After three legs of thrilling motor sporting action that witnessed the competitors battling it out for top glory, the team of veteran rallyist Jogendra Kumar Jaiswal and co-driver Prakash Muthuswamy emerged victorious in the Pro-National Category at JK Tyre Himalayan Drive 9.

Exactly, four years earlier, at this very event (Himalayan Drive 7), Jaiswal and Muthuswamy narrowly missed out on the championship crown due to a last moment navigating error and had finished second to the team of Sk. Ajgar Ali and Md. Musthafa. But life has come to a full circle for Jaiswal and Muthuswamy as they edged passed the team of Ali and Musthafa at JK Tyre Himalayan Drive 9 to lift the winner’s trophy. If anyone thought motor sports was only for the young and adventurous, 65-year-old Jaiswal has completely debunked that theory and has promised to return next year to defend his championship title.

The ninth edition of JK Tyre Himalayan Drive supported by Experience Bengal, Government of Sikkim and Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) was flagged off by Honourable Tourism Minister, Government of India, Shri. G. Kishan Reddy from Siliguri’s Mayfair Tea Resort at 9 AM on April 2, 2023. Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs, John Barla, Darjeeling Lok Sabha MP Raju Bista, the ambassadors of ten G20 nations, and senior officers of Government of India (GoI) and the West Bengal Government were present at the grand flag-off ceremony.

This edition of JK Tyre Himalayan Drive was an integral part of the prestigious G20 Tourism Working Group Global (TWG) Meet which was held in North Bengal. Delegates from 29 nations participating in the TWG Meet were also present at the flag-off of the three-day rally that traversed through the Dooars, Sikkim and Darjeeling Hills.

After the ceremonial flag-off, the 28 rally cars sporting the G20 flags and the flags of individual G20 nations participated in a convoy drive across Siliguri city before regrouping at Khaprail in the outskirts of Siliguri from where the competitive section of the first leg of the rally was flagged off. The competitors then drove through the Simulbari Tea Estate before traversing onto Mirik Road, Phulbari Bye Pass, Gajoldoba Barrage, Odlabari, Gorubathan, Damdim and Chalsa before finally culminating in Murti. Competitors covered 208 kilometres in the first leg of the rally and passed through river beds, river embankments, tea gardens and forests.

The second leg of the rally covering a distance of 194 kilometres was flagged off from Murti on Monday, April 3. This leg witnessed competitors pass through scenic tourist sports like Chapramari forest, Samsing, Lava and Pedong before taking to the road to Pakyong airport and then finally culminating at Gangtok.

The third and final leg of the rally covering around 140 kilometres was flagged off from Ganesh Tok in Gangtok by Honourable Minister, Power, Government of Sikkim, Shri M.N. Sherpa, Honourable Minister, PHE, Government of Sikkim, Shri Bhim Hang Subba and Honourable MLA of Soreng, Shri Aditya Golay. After the ceremonial flag-off, the rally cars once again sporting the G20 flags and the flags of the G20 nations took a round of Gangtok city. The competitors then congregated at Chungthang Road in Gangtok from where the competitive section of the third leg of the rally began. The competitors passed through Temi Tea Estate, Namchi, Jorethang and Hill Cart Road before culminating at North Point School. From here the competitors drove through Darjeeling town in a convoy and headed to Gorkha Rangmanch Bhavan.

The three legs of the JK Tyre Himalayan Drive covering a total distance of around 600 kilometres offered the opportunity to competitors to drive on varied terrain. In the first leg, the competitors negotiated through river banks, river embankments, rural roads and dirt tracks along with verdant tea gardens and dense forests. The second leg offered a combination of jungles, tea gardens and mountainous terrain. In the final leg, the competitors traversed through mountain roads along with passing through the picturesque Temi Tea Estate and a thrilling gravel section at the end of the mountain section.

A grand prize distribution ceremony was held at the Darjeeling Mall on Wednesday, April 5. Several dignitaries were present at the prize distribution ceremony which included Mr. Harsh Vardhan Shringla – Chief Coordinator – G20 Secretariat, Mr. Amar Rai – Former Chairman of the Darjeeling Municipality, Mr. Samden Dukpa – Joint Executive Director – GTA along with Mr. Sunny Kumar and Ms. Neha Tiwary from JK Motorsports.

In the Pro-National category, the team of Jogendra Kumar Jaiswal & co-driver Prakash Muthusawmy finished first with 262 penalty points followed by the duo of Sk. Ajgar Ali & Md. Musthafa with 305 penalty points in second position and the team of Santosh Kumar & Nagarajan Thangaraj finishing third with 476 penalty points. The teams of Souradeep Dutta & Sk. Ibrahim Ali and Sk. Anuriddha & Raj Kumar Mundra finished fourth and fifth with 670 and 698 penalty points respectively.

In the Open Class category, the team of Jasmeet Batra & Kashish Mehta emerged first with 2341 penalty points followed by the husband-wife duo of Sameeksha Srivasthava & Pulkit Srivasthava with 2943 penalty points. While the team of Highfill Syiem & Sagar Malappa took the third step on the podium with 3657 penalty points.

In the Promotional Class category, the team of Pranjal More & Milindo Paul finished first with 9294 penalty points followed by the duo of Preeti Khandelwal & Anagha Joshi in second position with 11748 penalty points and the team of Rakesh Goswami & Suraj Choudhury finishing third with 18888 penalty points.

The team of Jasmeet Batra & Kashish Mehta also took home the Best All Lady Team award.

Photograph by Ranadip Mandal

The ninth edition of JK Tyre Himalayan Drive supported by Experience Bengal, Government of Sikkim and Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) was flagged off by Honourable Tourism Minister, Government of India, Shri. G. Kishan Reddy from Siliguri’s Mayfair Tea Resort at 9 AM on April 2, 2023.

Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs, John Barla, Darjeeling Lok Sabha MP Raju Bista, the ambassadors of ten G20 nations, and senior officers of Government of India (GoI) and the West Bengal Government were present at the grand flag-off ceremony.

This edition of JK Tyre Himalayan Drive was an integral part of the prestigious G20 Tourism Working Group Global (TWG) Meet which was held in North Bengal. Delegates from 29 nations participating in the TWG Meet were also present at the flag-off of the three-day rally that traversed through the Dooars, Sikkim and Darjeeling Hills over three days.

After the ceremonial flag-off, the 28 rally cars sporting the G20 flags and the flags of individual G20 nations participated in a convoy drive of Siliguri city before regrouping at Khaprail in the outskirts of Siliguri from where the competitive section of the first leg of the rally was flagged off. The competitors then drove through the Simulbari Tea Estate before traversing onto Mirik Road, Phulbari Bye Pass, Gajoldoba Barrage, Odlabari, Gorubathan, Damdim and Chalsa before finally culminating in Murti. This first leg of the rally covered 208 kilometres and passed through river beds, river embankments, tea gardens and forests.

The second leg of the rally covering 194 kilometres was flagged off from Murti on Monday, April 3. It was a challenging leg that witnessed competitors pass through scenic tourist sports like Chapramari forest, Samsing, Lava and Pedong before taking to the road to Pakyong airport and then finally culminating at Gangtok.

The third and final leg of the rally covering around 140 kilometres was flagged off from Ganesh Tok in Gangtok by Honourable Minister, Power, Government of Sikkim, Shri M.N. Sherpa, Honourable Minister, PHE, Government of Sikkim, Shri Bhim Hang Subba and Honourable MLA of Soreng, Shri Aditya Golay. After the ceremonial flag-off, the rally cars once again sporting the G20 flags and the flags of the G20 nations took a round of Gangtok city. The competitors then congregated at Chungthang Road in Gangtok from where the competitive section of the third leg of the rally began. The competitors passed through Temi Tea Estate, Namchi, Jorethang and Hill Cart Road before culminating at North Point School. From here the competitors drove through Darjeeling town in a convoy and headed to Gorkha Rangmanch Bhavan.

The three legs of the JK Tyre Himalayan Drive covering a total distance of slightly under 600 kilometres offered the opportunity to competitors to drive on varied terrain. In the first leg, the competitors negotiated through river banks, river embankments, rural roads and dirt tracks along with verdant tea gardens and dense forests. The second leg offered a combination of jungles, tea gardens and mountainous terrain. In the final leg, the competitors traversed through mountain roads – both metaled and non-metaled along with passing through the picturesque Temi Tea Estate and a thrilling gravel section on the last leg of the mountain section.

The Prize Distribution Ceremony of the JK Tyre Himalayan Drive 9 will be held on Wednesday, April 5 at Darjeeling where the names of the winners will be announced.

Photographs by Ranadip Mandal

The ninth edition of JK Tyre Himalayan Drive supported by Experience Bengal, Government of Sikkim and Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) was flagged off by Honourable Tourism Minister, Government of India, Shri. G. Kishan Reddy from Siliguri’s Mayfair Tea Resort at 9 AM on April 2, 2023.

Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs, John Barla, Darjeeling Lok Sabha MP Raju Bista, the ambassadors of ten G20 nations, and senior officers of Government of India (GoI) and the West Bengal Government were present at the grand flag-off ceremony.

This edition of JK Tyre Himalayan Drive will be an integral part of the prestigious G20 Tourism Working Group Global (TWG) Meet which is being held in North Bengal now. Delegates from 29 nations participating in the TWG Meet were also present at the flag-off of the three-day rally that will travel to the Dooars, Sikkim and Darjeeling Hills over the next three days.

After the flag-off, the 28 rally vehicles displaying flags of the G20 Meet and G20 nations took a round of Siliguri city before heading to Khaprail and taking the dirt road towards Simulbari tea estate and on to a river bed. The first leg of the rally stretched over 220 kilometres. After crossing Garidhura, Mirik Road and Panighata Road, the competitors headed towards Gajoldoba barrage, crossed popular tourist destinations Gorubathan and Damdim before reaching the final destination of the first leg of HD9 – Murti.

This edition of JK Tyre Himalayan Drive will also be an integral part of the prestigious G20 Tourism Working Group Global (TWG) Meet which is being held in North Bengal now. Just Sportz Management Pvt. Ltd. an affiliate of Federation of Motorsports Clubs of India (FMSCI) , the national sports federation approved by Govt. of India, will run the JK Tyre Himalayan Drive 9 (HD 9) , a competitive TSD Car Rally from April 2 to April 5, 2023.

Himalayan Drive which has already run eight successful editions in 2013 , 2014 ,2015 , 2016 , 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022 with the active support of West Bengal Tourism & other Govt. departments. The premier event has been able to showcase North Bengal as a premier destination for Adventure Sports to the entire nation.

The Rally also draws inspiration from Honourable Chief Minister of West Bengal Ms Mamata Banerjee’s vision of Connecting various regions of Bengal & to its neighbours and encouraging People to People Connectivity in the region. Many of the previous editions have also travelled to Bhutan & Nepal making it a Tri-Nation Event. This has been another step in that direction and towards the aspiration of Biswa Bangla – Connecting Bengal To The World.

Though this year HD 9 is unable to travel to the neighbouring countries due to Covid restrictions , the core philosophy of connectivity & showcasing of North Bengal continue to be the core philosophy of the event.

JK Tyre & Industries Limited has been associated with Himalayan Drive as the Title Sponsor since its inception in 2013. According to Mr. Sanjay Sharma, Head –Motorsport – JK Tyre & Industries Limited said “We are really excited about the JK TYRE HIMALAYAN DRIVE 9. T It has been a privilege for JK Tyres to have been associated with event since inception & see it grow into it’s present avatar. Our association with Himalayan Drive has helped identify talent and build a culture of motorsport in the Eastern part of the country”

A total of 28 teams, including two All Ladies teams from all over the country will pit their driving and navigation skills against each other through tough terrains, including dirt tracks, river beds, and narrow and steep mountain roads, in the three-day event.

JK Tyre in their constant endeavour to promote and encourage women to take up to motorsport has given the opportunity to the winners of their annual JK Tyre WIAA Women’s Rally to Valley event which concluded in Nasik last week to experience the thrill of Himalayan Drive. The two winning teams of Parul Shah & Pradnya Chavarka and Preeti Khandelwal and Anagha Joshi from Mumbai have won themselves a sponsored drive and will be taking up the challenge.

According to JustSportz Pvt Ltd Director Mr. Tamal Ghosal, “The first eight Himalayan Drive Rallies have unlocked the great prospect of adventure sports in the Eastern Himalayas. It is fitting that Himalayan Drive has this year become part of a prestigious G20 event on tourism”.

Chairman of the Rally and Director, JustSportz Management Pvt Ltd, Siddhartha Sadhan Bose said: “It is befitting that India’s chairmanship of G20 will be celebrated through Himalayan Drive 9, which will be an event coinciding with the Tourism Working Group Global meet. We are extremely proud that we can showcase the tourism potential of this region to the delegates of the G20 countries and we will be very happy if we get participants from G20 countries to the future editions of Himalayan Drive”.

The second leg will be flagged off from Murti on Monday, April 3 morning. A very challenging route through narrow village roads, riverbeds and tea estates before traversing through the mighty Himalayas for this second leg that will culminate at Gangtok in Sikkim.

In the third and final leg commencing on Tuesday, April 4 morning, competitors will be flagged off from Gangtok and will take to the mountains, driving by steep gorges and verdant forests and popular tourist destinations like Namchi and Jorethang to culminate at Darjeeling.

The prize distribution ceremony will be held at Darjeeling on Wednesday, April 5 morning.

Photograph by Ranadip Mandal

The ninth edition of JK Tyre Himalayan Drive supported by Experience Bengal, Government of Sikkim and Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) will be flagged off from Siliguri’s Mayfair Tea Resort at 9 AM on April 2, 2023.

This edition of JK Tyre Himalayan Drive will also be an integral part of the prestigious G20 Tourism Working Group Global (TWG) Meet which is being held in North Bengal now. Just Sportz Management Pvt. Ltd. an affiliate of Federation of Motorsports Clubs of India (FMSCI) , the national sports federation approved by Govt. of India, will run the JK Tyre Himalayan Drive 9 (HD 9) , a competitive TSD Car Rally from April 2 to April 5, 2023.

Himalayan Drive which has already run eight successful editions in 2013 , 2014 ,2015 , 2016 , 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022 with the active support of West Bengal Tourism & other Govt. departments. The premier event has been able to showcase North Bengal as a premier destination for Adventure Sports to the entire nation.

The Rally also draws inspiration from Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal Ms Mamata Banerjee’s vision of Connecting various regions of Bengal & to its neighbours and encouraging People to People Connectivity in the region. Many of the previous editions have also travelled to Bhutan & Nepal making it a Tri-Nation Event. This has been another step in that direction and towards the aspiration of Biswa Bangla – Connecting Bengal To The World.

Though this year HD 9 is unable to travel to the neighbouring countries due to Covid restrictions , the core philosophy of connectivity & showcasing of North Bengal continue to be the core philosophy of the event.

JK Tyre & Industries Limited has been associated with Himalayan Drive as the Title Sponsor since its inception in 2013. According to Mr. Sanjay Sharma, Head –Motorsport – JK Tyre & Industries Limited said “We are really excited about the JK TYRE HIMALAYAN DRIVE 9. T It has been a privilege for JK Tyres to have been associated with event since inception & see it grow into it’s present avatar. Our association with Himalayan Drive has helped identify talent and build a culture of motorsport in the Eastern part of the country”

A total of 26 teams, including two All Ladies teams from all over the country will pit their driving and navigation skills against each other through tough terrains, including dirt tracks, river beds, and narrow and steep mountain roads, in the three-day event.

JK Tyre in their constant endeavour to promote and encourage women to take up to motorsport has given the opportunity to the winners of their annual JK Tyre WIAA Women’s Rally to Valley event which concluded in Nasik last week to experience the thrill of Himalayan Drive. The two winning teams of Parul Shah & Pradnya Chavarka and Preeti Khandelwal and Anagha Joshi from Mumbai have won themselves a sponsored drive and will be taking up the challenge.

According to JustSportz Pvt Ltd Director Mr. Tamal Ghosal, “The first eight Himalayan Drive Rallies have unlocked the great prospect of adventure sports in the Eastern Himalayas. It is fitting that Himalayan Drive has this year become part of a prestigious G20 event on tourism”.

Chairman of the Rally and Director, JustSportz Management Pvt Ltd, Siddhartha Sadhan Bose said: “It is befitting that India’s chairmanship of G20 will be celebrated through Himalayan Drive 9, which will be an event coinciding with the Tourism Working Group Global meet. We are extremely proud that we can showcase the tourism potential of this region to the delegates of the G20 countries and we will be very happy if we get participants from G20 countries to the future editions of Himalayan Drive”.

After the ceremonial flag-off from Mayfair Tea Resort in Siliguri on Sunday, April 2 at 9 AM , the competitors will drive through tea gardens, embankments and riverbeds spread over many parts of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts to reach Murti, a popular tourist destination. This first leg will also have a night stage.

The second leg will be flagged off from Murti on Monday, April 3 morning. A very challenging route through narrow village roads, riverbeds and tea estates before traversing through the mighty Himalayas for this second leg that will culminate at Gangtok in Sikkim.

In the third and final leg commencing on Tuesday, April 4 morning, competitors will be flagged off from Gangtok and will take to the mountains, driving by steep gorges and verdant forests and popular tourist destinations like Namchi and Jorethang to culminate at Darjeeling.

The prize distribution ceremony will be held at Darjeeling on Wednesday, April 5 morning.

Photograph by Ranadip Mandal

The Dalhousie Institute (DI) and Eastern India Motoring Group (EIMG) in association with Concourz Restorations joined hands to organise the inaugural edition of THE DI EIMG HERITAGE VEHICLE DISPLAY on Sunday, March 26, 2023. The event was held at the lawn and the courtyard of The Dalhousie Institute where a bevy of 75 heritage vehicles including four and two wheelers were displayed. The member of DI along with their guests were in for a visual treat as some rare and exotic heritage wheels made the onlookers drool in admiration and envy.

Established in 2020, EIMG has since been anchoring the revival of the heritage motoring movement in Kolkata. Under the leadership of Founder & President Mr. Shrivardhan Kanoria (himself a collector & restorer of national repute) and his team, EIMG has been instrumental in organizing some of the most widely appreciated and admired heritage motoring events in the city. These stellar events has provided the much needed impetus to heritage vehicle owners and restorers to pursue their passion with added zest to ensure that these beauties turn up at each event looking their best.

Founded in 1859, The Dalhousie Institute is a venerable social club with a rich legacy and heritage of its own. It was just a matter of time that these two organization – DI and EIMG – came together to create an evening of automobile magic. This collaboration was made possible with the effort of Mr. Subhajit Kumar, EIMG Secretary and a vintage & classic car collector himself – who acted as the bridge between DI and EIMG.

Kanoria had handpicked 75 heritage vehicles which was part of this grand display. The vehicles were segmented into four different categories namely Vintage Cars, Classic Cars, Indian Heritage Cars and Two Wheelers. All the vehicles selected for this event were spectacular in their own right with significant historical importance.

As many as five vintage Rolls-Royces graced the event, which included the 1923 Rolls-Royce 20HP, 1925 Rolls-Royce Phantom I and 1926 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost – all three RRs from the Shrivardhan Kanoria Collection itself. Keeping them company was Jayawardhan Kejriwal’s 1929 Rolls-Royce 20/25 and the marvelous 1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III owned by Azam Monem.  

Other praiseworthy vintage cars included Ananda Chowdhury’s 1913 Stoewer, Kunal Banerji’s 1926 Studebaker Erskine,  a rare 1931 Lancia Di Lambda owned by P.R. Agarwal, Late Sanjay Ghosh’s 1932 Ford V8, and Rajiv Ghosh’s 1937 Opel Cabrio.

Notable among the classic cars on display were Himanshu Ajmera’s 1947 MG TC, a 1947 Rover 14 P2 owned by Avik Naha, Sarojesh Mukerjee’s 1947 Rover 16 P2, 1948 Plymouth Special Deluxe owned by S.K. Lahiri, Late Sanjay Ghosh’s 1949 Buick Super 8, 1950 Austin A40 owned by Debaprem Chatterjee, Prithvi Nath Tagore’s 1958 Mercedes Ponton, 1963 Triumph Spitfire owned by Saikat Dutta and Sarmistha Hazra’s 1965 Hillman Imp.

The 1957 Fiat Elegant owned by Rajiv Ghosh and Subhajit Kumar’s 1964 Standard Herald stood out in the Indian Heritage Class while the 1923 Panther Sloper owned by Hossain and Terrence Lobo’s 1940 Triumph 3HW were the head turners of the two wheeler category. The atmosphere at THE DI EIMG HERITAGE VEHICLE DISPLAY was absolute electric with the heady mix of wheels, wine and live music by Velvet Ladder.

The Thanksgiving Ceremony was conducted by EIMG President Mr. Shrivardhan Kanoria wherein the beautiful mementos sponsored by Concourz Restorations were presented to the heritage vehicle owners and other important stakeholders.

In his thanksgiving address Mr. Kanoria said, “I would like to express my gratitude to the committee members of The Dalhousie Institute for their support and cooperation for making this event possible. Special mention to the Club President Mr. Jayajit Biswas, Sr. VP Mr. Kishor Sen, Jr. VP Mr. Leslie D’ Gama, and Club Secretary Mr. Michael Rao. Heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Subhajit Kumar for being instrumental for this collaboration between DI and EIMG. Lastly thank you to the other sponsors Telegraph T2, Exide and Apollo – for supporting this event.” The thanksgiving ceremony was followed by a sumptuous dinner hosted by EIMG President Mr. Shrivardhan Kanoria.

Images courtesy EIMG Photography Team – Ranadip Mandal, Deepanjan Sarkar and Kingshuk Sarkar.

South Korean carmaker Hyundai has launched the 2023 Verna in India with introductory ex-showroom prices starting at INR 10.89 lakh for the base trim and going up to INR 17.38 lakh for the top variant. At this price point, the Hyundai Verna has undercut its rivals like the Skoda Slavia, Honda City, Volkswagen Virtus, save for the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz. The carmaker claims to have already received over 8,000 bookings. Customers can book the New Hyundai Verna online or at authorized dealerships across the country with an initial deposit of INR 25,000.

The 2023 Hyundai Verna is based on Hyundai’s Sensuous Sportiness design language. The New Verna features a split-headlamp setup at the front, with a large radiator grille flanked by the main headlight unit. A full-width LED DRL strip separates the bonnet and the front bumper. Moving to the sides, the new Verna features strong character lines, especially on the rear doors. The sedan has a sloping roofline with a shark fin antenna, and it rides on diamond-cut alloy wheels.

At the rear, the inverted L-shaped tail lights are connected together with LED light bar that runs across the width. The rear bumper features a dual-tone treatment, while the Verna badge is placed right above the LED light bar in the centre, just below the Hyundai logo.

The 6^th generation Hyundai Verna comes equipped with a free-standing dual-screen setup which houses a 10.25-inch fully digital instrument cluster, as well as a touch screen infotainment system. The Verna features a dual-tone black and beige interior theme on the lower and mid variants, while the top-end trim(s) will don an all-black cabin with contrasting red highlights.

Creature comforts on offer with the 2023 Hyundai Verna includes a switchable type controller with dual functions, 8-speaker Bose premium audio system, three drive modes – Eco, Normal and Sport, ventilated front seats, an electric sunroof, electronic parking brake, LED headlights & tail lamps and 65+ connected features.

The 2023 Hyundai Verna is powered by the same 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that did duty in the outgoing model. It produces 115 PS of maximum power and 144 Nm of peak torque just as before. The New Verna is also available with a new 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine that puts out 160 PS of power and 253 Nm of torque. A 6-speed manual transmission will be offered with the new Verna as standard, while the latter will get an optional 7-speed DCT gearbox. The naturally aspirated petrol engine will also get an optional CVT. However, there will be no diesel engine on offer with the new generation Hyundai Verna.

The Hyundai Verna comes equipped with a range of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) like Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control and more. The safety features include up to 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, VSM, traction control, TPMS, front and rear parking sensors and so on.

The new Verna will be available in four variants – EX, S, SX, SX (O). The colour options on offer on the new Hyundai Verna include Titan Grey, Tellurian Brown, Typhoon Silver, Fiery Red, Atlas White, Abyss Black, Starry Night, Atlas White with Black roof and Fiery Red with Black roof.

Lamborghini achieved yet another record-breaking year in 2022. The Sant’Agata Bolognese company demonstrated the extent of its work over the years by improving on the already outstanding figures from 2021 and reaching unprecedented milestones.

Following the announcement that 9,233 cars were delivered last year, Lamborghini also posted record-breaking figures in terms of turnover, which topped €2 billion for the first time ever with a 56% increase in operating income compared to 2021.

Stephan Winkelmann, Chairman and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini, commented: “Our business continues to grow, and we can proudly confirm the achievement of truly remarkable targets once again in 2022. These figures come in a very important year for the company, which is marking its 60th anniversary and entering the second phase of the Direzione Cor Tauri program: an unparalleled investment plan that will guide our growth, lead to further improvements in our financial performance, and boost the value of our brand and our company. We are ready to face the many challenges and changes that await us in 2023 and we will keep pushing to the next level. We have an opportunity to really focus on our next objectives, thanks in part to our 18-month’ waiting list, which means we can confidently contemplate our future targets. This is a golden time for Lamborghini: we have made history even as we continue to pursue growth.”

Turnover reached €2.38 billion in 2022, marking an increase of 22% on 2021. At more than double the figure posted in 2017, it offers a tangible demonstration of the exceptional work carried out and underlines the company’s exponential growth. The ground-breaking operating margin of 25.9% was a best-in-class result in Lamborghini’s market and put it right at the top of the automotive luxury market. It translates into operating income of €614 million, which is 56% more than the record-breaking amount in 2021. In addition, in 2022 there was an increase in the operating margin for a fifth consecutive year, which is another milestone for the company.

Paolo Poma, the Managing Director and CFO of Automobili Lamborghini, noted: “The economic and geopolitical situation has been tough in recent years, but we’ve been able to show our resilience and our capacity to work towards excellent economic and financial results. 2022 was our best year ever on all financial and business fronts. It means we can take an optimistic outlook on the growth of our brand and our company.”

2022 was also a record-breaking year for deliveries. Lamborghini recorded its highest ever number of vehicles delivered and sold more than 9,000 cars for the first time in its history. The signs were extremely positive in all macro-regions, with distribution remaining even and consistent with the Lamborghini strategy. Asia was at the forefront with a 14% increase, followed by America with +10%, while EMEA was up by 7% on 2021. The United States remained in the top spot overall (2721 cars delivered, up 10% on the previous year); followed by the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong & Macao (1018 cars delivered, up 9% on 2021); Germany (808 cars delivered, up 14% on the previous year); the United Kingdom (650 cars delivered, up 15% on the previous year); and Japan (546 cars delivered, up 22% on the previous year).

In terms of models, the Urus Super SUV built on its success and led the way with 5367 units delivered (up 7% on 2021). Next in line – and experiencing a significant increase – came the Huracán (3113 units delivered, up 20% on 2021) and the Aventador (753 units delivered), which reached the end of its production run in September 2022.

2023, the year of Lamborghini’s 60th anniversary, will also be the beginning of a new era in the company’s history. The launch of the new V12 super sports car – the first plug-in hybrid from Sant’Agata Bolognese – will be the first step towards the hybridization of the entire model range, concluded at the end of 2024. The 2.5 billion EUR, invested within 2028, is the biggest investment ever for Automobili Lamborghini.

More than 300 employees of Bridgestone India created a world record by using 565 tyres to create the company’s Bridgestone logo for the Record Title “Largest Tyre Image-Logo”. The same has been certified by Guinness World Records Adjudicators who were present on the occasion. The record is measured by the total number of tyres used in the design and was awarded to Bridgestone India for the most tyres used to create an image or logo.

“Setting a world record is a great achievement and is also a reflection of the spirit and attitude of our teams that drive us every day in the market to build our brand leadership. It is this team spirit that helped us come together to create this proud moment. This event puts the company on a remarkable list of global record holders.” said Stefano Sanchini, Managing Director, Bridgestone India

“This is a fitting record that goes with the brand’s identity and offerings. I congratulate the team at Bridgestone India on setting a new Guinness World Records title for largest tyre logo with 565 tyres. This makes you, officially amazing!” said Swapnil Dangarikar, Official Adjudicator, Guinness World Records.

The event was part of the Company’s Annual Sales Conference.

The Renault Nissan Alliance has signed an agreement with Kamarajar Port Ltd (KPL) for the exports of cars manufactured in Chennai by Renault Nissan Automotive India Pvt Ltd (RNAIPL) to regional and global destinations. The agreement was signed by Frank Torres, President, Nissan Motor India and Sunil Paliwal I.A.S., Chairman and Managing Director, Kamarajar Port Ltd in the presence of Venkatram Mamillapalle, Country CEO and Managing Director, Renault India Operations and Keerthi Prakash, Managing Director, RNAIPL.

The Renault Nissan Alliance was the first car manufacturer in the region to commence exports of cars through Kamarajar Port. So far, over more than 13 years, the Alliance has exported over 1.15 million cars from Kamarajar Port to around 108 global destinations. The agreement builds on the existing partnership between the Renault Nissan Alliance and Kamarajar Port Ltd and will facilitate further exports of cars via KPL.

Commenting on the milestone, Frank Torres, President, Nissan Motor India and Divisional Vice President Business Transformation AMIEO, said, “Chennai is an important export hub for us and since the beginning we have followed a ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ philosophy to serve markets across the world. We continue to add new export destinations to vehicles manufactured at our plant in Oragadam, building on our 1 million cars exported milestone from 2022. The global Renault Nissan Alliance has recently announced a new long-term vision for India, increasing production and R&D activities, introducing electric vehicles, and transitioning to carbon-neutral manufacturing. This agreement will help ensure that we are able to further strengthen our exports from India.”

Sunil Paliwal, CMD, Kamarajar Port, said, “We are delighted to continue our long-standing partnership with the Renault Nissan Alliance and to provide them with our world-class Port services for the export of vehicles to multiple countries from India. This partnership with the Alliance is an exciting opportunity for Kamarajar Port to further contribute to India’s growth story through positive impact from automotive exports.”

“The partnership with Kamarajar Port has been pivotal in driving the growth of automotive exports from Chennai. The agreement further strengthens our export operations and in reaching our global customers more efficiently,” said Venkatram Mamillapalle, Country CEO & Managing Director, Renault India Operations.

“RNAIPL is committed to manufacturing world-class vehicles targeted at customers both within India and in other export markets and we are constantly pushing the boundaries of excellence in automotive manufacturing. Kamarajar Port has been a valuable partner in strengthening our export capabilities, helping us serve our global customers more efficiently,” said Keerthi Prakash, Managing Director, RNAIPL.

The cars exported by the Renault Nissan Alliance from India via Kamarajar Port are manufactured at Renault Nissan Automotive India Pvt Ltd.’s plant in Chennai. The plant spans over 600 acres and caters to both domestic market production as well as exports. Since its start, more than 2.4m Renault and Nissan vehicles have been manufactured at the plant, with vehicles exported to 108 countries. In that time Renault and Nissan have invested $1.8 billion towards the Indian economy and created direct and indirect employment and skilling opportunities for over 70,000 workers.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars today unveils Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow to mark the end of production of one of the most transformative motor cars in the marque’s history. This Bespoke masterpiece, limited to just 12 examples worldwide, is also the last V12 coupé Rolls-Royce will ever make, as it embarks on its bold new electric era.

Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said: “Wraith is one of the most significant and influential cars we have ever made at Goodwood. Its extraordinary power, performance and presence opened the Rolls-Royce brand to an entirely new group of clients. It created its own following within contemporary culture and then expanded that further in its alternative Black Badge guise. As the last examples of this landmark motor car get ready to leave Goodwood, we commemorate Wraith’s status as the last series V12 coupé we will ever make. Both Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow and its inspiration, the V12-powered land speed record-holding Thunderbolt of the thirties, represent the culmination of many long years of achievement, and the end of their respective eras. This magnificent final V12 coupé Collection captures both the significance and spirit of Wraith through the marque’s hallmark and peerless Bespoke capabilities. A fitting finale for this transformative motor car.”

WRAITH: A CULTURAL ICON
Launched in 2013, Wraith is one of the most important and influential models ever designed and built at Goodwood. More performance-focused than its predecessors Phantom and Ghost, Wraith fundamentally altered perceptions of Rolls-Royce and brought new, younger customer groups to the brand for the first time. Its wider cultural significance is underlined by countless references to the Wraith in music, cinema, art and fashion.

THE V12 CONNECTION
Wraith’s dramatic ‘fastback’ silhouette signalled the motor car’s dynamic intent, which was further amplified in 2016, with the introduction of Black Badge Wraith: a potent, subversive and even more powerful expression of this transformative motor car, offering some of the highest levels of performance ever achieved by a V12-powered Rolls-Royce.

Yet when considering how best to mark the end of the Wraith era, Goodwood’s designers and engineers took inspiration for the Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow Collection from an equally significant V12 in Rolls-Royce’s long and storied legacy. In 1938, Captain George Eyston – whose bold, brave endeavours encapsulate the Black Badge spirit – set a world land speed record of 357.497 mph (575.335 km/h) with Thunderbolt, a seven-tonne, eight-wheeled leviathan equipped with two Rolls-Royce V12 ‘R’ Series aero engines. The outbreak of the Second World War in the following year ended Eyston’s endeavours; all subsequent records have been set with different engine types and configurations, enshrining Thunderbolt in perpetuity as the fastest V12-powered motor car ever built.

Thunderbolt’s record attempts took place on the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. Against the glare of the brilliant white surface, and under a blazing desert sun, the reflections from the car’s polished aluminium body made it almost impossible to tell precisely when it passed the timing equipment. Eyston’s simple but ingenious solution was to paint a large black arrow on the car’s sides, incorporating a yellow central circle motif that could be seen clearly even at high speed. This is what gives today’s Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow Collection both its name and unique historical context.

GRADIENT PAINT
Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow’s exclusive Bespoke finish features a full colour graduation between two tones – Celebration Silver and Black Diamond. A glass-infused ‘Crystal’ paint over layer has been applied to the Black Diamond paint to enhance the transition between the two colours, achieving a striking motion blur effect from front to rear. This exclusive Bespoke technique also gives the coachwork a subtle texture inspired by the crusted surface of the Bonneville Salt Flats, set beneath a high gloss lacquer, which is polished for more than 12 hours to achieve a glass-like finish.

The realisation of this extraordinary finish required the marque to undertake 18 months of surface testing and development before the marque’s Bespoke Collective of engineers, craftspeople and designers achieved a result befitting to Rolls-Royce standards. The total investment in time developing the material chemistry, application technique and surface finishing makes Gradient Paint one of the most technically complex paints that Rolls-Royce has ever created.

CONTRAST PALETTE
Contrast to the Gradient Paint is provided by Bright Yellow bumper inserts and Bespoke wheel pinstripes, subtly recalling the yellow circle within Thunderbolt’s black arrow. In another Rolls-Royce first, Black Arrow’s V-struts, located behind the radiator grille and in front of the engine, are also finished in Bright Yellow, subtly drawing the eye to the V12 engine behind the Black Badge dark chrome grille surround. This use of Bright Yellow extends to the base of the motor car’s layered carbon fibre Spirit of Ecstasy, which incorporates a Bright Yellow ring detail and an engraving of the Collection name.

V12 LEGACY FASCIA
To commemorate Rolls-Royce’s last-ever V12 coupé, the marque’s Bespoke Collective of designers, craftspeople and engineers collaborated to create a unique artwork for Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow’s fascia. The intricate, tactile design skilfully depicts the contemporary V12 engine in Wraith. In keeping with the Black Badge family’s noir ambience, the highly complex design – itself the product of two months of development – is engraved in a single sheet of black-coated aluminium to reveal the gleaming metal beneath, providing a bold visual link to Thunderbolt’s polished aluminium body.

BESPOKE VENEER
Black Arrow’s coach doors are lined with open-pore Black Wood, in a complex design comprising over 320 multi-directional and lasered marquetry pieces that mimics the cracked, irregular surface of the Bonneville Salt Flats. This extraordinary feature also extends onto the rear ‘Waterfall’ panel, which separates the two rear seats.

CONSOLE SPEEDFORM
Thunderbolt underwent a series of design iterations during its lifetime. Its final shape, in which it captured the records commemorated in Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow, is preserved forever in the illuminated, polished aluminium Speedform encapsulated behind glass on the front console.

NEW ‘CLUB’ LEATHER
Inside, Black Arrow’s interior is provisioned with a new material type developed specifically for the Collection. The armrests, seat gussets, transmission tunnel, door detail, door panniers and lower dashboard panel are all finished in ‘Club Leather’ – its intentional greater sheen and even deeper black colouration provide a subtle contrast to the matte Rolls-Royce natural-grain black leather. The leather’s natural markings are intentionally emphasised to give the interior more visible ‘life lines’, and a closer resemblance to what was described at the time as “the club-armchair type of driving seat which George [Eyston] prefers above all others”. In keeping with the Black Badge series’ use of daring pulses of colour, Bright Yellow is employed for the front seat leather. Atop the seat, the outer headrest features an arrow embroidery motif, providing rich, tactile detail and referencing the arrow symbol painted on Thunderbolt’s aluminium body to enable the electric timing equipment to ‘see’ and capture the car at full speed.

TRACK GUIDE
When the steering wheel is set in a straight-ahead position, a dark marking at the twelve o’clock position aligns with a similar pattern in the seats. This references the black lines Eyston’s team painted on the white Salt Flats to help him maintain direction – his sole point of reference at speeds of over 350 mph. In recognition of the significance of this marking, this track guide flows in a deliberately asymmetric line from the steering wheel to the driver’s and rear passengers’ seats.

RECORD CONSTELLATION
Given Thunderbolt’s record-breaking status, it is only fitting that Black Arrow incorporates a record of its own. Casting a dramatic night’s-sky ambience over the interior suite, Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow’s Bespoke Starlight Headliner incorporates 2,117 fibre-optic ‘stars’ – the greatest number ever seen in a Rolls-Royce motor car. All individually arranged by hand, the ‘stars’ depict the Milky Way as seen from vast open spaces, and the constellations precisely as they would have appeared over the Salt Flats in Utah on 16 September 1938, the date of Eyston’s final, immutable record.

BLACK ARROW CLOCK
Inspired by the analogue instruments of the 1930s, the fascia clock bezel references the raw, technical aesthetic of Thunderbolt’s interior, enhanced by black hand-tips that mimic the original car’s side-arrows; the surround is inscribed with the legend ‘Bonneville’ and Thunderbolt’s everlasting record speed for a V12-engined car of 357.497 mph. A further ‘arrow’ detail appears on the motor car’s Bespoke treadplates.

ENGINE BADGE
An exclusive Bespoke plaque is mounted on the engine cover to signify this as the last V12 ever to be fitted to a Rolls-Royce coupé. Machined from a single piece of polished metal, the plaque is inscribed with the V12 monogram in Bright Yellow, and the legend ‘Final Coupé Collection’ in Black.

All 12 motor cars in the Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow Collection have been allocated to clients around the world.