Renault Duster Adventure: Review

Renault's limited edition Duster Adventure may not be a brand new car but it certainly comes loaded with added zing and zest.

The Renault Duster has been with us for over a year and a half and has single handedly changed the small SUV segment. Even with rivals like the Ford Ecosport and its Nissan badged brethren, the Terrano, the Duster still appeals to a whole host of people looking for a sensible and stylish runabout. The Duster though did have a few drawbacks. Firstly, it was nowhere near as well equipped as the likes of the Ecosport and more importantly, the interior did feel just a tad bit boring. Now though, with the new limited edition Duster Adventure, Renault has upped the ante once more.

On the face of things, nothing on the outside suggest a difference till you really look twice. The front bumper is now fitted with a standard add-on bush guard with two fog lamps which adds to the tough appeal and look of the Duster. The alloy wheels get a sportier touch with new gunmetal grey paint instead of the standard silver. The Duster Adventure also gets a ‘compass decal’ on the C-pillar and an ‘Adventure’ sticker on the tailgate to differentiate itself. Our favourite upgrade though are the blacked out headlamps that shall soon be a part of the facelifted Duster’s standard look. The Renault Duster Adventure also gets additional plastic claddings on the doors that add to the intended outdoorsy look.

The biggest and most appealing upgrade though is on the interior front. Although the Renault Duster Adventure’s interiors might not suit everyone, we were certainly impressed by Renault’s boldness with the use of bright and contrasting colors. The fluorescent yellow, reminiscent of the yellow on the Renault badge has been used strategically around the interior to give it a younger, sportier look. The door panels, seats (front and rear) and carpets all get the yellow treatment. The Duster Adventure also gets the new and extremely user friendly, touchscreen infotainment system and a much needed speaker upgrade. Where the Dusters of the past sounded a little weak in the audio department, the new speakers sound more like the kind expected on a Rs 14 lakh automobile. The built in navigation combined with excellent iPod and phone connectivity make this possibly the best infotainment system in the price range.

The Adventure Edition is available only with the 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder, turbocharged diesel engine in 110PS guise. Although we are personally quite used to the Duster and its engine and gearbox package, we cant help but notice the sheer balance the Duster manages to have as compared to some of its other rivals. Not only is the engine reasonably refined; there is almost never a lack of power and torque when you need it. Mated to an equally impressive 6-speed gearbox, the Duster is most certainly one of the most impressive compact SUVs on the market today in terms of driving dynamics. Renault though has still not addressed the issue of the heavier clutch, which has been designed keeping in mind a European driving cycle. The heavy clutch does make the Renault Duster slightly cumbersome to drive, especially in heavy traffic.

The jewel in the crown of the Duster’s package though has never been its suave styling or its meaty diesel engine. The Duster has always pulled at our heartstrings due to the way it tackles any and all road surfaces thrown at it. During our drive with the Duster Adventure across the mystical state of Rajasthan, we encountered the best roads in the country and also some non-existent ones. Not only did the Duster flatter us with its smooth and composed ride, it complemented us with some remarkable high speed cornering abilities and sheer grip. In the right hands, the Duster is a very very capable car and possibly one of the best ‘Grand Tourers’ in the country today.

The Renault Duster Adventure is available only in RxL guise and is the exact same price as the Duster RxZ Option Plus and only about Rs 55 thousand over the standard RxZ. With a bunch of additional accessories, some funky seats and carpets, a very very good infotainment system and some stickers thrown in, the Adventure does seem to a pretty good buy for someone considering a fully loaded Duster. With the unique wheels, sporty cladding and blackened headlights, the Adventure will most certainly stand greater amongst equals. The Renault Duster Adventure is aimed at someone younger (or young at heart) and gets to the table something that the Duster never had before; some typical French flair! 

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2014 BMW Z4 review

BMW has given its open top two-seater sports car, the Z4, a refresh. Here's our review on what the new Z4 sDrive 35i is like

We are a little late for the orange, open top party which is the revised BMW Z4. But then, the success or failure of this open top sports car isn't going to change the fortunes of its maker, in India or abroad. It isn't even going to earn the company respect among enthusiasts who appreciate properly fast cars. What the BMW Z4 will do, no doubt, is help uplift BMW's image further. And, give its existing clientele a trophy car to go to clubs in and look good doing it.

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2014 Mini Cooper S: First Drive

The new Mini Cooper S will make its debut in India this year. Here's what to expect

Over the years, Mini has successfully managed to retain the DNA of the ‘original’ Mini, and yet upgrade itself as per modern standards. The new Mini is no different. Yes, it still holds the design cues of the original Mini, somewhat, but underneath the 2014 Mini is a completely new car. Each component has been put under the microscope, re-analysed with the sole intention of optimising its function, performance and style. The exteriors of the car now befit a new larger oval-shaped grille that holds the registration plate, which is complimented with signature chrome touches. The new Mini Cooper S has LED Daytime Running rings alongwith LED lamps for both high as well as low beam. Much of the profile remains unchanged except for the S badging that makes its way to the front grille. The body of the new Mini Cooper S is also longer, wider and taller than its predecessor.

The wheelbase too has been extended by 28mm while the track width has gone up by 42mm at the front and 34mm at the rear. The larger proportions give the Cooper S a much more muscular and aggressive persona. In early 2012, we had reviewed the Mini Cooper convertible as well as the Mini Cooper S. Back then, we found the latter to be a little claustrophobic especially when seated at the back. This has changed in the new Mini thanks to its increased interior dimensions. The interiors are now more spacious and boast of increased shoulder room and larger footwells. The front seats have also been lengthened by 23mm for additional comfort.

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2014 New Fiat Linea Diesel: Review

The Fiat Linea has just received a thorough facelift. We drive the diesel Linea to find out if it has, what it takes to turn around its fortunes this time round

The Fiat Linea has been in the Indian market for about five years, but the buying public ever really warmed up to the car. As a market, we have appreciated its styling, its long equipment list and of course, its lovely ride and handling balance. But, in a segment that’s flooded with brands such as Honda and Hyundai, Skoda and Volkswagen - brands that clearly command a higher recall value than Fiat - the Linea has always struggled. 

Now though, with Fiat’s recent focus on brand building, and its decision of going solo on the distribution front, it has given the brand recall bit a shot in the arm. But, Fiat isn’t stopping there; it plans to introduce new models and updates for its entire existing range. The latter begins with the new Linea diesel we have driven.

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2014 New Hyundai Santa Fe: First Drive

Hyundai has launched the new generation Santa Fe that is high on looks. It also promises to be a much better product overall, but can it really justify its hefty price tag?

Dabang. It's not a term one associates with cars, especially those that cost close to Rs 30 lakh.  But, not 'being Dabang' enough, is what costs the previous generation Santa Fe 'sales box-office' success, says Hyundai. Apparently, the true clientele for the Santa Fe - the politicos and the builder lobby - would only settle for something brash; something in your face; something that people would fear more than appreciate. Stuff like features, driveability, safety and even fuel economy is a distant second to this lot.

So, what Hyundai did when it was time to upgrade the Santa Fe? It got an upmarket looking, feature rich, good on driveability and high on safety new version; and completely forgot about 'being Dabang' all over again! Now being Dabang in automotive terms means to have an SUV- that's big, brash and intimidating. A mean machine that has the road presence of a bouncer, who spends his day in the gym and his night outside a night club in dark clothes. In simple terms an SUV that must look a bit sinister.

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Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG: First Drive

At Rs 1.25 crore, the Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG lurks insanely close to the supercar price point. But then is it really worth the price?

There are cars and then there are cars. While some have been crafted to simply take you from Point A to Point B, others too have been bred to do the same, but with a hint of madness. Then there are those that bring the ‘concept’ of efficiency into the picture – a concept that is redundant in performance oriented vehicles. And then somewhere in another parallel universe there are those like the Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG. While there are certain aspects of the car that are truly outstanding, there are certain bits that give it an extremely confused disposition. But we will not jump to any conclusions straight away and take this one step at a time.

Top it up, bring it down

At first glance itself, the SLK 55 AMG looks like the younger sibling of the larger SLS AMG. The long rectangular bonnet, the twin-slated Mercedes family grille and in fact, to a certain extent even the silhouette, all point out that the smaller SLK indeed derives its inspiration from the SLS AMG. The ten-spoke matte black alloys add a lot of character to the profile and compliment the white hue well. After what seems like ages, for the first time the badging actually shows some sort of parallels with the engine displacement. In this case, it stands for the 5.5-litre V8 engine that works force in the SLK 55 AMG, but more on that later. 

On the inside, the red and black combination of the seats and the dashboard merges well with the sporty exteriors. There are a lot of buttons to play around with. I must have spent a considerable time playing with the one that brings the roof down and of course the Magic Sky moonroof. The seats are not just sporty and supportive but also quite comfortable. Ingress and egress is also quite easy. The red seats flows well with the doors while the centre console gets a carbon-fibre finish. The complete the absence of red on dashboard and the fact that the centre console and the gear shifter are pretty much similar to the C doesn’t give the AMG the exclusivity that it ideally should. 

Now, the stock SLK is a good looking car by itself but its small proportions give it a feminine persona but in the AMG trim it does well to evade that personality and go with a rather macho appeal.

In the heart of things

A quick glance at the specification sheet is good enough to give you an estimate of how fast the 55 AMG really is, or at least I thought so. Thanks to the 5.5-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine producing 427PS of peak power at 6,800 rpm and 539Nm of torque at 4,500rpm, the SLK 55 AMG can blitz to the 100km/h marker in just 4.5 seconds and max out at 250km/h which is electronically limited. To put the numbers in perspective, the 55 AMG takes a few milliseconds less to reach 100km/h than the premium V12 powered Aston Martin Rapide, and that’s really saying something especially considering that there is a Rs 1 crore difference in price between the two. But then again, the numbers just tell half the story.

For a person like me, waking up at 5:00 hours on any given day is a challenge but when you know that doing so will ensure that you get a longer day behind the wheel of the 55 AMG, the task at hand becomes a lot easier. So when I actually got aboard the brute and brought the engine to life, I knew it was going to be a very good morning indeed. I drove out of the parking area at the Mercedes-Benz factory in Chakan and hit the pedal hard the minute I found a clean enough patch of road and before I could take a gasp of breathe I was already past three digit figures on the speedo.

Mated to the AMG Speedshift Plus seven-speed automatic, the car is eager to please no matter what speed you are at. The transmission has three settings, the comfort, the sports and the manual and irrespective of what mode you are in, the shifts are absolutely seamless. In the sports and the comfort mode, the car takes care of all the gear shifts but if you are the kind who likes to be in control and rev the engine right up to the red line, the ‘M’ mode is for you. My only grouse with the M mode is that you have to hit the paddle shifter a little before the needle hits the red line, lest the car over-revs and hampers your momentum.

Beauty of this beast   

The fact that any car with a BIG engine will not return great efficiency has been universally accepted but the 55 AMG puts the unsaid rule to shame. The AMG Cylinder Management technology shuts off four cylinders when cruising on the highway. The deactivation of these cylinders is absolutely seamless, in fact even with four cylinders cut off the engine still delivers more than 200Nm of torque. Add to that the fact that to further increase the efficiency in city driving conditions, it also gets the new start-stop technology. A combination of both these features help Mercedes-Benz proudly claim an efficiency of around 12kmpl.  

Corner craver

For those who love to toss their car around corners, the SLK 55 AMG does not disappoint. The steering feel is good and offers adequate feedback from the tyres in regards to the undulations on the road as well as the grip on offer. The SLK rushes into the corners and eagerly exits them with utmost authority. The stiff suspension and the low profile tyres push barely absorb any of the jerks that the road throws at you and this might just get a little painful while driving around in the city. But on the brighter side, the same attribute is a blessing for an enthusiast like me who loves to go crazy over corners. 

For a car that can really go blitzing around bends, the brakes have to have equal bite. Jam the brakes and the four-piston 360mm discs up front and the single piston 330mm disc at the back bring the car to a standstill before you can say ‘Stop’. Further, the ground clearance is good, which means that one doesn’t have to worry about the under belly scraping due to bad roads. In fact, the small size will also make driving through traffic a comfortable affair. To say in the simplest, the car has all the ingredients that you would not only love to drive around in the city but also take for that occasional long drive through mountain roads with your beloved.

The Last Call

No doubt, at Rs 1.25 crore (ex-showroom Delhi) the car comes freakishly close to the cost of a supercar. In fact, at first I even thought that it aspires to be one too but as I spent more time with it I came to realise instead of being a purpose built supercar with a one ‘track’ mind, the SLK strives to achieve best of both worlds. While it gives you the efficiency of a luxury sedan, it also gives you the engine and performance of the likes of a supercar, which isn’t entirely bad. And then there is the time when you go pedal to the metal and the naturally aspirated 5.5-litre V8 engine comes to life, all hell breaks loose and puts to rest the numbers game that you have been playing all along.

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2014 BMW 3 Series GT: First Drive

We drive the new BMW 3 GT - a more spacious and practical 3 Series, which will makes its debut at the 2014 Indian Auto Expo and will cost around Rs 45 lakh

The 5 Series GT never did well in India. It was meant to sit between the regular 5 Series and the 7 Series to plug a gap that no one saw till BMW mentioned it existed. But, the 5 GT courtesy being an import was just too expensive. It wasn't good looking either, so the aspirational bit went out the window as well. No wonder it failed.

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2014 New Skoda Superb 1.8 TSI DSG Elegance: First Drive

The Superb gets a mid-cycle refresh and in this latest guise, is as good a value package as it ever was. We take it for a quick spin

The Skoda Superb has been on sale for the past 10 years. And in this time, it has received a generation change once. The new for 2014 Superb isn't a generation change though; in fact, we won't even term it as a dramatic facelift, but facelift it certainly is. 

So, the new Superb - in typical facelift mould - gets new head and tail lamps and revised bumpers both front and back. Additionally, the bonnet design has changed and it now houses the Skoda logo, in line with Skoda's new design philosophy. The grille too follows this new design language, which was first revealed on the new Octavia in India. 

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2013 Audi Q3S: First Drive

The new Audi Q3S is Audi's cheapest car yet. And it comes with a pokey diesel engine and a manual gearbox. Does it impress?

There is a famous phrase that goes ‘To Each His Own’. With the recent spate of luxury hatchbacks like the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and the BMW 1 Series, some might say Audi has lost its plot by not launching the A3 hatchback in India. But, Audi has gone the other way with the ‘offering more for less’ mantra and has decided to cut prices on the Q3 SUV and re-launching it in an all-new avatar, the Q3S. The Q3S is now the cheapest Audi on offer so we decided to take it for a spin to see what Audi has added and what they have removed. 

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2014 Honda City: First Drive

The New 2014 Honda City is finally here and we get under its skin to find out if it can regain its benchmark status once again

There are cars and then there are cars. The City has always had something about it that makes it the latter. There is always something special about the introduction of a brand new generation of a Honda City, and the new avatar is no different. Launched first in 1998, the new 2014 Honda City will be the 4th all-new generation (7th if you consider facelifts) of the car. The City has always been Honda’s top selling car and has quite a reputation of being one of the most loved and desired cars in the sub-10 Lakh range of the Indian automotive sector. 

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Mercedes-Benz C Class 'Edition C': First Drive

Mercedes-Benz recently launched a new variant, the 'Edition C' of the successful C-Class saloon to commemorate 10 million units of the C-Class sold worldwide

Mercedes-Benz, known for its large luxury saloons in the 70s and 80s decided to do the unimaginable and launch a small entry-level saloon in 1982 to meet the ever growing needs of the global middle class. This new entry-level saloon, christened the 190E was smaller than its larger brethren making it both efficient and easy to drive. Being smaller in dimension also earned it the nickname ‘Baby-Benz’. The 190E (where E stands for Einspritzung, or Fuel Injection) model used the Bosch Jetronic Multi-Point Fuel Injection to deliver fuel as compared to a traditional carburetor, which also made the 190E a more powerful alternative for people looking for a sporty but reliable sedan. The 190E did roaring sales in Europe and was succeeded by the C-Class family that we have fondly grown to love today. Although technically, the ‘C-Class’ moniker wasn’t used till 1993, Mercedes considers the 190E family to be the beginning of the C-Class family tree. To commemorate 10 Million (1 Crore) C Classes sold from its conception over 30 years ago, Mercedes-Benz India launched a new variant of it’s successful C-Class, aptly named the ‘Edition C’ in India. We take it for a short spin to see what this special edition holds for us.

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2013 Skoda Octavia: First Drive

With the new Octavia, Skoda is all set to once again make a place for itself in the D-segment sedan class. Will this new iteration of the endeared offering taste as much success as its previous generations? We take it for a spin to find out

If Skoda today is a well recognised and trusted brand, it has a lot to do with the way it started off here in India. By bringing in the Skoda Octavia as their first car on offer in the early 2000s, they made all the right moves to mark its entry into a market in which growth had no bounds as long as the product was incomparable. Of course there are oodles of other factors that influence the way a brand is perceived but for Skoda, the Octavia was just what they needed to make a strong first impression. 

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