About Siddharth Vinayak Patankar
Siddharth Vinayak PatankarConnect with this authorFormer senior primetime news anchor, financial correspondent, producer, and Chief Editor-Auto – Siddharth has worn many hats during his many years at NDTV. He conceived all the automobile based content for the NDTV network - including the annual carandbike Awards, and used to head the Auto Prime band of programming launched in 2014. He was a key driver behind carandbike.com – already the country's 2nd largest auto portal. Siddharth also created India’s biggest auto quiz, which ran for 7 seasons – the Mahindra AQ. Besides all this, Siddharth is the first Asian journalist to be appointed as a Director on the Steering Committee for the prestigious World Car Awards in 2016. He has served on that jury since 2011, and is now Executive Director of World Car Awards since 2020. He is also Editor-in-Chief of carandbike.
Articles of Siddharth Vinayak Patankar
Mahindra Scorpio Review
The mighty and muscular Scorpio is back in a new avatar - the first major generational leap in it's 12 year run. The company had provided major upgrades and a new engine in 2006, a facelift in 2008, and now it's an all-new platform for the first time.
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Audi Q3 Dynamic Review
The Q3 Dynamic is essentially the 177 bhp, 2.0 TDI Quattro variant, but also now has Audi drive-select, a rough-road package and some goodies as standard.
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2015 MINI Cooper 5 Door Review: The Roomier MINI
Yes, that sounds confusing, doesn't it? Almost an oxymoron. Well it isn't, because when it comes to stretching, the BMW-owned British brand has been doing that for a while - beyond the boundaries of what a MINI was supposed to be anyway! Now the idea is simple enough. Good business sense demanded that the quintessential 3-door hatchback went 5-door to be able to compete more effectively with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class or even the VW Golf.
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Mercedes-AMG Takes Covers Off the GT
Mercedes-AMG the new GT is significant for several reasons. It's the car that will likely propel the company into a different league. One that allows AMG to move partly out of the shadow of Mercedes-Benz, and really establish itself as a credible, stand-alone sportscar brand.
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New 2014 BMW X3 Review
I like to believe that the guys at BMW design intentionally maintain the essence, the integrity and the originality of a model's design - because they don't want it to look substantially different. So nothing on a BMW facelift ever screams redesign! Yes this is not a Hyundai!
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Exclusive Review of The Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class
After the Audi A3 made waves now its soon going to be the turn of the Mercedes-Benz GLA. I dither on calling it an SUV as it's more crossover-like. But it sports some SUV attributes, which make it a rather fun prospect.
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New-Generation XC90 Claims Big Leap For Volvo
The new-gen Volvo XC90 is based on the first 100 per cent Volvo engineered and owned platform. It has several engine options, and includes its new Drive-E range of 4 cylinder engines.
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BMW i8 Review: World's Most Futuristic Hybrid Sportscar
After a somewhat successful debut of the all-electric i3, now it's the turn of the brand-shaping i8 sports hybrid. The car aims to be green, but more importantly it wants to take pole position as BMW's newest and most compelling sports car. Yes a green supercar if you will.
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Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG Review: Red-Hot & Ready to Go!
After the success it has had with its compact offerings - the A Class and the B Class, Mercedes-Benz India is now teasing us with this car! The CLA 45 AMG is the souped-up avatar of the CLA sedan.
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More Powerful Hyundai Eon, Driven
The entry hatch market has been getting more crowded with roomier and more powerful Datsun Go driving in. So even though the Eon has steadily increased its monthly sales tally, it really was time for Hyundai to hit back a bit harder.
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Audi A3 - At First Glance
It's an important model for Audi because it signals a departure from its usual sedan strategy and introduces the brand to a different kind of buyer. Now the thing with the A3 sedan is that just with the way it looks, you have to say it's rather aspirational. Clean lines, smart profile, and good proportions.
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Hero Eyes Brazil, Future Growth
After announcing its split with Honda in 2010, Hero had very clearly stated it wanted at least 10% of its production to go overseas by 2017. It has made small yet significant strides in that direction since.
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First Drive: New BMW X5
The 3rd generation which made its global debut towards the end of 2013 sports the new bolder face with the kidney grille getting wider and bigger. But having said that the car doesn't look too heavy up front, because unlike the X3 where remember thinking the bumper looks too heavy, this one has been broken up a little bit.
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First Look at Bentley's Upcoming SUV
Bentley has started to tease its first ever SUV that will only launch in markets worldwide in 2016. We first saw the face emerge through a sandy haze in march, and now the company has released a teaser video that shows off the bits and pieces of the new SUV's lines and silhouettes.
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First Drive: All New Mercedes-Benz C-Class
The latest from the house of Mercedes-Benz is the latest iteration of its best-selling sedan, that has in the past seemed almost humble in comparison to most its portfolio-mates. And now for the first time in many years, it is looking like it can be a flag-bearer for the brand.
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Mighty & Muscular: Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG
Mercedes-Benz - like its rivals - acknowledges this and has chosen to plonk its mighty AMG 5.5 litre V8 into its two big SUVs. So what you get are the ML 63 AMG and GL 63 AMG. They also get the familiar 7-Speed AMG Speedshift gearbox.
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The Past and Future of BMW at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este
It has to be said - every prestigious classic automobile event in the world is special and coveted because it is seemingly exclusive. Sure hundreds attend, but it is just hundreds, not thousands. So to be invited is to be exposed to that little bit extra which others don't always get to see.
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Pop Bang Colour: Painting With Cars
It's always great when I travel to, by chance meet some rather extraordinary people. These people usually stand out for being very successful in whatever they have chosen to do - so as to stand out really. If they happen to be successful and creative, well then that's just terrific.
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First Drive: The Audi A8L Lights up With a New Face
The A8 is indeed the flag bearing sedan for the Audi stable. It is meant to represent the very best of the Bavarian brand, in terms of technology, design and appeal. The facelifted A8L manages to do that - though critics would argue, it doesn't do enough.
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World Car Awards 2014 announced
The prestigious World Car of the Year Awards are in their 10th year, and the brand that had won the title in the inaugural year for the awards, has triumphed again.
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