CALIFORNIA, ESPECIAlLY me northern bit, is purpose-built for driving romantics. Out here, you’rethe star in your own private movie. It’s happening right now, though we might have inadvertentlycast ourselves in the wrong film. We’re on the edge of the Sierra de Salinas mountain range, near Carmel Valley, where Clint Eastwood used to be the mayor. There are vast tracts of farmland either side of us, with one long, bendy road spearing through me middle. We’re in Porsches new flyweight Boxster Spyder, which weighs ],275kg. This isn’t just 80kg lighter man the regular Boxster S, it makes it the lightest model in the current Porsche range. With 320bhp on tap, the power-to-weight ratio is what you might call promising.

There’s a big, blue sky above us, and an orangey winter sun. We’re following another Boxster Spyder, whose exhaust emits a fruity Porsche parp as its driver works his way through me ‘box. Its back tyres kick up little curlicues of dust as it runs momentarily wide. Romantic, see?

Overtaking out here isn’t the teeth- gnashing lottery that is, say, junction 19 of the M25 on a wet Wednesday evening. In fact, in 20 minutes we see just one other vehicle. Unfortunately, it’s a vehicle that happens to be about 60ft long, and has mad Jack McMad behind the wheel with only his shotgun and whatever the US version of the Yorkie bar is for company.

Porsche no. 1 blasts past. Porsche no.2 finds a 32-tonne artic in the middle o/the road to be something of an impediment. We hang back, and layoff the fruity parping for a bit. He moves back over. But we’ve seen Duel enough times to wonder what’s next. Do we really want to play chicken with a big rig? Maybe this guy’s more of a 91 ] fan …

Porsche takes the business of saving weight pretty seriously. For example, the gudgeon pins on the 91 1 GT3’s pistons are ]80g lighter than standard, and making its connecting rods out of titanium saves another 150g. But mat’s the race-spec GT3, and though the Boxster Spyder shares some of its DNA, its role is completely different. This Porsche reboots a model line that goes right back to the company’s roots, to cars like the ‘53 356 America Roadster but more significantly 1954’s 550 Spyder (me one James Dean christened ‘little bastard’, with good reason as it turned out). Rummage through me history books a bit further, and it’s clear that the Spyder name is reserved for racing cars. Should we care that this latest one absolutely isn’t)

It’s also not an RS. Or a Clubsport, This is the third official and unlimited edition Boxster variant, the most powerful and, at £44,643 (Rs 33 lakh), the most expensive. And in the time-honoured tradition, what that extra money buys you is … less. Specifically, less roof. In exchange for
the standard car’s perfectly useful electric folding roof, you now get a ‘thing’, to fiddle into place above your head. They’re geniuses, these people, they really are.

Mind you, ‘thing’ or not, me Boxster Spyder looks fantastic, like a distilled Carrera GT. If not quite as rakish as some previous open-topped Porsche specials, me fairings on me newly extended rear deck are striking, and the body-side graphics are coolly retro (Google the 909 Bergspyder for proof). [fit looks meaner and less effeminate than usual, that’s because it’s 20mm lower, with narrower, lighter side windows.

There’s new engineering here too. While most of the Spyder is steel, the doors and single-piece rear deck are now made of aluminium, saving a total of 18kg. The new roof - which Porsche variously refers to as a sunsail or cap, which is why I will continue to call it ‘thing’ - weighs less than 6kg, while the carbon-fibre frame that holds it in position is just 5kg.

There are new 1 O-spoke alloy wheels, which weigh less than 10kg each, qualifying them as the lightest 19in rims in Porsche’s range. Inside, there are new lightweight carbon-fibre sportS sears, which trim another 12kg from the overall kerbweight. There’s a front bumper with LED day-time
running lights, black plastic mesh inserts on the side air intakes, and a black double exhaust pipe. The standard Boxster Spyder does without a stereo system or air-conditioning, though tellingly every test car I looked at featured both items. There are fabric door-pulls, there’s no cowl over the main instrument binnacle (how much weight must that have saved?), and the wind-deflector’s plastic. The centre console and dash facings are finished in the exterior body colour, and the gear lever shift pattern and searbelts are red. This isn’t the place for modern life’s rubbish, either; the cup-holders and door pockets have been deleted.

Modern life being what it is, most of these things are still available as options. As are things like Porsche’s Sport Chrono pack, which buys you the dash-mounted stopwatch, and a button on the centre console that sharpens up throttle response. Go for the dual-shift PDK transmission, and
you’ll get a Sport Plus button, that speeds up shift times and oversees a launch-control system. That’ll be a total of £1,920 (Rs 1.4Iakh).

And that’s just the tip of one expensive iceberg. The fact is, the whole options thing is a bit of a conundrum. What looks at first glance like a Boxster unplugged has the potential to be anything but. You can have regular leather seats and the full audio system as a no-cost option, or the full-on PCM ‘communication module’ with the touchscreen. Order that and aircon, and a good chunk of the 80kg weight-saving must surely pile straight back on.

Ceramic brakes are another pricey option, but more in keeping with the car’s lightweight ethos because they reduce its unsprung mass. The sportS exhaust, for £1,249 (Rs 93,500), which gives the Boxster a rasping character boost, is another option that should surely be standard here, but isn’t. In other words, an idiot Spyder buyer could easily send this supposedly 10-ca1 Porsche to the a11- you-can-eat buffet, or simply tick the wrong boxes, and ruin it. In fact, a fat idiot Spyder buyer would ruin it simply by getting into it.

Though ruin in this context is a relative term. Because even a poorly specified Boxster Spyder is still a very, very good thing. The Spyder gets Porsche’s brilliant direct injection 3.4-litre Bat-six power unit, with Variocam Plus variable valve timing. It’s almost identical to the Boxster S
but for a few important differences. With 320bhp to calion, it’s 10bhp more powerful. Peak power is at 7,200rpm, 950rpm higher than in the regular car. It has more grunt too, and a slightly Batter torque curve.

This means it laps the ‘Ring seven seconds faster than the standard car. It also means our time exposed to mental trucker man is pretty minimal, thank God. We head deeper into the valley, and by now we’re having so much fun I honestly ::-can’t think of anything that would work better out here. As much power as any sane individual could ever need, magnificent drivetrain, easily exploitable chassis … It’s quite a thing, this car - especially with the roofy ‘thing’ stowed away and the breeze aerating us.

Porsche doesn’t just do great engineering, it knows how to plug the driver right into the heart of the machine. So your relationship with all the major controls is perfect, the level of tactility not far adrift from what’s available in a decent racing car. It’s an intuitive, instinctive car to drive. (All the more intuitive and instinctive if you order the Alcantara trim for the wheel, gear lever and hand brake, and short-throw shift, both optional.)

But although it has terrific responses, it also rides surprisingly sweetly, especially for a supposedly stripped car. The UK have many hopeless road surfaces, but America’s infrastructure is piss-poor too. The Boxster Spyder has stiffer, fixed-rate dampers rather than an active system, shorter and harder springs, firmer anti-roll bars and a 74 TopGear more aggressive, negative camber on the wheels. On these satisfyingly twisty but broken roads, it could be horribly compromised. But though firm, it’s also wonderfully compliant and manages to find a Lotus-like
suspension sweet spot which preserves body control without destroying your dentistry.

Traction or grip aren’t issues either. The Spyder has a limited- slip diff, and the Boxster’s chassis has always been unflappable. Even on tight, slippery second-gear corners, where overhanging trees have kept things interesting, it doesn’t bite. Great brakes too, steel or ceramic. It’s an exceptionally good car. But not perfect. The roof is a bit silly, and we prove this by taking so long to fasten it on - it hooks over two exposed clasps on the rear deck - that Yorkie man actually manages to catch us up in the middle of a super-twisty forest section (what the hell is he doing up here?).

Imaginations working overtime, we make good our escape just before he can blast us with his 12-bore. Then there’s the small matter of how much a judiciously specced Spyder would actually cost. Working off the regular Boxster’s options price list, I manage to get my optimum Spyder up ro a rather worrying £54,353 (Rs 40 lakh) without trying too hard. Which takes it perilously close to used 997 GT3 money, and that’s a whole different ball-game.

Make no mistake, this is a sublime car. It has an abundance of all the things I treasure most in a sports car - performance, agility, linearity, character. But there’s a whiff of opportunism about it, and I suspect that Porsche’s people - the princes of lightweight gudgeon pins - could strip a bit more than 80kg out of this thing, to make it even more focused.

As it is, the Spyder’s marketing message has become entangled with the engineering one. It clearly fancies itself as a successor to Jimmy Dean’s infamous 550 Spyder, but instead of being too hard to handle, it’s possibly just a bit too easy. It’s no bastard, little or otherwise.

YOU HAVETO MOVE QUICKLY TO KEEP UP WITH

Ferrari these days. And, holy moly, you have to move very quickly indeed keep up with this new Ferrari, the 458 ltalia. This supercar is the new benchmark in getting from A to B as rapidly possible. Truly. It’s so quick it almost troubles me.

But first let’s talk about Ferrari - the little maker of the cars with the world’s biggest reputation, the operation that even I can recall just a few years back being based in a few knackered sheds off Maranello’s Via del Abetone (and I’m really not that old), but now occupies a campus that looks and feels like it might double for NASA’s European advanced research centre. An operation so devoted to living on the cutting edge of, well, everything, mat even the worker’s lunchtime spaghetti hoops on roast are served up in a canteen designed by Marco Visconti, in a building mar’s clocked numerous architecture awards.

Technology? It’s bigger than Catholicism in this corner of Italy. Once, the Maranello skyline was very deliberately dotted with guilt-inducing spires, domes and bell-towers; now, glowing Ferrari logos are plastered allover me steel auld glass temples of technology that loom out of me seasonal fog wrapping round us on the night we fly in to hear about, and behold, the 458 - quattrocento cinquantotto in the local, but I like its given name best… Italia.

Think of the 458 this way, the 355 - a not unimpressive car - entered production just 15 years ago. Since then we’ve had the 360, its higher-achieving sibling me 430, and that car’s evil twin, me Scuderia. In just 10 years …

But back to the 355, the skinny-hipped reinvention of the bloated 348, me latter possibly the worst car Ferrari ever made, and quite probably the car that made Ferrari wake up to the fact it was resting on its laurels. The 355, built from good old-fashioned steel, had a 3.5-litre V8 engine producing 108bhp/per litre, no traction control, no stability control, its only driver aid ABS, and was the car that would go on to introduce F l-style, steering-wheel actuated semi-automatic (and the phrase ‘flappy paddle’) transmissions. It was launched with a regular five-speed manual transmission, a regular heavy-as-hell Ferrari clutch and an ‘it’ll-be-OK-when-it’s-warmed-up-a-bit’ click-clack gate. A traditional Ferrari then; not really all that good at all, but, hey, we all still loved it. Now here’s the Italia, the most advanced supercar that money can buy - at least until the McLaren MP4whateverit’scalled comes along, and maybe even then, but we’ll leave that for Ferrari and Mclaren to squabble over later.

Flappy-paddle gearchanges have been designed, redesigned, perfected and disposed of within the 15 years that have elapsed between me 355 and this car. Gone. Hisrory. Left to Signori Massa and Alonso and the rest to deal with. This car has a dual- clutch transmission so perfect it spells the beginning of me end of me clutch pedal. Forever. Think on that - an entire avenue of automotive engineering examined, explored, developed, perfected … discarded.

And that’s not tile only technology recently eclipsed or quite possibly reaching the apogee of its development curve on this car. The ltalia is all aluminum. A mix of castings and extrusions (which dominate), strategically placed high-resistance aluminum and aluminum sheeting and, just here and there, a little bit of high-strength steel, for old times’ sake. It makes for a car mat weighs in at 1,380kg, yet comfortably meets all the off-set concrete blocks me world’s, and America’s, safety mandarins will ever throw at it.

Then there are the driver aids. Traction control, stability control, electronically controlled Ferrari ‘E-diff3′ differential and, yes, ABS. Only this is what Ferrari is calling ‘High Performance ABS’ complete with Mercedes-style ‘Pre-Fill’ ::- which gets the carbon-ceramic (natch) brakes ready for action the nano it senses you take your foot off the throttle. It’ll save you a metre-and-a-half should you throw the anchors our at 100kph says Ferrari.

We first saw the switchable driving mode manettino in 2004 on the steering wheel of the 430, and then with the Scud. In the most basic terms this allowed you to set the car’s driver aids to everything from shit-it’s-snowing to l-think-l’m-a- driving-God. The manertino in the 458 has moved on. Where before the system made some difference to the driving experience, with this car’s advanced electronics, FI-TRAC and E-diff3, now it makes all the difference. Previously, when you wanted to pretend to be Michael Schumacher, the car set itself up rock-hard and that was that. In the 458, with the suspension set to ‘Bumpy Road’ (come on, as compliant as this car is, Ferrari was never going to have a setting named ‘Comfort’), you enjoy the quicker shifts, the more aggressive throttle responses, the less nanny-like stability control of the track settings on everyday roads. It’s almost as if Ferrari believes some people will engage these banzai non-programmes on their daily commutes. As if..

Now let’s talk engine. Remember the 355 and its then- impressive 108bhp/litre? Well, how about I 27bhpllitre? With no forced induction of any sort, just space-age stuff like two- stage direct injection which blows fuel into the combustion chamber on both the induction stroke and the compression stroke, and an oil scavenge pump nicked from the FI V8 that deals with an unfortunate issue known as ‘winding’ - nothing to do with your infant’s indigestion, but everything to do with the unfortunate exchange of gases between the two sides of a V8’s oily end which can drain an engine of power the faster it revs. I could go on about the superfinished cams and the diamond-like carbon on the tappets, but you get the picrure …
this engine, engineered like everything at Ferrari by likeable, passionate, smart, young supcr-geeks who have done their time in F I, is state of the art. A work of art.

And there’s more to it than just that extraordinary specific output, which equates to 570bhp at 9,000rpm. It also has 540Nm of torque at 6,000rpm, a commendable 307g/km CO2 and a range of 539Nm between fills based on an ‘official’ average fuel consumption of7.5kpl… Hey,

come on! Do you really expect anything better from something this dose to a spaceship?

So there it is, and here it is, exactly the same size as a 430, yet apparently squatter and lower thanks to the extraordinary body Pininfarina has given it. You won’t be disappointed. It really does look like the Enzo’s little brother from the future. All cab-forwards and complex, dashing, compound curves, the rear fenders flowing off and over to the centre of the rear of the car like Batman’s cape blowing in the breeze. Or Harry Potter’s, as someone less charitable says. Certainly, to listen to the full explanation of every little opening and bump and lip and control surface, you know it’s required some sorcery to make the aero package work in harmony with the styling.

I had been worrying, last night over steak and potatoes, that all this technology would sap the soul of the car, that somehow, however crap, there was something rather honest and sincere about the 355’s lack of sophistication. The Italias neural network pumps shared information around its systems - it’s this integration of the dynamic systems that defines it after a11- but is there still blood, love, heart, passion in there?

Oh God, yes. It’s beautiful … a perfect cocktail of the traditional and the technological, with echoes of the P4 and the original Dino concept car in there as well as the Enzo.

Rows of little LEDs twinkling in the mist tell you this ride is going to be different (and with the fog still sucking the life our of the day, we knew we would be heading for the mountains, where, as recently as last week, it had snowed) but the grumbling, rumbling noise of a V8 warming up in the pre-dawn silence, coughing, finding its cadence, tells you is still very much a warm-blooded Ferrari.

In you climb over the wide sills the aluminium structure demands. The seats, apparently slimmed down to the thinnest veneer of soft, tan leather fit perfectly And really look after your bum, back and shoulders. They’re the first surprise. The second is the way it rides. The Italia has the latest version of Ferrari’s ‘SCM’ magnetorheologiocal dampers. Man, they work. This car is compliant and controlled like no other supercar you have ever driven. Period. This is a whole new game.

So when you bang the dual clutch down into first and nail the throttle, it’s almost a shock that something so refined can act so feral. But feral it is, the power curve traces a straight line from bottom left: to top right… this is the engine that keeps on giving right the way through to the l-can’t-quite-believe-I’m-doing-this- to-a-car red line at 9,000rpm. Hundred mph is less than 3.4sees, 192kph is lO.4sees, v-Max is over 202mph.

And then there’s the way it steers. There are just two complete turns from lock to lock on the Italia, and some hefty lumps of engineering ensuring that effort is translated sincerely and honestly into changes of direction. At Ferrari they have a measure of this component of a car’s dynamic behaviour, where activity at the steering wheel is matched against vehicle response time. The latter being a composite of all the stuff that makes a car change direction quickly and honestly and, believe me, there is an awful lot of stuff - from the design of the bespoke Michelin tyres to the shape and construction of the castings of the suspension components and a lot more in between. Plotted on this measure, the Italia is on the other side of the sheet to the 430, hardly an ingenue when it came to seducing snakey tarmac.

There is little, if anything, to fault on the Italia. I’m still not convinced about carbon-ceramic brakes on the road and I never worked our the logic of the parking brake, but time spent with the Italia is time spent with your mouth open and your brain re-adjusting to its notion of fast.

And yet, there’s something I do worry about. When Ferrari launched the FXX super-Enzo, one of the few legitimate aims of the concept appeared to be an examination of ‘how fast is too fast?’ on the road. That car after all had nearly 800bhp. And yet. .. it’s not just that the Italia is fast (at 1min 25sees around Fiorano it’s really not significantly slower than an Enzo) it’s just
that it’s so fast, so bloody civilised and composed, and so cool about being so fast, it kinda worries me. Seriously, the speeds you could so easily find yourself achieving in this car and the nonchalance with which you might achieve them … Please, don’t just think this car is a little bit better, sharper, faster, it’s so much better, so much sharper, so much faster that it’s easier to re-set the clock than recalibrate it. Don’t think improved, think altogether different to. This is a game-changing car.

And it is all that stuff, all that technology that makes it so amazing. Those dampers, that steering, that insanely complex aero package, that direct-injection V8, that ‘new-dawn’ double clutch transmission.

Buried deep inside the sales brochure for this £180,000 (Rs 1.3 crore) car is a claim that the Italias technical binge will allow owners to drive this car as fast as Michael Schumacher. Now, I don’t want to end on a bum note here, bur I wonder if that’s something truly desirable. I won’t venture an answer, bur maybe you could have a think on it for the New Year.

With big brands comes fierce and intense competition. Mercedes was the first foreign luxury carmaker in India, and dominated the market for nearly 15 years. Even with the introduction of several other luxury brands in the last four years, Mercedes managed to control over 50% of the market - until last year that is, when its compatriots literally stormed in and crashed the party. In 2008, BMW sold 700 cars less than Mercedes, but in 2009 BMW whipped past the market leader by selling almost 350 more cars. BMW saw its share of the market increase from 90/0 in 2006, to a whopping 40% at the end of 2009. In total, BMW sold 3,619 units in 2009 - the highest number of luxury cars sold by a single manufacturer in India in a single year, and an increase of almost 25% over the previous year. Mercedes, on the contrary, had a dip in sales of about 10% over the previous year - stating a lack of inventory due to the introduction of the new E Class as a reason.

India has been resilient in the face of the global economic meltdown, and this has reinforced the faith that global auto makers have invested in this market - especially in the case of the German luxury triumvirate. As expected, other luxury brands are entering the market as well. Tata’s Jaguar Land Rover are craving for a piece of the action - as are, at the absolute stratospheric end of the market, Bentley and Rolls Royce. Each brand is expanding its presence across the country by opening new dealerships, or, in the case of Mercedes, revamping its existing setup. The three-pointed star is in no mood to admit defeat, and has big plans for 2010 with the all-new E Class and GL Class. And, just to be sure, they’ve invested Rs. 150 crore in a new state-of-the-art plant in Pune, which is also rolling out the new S 500L, which, at Rs. 1 crore, is the most expensive car ever assembled in India.

BMW India has a vast range of artillery themselves, and they’ve taken effective steps to ensure a smooth and fast transition to become the luxury segment leader. Their aggressive style, sporty undertones, and immense popularity with the younger generation are certainly some of the reasons for the surge in sales. More importantly, BMW’s are meant to be driven - perhaps a quality that resonates well with the new age of wealth creators in the country. With the exceptional performance of their models, BMW caters to car lovers and not just status seekers.

And with their high performance soul, BMW have cemented their brand recognition into the hearts of many driving enthusiasts and luxury seekers alike. Plus, they’ve taken the lead in the luxury SUV segment as well - with the X3, X5 and X6, and aim to continue in that vein with the introduction of the entry level Xi later this year. And, of course, there’s jaw dropping performance available from the likes of the 24, not to mention the legendary BMW M cars.

But, being the market leader also means that you have to be that much more vigilant. Audi has also captured the hearts of many Indians, as was witnessed at the 10th Auto Expo recently. BMW and Audi were under the same roof, but it was almost impossible to move past the Audi display. Huge crowds cramped and stampeded just to get a glimpse of the Audi vehicles. In its market segment, Audi is the true winner when it comes to growth. The brand managed to increase its sales by an impressive 500/0. In 2009, Audi sold 1,658 units, as compared to 1,050 units in 2008. You can be sure that Audi will be a strong contender for top honours in the years to come, as the brand draws in more buyers courtesy of its ‘oh-so-sexy’ designs, its wicked panache, and the technological excellence under the hoods of its cars.

But, here comes the shocker. Although the Indian luxury market seems on a roll, it’s nothing but a micro-dwarfed midget when compared to its neighbour, China. A glance at the sales figures is all it takes to understand exactly why China is a force to be reckoned with. With insurmountable spending power, China is truly every car manufacturers dream market. More importantly, no one can doubt the fact that China has practically single handedly rescued the entire automobile industry during the economic collapse last year. Here is how big their pie is compared to ours - BMW India created a record by selling 3,619 units in 2009, while BMW China sold an astounding 90,536 units last year, which is an increase of 38% from last years’ sales figures!

Mercedes India sold 3,247 units in 2009, while Mercedes China sold 68,500 units and had a sales increase of 77%. But again, Audi comes out as the victor. Audi is the leader in the luxury car market in China, and the VW owned manufacturer from Ingolstadt sold a sky rocketing 158,941 units in 2009, at an increase of 33% compared to 2008.

It’s not just that China has a stronger economy, and many more millionaires than India, the main reason behind these sales figures is the fact that there are fewer restrictions on foreign imports, both for parts and wholly assembled vehicles in China. The government has taken huge steps to encourage foreign manufacturers, and in some cases they also lowered the required capital investment for new ventures - neither do they bombard consumers with huge levies and taxes. Of course, China has a ten-year head start at the very least, and is the third largest luxury goods market on the planet. High end luxury brands have been around far longer in China, while India is still being explored as a luxury market.

All said and done, India is very much an emerging market, and will continue down that road. Only time can tell who will emerge victorious in the race to become market leader in India. Every high-end luxury brand from across the globe is eyeing this market, and with more brands dropping into India by the day, competition will only get fiercer - meanwhile the Indian consumer can reap the benefits of this healthy brand war.

In 2009, BMW overtook Mercedes Benz as the best selling luxury car manufacturer in India for the first time. But Mercedes has no intention of going quietly into the night. Their line-up now features the all-new E Class, as well as the newly Introduced 7-seat GL SUV. But leading the charge is a refreshed, and lengthened, flagship 8 500L.

The wheelbase of the 8 500 has been stretched by 13 centimeters to ensure that corporate honchos and / or world leaders in the back aren’t left wanting for leg room. However, BMW stretched its 7 series by one centimeter more, 14 to be precise, in the 750Li. 80 let’s delve a little deeper, shall we - to see if the 8 500L can once again profess to be the ‘best car in the world,’ and reclaim the top spot on the sales charts for the coveted three-pointed star?

From the outside

The current generation S class was introduced in 2005-in India in 2006-and preceded the svelte W220, which, in appearance, was the epitome of understated elegance. The W221 grew to be far more aggressive and shapely, while finding a happy medium between the tank-like S class of yesteryear and the sleek Mercs of today. In 2009, Mercedes tinkered with the S Class in an effort to bring its appearance up-to-date by adding an array of now customary LED lights-both front and rear.

The front end looks more purposeful with added chrome and a redesigned bumper, as well as a more pointed edge. At the rear, this Mercedes flagship wears its S 500 badge proudly. It also has a massive set of rectangular dual exhausts that hint at the serious firepower under hood. The design, on the whole, has just the right combination of curves and creases-the end result is a car hat looks a dominant force going down the road, which of course, is the point.

From the inside

At the recent launch of the S sooL, Dr. Wilfried Aulbur, MD & CEO, Mercedes Benz India, pointed out that this particular model is the most expensive car ever made in India, as it’s being carefully assembled at their new state-of-the-art facility in Pune - unlike its Bavarian compatriot, which comes in fully assembled as a CBU. And you need only set one foot inside the cabin of the S 500 to see that it is, indeed, money well spent. In fact, even as you open the doors, you notice the individual shockers in each door to ensure that you don’t expend any more energy than absolutely necessary to open and close the soft-close-doors - should your chauffeur be slow to react for some godforsaken reason. Once inside, there’s acres of room in the rear, and every surface has a quality feel to it - even the buttons look decidedly decorative, and feel just as good. There was a time in the recent past, during the days of the Daimler-Chrysler merger, when you could in fact find fault with certain pieces of interior trim in a Mercedes - even in an S Class. But such asuggestion is unequivocally banished into the dusty pages of the history books by the current models.

It’s eerily silent in the cabin - ideally suited, I suppose, to plan strategy for your next corporate takeover and / or military coup, depending on your line of work. This car is meant to soothe its occupants. In fact, legend has it that Mercedes actually strapped heart rate monitors onto occupants of the S Class, as well as cars made by rival manufacturers, in an attempt to prove that the heart rate of those in the S Class was, on average, roughly five beats-per-minutes less than that of people in other cars. And it’s the little touches that achieve this, such as seat massagers that truly provide the illusion that there are a team of masseurs hiding in the seatback, and head rests that are so soft and fluffy that they truly cradle your head - so that you can do your best thinking presumably. And while it was very business-like in the all-black interior of our test car, the panorama roof was brilliant, and it made the already expansive interior feel even bigger. However, if you are feelingbusinesslike, there are exquisitely moulded walnut tray tables that fold out of the seat backs. On the contrary, if you’d like some R&R, simply recline your seat, and pull out a bottle of your favourite beverage from the fridge in the back - accessed from in between the rear seats.

You can also watch a DVD on the two screens mounted on the back of the front headrests for added entertainment. In fact, even the front passenger can watch a DVD while the car’s on the move - courtesy of ‘Splitview’ technology incorporated onto the 8-inch high-definition TFT screen in the center console, which allows the driver to view vehicle functions from his vantage point, while, at the same time, the front passenger can watch a movie from his. You also get a now customary USB input in the glove box that allows iPod connectivity quiteeasily - unlike in the 7 series, which requires a proprietary cable from BMW. The Harman Kardon Logie-r surround sound system delivers eoo-watts of absolutely astonishing sound quality from its 14 speakers for your choice of media, whichcan range from an iPod, USB stick, SD card, to CD / DVD, or even 2,500 of your favourite tunes in MP3 or WMA format saved in a 7.2 GB in-built hard disc.

And for the driver, there’s the Command system that navigates through vehicle functions via a screen on the center console, as well as a multi function steering wheel that controls a myriad of other functions, including Bluetooth connectivity - all of which is displayed on the instrument cluster in direct view of the driver. In order to display all the requisite information, the S Class has a digital speedometer projected on an LCD screen - complete with faux speedo needle. The good thing is that all these various bits of technology work extremely well together to keep you both well informed and relaxed at the same time. Oh, and you can also change the colour of the mood lighting in the car to suit your present disposition - ranging from Solar (yellow), Polar (blue), To natural (white).

On the road

The S 500 doesn’t feel propelled so much by an engine, as it does by an invisible force. The 5.4 litre V8 that produces 370 horsepower is sublime-as is the 7-speed automatic transmission to which it’s mated. The engine really is incredible smooth-it feels exactly the same at 1500 rpm as it does at 6500. The gearbox, meanwhile, has similar qualities, as shifts are instant and indistinguishable. That being said, there’s nothing subtle about how the S class thunders down the road-leaving on-lookers and passengers in absolute disbelief that something this large can move quite so swiftly.

The S 500 gives up about 40 horsepower to the BMW 745Li, and while you do feel the deficit on occasion, it’s only because the motor in the BMW appeared to be stolen from a rocket launcher. Nevertheless, Mercedes claim a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of, brace yourself, 5.4 seconds! Step on the acceleration pedal, and the whole car shrinks around you in a manner that you don’t quite expect. If you imagine that the current S class will feel large and lumbering to drive, you’re in for either a rude shock or a pleasant surprise-depending on your point of view. Nevertheless, the rate of progress you can achieve in this car is staggering.150km\h is achieved in the smallest of open spaces with consummate ease-in case you’re running late for a board meeting that is, And, based on how far behind schedule you really are, you can choose between three driving models-comfort, sport, and manual. Comfort, as the name suggests, ensures that engine and suspension are ideally suited to waft you from place-to-place. Sport mode, on the other hand, readies the suspension for some hooliganism, and the engine revs considerably freeier as well. In manual mode, you can change gears via paddles mounted behind the steering, which means you can hold higher revs in lower gears and burn a barrel or two of oil quicker than in a jet plane. Of course, since the S Class is engineered in Germany, these different engine and chassis setting actually do work.

The Active Body control courtesy of the air suspension ensures that the car remains defiantly flat through the corners. In fact, you can even turn off the traction control and have a little fun-in a two-tone S Class! Go into a corner too fast, and the car will understeer, but not in a way that’s recalcitrant. Instead, the chassis communicates what it’s doing in an effort to keep the driver informed of the physics defying feat that’s being attempted. And if you’re a little more clever, you can use the power being driven to the rear wheels to enjoy lurid power slides-I use the term lurid loosely of course, since the traction control cuts is despite being turned off if it feels like you’re having a little too much fun.

The S Class, in keeping with its pioneering spirit in terms of technology, also has a battery of technological feats, such as adaptive cruise control, which even has the ability to bring the car to a complete halt by itself, parking guidance, which is optional, but can park the car largely by itself, infrared night view assist, also optional, but useful, pre-safe, which braces for an impact if things go pear shaped, and adaptive headlights, which, of course, are fantastic. you can even manually raise the ride height if you’re going over some exceptionally bad roads-of which we have plenty. The brakes and ABS are phenomenal, which goes without saying really-we did test them nonetheless.

After experiencing the S 500L,let’s just say our suggestion would be to appear magnanimous, and allow the chauffeur extended paid leave.

Verdict

The competition may be treading on its toes, but you have to admit that there is something about the allure of the S Class that plays into its image of being an automotive icon, which has been carefully created over all these years. It still feels like the right car for the ruling elite. And if you’re lucky enough to be able to write a check for one, you’re still buying into that heritage. The 7 series BMW is by far a more serious drivers’ machine - whereas the S Class does astonish you from behind the wheel, the 7 series simply blows you away. But that also plays into the hands of the Mercedes somewhat, since being less driver oriented means that the ride comfort, and therefore rear seat comfort, in the Mercedes is unparalleled - it does seem to spoil you a little bit more than the BMW. The S Class may have become the predictable choice to demonstrate to the world that you’ve arrived - but it’s by no means the wrong one.

Epitomizing the adage, ‘less is more,’ Porsche rolled out the Boxster Spyder for its world debut at the LA Auto Show. The third model in the Boxster lineup has a unique look, and apparently the driving personality on par with a 911 GT3 RS. The Boxster Spyder features a mid-mounted 3.4-liter six-cylinder engine with Direct Fuel Injection. Maximum output is 320 horsepower – 10 more than the Boxster S. The combination of more horsepower, less weight courtesy of a canopy top, an all-new sport suspension, a lower center of gravity, a standard limited slip differential, and exclusive wheels should provide the kind of driving dynamics to back up its unique and racy appearance.

The 2010 Range Rover Sport builds on its predecessor’s impeccable pedigree, and now comes with two new powerplants, a 375 horsepower LR-V8 5.0 liter, naturally aspirated engine, as well as a supercharged version that puts out a mammoth 510 horsepower! In India, you have the option of the 3.0 liter V6 diesel and the 5.0 liter supercharged petrol. And believe me, 510bhp in car such as this, or any car for that matter, is a lot!

These engines w~re developed in conjunction with Jaguar, and are touted to be lighter and more efficient than the previous generation units. The new naturally aspirated RR Sport can hit 100km/h in a very spritely 7.4 seconds, while the supercharged variant takes just 6.0 seconds - Sport indeed. Both LR-V8 engines are mated to the ZF HP28 six- speed automatic transmission.

This time, we got a chance to sample the naturally aspirated version of the new Range Rover Sport - driving it from San Francisco to Los Angeles, and back, with a mild off-road excursion at a beach on California’s glorious Pacific coast.

In terms of styling, the 2010 Range Rover Sport retains the earlier versions clean cut design, The 2010 update does, however, include LED headlamps, combined with a new two-bar grille, revised front bumpers and widened fenders. At the rear, new light clusters, and a revised bumper design mirror the smoother front-end. With its muscular squat stance, the Range Rover Sport certainly has great road presence, and looks just as purposeful whether it’s cruising on Hollywood Boulevard or playing in the sand.

According to the company, the interiors have been redesigned using higher quality materials and soft-touch finishes to create an environment that’s ‘truly worthy of the Range Rover brand: With infinitely adjustable leather seats, tactile, well laid out switches, the interiors of the Range Rover Sport are truly fantastic,and arguably better than most other luxury SUV’s on the road today. In fact, the redesign does bring the cabin of the Sport much more in line with its ultra luxurious bigger brother - the original Range. Special mention, also, must be made of the Harmon Kardon surround sound system that boasts 480 watts of power. Its 14 individual speakers produce a dramatic 3D effect from a iz-channel digitally controlled amplifier that makes for outstanding acoustics.

The Sport has a new virtual instrument panel that has the latest Thin-Film- Transistor (TFT) LCD technology that provides exceptional clarity of driver information. Key information found in the instrument cluster includes air suspension height settings, hill descent control and speed settings, as well as Hi/Lo gear ratio selection. The new display certainly makes vehicle data more accessible and easier to read for the driver.

Range Rovers have always been known for their off-road ability. In the new model, the famed Terrain Response system boasts a series of improvements - including improved performance when tackling challenging terrain like sand or large rocks. For soft sand conditions, a ’sand launch control’ mode makes for a noticeably easier drive-away. New, speed- dependent wheel-slip targets for the traction control system permit only very limited initial wheel-slip - helping to prevent the wheels digging down into the sand. The system also has an improved rock crawl program for better control while traversing boulders or driving through rocky terrain.

You really have to experience the effortless off-road ability of these vehicles to truly believe it. This particular Range Rover Sport wasn’t able to show its full off-road potential however, as it was hampered by massive rims and low profile tarmac tires, which prevented us from taking the Sport into the larger dunes - so we rented some ATV’s, and went dune bashing with those instead.

The on-road biased rubber aside, the Sport has an Integrated Body Frame (IBF) chassis that provides the best of both worlds - the strength of a ladder frame chassis, allowing it true off-road capability, as well as the rigidity of a monocoque, giving it good on-road manners. On the road, the new 375 horsepower V8 engine is smooth, and has plenty of torque, which makes for brisk acceleration. This naturally aspirated engine is just 15 horsepower shy of the previous editions supercharged powerplant. And yet, this engine is more efficient than the supercharged car that we tested last year - nonetheless, we could only manage 18 mpg (8 kmpl), which makes for frequent stops at the pump on a long journey. Nevertheless, on long drives, the Sport is an effortless cruiser - the gearing is perfect, and the engine has enough power in reserve to blitz past slower traffic. The extensive use of aluminum in the engine, transmission case, and body panels reduces weight up front and ensures that the car excels, beyond belief, on tight twisting roads - where it feels light and agile. Steering response also is improved on the Range Rover Sport with the stiffening of the front suspension lower arm forward bushing - enhancing the sense of driver involvement at higher speeds.

With its new powerplant, and subtle interior and exterior enhancements, the new Range Rover Sport builds on the previous cars’ inherent strengths to offer an even more luxurious and powerful, yet efficient, package.

The new engine is so capable that it becomes hard to justify spending the extra moolah to go in for the supercharged version,which begs the obvious question-why isn’t the naturally aspirated 5.0 litre available in india?Nevertheless,with its impeccable looks,the Range Sport has immense road presence and commands respect.Plus the car’s versatile and equipped for anything you can throw its way.

And with Jaguar Land Rover sales on the upswing,it seems that Tata motors has reason to smile once again.Moreover,it appears that the initials fears,held by some detractors,that JLR products won’t be able to incorporate the latest technology under Indian ownership have been proven completely unfounded by this desirable and modern SUV.Put simply,it’s now even more brilliant on-road,and still exceptional off-road as well.

It was James Bond who brought forth BMW’s most modern mass-market roadster the Z3 in front of the world. Armed with a self-destruct system, parachute braking and stinger missiles located in the side vents, the Z3 debuted in style. Apart from its starry movie debut, the Z3 also won various accolades for being a great car. Over the years BMW has upped the game for its roadsters and kept churning out one fantastic vehicle after another

The immediate successor to the Z3 was the Z4. Introduced in 2002, this chunky Bimmer came in both roadster and coupe forms. In fact it was so good that almost immediately after its debut the car grabbed the ‘Design of the Year’ accolade from a reputed automobile magazine. Cut to the present, BMW just recently launched a redesigned version of its Z4 Roadster. The new model represents the first complete redesign since the inception of the Z4 badge itself. Look at it from any angle and it’s difficult to mistake it for any other car. The shape is an interplay of striking contours and soft mergers which fully captures the character of this vehicle from its characteristic kidney grille to the powerful wheelarches at the rear. However, it’s the way this roadster effortlessly negotiates straights and bends that gives it a distinct personality. The side view is dominated by the dynamic flow of the car’s shoulder line connecting the front and rear wheel arches and accentuating the stretched, athletic look of the Roadster. Further characteristic design features are the extra-large engine compartment lid extending far over the wheel arches, the black A-pillars, the gill intakes at the side with their integrated LED direction indicators, as well as the slender rear lights with their three-dimensional LED-fed rows of light units. BMW’s radical design revolution hasn’t always been aesthetically successful, at least in the eyes of the BMW faithful. But BMW styling now seems to be hitting its stride, recapturing some of its former pleasing proportions. It appears that the steady hand of BMW designer Adrian van Hooydonk is getting the beloved Bimmers back where they need to be.

Stepping inside reveals an interior which is as radical as the exterior. It’s more visually pleasing, and includes a slew of comfort and usability improvements. Notably, the traditional hand brake is gone in favor of an electronic setup. BMW’s latest automatic gearshift is present. The audio system is built around an 8.8-inch LCD screen, featuring a 1280 x 480 pixel resolution, and an 80GB hard drive, with up to 15GB of music storage. A 650-watt 14-speaker sound system rounds out the list of high-tech features. No BMW is however complete without the renowned iDrive system and the Z4 is the first BMW roadster to feature the same. The system itself is made up of a Controller on the centre console and a folding, high-resolution Control Display on the instrument panel, allowing the driver to intuitively and safely mastermind all available functions through standardized movements of the controller either tipping it in one direction, turning or pressing the controller as required.

Seating is extraordinary as well. The seats with integrated headrests come stitched in high quality leather in a choice of three colours. The same colour is used on the lower section of the instrument panel and on the armrest of the door lining as well as the armrest on the centre console. Giving shelter from the elements of nature is a folding two-piece aluminum roof which takes some inspiration from the BMW Z8’s elongated profile. This two-piece roof structure in lightweight aluminum shell technology opens and closes electro-hydraulically at the touch of a button within just 20 seconds.

You develop a real sense of respect for the car and
the technology that allows it to perform the way it does –
both on road and off it.

We approach a steep downhill slope where the trail just seems to drop away from you. Since we don’t have a good view of the approach to the descent, Justin, the Land Rover driving instructor, suggests that we step out of the car to get a better sense of what lies ahead. We jump out of the confines of the Range Rover’s luxurious cabin onto a slippery surface of loose sand and rocks – suggesting that this may get somewhat tricky.

The Range’s parked just before a sharp left turn leading to the descent, which means that we have to turn the car and have it pointing straight before we start heading downhill – try going sideways through a steep downhill slope and you’re likely to find yourself on your roof very quickly. We get back in the car to activate the Range Rover’s Hill Decent Control (HDC), after which we proceed to navigate our way through trees on either side of the trail – taking a wide line so that we can straighten the car before we start heading downhill in earnest.

Justin now suggests that I simply keep the steering pointed straight and take my foot off the pedals. ‘Take my foot off the pedals?’ I look at him like he’s a man with a death wish but he nods reassuringly. The car lunges forward for an instant before the tires find grip and the Hill Descent system uses traction control to manage our downhill speed. I use all my will power to avoid following my natural instincts of standing on the brakes, which could possibly cause the car to pitch sideways and, as previously explained, eventually leave us sitting on our roof. The tires fight the surface for grip the whole way but the Hill Descent Control uses the angle of the slope to control our speed beautifully. We make it to the bottom of the hill without incident, and, in retrospect, quite easily – the technology in the Range Rover proving triumphant once again.

I’m attending the Land Rover Driving School at Quail Lodge in Carmel, California – one of the most scenic parts of the US west cost. Set amidst some of the best golf courses in the world, there’s about 100 acres of private forest land owned by Quail Lodge. This is used by Land Rover to educate anyone who cares about the finer points of off-road driving – in some of the best machinery in the world suited to the task. The Land Rover Driving Experience is an off-road driving school set up by the company in different parts of the US, essentially with the aim of providing owners or prospective owners the chance to experience the true capabilities of their vehicles in a safe and controlled environment, and, most importantly, sitting alongside professional driving instructors.

The terrain at the Land Rover Driving Experience allows you to experience steep assents, descents, a moonscape of craters, rocks, and a lot more. And it’s only after you’ve conquered these varied obstacles that you realize the true capabilities of these tremendous machines. You develop a real sense of respect for the car and the technology that allows it to perform the way it does – both on road and off it. And the one thing that strikes you is the ease with which the Range Rovers traverses said terrain without alarming its passengers in the least. The only quality required of the driver is that he or she should be capable of providing smooth and measured inputs, so as to not upset the balance of the car. Do that, and the Range Rover will get you out of almost any situation with consummate ease (see our review of the Range Rover Sport to get a better understanding of the on-board systems that allow the car to perform the way if does).

The flip side of this ability, of course, is that the vehicle is so capable and it’s laden with such advanced technology that, as is quite often the case in such situations, the driver is largely eliminated from the equation – it’s almost as if the vehicle does what it’s capable of in spite of the driver. Consequently, the level of involvement is reduced, while the level of amazement is heightened. Nevertheless, you do remain in awe of the capabilities of the Range Rover – whether it’s during excessive side-angle tilts, descending or ascending impossibly steep slopes, the level of wheel articulation or range of travel, and the inherent stability of the vehicle. And all this in a car that can be taken straight off the showroom floor. The great shame, however, is that most owners will never actually experience what their vehicle is capable of. At any rate, they can be safe in the knowledge that their Land Rover can get them out of near any situation if need be.

aguar, and one that literally took the world by storm.

The XK marked the beginning of the sensual and slippery shapes from Jaguar. The XK 120 got its name from its impressive top speed of 120mp/h (193km/h) – making it the fastest production car in the world at the time. The original XK was also responsible for laying the foundation for the legendary Le Mans winning C-Type and D-Type Jaguars of the 1950s.

The XK name was revived by the company in 1997 with the XK8, which was a contemporary design with beautiful lines but a car that lacked the dynamic qualities to match the best from Germany. The latest generation XK, launched in 2006, aims to rectify these shortcomings. It not only continues Jaguars heritage of producing gorgeous cars but also revives its tradition of technical innovation as well – it has a lightweight, but extremely stiff, all-aluminum chassis.

The XK-R, meanwhile, takes the driving experience one step further by providing tremendous grunt and, supposedly, handling to match. The latest XK has even been hailed as the best new Jag since the iconic E-type of the 60s – high praise indeed. Let’s find out if it’s warranted.

Aesthetics

First things first, this is an absolutely stunning car – if it goes even half as well as it looks, it’ll be a memorable drive indeed. The perfect proportions and exquisite lines of the XK-R convertible certainly drew a lot of attention. But more than that, wherever the XK went, it led to numerous questions regarding the make and model of the car, which suggests that Jaguar has largely fallen off the radar – at least in the US market. On the other hand, it does mean that the XK is more exclusive as a result.

The other thing that you can’t help but notice is the similarity in design between the XK and recent Aston Martins, especially elements such as the high shoulder line of the wide rear fenders. Not that this should be a concern mind you, since the current range of Aston’s are perhaps the most beautiful and elegant cars on the road today. And this similarity is no coincidence either, as Jaguar’s Design Chief, Ian Callum, worked on several Aston Martins when both marques belonged to Ford’s Premier Automotive Group.

Other elements of the design such as the long bonnet and catfish-like face do evoke memories of the legendary E-Type, which is a further credit to design team since today’s cars are required to meet various safety legislations that place great restrictions on design freedom. The XK is also the first production car to feature a Pedestrian Deployable Bonnet System (PDBS). This deploys the bonnet, which is to say it rises up instantly when it senses that a pedestrian has been struck – preventing the head of the victim from colliding with the solid engine block beneath the bonnet, the main cause of fatal injury in such instances.

There are a number of other features that suggest you’re in an expensive car – such as heaters that not only warm the seats but the steering as well to keep your hands comfortable during alfresco motoring on a cold day, keyless entry and start, adaptive headlights that come on automatically even if you go through a small tunnel, side lights that come on automatically when you turn the wheel (which is very handy when you’re parking at night), a parking brake that engages at the press of a button and disengages automatically when you press the accelerator pedal, and an easy to use touch-screen interface that allows you to maneuver between navigation, audio, climate control and various other functions.

The two best features by far, however, are the seats that were infinitely adjustable, allowing you to find the perfect driving position, they even had a knob to control the amount of side bolstering (which is highly recommended on all cars), and the adaptive cruise control that quite literally doesn’t require any driver input on the highway other than steering. You simply set a cruising speed and the car does everything else. If the vehicle in front of you brakes suddenly, the XK-R will brake automatically ensuring a safe distance. The adaptive cruise control will then wait for the road to clear and, when it’s safe to do so, accelerate to the previously set cruising speed. All the driver has to do is take a leap of faith, and thereafter make sure to stay awake in order to steer the car when needed.

The only criticisms, if any, were that the 19-inch chrome alloy wheels on our test car looked like they came straight out of a rap video, although these are optional. The only real criticism, then, is that there are a few sharp edges inside the cabin – small details the likes of which you’ll probably find taken care of in any of its German rivals. All in all, though, it’s a breathtakingly stunning car. And like Jaguars of old, the interiors are luxuriously appointed with wood and leather – although I’d prefer the all-aluminum trim that’s more popular in Europe. More importantly, unlike some Jaguars of old, the XK is not only comfortable but contemporary as well with state-of-the-art electronics that won’t go up in smoke after a shelf life of only about a half-dozen years or so.

Engine: 4,197cc / supercharged V8
Fuel: Petrol
Transmission: 6 speed Automatic / Rear Wheel Drive
Power: 420bhp @ 6000rpm
Torque: 413lb/ft @ 4000 rpm
Acceleration: 0-100 km/h – 4.9 seconds

All the bells and whistles aside, the drivetrain is the real heart of any sports or GT car. And this is where the XK-R leaves you in no doubt about the seriousness of its intentions – the engine and transmission are very much in keeping with the aggressive visual nature of the car. The propulsion provided by the 420 horsepower supercharged V8 is nothing short of epic. The power delivery isn’t manic as you’d expect in a car that produces this much power, instead it’s linear and refined – very much like a naturally aspirated engine. Its feels effortless at cruising speed.

At first, you begin to question if it really produces the claimed 420 horses. It’s only when you display a real sense of urgency with your right foot that the character of the car completely changes. The guttural roar from the active exhaust is intoxicating. While it’s normally very silent, on hard acceleration butterfly valves in the quad exhausts open to provide sensational sound. In fact, my best memory of the XK-R is driving through a tunnel with the top down and accelerator pedal mashed to the floor.

The transmission, which is a regular torque converter automatic, is, surprisingly, even better. It features a sport mode that allows higher shift points and more driver adaptation, which means the transmission adjusts to your driving style. It also offers the now ubiquitous paddle shifts, allowing you to change gears manually if you so choose. Like a semi-automatic gearbox, the XK’s transmission blips the throttle on downshifts, which is a nice touch. The shifts themselves are also just as quick, taking only 600 milliseconds. And thankfully, unlike several semi-automatics, gear changes are extremely smooth and comfortable – offering the best of both worlds.

Ride & Handling

Jaguars have always been famous for their impeccable ride quality. And the XK is no different, it’s almost sublime – that’s despite the massive 19-inch wheels, as well as the fact that Jaguar’s Computer Active Technology Suspension (CATS) is recalibrated on the XK-R to provide more stiffness and better body control.

The all-aluminum chassis means that it feels extremely well put together and responsive. It also gives you the impression of being athletic and light on its feet, but is let down by a suspension set up that errors too much on the side of ride comfort. The end result is that it’s a little too soft to really explore the chassis limits on some of the very tight and snaking mountain roads.

A switch within the cabin to control the stiffness of the suspension would have been a welcome option. In its current set up, the XK-R feels like a very fast and refined GT car, which is really what it is as opposed to a real sports car. For that, perhaps we’ll have to wait for Jaguar to actually build the F-Type – a concept car revealed in 2000 as a real successor to the iconic E-Type. The F Type appears to be an extremely desirable proposition, and is something that Ratan Tata has already hinted that he’d like to see happen. It’s also something that a number of Jaguar insiders have wanted for some time.

The XK-R, meanwhile, is exceptional when cruising on the boulevard, and just as good when hammering along at 85% on any other piece of road – it’s only a little bit that keeps it from being a true sports car. Perhaps the recently introduced, limited edition, XKR-S is better suited to fulfill those needs.

Verdict

All said and done, the XK-R does live up to its hype. It’s very much in keeping with Jaguars rich heritage. It’s exquisite, refined and very fast, making it more than capable of taking the fight to the 6 series BMW and SL Mercedes – it’s also more exclusive at the moment. In many ways, the XK appears to be ultimate GT car.

That apart, Jaguar does need to invest in an intensive public relations campaign to ensure that people know what the brand really stands for – especially in light of its new owners. And while the company does have its hands full tackling issues such as fuel economy and CO2 emissions, which are at the forefront of people’s minds, its new range of cars look very promising indeed. And that bodes well for the future.

Step into the new Jaguar Land Rover showroom in Worli, Mumbai, and you’re greeted by some stunning metal indeed. The phrases ‘style, luxury and understated elegance’ all come to mind. But there’s more here than meets the eye.

What if we told you there’s also a four-door Ferrari fighter lurking in the shadows? Well, we happened to get our hands on just one such machine on the winding roads of Northern California. And you can too – much closer to home. Read on…

From the outside

When the Tata Group was evaluating its purchase of Jaguar and Land Rover, it paid particular attention to the new models and product innovations that the two companies had in the pipeline. The XF Series is the first all-new car that Jaguar’s launched since Tata bought the company in 2008. The XFR is the range topping variant with a 510bhp supercharged V8 that clearly justifies its new owner’s faith in the brand, not to mention its product development capabilities.

With its coupe-like silhouette, the XFR has the visual excitement of a coupe while retaining the practicality, sophistication and luxury of a four-door sports saloon. The XFR is gorgeous from any angle and has equally impressive road presence. Subtle external cues like the functional boot spoiler, discrete rocker sill extensions, quad tail pipes, hood vents, and special light-weight 20-inch wheels are all features that make the XFR a truly unique and special machine – clearly miles ahead of a regular XF. The XFR exudes an understated elegance that helps mask this cars’ power and performance.

From the inside

Simplicity and the clever use of space are key elements of the XFR’s interior design. For the driver, this is centered on the compact packaging of the Jaguar Drive Selector transmission interface. At the press of an illuminated stop/start button, the cast alloy gear selector rises from the center console into the drivers’ hand, and the rotating facia vents silently open. Gears are selected by rotation of the selector knob – it’s an innovative concept and a welcome change from the more traditional options.

The XFR’s interiors are beautifully appointed with a carbon-fiber and aluminum dashboard – the tailored instruments and door panels, blue halo illumination, and interior mood lighting all aim to please. The XFR has electronically adjustable leather seats with squab bolsters for significantly improved support at higher cornering speeds. Seats are ventilated, heated and cooled so the driver is always comfortable. Premium suede headlining and deep-pile carpets with embroidered logos all set the XFR’s cabin as far apart as its exterior styling.

On the road

The piece-de-resistance of the XFR has to be its all new supercharged V8 that puts out a mammoth 510bhp and 460lb/ft of torque. To put this into perspective, a Ferrari F430 puts out just 480bhp and 340lb/ft of torque. This gem of an engine gives the XFR neck snapping acceleration while remaining extremely drivable and civilized for daily use.

To get a sense of the immense physical forces involved, this new direct-injection engine gives the XFR a 0-100 km/h time of just 4.9 seconds. More relevant to everyday driving, an excellent indicator of the XFR’s flexibility is the time it takes to accelerate from 80-110 km/h – just 1.9 seconds. The XFR, a 4,000 pound sedan, is electronically limited to 250 km/h, but will reach 310 km/h with the electronic governor removed. In fact, a lightly modified XFR reached 363 km/h at the Bonneville Salt Flats in the US, becoming the fastest Jaguar of all time – beating the previous record that was held by the legendary XJ 220 supercar.

The all-new 5.0-litre V8 Gen III transmits power through an enhanced version of Jaguar’s ZF 6HP28, electronically controlled, six-speed transmission. Additional clutch plates and an uprated torque converter have been added for the supercharged V8 to facilitate the extra power. In ‘Sports’ mode the driver can hold gears as long as he or she wants, with quick shifts available through the steering wheel mounted paddle-shifters. Similar to WRC cars, there’s a large gear indicator that clearly displays what gear the car’s in.

The transmission has a fully-adaptive shift system, which delivers extremely smooth gear changes and optimises performance and economy at all times. The Jaguar Sequential Shift suffers no torque interrupt, resulting in a smooth, powerful shift feel and an almost instantaneous shift from the time the driver touches the paddle to the completion of the shift. The well engineered gearbox in this car is so good that you never really crave a traditional manual transmission. In automatic mode, the gearbox continually adapts to suit driving style, which can vary from sporting to more economical.

Jaguar has worked hard on the XFR’s dynamic abilities and has done a wonderful job in dialing in the car’s ride and handling. This is a car that feels truly buttoned down, and equally comfortable both on the highway and on a twisty mountain road. The XFR’s driving dynamics are underpinned by the Active Differential Control (electronically controlled rear differential) and Adaptive Dynamics – the latest in computer-controlled continuously variable damping.

Adaptive Dynamics is a highly sophisticated active damping system that automatically adjusts suspension damper settings to suit both road conditions and the way in which the car is being driven. The three primary functions of Adaptive Dynamics are to control vertical movement, roll rate, and pitch rate of the body. It does this by analyzing induced body motions one hundred times a second, and setting each damper to an appropriate level in order to maintain a constant and level body attitude, thereby optimizing control without compromising ride comfort.

In addition, the driver can select dynamic mode, which modifies the throttle, stability and transmission parameters along with adaptive dynamic responses. The combination of ADC and Dynamic mode with DSC Off, allows controllable power-on oversteer and improves off-throttle stability – allowing quicker, more spirited cornering.

To keep all that power in check and complete the driving experience, the XFR comes with large 380mm diameter internally ventilated front discs that give the car impeccable breaking performance. The XFR’s 20-inch wheels have massive high performance 285/30 20” tires at the rear and 255/35 20” tires at the front that help enhance the dynamic character of the car, as well as optimize grip.

The XFR comes fully loaded with two features that I found particularly useful – the radar-based Blind Spot Monitor that warns the driver when there is another vehicle nearby in a different lane, and the Rear Camera Parking Aid, which provides a clear view of the area behind the car on the colour touch-screen. The system has on-screen guidance lines that move according to steering wheel angle to indicate the area into which the car’s reversing.

In conclusion, there’s no arguing that this is a beautiful car with an uber powerful engine and brilliant driving dynamics. However, what’s really surprising is that it has no real flaws – it’s a complete package. With the XFR, Jaguar’s got the BMW M5 and Mercedes E63 AMG in its cross hairs. I’m certain that if drivers of those cars experience the XFR, they’ll be tempted to trade in their German Autobahn stormers for this gorgeous English wild cat.

Verdict

At 81 lakhs, the XFR doesn’t exactly come cheap – even in the realm of luxury cars. But it truly is an incredible machine. Its stunning yes, but it’s what’s under the skin that really makes it worth the price.

The mammoth engine with its stupendous power is epic, and gives the car a Jekyll and Hyde personality – enabling it to be perfectly comfortable and serene when you want it to be, and completely insane when you don’t. As an engineering marvel, and a low volume high performance luxury four-door saloon, it’s everything that Tata Motors could hope for in a new Jaguar – and more.