Mahindra’s groundbreaking EVs, the cars Ratan Tata created, JDM legends, Audi A6 e-tron, Maybach EQS 680, Icons of Porsche, AMG C 63 S E Performance, and much more in the December 2024 issue of evo India

The BE 6 and XEV 9e headline the December 2024 issue of evo India! These two bold SUVs with cutting-edge designs, exceptional features, and performance that rivals German luxury EVs, but at a fraction of the cost. With a 79kWh battery, rear-wheel drive, and 282bhp, these EVs offer over 500km of real-world range and promise to disrupt the market. Alongside these game-changers, Audi's A6 e-tron Sportback, with its 100kWh battery and a WLTP range of 756km, is set to arrive in India in 2025. In this issue, we also drive the Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680, and the Tata Nexon with a new 45kWh battery.

Also in this issue, Aston Martin’s new Vanquish roars in with a 824bhp pure combustion V12, while Mercedes-AMG’s C 63 S E Performance proves that four cylinders and 1020Nm of torque are more than enough for thrilling lap times at the Buddh International Circuit. Ed goes to Modena to drive the Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II Black Badge, and a Ratan Tata tribute that showcases the cars that defined a visionary era in Indian motoring, from the Sierra to the Nexon EV. We also drive the MG Cyberster GT, an electric roadster ready to challenge its ICE counterparts, and is headed for launch in India in January!

For two-wheel motoring enthusiasts, Royal Enfield introduces the Classic 650, and the bobber-inspired Goan Classic 350. We also compare two uncommon rivals that serve a similar purpose in the market – TVS Jupiter 110 and Ather Rizta Z.

We bring you a story of two fast and pretty Volkswagens in the new GT Plus Sport trim, take the Mahindra Thar Roxx to Igatpuri’s rugged trails, a buying guide on the Volkswagen GT TSI, and a look at the Icons of Porsche in Dubai, featuring legendary race cars like the 956 and 962C. Whether it’s the thrill of a tuned Volkswagen Beetle with Skoda Octavia RS hardware or the elegance of a Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680, this issue is packed with excitement. December 2024’s evo India has it all – don’t miss it! Get your copy now. Order here.

Ratan Tata’s cars

The man responsible for taking the Indian automotive industry to the heights it has scaled today. The man responsible for India’s first indigenous car. The man who laid the foundations for India’s electrification journey. The man who led the acquisition of Jaguar and Land Rover. We pay homage to Ratan Tata and bring together the cars that he was involved in, from the Sierra, Estate and Safari to Indica, Nano and even the short-lived Fiat partnership and the mighty successful JLR story, these are the cars and events that shaped India’s automotive history.

Mahindra BE 6 and XEV 9e

Production-spec EVs with intergalactic design! That’s how Mahindra have jumped into the future with the BE 6 and the XEV 9e. The 79kWh battery delivers 500km real-world range, rear-wheel drive and 282bhp delivers driving thrills, and most importantly there’s disruptive pricing. With features, power, looks on par with the world’s best, the waves these electric vehicles are creating is unreal. We’ve spent time behind the wheel of both of them at Mahindra’s proving ground in Chennai.

JDMs reunion

If there’s one country that has dedicated its focus to excellence in everything engineered, it is Japan. Cars are no different. And with Japanese modern classics’ value soaring high again, there’s no better way to celebrate it than to bring these together for an epic JDM reunion.

Toyota Motorsport museum

Under the belly of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe (TGR-E) wind tunnel facility in Cologne, lies Toyota’s three-dozen rally, endurance and Formula 1 race cars. The cars still get their days out on the road, and have typically Japanese quirks like a tennis ball placed on the GT-One, to remind the staff to remove the air scoop cover before starting the car. We also speak to John Day, who runs this automotive haven, and also one of only three people to get behind the wheel of K-LM 1998, aka the sole GT-One road car.

Audi A6 e-tron Sportback

Remember the A6? That has been replaced by the all-electric A6 e-tron Sportback. Based on the new PPE platform, with multiple drivetrains options, we’re likely getting the Sportback Performance with a 100kWh battery, 756km WLTP claimed range, 362bhp, 580Nm, and rear-wheel drive! The backseat isn’t going to close any deals, but there’s plenty else to look forward to when it launches here in the first half of 2025.

Icons of Porsche

The festival in Dubai is a celebration of Porsche, its history, community and of course the cars. The coolest stuff at the festival were the old endurance race cars – the Rothman’s liveried 956, 962C in the red-yellow Shell livery, and the 911 GT1 98-R race car. The Manthey 911 GT3 RS also made its global debut here. With GT cars, Turbo 911s, modded Cayennes and even hypercars like the Carrera GT and 918 Spyder on display, this is a truly special experience for the enthusiast.

Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II Black Badge

Welcome to an episode of the lifestyles of the rich and famous, with the Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II Black Badge. A nip, tuck and more bespoke possibilities on the subtle evolution of the gen 2 Ghost until the eventual transition to full electrification. No hybridisation here, yet. The editor drives this V12 through the hills of Modena, Italy to test if the ₹10.35 crore price tag is enough, or if you need to add another thousand options, and move the price point higher.

Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E Performance

The similar 4-cylinder drama continues here, but does that affect performance? A mammoth 1020Nm, and 0 to 100kmph in 3.4 seconds is what the new hybrid C 63 promises! And what better place to test all the F1 tech it comes packing than India’s only F1 track, the Buddh International Circuit. Does all the hybridisation and carbonfibre bits cover up for the missing few cylinders? We find out!

Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680

What do you need in life? A Maybach certainly can’t qualify as a need, but once you’ve experienced one, nothing else will do. The Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 gets executive rear seats with massage functions, and ventilation with neck and shoulder heating. You can spec it with tray tables, a refrigerator and champagne flute holders. But if you get behind the wheel, then you will have fun too. 0 to 100kmph in 4.4 seconds, and rear-wheel steering. Who knew the answer to life’s most troubling questions lay in a ₹2.25 crore electric Maybach?

Aston Martin Vanquish

The new Vanquish hits the ground running, but it needs to because it goes up against the mighty Ferrari 12 Cilindri. The Aston with its all-new 5.2-litre V12 makes 824bhp, and goes from 0 to 100kmph in 3.3 seconds. At a time when others are adding hybrid assist and huge weight to extend their shelf life, we should be grateful that Aston still sees the value of a purely ICE-powered car. “The best Aston of the last 25 years,” is the verdict, and this is not a story you want to miss!

MG Cyberster GT

A good-looking electric roadster car? We’re sold. Meet the MG Cyberster GT. This is a really important car for a number of reasons. For one, it marks MG’s return to building roadsters, picking up a lineage that stretches back to the original Midgets of the 1930s. With exotic looks, 496bhp, and a 3.2 second 0-100kmph sprint time, the MG Cyberster GT has the on-paper firepower to take the fight to the ICE opposition. While the handling isn’t in sportscar territory, does it stand strong enough to take on the competition to the upcoming electric Porsche Boxster?

Mahindra Thar Roxx 4x4

The Thar Roxx has made waves but how good is it off the road? To find out, we head to the Mahindra Adventure Academy in Igatpuri, where we not only test the Smart Crawl Assist, and Intelli Turn features, but also the sheer ruggedness.

Half Price Heroes: Volkswagen Polo GT TSI

The Volkswagen Polo is a hero car for many reasons. Famously for its enthusiastic performance and handling, and its potential to take on mods, but also infamous for potential reliability issues, especially with the DQ200 gearbox. Nevertheless, the Polo still soars high in the list of enthusiastic hatches in India, years after its discontinuation. In this guide, we cover everything you would need to know before purchasing a GT TSI, and even tips to take care after you call it yours!

TVS Jupiter 110 v Ather Rizta Z

Scooters are the unsung heroes of daily commutes, and here we compare rivals that are uncommon, but common in many ways – TVS Jupiter 110 and Ather Rizta Z. Does an ICE scooter still win the day, against a modern-day tech infused electric scooter?

Royal Enfield Classic 650

The Interceptor and GT650 kicked RE’s parallel twins into a segment where the most logical competition was, and is, Triumph’s classic Bonneville range. Now the Classic 650 has joined the party. The instrument cluster is very similar to that on the Classic 350, but the design has changed, and there’s new two-tone paint options now. There’s even a lower seat height available as an accessory!

Royal Enfield Goan Classic 350

RE’s take on the bobber has transformed the Classic 350 into a bike that does proper justice to its name. RE slapped on taller handlebars, removed the pillion seat, cut off the rear fender, slashed the exhaust, and put on cross-spoke wheels. At ₹2.35 lakh, the Goan Classic 350 is ₹30,000 more than the standard Classic 350, but is that premium worth it?

Launch Control 7.0

We head to the home of fast cars – Buddh International Circuit – with the AMG C 63 S E Performance to see if the 4-cylinder AMG with F1 tech stands the test against the bigger V8s and V12s. Day 1 at Launch Control 7.0 stayed true to its name and was all about drag races, while for day 2, we headed out to the autocross track, where Anand Mohan managed to get some air-time!

Tuned: Volkswagen Beetle

Modified cars generally have the basics – intake and exhaust mods, extreme bodywork, suspension mods, maybe an engine remap. But this Volkswagen Beetle is different. It gets a whole new front end, with the engine, parts and wiring from a Mk1 Skoda Octavia RS. It also gets a transmission swap from an automatic to a five-speed manual ’box. Does this bug bite?

Volkswagen Virtus and Taigun

We’ve driven the Volkswagen Virtus and Taigun for a fair bit now. Not only in the Rann of Kutch, but also for 24 hours at full speed around Natrax. But these are the GT Plus Sport variants, the ones with black accents and sportier elements. With the responsive nature of the 1.5-litre TSI engine, you’ll find yourself shifting gears and demanding the most out of these machines, because that’s the mood they put you in. And what’s life without such thrilling machines?

Poster: Lexus LFA, Subaru Impreza 22B STi, Nissan GT-R

Japanese legends, together in this month’s epic poster