AUTHENTIC CARS

Mercedes’ current E-class (W212) is now four years old. Launched in 2009, both internationally and in India, it is soon set to receive a mid-life update. Mercedes normally gives its models a fairly substantial facelift halfway through their life cycle, and all-new engines are also introduced by the German company at the same time.   One of the major styling updates will be the return to two headlights instead of the current four. There will also be a new front bumper, grille and bonnet, which will mean the new E will look quite different from the current car. Other substantial changes include rear door skins, wings and tail-lamps.  The new E-class retains the basic interior architecture of the current car, while efforts have been made to improve quality. Even higher-grade materials, more supportive seats, new instrument graphics and switchgear, and an improved multimedia system have all been adopted. New engines to be added to the line-up internationally in...

Nissan has unveiled a new compact-SUV concept at the Sao Paulo motor show. This concept, known as the Extrem concept study is based on the V-platform that also underpins the Micra and the Sunny. This is the first concept designed by Nissan specifically for the Brazilian market where it aims to account for 5 percent of total new car sales by 2016. The Extrem concept has been designed by Nissan Design America (NDA) in San Diego with inputs from Brazilian designers. It is 3,850mm long, 1,765mm  wide and 1,530mm high, with a 2.450mm wheelbase. The concept’s design is inspired by various Nissan models, ranging from the GT-R to the 370Z. The Extrem is powered by a 1.6-litre petrol motor and could be offered with various other petrol and diesel powerplants coupled with all-wheel-drive or front-wheel-drive. Nissan however, announced that this is currently only a concept car with no immediate plans for production.

Volkswagen has formally revealed an intention to join the burgeoning junior SUV ranks by unveiling a concept that hints at a future production model at the Sao Paulo motor show in Brazil. Called the Taigun, the compact four-seater is expected to be priced below the Tiguan when launched globally around 2015. The production model will provide the base for a whole new family of similar-sized offerings from Audi, Seat and Skoda. Ulrich Hackenberg, VW’s R&D chief, told Autocar that the compact SUV would be sold across VW’s global markets. The Taigun is based on a stretched version of the VW Up’s NSF (new small family) platform. At 3859mm in length, 1728mm in width and 1570mm in height, the Taigun is 566mm shorter, 82mm narrower and 130mm lower than the Tiguan. The concept is not four-wheel drive, as the NSF platform currently only supports front-wheel drive.   VW design chief Klaus Bischoff describes the new SUV’s appearance as “confident, logical and clean”. Its st...

Hyundai is working hard to get the new Santa Fe here in 2013. The current car, priced at Rs 23-26 lakh, is very important to the brand, and the Korean company is keen to build on its success. The new third-generation Santa Fe is the latest Hyundai to adopt the company’s now infamous ‘Fluidic Sculpture’ design language, but it also gets its own new design dialect, called ‘Storm Edge’. The company says it “captures dynamic forms created by nature during a storm”. The new Santa Fe is clearly more attractive than the current model sold in India; testament to this is the sharper headlight design, the huge front grille and plenty of design flourishes. Internationally, two versions of the new Santa Fe exist. There’s the normal 4689mm (2700mm wheelbase) version for markets where urban agility is more important, and a longer, 4905mm (2800mm wheelbase) version that replaces the Veracruz in the USA. Despite the Indian infatuation with imposing road presence and acres of cabin space...

Ford has unveiled the updated Fiesta saloon at the Sao Paulo motor show. The 2013 Fiesta features design cues from Ford’s new global design language. It gets a restyled front fascia that includes an aggressive, Aston Martin-like front grille with chrome slats, re-profiled front bumper and fog lamps, revamped headlamps and a new bonnet design. This comprehensive facelift makes the rakish Ford now look positively handsome from the front. Also vastly improved is the rear. While the current car has small tail-lights, this car’s rear lights span all the way across to the bootlid. This is likely to cost Ford more, but the money seems well spent as the car looks much better now. A new black rear splitter at the bottom also reduces the visual mass of the car considerably. For India, there’s likely to be a bigger change under the hood. Ford is likely to slot the much-acclaimed 1.0-litre, three-cylinder EcoBoost petrol motor. Ford could also make it available in two states of tune, at...

Maruti has launched its new Alto 800 hatchback in the entry-level segment, where it will compete with the Hyundai Eon. Priced at Rs 2.44 lakh for the base model, the new Alto 800 will be sold alongside Maruti 800 (BS-III only) and the Alto K10. The new Alto 800 is based on the existing Alto platform and is powered by the same 796cc three-cylinder motor (F8D) from the outgoing Alto. However, the motor has been modified to meet the latest emission norms. Plenty of suspension bits have been carried over as well, but the structure has been heavily modified to make it stiffer. The new Alto 800 sports an attractive two-part grille, high-mounted petal-shaped headlights, a sporty chin spoiler, mildly flared wheel arches, crystal-like tail-lamps and some sculpting on the hatch that adds a spicy touch. The cabin of the Alto 800 is all-new and it now has a more contemporary-looking dash with improved plastic quality and several touches of silver. There are six paint shades and three tr...

Ford has launched a revised version of the Figo hatchback with prices starting from Rs 3.85 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) for the base petrol. The revised Figo gets updates like refreshed headlamps and tail-lights, a new front grille with silver inserts, steering-mounted audio controls, new alloy wheels, revised fog-lamp housing and new seat fabrics. The hatchback will continue to be powered by the same 1.2-litre Duratec and 1.4 Duratorq motors. However, Ford claims it has improved engine calibrations for better pickup. The Figo also gets two new paint shades - Bright Yellow and Kinetic Blue. The hatch continues to be offered with a 2-year/1,00,000km warranty. The base 1.2 LXi petrol variant is priced at Rs 3.85 lakh, while the diesel range starts from Rs 4.82 lakh. The revised Figo variants now cost Rs 3,000–5,000 more than the old car. Ford has also improved its dealer network in the country and the numbers now stands at 230 dealerships and 123 service outlets. By 2015-20...

  Porsche has added a seventh version of the Cayenne SUV, and it’s both the fastest and most expensive variant yet. The Porsche Cayenne Turbo S has 50 more horsepower and more standard features than the Cayenne Turbo on which it is based. The big news concerns the twin-turbocharged 4.8-liter V-8 engine, which now produces 550 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque, up from 500 hp and 516 lb-ft in the standard Porsche Cayenne Turbo. That’s enough for the Turbo S to reach 60 mph in a claimed 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 175 mph — 0.1 second quicker and 3 mph faster than a regular Cayenne Turbo.The horsepower and torque figures match those of the Porsche Panamera Turbo S, which uses the same engine as this Cayenne. To ensure the suspension can keep pace with the upgraded engine, several items that are optional on other versions of the Porsche Cayenne come standard on the Turbo S, including Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control, Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus, and Power Steering Plus. PDCC ...

This the first image of the new Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet.    Unlike its predecessor, the Beetle Cabriolet features a soft-top which folds in ten seconds and the roof “lies very flat, enabling good vision to the rear”.   Seven engine options will be available overseas, much like the hatchback model. A 103bhp, 1.2-litre TSI petrol engine will be available from launch, with a Bluemotion Technology version soon after. A 158bhp, 1.4 TSI and 197bhp, 2.0 TSI will complete the petrol range. Diesel variants will include a 103bhp, 1.6-litre TDI offered with the option of Bluemotion Technology, and a 138bhp, 2.0-litre TDI. However, we expect fewer engine options to be offered in India.   Volkswagen confirmed that the Beetle Cabriolet will feature the hatchback’s multllink front and torsion beam rear suspension. Only the 2.0 TSI model will carry a more sophisticated four-link rear arrangement.   Like the Beetle hatchback, the Cabriolet will be buil...

Mahindra-SsangYong has revealed that it will launch the much-awaited Rexton SUV in India on October 17. India will get the third-generation Rexton, known internationally as the Rexton W which was showcased at the Busan Motor Show, 2012. Based on the first-generation Mercedes M-Class (W163), the Rexton is a body-on-frame SUV that will compete with the likes of  the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour, Hyundai Santa Fe and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport. In terms of styling, the Rexton W gets a new nose that includes new projector headlamps with LED-surrounds and LED fog lamps. The redesigned chrome-lined grille is wider, looks much smarter and houses a large SsangYong logo in the centre. The front bumper is also all-new, lending the upgraded vehicle a more aggressive demeanour than the current model. The new wheel-arches blend well with the overall design, as opposed to the bulbous ones on the current car. It also gets integrated LED turn-indicators on the wing mirrors. The Rexton’s...