Six Car Launches To Watch Out For In The Next 3 Months

August will see no less than three all new cars being launched in India’s budget segments. September and October won’t be without their own tidings either. Three more mass market cars that have big potential of being segment busters will follow the August launches. Today, we’ll fill you in on what to expect in the next three months, in the budget car segments.

Fiat Abarth 500

The Abarth brand’s presence in India will be marked on the 4th of August, with the Abarth 500 Competizione hatchback. The car is a brand builder, out and out. It’ll have the 1.4 liter T-Jet turbo petrol engine that’s also found in the Linea sedan, but in a higher state of tune. 158 Bhp of peak power and 230 Nm of peak torque will drive the dimunitive car’s front wheels by means of a 5 speed automated manual transmission. The Fiat 500 Abarth Competizione promises exciting performance in a lovable form factor, but one that’s quite expensive. Since the car’s a CBU import expect to fork out about 25-30 lakh rupees for one.

Maruti Suzuki S-Cross

August 5th is when Maruti Suzuki will bring the S-Cross crossover to India. The S-Cross will be Maruti Suzuki’s most premium offering for a while, and will be retailed exclusively through NEXA dealerships that the automaker will set up in most large cities of the country. The S-Cross will be a bold move from Maruti Suzuki, what with the crossover taking the diesel-only route with 1.3 liter and 1.6 liter Fiat Multijet diesel motors. The crossover is expected to take on the likes of the Renault Duster and the just-launched Hyundai Creta, with a competitive price tag to boot.

Ford Figo Aspire

Ford India will officially open pre-bookings for the Figo Aspire compact sedan on the 27th of July, 2015, weeks ahead of the car’s launch here. The Figo Aspire, at least on paper, has everything covered in its segment as far as performance and equipment goes. The car’s pricing will now determine how well it is accepted in the market. Easily the most powerful and safest compact sedan in India, the Figo Aspire has aspirational written all over it. Will it be able to take over from where the Ford Classic left off? This, time will tell.

Fiat Punto Abarth

 

The Fiat Punto Abarth will soon usurp the crown of India’s most powerful budget petrol hatchback from the Volkswagen Polo GT TSI. The Punto Abarth’s new found status will be courtesy the 1.4 liter T-Jet turbo petrol engine nestling under its hood. With 135 Bhp and 207 Nm on tap, the car is expected to lead the hatchback space in terms of performance. The 5 speed manual gearbox will handle transmission duties while styling will get a few tweaks to signify the car’s higher performance.

Mahindra U301

Mahindra will reveal information about the U301 Bolero on the 30th of July, 2015, followed by a launch in the coming weeks. The U301 Bolero will give India’s best seller MUV the status of a compact SUV, with a brand new form factor and new mechanicals. However, the ladder frame chassis will remain, with hydroforming being a concession granted for lightness and stiffness. The U301 Bolero will be rear wheel driven, and a 5 speed AMT option is likely to be in the scheme of things. The 1.5 liter-3 cylinder twin scroll diesel motor from the Quanto will propel the new, sub-4 meter compact SUV from Mahindra.

Maruti Suzuki YRA

The Maruti Suzuki YRA, unveiled in Geneva 2015 as the iK-2 concept, will be launched here in the coming months. Currently code-named the YRA, the premium B+ segment hatchback from Maruti Suzuki will take aim at the likes of the Hyundia Elite i20 and the just-launched Honda Jazz cars. The YRA is likely to pack in the 1.2 liter K-Series petrol and the 1.3 liter Fiat Multijet turbo diesel engines. The 1 liter-3 cylinder turbo petrol motor based on the K10 unit is expected to be stored for later. The YRA will be pricier than the Swift, and will be more spacious and feature filled too.