New 2011 BMW X3 Launched

BMW India has launched its all-new X3 SUV. The new X3 is available with a 2.0 184bhp and 3.0-litre 258bhp diesel engines.

The X3 packs BMW’s eight-speed gearbox along with a Dynamic Damper Control and an engine start-stop function as standard. Also standard is BMW’s xDrive four-wheel-drive system which uses an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch to distribute torque between the front and rear axles. 

The new model gets muscular styling as compared to the one it replaces and is 83mm longer and 28mm wider than the model it replaces and it sits on a slightly longer wheelbase. It also weighs 90kgs less than the earlier 2.0 diesel car

Additional features include bi-xenon headlights with LED rings.  The X3 2.0-litre gets 17-inch alloy wheels and a 6.5-inch high resolution display screen while the 3.0 version gets 18-inch alloys and a bigger 8.8-inch high resolution display screen.

Bluetooth connectivity and a USB slot are standard so is the full-size panaromic sunroof. The unique 40:20:40 split rear seats can be flipped down to expand storage space as required.

The new X3 competes with the likes of Audi Q5, Land Rover Freelander and Volvo XC60. 

BMW has priced the 2.0-litre X3 at Rs 41.2 lakh while the 3.0-litre version starts at Rs 47.99 lakh. With Audi recently slashing prices of its Q5 2.0 TDI which now starts at Rs 35.13 lakh, the mid-size luxury SUV competition is sure to heat up

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Nissan Sunny Review, Test Drive

Nissan's all-new Versa is an all-new entry level saloon, built on the same ‘V’ platform as the cute-looking Micra.  The all-new car is a tailor-made assault on the surprisingly similar requirements of car compact saloon buyers in the US, China and even India. Since the Versa name belongs to Maruti in India, Nissan has chosen to badge it the Sunny here.

The Sunny is built to make an impression. It looks quite large, especially when viewed from the rear three-quarters, with its big boot, long wheelbase and massive cabin. It’s closer in size to something like a Civic or a Laura; compact it is not. Although based on the same platform as the Micra, the Sunny looks nothing like it. Only the Nissan badge appears to be common.

‘V’ for Versatile

Clearly, Nissan’s new ‘V’ or versatile platform can accommodate both compact and medium-sized cars. Platform cost saving aside, Alliance partner Renault shared parts, know-how and even helped with sourcing parts for the Sunny. The platform uses 20 percent fewer components and has knocked 100-odd kilograms off the scale.

Style and space

The Sunny doesn’t look boxy or cheap. Long flowing lines, a beautifully crafted nose and an elegant rear section mean the new Sunny actually looks very attractive from many angles. Sure, the stubby nose means some of the proportions are a bit odd. And from the rear it looks like a baby Nissan Teana!

The Sunny boasts of a Corolla Altis-sized wheelbase and that translates into a lot of room on the inside. In fact the comfy backseat has more legroom than a Mercedes E-class! The drooping roofline, however, means that you sit slightly lower than is ideal and the backrest is leant back a bit. And the front seats, if anything, are even more comfortable, with thigh support and side bolstering both very impressive.

Nissan has tried very hard to make the cabin look upmarket as well. The chrome-ringed dials, the silver accents on the steering wheel, and the Micra-like chrome door handles give the ambience a bit of a lift. Overall plastic quality and fit and finish are also up to expectations. A few cheap plastic bits like the air-con controls and window switches do exist. And at 420 litres, the boot is pretty large.

Big-car dynamics

The US-spec Sunny comes with a new-generation 1600cc petrol motor. Producing a useful 109bhp, it makes more than sufficient power, and initial responses to the throttle are very good too. For the Indian market, however, the Sunny will come with a smaller 1.5-litre petrol developing 107.5bhp.

The engine feels nice and smooth and there’s enough performance, there isn’t too much grunt in the midrange. Downshift and you’ll find there’s plenty of punch in the top end, but the motor does get a bit vocal. On the gearbox front, the CVT is surprisingly good, with very little rubber-band effect present and the ability to hold engine rpm in the sweet spot. Meanwhile the five-speed manual has a crisp shift and is both light and effort-free to use.

Despite a bit of pitter-patter at low speed due to stiff damping, the Sunny’s ride quality is excellent especially once the car is up to speed. Road noise is reasonably well contained for a car of this price, bump absorption is first rate and because of the long wheelbase there isn’t too much pitching and bobbing either. It really does ride like a big car.

Also impressive is stability and handling. The Sunny tracked straight and true even at speeds as high as 140kph, with only a light grip needed on the wheel. Nissan has also done an outstanding job with the brakes. The electric power steering is both accurate and well weighted, unlike many such systems. Although, the Sunny is nice to drive and does everything you ask of it, it’s not a car that encourages you to drive it faster. 

The Sunny is a car that has almost everything Indian customers want. It looks large and attractive on the outside, is extremely spacious and comfortable inside, rides, performs and drives well and feels robustly engineered too. Nissan will have a more powerful version of its 1.5-litre diesel that powers the Micra on sale soon. With the right price the Sunny has the potential to shake up the competition. Here’s a car worth waiting for.  

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New Toyota Camry Unveiled

These are the first pictures of the all-new Toyota Camry that is scheduled to go on sale across the globe in 2012. We expect the car to hit Indian shores by early next year.

In the styling department, Toyota has gone in for a far bolder look than the ‘please-all’ styling of the current car. The front comprises of larger, more angular headlights with an elegant kink at the base. Two chrome slats with the Toyota logo in between make the grille look more pronounced than earlier. Larger fog lamps further enhances the new Camry’s front end.

The side profile however, does not carry the drama visible in the front styling on the car – the dull window line playing spoilsport here. The shoulder line that broadens as it approaches the boot is an interesting touch though. Move towards the rear of the new Camry and you could find minute Lexus details on the boot. The new smart two part tail lights looks quite attractive.

While the new car’s dimensions are nearly equal to its predecessor’s, Toyota claims there is slightly more space in the new car, which is great considering the current car itself is quite spacious. The dashboard design is all new and wears a more mature look. A large 6.1-inch multimedia screen dominates the fascia, though it remains to be seen if the Indian-spec Camry will feature it.

However, you can expect the car to come with dual-zone climate control, Bluetooth connectivity, USB and AUX ports and also steering mounted audio controls. Toyota claims that it has further managed to reduce road and wind noise, giving the cabin a relaxing ambience.

While other markets have moved to the new 2.5-litre, four-cylinder VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing with intelligence) engine, the Indian Camry continues to be powered by the older 2.4-litre, four-cylinder VVT-i engine. We expect Toyota to offer the new motor when it launches the car in India next year. The 2.5-litre 16-valve engine produces 169bhp at 6000rpm, a marginal 2bhp more than the current car. But with no diesel engine on offer, the Camry could still find itself at a disadvantage to its diesel-powered rivals like the Skoda Superb and VW Passat.

The Camry destined for USA will be offered with an option of a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission. It is yet to be known however, if the Indian-spec saloon will be upgraded to the new ‘boxes or will stick to the current 5-speed transmission.

The use of higher tensile steel promises added rigidity which should no doubt aid handling. Under the skin, there are no major changes except a slightly tweaked suspension to improve overall comfort. But what’s interesting is that Toyota is now planning to ship the Camry in India via the CKD route and assemble at its Bidadi plant in Karnataka. The current car is imported as a CBU.

Local assembly should bring with it huge savings in costs which will make the Camry a whole lot more affordable and lucrative to D-segment car buyers. If the new Camry can undercut Honda Accord prices, Toyota has a winner on its hands.

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Aston Martin V12 Zagato Revealed

The road car variant of the new Aston Martin V12 Zagato, which will go into production from the middle of next year, it has been revealed.

The hand-built Zagato is based on the V12 Vantage and features a body of aluminium and carbonfibre. The race-bred machine is powered by a 6-litre engine, developing 510bhp and 58kgm of torque.

Developed half a century after the introduction of the iconic DB4GT Zagato, the new V12 Zagato broke cover at the Villa D’Este Concours on Lake Como, Italy, in May. It won the coveted design award for the concept and prototypes class.

Two prototypes were then honed during endurance races at the Nürburgring, including the 24-hour event at the German track in June. The pair of Zagato racing machines will appear on Aston’s Frankfurt motor show display next month, along with the One-77 supercar and the recently launched Virage and Vantage S.

The competition specials have been nicknamed ‘Zig’ and ‘Zag’ by Aston technicians. ‘Zig’ will appear in full racing specification and features a full aerodynamic package including front splitter, dive planes, rear diffuser and spoiler. Whereas ‘Zag’ has been converted back into a road-spec show car to give an indication of how the finished customer cars will look when they are built next year.

Just 150 road-going examples will be built.

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New Porsche 911 Revealed

These are the first official pictures of the all-new Porsche 911.

Known internally as the 991, the new 911 — the sixth truly independent model in an illustrious 48-year history — is set to make its world debut at next month’s Frankfurt motor.

The new 911 will initially be sold in rear-wheel drive Carrera and Carrera S coupé guises. Cabriolet and four-wheel-drive variants will follow in 2012, and pave the way for a range-topping Turbo packing 523bhp in 2013.

Developed under Porsche design boss Michael Mauer, the visual changes are subtle but effective enough to set the new car apart from its predecessor.

The traditional round headlamps are set on the front of a wider, slightly higher front bumper. The lights have been made bigger and house more complex internal graphics than before, and are complemented by new LED daytime running lamps on the leading edge of a reshaped bumper. The rear is distinguished by new, thin LED tail-lamps. They sit underneath a prominent lip that forms the trailing edge of the engine lid and wrap further around the rear bumpers than before.

As with the outgoing 911, the new model has a choice of two standard naturally aspirated, horizontally opposed six-cylinder engines mounted aft of the rear axle line.

The big news concerns the downsizing of the base unit in the Carrera. It drops in capacity from 3.6 litres to 3.4 litres — the same as the Boxster S and Cayman S. But while the Boxster/Cayman S engine delivers 316bhp, the new Carrera packs a sturdier 345bhp at 6400rpm — up by 4bhp over the old 3.6-litre engine. It also has 280lb ft of torque.

The Carrera S continues with a 3.8-litre unit, but it has changes to the induction and exhaust which liberate an extra 14bhp at 394bhp at 7000rpm and this version boasts 324lb ft. At the rear, the Carrera continues to feature two oval exhaust pipes, while the Carrera S gets four round pipes.

The new model receives a new seven-speed manual gearbox — a first for a series production road car.

There have been significant chassis changes as a result of the lengthened wheelbase in the quest to further improve the handling, grip and ride.

Expect the new 911 to reach our shores soon after the global launch.

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