AUTHENTIC CARS

Nissan has launched its flagship car in India at Rs 1.99 crore (ex-showroom, Delhi). Bookings opened on September 1, 2016, for a down payment of Rs 25 lakh. The car will initially be sold through Delhi only. The Japanese supercar was originally launched in its home country in 2007 and the version released today is the new 2017 model update. It is powered by a hand-built 3.8-litre V6 24-valve twin-turbocharged engine that for 2017 gets a small bump-up in power to 570hp at 6800rpm and 637Nm of torque. All the power is sent to the tarmac via a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission and an all-wheel-drive layout. The engine breathes out through a titanium exhaust system. The carmaker claims a sub-3-second time for the 0-100kmph sprint with a top speed of 315 km/h.  Unlike most cars in its league, the GT-R is a 2+2 seater. The car has a Bose audio system with 11 speakers and a noise cancellation feature to reduce wind and road noise.  The Nissan GT-R has quite a following...

Rolls-Royce has released preview images of its first SUV. The carmaker refers to the car as Project Cullinan, although it says this is a development codename for the car, and wouldn’t comment on what the production name would be. Rolls-Royce had previously released an image of the Cullinan as a Phantom-bodied test car. While still camouflaged, these new images mark the first time that the SUV has been seen in non-testing form. The carmaker has also officially confirmed that the project is underway, with the production model expected to go on sale worldwide in 2018. Rolls-Royce didn't use the term SUV, instead calling the Cullinan an "all-terrain, high-sided vehicle". Also confirmed is that the Cullinan will be the first model with four-wheel drive in Rolls-Royce's 110-year history. It is known that the car will share its aluminium architecture with other Rolls-Royce models from 2018. The high-riding Cullinan's boxy design takes after Rolls-Royce...

Maruti revealed a facelift for the S-cross at the Paris motor show earlier this year. The automaker’s premium crossover now gets a more distinctive front end with a new larger upright grille, new headlamps and a new bumper. The rear gets minor cosmetic tweaks as does the cabin with revised upholstery and new trim options. Maruti is planning to bring the refreshed S-cross to India late next year, and expects that the more crossover-like design of the facelift may boost sales of the slow seller. Engines While the international model received two new turbocharged Boosterjet petrol engines, for India, the facelift will continue to offer the current line-up of 1.3 and 1.6-litre diesel engines. Maruti is also working on a petrol variant for the S-Cross which could be launched with the facelifted model. Features In terms of equipment, we can expect features such as the parking camera, Maruti’s Smartplay infotainment system, automatic headlamps, rain sensing wipers, auto climat...

Toyota’s new Prius is slated to launch in January 2017. The ground-breaking petrol-hybrid has been on sale in the Indian market since 2010, but it has only met with limited success. However, the large number of Camry Hybrids being sold in India is indication that hybrids are more in vogue now, and Toyota is keen on capitalising on that trend with the latest Prius. The latest Prius will be available with a nickel-metal battery, a lithium-ion battery and as a plug-in hybrid internationally, though we are likely to get the nickel-metal battery variant only. The new Prius is the first car to be built on Toyota’s new TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform, and will be powered with a smoother, more responsive and more efficient version of the current Prius’ 1.8-litre petrol engine working in combination with a more compact electric motor. The manufacturer has made improvements to the car to make it more driveable than before. They have fitted it with an independent rear suspe...

Ford has unveiled four variants of the latest-generation Fiesta hatchback – Titanium, a plush Vignale version, a sporty ST-Line variant and a chunky 'Active' crossover version – at a special event in Cologne, Germany.   The new Fiesta sports an evolutionary rather than revolutionary design. The front grille is similar to that of the latest Focus, while the headlights look like softened and shrunken versions of the outgoing Fiesta’s. Overall dimensions look slightly larger than the predecessor's, supporting earlier information that the model will offer more cabin space. Previous spy shots also indicate that rear end will showcase new horizontal tail-lights as well.   The interior of the new Fiesta is a radical departure from that of the current one. The most obvious new addition is a 'floating' infotainment interface which is much larger than the button-controlled screen in the current Fiesta. Other features on the car include Ford's SYNC 3 infotainme...

Hatchbacks are hot too in 2017, with Maruti undoubtedly set to lead the pack. India’s largest automaker has big plans for the country with the launch of the new third-gen Maruti Swift and the highly-anticipated Maruti Baleno RS. Chevrolet is set to breathe life back into the Beat with an all-new model, while luxury carmakers such as Volvo and Mini are set to bring in some of their own models. Featured here are the hatchbacks – new and facelifted – that are heading to our shores soon. New Maruti Swift Although it still sells in larger numbers, Maruti’s popular hatchback has lost some steam owing to the bigger, more upmarket Baleno. But next year, Maruti will replace the current model with an all-new car that promises to be even lighter than the bantamweight Baleno. And considering that it will continue with the same engines, its fun factor and fan following are only expected to increase. Suzuki’s 110hp 1.0-litre Boosterjet turbo-petrol from the upcoming Baleno Sport could also...

Jeep is currently doing the groundwork to launch its new mid-size SUV in India. Known as the Compass, the recently-unveiled five-seater is 4394mm long, 1647mm tall and 1874mm wide (mirrors folded). This means it is around the same size as Hyundai's Tucson, which was also launched recently. Expected to hit showrooms towards the middle of 2017, the Compass looks like a mini Grand Cherokee and comes with a similar-looking grille and headlight combo. Typically, Jeep's squared-off wheel arches have been used, and the Compass gets a floating roof with plenty of chrome brightwork. The SUV also gets LED tail-lamps. Built on the same platform as the Renegade (small, wide 4x4), the Compass, however, features a longer wheelbase for greater space on the inside and a mildly altered suspension system. The SUV gets frequency selective damping, which automatically alters the dampers for rough roads and corners, and the car has been given an electric handbrake as well. Inside, you g...