All new Toyota Corolla 2014 spied in Bangalore

Toyota Corolla 2014 has been started testing in India, launch will very soon.

Toyota has started testing the next generation Corolla 2014 sedan in India. Couple of test mules have been found going around Bangalore, near which Toyota has its manufacturing plant. The cars seen in the pictures are European version which will come to India unlike the American version, which is more sleek and sportier.

Picture Source: Autocarindia

The 11^th generation Toyota Corolla is built on Toyota’s Furia concept which was unveiled at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. The Furia concept hinted at Toyota’s future design philosophy for its largest selling compact car “Corolla”. The Furia Concept has a striking face with narrow headlights, vertical marker lights and a massive eight-sided grill, while its short hood and raked windshield give it a more modern look.

The all new Toyota Corolla 2014 will be launched in mid-2014 in India. It will be powered by the same 138bhp 1.8-litre petrol and the 87bhp 1.4-litre diesel with some minor upgrades. The petrol variant might come with a 6-speed manual or a 7-step CVT gearbox. The new Toyota Corolla with its contemporary look will definitely ignite stiff competition in the D segment. 

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Mahindra Scorpio facelift spied

A major facelift to Mahindra Scorpio is in the pipeline

It was full 4 years back when the Scorpio got a facelift. The Scorpio in 2009 got a major facelift with clear lens headlamp, new grill and bumper and minor tweaks here and there. Now, as we see in the picture, the Scorpio is going to get another facelift before the launch of all new model in 2015.

The changes will not be just in the exterior. There will be also some changes in the dashboard and seats as they were also covered in the spy photo vehicle. Mahindra might also work on the  mileage, power and sound insulation and improve the current vehicle as seen in the updated XUV 500.

Stay tuned for more news about Mahindra Scorpio facelift. 

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Hyundai Eon facelift spied

Hot competition prompts Hyundai to give a facelift to the new Eon 

Hyundai Eon was launched in India in October 2011, and in less than 2 years, the Eon is getting ready for a facelift. A Eon with heavily camouflaged front and rear end has been spotted near Chennai along with next generation i10 and i20. The launch of striped down Nissan Micra Active, the Datsun go slated for early next year launch and the news of Alto getting facelift has prompted Hyundai to give a facelift to Eon to stay in the competition.

Hyundai Eon was launched mainly to rival Maruti Alto, but some how the price of Eon goes up to Rs. 4.5 lakh which is too high for the competition. The Eon with its size, design and fuel efficiency won hearts of many customers. The beautiful fluidic sculpture design of Eon makes it one of the beautiful cars on road today.

Rumour of a diesel engine on Eon is going around the web. If indeed the diesel mill gets into the Eon, it will be 1.1L 3 cylinder one, probably the downsized engine of 1.4L of i20. More details of the car is still bleak, but one think is for sure, Hyundai will have series of new launches in coming days in the form of Eon facelift, next generation i10 and also all new i20 which is supposed to be a notchback.

Stay tuned as we are trying to get more details of news Hyundais in India...

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Next Generation Hyundai i20 spied testing in India

The next generation Hyundai i20 with fluidic sculpture design philosophy will change the dynamics of B segment cars in India

It was not long ago that we bought you the pictures of Next Generation Hyundai i10 being tested on Indian soil. Now we found the bigger i20 in a new avatar being tested on Indian soil with heavy camouflage.

Hyundai recently gave a major facelift to i20, making the car much prettier. It is no rocket science to guess what the design philosophy of the next generation i20 will be. Hyundai has started a new fluidic design which will be incorporated to all its future cars, which means i10 and i20 too will get the same fluidic design philosophy. So the next generation i20 will be as much prettier than the Fluidic Verna, so will it be called Fluidic i20, we will have to wait and see.

As seen from the picture, the next generation i20 seems to be longer than the current model. Hyundai has little more room to stretch as the current car is around 3800mm long and it can stretch up to 4000 mm in length to get the small car excise sops.  Also seeing the picture we get an impression that the new i20 will be a notchback rather than a hatchback specially designed for India. This could be a possibility as car makers in India are trying to give as much more to the customers to stay ahead in the competition.

Apart from exterior changes, there could be changes in the interiors and under the hood as well. Hyundai might bring its latest technologies in the new i20 to make is far more superior to its rival Maruti Swift. Expect the launch of new i20 by the end of this year after the launch of next generation i10 which is slated for this Diwali launch. Stay tuned for more updates on next generation Hyundai i10 & i20. 

Picture Source: Team-Bhp and Autocarindia

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Tata Indica Vista facelift spied, to come in 2014

The new 2014 Tata Vista could be a quality B Segment Hatch

The first ever spy picture of Indica Vista facelift has surfaced over the net, thanks to the automotive discussion forum Team-Bhp. Though not much could be deduced from the available picture, there will be major changes to the Vista outlook. Till now we have seen many facelifts on Tata cars which have been just a niptuck jobs, this one, the new Vista will have a sea change from the current model.

The new 2014 Vista will feature a sharper look, inspired by the Manza Hybrid which Tata Motors showcased at 2012 Auto Expo in New Delhi. The expected changes include a refreshed grille, new bumpers, sharper headlamps and taillamps. The dashboard is also likely to be changed, likely to be carried over from Manza or Vista D90 which means the instrument cluster will now move on to the right side instead of center. To remind our readers, Tata Motors had decided to push the instrument cluster to the center to keep the cost down on vehicles exported to international markets which have left hand driving rule. The centrally mounted instrument cluster has an advantage of getting well with both right and left hand driving which the Tata wanted to cash on. This is the reason why we have a centrally mounted instrument cluster on the Nano as well.

Apart from the exterior and interior changes there will also be some engine tweaks to increase the drivability and fuel efficiency of the car. Expect a lot of changes to the built quality, as Tata Motors has promised that its future cars will go through series of checks to make sure its cars are up to the mark of its competitors in terms of quality. The new Vista will be launched at 2014 Auto Expo held in New Delhi and most likely the Indica moniker will be phased out, with the new car being named just Tata Vista. Stay tuned for more updates on the new 2014 Tata Indica Vista facelift!

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Mahindra S101 compact SUV spied for the first time

Mahindra’s new compact SUV codenamed S101 to take on the Ford Ecosport and Maruti Alpha XA

The first ever pictures of Mahindra’s new compact SUV codenamed S101 has been posted by Autocarindia. As seen from the picture, the compact SUV looks to be sportier aiming directly at the Ford Ecosport and Maruti Alpha XA. Of course the compact SUV will be under 4 meters length, the second offering by Mahindra in the segment after the Quanto.

Mahindra S101 compact SUV will be positioned below Quanto and we expect it to be priced aggressively. The test mule seen in the picture is probably in its early stage of development and as we know Mahindra it will take probably 9-10 months to be launched in the market.

Along with S101, an upgraded version is also on the cards (codename S102) for the export market. Mahindra has also invested heavily on the engine development at Mahindra Research Valley Chennai to develop a range of petrol and diesel engines for its future products. Three petrol and three diesel engines is reported to be under development with capacities of 1.2, 1.5 and 1.6 Liters.

Mahindra in association with its Korean company SsangYong Motors is developing new vehicles for India as well as abroad with parts sharing between the two to keep the costs low. Stay tuned at AutomobilePlanet.com for more updates on Mahindra’s new compact SUV S101.

Picture Source: Autocarindia.com

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Scoop: Mahindra’s Vertio hatchback spied

Mahindra coming up with Verito hatchback and compact sedan

Ever since Mahindra announced that its lone sedan will bear a hatchback and compact sedan avatar, the buzz in the automotive world has been very vibrant. Mahindra known for its value for money vehicles has aroused lot of hope for car buyers looking for a no non sense car which would give good fuel efficiency, space and reasonable price in spite of being not a beauty pageant winner.

Here we have some spy pictures of Verito hatchback, courtesy team-bhp doing its testing rounds. As seen from the picture, the boot has been chopped considerably and the tail lamps have been moved to the C pillar which is a wonderful thought. In fact the car looks like a big Ford Figo at least from the rear. The original place of the tail lamps does’t seam to bear anything which means the car looks bland at the rear. We feel Mahindra might do some scoop or bulge works on the tail gate to mask the rear bland image.

Apart from the rear changes, the Vertio hatch will have no major changes. The interiors too will same as the Verito sedan sans some features which will be missed in the base Verito hatch. The Verito CS might get a tail gate opening like an hatchback as seen in the Skoda Octavia.

The advantage Verito hatch and CS has in its side it the price factor. Mahindra will price them competitively as it has done with its SUVs. Will the Verito hatch be priced around the Indica? A car with the price of Indica, with almost same space and with a 1.5L dCi engine will definitely make its way for cabbies and we are sure Mahindra do not want it. Mahindra might price its two new products of Verito to compete against the best selling cars in the segment. So watch out Swift and Swift Dzire, a new competitor is coming...

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Nissan Urvan/Caravan spied testing in India

The next big launch from Nissan in India could be Urvan/Caravan, a MPV with 10-14 seater capacity. Thanks to an autocarindia reader who could manage to click some spy pictures of Urvan/Caravan being tested near Chennai. Nissan recently launched Evalia MPV in India and now with Urvan being spotted, Nissan seems to be aiming high on mini mass transportation segment.

India could be a great market for mini mass transportation segment as we have only one vehicle in the form of Tata Winger which could carry 10 to 14 people and most of you would agree Winger will not give a good comfortable ride. The only other vehicle which could carry 10-14 people comfortably was the Mercedes Benz MB100 van which is now discontinued from the market. The Urvan/Caravan has 4 rows of seats with flexible seating configuration and will provide a better comfort travelling than most of the MPVs.

         The Nissan Urvan/Caravan has a sliding door which makes entry and exit easy. The flexi seating and comfortable seats promises tireless long journey’s. The proven Nissan diesel technology will give unmatched fuel efficiency and power. In Philippines, the Urvan/Caravan is powered by a 3.0L 4 cylinder diesel engine which pumps out 105 Hp of power and 209 Nm of torque. The same engine could make it to India as well. We are sure, Nissan wont fint the same 1.5L Renault sourced diesel engine in Urvan/Caravan, otherwise it is sure to kill a winner in the making. 

Picture Source: Autocarindia

Nissan Urvan/Caravan pictures

Nissan Urvan/Caravan front	Nissan Urvan/Caravan rear
Nissan Urvan/Caravan dashboard	Nissan Urvan/Caravan interiors

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Tata Indica Vista with 90 Hp Quadrajet engine and Manza dashboard spied

It is a known that Tata Motors tries various permutations and combination on its vehicles. Here is a good example of Indica Vista spied which has 90 Hp engine and a dashboard of Manza sedan. Earlier last year, Tata Motors changed the Vista front with that of the Manza claiming the vehicle to be in ‘Sedan Class’. Now the company has gone one step further with fitting a 90 Hp Quadrajet engine in the Inidca Vista. The surprising factor is the change is the dashboard.

Currently Tata offers Vista in 4 engine options – 1.2L 65PS Safire petrol, 1.2L 90PS Safire Petrol, 1.4L TDI Diesel and 1.3L 75PS Quadrajet Diesel.

As seen from the picture the vehicle spied was ZX (top end) variant marked with ‘ZX90’ at the rear. You can also see ABS sticker below the ZX monogram. On the left front fender ‘Quadrajet 90’ monogram can be seen which makes us believe that the car is powered by a 90 Hp Quadrajet engine.

 A change in the dashboard can be made out. The dashboard looks like to be borrowed from Manza and Tata Motors want to give its customers a super hatch in the form of ZX variant. A CR4 engined Vista was spied few days back and with a 75 Ps Manza ‘Club Class’ coming soon, Tata will have battery of launches in coming months. 

Source: Motorbash

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Next Generation Hyundai i10 spied again in Chennai

We in our earlier post had showed you the spy pictures of Hyundai i10 being tested in India. Thanks to MotorVikatan, for new spy pictures of next gen i10 surfaces as the cars were being tested near Chennai.

     The next gen Hyundai i10 features an all new front grille and bumper, larger swept back headlamps, new fluidic sculpture design and new side lines. The most important features will be a diesel engine, probably a 3 cylinder one presently in the European spec i20. A more powerful 1 liter Kappa petrol engine is also on the cards.

     The new Hyundai i10 will debut at Frankfurt Motor Show next year and will go on sale by 2014.

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2013 Honda CR-V spied in India

          The next generation Honda CR-V 2013 has been spied in India with heavy camouflage. Autocarindia has posted pictures of 2012 Honda CR-V provided by Mr. Vinod Sharma. The CR-V in the picture looks huge and bulkier than the current model, especially from the rear.

      The next generation Honda CR-V made its debut at New Your Auto Show in 2011. As of every Hondas, the new CR-V design is dynamic with sharp edges and flowing lines on the body. In the front the headlamps and grill merge which looks like both overlap each other. The grill, bumper and air dams match to the car’s dynamic profile. In the rear, Honda has retained the tall tail lamps, now more curved to gel with the tail gate. From the side profile the vehicle looks stretched and one feels to imaging of a third row of seats. It is still not clear whether the 2013 Honda CR-V come with a third row of seats.

     With Honda working on the diesel engines, we might see a diesel Honda CR-V 2013 locking its head with the Fortuner, Santa Fe and Pajero Sport. Honda CR-V 2013 will be priced around Rs. 28 lakh in India. 

Picture Source: Autocarindia

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More spy pictures of Maruti Alto 800 surfaces

     We in our earlier post had showed you spy pictures of soon to be launched Maruti Alto 800. Our friend Carblogindia has much more spy pictures of the Alto 800, exterior as well as interiors. From the pictures it is see than Maruti has given an all new dashboard for Alto 800. The fit and finish of the interiors seems to be good, better than the Nano.

Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 Specifications

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All new Maruti Alto 800 spied again, to come with SRS airbags and CNG variant

     The Maruti’s next generation Alto 800, which will replace the legendary 800 and Alto has been spied again, now without any camouflage. This means the launch is around the corner, probably by Diwali.

     What is more interesting is the SRS airbag in the new Alto 800. Maruti is planning to price the car under Rs. 2 lakh and with a car with airbag at such price will certainly cause flutter in the market. Of course the airbag fitted car will be price on the higher side as it is likely to come in the top end variant. Even then if the top end Maruti Alto 800 is priced at Rs. 3 lakh, it will be first car in its class to have airbags.

     The other interesting thing is the CNG variant of the car. You can clearly see CNG sticker in the picture above which means a CNG variant will be available right from the launch.

     The interior pictures of Alto 800 have been spied too which look better than the current car. Round A/C knobs and power windows incorporated in central console are the main highlights. You can also see space for newspaper holding the in the dashboard at passenger side. The A/C vents in the centre are designed nicely and the lateral ones are round in shape.

     The new Alto 800 might not win your heart from its looks. You can see many cars merged into one, that’s what you feel the designers of Maruti have done with this car. Though not pretty, the Alto 800 looks decent like its preceder and with its price will give tough time for Tata Nano.

Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 Specifications

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Scoop: Next Generation Hyundai i10 spied in India

     India’s largest selling automobile magazine Autocarindia has yet again come out with a scoop. This time it is next generation Hyundai being tested in India amid heavy camouflage. Couple of weeks ago the next gen i10 was spied somewhere in Europe and the pictures were published in an international automobile site.

     The prototype features a new bumper with large air intakes, swept back headlamps, upward sweeping shoulder line and a sloping roofline. The car seems to be wider from the rear angle picture.

     Next Gen Hyundai i10 was rumoured to be displayed at 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show. But as we see the prototype being tested in India, the launch could be sooner than expected. Hyundai might as well consider launching a diesel version in India seeing the demand for diesel cars here. Hyundai i10 diesel is what Indian customers are looking for, so can we assume finally there is vehicle in the making to compete the invincible Swift?

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Maruti all geared to launch new 800

     In spite of having problems at it Manesar plant Maruti Suzuki is leaving no stones unturned to launch its bread and butter car ‘800’ in a new avatar. The car, as you see picture might have already reached some dealers which means the launch is going to be very soon. Earlier, the New Maruti 800 was slated for a Diwali launch this year.  

     As seen from the picture, we feel Maruti has tried to copy not one but many cars. The rear tail lamps and side profile reminds us of the Hyundai i20. In the front, the headlamps looks to be copied from Figo and looking closer don’t you think the grill/airdam has been lifted from Renault Pulse/Scala? You can see side cresses going from front to back and wheel arch bulges look prominent. Whatever, Maruti Suzuki has tried to bring in a better designed car than the earlier 800 at an affordable cost. Though we think Maruti could have done a better job.

  

     The interior is likely to be lifted from Alto, which means almost similar dashboard and headrest integrated seats. The new Maruti 800 will replace the Alto LXi where as the Alto K10 continues to be sold. The same 796cc 3 Cylinder engine of Alto which has been modified to meet the emission norms will power the new 800. Maruti is likely to price the new 800 below Rs. 2 lakh to compete with Tata Nano. 

Picture Source: Autocarindia

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Scoop: Renault Scala spied just before the launch

     Ever since Renault hinted about a sedan launch from its stable, we had lot of curiosity of how would a Renault sedan would look. But what we see now is just a rebadged Nissan Sunny which will be sold in the name of Renault Scala in India. Of course you can see little changes in the front and rear which make Scala look bit different than the Sunny.

     To remind, Renault had launched Pulse which is again a rebadged Micra. The Pulse is selling less than quarter of the Micra sales and its surprising to see what prompted Renault to launch a Nissan car again with its badge. Renault has already done in mistake in the form of Logon which has dented its image of a premium car maker and we doubt these strategies of cost cutting by means of badge and light cosmetic change will restore Renault’s brand identity.

     Coming back to Scala, the front end reminds you of the Pulse, the you Bulgarian Bulldog front grill looks prominent. We came across many articles where Pulse face has been appreciated compared to the Micra’s we feel the Nissan cars have a better looking front end. In the rear you find redesigned tail lamps which indeed look better than the Sunny. As seen in the picture, the alloy wheels have been carried from the Pulse and no changes in the interior except for the Renault logo on the steering wheel.

     The Scala is powered by a set of 1.5L petrol and diesel engines with 98 and 85 bhp respectively. Yes they are the same engines which power the Nissan sedan. Renault will price Scala bit higher than the Sunny, keeping in mind the brand hierarchy in the Renault-Nissan Alliance.

Final words from us – Renault has a long way to go in India!!!

Picture Source: Autocarindia

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Maruti Suzuki Ritz facelift caught testing in India

Maruti Suzuki is all set to give a facelift to Ritz. The Ritz facelift was revealed some days back in Japan and Germany which had some changes to the front and rear bumper. The Ritz facelift will also have the same changes when it will be launched in India.

As seen from the spy pictures, the front of the car is heavily camouflaged indicating major changes in the front. The rear of the car looks very similar as there will be no changes in the tail lamps and tail gate and only the bumper which will be new having couple of air scoops.

Under the hood, the engines – both petrol and diesel, will be the same. Expect the engines to be retuned to deliver quiet and smooth performance. The car is expected to go on sale this Diwali and could be priced Rs. 5,000 to 10,000 more than the current model.

Picture Source: Team BHP

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More spy pictures of Mahindra Verito facelift

     More spy pictures of facelfited Mahindra Verito has surfaced, thanks to MotorVikatan who managed to click these picture of the facelfited car.

      As seen from the picture, there is all new bumper, new grill which resembles that of Mahindra family and the headlamps covered on the top and bottom. The headlamp will incorporate turn indicators on the top and LED lights in the bottom as seen the XUV500. Other than these changes the car seems to be the same as the Logan.

     The rear too gets redesigned bumpers and tail lamps and the boot has also been redesigned to suit the tail lamps which has clear lens finishing. The number plate seems to have moved over the the boot from the bumper.

     

     The facelfited Verito could get alloy wheels as seen in the picture. Expect to get some more luxury features in the new car.

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Honda Brio caught testing again, now with video

     The hot news in the Indian automobile industry is about the Honda Brio. Last month we had posted about the Honda Brio being tested on the Indian roads, and the spy pictures did not prove that it was indeed the Brio diesel. Now GTO of team-bhp has come up with a video which clearly shows the Brio diesel is indeed on the test run, which means we can expect the car launch very soon.

     Honda sensing that without a diesel it will be hard in the future to survive in India, has fasten the development and launch plans of its diesel powered cars as the proposal of hike in excise duty of diesel cars going up comes from the petroleum ministry. The Brio diesel could be the first diesel offering from Honda in India as Brio is aimed at mass market and Honda wants to tap it with a bang. The next to follow will be Jazz and City. Honda had announced a 1.6L diesel for the Civic which will come in its new avatar next year. The same engine might be carried over in the City as well.

     From the video it is very clear that the car in the test run is indeed the diesel from the engine clutter when the driver tried to accelerate. It is still not known whether it is a 3 or 4 cylinder engine. Honda had hinted that it is developing a 1.2L diesel for Brio, so engine seen in the video is a 1.2L diesel. The engine clutter seems to be little louder, to be in line with that of the Fabia and the Beat. However Honda would have done proper insulation to reduce the noise and vibrations reaching the cabin. A small and dynamic car like Brio with a diesel engine is what the car expected from the customers in India and Honda if priced will could steal the Swift show, or is it hard to beat the Swift? Your comments are awaited...

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Skoda Superb facelift spied

     Skoda had launched the new Superb three years back and now has plans to give it a facelift. The facelifted Skoda Superb was spied with some camouflage, but in spite of it lot of details are visible.

      In the front there is the new headlamps look good with angular design, the front grill seems to be big and bolder than the current one. The front bumper has been redesign to suit the changes. The most striking feature is in the rear which gets sharp tail lamps which resembles with current generation Volkswagen and Audi.

     Apart from the front and rear changes there is absolutely no change in the overall design of the car. There will be no change in the chassis, suspension and engine department. 

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