autoX - founded autoX in 2006 with little clue of what lay ahead. Driven by a passion for anything on four wheels and a stubborn will to succeed, he moulded a team as pig-headed

founded autoX in 2006 with little clue of what lay ahead. Driven by a passion for anything on four wheels and a stubborn will to succeed, he moulded a team as pig-headed as him to create a medium that could adequately communicate the magnificence of the automobile to an unsuspecting audience. Today, autoX stands for independence, candidness, and objectivity – but, most of all, for heart & soul. And that’s one ingredient that has to come from within. Be warned, however, it is infectious!

<p>I’m a massive BMW M fan, and within that quite rapid niche, I’m very specifically an M5 fan! </p><p>But, while I was looking forward to driving the new 717 horsepower M5, I was also a little concerned – since it’s now also carrying the weight of a small electric motor and battery pack. So, it would certainly be fast, but would it still be athletic?</p><h2>A Brief History of the BMW M5</h2><p>But first, a quick crash course on the history of the M5.</p><div style="width: 100%; height: auto;" class="post-image">
        <img src="https://images.autox.com/uploads/2025/11/BMW_M5_E28_autoX-1763455467204.webp" alt="BMW_M5_E28_autoX.jpg" style="width: 100%; height: auto;">
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    <p>The original – the E28 – is a legend! It created the category of super sedans in the 80s. BMW took a regular four-door sedan &amp; plonked their motorsport engine from the M1 in it and a brand-new era of sport sedans was born. Yes, it was a bit soft and wallowy, but it’s also super engaging to drive.</p><div style="width: 100%; height: auto;" class="post-image">
        <img src="https://images.autox.com/uploads/2025/11/BMW_M5_E34_autoX-1763455660128.webp" alt="BMW_M5_E34_autoX.jpg" style="width: 100%; height: auto;">
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    <p>The second-gen, the E34 – made famous in that incredible car chase in the film Ronin – is an amazing car to drive. It’s not that fast by modern standards, but there’s a goodness in the way it goes down the road. The throttle pedal is long &amp; progressive – that was the traction control of the era. You controlled the power delivery not through fancy electronics but with your right foot.</p><div style="width: 100%; height: auto;" class="post-image">
        <img src="https://images.autox.com/uploads/2025/11/BMW_M5_E39_autoX-1763455817387.webp" alt="BMW_M5_E39_autoX.jpg" style="width: 100%; height: auto;">
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  <p>The third-gen – the E39 – is one of my favourite cars of all time. Under the hood, it had a 4.0-litre naturally-aspirated V8 that made 400 horsepower. It was super luxurious and incredibly playful – the perfect combination for a daily driver and a car in which to cross continents.</p><div style="width: 100%; height: auto;" class="post-image">
        <img src="https://images.autox.com/uploads/2025/11/BMW_M5_E60_autoX-1763456029678.webp" alt="BMW_M5_E60_autoX.jpg" style="width: 100%; height: auto;">
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  <p>The fourth-gen – the E60 – had a monster 5.0-litre V10 that was taken straight out of an F1 car. Perhaps one of the most incredible engines of all time. Sadly, it was plagued by a single-clutch SMG gearbox that was clumsy and just couldn’t keep up.</p><div style="width: 100%; height: auto;" class="post-image">
        <img src="https://images.autox.com/uploads/2025/11/BMW_M5_F10_autoX-1763456257676.webp" alt="BMW_M5_F10_autoX.jpg" style="width: 100%; height: auto;">
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    <p>The F10 grew bigger, more luxurious and even more powerful thanks to a pair of turbos. It was monumentally fast, but it was just too heavy and unwieldy for my liking. The F90 was more of the same, although I never drove the famed CS model. </p>
  <h2>BMW M5 G90 Hybrid Performance: Power Meets Weight</h2><p>You would think that the G90, the latest M5, with hybrid tech, at two-and-a-half tonnes, would be just too heavy to be fun to drive. But, with 717bhp &amp; 1,000Nm, and zero lag in power delivery, thanks to the electric motor, it’s an absolute blast from behind the wheel.</p><div style="width: 100%; height: auto;" class="post-image">
        <img src="https://images.autox.com/uploads/2024/12/BMW-M5-Launched.jpg" alt="BMW M5 Launched" style="width: 100%; height: auto;">
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    <p>It’s more luxurious and better kitted out than ever, but it’s also incredibly fast and fun to drive. And, with an all-electric range of 69 kilometres, you could argue that it’s just that little bit more responsible than before too. I thought it would be numb and forgettable, instead it turned out to be super-fast, engaging and incredibly desirable.</p>
  <p>100km/h comes up in just 3.5 seconds, so you know that power is stupendous. But, crucially, so is the chassis and body control. Yes, on quick weight transfers, you do feel the sheer heft, but other than that it’s incredibly easy to hustle around the racetrack. Thanks to the four-wheel drive, you can just point-and-shoot. It simply hunkers down and goes looking for less able prey to harass out of its way. And with that big, black snout (which is illuminated at night for added effect), you can bet that it clears a path with no trouble at all.</p><div style="width: 100%; height: auto;" class="post-image">
        <img src="https://images.autox.com/uploads/2025/01/1738237643646-032a-BMW-M5-steering-wheel.webp" alt="BMW M5-steering-wheel.jpg" style="width: 100%; height: auto;">
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  <p>The best part of this M5 isn’t that you can actually use it as a track car, it’s the fact that it’s incredibly comfortable, luxurious and spacious while also being insanely fast at the same time. Frankly, it’s a good thing that you won’t be taking it to a track on a regular basis. My assumption is that, with the traction control system working overtime to keep all that power and weight in check, your brake pads are likely to be toast sooner rather than later.</p>
  <p>So, you’re better off using the M5 as a fast and luxurious road warrior. You’ll be able to outgun pretty much everything else, and you can do it safe in the knowledge that no one else on the road would be foolhardy enough to get in your way. If that isn’t thug life, I don’t know what is…</p><div style="width: 100%; height: auto;" class="post-image">
        <img src="https://images.autox.com/uploads/2025/01/1738237604391-knvp-BMW-M5-Rear-View.webp" alt="BMW M5-Rear-View.jpg" style="width: 100%; height: auto;">
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<p>[tab title="<strong>BMW M5</strong>"]</p>

<p><strong>Engine:</strong> 4,395cc Twin-Turbo V8</p>

<p><strong>Transmission:</strong> 8-Speed AT AWD</p>

<p><strong>Power:</strong> 717bhp </p>

<p><strong>Torque:</strong> 1,000Nm</p>
 
<p><strong>Fuel:</strong> Petrol-hybrid</p> 

<p><strong>Price:</strong> ₹1.99 Crore Ex showroom</p>

<p><strong>X-Factor:&nbsp;</strong><em>Still the fastest &amp; most capable luxury sedan in the world.</em></p>

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	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
			<p><strong>Pros &nbsp;</strong>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>
			•&nbsp; Insanely fast &amp; luxurious </p>

			</td>
			<td>
			<p><strong>Cons</strong><br>
			• Fast, yes, but also ridiculously complicated &amp; heavy </p>
			</td>
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<p>[/tab]</p>

<p>[/tabs]</p>

BMW M5 First Drive Review - Thug Life

The brand new BMW M5 is a 717-horsepower thug, and it’s in no mood to pretend otherwise! But what happens when you take a thug to a racetrack?

<p>In the West, people now aspire to own the newest iPhone over the latest hatchback. Young people aren’t even applying for a driver’s licence anymore. Why, you ask?</p>

<p>Well, that question was lingering while we were evaluating the contestants in our mega test to choose the top-ten machines of the year. As always, this is a great opportunity to get a sense of how the industry is evolving.</p><p><strong>Also read:</strong> <a href="https://www.autox.com/awards/" target="_blank">autoX Awards 2025, 19th Anniversary Mega Test</a></p>

<p>In India, there’s still a tremendous amount of latent demand – the rate of car ownership is 34 cars per 1,000 people versus 860 per 1,000 in the US, for instance. But there’s no doubt that regulation has meant that the average price of a car has skyrocketed over the past few years. Add to that speed cameras every quarter-of-a-mile in most developed markets, and it means that a lot of the allure, romanticism or freedom of car ownership has all but vanished.</p>

<p>That’s not to say that the cars themselves aren’t are good as they’ve ever been. That’s simply the nature of things. If that wasn’t the case, Darwin would be turning in his grave! But it’s also apparent that there simply aren’t any small, fun, and affordable cars on sale anymore.</p><p>
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        <img src="https://images.autox.com/uploads/2025/06/Adas-View-Of-Steering-Console-And-Instrumentation-1749447514596.webp" alt="Adas-View-Of-Steering-Console-And-Instrumentation.jpg" style="width: 100%; height: auto;">
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<p>Fortunately, cars are safer and more capable than they’ve ever been. Carmakers like Volvo are even contemplating a future in which they can eliminate fatalities entirely. But does that mean that every car on sale really needs to have lane-keeping assist, or radar-guided Level 3 ADAS, or cameras that read street signs? In most accidents, the sad truth is that the weak link is the squidgy mass of blood and guts that occupies the driver’s seat. But does that really warrant pricing young drivers out of the market entirely?</p>

<p>Sure, a driverless future will be a lot safer, but where does that leave those of us who actually enjoy the act of getting behind the wheel? For better or worse, an autonomous future isn’t particularly likely in India, given the chaos on our roads. All of which brings me to the Golf GTI, which (spoiler alert) scored particularly well in this year’s Mega Test.</p><p>
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        <img src="https://images.autox.com/uploads/2025/11/Volkswagen_Golf_GTI_autoX_Awards_2025-1763119451849.webp" alt="Volkswagen_Golf_GTI_autoX_Awards_2025.jpg" style="width: 100%; height: auto;">
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<p>Now, you’d be right in saying that a hatchback at well over 50 lakhs is about as niche as they come. And you’d be right. But VW India can’t import enough of them. 150 GTIs have flown off the shelves before they’ve even been unloaded from the container ships, and VW India is trying to get its hands on another allocation from Wolfsburg.</p>

<p>It's safe to say that the enthusiast community in India is growing faster than carmakers can keep up, but what we really need is a proper performance car that’s accessible to young Indian buyers who still value personal mobility more than the latest smartphone. And I’m not talking about adding a spoiler and some stickers to something masquerading as a hot hatch, I mean a car that actually stirs your soul and one that’s truly aspirational, yet accessible. Someone needs to introduce one fast, before we’re all forced into a future of insipid driverless pods.
</p>

Letter from the Editor - Is Over-regulation Killing the Motor Car?

A driverless future will be a lot safer, but where does that leave those of us who actually enjoy the act of getting behind the wheel?

<p>
717bhp and 1,000Nm, paired with hybrid efficiency and a properly luxurious cabin – all the ingredients for the perfect modern day M5. Or is it?</p>

<p>You see, the M5 has always been able to combine ultra-high performance with everyday usability, along with more than a smattering of luxury. The hybrid tech in this generation, though, has meant that the M5 has gained more than half-a-tonne in weight over its predecessor – tipping the scales at a substantial 2,435kg. That certainly hasn’t blunted its straight-line speed though. After all, the wallop of those 717 horses means that it achieves 100km/h in a scant 3.5 seconds. The trouble comes when you attempt to hurl those two-and-a-half tonnes around the short loop of the BIC. Despite the four-wheel drive, the M5 appears reluctant to pivot around its axis and put its power down unless its pointed dead straight. There’s a very apparent resistance mid-corner owing to its mass, which can be seen in its lap time. That’s not to say it’s not entertaining. You can turn off the all-wheel drive and simply smoke the rear tires in two-wheel drive mode, as you see here. That’s the beauty of having inherent BMW dynamics and over 700 horses.</p><p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.autox.com/videos/bmw-m5-track-drive-perfect-super-sedan-for-india-buddh-international-circuit-2024-autox-119253/"> BMW M5 Track Drive | Perfect Super Sedan for India? | Buddh International Circuit | 2024 | autoX</a></p>

<p>As a road car, and a stupendously fast luxury car, the M5 still fits the bill but its weight means it’s not quite the precision instrument of old. In this avatar, it’s more of a hammer. It looks imposing, and it goes like stink but it can’t hide the weight of that 18.6 kWh battery pack. Perhaps BMW should have taken a page out of the Porsche GTS playbook, which has a 1.9 kWh battery that keeps the turbos always on boost – that way it enhances performance without any penalty in weight. Of course, the M5 will be far more efficient on the highway, and it’s perhaps the perfect car in which to crush continents.</p><p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://youtu.be/gkFiJ_N9wck?si=k2dtUxv9R7epjtcR">BMW M5 Track Drive | Perfect Super Sedan for India? | Buddh International Circuit | 2024 | autoX</a></p>

<p>If the fastest Autobahn cruiser was the brief, then the M5 has nailed it. But the M5 legacy is a tough one to live up to. This generation is faster, yes, but certainly not as agile as before…
</p>

<p>[tabs]</p>

<p>[tab title="<strong>BMW M5 (Lap Time: 01.06.1)</strong>"]</p>

<table cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" width="100%">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<th scope="col">PARAMETERS</th>
			<th scope="col">POINTS</th>
			<th scope="col">SCORE</th>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th scope="row">QUALITY</th>
			<td>5</td>
			<td>4.5</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th scope="row">COMFORT / SPACE</th>
			<td>5</td>
			<td>4</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th scope="row">REFINEMENT</th>
			<td>5</td>
			<td>4</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th scope="row">DESIGN</th>
			<td>5</td>
			<td>3</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th scope="row">DRIVETRAIN</th>
			<td>5</td>
			<td>4.5</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th scope="row">RIDE &amp; HANDLING</th>
			<td>5</td>
			<td>3</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th scope="row">PRACTICALITY</th>
			<td>5</td>
			<td>4</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th scope="row">X FACTOR</th>
			<td>20</td>
			<td>14</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th scope="row">LAP TIME</th>
			<td>15</td>
			<td>11.6</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th scope="row">VALUE FOR MONEY</th>
			<td>30</td>
			<td>7</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th scope="row">TOTAL</th>
			<td>100</td>
			<td>59.6</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

<p>[/tab]</p>

<p>[/tabs]</p>

BMW M5 at autoX Awards: Best Cars of 2025 Ranked

The new BMW M5 is a very quick luxury sedan. It looks imposing on the road and delivers strong performance with serious pace.

<p>
The Aston Martin DBX is already a winner, having been crowned our Performance Car of the Year in 2021 – the first SUV to earn that accolade.</p>

<p>This one is a DBX on steroids. 707 steroids to be specific – that’s the number of horses under the hood. The AMG-sourced 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 that gulps air from that massive Aston Martin signature grille also produces 900 Nm of twisting force, all of which adds up to a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 3.3 seconds and a top speed of 310km/h. But the numbers tell only part of the story.</p><p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.autox.com/news/car-news/aston-martin-dbx-s-unveiled-as-the-brands-most-powerful-suv-with-717bhp-twin-turbo-v8-120573/">Aston Martin DBX S Unveiled as the Brand's Most Powerful SUV with 717bhp Twin-turbo V8</a></p>

<p>The real appeal of the DBX is the way it makes you feel, right from the way it makes you go a bit weak in the knees as you approach it – after all, those Aston Martin design cues have been executed to perfection in their SUV avatar – then there’s the cabin, which is appointed in hand-stitched leather from top to bottom, and, of course, the icing on the cake is how the DBX goes down the road. This is truly an Aston Martin that you can use on our roads. The ride on the road is quite compliant, making it a usable everyday machine – if you can pull off that James Bond look on a daily basis that is.</p>

<p>On the track, it feels like a proper sports car – not like a lumbering SUV. They’ve really done an amazing job with this chassis and the steering. It dives into corners, rotates around its axis and powers out like a machine that feels half its size. The only trouble is that it’ll make a dent in your pocket that’s well north of the four crore mark, which means that only the very select few will ever experience the combination of looks, quality and driving pleasure that the DBX delivers.</p><p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.autox.com/news/car-news/f1-inspired-aston-martin-dbx707-amr24-edition-breaks-cover-117666/">F1-inspired Aston Martin DBX707 AMR24 Edition Breaks Cover</a></p>

<p>Aston Martin has also done an amazing job over the years of improving the functionality and layout of its cabins, and I’m kicking myself for not trying out the Apple CarPlay Ultra, since the DBX is the first vehicle in the world that’s given Apple access not only to the infotainment screen but also the instrument cluster. I guess I’ll just have to drive the DBX again to try it – I better work on that Sean Connery accent in the meantime…
</p>

<p>[tabs]</p>

<p>[tab title="<strong>Aston Martin DBX 707 (Lap Time: 01.05.6)</strong>"]</p>

<table cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" width="100%">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<th scope="col">PARAMETERS</th>
			<th scope="col">POINTS</th>
			<th scope="col">SCORE</th>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th scope="row">QUALITY</th>
			<td>5</td>
			<td>4.5</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th scope="row">COMFORT / SPACE</th>
			<td>5</td>
			<td>4</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th scope="row">REFINEMENT</th>
			<td>5</td>
			<td>4</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th scope="row">DESIGN</th>
			<td>5</td>
			<td>4</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th scope="row">DRIVETRAIN</th>
			<td>5</td>
			<td>5</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th scope="row">RIDE &amp; HANDLING</th>
			<td>5</td>
			<td>4</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th scope="row">PRACTICALITY</th>
			<td>5</td>
			<td>3</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th scope="row">X FACTOR</th>
			<td>20</td>
			<td>15</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th scope="row">LAP TIME</th>
			<td>15</td>
			<td>12.1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th scope="row">VALUE FOR MONEY</th>
			<td>30</td>
			<td>4</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th scope="row">TOTAL</th>
			<td>100</td>
			<td>59.6</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

<p>[/tab]</p>

<p>[/tabs]</p>

Aston Martin DBX 707 at autoX Awards: Best Cars of 2025 Ranked

This Aston Martin DBX is on steroids — 707 of them. Its AMG 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 makes 707bhp and 900Nm, hitting 0–100km/h in 3.3sec and 310km/h.

<p>
At the recently concluded German mobility show in Munich, Teutonic giants BMW and Mercedes unveiled their latest generation EVs in the form of the iX3 and GLC, respectively – both of which will go head-to-head in the global marketplace.</p>

<p>If you’ve heard of the ‘Red Pig’, you’ll recognise the GLC instantly – and no, I’m not being derogatory. If anything, it’s a term of endearment in this instance.</p><p>
      <div style="width: 100%; height: auto;" class="post-image">
        <img src="https://images.autox.com/uploads/2025/10/1971_Mercedes-Benz_300_SEL_6point8_AMG_touring_car_autoX-1760604212795.webp" alt="1971_Mercedes-Benz_300_SEL_6point8_AMG_touring_car_autoX.jpg" style="width: 100%; height: auto;">
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<p>In 1967, Mercedes engineers Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher founded AMG to make high-performance race engines. In ‘71, AMG took a two-tonne 300 SEL, enlarged the V8 to 6.8 litres, and created one of the fastest four-door cars on the planet. In addition to its bright red paint and racing livery, its legend was enhanced by the Mercedes-Benz production car's massive chrome grille at the front – a design signature that clearly inspired the brand-new GLC EV.</p><p>
      <div style="width: 100%; height: auto;" class="post-image">
        <img src="https://images.autox.com/uploads/2025/10/2025_Mercedes-Benz_GLC_400_4MATIC_with_EQ_Technology_autoX-1760604469709.webp" alt="2025_Mercedes-Benz_GLC_400_4MATIC_with_EQ_Technology_autoX.jpg" style="width: 100%; height: auto;">
      </div>
    </p>

<p>Mercedes has swapped out the metal and chrome with 942 individual backlit LEDs that form the new-age interpretation of this iconic grille. The lasting effect is that you would never mistake the GLC for anything but a Mercedes-Benz. Even if you saw it from a mile away, that three-pointed star would still stand out. Even more impressive is that, despite the imposing grille, the GLC has a coefficient of drag of just 0.26 Cd.</p>

<p>In Bavaria, the swinging '60s were perhaps even more pivotal. BMW was facing bankruptcy and possibly even a takeover by Mercedes-Benz. Herbert Quandt and a new range of BMWs turned out to be saviours – the first Neue Klasse (New Class) model was the BMW 1500 of 1962.</p><p>
      <div style="width: 100%; height: auto;" class="post-image">
        <img src="https://images.autox.com/uploads/2025/10/BMW_1500_autoX-1760604656190.webp" alt="BMW_1500_autoX.jpg" style="width: 100%; height: auto;">
      </div>
    
      
    
      
    This model not only introduced more modern styling but also laid the bedrock for what BMW would go on to become – the Ultimate Driving Machine! The Neue Klasse was instantly recognisable by its slim kidney grille – which has since grown both horizontally and vertically over the years, only to be miniaturised once again in the new-age EV avatar of the Neue Klasse, as introduced recently in the brand-new iX3.</p>

<p>Here again, chrome has been replaced by an LED light signature that simulates the erstwhile metal face while retaining its distinct identity.</p><p>
      <div style="width: 100%; height: auto;" class="post-image">
        <img src="https://images.autox.com/uploads/2025/09/Second-Gen-BMW-iX3-1757065565404.webp" alt="Second Gen BMW iX3.jpg" style="width: 100%; height: auto;">
      </div>
    </p><p>LED, it seems, is the chrome of the modern era, and these two German giants are utilising it quite effectively to embrace their heritage to differentiate their vehicles in a sea of anonymous aerodynamic shapes.</p>

<p>At Munich, I also drove a pair of Chinese XPengs, and while they were surprisingly impressive, I could barely tell one from the other after completing the drive.</p><p>
      <div style="width: 100%; height: auto;" class="post-image">
        <img src="https://images.autox.com/uploads/2025/10/XPeng_G6_autoX-1760604948937.webp" alt="XPeng_G6_autoX.jpg" style="width: 100%; height: auto;">
      </div>
    </p><p>Yes, their different sizes put them in separate segments, but there was nothing distinctive about either – a trait shared with many EVs from around the globe, and especially those coming out of China.</p>

<p>That said, there’s no doubt that China has taken the lead in terms of battery technology and in-car technology, which is all the more reason for traditional automakers to embrace their past to leapfrog themselves into the future. Whether it works or not is something that we’ll have to wait and see…
</p>



Letter from the Editor - Germany vs China: The EV Design Wars

As EVs – especially those from China – increasingly resemble amorphous blobs, German automakers are embracing their heritage styling to stand out.

<p>
    India’s national highway network has grown by 60% in the past decade. If that isn’t reason alone for a road trip, I don’t know what is.</p>

<p>The last time I drove to or from Ladakh was a decade ago. On that journey, we got snowed in between the high passes of Baralacha and Taglang La – forcing us to spend the night in a tent on the freezing plains of Sarchu. Fortunately, a hot water bottle saw me through the night. But things have changed quite considerably since.</p><p>Gone are the narrow dirt trails and treacherous drops. Well, the drops are still there, but now they’re concealed behind a ribbon of neat Armco. The dirt tracks that previously doubled as rally stages on the Raid de Himalaya are now gone and have been replaced by two– and sometimes even four–lane highways that make accessing some of the highest motorable roads in the world an absolute breeze.</p>







<h2>Call of the Mountains</h2>

<p>On this occasion, we were driving from Delhi to Leh, with a couple of detours that included Pangong Tso – the world’s highest saltwater lake at over 14,000 feet. The first leg was Delhi to Kullu – an almost 500-kilometre journey that took a little over nine hours at a pretty relaxed pace.
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<p>Sadly, the green fields on the way to Chandigarh have all but vanished and given way to a concrete jungle that lines both sides of NH44 for mile-after-dreary-mile. The Q7 makes quick work of it though – the 3.0-litre turbo-petrol V6 dismissing everything in its wake, while the 19-speaker Bang &amp; Olufsen sound system keeps you totally isolated from the chaos outside.</p><p>Day 2 was easier still, with just a 4-hour journey to Jispa – well short of dreaded Sarchu. This was my first time through the Atal tunnel, which is a spectacular feat of engineering. You enter the 9-kilometre tunnel via a deciduous forest en route to the Rohtang Pass and exit right into the belly of the high-altitude desert that is the Spiti Valley. In fact, the journey was so easy that next time I may head straight to Jispa from Delhi – a journey that, in 2007, took me a full 21 hours nonstop.</p>







<p>Day 3 was over 300-kilometers of high-passes all the way to Leh, but even this once-fearsome journey was smooth-sailing and took just over 7 hours. My memories of this drive consist of charting your own course through the More Plains, in stark contrast to the now beautiful stretch of tarmac that not only cuts through the plains but also snakes its way up the mountain and all the way to Taglang La. There are, of course, some broken stretches, but nothing that the Q7 can’t handle without even breaking a sweat.</p><p>
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    </p><p>Before we knew it, we had entered Leh and were driving past the Thiksey monastery. Here, again, I was amazed at the scale of development. A decade ago, you could see Thiksey from afar – perched on top of a hill. Now, it creeps up on you because of the sheer volume of construction in and around Leh.</p>







<p>If you do, nevertheless, want to step back in time, you need to head past Leh and keep going for about an hour-and-a-half towards Kargil, before turning off abruptly in the direction of the village of Mangyu. The village itself is beautiful and quaint, while the monastery is absolutely stunning with its with 800-year-old wall paintings and sculptures. We even got a chance to do some serious off-roading both to-and-from the village – which, thanks to some razor-sharp rocks underfoot, ensured we had a reason to test the hydraulic jack and full-size spare that we brought with us in the event of that inevitable flat tyre.</p><p>A full-size spare wheel and tyre are absolutely essential on a journey such as this. So is, of course, a hydraulic jack, an air compressor and a tyre repair kit. We may have gone overboard because we even brought an oxygen concentrator, as well as a portable power station to run it on the go. Fortunately, it stayed well packed in one corner of the boot the whole time. The spare tyre, though, proved to be very useful.</p><p>
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<p>Other than the flat, the Q7 was completely faultless. The air suspension, in particular, deserves special mention. It gives you almost 250mm of ground clearance, which was particularly useful during our daytrip to Pangong Lake. It’s a ten-hour slog to and from Leh, but is well worth the trip. The last, and only, time I visited Pangong was in 2007, and the crystal-clear water reflecting that incredible Himalayan sky to create an Impressionist canvas of indigo hues was a view that I’ve longed for ever since. Needless to say, it didn’t disappoint!</p><p>Here, again, the drive has been completely transformed – the highway was so wide in some stretches that it looked as though you could hold a military parade if you so wish, which, come to think of it, is precisely why the roads in these border areas have become unrecognisable. Especially after the 2020 Galwan skirmish, the road building efforts across the northern frontier have been in overdrive.</p>







<p>I have to say, though, that I miss the heyday of the Raid de Himalaya – the best motoring experience I’ve ever had, bar none. I remember being awestruck during my first attempt in 2006. At the time, my rally Gypsy was brand new, and so we even came away with some silverware for our efforts. The rally was so gruelling, though, that one event was enough to have an enduring impact on the car – literally – so-much-so that we were plagued with mechanical trouble in subsequent years. They say you’ve never really lived until you’ve lived on the edge! Perhaps that explains the euphoria of an event like the Raid, with terrain the likes of which you can only experience in the upper reaches of the Himalayas. The journey now is, of course, a lot safer and more accessible but also a little anodyne as a result. Don’t get me wrong, the views are still spectacular, but you don’t feel the same level of accomplishment on completing it like you did before.</p><p>
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    </p><p>That being said, there’s no better machine than the Audi Q7 in which to embark on such a road trip – the refinement, comfort and levels of usability are second to none, as is the ease with which it handles everything that’s thrown at it.</p>





<p>And while all the development has meant that some of the charm is lost, it also means that you just have to look that little bit harder to seek out those really special experiences. Take, for instance, the morning prayers at the Thikse monastery – where the monks let you in to get a brief, but very insightful, glimpse into their daily lives. They even offer you butter tea, as you join them for morning prayers with a side of porridge. It’s incredibly peaceful, and a testament to an incredible and enduring culture. And if ever there was a time for those Buddhist prayer flags to carry the message of compassion and wisdom, it’s now.</p><p>
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<p>The Wi-Fi password at our hotel in Leh was ‘responsible-tourism,’ a subliminal message that needs to be far more overt to protect the fragile ecosystem of this majestic land. As we modernise the face of this nation, we also need to be mindful to retain the identity, culture and diversity of this incredible land as we make these remote corners more accessible with each passing day.
</p>




Audi Q7 Ladakh Roadtrip Feature - Quest for Adventure

As the nation’s road network transforms, it’s time to take your luxury SUV out of the city and into the wilderness to explore the far reaches of this incredible country. 

<p>In the late 1950s, facing financial ruin, BMW was on the verge of being bought out by another German carmaker – one with a three-pointed star in its logo. That’s when Herbert Quandt stepped in, acquired a majority stake and provided the capital to develop the Neue Klasse – a range of all-new models that would go on to rescue the Bavarian automaker. In retrospect, it wasn’t a bad investment. Today, the Quandt family is amongst the richest in the world – and BMW is amongst the most successful automakers ever.</p>

<p>The Neue Klasse range essentially democratised driving pleasure and went on to form the foundation of what BMW stood for as a brand – the Ultimate Driving Machine!</p><div style="width: 100%; height: auto;" class="post-image">
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    <p>Today, the Neue Klasse has been resurrected in its modern avatar with the launch of the brand-new iX3. This is the first of a whole new collection of electric BMWs based on an 800-volt EV architecture that promises 800-kilometres of range and 370-kilometres of charge with just 10 minutes on a 400-kW charger. But it also promises driving dynamics "enhanced by digital capabilities" that claim to take Sheer Driving Pleasure to a whole new level.</p>

<p>It has four central computers – genuine super-brains according to BMW – that process data up to 20 times faster than before, one of which is dedicated to the drivetrain and driving dynamics.</p><div style="width: 100%; height: auto;" class="post-image">
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    <p>In fact, the next generation of the 3 Series – a sedan that has come to epitomise Sheer Driving Pleasure over the generations – will have combustion engines on a different platform and an electric range on this new EV platform, ensuring no compromises on the underpinnings, no matter which propulsion system you choose. And both EV and ICE cars will be styled the same, so that they still retain their 3 Series identity.</p>

<p>The even bigger news is that the next-generation M3 will have both a combustion-engine and a pure EV variant. The good news is that the petrol engine remains, and it may even get a special edition that retains the manual gearbox.</p><div style="width: 100%; height: auto;" class="post-image">
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    <p>Still, if you talk to Dr. Mike Reichelt, Head of Neue Klasse development, he’ll tell you that from a pure objective performance standpoint, the electronics are so advanced in this new generation of EVs that there’s simply no way for the ICE cars to keep up. Their response time is simply too slow! Throw a manual gearbox into the mix, and it’ll be like comparing the Flintmobile (the Flintstones’ car) to the Starship Enterprise.</p>

<p>So, if it’s pure performance you want, or lap time you’re after, it seems like there’ll be no contest in future. But all is not lost. After all, microchips powered by AI can perform calculations in fractions of a second. But they can’t mimic the howl of a petrol engine as it gulps air to create forward propulsion, or the visceral feel of the rev counter at redline, or the sensation of using three pedals and all your faculties to approach maximum performance. For that, you need both neurons and spark plugs firing in unison, not microchips in isolation. Sure, you won’t be as fast, and it’ll cost you more to be slower in future – the mother of all contradictions – but the combustion-powered automobile will continue to get under your skin and find a place in your heart.</p><p>
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    </p><p>So, to commute every day, take advantage of the efficiency and refinement of an EV, and maybe even the sheer power – computing and otherwise – to set a lap time. But when you want to feel at one with the machine, it’s still going to have to be powered by dinosaur juice. And, if I can help it, it’ll also always be fitted with a manual gearbox…
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As Cars Become Smart Phones on Wheels, Where Does That Leave Us Enthusiasts?

In future, pitting an ICE car against an EV will be like comparing the Flintmobile (the Flintstones’ car) to the Starship Enterprise

<p>Panamericana refers to a network of highways that connects the Americas. The Carrera Panamericana refers to a famous road race across Mexico in the first half of the 50s to celebrate the completion of the North-South Mexican section of the highway.</p>

<p>Having previously driven through Central America, from Mexico to Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, I can attest to the suitability of the terrain for a cross-country road race. Moreover, it was no surprise that these kinds of races favoured the nimble and inherently sporty cars from Zuffenhausen. As you may have already guessed, the name Carrera (which means Race in Spanish) comes from said road race! Similarly, no prizes for guessing where the name Panamera gets its roots from.</p><p>
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    </p><p>Now, my last road trip on an entirely different continent – to Wales in the UK – was in a Porsche Macan GTS and, unsurprisingly, it proved to be the perfect steed for the task – fast, versatile and spacious. Engaging when pushed, always comfortable – if not a bit firm – and with acres of boot space, not to mention enough grunt to rival a freight train.</p>

      
    
      
    


<p>So, choosing another SUV for a repeat road trip to the awe-inspiring Welsh countryside would be the obvious choice – if not the most imaginative one. An SUV would be the most sensible in this instance, since I also had to consider the needs of my three co-passengers. But what if you – the driver – want something with a lower centre of gravity to make the most of those rather enticing ribbons of tarmac that the Welsh mountains offer, while also cossetting your passengers in the lap of luxury? Well, the Porsche Panamera springs to mind. In this case, one in Aventurine Green Metallic, shod with 21-inch exclusive design wheels in grey – the perfect spec in my book!</p>

      
    
      
    
<h2>Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Powertrain - Plug in for Power</h2>

<p>Making it even more perfect is a twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 mated to a 25.9 kWh battery and an electric motor that produces 464bhp and 650Nm, giving this Panamera not only 89 kilometres of all-electric range but also a 0-100km/h acceleration time of just 4.1 seconds.</p><p>
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    </p><p>Unfortunately, India doesn’t have any plug-in hybrids on sale. Still, you can have a standard Panamera sans the hybrid tech or, even better, a Panamera GTS with a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 producing just shy of 500 horsepower – which pips the 4 E-Hybrid to three-digit speeds by performing the sprint to 100 in under 4 seconds (3.9 to be exact). For a road trip, though, I can think of no better car than the 4 E-hybrid. It’s fast, but also frugal when you want it to be.</p><p>In the past, I’ve done a road trip to the Cotswolds in the first-gen Panamera – so I can attest not only to its inherent chassis goodness, but also its comfort and practicality. And that secret sauce is still available in spades in the current generation. In fact, it’s taken up a notch thanks to the Active Ride suspension system. In addition to the air springs, the new active ride of this Panamera uses a 400-volt architecture (which is why it’s only available in the Hybrid models at present) to power an electrically driven hydraulic pump that adjusts the dampers up to 13 times a second. The active ride also does away with traditional anti-roll bars, because it can alter each corner individually and with far more precision than a traditional suspension setup.</p><p>
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<p>The result of all this wizardry is, well, magic! From the driver’s seat, you see the undulations in the road. In fact, you can see the cars around you being jostled violently by them, so you know that your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you. But the Panamera remains totally flat no matter what. If you come across a large crest all of a sudden, for instance, the car moves once to compensate for the change in road conditions, but then it remains totally impervious to anything else the road throws its way. It’s genuinely incredible – it’s like nothing else that I’ve ever experienced before. There’s simply no roll, no squat, no dive – nothing! In fact, the suspension is so clever that it can even lean the Panamera into a corner for added comfort and grip.</p><p>The other thing that, it seems, only Porsche is capable of doing is using hybrid tech to enhance the performance and overall driving experience of a car. The electric and combustion elements of the drivetrain don’t feel disjointed and at odds with each other like they do in so many other cars. In the Panamera – and, in fact, in any Porsche – they feel totally seamless and work in unison to propel the car forward, not only with added urgency but also more efficiently. The transitions between electric power and petrol propulsion are virtually imperceptible.</p><p>
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<p>The only downside of the 4 E-Hybrid is that it feels a bit sedate and less engaging compared to the GTS, for instance. It doesn’t quite offer the same shove in the back and guttural exhaust, despite being almost as fast on paper. In fact, even the electric power steering feels a little remote, although it is incredibly precise – as you would expect from Porsche.</p><p>Another pet peeve I have with the Panamera is with its air vents, which can only be controlled through the central touchscreen. Porsche, why would you do this? What’s wrong with regular vents that you can adjust without taking your eyes off the road? Other than this being a flex for the product planner or designer, I can think of no good reason for the use of technology that does nothing to enhance usability and exists for the sole purpose of being “technologically advanced” – while also being incredibly annoying to use.</p>

      
    
      
    


<h2>Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid - The Perfect Road Trip Companion</h2>

<p>Anyway, rant over, I have nothing but praise for the Panamera. The most surprising aspect was the sheer comfort and spaciousness it offered. With 430-litres of boot space, all our luggage was swallowed up comfortably by the rear hatch. And with four individual bucket seats, no one was fighting to be in the front seat. The rear seats even had a central screen to control a range of functions. And, of course, being a Porsche cabin, absolutely everything was built to the highest standards of quality and fit-and-finish.</p><p>
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<p>And while the air vents were annoying to use, mercifully, Porsche does offer dedicated physical buttons to adjust fan speed and temperature, so you don’t have to access the screen for basic HVAC functions (as you do in current BMWs, for instance). And there are some really nice touches too, such as ventilation in the phone charging tray so your phone stays cool while getting some juice. But then that’s the level of detail you expect from Porsche!</p>

<p>All told, not only did the Panamera prove that you can really use a fun-to-drive sedan on a proper road trip, but when the road got twisty around the Snowdonia National Park it also proved that you could keep all the occupants incredibly comfortable while enjoying the twisties at a pretty rapid clip – now that’s true versatility, which not many other machines can match. And a plug-in hybrid means that you don’t have to worry about range anxiety either, so you can also enjoy the benefits of all-electric motoring – albeit with a limited range.</p><p>
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<p>To be quite honest, the Macan GTS was also an incredible road trip car, but personally, I would take a hunkered-down sedan any day of the week over an SUV – no matter how accomplished – since the lower centre of mass means you feel more connected, and the car feels more precise.</p>

<p>If you can enjoy those benefits and also carry friends, family and their luggage, then what can I say – get out there and drive, whether it’s in Snowdonia, on the Panamerican highway, or the Golden Quadrilateral. If you can afford it, there isn’t much that can beat the Panamera as the perfect road trip companion…</p><p>
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<p>[tabs]</p>

<p>[tab title="<strong>Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid</strong>"]</p>

<p><strong>Engine:</strong> 2,894cc Twin-Turbo V6</p>

<p><strong>Transmission:</strong> 25.9kWh</p>

<p><strong>Power:</strong> 464bhp </p>

<p><strong>Torque:</strong> 650Nm</p>

<p><strong>Range:</strong> 89km Electric Range</p>

<p><strong>Speed:</strong> 0-100km/h 4.1s</p>
 

<p><strong>X-Factor:&nbsp;</strong><em>A performance sedan that’s not only fun to drive but also extremely practical &amp; usable as well.</em></p>

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			<p><strong>Pros &nbsp;</strong>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>
			•&nbsp; Revolutionary Active Ride technology </p>

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			<td>
			<p><strong>Cons</strong><br>
			• AC vents that can only be adjusted via the touchscreen</p>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

<p>[/tab]</p>

<p>[/tabs]</p>

Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Review - The Panamericana Spirit

Not only does the Panamera blow the socks off most sports cars, but – with four seats and a massive boot – it can also be a worthy road trip companion. 

<p>Check out our cover story for details. Suffice to say, we covered 1,452 kilometres in 24 hours – at an average speed of 61km/h. And that’s despite torrential rain and plenty of construction en route – which remains a constant on our highways for better or worse. But if it wasn’t for roads being built at a frenetic pace over the past decade-and-a-half across the country, we would still be struggling with single lane highways, a snail’s pace and mile-after-mile of chaos.</p>

<p>A couple of decades ago, I drove from Keylong in the Lahaul District to Delhi non-stop – a 700-odd kilometre journey that took almost 24 hours. Well, thanks to the Atal tunnel built under the Rohtang Pass and two-lane highways even in the upper reaches of the Himalayas, the same journey took less than half the time just a few weeks ago.</p>

<p>In fact, we drove to Ladakh, and all the way to Pangong Tso at above 14,000 feet – the highest saltwater lake in the world. In 2006, I did the same journey in my rally Gypsy during the 8th Raid de Himalaya – one of the greatest cross-country rallies of all time in my opinion – but my trusty Gypsy emerged battered &amp; bruised by the time we set eyes on the pristine waters of the lake thanks to a treacherous route consisting of massive boulders, deep water crossings and thousand-foot drops. The contrast with the present couldn’t have been more stark. Even crossing Chang La at over 17,500 feet was an absolute breeze thanks to a road network that is now completely unrecognizable.</p><p>
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<p>Although, it has to be said that I do miss the old days when the Leh-Manali highway was an actual challenge. I especially miss the Raid, when the organisers would close the road to convert the national highway into a rally special stage. It was certainly a different time. Naturally, there’s nostalgia for the narrow dirt tracks that we’d cover at breakneck speed with our hearts in our mouths. Don’t look down was the motto! Needless to say, for logistics, transport, tourism and overall development, smooth tarmac and armco barriers are a necessity.</p>

<p>Incidentally, the Wi-Fi password at our hotel in Leh was "responsible tourism." My only plea would be to communicate that message with as much purpose and intention as the drive to connect the far reaches of our country. As we modernise the face of this nation, we also need to be mindful to retain the essence of these most precious lands as we make them more accessible and approachable by way of the latest infrastructure.</p>

<p>Roads are an absolute must, of course, but so is respecting the culture &amp; diversity across the length and breadth of our beautiful country.</p>

Connectivity and Culture: What a 24-Hour Drive Across 10 States Says About India Today

Roads are an absolute must, of course, but so is respecting the culture & diversity across the length and breadth of our beautiful country

<p>
Apple devices are a case in point – clean, tactile and usable! Perhaps the only compromise is that some of the devices can run a bit hot because all the tech is packed into a compact form factor that’s optimised for size and packaging.
</p>
<p>
Inversely, however, design and technology, when overdone and for its own sake, adds complexity, detracts from usability and ends up serving neither form nor function. A case in point are the AC vents that are controlled via touchscreen in the Porsche flagship pair of the Panamera and Taycan. Personally, I can see no good reason for being required to access a sub-menu in the touchscreen to adjust the airflow from a vent that can be operated manually without having to take your eyes or attention off the road. Is it a party trick? Sure. Is it pointless? Absolutely. Worse, is it obtrusive and potentially even careless? I’m afraid so.</p><p>
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<p>
Mercifully, however, Porsche provides physical buttons to control fan speed and temperature – which is a lot more than can be said for BMW at present. While iDrive has always set the benchmark for in-car infotainment systems, in the past BMW always supplemented their touchscreens with some essential buttons, such as those for fan speed and temperature – which have since been removed in the quest for clutter free cabins. And they’ve been universally derided by drivers and buyers alike because, once again, a function that could once be performed instinctively now requires your full attention for no added utility in return. Additionally, BMW has replaced good quality and functional air vents with flimsy stalks that stick out of quasi concealed vents that no one asked for nor presumed they needed.
</p>
<p>
The iPhone was cutting edge not because it replaced a keyboard with a touchscreen, but because it put that valuable real estate to far better use by incorporating all of it into a screen that fit into the palm of your hand. The utility it provided far outweighed the compromise its design demanded. In this instance, neither BMW nor Porsche have been able to justify their design and tech choices in the minds of consumers. Perhaps the designers or product planners get bragging rights or an ego massage, but the benefits certainly don’t accrue to the end users or consumers who are paying for the pleasure of interacting with the other aspects of a product that otherwise enhance the overall experience.</p><p>
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      <img src="https://images.autox.com/uploads/2025/07/Ferrari-Almafi-Steering-Wheel-with-Physical-Buttons-1753084515606.webp" alt="Ferrari Almafi Steering Wheel with Physical Buttons.jpg" style="width: 100%; height: auto;">
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All is not lost, however. Ferrari, in their newest models, are reverting back to physical buttons on the steering wheel from the haptic feedback trackpads that they incorporated about a half-dozen years ago. So, it seems that better sense can prevail if enough people point out the idiocy of some design decisions and technology adaptations. So, make your voices heard – don’t accept being at the receiving end of a flex from a product designer who’s satisfying his or her own ego at the expense of your user experience!
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Function & Simplicity are the Highest Forms of Design & Technology

Design & technology, when overdone, adds complexity, detracts from usability and ends up serving neither form nor function

Dhruv Behl

Articles By Dhruv Behl