Ducati’s 2012 Superbikes unveiled

Ducati’s new supersports model line-up goes on sale early in 2012. Its eagerly anticipated flagship, the 1199, will sell in three variants, a base 1199 Panigale, the 1199 Panigale S and a 1199 Panigale S Tricolore, dressed in Italian red, white and green.

Expect the stunning, cutting-edge 1199 to rewrite the supersports rule books, being a race-bred machine that pushes the barriers in terms of style, features, technology, performance and handling.

Handsome, ultra-compact and sporty to the core, the 1199 uses full LED lighting and high definition, colour TFT instruments. The 1199 Panigale is to deploy the world’s most powerful twin-cylinder engine ever; a 1198cc, four-stroke, 90-degree L-twin, liquid-cooled powerhouse called the Superquadro, with Desmodromic valve operation. Power output is a tarmac-scorching 195bhp at 10750rpm, just under a 11500rpm rev ceiling, and this light-for-its-class motorcycle shows off a kerb weight of 188kg, making for a fearsome power-to-weight ratio of 1037bhp per tonne. A 13.5kgm of peak torque is developed at 9000rpm. A wet-type, slipper clutch is standard, as will be a 6-speed gearbox with quick shift assistance.

The 1199 Panigale rider can command a full variety of electronic rider aids, including a latest-generation Ducati Data Analyser (DDA+) system, Ducati Riding Modes with intelligent ABS incorporation, Ducati Electronic Suspension (DES), Ducati Traction Control (DTC), Ducati Quick Shift (DQS), Engine Brake Control (EBC) and Ride-by-Wire (RbW) throttle control.

Experts can slot into Race Riding mode to pilot the full complement of 195 untamed ponies via sharp throttle response, reduced traction control intervention and altered race-replica styled instruments. Sport Riding mode selection blunts a bit of the potent Superquadro’s razor edge, providing 195bhp with softened power delivery and higher traction control assistance, while the Wet Riding mode tames power to a smoothly laid down 120bhp, with maximum electronic assistance to help riders control their 1199.

The 1199 has revised ergonomics and ditches the Ducati traditional trellis frame in favour of a monocoque unit, bolting its engine in as a stressed member of the frame. A 39mm longer single side, alloy swingarm brace than on the 1198 is standard, increasing wheelbase to 1437mm, while promoting forward weight distribution. The 1199 Panigale is equipped with state-of-the-art electronic suspension front and rear and 330mm front disc brakes gripped by Brembo four-piston, monobloc calipers. An advanced ABS system is also at hand.

Completing Ducati’s 2012 superbike range are the 848 EVO and also the new 848 EVO Corse Special Edition which will offer enhanced electronics, better suspension and a stunning Corse exclusive livery. The 848 EVO uses a Testastretta Evoluzione engine with 6bhp more, outputting 140bhp at 10500rpm and 10kgm of peak torque made at 9750rpm. The 848 EVO Corse Special Edition packs in traction control and quick shift systems, Öhlins rear suspension and dual, 330mm front brake discs.

Ducati desperately needs to upgrade and improve its existing Indian sales and service wings to provide such a brilliant range of motorcycles the required support system. This will help it sustain itself in the increasingly important Indian two-wheeler market.

You can read more details on the 1199 Panigale and its innovative Superquadro engine technology in the Autocar India November 2011 issue, on stands now.

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SCOOP! TVS to launch revised Apache RTR

The TVS Motor company’s flagship models, the Apache RTR series bikes are a popular choice with Indian sportsbike enthusiasts, and for good reasons. Born with the solid foundation of racing heritage, the affordably priced RTR’s, 160 and 180 represent the best of both worlds, engineered to be relaxed enough to ride on a daily basis, yet still providing riders the thrills of exciting performance and sharp edged handling that only true sportsbikes deliver. The RTR 180 to its credit remains to date one of India’s select few motorcycles to provide riders the additional safety of ABS assisted brakes.  

The Apache RTR’s are easily the best looking motorcycles from TVS, which is soon to be taken to the next level. Expect the shortly upcoming RTR variants to sport more contemporary, revised styling, while retaining all their sought after value-for-money features including a heady blend of performance, with good handling and adequate comfort. The new RTR should enter TVS showrooms around the country as early as within some weeks from now, and we don’t expect to see too much more than is already offered by these bikes in terms of extra engine capacity or performance.    

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2011 VW Jetta review, test drive

At first glance, you may think this is the VW Vento, but upon closer inspection you will realise that it is the all-new Volkswagen Jetta. For a car that’s making a fresh start, to be likened to its cheaper sibling can’t be a good thing. But there’s an upside too, VW has unified the look of all its latest-generation models. It’s also easy to mistake the Jetta for the bigger and more expensive Passat, which shares the same styling lineage.
The new Jetta really looks far removed from the model it replaces. The bland, rounded shape and soft contours are replaced by crisper (but equally bland) horizontal lines. The nose is the most interesting bit of the car with its wide, horizontal grille, angular lamps and a tray-shaped ‘splitter’. The overall styling is best defined as a clean and uncluttered.
The new car has grown in every dimension; it is now 90mm longer than its predecessor and gets an extra 58mm in the wheelbase, which hints at the best-in-class interior space. Despite all the extra sheet metal, the new Jetta weighs just 25kg more than before.
Step inside the Jetta and it feels like a mini-Passat, more than a grown up Vento with top-notch plastics, and exemplary fit and finish. The chunky steering wheel feels great to hold. The steering-mounted buttons are small but have a wonderfully tactile feel. The air-con vents feel solid too and the overall heft of the dashboard and door pads reveal the durable build of the car.
The new Jetta is better specced too, but the small details that made the previous Jetta special are missing. The driver gets a 12-way power adjustable seat, including lumbar support, and finding the perfect driving position is easy. The front seats are generous but a touch flat and you get synthetic fabric instead of leather seats. The top-of-the-line Highline variant gets eight airbags, while the Trendline and Comfortline variants get six.
The most glaring oversight in the new Jetta is the missing dual-zone climate control. Instead, it gets a simple air-con unit and though it’s still electro-mechanically controlled, there isn’t even a digital temperature readout. To make up, VW has given the Jetta other goodies like iPod connectivity, Park Distance Control with display on the central infotainment system, and daytime running headlights.
Moving to the rear, this VW has the most comfortable backseat we have seen in any Rs 15-20 lakh car. The ‘hip-point’ is nice and high so you sit more relaxed, legroom is class-leading and the seat base is generous and superbly contoured. If there is a fault, it’s with the cushioning which is a touch too hard and the backrest that’s a wee too upright. The rear seats now get an armrest and a 60:40 split. The boot capacity is a good 510-litre.
Under the hood, the 1986cc, 108bhp motor has been replaced by the 138bhp version of the same turbo-diesel engine. For the moment, VW is offering the new Jetta with just this single diesel engine which comes with six-speed manual and automatic options. There is no petrol option yet, but we understand a 1.4 TSI version is expected sometime in 2012.
The diesel motor is not the quietest of motors and though it’s not really intrusive you can’t miss its characteristic gruffness, especially at higher revs. There’s minimal turbo-lag and we just love the strong tug you get from low revs. Performance is more than adequate and there’s always a surplus of power and the swathe of torque, most of it low down in the rev range. But the DSG gearbox can make tight overtaking a tricky affair as well. There’s a huge delay in power delivery when you floor the throttle and then suddenly the car just takes off.
The way to work around this is to drive in manual mode which, apart from being good fun (the paddle-shifters feel terrific), keeps the engine in the right cog for instant overtaking. The six-speed manual is slick and precise like before but it’s mated to an engine that doesn’t like to be revved hard.
On the twisty roads, the new Jetta’s safe and benign handling was immediately evident. The steering, though accurate and well weighted, is rather numb and doesn’t bristle with feel. The gentle responses and the leisurely manner in which the Jetta turns into corners doesn’t make it overtly sporting.
The ride is again fantastic and the Jetta dispatches bumps with ease. The suspension feels a touch more damped than before. However, on bad roads at low speeds, you can distinctly feel the underlying firmness in the suspension. But the ride is never uncomfortable.
VW has priced the base Trendline at Rs 14.12 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), but as you move up to the Highline DSG which costs Rs 3.74 lakh more, the Jetta appears a bit pricey. But, if money isn’t the primary factor and what you want is a comfortable, well-built executive saloon with a bit of class, there’s nothing that fits the bill as well as the new Jetta.

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Evoque review and test drive

The Evoque is a completely new direction for Range Rover. It’s a new car in a new class for a new kind of customer – it’s far removed from the traditional uprightness of a Range Rover. We drove the Evoque SD4 as it’s the one that will be the popular choice when it is launched in India by end-2011.

The five-door Evoque is a compact SUV. Stand next to it, and you’ll see it’s about the size of an Audi Q3 — it is shorter and squatter than the baby Audi, and about a million times better-looking as well. Under the skin, the Evoque is suspended at the front by MacPherson struts and a multi-link rear. It is upto 100kg lighter than the Freelander, though partly because it is much shorter and partly due to more extensive use of aluminium, both in its body panels and suspension, and plastics in the body.

Step inside and you’ll notice one intrinsic Range Rover characteristic that’s missing — the commanding view out. You sit a lot lower and as a result it feels a lot sportier and very un-Rangie. This apart, you’ll love the interiors, especially the soft-touch surfaces on the dashboard, and the way everything feels properly expensive. Automatic Evoques get Jaguar’s rotary gear lever that rises from the centre console and, further down, switches for Land Rover’s Terrain Response off-road system that reconfigures the car’s software and hardware depending on the surface you’re driving on.

The cabin is a comfy place to be because the seats are widely adjustable, as is the steering and there’s more headroom than the roof-line would suggest. However, the huge wing mirrors obstruct forward view. And, if you can discount the short squab of the rear seats, it’s a lot more accommodating than you would think. There’s loads of legroom, good headroom and it’s nowhere near as claustrophobic as the tapering window-line would suggest. Indian cars will get the massive panoramic sunroof as standard. However, Range Rover has omitted a spare wheel which, in an SUV, is quite unacceptable.

Push the engine start button and you’ll be surprised by the lack of clatter from the 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel. The engine remains impressively refined even near its red-line. The 2179cc engine makes 187bhp and 42.8kgm of torque and the motor delivers this power in a nice, linear manner. However, it doesn’t feel very quick when you put your foot down. The six-speed auto isn’t the best around either, sometimes refusing to upshift or downshift despite repeatedly pulling the steering-mounted paddles.

Still, the Evoque shows remarkable composure and tight body control. There’s not a squeal from the 18-inch tyres on the car and it even changes direction eagerly. It’s just that the electric steering is too light and a bit inconsistent off-centre. The Evoque feels best when you’re not pushing on and with Dynamic mode switched off. It’s here that you’ll discover a ride that deals with most surfaces authoritatively with only the sharper bumps kicking through.

This SUV is far more adept off-road. In rainy conditions we selected ‘mud and ruts’ on the Terrain Response system and we could feel the dulled throttle response, essential for driving on slippery surfaces. You can even feel its traction control system monitor wheelspin as the Evoque claws its way up the slope. The thing is, the Evoque feels so capable over these non-existent sections of road that all it demands of you is to select the right off-road setting, steer and feed in throttle. It doesn’t have a low-range transfer case though.

Indian Evoques will be slightly different from the European ones. The biggest change is with the air-intake for the engine, which will be placed higher. Engineers are also working on tuning the suspension to work with smaller wheels and higher profile tyres. What this will do to the styling that demands big wheels is yet to be seen. And lastly, all Indian Evoques will get an industrial grade horn.

When launched, prices will start from an estimated Rs 49 lakh, and this is probably where the Evoque might get stuck. It is expensive, whichever way you look at it, and considerably more so than a Q3 or an X1. What you will get for the extra money though is a truly high-quality, stunning-looking and entirely desirable small SUV.

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Range Rover Evoque launched

Land Rover has launched the Range Rover Evoque in India at a starting price of Rs 56.91 lakh (all prices on-road Mumbai). The Evoque is available in three-door coupé and five-door SUV versions.

The three-door Evoque, retailing at Rs 72.08 lakh, is only available in the top-end Dynamic trim with a 2.0-litre, 237bhp turbo-petrol. The five-door SUV will be offered in three trims — Pure, Prestige and Dynamic — and a 2.2-litre, 187bhp common-rail, turbo-diesel. Both engines are mated to a six-speed auto and power all four wheels.

The five-door Pure, priced at Rs 56.91 lakh, is the base version but is quite well equipped. Standard features are Range Rover’s Terrain Response off-road system, cruise control, a fixed panoramic glass roof, Xenon headlamps, 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless go, climate control, electric adjust front seats, leather seats, paddle-shifters, 8-inch touch screen, Bluetooth connectivity with audio streaming and an 11-speaker Meridian audio system.

The Prestige variant gets a luxury interior and exterior styling kit, 18-inch alloy wheels, premium leather seats, contrast-painted roof and keyless entry. Priced at Rs 64.73 lakh, the Dynamic variant comes with everything the Pure and Prestige have, along with a sporty exterior and interior styling kit and perforated leather seats.

P M Telang, MD - India operations, Tata Motors said, "The Range Rover Evoque is a very important addition to the Land Rover and Range Rover product portfolio and I am delighted to be present at such a significant launch. This car has excited audiences across the world and we expect the same from the discerning India customers."

There are no plans to introduce the front-wheel-drive Evoque in the near future.

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