India was not a market open for super cars and sports cars till recently. The infrastructure limitations and road conditions in the country led car makers to delay in launching some of the finest machines in the plant here. The heavy import taxes further added salt to the wound. Despite all odds, a group of buyers have emerged for high-end cars in India in the past couple of years. For them, the year 2016 was feast since there were many new launches from acclaimed car makers. We have compiled a list of such pricey cars launched in India in 2016.
Aston Martin DB11
Aston Martin launched its newest sports car, the DB11 for Rs 4.2 crore, ex-showroom Delhi in October. The DB11 is the most powerful and most efficient 'DB' production model in British carmaker's history. The DB11 is powered by a newly developed 5.2-litre V12 twin-turbo engine that generates 600bhp at 6,500rpm and a maximum torque of 700Nm from 1,500rpm. The engine is mated to ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox that sends power to rear wheels. The DB11 needs just 3.9 seconds to reach 100kmph from standstill before reaching top speed of 322kmph.
The DB11 is the successor of the DB9 model. The DB10 was exclusively made for the James Bond movie 'Spectre.'
Lamborghini Huracan Avio and Spyder
Italian sports car maker Lamborghini launched two iterations of its Huracan in May and September. The company first launched Huracan Spyder, the drop top version of the Huracan coupe, priced at Rs. 3.89 crore, ex-showroom Delhi. Later the company launched Hucaran Avio, a special edition that pays tribute to the world of aviation and aeronautics at Rs 3.71 crore.
Both iterations are powered by a naturally-aspirated 5.2-litre V10 engine that develops 602bhp of power at 8,250rpm and 560Nm of torque, mated to seven-speed dual clutch transmission. The Avio need just 3.2 seconds to sprint to 100kmph before attaining top speed of over 325kmph while Spyder version need 3.4 seconds. Top speed remains the same.
New Porsche 911 range
Porsche has updated the 911 sports car range in India in June. The new range consists of 911 Carrera Cabriolet, 911 Carrera S, 911 Turbo and the 911 Turbo S Cabriolet. The range has been priced in the range of Rs. 1.42 crore to Rs. 2.81 crore, ex-showroom Delhi. All the models will be brought to India as completely build units (CBU).
Under the hood, the 911 Carrera Cabriolet and 911 Carrera S get a flat-six 3.0-litre twin-turbo engine. In the 911 Carrera Cabriolet, the engine is tuned to churn out 370hp of power and 450Nm of torque, while in the 911 Carrera S, it can churn out 420hp and 500Nm of torque.
The 911 Turbo and the 911 Turbo S Cabriolet are powered by a 3.8-litre flat-six twin-turbo engine. The mill in the former develops 540hp of power and 66Nm of torque while in latter it generates 580hp of power and 700Nm of torque. All the engines will come paired to Porsche's PDK dual-clutch gearbox as standard.
Rolls-Royce Dawn
Rolls-Royce launched the Dawn Drop Head coupe priced at Rs. 6.25 crore, ex-showroom in India in June. The Dawn is essentially the convertible sibling of the Wraith coupe that is already on sale in India.
The 2,560kg luxury car is powered by a twin-turbo 6.6-litre V12 powertrain. It develops a power output of 563bhp at 5,250rpm and a torque rating of 780Nm at 1,500rpm. All the power is directed to the rear wheels via a ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox. The engine powers the Dawn to reach 100kmph in less than 5 seconds before electronically hitting the limited top speed of 250kmph.
The two-door, four-seater convertible comes with a fabric roof that can be deployed and retracted in 22 seconds at a maximum speed of 50kmph.
Mercedes-Maybach S600
Mercedes-Benz India launched its super luxurious sub-brand Maybach in India with the S600 in September. The Maybach S600 is longer than the regular S-Class with 200mm longer wheelbase and it has been launched as a CBU unit costing Rs. 2.6 crore (ex-showroom, Pune).
The Maybach S600 is the most premium offering of the German marquee to India and features a mighty V12 engine. The 5980cc, twin-turbo mill develops 523bhp at 4900-5300rpm and 830Nm of torque at 1900-4000rpm mated to a 7G-Tronic Plus automatic transmission. Mercedes claims the vehicle can run 0-100kmph in just 5.0 seconds and has a top speed of 250kmph.
Ferrari 488 GTB
Ferrari launched 488 GTB in India at Rs 3.88 crore (ex-showroom, New Delhi) in February. The 488 GTB is powered by a 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 engine that develops 661bhp at 8,000rpm and 760Nm of torque at 3,000rpm. The engine is mated to automated manual dual-clutch, seven-speed F1 gearbox. The 488 GTB is able to achieve 0-100kmph in just 3.0 seconds, before attaining a top speed of over 330kmph.
Ferrari 488 GTB is the successor of the 458. The 488 moniker points to each cylinder's cubic capacity, 488cc (3902cc divided by 8 cylinders). The GTB, which stands for Gran Turismo Berlinetta, pays homage to the several iconic models from Ferrari.
Audi R8 V10 Plus
Audi India launched R8 V10 Plus at Rs 2.47 crore ex-showroom, Delhi during Auto Expo 2016. The flagship sport car of Audi, the R8 V10 Plus is powered by a 5.2-litre naturally-aspirated V10 engine that can churn out 610bhp of power and can accelerate from 0 to 100kmph in 3.2 seconds with a top speed of 330kmph.The engine comes mated to a 7-speed S-tronic gearbox. The car gets three automatic modes and optional manual control.
2016 Aston Martin Rapide
British luxury car maker Aston Martin launched the 2016 Rapide in India on April 14 for Rs. 3.29 crore (ex-showroom, Thane). The four-door sedan is powered by a 6.0-litre AM29 V12 engine that churns out 510bhp. The power propels the Rapide from 0-100 kmph in just 4.6 seconds before reaching the top speed of 306 kmph.
