A Technology Showcase Or Benchmark Performer?
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in Dubai in Nissan Micra Micra Nissan Nancy Ajram Ajram Nancy launches new launches Visit us online at online us Visit www.automanweb.com A SE OYOT T RY RY ORTY SIDE OF THE THE OF SIDE ORTY ESTSELLER B SP CAM 2012 2012 Oman’s Best Automotive Resource OMR 0.500 AED 5.00 QR 5.00 Resource OMR 0.500 AED 5.00 Automotive Oman’s Best IECE P STER MA FRENCH DESIGN DESIGN FRENCH 508 2012 PEUGEOT PEUGEOT 2012 SS SS A L C No 129 May 2012 No EFINED INSIDE INSIDE EFINED OUT R BENZ M- BENZ 2012MERCEDES- A technology showcase or benchmark performer? benchmark or showcase technology A 129 AUTOMAN MAY 2012 LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR, PEUGEOT 508, TOYOTA CAMRY SE, AUDI A6, M-B M CLASS, NEW YORK MOTOR SHOW, MOTORSPORTS GC-AUTOMAN-230x300.pdf 1 4/25/12 6:43 PM Automan Omn 460x300 E F.indd 1 4/17/12 3:39 PM Automan Omn 460x300 E F.indd 1 4/17/12 3:39 PM A deceptive car and fun F1 track test it on: Lamborghini’s stealth bomber, the Aventator isn’t just about looks or composite technology 32 application. SPOTLIGHT SPOTLIGHT FIRST DRIVE Audi Mainstream Chery Automobils is upping product cars the domestic game with impressive concepts were more talked about at this year’s 22 24 auto show 40 Y o u than the usual JUST list of wild would think that a car Who would have imagined that Ferrari would go all the way and create a model with all the concepts and of the size and demeanour of the AMATTER trappings for the Chinese market? far-off exotics. A6 needed a large engine. What would While flashy you make of its 2.0-litre unit then? We luxury and OF sports models put the small 4-pot through its dominated the Audi filled their stands quite cleverly with older “A” badged siblings and models like the R8 GT Spyder, TT RS, paces RS5, S8 and A4 allroad quattro.The new S6 and S7 were conspicuously missing! Subaru’s concept teaser kept people guessing till the first press day, Author: Raj Warrior Photography: Raj Warrior TIME last minute! it was family vehicles and That China is the most promising pickups that market in the world was evident were the BMW at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show. highlight on Domestic and international day two. players rubbed shoulders with It’s no secret that in the Jeep is also looking at traditional Chinese inspiration each other to get attention with automotive show business in it’s line-up an array of concepts, global in North America, the New Lamborghini’s ultimate super athlete contender in the SAV segment. The Lamborghini Urus York International Auto unveils and adaptations. This is Concept promises to completely redefine dynamics and design in this category. The Urus Show which comes after combines unique design, a fascinating interior and outstanding performance with versatility and the Detroit show in January just the beginning... everyday usability, says Lamborghini. competes head-on for second place with Chicago and Los Angeles. But this year, the focus on the recovery of the American Mercedes-Benz now focuses on small A- and B-Class models for BRIC auto market and it seems markets with some aggressive styling and engineering that automakers have decided to use whichever platform is available, to Porsche has upped its gen II 2013 Cayenne GTS not only Audi presented the RS badged Q3 concept at China its fullest capacities. Such in the powertrain department but also in features a move has ensured that BMW showcased some updated models such as the 2013 Chrysler Group has officially re-entered China and the Viaggio smaller shows such as X6 coupe-crossover for the first time, but the carmaker’s is a Dodge Dart derived China specific model New York show becomes real focus was on promoting its ‘M’ badge. We know that an important focal point the M6 coupe was unveiled in Geneva, the drop-top version for carmakers to offer first of the big, M-tuned two-door made it debut in New York. glimpses of some new Just like the previous-generation model, the new M6 twins EDITORIAL NOMINEE models or concepts. The share nearly all of their components with the four-door M5. AUDI A6 2.0 TFSI show attracted almost As such, the 2012 BMW M6 convertible boasts the same every player in the business 560-hp, 500-lb-ft twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 as its fixed-roof PREMIUM CAR and Automan takes a siblings. The M6’s powerplant is 10 per cent more powerful look at the important cars and also 30 per cent more efficient than the previous 2012 unveiled at the show. 5.0-litre V-10 and is mated to seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. A little heart of gold 22 23 24 25 46 47 in this issue NEWS COVER STORY MOTORSPORTS 06 AMG Performance Tour in Abu Dhabi 32 Stealth Bomber Lamborghini Aventador 72 Formula 1 race reports from Bahrain/ 08 Regional and local car launches, events 40 Setting frugal standards in a mid-sized Shanghai and automotive news sedan -- Audi A6 74 WRC in Portugal ROAD TESTS 78 MotoGP BRANDWATCH 52 Turbo rules in the swanky Peugeot 508 14 Jaguar confirms F-Type, Nissan plans 46 Sporting Genius – Toyota Camry SE INTERVIEW new hatchback 80 Craig Hardie, CEO, Zawawi Trading 16 Rolls-Royce looking at hybid cars PREVIEWS 17 Future Mazdas to use Takeri design 70 Hyundai Santa Fe CHICANE 72 Porsche Cayenne GTS Gen II 80 Raj gets nostalgic after Thailand visit SPOTLIGHT 74 Lamborghini J concept Visit our website for daily updates! 22 Beijing motor show curtain raiser TECH TALK 24 Highlights from the New York motor 70 Understanding fuel injection show www.automanweb.com NEXT ISSUE SUV & PICK UP SPECIAL! PREVIEW FIRST DRIVE FIRST DRIVE hether it was the high cost of the Yen or the Japanese disaster year with the tsunami and T o Wnuclear issue, Toyota were left scrambling last year. create the striking On top of a great However, outside the public gaze the company has been product upgrade, battling on many fronts from a few years – with an almost open top Aventador J, vindictive and ill-informed campaign against its legendary Lamborghini didn’t just remove the reliability and engineering excellence being waged on behalf the Camry now of the ‘consumer’ by the US authorities. Now the brand has roof and windscreen from the donor the opportunity to take a breather, regroup and grow. And all comes with a this has been brought about by the brand’s new strategy that Aventador. Engineers have put in all what 46 is so keenly product and process oriented. 52 they have learnt in advanced composite 74 sporty edition. We The new Camry was the first vehicle to come out of the restructuring of the brand’s focus under the watchful gaze construction in this car so far check out the end of Akio Toyoda. There was no longer a need to get huge production numbers for the sake of volume. The product had product to be right the first time and it was this clear message in the product that won it our Automan Car of the Year in the mid- size car segment in 2011. Now we had the SE variant of the car and this version is the brand’s attempt to put a sporting flavour on the Camry. Essentially the platform and the model remain the same. The current generation of the Camry is called the XV50 platform, which was a major revamp on the previous XV40. Superbly upgraded interiors and some major sheetmetal Peugeot needed EDITORIAL NOMINEE modifications are a signature of the new platform as much as the new steering feel and performance characteristics. a car like the 508 TOYOTA CAMRY SE The new sheet metal has brought with it striking good looks even on the normal sedan. When you take the sporty for sometime now MID-SIZE CAR 2012 SE variant, you get the car with the sports body kit. This means that the headlights remain the same but almost in the GCC region. every other part of the front fascia now gets an edgy quality to it. It is almost as if the Toyota badge and the number After all, how plate just below it are the centre of a very busy area. The When lower airdam is hogged by large black inserts, with rising many hatchbacks horizontal slats and the area just below the number plate a product can they sell? We test the 508 and rescues assess whether the marque has a marque met its new mark. Author: Raj Warrior Photography: Raj Warrior Camry gets the EDITORIAL NOMINEE Sporting edge PEUGEOT 508 Lamborghini MID-SIZE CAR 2012 Author: Raj Warrior Photography: Raj Warrior Aventador J concept 46 47 52 53 74 75 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mohammad Al Taie AL ROYA PRESS & PUBLISHING As usual this month offers one of the most concentrated doses of information about PO Box: 343, Postal Code 118 all things automotive. Somehow it seems to be a habit with us - that each succeeding Al Harthy Complex issue brings with it a bigger and better content base. Sultanate of Oman Email: [email protected] Consider that at one time Oman was considered an automotive backwater when Website: www.automanweb.com compared to the rest of the region, but this month has shown that we are quite abreast Editorial office: with all things automotive.