According to the market experts at Hagerty, 2014 was a banner year for collector-car sales, with more than $1.3 billion in action from th...
Showing posts with label Duster. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Duster. Show all posts
Road Test and Review: Renault Koleos
Road Test and Review: Renault Koleos When Koleos was first launched in India in 2011, Renault was quite an unfamiliar brand to most...
Road Test and Review:
Road Test and Review: Renault Fluence By all means, Fluence was the perfect car to mark Renault’s entry into Indian market. Even th...
Renault launches Duster SUV at Rs 7.19 lakh
The petrol variants of the new car are available for Rs. 7,19,000 and Rs. 8,19,000, whereas, the 83 hp diesel variants come with price tags ...
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Showing posts with label Duster. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Duster. Show all posts
Monday, 29 December 2014
The 10 most expensive auction cars of 2014
According to the market experts at Hagerty, 2014 was a banner year for collector-car sales, with more than $1.3 billion in action from the major events in Arizona, Pebble Beach and elsewhere. Here's the Hagerty list of the 10 most expensive cars sold at auction this year
Forget Wall Street, or Silicon Valley. Oh, to be a dealer in exotic cars. Your biggest problem would be where to stash all the loot.
Consider that 2013 was surely thought to be a high water mark in the collectible car world, with $1.2 billion in auction house sales. But 2014 will beat that, notching $1.3 billion in hawked sheetmetal — about a third of that during Pebble Beach’s iconic auction week — thanks in large part to vintage Ferrari sales that continue to beggar belief.
Consider that the 10 most expensive cars sold this year were all Prancing Horse models from the ‘50s or ‘60s, which combined brought in north of $125 million. For just ten cars.
Numero uno? A 1962 Ferrari GTO that Bonhams sold for $38 million. Second? A 275 GTB/C for $26 million hammered down by RM Auctions. Well, let’s see, what’ll it be today, a new sprawling ranch in Colorado, or a car?
“It was another banner year for classic cars, with gains at the top-end and more modest growth for the bulk of the market,” says McKeel Hagerty, CEO of the classic car insurer Hagerty, which tallied the 2014 auction stats.
While the Ferrari numbers don’t surprise Hagerty, interest in cars for far saner prices suggest 2015 may witness a new crop of stars coming to the fore. “For example,” he says, “as some people have been priced out of the Shelby Cobra market, they have shifted their focus to Sunbeam Tigers, a lightweight British roadster with an American V8.”
Conversations with execs from four top auction houses echo a few overlapping themes, while revealing some disagreement over some hot models will continue their meteoric rise.
For starters, everyone’s in agreement that these prices are no fluke. Unlike the crazy and largely speculator-driven boom in the late ‘80s, when seemingly anything exotic sold for comical multiples of its true value, today’s huge sales are for vehicles that could well be considered rare automotive art.
“There is a solid foundation around the current boom,” says Alan Squindo, vice president at RM, whose top three sales were the aforementioned 275, a 1964 Ferrari 250 LM ($11 million) and a 1967 Ferrari 275 ($10 million).
“What you won’t hear about are the cars that did not sell for $10 or $20 million. It’s only the cream that rises,” he says. “It’s the best color, the best restoration, the best history. You’ve got to have the perfect storm.”
David Gooding of Gooding and Company is adamant “we’re not in a bubble,” and in fact is not so secretly pleased whenever high-priced cars that perhaps aren’t quite superstars fail to achieve sales figures that should be reserved for truly rare steeds.
“Some cars’ (valuations) had been going up too fast I thought, which wasn’t sustainable, so it’s great to see sanity prevail,” says Gooding, whose top three sellers were a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT ($15 million), a 1955 Aston Martin DB3S ($5.5 million) and a world-record setting McLaren F1 GTR ($5.2 million). “Naysayers say cars not hitting their mark is a sign of weakness (in the market). No, I say that just shows that there is always strong demand for fresh, quality cars at the right price.”
Frank Mecum, 2014 represented “our biggest year of growth yet, in fact, we are enjoying peak years that I feel will continue for another two or three.”
Mecum’s outfit is particularly known for its sales of classic American iron, and this past year saw some big numbers for a range of machines. Topping the heap was a 1964 Ford GT40 Prototype, which fetched $7 million. Next was a 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda at $3.5 million, and third was yet another Ferrari, this one a 1961 Ferrari 250 Series II Cabriolet at $2.2 million.
“For 2015, I’m predicting more growth in a broader range of marques,” says Mecum. “And I’ll go ahead and say that the biggest growth could be in motorcycles. For such a long time it’s been a small hobby, but I see that changing.”
Drew Alcazar of Russo and Steele says he has been through three classic car booms and busts. And while he’s been the beneficiary of this most recent explosion in values — top three in 2014: 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL at $1.3, 1966 Lamborghini 350GT at $740,000 and a 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona at $730,000 — he thinks today’s prices are causing some exotic owners to be overly optimistic.
“It’s interesting, today you talk to someone about consigning their (Ferrari) 330 GTC or even a Daytona or Dino, and they don’t want to sell them,” says Alcazar. “They seem sure their cars will be worth double soon. But will these prices leap exponentially as they have in the past 18 months? No.”
He uses the example of a classic ‘50s Mercedes Gullwing, which in roughly six years has tripled in value from $500,000 to $1.5 million. “Will that car triple again by 2020?” he asks. “I doubt it.”
Like all the top auto auction houses, Russo and Steele looks to the annual week-long car extravaganza in Pebble Beach as both a showpiece and guideline for the industry. While this past summer’s event raked in an impressive $430 million, Alcazar saw hints of sanity in the crazy sales.
“I noticed a leveling at Monterey this year, a hesitancy to perpetuate the exponential compounding of values for some cars,” he says, pointing specifically to Porsche’s legendary air-cooled 911 sports car. While very special editions of the model continue to see mushrooming values - such as rare RS, Turbo and Speedster variants — Alcazar says that 2015 may be the year that more pedestrian model values fall back to earth.
“The 911 is a special car, but it’s important to understand there are a ton of them out there,” he says, and Porsche itself brags that some 70% of its vehicles are still on the road today. “People will always pay for stellar, no stories cars. But the rest, they may not.”
As the new classic car auction calendar unfolds in Scottsdale, Ariz., next month with events from Gooding, RM, Barrett-Jackson and others, it will be interesting to see what their top sales tell us about the year to come.
Monday, 2 June 2014
Road Test and Review: Renault Koleos
Road Test and Review: Renault Koleos
When Koleos was first launched in India in 2011, Renault was quite an unfamiliar brand to most Indian buyers. Later, the French company’s five-product plan for India secured it a place among the heavyweights, while the prodigious success of the Duster made Renault a household name. Now, as the carmaker’s Indian flagship gets a major makeover, a cheaper price tag and addition of three new variants give Koleos a more serious purpose.
On the flipside, the Koleos is a comfortable highway cruiser that takes great care of its passengers. Despite its size, the Koleos floats above the road, swallowing every bump and pebble it drives over.
Bottom-line
Design
The 2014 Koleos carries over the design language of the model it replaces. It looks more of a smooth crossover than a rugged SUV. The face now gets a wider grille that stretches from headlamp to headlamp. It also houses a bolder and larger Renault badge. While new alloy wheels and chrome side-protectors are new in profile, rear is left untouched.
Interiors aren’t a drastic upgrade over the outgoing model either. Although the dashboard design does justice to SUV standards, I am skeptical about its overall quality, especially in a car with a price north of Rs. 20 lakh.
However, the layout of the centre console is impressive and the many buttons and dials are easy on the eyes. You’d fall in love with the Bose music system, which certainly is a premium touch. Six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, tilt and telescopic steering column, dual zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers and darkness-sensing headlamps are some of the boons for the driver. While there’s ample space in the front row, rear legroom may be a squeeze for taller passengers on a long trip. Absence of a third row means abundance of boot space and the split tailgate ensures effortless hauling of large objects.
Performance
I sampled the 4X4 trim along the winding ghats of Ooty and it comes with a new 173 PS 2.0 litre engine. It delivers 23PS more power than the outgoing model and the 4X2 in the current lineup. Maximum torque of 360Nm is available from a low 2000rpm but it suffers from awful turbo lag below that point. The six-speed automatic transmission is not the best in business and doesn’t downshift as quickly as you would expect, making overtaking maneuvers cumbersome.
There are very few SUVs that strike the best balance between ride and handling and Renault Koleos is undoubtedly one of them. There’s plenty of grip and body lean while cornering is pretty well controlled.
During the short stint with the Koleos, I managed to take it off the road and have some fun. It offers remarkable off-road capabilities, thanks to the differential lock and an automatic 4WD system that detects traction loss and switches from 2WD to 4WD. Ground clearance, approach and depart angles etc. are greatly in favour of off-roading, too.
What really went against the first generation Koleos was that it came in just one steeply priced variant. Renault has addressed this with the addition of two cheaper variants – a 4X4 manual and a 4X2 manual. Yet, the Koleos will face really tough competition from Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Toyota Fortuner, and Renault is going to have a tough time keeping the Koleos in customers’ radar.
Monday, 26 May 2014
Road Test and Review:
Road Test and Review: Renault Fluence
By all means, Fluence was the perfect car to mark Renault’s entry into Indian market. Even though it didn’t sell in huge numbers, Fluence left an impression with its massive road presence and impeccable driving dynamics. As Fluence gets a second chance, the French marque’s roots have grown deep enough to make the car a comeback kid. Lets find out what’s new in the new Fluence.
Design
Always a graceful car, the Fluence now gets a new front-end treatment with the Renault family face integrated into it. New glossy black grille now houses a large Renault badge and headlamps get projectors and shiny black mask with chrome eyelashes. All-new front bumper is complete with daytime running lights, fog lamps and new air intakes. Body-coloured side cladding and new alloy wheels are a welcome change in profile.
Design
Always a graceful car, the Fluence now gets a new front-end treatment with the Renault family face integrated into it. New glossy black grille now houses a large Renault badge and headlamps get projectors and shiny black mask with chrome eyelashes. All-new front bumper is complete with daytime running lights, fog lamps and new air intakes. Body-coloured side cladding and new alloy wheels are a welcome change in profile.
There are minor yet noticeable changes on the interior, too. A silver insert across the dual-tone dashboard looks elegant and upmarket. There are silver touches on the steering wheel, around the gear knob housing and speedometer. Ah, the fantastic deign of the speedometer is gonna sweep you away, especially during night driving.
The Renault Fluence scores over its competitors in terms of space, however, rear headroom is inadequate for tall passengers. At 530 litres, the Fluence boasts of the second biggest boot in its segment. Top variant comes with dual zone climate control and leather upholstery while rear A/C vents, sunblinds and 8-speaker music system come as standard.
The Renault Fluence scores over its competitors in terms of space, however, rear headroom is inadequate for tall passengers. At 530 litres, the Fluence boasts of the second biggest boot in its segment. Top variant comes with dual zone climate control and leather upholstery while rear A/C vents, sunblinds and 8-speaker music system come as standard.
Performance
The new Fluence is available only in diesel – a 1.5-litre dCi delivering 110PS and 240Nm. It may be the least-powerful engine in the segment, but it isn’t as bad as the figures suggest. Turbolag under 2000rpm is annoying, especially in the city. There’s a sudden surge in power past 2000rpm, but you need to keep the engine on the boil to keep you entertained. It might not be as much fun to drive as many competitors, but on the flipside you get an impressive fuel economy of 20.4kmpl (ARAI tested).
The new Fluence is available only in diesel – a 1.5-litre dCi delivering 110PS and 240Nm. It may be the least-powerful engine in the segment, but it isn’t as bad as the figures suggest. Turbolag under 2000rpm is annoying, especially in the city. There’s a sudden surge in power past 2000rpm, but you need to keep the engine on the boil to keep you entertained. It might not be as much fun to drive as many competitors, but on the flipside you get an impressive fuel economy of 20.4kmpl (ARAI tested).
Ride and Handling
I admire this car for its handling prowess. Hurl it around corners and the Fluence remains composed and planted to the ground. Steering precision and high-speed stability are equally impressive. Ride quality and overall refinement are completely acceptable, with the engine and road noise remarkably isolated.
Safety
Safety is top priority as Fluence gets two front and two side airbag, rain sensing wipers, dusk sensing headlamps, ESP, Traction Control, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist. Fluence also gets an anti-rust warranty of 5 years / 1 lakh km and best in class warranty of 4 years / 80,000km.
Bottom-line
When Fluence was first introduced, Renault had just 14 dealerships, and now, they’ll have up to 175 by the end of the year. The grand success of Duster helped the company build a stronger presence in the industry, too. In this better environment, the Fluence is sure to garner success it always deserved.
The new Fluence is priced at Rs 13.99 lakh for the base E2 variant and Rs 15.49 lakh for the top-end E4 variant.
I admire this car for its handling prowess. Hurl it around corners and the Fluence remains composed and planted to the ground. Steering precision and high-speed stability are equally impressive. Ride quality and overall refinement are completely acceptable, with the engine and road noise remarkably isolated.
Safety
Safety is top priority as Fluence gets two front and two side airbag, rain sensing wipers, dusk sensing headlamps, ESP, Traction Control, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist. Fluence also gets an anti-rust warranty of 5 years / 1 lakh km and best in class warranty of 4 years / 80,000km.
Bottom-line
When Fluence was first introduced, Renault had just 14 dealerships, and now, they’ll have up to 175 by the end of the year. The grand success of Duster helped the company build a stronger presence in the industry, too. In this better environment, the Fluence is sure to garner success it always deserved.
The new Fluence is priced at Rs 13.99 lakh for the base E2 variant and Rs 15.49 lakh for the top-end E4 variant.
Wednesday, 4 July 2012
Renault launches Duster SUV at Rs 7.19 lakh
The petrol variants of the new car are available for Rs. 7,19,000 and Rs. 8,19,000, whereas, the 83 hp diesel variants come with price tags of Rs. 7,99,000, Rs. 8,99,000 and Rs. 9,99,000. See the slideshow for more details
Renault India has launched its Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) Renault Duster. The feature packed SUV, which is at par with premium vehicles in terms of luxury comes at a competitive price
The car features cutting-edge technology like reverse-parking sensor, key-less entry with answer back function, on-board trip computer with multi-functional displays and rear defogger and wipers for better visibility
On its exterior, Duster features sporty 16"aluminium wheels, double barrel headlights, stylish roof rail, chrome finish radiator grille, lateral bars and muscular, elegant wheel arches. Even with its bulky SUV stance Duster is quite nimble on the urban roads owing to its turning radius of 5.2 m, which is less than even some of the hatchbacks
The petrol variants of the new car are available for Rs.7,19,000 and Rs.8,19,000, whereas, the 83hp diesel variants come with price tags of Rs.7,99,000, Rs.8,99,000 and Rs.9,99,000.
Besides, the 108 hp diesel variants are priced at Rs.9,99,000, Rs.10,99,000 and Rs.11,29,000. This contender from the stables of Renault is the perfect amalgamation of comfort and class of a sedan and the toughness of a SUV.
Customers can choose from two diesel powertrains and a power-optimised petrol unit being offered in different variants of the model
The RxE and RxL diesel variants will be powered by a 1.5 dCi K9K HP diesel unit, which will churn out 83 hp of power at 3,750 rpm and 200 Nm at 1,900 rpm. These two variants will offer the best-in-class mileage of 20.45 kmpl
On the other hand, the petrol variant is powered by the 1.6 litre K4M powertrain, capable of belting out 102 hp of power at 5,850 rpm and 145 Nm of torque at 3,750 rpm. The petrol motor has been mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox and offers 13.24 kmpl of mileage
Considering Indian market, Renault has provided enhanced comfort with separate rear-AC with independent control considering the extreme hot weather conditions of the country
Owing to its long wheelbase of 2,673 mm, this 5-seater SUV offers ample leg room to its passengers. The car offers carrying capacity of 1,064 litre and 475 litre of cargo space.
The car offers brilliant safety configuration to the passengers and driver with features like anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) with brake assist and a monocoque body with side impact beams.
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