Best of 2017: Top 5 performance cars launched in India
2017 was a rather special year for enthusiast with some incredible cars going on sale in India. Cars that not only had the show, but also the go to match. Featuring the best of automotive technology, the following cars managed to set our pulses racing.
Mercedes-AMG GT R
"The beast of Green Hell" is what the AMG GT R is referred to as. Why, you ask? It's because it's the fastest rear-wheel driven production car to lap the ultra-challenging Nurburgring's north loop, setting a time of 7:09.10. If that's not enough to get your attention, the lovely matte Green paintwork and the low slung body sure will. This mad supercar from the Mercedes-Benz's AMG division in Affalterbach, Germany is the new flagship. Powered by a 4-litre, bi-turbo V8 motor, that produces 585PS and 700Nm, this monster can sprit from 0-100kmph in 3.6s only. That's faster that the time it took you to read the previous sentence. The GT R also has a trick dial on the centre console that allows the driver to fine tune the amount of slip at the rear wheel, allowing some sideways action at corner exits. It currently is the fastest production car to lap the Buddh International Circuit, finishing a lap in 2:09.853. Read all about it here.
Ferrari GTC4 Lusso
The Ferrari FF was quite a revolutionary supercar when it was launched a few years ago. A four seat, four wheel drive super (hence the name FF) was sort of the jack of all trades and the master of them too. Marrying supercar performance and the ability of drive in places a normal supercar wouldn't, the FF made the world sit up and take notice. The GTC4 Lusso, is the successor to the FF, and it most certainly is a step above in every respect. The styling, to being with, is sleeker while retaining the same silhouette as the FF's. The interior too looks quite modern and the party piece is the TFT display for the passenger, keeping her/him informed of how fast the car is covering ground. One of the few, front engine, V12 Ferraris on sale, the GTC4 Lusso is apt for those who want a big power, big capacity, four seater, sports car. Read our views after the sampling the car in the Middle East.
Lamborghini Huracan Performante
As if the standard Lamborghini Huracan wasn't mad enough, the Huracan Performante is like a raging bull on steroids. It gets the same 5.2-litre V10 motor that powers the regular Huracan, albeit with a few tweaks to make 640PS and 600Nm, a bump by 40PS and 40Nm. It is also 40 kg lighter than the standard car. All of these tweaks make the Huracan Performante faster and handle better than the standard version. At Rs 3.97 crore (ex-showroom), the Lamborghini Huracan Performante is for the discerning few, who want a no holds barred supercar experience.
The Aventador has been one of Lamborghini's bestselling supercars and, over the years has garnered quite a fan following. This year, Lamborghini launched an even crazier version of the Aventador, badged the Aventador S. Lamborghini tweaked the design and also managed to shave about 20 per cent off the regular Aventador. There are a number of aero bits that have been added to improve downforce. At the front, for instance, the downforce has gone up by 130 percent. And when the active rear wing is in its optimum position, the overall efficiency at high downforce is improved by over 50 per cent and, in low drag position, by more than 400 per cent compared to the previous model. The V12 motor in the Lamborghini Aventador S makes 740PS and 690Nm. Our first drive review will give you more insight into the Lamborghini's flagship.
Porsche 911 GT3
Completing this list is a car that's both loved and revered the world over for offering an unadulterated driving experience. The 911 GT3 costs half of some of the cars in this list but is regarded as a vastly capable car, enough to give the big guns a run for their money. The most significant change to the GT3, this year, is the addition of a brand new 4-litre, naturally aspirated, flat-six engine that develops 500PS and 460Nm. Purists also heaved a sigh of relief when Porsche announced that it'll offer a manual gearbox as an option, in addition to the 7-speed PDK automatic. There's 20 percent more downforce without any increase in drag, which was achieved by working on the flow of air under the car. It certainly is a car we are itching to get our hands on.