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Showing posts with label upcoming launch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label upcoming launch. Show all posts

Honda to launch refreshed WR-V


Honda India is all geared up to launch a facelifted WR-V very soon. Booking of the new car has already been started and you can book one for Rs. 21000 at any of the nearest Honda dealer. However the price of the vehicle has not been anounched, which will be done by the end of March.

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Maruti to launch Alto 800 facelift in 2nd week of May

          India’s largest selling car Maruti Alto 800 is getting its first facelift after its launch in 2012. The spy pictures of Alto 800 facelift have surfaced in the internet and show the car to be already in the dealer stockyard. Sources say the Alto 800 facelift will be launched in 2nd week of May.

Pic source: Gaadiwaadi.com
          Inspite of its odd design Maruti Alto 800 continued the legacy of its predecessor, the legendary Maruti 800. Competitive price, low maintenance cost, peppy engine and being a Maruti made the new Alto 800 the largest selling car in India with over 25,000 cars sold a month. But the dominance of Alto 800 has a new challenge from Renault Kwid and soon to be launched Datsun Redi-go both aim to cut across Alto 800 sales.

          The Alto 800 facelift features a redesigned headlamp and bumper with broad hexagonal airdam. There is a slot for fog lamps as well which is missing in present alto. The rear features no changes and so do the interiors. Expect to get new fabric on the seats in the facelifted version.

Maruti Alto 800 fact sheet:
Length: 3395 mm
Width: 1490 mm
Height: 1475 mm
Wheelbase: 2360 mm
Ground Clearance: 160 mm
Kerb Weight: 725 Kg
Turning Radius: 4.6 meters
All these parameters are not going to be changed in the Alto 800 facelift

          With Renault Kwid sales increasing and soon to be launch Datsun Redi-go aimed directly at Alto 800, a facelift was very much expected and Maruti is wisely launching the Alto 800 facelift before the official delivery of Datsun Redi-go which will happen in the first week of June.

          According to some random sources Maruti is developing a new Alto 800 model which will have better design elements than the current one. And the most interesting thing is it will come with a 2 cylinder diesel motor which was indeed need for the segment. Who else other than Maruti understands the Indian car market better?

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Toyota Innova Crysta India launch on 3rd May

        Toyota will launch the next generation Innova named Innova Crysta in India on May 3rd 2016. First batch of vehicles have already been sent to the dealer yards. The Innova Crysta will be priced litter higher than the current model.

        The Innova Crysta is bigger compared to the current model. Its length x breadth x height are  4735 mm x 1830 mm x 1795 mm which means the new Crysta is longer by 150 mm, wider by 70 mm and taller by 35 mm. However the wheelbase remains same with 2750 mm. Apart from more interior space Toyota claims the bigger dimensions will improve vehicle’s crash protection.



        The new Innova Crysta will be powered by a 2.4L D4D engine which now pumps out 148 Bhp of power. The new Innova Crysta will feature smart entry system with start/stop button, dual airbags as standard along with ABS, EBD and BA, projector headlamps, ambient lighting, automatic climate control, 7-inch audio system with navigation, front seat with easy slide from rear, and third row seats.



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All new Suzuki Baleno super hatch to be launched in India soon

        Maruti Suzuki is all geared to launch the premium hatchback Baleno (codenamed YRA) in India by October 2015. The Suzuki Baleno which was shown as iK-2 concept in the Geneva Motor Show 2015 will make its debut at Frankfurt Motor Show this month.
        The new Baleno carry forward the design language of the current generation Suzuki vehicles. The front end reminds us of the Swift with dropping hood and peeled up headlamps. The car is bigger than the Swift and will compete with Hyundai i20 and Honda Jazz in India.


        Powering the new Baleno will be 1.25L K-series petrol and 1.3L DDiS diesel engines. A 1.0 boosterjet petrol might also find its place but details of the engine is sparse. The new Baleno is built on Suzuki’s next generation platform optimised for better fuel efficiency. An AMT and SVHS will also be available making it highly competitive in the segment. 
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Ford to launch next generation Figo in India soon

            After the launch of Figo Aspire compact sedan in India, Ford is geared up to launch the Figo hatch by the end of September or early October 2015. The new Figo gets dynamic styling, the Aston Martin grill is the highlighting feature.

            The current generation Figo gave a breather to Ford India when launched in 2010. Ford had almost hit the bottom of sales in India and thanks to Figo which pumped lot of faith in the company. The new Figo is likely to carry on the legacy of its predecessor. The rear power window issue has been addressed in the new Figo.

            Just like the Figo Aspire, the Figo hatch will be built to the Ford standards. Features such as Ford SYNC infotainment system, Ford MyKey, and automatic climate control
will be borrowed to the Figo hatch as well. Top of the line Titanium+ variant will get ABS and EBD as standard.

            Powering the Figo hatch will be 1.2L Ti-VCT petrol and 1.5L TDCi diesel. The petrol motor has 88 Ps of power and the diesel gets 100 Ps. Transmission duty is done by 5 speed manual gearbox. The 1.5L TDCi diesel with 100 Ps power will be performance based product considering the small weight of the car. As always Figo hatch will come with class leading drivability and handling.

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Mahindra to launch updated Thar 2015 in June

        The Thar from Mahindra is a popular vehicle among the hardcore off-road enthusiast community. An update Mahindra Thar has been spied with some cosmetic changes arising speculations of its launch soon. According to unofficial sources the updated Thar will be launched in June this year, a time when the off-road season starts.

        Since its launch in 2010, Mahindra Thar has not received any updates till now. Probably Mahindra engineers would have been studying the model and its market for 4 long years! The spy pictures of the Thar update 2015 reveals lot of cosmetic changes in the upcoming model.

        On the outside you see all new front bumper with mixture of plastic and metal, bigger foot rests, fender extensions only on top spec CRDe variant and back tilted canopy.


        It is in the inside that the That gets major changes. It gets all new dual tone dashboard, round AC vents with silver finish and new chrome ringed instrument cluster. There is new steering wheel, AC controls and handbrake lever lifted from Bolero. Seats are broader and a new beige centre console with two slots for coffee cups makes the interior look premium.




        Apart from cosmetic changes there will be no change under the hood. The updated Thar 2015 will continue to be powered by the existing CRDe and Di engines.
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Mercedes Benz to launch CLA sedan in early 2015

        The compact luxury car segment is gaining momentum. First it was Audi which launched A3 sedan in India and now Mercedes Benz is planning to launch CLA sedan in India which will be the most affordable sedan in Merc’s line up. Earlier this year Mercedes had launched a performance oriented CLA 45 AMG which is priced around 70 lakh.


        The CLA sedan without AMG is likely to be priced around Rs. 40 lakh for petrol and Rs. 42-43 lakh for diesel. Mercedes CLA is based on MFA platform which is front wheel drive and underpins the A Class, B Class, GLA, GLA 45 AMG and CLA 45 AMG. The CLA sedan will take on Audi A3 in Indian market.

        Mercedes Benz CLA sedan will not be as spacious and practical as that of its elder sibling C and E Class. The strength of CLA sedan will be its design with coupe like roofline and low slung stance making it a very attractive looking car. In fact the designers have focussed on young buyers who look for beauty than practicality. Mercedes plans to localise all vehicles based on MFA platform and hopefully this will bring down the costs of Mercedes cars in India.


The CLA sedan is powered by a 2.2 liter diesel and 2.0 liter petrol engine. The diesel engine makes 135 Bhp and 30.5 Kgm of torque while its petrol counterpart does 181 Bhp and 30.59 Kg of torque. Both engines are coupled to a seven speed dual clutch automatic transmission sending power to front wheels. Both these engines have been used in Mercedes GLA compact SUV as well. 
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Datsun Go+ spotted in Pune, India launch in Q1 2015

        A slightly camouflaged Datsun Go+ MPV was spotted in Pune and seems to be completely ready for India launch. It is expected to be launched in first quarter of next year.


        Datsun Go+ is based on Nissan ‘V’ platform on which Go hatchback is also built. The Go+ looks like a stretched Go hatchback from outside and inside too it has all the similarities of the hatchback sibling. Go+ measures less than 4 meters in length and hence will have 8% excise duty as compared to 12% for other MPVs. This makes the Go+ the first MPV in India less than 4 meters length mark.

        The extended space of the Go+ MPV gets third row of baby seats which can accommodate 2 to 3 children. Apart from children it is hard to imagine any adult occupying the third row.


        Powering the Go+ MPV will be Nissan’s 1.2L three cylinder petrol engine with output of 68 Bhp and torque of 104 Nm. Transmitting the power to front wheels are 5 speed manual transmission. The engine delivers fuel efficiency of around 20 Km for a litre of petrol. 
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Fiat Punto Avventura launch by the end of 2014

        Fiat India has confirmed the launch of Punto Avventura and Abrath 500 by the end of this year. Fiat had showed the two models at the Auto Expo 2014 in February this year.

        Fiat Punto Avventura is a SUV version of the Punto Evo. It gets a ground clearance of 200 mm and tail gate mounted spare wheel. Also there is plastic cladding all over the vehicle to give it a SUV look. However the engine options will likely to be same as that of Punto Evo.


        The other model to be launched will be Fiat Abrath 500 which is based on Fiat 500 hatch. It is expected to be powered by a 137 Bhp 1.4L turbo engine making it a fun to drive car. Also the news of it getting stiffer springs and dampers for better handling is going around.
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Renault to launch Duster 4x4 in India by September 2014

          Renault is all geared up to launch an all wheel drive Duster SUV in India by September this year. The 4x4 Renault Duster will be available in only top end diesel variant unlike in international markets where both petrol and diesel variants are available under the name of Dacia.

          Renault Duster4x4 will be powered by 1.5L K9K 110 Bhp diesel engine coupled to a six speed manual transmission which powers all the four wheels. Three modes – 2WD high, 4WD low and 4WD high will be on offer.

          The new Duster 4x4 is likely to get all the equipments as on the top RXZ diesel variant which includes a touchscreen infotainment system, steering-mounted controls, 2-DIN stereo system, rear air-con vents, keyless entry, rear parking sensors, ABS with EBD, emergency brake assist and dual SRS front airbags.


          Duster 4x4 will be priced at a premium of Rs. 80,000 to Rs. 1,00,000 and will compete with Tata Safari and Mahindra XUV500 in Indian market. 
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Hyundai Elite i20 launch on August 11th

        Hyundai will launch its next generation i20 on 11th August 2014. Hyundai has named the new cars as Elite i20 and we still don’t now weather the current i20 will be discontinued. Most  probable the current i20 will be sold against the new Elite i20 as Hyundai did for i10 and Grand i10.

        The new Hyundai Elite i20 is designed at Hyundai’s European design centre in Germany. The European styling of the car is clearly evident with boxy outlook which was unlikely the design language of previous generation cars from Hyundai. Hyundai has not dumped its Fluidic Sculpture design language as we can see some sculpturic design on the Elite i20 as well. So can we call it Fluidic Sculpture design version 2.0!!!


        Hyundai has also come up with a teaser video on its website for Elite i20. There are also couple of design sketches available on its website. Booking for the car has already been started. 
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Hyundai Xcent launch on March 12th

Hyundai will launch the sedan version of Grand i10 named Xcent on 12th of March 2014. The Xcent sedan was showed at the Auto Expo 2014 held in New Delhi.

Hyundai has indeed worked hard on design of the car to keep in under 4 meter mark and yet made it look good though not the best. The rear of the car might not be well taken by many, but slowly you will start liking it as happened with other Hyundai cars.

Hyundai Xcent will compete with Maruti Dizre and Honda Amaze in India. Though Honda Amaze is the best looking car with lots of features, Hyundai has an advantage of pricing its vehicles competitively. If priced below its competitors Hyundai is not away with another success story like the Grand i10.


The Xcent will come is both petrol and diesel engines. 1.2L petrol and 1.1L 3 cylinder diesel borrowed from Grand i10 will do the duty on this car as well.
Hyundai Xcent side profile
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Tata Nano Twist launch on 13th Jaunuary 2014

Tata Motors will launch the power steering Nano named Nano Twist on the 13th of January 2014. The Nano Twist is equipped with Electronic Power Steering (EPS) sourced from ZF Friedrichshafen of Germany. Power steering option will be available only in mid and top end variant. Tata Nano Twist will be priced Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 20,000 more than the current models. 
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Nissan to unveil Terrano on 20th of August

Nissan Terrano to be costlier than Renault Duster, to be positioned in premium segment.


Nissan India has officially confirmed that, its Renault Duster based SUV Terrano will be unveiled on 20th August. Nissan Terrano has been tested in and around Nissan’s factory in Chennai, spy photos of which have been posted on the net. Nissan had earlier released two sketches of the Terrano SUV, which though is a facelifted Renault Duster, looks different and better than it.

Click on the image to enlarge

In the sketch we see the front end getting typical Nissan look with broad grill and sharp headlamps. The rear gets additional lamps on the tail gate giving a broader look to the vehicle. Apart from minor exterior changes there will nothing significant in the Terrano. However expect a lot of changes in the interiors, as Nissan aims to position Terrano in a premium segment.


Nissan will price the Terrano Rs. 50,000 higher than the Renault Duster, which is a reversal of the trend currently going on in Renault Nissan alliance in India. 

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Tata Nano diesel with clear image, launch could be around the corner

Tata Nano diesel features a smiling front bumper and a functional boot which can be opened.

Tata Nano diesel is not a hot news. The Nano diesel has been spied many times during its test runs. Since the clear picture of the Nano diesel has surfaced, Bosch engineers would have achieved the target of 32 Kmpl from the 700 cc Dicor engine powering the Nano diesel.

The front with new bumper with smiling air dam reminds us of the Tata’s philosophy of smiling grill (first seen on the Indica). Indeed with its awesome mileage, the Nano diesel will bring more smiles to the car, only and only if Tata gets the Nano right this time with more fun to drive features. The Nano diesel will get a boot openable, unlike the petrol sibling. The rear windshield and bumper has also been redesigned to give a unique look to the car.


Since we have  spotted the Nano diesel undisguised, the launch is around the corner. Price? May be around Rs. 3 lakh Ex-showroom for the base model. 


Picture Source: team-bhp.com & autocarindia.com

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Maruti Wagon R Stingray India launch soon

Maruti Wagon R Stingray to be positioned about the current Wagon R and slated to be launched soon.

Maruti will launch the sportier version of Wagon R named Stingray in India soon. The Wagon R Stingray was spied during a photo shoot which suggest the car launch is around the corner. The Wagon R Stingray will be positioned above the current Wagon R and sold along with it.

This is a desperate effort to bring back the attention of buyers to the brand. In spite of having a good brand value, the sales of Wagon R has suffered, thanks to the competitors who are offering a diesel variant almost at the same price. Wagon R has been one of the successful model from Maruti, which has helped the company in maintain its market share.

The Wagon R Stingray features a sleek and clear lens headlamp. The grill is sleek and sportier as well giving a new look to the car. The front bumper also has been re-designed to give a sportier look to the car. In the rear, the tail lamps get clear lens treatment and the re-designed bumper now houses the number plate. The side profile looks to be similar to the current wagon R. The Wagon R Stingray is expected to come with upgraded interiors with different colours for upholstery. Expect to have minor tweaks in the interiors as well.


The Wagon R Stingray will be powered by the same 1 liter K10 series petrol engine with 67 Bhp of power. It is likely to be priced with a premium of Rs. 50,000 over the current model. 






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Maruti Suzuki to launch SX4 refresh soon

The SX4 refresh gives Maruti some room to compete against the hot sedans Fluidic Verna and Vento.


Maruti Suzuki will launch the faclifted SX4 soon as the vehicle has been spotted at the dealership at New Delhi. The SX4 refresh/facelift features a new chrome grill which looks to be derived from the famous Mercedes sedans. There are some changes to the bumpers and fog lamps as well. In the interior, the SX4 refresh gets dual tone black and beige, the car now being more airy and upmarket.

Apart from these minor changes, there will be no changes in the mechanicals. The SX4 refresh will be powered by the same 1.6L petrol and 1.3L DDiS turbo diesel engine. The car will be launched by the end of this month. Expect a little price hike on the refreshed vehicle. 

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New Honda CR-V to be launched on 12th February, to cost less

Next Generation Honda CR-V 2013 launch in India with less cost than the current model.

Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) are known for their bulky look, ruggedness and off-road capabilities with driving dynamics and comfort as a last option. But the Honda CR-V SUV has a different definition. The CR-V might look like an SUV, but in terms of driving and handling, it makes the best of the luxury cars shy away with it. No wonder Politian in Karnataka prefer CR-Vs to any luxury car. The creature comfort in a CR-V is almost next to none in its segment.

We all know Honda has launched the fourth generation CR-V in international markets and will soon launch it in India as well. The spy pictures of the new CR-V have been published in the web during its test runs around Noida. The good news is that Honda will launch the new CR-V 2013 in India on 12th of February 2013. In fact Honda’s Indian website has already updated the CR-V page with the new vehicle’s pictures.


The fourth generation Honda CR-V 2013 SUV, though some call it as a crossover will be launched in India with much lower price than the current model. The new Honda CR-V 2013 will be assembled in India unlike the currently model which was imported as Completely Built Unit from Japan and hence commanded extra tax duties. Assembling the new Honda CR-V 2013 in India helps Honda cuts cost which can be passed on to the customers. The current CR-V is selling at Rs. 28 lakh and we expect the new one will be priced around Rs. 20 to 22 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi). The new Honda CR-V 2013 will be assembled at Honda’s Noida plant.

The new Honda CR-V will come with 2 engine options. A 2.0L 153 Bhp i-VTEC engine will power the 2WD models and the bigger 2.4L 185 Bhp will do the duty on the All Wheel Drive (AWD) model. Honda will retain the 6 speed manual and 5 speed automatic gearbox on the new CR-V as well. The new Honda CR-V features as improved suspension system and full length under body tray from low NVH levels. The vehicle is expected to be priced between Rs. 20 – 22 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi).

No diesel option

Now the big question is, does the new Honda CR-v 2013 come with a diesel engine? No, Honda has no plans to launch the diesel variant of Honda CR-V 2013 in India. Probably later Honda might consider diesel as an option, but we have to wait till the Amaze diesel gets going in the Indian market. With recent proposal of deregulation of diesel prices in India, Honda might stick on to its renowned petrol power trains for new Honda CR-V 2013.
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Maruti SX4 facelift spied, will be launched early 2013


Perhaps the only vehicle in Maruti stable not to get a facelift was the SX4 sedan and finally the car has joined the facelift bandwagon. A facelfited SX4 was spied in Gujarat with minimal camouflage in the front. From the picture it is evident that there will be some changes in the front though very minimal like that of the Ritz.


The facelfited SX4 will get new headlamps, redesigned grill and bumpers. The interiors might not get anything, but expect the change in the texture of the front dashboard, again as that of the Ritz. Along with a facelift a CNG version is also on the cards. 

The SX4 could not get much sales in spite of having a diesel engine, thanks to the competent cars from rivals namely Volkswagen, Skoda and Hyundai. Currently Maruti is offering over Rs. 65,000 discount on SX4 models. Hope Maruti get some customers for SX4 after the facelfited version is launched. 


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Ford Ecosport to be launched by Jayalalithaa, 8 new products in pipeline for India


Since Ford came to India in late 90’s things have never been so interesting in Ford India. The reason for it is the Ecosport mini SUV which will be launched in India early next year. According to the latest news, the Ecosport will be launched by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa who has agreed for the invitation by Ford India.


Ford pins lots of hopes on the Ecosport, and why not, the muscular looking mini SUV could be a new blockbuster car in India after the Maruti Swift. In fact we feel the Ecosport looks to be a perfect mini SUV when compared to Duster and Quanto. The rear tailgate mounted spare wheel adds to the rugged SUV looks of the vehicle.

If you are thinking just about the looks of the Ecosport making an impact you might be wrong. The Ecosport under its hood will feature the latest Ecoboost 1.0L petrol engine which in spite of its smaller capacity can produce 125 Bhp of power. According to Ford, this small wonder of an engine produces high power with great fuel efficiency, both of which are inversely proportional. The Ecoboost engine manages to drive the Ecosport to over 20 Km with a liter of petrol. The Ecosport will also be available with the Fiesta’s 1.5L diesel burner which too has a good record of fuel efficiency.

Ford is working hard on pricing the Ecosport competitive and few days ago an official from Ford had mentioned about Ecosport being priced less than the Renault Duster, which means the base petrol and diesel could be priced at Rs. 6.5 and 7.5 lakh respectively.

Currently there is a change of guard at Ford India. Mr. Michael Boneham, President and MD of Ford India is being replaced by Mr. Jogindar Singh and Ford maintains that in spite of leadership change the plan to launch value for money products remains the same. Ford plans to launch 8 new products in India in next 3 years. Ford’s second plant at Sanand will commence operation from 2014. 
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