Volkswagen has launched a performance variant of its popular Polo hatchback called the Polo GT TSI starting at Rs. 7.99 lacs.

 At its heart is a potent 1.2-litre turbocharged, direct injected TSI engine which produces an impressive 103 bhp and 175 Nm of torque. 

 The power is sent to the front wheels through a seven speed dual clutch automatic gearbox. However there are no paddle shifters behind the wheel and no manual transmission on offer. Volkswagen claims that the Polo GT TSI can go from 0-100 km/h in 9.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 190 km/h. 

 The ARAI fuel efficiency figure of the Volkswagen Polo GT TSI has been rated at 17.2 kmpl.

The Polo GT TSI will be available in three colours, Candy White, Flash Red and Deep Black. 

 To conclude, the Polo GT TSI packs in a very impressive powertrain, giving it performance miles ahead of its competitors. However a Rs. 2 Lakh premium over the slower top-of-the-line Polo may lead potential buyers to think twice, and consider other options.
Posted by Vedang Parmar On- 30.4.13


Nissan Motor India has launched an EMI scheme in India, which it claims will slash customers’ monthly outflow by up to 40%.
In this scheme, the EMI on the Nissan Micra (petrol and diesel) and the Nissan Sunny (diesel) would be Rs 8,999 on a three-year loan.
Customers have an option to choose a down payment of 34% on the on road price of the car or to exchange their old car and get an additional exchange bonus of up to Rs 50,000, said by Nissan itself.
Customers can also extend the scheme to include the customised EMI plan for 36 months. The offer is valid till April 30, 2013.
Nissan has tied up with most of all leading auto financiers like Tata Capital, HDFC, ICICI Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank.
Posted by Unknown On- 16.4.13

Atlast after a long wait, honda has finally launched its Honda Amaze or the Honda Brio Amaze. This is the first car in India to claim the iDTEC diesel engine which would give the highest fuel economy in the country.The starting price of the car is decided Rs.4.99 lacs as it was said on the launching event of the Honda Amaze held in New Delhi on Thursday. 

 On the event, Honda said us that they are working to grow Honda in India to improve its after sales service.

 The Amaze diesel option is powered by a 1.5 litre engine and the company claims that it will give a mileage of 25.8 km per litre. The petrol option has a 1.2 litre engine and the manual transmission has a fuel economy of 18 km per litre, while the automatic one is claimed to run 15.5 km in every litre.

 Price of Petrol Variant

Rs 4.99 lakh for E Grade

Rs 5.24 lakh for EX Grade

Rs 5.62 lakh for S Grade

Rs 6.60 lakh for VS Grade

Rs 6.62 lakh for Sat Grade

Rs 7.50 lakh for VXAT Grade

Price for diesel variant

Rs 5.99 lakh for E Grade

Rs 6.24 lakh for EX Grade

Rs 6.67 lakh for S Grade

Rs 7.60 lakh for VS Grade
Posted by Unknown On- 11.4.13

Auto maker Hyundai Motors is planning a compact SUV and an MPV for the Indian market in the near future.

 The move is likely to bring the automaker in the SUV/crossover market which will soon witness the inclusion of the Ford Ecosport in June orJuly. With the entry into the niche market, Hyundai will go up against the dominant player, the Renault Duster.

 The announcement comes at the heels of the Korean automaker’s decision to launch a car which will be placed between the successful i10 and i20 series.

 Also, the MPV will be unveiled after the launch of the compact SUV. The MPV will likely face competition from Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Mahindra’s compact SUV, the Quanto.

 Some reports also state that Hyundai is investing in a flexible engine plant with a 300,000 capacity, which will allow the car maker to stop importing diesel engines.

 Meanwhile, the car that is supposed to be positioned between i20 and i10 is pegged to be the next iteration of the i10.
Posted by Unknown On- 31.3.13

 The Honda Brio Amaze is just a few days away from its launch and is making a lot of news. Honda India has very high hopes with its new car and there are good chances that the new sedan will bring the former glory back to the Honda.
The Honda Brio Amaze will become the first Honda car in India to get a diesel engine and will battle it out against the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire and the Chevrolet Sail Sedan. The car has been caught testing on many occasions and here is one more image of the Honda Brio Amaze compact sedan at a Honda India dealership.

The i-DTEC diesel engine that will power the Honda Brio Amaze sedan has  been developed alongside the much publicized Honda 1.6 litre EarthDreams engine that powers the UK spec Civic and CRV. The 1.5 Liter diesel engine has an all aluminium construction and is good for segment topping power output of 100 PS with the max torque figure pegged at 200 Nm. The diesel engine has an ARAI certified fuel efficiency of a staggering 25.8 Kmpl and the car seems all poised to dethrone the high selling Swift Dzire from the top of the entry level sedan segment.
The petrol variant of the Honda Brio Amaze will be powered by the same 1.2 litre i-VTEC engine. This engine is good for 90PS and will enable the Amaze to battle it out against the 1.2 litre K series equipped petrol variants of the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire.
Posted by Vedang Parmar On- 28.3.13


The New Eeco Special Edition gets new wheel covers, mud flaps and Smiles stickers on the sides and rear. Inside, the Eeco Smiles comes with new features like a new double DIN music system with USB, dual tone seat covers and new doormats. 
The Eeco is powered by a 1.2-litre petrol motor, with Maruti offering a CNG kit option. The new limited edition features are available for Rs. 9,490.   
Maruti Eeco Smiles prices:
[All prices, ex-showroom, Mumbai]
Five seater without A/C: Rs. 3.32 lakh
Seven seater without A/C: Rs. 3.49 lakh
Five Seater with A/C: Rs. 3.63 lakh
Posted by Unknown On- 21.3.13

BMW has launched a facelifted version of its flagship 7-Series premium sedan in Malaysia. The facelifted version of the car was unveiled globally in May 2012 and has mostly cosmetic changes both inside and outside. It is expected to arrive in the Indian market within the next few months.

 Changes to the facelifted model on the outside includes new LED headlamps with corona rings, a slightly modified grille, revised front bumpers, indicators and chrome inserts in both in the front and back. Inside, there are new leather seats in the front, a Bang & Olufsen audio system as well as an optional rear seat entertainment package. BMW has now also fitted a fully digital instrument cluster.
The Malaysia-spec 7-Series will offered only in the long wheelbase version (just like India) and in three variants; the base model 730Li, 740Li and the ActiveHybrid 7L which features a 55bhp electric motor in addition to the 320bhp six-cylinder petrol mill and is their top-end model.
The India-spec 7-Series is expected to continue with the 3.0-litre diesel mill, 4.0-litre petrol, 4.8-litre petrol and the top-of-the line twin turbo 544bhp 6.0-litre V12 engine.  This new model will also feature the new BMW ECOPRO technology.
The Malaysian spec 7-Series will begin (730Li) at RM 648,800 (Rs 1.14 Crore) and the top-end ActiveHybrid 7L will cost RM 938,800 (Rs 1.6 Crore). We expect price of the Indian models to reduce as president of BMW India, Phillip Von Sahr, had announced during the launch of the facelifted X6 in November that they would begin assembling the 7-Series at their Chennai plant from this year onwards. 

 --Nikhil Chandra
Posted by Unknown On- 2.3.13

The British based automaker Jaguar has recently announced the launch of an XJ Ultimate Edition in India, where the model can be bought by its future customers from INR 1.78 crore.
 

According to the car manufacturer, the Jaguar XJ Ultimate Edition can only be ordered in the long wheelbase version of the model, the XJ-L, and it’s coming with some interesting exterior changes, such as the air intakes or the wheels, 20-inch in size, with a dual-tone color scheme. New oval exhaust pipes have also been added to the model, finished in polished stainless steel.

The Jaguar XJ Ultimate Edition is also coming with massage and ventilated seats, a full length leather trimmed central console, Meridian 20-speaker surround sound in-car entertainment system, a bespoke champagne chiller mounted between the two rear seats, two third-gen iPads with wireless keyboards in the rear, wireless headphones for the rear passengers and much more, which will definitely be appreciated by future owners of the model.


 Jaguar says that the XJ Ultimate Edition will be available with a choice of two engines, the 3.0 liter V6 diesel, priced from INR 1.78 crore, and a 5.0 liter V8 supercharged petrol unit, coming at INR 1.87 crore. The model is already available for order in India.

--Nikhil Chandra 
Posted by Unknown On- 28.2.13

The alliance Fiat-Chrysler has stated to officially unveil the new Jeep Cherokee at the New York motor
show in March. It will rival other products in the market such as the Honda CR-V and Nissan X-Trail in Europe.
According to the CEO Sergio Marchionne, the new nine-speed automatic gearbox transmission is claimed to be the future of the driving world, front-wheel and all-wheel alike. The new Jeep Cherokee will be the first Fiat-Chrysler vehicle to have this transmission.

This Jeep's design will be a major step up form the square, box type look of the earlier range, the overall style is more curvy altogether. Though some of the similar styling cues remain, like the seven-bar Jeep grille remain – although it appears ‘bent’ across the curve of the bonnet. 

Jeep Cherokee is based on a version of Fiat’s ‘Compact Wide’ platform, which supports the Dodge Dart saloon, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta and the Fiat Viaggio. The platform is capable of accommodating a four-wheel-drive system, V6 engines and diesels, all of which will be available in the new Jeep. 

 --Nikhil Chandra
Posted by Unknown On- 27.2.13

So Honda has just ended up the production of the Honda Jazz. One of the reasons that why jazz has ended is that  Honda has to free up some space for the new Amaze rumoured to be coming somewhere in April. The company also wants to concentrate on the Brio, which is becoming a largest market in Honda's small car range.

Honda is rumoured to be losing money on the cut-price Jazz. That is why it controlled its production to minimise losses. For the past few months, Honda's Jazz production is averaged about 400 cars a month but the demand for this car is far more higher. That does irritate some of their customers. This is also a big reason for the end of the Jazz.

But we don't have to worry because the next generation Jazz will come next year which is still developing under Honda's hood. 

In 2014 there will be two launches, and those will be the new Honda City and the Next Gen Honda Jazz and they are to be launched somewhere in mid of 2014. 

--Vedang Parmar

[Source: Hindustan Times]
Posted by Unknown On- 22.2.13

German carmaker Volkswagen on Thursday launched a new variant of its hatchback Polo priced at Rs 6.27 lakh (ex-showroom New Delhi).

The new Polo SR is powered by 1.2 litre petrol engine with 'Aero Sport' package, including front under skirting, side under skirting, rear roof spoiler, chrome exhaust with rear under skirtings and 15 inch alloy wheels.

Commenting on the launch, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Managing Director Arvind Saxena said: "The Polo is an important carline in the Indian portfolio and we would like to continuously keep it relevant and exciting for our customers."

The new car will also have features such as music system with USB connectivity, bluetooth connectivity, climatronic AC, rear parking sensors, dual air bags, ABS, multifunction display, among others, the company said. 
Posted by Vedang Parmar On- 14.2.13

German luxury car maker Audi on Thursday launched the petrol variant of its popular sports utility vehicle Q3 priced at Rs 27.37 lakh. The new Audi Q3 2.0 TFSI quattro, powered by a 2 litre petrol engine will be in addition to the existing diesel option, Audi Q3 2.0 TDIq. Commenting on the launch, Audi India Head Michael Perschke said it will further spur the demand for the company's SUV range in India.

The new vehicle will be available at all 25 dealerships in India, the company said.Audi India had sold 737 units in January this year, up 10.5 percent from 667 units sold in the same month last year. In 2012, the company sold a total of 9,003 units, a growth of 63 percent growth from 5511 units in 2011. 
Posted by Vedang Parmar On- 14.2.13


Japanese auto major Honda has launched the 2013 edition of it’s popular SUV- the Honda CR-V in India. The 2013 Honda CR-V range starts at Rs.19.95 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi) and the SUV is available in four variants.
The 2013 Honda CR-V carries the same 2.0-litre petrol and the 2.4-litre petrol engines. The 2.0 litre petrol engine on the CR-V churns out 155bhp and 190Nm of torque while giving an economy of 13.7 kmpl whereas the 2.4-litre petrol engine produces 190bhp and 226Nm of torque and gives an economy of 12kmpl.
Out of the four variants of the 2013 CRV, only one of them offers a six-speed manual transmission (2.0-litre petrol) while the other three offer a five-speed automatic transmission. The 2.4-litre variants of the Honda CR-V get Real Time 4WD system, which works in a FWD fashion under normal conditions but switches to 4WD as per the driving conditions.
In terms of design, the 2013 Honda CR-V features a more aerodynamic design and includes a redesigned grille and headlights. The length of the new CR-V is 4,545mm while at 2,620mm, the wheelbase remains the same as the previous version. The boot space on the 2013 Honda CR-V has been bumped-up to 147 litres.
The new Honda CR-V also offers a host of entertainment and safety features.The 2.0-liter base variant offers 7-inch alloy wheels, fog lamps, 6 airbags, audio system with USB and iPod connectivity and automatic climate control whereas the top-of-the-line 2.4-litre Real Time 4WD drive variant boasts of a 6.1-inch touchscreen multimedia infotainment system which offers Bluetooth connectivity, hands-free telephony, GPS and also acts as a screen while the reverse parking camera is in the works. The top-end variant also offers Electric Sun Roof, Cruise Control, Driver Seat Adjustment, Steering Adjustment and Dual-Zone AC while the safety options comprise of ABS with EBD, Rear View camera, Hill Start assist and the standard six airbags.
2013 Honda CR-V Prices (Delhi)
  • -2.0-litre MT- Rs 19.95 lacs
  • -2.0-litre AT- Rs 20.85 lacs
  • -2.4-litre AT Rs 22.40 lacs
  • -2.4-litre AT 4WD AVN – Rs 23.85 lacs
Posted by Vedang Parmar On- 13.2.13

Renault India has introduced multimedia device with infotainment and communication features in its new best seller Duster SUV. Called Media NAV, the system includes an 18cm touch-sensitive display, radio, telephony, satellite navigation as well as multimedia connection functions and will be incorporated in the Duster's dashboard, the company said in a statement.

"With the introduction of the Media NAV system, the Duster now offers enhanced convenience and a more enjoyable drive, all at the customers' fingertips," said Sumit Sawhney, executive director, marketing and sales, Renault India. The Media NAV's main menu permits easy access to essential functions such as radio, media, telephone, satellite navigation and settings.
The system's Bluetooth technology also enables drivers to make hands-free telephone calls as well as synchronize their contact book and peruse their call history. Duster customers can also connect their iPod or smartphone through a USB or jack sockets located on the dash panel. The Media NAV can be operated through either the touch-sensitive display or steering wheel-mounted controls, while the navigation system operates with 2D, 3D as well as bird view graphics. 

The Media NAV's information and entertainment package is available as an option in the 85 PS RxL and the 110 PS RxZ variants available at Rs 10,79,000 and Rs 11,99,000  respectively.
Posted by Vedang Parmar On- 11.2.13

The Renault Duster rolled out it’s 4,00,000 unit from the Mioveni factory in Romania. Thanks to its competitive pricing and value for money proposition, the Nissan B0 platform based Duster has been doing extremely well around the globe (including India) and has taken numerous COTY (car of the year) awards including our very own Motoroids car of the year poll.

 The Duster was also seen kicking up dirt at the 2013 Dakar Rally but on a completely different setup. Though not considered as a hardcore offroader, the Duster has won admirations of various auto-journalists the world over for its off-road credentials. With such a well graded report card, success is but obvious to Renault’s VFM trump card.
Posted by Vedang Parmar On- 8.2.13

Nissan has launched a special edition variant of its best seller, the Sunny, in India. The special edition Sunny is available in both the petrol and diesel trims in XV grade and is priced at Rs 8.60 and Rs 9.68 lakh ex-Delhi respectively.
The changes from the regular Sunny include side body mouldings, a reverse camera and chrome-plated trunk detailing. Inside, there are leather seats, a new 2 DIN touchscreen audio system with Bluetooth and USB compatibility. Mechanically there are no changes which means under the hood you get a pair of 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engines.
Nitish Tipnis, director - sales & marketing of Nissan's national sales company in India - Hover Automotive India - said, Sunny has been a success in India right from the time of its launch in September 2011 and the car has continued to be a popular choice amongst customers in the mid-sized sedan segment. The launch of this special edition is a 'thank you' to our customers for making Sunny such a success. We hope to further delight them with the generous range of enhancements on offer and, as you would expect from Nissan, the addition of even more advanced technology.
Posted by Unknown On- 7.2.13

Plans to launch Sunny and Micra with CVT (Continuous Variable Transmission) are in place and Nissan will launch them sooner than expected. Recently, Renault launched Scala with CVT in India. A CVT engine provides smooth running and at the same time helps to conserve fuel consumption to a great extent.

To help meet needs of customers in India, Nissan and Renault have jointly set up a manufacturing facility at Oragadam, near Chennai. This facility has an annual capacity of producing 4 lakh vehicles. Nissan is looking to increase number of CVT equipped vehicles sold from a current 12,000 to 20,000 units on a global basis. Nissan fans in India will be in for a treat as the brand hopes to launch an entry level Datsun sedan for Indian markets in 2014. Under the Datsun brand, Nissan will offer two small cars, one in the price range of INR 3 lakhs and the other in the range of INR 5 lakhs.
Nissan India is also improving its dealer network. Their aim is to have 300 dealerships across India by 2016.
Posted by Vedang Parmar On- 5.2.13


Back in 2000 when Maruti Suzuki was churning out Maruti 800s in large numbers and the only option for luxury car buyers was the Mercedes E class, a little known Czech car manufacturer made a silent entry into the Indian car market.
It was Skoda, one of the most popular and widely admired car-makers of Europe. 
The auto giant entered the Indian market with the Octavia. This car had everything going for it- it boasted great space, superb build quality and an incredibly powerful engine. 
So, it was no surprise that the car got overbooked within months of its launch, and since then Skoda never looked back.
After more than of a decade of its presence in India, the company has its hand full with models in almost every segment in the market. 
Though the Yeti and the Fabia could never really take off, other models like The Rapide, Laura and Superb have been sold in decent numbers. And yet, none could replicate the success that Octavia brought to the company.
Now in 2013, Skoda wants to repeat the same success of the year 2000 and plans to launch a brand new Octavia in India.
The new Octavia is built on Volkswagen’s new MQB variable platform. It is 90mm longer and 45mm wider than the present Laura. The wheelbase now stands at 2686mm, which is just a little less of shy of the one used for the Volkswagen Passat. 
Despite all this, Skoda engineers have managed to make the car lighter by up to 102kg depending on engine and variants.
As far as power under the go, the new Octavia will be available with a choice of eight power trains and two transmissions – 6-speed manual and DSG boxes. The petrol range starts with the 1.4-litre TSI taken from the Indian Jetta in two power outputs, 122PS and 140PS.
 The existing 1.8-litre will now make approximately 180PS while the vRS version which will be launched later will have a 2.0-litre engine.
The diesel engine range starts with 1.6-litre engine making 105PS and 110PS while the more powerful 2.0-litres produces an estimated 150PS and 180PS respectively. There is also an all-wheel drive and estate version in the works. Apart from the entry-level petrol and diesel
models, every other version comes with start-stop system.
The new Octavia is expected to hit Indian shores by the middle of this year. Though the car has a much larger footprint, prices are expected to be even more competitive than they are now. It seems like that the old stalwart from Skoda is going to come all guns blazing when it gets
launched.
Posted by Unknown On- 4.2.13


Honda has announced that it will launch the next generation Jazz/ Fit hatchback in 2014. The Japanese automaker says that the compact cars are the future of motoring even in the SUV loving USA.
Honda has said that its global compact series (Jazz/Fit, City and new compact SUV) will constitute 1.5 million units of the six million units it plans to sell by 2017. It is currently building a new plant in Mexico to manufacture the trio to sell in the North American market as well as in countries like Brazil and Ecuador where Honda vehicles are popular.
If Honda is building a plant in Mexico to manufacture these vehicles for the North American market they obviously it sees potential for the vehicles to sell in what is traditionally considered a big-car market.
This means that we will also get the new set of vehicles as soon as they are released globally, with a set of diesel engines obviously. The City is already a money maker for Honda and the Jazz will become one, once its diesel avatar is launched. The compact SUV was unveiled at 2013 Detroit Auto Show and will be launched around the same time the Mexican factory begins operations. 
[Source: Car Advice]
Posted by Vedang Parmar On- 4.2.13

Japanese auto maker Nissan Motor India has raised prices across three of its models in India by 1.5-2.5 percent, effective Feb 1.
The price of Nissan's hatchback Micra goes up by 1.5 percent, mid-size sedan Sunny will be expensive by 2 percent and price of utility vehicle Evalia has been raised by 2.5 percent.
"The price rise is to offset rising input costs and also ease the impact of currency fluctutation," said Nitish Tipnis, director - sales & marketing, Hover Automotive India. Hover is Nissan's national sales company in India.
Nissan's Korean rival Hyundai Motor India had on Friday raised prices of all its models by Rs 4,201-Rs 20,878, also citing rising input costs and currency fluctuation. 
India's largest passenger car maker Maruti Suzuki had raised prices by up to Rs 20,000 last month.
Posted by Vedang Parmar On- 4.2.13
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
Copyright © 2012-13 Tech Wiedza | All Rights Reserved. |All images are Copyright of their retrospective owners.