Toyota Hiace showcased in India, launch confirmed

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has showcased the Toyota Hiace at Special Vehicle Show - Greater Noida. The company has also announced that it will launch the Hiace in the Indian market in the early period of the second half of this year. TKM also showcased the Hiace at the Auto Expo last year.

The HiAce is a full size MPV that has seats for ten people. At the Expo, Toyota showcased the Grand Cabin variant of the Hiace. Powering the Toyota HiAce is a 3.0 liter four cylinder diesel engine that has a max power of 134 hp at 3,400 rpm and peak torque of 300 Nm at 1,200 rpm. The engine comes mated to a four speed automatic gearbox, which sends power to the rear wheels. Also available in international markets is a 2.7-liter petrol engine that has a max power of 148 hp and peak torque of 241 Nm.

Features seen on the Hiace include power closing sliding doors, manual AC, power steering, power windows, 6-speaker audio system, reverse camera, fabric seats, immobilizer, ABS, foglights and dual front SRS airbags.

Mr. N Raja, Director & Senior Vice President (Sales & Marketing), Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd. said that the company had been “continuously studying the market for customer preferences” and is thus showcasing the Hiace. “We are showcasing the Hiace for our potential business customers”, he added.

The people mover is sold in 140 countries and has clocked global sales of about 6 million units.

LML launches Star Euro 150cc scooter at INR 54,014

After year’s of silence Lohia Motors Limited (LML), one of the oldest two-wheeler makers in India is back in the news and how! The Company has launched the Star Euro 150cc scooter at Rs 54,014 (ex-showroom Gujarat).

This scooter adapts the typical classic scooter design seen from years, with modern adaptations such as a CVT automatic transmission.

The Star Euro features a full metal body, though not a monocoque chassis like a Vespa.

The disc variant as option is priced at Rs 57,918 (ex-showroom Gujarat).

 The engine powering the LML Star Euro is a single-cylinder, four-stroke, forced air-cooled unit that develops about 9 HP at around 8,000 rpm. mated to continuous variable transmission (CVT). Star Euro is provided with a 7-liter fuel tank and LML claims a mileage of 55 km/l.

The Star Euro gets a single sided suspension at the front. While drum brakes are standard, front disc brake will be available as an option.

At present the only 150cc automatic scooter available in India, the Star Euro measures 1,760 mm long, 695 mm wide, 820 mm high with a 1,260 mm wheelbase and a ground clearance of 160 mm. The scooter weighs 112 kg.

The Star Euro 150 is available in seven colours, including some multi-colours. Currently, there are no official details from the company as where all they plan to sell this scooter other than Gujarat,  but we expect the scooter to be seen in few more states in coming months.

New Jaguar XE

 

The Jaguar's latest addition to its fleet of cars which is being popularized by the company as Jaguar family's least expensive and new generation engine with the new lightweight aluminum body chassis as well. The Jaguar has the next generation engine family makes the XE available in both diesel and petrol with 4-cylinders. The petrol one will be a 3.0 Litre V6 supercharged and the diesel tune up will be available in the 2.0 Litre with 161 bhp/ 380 Nm and 177 bhp/ 430 Nm power / torque options.

The chassis of the car has also been redesigned and the suspension has also been ditched for the new double wishbone configuration system and the rear part has an integral link up with a multilink suspension system. The new suspension system also helps the car to get the new design dynamics as well. The car has the many interior features matching the legacy of the Jaguar's luxury.

The car will be launched very soon India. The car surely has all the ingredients to conquer the mid-luxury car market in the developing countries like India and others.

 

Datsun Go+ First Drive Review

Datsun is Nissan’s brainchild for bringing in more volume into its passenger car segment. With Datsun, Nissan aims to bring technology to the masses at a cut throat price. For a new manufacturer to stand out here in India, they need to do something different. And that’s what Datsun have done, by creating an all new segment, a four meter MPV that can seat seven, well technically, more on that later. Datsun Go Plus was first showcased in India at the Delhi Auto Expo in 2014. Now, the mini-MPV with 5+2 seating formation is all set for India launch. The ‘+’ sign signifies the extra ‘car’ the customer gets, all 210mm of it.

Introduction: As the auto industry today offers a variety of cars which cater to the needs of every kind of buyer out there, it becomes difficult for new car manufacturers like Datsun to offer a product which is not only competitive, but also offers something extra along with the usual package, and at the same time keeping a check on the price. The main chunk of Indian car buyers is in the under six lakh segment which has sedans and hatchbacks, but no MPVs, and that’s what Datsun plans to target with the Go Plus, offering something unique at an affordable price tag.

Power for the Go+ will come from the same 1.2-liter three-cylinder petrol engine which produces 68 bhp and 104 Nm of torque, with a 5-speed manual transmission driving the front wheels.

The second product for Datsun in India will be priced and positioned above the Go, which ranges from INR 3.12-3.79 lakhs, ex-Showroom, New Delhi.

The Go+ gets an identical dashboard as the Go. Hence expect features like front power windows, power steering, a mobile docking station and follow-me-home headlights to be offered on the top-end variant.

Engine and transmission:

The Datsun GO+ gets the same 1.2-litre 3 cylinder petrol engine that powers cars like the GO hatchback, Micra petrol etc. Maximum power and torque remain unchanged as compared to the GO hatchback. At 68PS, this compact MPV puts out the same power as the Wagon R but at 104Nm, torque rating is higher. Infact, being a 1.2-litre unit, there is ample grunt available across the rev range.

Competitors: Maruti Eeco, Base petrol variants of the Maruti Ertiga, Chevrolet Enjoy and Honda Mobilio
Expected Price: INR 4.5-5.75 lakhs, ex-Showroom

Hyundai Santro discontinued after 16 years

Last month, Hyundai produced its last Santro. A car that has been the bedrock of the brand in India since its inception in 1998. The Santro was axed from the line-up to make way for other, more profitable new cars such as the Grand i10 and the new Elite i20. A car that started the tall boy trend, the Santro may be cramped by today's standards, but back in the day, provided a lot of space for not a lot of money. Other key strengths included a responsive peppy petrol engine, a nice gearbox and near bulletproof reliability. And Hyundai kept upgrading it over the years.

While production is now shut, demand for the car is still healthy. Some dealers still have stocks, but are apparently in no hurry to liquidate them. In fact, some customers are willing to pay a bit of a premium for the car. The main reasons for the Santro's demise, of course, is the unexpected windfall in numbers for Hyundai's other models. It all started with the better than expected sales of the new Grand i10 and, more recently, the strong showing of the new Elite i20, our recently announced Car of the Year. To put things in perspective, the i20 is currently running at a strong 9,345 a month (December 2014), but sales and marketing head Rakesh Srivastava thinks numbers can be much better. "We have the potential to go up to around 14,000 cars, and even take on the Swift in the future". Who said large hatchbacks don't sell well in India?