Four “new-look” cars coming in the next few months

More old wine in newer bottles. There are three cars with facelifts coming into the Indian market in the next two months according to reports. These include the Maruti SX4, the Nissan Micra, Fiat Punto and the Fiat Linea.

These cars are not likely to have any major mechanical changes. However, the looks have been altered to keep with the times. In some of them the transformation has worked in their favour, whereas in others, it’s not quite what the doctor ordered.

Here’s a look at the facelifted variants due for launch in the next few months.

New Fiat Punto

Fiat is planning to launch the new Fiat Punto in the first week of April. There is no clarity on whether the new Punto that Fiat is planning to launch in India will have the updated bumper, grille, tail-lamps and new dashboard that the Punto in South America gets. If these are indeed the changes that the car gets, it will make the Punto look far more contemporary. At the front, the car gets indicator lamps embedded in the bumper instead of integrated with the headlamps. The fog lamp position is different and so is the front grille. The interiors of the car are likely to sport a lighter colour scheme – different from the present black and grey. The dashboard and instrument console too may be updated with a fresher look.

Mechanically, there won’t be any changes to the car – you will still get the 1.2 litre petrol and the 1.3 litre diesel engine in 75PS and 90PS power output. Fiat is planning to bring in the Abarth brand later this year, and that version of the Punto will have a lot more power. Also read: Fiat Punto Abarth coming this year

Fiat Linea and Linea T-Jet

The Fiat Linea also may get a minor facelift, which includes a revised front bumper, more chrome strips on the boot and a new front grille. The Linea T-Jet is due for launch in the first week of April and it will come with a 1.4 litre petrol engine churning out 114 bhp of power. It will have all the features of the top-end Emotion variant of the Linea (which at present is only in the diesel variant). The Linea T-Jet would probably come only in Emotion trim, taking the place of a top-end variant in the petrol Linea line up. The regular Fiat Linea won’t have any mechanical changes as such. Also read: Fiat to launch updated Linea T-Jet end March

Maruti SX4 facelift

Maruti is planning to launch the facelifted version of the SX4 soon. This car has seen its sales dwindling in recent times and is due for an update. The refreshed SX4 takes on a more retro-look with a large chrome grille replacing the slim grille at present. It also gets new bumpers. There is not much different at the rear. On the interiors, it gets a new black and beige dashboard colour and a touch-screen infotainment system with Bluetooth replacing the current integrated music system, and it apparently also gets power-folding mirrors. The SX4 will continue to be available in 1.6 litre petrol and 1.3 litre 90PS diesel variants. Also read: Maruti Sx4 facelift launch soon

Nissan Micra facelift

There is no clear time-frame as to when Nissan plans to bring in the face-lifted Micra to India. It has just unveiled the facelifted variant in Thailand (in the form of the Nissan March). This car manages to shed its cute, feminine image, and take on a more masculine look, something that the Renault Pulse managed on the same body style. The Micra gets a new front grille and bumper with the trademark Nissan design. On the inside too, the dashboard now appears to have come from the Nissan Sunny, replacing the rounded vents at the centre with rectangular ones, a new music system and a change in the colour scheme of the dashboard. Also read: New Nissan cars for 2013

Which of these new bottles do you like? Tell us.