Upcoming Cars

Upcoming Cars in India

Honda Brio

Expected in 27th September 2011

Estimated price: Rs 4-5 lakh

In country like India, the automobile market is dominated by hatchbacks. Here most of the auto giants who wish to set a firm base in India, are focusing on small car market. Honda tried the same thing with the Jazz, but the expensive price tag didn't work in it's favour. So, Honda now plans to launch a small car for the Indian car market.

Honda had unveiled its small car concept the 2010 Auto Expo, and the company plans to launch this small car in India somewhere around in early 2011. This new small car will be smaller than four metres in length and will get Honda Jazz's 1.2-litre petrol engine to avail the duty cut.

Mahindra XUV 500 Coming in 29th September 2011

Mahindra XUV 500

Expected in 29th September 2011

Estimated price: Rs 10-12lakh

The W201 looks huge to begin with. The front end get the now familiar ‘Jeepish’ grille with the walrus tooth in the middle housing the Mahindra logo. The headlamps on the other hand are large clear lens units and to comply with European norms, this new Mahindra will sport LED daytime running lamps. The rakish hood merges smoothly into windscreen which in itself is a large unit.

Looking at the rather slim A-pillar, the new Mahindra is sure to offer good visibility. In profile the very high ground clearance is clearly visible. The ORVMs sport indicators and the pull type door handles too are unique to this SUV. At the back, the door is hinged at one end. The spare wheel will be housed under the body. The W201 will feature a two-tone interior with a twin pod instrument panel. The centre console will get controls for automatic climate control as well as a display for sat-nav and the video out from the reversing camera.

Steering mounted controls will also be a part of the package and so will premium features like rain sensing wipers and AC vents for all three rows. Under the bonnet could be a retuned version of the 2.2-litre common rail unit mated to a 6-speed manual. Automatics will also be offered for international markets. A shift-on-the-fl y 4WD version is also expected.

 

Hyundai Ha/Eon Coming in October 2011

Hyundai Ha/Eon

Expected in October 2011

Estimated price: Rs 2.5-3.5lakh

Hyundai in India has had a brilliant innings. The Santro was a success story and so is the i10! Now however there’s a new car coming. Due for launch late this year or latest by the Auto Expo next year, the HA or also being called as the Eon by some, will be Hyundai’s most affordable car yet. It will replace the aging Santro and after its launch in India will also be exported to market where the current Santro is being sold.
The HA or Eon might be small, but let’s be clear that it’s not going to compete with the Nano. The hatchback which is yet to acquire a name officially, will be larger, more modern and will have better ride and handling than the Tata. In fact, its true competition would be the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Alto and the Chevy Spark.
The HA is based on a heavily modified Santro Xing platform. However its looks are going to be all new. The HA is designed in tune with the new design philosophy at Hyundai. The front end gets the hexagonal grille, which is now the new global face of all Hyundais. Meanwhile large headlights and clamp type bonnet ensure a large bug eyed look. While foglamps will not be a standard fitment, the HA will have recesses so that owners can have them fitted if they wanted to. In profile, the HA gets a rather sweeping shoulder line and comes devoid of a quarter glass on the rear door. This gives it a sportier look. Also, in profile the car looks almost as big as the Santro. Powering the car will be a new three-cylinder, 800cc petrol engine, which is expected to rack up the numbers for the HA.

Skoda Rapid Coming in October 2011

Skoda Rapid

Expected in October 2011

Estimated price: Rs 7-10 lakhs

Skoda is all set to launch its all new sedan, Rapid (also known as Lauretta). The Skoda Rapid will be based on the Fabia platform and will be competition to the Volkswagen Vento, its distinct cousin, the Honda City, the Fiat Linea, the Hyundai Verna and the Ford Fiesta. Our sources confirm that this car will be launched sometime in late October 2011.

We believe the Rapid will get the 1.6-litre petrol mill from the Volkswagen engine stable, and probably even the 1.6-litre TD CR engine recently introduced on the VW Vento. There have been rumours about a new Skoda Octavia being designed for the Indian car market. It isn’t the Octavia, it’s this all new sedan which is being designed for India.

The Skoda Rapid should be priced in the 7-10lakh range. Watch out this space for more updates on the new Skoda sedan.

Chevrolet New MPV Coming in Late 2011

Chevrolet New MPV

Expected in Late 2011

Estimated price: Rs 5-7lakh

General Motors had announced that it will launch a few products from the SAIC Motor stable. To start off with, they will launch vehicles from the Wilung line-up which includes the CN-100 which is likely to compete with the Mahindr Xylo.

The new CN-100 is likely to be priced between Rs 5-7lakh and will be manufactured in GM’s Talegaon plant. This is expected to be powered by the 1.3-litre multijet engine and since it is sourced from China, the production cost is expected to be low.

The MPV will be 7-8 seater and can be great competition for the Xylo considering its pricing. Looking at the pictures of the interior, one can see it has black and beige dual tone interiors and an aftermarket stereo. It rides on 175/65/R14 tyres and it gets features like power windows and the ORVMS are manually-adjustable.

We believe the CN-100 has flexible rear seating as the second and third row of seats can be folded flat. GM might target the passenger and taxi market with the MPV and we expect the car to be launched by the end of this year.

Chevrolet Electric vehicle Coming in Late 2011

Chevrolet Electric vehicle

Expected in Late 2011

Estimated price: Rs 3.5-5lakh

Since the time Mahindra and Mahindra took over Reva, the deal between Reva and General Motors got void. So, the plan to introduce the electric version of the Spark won't become reality.

However, the company plans to introduce an all new electric version. As per the latest announcement, Chevrolet will introduce the vehicle by early 2012.
 

Chevrolet New Van Coming in Late 2011

Chevrolet New Van

Expected in Late 2011

Estimated price: Rs 3-5lakh

General Motors plans to introduce a few products from the SAIC Motor stable. One of the Wuling Hongtu Minivan was spotted in Maharashtra.

Chevrolet is likely to introduce this van in the passenger and commercial vehicle segment. In the passenger segment, it can seat 5 to 8 passengers depending on the variants. The Hongtu is sold in China with a 1.2-litre petrol producing about 84bhp of power.  This is a rear wheel driven car and gets front disc brakes and rear drums. It is similar to the Eeco in its dimensions, with the Hongtu being on a tad larger.

 

 

 

Chevrolet Sail Coming in Late 2011

Chevrolet Sail

Expected in Late 2011

Estimated price: Rs 6-7.5lakh

Chevrolet plans to launch four new cars in 2011 and the Chevrolet Sail is one of them. The Sail is the first GM car that is designed and developed completely in China. This has helped GM to bring down its development cost. The Sail gets the new Chevrolet family design cues like the bold and modern hood with a high crown and prominent strakes led by a large bowtie Chevrolet logo.

The Sail is based on the platform of the Opel Corsa, that was earlier sold by General Motors in India. This entire product is developed by GM without anything from its Chinese partner. Chevrolet plans to plonk the Sail with 1.4-litre petrol and 1.3-litre diesel engine. This will be the 1.3-litre multijet engine developed by Fiat. The Sail will compete with the Maruti Suzuki Swift DZire, Renault Logan and Tata Indigo Manza.  The Chevrolet Sail is likely to be priced close to Rs 6-7.5 lakhs, and this should the ideal replacement for the currently being sold Chevrolet Aveo.

Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Coming in Late 2011

Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

Expected in Late 2011

Estimated price: Rs 30-35lakh approx.

Land Rover and other SUVs have been known as gas guzzlers. So, the Range Rover Evoque is Land Rover’s first step to reduce the carbon footprint of its vehicles. The Evoque is a compact utility vehicle and is the first hybrid vehicle in the Land Rover range. The Evoque still follows the design language of the Range Rovers, as it gets a clamshell hood and the floating roof.

This new Range Rover is likely to enter the Indian markets in 2012 and will come with the smallest engine Land Rover has ever made – a 2.0-litre turbo engine that produces 240bhp of power. 

Mahindra Mini-Xylo Coming in Late 2011

Mahindra Mini-Xylo

Expected in Late 2011

Estimated price: Rs 4-5 lakhs

Mahindra had launched its Xylo in January 2009 and now the company plans to launch a Mini-Xylo. The Mini-Xylo will be less than four metres in length and will have a diesel engine. This could be a 1.5-litre diesel engine and as the Mini-Xylo is less than four metres, it will avail the 12 percent duty cut as well.

Mahindra is currently testing the Mini-Xylo and it can be expected to be launched by mid-2011. We can expect a price tag of Rs 4-5 lakhs. The Mini-Xylo will be based on the current Xylo’s body-on-frame design.

 

Maruti Suzuki RIII Coming in Late 2011

Maruti Suzuki RIII

Expected in Late 2011

Estimated price: Rs 5-7lakh

India is a country obsessed with vehicles that can pack in a lot of people. Naturally, since Indian families tend to be large. Indeed, it is one of the primary reasons why people buy SUVs and MUVs, for the number of people that can fit in. Among low cost MUVs Maruti Suzuki has done well with the Eeco. So now Maruti is preparing the RIII, for the segment where even GM wants to enter with its own vehicles made in collaboration with its Chinese partner.

The RIII was first revealed at the 2010 Auto Expo as a concept car. Now, the production prototype is ready and we expect the company to launch it next year.While the concept was a swanky looking thing, the production car has lost quite a bit of glamour. The design has been toned down to match production specs and costs and now the RIII looks more real.Nonetheless a raked bonnet and a two-tier grille give the front identity. In profile the suicide doors have been done away with and in place come conventional doors. The rear door works as a hatch and houses the registration plate and also sports rear wash and wipe.

Inside, the RIII gets a large dash and in top-of-the-line variants, the RIII will get electric ORVMs, climate control, steering mounted controls and airbags as well. The RIII will be a seven-seater (six-seater in top-end trim) with three rows of seats. However, the boot will only be effective once the third row of seats have been folded down. The RIII will also come equipped with ABS and airbags in the top variants. The RIII will be offered in both petrol and diesel motor options. The petrol is sure to be the 4-cylinder K-series engine and the diesel would be the super efficient 1.3-litre DDiS engine, which also does duty in the Swift, SX4 and the Ritz. However it is expected to offer around 90bhp in the RIII. We expect Maruti Suzuki to price it in the Rs 5- 7 lakh bracket, considering that it is tad smaller than the likes of the Xylo and Innova.

 

 

 

 

Nissan NV200 Coming in Late 2011

Nissan NV200

Expected in Late 2011

Estimated price: Rs 5-8lakh

Nissan could launch a MPV called NV200 for the Indian car market. Nissan plans to manufacture the NV200 in a joint venture with defence and commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland.

The Nissan NV200 is built on the modified Renault-Nissan B-Alliance platform and will have the 1.5dCi engine (the same engine block used on the Renault Logan). However, the NV200 will produce more power than the Logan.  This MPV could compete with the Toyota Innova and Mahindra Xylo.

 

 

 

 

Skoda Fabia Scout Coming in Late 2011

Skoda Fabia Scout

Expected in Late 2011

Estimated price: Rs 6-9lakh

With Volkswagen coming in full swing, Skoda aims to expand its portfolio in India. Skoda has given a facelift to the Fabia and very soon the Yeti will be launched. In 2011, Skoda plans to launch the Fabia Scout, the estate version of the Fabia.

The Fabia Scout is based on the Fabia platform and will have larger boot storage when compared to the Fabia hatchback. Earlier, Skoda had launched the wagon estate version of the Octavia, and now the Fabia Scout seems to be the next one in the pipeline. Our sources confirm that the Fabia Scout will launched in the last quarter of 2011.  

Tata New Safari Coming in Late 2011

Tata New Safari

Expected in Late 2011

Estimated price: Rs 7-11 lakh

The first Tata Safari was launched in the late 90s and since then it has been the flagship model on Tata Motors, until lately the Aria was launched in October 2010. The Safari has got two facelifts and engine changes. Tata Motors had even revealed its plans to make a new Safari on the newly developed X2 platform, on which the Aria has been built. However, for the time being the Pimpri-based manufacturer has given the Safari another facelift.
This time, the car gets the 2.2-litre engine from the Aria. The Aria sports the same Safari engine, but a large number of changes have been made to it in the refinement and vibrations department before it got plonked into the crossover. This same refined engine will now come fitted in the facelift Safari. The Safari will get new headlamps, new front grille and new hood. The conventional spare wheel has been moved below and it gets dual exhausts. The interiors have been revamped and it now gets grab door handles.

 

 

 

 

Volkswagen New Touareg Coming in Late 2011

Volkswagen New Touareg

Expected in Late 2011

Estimated price: Rs 55 lakh

Volkswagen had unveiled the second-generation of the Touareg at 2010 New York International Auto Show. With the Volkswagen Touareg being a CBU, even India will get the 2011 Touareg once its launched in the European market.

Design/Styling:
The 2011 Touareg gets the new Volkswagen face and styling created by Walter de’Silva, Volkswagen’s chief of design. The front grille is now narrow if compared to the outgoing model and the trapezoidal headlamps even get the LED surrounds.  The silhouette of the Touareg remains almost similar, with not so arched wheel flares.  The new 2011 Touareg gets a crown hood with a step at its sides giving it a more muscular look. The SUV gets chrome garnish with chrome surrounds around the greenhouse and a strip running on the rocker. The rear of the new Touareg is more pronounced and gets LED taillamps as well.

Volkswagen's new RNS850 touch screen entertainment and navigation system features an 8-inch screen, a 60GB hard drive with 18GB of space available to upload audio, video, and more, and a DVD/CD player with MP3 playback and Satellite/FM/AM stereo.

Mechanicals:
The Volkswagen Touareg will be available with the same 3.0-litre V6 TDI engine, with 4-MOTION, which is Volkswagen’s term for all-wheel drive system.

Overall Evaluation:
This new 2011 Volkswagen Touareg will be a great buying option considering all the bells and whistles it comes loaded with. The newer SUV has more road presence than the older one and should have better sales figures if compared to the current Touareg. This will come true only if Volkswagen price it well.     

Audi A8 4.2 TDI Coming in Early 2012

Audi A8 4.2 TDI

Expected in Early 2012

Estimated price: Rs 1.2crore

Audi India launched the 2011 Audi A8L (4.2 FSI). Read our first drive review of the 2011 Audi A8. The A8 will initially be launched with the 4.2-litre petrol V8 engine which produces  372bhp and will be mated to an eight-speed transmission. The 4.2 FSI will be launched in January 2011, but those willing to buy the 4.2 diesel engine will have to wait till 2012.

Audi’s MMI (multi-media interface) utilises black panel technology to search for contacts on the phonebook. Back-seat passengers can easily operate the music system with the MMI controls at the rear. The new A8 is larger than its predecessor, but Audi has succeeded in reducing the weight as well.

 

 

 

Hyundai Sonata Coming in Early 2012

Hyundai Sonata

Expected in Early 2012

Estimated price: Rs 13-16akh

The new Sonata was unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show and now will be soon seen in India. We spotted the car during its test runs and we expect the all new sedan to hit the Indian roads in the later half of 2011. We did not get a chance to see the interiors of the car but by the looks of it the one which was tested was a left-hand drive.

We suspect that the Hyundai Elantra Avante will boast of a 2.0 litre CRDi engine. The sedan will be priced between Rs 13-16 lakh, thereby stiffening the competition in that segment. The Elantra, if priced in that range, will compete with the Chevrolet Cruze, Honda Civic and the Corolla Altis.
 

 

 

 

Maruti Suzuki Swift DZire Coming in Early 2012

Maruti Suzuki Swift DZire

Expected in Early 2012

Estimated price: Rs 5-7lakh

Maruti Suzuki isn’t just getting the new generation Swift, but it will also launch the sedan version of the Swift in the latter half of this year. The engines on the DZire will remain the same – 1.2-litre petrol and 1.3-litre DDiS. The new generation Swift is wider and longer than the soon to be outgoing model and the same changes will be implied on the DZire as well.

 

 

 

 

Skoda Yeti 110bhp Coming in Early 2012

Skoda Yeti 110bhp

Expected in Early 2012

Estimated price: Rs 14lakh

When we had first driven the Yeti in September last year, the company had mentioned of introducing a DSG variant this year. So, we can expect the DSG 'box this year. Apart from this, the company is even likely to introduce a less powerful 2.0-litre 110bhp Yeti as well by the year of 2012.

The 110-bhp engine is the same one which currently powers the manual version of the Skoda Laura. With this engine, Skoda will be able to reduce the price of the entry-level Yeti. So, you can expect the prices to drop by a lakh and a half.

 

 

 

 

Toyota Fortuner Facelift Coming in Early 2012

Toyota Fortuner Facelift

Expected in Early 2012

Estimated price: Rs 17-19lakh

Toyota had launched its Fortuner in mid-2009 and with increase in its competition; Toyota is likely to give the existing Fortuner a facelift next year. This updated Fortuner is likely to be launched sometime in early 2012. The engine is likely to remain the same.

Toyota has recently updated its Corolla Altis and just launched its first hatchback the Etios Liva in the Indian car market. The company has been updating and further diversifying its product range.  The new Fortuner is likely to get an option of a seven-speed CVT and sunroof. The facelift Fortuner has been launched in Thailand.  

Renault Duster Coming in Mid 2012

Renault Duster

Expected in Mid 2012

Estimated price: Rs 7-9lakh

Renault has moved out of the Logan pact with Mahindra and the company has now officially announced that they will bring two of their cars to the Indian Market. One among the SUVs would be the Renault Duster. The Dacia Duster so to say is a funky looking SUV and one of the cheapest in the world. In India, the price of this car is said to be anything between 6.5 lakh to 7 lakh. The Duster is not a soft roader for the price offered; the car can take on any road. The ground clearance of the Duster is 210 mm which makes it taller and the chunky 215/65 R 16’s just make the image of the SUV a complete one.

The Duster is offered with two-wheel or four-wheel drive. The 4x4 variants make use of Nissan's all-wheel drive system which allows the driver to choose from three different driving modes: Auto, in which the front/rear torque split is calculated automatically as a function of available grip, Lock, whereby 50 per cent of torque is consistently fed through the rear axle, and 4x2 where the transmission is locked into two-wheel drive for maximum fuel efficiency.

The Duster will be made available in the 1.6 petrol or the 1.5 diesel. The 1.6 L petrol version is said to churn out 105 bhp while the 1.5 L is tuned to produce either 85 or 110 bhp. The Duster is long and wide as well and is a bit smaller than the Mahindra Scorpio. The optimum capacity of the car is five healthy adults.
The Duster is likely to face competition from all the SUV’s in India. What will be of utmost importance though is the drivability of the car, the way the car handles on Indian roads. Renault will be the new player in the changing Indian Car Market scene. Though the company has witnessed and understand what the Indian Crowd admires most, their first sole output will face competition against their earlier collaborators Mahindra. 

 

 

 

Toyota Innova Facelift Coming in Mid 2012

Toyota Innova Facelift

Expected in Mid 2012

Estimated price: Rs 7-11lakh

The Toyota Innova is already a big hit in the Indian car market and to make it a bit more fresh, Toyota will give it a facelift. The Innova facelift was displayed at the Indonesian Motor Show 2011, and it had a few cosmetic upgrades on it. 
The new Innova is likely to come to India something in mid-2012. The new Innova will give Toyota an upper hand since the Maruti Suzuki RIII and Nissan NV200 will come into the market as new competition to Toyota by then. The engine options on the Innova will remain the same with the same 2.5-litre diesel and 2.0-litre petrol engine and there won't be much of a price difference between the current Innova and the upcoming one.

 

 

 

 

Fiat Bravo Coming in Late 2012

Fiat Bravo

Expected in Late 2012

Estimated price: Rs 18-25 lakh (estimated)

The Fiat Bravo is Fiat's new small family car that was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 2007. The car was designed by the Fiat style centre and Austrian automotive company Magna Steyr was involved in engineering most of the car’s body and fittings.

Once the Bravo is launched in India, it will the most expensive hatchback in the country. The idea behind launching this car is not to generate big sales numbers but rather to create a strong brand image with a high quality and truly world class product.

The Bravo in India will have a 1910cc, 16-valve turbocharged multijet engine. Developing an immense 150bhp@4000 rpm, the car will cover 0-100kph in about 9 seconds. The Bravo is a luxurious hatchback, with interiors to match.

Honda CR-V 2012 Coming in Late 2012

Honda CR-V 2012

Expected in Late 2012

Estimated price: Rs 23lakh

Honda CR-V's first concept picture has been released by Honda. The new CR-V is likely to debut at the upcoming Frankfurt Motorshow. The new CR-V will be more feature loaded than the current generation.

In Europe, the CR-V is likely to get a tweak in the diesel engine to produce 165bhp on the same 2.2-litre engine. The official website says, "With a new design—both inside and out, new features and new possibilities, the 2012 CR-V will set a new standard for the class."

We expect it to come to India by late 2012 and probably this time, Honda is likely to come equipped with a diesel engine option on its CR-V and a six-speed automatic transmission.

Ford Fiesta hatchback Coming in 2012

Ford Fiesta hatchback

Expected in 2012

Estimated price: Rs 6-9lakh

Ford has truly taken the Indian market quite seriously and to show that it means business, it has promised no less than eight new models in the recent future.The company has already tasted success with the ‘made for India’ Figo hatchback and now expects the same from the Fiesta sedan, which it has launched recently.

Following this trend, Ford is getting ready to launch the hatchback version of the Fiesta, which it will position above the Figo as a premium hatchback. The new Fiesta will sport the same Kinetic design inspired front end as seen on the newly launched sedan.

This translates into the same two tier grille and sweeping large headlamps up front. However at the back, sporty overtones like a short hatch and
spoiler coupled to swanky large taillamps will give this hatchback added character.

Inside, the hatchback shares the same interiors as the sedan worldwide and India will not be an exception. This means premium features like climate control and Bluetooth connectivity will also be found in the hatchback. However the cruise control feature might not be offered in the hatch version of the Fiesta.

To ensure cost effectiveness, Ford is expected to offer the new car with the same 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engines as found in the newly launched sedan version. However we also hear that Ford might plonk in a retuned version of the smaller 1.2-litre petrol engine from the Figo. This version though will be the entry level model which will make it possible for Ford to price the hatch very competitively.

 

 

 

 

Honda Accord Diesel Coming in 2012

Honda Accord Diesel

Expected in 2012

Estimated price: Rs 20-25 lakh

The present day diesel engines are quick, silent and efficient; they are giving the petrol engines a run for their money. After manufacturing only petrol engines for decades, Honda has produced its first diesel engine to boost its sales. Honda Siel will use this engine in its Accord to boost its sales and compete in the current Indian market.

Engine:

Honda has developed a common-rail diesel engine, its all four cylinder displacing a total of 2200 cubic centrimetres. The engine’s 134 horses pull the Accord and produce a maximum of 347Nm of torque.

Features:

The Honda Accord diesel looks no different from its petrol sibling. The only difference between the two is the powerplant running them. The car interiors, and the rest of the features remain unchanged.

Competitors:

Honda Accord’s main rivals include the Skoda Superb Diesel, the Mercedes C-Class, BMW 3-series and the VW Passat. Considering the current sales of Accord petrol, the diesel engine could trigger its sales further.
 
 

 

 

 

Honda Civic 2012

When to expect: 2012

Estimated Price: Rs 12-15lakh

Honda has revealed the pictures of the new Civic which will be launched in Malaysia. The new Civic is somewhat similar to the design of the Civic which will be launched in the North American market. This is likely to be the new Civic for the Asian market and we could expect to come to India.