HYUNDAI PLANS TO LAUNCH NEW MODEL "HA"

I have got our hands on another spy picture of the Hyundai HA, this time with fewer covers as compared to the cars spotted earlier. The test mule was spotted by our alert reader Roshan Vignesh being tested near Chennai.

Its evident from the pictures that the HA carries a cab-forward stance, similar to the i10. And considering its strong shoulder line and the severely raked A- and C-pillars, it suggests that this baby Hyundai will be a recipient of the company’s ‘Fluidic Sculpture’ design language, which is full of sharp cuts.

With the HA, Hyundai is aiming at stealing some of the Nano’s thunder by pricing it in the range of Rs 2-3lakh. At this price point, it will be able to compete with the top-end versions of the Nano and scaled down and slashed products from Maruti as well.

The HA will be based on a pared-down Santro platform, which already costs Hyundai very little and the company will leverage its already fully localised powertrain as well. The motor that powers the car will be an 814cc three-cylinder version of the Epsilon engine in the Santro, developing approximately 48bhp, and Hyundai will carry over other bits and pieces from the Santro too.

Hyundai knows how to build quality products that are well engineered, well suited to Indian conditions, deliver very good fuel economy and the company is at the top of the game as far as parts and service are concerned too.

Expect Hyundai’s all-new small car, the HA to be launched towards the end of 2011 or early 2012.

 

 

HONDA CRV 2012

The Honda concept SUV uses an all-new platform that will feature on the production car. The concept features a series of styling changes over the current CR-V designed to give the SUV a more aggressive stance.

The most prominent changes are at the front, where the CR-V features a wraparound lower front bumper that is better integrated into the rest of the front fascia than on the current car. The three-bar horizontal front grille is also much more dominant than the current CR-V’s, with slimmed-down headlights flanking it on either side. Honda claims the front-end styling changes result in much improved aerodynamics over the current car.

Heavily sculpted bodywork features on the sides, which also get more pronounced side sills. The concept also gets new alloy wheels. At the rear, the CR-V will retain the vertical light design of the current car, although no image has been released by Honda to show the rear styling. The Japanese firm is also claiming an all-new, more spacious interior with a lower floor for improved load-carrying ability.

Honda has confirmed no engine details at this stage, although improved efficiency and fuel economy is promised. The current CR-V is available with 2.0-litre and 2.4-litre petrol engines, developing 143bhp and 161bhp respectively.

The 2012 Honda CRV concept is not destined for the Frankfurt motor show in September, instead will be making its motor show debut at the Orange County International Auto Show in California in the same month.

NISSAN SUNNY COMES TO INDIA

Nissan Motor India has unveiled its model for the midsize segment in India – the all-new Sunny. The tenth generation Nissan Sunny is based on the popular V (Versatile) platform, the same as the one used in the Nissan Micra.

The Sunny made its global debut at the eighth International Automobile Exhibition in China (Guangzhou) in December last year and its Indian launch is expected to coincide with the festive season. At the time of the launch, the Sunny will be available only with a 1.5-litre petrol motor. In a market where diesel cars are out-selling its petrol competitors, it’s a glaring omission by Nissan not to offer the saloon with a diesel motor from the onset. However, the carmaker will showcase a 1.5-litre diesel powered Sunny at the Auto Expo 2012, with official launch in the first quarter of 2012.

In terms of looks, the Sunny appears to be quite large, especially when viewed from the rear three-quarters, with its big boot, long wheelbase and massive cabin. It gets some of its styling cues from the bigger Teana as well. On the inside, Nissan has tried to make the cabin look upmarket. Overall plastic quality and fit and finish are up to expectations.

The Sunny is very spacious from the inside too – it has more rear legroom than even a Mercedes E-class and Indian customers will just love that. The rear sets are pretty comfortable with decent under-thigh support on offer. The rear passengers also get twin AC vents with a dedicated control for the blower.

Speaking on the growing Nissan product portfolio, Dinesh Jain, CEO, Hover Automotive India said, “Unveiling of the Nissan Sunny could not have been at a better time than this. We have built a chain of 40 dealerships nationwide in a period of over one year and we are on schedule to open up another 100 dealerships by the end of 2012.”

The petrol variant of the Nissan Sunny will be manufactured at the Renault-Nissan alliance Oragadam facility in Chennai. Prices will be revealed only at the time of its launch, which is expected in the next few months.

 

 

MAZDA PLANS TO LAUNCH IN INDIA

Enthusiasts can rejoice as, Japan’s fifth largest car maker, Mazda plans to bring its range of cars in India. Known for its famed Wankel Rotary Engine in its sportscars and the iconic Miata, Mazda’s hatches and sedans will be a refreshing addition to the Indian market.

“We have a bouquet of compact cars like the Mazda – 2 and sedans that are suited for the bulk of Indian customers who prefer small and fuel efficient vehicles” said Mr. Takashi Yamanouchi, President and CEO, Mazda Motor Corporation.

Mazda is known for its wide range of compact and stylish cars and will primarily target the premium hatchback segment which is the fastest growing segment in the Indian car market with Maruti Swift, VW Polo, Hyundai i20 and the likes all doing pretty well. He also added, “We are yet to finalise our strategy for any joint venture or a fully owned subsidiary. All depends on the kind of cars that are viable for the Indian market”

Mazda, which sells close to 1.2 million cars worldwide has been planning to enter the second fastest growing car market for quite some time now. The Japanese firm entered the Indian market with its 5 tonner light truck. Although it was in collaboration with Punjab Tractors, it did quite well. And with a range of brilliant cars up its sleeve, Mazda’s second innings is sure to be a successful one.

 

 

FORCE MOTORS FIRST SUV

The camouflaged burly new SUV from Force Motors has been making its test rounds around the company’s plant in Pune, and from the looks of it, this will be an interesting breakout from the company. A Chinese hand cannot be ruled out just yet, but one can expect Merc-derived diesel power as is the usual case with Force products, and a definite break from crude interiors. With its heightened aspirations, this could be the dark horse of the year.

 

 

TOYOTA PLANS TO LAUNCH THE ET!OS DIESEL

Toyota plans to launch the Etios diesel in September to capitalise on the festive season when car sales usually spike. The Etios diesel will come with the same 1.4 turbo-diesel that powers the Corolla diesel but will not get the bigger saloon’s more expensive Variable Geometry Turbo (VGT) hardware. The Etios diesel will be boosted with a simpler Fixed Geometry Turbo (FGT) and hence the power output is expected to be in the region of 75bhp (the Corolla diesel develops 87bhp). However, for the lightweight Etios, the lower output seems adequate, especially since the focus for this entry midsize saloon is fuel efficiency. In fact, the Etios diesel is expected to set a new standard for fuel efficiency among midsize saloons which, along with its spacious cabin, could make it unbeatable in terms of practicality.

The Etios diesel is likely to cost around Rs 100,000 more than its petrol equivalent, which pegs the range between Rs 6-8 lakh. That’s still pretty good value and the waiting list for the diesel version of Toyota’s new saloon is sure to extend into the New Year.

MAHINDRA BOLERO FACE-LIFTED NEW VERSION COMING SOON

Mahindra is planning a facelift of the Bolero MUV. As seen in one of the images, Mahindra will add a new variant called the ZLX in the Bolero lineup.  The refreshed Bolero gets a slightly revised grill with a darker grey shade (which was earlier body-coloured) that gives it a more prominent look.  The front bumper is all-new as well. The updated Bolero will have a rear-wiper with a defroster to meet future CMVR (Central Motor Vehicle Rules); however there are no fog lamps and no alloy wheels.

The interiors are where the major changes are evident; the plastics are now beige in colour, there is an all-new digital instrument console, with an LED display for the speedometer, fuel gauge and engine temperature. There is an all-new leather-wrapped steering wheel with aluminium inserts that give the car a better overall feel. The centre console now gets wood trims, however the overall plastic quality remains similiar to the earlier model which is quite poor,

The refreshed Bolero will get the same 75bhp Low-Cost-Common-Rail (LCCR) engine from the recently introduced Scorpio EX. The updated Bolero will hit the streets very shortly. 

MAHINDRA NEW SUV "W201" IS COMING SOON

Mahindra is most likely to launch its new global SUV, codenamed the W201, on September 26, 2011. As per our sources, the SUV manufacturer has already directed its vendors to gear up for the launch of its new flagship. 

The W201 is M&M’s first attempt at a monocoque vehicle, powered by a transverse engine driving the front wheels. It has got perfect proportions and looks hunkered down in a way only a monocoque or unibody construction allows. As seen from our computer-generated images, the high mounted, swept back headlamps and curved Mahindra grille look very attractive. The rising beltline and tapered roof give it an air of compactness and if Mahindra doesn’t add too many garish details, this almost certainly will be its most attractive product yet, which will be perfect for M&M, who is hoping its new generation vehicles will catapult it onto the global stage.

Under the skin, it will use a transversely located 2.2-litre mHawk engine and a new transaxle, specifically developed for the W201 entirely from scratch. There’s also an all-new, cable-operated gearbox with five- and six-speed options developed with help from Ricardo. Engine power will be increased from 120bhp to 140bhp and torque is estimated to be around 32.6kgm. The company is even evaluating bumping the power up to 170bhp in the future with a twin turbo version. There will also be a lot of goodies like traction control, ESP, and hill descent control as well.

The W201, Mahindra’s most important product, will be positioned above the Scorpio and it could cost around Rs 13 lakh for the base 2WD version. Watch this space for more.

Mahindra might launch its upcoming new global SUV, codenamed W201 on the 26th of September, 2011. The company is said to have already directed its vendors to prepare for the launch of their new flagship vehicle. The W201 is special for Mahindra as it is the first vehicle by the company to develop a monocoque vehicle, powered by a transverse engine and using a front wheel drive layout. The 2.2-liter mHawk motor will use a new transaxle which has been specially developed for the W201 from ground up. Further more, the 5 and 6-speed cable-operated gearbox is all new and has been developed with help from Ricardo. Power from the mHawk engine has been boosted to 140 BHP with torque of 32.6 kgm ensuring excellent performance in the real world. Mahindra is also contemplating of boosting power to 170 BHP with the help of twin-turbos.

The Mahindra W201 will feature a host of feature not seen on any Mahindra vehicle yet. These include ESP, TCS and hill descent control. One of the most important products for Mahindra, the W201 will be positioned as the new Mahindra flagship, sitting right above the Scorpio with prices starting around Rs. 12.5 lakhs for the 2-wheel driver version. A 4-wheel drive version will join in later but Mahindra expects majority of the sales to come from the 2-wheel drive version.