The new Aston Martin Vantage and its GT3 counterpart headline the March 2024 issue of evo India
Headlining the March 2024 issue of evo India is the latest and greatest from Aston Martin – the Vantage. Even though it is still the entry-level Aston, it now boasts a massive 656bhp and a 0-100kmph time of 3.5sec. Despite the numbers, Aston says it still follows the fun-to-drive philosophy of its siblings. We then introduce to you the Aston Martin Vantage GT3, the battle-ready version of the new Vantage ready to take on the likes of the Mercedes-AMG GT3, Porsche 911 GT3 R, and Ferrari 296 GT3 at various GT championships around the year, one of which will be Le Mans.
We have also got reviews of several facelifts that have come out this month. The Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 is the first, followed by the Land Rover Discovery Sport, Mercedes-Benz GLA and Nissan Z Nismo. Not to forget the Tata Tiago iCNG AMT which marks the first time that we Indians have got the option of an automatic gearbox with a CNG powertrain.
We have multiple Porsches as well in this issue, starting with the Porsche 911 Turbo S, 718 GT4 RS, and the mental 911 GT3 RS, all of which we got to drive during the Porsche Experience day at the Buddh International Circuit. On the other side of the world, we drive Porsche’s race-spec cars – the 911 GT3 R and the GT3 Cup. In Finland, we got to be a part of Audi’s ice driving experience. Back on our shores, we visited Udaipur to witness the inaugural Oberoi Concours d’Elegance, the latest show to celebrate historical automotive pieces. Navigated potholes on the way to our favourite driving road in the overtly fancy Aston Martin DB12. And found out if the refreshed Tata Safari can take the fight to the Mahindra XUV700. Taking you back into the past, we reminisce about the W124 E-class, the first locally produced Mercedes-Benz in India. Plus, there are excerpts from author Steve Saxty’s latest book, ‘BMW by Design’ which gives you a never-seen-before look into BMW models.
On two wheels, we’ve gotten astride the all-new Husqvarna Svartpilen 401, Hero Xtreme 125R and the Matter Aera 5000+. The California Superbike School returned to India, and we took the opportunity to brush up our riding skills. In our Motorsports section, you will get a deep dive into what the Indian Supercross Racing League is and how the first season of the league went down.
All this and a lot more in the March 2024 issue of evo India – get your copy today! Click here.
Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 4Matic+ Coupe
The GLE Coupe opens our ‘Driven’ section. This is the latest product from AMG to come to our shores and our review includes everything from the latest updates which include a new front bumper, headlamps, taillamps, a new steering wheel, air vents and more to how it performs on the road. At the end, you will have your answer between this or the updated Porsche Cayenne Coupe and the Audi Q8.
Nissan Z Nismo
The latest Z from Nissan has finally got the Nismo treatment and we got a chance to drive it on California’s Thunderhill Raceway. The Z offers a compelling proposition with its 3.0-litre V6 and clever engineering but it is not without its problems. Read on to see if Nissan Z Nismo hits the mark.
Aston Martin Vantage and Vantage GT3
656bhp and 800Nm at just 2,750rpm, 325kmph and 0-100kmph in 3.5 seconds. These are the highlight figures of the new Aston Martin Vantage which has us drooling over. But Aston Martin says there’s a lot more than meets the eye. So in this story, we take you deep within the engineering of the latest V8 sports tourer from the British manufacturer. Plus! There’s also the Vantage GT3 for the racing enthusiasts amongst us.
Aston Martin DB12
Daniel Craig might have left the James Bond franchise, but Aston Martin's grand tourer stays and we know why. One of the most beautiful cars of 2024 makes its appearance in the evo India March 2024 issue and we took the opportunity to take it up our favourite mountain road. Can this supercar take on Indian roads or this too is destined for high-end garages never to see the open road?
Tata Safari v Mahindra XUV700
The XUV700 was in some ways out of reach for the pre-facelift Safari. But this new one has upped the game on several levels. We have pitted the six-seater versions of each against the other to see who comes out on top, whether it's about tech, design, internals or performance.
Porsche Experience
Driving a Porsche on track would be on top of most enthusiasts' bucket list. But as a part of the Porsche Experience, we got the chance to not only drive but also drift a Porsche. In this story, you would read about the 911 Turbo S on a tight autocross track, a 718 GT4 RS drifting, and finally the 911 GT3 RS around the Buddh International Circuit.
Porsche 911 GT3 R and GT3 Cup
From road-spec Porsches on our native BIC, we take you to Portugal to experience some race-spec Porsches, namely the GT3 R and the GT3 Cup – which incidentally is about to go on permanent display at the Porsche museum. But before that, we drive them to witness what goes behind making championship-winning cars.
Mercedes-Benz W124 E-Class
In our special Gone But Not Forgotten feature, we bring you the first Mercedes to come out of Merc’s Chakan plant, the W124 E-Class or as people used to call it, the best-built car in the world.
Audi ice drive experience
Driving on ice isn’t easy, especially when you are driving a high-powered car. The Editor was invited to Finland to drive the RS4 Avant sideways as part of Audi’s ice driving experience and he tells you why this is a lesson you don’t want to miss, especially for Audi owners.
BMW by Design
After giving us inside details about Ford in his Secret Fords book, author Steve Saxty is back at it and this time he takes us through BMW’s unseen models and prototypes in his new book, BMW by Design. We bring you a few excerpts from the book.
The Oberoi Concours d’Elegance
The inaugural show was a super hit with over 119 historical automotive marvels dating back to even pre-war models. Our Editor-at-large takes you through this journey of appreciating timeless classics.
Husqvarna Svartpilen 401
Husqvarna didn’t have a smooth ride in India when it launched. But now with the launch of the Svartpilen 401, it aims to address all those issues and more, starting with putting the 390 Duke motor at the heart of the Svartpilen. With a scrambler body style then, is the Svartpilen a 390 Duke unafraid of getting down and dirty?
Matter Aera 5000+
An electric motorcycle with a manual gearbox and liquid cooling? Sounds like a concept model. Except, it is not. The Matter Aera claims to offer the experience of riding an ICE bike with the running costs of an e-bike. With a price tag between Rs 1.74 lakh to Rs 1.84 lakh, should you consider this electric motorcycle? Find out in this story
California Superbike School
The California Superbike School is back and this time around, our man Karan is suiting up for the second time to build up his riding skills. At Chennai, he took part in Level 1,2 and 3 training programmes under the guidance of experienced racers. He recounts his weekend at the track and everything he learned in this story.
Indian Supercross Racing League
The first season of the first league-based Supercross Racing in India was a blast. With action-packed weekends in multiple cities, it has left us excited for the second season. Here’s a run-down of the league, how it works and also a season report in case you missed it.
Tuned: Maruti Suzuki Swift
Few cars have the tuning potential of the Maruti Suzuki Swift. We have tuned examples all over the country but this time we are focusing on this one from Mumbai which is lovingly named Candy Flip by the owner and has mods totalling over three lakhs.
