A detailed look at the next generation i10 has been posted by Italian auto website omniauto.it.

The new i10 will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2013. 

Highlights on the next generation i10:

• Keyless Entry with push button start
• More upmarket interiors with dual-tone finish
• Multi-Function steering wheel. Also comes with a heated option (unlikely to make it to India)
• Cruise control and switchable ESP
• Disc brakes all round
• Uses same platform as the Kia Picanto (wider track and slightly longer wheelbase will liberate more room)
• Hyundai has benchmarked European brands, instead of Japanese ones, for the new i10
• The new i10 will NOT be made in South Korea
• To know more about the new i10, click here.

Skoda will withdraw its slow selling Fabia hatchback from the market, reports autocarindia.com.

The Fabia will remain in the market till the existing stock is sold out.

The end of the Fabia will mean that Skoda will not have an offering in the hatchback segment. Its India plans for the next generation Fabia (codenamed SK 260) are unclear as of now. 

Reasons for withdrawing the Fabia from the market, as mentioned in the report:

• Skoda has incurred huge losses on the Fabia (losing up to Rs 1.5 Lakh per car)
• Repeated price cuts and discounts have failed to generate any increase in sales.
• Margins reduced as a result of 40 % reduction in its price compared to 2008 launch.
• High level of foreign content in the Fabia makes it expensive to produce.

Mahindra has announced that it will launch the Verito Vibe hatchback on 5th June, 2013.

More detailed snaps were posted on auto blog indianautosblog.com.

The new images show that the Vibe has a rear hatch that opens from the bottom of the rear windscreen and not hinged at the top, like a regular hatchback.

Click here for related news item.

The Vibe will come with the proven Renault K9K 1.5 L Diesel. 

Today, Mercedes-Benz along with the tennis legend Boris Becker have launched the GL-Class (GL 350 CDI) in India priced at Rs. 77.50 lakhs ex-showroom Delhi.

High Points:

• The 2987cc engine coupled with 7G-TRONIC Plus Automatic transmission
• Can do the 0-100kph sprint in 7.9 seconds
• Power: 258 bhp @ 3600 rpm (34 bhp more than outgoing model).
• Torque: 619 Nm @ 1600-2400 rpm (109 Nm more than outgoing model).
• Segment innovations: 360° camera, Cross-Wind Stabilization, Open pore trim, Active Park Assist, Sunroof for all three rows.
• India will be the second market after USA to locally produce the GL-Class, starting Q3 of 2013.
• The GL-Class was first introduced in India in 2010.
• Big on space: 630-1252-2300 liter boot capacity
• The new GL-Class is equipped with DSR, ESP, 4ETS, 4MATIC, AIRMATIC, etc.
• Length of 5120 mm (+32 mm longer), width of 1934 mm (+4 mm) and height of 1840 mm (+10mm) make new GL longer, wider and taller than its predecessor.
• The debut of the new GL will be as the “Launch Edition”. This limited edition variant will be offered as fully imported car and will have additional features like AMG body styling comprising front and rear apron painted in body colors, 21-inch AMG 5 twin-spoke light-alloy, aluminium finish running boards with LED illumination, flared wheel arches and more.

Indian Motorcycle, America's oldest motorcycle brand will be coming to India.

The brand is owned by Polaris Industries which already sells all terrain vehicles in India.

The all-new 2014 Indian Chief will be unveiled at the 73rd annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota, USA (August 3-11, 2013).

The 2014 Chief will be powered by a V-Twin which the company calls the Thunder Stroke 111.

The 111 cubic-inch (1,819 cc) Thunder Stroke motor is a deliberate dig at rival Harley-Davidson. Harley's biggest factory engine option is the 110 cubic-inch Twin Cam. 

The massive Thunder Stroke 111 has been in development for 2 years. The air cooled twin has three camshafts, pushrods and two valves per cylinder. The engine comes with hydraulic self-adjusting lifters and a forged crankshaft.

BHP figures have not been quoted yet, torque stands at a tree-stump pulling 156 Nm. Fuel is delivered via electronic sequential port fuel injection. A 6 speed manual transmission helps deliver the power, coupled with a multi-plate wet clutch. 

Click Here to go to the website.

Maruti Suzuki will roll out a brand new LCV (codenamed Y9T) from its Gujarat plant which will become operational in 2016, reports the Economic Times.

This was communicated to its vendors in Malaysia last week.

The new LCV will also come with a new 2 cylinder 800 cc Diesel engine, now in an advanced stage of development.

Offering an LCV option will help Maruti target the lucrative (and profitable) commercial sector that is dominated by Tata and Mahindra. The LCV is a ground up design that is being developed entirely in India.

Of particular importance is the new diesel engine being developed by Maruti Suzuki.

The LCV will feature a naturally-aspirated version of the 800cc 2 cylinder Diesel, while a turbocharged variant will be offered on Maruti's budget hatchbacks.

Hero MotoCorp Ltd (HMCL), has launched its ‘Hero’ two-wheeler range in Guatemala City, El Salvador and Honduras.

The two wheeler maker has partnered with Indy Motos Group of Guatemala who will be the authorized distributor for Hero two wheelers.

The Hero MotoCorp products that will be available here are, Hunk, Karizma, Glamour, HF Dawn, Splendor NXG, Super Splendor and Achiever motorcycles. 

The launch is significant for Hero, as this is the first of the new international markets that it is starting operations in. The Central and Latin American markets are expected to play a major role in Hero's global expansion plans.

HMCL has stated that it is targeting 10 % of total sales volumes from Latin & Central America and Africa over the next 4 to 5 years. At present exports are limited to a few countries, including Colombia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.

Entering and succeeding in foreign markets will be important for Hero MotoCorp as sales have been declining in the domestic market. HMCL has seen sales come down (along with Bajaj) for FY 13 to 53,62,730 units compared to 56,28,513 units in 2011-2012.

Pictures of Volkswagen's CrossPolo undergoing testing on the Mumbai-Gujarat highway have appeared on autocarindia.com.

The CrossPolo is essentially a higher riding version of the Polo with some styling tweaks.

The CrossPolo comes with its ground clearance increased by 15 mm, redesigned front and rear bumpers, roof rails that can take a load of up to 75 Kgs, and folding rear seats.

Interior appointments could be similar to that being offered on the Polo 1.2 GT TSI.

The alloys design spotted on the test CrossPolo looked the same, though the CrossPolo comes with 17" alloy wheels.

Suzuki's Inazuma 250, which will go on sale here later this year was spotted during a commercial shoot in Goa.

The pictures being uploaded on the Facebook page of GEARS.

The Inazuma is a 250 cc parallel twin that is made in China. The bike is said to be the spiritual successor to Suzuki's old GS500 twin. 

Despite being made in China, quality and finish is up to Suzuki's usual standards as borne out by the images.

While the official India spec figures are not out yet, power output is expected to hover around the 24 BHP mark.

The long stroke motor is torquey and coupled with a 6 speed gearbox, should see the motorcycle at home in the city and on the highway (ABS not available though). 

Features of the Inazuma 250 (source: Suzuki GB)

• 250 CC fuel injected motor that offers 30 KMPL.
• Engine RPM indicator displays NORM mode (normal riding) and ECO mode (economical riding).
• Gear indicator, maintenance reminders, clip-on style handle bars standard.
• Kerb weight of 183 Kg and Fuel tank holds 13.3 Lts.

India OYE (Open Your Eyes) is an effort by the alumni of Tata Institute of Social Sciences, with support from the Mumbai police to reduce instances of harassment and molestation.

At present, a pilot phase of this project is underway in the Mumbai East area,  including Chembur, Deonar, Govandi, Ghatkopar, Vikhroli, Mankhurd, Trombay, RCF, Mulund, Shivajinagar, Kanjurmarg (to name a few regions that fall under Mumbai East).

IndiaOYE seekes to enable citizens to report and contribute towards building a safety map of places they live in and surrounding areas. The safety map would help the Police in highlighting areas that require police attention. 

Here is how it works:

• You Submit the Report via web/ sms/ phone apps/ email/ twitter/ facebook etc.
• The staff verifies the report by contacting you via Mobile No. / email ID (Your mobile no./email ID is only for verification and is kept confidential)
• Your report is uploaded on the India OYE portal as a red spot on a map indicating the exact location of the incident.
• Mumbai Police acknowledges the reports and initiates appropriate action.
• A feedback of the action initiated is updated on the India OYE portal under your report.

BHPian Superutp snapped these pictures of Mahindra's Verito Vibe hatchback while it was out for a promotional video shoot in Bangalore.

Click here for a detailed news item on the Vibe.

Fiat is exploring the possibility of using its Indian operations as an export hub for the Chrysler Group, reports HT Mint. 

Fiat owns a 58% stake in Chrysler. Indications are that parts could be procured for Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge.

Once plans are finalised, India would manufacture 600,000 units for Chrysler, which will be exported to markets in the Asia Pacific region (out of this, 60,000 units are earmarked for India).

Exports could begin as early as 2015. 

The move to setup an export base for Chrysler in India would also help provide the company with greater economies of scale when its Indian operations begin.

Chrysler already has an R&D center in Chennai (the third-largest after Detroit and Turin) with 1,200 engineers.

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) will be launching a base spec W4 variant of the XUV500 within the next few months.

The new variant could help M&M arrest sliding sales of the XUV500, which have come down from 3721 units in January to 2253 units last month.

M&M's home grown SUV has also been grappling with quality niggles & irritants. The lower priced W4 variant could help M&M tackle the strong challenge posed by Renault's Duster and Ford's upcoming EcoSport.

For the months of March and April this year, Duster sales stood at 11675 units while in the same period, sales of the Scorpio stood at 9095 units and XUV500 at 5440 units. Rising diesel prices and an increase in excise duty on SUVs has further hit this segment. 

Maruti will export Petrol engines for Mazda'a badge engineered version of the Ertiga MPV, called VX-1 according to report in the Economic Times.

The Mazda VX-1 MPV has just gone on sale in Indonesia. Maruti already exports the Ertiga in completely-knocked down (CKD) kit form to Suzuki Indonesia.

The deal would allow Maruti to better utilise spare engine production capacity at its plants, with demand having been skewed towards Diesel engines. According to the report, Maruti is supplying in excess of 50,000 CKD kits of the Ertiga annually to Suzuki Indonesia.

It is possible that other improvements could be made by Maruti for the VX-1 (If requested for by Mazda). 

Maruti already manufactures its A-Star for Nissan Motors, which sells the little hatchback as the Nissan Pixo in Europe. The Pixo is manufactured at Maruti's Manesar plant and comes with better interiors and keyless engine start (For improved fuel efficiency in urban conditions). The engine that Maruti supplies for the Pixo is also reworked for improved fuel efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions.

Maruti received orders for 10,000 units of the Pixo from Suzuki Motor Corporation last year, to be supplied to Nissan.

Thanks to BHPian Soumyajit9 for posting the video in this post. 

The video is quite a watch. Funny visuals matched to equally hilarious lyrics.

If you wish to jump straight to the Team-BHP reference, start playing from the 2:20 mark. 

Mahindra's Xylo people mover will now be available with a 118 BHP mHawk engine with 280 NM of Torque. The new variant will start from Rs 8.23 Lakh (ex showroom Mumbai, BSIV variant). The H series will replace the existing E series and comes with a new transmission as well. Despite the new engine, Mahindra has decided to keep the price unchanged.

3 Variants will be on offer:

• H4 (with ABS as an option).
• H8 (with ABS and Airbags as an option).
• H9 which comes with Cruise control and what Mahindra calls Voice Command Technology (VCT) and Digital Drive Assist System.

A new colour, Dolphin Greywill be available (H8 & H9 only). The new engine option makes the Xylo much better to drive with better performance and NVH along with improved shift quality.

Since its launch in 2009, more than 1.25 Lakh Xylo's have been sold. Mahindra will be hoping that the new H series can pull in better numbers as Xylo sales have have been languishing around the 1800 - 2000 units per month (on an average). The launch of Chevrolet's Enjoy which has been competitively prices means that Mahindra now has a fight on its hands.

Pictures used are of the E-series Mahindra Xylo.

Spy pictures of what appears to be another full size automatic scooter from TVS Motors undergoing testing in Bengaluru have been posted on autocarindia.com.

The new scooter appears to be surprisingly similar to Honda's Activa which remains the segment leader.

The newest offering from TVS comes with tyres with an aggressive looking tread pattern on black alloy wheels (likely to be optional along with front discs) and comes with telescopic front shock absorbers.

According to the website the new scooter in all likelihood, will share stablemate Wego's refined and efficient engine.

TVS has seen its scooters sales slip to 29,692 units in the month of April. The company had sold 35,833 units in the same month, last year. At the time of the launch of the Wego in 2010, TVS had targeted scooter sales of 40,000 units a month.

Chevrolet has launched its latest offering in India, the Enjoy MPV. The Enjoy has been priced attractively, starting at Rs 5.49 Lakh (for the 1.4 L Petrol) and Rs 6.69 Lakh (for the 1.3 L Diesel). 

Variants and Pricing for the Enjoy

• LS Diesel 8 seater - Rs 6.69 Lakh
• LS Diesel 7 seater - Rs 6.75 Lakh
• LT Diesel 7 seater - Rs 7.42 Lakh
• LTZ Diesel 7 seater - Rs 7.99 Lakh
• LS Petrol 8 seater - Rs 5.49 Lakh
• LS Petrol 7 seater - Rs 5.64 Lakh
• LT Petrol 7 seater - Rs 6.31 Lakh
• LTZ Petrol 7seater - Rs 6.99 Lakh

A quick overview from Team-BHP's Chevrolet Enjoy Official Review (Chevrolet Enjoy : Official Review

What you will like:

• A well priced 7-seater MPV. Priced on par with C segment sedans
• Compliant low speed ride, matched to neutral on-road behaviour
• 1.3L diesel offers excellent urban driveability and fuel economy
• Compact size & light controls make it easy to drive in the city
• Equipment list includes leather seats, dual-airbags, ABS, EBD, dual air-con, parking sensors etc.

What you won't like:

• Not as well-rounded as the Ertiga. Several loose ends that need tying up
• Uninspired interior design. Ordinary part quality too
• Poor NVH insulation. Refinement levels miss the mark
• Underwhelming 1.4L petrol. Weak low end torque
• Missing essentials (MID, dead pedal, steering-mounted controls, tumble-down 2nd row seats etc.)

BMW's Chennai unit was searched by tax authorities on suspicion that the German automaker evaded taxes, the Economic Times has reported.

BMW's India spokesman has confirmed that the inspections did take place. 

The inspections took place on the behalf of apprehensions by the tax authorities that BMW paid duties for completely-knocked down (CKD) vehicles, when in reality, the company had imported the vehicles in semi-knocked down (SKD) state.

The inspections at the factory are aimed at verifying if BMW did indeed import critical components such as the engine along with transmission and gearbox without payment of the mandated duty. 

According to The Wall Street Journal, the authorities have seized a shipment of BMW engines and transmission equipment valued at Rs 250 crore. BMW could be hit with a tax claim ranging between Rs 500 to 650 crore as the duties on SKD kits is levied at 30 %, while taxes for CKD kits is levied at 10 %.

Mahindra Two Wheelers has launched an entry level variant of its Pantero motorcycle at Rs. 39,650 (ex-showroom Delhi). 

The Pantero range now spans 4 variants:

Pantero (Kick Start / Spoke Wheels / Analogue Console) – Rs 39,650

Pantero (Kick Start / Cast Alloy Wheels / Analogue Console) – Rs 40,550

Pantero (Self Start / Cast Alloy Wheels / Analogue Console) – Rs 42,250

Pantero (Self Start / Cast Alloy Wheels / Digital Console) – Rs 43,150

The Pantero motorcycle went on sale in January this year (alongside its stablemate the Centuro) and comes with a 110cc engine, making 8.5 BHP @ 7500 RPM. The motorcycle as per ARAI figures delivers 79.4 kmpl (under standard test conditions).

The engine was developed from scratch by Mahindra Two Wheelers at its Pune R&D centre. Mahindra is also offering a standard 2 year warranty with an option of extended warranty of up to 3 years.

The Pantero is of course a rebadged and improved version of the Mahindra Stallio. The fully digital instrument console on the Pantero is lifted from the Rodeo RZ Scooter.

Maruti has just launched a limited edition of its Ertiga MUV, rather oddly called the 'Feliz'.

The Feliz in Maruti's time honoured 'Limited Edition' tradition features the usual graphic upgrades, soft pillows, et al.

The new edition celebrates the first anniversary of the Ertiga and buying into the privilege will cost Rs 20,000 extra over the VXi (Petrol) and VDi (Diesel) trims. 

Here is what you get on the Ertiga 'Feliz':

Outside

• Silver Colored Grill and fog lamp surrounds.
• Side body graphics.
• Silver colored outer rear view mirrors.
• Rear spoiler.

The country's second largest carmaker is planning to launch a new compact SUV next year followed by an all new MUV by 2015 reports the The Hindu Business Line.

The new compact SUV will compete with models like the Renault Duster, Ford's Ecosport and Mahindra's upcoming compact SUV (S 101).

The compact SUV and 6 seater MUV are likely to be based on the same platform and are being designed at Hyundai's Namyang centre in South Korea. Indian inputs for the design will be provided by Hyundai's centre in Hyderabad.

Hyundai has been a bit late in targeting new market segments, something that rival Maruti Suzuki has done succesfully (and profitably) with models like the Dzire and Ertiga. Hyundai's competitor to the Ertiga will only arrive by 2015. There have also been reports that Hyundai is working on a competitor for the Dzire and Amaze in the sub-4 meter sedan segment.

Hyundai has an important launch coming up later this year with the next gen i10 (which will also have a 1.1 L Diesel on offer). Hyundai now has a Rs. 1,500 crore production line that can make 300,000 engines / year (diesel and petrol). Thus far Hyundai has imported Diesel engines from South Korea.

Hyundai expects the next gen i10 to become its largest selling model in India. We hope that Hyundai also launches a variant of the next gen i10 Diesel with an automatic transmission, as it will open a whole new market segment that still lies untapped.

Our latest Indian car sales and analysis for the month of April 2013 is out.

Here are the salient points: 

1. 8 models from Maruti occupy the top 20 sales rankings. These are the Alto (19847 units), Dzire (19446 units), Swift (16531 units), WagonR (12794 units), Ertiga (5168 units), Omni (4874 units), Ritz (4443 units) and Eeco (3822 units).

2. 5 models from Hyundai are also present in the top 20, with Eon (8350 units), i10 (8194 units), i20 (6230 units), Verna (4809 units) and Santro (4264 units).

3. Renault's Duster SUV comprehensively outsells Mahindra's Scorpio (5362 units versus 4437 units).

4. Only the 5 cars mentioned below have shown month-on-month gains, the rest have all lost numbers this month!

5. The gainers for the month of April were Honda's Amaze (4852 units in April and 2552 in March), Tata Motor's Indica+Vista (5943 units), Chevrolet's Sail sedan (2469 units), followed by Hyundai's Verna and Santro (4809 and 4264 units respectively).

6. The Amaze has eaten into Honda's other offerings such as the Brio and City which have posted a decline in April sales of 58.4% and 44.1% respectively.

7. Models in terminal decline are the Chevrolet Captiva (1 unit sold in April), Hindustan Motor's Lancer & Cedia, Montero and Outlander (0 units sold since Jan 2013), Maruti's Grand Vitara and Kizashi (April sales of 1 and 0 respectively), Tata Aria (8 units sold in April).

Click here to view the full report and all charts.

Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Pvt. Ltd. (DICV) based in Chennai will start rolling out FUSO trucks from the second quarter of 2013.

The trucks will be exported to markets in Asia and Africa. The extended commercial vehicles portfolio will be announced and presented shortly.

Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC) is headquartered in Kawasaki, Japan and is a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks.

The Indian market will continue to be serviced by offerings from BharatBenz as the FUSO range will not be sold in India.

BharatBenz has sold over 1,000 trucks since the brand was launched in India 3 months ago. The BharatBenz trucks and new FUSO trucks are based on the same Daimler Trucks product platform. 

The plans are part of the 'Asia Business Model' that is already in place and aims to make use of common strengths amongst the 2 truck makers for the Asian and African markets. Daimler trucks has targeted sales of 500,000 units in Asia in 2015 and in excess of 700,000 units in 2020. 

Note: Images shown are representative only.

Mahindra & Mahindra has launched its new Bolero Maxi Truck Plus pickup at a price of Rs 4.33 Lakh for the BS3 version (ex-Thane) and Rs 4.43 Lakh for the BS4 version (ex-showroom Mumbai, excluding Octroi).

The new vehicle is based on Mahindra's Bolero Pickup and comes with a 5 speed transmission and front disc brakes. 

The BMT Plus can carry an extra payload of 150 kg and has a 300 mm longer and 90 mm wider cargo body, compared to the existing Bolero Maxi Truck. The additional carrying capacity is complemented by a 1 BHP and 12.5 Nm rise in output from the engine.

Highlights of the Bolero Maxi Truck Plus :

• 2523 cc 4-cylinder Common Rail engine
• 63 BHP, 195 Nm of torque & BS4 compliant
• Turning Radius of 5.5 meters
• Power Steering (optional)
• Larger 40.6 Sq ft (3.7 sq.mt.) cargo box
• Payload capacity of 1150 kg
• Rigid Leaf-spring front suspension
• 15" rims with 195/80 sized tyres
• Digital Immobilizer
• Warranty for 1 year / unlimited km

More pictures of Mahindra's offering in the sub-4 metre SUV segment (codenamed S 101), have emerged on the facebook page of auto website Motorvikatan.

One of the snaps shows a Hyundai i20 in the background, giving a good indication of the size of Mahindra's latest.

The heavily camouflaged SUV was without front or rear bumpers.

The new SUV would sit below the Quanto in the Mahindra range.

Full details on the S101 at this link. 

Tata Motor's Nano has registered a stunning decline in sales to just 948 units for the month of April. 

This is a whopping fall of 88% compared to numbers posted in April last year (8028 units were sold then).

Exports have also ground to a halt with not a single Nano being sent out of the country.

The non-appearance of a diesel variant, poor marketing / branding and the fact that it is no longer a Rs 1 Lakh car, has put the Nano on the ropes.

While Tata Motor's has gone on a discounting spree for almost all its models, Nano prices remain unchanged. 

The updated 2013 Nano (yet to go on sale) features cosmetic upgrades such as chrome trim at the front and rear, redesigned bumpers and improvements in the interior such as dual glove-boxes, integrated audio system and speakers in the dashboard. One can't help but think that the Nano needs more to help recover its sales. 

Here's why we think the Nano has failed:

1. Poor targeting: Let's face it, a large number of 2 wheeler owners – out of choice – don’t want to upgrade to a car. Petrol is too expensive (commuter bikes are 5 - 6 times as fuel efficient as a Nano) while a large % of motorcycle owners don’t even know how to drive. That probably explains why a majority of bookings (from the 1st round) were for the top-end LX variant. 

2. It’s simply too unconventional: The Indian market, especially first-timer buyers, are a conservative lot. In that, they are extremely risk averse. The Nano is too “different” and “unconventional” for the mass market tastes. Factors like the engine placed at the back, a hatch that doesn’t open, battery under the front seat, 3-bolt wheels, differently sized front & rear tyres, lack of a glovebox et al make the Nano too different a concept for the junta. Many, including some owners, refer to the car as a toy. 

3. The image of the “cheapest car” in the world: The media & Tata overplayed the “1 lakh car” bit. Let's reflect on when the Maruti 800 was launched; it was hardly pitched as a cheap car. Instead, Maruti chose to focus on the strengths of the product, which were only amplified by word-of-mouth recommendations based on owner experiences. Car ownership in India is greatly driven by aspirational value, and owning the “cheapest car in India / the world” is not something one aspires to. Simply put, the Nano lacks the all-too-crucial status that first time car owners are looking for. 

4. The Nano isn’t really a 1 lakh car: The on-road pricing varies between 1.5 lakhs for the base version, and goes to well over 2 lakhs for the LX variant. Many two-wheeler owners weren't even eligible for car financing in the first place. For those that are, in our EMI-driven times, the 800, Alto & Spark aren't too far away. 

5. Poor communications: Tata’s handling of the media around the Nano fire incidents left a lot to be desired. 5 out of 10 people who sat in our test Nano mentioned something or the other about the car catching fire. 

The 2012 Nano incorporated a number of improvements compared to the original Nano, but sales have fallen far short of expectations. Sales of the 2012 Nano slumped from 5,491 units (September 2012) to a meager 1,505 units (March 2013).

Related Thread (Tata Nano : Test Drive & Review) 

Mercedes-Benz (Shaman Wheels Pvt. Ltd.) invited us for a special preview of the upcoming A-Class.

Please note that this was just a preview, hence no figures have been shared.

High Points:

• The Mercedes A-Class will be launched in two model lines: A 180 CDI (Diesel) & A 180 Sport (Petrol).
• "7G-DCT" 7-Speed Dual-Clutch Transmission with paddle shifts.
• Diesel claims a fuel efficiency of 20 kmpl. ARAI certified.
• Safety features: bi-xenon headlamps, 7 airbags, ABS, ESP, acceleration skid control, adaptive brake lights, attention assist, hill start assist, brake assist, electric parking brake, tyre pressure loss warning.
• Dimensions: 4,292 x 1,780 x 1,433 mm (LxWxH). That's just a little shorter and wider than the average C+ segment sedan.
• Mercedes has mentioned that they have no existing plans of launching a sub-20 lakh car in India; so expect the price to go North of that.
• Mercedes-Benz will have the first mover advantage (against the BMW 1-Series and Audi A3) when they launch the A-Class by the end of this month.
• This is the 3rd generation A-Class (W176).

Ford will launch its Ecosport in India with a range of trim levels and engine options, according to autocarindia.com.

On offer will be four trim levels and three engine options (two Petrol, one Diesel). Pricing is expected to start at Rs 7.5 Lakh, going all the way up to Rs 12 Lakh!

Trim levels start off from the base 'Ambiente' moving on to mid-level 'Trend' and top-of-the-line 'Titanium' and 'Titanium Optional' variants.

Ford will offer a 1.5 L Petrol engine and 1.5 L Diesel (from the new Fiesta), which churn out 105 BHP and 88.8 BHP respectively. 

The bad news is that Ford will offer its turbocharged 1.0 L EcoBoost engine only on the top level 'Titanium' variant. The tiny 3 cylinder EcoBoost generates 123 BHP and 170 Nm of Torque, though the power output for India could be tuned lower. 

Trim Levels on the Ford Ecosport

Ford Ecosport 'Ambiente' - Tilt and telescopic steering, front power windows only, power mirrors, multi-function display, music system (with Aux-in, USB and Bluetooth), remote locking, 15" steel rims. No rear parcel tray. Available on 1.5 L Petrol and Diesel (5 speed manual gearbox only).

Ford Ecosport 'Trend' - In addition to 'Ambiente', gets Steering mounted audio controls, rear power windows, drivers seat height adjust and anti lock brakes (ABS). Available on 1.5 L Petrol and Diesel (5 speed manual gearbox only). 

Ford Ecosport 'Titanium' - Dual airbags, leather-wrapped steering wheel, climate control, cooled glovebox, 16" alloy wheels, roof rails, front fog lamps and reverse parking sensors. Available with the aforementioned Petrol & Diesel manual transmission engines, as well as the 1.0 L Ecoboost MT, and the 1.5 L Petrol with Ford's 6-speed PowerShift automatic transmission.

Ford Ecosport 'Titanium Option' Pack - Engine options are the same as the 'Titanium' variant. In addition, side and curtain airbags, leather seats, keyless entry and push button start system are included.

The Ecosport is an important launch for Ford which hasn't had a success in India since the launch of its Figo hatchback. Sales of every single Ford model have been on the decline since the beginning of this year. The new Fiesta could not even touch 3 digit sales figures from January to March this year (68, 63 and 98 units respectively).

Domestic sales have declined to 4,003 units in April this year, compared to 7,201 units for the same month last year (down 44.41 % YoY).

Related Thread (Ford EcoSport revealed with PICTURES : Inside & Out!)

The celebrations have begun at Audi India over becoming No. 1 in the luxury car market (planned for 2015).

Audi has now launched a special offer for its customers that sees a cool Rs 3 Lakh reduced from the price of a new Audi. 

• The offer is open only to existing Audi customers
• Valid only on the purchase of new cars
• Customers could also trade-in their existing Audi for a new one and avail of the offer