Hyundai New Elantra

Just like the Sonata, the new fluidic Elantra is also just round the corner. However unlike the Sonata, the Elantra gets a rather sporty hue to its design. The large headlamps and ridged bonnet add to this feel. Short overhangs at the rear meanwhile give it a stout look. Inside, the new Elantra offers a more rounded design. A large chunky steering wheel offers controls for audio and Bluetooth telephony. The Elantra will be powered by a 1.8-litre petrol engine which offers around 146bhp. 

BMW 1-Series

The sixth generation of the 3-series adopts the new family face and is longer and features an extended wheelbase too. This will surely help liberate more space inside. It also gets a full colour HUD, which displays speed and navigation information. The new 3 now gets the option of an 8-speed automatic across all versions. There are new engines too. For the 320i version, there’s a 2-litre turbocharged engine that makes 180bhp. The same engine in the 325i will produce 210bhp and 245bhp in the 328i. The top-of-the-line petrol, the 335i, will get a turbocharged inline six engine with a staggering 306bhp on tap. Among diesels, there will be a 184bhp 320d, a 204bhp 325d and a 245bhp 330d. Chances are BMW will also bring in the 335d with 286bhp. The latter is a six-cylinder turbo diesel while the rest will have 2-litre capacity. Start-Stop tech is now standard on the new 3.  

Mitsubishi Montero Sport

The Montero is one capable off-roader and next year it is getting a minor cosmetic upgrade. The changes begin with a new chrome grille sitting above a new skid plate shaded in black. New 12-spoke, 18in alloys are also on the cards. Expect new colours to make their way into India as well. However mechanically the Montero will remain the same and will continue to be powered by the  3.2-litre diesel engine with a peak output of 202bhp.

Chevrolet Captiva

Chevrolet is all set to launch the new Captiva, with a new front end. With its signature two-tier grille and oversized bow tie logo. The headlamps too have been redone. There’s also more bulk to the wheel arches and larger wheels. The rest of the SUV remains more or less the same. However speculation is ripe that Chevy might offer the Captiva with the new 2.2-litre diesel which is currently on duty in the Cruze. This should make it a more capable candidate. 

Chevrolet Enjoy

General Motors had announced that it will launch a few products from the SAIC Motor stable. To start off with, they will launch vehicles from the Wilung line-up which includes the CN-100 which is likely to compete with the Mahindr Xylo.

The new CN-100 is likely to be priced between Rs 5-7lakh and will be manufactured in GM’s Talegaon plant. This is expected to be powered by the 1.3-litre multijet engine and since it is sourced from China, the production cost is expected to be low.

The MPV will be 7-8 seater and can be great competition for the Xylo considering its pricing. Looking at the pictures of the interior, one can see it has black and beige dual tone interiors and an aftermarket stereo. It rides on 175/65/R14 tyres and it gets features like power windows and the ORVMS are manually-adjustable.

We believe the CN-100 has flexible rear seating as the second and third row of seats can be folded flat. GM might target the passenger and taxi market with the MPV and we expect the car to be launched by the end of this year.

Specs (Speculated)

Engine: 1.3-litre multijet engine

Volkwagen Touareg

Volkswagen had unveiled the second-generation of the Touareg at 2010 New York International Auto Show. With the Volkswagen Touareg being a CBU, even India will get the 2011 Touareg once its launched in the European market.
Design/Styling:
The 2011 Touareg gets the new Volkswagen face and styling created by Walter de’Silva, Volkswagen’s chief of design. The front grille is now narrow if compared to the outgoing model and the trapezoidal headlamps even get the LED surrounds.  The silhouette of the Touareg remains almost similar, with not so arched wheel flares.  The new 2011 Touareg gets a crown hood with a step at its sides giving it a more muscular look. The SUV gets chrome garnish with chrome surrounds around the greenhouse and a strip running on the rocker. The rear of the new Touareg is more pronounced and gets LED taillamps as well.

Volkswagen's new RNS850 touch screen entertainment and navigation system features an 8-inch screen, a 60GB hard drive with 18GB of space available to upload audio, video, and more, and a DVD/CD player with MP3 playback and Satellite/FM/AM stereo.

Mechanicals:
The Volkswagen Touareg will be available with the same 3.0-litre V6 TDI engine, with 4-MOTION, which is Volkswagen’s term for all-wheel drive system.

Overall Evaluation:
This new 2011 Volkswagen Touareg will be a great buying option considering all the bells and whistles it comes loaded with. The newer SUV has more road presence than the older one and should have better sales figures if compared to the current Touareg. This will come true only if Volkswagen price it well.    

Specs (Speculated)

Engine: 3.0-litre V6 TDI
Power: 239bhp

Mercedes Benz SLS roadster

After captivating hearts across the world the SLS AMG Roadster with its Performance and scintillating design is all set to scorch the Indian road with pulsating speed. The open top SLS AMG Roadster exudes graceful dynamism and magnetic allure. The purist, athletic design immediately captures the attention. The Roadster’s perfect proportions make it particularly impressive. 

While it looks like a beauty, it does ride like a beast. The eight cylinder V8 engine produces rumbling 571bhp at 6800 rpm with a maximum torque of 650 Nm at 4750 rpm. It can go from 0-100kmph in under four seconds (3.8 seconds) and has a top speed of 317 kmph. The power and performance of a monster, the SLS AMG Roadster has all the trimmings of a formidable sports car.

BMW Mini Cooper

The BMW Group today introduced MINI as a premium small car brand in India. The MINI (MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S), MINI Cooper Convertible and MINI Cooper S Countryman are launched in India and can be ordered as CBU (completely built-up) units.

The MINI (MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S), MINI Cooper Convertible and MINI Cooper S Countryman will be available in six-speed automatic transmission with powerful and efficient petrol engines.

TATA pixel

The Tata Pixel, a new city car concept for Europe with 'Zero Turn' drive and an innovative diamond-shaped door system, is on display at the Auto Expo 2012. Based on the Tata Nano, the Pixel - at just over three metres in length - is the most package-efficient 4-seater in the world, comfortably accommodating four adults, unlike a typical city car which is either a two-seater or can accommodate two adults and two children only.

The Tata Pixel's ability to manoeuvre and park in the tightest of spaces is made possible by its Zero Turn toroidal traction-drive Infinitely Variable Transmission (IVT). This highly efficient, cost-effective system assists rotation of the outer rear wheel forwards and the inner rear wheel backwards during low-speed manoeuvres, while the front wheels turn at acute angles. The result is a turning circle radius of just 2.6 metres. The 'scissor' doors rotate upwards from the front to allow all four passengers to effortlessly enter or exit the Tata Pixel, even in the tightest of spaces, while the doors' large glass area provides excellent visibility.

A 1.2 litre three-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine, positioned at the rear of the Tata Pixel, gives lively performance.

FORD eco sport

Expanding its relentless push into the heart of Asia’s car market, Ford introduces the all-new Ford EcoSport at Auto Expo 2012 this week. The new compact SUV will further augment Ford’s offering in India, as well as in many other markets across the globe. Modern and innovative, the all-new Ford EcoSport was designed to combine best-in-class design, technology, quality and safety aimed at attracting a new generation of consumers in different global markets.

The new EcoSport was developed on Ford’s new global B-segment platform, which will be the basis for an array of new small-car products from Ford in the coming years. By mid-decade, the new Ford B-platform family of vehicles will represent more than 2 million units of annual production as compact cars continue to drive global growth. The EcoSport will be powered by a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that produces 120bhp of power.

TOYOTA Fortuner

The new Fortuner is not all about going under the knife and getting a fancy plastic surgery. After tasting a lot of success and praise at this segment, the Japanese car maker has decided to get into some serious business by launching two more Fortuner variants- the 4x2 manual and 4x2 automatic. We first got our hands on the handsfree 4-speed automatic Fortuner. One has to keep in mind that this variant has been specifically made for over coming hurdles in the urban—the jam packed traffic. So when you push the pedal to the metal it whines a lot and slowly picks up pace. You have to get used to the waiting game even when you are revving engine in the region of 2500 rpm. Frustrating? Yes a bit especially when you want to over take in the city limits. You have to wait, watch and calculate the time you have to let the engine increase its jogging pace. The three-speed manual is a far cry from the manual Fortuner gear box. But yes one has to admit that in manual mode the SUV is slightly more agile but it always lets you know that this vehicle’s two-tonne weight which is a let down. The automatic feels like its 3-litre heart has been put on child lock as it just throws tantrums and whines as it is deprived of power gushing 168bhp. More than the lag is the engine howling with no go is the ultimate kill joy.

It was a completely different story when it came to the Fortuner 4x2 manual. First thing that grabs your attention and impresses you is the quick shifting gear stick which doesn’t feel heavy or a bit laborious while changing gears like in the 4x4 manual. Also with the gear ratio not being set too tall, surge of power is instantaneously felt. This avatar is definitely is the king of rollicking times. Step on the accelerator and the 4x2 manual is quick on its heels and refuses to let the engine lag, felt in the automatic, play the spoil sport. This variant lets the torque monster come out all roaring with power. But with all the positives the new variants retain old niggling problems like the ride quality which remains bumpy and with stiff suspensions you end up feeling the road more than you would like especially in high speed. Another Achilles heel has been the spongy brakes as, believe it or not, the Fortuner still doesn’t get rear disc brakes. 

Renault Duster

Renault has moved out of the Logan pact with Mahindra and the company has now officially announced that they will bring two of their cars to the Indian Market.... One among the SUV would be the Renault Duster. The Dacha Duster so to say is a funky looking SUV and one of the cheapest in the world. In India, the price of this car is said to be anything between 6.5 lake to 7 lakh. The Duster is not a soft roarer for the price offered; the car can take on any road. The ground clearance of the Duster is 210 mm which makes it taller and the chunky 215/65 R 16’s just make the image of the SUV a complete one.

The Duster is offered with two-wheel or four-wheel drive. The 4x4 variants make use of Nissan's all-wheel drive system which allows the driver to choose from three different driving modes: Auto, in which the front/rear torque split is calculated automatically as a function of available grip, Lock, whereby 50 per cent of torque is consistently fed through the rear axle, and 4x2 where the transmission is locked into two-wheel drive for maximum fuel efficiency.

The Duster will be made available in the 1.6 petrol or the 1.5 diesel. The 1.6 L petrol version is said to churn out 105 bhp while the 1.5 L is tuned to produce either 85 or 110 bhp. The Duster is long and wide as well and is a bit smaller than the Mahindra Scorpio. The optimum capacity of the car is five healthy adults.
The Duster is likely to face competition from all the SUV’s in India. What will be of utmost importance though is the drivability of the car, the way the car handles on Indian roads. Renault will be the new player in the changing Indian Car Market scene. Though the company has witnessed and understand what the Indian Crowd admires most, their first sole output will face competition against their earlier collaborators Mahindra. 

Renault Pulse

The Pulse is a hatchback based on the Nissan Micra that shares the same V-platform, the same engines and underpinnings as well and will be built in the same Chennai factory as the Nissan. The Renault Pulse will be powered by the same three pot 1.2-litre petrol engine and the 1.5-litre diesel engine.