Summer is here, and you know what that means…open top driving! The ed revels in his childhood fantasy of spending a day driving a sparkling red Ferrari, that too on roads not too far away from home! Speaking of childhood fantasies, who out there hasn’t wanted to assume the mantle of a certain dapper MI6 agent? Read more about how our ed matches up to the persona, that too in not-so-quintessential Bond car, the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera!
Now, on the topic of Astons, we would be remiss to not mention the brand’s plans to absolutely set the mid-engined sportscar market on fire; hence, we bring you up close and personal with not one but two new Aston Martin models: The AM-RB 003 and the Vanquish Vision concept.
Next, we take the scenic summer by the horns, with a drive down India’s east coast in the Mahindra Marazzo and another (shorter) drive to Nagpur in the Renault Kwid. Also, we take the current batch of small (and not so small) SUVs and put them through the paces.
Finally, we sample the upgraded Bajaj Dominar, all new Yamaha MT-15, BMW F 850 GS and lots more!
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The contents
Ferrari Portofino – An entire day spent with the Prancing Horse, the epitome of open-top motoring. However, this time around, we’re not going to some Spanish coast or American highway…but just a hop-skip-and-jump away to our very own Aamby valley!
Aston Martin DBS Superleggera – The Aston, a preferred steed for James Bond, is usually all about relaxed touring in an elegant yet understated package. But swap the V8 for a V12 and bolt two turbochargers to it, and all subtlety goes right out the window!
BMW M2 – We try to get to grips with the smallest member of BMW’s fabled ‘M’ family, that is still equally agile and ferocious as the best and fastest to come from that legendary stable
Aston Martin AM – RB 003 and Vanquish Vision concept – Aston Martin seems to be taking the idea of breaking away from convention a bit too seriously. After unveiling the absolutely mental Valkyrie, they are now making enthusiasts salivate with the AM-RB 003 and the all-new Vanquish.
Driven : VW T-Cross – Volkswagen India has big plans, with the proposed entry of the T-Cross compact SUV. Agreed, when it does hit our shores, it may be heavily reworked. But that didn’t stop us from getting a taste for things to come!
Mercedes-Benz C-class vs Jaguar XE vs BMW 3GT – We get into the mind of the run-of-the-mill tycoon and try to best answer that niggling question of how best to spend half-a-million rupees on a four-wheeled mode of transport.
Mahindra XUV300 vs rivals – The Mahindra XUV300 is slated to be the weapon of choice for champion rallyist Gaurav Gill in the INRC. So how much of the built-for-rallying credentials make it to the road? And can it hold its own against the competition?
Tata Harrier comparo – The Tata Harrier has been the latest entrant in the SUV segment, and is poised to really rock the boat with its Land Rover-derived underpinnings. But can it go toe-to-toe with the established players in terms of performance, comfort and value?
Mahindra Marazzo Ocean drive – The west coast of India, as much as we hate to admit it, no longer excites us. And as evo India is all about the Thrill Of Driving, we take it along the other coast, southwards from Kolkata, to see exactly the kinds of gems that we can encounter.
Kwid to the hinterland – Nothing says summer more than juicy oranges. And with the Nagpur, the country’s orange capital, being within driving distance, we couldn’t resist taking the ever ready, able and willing little Renault Kwid for a little jaunt.
Cartier Concours D’ Elegance – Knowing that a large part of the car way of life includes the history of four wheels, the Bossman curates a trip down memory lane, replete with shining examples from way back when.
Bajaj Dominar UG – The Bajaj Dominar has been spending time in the gym, and appears to be a little bigger and a whole lot stronger. We take it for a quick spin and separate the fact from the fiction.
TVS Young Media Racer programme – Not content with simply going fast, we take to the racetrack and lock horns (proverbially) with others in the fraternity, for a shot at the prize. Watch this space for how that will pan out, a few months from now.
JK tyre back in rallying – Speaking on racing, we bring you the juice about JK Tyre’s imminent return to rallying, and the VW-badged weapon of choice which shall lead the offensive!
BMW F 650 and F 850 GS – Speaking of upgrades, we pit the new F 850 GS against its ‘Funduro’ grandad the F 650 from two decades ago…and come away with a some surprising revelations.