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OCTOBER 2014 `150 Only
MARUTI I S NO LONGER ABOUT SMALL CARS. ENTER CI AZ
A Times of India publication
FREE
NEW LOOK ISSUE
BENTLEY CONTI GT
vs TIME
MERC CLA45 AMG
vs THE MASTER
LAMBORGHINI HURACAN
vs MONEY
BUGATTI VEYRON
vs AMERICA
AUDI A3
vs 24-HOURS
GURKHA 4X4
vs HELL
MM SCRAMBLER
vs NO ROAD
HARLEYS
vs INDIA
LAMBORGHINI
POSTER INSIDE
GLA MERC S ALL-NEW COMPACT SUV DRIVEN
WE RIDE THE NEXT
BIG ONE FOR INDIA
YAMAHA R25
EXCLUSIVE
T O P G E A R . C O M O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 003
ISSUE 110 OCTOBER 2014
The last time we ended up at an endurance race, there
were a lot of people. And, there was an incredible amount of
noise. And, the atmosphere was electric. It had to be we
were at Le Mans. This time, there was none of that. Instead,
there were a lot of tense moments, because we were not just
spectators. Instead, we were running quick circles around
Indias oldest surviving racetrack at Irungattokottai, near
Chennai. We, too, had an Audi a brand new A3 - albeit
one with a humble 2.0-litre diesel engine. But, it was up
against the same challenge the Le Mans-winning Audi car
faced survive 24 hours on a racetrack.
For the ninth anniversary issue of TopGear India, we set
ourselves a variety of challenges. But, these were not simply
challenges that were attempted for the sake of it. Each of
these tasks gave birth to engaging stories. For example, we
put a supercar nothing less than the all-new Lamborghini
Huracan through a serious fuel test that required us to
wrest top performance from it on rationed fuel. And, if that
sounds impossible, how about putting one of the most
powerful Bentley Continental GTs ever made in a race
against time, which saw us cutting across the length and
breadth of UAE? All the challenges we set ourselves were
certainly ambitious but not rubbish, except, maybe, the one
where we challenged an AMG instructor at his own game.
Its all there in this issue, including everything you wanted
to know about Marutis latest Ciaz sedan, the whole story
from the global launch of the Jaguar XE and a complete
road test of the all-new Hyundai i20. Obviously, we havent
left out the bikes. We have an India-exclusive ride of the
Yamaha R25, which is headed here in a slightly modied
avatar, and our own rendering of the yet-to-be-revealed
KTM 390 Adventure. Plus, theres some good news for
Honda Gold Wing fans yes, the bike is headed to India.
TopGear India gets an all-new look with this issue. But its
not just the design that has changed. We have reinvented
some sections, added some more relevant bits and given it a
diferent look and feel. The challenge was to ensure that you
dont leave the issue midway. We await the results.

GI RI SH KARKERA, EDI TOR
Twitter.com/karkeragirish
OUR CHALLENGES WERE ALL
AMBITIOUS BUT NOT RUBBISH,
EXCEPT, MAYBE, THE ONE WHERE
WE TOOK ON AN AMG DRIVING
INSTRUCTOR AT HIS OWN GAME
SPECIAL SUBSCRIPTION OFFER ON PAGE NO 072
FEATURES
Audi A3
Youve seen Audi dominate at La
Sarthe, France. Now, we toss one of
them into the ring at Sriperumbudur
Bentley GT V8S
We go emirate-hopping in one of the
most powerful V8s ever built. And get
a discount on a speeding ticket!
Moto Morini Scrambler
Its big. Its expensive. Its Italian. So we
did what anyone would do, naturally.
We threw it into the mud
Gurkha 4x4
Greenpeace says that Indias forest
cover is depleting. Devastated, we get
up and go of-roading in Goa
074
084
092
098
Harley Davidson
Attention animal lovers! See
how two hogs pig out on some
delectable Indian kilometres
Bugatti Veyron
Heres how our guys in the UK
kicked into hyper drive and got their
kicks down the legendary Route 66
Yamaha R25
We hop aboard the Japanese twin-
cylinder to answer all your questions
in this TopGear exclusive
Lamborghini Huracan
We already know that this bullish
beaut is a hoot to drive. But how
long can it last of the hot sauce?
Mercedes CLA45 AMG
A pro driver has Devesh Shobha
running around in circles. Can our
man beat the master?
104
110
118
122
122
128
092
118
128
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 T O P G E A R . C O M 004
110
0
9
th
Anniversary Special
Jaguar XE
This XE thing could have
the Germans very worried
033
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT NEW CARS THIS MONTH
01 Comp ny desc ip i n
Just who re y u dea i g wi h he e?
he l wd wn n the c m any b hi d the a tomo ile
02 The TG Ra i g
Simply t anslated howgood is the ehicle in n mber ?
O t of ay 10?
03 P ice in your c ty
Ind c t ve ex howr om r ces On oad for Mumbai
nd De hi A cu ate t the t me of g ing to p ess
04 India S les
D n t ust o by what we w ite
S e how f llow bu ers tr ated the compa y in he r cent past
05 TG Choice
Choos ng he ig t va ant an be c nf si g
ts n t ne ess r ly the hea est ne r the di sel
06 More stuf to re d
A ded ns ght i to he wo ld o TopGear ia he e l t le oas s of
l gh ly gr m y op n on
07 Fuel e fici ncy
A er ge k t a ha ? The eal w r d f gu e f r r al wo d ituat ons
08 Dimensions
Maki g su e you k ow f our ar w l f t n yo r pa k ng slot Y ah
ha s go ng to be imp rtant too
THE GU DE TO USING OUR GUIDE
G S G
P F t N b
T P E R NEW CAR GUIDE m
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S S 7/10 4cyl 1248cc 5A 89 200 7.05 6.99* 7.10 4cyl 124 9 200 n /
29.75 29.12 33.56 4c
S G / G / G C ) 17.26 15.26 18.23 4c / 19.36 17.11 20.44 4c / / G 05 na na na / / D-4DJS
/ / / GD / VD / /
h d d h k l C l l f t t f d l t t f d d l h f h t B 9 0 t F T k it G d Cl 2 5 l t M i d S i F E d
a a Zest t h d l d t d h Z t h fi l i d d t h d f f h I h b b t i l d f t h h
t t i d i F t d t b t d l b ll t d d th b d ! N h h t i l t i l b i I i
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t Company d ti M i d l also churns o h bl i i f t i
TOYOTA D l 1 2 W
C f t d B d A l d d t l ts. B t 8 it F l T k 0 t G 6 l t i T W P t H d S t
Corolla Altis: Th d A t rened, comfortable busine d TG Ch Th d l G l L 4 4 W 6 H 7 5 B Cl 1 Renault Fluen
t b t t k t th t l t d f t f T t h d b t h f l h t l t t 1 B t 5 l t F l T k 5 t G d l 17 l t M S t i M i d V t
TATA TO TOYOTA
TATA continued
G N n n c f u t n e e V W F l ) h w e l e p s e u b o c n e a d p i i c c n m r s
O E B P n n s a m m o e o p i r e r p w r y d a s o c m n d e u b p g e)
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O S E A t t e u e s h a e t a c go
A T & A G TS
U T O H r u o ow o c n i o r m p o e y r e c A I G D a i g n r e r e m r
n c e e h w om c s r u b a d l i
e o p o l
7/10 7/10 7/10 7/10 7/10
02
LX 4x2
Safari S
TG Choic L: 465cm W:
01
Hybrid 2 5l
Camry:
TG Choic L: 482.5cm W
05
J G
Etios: M
TG Choic L: 426.5cm W 08
3 4.64* 5 5.25* 3 5.43* 1 5.99* 7 5.64*
03
India sales For full listings www.topge
Website www.t
04
25.08 2
12 20 1
n all-new bu
e just ne, as Fuel Tank: 55 lit
06 na na a na na na na na na na
07
THE TOPGEAR NEW CAR & B KE
DD UUII EE GG
141176
All you need to
know about the
best cars on sale
today. Your car
not there? Sell
it, and buy one,
then...
T O P G E A R . C O M O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 005
REGULARS
NEWS PLANET TOPGEAR DRIVES
Mr Yezdi
Chatting with the man whos witnessed the
birth and death of the Ideal Jawa factory
Sriram
Thinks that when it comes to cars, old isnt
necessarily gold. It can also be platinum...
Shreenand
Cant get Ducatis of his mind. Seriously.
Its his third column on the Italians to date
Nissan GTA
We follow virtual racers on their journey to
becoming real-life racers
Monastery Escape
Our version of Temple Run. And its better
than the one on your smartphone
023
023
028
029
030
Driven this month
Maruti Ciaz 048
Mahindra Scorpio 052
Renault Duster AWD 054
Fiat Avventura 056
Mercedes GLA 058
Hyundai i20 060
Hero Karizma 062
Mahindra Reva e2o 064
Audi Q3 Dynamic 065
Scooty Zest 066
BMW X3 067
Suzuki Gixxer 068
Skoda Yeti 070
AMG GT
This ones looking to take a big slice of
some Porsche 911 and Jaguar F-Type pie
Aston Martin
Get the low-down on two special and
unique cars from the British marque
Midual Type 1
Look at what the French have come up with
after nearly a decade in the shadows
Mazda MX5
The hottest-selling two-door sportscar in
the world goes on a diet
KTM 390 Adventure
The Austrians reveal to us more
adventurous undertakings for our country
Honda Gold Wing
Heads-up, bikers! A big bird is ready to
make India its new nesting place
Volvo XC90
The Scandinavian brand has rediscovered
its groove with this new SUV
L-R Discovery Sport
Hallelujah! A new seven-seat Land Rover
is born
036
018
019
019
020
020
021
CLARKSON 008 HAMMOND 010 MAY 011
14
022
034
048
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 T O P G E A R . C O M 006
CEO Tarun Rai
Editor Girish Karkera
Managing Editor Murali K. Menon
Features Editor Abhinav Mishra
Assistant Features Editor Christopher Chaves
Senior Features Writer Devesh Shobha
Senior Road Tester Agasti Kaulgi
Copy Editor Amaan Ahmed
Senior Art Director Kiran Jadhav
Deputy Art Director Jagdish Limbachiya
Senior Graphic Designer Laxman V. Sarmalkar
Senior Editorial Coordinator Tejal Bhatkar
New Media Editor Gagan Gupta
Photographers Nitin Rose, Rajeev Gaikwad

Contributors (India) Abhishek Mishra, Debabrata Sarkar,
Sriram Narayanan, Rishaad Saam Mehta,
Shreenand Sadhale

Contributing Photographers (India) Bajirao Pawar, Hashim Badani,
Himanshu Pandya, Parag Parelkar,
Shashank MB, Somdutta Nhawkar

Assistant General Manager Marketing Abhishek Krishnan
Senior Brand Manager (Events & IPs) Aakash Mishra
Deputy Brand Manager Sajid Hussain
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Chief Financial Ofcer Subramaniam S.
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Here are some
responses to Sriram
Narayanans July
column on the compact
sedan phenomenon...
I read Srirams Column in the July issue of
TopGear, about the sub- four metre vehicle length
rule. I certainly agree with him on this matter. This
sub- four metre rule has lead to the birth of many
cars, which have evolved out of their hatchback
counterparts. Barring a few, I think most of them
are a design disaster, and would not work in any
other country other than ours. As mentioned, the
new Hyundai Xcent is a good example, the Ford
Ecosport being another and the recently-launched
Tata Zest is a promising one.
The worst example coming out of this is the Maruti
DZire. In my opinion, the engines and the Maruti tag are
the only things its worth. Its one of the best sellers, but I
am quite surprised that people do not think before buying
that car. I am a fan of the Swift and hate the lines ruined
when I see the DZire.
I really like Srirams idea of giving excise cuts to cars which
ofer higher fuel efciency or have class-leading safety
features. The Euro NCAP has deemed many of our Indian
cars unsafe, and almost all have received zero or one stars in
their safety ratings. If the excise cut is given to cars which
are safer and stronger, it would lead to the advent of better
cars in the country and greater safety standards.
Rushabh Shah
I couldnt help but be quite impressed with
everything Sriram wrote about in his column in
the July issue. Personally, I dont like how any of these
hatchbacks with boots look, however, what I liked
the most was the idea of having excise benets for real
and good reasons like having good mileage, or having
safety features.
Indian buyers are as always occupied with the price,
rst and foremost. However, there are people who
are willing to give safety a priority, and even small
reductions in the price for extra safety features would
go a long way.
Manav Sanghavi
Why F1 should fear Max Verstappen
tinyurl.com/tg max v
McLaren P1 vs Porsche 918
tinyurl.com/p1vs918
My @BBC_TopGear @
TopGearMagIndia collection
over the years...
@BEEAYEANOOWHY
Made this racetrack screamer
combining the Zonda F & Huayra.
Race Decals etc.
@ASH_HAYABUSA
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TWEETS & STUFF
How can someone
do this to a Landie?
ASHIRBAD PRAHARAJ VI A EMAIL
Someone parked their X-Wing
in the gym parking lot. The force
is strong with this one!
ANAND SUNDARAM VI A FACEBOOK
s Im sure you know by now, I am no
fan of the bus. In rural areas, I accept,
of course, that it is a necessary evil
because people who are too old to
drive a car need to be able to get to
the shops so they can buy potions
for their phlebitis and tuna chunks
for their cats.
But in cities? No. In cities, everything you ever need is only a
short walk away, and if it isnt you can use a bicycle. And if you
dont want to ride a bicycle, because you are, say, an adult, then
you should buy a car. There is simply no need, then, in urban
areas for a bus. It is too big, too noisy and as often as not its full
of rambling drunkards and murderists.
However, Ive spent the last week or so in continental Europe,
and it seems that many cities there have something even worse.
Its called a tram, and I simply cannot see the point.
If you look on the internet, fans of the idea say they are trains
that operate in city centres, but as we know, everyone
on the internet is a swivel-eyed lunatic and so we must dismiss this
notion straight away. A train is a long-distance tool which runs in a
straight line. It cannot be converted to operate in a
city centre, because it cannot turn left or right at a set of lights.
No. A tram is a bus, which as weve already explained is a
waste of space. But its worse than a bus because its power comes
from overhead electricity cables. This means that many streets in
the city have to be blanketed with high-voltage cables, which is
extremely dangerous not just for tall people like me but also for
small children. Because, as we keep being told, electricity, whether
it comes from windmills, mobile phones or power stations, causes
many diferent types of cancer.
Theres another problem. Because the tram has to remain in
contact with the wires that feed electricity to its motors, the driver
cannot swerve if someone runs into his path. He must just sit
there until his windscreen becomes all red and meaty.
I am always gripped by terror when Im in a city that uses
trams, because I know that if I accidentally stray into their
path, I will denitely be killed. In Rome recently,
I misread a sign while driving a Lamborghini Aventador
and found myself sucked into a tunnel that was full of
the damn things, and I dont mind admitting that quite
a lot of poo came out.
Its bad enough trying to mix cars, pedestrians, cyclists
and lorries. Thats a recipe with disaster written all over it. But
when you introduce blinkered unidirectional trams as well,
youre going to address the housing shortage in double quick
time, thats for sure. Because everyone will be dead.
What staggers me is that we have the ability today to
build monorails. We see them at airports running on maglev
synergy drive systems. This lifts public transport above the
heads of the citys shoppers and is undoubtedly the solution.
But instead, those in charge always say: No. Let us use
instead something from Dickensian times. Its madness, as
stupid as saying you want to go to America in
a sailing boat, rather than in an A380.
Which, of course, brings me to Edinburgh. Its new tram
service opened a few weeks ago and was hailed by the BBCs
online news service as a great success. But its no such thing.
The people of the city had to put up with closed roads and
construction trafc for six years, and all they got was one
14-kilometre line that eventually cost north of `7,000 crore.
Twice the original estimate.
`7,000 crore works out at `1.40 lakh for every man,
woman and child in the city. It wouldve been cheaper to
provide every commuter in the city with a brand-new BMW
i3. It is a criminal waste of money, just so you can get from
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 T O P G E A R . C O M 008
A
TIME TO STOP BEING DICKENSIAN, SAYS
E PROPHET. URBAN TRANSPORT NEEDS
ODERN SOLUTIONS, ONES THAT DON T
VOLVE TRAMS, CANALS OR OMNI BUSES
E R E M Y
IT S T
JC TH
M
INV
the city centre to the airport about six seconds faster
than before.
The only good thing to come out of the asco is that every
other city in Britain is now quietly dropping their plans to build
a tram network. But even this comes with a worry, because we
are talking about local councillors, and theres no telling what
idiocy they may come up with instead. A new network of canals
perhaps. Or a space hopper docking port.
Well, as usual, I have a plan which could be of some use.
Since everyone is obsessed these days with the environment
and living in the past, why not scrap all public transport
and provide the residents of each city with a eet of
horses. Horses are sustainable and organic, and their
exhaust discharge can be used to make the roses on all
the municipal roundabouts much more vivid.
Horses are quieter than trams and dont need to be serviced
very often. They are also cheaper to run. You
dont have to plug a horse into overhead cables unless
it is behaving badly - and you dont need to ll it up with
diesel every few hundred kilometres. Simply leave it in a city
centre park while youre at work, and it will refuel itself
on nothing but grass
I will admit that horses are not comfortable. James,
Richard and I went for a ride in Burma recently and after just
a kilometre, I had a crushed teste, James had a ruined anus
and Richard had a sprained wrist. But this is because we are
unskilled. With a bit of practice, I think we could probably
get the hang of it and then? Well, certainly, Id rather use
a horse to get around London than a bicycle. A horse never
gets a puncture, its chain never comes of and you dont
have to pedal it, which means its easier to get to the top of
Notting Hill. Maybe they could be sponsored by Barclays
and called Boris Horses.
I admit there would be one or two issues. If there
150,000 commuter horses in London, that
ould result in around 40,000 gallons of horse
urine splashing onto the streets every day. As
well as 30 lakh pounds of manure, which would
attract ies, which would spread diseases such
as typhoid.
Also, wed have to reckon on around 40
ses dying every day. Which would be yet
er environmental hazard unless they were
collected promptly. Which they wouldnt be if it were a
council-run enterprise. So pretty soon, thered be a dead
bloated horse on every street corner which
Hmm. Actually, the more I think about this, the more
I reckon it wont work. So hows this for another plan? We
stop messing about with Victorian solutions and accept that
realistically theres only one sensible way of getting about
these days. Its called a car.
It wont give you typhoid, it doesnt cost `7,000 crore,
it can be steered round jaywalkers, it doesnt attract ies, it
doesnt ruin your anus and it wont wander of in the night.
Sounds perfect? Thats because it is.
T O P G E A R . C O M O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 009
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A TRAM DRIVER CANNOT SWERVE.
HE MUST JUST SIT THERE UNTIL HIS
WINDSCREEN BECOMES RED AND MEATY
are
w
u
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a
a
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anothe
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O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 T O P G E A R . C O M 01 0
DIPPING MY TOE INTO
THE SHARK-INFESTED,
THRASHING WATERS
OF FOOTBALL FANDOM
WAS NERVE-WRACKING
O
ne of the team making
our telly show I shant
name him (its Richard
Porter) knows everything
there is to know about cars.
Its as simple as that. His
mind is largely a device for
storing information about cars. He can tie his own
shoelaces, operate a computer and he recently
became a father, so he has other functions too, but
mostly his brain is a sort of eshy cupboard for car
trivia... although this nameless man (its Richard
Porter) would refuse to recognise the automotive
clutter in his head as trivia.
Theres so much of it in there that sometimes it
spills out spontaneously. Should a question regarding
an old Cortina or the designer of an Italian bumper
crop up in a planning meeting, this man (its Richard
Porter) has absolutely no control over his mouth.
He simply supplies the answer. Immediately. Its
a reptilian response as automatic as a crocodiles
mouth snapping shut on its prey. Only a crocodile
doesnt make itself look like a tit when he does it.
Ive counselled this man (his name is Porter,
Richard Porter) against these outbursts, pointing
out that in any social situation beyond a TopGear
planning meeting, which leaves a pretty broad
spectrum of situations really, showing himself to be
a man whose head houses a Big Book of Car Facts
instead of an actual mind, leaves him open to
accusations of anorakacy and chumpishness of the
rst order. But he cant help himself.
Heres the thing, though. During the recent
World Cup, I took my rst, tentative steps into
the world of football fandom. Id never paid
any attention to it before, not because I was
uninterested in the game it looked to be really
rather good but because I was scared of at an
early age by the way everyone around me seemed
to know all about it. They could recite lists of names
and criticise the bearer of each name for their
performance in a certain match decades ago.
Some of their talk wasnt even about playing
football but was, from what I could gather, mostly
about the various businessmen standing around
in grey suits and terrible coats at the side of the
pitch. A clash between two teams was, for them,
as redolent with meaning and context and history
as the Bayeux Tapestry is to David Starkey. Their
minds were, like the man in the ofce (R Porter)
given over entirely to the storage of facts pertaining
to their chosen enthusiasm.
In front of such a panel of expertise, daring to
raise my voice with an opinion during a discussion in
a school playground, I would have felt like a mouse
shouting into a hurricane. So dipping my toe into the
shark-infested, thrashing waters of football fandom
was a nerve-wracking moment, but I did it anyway.
As I was away on tour with the TopGear Live
show, matters were made rather more intense by
the fact that I would be popping my football fan
cherry in the company of mesteemed colleagues
on TopGear. We watched a few of the early
matches in hotel bars, and I slowly built up the
courage to squeak my approval of a certain shot,
and even to shake my head and tut quietly at
what I considered to be an ill-considered pass or
a ballsed-up shot on goal. Naturally, there came a
moment when my humble squeaks and mutterings
were picked up by the bigger, more seasoned fans
around me, and, yes, I came in for some stick.
On a match we watched following an informal,
garden kick-about of our own during which I had
demonstrated exactly the ineptitude as a footballer
that left me standing lonely and unpicked before
every match I ever nearly played at school, it was
pointed out by someone in our crowd that I was
suddenly drawing on my own experience as a
player to criticise those playing on the TV in front
of us and that this was, perhaps, a bit ambitious.
I threshed about a bit in the ensuing tsunami of
abuse, panic rising with the waves around me.
And then assistance started coming from a most
unlikely direction.
A certain one of mcolleagues (it was Jeremy
Clarkson) threw me a rope, pointing out good
moves, agreeing with some of my opinions on
tactics and play and pointing out where I might,
perhaps, look closer and understand more.
Jeremy also came late to football fandom and
perhaps had weathered a similar nerve-shredding
baptism though I cant imagine it. My point is
that we should sometimes stop and consider what
efect our fact-packed observations concerning cars
have on those who might, perhaps, carry a edgling
interest in the subject, but be scared of sharing it
in case they do so in front of a Richard Porter who
stammers and sputters with disbelief that they dont
know the name of the man who employed the
designer of the wheels on the Lamborghini Miura
he will know that, by the way, denitely.
I for one, whilst possessing a mental ling
cabinet a thousand drawers short of Porters
towering edice, shall wait a moment in future
before sneering at someones misidentication of a
car. I have learned through my baptism into football
fandom that the tiny candle of initial interest is
very easily blown out. And that might be a shame.
Somewhere there is the person who will one day
solve all our car problems, sorting hydrogen fuel
cells or anti-gravity wheels, but right now they may
have got no further than thinking, Ooh, I quite like
cars. Wonder what my mates think?
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. BUT IT CAN ALSO BE SOCIALLY
CRIPPLING AND HORRIBLY INTIMIDATING TO OTHERS. USE IT
WISELY OR KEEP SCHTUM, SAYS RH
T O P G E A R . C O M O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 01 1
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IN BRITAIN, A HARLEY
SPORTSTER IS A
STATEMENT, BUT OVER
IN THE STATES, ITS
KINDA LIKE A BIKE
d never ridden a Harley-
Davidson Sportster, which
is an odd state of afairs.
Ive been to the US a
lot, and Ive tried lots of
motorcycles, but never the
one that says American
bike like plastic cheese says American dining
experience. So I borrowed the 1,200cc V-twin
for the day and headed into the hills.
Up ahead, Richard Hammond was on an even
bigger hog; something like the Heritage Big-Boy
Bob-a-Job Fat B*****d. The motorcycle seemed to
have run away by itself.
After a couple of hours, we stopped and
swapped. Then, after another couple, we stopped
for a cheeseburger. The Sportster, we decided,
was the default Yankie Mocycle, the one you get
if you ask someone to pick up a bike for you when
they pop out to the shops for groceries somewhere
in the Midwest. In Britain, a Harley Sportster is a
statement, but over there, its kinda like a bike. We
named it Postman Harley. I cant remember a time
when some incarnation of this bike wasnt
in production.
Usually it happens in a restaurant or hotel,
maybe at a sporting event. Now it was while I
was pulled over at the roadside, but the question
was the same: can Europe and the US really be
so far apart? Their tomatoes are big and bland,
while ours are small and intense, because America
celebrates excess while we celebrate avour. We
like to eat strawberries in strawberry season from
a punnet, for sheer joy, whereas an American
strawberry is a decoration or votive ofering
thats as likely to appear on your returned laundry
as it is on an omelette. Perhaps more importantly,
their roads are broad and largely straight, while
ours wander around, still in thrall to some ancient
itinerants who trod the rst routes.
Maybe this explains it. Bikes from small
countries the UK and Japan, for example are
shaped by matters of efciency, of dealing with
scarce fuel, expensive resources and unexpected
turns. Lightness, sharp handling and high revs in
exchange for displacement are the result. A bike
should, to some extent, and perhaps to a large one,
be minnow-like.
But America is big, and even if you start in the
right state, the way to San Jose is likely to be a
long ride, so you may as well relax. So you sit far
back and low, feet forward. The bars are broad
and the steering responses are leisurely. You could
probably take your hands of and have a bit of a
kip. I bet people have, but I bet they woke up still
rumbling along on a Harley.
Meanwhile, in the Old World, we are bolt
upright at best, and on my own Triumph Im
spinally extended into a yogic pose. Now
Hammond tells me this goes back a lot further
than the dawn of internal combustion, because the
cowboys of the Wild West rode like this, stirrups
extended, slumped in the saddle for days on
end, one hand on the reins. So it might be Rocky
Raccoons fault.
Again, everywhere is a long way away where
Harleys live. The engine is massive, but not that
powerful. The Triumph develops almost twice the
power with not much more than half the capacity,
and is a riot of mechanical action. Progress on the
Harley is achieved one ring stroke at a time, each
one an event in itself rather than part of a bigger
scheme. Im guessing the oil-change intervals are
less critical than they are on a V4 Honda.
Gearchanges? You might need one occasionally.
On a Japanese crotch-rocket, it happens a lot, and
takes a stab of the toe. On the Harley, I lifted my
leg, performed a ourish with my ankle, and stabbed
the next one home. Thats as it should be if it only
happens after 500 kilometres on an interstate.
I found myself lovin ma hog. The road and
the scenery helped, as ever, and the pure pleasure
of riding along displaced any real concerns over
motorcycle technological progress or the ner
points of dynamics. Funny, isnt it? Ive always looked
at them and thought them ridiculous, at least at
home. Unsuited to our European sensibilities. Bulky,
slightly crude, more a badge of nervous midlife than
a means of sustaining the biking muse.
But maybe Im ready now. The big V-twin is not
a perfectly balanced 90-degree job. Its a thumper,
and it transfers its mechanical shortcomings to bars
and pegs which vibrate But this is a good thing

I
ENLIGHTENMENT HAS ARRIVED. THE AGE-OLD
QUESTION OF WHY DESIGN VARIES IN DIFFERENT
COUNTRIES HAS BEEN ANSWERED. READ ON...
hing. and pegs, which vibrate. But this is a good th
Im 51. I knew I was still alive.
O P G E A R E A R . C O M O C T O B E RR 22 0 1 4 01 3 T O P G

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT NEW CARS THIS MONTH
Watch out, 3 Series. The Brits are coming for you TURN OVER
The XEs a real alternative to other
cars in the entry-level luxe segment
BI G THI S MONTH






big ambitions
Jaguar is betting big on the XE. Is this going to be the 3 Series-killer

G E A R . C O M
UM ENGINES
ed in-house, the Ingenium family of petrol and diesel engines is the next generation of motors to power JLR vehicles. Though
ion is scarce at the moment, we know that there will be two four-cylinder mills: a 2.0-litre petrol, and a 2.0-litre diesel. The rst engine
of the line will be the diesel, which will make around 161bhp and 380Nm in the base variant. Jaguar says more powerful versions of
gines will be available at a later date.
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 T O P 01 4
INGENI
Develope
informati
to come o
these eng
he world has been waiting for? B Y A B H I N A V MI S H R A
T O P G E A R . C O M O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 01 5
JAGUAR X-TYPE
This was Fords idea of taking on the German Big Three in the compact luxury sedan segment. Enthusiasts did not warm up
to a front-wheel driven Jaguar that was based on the Ford Mondeo, and Ford struggled to push many of them of showroom
oors. This car brought along quite a few rsts for Jaguar, including the rst Jaguar estate, Jags rst all-wheel-drive variant
and also, Jags rst-ever diesel engine.
ts hard to a judge a book by its cover. Similarly, its
harder to judge how a car will perform on the basis of
its looks. We were introduced to the all-new baby Jag
with much fanfare. The XE wants to be a segment-
buster by oering something that the current crop of
premium executive sedans doesnt.
This is not the rst time Jag has tried to launch a car in
the German-occupied premium mid-size segment. In the
last decade, it was the ill-fated X-Type, which was a
re-skinned Ford Mondeo, and though it was sold for eight
long years, it found very few takers.
Thankfully, the XE has not been spun o an existing
model. Jaguar has invested in an all-new platform to rival
Germanys nest. The stakes are high for Jaguar Land
Rover (JLR), because this architecture will also form the
basis for all future JLRs.
As Nick Miller, Chief Programming Engineer, JLR, puts
it, The XE is developed on a exible platform that can be
lengthened or shortened as per requirements. When
asked if there would be a four-door coupe derivative of the
XE, Miller brushed the question o by saying that the
focus is only on the XE for the time being.
The XEs design isnt path-breaking in any way. Up
front, the headlights and grille look too similar to the
larger XF. The same goes for the rear, which gets a pert
boot, but very generic tail-lights. Were not too happy with
Jag for playing it safe with the XEs design. But with the
family look trending, we guess Jaguar has chosen to
follow the herd.
On the surface, things might look familiar, but dive
deeper, and youll see that the XE has an all-new
Handshake gearlevers in
place. Dash is slightly dour
Pair your smartphone to it,
start engine through an app
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 T O P G E A R . C O M 01 6
BERTONE JAGUAR B99
This was famous Italian design house Bertones take on a baby Jag, shown rst at the 2011 Geneva motor show.
It had blocky styling, as opposed to Ian Callums aggressive designs. Powering it were two electric motors, with a
1.4-litre petrol engine acting as a range-extender. The concept was appreciated by the general public, but clearly,
Jaguar had other plans.
the best of both worlds: a good ride, and even better
handling. Going by the wide stance and the 21-inch wheels,
we do think the car will be a good handler, especially in
S guise.
Life on the leather-lined inside seems quite promising.
It doesnt feel as special as, say, an XFs cabin, but the XE
has quite a few gadgets to keep the social media generation
entertained. The InControl infotainment system comes
with a large 8-inch screen, which you can hook up to your
smartphone to access important apps from your phone.
The system also allows you to remotely operate the climate
control system, or even start the engine from your
mobile phone.
Other driving aids include the laser heads-up display,
which provides information such as speed and navigation.
Further driving assistance includes autonomous braking,
which employs stereo camera technology as seen on the
new Land Rover Discovery Sport. The camera can gauge
speed, distance, and, up to a speed of 50kph, can
automatically apply the brakes to avoid a collision. Though
most of this high-tech stu will be reserved for the
high-end variants, we expect to see the infotainment
system on the base variant as well.
With the XE, Jaguar seems to have created a real
alternative to the other cars in this segment. The styling
may not be revolutionary, but it still looks sharp. There are
lots of features, and if the XE is capable of doing all that it
claims to do, you may probably be looking at the new king
of the hill. Yes, the Germans have a reason to be worried.
aluminium frame. Jaguar claims that 75 per cent of the
structure employs aluminium, while the rest is high-
strength steel. At 1,474 kilos (for the XE S), it is a whole
300kg lighter than the XF. Choose the four-pot motor, and
you can knock o a few more kilos. The weight savings
mean theres less stress on the engine. What it also does, is
make the car more nimble, and this was one key reason
why Jaguar extensively used this lightweight material.
In S trim, power comes from the F-Type-sourced,
3.0-litre supercharged V6 that makes 335bhp and 450Nm
of torque. Going by how eager this engine feels in the
F-Type, we have a fair idea of the kind of acceleration and
tyre-smoking potential the XE S possesses. To put that
adrenaline rush into gures, the XE can sprint to 100kph
in 5.1s, before reaching an electronically-limited top speed
of 250kph.
Transferring all that power to the rear wheels is an
8-speed ZF auto box, which, too, has been nicked from the
F-Type. What is interesting is that abroad, the XE will also
be sold with a 6-speed manual gearbox. The new 2.0-litre
Ingenium engines will surely be paired with the manual,
but we are not sure if the high-performance S variant will
get it. Expect JLR to give the manual a skip in India, as
luxury car buyers here prefer the convenience of
an automatic.
To make it handle better, Jaguar has given the XE
double-wishbone suspension at the front, while the rear
gets a multi-link set-up. Jaguar claims this particular type
of rear suspension is a rst in the segment, and provides
Audi A4
BMW 3 Series
Mercedes C-Class
THE XES FOES
e knew that the SLS was going to
die, and we also knew that from its
ashes, a brand-new AMG sportscar
would rise. It has now, and this is it:
the AMG GT.
Merc had said that this would be
the second most beautiful Mercedes ever
made, with the rst being the legendary
300SL. They were right about the SL, but this...
isnt exactly pretty, is it? Yes, its low, wide, has
a hood thats long enough to span districts,
and there is more than a hint of SLS to the
whole stance. If you observe closely, youll
even see a bit of Porsche 911/Jaguar F-Type in
the rooine. But sadly, the SLS gullwings have
been clipped, and most of us at TopGear arent
particularly taken by the way the GT looks.
One more thing that died along with the
SLS was that glorious 6.2-litre naturally-
aspirated V8, which has now been replaced by a
4.0-litre, twin-turbo V8. In base GT trim, it
makes 462 horses and 600Nm. Sux S to GT,
and itll put out 510hp and 650Nm. Not the
most powerful motor hand-crafted by the
AMG bons, this V8 is paired with a 7-speed
dual-clutch box that sends the power to the
rear wheels. 0-100kph is done away with in 4
seconds by the GT (3.8 for the GT S), and top
speed is 304kph, 6kph down on the S top
whack. Not that much of a gap, is it?
There are a few more dierences between
the stock GT and the S: the GT has a
mechanical dierential, the S has an electronic
di. The S has bigger disc brakes, bigger
wheels, electronically-controlled dampers,
and it can also be specced with dynamic
engine and transmission mounts.
It may use some of the SLS underpinnings,
but the GT is decidedly more compact. The
spaceframe makes extensive use of
aluminium, the whole bodyshell weighs only
231kg, and both GT variants weigh less than
1,600kg. The reason for this is simple: AMGs
kept it small and simple, and has deliberately
shied away from making it unnecessarily
powerful, to make it more manageable and
precise on a racetrack. Thats to take care of
the 911. And then theres the V8 soundtrack
(which can be further enhanced by specifying
the AMG Performance Exhaust) to match the
F-Type R on the drama front.
On the inside, you get S-Class-like AC
vents, and mounted on top of the centre
console are buttons of the AMG Drive Unit
which are laid out like the cylinders in a V8
arrangement. One of the eight buttons is for
the Electronic Stability Program, which can be
switched o completely when youre in the
mood for some sideways action.
Its aiming to do two things at once, the GT.
On one side, its ghting an icon, and on the
other, a complete beauty. And were curious to
know if it can win two battles at the same time.
A three-way comparo should sort that out, no?
e knewthat the SLS was going to mechanical dierential, the S has an electronic
Two birds, one AMG GT
The 911s precision, and the F-Types madness, is what AMG
seems to be keen on offering with its new sportscar B Y A M A A N A H M E D
T O P G E A R . C O M O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 01 7
T
his is the new Aston Martin Lagonda,
yet another ridiculously luxurious and
exclusive super saloon that you cant
buy, unless your passport states that
youre a permanent resident of the
Middle East. Even then, you cant drive
home in one, not as long as Aston Martin
doesnt deem you worthy enough to own one.
In terms of styling, the Lagonda takes
inspiration from the much sought-after
William Towns-designed Lagonda saloon
from 1976, and that explains its long, sleek and
low stance. Engine specs are still a mystery,
but we wont be surprised to see an uprated
version of the 550bhp, 6.0-litre V12 from the
Rapide S. As for the price, only people who
have received a formal invitation would be able
to conrm that.
A
ston turned 100 in 2013, and if you
thought the celebrations had ended,
youd be absolutely wrong. Why?
Because Zagato has revealed images
(and a few details) of its latest one-o
model thats a part of Gaydons 100th
birthday bash.
Its called the Aston Martin Virage Shooting
Brake Zagato, and as we said, only one unit will
ever exist. If you think you can barter your lifes
savings for this model, sorry, you cant. This one
already belongs to a gentleman in Europe.
Not many details are available, but you wont
be wrong in assuming that it has the same
6.0-litre V12 engine with an output identical to
that of the regular Virage. Were not really fond
of the new SBs backside, though. Rarely hear
that about Italian models, do we?
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 T O P G E A R . C O M 01 8
The Lagonda is back!
Zagato does Aston... again
The Middle East does not like the Rapide. So, Astons resurrected an old nameplate
Zagato brings out the Aston Martin Virage Shooting Brake to complete
Astons titanium jubilee-celebrating trilogy
T O P G E A R . C O M O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 01 9
azda recently pulled out all stops
and revealed the all-new MX-5. The
MX-5 has been around for over 25
years. With over 9,47,000 cars being
produced, it holds the Guinness World
Record for being the best-selling two-
seater sports car of all time. This MkIV
model, which will go on sale in Europe in
2015, is expected to be a hoot to drive, as it
weighs 100kg less than the outgoing model
of

gravity than the outgoing model. Though
Mazda saw t to not release many
technical details, what we can tell you is
that the new car boasts Mazdas
SKYACTIV technology, which includes
SKYACTIV-G petrol engine, and the rst
rear-wheel drive model based on the
SKYACTIV chassis. The new MX-5 is at a
level comparable to the original model,
which revived the market for aordable
lightweight sportscars when it was
launched back in 1989.
single-piece cast aluminium frame will be available
in a wide range of nishes, while a number of
high-quality materials have gone into the making of
this highly-customisable machine, like the oak
wood instrument panel, and the leather knee grips.
The nishing reveals the highly reputed expertise
of some seriously skilled French craftsmen. Only
35 Type 1s will be produced and sold to
European customers in 2016. Dont feel too bad,
because a single Type 1 will inict a Rs 1.4 crore
dent in your bank balance. But on the brighter
side, each motorcycle will feature its owners
name on a plaque on the top of the frame. Not all
bad news now, is it?!
A
M
The new French model youd want to know all about
Meet the new Miata
French Excess
MXd signals
weighs 100kg less than the outgoing m
and surprisingly, has shrunk in terms o
size, and has an even lower centre of
More than 45 types of
leather are oered
as standard
fter spending over a decade in the dark, luxury
French motorcycle manufacturer Midual is back
in the limelight after showcasing its spanking
new Type 1 at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours
dElegance. The Type 1 is powered by a unique 1,036cc
boxer engine (developed completely in-house) that
spits out 106bhp and 100Nm of torque. The sculpted,
elieve it or not, the touring bike market in
India is growing by leaps and bounds.
Harley has been around for a while, Indian
Motorcycles brought along the Chieftain, its
long-distance tourer, and now, its Hondas turn
to oer a bike that can handle cross-country
trips. And its got just the product: the
Gold Wing.
Widely recognised as one of the nest
touring bikes in the world, the Gold Wing gets
pretty much everything youd ever want on a
motorcycle: a stereo, navigation system, heated
grips, footrests and seats, ABS, and, you can
also have it tted with an airbag!
A 1.8-litre, liquid-cooled six-cylinder engine,
mated to a ve-speed transmission, is
responsible for propelling this 400-420kg
two-wheeler.
As you may have guessed, it wont be cheap.
At all. Since it will be a direct import (and thus,
well have both variants - the standard Gold
Wing, as well as the F6B) when it is launched
before the end of 2014, itll end up with a price
tag of `35-40 lakh. Look at it as a more
adventurous, slightly pricier way to tour
the world.
B
Adventure
calling
Hondas globe-trotter is headed
straight for the Indian market
Incoming!
TG
EXCLUSIVE
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 T O P G E A R . C O M 020