AUTHENTIC CARS

The Frankfurt Motor Show will see the unveiling of what promises to be one of the manufacturer’s most exciting cars of recent times. The modern-day Quattro aims to revive the spirit of the rally-bred Sport Quattro launched in 1984, and has been conceived as a limited-production model that is set to be priced well above that of any existing Audi. The car will be assembled on a dedicated line at the Quattro division in Neckarsulm, Germany.   First hinted at in 2010 with the unveiling of the Audi Quattro concept, the new car is expected to form the centrepiece of Audi’s renewed focus on four-wheel drive following moves by Jaguar, BMW and Mercedes-Benz to increase the number of four-wheel-drive models in their line-ups.   Audi has yet to confirm that it is readying a revised version of the two-year-old Quattro concept for limited production, but Ingolstadt officials have already revealed to Autocar that the focus of the company’s activities at the Frankfurt...

The Nano Jet body kit gets what Tata calls a ‘race-themed’ decal with stripes on the bonnet and V-spoke wheels with a silver finish. The LX trim also comes with a ‘Sport’ body kit that includes side skirts and a bumper lip. The Jet kit is available for Rs 27,000 on the LX trim and Rs 15,000 on the CX. If you have a 2012 model, you can get these kits for Rs 28,500 and Rs 16,500, respectively. In a bid to target the urban youth, Tata has launched four customisation kits for the Nano to give it a fresh look and appeal. Tata calls these kits Jet, Remix, Alpha and Peach. These kits are available only on the CX and LX trims, and the current Nanos can be fitted with these kits as well. There are no changes to the interiors though. The bodykit on the Remix is called ‘Style’. The LX variant gets side skirts, a bonnet stripe and side decals. The Remix kit is available for Rs 27,000 on the LX trim and Rs 15,000 on the CX. The 2012 models get this kit for Rs 28,500 and Rs 1...

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Lamborghini has launched a limited edition Gallardo LP550-2 for India which comes with a price tag of Rs 3.06 crore (ex-showroom, Maharashtra). This LP550-2 is mechanically the same with some minor graphic upgrades.   In true Lamborghini style, this Indian edition sports Aranico Borealis, Bianco Monocerus and Verde Ithaca (translated as orange, white and green, representing the Indian flag) stripes running down the center of the bonnet, roof and engine lid. It also gets an India Serie Speciale plate near the driver’s seat quarter glass as well as Lamborghini’s special Cordelia rims.   On the predominantly black interiors, the driver’s seat gets orange stitching, the passenger seat gets green stitching and the dashboard, doors and center console gets white stitching. The Indian special will be available in three colours – you guessed it – orange, white and green.   Lamborghini is offering only six India ...

Suzuki is likely to unveil the 2014 Swift at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor show with minor updates, as seen in leaked pictures which were posted on one of Suzuki’s European websites. The current-generation Swift has been on sale globally since 2011. What we see here in these leaked images is that Suzuki has given a very minor cosmetic update to the Swift.    First up, the front gets new LED day-time running lamps which look similar to the ones on the Hyundai i20 here. Secondly, the turn-indicators now move up to the wing mirrors from the front fenders.  Apart from these, there is no styling update seen on the Swift. The interiors don't seem to sport any update whatsoever. There is no news on any mechanical change as well.    The big question is, will Maruti follow Suzuki’s footsteps and update the Swift for the Indian market as well?

The much-awaited Ford EcoSport, which will be launched here on June 26, is all set to be shipped to dealers all over the country. The compact SUV has begun rolling off Ford's production line in Chennai. The car is being built in five plants all over the world – Chennai being one of them. However, there is no still no word on pricing.   “The EcoSport looks fantastic,” said Alan Mulally, president and chief executive officer, Ford. “The Chennai team, together with our supplier partners, has done an outstanding job in delivering our customers a great looking, fuel efficient, safe, compact utility vehicle with impressive functionality and connectivity.”   The car’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine has also been awarded the Engine of the Year award in the sub-1.0-litre category. “The EcoSport is a great example of Ford’s leadership in the global shift to fuel-efficient and functional utility vehicles,” said Dave Schoch, president of Ford Asia Pacific. “Utiliti...

The first un-disguised look of the hottest S-class variant is revealed in the video that announces the start of new S-class production at Mercedes’ Sindelfingen facility in Germany.   The video shows a worker driving the car off the production line. The car features a few visual clues, such as the larger AMG alloy wheels and the S63 badging as to showcase its performance potential.    The car will be powered by a twin-turbocharged 5.5 litre V8 engine – just like the current car. It is set to develop 536bhp or 563bhp when specified with an optional performance upgrade.  The car will also come with a four-wheel-drive 4Matic version.  

BMW has unveiled the all-new 4-series Coupe.    The upcoming Frankfurt motor show is set to give the 4 series its public debut in September. The car is set to come with three turbocharged engine options with three more forced-induction units to follow. In a move aimed at providing the 4-series with a broader appeal than its predecessor, there will also be a choice of either a rear or four-wheel drive in selected models. Internationally, five trim levels - SE, Sport, Modern, Luxury and M Sport - will be offered.      The BMW 4-series, first previewed in concept form at the Detroit motor show in January, is based on the same platform as the 3-series saloon. Changes to its chassis, including wider front and rear tracks and suspension lowered by 10mm, provide it with a lower and wider appearance that befits its sporting brief. It also has the lowest centre of gravity of any BMW on sale.  At 4638mm in length, 1825mm in width...

Lamborghini will unveil a supercar concept at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show this year which will preview the Gallardo replacement. The new car is expected to styling and tech incorporate elements from the Sesto Elemento and Egoista concepts This new car, codenamed LP724 will carry forward key elements from the previous car such as the lightweight carbon fiber and aluminum space frame structure. The car has also grown marginally to a length of 4500mm which is almost 16mm longer than the previous car – the width and height remaining close to 1900mm and 1165mm. The production version of the new car is set to go on sale in the UK during the second half of the next year. The new car brings in an edgy exterior and its set to adopt a new interior layout as well that will extend its wheelbase to 2600mm which will offer added levels of accommodation. Lamborghini had plans to base the new car around a contemporary carbon fiber monocoque similar to that of the  Aventa...

Volvo has launched the V40 Cross Country in India. The V40 Cross Country competes with the likes of the recently launched Mercedes A-class and compact luxury SUVs such as the BMW X1 and Audi Q3. Volvo has priced the V40 Cross Country at  Rs 28.5 lakh ex-showroom Delhi, which squarely puts it against the above contenders. The Volvo V40 is offered in only one variant which is loaded to the gills with equipment and the Swedish carmaker's trademark safety features. The V40 Cross Country's long list of safety equipment will include SIPS airbags, knee airbags and inflatable curtain airbags, start-stop technology, front seats with whiplash protection. Other features include a fixed panoramic sunroof, A/C with clean air filter technology, cruise control, leather seating surfaces with heated and power front seats with memory sett...

German carmaker BMW has started promoting its upcoming 1-series here. The current-generation model (Codename F20) has been on sale in international markets since September 2011. The 1-series is the smallest and most affordable BMW currently, and will be positioned to take on the likes of the Mercedes-Benz A-class, which is why the company sees great potential for the five-door hatchback in the Indian market. BMW hopes that the 1-series will carve out a niche for itself here as a powerful, rear-wheel-drive premium hatchback. The car would be locally produced at the BMW plant in Chennai, so expect prices to be in the range of around Rs 20-25 lakh. The 1-series boasts a striking design. The shark-nose treatment with the forward-leaning kidney grille, the clamshell bonnet and the large, recessed headlights, give it that premium look people look for in this segment. You can’t mistake it for anything but a BMW. The surface treatment along the sides isn’t as conflic...

Mercedes Benz has announed that the E-Class facelift will be launched on June 25. It's been almost four years since Mercedes-Benz launched the W212 generation E-class in India. The time is ripe then for this mid-life facelift. What Mercedes has essentially done with this car is taken the E-class's most distinctive features - the four headlight setup and the ‘Ponton’ haunches - and updated them thoroughly. The most obvious change is with the headlamps that are now encased in a single flowing lens with LED elements for the low beam and daytime running lamps. Mercedes is also offering the E-class with the option of full LED headlamps. Then, you'll notice the more aggressive grille that flows into a re-profiled bonnet and a new front bumper devoid of fog lamps- changes that make the E-class look a lot more dynamic than the stately looks of old. Move to the sides and the biggest change is that the ponton haunches make way for a smoother, cleaner design...

Toyota is all set to launch the Camry Hybrid in the Indian market at the end of August.   Despite the extremely poor response for hybrid cars in India (both the Honda Civic and Toyota’s own Prius hardly sold) Toyota has ambitious plans for the Camry Hybrid and is planning to locally assemble it in India alongside the 2.4-litre petrol model. Toyota believes it can sell around 20-25 Camry hybrids a month which is around 5-6 percent of total Camry sales.    The Camry Hybrid will get a host of visual changes to differentiate it from the regular Camry.  On the outside, it comes with a completely different front bumper with a wider air dam and restyled fog lamps with chrome inserts. The grille also comes with a chrome strip. The Hybrid could also come with larger 17-inch alloys.   At the rear, it won’t be very different from the petrol Camry, except for the blue badge that reads ‘Hybrid Synergy Drive’.    On the inside...

According to our sources, General Motors India has asked its dealers to stop selling the diesel variants of the Sail saloon and Sail hatchback, suspecting problems with the 1.3-litre diesel engine used in these cars. GM has also asked dealers to stop sales of the BSIII variant of the Tavera. This may also lead to a product recall of all diesel models of the Sail saloon and Sail hatchback manufactured over a certain period. The voluntary recall policy, as adopted by the Indian auto industry in July last year, states that companies need to inform the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, the government and customers about any fault in its products, which may require a recall. GM India, for now, did not say if a recall of the cars was likely. P Balendran, vice president, GM India, said, “We will come back to you with an update after thorough investigation in the coming days.”

Terrano , and has revealed a sketch of the new model, planned for a launch in 2013. We broke the story of Nissan’s upcoming SUV on June 6, 2013, and now the carmaker has officially announced the name of its Duster-based SUV, the The Nissan Terrano will be produced at Nissan’s Oragadam plant alongside the Micra, Sunny and Evalia, which will expand Nissan’s locally-built model range to four. Kenichiro Yomura, president and CEO, Nissan Motor Indiam said, “I am delighted to reveal both the name and the very first image of what will be a very important model for Nissan. You can see from the sketch that the Terrano has a bold and distinctive design that I am confident will appeal to our growing customer base in India, as will its driving performance and range of other features that will be revealed at a later date.”

Fiat has launched the 2013 Linea T-Jet  in three trim levels.   The base Active trim gets rain sensing wipers, ABS and EBD. The Dynamic trim gets twin airbags, automatic climate control and steering-mounted audio controls with Bluetooth, and the Emotion trim gets 16-inch alloys and leather seats. All trims get disc brakes on all four wheels.   There are no changes to the exterior and interior styling.   The Linea T-Jet will initially only be available for sale in the top eight metros, including Mumbai. Interestingly, the competitive price of the base ‘Active’ variant makes the T-Jet a good Rs 39,000 cheaper than the recently launched turbo-petrol hatchback, the Volkswagen Polo GT TSI. Both these cars are powered by turbo-petrol engines, making them a favourite among performance enthusiasts and one of the deciding factors between the two could be your preference of gearbox.   While the Linea T-Jet comes with a conventional ...

Ford’s much hyped 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine was awarded the International Engine of the Year award in the sub-1.0-litre engine category. This is the same engine that will debut when the EcoSport is launched here soon. In addition, Volkswagen has won the 2013 Engine of the Year award in the 1.0 to 1.4-litre category with its 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine. The German carmaker also received the coveted Best New Engine award for its TSI technology in combination with automatic cylinder deactivation (ACT). This award honours the best engine innovation of the past 12 months. In the 2.0 to 2.5-litre category, Audi’s 2.5-litre TFSI engine was adjudged the International Engine of the Year for the second consecutive year. In the 2.5 to 3.0-litre category, BMW lost out to the Porsche Boxter’s and Cayman’s 2.7-litre, while in the 3.0 to 4.0-litre category, it was the McLaren’s MP4-12C that took top honours. Ferrari’s 6.3-litre V12 was adjudged the best Performance En...

Toyota has released the first photos of the all-new 2014 Corolla. Much like with last year's Camry, the new Corolla will have two different looks to cater to different markets, and both versions have been shown. The blue car in the pictures is designed for the US market, while the white one is aimed at Europe, and the differences appear to be only cosmetic.   Both versions features aggressive styling and sporty detailing and borrow cues from the Corolla Furia concept car showcased at the Detroit motor show in January, with the intention of attracting a younger audience.   The US market car first. Some of the radical detailing from the Furia has been toned down, but a lot of the core design influences have been retained. The prominent shoulder line, the kink in the window line and heavily creased bumpers remain, and this gives the new car a sharper look. The wraparound tail-lamps are sharper and stretch onto the heavily sculpted boot. Also carried ...

Mahindra has launched the Verito Vibe, the sub-four-metre version of its Verito saloon. Initially believed to be a hatchback, the Vibe is actually a compact saloon with the boot hinged at the bottom of the rear windscreen. The Vibe comes with the same 64bhp Renault K9K 1.5-litre diesel engine that powers the Verito saloon. Mahindra will not offer a petrol motor option as it doesn’t have one small enough to avail tax benefits. In terms of styling, the car’s rear windscreen is sharply raked and is straddled by large tail-lights that sit on the C-pillar. Ahead of the C-pillar, the car is identical to the Verito saloon. The interiors are also carried over and space is great for a small car. Mahindra offers the Vibe in three variants – the D2, D4 and D6. The top-end D6 gets equipment like ABS, driver airbag, 2 DIN music system with CD, MP3 player, USB and aux in, alloy wheels and a rear defogger. Bluetooth connectivity is missing though. The Verito Vibe co...

The new third-generation Skoda Octavia vRS is the fastest production Octavia in history. Offered internationally with high-performance petrol and diesel engines in saloon and estate body styles, it is capable of 0-100kph in 6.8sec and a top speed of 248kph in its most potent petrol-powered state. Set for a global reveal at the Goodwood Festival of Speed next month, the Skoda comes equipped with either a 217bhp 2.0-litre TSI petrol engine from the Volkswagen Golf GTI or a 181bhp 2.0 TDI diesel unit from the Golf GTD. The vRS diesel manages 0-100kph in 8.1sec and a 232kph top speed. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard for both versions, whereas a six-speed DSG dual-clutch is optional. Fuel economy is said to be improved by 19 percent over the previous generation Octavia vRS. Sports suspension is standard on the front-drive Octavia vRS, with an electronic XDS differential equipped as standard to help improve traction and reduce understeer. A ‘progress...

Porsche is celebrating 50 years of its 911 with a special edition version. Limited to 1963 units worldwide — 1963 being the year in which the 911 was born — the 50 Years Edition is based on the 395bhp 911 Carrera S. Mechanical tweaks include a wider body that’s usually reserved for Carrera 4 models, dynamic cornering lights, a specially tuned PASM suspension system and a sports exhaust. With the seven-speed manual transmission the 911 50 Years Edition can dispatch the 0-100kph sprint in 4.5sec and hit 300kph. In dual-clutch automatic 'PDK' form, it can achieve 0-100kph in a quicker 4.3sec but reach a slightly slower 297kph. Styling changes include 20-inch five-spoke alloy wheels inspired by the classic Fuchs wheels, special badges, different wing mirrors, two colour choices unique to the 50 Years Edition and bespoke chrome trim. Inside, there are myriad modifications that pay homage to the original 911. The dials are finished in green, wit...

Italian carmaker Fiat has been steadily increasing its stake in the Detroit-based Chrysler since pulling it out of bankruptcy in 2009. It currently owns 58.5 percent of Chrysler, and according to reports, the company is in discussions with the United Auto Workers’ retiree healthcare trust about buying the remaining 41.5 percent of Chrysler owned by the trust.   The report says there is a dispute over how much the stake is valued at; it is understood to be worth around Rs 20,000 crore, although a legal ruling will decide on the value.   Fiat’s parent company, Exor, sold its 15 percent stake in Swiss inspection firm SGS for a Rs 11,099 crore profit, a move that reports claim is to lay the foundations to purchase the remaining stake in Chrysler.   According to sources, Fiat boss Sergio Marchionne is targeting completion of the deal by the end of summer. Fiat is seeking financing from a pool of banks to first fund the takeover, and then refi...

BMW is working on a 1-series-based mini-MPV. This new MPV will be a seven-seater version of the upcoming B-Class rivalling 1-series GT which is due for a global reveal next year. The key differences from the standard-wheelbase version, which was previewed as the BMW Concept Active Tourer at the 2012 Paris motor show, would be longer rear doors and an extended roof. Secrecy surrounds launch plans for the 1-series GT, although the indications are that it will make its public debut in standard-wheelbase guise at next year’s Geneva motor show, with the extended-wheelbase model set to follow in 2015.

The Nissan Micra has been given a substantial interior makeover as part of a series of mid-life changes. This facelifted Micra has been revelead for European markets, but the same version is expected to be unveiled in India as well. Nissan describes the changes as “comprehensive”, going “deeper than a mere makeover”. As well as an overhauled interior, there are new looks for the front and rear ends, and a range of new technology and entertainment options. New trim, higher quality fabrics and more textured plastics have been added inside the Micra to further enhance its visual appeal. The exterior changes include a different front end with a new grille, bonnet, bumper, headlights and foglight surrounds. At the rear, there are new LED lights, revised tailgate trim and a redesigned bumper. The updated Micra will also come with new alloy wheel designs and more exterior colour choices as well as USB and Bluetooth connectivity in some variants. Higher va...

Volvo Car Group's pioneering work on pedestrian protection has been rewarded with the 2013 Global NCAP Innovation award. The prize was received by Lotta Jakobsson, senior technical specialist safety, Volvo Cars Safety Centre, at the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV) conference in Seoul, South Korea. At the ESV Conference, Lotta Jakobsson held a presentation about Volvo Cars' outstanding achievements within pedestrian protection. She presented a paper on the Pedestrian Airbag Technology in the new Volvo V40. "The purpose of the world's first airbag for pedestrians is to help protect these vulnerable road users in certain situations when they impact the bonnet and the area around the windscreen, where there may be a risk of serious head injuries," says Lotta Jakobsson. Addressing a global challenge In China, 25 percent of traffic fatalities are pedestrians. In Europe, the figure is 14 percent and in the USA 12 percent. In India, the numbers will easi...

The new third-generation BMW X5 will be sold with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine in some markets and optional rear-wheel drive in a move that endows the SUV with better fuel efficiency. The new BMW X5 has its planned public debut at the Frankfurt motor show in September. The decision to expand the choice of engines to include a four-cylinder unit mirrors the move made by Mercedes-Benz with its latest M-class. However, BMW's decision to offer rear-wheel drive represents a first in the hotly contested luxury SUV ranks.  Developed under the internal codename F15, the new X5 has been progressed in a typically evolutionary approach that sees it retain its upright profile and traditional features such as its two-piece tailgate. Distinguishing touches include a bolder front end with a more prominent kidney grille and LED-imbued headlamps that butt up against the chrome surround of the grille. A heavily contoured bumper, which features so-called air curtain d...