Ferrari’s first-ever SUV – the Purosangue headlines the March 2023 issue of evo India
With the Indian summer on the rise, we’ve driven some of the hottest performance SUVs on offer, starting off with the Ferrari Purosangue – the first-ever SUV from Ferrari in the snow-capped Dolomite alps, and keeping in line with that theme, we went full send in the hardcore Lamborghini Urus Performante at the upcoming Bren Raceway right here in India. To keep things cool, we also headed to Spiti on Mahindra Adventure’s Snow Escape, and things got even cooler when with the Mercedes-AMG E53 cabriolet at our disposal.
We have also got reviews of the Audi Q3 Sportback, Honda City facelift, Hyundai Aura facelift, Aston Martin Valkyrie, and BMW M3 Touring and M2 inside. We haven’t missed out on our epic roadtrips, joining the women of the Indian Navy through Rajasthan and heading to the snows of Spiti in Mahindra 4x4s. On two wheels, we rode the updated Triumph Street Triple at Jerez, went to California Superbike School and pitted the Royal Enfield Hunter 350 against the TVS Ronin
All this and more in the March 2023 issue of evo India! Order your copy by heading to the link here.
Ferrari Purosangue
Ferrari has been synonymous with fast, low-slung, performance cars that offer endless thrills to an enthusiast – but does the first-ever SUV wearing the Prancing horse continue to build on that legacy? We cane its 6.5-litre, 715bhp V12 to find out.
Lamborghini Urus Performante
The Lamborghini Urus was by no means an SUV that lacked for power and now it has been amped up to the max with revised suspension, improved aerodynamics, sharper handling and more power. We drive Lamborghini’s super SUV in Nandi Hills as well as the upcoming Bren Raceway in Bangalore, putting the Urus Performante’s dynamics through its paces.
Audi Q3 Sportback
The Audi Q3 Sportback is a cooler and snazzier SUV coupe version of the standard Q3 and is powered by the same 2-litre TFSI engine and 7-speed DCT, with quattro as standard. The Q3 Sportback does command a premium over the regular Q3 SUV, which endows it with an S-Line body kit, new alloy wheels and a Turbo Blue paint scheme.
Honda City facelift
The Honda City receives a facelift for 2023, with the styling changes including revised bumpers, a new paint scheme, a different design for the alloy wheels and the addition of ADAS. The features on offer have now been improved and the City is only available with the petrol and hybrid powertrains, with the diesel being discontinued.
Hyundai Aura facelift
The Hyundai Aura has been very popular among buyers and fleet operators alike and Hyundai has gone and given the sub 4-metre sedan a facelift with a revised front end and refreshed interiors. The Aura is powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine mated to a manual gearbox or an AMT, and the sedan can also be had with the option of a CNG powertrain.
Aston Martin Valkyrie
We finally drive Adrian Newey’s take on what is the ultimate road car – and the Aston Martin Valkyrie definitely sits in a class of its own when it comes to delivering on the Thrill of Driving. Raw, guttural, fast — this car is dripping in F1 tech and we drove it around the Bahrain F1 track.
BMW M3 Touring and M2
We get our first taste of the BMW M3 Touring estate and the hotly anticipated new M2 coupe – strong reminders that fun to drive cars need not be relegated to a particular body style!
Mercedes-AMG E53 Cabriolet
Putting the wind in our hair was Mercedes-AMG’s first cabriolet for India, the E53 Cabriolet that is powered by 3-litre in-line six engine with mild-hybrid assist. Putting out 429bhp and 520Nm of torque, the E53 loves to be driven fast, and the appeal of a drop top cabriolet is simply undeniable.
Indian Navy Car Rally
To celebrate International Women’s Day, Jeep India and officers from the NWWA (Navy Wellness and Welfare Association) embarked on a car rally with SUVs like the Jeep Meridian, the Jeep Compass and the Wrangler to celebrate the spirit of #SheIsUnstoppable.
Mahindra Adventure Snow Escape
We headed to the picturesque vistas of Spiti Valley on Mahindra Adventure’s Snow Escape, driving the Mahindra Thar and the Mahindra Scorpio-N, and engaged in off-roading too!
Triumph Street Triple
The Street Triple has always been a potent naked motorcycle to ride and with the updates to this year’s model, it gets even better. The S variant has now been axed, you now get the Street Triple 765 only in the R and RS guises, with changes to the bike for this year including minor tweaks to the design and the riding geometry of the bike, along with updates to the engine and a comprehensive overhaul of the electronics. We rode it at the Circuito de Jerez racetrack in Spain and were thoroughly impressed
TVS Ronin v Royal Enfield Hunter
The TVS Ronin and the Royal Enfield Hunter take two very different approaches to a city bike that might not be out of place when cruising on the highway, but are closer matched than you might think. We pitted the two motorcycles head to head in our comparison test
California Superbike School
The CSS is all about helping you to improve your riding skills and becoming a better, faster and safer rider on both the racetrack and more importantly, the street. Karan Ramgopal gives you his account on why this is a school that you must attend
Formula E-Prix Hyderabad
Last month, Hyderabad hosted the very first Formula E-Prix race in India and the turnout of the event was fantastic. Here’s everything you need to know about the Formula E-Prix weekend, with a glimpse into the sport’s future plans for India as well
TUNED Mercedes-Benz C-Class
This month, the TUNED Section of evo India magazine showcases a drift-spec W203 Mercedes-Benz C-Class that set a national record for India’s longest drift by setting a time of 19 minutes and 20 seconds!
