EDITOR-IN-CHIEF The year 2012 is upon us. Irrespective of what doomsday cultists may say about the Mohammad Al Taie outcome of this year, for the automotive industry we think 2012 will be a signature year – of course with a few provisos in place. 2011 in itself was both a year of opportunity and impediments. If you look back to AL ROYA PRESS & PUBLISHING the beginning of the year – the Tsunami and resultant washout of a significant part of PO Box: 343, Postal Code 118 Al Harthy Complex Japanese car production and the ongoing drama over the leaking Nuclear reactor – you Sultanate of Oman can see that the first quarter itself gave portents of what to expect. Supply side problems meant that practically all the mainstream Japanese brands have had a lacklustre first Email: [email protected] Website: www.automanweb.com half which allowed the Korean duo of Hyundai and Kia to ramp up sales and marketshare in key markets. Now more than ever the distinction between models based upon their Editorial office: country of origin is shrinking as customers are getting used to feature-rich offerings Tel: +968 24479888 Extn 300, Fax: +968 24479889 Circulation office: making up for perceived quality shortages. On the other hand the benchmark for Tel: +968 2456 2360, Fax: +968 2456 2194 production quality has also risen significantly. PUBLISHER Hatim Al Taie [email protected] Many new models also saw the light of day in 2011 as marques entered new territory in an attempt to gain mainstream acceptance as well as entry into profitable volume EDITOR & GM segments. The Evoque, X1 and Q3 are all biting the heels of the premium crossover Raj Warrior [email protected] segment, while the A1 takes Audi into territory where its biggest competition is from the EXECUTIVE EDITOR Polo and Golf R range. We can’t forget the number of variants that the top-end of the car Chandan B Mallik [email protected] market is producing – with market specific focus as well an attempt to meet the niche DESIGN demands of the wealthy. Sawsan Al Muharbi [email protected] 2011 also saw its share of model line renewals with so much happening in the past few HEAD OF MARKETING Maged Aziz [email protected] months that we regularly find ourselves out of pages to cover them all. CIRCULATION 2012 is giving all indications of going one-up on its predecessor. And to us, the best sign [email protected] of a change is the way in which the Auto Expo in New Delhi is now far more significant FINANCE & ADMIN than the usual annual show at Detroit. Who knew this day would come, when the GCC Abraham Daniel [email protected] market would be sourcing so much from the Asian side of the globe that the burgeoning Sumy Mol [email protected] Indian car market would become this important? GCC markets will get the new Sunny, WEBSITE & IT Figo and a few other models from India. And these aren’t from Indian brands but global Mohammed F Draz [email protected] ones. In addition Chinese models and China-sourced global models are gaining ground due to the keen pricing. We are going to see a lot more of them this year. PRINTER Ruwi Modern Printers LLC But nothing will mean as much as the Car of the Year awards which will debut this Tel: +968 2479 4167, 2479 8157 Fax: +968 2470 0545 January. We are carrying the shortlist of the finalists this month. Look out for next month’s issue for the winners. In the meantime a Happy New Year and a profitable one too to all our readers! © 2012 All editorial content of Automan in the magazine and its website is copyrighted and may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the manage- ment of AL ROYA PRESS & PUBLISHING Automan accepts unsolicited exclusive editorial material, but reserves the right to publish any such material. Once published, the copyright for any such material will vest with AL ROYA PRESS & PUBLISHING k in this issue 107 10 SPOTLIGHT {ROAD TEST} The refreshed and redesigned all-new entry level 2012 Dodge Charger and its bigger NEWS engine R/T variant proves that you can have the best of both worlds in one car: American muscle and European comfort. Automan finds the recipe interesting at Pentastar Wrangler in ME 4 both levels TECHNO FEST Author Chandan B Mallik Photography Raj Warrior Refreshed 2012 Pilot, Even in its new location, Japan’s biennial Motor Show in Tokyo last month was a fabulous experience ergio Marchionne, CEO of both Fiat model with body kit and an extreme and Chrysler has made a couple of professionally tuned and prepped R/T badged he 42nd biennial Tokyo Motor Show things quite clear in his multi brand 6.4-litre V8 for adrenalin seekers. Although Bridgestone drives safety 6 for the motoring fraternity, S Twelcomed a new home called the Tokyo global operation. While Chrysler’s portfolio the Charger still rides on a Mercedes-Benz technology lovers et al. Automan Big Sight. The decision to move from the sees some changes to suit its mainstream derived E-Class platform, Dodge says that show’s former home, Makuhari Messe in business objectives, Dodge and Jeep the architecture has been re-engineered so looks at the highlights of this very Chiba City [the show’s home since 1989] was will continue to be reinforced with their much that it now considers it its “second- based on logistical benefits/considerations. respective niches. Marchionne says Dodge generation” E-segment platform. unusual mix of contemporary and As a result the show is now closer to the will continue to focus on performance and At first glance it goes without saying that city centre and to help rectify the emptiness that’s something the Middle East markets the re-skinned Charger has some presence. US-built Camry for Asia 22 future under one roof of the vast, but ultimately empty, exhibition enjoy even at times when there’s a Although, immediately recognizable, the halls of the 2009 show. This year saw Toyota, conscientious effort by some car makers to styling changes include the return of the Author Chandan B Mallik Nissan, Honda, Daihatsu, Subaru and Suzuki offer heavily downsized products. famed crosshair grille and re-profiled all showcase new concept and production But for Dodge, things operate at a headlamps and the new deep character lines vehicles including: the hotly anticipated different level and that’s one of the key on the sheet metal. The car’s side profile is ‘86’ / BRZ combination from Toyota and reasons why it’s actually rare these days to also sleeker and more coupe-esque than Subaru;Suzuki’s Q and Regina concepts; find a brand and products that say a lot. the outgoing model, thanks to the slippery Daihatsu’s D-X, FC ShoCase and Pico concept And 2011, was also an interesting year for roofline. Even the revised wheel designs models; and a plethora of new concept and the markets, especially muscle markets for look more upmarket now. But moving on to production models from Honda. As you’ll see the extensively reengineered inside out new the rear, by far, the biggest style change is from the next 6 pages, there were a lot of Charger. the full-width tail lamp arrangement which electric drive vehicles on display from two- Actually, the outgoing and incoming now visually links the Charger with both wheeled models on up. Some are already in models don’t look very different as they past Dodge models besides its sibling – production. Some are in the pre-production evolve from a common ancestry. They have the Challenger. Dodge calls the tail lamps stage and some are just exercises in pure the identical footprint [120in wheelbase] a “racetrack” graphic when all the bright fantasy. As expected there were some and they use the same basic platform LEDs [164 in all] are lit up. Below the tail FEATURES surprises too. Read on… architecture – but that’s not a disqualification lamps, one can’t miss out the new squared- considering the fact that chassis design is off exhaust tips. so flexible these days that to shrink it or The cabin and interior of this car is a widen it is just a matter of a few clicks. welcome departure from the often criticized However, going deeper on an engineering interiors of the past. We had the opportunity level, the new Charger line-up has been to experience both entry and mid-level designed to cater to a wide range of needs models in UAE and Oman respectively. – from users who want the look of an Welcome are the upgraded materials and We join a Mitsubishi off-road aggressive faced car with some moderate more cosmetically appealing designs as performance, 3.6-litre V6 fuel economy and well as the now corporate wide three-spoke 26 62comfort, to a bigger 5.7-litre V8 powered steering wheel [nearly every new Chrysler 22 23 60 61 event to discover Oman 8 The Bentley open-tops thrill PREVIEW {ROAD TEST} on the Yas Marina circuit 14 Big thing BRANDWATCH For 2012, Volkswagen introduces a highly reworked Tiguan, its smallest SUV, so much so that it could be considered as all-new. Detroit Motorshow teasers Automan checks out this new arrival in Oman Author Chandan B Mallik Photography author the Old GM ceases to exist 18 BMW promotes green tech, Infiniti out of Japan 20 Lamborghini’s all-new Murceilago replacement, the Aventador is living proof of what Lamborghini can technologically offer in a blue-blooded sports car while meeting contemporary parameters 38 Author Chandan B Mallik 56 34 35 54 55 Q&A PREVIEW SPECIAL FEATURE With Hyundai designer ercedes’ flagship coupe-cabriolet it’s the engineering and packaging efficiency Sixth generation 2012 Mercedes designated as the SL [also known that’s become the talking point.