Tata Safari Merlin launch early next year

     Tata Motors has given a major uplift to its SUV Safari since its launch in 1998. Codenamed ‘Merlin’, the camouflaged Safari has been spied numerous times for over more than 6 months. It will be launched in the first quarter of next year.

     

     The changes in the front include new headlamps and grill which are now sharper. In the rear there is change in the tail lamps and no spare wheel. Lots of chrome in the front and rear are the major highlights. The interiors get plastic wood finish, apart from which there is no change absolutely.

     

     Powering the Safari ‘Merlin’ will be the same 2.2L DICOR engine. The ‘Merlin’ adopts the new X2 platform of Aria, shortened to Safari’s 2650mm wheelbase. This helps the ‘Merlin’s’ ride and handling characteristics. Like the Aria, the ‘Merlin’ too gets dual exhausts. 

Volvo design director sketches Modern day Volvo P1800

     To commemorate the 50^th anniversary of Volvo P1800, Volvo’s design director Mr. Christopher Benjamin has sketched the modern day P1800. The Volvo P1800 which was a 2 door notchback was built between 1961 and 1973. The car was designed by Pelle Petterson through the Italian Carrozzeria Pietro Frua design firm.

     The modern day Volvo P1800 sketch though has some resembles with the original car, has some modern day design cues. The car in the sketch looks sportier with clear lines running along the shoulder upto to the bonnet and grill. The rear of the car also has some scooped out design which again add to the sportiness to the car. 

Nissan Sunny diesel to be priced at Rs. 6.6 lakh

     The diesel version of Nissan Sunny will be launched in January next year with a starting price of Rs. 6.6 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi). The Sunny TV ad of big Caaar has caught lot of attention and with a diesel engine coming into the car, the Nissan customers will have more options to choose from.

     The diesel engine of the Sunny is the same 1.5L engine which powers the diesel Micra. The 1.5L Renault source diesel engine has proved its mettle under the hood of Logan and Micra. This engine is one of the best diesel engines at present in India which delivers class leading fuel efficiency and performance.   

     With the diesel Sunny coming in, the rivals such as Tata Manza, Fiat Linea, SX4 diesel, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Verna, Skoda Rapid and VW Vento will have one more competitor who will be hard to match in terms of price and fuel efficiency.   

Hyundai to unveil a compact SUV at Auto Expo 2012

     After seeing the success of Mahindra XUV500 and with news of Maruti Ertiga and Ford Ecosport coming into Indian SUV market, Hyundai wants to be part of this fastly growing segment in India. Hyundai will unveil a compact SUV at the Auto Expo 2012 being held in January next year at New Delhi. The details of this mini SUV is still remote, but speculating with the Hyundai’s international product line up, a crossover based on Veloster could be Hyundai’s new mini SUV.

     

Hyundai has not had good success in Indian SUV/MUV segment. Its vehicles Terracan and Tucson, though being good products was not able to make a mark. The timing of these vehicles could be a major factor as the SUV/MUV segment in India was in infancy. 

     The mini SUV segment has good advantage of tax sops if it comes into small car norms. The small car norms in India which applies to vehicles with length of under 4 meters and engine capacities of under 1200cc for petrol and under 1500cc for diesel makes this mini SUV segment the hottest at present. No wonder Premier has launched Rio (its first vehicle after a decade) and Mahindra working on a shortened Xylo.

     Finally the carmakers have understood the Indian customers mind set of travelling more people in a vehicle which costs less to run and own. 

India car market sales data for November 2011

Chevrolet

Spark – 1041

Beat – 4586

Aveo-UVA – 74

Aveo – 84

Optra – 211

Cruze – 449

Tavera – 1892

Captiva - 45

  

Fiat

Punto – 813

Linea – 223

Palio –1

Ford

Figo – 6106

Fiesta Classic – 1388

Fiesta – 624

Endeavour – 204

  

HM-Mitsubishi

Ambassador – 107

Lancer & Cedia – 29

Pajero – 99

Outlander – 9

Montero – 4

EVO-X – 0

  

Honda

Brio – 666

Jazz – 382

City – 652

Civic – 161

Accord – 91

CR-V – 30

  

Hyundai

Eon – 7418

Santro – 5122

I10 – 10174

I20 – 7148

Accent – 682

Verna – 4331

Sonata – 3

Santa Fe – 122

  

Mahindra

Verito – 1127

Bolero – 8004

Xylo – 1637

Scorpio – 4646

XUV500 – 1637

Maruti Suzuki

800 – 1373

Omni – 6351

Alto -24422

Eeco – 3261

Estilo – 702

Wagon R – 12069

A-Star – 1057

Ritz – 4148

Swift – 17273

Dzire – 10403

SX4 – 1433

Gypsy – 180

Kizashi – 162

Grand Vitara – 0

Nissan

Micra – 1543

Sunny – 1131

X-Trail – 25

Teana – 18

370Z – 0

Renault

Fluence – 101

Koleos – 73

  

Skoda Auto

Fabia – 1155

Laura – 329

Yeti – 68

Superb – 119

Tata Motors

Nano – 6401

Indica +Vista – 10926

Indigo+Manza – 6213

Sumo – 2104

Safari – 1368

Aria – 140

Venture – 585

  

Toyota

Liva – 4328

Etios – 3943

Innova – 4308

Corolla – 488

Fortuner – 860

Camry – 16

Prius – 0

Prado – 10

Landcruiser – 3

  

Volkswagen

Polo – 3160

Vento – 3055

Jetta – 359

Passat – 140

Beetle – 8

2012 Mercedes Benz M Class spotted in Mumbai

     The next generation 2012 Mercedes Benz M Class has been spotted at ‘Air Cargo Complex’ Mumbai. We feel the 2012 M Class would have been flown to India for the Auto Expo 2012 being held at New Delhi in January next year.

     Mercedes Benz in its future plans had announced that it will assemble M Class SUVs in India. Currently GL and M Class vehicles are imported from Europe. The next generation M Class features fuel saving technologies such as smart oil and water pump, and AC compressor. It is powered by a 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V-6 producing 240 horsepower paired to a 7 speed automatic transmission.

2012 Mitsubishi Mirage debuts in Japan, might come to India

     Mitsubishi has unveiled its latest 2012 Mirage small car at Tokyo Motor Show. The Mirage is built exclusively for developing markets, so India could be one of its destinations. The Mirage will go into sale in Thailand in March next year.

     The Mirage is built with the theme "satisfy the needs of people all over the world". The styling is simple with traditional Mitsubishi grill. The silhouette is decent which reflects ample space in the interior. The interior design is again simple and clean and gives airiness to the cabin.  

     A 1.0 liter 3 cylinder gasoline powers the Mirage. The engine has variable valve timing and start stop system. The engine is connected to a continuously variable transmission which is expected to deliver 30 km per liter of fuel.

     Mitsubishi will certainly consider launching the car in India, sensing the demand for B segment cars. A diesel engined Mirage could create wonders here with its simple and functional looks. Having said this, Mitsubishi’s Mirage is still a mirage for India. Let us hope to see this small beauty here as soon as possible!

Toyota Innova and Fortuner facelift India launch at Auto Expo 2012

     Toyota will launch the facelifted Innova and Fortuner at the Auto Expo 2012. The facelifted Innova and Fortuner were spied testing on Bangalore roads few days ago. The Innova facelift includes changes in the headlamps, front bumper, grill and tail lamps. The head lamps are sharper now which extends further to the fenders. However there will be no change in the mechanicals. In the Fortuner again you see some cosmetic changes in the front and rear. The only change will be an addition of automatic transmission 4x2 variant.

     With these changes, Toyota wants to keep Innova and Fortuner look fresh to compete with new MUV/ SUV launches. Of late Toyota is feeling the heat from competitors especially from Mahindra. Mahindra launched XUV500 with a surprising price which is 5-6 lakh cheaper than the Fortuner.  With Chevrolet Maruti and Nissan coming up with new MUVs, the Innova dominance is put to test. But since Innova has proved its mettle it will be difficult for any new vehicle to compete with it. 

Suzuki Regina city car concept

     Suzuki has unveiled an all new Regina city car concept in Japan. The Regina concept will be placed just below the Swift. With this concept, Suzuki shows its company’s vision for next generation compact cars which will be more fuel efficiency and environmental friendly. The Regina concept displays Suzuki’s latest technology in reducing weight and improving efficiency by superior aerodynamics.

     The Regina city car concept weighs 730 Kg and seats 4 persons. It is 3550mm long, 1630mm wide and 1430mm tall and has a 2425mm wheelbase. The interiors will be minimalistic with highlight of green all over. Fuel efficiency as claimed by Suzuki is a class leading with 32 Kmpl.

     The Regina city car concept will be showed at the Tokyo Motor Show in December this year.

Cars to be launched at Auto Expo 2012!

     The Auto Expo 2012 being held at New Delhi in January next year will be a fascinating auto show. Automobile manufacturers in India as well as world over is expected to bring their latest products to the show, most of which will be launched in India. There will launches in almost all the segment and fuel efficiency with environmental friendly theme will be the highlight of the show.

Here are some of the expected launches at the Auto Expo 2012

Sedans

Ford Fiesta 2011 Automatic Transmission

Chevrolet Cruze 2012

Honda City Facelifted

Maruti Swift Dzire Compact Sedan 2012

Mahindra Verito Low Cost Compact Sedan

Tata Indigo Manza Compact Sedan (CS)

Honda Civic Facelift 2012

Hyundai i45 / Sonata 2012

Audi A3 Low Cost Luxury Sedan

Audi A4 Facelift 2013

Audi S Series – S6, S7 and S8

Fiat Linea 2012 Facelifted

Chevrolet Sail Sedan 2012

Hatchbacks

Renault Pulse Small Car Based on Nissan Micra

Fiat Grande Punto 2012

Chevrolet Sail Hatchback 2012

SUV & MPV

Maruti R3 Production MPV – Maruti Ertiga

Honda CRV 2012

Tata Safari Merlin

Renault Duster

Audi Q3

Ford EcoSport

Hyundai Compact SUV

Nissan NV200 MPV India

Toyota Innova 2012

Force Motor MPV Based on Mercedes Viano

Mini Xylo

Two Wheeler and Bike

Yamaha Scooters

New TVS Apache RTR

KTM Duke 200 CC Sports Bike

Concept Vehicles

Suzuki Regina Concept Mini Car

Maruti Suzuki SUV Concept

Mahindra Scorpio LX 4x4 launched at Rs. 9.17 lakh

     Mahindra has launched a four wheel drive variant of Scorpio LX at Rs. 9.17 lakh ex-showroom, New Delhi.  There are no external changes to the vehicle except for the badge.  This new variant features a free rotating hub. Powering the Mahindra Scorpio LX 4x4 will the 2.2 liter mHawk CRDe powerplant which produces 120 hp of peak power and 290 Nm of peak torque. The engine is mated to a five speed manual gear box.

List of features on the Scorpio LX 4×4

•    Immobilizer

•    Tilt power steering

•    Four wheel drive lever

•    Rood rack

•    On the move 4×2 to 4×4 shift functionality

•    Power windows

•    Central locking

•    Tubeless tyres

•    Rear spoiler

Chevrolet Sail spied in India

     Chevrolet’s new B plus segment hatchback ‘Sail’ has been spied in India. The Sail will replace the existing Chevrolet U-VA and a sedan version of Sail is also expected which will replace the Aveo sedan.  

     The Sail hatch has been designed nicely unlike the U-VA. The well proportionate front and rear ends have been designed to give a big car feel. The side profile also gives roominess to the car. In the rear, the tall tail lamps embedded in the D pillar make the Sail look like a MUV.

     When launched, the Sail will get Beat’s 1.2 liter petrol engine and a 1.3 liter Multi Jet diesel will come after an year. Chevrolet will display the Sail hatch and sedan at the upcoming Auto Expo 2012. 

Picture Source: Zigwheels & Autocarindia

Kia Picanto spied testing in Chennai

     We guess Kia is the last company in the world to launch its car in India, and guess what? Kia Motors of South Korea has been found testing its Picanto small car in Chennai. Kia is less a known automobile company world over. But the fact is, it is the second largest automobile manufacturer in South Korea next to Hyundai. In fact Hyundai partly owns the Kia Motors.

     The Kia Picanto (which is also know as Kia Morning) seen in the picture is a left hand drive one which might have been imported to India for testing as red temporary number plates are seen. The Picanto is very similar in construction with the Hyundai i10 but has a different design theme. The Picanto very well sits in the entry B segment category in India which means, when it is launched, it will be priced around Rs. 5 lakh. A diesel Picanto could be a game changer in the segment but we guess it will happen less likely.

     The Picanto has a bold front end with tall bumpers and high bonnet. The side profiles nothing but reminds us of the Hyundai i10 and to some extent the Eon. The rear of the car is something which makes it different. The C shaped tail lamps and scooped boot are the differential highlights of this car.  We guess the Picanto will definitely make it at the Auto Expo 2012. 

Picture Source: riotengine

Skoda Yeti 4x2 launched in India at Rs. 13.2 lakh

     Sensing the market requirement, Skoda has launched 4x2 version of its mini SUV Yeti in India priced at Rs. 13.2 lakh. Skoda had earlier launched Yeti 4x4 in India with a price tag of over Rs. 18 lakh. Because of the high price tag for a small SUV, Yeti though being a good vehicle could not make a good impression in the Indian market.

     Now with 4x2 version, Skoda plans to revive the Yeti brand. The Yeti 4x2 come in 2 variants – Active & Ambition. The Ambition variant contains all the goodies such as ESP, Hill hold control and Vario Flex.

     The Yeti 4x2 Active is available at Rs. 13,20,970 and Ambition at Rs. 14,05,379 (Both prices ex-showroom, Maharashtra). Five colour options are available - Aqua Mist, Brilliant Silver, Candy White, Cappuccino Beige, Agic Black, Mato Brown. The fuel efficiency of Yeti 4x2 has improved to 17.72 Kmpl.

Volkswagen Up spied in India, could be for Auto Expo 2012

     Volkswagen Up which was unveiled at Frankfurt Motor Show this year has been spotted in Delhi, mounted on a truck. Mr Sandeep Singh has posted these images on NDTV’s Car And Bike facebook page. We guess the car has been imported from Europe for the coming Auto Expo 2012.

     The Up is the smallest car in Volkswagen’s portfolio which the company plans to launch in India soon, ofcourse in 5 door version unlike the 3 door one seen in the picture. Price of the Up is expected to start from Rs. 3.5 lakh. The Up unveiled at Frankfurt Motor Show had a 1 litre petrol engine with 75 Ps of power and 23 Kmpl of fuel efficiency. A diesel option, it is still a secret.