Photo: Diesel automatic variants may help Hyundai boost Verna sales even further by roping in buyers

Hence, when Verna is offered in the lower variants, expect the same price difference (Rs. 73,000) between the manual and automatic variants.

Nearly, 10% of the Verna’s sales come from the diesel automatic variant and Hyundai is planning to increase this to 25%. The Verna is the only car in its segment to offer an automatic transmission in the diesel version. Diesel automatic cars have two advantages: low running costs (diesel) and easy city driving (no clutch). The Verna has attractive styling, is loaded with features and has plenty of variants to choose from. Also read: Top three sedans under Rs.11 lakh with maximum features

The Verna is a hot selling car in its segment and the company has sold 27,533 in the last six months at an average of 4,588 cars per month.  A few days ago, CarToq reported about Hyundai’s plan to make the reverse camera a standard feature across all Verna variants. Now, the company is planning to offer automatic transmission in lower variants of the Verna diesel which will make this sedan, more attractive. If the response is good, other car makers may also launch diesel automatic cars in future.

*Estimated price, actual price may vary

(Source: Autocar India)

The Santa Fe looks bulky and little more aggressive than the studio images that were revealed by Hyundai earlier. Read more: Hyundai Santa Fe Sport and seven seater unveiled

Photo: The new Santa Fe looks looks sharp and futuristic from the front

The Santa Fe was showcased at the 2012 New York Auto Show. The Santa Fe adopts the ‘Storm Edge’ design concept which is based on the company’s fluidic design sculpture. The peripheral cladding, large wheel arches and bold front grille gives it strong road presence. The new Santa Fe is 244 mm longer and has a 99 mm larger wheel base than the outgoing Santa Fe. Hence, expect a significant improvement in the interior space with more legroom for third row passengers.

Photo: From the sides the new Hyundai Santa Fe reveals that it may have more space than the present model

The new Santa Fe is expected to be powered by a 2.2-litre diesel engine that puts out 221 Bhp of power and 500 Nm of torque making it more powerful than the current model which is powered y a 2.2-litre CRDi motor that puts out 195 Bhp of power and 420 Nm of torque.

Photo: From the rear the Santa Fe still still looks similar to the present model although more attractive

The Price of the new Santa Fe may be marginally higher than the price of the current model which ranges between Rs. 22.34 lakh – Rs. 25.37 lakh. The new Santa Fe is expected to hit the Indian market by the end of 2012 or early 2013. The new Santa Fe will face stiff competition from the likes of Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour etc.

(Photos Courtesy: Decoches.blogspot.in)

We’ve already heard of the Mercedes B-Class that will be launched in November this year. Read more on the B-Class here. Then there’s the brand new A-Class which is likely to be launched early next year.  This 2013 A-Class is a car that will bring in the volumes for Mercedes if it hits a price point of Rs. 15 lakh. It will also bring in a new class of vehicles to the Indian market – that of a large luxury hatch. Also read: Merc A Class photos leaked

However, at the recent launch of the Mercedes M-Class, Peter Honegg, CEO and MD, Mercedes Benz India, said Mercedes is also planning on bringing in a compact SUV on the A-Class platform. So far the vehicle is still in the concept stage.

Honegg did not elaborate on the SUV based on the A-Class, but said it’s definitely the kind of vehicle that the Indian market needs. Looking at the new A-Class pictures, it looks like an SUV built on the same platform will fill the need for a compact premium SUV – a space that the BMW X1 currently is doing pretty well in. The Audi Q3 will also soon get into this space and so Mercedes too isn’t looking to be left out from this promising market segment.

If the A-Class SUV makes it to production, it will be priced at about Rs. 25 lakh, and will compete with the BMW X1. Mercedes has enough engine choices to power the SUV – all of which are likely to come from the A-Class that will be launched next year.

The A-Class is expected to come with a host of engine options which includes five petrol engines and five diesel engines. Among the petrol engines, expect the A-Class to be made available in a 1.8-litre 120 bhp motor, 2-litre 154 bhp motor, 2-litre 170 bhp motor, 2.5-litre 209 bhp motor and a 2.5-litre 348 bhp motor. Among the diesel engines, expect the A-Class to be powered by a 1.6-litre 89 bhp engine, a 1.8-litre 107 bhp engine, a 2-litre 134 bhp engine, a 2.2-litre 168 bhp engine and a 2.5-litre 203 bhp engine.

The A-Class based compact SUV looks like it has a lot of potential for India. But till it’s fully developed, it’s going to be a bit of a wait.

Photo credit: Joostloos (external link)

Photo: The Ssangyong Korando has sharp lines and looks aggressive from the front

Looks space and comfort

The Korando slightly resembles the Hyundai Tucson and is compact in dimensions (4.4 m length). The chunky 17-inch alloy wheels and large wheel arches give this SUV, a masculine look. At the front it has a sporty mesh grille; side swept headlamps and smartly designed fog lamp housings. Read more: Ssangyong Korando Photo gallery

The Korando features five seats and a luggage space of 486 litres that can be further extended by folding the rear split seats. Expect a spacious cabin with well-sculpted front and rear seats that offer decent all round support.

Photo: The Korando has a rear design that reminds you of the Chevrolet Captiva and the Hyundai Tucson

Expected performance

The Korando spotted had an AWD (all-wheel-drive) and D20T (2.0-litre turbo diesel) badges at the rear, which indicate that the India-bound model will likely have the same 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine that powers the Korando sold in European markets.

This engine puts out 172.6 Bhp (175 PS) of power and 360 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission. In India, the Korando will likely be launched in both 2WD and AWD versions.  The Korando is built on a monocoque chassis, (the first monocoque SUV produced by Ssangyong) with sub-frames and hence its handling should be significantly better than SUVs built on ladder-frame chassis.

Photo: The boot of the Korando gets its fair share of chrome and badges

Expected features

The European Korando is loaded with safety features that have helped it bag a 5-star Euro NCAP rating. The safety features include ABS, EBD, traction control and six airbags. Comfort features include six-way power adjustable drive seat, AC with automatic climate control, cruise control, audio system with CD/MP3/AM/FM, aux and USB ports, six speakers, Bluetooth, rain sensing wipers and automatic headlights. It is yet to be seen whether all these features will make into the India-bound Korando.

Expected price and launch

For the current fiscal year (April 2012 – March 2013), Mahindra has no plans to launch the Korando as it has scheduled other launches such as Maxximo based passenger van, Rexton, Reva NXR electric car, mini Xylo and Verito compact sedan. Read more: Upcoming launches from Mahindra

Hence, the Korando may be launched during the second half of 2013. If launched, Mahindra may position the Korando between the Mahindra XUV500 (Rs. 11.58 lakh – Rs. 14.11 lakh) and the Rexton (Rs. 20 lakh estimated price).

(Photo courtesy: Autocar India)

The new Rexton has contemporary and sporty looks unlike the Rexton showcased at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo. The headlamps with LED surrounds give the SUV, a sharp look. The radiator grille with horizontal chrome slats and large Ssangyong logo at the centre, gives the SUV a bold stance.

Photo: The face-lifted Rexton is much more futuristic and sporty looking than to older version

The chunky alloy wheels and turn indicators on the ORVMs, give the new Rexton, a sporty appeal.  The ‘Z’ shaped C pillar of the old Rexton is retained in the new model. However, the rear styling is radical with a new taillamp cluster and large bumper with integrated reflectors.

The stylish exterior upgrade suggest that Ssangyong may have thoroughly revamped the interiors with new central console, instrument cluster and more comfortable features than offered in the present model.

Photo: From the rear the face lifted Rexton looks like a huge SUV but there isn't anything dramatic or unqie

With regard to performance, the new Rexton is expected to be powered by the same engine that powers the pre-facelift model. The older Rexton is powered by a 2.7 litre turbo diesel engine that churns out 183 hp of maximum power and 402 Nm of maximum torque. The engine is mated to either a 5-speed manual gear box or a 5-speed automatic. Rexton will accelerate from 0 – 100 kmph in 11.6 seconds and can achieve a top speed of 181 kmph as per the company. Read more about the India Bound Rexton here.

Mahindra has scheduled the launch of the Rexton in September 2012 and with just months away from the launch it may not be feasible for the company to launch the facelift version. Hence, expect the pre-facelift model to hit showrooms first.

Photo: The Punto Sports will be a sportier version of the regular Punto hatch presently being sold

The Punto 90 HP Sport version is expected to come with cosmetic changes like chrome accented interiors, chrome exhaust tip, specially stitched gear knob,  gear lever cover, color coded ORVMs, door sills with ‘Punto’ letters embossed and ‘Sport’ branded body decals. The 90 HP Sports version will likely be made available in three colors namely, bossa nova white, exotica red and hip hop black.  Also read: Hyundai i-Gen i20 vs. Fiat Grande Punto

Punto Sports at Auto Expo 2012; image courtesy mapsofindia.com

Image courtesy: Mapsofindia

The Punto 90 HP Sports version will be powered by a 1.3-litre Multijet diesel motor that puts out 91.7 Bhp (93 PS) of power and 209 Nm of torque unlike the ordinary Punto which is powered by a 1.3-litre Multijet diesel motor that puts out 74.9 Bhp (76 PS) of power and 197 Nm of torque.

Performance wise, the Punto 90 HP offers more power on tap but still exhibits a turbo lag below 2,000 rpm and hence to keep the engine in the power band, frequent gear shifts are needed in city driving conditions.

Out on the highway, the Punto 90 HP performs better than the Punto (75 Bhp) as it accelerates faster to reach three digit speeds and it also has a better power-to-weight ratio, improving the mileage a little. The claimed mileage of the Punto 90 HP is 20.5 Kmpl which is slightly better than the claimed mileage of Punto which is 20.3 Kmpl.

Fiat launched the Punto 90 HP in the year 2010 and the car attracted a few enthusiasts who wanted more power and torque on the Punto diesel to fully exploit its handling characteristics.  In 2012, Fiat gave a minor cosmetic facelift and launched the 2012 Punto. And now, Fiat is gearing up to launch the Punto 90 HP Sports edition on May 18^th with cosmetic upgrades, targeting enthusiasts who are looking for powerful diesel hatchbacks.

Photo: The Sylphy looks elegant yet aggressive from the front with its wide grille and sharp headlamps

Looks, space and comfort

The Sylphy concept was showcased at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show last month. The Sylphy concept has a front grille similar to that of the Sunny and the Teana sedans. The headlamp too has a conventional design yet the day-time running LED lights give it a premium feel. The fog lamps housing has a radical styling. Also read: Nissan Sunny XL vs. Maruti Suzuki Ertiga ZDi: Buy the sedan, or the mini-MPV?

The strong crease line that begins at the top edge of the side swept headlamp cluster and continues to run through the length of the car, adds a tone of muscle. At the rear, the bumper looks conventional with a large side swept tail lamp cluster with LED brake lights and a thick horizontal chrome slat above the number plate.

The interior of the Sylphy concept has a conventional instrument cluster and central console layout. The three spoke steering wheel has V-shaped silver accents with integrated audio and Bluetooth controls. The seats are well sculpted and should offer good overall support. The boot space can also be expected to be at par with its rivals.

Photo: Inside the Sylphy will be plush and we can expect good quality plastics and inserts

Expected Performance

The Sylphy is expected to be powered by a 1.8-litre, 4-cylinder petrol motor mated to next-generation, XTRONIC CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). As per Nissan, the XTRONIC CVT will deliver better fuel efficiency than the regular CVT. Power and torque specifications are not known at the moment.

Photo: The Sylphy sedan looks typically Nissan from the rear and remind you of its siblings

Competition

The Sylphy sedan will compete with cars such as the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla Altis, Chevrolet Cruze, Skoda Laura and the Renault Fluence. Buyers look for diesel powered vehicles in the D segment and that is why petrol-only cars like the Honda Civic suffers when it comes to overall sales. Hence, a diesel engine is crucial for the Sylphy to sell in significant numbers.

Do you like the looks of Sylphy? Do you think the Nissan taste success by launching the Sylphy in India? Please comment below.

(Photo Courtesy: Top Speed)

Photo: The Alto has been around for a long time and it was in dire need of a contemporary replacement

Maruti Suzuki vendors have allegedly said that the upcoming model uses the same Alto platform but will still be a ‘completely a new car’. The new car is expected to reignite sales of the Alto.

Introduction of new car models is usually a good strategy to improve sales. In case of Maruti Suzuki which has witnessed an 11% decline in small car sales in the last fiscal, the new model may be the key product to recapture the lost market share.

As per earlier reports, Maruti Suzuki was to replace the M800, with a new model but, new reports suggest that it may the Alto that will be replaced.

It is still uncertain as to which of the two models (800, Alto) this new car will replace. Also, the company may launch the new model during the festive season to capitalize on buyer sentiments.

Overall, the new car will target the volume segment and will surely create a lot of demand among buyers as it comes from Maruti Suzuki. So if you are planning to buy a small car under Rs. 3 lakh, its worth waiting for the upcoming small car for MSI.

(Source: Wall Street Journal)

Let’s see the differences between the looks of the present Linea and the upcoming Linea.

Photo: Compared to the old Linea the 2013 model looks more sporty and aggressive

New Front

The facelifted Linea gets a new radiator grille with two prominent horizontal slats with the Fiat logo on top of the slats. In the new Linea, a thick chrome strip separates the fog lamp housings and the lower air dam. The parabolic headlamps of the outgoing model is retained in the new model, however, there are subtle changes in the detailing.

Photo: At the rear too the new Linea looks young and fresh with loads of chrome

Refreshed Rear

The Linea facelift features a redesigned boot door. The number plate which has been integrated to the rear bumper in the present model, has now been moved to the boot door. In the new Linea, there are two thick horizontal chrome straps, one above the number plate and the other integrated to the rear bumper. The shape of the tail lamp cluster remains the same in both the versions, but Fiat has given a mild clear lens treatment in the facelift version.  Note that the side profile of both the cars remains the same.

Photo: On the interiors the new Linea will get more of black and the dashboard too has a different appearance

Revamped dashboard

The Linea facelift gets dual tone dashboard with clever use of beige tone in the middle of the dashboard breaking the monotony of the grey shades. The shapes of steering wheel and middle AC vents remain unchanged, but the AC vents on the edges are round in shape.

The scoops for the instrument cluster have been carved out seamlessly while the 3D dials should be easier to read at a glance. The central console also gets a new layout which is aesthetically better than the retro theme of the present model. Expect the plastic quality, fit and finish to improve in the new Linea.

Engines

In Turkey, the facelifted Linea gets the 1.4-litre Multi-air petrol engine and the second generation 1.3-litre Multijet diesel engine. But there is less possibility for Fiat to offer the 1.4-litre Multi-air engine in Indian market as the new technology would incur more production cost that may drastically increase the price of Linea which is already selling in very low numbers. Hence, expect the facelift version to carry over the same engines of the present model: a 1.4-liter FIRE motor that puts out 88 bhp of power, a 1.4 litre turbocharged T-Jet petrol engine puts out 113 bhp and a 1.3-litre MULTIJET diesel motor churns out 92 bhp of power.

Summary

Overall, the Linea facelift looks better on the inside than the outside. Fiat will likely keep the launch of Linea facelift on the back burner, as the company currently focuses on opening exclusive dealerships in the coming months. Hence, potential buyers may have to wait at least till 2013 to drive home the new Linea.

Photo: We believe the Nano will be the first car from Tata with compressed air technology

Yesterday, Tata Motors announced that their air car programme has entered the second phase of testing. In January 2007, Tata Motors signed a licence agreement with MDI to produce and sell compressed air cars using MDI technology in India. The first phase of the programme, where the technology needed to prove that it was practical has already been covered. Now Tata Motors enters the next phase which is to complete the technology development and develop a product that’s ready for the market in the next few years.

Yesterday, Tata Motors announced that their air car programme has entered the second phase of testing.

MDI’s air car that was first showcased in 1998, was invented by Guy Negre who developed the engine in 1991. In 2007, he signed an agreement with Tata to develop a product called the Tata OneCAT. This was a five seater vehicle built entirely of fibre-glass and aluminium which made it very light. This was supposed to be ready by 2008, but hasn’t seen the light of day yet. However, this sudden release of information from Tata about the progress of the air car shows that the project isn’t dead and is in fact on its way to full-fledged product development.

Photo: MDI has developed a working prototype of a compressed air 3-seater city car

MDI plans to develop 5 air cars

MDI and Tata have at least five different air-powered vehicles in the pipeline. Some of them run on only compressed air. This requires the vehicle to have a large carbon-fibre air tank that can store compressed air and gives it an operational range of 200 km. The engine is a light-weight aluminium two-cylinder or four-cylinder engine that uses air to drive the pistons instead of petrol.

Photo: The OneFlow Air is a basic two-seater convertible compressed air car from MDI

Other hybrid applications of the compressed air technology also include using compressed air and petrol in the same engine, thereby extending the range of the vehicle to up to 1,400 km on a tank of air and a tank of petrol. The emissions with such an engine are much lower than a conventional petrol engine. And this car can be driven on “pure air mode” in the city.

The cars that is developing include the OneFlowAir – a small convertible, MiniFlowAir – which is almost like the Tata Nano, the AirPod – which is like the Magic Iris and the CityFlowAir and Mutli-FlowAir which are slightly larger passenger and goods carrying applications.

Tata is the official partner in developing the air car with MDI. Tata has tested the technology in two of its existing products, which are most likely the Nano and Magic Iris. However, a commercial launch in India is not likely before 2015, as air-filling infrastructure, homologation and safety checks need to be completed before the car can run on Indian roads.

According to MDI, the basic cost of the a car like the OneFlowAir will be about 3,500 euros, which is about Rs. 2.42 lakh – that’s just a tad more than the regular Tata Nano costs right now.

What are your thoughts on a car that runs on compressed air? Will you buy one? Let us know.