Indian Car Blog - Carazoo.com

The 2010 Beijing Auto Show that began just the other was open to the press on Friday. We did give our readers a preview of the Beijing show. Today, we have something more. Almost all car makers are grabbing their share of the emerging markets and what can be better than the 2010 Beijing Auto show if any of them is interested in capturing the Chinese car buyer’s mind? Today, we bring to you details of the Italian super sports car maker Lamborghini.

When Lamborghini made its entry at the auto show, the audience was stunned. The car maker presented a highly exclusive edition of the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce. It was the Chinese Edition. The car’s value is further hiked by the fact that the exclusive edition will be limited to a maximum of ten numbered cars and will be offered to the growing group of sports cars collectors in China only. Furthermore the Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera celebrated its Asian premiere at the Beijing auto show.

Automobili Lamborghini's strong performance at the 2010 Beijing Auto Show and the special edition of the flagship Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce that the Italian super sports car maker unveiled exclusively for the Chinese market, draw attention to the car maker’s steadfast loyalty to China and the development of a super sports car culture in the country.

Last year, Automobili Lamborghini had pulled off an 11 per cent growth in China. Last week, on the 20th of April, Lamborghini launched its seventh Automobili Lamborghini China dealership in Shenzhen. This will soon be followed by the inauguration of an eighth showroom in Xiamen. Lamborghini considers it total pleasure to share its passion with China's super sports car drivers, collectors and fans. Nice way of pleasing the Chinese car buyers must say.

Just ten special edition Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce cars across the globe and these new cars would be designed and manufactured exclusively for China's most discriminating super sports car enthusiasts. Do you see the orange stripe on the car? This stripe symbolizes the power of an erupting volcano. But, it sure decorates the flat grey painted carbon shell of the car. Every model holds a numeration badge with the name of its owner. Personalization personified.

This car, Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce has been one of the most fascinating super sports cars of all times and Lamborghini describes it as "exceptionally purist". While the Lamborghini Murciélago LP 640 is a great model, the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce is an even more extreme top model. It is more powerful, lighter and faster than the Murciélago LP 640. With the output of the 6.5 liter V12 increased to 670 bhp and a weight reduction of 100 kg, the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce boasts a power-to-weight ratio of 2.3 kg per bhp. It leaps from zero to 100 km/h in merely 3.2 seconds and hits top speed at 342 km/h.

With its stupendous performance, cutting-edge precision and incomparable high-speed stability, the Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce is the ultimate performance car for advanced sports car drivers. It was extensively altered and redeveloped in almost every aspect to make it achieve the substantial weight reduction of 100 kilograms. From chassis to engine and transmission, right through to the interior, the car was modified.
The engine output increase from 640 to 670 bhp was due to optimized valve timing and a reworked intake system. The significantly modified aerodynamics with substantially increased downforce enhances car stability even at very high speeds. The large "Aeropack Wing" and its added downforce give a top speed of 337 km/h.

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Today seems to be an auspicious day for Maruti Suzuki. The car maker has just unveiled the all-new WagonR, ‘The Blue-Eyed Boy’ in India. The car had already arrived in dealerships across India and finally we have news of the vehicle’s launch. The new WagonR has undergone design changes on its exteriors. The facelift has given the WagonR a new headlamp cluster, a new smiling grille and fresh front bumpers. On the inside, the macho version of the car sports an all-new dashboard design and enhanced plastic quality.

Maruti has invested Rs 290 Crore on the enhancement of the WagonR. The new model has made its entry with a 1.0-litre K-Series engine that can churn out 60 bhp of power. The new 998cc three-cylinder K10B engine is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The performance is amazing with a mileage of 18 kmpl. The new WagonR will have Bharat Stage IV emission norms and will be produced from the company's Gurgaon facility. The engine is packed with 67 bhp and a maximum torque of 90 Nm. The cable type transmission and new frame type suspension offer great stability on all terrains. The NVH levels are also enhanced. Maruti has reworked the front suspension to ensure the car handling gets better.

WagonR has forever been one of the highest-selling models for Maruti Suzuki. In March 2010 the sales numbers for the existing Wagon R were a few units above 11,000. Since its launch the WagonR has found 8.8 lakh homes in India and 55,00,000 worldwide. The WagonR was first introduced in India in 2001 and took some time to find favour among buyers due to its non-conventional design for that time. At that time, the car was powered by a 1061cc engine producing 64bhp. In 2006 Maruti gave the car a facelift including a new nose job.

Are you wondering about the new WagonR’s price? Maruti has done a good job by pricing the new WagonR at Rs 3.28 Lakh for the LX variant. The LXi variant would cost Rs 3.57 lakhs; VXi would cost Rs 3.81 lakhs and the VXi version with ABS plus Airbags would cost Rs 4.12 lakhs. The design, as we can all see, is bold and aggressive. The new version is more muscular compared to its predecessor. The V-character line accentuates the WagonR’s character. The bigger and sweeping headlamps with the blue tint look like a pair of sparkling eyes. The wider bumpers stretching to the corners only add to the athletic appearance of the car.

The new WagonR, with a more modern and curvier look, has a sloping roof and blazing fenders. The bigger and wider wheels and upright rear character makes sure the macho one gets a second look. The large doors help you enter and leave the car with ease. Then, there is the chrome accentuation in front and the back with the WagonR brand engraved in chrome in the rear. The new car sure has improved rear visibility.

Coming to the dual-tone interiors of the new car, it has 3-D fabric seats with 60:40 split rear seats. You can find silver accentuation all around. The new tilt steering wheel, ergonomic gear knob and the new speedometer design take care of the driver’s comfort. The new WagonR comes with an integrated audio with AUX-in and 6-band graphic equalizer for ultimate entertainment on the drive. The full-trim interiors including A, B and C pillar trims create an excellent ambience.

All in all, this WagonR is a spacious package. It has the best-in-class wheel base of 2400mm which is over 40 mm more than the original WagonR. The legroom too is best in the segment with distance of 100 mm more than its predecessor. The 240mm front seats welcome even tall users to have a seat. The headroom is great.

Let’s go to the utilitarian add-ons in the new WagonR. It has push-type cup holders with a utility hook and a sturdy, deeper glove box with an integrated shelf, a rear parcel tray and an integrated tool box. The utility basket under the co-driver’s seat sends a message loud and clear ‘while I am here, do not throw waste out of the car’. Environment care must say. There is a front door map pocket and soft inserts on the floor console to safeguard the cell-phone camera unit.

The mirror, an electrical outside rear view mirror (ORVM) offers great visibility. Power windows, keyless entry, foldable assist-grips and the new HVAC unit providing a temperature reduction of four degrees than the existing model; the WagonR comes loaded with all these features. Safety features are crowded in the all-new WagonR. In the high-end variant, ABS & dual airbags, rear defogger, wiper & washer, driver seat belt indicator and the i-CATS security system take care of driver and passenger safety.

The cosmetic surgery that the car has received, takes the earlier design one level higher into the upmarket urban car territory. We'll have to wait and watch if it is able to beat more established contenders like the Chevrolet Beat and the Hyundai i10.

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The last few years have been really great for the small car industry in industry. We have seen a storm of launches. 2010 has been just another good year with the Ford Figo, Volkswagen Polo, Chevrolet Beat and very soon the Nissan Micra will make its entry. We don’t see Renault anywhere in the list. But, hang on. The car maker hasn’t given up yet.

Renault and Nissan had earlier decided to share a versatile platform in India. Yes, we are talking about the V platform. Taking this step will help Renault, the French car maker sell compact cars in India without bearing the mighty product development expenses. The two companies are believed to be jointly producing cars at the Chennai plant, thus having common production lines and component sourcing facilities.

Now, there’s something more. The Clio, based on the V platform may soon be launched in India and this is going to create history. It will be the first time in India that two manufacturers use a common platform for two or more new cars in a single market. This is what our friends at Auto Bild India have reported. Renault, however, seems to deny the whole story at the moment.

A company representative said that the above report is completely false. He said that Renault, at the moment, is focusing only on the ‘Fluence’ sedan and the ‘Koleos’ crossover. Will the Clio be rolled out soon? The official says no. The company would think about it later. The car maker agrees that Clio is an excellent car. However, the viability of getting the car into the Indian car market needs to be explored. We will get official confirmation as soon the company decides to bring in the small car.

The Renault Clio was originally launched in 1990. This supermini car is presently in its third generation. In Europe, the car has worked wondered by being the top-selling car since its launch. The Clio is also largely credited with restoring Renault’s face after the difficulty the company faced during the second half of the 1980s.

Some other sources say that the Clio, when it leaves India, will go out with a new technology. The Clio is believed to be Renault’s first modern vehicle with an OEM rotating seat. The passenger seat can be rotated to a 75 degree angle and with this rotation the passenger can support his or her legs. A small lever located under the seat helps the passenger control the actuator. The new technology will actually add a huge amount to the cost of the car, but would however, be half of what aftermarket installations cost.

Will the hatchback be launched in India and then head to North America? The company remains secretive. No word yet. Only time can reveal the truth.

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You have read in the earlier blog that we had written on how BMW India achieved its highest ever car sales in the month of March in India ever since it set shop here in India.

But its main German compatriot Mercedes-Benz India certainly is not lagging behind. After an optimistic show of car sales in the last couple of months, it certainly is in the league but had to concede their Numero Uno position to BMW India just by a deficit of 8 cars.

Yes, you read that right. Just eight cars, that’ all that's keeping Mercedes-Benz India, the maker of super-luxury cars, from reclaiming its title as number one luxury car maker. Mercedes Benz's aggressive product launch and marketing strategy for 2010 seems to be paying off. The company's first quarter numbers are out and it is very close to being back on top.

Here's how it's playing out, BMW is holding on to the top with 1,314 cars, Mercedes is just 8 cars behind at 1,306 units and Audi is third with 778 cars. Executives with Mercedes say strong sales have poured in from virtually every segment.

The GL class and M-Class SUVs and S-class cars though are the pick of the cars for Mercedes Benz, it’s chief money spinner was the newly launched E-Class sedan. And now with the yet another model launched in the form of E-Class Coupe, the portfolio of the company is becoming trendier and trendier. Mercedes Benz India seems to be appealing the next generation Indians with top class designs to get a foot hold in the Indian luxury car market and regain its lost Numero Uno status.

Even as Mercedes Benz and BMW go bumper to bumper, the next nine months will see fierce competition in terms of marketing strategies and new models by both makers. All three luxury players reporting strong sales and quantum growth, one thing's clear, no matter who comes out on top at the end of 2010, the luxury car pie in India has moved along extremely fast and shows no sign of slowing down.

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Well, this is for all the rich coupe lovers in India. Mercedes Benz India has finally given in to all your not-so-silent pleas to launch a coupe in India, and the result is that the E-Class coupe is up for grabs for one and all (of course, price may be constraint for a few). Last year Mercedes Benz India totally blew up its competitors with the launch of the E-Class sedan, and now is the time to bring on some heat in the coupe segment. Yesterday, Mercedes Benz redefined luxury, style and raw attraction when it launched the E-Class coupe in India.

The E-Class coupe is a sporty interpretation of the E-Class sedan and boasts of unprecedented combination of power, performance and efficiency. Get behind the wheels and you can feel a power of 272hp at 6000rpm. The engine comes paired with a 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission that makes your ride totally effortless. The coupe, with a drag coefficient of just 0.24, is the world's most aerodynamically efficient series-production car. Beat that now!

The E-Class coupe is totally loaded with features that make your driving experience a luxurious one. Your auditory pleasures are taken care by top-end 450 Watt Dolby Digital Harman Kardon® Logic 7® surround-sound system.

You don’t have to worry yourself with setting the inside temperature of the car either. The THERMATIC 2-zone automatic climate control does just that for you. There are sensors which detect the outside temperature and adjust the heating, cooling or fan as necessary.

Additionally, the E-Class coupe is loaded with safety features including ATTENTION ASSIST, PRE-SAFE® occupant protection system, Intelligent Lighting System and airbags. The ATTENTION ASSIST prompts you to take a break when you feel tired and drowsy on long trips.

The new E-Class Coupé has won many international awards for its stunning design (Declared as the “Most Good Looking Coupé” by Chicago Athenaeum - Museum of Architecture and Design; received “The Good Design Award” by Auto Bilt, Germany). Also, a panoramic sunroof/moon roof adds to the dynamic looks of the car.

Now, let’s get to another important detail of the E-Class coupe. Well, you can make it yours by shelling out just about Rs. 54.83-lakhs (ex-showroom Mumbai). The pricing has been kept very competitive and is likely to sell well among the Merc loving rich Indians.

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Okay folks, it is official now. Price range for Figo, the first compact car from Ford Motors, has been officially announced.

Ford Figo will be available in two engine variants, 1.2l Durateq petrol and 1.4l Duratorq diesel. The petrol engine has a mileage of 15.6 kilometres per litre and diesel engine has a fuel efficiency of 20 kilometres per litre.

Price for the petrol engine variant starts at Rs 3.5 lakh, the diesel one is priced at Rs 4.48 lakh. Both engine variants will have a 5-speed manual gearbox.

Ford Figo, which will compete with the likes Maruti Suzuki Ritz, Hyundai i20, has been priced very competitively and is a sure to become popular among the small car loving Indians.

The car looks totally cool - both from inside and outside. Low-set grille, sloping roofline and edgy side panels give its exterior a look that makes it easily (and in a better way) different than its competitors. The interior look of Figo is based on two themes – ebony black and coral red. Based on a 2498mm wheelbase, the interiors are quite spacious. Figo has a seating capacity of five adults and a rear boot that that has 284.0 litres of space.

The equipment section of Figo has been planned carefully. Figo is equipped with a Bluetooth Phone Interface, an MP3 player, a radio and 4 speakers.

Safety features in Ford Figo include dual front airbags and Anti-lock Braking System with EBD which enhances car handling. Apart from that, Figo features intelligent central locking, engine immobilizer (PATS) and a 3 point seatbelts for front and rear seats. It has a Rapid Deceleration Warning system that, at speeds greater than 96 kmph, activates the hazard warning lamps and warns trailing drivers about the sudden brakes.

With South Africa serving as the initial target, Ford will be exporting the Figo from India to various markets across the globe.

To appeal to the different colour preferences of people, Figo has been made available in seven shades: Diamond white, Panther black, Moondust silver, Chill, Sea grey, Squeeze and Colorado red.

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The absolute show stopper at the Geneva Motor Show was none other but the much-awaited Nissan Micra (also knows as March in some countries). The car was unveiled by Carlos Ghosn, the Chief Executive Officer of Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.

Micra, which sports a 1.2-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine and a 1.5-litre diesel engine, has been designed to be a very reliable, stylish and accessible compact car. And that’s not all, the environmental issues have been considered by Nissan and it is claimed that Micra's new engine will emit 115 grams of CO2. And in six months, a high-tech derivative will emit as low as 95 grams per km. Isn’t that simply great!

The fourth generation of Micra has been designed with a very stylish face and compact dimensions. The new Nissan Micra is slightly longer and marginally lower, while its longer wheelbase enables a ‘wheels-at-each-corner’ stance.

Micra is poised to attract car buyers across 160 countries, and no prizes for guessing that one of those countries is India. Nissan is trying to make a global presence of 94 per cent with its Micra launch.

Nissan officials are not talking about the price range of Micra. However, it is expected to be placed in the B-segment near the Hyundai i20 and the Maruti Swift. With the 80 per cent production happening locally, Nissan will have to put a very competitive price tag on Micra.

Micra will be manufactured across four global location including India.

Earlier this year Chevrolet launched Beat and then Volkswagen launched its Beetle and Polo. Ford followed close behind and launched its Figo recently. The Indian small car segment is booming with most of the global car manufacturing trying their luck with small car launches. Soon to be joining the race are Hyundai’s new i30 and Fiat’s Bravo.

Global auto manufacturers are flooding the Indian shores with their small car wonders but do we hear anyone complaining? I don’t think so.

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Volkswagen India launched its new Polo in Mumbai. The super- mini hatchback is finally out. The price varies from Rs.434,000 for the petrol Trendline to Rs.670,000 for the TDI Highline Polo. The diesel variant will take a little while though. All variants will be equipped with 1.2L engines. Fret Not, For those who always wanted a powerful engine fitted in their Polo will get an option of 1.6 L petrol engine as well for a cool sum of Rs.700,000. Any takers yet? Yes, the price looks a bit problematic. One would be paying too much for the class as far as the Polo is concerned.

The features seem to be excellent though. A compartment for drinks and another for the sunglasses are a sure attraction. We also heard that the rear seat backrests can be folded and the driver’s seat will move up or down as one pleases. Doesn’t the bonnet look like it is smiling all the while? We felt so. What more? The exteriors carry a 6-year warranty! That seems to be a real challenge for the car maker, doesn’t it? The petrol version of the Polo will be ready for delivery next month and the diesel version will sent to the owners by May, 2010.

Volkswagen is very excited and very confident too that Indians will love driving the new Polo. Are you looking to but one already? I completely agree that the Polo’s looks are flashy and jazzy with coloured bumpers and halogen headlights. We also heard that the space, style, comfort, safety and fuel efficiency are amazing. Is that so? To add to its looks, it is armed with fog lamps and a rear wipe with defogger as well. You needn’t perform hand drills turning and turning. The windows will move as you like with just a touch. Yes, the remote works for the windows.

Inside the car, the upholstery is so good! Too cool! The fabric looks like it’s of the best quality. There’s something else very special about the Polo. Yes, the green-tinted sun-blocking glass that’s not there in any other car in India. A CD MP3 player changer with 4 speakers just adds to the already satisfying comfort features.

When you’re getting something like the Polo, does the price really matter? If you have the money, why not go for it? Looks like the big price for the small package is worth it.

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Mercedes-Benz India certainly is soaring up high. After Beating BMW in the month of January 2010 in terms of sales volumes of cars, the Mercedes juggernaut rolls on. To capitalize on the new found Numero Uno position, Mercedes-Benz on Monday launched its new luxury limousine called S-Guard in India with a whopping price tag attached to it.

This new Mercedes-Benz-S-Guard Limousine has been targeted at corporate and industry leaders, government officials and celebrities. This car comes with integrated Protection and can withstand ballistic and firearms attach and is fitted with a 12 cylinder 5.5cc petrol engine. Now for the best part, the price or the cost of this limo is Rs 6 crore (ex-showroom).

The S-Guard are limousines from Mercedes-Benz and encompasses cumulative experience of 80+ years of manufacturing vehicles with factory-integrated special protection. The car has the Highest Protection status means that it has been engineered to resistance level B6/B7, as tested and certified by international organisations. Its armour resists military-standard small-arms projectiles and provides protection against fragments from hand grenades and other explosive charges. Additional safety features include run-flat tyres, a self-sealing fuel tank and a fire-extinguishing system.

“This car is basically targeted at corporate and industry leaders, government officials and celebrities. We want to tap the growing market for armored and protective vehicles in India,” said by Mercedes-Benz India Member of the Board of Management Suhas Kadlaskar.

The S-Guard will come as a CBU from the Germany plant. Kadlaskar said “the exact price of the car will be decided once the first order comes and will depend on import duties and other specifications”.

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Chevy Beat is in the Indian market and how? After its launch just a day before the commencement of the 10th Auto Expo, Chevy Beat has been the centre of attraction anywhere it is seen.

The parent company General Motors is quite happy about this car which saw its global launch here in India.GM hopes that their Beat breaks into the sales charts of the country as a top grossing model pretty soon.

GM which is contemplating to sell at least 5000 units of the Beat per month is heavily banking on the North Indian sales as the North Indian market alone accounts for about 40 per cent of all small cars sales in India. So it’s quite evident that GM hopes to sell 1,600-1,700 units of the Beat in the North Indian region alone.

The deliveries of the cars would start from January-end or early February. It must be noted that the Chevrolet Beat was put through over a million km of durability tests in extreme weather conditions and crash tests both in India and abroad to prove its utility on Indian roads. The beat has been launched in three variants viz. Beat PS, LS and LT, carrying price tags (ex-showroom) of Rs 3.34 lakh, Rs 3.54 lakh and Rs 3.94 lakh respectively.

Beat will be launched in 170 countries around the world, including Europe, Asia and North America. Besides this, GM also has ambitious plans lined up for India and will soon foray in to the commercial vehicle market in India by launching light vans and pickups in a collaboration with a Chinese automaker.

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The wait is finally over. The “Fair Lady” is here in India to stay. Nissan Motor India has launched its iconic sports car, the Nissan 370Z in India.

Nissan Motor India is the subsidiary company of Japan’s third largest automobile firm Nissan Motor Corporation. Nissan India has entered the league of the sports cars selling companies in India with this launch. Nissan is the third car company to roll out a sports coupe after Audi which rolled out its R8 and BMW which brought in its Z4 roadster.

This sports coupe, Nissan 370Z, a sixth generation car of the Z-series also called as the “Fair Lady” in Japan and other markets where the car is sold has a powerful 7-speed automatic with paddle shifters and 6-speed manual transmission which features the world's first synchronized downshift rev-matching system or SynchroRev Match coupled with a even powerful 3696 cc V6 engine that generates 332 bhp at 700 rpm and a torque of 366 Nm at 5200 rpm.

With its short wheelbase and wide track, the Nissan 370Z hugs the road, while its quick, nimble response, smooth, predictable linearity and precise, reassuring stability make it so easy to handle that you’ll feel as if the car is a part of you, acceding to your desires as naturally as your hands or your eyes.

This car though very diminutive in size weighs well over 3000 lbs. The 370Z sports a front aluminum sub-frame, aluminum-alloy engine cradle, aluminum door panels, an all-aluminum bonnet and an aluminum tailgate.

In the area of safety technology, Nissan pursues innovation as part of its “Safety Shield” concept, an advanced, proactive approach to safety issues based on the idea that cars should help protect people. This approach provides various measures to help the driver and passengers better avoid dangers in ways that are optimized to each of a wide range of circumstances that the vehicle may be in, from “risk has not yet appeared” to “post-crash.”

The company has a plan to unveil four models in India under its fully imported category cars, and is yet to decide on the fourth model. Nissan 370Z gains the credit of capturing the third position in the series of fully imported cars followed by Teana and X-Trail.

The price of the Nissan 370Z with 6-speed manual transmission is around 53 lakhs while the 7-speed automatic transmission costs 54.50 lakhs. Nissan 370Z comes in 8 exciting colours with two interior options.

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The 2010 Auto Expo has drawn the curtains on. It attracted nearly two million visitors during its seven days of display. From big machines to concepts to alternative fuel technology vehicles, the auto fair had something for everyone. The 2010 Delhi Auto Expo gave the world the message that the Indian automobile industry is fast on a full recovery mode.

The visit of Shah Rukh Khan to the Hyundai stall to unveil the i10 electric car and stopover of other celebrities to the Expo added icing to the cake. While the Volkswagen Polo, Toyota compact car concepts and Chevrolet Beat managed to pull large crowds, Tata Motors’ Jaguar and Land Rover become the photographers’ delight. The upcoming Tata Aria and luxury concept sedan Prima also fascinated the crowd. The audience appreciated the Audi Sportback and Mercedes Benz SLS AMG.

Other attractions included the Honda small car concept and the Maruti Suzuki Eeco and first indigenously designed concept car from Maruti, the R III. The Skoda Yeti and the BMW X1 too got some cheers. Toyota amazed the crowd with the launch of the Prius and Maruti Suzuki showcased its SX4 hybrid.

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Guess what? The concept of the small car “new small” which Honda had displayed in the Auto Expo 2010 is scheduled to be launched in 2011. If this is news that you think you already knew, check this out.

The small car of Honda’s will have around 80 per cent of its components made in India. Now that’s a news that we bet you might not have heard of right? Honda also expects that the small car that it will produce in India, sell as many as units as its best seller ‘City’ does.

"Our new small car, to be launched in 2011, will have a rate of around 80 per cent in localisation of components," Honda Siel Cars India Director (Marketing) Tatsuya Natsume told reporters during the 10th Auto Expo in New Delhi.

The small car from Honda will be rolled out from the company’s plant in Greater Noida and Honda will take all measures to meet the demands of the customers as soon as the car is launched.

Honda also is looking to increase the use of local components of its existing models in India to around the same percentage. While its City and Jazz cars have around 75 per cent localisation of components, the Civic has 71 per cent and the Accord 28 per cent.

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The All-New Jaguar XJ, was launched at the Auto Expo 2010 held in New Delhi. Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata sons and Tata Motors unveiled this beast at the Expo.

The all-new Jaguar XJ brings a daring new spirit to automotive luxury, with a mix of striking design, breathtaking performance and engineering. The car was premiered worldwide in London in July 2009, and deliveries across the world are beginning this year. Bookings for India too have opened, and deliveries will begin from June 2010.

Speaking upon the occasion, Mr. Tata said, “The operation of Tata, Jaguar as well as Land Rover vehicles is deputy of the record base, as well as the citation the brands have been receiving in posterior marketplace opportunities. The Company is focused upon assembly the full operation of patron needs whilst being unwavering of the environment.”

The All-New Jaguar XJ reflects a vision that defies preconceptions and transforms the idea of luxury. It is a blend of stunning design, intuitive technology and intuitive thinking. A contemporary luxury car that is beautiful, exhilarating and sustainable. Jaguars are renowned for their elegant sporting lines and the all new XJ, with its fluid, contemporary style, is the boldest interpretation yet of Design Director Ian Callum’s vision for Jaguar in the 21st century.

A panoramic glass roof is an integral part of the all new XJ’s design concept, enabling the car to have a lower, more streamlined roofline, while dramatically enhancing the feeling of light and space inside. The long wheelbase offers a sumptuous and refined environment for rear seat passengers with an additional 125mm of legroom. The all new XJ cabin blends elegant, contemporary design with the comfort, luxury and unmistakable sporting style of a Jaguar.

Inside the car, in addition to the traditional leather-and-wood sumptuousness, there’s a dual view 12.3-inch high-definition Virtual Instruments console and an 8-inch touch-screen that can project DVD movies or television programmes to the passenger, while the driver views vehicle functions or follows satellite navigation. Sound options include a 1200W Bowers & Wilkins system, which is comparable in audio quality to the best in-home entertainment. Options include hard drive-based audio and navigation systems, and comprehensive connectivity for portable audio and video devices via the powerful Media Hub.

The all new XJ’s beauty is more than just skin deep: it is constructed using Jaguar’s aerospace-inspired aluminium body technology, which makes the XJ lighter than its rivals. These technologies significantly improve performance, handling and economy while delivering increased strength, refinement and safety.

The new Jaguar XJ is available in standard and long-wheelbase versions, with a choice of 3.0-litre V6 diesel, 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V8 petrol and 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol engines. All engines are mated to a shift-by-wire six-speed automatic transmission that also allows the driver to shift gears manually (without using a clutch) via steering wheel-mounted paddles. Of course, the car comes with a long list of high-tech bits like air suspension, Adaptive Dynamics (continuously variable damping), Active Differential Control, LED taillights and a host of others.

The XJ is available to order now (dependent on market), with the first customers due to receive their cars in early 2010. Prices for the new XJ range start at £52,500 (Rs 42 lakh).
Tata Motors owned Jaguar now has luxury sedans Jaguar XF, XFR and Jaguar XKR coupe and convertible in its portfolio that are being currently sold in India.

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Toyota Kirloskar Motor announced the expansion of ‘Toyota U Trust’ today. ‘Toyota U Trust’ was set to facilitate sales, purchase and exchange of Toyota and non-Toyota cars.

‘Toyota U Trust’ aims to offer potential customers an opportunity to exchange their old cars of any make for a brand new Toyota, allowing them an opportunity to upgrade. It will also cater to customers who want to exchange their cars for competitively priced used Toyota cars. Customers will also be provided with a wide range of value added services, including finance options at the ‘Toyota U Trust’ outlets.

‘Toyota U Trust’ was launched in Chennai, Bangalore, New Delhi and Mumbai, as a pilot project in 2007-08, and has received an encouraging response ever since.

Customers are eligible to obtain certification for the Toyota vehicles they purchase through ‘Toyota U Trust’, which are eligible for warranty as well. The special warranty booklet for certified Toyota cars will come with a warranty up to 1 year/15,000 km. In addition to this, the cars can get up to three labour free services at Toyota dealerships. Warranty is provided on the engine and gearbox/driveline of all certified Toyota cars, across the country at all Toyota dealerships.

Speaking during the launch of ‘Toyota U Trust’, Mr. Sandeep Singh, Deputy Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said “The used car market in India is almost as big and important as the new car market. Toyota U Trust aims at encouraging the sales of our new compact car – Etios, enhancing dealer profitability, and increasing the residual value of Toyota vehicles, which will in turn help increase the new car sales. We wish to heighten the customer experience and ensure transparency while all customers are treated at par with new car customer. We will cover 20 outlets in 15 cities by the end of 2010”.

The U Trust website has been launched to facilitate registration, test drive booking, vehicle booking and easy access to information on vehicle history and stock availability etc.

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Maruti Suzuki’s pavilion was for sure a favourite pit stop for many visitors who came to the 10th Auto Expo held at New Delhi.
The reason behind this was that the country’s largest car manufacturer has lined up an array of cars at the pavilion. There were concept cars, cars for the mass and then the once car which everybody wanted to see it in their own eyes. The Suzuki Kizashi.


Maruti Suzuki has been a master of the small car segment on India since long now and they are very happy and proud about it. But Maruti is still to conquer the bastion of luxury cars and premium cars in India. They have not met with much success in their previous outing with the Baleno. But then Maruti Suzuki re-charted their strategy to bring in the SX4 as a replacement for the Maruti Suzuki Baleno which met with moderate success.

The company also bought in the sedan version of the popular Maruti Suzuki Swift called the DZire and went on to be the market leaders in that segment. Now Maruti Suzuki wanted to ply in the segment where the big players of the automotive world in India play, the D-Segment. Keeping the D-segment as a strategic entry point for its luxury models in India, Maruti Suzuki conceived a car which the world would WOW at. So along came the Kizashi.

Kizashi in Japanese means “A sign of great things to come” and true to the name the Kizashi is a new synonym for Sportiness and elegance. This car is a combination of Japanese quality and European style flair. Suzuki Kizashi is the sixth World Strategic model from the Suzuki Motor Corporation’s stable. Suzuki bills this car as the new stimulant for D-segment choice with engaged driving and lifestyle enjoyment.

There were two Suzuki Kizashi adorning the Maruti Suzuki pavilion at the Auto Expo. The first Kizashi was draped in Snow White Pearl colour body paint while the second Kizashi wore Star Silver Metallic body clothing. Suzuki Kizashi is powered by a 2.4 litre VVT petrol engine coupled with a six-speed manual transmission and equipped with Continuously Variable Transmission which delivers a huge peak power output of 131 kw @6,500 rpm. The cars showcased at the Expo had a 2-wheel drive and 4-wheel drive options as well.

Design Concept of Kizashi

The design concept of the Kizashi that was envisioned by the designers was that of a dynamic athlete in motion. And therefore the designers had to keep three points in mind and those were
• A body honed through daily training for victory.
• Consistent great emotional strength and willpower for tackling
New challenges
• Powerful presence of a winner.
As the designers started working on these three points to churn out a car that could be a clear winner they also came up with Suzuki design philosophy characterized by expressions of solidarity, stability, quality, and thematic clarity.

Styling, Comfort, and Convenience

Suzuki Kizashi has a bold and aggressive styling that imbibes the Japanese craftsmanship and European-style design. This car is tailor made for driving enthusiasts and is complemented by 18’’ aluminium wheels. The styling is contemporary which communicates both sophistication and performance.

The cabin reflects Suzuki’s expertise in space efficiency in proportions that optimize roominess and comfort by extracting maximum benefit from the space afforded by the D-segment dimensions. This certainly was a task that Suzuki Motor Corporation did with precision though this was the first attempt of Suzuki to dabble in the D-Segment car building.

The interior design is upscale which falls in line with Kizashi’s performance characteristics. Driving enthusiast certainly will appreciate the sporty, chic instrument panel, and customers seeking luxury will be pleased with appointments that include high-quality upholstery and an automatic air conditioner with independent left and right controls.

The luggage bay is also not compromised with Kizashi’s optimal proportions. The immense boot, offers huge space for all the bags for a long holiday drive with the family.

Performance and Handling

Suzuki Kizashi has an exceptionally rigid steel uni-body and reinforced Macpherson-strut front suspension and multilink rear suspension that afford a crisp and nimble handling with excellent stability and low chassis vibration. This technologically brilliant car is engineered to accommodate all-wheel-drive. Customers can choose a newly developed i-AWD system that evokes driving enthusiasm while promoting control. Kizashi’s braking is also a state-of-the-art with all-round disk brakes that include 16’’ ventilated front discs that deliver confidence-inspiring stopping power.

Suzuki Kizashi is a product of constant testing and tuning conducted in diverse conditions around the world. Kizashi was tested in extreme conditions like coldest Minnesota and hot-weather Death-valley in North America. The handling of the car was tested in challenging country roads of United Kingdom and on autobahns and the Nurburgring in Germany. The i-AWD system of the Kizashi was tested and tuned in New Zealand.

The superior body rigidity and suspension efficiency of the Kizashi is just marvelous as the noise and vibrations are extremely low thanks to the optimized aerodynamic efficiency.

Safety in the Kizashi

Suzuki Kizashi sports an outstanding range of safety technologies to ensure high levels of driver confidence and control. The standard Active-safety equipment in the Kizashi includes an anti-lock braking system, electronic braking-force distribution, and an ESP with traction control that heightens driver confidence by promoting stability during cornering maneuvers, acceleration, and emergency maneuvers and on slippery roads.

Passive-safety features include a light, energy-absorbing body in which structures that absorb and disperse impact energy are combined with a deformation-resisting cabin in line with Suzuki’s proprietary Total Effective Control Technology (TECT) concept. The front seatbelts have pre-tensioners and force limiters. Suzuki Kizashi also features six to eight airbags, depending on market needs for further protection.
Maruti Suzuki has made no official announcement of the pricing of Suzuki Kizashi, but it is expected to be in the range of Rs. 10 Lakhs to Rs. 13 Lakhs based on the options. It is going to be a good competition for Honda Civic , Toyota Corolla , Skoda Octavia and Chevrolet Cruze.

No doubt, Maruti Suzuki India right now has a product it always wanted to serve as a launch pad for the D-Segment in India. With the Suzuki Kizashi, Maruti Suzuki has a clear winner in their hands.

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Tata Motors which showcased its full-scale product portfolio at the Auto Expo with 37 vehicles from the Tata, Jaguar and Land Rover brands. Amongst the Tata cars that were displayed, three new Tata cars certainly turned more than a few heads towards it. Tata Aria, the Tata Venture and the Tata Magic Iris were all jointly posing for the flashbulbs of the cameras. Jaguar XJ which was launched also stole the thunder away when it was launched by Ratan Tata, Chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Motors.

But there was a special someone who was certainly being noticed, The Tata Indica Vista Sport.

It seemed that the plain looking Indica Vista had gate crashed at the 10th Auto Expo held in New Delhi wearing royal garbs. This car, Tata Indica Vista Sport, a concept, which was draped in the youthful Alphanso Orange body colour, contrasted with a dark shaded roof, highlights the car's sportiness, matched with ebony black interiors and black leather seats.

The flared wheel arch trims and accentuated fog lamp slots surely exuded oodles of power. The carefully contoured bonnet flares and the black treatment on the Vista's distinctive petal-shaped headlamps assert its feline poise, made complete with a trendy aerofoil rear roof spoiler.

This car looked every bit a stunner at every angle. We hope Tata Motors makes this concept a reality to see that its sales charts go skywards. Tata Motors with this car has an ubersexual in their hands, Price it right and market it right and Tata Motors could have a fan following for this little aggressive cutie-pie.

What actually livened the Tata Motors pavilion was the two Nanos LX models which were kept on display. This was Tata Motors’ demonstration of the Tata Nano’s adaptability to customer desired look and personality. The first car a Cocktail Red body painted Nano looked very much feminine with attractive floral patterns on the doors and bonnet. This car unmistakably was for wooing women customers as the interiors of this car also replicated the outer stance of the car with floral pattern designs fitted with start-stop feature.

The second Nano was specially conceived for masculine gender as the Nano was painted in Wild Lime colour to soothe the male sensibilities added with leather seats and door pads. Both the Nanos are air-conditioned and equipped with electronic trip meter, music system, mobile charger point, central locking, tinted glasses, front power windows and fog lamps.

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Mahindra and Mahindra gladdened by the success of its Scorpio has made elaborate plans to develop a brand new SUV platform that will eventually replace its flagship SUV Scorpio.

Mahindra has hit the right pedal in this step and will invest close to Rs 700 crore in this ambitious project. This SUV might be Mahindra’s attempt to go global and target the international markets such as U.S, European countries and the Middle East. Mahindra has been eying for a international product ever since the inception of its now flagship product the Mahindra Scorpio.

Pawan Goenka, President, Mahindra and Mahindra was stated saying that “We are developing a new SUV platform, which will replace Scorpio. This platform will be compatible with the markets abroad and will be exported from India. We are looking at investing around Rs 600 crore-Rs 700 crore in the project.”

This new SUV will be manufactured at the company’s Chakan plant in Maharashtra and will be positioned at a higher segment than the flagship Scorpio. The investment in the new SUV platform development is the part of Mahindra and Mahindra’s $ 1 billion capex plans, which includes half a billion investment on the chakan plant alone.

The Chakan plant will also produce the Maxximo mini truck which was unveiled on Tuesday at the 10th Auto Expo. Mahindra Maxximo will be pitted against the Tata Ace, which is currently the market leader in its class. Mahindra has invested close to Rs 350 crore in developing the Maxximo mini truck which is powered by a2-cylinder CRDe engine. Mahindra hopes to sell 10,000-20,000 units in the light truck market in India.

The company had showcased the cargo version of the Maxximo but a pick-up version on the same platform is also under development. A battery-operated version of the Mahindra Maxximo was also showcased at the Auto Expo.

The company plans to introduce the compact pickups from its stable in the US market by the first quarter of 2010 and the mini trucks will be built on the Scorpio platform with a modified engine.

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Toyota Kirloskar Motors, the subsidiary of Japan’s Toyota Motor Corporation unveiled the third generation Prius in India at the Auto Expo 2010 today.

Prius which means ‘to go before’ in Latin stands true to its name. Toyota Priusis the world’s first mass-produced hybrid vehicle since 1997 and has received world-wide acclaim. Toyota Prius is also the most successful hybrid in the world with cumulative sales of nearly 1.5 million.

Mr. Sandeep Singh, the DMD of Marketing, Toyota Kirloskar Motor during the unveiling of Prius said through the launch of the Prius, Toyota is keen to demonstrate its commitment to offer the latest eco-friendly automotive technology to its customers in India. He also added that “Toyota will continue to popularize environmentally friendly vehicles in India to further our efforts to help save the environment.”

The Toyota Prius that belongs to the third generation features the latest of its pioneering technology, the Toyota Hybrid System II (also called Hybrid Synergy Drive) and has one of the best aerodynamic performances. Toyota Prius has proved its worth as a world-leading fuel efficient car. Prius is equipped with a 1.8L, 2ZR FXE engine that churns out 134 bhp and also features Electrically controlled CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission.

The other features present in the Prius are Push start system and smart entry, Audio and Bluetooth controls with touch sensor on steering wheel. Toyota Prius gets safety features like that of ABS, BA, EBD, VSC, Traction Control and 7 airbags.

The Third-generation Prius comes with three driving modes − Power Mode, Eco Mode and EV (Electric Vehicle) Mode, − as well as a host of dynamic features that combine to give improved driving pleasure with superior environmental performance.

The Prius will be available in limited numbers in two variants, priced at 26.55 lakh and 27.86 lakh, ex showroom, New Delhi, and bookings start from today.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor apart from the Prius also launched the Corolla Altis CNG while Innova CNG and Camry Hybrid were on display at the Auto Expo 2010 in New Delhi.

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Tata Motors unveiled the Aria, the cross-over between a multi-utility and sports utility vehicle, at the Auto Expo here in New Delhi.

The Tata Indicruz is renamed as Tata Aria and Tata Motors like to call this cross-over as the four-wheeler built for Indians by Indian engineers.

However, Tata Motors still has us guessing on the possible date of commercial launch of Tata Aria in India. Tata’s current lineup includes sedans such as Tata Indigo Manza, Tata Indigo, hatchbacks, Tata Nano, Tata Indica and Tata Indica Vista, SUV’s and MUVs include Tata Safari and Tata Sumo Grande MK II.

Tata’s progression from a truck manufacturer to passenger car manufacturer has been tremendous. Last year’s Auto Expo highlighted the Tata Nano to the world as the cheapest car in the world and smallest car in the world which went on to become a big hit on its own.

“Apart from the Tata Aria, there will be products from Jaguar series of buses and a new world truck, new alternate fuel vehicles and electric vehicles," Tata group chairman, Ratan Tata, said at the Auto Expo in New Delhi.

Tata Motors also is previewing passenger carrier Magic Iris and MPV Venture, besides the Jaguar XJ. Tata Motors is quite bullish on the electric and hybrid programmes and projects and is displaying the Indica Vista Electric in the Expo along with other hybrid and electric models.

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Honda Motor Corporation on the very first day of the Delhi Auto Expo unveiled its concept small car which will be hitting the roads by early 2011 in India.

This small car has been conceptualized for emerging markets like India and Thailand to begin with but may gradually be launched in the global markets.

The name of the just-unveiled small car was rather unusual as Honda simply preferred to call their car as “New Small”.

The design of the cars looks very modern yet contemporary with extensive usage of LED lights. Though the grill of the “New Small” resembles that of the Honda Jazz, that’s where the similarities end as this new car has a design which is out of the mill with raked C-pillar, clam-shell bonnet with a nice twinge of curves and bends along the body of the car.

If the sources are to be believed, this small car will be powered by a 1.0 VTEC engine, while the 1.2 litre engine from the Jazz might also be a possibility. This car is slated to compete against the Hyundai i10, Maruti Suzuki Swift and the base version of the Hyundai i20.

Also at the Honda bay was the CR-Z concept, the first sporty hybrid to sport a manual gearbox, the entire range of Indian cars, three Jazz concepts including a Mugen-tuned version and ASIMO, Honda’s humanoid robot.

Honda Motor will join other global auto makers, which are keen to tap into the budget-conscious Indian customers' demand for such compact cars. In India, Honda Motor operates as Honda Siel Cars India Ltd., a joint venture with an Indian business conglomerate Siddharth Shriram Group.

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The People’s car maker Volkswagen has finally done it. It has launched its indigenously built Polo hatchback in India during the Auto Expo week here in Delhi.

Volkswagen will be selling the Polo in India from March onwards. The Volkswagen Polo comes both in diesel and petrol engines. The sedan version of the Polo also is slated to be launched in the second half of 2010 which also will be built using the same platform of the Polo hatchback.

The company expects to garner its market share in the Indian Car market by about 8-10 per cent in the next 4-6 years. Speaking on the wake of the launch of VW Polo, Jochem Heizmann, Volkswagen AG Member of the Board of management said that “The Polo stands for German engineering and top technology. It is lively young cosmopolitan made in India car."

The 1.2 litre VW Polo which comes in three variants is being currently manufactured in its Chakan facility in Pune.

When it comes to the pricing, The Polo is said to be very competitive and will be in the range of Honda Jazz, Hyundai i20 and Skoda Fabia. But the exact price will be only out when the cars reach the dealerships in March this year.

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Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt Ltd, the Indian unit of Toyota Motor Corporation on Tuesday unveiled its small concept car, Etios, at the Auto Expo in New Delhi.

This will be Toyota’s launch pad for the Indian small car market in the days to come. This global car as Hiroshi Nakagawa, Managing Director of Toyota Kirloskar says will enter the mass volume segment. Toyota had invested about Rs 3,200 crore to set up its second manufacturing facility in Bangalore to bring out the car on roads by early 2011.

"With the introduction of the Etios we will enter the mass volume segment. We are looking at a sales volume of 70,000 units in the first year," he said.

"After the slowdown, we are now in a difficult situation and we are trying to achieve constant recovery. The Indian market is very important and big for Toyota and it is expected to grow up to four million units by 2015," Toyota Motor Corp Vice Chairman Kazuo Okamoto said on the sidelines of the Auto Expo.
The company would launch both hatchback and sedan under the Etios series with 1.2 litres and 1.5 litres petrol engines respectively.

Toyota had earlier said that it would start selling its first small car in India by late-2010.
Toyota Kirloskar, which is 89 per cent owned by Toyota and the remainder by India's Kirloskar group, currently produces the Innova multipurpose vehicle, the Corolla sedan and the Fortuner SUV at its factory outside Bangalore.

It also imports and markets the Land Cruiser and the newly launched Land Cruiser Prado SUVs, as well as the Camry sedan.

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Chevrolet has done the most audacious thing ever. When the commencement of Auto Expo is just a few hours away, chevy has launched its ultra-radical design hatchback, the Beat.

Chevy Beat is car which cannot be called cute but it certainly is a macho looking car and stands out as a towering personality against its competition, the Suzuki Ritz and Hyundai i10. The nice lines on the bonnet has a very aggressive look, while the large head lamps make it appear more substantial and less top heavy than one would like to believe.

The car is certainly spacious with roomy leg space and head space when compared to other cars in its class.Beat is powered by a 1.2-litre S-Tec engine that uses a double overhead camshaft to produce 79 bhp of power and can reach 160 kph easily. The Chevy Beat is also shod with 155 section 14-inch Apollo Acelere rubber.

The Chevrolet Beat comes in three variants such as the PS, LS and the LT. The Base PS version comes with power steering, manual AC and rear folding seats and is priced at Rs 3.34 lakh, ex-showroom, New Delhi while the LS version features a chrome grille, central locking system and rear parcel tray and is priced at Rs 3.54 lakh, ex-showroom, New Delhi. The fully-loaded LT variant has roof rails, auto AC, tilt steering and rear power windows. ABS and airbags are on the options list which is priced at Rs 3.94 lakh.

With that sort of pricing, the Chevrolet Beat has all the right ingredients to make life very difficult for Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki.

The Beat will be on display at the General Motors pavillion at the 2010 Auto Expo.

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Toyota Kirloskar Motors has finally done what it should have done a while back. It has launched the New Land Cruiser Prado in India today. We in Carazoo.com had blogged on this SUV a couple of months back anticipating Toyota to launch the Prado Diesel next year. But we are in for a pleasant shock that Toyota has kept the launch programme at the fag-end of 2009.

This new beast of an SUV certainly looks bold and stylish at the same time. Prado Diesel combines the rugged dominance of its Land Cruiser heritage with the revolutionary technology and sophistication for which Toyota is renowned in this SUV.

The New Toyota Land Cruiser Prado comes with a 3.0-litre D-4D turbo-charged common rail diesel engine coupled to a 5-speed automatic transmission which produces 171bhp at 3,400rpm and churns out a maximum torque of 410Nm between 1,600 and 2,800rpm.This SUV fitted with imposing 18” alloy wheels also has a full-time 4x4 drive to take on the extremes.

With a host of features like that of downhill assist control, hill-start assist control, Vehicle Stability Control and Adaptive Traction Control, the new Land Cruiser Prado is all set to be one of the most comfortable SUVs that has been around in India for quite some time now.

On the interiors’ front, the New Land Cruiser Prado is no let down. With three row seats that can comfortably seat eight adults without any hassles, this SUV can put any luxury sedans into shame. The highlights of the features present in this SUV are power adjust with memory function on the drivers’ side, 3-automatic climate control options and seven SRS airbags for that extra protection in the event of collision.

The second row seats provide ample luxury with center armrest and cup holders and can be folded to increase the cargo space just in case the cargo is more even after you have folded the third-row seats. The third row seat comes with 50:50 split and power-fold-down at the touch of a button.

The New Toyota Land Cruiser Prado comes in five exciting colours such as White Pearl Crystal Shine, Silver Metallic, Grey Metallic, Greyish Blue Metallic and Black. This beast of an SUV costs 62,50,000 in Delhi (Ex-Show room).

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Tata Motors today launched the Grande MK II, an upgraded version of its premium utility vehicle, the Tata Sumo Grande.

Tata sumo, the work horse of Tata Motors has been around for about a decade now and going strong. Tata Sumo has seen various upgrades with the passage of time to suit the taste of the generation next. The new Tata Sumo Grande MK II is bound to deliver added value to customers through substantial changes in the exteriors and interiors combined with improvements in drivability, ride and handling and comfort.

There have been conspicuous changes in the exteriors of the new Tata Sumo Grande MK II which includes a new chrome lined grill, side rub rails with chrome inserts and indicators on ORVMs. While the interiors of the Grande MK II gets a completely refreshed look with a two tone theme complemented by a new faux wood centre console and new fabric upholstery.

Apart from these cosmetic changes, ergonomic improvements also have been taken care of like that of smaller steering wheel with floating horns, a grab handle on the ‘C’ pillar to aid egress of third row passengers, and new inner door handles.

The vehicle is powered by the new generation 2.2 litre DICOR engine fitted with a variable geometry turbocharger which delivers maximum power and torque of 120 PS and 250 Nm respectively. The drive ratio in the new Grande MKII also has been changed to give a boost to low speed performance in city driving conditions. While a modified suspension ensures a comfortable ride, particularly for second and third row occupants, optimised anti-roll bars reduce body roll to a minimum during cornering. The existing low NVH levels have been further refined.

In spite of all these changes, the Grande MK II carries forward the class leading features of the earlier version such as best in class third row seats and lowest turning circle radius of 5.25 m in the category, in addition to having one of the best fuel efficiencies in its class.
Dual HVAC with roof integrated louvers, motorised ORVMs, height adjustable driver’s seat and a state of the art CD/MP3 music system are some of the other features Grande MK II continues to sport.

The Grande MK II will be available in 3 variants, such as top of the line Gx, Ex and Lx with a seating capacity ranging between 7 and 9 seats in front and side facing configurations. The vehicle will be available in three new colours, Walnut Gold, Platinum Beige and Castle Grey.
The Grande MK II is priced in the range of Rs. 6.43 lakhs to Rs. 7.50 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi).

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After the success of the Jetta and the Passat in India, Volkswagen has launched the much-awaited New Beetle in Mumbai. The Volkswagen Beetle is a classic car. It is a two-door four-seater hatchback that combines classic lines with the latest technology. The Beetle will come in a colour palette of Salsa Red, Sunflower, Deep Black, Razor Blue, Reflex Silver, Gecko Green and Campanella White.

This iconic car was initially called the Kafer, the German word for "beetle", from which the popular English name originates. Since August 1967, Volkswagen began using the name Beetle for this brand.

Also known as the “Bug”, the Beetle came into being in 1938 when Adolf Hitler ordered Ferdinand Porsche to design a "people's car". Erwin Komenda, Porsche's chief designer, was responsible for the design and style of the car. When the car was launched, critics had predicted a complete failure for the Beetle because of its peculiar styling and less powerful engine, but the car proved the critics wrong and went on to make history.

The original Beetle had the longest production run of any vehicle ever from 1938-2003. The Beetle has revolutionized the world by being the best selling single design car in history with a sales record of more than 21.5 million units. The New Beetle was introduced in 1998 and it drew heavy inspiration from the exterior design of the original Beetle. Unlike the original Beetle, the New Beetle has its engine in the front with front wheel drive and luggage storage in the rear.


The New Beetle comes with a 2.0L I4 petrol engine which can churn out 115 bhp. The engine is paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Moreover, the engine shows low figures for fuel consumption at an average of 13.5 km/l and complies to the stringent Euro IV emission norms. It has been imported from Volkswagen's Mexico factory as a Completely Built Unit (CBU) which attracts an import duty of 110 per cent.

With its immortal rounded contours, the Volkswagen New Beetle is an unmistakable designer object on four wheels. The New Beetle flaunts body-coloured outer rear mirrors, door handles and bumpers and runs on 15-inch alloy wheels. The beady headlamps commands attention and the circular tail lamps add grace to the rear fascia. The bonnet with the Volkswagen emblem inscribed on it is an example of outstanding workmanship and appears as if the car is giving you a wide grin.

Coming to the inside, the car greets you with the with the legendary flower vase and top-class leather upholstery. The cozy cabin adds a touch of sophistication to the car with the leather-covered steering wheel rim, gear lever knob and handbrake lever grip as well as premium leather seats. This classic hatchback includes standard features like electrically adjustable mirrors, 3-spoke tilt/telescoping power steering wheel, traction control, central locking, MP3 compatible "gamma CD" radio with Aux-in, height-adjustable front seats, electric sliding roof with sunblind and many more.

The Beetle assures safety of its passengers with ABS with EBD, EDL, ESP, front head restraints and dual-frontal and side airbags. With an ex-show room price Mumbai price of around Rs 23 Lakh, the Beetle will certainly grace the garage of the rich car enthusiasts.

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Delayed for over two weeks, the new Maruti Suzuki SX4 has still not lost its fervour. The wait is over and the Maruti SX4 has been finally launched. The main attraction of the SX4 is that the engine of the SX4 is equipped with an advanced variable valve timing (VVT) technology.

The SX4 is an attempt of Maruti Suzuki to wipe out the different assumptions about the brand that is prevailing in the car market. The popular notion is that Maruti is not a great performer when it comes to the big cars. And with other major companies such as Honda, Hyundai, and Toyota striving hard to satisfy the ever growing demands of the customers, Maruti will be in no time pushed to the wall as a small car manufacturer alone. This fear of the company might me the driving force behind the company’s new launch.


Maruti Suzuki has also introduced a 4-speed automatic transmission. The VVT technology guarantees that there is no shortage of power or wastage leading to improved optimized fuel consumption, engine efficiency, and lesser carbon emissions. The advanced VVT technology helps in starting the car accelerating it and climbing steep slopes better.

The SX4 is an environment friendly car that complies with the BS IV regulation, which will be effective from April 2010. It is among first cars in the A-3 segment that abide by the BS IV regulation of emission.

The SX4 has a more efficient engine that gives a mileage of 15.6 km per litre of petrol. The 1.6 litre engine produces a maximum power of 104.68ps @5600 rpm and a high torque of 145Nm @4100 rpm. The new SX4 has been made vibrant with a brand-new sporty honeycomb grille and 10-spoke 16 inch alloy wheels and dual tones interiors and plush upholstery.

The 4-speed automatic transmission is the best choice for city drive. A smooth and sporty drive allows an easy down-shift and effortless up-shift. A cluster of computer controlled sensors continuously administers the throttle input and optimize the engine response accordingly, thus requiring no changing of gears.

The new SX4 has two-tone beige colour interiors. At night, the steering mounted controls are illuminated for effortless usage. There is also new provision of USB connectivity on the dashboard.

The SX4 also has auto climate control system, windshield antenna, illuminated key insert, and variable instrument illumination.

The new SX4 is available in 2 transmissions namely manual and automatic. The two variants in manual transmission are VXi and ZXi. The SX4 is now available in seven metallic colours namely Azure Grey, Pearl Arctic White, French Éclair, Oyster Blue, Clear Beige, Silky Silver and Midnight Black.

The SX4 VXi manual is priced at 6.68 lakh, SX4 ZXi manual at 7.37 lakh, SX4 ZXi leather at 7.71, SX4 ZXi 4-speed automatic at 8.02 lakh, and SX4 ZXi leather 4-speed automatic at 8.36 lakh.

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