Rendered – All new Mercedes E Class Coupe and Cabriolet

 

The all new Mercedes E Class is ready to make its official debut at the Detroit Motor Show. Most of the details of the sedan and the station wagon version are already out 
Clearly, that also leaves a lot of room for speculations on the Cabriolet and the Coupe version. Our friend from Malaysia, Theophilus Chin sends us his imagination of the two new variants of Mercedes E Class.

First up is the Coupe version of the Mercedes E Class which has a more raked roofline than the sedan avatar. The two door coupe gets a different grill and new bumper to differentiate itself from the sedan version. It may also get a new set of headlamps that are slightly different from the sedan.

The cabriolet version of the Mercedes E Class also gets a distinct front grill and a new bumper. The cabriolet will deploy a fabric roof instead of a metal origami.
There is a very good chance that Mercedes might actually go the extra mile to differentiate the coupe and cabriolet from the normal sedan in order to make them more premium thus enabling themselves to charge a premium.

Rendering – Porsche Pajun gets a green light for production

 

Porsche is all set to enter luxury executive sedan market with their baby Panamera fondly referred in the community as Pajun.
The plans of baby Panamera have been churning the rumor mill since early May of 2012. AutoCar reports that the production of the Pajun has been green lit by the management.
The idea is to rival the Mercedes E Class, BMW 5 Series and Audi A6 which is expected to be a segment which will churn out 9,70,000 units every year till 2017. Analysts predict that the same segment will show growth spike taking the total figure to about 1.3 million units by the end of 2019. Currently, most of the sales are dominated by the Germans with a few heading to Jaguar’s XF.
Porsche, one of the most profitable supercar maker in the world, is hunting for new avenues to enhance the bottom line. The Stuttgart based automaker plans to sell 200,000 units annually by 2018 and this midsize executive segment is too lucrative to give it a miss.
Porsche is not the only manufacturer who has smelled the coffee. Maserati is also preparing its own rival for this segment which is expected to be called the Ghibli.
Coming back to the Pajun, both Audi and Porsche are collectively working on this project. The Pajun is expected to ride on the MSB-F – front-engined, rear/all-wheel drive platform. This platform will also underpin the next gen Panamera and nearly all new Bentleys. The Pajun will be a five-door fastback, like its bigger brother Panamera.
Since the Pajun is a smaller model, Porsche may leave out the V8 engine and use only V6. The Pajun will be offered in both petrol and diesel range -

• A 3.0-litre V6 diesel with 310bhp
• A 3.0-litre V6 turbocharged with 318 bhp
• A 3.0-litre V6 bi-turbo with 414bhp.
• The same petrol engine will be mated a plug-in hybrid system that will deliver an extra 100bhp.

A seven-speed manual gearbox or a dual-clutch PDK system will send power to the front or all four wheels.
The Pajun is said to be scheduled for production in 2017 and would have a price range of between €65,000 (approx 45 lakhs) and €100,000 (69 lakhs).

BMW M3 and M4 – Two new hotties from the M division

The BMW M Division – one of the biggest and baddest performance brands in the business. They are the connoisseurs of racing, the legends of horsepower and handling. And they are ready with their next generation of products for us petrolheads.

First up the replacement to the car that is fondly referred to as ‘the ultimate driving machine’ – the BMW M3. The BMW 3 Series was recently replaced with all new F30 and thus the sporty version of the 3 Series needs a replacement as well.
In the fifth generation BMW M3, the biggest change will be the engine. The new M3 will drop the current V8 in favor of a twin-turbo 3.0 liter straight-six engine. The new engine will be putting out 420 hp instead of 450 hp in the current model. What? Less Power? Wait, relax BMW engineers have worked on the torque output and the new M3 will put out an additional 135 Nm of torque than its predecessor.

The new M3 will also be a lot lighter than its predecessor. Early reports suggest that 136 kgs have been shaved off the kerb weight of the predecessor. So more torque and less weight, you know where this is going right?
The engine is mated to a 7-speed double-clutch transmission. There is a very good chance that the M Division will move away from manual transmissions.
Expect the new M3 to be shown as a concept at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.

A new product from the M division will also see the light of the day – the BMW M4. Essentially, BMW plans to split the BMW 3 Series lineup into two lines – 3 Series and 4 Series. The convertible and the coupe version of the 3 Series will be split from the 3 Series lineup to form a whole new 4 Series product line. Codenamed the F32, the BMW 4 Series is going to be a less expensive 6 Series for aspirational young executives. 

Clearly, when the BMW’s M division gets its hands on the 4 series, there will be a M4 in the market. The BMW M4 Coupe (codenamed F82) will be lighter, faster and more efficient than the current M3 coupe. It will use a ‘multi-turbo’ inline-six engine producing somewhere around 473 hp and 536 Nm of torque. Additional details on the M4 models are very much limited for the moment.

Hot and Chic – The new BMW 2 Series ready to step up the game

There is hardly anyone in the business that can keep up with BMW when it comes to sheer innovation. Over the past decade, i have seen such exquisite innovations from the Bavarian automaker when it comes to tech, products and marketing. The automaker is ready to push the envelope one more time with the new BMW 2 Series product line.

Essentially, BMW wants to create as many product categories as possible specifically targeting niche demand. This allows them to create more premium products and thus maintain a higher profit margin.
Coming back to the product, the BMW 2 Series product line is an offshoot of the 1 Series. BMW wants to separate the 2-door coupe and convertible under the 2 Series moniker. BMW says that it will allow them to add more premium goodies to the new product line. Spyshots suggest that it is smaller in size than the BMW 3 Series, but slightly larger than the current generation of 1 Series Coupe.

It is built on the same platform as the current 1 Series and is codenamed F22 and F23 for the 2 Door Coupe and the Convertible respectively. Despite being based on the 1 Series platform which is longer and roomier than its predecessor, the 2 Series will be extensively re-engineered for an increased length, increased levels of interior accommodation and luggage capacity and enhanced safety credentials.
Design wise, it will be a complete departure from the 1 Series. So if you did not like the 1 Series headlamps (and there is a very good chance that you didn’t), you can be rest assured that the 2 Series design will be more appealing. It will feature a more sleeker and sportier look. It will have slimmer headlights, larger front air intakes, and a more prominent, forward-leaning kidney grille.
Slightly more powerful versions of the existing BMW 1 Series’ engine lineup will find their home in the new 2 Series. I can expect a choice of of 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder petrol units, a selection of four-cylinder 2.0-liter diesels with power ranging anywhere between 150 hp to 214 hp. All engines will be mated to a six-speed manual gearbox or an optional eight-speed automatic transmission. Power will be sent to the rear wheels and BMW’s xDrive AWD system will also be offered as an option
Somewhere down the line, there will also be a M version of the 2 Series. Expected to be a spiritual successor to the 1 M Coupe, the M2 will be a more polished and more powerful than the 1M which was a very last minute decision.

The BMW M2 will feature a typical M treatment with a unique front-end, large air intakes, a wider track, wider rear fenders, as well as a rear spoiler and four exhaust pipes. Power will come from a twin-turbo N54 3.0-liter straight-six sending 360 hp to the rear wheels. So Audi RS3, Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG, Volkswagen Golf R be afraid, be very afraid.
We’ll probably see the BMW 2 Series at the Frankfurt Motor Show this year; it could go on sale by the end of 2013 or early in 2014.

The Rise of Qoros – China’s answer to the European car market

There is a very good chance that you have never heard of the name Qoros. However, there is a very good chance that you will keep hearing about Qoros constantly through one medium or another from now on.

When I say two words ‘Chinese Cars’, you are immediately flashed with images of small weird soapbox cars that look like someone described European cars over the phone.
Since a very long time, Chinese cars have gained a reputation for being cheap look-a-likes of their European counterparts. So if these Chinese manufacturers had to succeed in the European markets, they had to ditch their rather unpopular image.
In comes ‘Qoros’ – a new Chinese brand formed by a joint venture between Chery Auto of China and Quantum LLC of Israel. In essence, the Chinese automakers are hungry to tap into global markets and rebranding themselves is the way forward.
Qoros will focus on making mainstream luxurious sporty cars aimed for people in their 30s for the Chinese market and for export to Europe. Qoros has called for the services of Volker Steinwascher who worked for nearly two decades with Volkswagen and ex-MINI designer Gert Volker Hildebrand.
Qoros revealed their first concept car a few days back which gives us a glimpse of a sporty four-door D-segment sedan which will be Qoros flagship in 2020. This nameless concept, which seems to take its inspiration from the Audi R8, will be an exquisite mix of composite materials, futuristic styling and kinky suicide doors.
Just two days back, Qoros revealed yet another product- this time a compact SUV all set to debut at Geneva Motor Show. The HQ3 Cross will be based on a platform co-developed with the help of Austrian firm Magna Steyr. Internally codenamed CF1X, this urban SUV is expected to be 4.6 meters long and will be powered by a 4-cylinder, 1.6-liter TGDI (Turbocharged Gasoline Direct Injection) engine that was co-developed with Chery.

And just yesterday, Qoros finally revealed their third product – a C segment sedan called GQ3. Based on the same platform as the compact SUV, the GQ3 is designed to look like a European car and engineered to get maximum stars in EuroNCAP. It kind of reminds us of the Renault Fluence. The LED headlamps and the 19 inch wheels are really very interesting to look at.



On the inside, there are some interesting details such as an 8 inch touch screen, flat bottom steering, leather seats, etc. The Qoros GQ3 will feature front, side and curtain airbags, along with seatbelt restraint systems.
I believe that Qoros has a really bright future. It is backed by some interesting giants including Magna Steyr, TWR, Continental, Bosch, Valeo and Microsoft. Qoros has set a target to build 1,50,000 cars a year, and later, if sales go well, production could be increased by up to 4,50,000 a year.
Stay tuned for Qoros’s official debut at the Geneva Motor Show.

All new Range Rover Sport gets ready to rumble

 

After revealing the all new Range Rover in the most grandest manner possible in Morocco, Land Rover has started work on the sporty version of the Range Rover called the Range Rover Sport.
Land Rover is busy testing the new Range Rover Sport at the Nurburgring. The idea is to improve driver involvement by changing the steering feel and suspension tune. The Range Rover Sport is expected to weigh the same as its sister model Range Rover.
It will be based on an updated lightweight aluminum platform shared with the new Range Rover and Jaguar XJ. The updated platform has reduced the kerb weight by 150 kgs. The new Sport will be available with 5–seat as well as 7–seat options, making it quite a practical SUV.
At heart of the new Range Rover Sport will be three potent engine options –

• A new V6 turbodiesel engine with 255 hp and and a peak torque of 624 Nm
• V8 twin-turbo diesel with 335 hp and a peak torque of 699 Nm
• 5.0-liter V8 petrol engine with 550 hp and 680 Nm of peak torque
• A hybrid V6 diesel engine with 333 hp

A 8-Speed automatic transmission will do the duty of shifting cogs.
Styling wise, the new Range Rover Sport will feature more aggressive design lines, sharply angled roof, a different bumper, larger front air intakes and a big spoiler.
On the inside, it will have a much more premium appearance complete with carbon fiber themed dashboard. I should also expect a large display screen in the center stack, digital instrument cluster and a Harmon/Kardon sound system.
The new Range Rover Sport is ready to make its public debut in the first half of 2013. I can see some action from JLR at the Detroit Motor Show.
When launched, the Range Rover Sport will face some stiff competition from the BMW X5M, Mercedes ML63 AMG and the Porsche Cayenne GTS

Renault Duster to evolve in a bid to counteract Ford EcoSport

 
 

 

Renault Duster is the first affordable compact crossover SUV and that has clearly given the car a great start in every market including Brazil and India.
The fact that the car arrived much earlier than the global Ford EcoSport has helped it to have a strong case for itself. The Duster still manages to outsell the new Ford EcoSport in Brazil but just barely.
The Renault Duster is facing stiff competition from the newly arrived EcoSport but manages to trump it with a slightly lesser price in the Brazilian market and Renault clearly knows that it needs to step up its game by sprucing up its SUV in order to stay ahead.
The next generation Duster is still a long time away considering the fact that the new Logan has been launched only recently. So, the mid life facelift will be Renault’s plan to make the Duster feel new and fresh.
The Duster facelift’s visual changes will most probably be based on the DCross Concept showcased at the Sao Paulo Motor Show in October. As all facelifts go, the changes are more of an evolution rather than being dramatic.
The DCross is a design study which featured new headlamps, front grill, bumper. The rear too has few subtle redesigning and reprofiling. Apart from the exterior changes, the Renault Duster facelift will have improved interior quality and more equipment. Extra equipment is a must since that is the department where the EcoSport has clear advantage.
The facelifted Renault Duster is expected to surface at the end of 2013 as a 2014 model and will likely make its debut in Brazil before eventually making it into our shores. Right now Renault India is preparing themselves to welcome the EcoSport by introducing the 4WD Duster early next year.

Maruti is preparing for a sedan onslaught in B & C Segments in the coming years

Maruti Suzuki is always known as the small car guru and the company wants its future strategy to revolve around their forte.
Maruti has announced that it will never manufacture a premium vehicle and will be concentrating on small cars since the company believes that India is still a small car loving country. However, in order to cater to the needs of people who are moving up the value chain, MSIL will introduce three new sedans in B and C Segments.
Mr. R. C. Bhargava, Chairman of MSIL told media that, “We will never go to the premium segment. Neither Maruti (MSIL) nor Suzuki (Corporation) will manufacture such cars. Small cars will remain the largest segment in India and our focus is to be a first-class player (market leader) in this segment as that is our bread and butter”
Financial express reports that Maruti is working on three new sedans which will be evenly spread through the car maker’s already extensive portfolio. The  first sedan will be a B segment candidate which will sit between the Swift Dzire and the SX4 and is expected to be launched sometime in 2014. The car will borrow most of its components from the Swift.
The second car is an entry D segment which would be slightly upmarket than the current SX4. The sedan is expected to be ready in 2014-2015 and it could even be the successor of the SX4 which has registered a steep decline in sales.
The third sedan will be a sub-four meter car and would be the entry level B Segment sedan which could be based on the next gen A-Star. Apart from these sedans, there is the XA Alpha based mini SUV which will also join the future lineup.
MSIL could easily find takers for the new products but in order make them a reality, the company needs expanded production capacity. Maruti has acquired lands at two locations in Gujarat. An additional 600 acres of land has been added to the originally planned investment of Rs. 4,000 Cr on new plant in Gujarat.
With more and more people graduating from A Segment to B or C Segment, Maruti, as usual seems to have sensed the pulse of Indian car buying mass spot on.

New Chevrolet Corvette C7′s leaked CAD drawings reveal the exterior and interior!

Chevrolet Corvette C7, the quintessential American supercar is scheduled to be launched on January 13th, but you needn’t wait till that to know more about the car.
Guys at Corvetteforum.com have managed to get their hands on some pretty informative CAD drawings of the car. The Corvette’s appearance has been completely transformed in its seventh iteration and as i informed earlier, the car sacrifices its unique design feature, the wraparound single piece rear glass area for a conventional layout.



The rear of the car is all edgy while its predecessor is full of curves. The Camaro like tail lamps complement the rear of the car and the quad exhaust pipes are the only circular elements. The front of the car is consistent with the service manual leak that i brought to you earlier.



The profile of the car tells you that the C7 is one serious big engined supercar with its long bonnet, steeply raked windshield and roof line. The stylish vent in the front fender earns brownie points.



The interior values ergonomics over form and every element in the cabin feels like it’s built around the driver. The central console inclines towards the driver so that he won’t be distracted while trying to use a button on the console at hair raising speeds that the car is easily capable of.



Powering the supercar will be a beefier version of the 6.2 litre LT1 V8 engine. There is also talks about an entry level 3.6 litre V6 which could be made available mainly to tackle to the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) law in the US.
The Corvette C7 is clearly a much more modern looking supercar which has advanced in all the fronts.

Spied – New Chevrolet Corvette C7′s nose shown in service manual leak

The Chevrolet Corvette C7 is easily the most anticipated American supercar to hit the roads next year and here is a sketch of the car’s nose.



Scoop photographer Chris Doane has uploaded this picture on his Facebook page, which is taken from the service manual of the soon to be launched Chevrolet Corvette C7. The photo shows the nose of the supercar.
The car has a low slung stance and the front bumper sports a hexagonal air dam. The headlamps are elongated and now reaches the wheel arches.
The hood has stylish louvres to cool the engine and there are vents in the front fenders too. The front fascia of the next gen Corvette is completely different to the current Corvette C6.
The rear too is believed to be entirely different with the traditional single piece rear wrap around glass area being replaced by more conventional split layout.
Chevrolet has been releasing video teasers of the Corvette C7 which is scheduled to be unveiled on 13th January at the NAIAS. Here is the latest video which gives a glimpse of the car’s interiors.

Spied – Audi RS7, more RS variants to come

With the performance market hotting up in the recent days, so many manufacturers are fettling with the engine and the suspension of their standard cars to make high performance variants.

AMG, M, Abarth, Mopar, Mugen and so many other performance brands are running from pillar to post to satisfy their clientele with some more POWER!

Audi is also looking at capitalizing this bhp frenzy wave by bringing in two performance  models in 2013. Quattro GmbH, Audi’s performance division, has confirmed the launch of the RS7 Sportsback and Q3 RS in 2013.

Audi recently took the wraps of the RS5 cabriolet – the fourth model in the existing line up of TT RS, RS4 Avant and RS5 coupe. This monster is powered by a  4.2-litre V8 that sends 444 bhp to all four wheels via a dual clutch transmission. The RS5 cabriolet hits 100 km/hr in 4.9secs, 0.4sec slower than its hard-top sister.
The next in line was the Audi RS6 Avant which is powered by a 4.0L, twin-turbo, V8 TFSI motor developing 560 hp and a monstrous 700 Nm of torque. It can accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in a best-in-segment 3.9 seconds.
The RS7 Sportback was spied by Doches.blogspot.com. The car will be powered by the same engine as the RS6 so expect the power and torque figures to be the same. But whereas the RS6 will hit the electronic nanny at 250 km/h, the RS7 will keep on pushing till it hits a positive side of 305 km/hr. The RS7 is expected to make its debut at the Detroit Motor Show.
The Concept version of the Q3 RS was show at the Beijing motor show in April. Audi plans to put it into production by the time i reach Geneva Motor Show. Expect the TT RS’s 2.5L engine to do its duty in the Audi Q3. Power should be around 355bhp.

Volkswagen Santana finally hits Chinese market

The Chinese market saw yet another Volkswagen product being introduced this month. Yes, I am talking about the Volkswagen Santana, the VW Vento’s Chinese cousin.



Based on the PQ25 architecture, Volkswagen Santana replaces the aging Santana 3000 Vista and Jetta Mk2 models that have been around for decades in China. Dimensionally, the Santana is 4.47 m long, 1.70 m wide and 1.4 m high and sits of a wheelbase of 2.6 m.



The Volkswagen Santana is launched in two petrol avatars -

• 1.4-liter petrol engine with 90 hp
• 1.6-liter petrol engine with 110 hp

It is either available with a five-speed manual or a six-speed automatic.

The styling of the Santana has the Volkswagen family DNA. For an Indian consumer, it looks like a cut price Jetta. Special features include -

• Front, side and curtain airbags
• ABS
• ESP
• Automatic air conditioning
• Electric sliding sunroof
• Alloy wheels
• Leather upholstery and parking sensors

The VW Santana is priced from between 84,900 yuan (INR 7.45 lakhs) and 123,800 yuan or (INR 10.87 lakhs).
The Santana will be made by the Shanghai-Volkswagen joint venture. Interestingly, this JV is also responsible for making the future Skoda Rapid. The FAW-Volkswagen JV is responsible for manufacturing the Jetta. All three cars are targeted towards the same segment, roughly cost the same, and look more or less similar. This just tells you how serious Volkswagen is about the Chinese market.

Datsun’s first car to make its global premiere in India by the end of July 2013

We all know that Nissan is planning a storming entry into the low cost small car segment with its Datsun brand which has been brought back from the oblivion.

Two low cost hatchbacks with code names K2 and I2 are being developed in India which, when ready, will be the protagonists that are assigned to resurrect the long forgotten Datsun moniker. The I2 will be an entry level model while the K2 is touted to be a B Segment warrior.
Businessline reports that, according to their sources, Mr. Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Renault-Nissan Alliance will be visiting India by the end of July next year to unveil the prototype of the K2 in New Delhi. His attendance in person speaks volumes about how important India is in the company’s radar.
Apart from India which is going to be Datsun’s first stop, other emerging markets Indonesia and Russia are also being targeted for the Datsun revival.
There is also a 7 seat MPV spin off from the K2 platform which is expected to be unveiled few months after the K2 possibly in Indonesia which has a strong affinity towards MPVs. I have already informed our readers about the third Datsun in one of our previous articles.
The three cars are being designed at Renault Nissan Technology & Business Centre India (RNTBCI) which is located in Chennai. Mr. Ghosn is known to appreciate India’s ability when it comes to frugal engineering and hence he has chosen Indian technical centre for the job.
The trio of Datsuns are expected to be showcased at the 2014 Delhi Auto Expo and should go on sale later in that year.

2013 Skoda Octavia enters production; European launch in late Jan 2013

The newly launched 2013 Skoda Octavia has entered series production at Skoda’s main plant in Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic.



The automaker has announced that the third generation of the Octavia will see its market launch in Europe sometime in late January 2013, putting the speculations of a Geneva Motor Show launch to rest. The Czech manufacturer has high hopes on their new car.
Skoda says that the Mladá Boleslav factory has undergone one of the ‘most comprehensive modernization and expansion’ in its history to accommodate the 2013 Octavia which is based on the MQB platform. The daily production capacity of Rapid/Octavia assembly line in the plant has been increased to 1,200 from 800 units.
Dr. Winfried Vahland, CEO of Skoda Auto said: “The Octavia is the heart of ŠKODA brand. Our people have employed competence and passion to create the best Octavia ever. This car is a class of its own in every respect. It is a great moment to give the starting shot for the third generation here at our main plant today.”
The Octavia has been the company’s global best seller with the previous generation (sold as Laura in India) accounting for 44% of the company’s sales in 2012 so far and the new model is expected to do even better by being one of the top 10 best selling cars in the world.
Skoda says that the launch of the new Octavia marked the start of a model offensive strategy which will see a new or refreshed product being launched every six months until 2015. The company aims to sell a minimum of 1.5 million vehicles annually by 2018.
I expect the 2013 Skoda Octavia to be launched in India during the Diwali 2013 as the next generation Skoda Laura.

What do you think about this Impul kitted Nissan Micra?

Impul is to Nissan what Brabus is to Mercedes. The Japanese automotive aftermarket supplier focus primarily on customizing Nissan cars.



Previously i have brought you the Impul kitted Nissan Sunny. This time the guys at Impul took a plain vanilla Nissan Micra and converted it into a spicy little hatchback.



The car gets a totally new front fascia with a prominent Impul front grill which is larger and sits lower than that of the stock car. The ground hugging front bumper has big, flared fog lamp housing and the overall face looks a bit overdone. The side of the car gets skirts and 15″ Impul alloy wheels.
The rear of the Impul Micra has a wide bumper which has a diffuser and vents on either side to add some visual drama. There is also a large roof mounted rear spoiler.
The complete aerodynamic kit is available in Japan for 180,000 Yen (around 1.17 lakhs). Apart from the visual add-ons, Impul can also pump the Micra’s performance up with a customized control unit, bigger throttle valves, shocks with ride height control functions, free flow exhaust and high performance brake system.
The Impul kits for the Micra is right now available only in Japan and its unlikely that Nissan will launch the Impul body kits in India anytime soon.
Anyway, How do you like the Impul kitted Nissan Micra?

Spied – First spyshots of the next gen Ssangyong Rodius

The Ssangyong Rodius is a gigantic MPV with its proportions large enough to accommodate at least 7 Great Kali’s in decent comfort and a design which is not easy on the eyes.



The MPV which is one of the largest minivans in the world was launched in 2004 and 8 years down the lane, the Mahindra owned South Korean car maker has decided to bring in a replacement in the form of a next generation model. The big MPV was severely criticized for its ungainly appearance and the new model, thankfully, tries to address that issue.
The current generation Rodius which received a minor facelift in 2007 has a flexible seating capacity. The MPV is available in 7, 9 and 11 seat configurations. The rear seats can be folded to form a table and the direction of the seats can be changed to promote conversation!
The new model however seems to have nothing in common with the older version of the car on the outside, except the massive dimensions. The spyshots of the next gen Rodius is presented by Blogautomobile.fr.
The styling of the all new Rodius is a welcome departure from the eye sore the current car is. The front is characterized by massive headlamps, imposing hexogonal chrome grill and a simple bumper. The rear too is vastly improved and the new look tail lamps are now mounted higher.
The new gen car is expected to use the home grown, 155 bhp 2.0 litre Xdi diesel engine that powers the Korando and the Actyon pickup. The engine could be paired with a 6-speed manual or a Mercedes sourced 5-speed automatic.
The next gen Ssangyong Rodius is due for a 2014 launch and if Mahindra decides to bring this mammoth MPV to India, it could cater to a niche segment where customers would want a premium MPV to transport an extra large family.

BMW slightly tweaks the Z4 for 2013

The pretty just got prettier. The BMW Z4 is by far the most prettiest roadster on sale today. However, BMW has decided to give the Z4 a small facelift to keep things fresh for the next two years.



BMW is in the process of facelifting all its models before 2014. The BMW X1 and BMW X6 have already gone under the scalpel. Now the BMW Z4 has also got some minor refreshes. Here are the details –
Exterior

• Revised LED headlights
• New alloy wheel options
• A ‘dynamic sweep’ to the side indicators
• Three new paint options – Mineral Grey, Glacier Silver and Valencia Orange
•  

 

Interior 

• An optional contrasting black and orange trim to the cabin
• New gloss black trim for the air vent
• A Fineline Anthracite wood finish
• The ConnectedDrive system has been updated with High Beam Assistant and Park Distance Control
• Enhanced iPhone connectivity

Mechanicals

• A new 2.0L engine producing 154 bhp and 240 Nm of torque
• There is also a new M Sport which gets custom suspension settings, alloy wheels and exterior and interior trim

The new Z4 reaches the European showroom in April 2013. Considering the BMW Z4 is sold in India as a CBU, it should only be a matter of time before it reaches the Indian shores.

Toyota Etios CS – Go or No Go?

The sub 4 meter tax benefit has opened up a whole new segment in India. Manufacturers have added a chainsaw to their toolkits to make sure that they exploit this loophole whenever a chance is to be had. Hatchbacks, sedans, SUVs, MPVs – none of them have escaped the saw of the auto makers.

The first car to create this segment was indeed the Tata indigo CS. Tata Motors trimmed the Indigo’s boot such that the length of the car fits under 4 meters and kaboom! A whole new car was born. Later, i saw the true segment creator Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire which, being a ‘M’ product, filled up the roads and began exploring emerging markets.
It was not just sedans. I also saw smaller utility vehicles losing body length. The Mahindra Quanto and the Premier Rio are prime examples of ingenuity in the sub-4 meter segment. 2013 beckons the arrival of the Mahindra Verito CS, the Ford EcoSport and the Honda Brio Amaze.
This conveniently brings us to Toyota India and the struggle that it is going through to push the Etios brand in India. The Etios twins are losing their market share to competition. Rumors are abuzz in the market that Toyota is planning to facelift the Etios as early as next year.
In an interaction with TKM’s Managing Director for Marketing, Mr. Sandeep Singh, I did not miss asking about the prospect of smaller Etios sedan and here’s the official’s stand on this matter -

We are not going to go there. We believe that we cannot meet customer aspiration by giving sedan in sub-4 meter, you can launch hatchback but not sedan.

If Toyota really wants to push some numbers through the Etios, they have to consider variants on the Etios platform, and what appears the easiest to do is a compact sedan. Companies align their strategies with changing market conditions, and often times, decisions have to be reversed in the matter of months, either due to the change in government policies, or by a thundering launch from a competitor.
Do you believe the Etios CS has potential in India? Should Toyota consider this option?

VW India plans CNG, TSI and GTD variants for Polo from 2013

Volkswagen India trying to get the Indian market dance to its tunes with such fastidiously built cars, established global nameplates and the mettle of German engineering rooting for them, has not yet happened.

Sales of the Polo and the Vento have stagnated. The Jetta and Passat failed to become segment leaders and the niche models Phaeton and Touareg are invisible. Far too many complaints on the lack of servicing quality at the workshops have been raised on enthusiasts groups, pages and forums.
Ze Germans are not pleased.

I am receiving and reading numerous reports of different mules of the VW family testing near Chakan. I am already aware that Volkswagen India is testing a CNG variant of the Vento in India. Our friends at MotorBash have caught the Polo in the CNG avatar in Pune. Unlike the Vento spotted earlier, this Polo has body-colored door-handles, ORVMs and alloy wheels.
The second spotting is by CarDekho.com of a VW POLO with TSI badging. Considering Volkswagen has discontinued the 1.6L variant on the Polo, they may bring a smaller but more powerful 1.2L TSI engine to replace it. The smaller engine will also attract lesser duties leading to a reduction in price – an Achilles heel of the 1.6L Polo.
With an output of 104 hp/175 Nm, the 1.2L TSI Polo can sprint from 0-100 km/hr in under 9.7 seconds and will keep on pushing till it hits a top speed of 190kmph
AutocarIndia.com recently published a report where Volkswagen India is contemplating on introducing 1.5L diesel engine in the Polo and brand it as VW Polo GTD. The engine will pump out 105hp/250Nm. The idea clicks because cars that are under 4m long and have a diesel engine displacing under 1.5 liters are eligible for an excise benefit of 12%. So expect a decent price tag for the diesel hot hatch.
Volkswagen India is mulling a number of strategies to make sure that the bread butter products are able to attract people. With ex-Hyundai India honcho Arvind Saxena at the wheel, and keeping a mind that welcomes new ideas, i definitely believe Volkswagen can crack this market.

Mahindra is now eyeing an early 2013 launch for the E2O

Mahindra Reva E2O electric vehicle was originally scheduled to be launched this year but Mahindra has overshot the launch date due to some undisclosed reasons.

The E2O is the first product after Mahindra acquired Bengaluru based Reva Electric Vehicles. Mahindra Reva’s official Twitter handle earlier messaged that the launch date has been postponed. Now in a reply to one of its followers, the twitter account stated that they are looking for an early 2013 launch, without being specific.
Earlier in May, Mr. Anand Mahindra, Chairman of Mahindra Group had tweeted that the EV will be launched in 2012, however there seems to be a sticky situation in getting the car out. Though the exact reason is unclear, the delay in launch could be attributed to an issue in getting the subsidy grants or may even be a last minute technical glitch.
The E2O is powered by a 39.4 bhp electric motor which derives its juice from a 48V battery pack which, according to the company, is imported from Hong Kong. The company’s official twitter handle also says that Mahindra is working on a battery leasing scheme.
The Mahindra Reva E2O is expected to priced under 6 lakh rupees.

Hello little red devil – Ferrari teases Enzo’s successor

If Jeremy Clarkson’s theory of ‘Indirect Proportionality of the awesomeness of Ferrari F1 cars and Ferrari road cars’ is to be believed, this Ferrari F70 (might be called F150) should be a cracker!

Essentially, the theory dictates that when Ferrari Formula1 cars are doing good, their road cars are rubbish. And when the F1 cars are doing rubbish, the road cars are phenomenal. It is public knowledge that this 2012 F1 season was terrible for the Italians. So expect the F150 to be one of the best Ferraris ever!
The teaser images released by Ferrari clearly shows that the new design of the Enzo successor is inspired by the family design debuted on 458 Italia. Ferrari says that it has put all its knowledge from the F1 car into making the new Enzo.

It has a carbon fiber monocoque chassis made from four types of composites. It has a 800 hp, 7.3L V12 engine married to a HY-KERS system from the F1 car that can provide a boost of 100 hp when needed. The weight is restricted to 1500 kg. This means a 0-62mph time of less than three seconds and a top speed in the excess of 220mph. Of course, it will use a double-clutch gearbox and carbon ceramic brakes.
When the F150 makes its official debut, it will compete against the current litter of hypercars and the new Porsche 918 Spyder and McLaren P1. I can’t wait to see this little red devil!