All posts by Sundeep Gajjar

They say all things happen in due course. Bad things… and good things. Sometimes the bad phase goes on for a tad bit too long, and sometimes, the good times roll. The latter seems to be the case with us. Why… you ask? Well, imagine this, you get a BMW M4 and a BMW S1000RR to thrash around in Dubai, and when you finally, with a heavy heart we might add, go to return them, they hand you over the keys to a BMW M850i xDrive and a BMW R nineT Heritage! If this doesn’t imply good times, we don’t know what does. That is exactly what happened with us, and we’d like to thank BMW AGMC for understanding the insatiable thirst of us petrolheads!

BMW AGMC Motorrad leads the sale of high-displacement motorcycles in Dubai and Northern-Emirates despite the premium placement of BMW Motorrad motorcycles. In cars, m850i has been selling really well despite the premium placement which is a result of BMWs quality products and AGMC’s excellent customer service.

Now the 8-series has had an interesting run to date. First introduced in 1990, the 8-series coupes introduced a radical design language in the BMW lineup. They were really long, really luxurious and packed a serious punch. Yet, for a multitude of reasons, the sales never really picked up, and the production was ended in 1999. Sad… but in 2018, BMW reintroduced the 8-series, and while the design is a bit more in line with other cars in BMW’s stable, the 8-series is still manageably long, insanely opulent and the performance… oh boy!

Starting with the looks of the car, despite the setback with the old-gen 8-series, BMW has opted for a bold approach for the design of the new 8-series. One look at the front and it almost misleads you into thinking that it is a sports car. The long hood houses the BMW badging, and in addition to that, the contours and the lines lend it a perfectly aggressive stance. The headlights too are lean and mean-looking, but most importantly, they are Laser. When the car is on, the DRLs look beautiful, but the best part is, look at them from the side, and they look like more than hollow glass tubes!

The signature kidney grille is bigger, and a little more convex edge in the upper region sharpens the front a bit more. Interestingly, the grille is… closed. Actually, the grille is active, and it opens up when the car is at speed. A lot is going on in the front diffuser as well, which houses cleverly shaped intakes that lend the car the dynamism and aggression that we talked about. The side profile of the car is just as flowy with an air outlet just behind the wheel arches, which perfectly blends with the aerodynamic lines along the door, which flow to the rear wheel arches and the taillight. But it is the sloping roofline that will really take your heart when you are looking at the car from its side! The M-Sport insignia along the front wheel arch gave it a tough fight though.

Even if we could time-travel to the 60s aboard the BMW R nineT, we’d go there wearing the Apex Sharkco from Axor. In an across-the-town race, this helmet would have conveyed the intent of the rider to their competitors very clearly. And help the rider keep his head on his shoulders too!

The Stealth Evo pants from Rynox make sure that the rider’s knees are safe if they scrape their knees accidentally… or intentionally! The knee-guards provide protection for the shins as well and the hip-guards provide the rider with 360-degree protection.

The rear of the car carries on the athletic lines by means of a lean taillight. Surprisingly though, the rear of the car looks much busier than any other profile. The diffuser, the lines, and the vents are right behind the rear tyres. The right side has the M850i badging, and the M is of the motorsport flavour. Despite not being a dedicated performance-oriented M8, the car gets a generous amount of M-badging.

Now, onwards to the weird things. First, there is a body-coloured spoiler on the top of the rising tail, and it is really small. Probably the smallest spoiler we have ever seen, but then we are not going to comment on its aerodynamic effects on the car because come on… Germans know their engineering. The actually weird part, though, is that looking at the rear of the M850i, you feel that it has a two-pipe exhaust… but look closely, and each outlet houses two pipes. So effectively, the car has a quad-pipe exhaust, but it makes it look like it’s dual-pipe. Maybe they saved it for the M8, or maybe… someone messed up.

The exterior is beautiful, but it is a BMW 8 Series, so the real fun must be inside. The first thing that we’d like to tell you about is the interior lighting. It exists on the door panel and around the centre console, and it is just gorgeous. It is customizable too, but the really smart thing is that they flash red when the door is open to let other people know that the door of a beautiful M850i is open! We always wondered why it was referred to as mood lighting… if you have the same question on your mind. Set the light to blue or lavender and cruise around, the answer is right there.

The dash shows analogue speedo, rev counter, temperature gauge, and fuel gauge digitally. On the same screen, navigation is displayed between the speedo and tacho. It is configurable, and it will show you the g-force, instantaneous horsepower and torque figures, mode, and such if you so desire. The BMW m805i is also made to love the people in the cabin, so it shows a warning on the display when the engine is hot, so that you are careful when you open the hood of the car.

Technology has come a long way, and the M850i is full of it. The adaptive cruise control of the car makes it slow down or speed up depending on the traffic conditions. The cool part is that there is a button that says Lim, and if you press it, the car will detect speed signs and adjust the speed accordingly, automatically! And then it has voice command too, and you just have to say ‘Hello BMW’ to wake it up. That is configurable too, and you can set your own phrase to activate the voice command. The possibilities… Come forth into the light of things! And then there’s gesture control. Rotate your finger in the clockwise direction, and it increases the volume and the opposite decreases it.

Since it is a luxury coupe, the seats are heated (or cooled). Since it’s a luxury coupe from the house of BMW, even the armrests are heated! There are more configurable things under the centre console… buttons to be precise. And simply gliding your fingers over the buttons tells you of their assigned function, which is very thoughtful… and beautiful when you see it happening on the infotainment screen.

Another rather quirky feature is that you can teach the m850i about your relationship with a particular contact, so that when you call your father/mother/son/daughter, you can just say call father/mother/son/daughter instead of saying their name and the car obliges. There’s also a ‘Delete all relationships’ option for the times when the world becomes too much to deal with!

Performance? This is a luxury 8-series car, so… SO WHAT? It can still scare the bejesus out of you because it may weigh close to 2 tonnes, but it is powered by a 4.4L BMW TwinPower Turbo V8, which makes 530 bhp of power and 750 Nm of torque. But those things are on paper, and the real deal is when you press the power button and the engine comes to life. The roar of the V8 is a bit muted but resolute. Give it a few revs, and you know why the engine has the M-Performance cover on it. If you want to drive around encompassed in the luxuries of this world, it’ll happily do that with the balanced power delivery and supple suspension. If you are a sprightly one, put it in Sport and watch it transform… from a ballerina to a hip-hop legend.

It does 0-100 km/h in less than 4s and goes to an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (the M8 is the naughty unlocked cousin). Also, when you are in the process of validating the authenticity of the above-stated numbers, the sound is so gloriously V8 that you’d happily make do with the car even if it lacked half the features that we mentioned above.

The BMW M850i is a super-luxury coupe, and it is all justified by the abundance of modern-day features and creature comforts. What really makes this car engaging is the performance full of soul and character. The sound that the engine makes when you count the revs with the car as they rise. All of that is a bonus, and if this particular model packs this much performance, what would the M8 be like… Yep, we’re leaving for Dubai on the first chance we get!

In the grand scheme of things (quite literally), we must not forget another little warrior that accompanied the m850i. The BMW R nineT, the Racer variant of which we rode to the World Ducati Week last year. The motorcycle belongs to the Heritage family in the BMW Motorrad lineup, and that much is quite palpable. The classic cafe-racer design language, the round headlamp and that sweet, sweet Boxer protruding from the motorcycle. It is touches like these (and the BMW insignia on the bulb inside the headlight) that endear a particular model to a rider.

A printed graphic tee to match the classic cafe-racer BMW R nineT and a blue jacket to make sure that the BMW M850i doesn’t think too highly of itself in front of the man behind the wheel. Rare Rabbit is ready to help you dress-up for any occasion!

The classic touch is continued in the mechanical department as well. The air-cooled 2-cylinder ‘Boxer’ displaces 1,170cc and makes 110 bhp of power and 116 Nm of torque. The hydraulically-activated dry clutch emphasises the retro nature of the motorcycle even more. Be it the rattle of the dry clutch or the rumble of the ‘Boxer’, the R nineT ticks a lot of boxes in the nostalgic sense of the word. A must-have for a motorcycle enthusiast and for someone who’d like to arrive at a discotheque and announce that they have arrived without saying a word.

This was one heck of an episode for us, getting to experience two machines, one of which paves the way for the future and one that takes you back in time to when all this started. And we are glad to be living in this age in which we get to experience both. Again, a big thanks to BMW AGMC for lending us these two beauties.

Tesla seems to have figured out a way around the complaints that a lot of ICE purists have regarding electric vehicles… at least for the most part. We saw that with the Model S. It is a fantastic car in every sense of the word. It does everything well, and most of it comes as a result of clever thinking. Lack of sporty performance or range anxiety? Let’s fit it with a powerful motor and battery. The car is heavy? Let’s move all the weight to the bottom to lower the centre of gravity to aid handling, and let the instantaneous torque make it move like it was made of feathers. One of the safest, quickest, and most technologically advanced cars in the world, and we are not just talking about EVs. A masterstroke indeed. But… what next? The world does not run on just sedans, much less on electric sedans. Tesla’s answer to that is the Model X, an all-electric SUV that is a significant milestone on Tesla’s highway to conquering the universe. While universal conquest may sound a bit exaggerated, it may not be entirely wrong!

Tesla Model S had us spellbound with the kind of performance it shows up with right out of the gates, and being electric, right out of the gates, is not a term misplaced when talking about a Tesla. Model X… well, it is not less. The damned thing does 0-100 km/h in 2.7s while all other massive-engined sportscars exclaim, “Are we a joke to you?” Well, if any of them encountered a Model X at a stoplight GP, they will be. And we kid you not, the car is supposed to be utilitarian, and it looks the part. But the car is a bloody beast, and it… does not look the part.

We believe that Tesla plans to introduce these cute, seemingly harmless cars that hypnotise unsuspecting people who happen to drive one without seriousness… aka universal conquest. We think we should let that one go. The Model X is not that sinister unless you really, really want it to be.

When your car looks like the Tesla Model X does and does what the Tesla Model X does, you need to be dressed up. You don’t want to beat the best of sports cars when it comes to acceleration in an electric SUV and look like you don’t mean it. Lay down the hurt on the other car with the Model X, and other drivers with Rare Rabbit.

The look of the car is understated and subtle. The one we drove was blue, but we also saw one in white and it… it looks to incite the same feeling as when we looked at Sunny from iRobot. The plain front houses the sharp LED headlamps with the jazzy DRLs. and that is it… or is it? The Tesla Model X has some neat party tricks up its sleeves. Firstly, the windshield is panoramic. No, the roof is not panoramic… the whole windshield is panoramic. And while you should not utilise it while driving, sitting in the passenger seat ensures that you just cannot stop looking up, even after you start hearing strange crunching noises from your neck at the slightest movement. It is beautiful.

The second trick resides in… the doors. The Tesla Model X gets gullwing…oops… Falcon doors. It is a sight for sore eyes. We had an idea to make it a sight for all of our readers as we took it to the desert, opened the doors fully, and with the Dubai sun setting in the background, it makes for a majestic sight. The same can be said about the emotions evoked in you when you gaze at the setting through the panoramic windshield. While the car itself may not be astonishingly beautiful, with some out-of-the-box thinking, it does make everything around you seem more beautiful. The rear is not very different from the Model S but is more SUV-ish and houses a… spoiler! We’d like to inform Tesla that this makes the Model S very unhappy.

Predictably, the Model X is a 5-seater. Unpredictably, one has the option to go for the 6-seater and even a 7-seater variant. And the car packs some serious boot space too. And the rear seats can be folded to make up even more room. The interiors of the car are very much like Model S. A gigantic 17” touchscreen claims most of the real estate on the dash. Almost every function in the car can be managed from the touchscreen alone.

There are very few buttons around it and on the steering wheel. But we are quite sure that the buttons are gonna last very long because, in addition to the touchscreen, there’s voice command too. So the utilitarian tag is very well justified on the inside too. Now, when you pay attention to little things, it is really appreciated. The touchscreen in both the Tesla Model S and Tesla Model X is slightly tilted, which looks a bit odd in the beginning. But when you realise how convenient it makes it for the driver to use it, it makes a lot more sense. About the passenger? They are free to work a bit harder since they are not driving!

The ThinkPad P1 from Lenovo is petite in terms of looks. It packs an Intel Core i7 (8th Gen) that goes up to 4.10 GHz in Turbo Mode! Add to that 16 GB DDR4 RAM, 512 GB SSD, and Nvidia Quadro P1000! A whole lot of grunt for a laptop that weighs just 1.7 Kg. That is surely hard to beat!

Coming to the performance of the car. Like the Model S, the Model X also gets 2 variants: Performance and Long Range. And just like the Model S, we got the performance variant of the Model X as well. Both variants have two electric motors driving the front and rear wheels individually. While both the motors of the Long Range variant are rated at 259 bhp each, the Performance variant’s rear-wheel motor pushes around 503 bhp! Though the torque is not explicitly mentioned, it must be well over 900 Nm considering the specs of the Model S. These are scary numbers even when the weight of the car is in excess of 2.5 tons!

Coming to the driving part, this time around, we knew what we had in store, so we were ready… somewhat ready. Much like the Model S, this car is also seriously quick, and it is not hard to violate speed limits if one is not careful. It does the 0-100 km/h sprint in 2.7s, as we mentioned before. That is unreal for a car of this… class. It was digestible after we spent some time with the Model S, but no matter how much time you spend with the Model X, the savage acceleration is something that you will never get used to. Unsurprisingly, the Model X is the quickest SUV in the world, and it takes that title from some very, very respectable names.

Now, the performance of the Model X is undeniable, and god save the driver of that expensive car that pulls up beside you at a stoplight. The humiliation is going to be terrible… The Model X’s real prowess lies in how it justifies being an SUV despite that kind of performance. Let’s talk range. The Performance variant of the car will give you a range of around 450 km (Tesla’s estimate sits at 491 km). The Long Range variant boasts more than 500 km! Some interesting conversions state that the electric range of the Model X, if converted to a rough estimate of fuel efficiency, it’d be around 35 km/l! And that number is something that comes with a 2.5+ ton SUV that can rip a hole through the time-space continuum.

And there’s more yet. The Tesla Model X also gets an optional towbar. More than that, the car boasts a towing capacity of 2,300 kg. And even more than that, while towing a 1,000 kg trailer and running at 90 km/h, the car can still retain 70% of its range! There must be a reason behind the success and the numbers that the Model X has been able to pull for Tesla. And that is despite some initial problems with the car that may have bogged down the sales to some extent. That is a commendable achievement.

So, the Model X is a thunderous all-electric SUV that boasts of ballistic performance and tremendous utility. Fantastic as it may be, the car is not devoid of some snags. Like the headroom in the rear, or the falcon doors… Yes, the same falcon doors that make for beautiful pictures can be a bit of a bother, as they are a bit slow. They certainly need a Baby Driver treatment so that no one even dares to ask, “Was he slow?” For the most part, it is just a wonderful car and a sure shot step into the future.

Now, we had a Beemer to give the Tesla Model S company, a BMW S1000RR to be precise, the Model X was not alone either. We had the BMW i8 to give to the Model X company. We have driven the i8 quite a few times over the last few years. Hybrid electric and all-electric, falcon doors and scissor doors, BMW and Tesla, and both of them headed in the same direction… the future!

The BMW i8 is one of those cars which you can never really have enough of. We have driven the futuristic hybrid quite a few times. In Austria, in France, in Germany, and this time around, we got a few miles on it in Dubai. Despite not being Millennials, we have had our fair share of movies based on the future, both utopic and dystopic. And so, our affection for the BMW i8 is natural because this little baby from Munich is as futuristic as it can get… in the present at least!

‘What is the best thing about this car?’ is such a debatable question when it comes to the BMW i8. It looks smashing, and if it featured in Tron or I, Robot, it’d fit right in. The car has been designed like that. It is all luminous, which lends it the futuristic look and all edgy, which lends it the sports car look. It has been executed wonderfully, be it the air scoop or the eyelid of sorts on the taillight, which looks like a separate piece. The same thing is done in front of the rear wheels too. We wonder what the sketching session for this car would have been like…

When you are behind the wheel of a car which has such a presence, you need to dress up for the occasion. This cool jacket from Rare Rabbit sits just right with the i8.

The headlight looks amazing, and just when we thought that the butterfly grille cannot be bettered (from the M-series cars), BMW tops it up with something like that. LED DRLs in the headlights and the blue accents on the grille lend it a picture-perfect front fascia, which you can see in the pictures. The same goes for the tail section. The taillight and the rear turn-signals are just wunderschönen! The next thing is probably the most crucial thing that cements the i8’s status as a sports car… the scissor doors.

Gone are the days when you had to carry a barbell of a laptop in order to have decent performance. Lenovo ThinkPad P1 has all the grunt you need to work on photos and videos and it weighs just 1.7 kg!

The scissor doors on the i8 are a thing of beauty. The whole experience of opening the door, getting in the car and then closing the door evokes emotions that not a lot of things can. The doors on the i8 are special, though, as they lack a door handle; you just push a button on the door to open it! Talk to BMW if you want borderline insane creature comforts. While the exterior of the car is beautiful, it is the interior that makes you feel like you just travelled in time, to the future, of course.

The first thing that grabs your attention when you are inside the car is the large, full-LCD gauge cluster. Yes, it just shows you all the information that you need while driving around, but more than that, it changes colour and the information displayed according to the mode. In Sport mode, it is red and shows the tachometer and the speedo. In comfort, it shows your speed and the percentage of power being used. Put it in Eco Pro, and it limits the power to 50% and even that is displayed on the gauge. One of the coolest features, though, inside the car is the touch-controlled pad on the centre console. You can even draw doodles on it and show them on the screen. Less important stuff, like it accepts commands and is used to scroll about, need not be mentioned!

BMW, Mini, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad vehicles are imported in Dubai and the Northern Emirates exclusively by AGMC, which stands for Arabian Gulf Mechanical Center. We are very thankful to the cool folks at AGMC who lent us the BMW i8 to drive around Dubai.

The design is definitely the best part of this car, so why the debate in the beginning? Performance is the answer. The car is propelled by a hybrid-electric powertrain. A 1,499cc petrol engine sends power to the rear wheels while the electric motor sends power to the front wheels, effectively making the car all-wheel drive. The combined output of both these motors is 374 bhp, which is not shabby by a long shot. Add to that 570 Nm of combined torque and less than 1,600 kg weight, the result is a 0-100 km/h timing of 4.4s and an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h. So despite the not-so-mind-blowing numbers on paper, the i8 is pretty darn swift.

Put the i8 in sport mode, floor the pedal, and hear the engineers in Munich shout, “Can we get a hell yeah!” This is a seriously quick car, and it sounds bloody darn good, almost to the point of being a V8. How? Through the speakers… but hey, the execution is so darn good, which, coupled with the performance, does not make it feel like the sound is not real! And bear with us as we tell you that those are the attributes of a car that can go up to 20 miles on the electric motor alone, charges the battery when driven in sports mode, then there’s brake energy regeneration, and the fact that a car that looks like this can be driven around in electric mode with absolute silence!

Why is the BMW i8 one of the most impressive cars of the current time? It does most of the things a sports car does. The handling is sharp, and yet, in the city, the ride is compliant and comfortable. Despite being a car of that calibre, it is happy being driven around like normal cars at normal speeds without it jerking and being angry about not being driven fast. The automatic transmission is a gem, and the shifts are not even palpable. Germans are serious people when it comes to automobile technology and design, and the i8 imbues all their prowess and yet, unlike many other technologically gifted cars, it still has a soul… It sure has been for Sheer Driving Pleasure!

Introducing a new car in the market is not a particularly easy task, considering the R&D that goes into it. But introducing an evolution of a car that has a history of more than 50 years and millions of fans swearing by its name is something transcendent! Such is the iconic status of the Ford Mustang that a video game with even a hint of cars is incomplete without it, and an enthusiast who can’t spew the names of all the Mustangs in under 10 seconds is no enthusiast at all! And building something that is an evolution of an icon like that is no walk in the park. But Ford… pretty much nailed it.

Why do we say that? Because we got a chance to taste the brutish fury that a Mustang brings to the table. A 6th-gen Ford Mustang, to be precise. And recently, during the xBhp Power-Tour 2019, we got to revisit the icon in Dubai, a Mustang GT this time around, and our love for the American Muscle lives on. And why would it not? It has everything that those little cars that we collected had. Long hoods, short tails, a trio of vertical bars as the taillight, and the Mustang insignia, which is as literal as it gets. The 6th generation of the Ford Mustang, the Mustang GT that we got to drive, is everything that we mentioned and more!

We acquired the Mustang GT for our driving session courtesy of UDrive, a car rental in the UAE. While car rental sounds pretty boring, one which has a Mustang GT in its fleet can be anything but that. Just book your ride and pick it up. As we mentioned, we drove the Mustang some time back here in India, and when we got the GT in Dubai, it was a concentrated shot of nostalgia, which made us think about all the fun that we had the last time around.

When you are driving a car fit for drag races, your attire should also look like one… and a confident one at that. With this cool graphic tee from Rare Rabbit, we had the driver part nailed… Mustang? You’re up.

We are really glad that when the folks at Ford went back to the drawing board for the new-gen Mustang, they had the old one on their minds too. The long hood is the first thing that one notices. It looks good, but more than that, it houses the venerable engine that powers this beast of a car. The headlight, despite being more modern-looking, retains some of the muscular lines of the old. The front was reworked too, with the scoops on the front bumper, but as always, it is the grille that takes the cake. There is just something about that Mustang insignia that sets one’s heart racing. The same goes for the muscular lines all along the body of the Mustang and that signature rear, this one, with a bold GT badge on it.

Clicking pictures of a fast car like this needs steady hands but the Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) of our OnePlus 6T’s shooter made sure that we had at least a little room for error.

Inside the car, things are not as exotic as some other sports cars, but then again, you don’t pay as much for this particular off-the-hook sports car! And by no means are we implying that the interior is not plush and accommodating. What we mean is that once you look at the steering wheel with the Mustang insignia, the paddle shifters and the long hood, which you know houses a monster, mundane things like interiors do not matter. All that matters is you, your Mustang and the endless possibilities that come with a 5L V8!

It is a cardinal sin not to have played Need For Speed: Most Wanted (2005). Those who have played know that a guy named Razor drove a Ford Mustang, and guess what, he was the top boss! Switch the car on, and as soon as the massive V8 comes rumbling to life, you know why such a hugely popular title had the Mustang playing a titular role in it. Put the car in drive, floor the pedal, and it is almost like you are a teenager again.

You are almost compelled to put the accelerator to the floor and watch the thing go. When you actually drive the Mustang, you know that this car is Fast and Furious, your insides shout I Am Legend, and if you don’t make the most of it, this moment will be Gone in Sixty Seconds! The acceleration is insane, courtesy of almost 400 bhp of power and 515 Nm of torque. And once it gets going, there is no stopping it. We are sure that you will run out of breath much, much before the Mustang does. But the sound, the drug-like sound of the V8 clouds your senses, and only the realisation of the fact that this is not a video game is what stops you.

With UDrive, you just download the app and register, wait for verification, locate and book a car, enter your pin (received after verification) to activate the car, and you can drive away in a car like the Mustang. To return it, you just leave it at any location within the city where you got the car from!

The Mustang GT is a proofread evolution of the Mustang, and it is evident from the almost point-and-shoot handling of the car, but a car with rear-wheel drive with that much power on tap is even more fun when the tyres lose just a hint of traction! It must have taken a monumental amount of work to build a car like this, which had so many expectations riding on it. And as much as we’d like to say that Ford has nailed it, this is not the finish line of the legacy by a long shot. This is a milestone in a journey that we know is a long one. Don’t believe us? A newer one is already out, and Ford, if you’re listening, we can’t wait to get our hands on one!

Best of both worlds is a phrase that we all know the meaning of. But if we had to look for examples that can depict the phrase, we’d be hard-pressed to find even a few. It is a rare occurrence. But recently, on the xBhp PowerTour 2019, we encountered something that may not be the best of both worlds, but it was pretty darn good of both worlds for sure! It’s called an Infiniti Q70. 4 doors, real boot space, commendable amenities in the cabin and so on… Plain luxury-sedan stuff? Yeah, until you hear this. 3.7 L naturally-aspirated V6, that revs to 7,500 rpm and makes 330 bhp of power and 366 Nm of torque, the pistons are molybdenum coated, the transmission is a 7-speed automatic unit, and it has a dual-pipe exhaust! See what we meant?

The Infiniti Q70 comes as quite a surprise, sitting behind the wheel, and we are sure that it’ll be a handful too if not treated with respect. So, what is Infiniti? In the simplest of terms, it is the luxury vehicle division of… Nissan! Ah, the house of Godzilla… now it all makes more sense. You can take Nissan out of the name, but you cannot take Nissan out of the ‘philosophy’. The Q70 is marketed as a midsize luxury sedan, but as we mentioned, it is more than it’s letting you in on. We got a first-hand experience of it in Dubai courtesy of Ekar, a car-sharing platform that lets you drive a car yourself, even if you don’t own one. Cars like the Infiniti Q70… innovative? Quite!

The first glance at the car does not induce nauseating excitement. It’s rather… plain. Not that there’s something wrong with it, but it’s just… plain. Or maybe it was because of the cars that we drove before the Q70… and afterwards! The large grille with the Infiniti insignia on it does well to acquaint the onlookers with its ethnicity. The side, again, the same feeling. It isn’t particularly captivating. Move the rear, and it goes from plain Jane to hot vamp in the matter of a few steps. The taillight is beautifully done, the spoiler is minimalistic yet depictive of the capabilities of the car, the same applies to the rear diffuser and the dual-exhausts. The rear is a momentous shift from the front of the car, which, we think, implies that with the V6, the onlookers will only get to see the rear. Who knows…

Jump in the car, and the luxury prefix of the body type makes sense. The interior is a beautiful amalgamation of leather, chrome, and modern-day technology. The seat, steering, and side mirrors are all electronically adjustable, but more than that, they have a memory function which can be hooked to what Infiniti refer to as intelligent keys. One push and you have your preferred settings ready. The keys even remember the last used climate settings, last played music and even navigation! Heated steering wheel, silent and spacious cabin, touch-screen infotainment system and a BOSE music system make sure that the car does not feel lacking in the opulence department.

Ekar boasts of being the largest carsharing platform in the Middle East and provides users with on-demand access to over 1,000 cars across the Gulf. The cars can be borrowed on a pay-per-minute or long term basis… daily, weekly or monthly. We got to drive the Infiniti Q70 courtesy of Ekar and had a lot of fun driving it around in Dubai.

Despite all that, the car impresses you the most when it is on the move. The V6 comes to life with a soft and muted burble. Put it in drive and off you go. The engine is super-smooth, and the power delivery is criminally on-point. In the city, it does not feel like a car that, with a few mods, can very well be called a sleeper. The independent double-wishbones on both ends make sure that the ride is pliant and comfortable. But that’s all in the lower-revs. Did we tell you that this car revs to 7,500 rpm? So what happens up there? Fun stuff. The kerb weight of the car is around 1840 kg, so this is certainly not a featherlight car. But considering the equipment onboard, the weight of the car has been well managed. The acceleration is swift, and the Q70 sort of switches its character in the upper rev range. Quite a sly little (not really) car, the Q70. On open roads where it really gets to stretch its legs, the car does not fail to impress with the performance that the V6 packs. The heft and the wheelbase trade some of the handling quickness off. But then, if you want to break the Nurburgring lap record aboard one of these, serious therapy is suggested.

Bored with white-collar jobs and 3-piece suits? Take a break and drive away from the concrete jungle. And ditch the suit for this laid-back shirt and a pair of classic denim jeans from while you are at it. Unwind… with the House of Rare!

Infiniti has already announced that by 2021, all of its vehicles will be powered by either full-electric or hybrid powertrains. So this Q70 may very well be the last of the ICE-powered cocktail of luxury and performance that we get to enjoy. And so, enjoy we did. On the roads and in the sand… the car did not have any objections. So, next time you’re out for a drive in Dubai, Ekar might just be the rental you are looking for; maybe the Q70 will be available. But we do advise against (NOT) tackling sand with it!

Travelling around the world has its own perks. And if you are an automotive enthusiast, the perks always come with a +1. The +1 here refers to vehicles. For us, at xBhp, it’s mostly motorcycles. We have ridden so many now that it’s almost scary to think that we may just run out of them. Then there are cars. Supercars, to be precise. We have driven our fair share of those too. But every once in a while, one comes across something of a crossover between the two. A hybrid of sorts. We call these contraptions ‘Trikes’ and we came across a very very quirky one. The Rewaco GT and what better place to run around on something like this than the Italian Alps!

We encountered the Rewaco GT during our recent trip to Italy and while it was every bit as confusing to us as it is to you, the allure of it was such that we could not resist swinging a leg over it. And such was the amazement and excitement of piloting something like this, that we dashed straight to the beautiful Italian Alps. But before we talk more about the Rewaco GT. Let’s talk Rewaco.

Rewaco Trikes was founded in Germany in 1990 and has been in operation since. Initially, they worked with the classic Volkswagen and RevTech rear-mounted engines. But that was just a start. Since then, Rewaco has been working continuously to make their vehicles quicker, smoother and safer.

As of now, Rewaco has 3 models available in its stable; LS, ST, and GT. One of the best things about Rewaco Trikes is the customization options available at one’s disposal; sound system, heated seats, trailer tow package, back up assistance, and whatnot.

The RF1 (LS, ST, and GT are the variants) is powered by a turbocharged 1,499cc inline-4 engine. It makes 140 bhp of power and 210 Nm of torque. While numbers may not seem all that much, even more so because of the heft of the vehicle, it can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 5.9s. That… is not slow by a long shot. Not for a vehicle like this. Top speed? 175 km/h. Doesn’t look like it now, does it…

On top of that, it features a 7-gear CVT transmission which also has a quirk up its sleeve. It comes coupled with a Power Shifter which allows the driver to select when the transmission shifts! And if even that is too much of a hassle, it can go fully-automatic too. While most of the things about the Rewaco shouts that it is ‘driven’, the hand throttle makes a bold statement in the favour of the Rewaco being ‘ridden’.

Now, talking about the chassis, Rewaco trikes are based on a standard tubular frame. The engine is mid-mounted. The rear wheels feature independent suspension. The front of the vehicle is purpose-built and features a springer-style suspension. A rather uncommon combination but to Rewaco’s credit, it works out pretty darn well!

First and foremost, the Rewaco is an inline-4… that too, turbocharged. So it is no surprise that it sounds great. But is it not? As soon as you thumb the starter, the Rewaco’s rumble leaves you wanting to wring the throttle just to hear it at full tilt. And if you do give in to temptation, the reward is sensational.

The rear of the Rewaco looks like a supercar and the sound just cements that tag… if you are still looking at the rear that is. Don’t believe us? We have got pictorial proof. It is Italy and the Italian alps are some of the best roads to ride or drive, in the world. No wonder we found two of the rarest supercars on the planet there; the Lamborghini Diablo and the Ferrari Enzo… divided by ‘fidgety-clutches’, united by the Alps.

Now, does the Rewaco GT go like a supercar? Not really but then it is not meant to. And for what its worth, the fun factor associated with the Rewaco comes pretty close to those of supercars… roadsters, to be precise. The power and the punch are there and the torque makes sure that you are not left wanting on open roads. But the three-wheels have their own limitations.

Rewaco, being a trike, handles pretty good. Surprisingly good actually. The suspension system we mentioned above works wonders for it and the overall low stance also helps the matters. Now while the throttle gives you a feeling of ‘riding’, it does not lean into corners. It exerts Gs (and some fear should one be careless).

It is not hard to guess that the Rewaco needs space on the roads. Almost as much as cars. The overall width of 1,880mm is a testament to that. But the Rewaco GT is a grand tourer. And with 140 horses and 210 Newtons combined with a dry weight of 615 kg, it is a pretty good one.

We, as motorcyclists, love riding but more than anything, we cherish experiences. And while the Rewaco is somewhere in the middle of riding and driving, it hits the nail on the head on the experience front. It really is a stunning one… one we’ll jump onto again without thought the next time the opportunity presents itself.

Specifications of the Rewaco GT

Engine

Displacement: 1,499cc
Type: in-line-4 cylinder engine with turbocharger
Power: 140 bhp
Torque: 210 Nm
Transmission: 7-Gear automatic with Power-Shifter

Chassis

Front axle: Front forks with centre Bilstein gas shock absorbers
Rear-axle: Single wheel suspension with Bilstein gas shock absorbers
Braking system (front and rear): Disc brakes
Tyres (front/rear): 180/55 ZR 17 on aluminium rims / 255/45 ZR 17 on aluminium rims

Dimensions

Height: 1,060 mm
Length: 3,690 mm
Width: 1,880 mm
Weight: ~615 kg (dry)
Fuel capacity: 40 L

The future is electric… and the statement is being repeatedly emphasized which err… doesn’t sit well with most automotive enthusiasts. The reason quoted by most of them is that electric vehicles will never be able to impart the same thrill as their ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) counterparts. And the above, according to them, is true for both motorcycles and cars. With the environment degraded to the point of no return and humanity desperate to salvage what’s left, we must come to terms with the fact that the future is electric indeed. But our question is that what kind of a future is it? With respect to automobiles, is it really as glum as stated by purists? We found out a part of the answer in Dubai during the xBhp PowerTour 2019 and it is, “No, it is not… not entirely at least.” The inspiration behind that answer; Tesla Model S (Performance or P100D)!

But then, it was just a part of the answer and it is not entirely correct, at least not yet. The biggest concerns of people when it comes to electric vehicles are; range, feel, performance, and the sound. The Tesla Model S took care of most of the things here and hence, our answer. Think about it… a car that can go around 500 km on a full charge, looks pretty darn good (arguable), and most importantly, goes from 0-100 km/h in 2.4s! This thing, this anomaly of the electric car world is debatably the fastest accelerating thing in the world! So, this car certainly takes care of the range, feels pretty darn good when you are inside and blows the goddamn roof off of the place with acceleration like that!

None of what we said above was apparent on the first glance like it may be in the case of say… a Ferrari. They look fast, they go fast. This thing looks vanilla and goes insanely fast! Why vanilla? This car is a sedan for god’s sake. 4-doors, lots of boot space, and then more storage space under the hood, no race-y lines, and it has respectable ground clearance too! It is not a bad looking car by a long shot. It is just that it is not a car that looks fast, much less as fast as it actually is. It looks much better than its previous generations… but still not as fast as it is!

From the front, the grille is missing. Oh, there it is… enough for a band of ants to march through and it houses the Tesla insignia. The headlights look sharp. The edgy DRLs accentuate the effect and so do the air-intake like things at the front. The hood has design lines so that the performance of the car makes a little more sense than it did in the previous iterations. The side profile, because of the roofline and the wheels looks really good. Things take a turn for… something at the back because the taillights could have been done better but the tiny spoiler does add to the overall road-presence of the car. Last but not least, it is big… like, really big. Overall, the design of the Tesla Model S is that of a fairly conventional sedan. Not a bad thing, really.

The inside of the car is a trip to the future… not a very luxurious one but hey, you get a peek at the future so do not be greedy. The dashboard is dominated by a massive 17-inch touchscreen that handles almost every aspect of the car. The designers must have thought that “Hey, people are over phones with buttons so they’ll be over car dashboards with buttons.” And to be honest, we are. The user interface is a breeze and it is easy to navigate through the menus and the plethora of functions that the screen takes care of. There are a few buttons too if you miss them too much. The touchscreen handles things like climate control, music, navigation, hands-free phone, headlights, sunroof, and much more. And again, a few things can still be controlled via buttons on the steering wheel or… with voice-command!

Moving on, there’s leather inside the cabin. There’s wood trim on the dash. There’s an Alcantara headliner. It is not outrageously opulent but it does the job well. The seats are nice and comfortable and the driving position is also decent but it was nothing that could prepare us for the onslaught that the Model S had in store for us. Anyway, the interior of the car boasts of a lot of space and we have already told you about the massive boot space and then more at the front, under the hood. All in all, it is a decent car on the inside, just like it is on the outside or maybe a little more than that.

A quick car calls for a quick shooter and the OnePlus 6T is just that, and more! The Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (Octa-core, 10nm, up to 2.8 GHz) makes sure that the camera launches aren’t laggy and even burst shots are taken care of with ease. Beautiful sunset + Beautiful Car + OnePlus 6T equals beautiful photos.

So, the Tesla Model S is a decent car with a spacious cabin, respectable interiors,  a truckload of practicality, and tech-armed to the teeth. That takes care of most people but what about us, the performance fanatics who have abused our eyes staying peeled to the display while playing video games and driving really fast cars? To that Tesla Model S said, “Hold my beer!” Now, we have built up a lot on the performance aspect of the Model S but what is it really like? Let us tell you that it was nothing like anything we have experienced before and we are sure that if you ever get your hands on one (on the right variant), you’ll agree.

Start the engine or uhh motor, put it in Ludicrous Mode, floor the pedal and the Model S will turn your cynic self into an ardent believer. The acceleration, the sheer pull is out of this world. It is simply brutal. It is almost to the point of being too much for the human mind to comprehend. The front of your body is drained of all fluid for a second as it smacks your head into the comfy backrest. This is an all-wheel-drive car with two motors propelling the front and rear set of wheels. The total power output is over 750 bhp and the torque is just as insane at 931 Nm! Moments ago, a car that looked big and heavy utterly disintegrates all your perceptions and along with it, your belief in the fact that it weighs over 2 tons!

What sorcery went into arming this car with such performance is beyond comprehension. We did multiple runs and it surprised us every time. We even ran it against the BMW S1000RR, one of the fastest superbikes on this planet and guess what? The Models S was quicker to get to 100 km/h. A 2-ton all-electric car is quicker than the 207 kg, 200 bhp superbike… utter madness. But, all that performance comes at a cost. These runs in Ludicrous Mode impact the range and the battery life adversely. Moreover, because of the heat, you have let the motors cool down after each run. But, the performance is no mean feat nonetheless. And yeah, it can do 250+ km/h if you want to find out where all the madness ends.

The variant that we got is called the Model S Performance or Model S P100D. Tesla’s previous naming scheme and the sheer number of variants had a lot of people confused. So now, there are just 2; the one we got and Model S Long Range or Model S 100D. The latter is touted to have a range of over 600 km which is really, really commendable.

Driving Model S is a… quiet affair. It does not make any sound at all except for a muted whine from the motors. This could result in wind and tyre noise coming into the picture but the interior is well damped from those. The overall ride quality is pretty good too courtesy the height-adjustable air suspension. And because the battery-packs are heavy, Tesla has placed them at the bottom of the frame which not only frees up space in both the front and the back but lowers the centre-of-gravity as well which is apparent from the nimble handling that this car brings to the table despite the heft. It can deal with turns with relative ease and therefore, cements the dynamic nature of this car.

All said and done, the Tesla Model S left us baffled and confused. Electric vehicles get a lot of flak from purists and the Model S was not spared either. But the sprawling infrastructure to support an EV ecosystem and Tesla’s effort in establishing ‘Superchargers’ that can charge the battery from 0 to 100% in 75 minutes, is worthy of applause. This in addition to the crazy long-range has resulted in the Model S doing some really good numbers in the US and Europe. While we did miss the conventional sound of an ICE and the overall feel of those cars, this car leads us to believe that the future might not be as glum as it is being laid out to be… The simple reason for that is if cars like Tesla Model S P100D are going to forge the future, then its is gonna be a really, really quick one. And hey, would you rather miss the sound of an ICE-powered vehicle or the earth… Yeah, we thought so!

Out to have some fun in the super quick Tesla Model S and make electric vehicles look cool? Look cool yourself along with the car with this graphic tee and cool blue denim jeans from Rare Rabbit. And put on the jacket while you are at it so that the shrugs look meaner… and there will be many with the Tesla Model S.

With warriors, one thing is certain, their time comes and their time goes. But in case of some legends, their time comes and it never really goes away. They just move aside to give the younger ones a chance. They are away, yes, but by choice. And when the need arises, they make a grand comeback to tell others what made them a legend and to… show others how it’s done. Even if the title did not reveal the warrior we are talking about, the above description might have given the true aficionados a good enough hint. The warrior is a motorcycle which went… and goes by the name Katana.

The original Katana is one of the most iconic and one of the most radical motorcycles ever made. It shook the motorcycling world to the core because of the unconventional design and because of the fact that Suzuki claimed it to be the most powerful and the fastest motorcycle of its time.

It was also a very interesting motorcycle and the reason is that it is a Suzuki motorcycle designed by a team called Target Design (Germany) and the members comprised of Jan Fellstrom, Hans-Georg Kasten, and Hans Muth ex-chief of styling for BMW! The Katana, when launched in 1981, was an instant hit. It broke the conventional norms of motorcycle styling and ushered sportbikes into a new era.

Despite the design, the power and the speed it possessed, the Katana was slowly sidelined by newer motorcycles which were a lot more focussed on the sporty intent. These motorcycles include Suzuki’s own GSX-series of motorcycles. The Katana became, from a sportbike to a comfortable sports-tourer. Time kept progressing and finally, the production was stopped in 2006.

There are many examples of even some of the most legendary vehicles being lost in oblivion with the passage of time. But then, as we mentioned, the Katana was a warrior like no other and while it did go on an exile, it never really vanished. Come 2018, Suzuki took motorcyclists the world over by surprise when they announced that a new Katana was coming.

They unveiled the motorcycle at INTERMOT 2018 and unlike the norm where the revived versions lose out on the original’s appeal, the new Suzuki Katana was a major throwback to the original with enough modern bits to make it match other models in the market blow-for-blow. So, the Katana is out of the scabbard again but is the blade still as sharp as it used to be? We found out as we got to ride it in Australia.

While we were still trying to come to terms with how good a shooter the OnePlus 6T was, we were hit with the OnePlus 7 Pro and it makes us wonder how long till smartphones actually replace conventional cameras… The triple camera unit has a 48 MP main camera, an 8 MP telephoto lens, and a 16 MP Ultra Wide Angle Lens that make for stunning captures. With the fluid AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of 90 Hz and the raw power courtesy of Snapdragon 855 CPU and 12 GB of LPDDR4X RAM, editing photos on the go is a breeze.

The moment you catch the first glimpse of the Suzuki Katana, the shot of nostalgia hits you like a ton of bricks. The motorcycle is such a stark reminder of the original 1981 motorcycle that it almost takes you back in time. This is one of the very few motorcycles in the world for which one can say, “This… is a throwback done right.” It is radical but it is beautiful.

It is not only a throwback though. It has enough modern elements to hang with the latest. The profile, while inspired by the original, is sleeker, sharper, and sporty. The front is kind-of semi-faired and the rear is minimalistic. The headlamp and the front positioning lamps are LED to emphasize the modern touch. The satellite rear fender extends from the swingarm which lends the motorcycle a unique rear. Another aspect of the motorcycle which has been executed very well is the upswept exhaust… sleek, suave and black. The red logo decals are a shout out to the 1981 Katana.

The fully-digital instrument cluster is also an ode to the thought-process behind the Katana where they did not want the bike devoid of modern amenities despite the inspiration from a motorcycle almost 4 decades old. Switch the motorcycle on and that’s when one starts to feel really acquainted with the motorcycle even if they have never met the original Katana.

The reason for that is the engine which is a 999cc unit from the K5 Suzuki GSX-R1000. It powered the Suzuki Superbikes (GSX-R) lineup from 2005-2008. The same engine was used on the Suzuki GSX-S1000 and since it was a part of the xBhp garage for quite some time, the Katana felt really familiar. The mill has been custom-tuned for the Katana and it churns out 150 bhp of power at 10,000 rpm and 108 Nm of torque at 9,500 rpm.

The numbers may not seem enough to go for an all-out battle with some other supernakeds out there, they are certainly enough to keep most people entertained. The Suzuki Katana is a wonderfully executed motorcycle and one starts to appreciate that right from the get-go. The clutch is not hydraulic and even then, the clutch pull is light and does not strain the rider. The throttle is not a ride-by-wire unit and yet, it is not jerky at any point in time and all you get from it is smoothness and responsiveness.

The engine builds revs quickly and the acceleration that comes as a result of that is swift. The progressiveness is noteworthy and despite the 150 horses ready to gallop, it is not intimidating at any point. Moving up or down the gearbox is typical Suzuki magic and one would not feel the need for a quickshifter unless they decide to take it to a racetrack. Traction control is not intrusive at all and it helps the motorcycle retain as much character as it can without compromising on the safety front should the rider feel more spirited than usual.

While most of the people get rid of the stock exhaust as soon as their bike is delivered, on the Katana, you may not feel the need to do so if you do it just for the note. The K5 mill delivers a soft inline-4 rumble at idle and things get really raspy when you really start to wring it. Character beats decibels any day when it comes to the exhaust note of a motorcycle.

The GoPro Hero 7 Black that we used to shoot videos with turned out to be a heck of a weapon. This little guy was meant to be out exploring with the most seasoned adrenaline junkies. It is tough, it is rugged and it is waterproof (up to 10m). The screen is touch-enabled but more importantly, it can work with voice commands too. With Lice Streaming capabilities, the GoPro Hero 7 Black is one of the best in the business. Needless to say, the video and the sound are both simply phenomenal. Check out the video at the end to see for yourself.

The 2019 Suzuki Katana also boasts of a fantastic handling package. And it is not a surprise at all since the frame and swingarm are derived from the GSX-R1000. The feedback from the chassis is just perfect for road-riding and it does not leave a lot to be desired.

The suspension system comprises of inverted, 43mm KYB forks which are fully adjustable and a monoshock at the rear. The front forks are well set up right out of the factory and on the road, they feel right at home. The balance between the ability to absorb undulations and keeping things in line when riding hard is near perfect. The rear though is just a tad bit stiff for road riding.

What goes up, must come down and what goes fast, must slow down just as quick. Talking about the anchors, the Suzuki Katana is equipped with stellar units from Brembo. The brakes are progressive, offer ample bite and feel at the lever is also quite good. Under hard braking, the chassis shines again as the bike feels quite composed. In addition to that, ABS is present and it is of the non-switchable variety.

Suzuki Katana weighs 215 kg road-ready and fuelled. On paper, the number may seem a tad bit high, but out on the roads, it is more or less insignificant. The motorcycle has a powerful enough engine to alleviate the heft and not let it affect the responsiveness. The chassis and the overall geometry also helps to keep the 215 kg motorcycle composed as you chain corners on an isolated mountainous road.

And while most of the stuff on this motorcycle is pretty darn awesome, the ergonomics just make the deal that much sweeter. The riding stance is very well-balanced between sporty riding and touring purposes. No strain on the knees, no strain on the shoulders, and no strain on the back or wrists despite hours in the saddle.

We spent a lot of time with the 2019 Suzuki Katana and yet, we were left wanting more of it. So you see, sometimes when a motorcycle offers you something unique, it tends to run out of it after a while. But motorcycles like the Katana have their craft mastered and it is to provide the rider with a fun riding experience. To let a rider know what motorcycling is all about and why they started in the first place.

Not the best sports-tourer out there, not the best streetfighter out there, not the most powerful and nor the fastest and yet, it is probably one of the best motorcycles you will ever get to ride. Ah well, the Katana is sure out of the scabbard again and it is sharper than ever. But most importantly, the battles you take up with this one are going to be one of the most engaging kinds that exist.

Here’s a video of our rendezvous with Suzuki’s radical street weapon…

And since we are discussing nostalgia, here are a few pictures of our GSX-S1000… 

They say ‘The best things in the world are free’. I am acquainted with a lot of things that abide by this adage. But recently, I was made aware of something that is one of the best if not the best but isn’t really free. In fact here in India, it costs north of INR 16 lakhs Ex-Showroom. The ‘thing’ in question here is obviously a motorcycle. A motorcycle from BMW Motorrad. The BMW R nineT Racer.

The R nineT belongs to the heritage class of motorcycles from Bavaria. The original R nineT was introduced back in 2013. With the retro looks and modern amenities, it did not take long for people all around the world to swoon over the bike. Since then it has spawned quite a few variants like the Scrambler, Pure etc. In India, we only have 3 variants though. The regular R nineT, the R nineT Scrambler and the R nineT Racer.

Where and how I got to ride the R nineT Racer? I had to go to World Ducati Week 2018. I HAD to ride there. And I HAD to stand out. So, I went to Milan, went to BMW Motorrad Milano, saw the R nineT Racer, picked it up and headed towards the Word Ducati Week 2018. That is it.

I don’t think it would be easy to describe this particular motorcycle’s looks and design. My personal opinion, this is almost the best looking motorcycle I have ever ridden. Most of the Racer’s old school charm is exuded by the café-racer design theme of the motorcycle. But in addition to that, the real crown jewel here is the paint scheme. 

The white colour with BMW M themed stripes that extend from the fairing to the tail add to the already handsome looks of the R nineT Racer. The tried and tested ‘Boxer’ engine protrudes out of the bike which may seem radical at the moment but makes a lot of sense when one looks at the bike in flesh.

Keeping in line with the café-racer design language, the BMW R nineT Racer is stripped down to bare essentials. So much so that it does not even have a sub-frame for the pillion assembly. The pillion assembly is offered as a part of the optional accessories on offer. 

The minimalistic half-fairing extends from the headlight, just coming up to the muscular tank. The tank also has the BMW logo which earns a lot of attention even before one starts to figure out how good looking the bike is. Bits like the blacked-out alloys and forks, LED taillamp, a BMW logo inside the headlamp just portray the near-obsessive attention to detail.

The fit and finish are top-notch and worthy of the BMW tag. And the price tag as well.

The R nineT Racer features a ‘Boxer’ engine like quite a few other BMWs such as the R 1200 GS. Although the R nineT features an air-cooled unit instead of liquid cooling. The 1170cc, air-cooled, flat-twin on the R nineT also has 4 valves per cylinder, a central balancer shaft and electronic fuel injection. It produces 110 bhp of power at 7750 rpm and 116 Nm of torque at 6000 rpm. 

The engine, like a true boxer, delivers enough power to keep you excited and the refinement helps the rider maintain good speeds for longer durations as well. Not that one would prefer that (more on that later) but it is capable of doing so. The real magic is not the power because it isn’t going to rip a hole through time and space continuum like an S 1000 RR. The real magic is the power delivery and accessibility.

The R nineT offers a very linear power delivery with loads of torque available right from the lower rev-range. It isn’t a high revving engine which is apparent from the 8500 rpm redline. But it’s a relaxed engine powerful enough to keep boredom miles away from the rider. And the exhaust note of the typical ‘boxer’ is simply a delight. It can keep a lot of people engaged even if revved at a standstill.

The R nineT is a shaft-driven motorcycle and features a 6-speed gearbox which is a joy to go through. Typical BMW smoothness in the gearbox makes a joyous riding experience but then again, this isn’t a motorcycle that would require a lot of gear-changes. One can easily cruise around from anywhere in between 100 km/h and 160 km/h in the top gear leaving the bystanders awestruck as they see a beautiful blue-red blur pass them by.

This is the part where one begins to differentiate between what we discern by Racer and what BMW meant by a racer (read café-racer). Café-racers were meant to provide acceleration, speed, and stability mostly in a straight line. That’s what the R nineT Racer does. The 1491 mm wheelbase ensures optimum stability in a straight line but also robs it of the agility that we usually have in modern-day bikes. 

The 43 mm telescopic forks up-front and central spring strut at the rear take care of the suspension duties. Now the suspension setup is rather stiff. It is capable of taking care of the slight undulations but potholes and broken patches on the road are transmitted directly to the rider to a certain uncomfortable degree. 

The engine is the load-bearing unit in the R nineT Racer’s frame and the chassis seems quite steady while one looks to carve corners in style. But again turning a motorcycle that weighs 220 kgs (wet) and has such a long wheelbase certainly takes some doing. And after spending some time on the saddle, one realizes that maybe this motorcycle is not meant to do that in the first place. 

Not that it cannot do that, but it takes a lot of effort from the rider’s part and the rewards are beautiful photos and a whole lot of attention. The cast-wheels are shod with Metzeler Roadtec tyres which offer a good balance between dry and wet grip. I can attest to the capabilities of the tyres as I encountered heavy rain while coming back to Milan from the World Ducati Week 2018 and the tyres performed satisfactorily be it dry roads or wet roads. Even the twisties seemed tameable on the Roadtecs.

Coming to the ergonomics, the seating position is very Racer-y with low set handlebars, high set rearward footpegs and the rather low-seat. Saddle up on the R nineT Racer and even the taller riders feel like they are lying on the bike rather than sitting on it. This, despite looking uber cool, isn’t the most comfortable position to be in if you plan to ride for long distances. 

The seating position and the half fairing do help in reducing the windblast at higher speeds, but then again, long rides on the R nineT Racer will tire out riders with the strongest of cores quite quickly.

The tank bag from Rynox does its job well even on a rather difficult tank of the R nineT Racer. Big enough to accommodate essentials, resistant enough to keep them safe even in adverse weather… as you can see in the photo.

A motorcycle that costs upwards of INR 16 lakhs here in India and makes around 110 bhp of power with an 1170 cc twin engine might not make sense to a lot of people. And then the rather harsh ride and tiring seating position just add to the hiatus in the decision to buy this motorcycle.

But there are different motorcycles that serve different purposes. The ‘Racer’ tag does not mean that this bike is going to be setting lap-records on a track. It simply aims to portray the legendary superbikes from the 70s that graced the best of riders, from racers to actors.

This is a motorcycle on which you sit donning a classic leather jacket and boots with rugged denims. You put on that classic half-face helmet and go around the town to enjoy the boatload of attention that it is going to get you. 

This is a motorcycle which does not only look good, it makes the rider look so good that they might feel confident enough to ask Penelope Cruz or Ursula Andress out if they encounter them walking around. And that my friends, isn’t an exaggeration. Not to mention the pure old-school charm that the motorcycle possesses.

If you feel like you are someone like Steve Rogers or Bucky Barnes who does not belong to this time, or someone who would like to belong to those beautiful times, then this is the motorcycle for you. I, for one, would gladly go for the BMW R nineT Racer, ride around town in style and go find myself a Peggy.

We drove quite a few vehicles during the PowerTour 2019, consisting of both motorcycles and cars. While all of them were fun and engaging machines, there was a pair which seemed rather ominous and we mean it in the best sense possible. We are talking about two Dukes; KTM 790 Duke and KTM 1290 Superduke R. While the 1290 Superduke R should have been the one to look out for because of its nickname- wheelie-king, it was the KTM 790 Duke that we had our focus on. Why’s that? Let us explain.

Ever since the rumour of an 800cc parallel-twin Duke flooded the internet, it has been tingling our motorcycle nerve incessantly. When it was unveiled at EICMA 2016, it had left us floored because of how compact it looked and the amount of power it made! And then there was the fact that while most KTMs employ single-cylinder engines or V-Twins, the parallel-twin on the KTM 790 Duke was a breakaway from that tradition. And since then, we have been waiting for its arrival in India. Just today we stumbled upon rumours that the KTM 790 Duke has reached the Indian shores and it may be priced at INR 8.5 lacs (Ex-Showroom). 

The APEX SHARKCO from Axor is one slick-looking helmet. The most standout feature is the graphics that make it look like it was meant for this menacing 790 Duke. Features like the Dual-visor, DOT and ECE certification, permanent anti-fog function are just a bonus!

While the motorcycle may be here by the end of 2019 (or God knows when), we could not wait anymore and therefore, we decided to swing a leg over this middleweight hooligan in Dubai. And what’s better, as a measuring scale, we also brought along the KTM 1290 Superduke R in order to gauge if the parallel-twin Duke is really ‘The Scalpel’ it is being made out to be.

Starting with the looks, we do not even have to say anything. All the Dukes look radical and that is not a bad thing, at least not when it comes to KTM’s radicals. But the best part, according to us, is the subtlety with which the KTM 790 Duke pulls its radical act off. Look at it from the front, and without any further ado, one can deem it as a pure-blood KTM because of the LED headlights in that mean-looking shroud. But explore it from other angles and it’s… so compact. It does not look intimidating at all. The blinkers on the front are an eyesore though.

The sculpted tank, that peculiar sub-frame, the high-slung exhaust etc just ease into your eyes and soul in a way that the motorcycle immediately endears itself to you. The colours, both Black and Orange are dual-tone and without being overly enthusiastic, are pleasing to the eyes. In addition to the design, the build quality is top-notch too and everything on the motorcycle, from the switchgear to the rubber on the pegs, feels premium. Now, according to us, the motorcycle looks fantastic but then, other people’s opinions may differ because everyone has their own perspective and ways to look at things.

On our trips to Dubai and on the multiple bikes that we have ridden there, one thing that has not changed is the heat. And it gets worse in India with the amount of dust in our air. These things have been troubling motorcyclists for a long time. This time around though, the elements did not bother us a lot because of this nifty piece of tech called BluSnap2 from BluArmor. It can be called an AC that you can snap on to your helmet and keep your head cool even in sweltering weather. This little device is battery-operated and creates a microclimate around you that is 6-15 degrees lower than the ambient temperature. In addition to that, the integrated filter blocks out the dust particles giving you access to clean and cool air inside your helmet. It also has a built-in defogging feature which keeps your visor and glasses fog-free in rainy or cold weather. You can snap it on in less than 10 seconds on your full-face helmet and a single charge will give you more than 10 hours of cool and dust-free air during your motorcycle rides! We have tested it in Dubai. We have tested it in India. And it works as expected. Kudos to the team at BluArmor for coming up with such a wonderful and easy-to-use device!

The parallel-twin dubbed as the LC8c is a first for a KTM. The folks at Mattighofen did consider a V-twin but the parallel-twin made for a more compact motor and with the KTM 790 Duke, the mission was to keep it as compact and lightweight as possible. The name of the motor, LC8c stands for Liquid-cooled 8-Valve compact! And what KTM was able to achieve is apparent even visually as the 790 Duke’s engine looks just a tad bigger than the single-cylinder unit employed on the 690 Duke.

KTM did not want the 790 Duke to lose the characteristics of its bigger V-twin siblings and that is why the forged crankshaft of the engine has the pins offset by 75° with a 435° firing order. That helps the engine mimic the sound and character of its bigger and rowdier siblings. Also, the LC8c unit has two counter-balancers; the primary one located down by the crank and another smaller one gear-driven off of the exhaust cam. This was done in order to make the engine as smooth and refined as possible as the engine is the stressed member of the frame.

KTM 790 Duke gets a slipper-clutch (PASC or Power Assist Slipper Clutch in KTM speak) which reduces the clutch effort in addition to preventing the wheel-hop caused by the reverse torque during aggressive downshifts. A special addition though is the Quickshifter+ which allows clutchless upshifts and downshifts! An inherent addition because of the above is a ride-by-wire system with 4 modes namely Rain, Street, Sport, and Track.

The electronics suite on the KTM 790 Duke is quite comprehensive too. An inertial measurement unit, traction control, cornering ABS, and Supermoto ABS, all coming together to provide the rider with the maximum amount of riding fun without compromising on the safety front.

The chassis is a tubular, chrome-moly steel frame that, as mentioned before, uses the engine as the stressed member. There is a bolt-on subframe too which is just… bare. KTM has stated that the above setup ensures the right amount of flex and feedback from the chassis. Among all the exquisite components on duty, the suspension is rather lacklustre (only relatively though). 43 mm forks at the front are not adjustable and the rear shock is preload adjustable. 300 mm dual-discs up-front, grabbed by radially-mounted, 4-piston KTM branded callipers manufactured by J.Juan, and the 240 mm disc at the rear, grabbed by a single-piston calliper, handle the braking duties.

Pushing the starter on the KTM 790 Duke is such a joy and it leaves one in such disbelief over the fact that the motor that just came to life, is a parallel-twin! It sounds so beautifully brutish and yet, mild. Blipping the throttle gives one an idea that this is one quick-revving motor. Clutch modulation requires minimal effort and it’s almost ironical that it is not used a lot after the launch because of the quickshifter.

Slotting into the first gear is crisp and it’s all Wunderbar afterwards. The motorcycle gets moving quickly and skimming through the gears is pure joy, be it upshifting or downshifting, because of the quickshifter. The noise from the exhaust and the engine remind one of some amazing oxymorons such as a beautiful racket. And if that isn’t enough, downshift quickly enough and you are greeted with that oh-so-loved patta-pat-pat-patt. We are in motorcycle heaven!

Coming to the performance from the engine, the LC8c makes 103 bhp of power and 87 Nm of torque. While the numbers may not seem all that impressive, it’s the realization of those numbers on the road that matters. And the 790 Duke does that beautifully. The torque is available from down low and motorcycle lunges forward with eagerness. The revs build up quickly and the power band of the 790 Duke is very linear. It pulls almost relentlessly to its 9000 rpm redline. We can just imagine how engaging a motorcycle it will be on the racetrack in Track Mode… Especially because it weighs just 169 kg dry!

The fueling is also spot-on and that stands true in all the modes. There is no hint of any jerkiness during throttle transitions no matter how abruptly you try to do that. That said, the motorcycle does feel a bit… edgy below the 2000 rpm redline but it’s all meadows and sunshine afterwards.

The best part? All the efforts from the engineers to keep this motorcycle as light and compact as possible pay off the most in the handling department. Because of being lightweight and possessing a sharp-ish rake, directional changes on the KTM 790 Duke are lightning-fast. Putting it into corners is deceptively quick and so is correcting or adjusting lines mid-corner. The poise and stability with which it goes around a bend is nothing short of magical. This motorcycle is immensely easy and fun to ride hard!

Many people might complain about the suspensions’ lack of adjustability but it is almost never felt. The factory settings on the KTM 790 Duke are so good that it never lets one feel the lack of adjustability. The suspension is very… progressive. It’s soft initially to absorb the undulations of the road and then gets stiffer to facilitate its fantastic handling mannerisms. With that, we’d like to add that if you want to do some stupid-fast laps around a racetrack, the adjustable suspension might be needed.

Brakes are generally good but because of the high standards set by the bike in all the other departments, they could use a little improvement. The only issue is the initial bite. There’s no lack of power in the brakes but it’s just that you need to grab a handful to unleash that power. The progressiveness and feel and feedback are admirable though. A reason for this could be to not intimidate new riders but still, a little more initial bite would have been welcome.

Ergonomically the KTM 790 Duke is very well set up and offers a good blend of comfortable yet sporty riding position. The icing on the cake is the adjustable handlebar which provides 4 different bar locations depending on the rider’s preference. The footpegs are also not too rear-set and overall the 790 Duke stays comfortable even after long hours in the saddle. The windblast due to the lack of a windscreen, inherent to naked roadsters, can be a bit of a bother on highways. 

The rear camera module on the OnePlus 6T is capable of recording 1080P videos at 240 fps and 720p videos at 480 fps! Our weapon of choice for posting those fantastic super slo-mo videos. In addition to that, it can shoot 4K videos too at either 30 or 60 fps!

The Carbonado GT backpack that we used is one cool made-in-India backpack. Features like waterproof zippers, an insulated pouch for water or refreshments, and antitheft retractable cable lock make it an ideal companion for motorcyclists.

Overall, the KTM 790 Duke is a fantastic package and despite some stark differences from the rest of the Duke lineup, it is still everything a Duke should be. It’s powerful, nimble, handles like a dream and looks menacing. Now only if KTM is kind enough to let it loose on Indian roads…

Are we forgetting something? No, we are not because one does not simply forget the riding experience of a KTM 1290 Superduke R. Afterall, riding a motorcycle with 174 bhp of power, 141 Nm of torque and 195 kg of dry weight makes for a rather unforgettable experience. Like it is a tradition with all KTMs, the Superduke R has a sorted chassis, a comprehensive suite of electronics that make it a heck of tool on a racetrack. Its ability to go around a bend rivals one of the best handling motorcycles in the world.

The best part of a Superduke R is its… dual-nature. What we mean is that it is rather tame below 6,000-6,500 rpm but goes ballistic afterwards i.e. a sedate machine on the street and a beast when let loose. The only real gripe we have with it is the rather low ground clearance which sees one scraping pegs and the hard parts rather early.

The KTM 790 Duke is a really capable motorcycle and it is very well equipped to deal with the many rivals it has in the segment. We cannot wait to have our hands on it again but this time, we’d like it to be in India. The Superduke 1290 R, however, is a different beast altogether and though it already has a rival (and one is on its way), it is still one of the craziest naked you can get your hands on.