Hyundai unveils the Venue in simultaneous events held in New York and India

South-Korean car-maker Hyundai took the wraps off it's much-awaited compact crossover - the Venue - yesterday. Slotting in below the Kona as the smallest crossover in the lineup, the weirdly-named Venue marks a departure from Hyundai's traditional naming convention for SUVs. For those that do not know, the Kona, Tucson, Santa Fe and Palisade are all named after popular American east coast holiday destinations! 

While the global unveiling took place amidst the glitz and grandeur of the New York Auto Show, the Venue for India was uncovered on-board a cruise ship from Mumbai to Goa. It just goes to show how important the Indian market is for Hyundai in general and the Venue in particular. 

How can it not be? Compact SUVs and crossovers are all the rage these days and every model - from the Ford EcoSport that pioneered the segment to the newest challenger Mahindra XUV3OO - has been successful so far. Of course, Maruti-Suzuki's Vitara Brezza is the runaway sales leader in the pack and the model Hyundai is aiming for with the Venue.

Featuring Hyundai's signature design language first seen on the current Santa Fe, the Venue's fascia is rather striking. The eyeball-grabber, without a doubt, is the Cascading Grille with a checkered chrome mesh. To keep it short, all we can say is it's going to divide opinions. Split light clusters - the latest fad in SUV design circles - give the Venue a strong character that's hard to ignore. From the sides, the Venue looks pretty much like a Creta, albeit a size smaller. At the rear, things are simple and elegant with LED-equipped square-shaped taillights and bold 'VENUE' badging spread across the sculpted tailgate stealing the limelight. 

While the pictures in this post are of the American Venue, the design remains unchanged for India apart from minor detailing differences. It's dimunitive size apart, we got to admit that the Venue is quite a looker!

The interiors - going by the images released - look impressive. A sporty-looking multi-function steering wheel greets the driver while a well-designed and neatly laid-out dashboard look classy. A high-set 8.0-inch touchscreen system, equipped with Hyundai's latest 'Blue Link' connectivity technology that's making it's India debut, occupies prime place in the center. With a total of 33 features - of which 10 are unique for India - spanning safety, vehicle control, location-based services, remote access and voice recognition, the Venue will keep the tech geeks amongst us happy. 

Being a Hyundai, expect the Venue to boast class-leading fit and finish and an extensive feature list.

A 1.2-liter petrol engine generating 83 horsepower and 115 Nm of torque and a 1.4-liter diesel engine churning out 90 horsepower and 220 Nm of torque are the main engine options for India. Both these engines are shared with the popular i20. The petrol comes mated to a 5-speed manual transmission while the diesel gets a 6-speed manual gearbox. For enthusiasts yearning for more, Hyundai is also bringing along a 1.0-liter turbo petrol with 120 horsepower and 172 Nm of torque paired with a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission! 

Globally, a 1.6-liter petrol engine is likely to be Venue's mainstay fitted with a 6-speed manual or an Intelligent Variable transmission.

With the recently-unveiled Palisade expanding Hyundai's SUV lineup at the top, the pint-sized Venue is all set to do the same at the other end. The car goes on sale in India later this month and globally towards the end of the year. Should the Vitara Brezza be concerned? Probably not. Should the EcoSport, Nexon and XUV3OO be worried? Hell, yeah!

2019 New York - Lincoln Corsair debuts as the smallest crossover in the range

To say Lincoln is on a roll would be an understatement of mega proportions. It all started in 2015 when the brand previewed it's new design direction inside and out at the New York Auto Show with the Continental Concept. Since then, Ford's luxury arm has been the cynosure of many an eye in the Big Apple with the Navigator, Nautilus and Aviator making their debuts in subsequent editions of the show. It's the same in 2019 too with Lincoln previewing it's compact luxury crossover, the Corsair.

Lincoln's smallest crossover - based on the new Ford Escape - would replace the MKC, slotting in below the Aviator in the brand's increasingly-impressive lineup. 

The folks at Lincoln struck gold with the Navigator with critics as well as customers loving the way the behemoth SUV looked and pampered the occupants. It's not surprising then to see many of those elements being driven down the order. If the Aviator looked like a mini-Navigator, the Corsair looks like a mini-Aviator. We aren't complaining!

Head-on, high-set swept-back headlights sit on either side of a large chrome-embellished grille with the repeater lamps placed in their own recessed spots below the main light clusters. The grille, like all recent Lincoln models, features exquisite detailing with the mesh mimicking the brand's logo. In profile, you will notice the same sloping roofline, the prominent shoulder line and blacked-out pillars that are seen in the Aviator and the Nautilus. The Corsair moniker sits proudly beneath the rear view mirrors on either side. Taillights that run the width of the car, a muscular boot lid and dual-tone bumper with metallic inserts complete the rear. 

If Corsair's exteriors failed to excite you, chances are it's interiors will. The compact Lincoln's interiors are amongst the nicest ones in the segment without a doubt. The dashboard adopts a horizontal layout with unique full-width air-conditioning vents and a center stack that hangs unsupported. The mandatory touchscreen pops out on the other side, featuring Lincoln's SYNC 3.0 infotainment system. While the layout is classy and has a sort of retro-modern feel to it, the center stack - with a host of buttons and knobs - appear cluttered. 

A full suite of creature comforts and safety features are part of the standard kit offered with Lincoln's party trick - the 24-way power-adjustable front seats - available as an option. Other Lincoln goodies including extensive sound-proofing and Detroit Symphony Orchestra-recorded chimes for alerts are there too. What's more, the Corsair scores on practicality too with the rear passengers getting a manually-sliding and reclining split seat like the new Escape. 

Under the hood lurks a turbocharged 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine that churns out 250 horsepower and 373 Nm of torque. It's the same engine that powers Escape's higher variants. For those looking for more power, a 2.3-liter mill with 30 additional horses and a torque rating of 420 Nm will be on offer. Both engines are mated to a 8-speed automatic transmission. With it's platform-mate Escape announced with conventional and plug-in hybrid powertrain options, the Corsair is expected to get one eventually as well, sitting atop the lineup as the flagship.

With Lincoln still struggling to make enough Navigators to meet demand and interest levels on the Aviator hitting a peak, Lincoln is on an ascent. The Corsair, in all probability, is going to make the climb a bit steeper!

2018 New York - Genesis steals the show with the Essentia Concept

It's that time of the year when the expensive and glamorous show-floors of the Big Apple deck up and host car-makers from around the world. Amidst a slew of cars that made their debuts at the 2018 New York Auto Show, Genesis has turned out to be a star. A flashy new Grand Tourer that goes fast and is powered by electric motors, the Essentia Concept is just what Hyundai's luxury brand needs to raise it's stakes in the upper echelons of the automotive industry.

Eschewing conservatism and embracing GT principles that are loved universally, the Essentia is a stunner any which way you look at it!

A light-weight carbon-fibre monocoque forms the crux on which the car is based. Classic GT cues - the long hood, the swept-back cabin and the fastback silhouette - combine with contemporary conceptual elements like the transparent hood, the bubble-shaped greenhouse, the exposed push-rod suspension and the formula car-style nose cone to create a strong visual impact. The butterfly doors and the parabolic character line running along the shoulders are the other highlights of this design that's expected to filter down to future Genesis models. The now-familiar Crest Grille and Quad LED illumination signature, like the ones we saw in the GV80 Concept previously, have been nicely incorporated as well.

Magnificent copper-coloured alloy wheels shod with thin Pirellis hint at the performance on store. Speaking of which, the car runs on multiple electric motors that store power in a high-density battery pack housed in the center tunnel in an I-shaped structure. Specifications aren't out yet but Genesis hints at sports car-like performance from this luxury Grand Tourer.

Interiors are pure concept stuff and are brilliant for the role they're supposed to play. Featuring Cognac leather seats with chevron quilting, center console finished in Oxford Blue leather, seat belt slots made of glass pearl-finished aluminium and layered carbon fiber decor, the Essentia Concept's cabin is a rich play of imagination at work. Ahead of the driver is a 8.0-inch widescreen display that looks fantastic and is operated by a central controller. The entire cockpit wraps itself around the occupants with an arc that connects the dashboard and the doors. 

As you would expect from a luxury brand playing catch-up, a lot of technological innovations are promised with Genesis claiming the Essentia surpasses the industry standard, focusing on the connection between the vehicle and its environment. There is so much happening on this space these days and its better we don't talk about any of it until it actually happens and the car launches. 

Having killed the Genesis Coupe that was sold with a Hyundai badge, Genesis needs a luxury GT coupe in its portfolio and the Essential fit the bill perfectly. Now, can you make it as it is, please? 

2018 New York - Lincoln previews the Aviator, it's next luxury SUV salvo

Lincoln is back doing what it does best in New York. Back in 2015, Ford's luxury division announced its intentions in style by stealing the limelight with the Continental Concept before following it up an year later with the superb Navigator Concept. Sure enough, production versions of both cars followed with hardly any changes from the concepts displayed. The 2018 edition of the New York Auto Show was declared open yesterday and Lincoln is back creating a splutter, this time with the preview of its next model, the Aviator. 

The Aviator nameplate was first used in the year 2002 for a mid-size 3-row luxury SUV that was based on the then Ford Explorer. With Lincoln's alphabetic naming convention taking over, it became the MKT. While both those models never became popular among luxury car buyers, the times have changed. Lincolns today aren't being looked down as just dolled-up Fords and rightfully so. Don't believe us? Just look at the all-new Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator side-by-side and you'll see for yourself.

  

The Aviator Concept you see here, then, continues the brand's resurgence. Wearing Lincoln's classy new design language, the Aviator takes the style quotient several notches higher compared to the lousy MKT it would be replacing. Sharp, angular headlights sit on either side of Lincoln's now-familiar grille with staggered chrome ingots inside. Dense towards the center and gradually spaced out as we move outwards, the grille looks fantastic. The sculpted hood and the elegant bumper complete the fascia. True to its name, the Aviator has a tapered-down profile with the roof dropping dramatically as we move towards the rear. Wraparound windshield and Lincoln's trademark full-width taillights characterize the derriere with the quad taillights being the other attention-grabber.

The interiors are fabulous borrowing a whole lot from the bigger and plusher Navigator. While the layout and design is similar, the Aviator also gets those "Perfect Position" seats that the Continental debuted with 30-way electrical adjustments. Of course, there's lots and lots of soft touch leather and brushed metal inserts in the well decked-out cabin that has three spacious rows of seating. The third row can seat 6-footers in total comfort, Lincoln claims. Also debuting with the Aviator would be a feature called "Phone as a Key" that lets us lock, unlock and start the vehicle with our phone.  

While complete details of what's under the hood of the Aviator Concept isn't known, Lincoln has been generous enough in saying it'll get a twin turbocharged EcoBoost engine under the hood with an available Plug-in Hybrid option (PHEV). Ford's 10-speed automatic is likely to be the transmission of choice. The other big news is the Aviator shifting to a rear wheel drive platform (RWD) that's also likely to underpin the upcoming next-generation Explorer, Ford's popular midsize SUV. 

Recent history says the Aviator should make it to production pretty much unchanged in a year or so. And once that happens, expect this smart luxury offering to keep Lincoln's cash registers ringing along with the hot-selling Navigator!

2017 New York - Dodge unleashes the Demon

The city of New York and its suburbs are said to be possessed by a demonic force. And that happens to be the sinister Challenger SRT Demon unleashed by Dodge.

When Dodge launched the sinister 707-horsepower Challenger and Charger Hellcats, little did we realize there is scope for a more powerful and crazier version. That's also why we weren't expecting a whole lot from the multitude of teasers and hints Dodge dropped since the beginning of the year. Boy, were we wrong!

Digest these numbers - 840 whopping horsepower, ridiculous 1044 Nm of torque, acceleration from 0 to 60 mph in a 'blink-and-you-miss' 2.1 seconds (on a regulation drag strip) and a quarter mile run in a crazy 9.65 seconds at 140 mph. 

If your mind isn't numb looking at those, here are some more to chew on. With competent hands behind the wheel, this car can pull a wheelie from a dead stop. The Demo holds a Guinness World Record for pulling off the longest wheelie for a production car at 2.92 feet. That's 35 inches with the front wheels off the ground!

Responsible for these astounding numbers is the supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8 from the Hellcat that's been significantly tweaked. There is a larger 2.7-liter supercharger that turns the boost up to 14.5 psi, a Power Chiller system has been designed that uses the car's air conditioning to cool the air coming in through the 'Air Grabber' (said to be the largest functional hood scoop ever on a production car) and an after-run cooler is used to bring the supercharger's temperature down once the engine is shut off. The pistons and connecting rods have been strengthened and dual fuel pumps are employed to feed the engine.

That's not all. The rest of the mechanicals have gone through changes too. The driveline has been fully upgraded employing a high-strength steel propshaft that can handle 15 percent more torque, a rear differential that can handle upto 30 percent more and high-strength steel halfshafts that can handle upto 20 percent more. The Demon gets a Trans Brake system that locks the transmission output shaft in order to hold the car for best possible launches. Then, there are the grippy 315 section tires on all four wheels for best possible traction from the word go.

For true drag strip outings, Dodge offers a crate of goodies containing skinny front wheels and tires, jack, wrench, tire pressure gauge and an air compressor. The best part is the crate is designed to fit in the car's trunk. Talk about attention to detail.

Hot rods don't get hotter than this. This car is factory-built to race on drag strips but the American National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) seem to disagree. Why, you wonder? Well, the car is just too fast (quarter mile time under 10 seconds and exit speed of 140 mph) and doesn't come with a roll cage. It's ironic that the Demon is banned from doing exactly what it was built to do.

Dodge has taken light-weighting to an altogether different level as the Demon is stripped off literally everything that's not needed to move the car. Yes, the car is devoid of even the passenger seat and the rear bench. Both are $1 options and so are a 19-speaker Harmon Kardon stereo system, floor mats and trunk carpets. 

Think of an American muscle car and your mind processes vivid images of an automobile that looks menacing and sexy. The Challenger, even in it's regular form, meets that perception to the tee and the SRT Demon is no different. The car looks absolutely smashing.

Unlike some supercars that are restricted to race tracks, the Challenger SRT Demon is completely street-legal and can be bought with a 3-year vehicle and a 5-year powertrain warranty. When it goes on sale later this year, prices are expected to hover less than $100,000, a fraction of what supercars with similar levels of performance retail for.

Only 3,300 of these would be built with 3,000 allocated for the United States of America and 300 for Canada.

If grabbing headlines is what Dodge and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) intended to do with the Demon, they have succeeded big time. Let's now see if this helps them sell more of their regular cars.

2017 New York - Genesis GV80 Concept previews the brand's first SUV

Visitors to the 2016 New York International Auto Show were in for a visual treat from Genesis that had the sexy Hybrid Sports Sedan Concept on display. An year later, Hyundai’s luxury division is aiming for a repeat act, this time with a large SUV, something that would fit well in Genesis’ lineup. The two-strong portfolio is all set to expand to six by 2020 and two of them are said to be SUVs.

Look past it’s alphanumeric nomenclature and the GV80 Concept is an impressive vehicle that teases what’s in store from the South Korean luxury brand.

If the overall shape and stance remind you of one Bentley Bentayga, it’s not a mere coincidence. Hyundai poached Luc Donckerwolke, previously Bentley’s chief designer, before spinning off the luxury division and the gentleman is now in charge of giving Genesis an identity of its own. Well then, the GV80 Concept could be the solution Genesis had been looking for. 

The familiar ‘crest’ grille takes prime place up front underlined by a lower grille surround. The latter forms the base of a prominent center spine that runs the full length of the car on either sides. Slim quad headlights with ‘jewel-like’ detailing and matching taillights with laser-lit fiber optics stand out while conceptual touches abound in the form of massive 23-inch alloy wheels, flush-mounted door handles and cameras in place of rear view mirrors. Proportions are spot-on – long and wide with an almost-flat hood, a long wheelbase and minimal front and extended rear overhangs – bestowing the GV80 Concept with the stance of a proper luxury automobile.

A lot of work has gone in to the details. The bespoke ‘Ice Granite’ finish in the external panels, the partly-vented spokes that match the see-through pattern in the B- and C-pillars, the low cut-lines in the front fenders and the spike in the lower front grille with a matching cue on the high-mounted brake light at the rear are just a few of them.

It’s in the inside the GV80 Concept makes a far better impression. From the sexy steering wheel with thin aluminium inserts that double up as spokes to the bridge instrument panel housing a massive 22-inch curved OLED infinity display screen that presents two distinct zones for the driver and the front passenger, the cabin is well thought-out and beautifully-crafted. An array of materials – red leather with quilted diamond stitching, suede, polished aluminium and ash wood – blend well to give the cabin an opulent look and feel. The center console tunnel runs the length of the cabin, splitting it into four distinct seating areas with individual touch-capacitive infotainment controls.

We wish the product planners at Genesis manage to please their bosses with a positive business case and come out with a production SUV with interiors similar to this concept. That would be one hell of a differentiator for the brand that’s trying hard to be different amidst the Mercs, Audis, BMWs, Jags and Volvos. 

Genesis claims the GV80 Concept has been designed to house an advanced plug-in hydrogen fuel cell powertrain, underlining Hyundai’s commitment to this technology. No other details have been released though. Considering the practicality aspects and lack of refueling infrastructure, the production model is likely to come with the 3.3-liter V6 or the 5.0-liter V8 that power the G80 and G90 sedans.

In the SUV-obsessed times we are in right now, Genesis can’t survive with just a pair of sedans. The sooner the GV80 Concept-derived SUV goes into production, the better it is for them. Over to you then, Hyundai.

2017 New York - Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is what dreams are made of

Have you ever wished to pilot an automobile that could keep pace with the Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Porsches of the world on a casual sprint but wouldn’t come to a screeching halt when the roads dry up leaving you in slush, sand or snow? We enthusiasts crave for something like that, don’t we? 

Well, our wish is granted. Thank Jeep for unleashing the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk amidst the glitz and grandeur of the ongoing 2017 New York Auto Show.

Let’s get straight to the numbers. Supercharged V8 under the hood. 6.2 liters of displacement. 707 horsepower. 875 Nm of torque. 0 to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds. Quarter mile in just 11.6 seconds. Sounds insane, right? Well, it ought to be. 

After all, we are talking about the fastest SUV on earth, a title that the Bentley Bentayga and the Tesla Model X P90D claimed on their debuts not so long back! The latter in 'Ludicrous Mode' is even faster though. 

Despite its tarmac-scorching credentials, the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is still very much a Jeep underneath. That means you can actually take this vehicle off-road as much as you hit the race track. Who wouldn’t want to own one of these?

The 707 horses generated by the HEMI V8 monster under the hood are transferred to all four wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission and a single speed transfer case that's bolstered with a wider chain and forged sprockets. Under normal conditions, the torque split between the front and rear axle is 40:60. The distribution changes to 35:65 in Sport mode, 30:70 in Track mode and 50:50 in Snow mode. There is also an electronic limited slip differential at the back that helps tackle slippery terrain while Jeep engineers have had to strengthen the rear drive shaft and half shafts to ensure all the horses don't go helter skelter. Completing the package is a high-performance suspension with adaptive Bilstein shocks and powerful six-piston Brembo calipers mounted on 20-inch wheels.

The beauty of this beast is it’s ‘wolf in sheep’s clothes’ styling. You will be hard pressed to call out a Trackhawk from a SRT over a casual glance. Look closer though and the multitude of ‘Supercharged’ and ‘Trackhawk’ badges can’t be missed. While the subtle changes might seem insufficient for the performance on tap, there are no complaints as the Grand Cherokee is amongst the best-looking SUVs out there. Adding to the good looks are the bumper skirts and fender flares that convey the Trackhawk’s sporty intentions.

The interiors are similar to the regular Grand Cherokee with prominent Trackhawk lettering in the steering wheel and the seats. Black chrome and carbon fiber accents differentiate this range-topping model from the regulars while leather packages in Dark Ruby Red as shown in the picture are optional. Dodge’s SRT 'Performance Pages' that help monitor vital engine parameters and review lap times and G-forces are standard while a panoramic sunroof and a 825-watt sound system are also on offer. 

When Dodge launched the Challenger Hellcat and Charger Hellcat a couple of years back, not in our wildest dreams did we think we would see a Grand Cherokee Hellcat. Here we are, though, ogling at one in all its glory. Give us time to recover before dropping the next bomb, Fiat-Chrysler.