Saturday, December 22, 2012

Porsche Panamera Diesel


Same concept, different power.
·             Design & Engineering:
Compared to its competitors, the Panamera is fresh—a game changer to the usual fleet of XJ’s, A8’s, 7’s, and S-Class’. Despite being a diesel, this variant is no different from the petrol powered 3.6-liter Panamera, bar the letters diesel written neatly on the vehicle’s side in chrome. Hence, the same bold and powerful front, along with the gracious curves on the side and rear end are retained, allowing for an eye-pleasing sports luxo-barge. At 4,970mm long, the Panamera is also fairly imposing, allowing it to command attention amidst the busy roads of say, Shanghai. LED lamps, bi-xenon, automatic spoilers and the lot come standard on this variant, for it’s still a Porsche after all.
·            Interior:
Porsche’s new lineup of interior made its debut in the Panamera. Hence, you get the same touch-interactive screen, with a telephony module, GPS map—the lot. Furthermore, Porsche caters to the audiophiles via the standard BOSE sound system, or the optional Brumster sound system, both of which deliver excellent sounds. Being a Porsche, the Panamera is rather driver orientated, with most things within an easy reach. Furthermore, the different available modes coupled with the standard paddle shifters and 8-speed Tiptronic allows one to have some fun with the luxo-barge as well. Unfortunately, there is one downside to the Panamera—the fact that it comes with only 4 seats. Though each seat is well spaced out, comfortable and well tailored, with enough buttons to cater to one’s needs, this is where the Panamera loses out to competition such as the XJ Supercharged, which caters excellent performance and unrivaled rear-seat comfort and entertainment. Nevertheless, the Panamera makes up for such a loss with its voluminous boot that swallows 445 liters of goods. This makes the vehicle capable of a trip up to the golf-course, or to the mountains for a weekend getaway.
·            Ride & Handlings
Powering the German is a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine. Mated to an 8-speed Tiptronic gearbox, the Panamera Diesel churns out 250BHP, and 550Nm of torque, with the century sprint easily done in 6.8 seconds. Compared to the petrol powered 3.6-liter Panamera that has 400Nm at 4750 RPM, the Diesel churns out 550Nm at 1750 RPM! Furthermore, despite being powered by diesel, it’s hard to tell the difference, as there are no clattering or shudders produced by the engine up front. In addition, as the Porsche complies with Euro 5 emission rules and regulations, one can thoroughly enjoy the vehicle while having a sense of environmental friendliness.

·            Verdict
Value for money. What more do you want me to say? It’s cheaper, its got more torque, and its still the same shebang!

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Friday, December 14, 2012

BMW AH 3


Environment, environment, environment! So the search goes on.
·             Design & Engineering:
As with BMW’s AH 5, the AH 3 is based off the original model, in this case, the 335i. From the front, slight tweaks in the vehicle’s aerodynamics are visible, in addition to signature squinted headlamps, allowing one to differentiate it slightly from the “standard’ 335i. Apart from that, the same sporty and appealing look still remains on the Bimmer’s face. Furthermore on the side, it’s pretty much the same story, bar the aerodynamic 18-inch alloys found only among the AH series. On its bum, the AH 3 looks exactly the same as the 335i, which many hybrid buyers of today enjoy—environmental consciousness without the whole world knowing that you’ve bought a hybrid. 
·            Interior
I’ve always enjoyed BMW’s in the way they feel. Yes, it sounds odd, but there’s a certain element to every BMW that makes it feel special. On the inside, it is clear that the AH 3—despite being a hybrid, is still built for serious drivers as well. Overall layout is sublime, with thought-out driver positioning. Furthermore, BMW carries over options for wood trim, steering wheel colour, leather colour, etc. In one example that I’ve managed to see, a beige steering wheel presents itself against Imperial Blue leather. The redesigned dashboard features all the information needed to keep the one engaged and aware of all situations. I quite enjoy the new steering wheel design, for it retains an air of class and sportiness as well—via the premium leather, minimalistic button layout, and paddle shifters. With the new 3-series in general, everything boils down to detail. For instance, small items such as the handbrake lever are swathed in interior matching leather. Furthermore, for audiophiles such as myself, the AH 3 comes with a standard Harman/Kardon sound system that delivers ear-pleasing sounds. To top it off, the i-Drive system (found in all current BMW’s provides hi-definition graphics and essential information) works like a charm, displaying the hybrid drive system in a clear and easily understood manner. At the rear, space is decent for this class of vehicles, and ensures that one’s occupants are pampered well enough. As for the boot, space is exactly the same as a ‘normal’ 3-series, as BMW cleverly stows the pack in the spare-tire area. 
·            Ride & Handlings
At the heart of the AH 3 is BMW’s signature 6-cylinder in line, twin-turbo charged V6, now with added electric motors. This means that power figures jump from 306 BHP (335i) to 340 BHP in the AH 3. Hence the century sprint is done in a smile-plastering 5.3 seconds. In sport mode, the sedan grips tightly to the road, allowing one to have “some fun” with the vehicle at all times. Being a hybrid, the AH 3 is much more frugal than its gas-guzzling brother, the 335i. As a hybrid buyer, that should be the key selling point.

·            Verdict
The AH 3 trumps the 335i in terms of how modern it feels and looks. Furthermore, it’s more competitive in performance, and saves on fuel. Of course, this means it’s a tad more expensive though.

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Saturday, December 1, 2012

Chrysler 300C, 3.6 V6


Let’s talk American.
The majority of American cars (bar the more upmarket brands such as Cadillac’s and Lincolns) leave a sour taste in one’s mind, due to the poor build quality, high fuel consumption, and simply horrid looks. What about now? After being bought over by the FIAT group, Chrysler has come up with a revised flagship vehicle that brings back golden memories from the late 60’s to 70’s, being the splendor and substantial size of your golden Cadillac, or the sheer power emerging from your V8 and 12’s. This. Is the new Chrysler 300C.
·             Design & Engineering:
The previous 300C had the looks of a beast—with trinkets taken from Mercedes along the way, in order for it to run properly. Though voluminous both on the inside and out, it lacked a hint of finesse otherwise found in European marques, or even Japanese marques. Having reached the end of its lifespan, the designers at Chrysler set to work, producing the new 300C. The latest 300C retains its muscular frame, creeping just over the 5-meter mark. The revised Chrysler emblem and stretched out grille pair perfectly with the new “slit-like” bi-xenon headlamps. From the side, 20” rims fill the voluminous arches, providing a masculine and powerful stance. It’s at the rear where the 300C begins to disagree with me. In plain English, it looks awkward—with two strips of LED’S on either side projecting as if it were an old Cadillac Coupe de Ville. Still, a neat trick lies under the emergency brake lamp—a concealed reverse camera. Overall, the outside is much more graceful and powerful than its predecessor.
·            Interior
On the inside, the first thing that comes to mind is: leather, leather, leather, leather, leather… INDEED! I’d estimate that 75% of the interior is swathed with soft-to-the-touch leather, covering door panels, the area surrounding the start/stop button, as well as the entire front dash. Clearly, Chrysler means business, for only higher end makes such as Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus, usually swath whole dashboards with leather. Still, I believe that some copying and pasting of parts has taken place, as the 300C takes on an XJ-styled steering wheel, as well as an A8 gear shifter. Mind you, not a bad thing at all—though it lacks a sense of creativity. Still, intricate yet modern wood inlays couple well with the leather, elevating the status of the vehicle well. The center console consists of Chrysler’s new entertainment system, ‘Uconnect’. Operated via a generously sized touch screen, it controls the climate, navigation, phone, etc. Talk intelligent gizmos! Oddly enough, I find that by placing an analogue clock above the center console, the interior elevates itself to ‘greater heights’, making the 300C feel as if it’s worth every single dollar. On a side note, rear space is generous, with an option for zone climate control available.
·            Ride & Handlings
Powering this American behemoth is Chrysler’s famed 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, producing 281BHP, propelling the marque from 0-100km/h in an adequate 7.7 seconds. Paired to an 8-speed ZF gearbox, the 300C does shift creamily, allowing it to utilize the power upfront with great ease. Still, one tends to feel the car’s weight (of 2 tons) when cruising around at low speeds. Overall, the barge excels on open roads, where one is able to optimize the Pentastar V6 and ZF gearbox.

·            Verdict
It’s big. It doesn’t look too bad. It’s packed with luxury and a fair amount of new technology. It’s actually not that bad, making it a contender against competition such as the A6, S80, and XF.
Watch out.

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