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In the News section of the March issue, we previewed BMW’s ‘Progressive Activity Sedan’ – showcased to the world at the Geneva Motor show that month. While it was still in concept form at the time, now known as the 5 series Gran Turismo, it’s been officially launched by BMW.
As they’ve done recently with the X6, BMW is continuing to carve out new niches in the market, and the 5 series GT is another such example – it’s neither sedan, station wagon nor SUV, but perhaps a combination of all three. It’s styled very much like a sedan, and has large trademark kidney grilles up front, similar to the new 7 series. It also has a fastback-style sloping roofline for an aggressive and purposeful stance. The ride height is higher than a sedan, which gives it what BMW refers to as a ‘command driving position.’ It also has a two-piece double-joined tail gate, which means the boot can be accessed like a sedan by opening just the boot lid if you’re carrying smaller items, or like an SUV by opening the entire tailgate if you’re loading larger objects. In terms of interior space, rear seat passengers have legroom equal to that of a 7 Series, and headroom close to that of an X5.
The 5 series GT will come with three engine options – a 3.0 liter six-cylinder diesel producing 245bhp, a 3.0 liter turbocharged six-cylinder petrol producing 306bhp, and a 4.4. liter V8 petrol producing 407bhp. Each model comes with BMW’s new 8-speed automatic transmission, which is more efficient than the existing six-speed. In addition, all 5 series GT’s will have brake-energy regeneration, and active aerodynamics to increase efficiency.
This model is targeted to people who value style and comfort, but also require space and flexibility. BMW have identified three types of buyers for this vehicle – those who like the idea of an SUV but not the styling, those who want the luxury of a 7 series but in a design that’s more striking and coupe-like, and, finally, simply those who are open to new concepts. The overall styling should also give us a sneak peek at the next generation 5 Series, which debuts sometime next year.
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We know the Mitsubishi Lancer as a fairly sedate and unassuming, if not slightly sporty, four-door sedan, which, frankly, has little or no real impact – that couldn’t be further from the truth however. The Lancer Evolution, now in its 10th avatar, is perhaps the most recognized and revered supercar slayer of them all. This legendary rally car for the road incorporates everything that Mitsubishi has learnt from the rough and tumble arena of world rallying. And Mitsubishi’s just released the most extreme version of the Evo to date – the Lancer Evolution X FQ-400.
The FQ-400 may still have just a 2.0 liter, four cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine, but it produces an inconceivable 403bhp and 387lb/ft of torque, which helps to propel this rally car for the road to 100km/h in an equally astonishing 3.8 seconds. To generate this kind of power from just 2.0 liters, Mitsubishi uses motorsport specification high-flow fuel injectors, a higher spec turbo that features low-friction bearings, a high temperature turbine, an enhanced intercooler, high flow stainless steel piping, and a remapped ECU with over 500 hours of development time.
Helping to transmit this tremendous power to the road is Mitsubishi’s legendary Super-All Wheel Control (S-AWC) four-wheel-drive system, which consists of Active Stability Control, an Active Centre Differential, Active Yaw Control and Sport ABS. Bringing the car to a stop is the job of a revised braking system that uses aerospace-grade aluminum alloys for the discs, and high performance brake pads.
The FQ-400 also looks meaner than any Evo before it, courtesy of a heavily vented bonnet that helps heat escape from the engine compartment. The front air dam features an aggressive carbon fiber lower element, while the rear has a carbon fiber diffuser at the bottom, as well as a ‘Vortex Generator’ on the roof to effectively manage airflow. With a price tag the equivalent of about Rs. 38 lakhs when it goes on sale in the UK, the latest Evo certainly lives up to its tradition of offering supercar performance at a more attainable price. Oh, how Mitsubishi’s image would change if it were to offer the Evo FQ-400 in India. |
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