Mahindra e2oPlus Electric Car Launched In India; Prices Start At ₹ 5.46 Lakh

Mahindra has been aggressive with its electric vehicle portfolio this year. We first saw the e-Verito then the e-Supro van and now we get the e2oPlus, a 4-door variant of the smaller 2-door e2o hatchback. The Mahindra e2oPlus will be available in three variants with prices ranging from ₹ 5.46 lakh - ₹ 8.46 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Mahindra claims that the cabin space of the car has gone by over 150 litres and car is indeed very spacious. Our first drive review will tell you a lot more about the car. http://auto.ndtv.com/news/mahindra-e2o-plus-electric-car-launched-in-india-prices-start-at-rs-5-46-lakh-1469135

Upcoming Renault Cars in India

When Renault India announced its road map for the 2015-16 fiscal last year, it had three key products in its mind that will increase its market share in the industry - the Lodgy MPV, entry-level car Kwid and the much awaited facelift for its popular SUV Duster. With clear product strategy and smart marketing initiatives the carmaker has managed to become a key player in the Indian car market. Now the carmaker is gearing for the next fiscal and this is what Renault planes to bring to the table.

Renault Lodgy AMT

The Renault Lodgy has been one of the key products for the French carmaker in the Indian market. Being Renault first MPV in the country, the Lodgy was well designed, came with a powerful engine, and offered decent safety and comfort features. That said, currently the Renault Lodgy is the only MPV in its segment that still comes with only a manual gearbox, this is considering the fact that the new-gen Innova will come with an automatic transmission. Understanding the need of the hour, Renault is currently working on an AMT version of the Lodgy that will go on sale later this year in India. The MPV will use the same Easy-R AMT unit that does duty on the recently launched Duster facelift.

(Renault Lodgy)

Expected Price - 10 lakh - 12 lakh

Expected Launch - Second Half of 2016

Renault Kwid AMT

The Lodgy is not the only Renault India car that is about to get an AMT version. The carmaker is also working introducing an AMT version of its top selling hatchback Kwid. Renault showcased the Kwid AMT for the first time at the 2016 Auto Expo, which is also set to go on sale in India this year. Currently the Renault Kwid features only a 5-speed manual gearbox mated to a 799 cc, 3-cylinder petrol engine that efficiently churns out 53.2bhp and develops a peak torque of 72Nm. With the addition of an AMT unit, the Renault Kwid will be the only car in its segment to get one. Of course there is the exception of the Maruti Suzuki Alto K10, but that comes in a slightly higher league and Reanult is ready for that too with a more powerful Kwid.

Expected Price - 3 lakh - 5 lakh

Expected Launch - Second Half of 2016

(Renault Kiwd)

Renault Kwid 1.0-Litre

As we mentioned above Renault is currently also working on a more powerful version of the Kwid that will be come with a 1.0-litre petrol engine. We saw a glimpse of the car at the Auto Expo 2016 andRenault has also started testing the car in India. The 1.0-litre version of the Kwid will initially come mated to only a manual gearbox as the car will be launched before the AMT version goes on sale. We also expect to see more safety equipment including dual airbags and ABS as standard on the Renault Kwid 1.0-litre.

Expected Price - 4 lakh - 6 lakh

Expected Launch - Mid 2016

Renault Kaptur

(Renault Kaptur)

Renault had official unveiled its 5-seater crossover - Kaptur earlier this month in Russia. Based on the Renault's European hatchback Captur, the car is on the French carmaker's road map for India. The Ranault Kaptur is not a sub-4 metre SUV and measures 4333mm in length, which brings it in the league of the Hyundai Creta and the upcoming Honda BR-V. Reports suggest that Renault will bring the car to India but not before launching it in Brazil which will be some time later in 2017.

Expected Price - 8 lakh - 12 lakh

Expected Launch - Late 2017

Hyundai, Kia to develop AI-based smart car

 The hyper-connected and intelligent car also aims to enable smartphone functions to be reproduced within a car. SEOUL: South Korea's top automaker Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors on Tuesday announced a plan to develop artificial intelligence (AI)-based, internet-connected car to create a new future lifestyle with a "driving, high-performing computer". The driving computer means a car will become a high-performing computer itself as the car, to be developed by Hyundai and Kia, will self-drive based on AI and connect to electronic devices while driving based on internet connectivity, Xinhua cited a joint statement as saying. The main concept of the project is a "hyper-connected and intelligent car", which means an interaction between cars home as well as home and office in addition to AI-based self-driving.

Maruti Suzuki Ignis to Be Launched in 2016 Festive Season?

The Maruti Suzuki Ignis compact crossover will be launched in India during the festive season of 2016, according to reports. The Suzuki Ignis, that falls under the micro SUV category, made its debut last month at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show.

The car was first showcased as the Suzuki iM-4 concept at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. When launched in India, the Maruti Suzuki Ignis will rival cars like the Mahindra S101, Tata Nexon, and Datsun GO-Cross.

The car was first showcased as the Suzuki iM-4 concept at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. When launched in India, the Maruti Suzuki Ignis will rival cars like the Mahindra S101, Tata Nexon, and Datsun GO-Cross.

Suzuki says the Ignis has "a compact, visually striking body... and a simple, highly practical interior design highlight its credentials in the compact crossover genre."

The Maruti Suzuki Ignis features certain attributes of an SUV, like good ground clearance and a high view point. In terms of design, the micro SUV gets a comparatively large single-slat grille with integrated projector head-lamps and chrome surround, and flared wheel-arches. The Ignis is 3679mm long, 1579mm high and 1478mm wide.

As for the powertrain, the Japanese version of the Ignis gets a 1.2-litre DualJet petrol engine with SHVS (Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki) technology, and is paired to a CVT automatic gearbox. While a front-wheel drive layout is standard, all-wheel drive (Suzuki ALLGRIP) is optional, at least for the Japanese market. It remains to be seen whether India will also get these variants. However, it's almost a certainty that a diesel engine option, likely to be the familiar 1.3-liter DDiS mill, and manual transmission (for both petrol and diesel) will be available in the country.

http://auto.ndtv.com/news/maruti-suzuki-ignis-to-be-launched-in-2016-festive-season-1245649

Why India’s Pre-Owned Luxury Car Market Will Boom in 2015

In December last year, Mercedes-Benz opened its first pre-owned luxury car showroom in India under the name of “Mercedes-Benz Certified”.
Looking at the tremendous growth in the industry largely dominated by unorganised trade, Mercedes-Benz became the third luxury car manufacturer in India to open a showroom for used cars. The used car market in India is growing and luxury cars contribute to around three percent of the total sales. This means that their number stands at somewhere between 28,000 to 32,000 units per year.
Moreover, by the looks of it, this rate is expected to increase this year. Here’s why.
Increasing Prices of New Cars
Consumers want to get a taste of luxury but premium cars don’t come cheap in India owing to heavy excise duty and high rate of interests. As Eberhard Kern, CEO of Mercedes-Benz India once said, “In many car products (in India), over 50 percent of price is the taxes, which is unacceptable on the global level”.
The Government reduced the excise duty on cars and automobile parts last year. Consequently, the car prices dropped for a few months before the concession was removed by the Ministry of Finance at the beginning of 2015. This came as a setback to the luxury automobile companies and they responded by hiking their prices.
BMW increased its prices by 5 per cent, while also discontinuing some its models like the 116i Prestige and the powerful six-cylinder 328i. Since the start of 2013, the company has been focusing on the deep pocket customers. As a result, their sales have dropped but the profits have increased by 10 times. Mercedes-Benz and Audi also increased their rates. Hence, many consumers may just prefer buying a well-maintained pre-owned luxury car than shell out extravagant sums for a new one.
High depreciation and good value for money
The value of luxury cars depreciates by up to 30 per cent in just six months. In about three to four years, well-maintained luxury cars are sold for one-third of their original price. One can buy a BMW 3-Series or a Mercedes C-Class for just INR 1.5 million. They won’t have done much mileage and will be about three to four years old.
Most luxury cars are not used for daily driving, so they are in good condition and their quality is assured as they are built with better materials than the mass segment cars.
One realtor in Mumbai recently purchased a Lamborghini Gallardo, which had only done 3,000 kilometers for INR 25 million. A new one would have cost him INR 35 million. New cars are for the rich, while used cars are for the smart and prudent.
Growing supply
It’s really easy to find a used luxury car in India as owners tend to change their cars within two to three years of purchase. There are certified and unauthorised car dealers all across the country. In many cases individual sellers take it to themselves to sell the car.
Websites like Carwale.com, OLX.in, Cartrade.com and Quikr.com help the buyers to find potential sellers. At present, Carwale.com alone has advertisements for 821 BMWs, 868 Mercedes-Benzes, 582 Audis, 75 Jaguars, 5 Ferraris, 74 Porsches, four Rolls Royces and 20 Bentleys. That’s a remarkable number for one website in India.
Organised players have also entered the industry. BMW, Audi, Mercedes all have showrooms for second-hand luxury cars now. Mahindra’s First Choice is another popular choice, while Big Boy Toyz, a company which primarily deals in “exotic cars” has a remarkable presence in the Indian market. The company reportedly sells around 80 cars annually.
Entry of organised players
Companies offer warranty, financial schemes and service plans on second hand cars that dealers and individual sellers can not.
In 2011, BMW launched “BMW Premium Collection” showrooms, catering the German automaker to “many new customers” in the country. Cars undergo a comprehensive check and are sold with a BMW warranty.
Audi has its own showrooms for pre-owned luxury cars which shelters automobiles from other brands as well (like Mercedes, BMW and Porsche). Here too, cars undergo a complete inspection before they are sold. The customers are “are assured of a transparent and hassle-free experience of buying and selling pre-owned vehicles”. Big Boy Toyz even offer a buy-back agreement on cars to potential customers.
These companies demand a slightly higher price for the cars (than an individual seller or dealer), but they ensure a low cost of maintenance and less financial and legal hassles. Such services were not available in India till two years back.
Completely built-up units
Buying a used car works well in case of brands like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Porsche and Aston Martin, among others. Such cars are imported as Completely Built-up Units (CBU’s) in India and hence a 100 per cent excise duty is paid on them. Consumers are reluctant to fork out so much money.
More than 100 such exotic cars have changed hands in India over the past two to three years. They have low mileage, are well-maintained and the buyers save up to 40 to 50 per cent on their purchase. Moreover, sellers get 10 to 20 per cent higher price for their cars.
The ones who really benefit are those who bought imported luxury cars a few years back when 60 per cent excise tax had to be paid.
According to The Economic Times, a Mumbai businessman bought a Lamborghini Gallardo for INR 2.9 crore a few years back. In a “normal course after depreciation”, the value of the car in 2014 should have dropped to INR 1.74 crore, but he could got INR 2.51 crore from a buyer.
“I had sparsely used the vehicle for 1,400-1,500 kms and I got to know about the new Huracan and that seemed an interesting buy,” he said.
“So, I sold off my Gallardo…It has been an advantage for anyone who bought a CBU around 2011-12 at older custom duty. I am very satisfied with the price I got.”.

http://www.gtspirit.com/2015/03/15/why-indias-pre-owned-luxury-car-market-will-boom-in-2015/

Smart ForTwo (2015) review

Innovation is rarely cheap, but for such a small car, the Smart ForTwo has been a mind-bendingly expensive good idea. An exact figure has never been publicly disclosed, but this little tub of a thing has lost Daimler many billions since it launched the first one in 1998.
So it would have been easy for the board to lose their bottle and pull the plug, but whatever the cost of development and production it always felt like a car that modern, chaotic, cramped urban life needed. Now, with this new model, Daimler hopes to have turned the corner.
Click here for our first news and photos of the 2015 Smart Fortwo.

Smart ForTwo review: is the new one better?

More refined, better built and even more able to nip its occupants into gaps with maddening smugness, the ForTwo is effectively a cut-and-shut new ForFour or Renault Twingo, which is where a lot of the development cost has been subsumed, by using the same three-cylinder engine configurations and similar underpinnings.
The ForTwo’s styling is less cute than before though, having grown from its iconic one-box design into a more conventional ‘one-and-a-half box’ silhouette, necessitated by its lineage to the larger cars and the need for better crash protection.
In fact, the bulbous features make it look as though it has been wrapped in one of those ugly rubber cases you can get for iPhones. Handy when accidentally nudging into hard things, but a less endearing aesthetic for it.

Fortwo specs, dimensions… it’s still a tiny city car

The track and overall width is 100mm wider than previously but the car’s overall length remains the same. In the cabin the extra space, and the better use of it, is apparent. Driver and passenger do not have to be intimately engaged to feel comfortable next to each other any more, thanks to more generous shoulder room, while it is a notably classier place from which to swear at bus drivers.
The utilitarian plastic knobs and hard surfaces have been replaced with nicely detailed and trimmed oblong sliders and soft-touch surfaces with LED backlighting. Even the doors shut with a thump now rather than clang, like a real car.
Two improvements to the driving experience are immediately noticeable: the ride quality is vastly better and so is the gearbox. The suspension deals with sharp impacts far more compliantly than before, due to increased spring travel and deeper tyre sidewalls, although you would never call it a soft car. And that short wheelbase means the car still bonks as one entity over bigger obstacles such as speed bumps.
Also, nearly all the cars at launch featured the new five-speed manual (using a Renault Megane gearknob, if parts-bin spotting is your game) but a couple of pre-production autos were on hand to help prove it’s not going to be as bad as before.
In the old car, that curmudgeonly gearbox became less crotchety with age, but the new twin- clutch unit is much smoother from the outset. And a Smart feels like a car suited to a good auto transmission – just stick your foot down and whizz into gaps with no delay.

The Smart’s natural habitat: urban roads

In town, neither the 70bhp naturally aspirated nor the 88bhp turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine get a chance to show off their limited performance, but both feel sprightly enough to allow plenty of lane-swapping cheek, even if they aren’t going to win any light-to-light drag races. As you might expect, the ForTwo changes direction fairly sharply, feeling nicely secure as it does so thanks to its four-square stance. The Twingo and ForFour, and the previous ForTwo, have turning circles a pole dancer would be proud of, but this ForTwo makes them all seem lumbering, finding itself pointing the way it came in a space of less than seven metres.
There are three trim levels. All sound like retail park nightclub chains; passion, prime and proxy. Other trendy offerings include an app with which latte-grabbing anarchists who’ve found an odd space into which to cram a Smart can take pics and post their locations for other Smarties to use.

Verdict

Over the years, with 1.6 million sold, the ForTwo has become a staple of urban life alongside mad tramps and filthy pigeons, and created a successful subculture all of its own among owners. With this iteration it might finally make Daimler some money too.

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Drives/Search-Results/First-drives/Smart-ForTwo-2015-review/

Hyundai Xcent review

 

The Hyundai Xcent is joining a closely fought market segment.

The sub-four-metre entry sedan segment is a weirdly unique segment in the Indian market. It is a segment that was created to leverage the advantages offered by legislation which allowed for a lower tax incidence. And it is a segment where the buyers are willing participants in a clever marketing game that makes them believe that they are getting a sedan, while they are only buying the hatchback with a boot strapped on to the rear.

There have been many entrants in the past few years who have tried to ride the wave. None have been as successful as the Maruti Suzuki DZire, and more recently the Honda Amaze. There are more in the pipeline and the increased choice is welcome because despite the number of options there haven't been enough high quality compact sedans to choose from.

The first off the block marking the new wave of compact sedans is the Hyundai Xcent. Meant to refer back to the Accent, the first sedan from Hyundai Motor India, the new Xcent is the booted version of the Grand i10.

Design

Thankfully, the Xcent's design is not as unwieldy as its name. It is amongst the most cohesive, most acceptable redesign of a hatchback into a sedan. The Grand i10 was conceived with a planned compact sedan to follow, and it shows. There is no abruptness to the design especially at the rear. The roofline flows smoothly down to merge with the boot lid and the dimensions chosen for the sedan still seem proportionate,though the front of the car remains identical to the Grand i10.

There is no getting away from the overall cab-forward design of the front. Yet the design of the Xcent manages to achieve some balance. Some additional chrome elements in the bonnet grille and a similar chrome treatment to the tail-lamp combination, which refers to the hexagonal theme of Hyundai's new design language, are the only visible changes in the Xcent compared to the Grand i10. The boot now conceals 407 litres of storage space. The new 15-inch alloy wheels and chrome door handles in the Xcent add to the car's looks, though the wheel arches still don't get filled out sufficiently, because the ground clearance has been raised by about 5mm, to handle the expected increase in gross vehicle weight.

Cabin

No other compact sedan manages to leverage exterior footprint to interior space as well as the Honda Amaze. The Grand i10 has its limitations due to the lesser overall width compared to the Amaze and the DZire. But, the space in the cabin isn't bad and thanks to a tall roofline, it doesn't feel claustrophobic even at the rear. Legroom and shoulder room are identical to the Grand i10, though the Xcent's rear seat is said to have gotten a more relaxed backrest angle.

In typical Hyundai style, the Xcent's cabin gets a lot of equipment to boost its appeal. The overall layout and quality of materials used in the cabin remains identical to the Grand i10. But a few changes are evident like the automatic climate control panel that seems to have been borrowed from the i20. Depending on the variant, the Xcent also gets more equipment in the form of rear aircon vents, an electro chromic rear view mirror, a smart key and push button start/ stop, auto folding door mirrors and a reverse parking assist system. A few of these are segment first and together they make the Xcent quite an attractive package.

A brown, biege and dark grey colour theme runs through the cabin including the centre console and the seat fabric. The seats are comfy and the rear bench now has the option of a flip down centre armrest with cup holders. There is also the cooled glove box and the boot lid lamp, convenience features that are rare in this segment.

Performance

The Xcent is powered by the same 1.2-litre Kappa petrol and the 2nd generation, 1.1-litre U2 CRDi diesel engine. The 4-cylinder petrol engine has also been retained in the same state of tune as in the Grand i10. It is a dual VTVT unit (variable valve timing) and its refinement is already well known. The overall performance of this mill in the Xcent is very similar. Linear acceleration is not great, but there is enough power and torque available in the key rpm range to help the driver handle most situations in city and on the highway. The 3-cylinder diesel engine has been marginally retuned to give peak power and peak torque a small boost. That hasn't really made the 1,120cc engine any peppier than in the Grand i10. The engine does feel a bit underpowered on the highway and peak power tapers off fast after the 4,00 rpm mark. But while driving in city and with a considerable amount of low-end torque available on tap, the Xcent diesel feels just right. The engine is a bit buzzy on the highway, but surprisingly quiet for a 3-cylinder mill.

Both the engine versions are offered with 5-speed manual transmissions. The petrol engine version is also offered with a 4-speed automatic transmission. Gear ratios have been changed in the Xcent compared to the Grand i10.

NVH packaging (noise, vibration and harshness) is amongst the best in the segment, keeping the cabin quiet comfortable. Testing the Xcent on an already searing afternoon in Hyderabad showed that buyers will surely appreciate the rear aircon vent during the summer. Rated fuel efficiency numbers places it very close to the Amaze.

Handling

The Xcent's handling too is very similar to the Grand i10. The only difference in its on-road behaviour can be felt when it is pushed around corners. There is a bit more body roll than in the Grand i10, and the Xcent's slightly raised body stance and the softer rear suspension accentuates body roll. The steering feels well-weighted, though, being tuned for easy in-city maneuverability has robbed it of more feedback. For its segment, the Xcent's steering is precise enough. Suspension quality is good and just like the Grand i10, the Xcent's is also pliant and capable of soaking up bad roads well.

Bottomline

The Hyundai Xcent is joining a closely fought market segment. It stands a good chance of upsetting the apple cart, thanks to its excellent value-for-money package. The Xcent's perceived quality is also likely to be higher than the others in the segment. Hyundai has introduced the Xcent with special launch prices starting from Rs 4.7 lakh for the base petrol variant. 

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/features/smartbuy/automobiles/is-hyundais-grand-xtension-the-sedan-for-you/article5868288.ece?homepage=true