In simpler terms, the car sports a 2-litre turbo diesel engine, and instead of the earlier pump duse system, it now has the efficient common-rail injection with 16 valves. The same engine is also available in the Skoda Superb sedan which we had tested earlier. The good part about the new Laura is that it is compliant with the BS-IV norms and so is more environmentally friendly. There is no change in the design of the car and no one is complaining. But the best aspect about the torquey mill is the refinement and the smooth power delivery. The sedan still retains the very addictive and brilliantly sorted out six-speed DSG automatic transmission. The Laura now has the ability to pump out 140bhp of peak power with an amazing 320Nm of torque. Interestingly, the same engine with a manual transmission produces 30bhp less than the AT.

The Punto 1.2 was launched late last year in the Active avatar which was rather basic and without many goodies as compared to the top of the line 1.4 Emotion Pack model. Obviously, there was a price difference of over Rs 1.5 lakh between them. This could have been a deliberate move to make the price of the entry-level Punto inviting. But the market trends in India are changing and the buyers want more. Value for money is the key mantra, but the consumer is willing to stretch his budget for more luxury and that extra comfort. Fiat may have realized this a little late as the Italian carmaker has now introduced the Punto 1.2, which was earlier only available in Active, in more juiced up Emotion and Dynamic variants.

We decided to compare BMW 535i to Mercedes-Benz E350. BMW has upped its engine variants with not only extra power and torque, but also less fuel guzzling and CO2 emitting characteristics. The top of the line 535i is claimed to be powered by the world’s first straight-six petrol engine with twin power turbos, high precision injection and Valvetronic. Gulp! It also makes use of brake energy regeneration system to complement BMW’s EfficientDynamics similar to the BlueEFFICIENCY technology that the E makes use of. On paper, the 5 is not only lighter but at a rated 306PS, also manages to pump out more than 30 extra horses. No wonder, pedal to metal, it manages to smoke the E left, right and center.

As far as the definition goes, a GT is essentially a high-performance and luxurious automobile which takes pleasure in turning your long distance journeys into the most comfortable and enjoyable form of travel. If we look at the history of BMW, the Munich automobile is nothing short of ‘Sheer Driving Pleasure.’ It has been proven time and again that the exciting Beemer has always been a saloon. However, in recent times the German giant has started making cars that fit in quite a few other segments and some of them even try to be a mix of various purposes (read X6). Continuing its attempt to make something different and exciting, BMW has come up with the GT. Yes, Gran Turismo. We are quite thrilled about this new car and in fact about this new avenue that BMW is trying to explore. We are looking forward to a rather exciting and luxurious drive in the GT.