New Hyundai i10

Hyundai’s i10 may no longer be the massive seller that it once was, but that could change with the arrival of the new model in September 2013. Spied testing near Chennai, the new car (codename: BA) appears to be both longer and wider than the current i10, which points to a more spacious cabin. The camouflaged test car’s swept-back headlamps, hexagonal cues in the region of the front grille and rising shoulder line also hint that the new i10 will conform to Hyundai’s ‘Fluidic Sculpture’ design language. Engine options will include the variable valve timing-equipped 1.2-litre Kappa petrol motor from the current i10 and also a new 1.0-litre petrol unit from the same engine family. But what will seriously boost the i10’s appeal is the new 1.1-litre common-rail diesel engine currently under-development at Hyundai. A lengthy features list and competitive pricing should mark this out as one of the cars to wait for in 2013. A compact saloon based on the new i10 is also believed to be under development.

Engine: 1.0-litre petrol, 1.2-litre petrol, 1.1-litre diesel

Power/torque: NA, 79bhp/11.4kgm, NA

Kerb weight: NA

L/W/H: NA

Expected: September 2013

Price: Rs 3.5-6 lakh*

New Chevrolet Beat

Its funky design may still be as striking as ever, but the Beat is due to get its first styling update sometime in 2013. As part of the refresh, the Beat will get reprofiled bumpers, a larger honeycomb grille and different wing mirrors, apart from tweaks to the front and rear lights. The mechanicals are likely to remain unchanged though.
Engine: 1.2-litre petrol, 1.0-litre diesel
Power/torque: 79bhp/10.9kgm, 58.5bhp/15.2kgm
Kerb weight: 965-1027kg
L/W/H: 3640/1595/1520mm
Expected: Mid-2013
Price: Rs 3.8-5.7 lakh*

New BMW M6

The 6 series is one of the best cars in the BMW stable. It is a luxurious coupe that is designed to give performance as well as style. The 6 series is nearly as long as the 7 series, but obviously has two less doors and is lower and wider giving it the sports car look. However for enthusiasts who want even more performance there is the famous BMW 'M' range on offer. 

The heart of the matter is a high-revving V8 engine which has the M TwinPower Turbo technology with 560 bhp plus a seven-speed M Double Clutch Transmission with Drivelogic, Active M Differential.

The new BMW M6 Coupe also has a lightweight roof made from carbon fibre- reinforced plastic. The new BMW M6 Convertible, meanwhile, is fitted with a soft-top which has a fully electronic opening mechanism.

The BMW M6 Coupe goes from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.2 seconds, the BMW M6 Convertible does that in 4.3 seconds. Of course you need big brakes and you get them in form of M carbon-ceramic brakes, offered as an option for the first time. The typical M styling design details includes the newly designed M kidney grille, which has an "M6" badge. The grille has a black, paired kidney grille slats. The 30-millimetre increase in track width over the two cars' are for better grip.

The front side sections of the car feature the M gills. Elsewhere the side skirts sweep upwards towards the rear wheels. The new BMW M6 Coupe and BMW M6 Convertible are fitted with 19-inch M light-alloy wheels as standard. There are optional stunning 20-inch M light-alloy wheels. We like.

These are the ultimate BMW M cars and it will be also the most expensive.

New Renault Fluence

The face-lifted Renault Fluence will make its debut at the 2012 Istanbul Motor Show. The changes have been mostly to the exterior of the car while retaining the most of the old looks but with a twist. New Renault Fluence now has the new Renault front which means a bigger and a more aggressive grille. Its front end now has the vertically-set logo at the centre of a broad black strip. 

You would also have noticed the LED daytime running lights. At the rear the changes are not that major but overall the Fluence now has more presence. The interior has been subtly tweaked too but the impressive space remains. There are a few new additions to the features list.

From the basic model, all versions now have Bluetooth radios equipped with USB.

The New Renault Fluence also has the Renault R-Link multimedia system which will provide connected services. Renault R-Link incorporates the navigation system and telephony function and can be connected to portable music players.

There are two new engine options- a 1.6 petrol and diesel that will join the current line-up. The new petrol engine makes 115 bhp and the diesel makes 130 bhp. Also new is the  X-Tronic CVT automatic transmission. Expect it to arrive next year.

Ashok Leyland Stile

At the 2012 Auto Expo Ashok Leyland revealed its Multi-Functional Vehicle, the Stile.

The Stile is the result of the partnership between Ashok Leyland and Nissan. The Ashok Leyland Stile and the Nissan Evalia are the same but the Stile will be sold independently from Ashok Leyland dealerships. Of course the Stile and the Nissan Evalia will have the same 1.5 Liter K9K diesel engine. Another thing that we know of is that the Ashok Leyland Stile will be positioned lower than the Nissan Evalia.

The STILE has been specially developed to address various applications like people carriers in the urban and rural areas, hotel shuttles, taxi services, ambulances, panel vans, courier services, inter-city and intra-city travel.

 The head lights are the most pleasing part of the design-they are sharp and make the Stile look cutting edge and handsome. The interiors gets the dual-tone treatment and superior ergonomics. The low floor feature makes for easy entry and exit, while sliding doors on both sides allow for easy access in tight parking spaces. STILE will be available in both CNG and Diesel versions, with a wide choice of seating options of 2 and 3 rows.

The STILE is scheduled for launch in mid of calendar year 2013.

New Volkswagen Beetle

First launched in 2009, the Beetle never took off in the Indian market. Though being hailed as a design icon all over these years, the Beetle was deemed too expensive at Rs 25 lakhs. There was some competition for it in terms of the Fiat 500 but the Beetle was a bit old to fight its new rivals. The 2012 Volkswagen Beetle changes all that and it was one of the stars of the Auto Expo 2012.

 The 3rd gen Beetle has been built around the Golf platform and is longer and wider than the previous gen Beetle. But the most talked about point of the new Beetle is its radical styling, it looks completely different than the previous one. The car has a lower profile, the front bonnet is longer and the front windscreen is shifted further back. There is also bi-xenon headlights and LED daytime running lights. All this results in more muscular styling and though the design has changed it will still be recognised as a Beetle.

In the interior you will find three round instruments arranged in front of the driver and cabin has all the bells and whistles that you need.. The new Beetle has a top end entertainment system with a 6.5-inch touchscreen, DVD player, voice control, SD card slot and 30 Gigabyte hard drive.

Locking of the Volkswagen is from the outside, also activated by touching one of the two door handles; in this case, however, a specially marked surface is used. When it comes to safety there is ESP or electronic stabilization programme and there are six airbags, so you can be sure the new VW Beetle will keep you safe no matter what. When it comes to space there is more legroom and more boot space though headroom has been reduced slightly.

Among engine options there is the 140 bhp diesel which makes the most sense since the market is heavily tilted towards diesels. The old Beetle could not set the sales chart on fire and with the introduction of the Mini brand it would get even more tough. Both the Mini and Beetle are iconic brands which are loved by people all over the world. The new Beetle then is a massive improvement over the earlier generation as it betters its predecessor in every possible way. The design is now more youthful, the interior is now more luxurious and it drives better too. Looks like the new Beetle is ready for the Indian market.

Mahindra Verito Vibe

Mahindra and Mahindra is one of the top notch home bred car makers of India and it is also one of the oldest industries, which was established before the independence of India. This company has a splendid fleet of automobiles prevalent in the country's lucrative car market and most of them are utility vehicles, which have been doing astounding revenue generation as well for the company, since their respective launches. Apart from all the massive SUV s and MPVs this company has, there is also a sleek and stylish premium sedan called as Mahindra Verito in their fleet, which is very popular in the car market. Now finally the company has also ventured into the profitable hatchback segment with the launch of the charming Mahindra Verito Vibe, which is their flagship hatchback for the Indian populace. The Mahindra Verito Vibe is being offered in three variants, all of which are equipped with a diesel engine. The company has not launched any petrol variants in this hatchback series. The Mahindra Verito Vibe has been fitted with a commanding 4-cylinder, 1.5-litre dCi diesel mill with eight valves and a CRDi (common rail direct injection) fuel supply system. This diesel engine can displace 1461cc and can churn out 64.1bhp at 4000rpm along with a maximum torque output of 160Nm at 2000rpm. This powerful diesel mill is cleverly mated with a smooth 5-speed manual transmission. The company claims that this premium diesel hatchback has the capacity to generate a healthy mileage of 20.80 Kmpl, when driven under standard conditions, which is rather impressive.

The company has bestowed this hatchback with quite a number of comfort aspects to lure the customers. Some of which are a brilliant instrument panel, a powerful and efficient air conditioning system and a cabin heater as well. Then there is an advanced an advanced 2-Din music system with speakers that comes with a CD player, a USB interface and also an Aux-In port along with FM Radio for amazing in-cabin entertainment. There are a number of other convenience aspects as well for the occupants, such as front and rear head restraints, a map pocket integrated in the front door, remote operated fuel tank lid, a responsive power steering, power windows for all doors with door mounted switches that enhance the comfort for all the passengers, rear window defogger for enhanced safety, central door locking for added protection, newly designed inside grab handles to all the four doors, a remote boot lid opener, a rear parcel shelf for keeping smaller important things at hand, a sporty gear shift lever knob in a silver finish, an instrument panel topper pad, a storage space in the center console to store some essential items, a painted center fascia, sun visors, a carpet for the luggage compartment, a mobile holder and a passenger side vanity mirror as well. This Mahindra Verito Vibe hatchback series have also been given quite a number of safety aspects as well. Some of which are a collapsible steering column, an anti theft engine immobilizer, child proof rear door locks, a day and night internal rear view mirror, an electrical rear window child lock, halogen headlamps, laminated wind shield and many more such aspects, which will certainly keep all the passengers safe and secure.

Mercedes Benz A Class hatchback

In the entire automobile industry very few names succeed in defining the industry by being synonymous to excellence and innovation. Mercedes Benz is most certainly one of them. Over the decades of its rule over the International automobile market, the German auto giant Mercedes Benz has surely become a symbol of constant anticipation among the auto enthusiasts. Some cars launched by the company happen to be class defining and trend setting, while others happen to offer unmatched excellence in performance, comfort as well as innovation. Going by this amazing rate of engineering, the company once again came out to offer the world another jewel with its Mercedes Benz A Class hatchback . As the company cited the interesting reference of the letter A to awesomeness, the car stands up to the tag in offering, what happens to be the next big thing from the Mercedes Benz after the Mercedes Benz G Class and Mercedes Benz S Class. The vehicle has amazing design aesthetics where the entire framework seems to be nothing less than a perfect impression of the wind flow. While most vehicles happen to offer perfect aerodynamic aspects in the design framework not many succeed in managing to offer a perfect design statement, which can explain the vehicle’s aerodynamics perfectly. The frontage has been bestowed with a diamond shaped radiator grille, which adds on to the classiness. The entire design has a strange sense of beauty to it, which successfully makes the somewhat compact design seem even more appealing. But the visual appeal is not just restricted to the exterior beauty, it is also evident in the interiors, which offers arguably the best in class features and other aspects any car can get. Being a luxury sports hatchback, the vehicle has the perfect dimensions to amplify the lasting impression it creates.

The mechanics too are however equally impressive with a thoughtful offering of both diesel and petrol engine variants. While the petrol variant comes with 1.6-litre four cylinder turbocharged engine, the diesel variant is offered with a 2.2-litre engine. What is impressive in this offering is the way these engines manage to create a perfect balance between the performance as well as efficiency. The petrol engine manages to creates a maximum output of 120.7bhp at 5000rpm along with 200Nm at 1250 - 4000rpm, while the diesel engine can offer an equally impressive power of 107.3bhp at 3200 – 4400rpm in combination with a peak torque yield of 250Nm at 1400 – 2800rpm, which is quite good. The vehicle comes as a completely built unit, which might result in making the vehicle an expensive affair. While the entire aesthetics seem undoubtedly targeted at the younger audience, the sporty feel does make the vehicle a sheer beauty for any range of customers. Though Mercedes Benz has not always been the commoners vehicle in the country, it definitely is one of the popular brand everyone aspires to own at some point of time in their life. The vehicle does matter a lot in the Indian automobile market, despite being an expensive vehicle because it would hopefully inspire a lot of automobiles entering the market not just in the Indian market but also the international scene. This is evident over the years when Mercedes Benz succeeded in opening up new technical and design avenues, which other companies were inspired from. The overall structure of this hatchback explains the contemporary design inspirations of curves along with well spaced and structured renderings, although it offers an unmistakable Mercedes Benz signature. The vehicle comes with a 7G-DCT (seven speed dual clutch transmission system) and the powerful engines in both the variants certainly manage to make perfect use of the same in offering not just a beautiful vehicle but also a powerful one. The best thing in this vehicle however undoubtedly remains the diesel option, which can offer a remarkable mileage and fuel economy compared to its petrol counterparts. What the future would be of this vehicle is most certainly unknown as of now, but whatever it is, it definitely manages to be an unforgettable inspiration to future generations of automobiles. The design of the vehicle is clearly unmatched to any other regular hatchbacks, which certainly reflects the authentic Mercedes Benz statement, signature and excellence

Mercedes Benz GL Class

Mercedes Benz India is one of the most reputed and acclaimed luxury automobile maker in the world. This company has quite a number of luxuriant vehicles in the lucrative Indian car market and one of them is the urbane and admirable Mercedes Benz GL Class SUV. This Germany based international luxury car maker, Mercedes Benz has a brilliant fleet of vehicles across the world. Their fully owned Indian ancillary, Mercedes Benz India has been doing quite well in the luxury vehicle segment of the Indian car market place. They have quite a few enchanting vehicles in their stable and one such outstanding SUV is their Mercedes Benz GL Class SUV. This sophisticated Sports Utility Vehicle has flawless exteriors, lavish interiors along with highly developed safety and comfort features, which will astound the customers. This classy SUV has been blessed with an efficient and commanding diesel engine, which has two options for the customers to select from along with the best in class features in its segment. The vehicles made by this luxury car maker, Mercedes Benz are much admired across all the car markets in the world and are acclaimed to be one of the leading luxury vehicles in the Indian automobile bazaar as well. This Mercedes Benz GL Class model line up is a high performance and power packed SUV, which will certainly amaze the buyers. The Mercedes Benz GL Class SUV is laden with many sophisticated comfort and safety aspects along with some highly developed gadgets to amaze the Indian buyers. Some of the most impressive and advanced comfort features of this new Mercedes Benz GL Class SUV include a three zone air conditioning unit with climate control, a start stop ignition system , parking assistance for simplified parking of this massive SUV, voice operated controls, an sophisticated music system with various input interfaces along with Bluetooth connectivity and many more such urbane and best in class features. The safety aspect has been looked after as well and the company has integrated this muscular SUV with some highly developed and top of the line safety functions such as nine air bags, off road mode, hill descent control, attention assist, a Parktronic system and many more such crucial safety features as well.

The company has given two engine options for the buyers to choose from. This formidable SUV has been equipped with a power packed 3.0-litre diesel mill that has the highly acclaimed common rail technology and is cleverly mated with a seven speed automatic transmission gear box along with an permanent all wheel drive mode that also has electronic traction as well, which has smoother and very efficient gear shifts. This V-Type engine has the ability to displace close to 2987cc and has been equipped with six cylinders, which have been further housed with 36 valves. The company has also fitted this commanding engine with a DOHC (dual overhead cam shaft) and also a sequential electronic fuel injection (SEFI) supply system as well. The other option is an influential and more powerful petrol engine of 5.5-litre, which has the ability to displace about 5461cc and has been fitted with a multi point fuel injection supply system along with a Super Charger as well. This SUV has a permanent all wheel drive mode and is cleverly mated with a seven speed G-Tronic automatic transmission gear box along with an permanent four wheel drive that also has electronic traction as well. The company is offering this Mercedes Benz GL Class SUV in quite a number of lustrous exterior paint options such as a vibrant Iridium Silver metallic finish, a brilliant and spectacular looking Calcite White metallic finish, a subtle yet elegant Palladium Silver metallic finish, a graceful Citrine Brown metallic finish and a magnificent looking Obsidian Black metallic finish as well.

Mahindra Ssangyong Korando

Mahindra Ssangyong Korando is a compact SUV that is going to be unveiled for the first time in Auto Expo 2012. It is a perfect example of the synergized work between parent company Mahindra and acquired South Korean firm Ssangyong. Korando is a perfect amalgamation that renders driving comfort of a sedan, sturdy space of an SUV and style of a luxury car. Korando was initially produced in South Korea from 1983–2006 as Korando jeeps. Many generations have been rolled out since then and a new model was produced again from 2010. The new Korando was well received from a design perspective, with many reviewers appreciating the design improvements over previous models.

A new Korando C concept Korando was launched at the 2010 Busan International Motor Show. A fully electric version of Korando was also launched at same Auto show. Korando, which is a contraction of ‘Korea Can Do’, has served Korea’s SUV market for long. The crossover even holds the title of ‘Korea’s longest-surviving brand’ in Guinness Book of World Records. The 56 year old company Ssangyong was acquired by India's Mahindra & Mahindra Limited in February 2011 after being named the preferred bidder in 2010 to acquire the bankruptcy-protected company and Korando and Rexton will be their first joint venture products.

This classy Korando SUV was designed and developed by renowned Italian styling company-‘Italdesin’ founded by renowned stylist Giorgetto Giugiaro. He amalgamated the shape of a modern, stylish SUV with the rugged appearance following the core of Ssangyong Motor Company’s style. Korando compact SUV is built on a monocoque body. This is for the first time any Ssangyong SUV is based on monocoque body frame, thus ensuring both light-weight and sturdy body compared to its counterparts. Since it is a crossover, it has a small wheelbase of 2650 mm. The Korando looks extremely sporty with its muscular flanks and flared wheel arches that enclose 17 inch tyres. A high beltline, headlights, semicircular grille with black mesh and bulky bonnet looks menacing. The front face of Korando is quite bulged and heavy. Body color mirrors with turn indicators, diamond shaped fog lamps and meshed air dam suits the overall aggressive look.

New Mahindra Ssangyong Korando will come packed with 2.0-litre turbo-dieselengine. This power train will be capable of 173 bhp at 4000 rpm and a peak torque of 36O Nm at 2000-1000 rpm. As a front-wheel-driving car, the engine is placed over the drive wheels, which kind of improves the traction in unfavorable conditions like snow, mud, and gravel. A six-speed automatic transmission and optional smart all-wheel-drive system suggests that Korando will drive butter smooth on the road as it does off-road. Six speed manual transmission is also anticipated in Indian version.

Mahindra Ssangyong Korando is a five seater and with various luxurious seat layouts, a smart key, and heated seats, the Korando is comfortable for both drivers and passengers. It certainly won’t attract many buyers because of its inadequate seating capacity as it comes as a norm that SUVs are large enough to accommodate large families. After launching the fully-fledged Mahindra XUV 500 well-off with its lush and plush interiors, it will be a challenge for Mahindra to come up with better interiors in Korando as will be priced higher than the former. However, Ssangyong is known for putting its best foot forward in interiors and Korando in India will be no exception. The dashboard can be expected without any frills with the controls logically laid out and within easy reach. Still, matching upto the level of luxurious crossovers like CR-V, Fortuner and other big shots in Indian SUV market is tough for this new Mahindra launch.

A variety of safety features in the new Mahindra SUV—such as an electronic stability program that reduces risk factors plus an emergency stop signal that turns on automatically brakes are applied suddenly—ensure that one will feel confident using the Korando to take his family along on a multitude of adventures. And with high fuel efficiency and an eco-cruise control system, one might just find those adventures taking him further and further. All eyes towards Auto Expo now!

Audi S6

  

Expected launch Date : Jun 2013
Estimated Price : N/A
Audi S6 sedan, known as a superb performer, will come out of cocoon in this Auto Expo 2012. The German car maker launched this model globally in 1994 and after attaining much success throughout the globe, this Audi car will see its dawn in India. However, Audi India will launch its sedan S6 during the second quarter of next year. As of now, the study is going on to introduce S6 in the Indian market. Audi also plans to have dealers at 23 locations in India by the end of 2012. This will gradually boost up the sales and popularity of Audi cars in India. Audi S6 price will be higher than Audi A6 sedan. The former will be priced at about Rs 40 lakh in Indian market.

Volvo V40 D3

Expected launch Date : Jun 2013

Estimated Price : N/A

The much awaited Volvo V40 Cross Country is all set for its Indian debut on June 14, 2013 at the company's new showroom in Gurgaon. The current line-up of Volvo India includes S60, S80, XC60 and XC90, all of which are quite expensive, as their target buyers are big business guys and rich class of the country, the V40 Cross Country will be the most affordable Volvo India has ever seen. Volvo V40 Cross Country is basically an off-roading version of the V40 hatch, thus it is both rugged in character like an SUV and a luxury hatchback. Such a combination will help Volvo to position the V40 Cross Country against the popular crossovers- BMW X1, Audi Q3 and the upcoming luxury hatches including Mercedes-Benz A-Class and BMW 1-Series. The company hasn't however revealed the pricing of the car, it is likely to be priced around Rs 25 lakh.

Ford Ecosport

Ford has done it again. The Figo made its world debut in India and the same happened for the all-new EcoSport, a compact urban SUV that will go on sale for the domestic market in a couple of months time. This new compact SUV will start and give birth to an all-new segment in India and brings along the most advanced level of design, quality and sustainability in its class to attract new generations of customers.It will be powered by the new EcoBoost engine series and will get the smallest of the range here a 1.0-litre petrol engine with power and performance characteristics of a 1.6-litre one.

Expected Launch Month : June 2013
Expected Price : Rs 6.00 L - 9.00 L