Cricketers and Their Cars – Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Snapshot – Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is a well known car and motorcycle aficionado. From the Confederate Hellcat to the vintage Yamaha RD350 to a Hummer H2, the man has an eclectic garage that would get any motor head drooling. Join us in our journey that explores the 10 cars that M.S. Dhoni owns. From daily run abouts to the alluringly exotic, we have everything covered.

Hummer H2

The Hummer H2 is big, brute American muscle. One of the most imposing SUVs ever built, the H2 is the second generation version of the legendary Hummer, marketed and sold by one of the world’s largest automakers – General Motors. The Hummer has military origins, with the SUV based on the HUMVEE, a military vehicle whose name stands for High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle. The Hummer H2 that MS Dhoni owns features a 6.2 liter V8 petrol engine that puts out 393 Bhp of peak power, enough to give the big, butch SUV a 0-100 Kph run of under 10 seconds. The Hummer H2 weighs a portly 3 tons, making it one of heaviest SUVs in this world.

Mahindra Scorpio

The Mahindra Scorpio is one of the most popular SUVs in the country, and is known for its hardy nature. Why, the made-in-India SUV was the current India Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s chosen ride when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. The Scorpio has been around since 2004, and has been sold with a slew of turbo diesel engine options, and even a petrol motor for a short while. In 2007, Mahindra built a custom, open top version of the Scorpio on special order from MS Dhoni. This version of the Scorpio featured a roll cage and four captain seats instead of the regular 7 seat layout.

Toyota Corolla

The Toyota Corolla that MS Dhoni uses is an ultra reliable daily beater, and this is the very reason why millions of car buyers around the globe have patronized this car. Notably, the Corolla has been around in India mainly as a luxury car, aimed at D-Segment sedan buyers. Highly refined, the Corolla is currently sold with petrol and turbo diesel engine options. The car is a best seller in its class, and this has been the status quo for years, in a sense reaffirming the executive sedan’s popularity among buyers. The Corolla is in its third generation in the Indian car market. High quality and low maintenance costs are two other notable traits of this car.

Maruti Suzuki SX4

The Maruti Suzuki SX4 C-Segment sedan was never the best seller in its segment. However, the car did have a unique appeal in terms of the ground clearance it offered its buyers. Armed with a 190 mm ground clearance, the SX4 sedan can easily hold its own among many SUVs and MUVs. Famed for its ability on less than perfect surfaces, the SX4 seemed nearly tailor made for Indian conditions. The car was sold with petrol, CNG-Petrol and diesel engine options, with both manual and automatic transmissions offered on the petrol variants. The SX4 has now been replaced by the Ciaz sedan, which is one of the top sellers in its segment, behind the Honda City of course.

Mitsubishi Outlander

The Mitsubishi Outlander was one of the few petrol SUVs that the Indian market saw in the early noughties. The crossover had rally bred genes, and combined sporty performance with high ground clearance. Also, the INVECS-III automatic transmission that used fuzzy logic to adapt to the driver’s gear shifting pattern was a one-of-its-kind feature on the car. For propulsion, the Outlander used a 2.4 liter MIVEC, naturally aspirated petrol motor that made 170 Bhp-226 Nm, which was enough to deliver sporty performance. An all wheel drive layout ensured good grip both on and off the road.

Mitsubishi Pajero SFX

The legendary Mitsubishi Pajero SFX was pulled off developed markets decades ago but continued to be sold in India. A rugged, utilitarian and high quality SUV, the Pajero SFX sold here used a 2.8 liter turbo diesel engine, initially with 120 Bhp-280 Nm outputs, and later with 108 Bhp-280 Nm outputs. A five speed manual gearbox powered the rear wheels of the ladder framed SUV, while an on-demand four wheel drive system with high and low ranges was offered as standard fare. The Pajero SFX is no longer assembled in India but the demand for this vehicle still continues to be strong in the used car market, mainly for the SUV’s bullet proof mechanicals that can delivers years and years of reliable performance.

Audi Q7

The Audi Q7 luxury crossover is a preferred ride of the swish set and it’s only fitting that the Indian cricket team captain MS Dhoni drives around in one. The Q7 used to be offered with a range topping V12 turbo diesel engine, known for its earth splitting 800 Nm of torque. Now though, Audi offers two turbo diesel engines on this SUV – 3 liter V6 and 4.2 liter V8 motors. The crossover can seat seven in luxury, and uses a monocoque chassis that offers a good balance between on and off road performance. The Q7 is loaded with safety features and creature comforts, and is assembled in India through the CKD kit route.

Ferrari 599 GTO

The Ferrari 599 GTO India edition is a supercar that has the Indian tricolour painted prominently on the hood. The car is a road going version of the Ferrari 599XX. A 6 liter V12, naturally aspirated petrol motor drives the rear wheels of the car. Since it’s a Ferrari we’re talking about here, superlative performance is a given. The car’s motor makes 661 Bhp at 8,250 rpm with a peak torque figure of 620 Nm generated at 6,500 rpm. A 6 speed manual comes standard. 0-100 Kph is dispatched in a blindingly quick 3.35 seconds, while top speed is rated at 335 Kph. The aural symphony that the 12 cylinders of the V12 motor generate is simply mindblowing. The Ferrari 599 GTO, a true petrol head fantasy this.

Land Rover Freelander2

The Land Rover Freelander2 is the brand’s entry level SUV and one that is handles on and off road performance quite well. Sold as a luxury SUV in the Indian car market, the Freelander2 will soon be replaced by the Discovery Sport. Notably, the Freelander2 was the first Land Rover SUV to be assembled in India, at Jaguar-Land Rover’s Chikali assembly unit, off Pune. The SUV seats five and is powered by a 2.2 liter-4 cylinder SD4 turbo diesel engine available in 148 Bhp-420 Nm and 187 Bhp-420 Nm states of tune. Six speed automatic transmissions power all four wheels of the SUV.

GMC Sierra

The GMC Sierra 3500HD pick up truck is an American icon. A ‘man thing’, MS Dhoni owns one of these, imported straight from the United States, CBU duties et al. This pick up truck is a brawler, out and out, in terms of the sheer torque it’s mammoth diesel motor churns out. 1,036 Nm, yes you’re reading right, is what the 6.6 liter V8 turbo diesel makes, apart from the 397 Bhp of peak power it delivers. Aimed mainly at the load carrying segment in the United States, the GMC Sierra owned by MS Dhoni is more of a pick up truck to satisfy his fetish for the outlandish than get any meaningful work down. MS Dhoni as a typical farmer transporting produce in this big pick up? Well, that could be a retirement option for the man whose preponderance to surprise is now synonymous with him.