Audi has brought excitement to the New York Auto Show by unveiling the 2014 A3 at the New York Auto Show on press eve. Directly competing with Mercedes Benz’s new CLA sedan, the new A3 reminds us a lot of the first generation A4 of the mid-nineties in size.
The Audi A3 will go on sale in Europe before the United States and will offer 3 four-cylinder engines on launch; 138bhp 1.4 TFSI and 178bhp 1.8 TFSI petrols, and a 148bhp 2.0 TDI diesel. It will not go on sale in the US until 2015 and will make its official world debut at the Shanghai Motor Show next month.
The A3 features very typical Audi styling. Full LED headlamps as well as a number of subtle enhancements are optional to try and keep the base price reasonable. Wheels will range from 16-inches to 18-inches to help maintain the sporty look and premium placement of the small sedan. The interior offers everything one could realistically need, including a driver display system utilising 3D graphics, a revised MMI system and a 705 watt, 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system.
Audi also announced the 2014 S3 sedan, also to be officially unveiled at Shanghai next month. Powered by a potent 2.0-liter TFSI engine producing 296bhp, the sedan should reach 100km/h in 4.7 seconds with the six-speed S-tronic gearbox. Quattro-all wheel drive is standard on the American S3, as are 18-inch wheels, full leather interiors and the three-spoke sport steering wheel with shift paddles.
The Audi A3/S3 are a whole 6.7 inches shorter than the Mercedes Benz CLA/CLA 45AMG. With public opinion still divided when it comes to the traditional rivals’ hotly awaited cars, expect this battle to go down to the wire.
Ford India has landed itself in a tricky spot after controversial advertisements of the Figo made their way on to the internet last week. The advertisements, reportedly made by the creative team at the Indian arm of advertising giant, JWT, emphasize on the boot space offered by the Figo, but are taking serious heat for being sexist and distasteful.
In one of the commercials, the infamous former Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi is shown grinning in the driver’s seat as three skimpily clad women are shown bound and gagged stuffed into the boot. In another version, we see Paris Hilton similarly kidnapping fellow millionaire socialites, the Kardashian sisters. There’s a third, comparatively less offensive version, with Michael Schumacher having managed to fit Sebastien Vettel, Lewis Hamilton & Fernando Alonso in the Ford Figo’s boot. All three commercials feature the tagline, ‘Leave Your Worries Behind’.
The timing of the ads is especially poor, with the recent uproar in the nation over stronger anti-rape laws, and the parliament’s recently passed anti-rape legislation on everyone’s mind. Since a large number of India’s masses might not identify Berlusconi, Hilton or the Kardashians, JWT India’s attempt at black humor may backfire and evoke a strong reaction towards Ford India and the Figo.
Ford India has since apologized, in the form of the statement given to NBC
We deeply regret this incident and agree with our agency partners that it should have never happened…. The posters are contrary to the standards of professionalism and decency within Ford and our agency partners.
If they keep up with such risky tactics, it might be a little while before Ford India leaves its worries behind.
One of India’s top hatchbacks, the Maruti Suzuki Swift has crossed yet another landmark. The model has reached sales of 30 lakh units globally, and to celebrate this achievement, Maruti Suzuki has launched a limited edition trim called the ‘Swift Star’.
Largely featuring cosmetic changes, the Swift Star will offer a Double DIN audio unit with bluetooth connectivity, a rear roof spoiler, steering wheel cover, art leather seat covers and designer floor mats. The regular Swift is available with a 1.3-litre diesel engine producing 74 bhp and 190Nm of torque as well as 1.2-litre petrol engine producing 85bhp and 114Nm of torque. The diesel variants start at Rs. 5.6 Lakh and go upto Rs. 6.9 Lakh, and the petrol variants start at Rs. 4.5 Lakh and go upto Rs. 5.8 Lakh (all ex-showroom Delhi). The special edition ‘Swift Star’ will be available with both engines and will cost Rs. 23,000 over the regular variants.
The Swift has been on sale in the global market for 8 odd years, and Maruti Suzuki reports that a massive 45% of the 30 lakh units were sold in India. These sales figures epitomise the huge popularity the Swift enjoys in the Indian market. Recently there was news that Maruti Suzuki was offering the Swift at a discount of Rs. 5000 for the first time ever in its lifetime. It also announced that there was no waiting period on the diesel Swift at all. Market slowdown has affected bigger players like Maruti Suzuki as well, and the Swift Star may be a smart move by the Indo-Jap carmaker to keep its inventories moving.
We as Indians love hatchbacks. We love how they are practical and economical. We love how they can be easily manoeuvred out of any traffic jam and parked in the tightest of corners, doing all this while not emptying our bank accounts. Here are 5 hatchbacks we’d love to see on Indian roads (only if they were assembled here, of course).
1) Volkswagen Golf
The quintessential hatchback, the VW Golf is one of the all-time best selling cars, and has graced international ‘car of the year lists’ time and again. The newest iteration is over a 100kg lighter than the previous one, and has impressive safety features such as lane keeping assistance and adaptive cruise control. It’s still a great ‘driver’s car’ and does everything that a hatchback should, and how.
2) Ford Focus
Like the Golf, the Focus is hatchback royalty. It has been an unmitigated success since its launch in 1998. The 2013 model manages to improve upon an aging design with new stylish looks and a well thought out interior. Very refined and practical, it still handles brilliantly and the pricier sporty versions offer some of the quickest engines in the range. Hot hatches really don’t get better than this (just look at those alloy wheels!).
3) Renault Clio
First things first, the Clio’s menacing looks ooze character, you can’t help but notice it. The supermini ticks all the boxes its accomplished predecessor dealt with, and still manages to improve upon others. It’s wider, lower and lighter than before making it handle much better and providing a very composed and comfortable ride. It has a bold, lively interior and comes with a punch-filled economical engine. It may not be as refined as some of its competitors, but it might put a bigger smile on your face.
4) Volkswagen Up
Volkswagen has built more than its share of hatchbacks, and there have been quite a few misses (read VW Fox) to go with the hits. But let there be no doubt, the Up belongs with the latter. This agile, little city car has a lot more space than it seems, and an interior that will put many pricier hatchbacks to shame. It’s not the most powerful or the best equipped car in its class, however it more than makes up for it with a very forgiving ride and a snappy gearbox. The Up does a lot more than is expected from it, and is just too much fun to drive for us to ignore it.
5) Kia Rio
Considerably cheaper than the Golf and the Focus, the Kia Rio will fit in well in the Indian market. Although its performance and handling is not at par with most of its pricier competitors, it has an extremely spacious and stylish interior. Coupled with great modern looks, the gulf between it and its rivals isn’t as big as you’d expect it to be. Boasting a five star NCAP crash test rating, it’s very safe and sturdily built. On top of what is simply a very solid and reliable car, Kia offers a mind-boggling 7 year warranty on all its models in more than 20 European countries. If that won’t sell a car, god knows what will.
Back in the 50s, there lived a man in Italy, who had a very successful tractor business. His name was Ferruccio Lamborghini, and like any other wealthy Italian industrialist, he had a penchant for fast, expensive cars. The proud owner of a vast and stunning collection including a Mercedes Benz 300 SL and a Jaguar E-Type, he decided to gift himself the legendary Ferrari 250 GT. He liked it a lot but was also disappointed with the lack of refinement. Repeated trips to Maranello for maintenance added to his annoyance. Legend has it, that he was so frustrated with the gearbox in his 250 GT that he went to visit Enzo Ferrari personally to discuss the matter. In reply, the proud Modenan dismissed him, telling him to stick to tractors and to let him build the sports cars. At this point, he decided that there was nothing Ferrari could do which he couldn’t do better, and so began the tale of Automobili Lamborghini.
Today, Lamborghini is famous globally for producing some of the world’s fastest cars, very easy on the eyes and very heavy on the wallet. The current flagship model, the Aventador has quickly become one of the most desired cars in the world. A spectacle to see and a dream to drive, it boasts a 6.5 L V12 engine producing a mammoth 690 BHP. It goes from 0 to 100km/h in 2.9 seconds and using its pushrod-actuated double wishbone suspension, it can manoeuvre any corner without so much as breaking a sweat. The Aventador is named after a valiant bull, keeping with the long-standing Lamborghini tradition of associating itself with bullfighting. Dripping with character and typical Italian flair, it reeks of the identity Ferruccio Lamborghini worked so hard to build, right from the beginning.
The Miura, popularly known as the first supercar ever made, was truly an engineering marvel when it arrived in 1966. It looked like nothing anyone had seen before, and went faster than was thought possible. At the same time, the clutch was too heavy, the ride was unbearably stiff and it was easier to turn an 18-wheeler. Driving it would surely cause a case of arthritis, but none of it mattered one bit. Time stood still when a Miura drove by.
The Lamborghini Miura
Much of the same followed when the Countach was launched in 1974. Featuring a striking and revolutionary design, the Countach was the first production car to feature ‘scissor doors’, which have since then become a trademark for all flagship Lamborghinis. It was again, extremely uncomfortable to drive, but became an instant icon because of its outrageous design.
The Diablo, launched in 1990, was the first Lambo capable of exceeding 200mph and was a humongous hit, not only for its head-turning looks, but for record-breaking performance as well. Automotive engineers, race car drivers and car designers were equally in awe of the machine, which was the fastest car in production at the time.
But despite the uproar over the Countach & the Diablo, Lamborghini had been suffering from financial troubles for almost half its existence. In 1998 Audi acquired Lamborghini, and soon followed the asphalt hugging Murcielago. The ‘baby Lambo’ called the Gallardo was also launched soon after, and the two along with responsible management by Audi phenomenally turned the manufacturer’s fortunes, slowly achieving unprecedented sales figures.
The Murcielago with its big V12 engine was still plagued with the typical handling issues of all the big Lambos which came before it, but stayed true to their extraterrestrial performance figures, reaching a top speed of 340km/h. Calling it understated would be a bit of a stretch, with its low, wide stance and aerodynamically designed body. However, it seemed to lack the madness of the Countach and the Diablo. Much more refined, and engineered, it was a lot more civilised than its ancestors.
Rear, left to right: Miura, Countach Front, left to right: Murcielago, Aventador, Diablo
And then, there was one. In early March 2013, Lamborghini unveiled the Veneno, a limited edition hypercar which looks like Megatron on steroids. A grand total of 3 Venenos were produced for sale as part of the 50th year celebrations at Lamborghini, and all were sold by invitation for a jaw-dropping $ 4.6 million before the buyers had even seen the car.
The Lamborghini Veneno
Fanaticism of this sort comes as no surprise when you take a look at some of the other recent show cars, the fighter jet inspired Reventon & the lightest Lambo ever, the Sesto Elemento. Literally translating to ‘poison’, the 740 BHP Veneno has brought back the era of the poster car, and will surely grace the bedroom walls of 14 year old boys for years to come.
The Toyota Fortuner has had a sensational run in India selling more than 41,000 examples. In fact, Toyota understood the market very well and refreshed the Fortuner long before it was overdue and the numbers are getting better with each passing year.
The face-lifted version launched at the Auto Expo 2012 along with the automatic transmission option only brought more customers into the showrooms. Now, just a year after its launch owing to customer feedback, Toyota has introduced a five-speed auto transmission in the Fortuner, replacing the earlier 4-speed unit. While figures haven’t been quoted by Toyota, we expect the fuel efficiency of the 5-speed slush box to be more than that of the outgoing 4-speed one.
Other than that, the limited edition Sportivo edition launched last year is now a regular grade as also is the Pearl White Mica colour. Prices for the entire line up ex-Delhi are as follows: Rs 22.3 lakh for the 4×2 AT (5 speed), Rs 22.93 lakh for the 4×2 AT TRD Sportivo (5 speed) and Rs 21.96 lakh for the MT TRD Sportivo. Bookings will open from January 18.
[quote]
Commenting on the new introduction Mr. Sandeep Singh, Deputy Managing Director and Chief Operating Office –
The 4×2 automatic transmission is extremely popular, it has been highly appreciated by the customers. The 5 speed AT will further add to the drive quality and comfort. Looking at the overwhelming response for the Fortuner TRD Sportivo and its popularity, we have now regularized this grade for all those looking for a unique sporty image. The bookings will open starting 18th Jan 2013.
Skoda has confirmed it is to launch six new models by the end of 2013.
The Rapid and the Octavia were teased repeatedly on the main Skoda fan page and the launches did not go unnoticed even with Facebook users who weren’t auto buffs. After all, who isn’t logging to Facebook today to keep a tab on their world?
Just before the year closed, Skoda’s French subsidiary uploaded one such image, teasing not one, but five launches for their country.
The first launch is that of the new Rapid, indicating the start of availability in the French market. The second launch is the Octavia sedan that rolled out last month, and the veil on the third launch covers the impending Octavia wagon variant.
The fourth, fifth and sixth launches could feature the Roomster facelift while photographs of the facelifted Yeti and Superb test prototypes spotted around the foothills of the Alps, characterizing the VisionD concept, confirm that they are waiting for their big days this year.
For the Indian market, 2013 could witness the launch of the new Octavia in the first half of the year, followed by facelifts of the Superb and Yeti towards the festival season.
For 2014 and 2015, Skoda should secretly be working on their version of the Taigun and the Up!-based sedan and not to forget the next generation Fabia and Yeti using the MQB platform.
Meanwhile, Skoda Auto India sales during the calendar year 2012 totaled 34,678 units as compared to 30,741 units in the same period of 2011 resulting in 13% sales growth. This was a notable increase in sales, especially when considering tough and turbulent conditions being faced by auto companies in India.
“Despite challenging market conditions, Skoda India achieved growth of 13% on the strength of our strong product line-up. Skoda Rapid steered our sales for this year and will continue to be one of our prime offerings in the year ahead. We are confident that the Skoda range of products, anchored by our class-leading Skoda Superb at the top end and the acknowledged high-quality and value-for-money Skoda Fabia at the bottom end will continue to grow from strength to strength. Our approach for 2013 is to continue the focus on improving Skoda’s performance in all areas of business in order to enhance the experience our customers have with Skoda products and services”, says Mr Sudhir Rao, Managing Director, Skoda Auto India.
The 2013 Octavia (Laura to us) is set to be unveiled in Prague this week, and will most probably end up in India in the last quarter of 2013.
Latest leaked images reveal some design traits of this new car. The 2013 Octavia carries the new Skoda design language which has been heavily influenced by the VisionD concept and the lines on the car are silky smooth.
The looks are now more like the VW cars, especially the side profile. The picture of the rear styling shows a complete transformation over the current one and has a more European look to it.
Image Courtesy : AutoCZ
The 2013 Skoda Octavia is seen with 5 spoke alloys on 17″ wheels, bumper design is more angular while boot area looks to have enhanced capacity of approximately 590 liters. Interiors too have been overhauled and fitted with quality material with better equipment.
Engine choices for international markets range from 1.2, 1.6 and 2.0-litre petrol engines and 1.6 and 2.0-litre diesels mated to either 5 or 6-speed manual transmissions and a 6-speed DSG ‘box.
2013 Skoda Octavia will stand 4,659mm in length, 1814mm in width and will sit on a 2,686 long wheelbase. Skoda expects this vehicle to be at the top of the charts of best selling cars in the world.
In India, the Octavia will be launched as the all-new Laura and will compete with the current crop of D-segment luxury sedans including the Volkswagen Jetta, Chevrolet Cruze, Renault Fluence and the recently launched Hyundai Elantra. It will go up against some stiff competition given the fact that the new Elantra is selling in big numbers.
Frustrated with his repeated failures at getting the car properly serviced, a Vadodara based Mercedes Benz owner paraded his E-Class luxury saloon dragged by six donkeys through city roads, in order to catch attention of the German auto major’s Indian division.
Image Courtesy : Sandesh
Kumud Patel decided to take matter in his own hands when his year and a half year old Mercedes Benz E350 worth Rs 60 lakhs, was not fixed by authorized dealer over repeated attempts.
He bought the E350 back in July 2011 along with Mercedes Benz Road Side Assistance Program. According to Kumud, problems with his new E Class started in Sep 2011. Ever since he has been trying to fix his car, but every time he got his car fixed, a new fault appeared. His car is still not fixed and has problems in two of the wheels.
Luxury car major Volvo would launch its new car in Indian market by the end of March 2013, a top company official has said.
The car ‘V40-Cross Country,’ is already on road in Frankfurt and would hit the Indian market, which is a potential market for the company, Tomas Ernburg, Managing Director, Volvo India, told PTI on Friday.
n India, Volvo V40 will compete with the Mercedes Benz A Class and B Class, and BMW 1 Series hatchback. Tomas Ernburg told PTI earlier this Friday that India is a very big market. “Volvo India wants to be No.1 in India in the luxury segment and aims to capture 15% market share by 2020 and would sell 20,000 cars then. It would gradually increase to 30,000 in 2025,” he said.
Tomas revealed these details in Coimbatore, where he was present to open one of the Volvo showrooms in the country. Other cities that have Volvo showrooms include, Chnadigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Mumbai and Pune.
Volvo will increase their production sites to 43 by 2020, from current 12 by 2020 in order to capture the luxury car market by 2020. Volvo would commence operations at their plant in China next year and plans of building a plant in India are gaining momentum.
The Indian bike scenario got ecstatic with the entry of KTM in the market. With the launch of Duke 200, KTM’s entry in Indian market with the partners Bajaj escalated the Indian bike scenario pretty quickly and now, the Austrian brand is ready with their next offering for India, the Duke 390.
The KTM Duke 390 is the bigger single-cylinder model that was expected from the Austrian manufacturer’s Bajaj tie-up. The engine, says KTM, is all-new, displacing 375cc with an over square 89mm bore on a 60mm stroke. Visually, the motorcycle looks identical to the Duke 200 and this isn’t an illusion. The frame is exactly the same, from the 43mm upside-down forks up front to the 150-section tyre at the back. Will the tyre compound be softer for more grip? The details will become clearer once the motorcycle becomes commercially available. KTM claims the fuel-injected motorcycle makes 43PS at 9500rpm and 36Nm at 7250rpm, which are extremely robust figures. When you add in the fact that the motorcycle only weighs 13kg more than 200 Duke , the 390 promises to be a proper, no-hold barred hooligan that will set the tone for affordable performance in the country when it launches.
It likely to fall in the Rs 1.8-2.1 lakh on-road price bracket. Good times!
German car maker Audi has started production of the Q7 luxury-class SUV at its plant here with plans to supply 1,000 units annually in the Indian market, a company official said here Thursday.
“Local production of Audi Q7 is part of our long-term growth strategy in India, one of the most promising auto markets in the world,” said Frank Dreves, Audi board member for production.
Dreves said a good plant infrastructure, efficient working processes, a qualified workforce and a well-developed logistics environment along with the surging growth of the Indian market were the factors which motivated Audi Group to expand operations at the Aurangabad plant.
Mid-2013, the company plans to start production of Audi Q3 from the facility, which would be the third Q model to be built locally after Q5 and Q7.
[quote]”This would reduce the waiting time for the customers besides enabling us offer a wider range of versions in the Indian market,” explained Michael Perschke, Audi India head.[/quote]
He added that the growing demand for Audi Q3, Q5, Q7 SUV models has had a major impact on the brand’s growth in India.
“During the first ten months of this year, we increased sales in the Indian market by 55 percent to 7,273 vehicles, surpassing its last year’s record sales of 5,511 cars,” Perschke said.
Audi Group is presently selling A4, A6, A7 Sportback, A8L, Q3, Q5, Q7, S4, RS5 Coupe and TT Coupe and supercars Audi R8 and R8 Spyder.
BMW is all set to roll out its first four-door coupe in the country before Diwali, 2012. As per the announcements made by the company, the all-new 2013 BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe will hit the Indian roads on November 8, 2012.
The unique feature of the new 6 Series Gran Coupe is that it consists of four doors while the conventional 6-series consisted only of two-door. This four doors feature is available for the first time in BMW’s history and comes with a seating capacity of 4+1 people. This all new 2013 BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe was first unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.
Having a sultry look with low sloping roofline, the Gran Coupe can easily be distinguished from the traditional sedan design. Apart from the inclusion of two extra doors, and revamped sheetmetal, the 2013, 6-Series Gran Coupe quite resembles the traditional 6 Series coupe and other convertible models that are already available on sale.
The all new Gran Coupe comes with a length of 5,007 mm and a wheelbase of 2,968 mm and is longer by 111 mm to its 2-door Coupe sibling. A large part of this extra length has been contributed towards the seating arrangements to provide more comfort to the rear passengers. The BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe has a width of 1,894 mm and has a height of 1,392 mm. When compared to BMW 550i, the Gran coupe is 102 mm longer, 34 mm wider and 72 mm lower.
Though the technical specification of the all new 6-Series Gran Coupe is not known so far, it is expected to house a 442 bhp, 4.4-litre V8 engine or the 3.0 litre turbocharged inline cylinder. THIS 3.0 litre engine, which comes mated with an 8-Speed automatic gearbox, is BMW’s most popular and is capable of delivering a power as high as 314 bhp.
When launched, the all new BMW 6-Series will compete with Mercedes Benz CLS, Audi A7 and the Porsche Panamera.
Honda has released the first teaser video of an upcoming model that is reportedly based on the Brio hatchback.
Described as the “sedan of your dreams,” the car has a generic design with upward sweeping character lines, large taillights and chrome trim.
Power will be provided by a 1.2-liter four-cylinder engine that develops 88 HP (65 kW) and 109 Nm (80 lb-ft) of torque, however, specifications of its diesel engine are yet elusive. New tail lamps, a boot of 300 to 350 liter capacity, a generic design with upward sweeping lines are part of the Brio Sedan make up, which once launched is likely to compete with Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Tata Indigo eCS and the Verito.
Royal Enfield, India’s oldest maker of motorcycles, is looking at doubling its sales at 150,000 units during the next year (2013) as against 75,000 units sold in 2011. For the year 2012, the company is aiming at selling 100,000 bikes.
In order to meet the growing demand for its high performance motorcycles, the company is setting up second manufacturing unit at Oragadam near Chennai at an investment of Rs 150 crore. It has bought 50 acres land for the purpose. The plant will commence production during the first quarter of 2013, Shaji Koshy, senior vice president, sales and marketing, Royal Enfield said.
[quote]“Last year we sold 75,000 units, whereas we have achieved that mark in the first three quarters of this year. Our monthly sales volume has increased to 10,000 units from 7,000 units in January this year. With the launch of Thunderbird 500 we hope to double our sales in 2013,” he said.[/quote]
Talking to reporters after the launch of Thunderbird 500 and all-new Thunderbird 350 in Bangalore on Thursday, Koshy said the company would have a combined manufacturing capacity of 150,000 units in 2013. The company has also increased its dealer network in the country to 237 outlets. The company will start delivering the newly launched bike from end of November and the customers, who have booked Thunderbird 350 would be given a choice to shift to Thunderbird 500 before commencing the booking for new customers, he added.
The company plans to export about 5 per cent of its total capacity next year. It currently exports its bikes to USA, UK, Canada, and Latin America among other markets.
Thunderbird 500 is available for Rs 186,622 (On-road, Bangalore) and Thunderbird 350 comes with a price of Rs 146,466 (On-road, Bangalore)
