Audi A6 to get four Engines

EXCLUSIVE!

Audi will launch the all-new A6 this July with four engine options. The base model will be a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel which puts out 175bhp and a 3.0-litre TDI churning out 242bhp. The two petrol motors will be 2.8-litre FSI and 3.0-litre supercharged TFSI, developing 201bhp and 296bhp respectively.

The new Audi A6’s lavish interior is an appealing mix of curves and lines with great detailing and the wraparound dashboard looks terrific. The top-end A6 will get the Quattro four-wheel drive system and Audi’s seven-speed, S-tronic dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

Audi will expect to clock big numbers with its base diesel model as the base variants are a preferred choice among luxury car buyers who want to go in for a higher segment model but are also looking for affordability and low running costs. This is evident from the sales of the BMW 5-series where a major chunk of the numbers comes from the base 520d. Audi will hope to emulate this success with its entry level 2.0 TDI.

Prices of the A6 2.0 TDI will be approximately Rs 37 lakh (ex-showroom) and the top-of-the-line 3.0 TFSI and 3.0 TDI will cost around Rs 47 lakh (ex-showroom) each with only a few thousand rupees separating them. This will place the A6 on par with its rivals.

Ferrari officially debuts in India

                                                                                                              

Ferrari makes its Indian debut with the launch of its first dealership in Delhi. The Shreyans Group is the official importer for Ferrari in India.

 

The Italian luxury sport carmaker will sell its entire range of cars in India starting with the California which is priced at Rs 2.22crore. Other models giving company are the 458 Italia with a price tag of Rs 2.57crore, the 12-cylinder 599GTB Fiorano retailing at Rs 3.57crore and the flagship FF priced at Rs 3.41crore.

 

Speaking on the ocassion, Ferrari CEO, Amedeo Felisa said, “Till yesterday, Ferrari was present in 57 countries. Now we are in the 58th country, which is India. We should have been in India much before and we expect to be able to sell more than 100 cars in the next 2-3 years.” 

 

The Shreyans Group has setup an independent Ferrari India office with Ferrari experienced professionals to manage the upcoming dealer network. According to the company sources, Ferrari has allocated 24 cars for India in 2011 out of which 14 cars are already tentatively sold.

 

Following the launch of the Delhi outlet, there will be a dealership in Mumbai which is slated for an early 2012 launch. And if Ferrari witnesses a demand, there could be added dealerships in other cities as well. The dealerships in India will be supported by official Ferrari Service centre and this will be a boon to the existing Ferrari owners as well, who, until now, had to make do with unauthorised service support. 

 

Bookings for the cars start today and the delivery time for a Ferrari could take between 3 to 12 months depending on the model and level of customisation. 

Hyosung GT650R out for Roadtest

The new Hyosung GT650R can be ridden hard but it requires enormous amounts of effort, very high concentration and many, many times, it’s sheer rider will power rather than chassis ability that carries your through. 
The Hyosung GT650R’s tubular twin-spar chassis is now pretty old. It was the same platform that spawned the GT250R, the bike we know as the Comet. The Comet felt large for a 250 and the GT650R, unfortunately, also feels a little bit too large for what is substantially a budget 650 in most markets abroad.
The V-twin motor was originally carburetted and this one now features fuel injection. The four-valves-per-cylinder DOHC V-twin is based on the same architecture as Suzuki’s effortless and well liked SV650 V-twin. The 90-degree V-twin features water-cooling and is mated to a 6-speed transmission. All told, the package makes an impressive sounding 73.7PS at 9000rpm and 60.9Nm is the peak torque, arriving at a relatively high 7500rpm.
But it is a V-twin, which usually means strong torque, and in the 90-degree configuration, good primary balance and consequently less vibration related issues. In the real world, however, this does not compute. In feel, the sound of the engine is loud at idle and it has the thrum we associate with twins alright. But when the revs come up as you ride, the sound turns thrashy more than evocative. Then you also notice that the engine feels rough to use and past 6,000rpm, our test bike coughed up a lot of vibration which got steadily more pronounced right to the redline. 
This makes riding the GT650R at elevated pace and high revs very hard on the hands and legs which go numb from the vibes pretty rapidly. But the sub-6000rpm performance is pretty sweet, vibes are a non-issue and that in sixth, 6000rpm equals around 140kmph, more than enough for 99 per cent of the Indian riding cycle.
To be fair, this is an older engine and some of the coarseness is just pure age. It isn’t slow though, taking 5.18 seconds to get to 100kmph on its way to its 202kmph top speed. Along the way the bike gets up to about 185kmph on the speedo with little fuss but the rest takes space and time to arrive on the digital clocks. The transmission similarly works neatly but hard riding can produce missed shifts and it feels positive but not entirely slick.
Like all multi-cylinder engines, the motorcycle produces substantial amounts of heat. But the water-cooling obviously works with the temperature indication on the digital gauge hardly ever crossing the mid-point.
The chassis too feels a bit last-generation and lacks the fluidity of the current motorcycle chassis. At 215kg, this is a heavy motorcycle and you always know you’re on a big-boned, heavy-massed machine. At speed, changing direction requires physical effort and tipping this motorcycle into a corner is neither feather-touch nor hair-trigger. Get it leaned over and it feels good if heavy. There is stability to be enjoyed and the tyres grip well enough on tarmac to produce fast corner exits. 
Ride quality on the other hand, is ponderous with the motorcycle feeling like its wheels are way too heavy. It thuds through bumps, ripples produce discomfort and mid corner bumps don’t unsettle the chassis as much as they do the rider. The inverted telescopic fork - adjustable for compression and rebound (but not preload) and the rear monoshock, adjustable for preload do have the internal wherewithal and require careful tuning to make the chassis feel better overall. The brakes are Korean made, and feel soft and spongy to use unlike the sharp and effortless units we’ve come to be used to now. Hard braking involves a serious amount of fork travel and four fingers clamping down strongly on the lever.
Where the motorcycle will shine is in the styling department. The GSX-R inspired bodywork and the vertical headlamps are not my personal picks for a great design. The finish levels as well as the build quality could be better. The switchgear, for instance didn’t feel top drawer and the vibration from hard riding managed to dislodge one of three retaining bolts on the end can as well as the right side rear indicator bolt in the course of the test.
The Hyosung GT650R isn’t the effortlessly great motorcycle we were hoping it would be. It subscribes to an older school of sportsbikes and comes across as a motorcycle that could do with some overall refinement, on the engine feel front, on the chassis dynamics front as well as on the fit-finish and build quality front. 
The Hyosung wasn’t set up for India. On better roads, in calmer riding conditions, I believe the GT650R will come across as an adequately capable motorcycle. 
What does not help is the committed ergonomics. The reach to the bars is pretty long and the bars themselves are pretty low, which put you into a racer crouch and leave you no alternative despite the wide and comfortable seat. This is not going to be an easy motorcycle to ride daily.
Substantially, what this Hyosung needs is fine-tuning and honing. The engine and chassis both appear to have ability but are not performing to their fullest. But Garware Motors is playing it smart. Its first dealers will be in Tier II towns and not in the big metros. These are places where the GT650R will sell easily because it is without doubt a substantial motorcycle for the money and because competition will be slow to reach these places. Dealers are already taking Rs 50,000 bookings on this Rs 4.6 lakh (approximate ex-showroom price) motorcycle. Hyosung is to announce final prices and plans shortly. Garware plans to offer just one free service and a 2-year, 25,000km warranty on the motorcycle but will have spares in stock, at reasonable prices as well as a service van for customers too far from dealers to go to the authorised service centres.
The GT650R is a motorcycle that holds a lot of promise in terms of the company’s ability to develop motorcycles, but it also shows that the company has a lot to learn before it can take the fight to the established Japanese competition. It’s up to S&T Motors, the owners of Hyosung to lead the brand down that aggressive growth path. 

VERDICT 
The Hyosung GT650R promises a lot. However, this is a motorcycle that requires a lot of effort to ride enthusiastically and to corner hard. Its weight and size are on the higher side for a middle displacement 650cc motorcycle. The other issue is engine refinement which suffers from vibration as the revs cross 6,000rpm. The brakes too could be vastly better. That said, for the price, the Hyosung slots neatly into a part of the market which we have long believed makes a lot sense for the growing bigger displacement motorcycles.

Mercedes-Benz SL350 and GL500 launched

Luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz launched two of its premium products SL 350 roadster and GL 500 SUV in India. These models are priced at Rs 98.5 lakh and Rs 80.9 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) respectively. The SL 350 is powered by a 3.5 litre V6 engine that delivers a maximum power of 315PS and 360Nm of torque. The SL-Class will be available in ‘Sports package’ trim which offers 18 inch alloy wheels, front brake callipers with Mercedes-Benz lettering, darkened tail lights, headlamps with dark surrounds and a sports air filter. The GL 500 4MATIC claimed to be one of the most powerful SUV’s in the world is powered by a 5.4 litre V8 engine which produces 388PS of power along with a massive 530Nm of torque. It accelerates from standstill to a 100kmph in just 6.5seconds. Drive is fed via a standard 7G TRONIC 7-speed automatic transmission. Here is the Press Release Mercedes-Benz India sets new benchmark in Luxury Motoring: launches the SL 350 and GL 500 • The SL-Class offers an ideal balance of sportiness and comfort in the open sports-car segment. The SL-Class consolidates it’s position with a distinctly sportier look and a more enjoyable driving experience. • The GL 500 Sports a powerful 5.4 litre V6 engine producing a power of 388hp along with a staggering torque of 530Nm. New 20-inch alloys imparts a sporty look & front seat memory packages  ensure ease of driving Delhi: Mercedes-Benz India today launched the SL 350 and the GL 500 4MATIC,  further re-iterating their position of offering the widest product portfolio for the In-dian luxury car market. The SL-Class, one of the most legendary cars in the Mer-cedes-Benz stable, derives its DNA from the legendary 300 SL ‘Gullwing’ and has always been a favourite among automobile aficionados across the globe. The GL 500 is amongst the most powerful SUV in Mercedes-Benz’s portfolio and it strengthens the company’s presence in the increasingly popular SUV segment.  The SL 350  The SL 350 features a high-revving 3.5 litre V6 sports engine that produces a power of 315Hp and torque of 360Nm giving an enhanced performance & reduced fuel consumption. The SL 350 features the Direct Steering with Variable Servo Assistance which is available as standard. The Direct Steering incorporates the speed-sensitive power steering coupled with added sportiness. The steering features an all-new rack with a steering angle-sensitive ratio that reduces the need to turn the wheel and increases agility.  The SL-Class offers "Sports package" which comes as standard, is one-of-its kind in its segment. Under this package, the interior features the exclusive silver-coloured contrasting topstitching on the Exclusive NAPPA leather seats and aluminium prism trim among others.  The SL-Class has Multi-Contour climatised seats ensures a perfect balance between sportiness and excellent seating comfort for its passengers. Further the instrument cluster sports attractive dial graphics, 3D dial surrounds and   hanging needles. The SL 350 also sports a three-spoke steering wheel with matt chrome decorative inserts along with silver paddle shifters. The cockpit is superbly styled and gives a commanding feel to the driver. The AIRSCARF neck level heating maintains neck level temperatures even on colder days to ensure a comfortable ride. The Mercedes-Benz SL 350 also features a high resolution 6.5 inch colour display COMMAND with DVD changer and media interface with extended functionality and improved menu navigation. The Intelligent Light System also available as standard in the SL offers improved illumination while driving. Other standard features include:  KEYLESS-GO and Harman Kardon® Logic7® sound system with Dolby Digital 5.1 with 10 high-performance loudspeakers.  The interiors are matched by top-notch enhancements in its exteriors. The SL 350  roadster sports a unique design idiom which is a part of the current Mercedes-Benz design philosophy. The front grille has been radically revised to grab one’s attention and the prominent louver on the radiator grille gives it an even wider and dominant look. The power domes adorning the bonnet and Gill-like trim panels are reminiscent of the SL’s history. The front end has a more prominent V-shape. Besides this the SL sports attrac-tively designed main and auxiliary headlamps.  As a part of the SL-Class’s “sports package” the exteriors flaunts attractive 18 inch 5-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels; front brake callipers with Mercedes-Benz lettering, darkened tail lights; headlamps with dark surrounds and Sports air filter among others. The New GL 500 4MATIC The GL 500 4MATIC one of the most powerful SUV’s in the world featuring a 5.4 litre V8 engine produces a power of 388hp along with a staggering torque of 530Nm. This mammoth accelerates from a standstill to a 100kmph in just 6.5seconds all thanks to its light weight construction resulting in improved engine smoothness and higher torque in the mid-engine speed range. The GL 500 comes with the 7G TRONIC 7-speed automatic transmission as standard,   allowing adept engine speed at all times, in turn cutting down fuel consumption. The shorter gear shifts make the ride smooth and also reduce the noise levels. It also has manual gear shift paddles on the steering to further enhance driving please when needed. The 4MATIC all wheel drive system in the GL 500 provides excellent traction and enhanced driving stability even on poor road conditions. Additionally the GL-Class comes with the unique off-road pro engineering package that is a boon for those interested in having some serious off-roading and the AIRMATIC suspensions make sure that ride quality is not compromised even on the harshest terrains. The GL 500’s intimidating size is further complimented by the brilliant silver coloured louvers in the radiator grille that impart a striking appearance to the car. The LED tail lights add a distinguishing feature to the rear view of the car which is further enhanced by the stainless steel, chrome look underguard. The LED day time running lights combined with the Intelligent Lighting System regulate the headlamp range and light distribution of the car, making night time driving easier than ever. The 20-inch alloy wheels further add to the sporty appeal of the car. On the interior front, the GL 500 4MATIC has a luxurious feel that further compliments its spaciousness. The steering wheel has elements of wood and leather that combine to add a rich feel to the interiors. The NAPPA leather seats further enhances the luxury quotient of the car. The front seats have memory package, so that each driver can set up the seating as per convenience.  Another new feature of the GL-Class is its electrically folding third row seats, a first in its segment. The GL 500’s rear seat entertainment system with its 8-inch colour screens and Harman Kardon system is ideal for a back seat movie viewing or gaming experience. Although the GL’s size is intimidating, parking it is one of the easiest tasks as it comes equipped with PARKTRONIC and COMAND system with Linguatronics and a reversing camera that help manoeuvre the car easily in tight parking spaces. The THERMOTRONIC luxury automatic climate control helps maintain different temperatures for the driver, front and rear passengers giving each their own comfort zone. Third row  passengers can also enjoy the comfort of fresh air, as the third row comes with rear electrical vent windows.  Mr Peter Honegg, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India: “The SL 350 and the GL 500 are two of the most popular offerings in our portfolio. Both the cars have unique USP’s. The SL-Class with its styling, performance and handling abilities has won hearts globally. We are glad to introduce the SL-Class which is sportier, aggressive and of course packed with benchmark Mercedes-Benz safety features and technology. On the other hand the GL 500 being one of the most powerful SUV’s in the world, is ideal to suit the tastes of the growing number of off-roading afficionados in India. I am confident that both the vehicles will woo auto enthusiasts, critics, customers & media alike.”