AUTHENTIC CARS

Suzuki has revealed the production version of its new S-Cross crossover ahead of its official debut at the Geneva motor show. The as-yet unnamed model, which Suzuki currently refers to as ‘all-new C-segment crossover’, looks to have stayed true to the S-Cross concept revealed at last year’s Paris motor show, judging by the initial darkened images that have been released. Official details on the new model remain scarce, with Suzuki revealing only that the new model will have optional all-wheel drive in addition to standard front-wheel drive. The new model is based on a new platform, and will be manufactured at Suzuki’s Hungarian plant. Petrol and diesel power will be offered, with the diesel engines coming from Fiat as part of Suzuki’s relationship with the Italian firm. The S-Cross concept is 4310mm long, 1840mm wide and 1600m high, which is roughly the same size as the Renault Duster. Full details of the new model will be revealed at the Geneva motor show in March.

These are the first leaked photographs of the next-generation Toyota Corolla. Toyota had showcased a saloon concept called the Corolla Furia at January’s Detroit Motor Show, which was believed to preview the new Corolla’s styling. From these first pictures it seems that although much of the aggressive detailing has been toned down for production, the car’s basic shape and sharp lines have remained faithful to the concept.    The styling also appears to be heavily influenced by Toyota’s other recently launched international models – the Rav4 and Auris, and there are hints of the new Camry in there as well.   The front bumper loses the Furia concept’s carbon accents, but still gets the wide central air dam, albeit with a body-coloured chin, and there are more conventional fog lamps too. The bonnet gets prominent creases on both sides. The chrome-heavy grille blends seamlessly into the blacked-out headlamps, which look great as they sweep upwards into the fe...

BMW has added a new model to the 3-series global line-up for the first time since the short-lived Compact was launched in 1993. The new high-riding 3-series GT follows the template of the larger 5-series GT. It is longer, wider and taller than the 3-series Touring on which it is based. BMW claims the 3-series GT mixes the dynamics of the 3-series saloon with the practicality of the 3-series Touring and the looks of a coupé.   The five-seat 3-series GT will be offered with five engine options from launch, including a 302bhp 335i range-topper.    At 4824mm long, 1828mm wide and 1508mm high, the 3-series GT is 200mm longer, 17mm wider and 79mm taller than the 3-series Touring. The wheelbase is also 110mm longer at 2920mm, the upshot of which is 70mm more legroom for rear passengers, more than in a 5-series saloon.   Boot capacity is also increased in the 3-series GT over the 3-series Touring by 25 litres to 520 litres. The split rear bench folds 40/...

Bentley will give the Flying Spur saloon a sporty makeover late next year. A teaser image released by the firm shows shapely sheet metal and significant under-the-skin improvements are aimed at keeping ahead of the upcoming all-new Mercedes S-class. The new Spur is the result of a clever re-skin and re-engineering of the existing platform. The key styling themes are sportier proportions and more fluid-looking surfaces, which are inspired by elements of the new Continental GT and the imposing Mulsanne flagship. From the GT comes a toned-down version of the two-door’s muscular rear haunch, and the Mulsanne donates its elegant ‘catwalk’, a flowing belt line that widens over the rear haunch to suggest power and performance flowing from the rear axle. “It’s got much more ‘Coke bottle’ than before and looks a lot sportier,” said one insider. The new proportions are draped over a carried-over wheelbase, tracks and fixed-design ‘hard’ points and centre on a more raked rea...

Japanese carmaker Nissan has revealed its future game plan for the Indian market. The company announced plans to launch around 10 new offerings here by 2016.  First up will be the Micra CVT which will come with the same petrol motor that powers the manual variant. The X-Tronic CVT gearbox will do duty instead of the five-speed manual transmission. The Micra CVT will compete with the likes of the Ritz automatic and Brio automatic.    Next in line will be a version of the Sunny equipped with the X-Tronic CVT gearbox. Expect Nissan to price the Sunny CVT below the badge-engineered Scala CVT. When launched, it is likely to compete with the likes of clutchless versions of the Vento, Rapid, Verna and the City.    The third offering from Nissan will be for the compact SUV segment. This will be Nissan’s spin on the Renault Duster. However, the new SUV (Codename: NH87) will be more than just a re-badged Duster and will have some significant sheet metal c...

The first Jeep-branded product to be created from the ground up by the Fiat-Chrysler alliance will be launched at the New York motor show in March. It will replace the company’s smaller SUV, the Liberty, internationally.   In Europe, it will rival the Honda CR-V and Nissan X-Trail. This could be one of two future smaller Jeep offerings for India and will be positioned below the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee.   This new model is based on a version of Fiat’s ‘Compact Wide’ platform, which underpins the US-market Dodge Dart saloon and the Fiat Viaggio. The platform is capable of accommodating a four-wheel-drive system, V6 engines and diesels, all of which will be available in the new Jeep. The petrol V6, which is unlikely to make it to India, will be a 3.2-litre version of Chrysler’s 3.6-litre unit.    It will also be the first Fiat-Chrysler vehicle to get a new nine-speed automatic gearbox. This transmission is said by CEO Sergio Marchionne to be “the fu...

Alongside the recent launch of its Vista D90 hatchback, Tata Motors also showcased a concept for a crossover based on the Vista, called the Vista D90 Xtreme. The concept is conceived in the same vein as the Skoda Fabia Scout and the upcoming VW CrossPolo, in that it is a standard hatchback with slightly raised suspension (25mm in this case) and a number of cosmetic touches, like a tailgate-mounted spare wheel, to give it the appearance of an SUV. For the D90 Xtreme, additional touches include black cladding on the bumpers and below the doors, roof rails, flared wheelarches and larger, 16-inch alloy wheels. Interestingly, unlike most SUVs, which mount the wheel directly on the tailgate, the Vista D90 Xtreme’s spare is mounted on a swingarm that is hinged to the rear bumper, beneath the hatch. This was done to avoid tailgate rattle, and to keep the hatch door light enough to lift open easily. And since the spare wheel is not counted in the car’s overall length (which is the ...