemporary as well with state-of-the-art electronics that won’t go up in smoke after a shelf life of only about a half-dozen years or so.

This article was originally published in the October issue of autoXchange (www.autox.in), and the original version can be found at http://www.autox.in/jaguar-XK-R-aug.html

Land Rover is a brand held in high regard across the world, which holds true for even the most remote parts of the globe where only a vehicle of its tremendous capabilities can traverse. As one of the manufacturers to have pioneered four-wheel drive vehicles, Land Rover has developed a reputation for building the most thoroughly engineered SUVs in the world.

The original Range Rover, introduced in 1970, was the first four-wheel-drive vehicle to use coil springs and four-wheel disc brakes – making it the first to refine the on-road dynamics of this type of vehicle. The Range Rover Sport, introduced in 2005, quickly became the car of choice on the high street. The question is – does it live up to its promise? And what better time than now to get a real sense of just how capable the Range Rover fleet being inherited by Tata Motors really is.

Since its reputation precedes it, there’s a lot expected of this car even before you get into the drivers seat. Give it some thought, though, and you do begin to question the point of a Range Rover Sport. After all, isn’t that an oxymoron? How could an SUV of almost 3 tonnes possibly be sporty? Well, I’m about to find out…

From the outside

The styling of the Range Rover Sport demonstrates the effectiveness of a clean cut design. This isn’t a design with concave surfaces that you have to grow to love. It’s straightforward and handsome with several design cues taken from the traditional Range Rover – including its square jaw and wraparound bonnet. It has a muscular, squat stance, and looks very purposeful sitting on massive 20 inch wheels. The Sport also provides some clues – such as vents in the front fenders, dual exhausts, and huge Brembo front brakes – hinting that it’s something very special indeed.

This article was originally published in the October issue of autoXchange (www.autox.in), and the original version can be found at http://www.autox.in/driven-rangerover-jul08.html

With the price of oil at almost $150 a barrel, have we finally reached a tipping point? It goes without saying that the spiraling cost of crude has led to substantial price increases at pumps across the world. Fortunately, thanks to continued subsidies provided by the Government, consumers in India have been largely unaffected – save for a marginal recent increase.

In the US, the price of petrol has doubled in the past four years. In the UK, the price at the pumps has increased by 40% on average in the past twelve months alone. As a result, people’s lifestyles are finally beginning to show signs of change. At the macro level, city governments are having trouble balancing their budgets and are shrinking the size of their fleets – to the extent of even reducing the patrolling of police. On a micro level, people are working from home if possible. There have even been recent reports of residents in certain US towns bordering Mexico making trips across the border to save up to 30% on a tank of fuel.

As expected, car buying behavior is changing as well. Ford is dropping development on its largest V8 engines, and is instead bringing into its home market as many models as it can from its smaller and more efficient European range. Other automakers are also reevaluating their current lineups to focus on fuel efficiency. The car of choice at the moment is certainly the Toyota Prius, especially in states like California. Whereas people previously bought the car primarily to make an environmental statement, they’re now looking even more closely at just how much they’ll save at the pumps. Certain Toyota dealers have even begun offering plug-in conversion kits to make the cars more efficient. Like Toyota, most automakers are planning a number of new hybrid models for the near future. And thanks to Honda, Indian buyers can also experience this technology courtesy of the new Civic Hybrid (featured in this issue). Now it’s up to our government to reduce duties on cars such as these if they really want to propagate usage.

In addition to developing new hybrids, automakers are scrambling to adopt new technologies in an effort to increase the fuel efficiency of their entire line up of vehicles. Even sports car makers like Porsche are adopting direct injection technology to increase fuel economy and reduce the carbon footprint of their cars (see our News section for details). New emissions regulations proposed by various governments across the world may take a decade to effect the same kind of change that shifting customer behavior is capable of doing in just a fraction of that time.

The car that you see here is a Range Rover Sport, and driving it was a true pleasure. But its thirst for liquefied fossil fuel is capable of burning a hole in even the deepest of pockets. As a result, Land Rover, like several other automakers, is in the process of adopting fuel saving technologies such as start-stop systems on certain models. They’re also on the hunt for engineering talent to develop new and efficient powertrain technologies.

Even if the price of oil does normalize to a certain extent, which is expected towards the end of the year, this has been a real warning for car manufacturers. It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out – suffice to say that no one can afford to turn a blind eye again.

This article was originally published in the October issue of autoXchange (www.autox.in), and the original version can be found at http://www.autox.in/cg-jul08.html

If you saw the last page of our November issue, you’ll have seen images of Porsche’s newest model, the Panamera, testing openly (albeit with slight camouflage) on the streets of San Francisco. The car will only make its debut at the Geneva Motor show in March next year, but Porsche has already released the first official shots of the production ready version.

As you can see from these images, the Panamera has a clear family resemblance to the rest of the Porsche range. The car is instantly recognizable as a Porsche with its large air intakes up front and its sweeping rear roof line. Its hatch, however, does make for some odd proportions. Being a four-seater, it’s big car and will compete with the likes of the Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes Benz CLS, and upcoming Aston Martin Rapide. Porsche have assured that the driving dynamics of the Panamera will be very much in keeping with their DNA.

Under the front hood, the car will feature both V6 and V8 engines with power ranging from 300-500bhp. While most models will be rear-wheel drive, the top of the line variants will also have four-wheel drive. Like its other rejuvenated siblings, the Panamera will feature direct injection and Porsche’s PDK gearbox. Porsche is also developing a hybrid version of the Panamera.

This is Porsche’s first all-new model since the Cayenne debuted in 2002. Having cost the company in excess of 1 billion Euros in development, Porsche management will be keeping their collective fingers crossed when the Panamera hits showrooms in late summer next year.

Cayenne gets a diese

The Porsche Cayenne has brought with it a lot of firsts for Porsche. It was the first SUV ever produced by the sports car maker. It now becomes the first Porsche ever to offer a diesel engine. New European regulations that provide tax incentives for diesel vehicles have prompted this move by the company. In a step that’s clearly indicative of why Porsche’s been so keen, over the years, to increase its stake in VW, the company.

will use (VW owned) Audi’s 3.0 liter TDi V6, which will produce 240 horsepower and 405lb/ft of torque. Initially, the diesel Cayenne will only sell in Europe. It’ll certainly have a market ready and waiting in India, however, when it decides to bring the 3.0 liter diesel Cayenne to our shores.

Boxster and Cayman also get the PDK treatment

As Porsche did with the 911 earlier this year, both the Boxster and Cayman range of cars have also been refreshed. Both now have direct injection engines to increase power and reduce fuel economy. They also get Porsche’s new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (PDK), which provides 60% faster shifts as compared with Porsche’s previous generation Tiptronic. Visual tweaks include the now customary LED lights, while the interiors sport a new Porsche Communications Management system.

The 2.7 liter engine in the Boxster now gets an additional 200cc’s, making it a 2.9 liter flat-six that now develops 255bhp – an increase of 10 horsepower. The 3.4 liter engine in the Boxster S now develops 310bhp – an additional 15 horsepower. Similarly the Cayman now gets a 2.9 liter engine that produces 265bhp, an increase of 20 horsepower, and the 3.4 liter in the Cayman S makes 320bhp, an increase of 25 horsepower.

In an effort to put this additional power to the best possible use, both models now have the option of a limited slip rear differential. The Boxster S with PDK and launch control now accelerates to 100km/h in a very impressive 5 seconds, while the Cayman S in marginally quicker at 4.9 seconds.

This article was originally published in the October issue of autoXchange (www.autox.in), and the original version can be found at http://www.autox.in/news-dec08.html

You develop a real sense of respect for the car and
the technology that allows it to perform the way it does –
both on road and off it.

We approach a steep downhill slope where the trail just seems to drop away from you. Since we don’t have a good view of the approach to the descent, Justin, the Land Rover driving instructor, suggests that we step out of the car to get a better sense of what lies ahead. We jump out of the confines of the Range Rover’s luxurious cabin onto a slippery surface of loose sand and rocks – suggesting that this may get somewhat tricky.

The Range’s parked just before a sharp left turn leading to the descent, which means that we have to turn the car and have it pointing straight before we start heading downhill – try going sideways through a steep downhill slope and you’re likely to find yourself on your roof very quickly. We get back in the car to activate the Range Rover’s Hill Decent Control (HDC), after which we proceed to navigate our way through trees on either side of the trail – taking a wide line so that we can straighten the car before we start heading downhill in earnest.

Justin now suggests that I simply keep the steering pointed straight and take my foot off the pedals. ‘Take my foot off the pedals?’ I look at him like he’s a man with a death wish but he nods reassuringly. The car lunges forward for an instant before the tires find grip and the Hill Descent system uses traction control to manage our downhill speed. I use all my will power to avoid following my natural instincts of standing on the brakes, which could possibly cause the car to pitch sideways and, as previously explained, eventually leave us sitting on our roof. The tires fight the surface for grip the whole way but the Hill Descent Control uses the angle of the slope to control our speed beautifully. We make it to the bottom of the hill without incident, and, in retrospect, quite easily – the technology in the Range Rover proving triumphant once again.

I’m attending the Land Rover Driving School at Quail Lodge in Carmel, California – one of the most scenic parts of the US west cost. Set amidst some of the best golf courses in the world, there’s about 100 acres of private forest land owned by Quail Lodge. This is used by Land Rover to educate anyone who cares about the finer points of off-road driving – in some of the best machinery in the world suited to the task. The Land Rover Driving Experience is an off-road driving school set up by the company in different parts of the US, essentially with the aim of providing owners or prospective owners the chance to experience the true capabilities of their vehicles in a safe and controlled environment, and, most importantly, sitting alongside professional driving instructors.

Different types of cars appeal to different people. Some enjoy the commanding view from an SUV, others may prefer to be indulged in the back seat of a luxury car, while others still may simply look for a car that’s easy to drive around town – god knows with our unruly traffic, and the condition of our roads, you can’t really blame them.

And while each of these cars has its own virtues, if given the choice I’d grab the keys to a true sports car any day of the week. There’s a level of involvement and immediacy in the driving experience that’s missing in even the most sporty saloon. A well engineered sports car may be hard to live with, but the fact is that its sole purpose and reason for being is to please the driver, and that’s a very appealing thought indeed. Drive a nicely dialed in sports car on a decent driving road and it reminds you all over again just how much of a joy driving really is – something that’s easy to loose sight of sitting in bumper-to-bumper city traffic.

The car in question at the moment is the second generation Audi TT. The original TT was launched in 1999, and I still remember the moment I first saw one driving down the street in California. It looked like a seamless piece of fluid metal from front to back – a beautiful design unlike anything on the roads at the time. It was truly a piece of rolling sculpture. However, it was launched with a 20 valve 1.8 liter turbocharged engine – essentially the same engine as the one found in a Skoda Octavia VRS – not a bad thing in itself but it lacked the punch that its looks implied. Later versions had more powerful engines, and the TT was the first production car to feature a DSG (dual cutch semi automatic) gearbox in 2003. But despite all that, what was on the inside – the driving dynamics in this case – was always overshadowed by what was on the outside.

Audi intended to fix that with its second generation TT. Indication of this can be seen in the more aggressive face and angular lines of the new shape. Perhaps not as delicate as the original design, but more focused and still very attractive indeed. All of which points to the fact that it aims to be a more precise driving instrument – so let’s see if it really delivers.

From the outside

The second generation TT is a clean and aggressive design with taut pulled back headlamps and a front grill that’s shared with its corporate cousins from Inglostadt. Its 18 inch 10-spoke alloys add to its muscular and squat stance. And while it may not have the styling flair of its predecessor, it does have some nice touches like the brushed aluminum fuel filler cap that has TT stamped on it. And of course, like all other Audi’s, you take one look at it and you can immediately tell that it’s very well built indeed.

Audi’s are known for their high quality and functional interiors, and the TT is no different. It doesn’t provide quite the same sense of occasion as the TT of old, which had some pieces of aluminum trim that were like jewelry on the car, but the cabin is still a very nice place to be indeed.

From the outside

The small flat bottomed steering wheel is a work of art and feels very racy in your hands. The seats are infinitely adjustable and are contoured to hug you in place. The instrument cluster has a nice set of clear analog gauges with a digital display in the center that provides a wealth of information. Our test car had some nice touches as well like red contrasting stitching on black leather.

The rear seats exist in name only, but other than that, not for a minute does the cabin feel small and uncomfortable. Visibility is good and, even sitting in Mumbai traffic, you don’t feel particularly vulnerable. The hip hugging seats and fantastic steering wheel certainly encourage you to make the most of the driving dynamics available – as any good sports car should.

Building the most extreme supercar the world has ever seen isn’t a task to be taken lightly. Andy Enright is your guide to the Bugatti Veyron

Forget for a moment that it costs £839,285, packs a 987bhp punch from its 16-cylinder engine and is reckoned to be able to hit 252mph. There’s one single fact that really sums up quite how extreme the Bugatti Veyron is. It’s that at full speed, the car will do 2.7mpg. Find a 50 mile length of derestricted road and you could, in theory, drain the tank in just twelve minutes. As you may well imagine, Veyron owners will occupy an entirely different universe to the likes of you or I.

The history of the car’s development is almost as fascinating as the end product itself. The brainchild of ex-Volkswagen Group boss Dr Ferdinand Piech, the Veyron was conceived at a time when Volkswagen were in a ravenously acquisitive mode, stretching their financial tentacles across the European car market. Many of the decisions made during this period were questionable at best and few took Piech’s vow to build a €1 million, 400km/h, 1000PS leviathan particularly seriously. The Bugatti brand had suffered a chequered recent history and many doubted that the engineering resources would be put in place to bring a project like this to life.

For a while they seemed correct. Various show cars saw the light of day, a 1999 proposal being powered by an 18-cylinder engine, but by the following year plans seemed to be coalescing around a 16-cylinder powerplant with better resolved exterior styling. The problems came when making good Piech’s promises. Troubles with electronic control systems, gearboxes and tyres amongst other issues all led to delays and industry analysts smirking that the Veyron project was proving an embarrassing white elephant. The scapegoat was Bugatti’s boss, Dr Karl-Heinz Neuman, who was replaced by a new team, including the man responsible for developing Audi’s groundbreaking DSG gearbox, Dr Wolfgang Schreiber as Chief Engineer. Volkswagen’s boss, Bernd Pischetsrieder, also headhunted a new president, sometime Le Mans driver and renowned financial wizard Thomas Bscher.

“If you need the last word when it comes to cars, the Veyron is undoubtedly it”

Less than five per cent of the 2003 prototype Veyron’s parts have made production. The finished article hits all the targets originally set by Piech. Exceeds them in fact. The Veyron has been designed to develop 1001PS (987bhp) in hot, high altitude conditions. In more favourable climes, Bugatti engineers whisper that the car will nudge 1100PS (1085bhp). The ‘gold standard’ of supercar performance is still the McLaren F1 and when put back to back, it’s obvious that automotive engineering has come some way in the intervening 11 years.
The McLaren’s good for 627bhp and will get to 200mph in 28 seconds. The Bugatti’s output we know about, but will demolish the sprint to the double-ton in less than 20 seconds. Interestingly, it has an inferior power to weight ratio than Woking’s finest at 530bhp per tonne versus 550bhp per tone, but the comparative torque figures reverse that status. Whereas the F1 generates 479lb/ft of torque at between 4,000 and 7,000rpm, the Veyron’s telling statistic is a jaw-dropping 922lb/ft on offer anywhere between 2,200 and 5,500rpm. If you prefer your torque figures in new money, that’s a head-swimming 1,249Nm.

It’s the Veyron’s 1888kg weight that causes some to doubt whether this is a proper supercar or merely an obscenely over-engineered two seat GT car. Drop into the Veyron’s cabin and you’re not going to be assaulted by swathes of carbon fibre or four point belts. Instead there’s rich two-tone leather and one of the most beautiful fascias ever seen on a production car. The centre console and the indicator stalks are fabricated from an aluminium/magnesium mix and beneath the butter-smooth leather of the deeply scooped seats there are frames made of lightweight carbon fibre. It’s just that Bugatti – unlike every other manufacturer you could name – prefers to keep it hidden away. The indicator stalks alone are said to cost Bugatti £4,500 to have made.

Carbon brake discs up front and ceramic rotors at the back, 365mm wide rear tyres (runflats all round) and a seven-speed DSG gearbox all give some clue as to the sheer depth of engineering effort required to bring this car to market. Even at £839,285 a pop, it’s debatable whether Bugatti will make any money on the Veyron. You can’t fault them for trying, however. 300 cars are set to be built and although each car is currently taking six weeks to build, Bscher confidently predicts that this time will tumble to one week per car.

The pornographically wealthy owners of this car probably won’t give a hoot about its 11.7mpg combined economy figure. Of rather more importance will be the fact that in most real-world scenarios, this will mean a tank refill every 250 miles or so, perhaps the greatest impediment to the Veyron’s touring pretensions. So what is the Bugatti? Too focused to mix it with the premier league GT cars and not sharp enough to rub door handles with a Ferrari Enzo or a Porsche Carrera GT at the Nurburgring, is it anything other than a premier league posing machine? One prod of that accelerator will tell you differently.

You may view the Veyron as obscene, irrelevant or just plain unappealing. None of that detracts from what Bugatti have created – the most powerful, technologically advanced and concussively accelerative supercar ever built. As a technical achievement it’s unparalleled. As a supercar I‘m not so certain.