Of ICE and EV
Although the sales of new cars have gained momentum in the month of May, those of the entry-level ones are still not doing that well.
Last month I got an opportunity to drive the long-awaited Maruti Suzuki Jimny and two state-of-the-art cars from Porsche: the Panamera Turbo S and its electric sibling, the Taycan Turbo S.
The Jimny used to be called the Gypsy in India and, compared to the Gypsy, it is a big step up. I have driven the Gypsy quite a bit on the highway and have also done some serious off-roading with it. The most noteworthy difference between the two is the ride quality, which is much better than that of the Gypsy. Furthermore, the Jimny has power steering and has much taller gearing which make it a better highway car. The higher gearing has its drawbacks, too, for the engine needs to be kept at high revs and in low gears to enjoy the drive because this 1.5-litre one lacks bottom-end grunt. I would like to see a nice and torquey diesel motor under its bonnet that will do justice to this go-anywhere SUV.
Over the last couple of months, I have been driving some high-end electric vehicles (EV). First it was the epitome of luxury, the BMW i7, and now the Porsche Taycan, a sports luxury car. The BMW sets a new benchmark in luxury, so much so that it is very difficult to distinguish between an internal combustion engine (ICE)-powered 7 Series and the i7.
When you drive the Taycan and the Panamera one after the other, you can immediately make out the difference between the EV and the ICE car. The Taycan is the quicker of the two and has instant throttle response as compared to the Panamera. The extra 235 kilograms of the Taycan can be felt while driving, though. For me, it is the Panamera; it starts with the push of the “start” button and the V8 turbo engine bursts into life with a roar from the exhaust.
EDITOR – ASPI BHATHENA
