Fiat Punto Sporting Dualogic Plus hits Brazil

Fiat Brazil has launched an automatic variant of the Fiat Punto for the domestic market. Unlike the new generation of automatics which are mostly double clutch boxes, this is a single clutch box much like a manual with an automatic clutch.



The new Punto Sporting Dualogic is powered by a 1.8 16V engine E.torQ flex fuel engine that puts out 132 bhp. The gearbox has a new creep function which releases up to 3.5 Nm of torque even without the driver accelerating as the car moves along in first gear or reverse.



The gear ratios have improved and the transition is much smoother, according to Fiat. Thanks to the improvements the fuel consumption has reduced to 7.4 km/l in the city and 10.5 km/l on the highway.
The car also comes with sunroof, Blue & Me system with USB, climate control, leather seats and leather wrapped steering wheel, airbags and sensors for lighting, rain and parking.
Prices start at 61,965 Brazilian Real (approximately 16.64 lakhs INR).

Ford India hints at multiple product launches in 2013

Ford India may have multiple product launches in 2013, its president and managing director, Joginder Singh, revealed in today’s press release tallying sales in December 2012.

Ford has created a new sales record last month for exports, shipping out 4,382 cars. Ford exports the Figo to 35 destinations around the world.
Mr. Joginder Singh, Ford India’s President and Managing Director -
Despite a tough business environment, i have seen record exports and sustained customer interest in December. It is great to see that we are closing the year on a positive note with strong growth momentum. As i head into 2013, we will continue to focus on providing products and services, with Quality, Green, Safe and Smart attributes, that our customers want and value.
Ford has confirmed the EcoSport, barring which there could be a cosmetic makeover for the Endeavour this year.
Ford is also said to be working on an extended B-Max minivan to rival the Ertiga as the third of the eight new products planned up till mid-decade. The replacement to the Endeavour based on the new Ranger pickup truck is also in the pipeline, followed by the next generation Figo and Classic models in the next two years, according to sources.
It goes without saying that Ford will have technologies such as SYNC, Ecoboost and Powershift on all these future launches built on the global B-Platform that currently underpins the Fiesta.
Ford India has not named any new launches apart from the EcoSport.

The A3 sedan will be Audi’s sledge hammer for India

 

As the Detroit Auto Show nears, the excitement is quite palpable. The reason behind the excitement is the Mercedes CLA – a compact sedan that will create a new segment in the luxury car market.
Essentially the Mercedes CLA is a smaller sedan that will sit beneath the Mercedes C Class targeted at young aspirational executives.
Deep inside the skunkworks of the Ingolstadt giant, Audi engineers are spending days and nights to develop the Audi A3 sedan to rival the Mercedes CLA. I have seen many test mules in European countries on tests.
First shown in its concept avatar at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, the production version will be based on the Audi A3 hatchback platform.
Based on the MQB platform, the Audi A3 sedan will be 4.40 metres long making it slightly smaller than the A4 which is 4.76 metres wide.
Most of the design cues from the A3 sedan concept should make it to the production version.
Power may come from 3 engines -

• 1.4 TFSI (Petrol)
• 1.8L TFSI (Petrol)
• 2.0L TDI (Diesel)

All these engines are mated to a 7 speed S-tronic transmission. There are also rumors of S3 and RS3 variants with better performance as is the case S and RS derivatives of other Audi models.
I am expecting the A3 sedan to be loaded with features such as park assist, traffic sign detection, active lane assist, cruise control and adaptive lighting. The Audi A3 sedan is expected to land at the dealers by the end of 2013.
Looking at Audi’s aggressive expansion plans in India, i have no doubt in our mind that the A3 sedan is India bound by 2014. It will sit below the Audi Q3 Compact SUV in a price range of 15 -20 lakhs.

Chevrolet Captiva Freedom Rider Edition heads to Tokyo 2013

 

Chevrolet has modest ambitions in Japan. Thus, when it comes to the Tokyo Motor Show, they don’t spend as much as they would in let’s say the Detroit Motor Show.
So Chevrolet may not bring a huge caravan of concept cars to Tokyo but they are paying attention nonetheless.
The bowtie plans to display three show cars at the Tokyo Motor Show – Chevrolet Captiva Freedom Rider, Chevrolet Sonic Street and Chevrolet Camaro Giovanna Edition.
While the Sonic and Camaro are not strangers to the Indian market, the Captiva is one car that all of us have come to know well.
GM hopes to get the Japanese enthusiast’s attention by placing the Chevrolet Captiva Freedom Rider edition at its booth at this month’s Tokyo Auto Show.
To be very honest, the Chevrolet Captiva Freedom Rider feels like a last minute job for the Tokyo Auto Expo. In fact, any aftermarket tuner would have gotten more appeal from Chevy’s little crossover.

Chevrolet Captiva Freedom Rider features:

• Matt black paint job along with a light blue ground effect kit
• 20-inch ‘Gianna Crown’ alloys with mild blue accents
• Chrome finish for the front grille, window surrounds and side steps

It also features a complete body kit from 3D Carbon which features a height-adjustable sports suspension. It also has a roof rack that can hold a full-sized mountain bike.

Dieter Zetsche plans to get Mercedes back on top by 2020

The brand with the three-pointed star has fallen prey to the product onslaught from Bavaria and Ingolstadt.
The biggest name in the luxury business, Mercedes-Benz, is now playing catchup with BMW and Audi.

 

However, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche is planning to bring Mercedes-Benz once again on top in global luxury segments by 2020.
In an interview with the German newspaper Boersen-Zeitung, Zetsche spoke about his revival plans for Mercedes. Daimler is working on a 2.6 billion dollar cost cutting plan for the Mercedes-Benz division with the savings accruing as early as 2014.
Zetsche believes that Mercedes lost to the competition because it did not invest in new products and did not pay attention to China. Other luxury automakers such as Audi and BMW brought new products, created new segments and pushed aggressively in emerging economies such as China and India.
Mercedes, on the other hand, bet heavily on Europe and US which proved expensive in the long run as both markets slowed down tremendously. But all of that is about to change!
Mercedes is working on new and inexpensive products such as the CLA sedan, GLA SUV, mini G Wagen and many more. Mercedes has started to get its focus back on emerging economies such as China and India. According to an independent research organization IHS Automotive, Mercedes will take the number two spot from Audi in 2013.
IHS Automotive estimates that BMW will sell 1.54 million vehicles, Mercedes will sell 1.46 million vehicles and Audi will sell 1.44 million vehicles in 2013.

Mitsubishi Mirage ready for landing in America and Australia

 
Mitsubishi’s global entry hatchback Mirage is already deemed successful in Thailand. Now, Mitsubishi wants to take the Mirage to more developed markets such as Australia and the United States.
Mitsubishi Australia has confirmed that the Mirage hatchback will be available in the land down under starting from AUD 12,990 (approx 7.40 lakhs INR).

Additionally, personal buyers who book a Mirage during January will also receive a AUD 1,000 Westfield gift card.

In Australia, the Mirage will be available in six variants of which two are automatic variants. You can get the Mirage with a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that generates 76 bhp and 100 Nm of torque. The engine can be mated to a 5 speed manual or a CVT gearbox. Standard features include -

• Air conditioning
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• AUX/USB stereo inputs and Bluetooth phone connectivity with audio streaming

The Mirage has to contend with a slew of small cars such as Chery J1, Suzuki Alto (A-Star), Holden Barina Spark (Beat), Nissan Micra, Proton S16 FLX and the Volkswagen Up!.

Pretty soon the little Japanese hatchback will cross the Atlantic to make a splash in the US market. The US is pretty new to the concept of a sub-compact hatchback. Past attempts by Smart Fortwo and Fiat 500 returned mixed results with the American audience. The Mirage hopes to change the American mentality towards small cars.

In the US, the Mirage will be launched in two displacements, a 1.0-liter version producing 70hp and a 1.2-liter with 79hp. A tiny three cylinder engine is a pretty dramatic shift for the nation that worships pickup trucks and muscle cars. The Mirage will head to the US in September.

India may not be among the markets the Mirage is heading to. Mitsubishi recently pulled out its only non-SUV volume product, the Cedia, from the market claiming that they want to focus only on SUVs in India. Mitsubishi sells a range of SUV products starting from the Outlander to the Montero. Looking at the renewed focus, i have my doubts whether the Mirage has any plans to head Indiawards.

Render – EcoSport rival Mazda CX-3 could feature a host of firsts

 


I have laid down new details on the upcoming Mazda CX-3 mini SUV, construed by the media as a sister car to the Ford EcoSport. The smallest Mazda SUV will launch with several ingenious features.
The baby SUV is a jacked-up version of the next-generation Mazda2 city car and bodied with new panels. The next generation Mazda2 is being groomed for a 2015 launch with an “appropriate” share of development cost coming from Toyota.
Toyota will rebadge the new 2 for the North American market to fill the empty slot below the Yaris.
There is no clear info on the platform yet. Mazda could use the current generation Mazda 2 platform, the Ford B3 platform – the same carriage as the Ford EcoSport – on the next generation model to save cost. Whichever route Mazda takes, the CX-3 and Mazda2 will use a FWD layout.
The CX-3 will come with Mazda’s new family look. The face features a five-point grille connected to the head lamps using a shaped chrome bar. Skyactiv technologies that lead to weight savings and improved fuel economy will complement the engine and gearbox of the CX-3.
Mazda is developing a new compact Skyactiv engine, a 1.3-litre turbo petrol, to go into future products. A 1.6-liter turbo-diesel is also in the works to achieve the best economy figures for the CX-3. Some of these drivetrains could be shared with the next gen Mazda3 as well.
Another innovation (for this segment) pointed out by the report is a one-touch electrically operated rear seat folding mechanism.
The price is expected to kick off at the AUD 20,000 mark (11.3 lakh rupees), the Car Advice report adds.

Glorified Tata Nano variant with “Zero Turn” technology to be ready in 2014

To recap, the Tata Pixel is a concept car for European cities. It is based on the Nano, and measures just under three meters long, but has seats for four adult occupants.

If the Pixel is produced, not only would it be the first proper four seater for such a small footprint, it will also have the smallest turning radius for a passenger vehicle.

 
That’s because the Pixel does not use a conventional steering system. It crabs into parking spots instead of steering into it. It can move sideward into a parking space with the help of a toroidal traction-drive Infinitely Variable Transmission (IVT) which spins the each wheel on the axle in different directions giving it an unbelievable turning circle radius of 2.6m.

Another design feature that show goers took note of was the ‘scissor’ doors that rotate upwards for effortless passenger ingress and egress.

Fast forward 18 months and Tata’s UK-based engineering team headed by Nick Fell have improved the technology and patented it. Auto Express got a world exclusive first drive and they’ve published all details on their website.

The “zero turn” technology will work below a certain speed. As the video explains, the car hinges on the center of the rear axle and the car moon-walks into a tight parking space. To lock the inner wheels, Tata Motors could use an extra functional ABS system instead of the costly Torotrak system to keep the price of the city car from reaching for the stars.

Tata will have road-going models with this technology ready by the end of this year. The innovative steering system will go into the production version of the Megapixel concept, an improved avatar of the Pixel concept that was brought to the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, Auto Express concludes.

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.