Next-generation Honda City expected to perform well in India

 

Over the years, Honda Cars India has built a reputation of manufacturing vehicles that are high in terms of performance and comfort. The company has enjoyed a vast amount of success in the Indian car market particularly due to its City sedan. The car that is cherished by quite a few is one of the favourite mid-size sedans to feature in India. The hike in petrol prices have impacted the sales figures of Honda City since the car is not offered in a diesel version. Now, the next-generation model is expected to replicate the success of older generation ones. As expected, the 2014 version of City shall make inroads in India powered by petrol and diesel units. Rumours are doing the rounds that the upcoming City would arrive in showrooms in India by January 2014, bearing a new shape and design. So as the launch date is nearing, car enthusiasts are getting all more excited about the design and features of upcoming Honda City.

The first and foremost exciting new addition in upcoming Honda City would be its availability in a diesel version. It was highly expected from the company as the ‘rapid dieseling’ of the Indian car market resulted in the plummeting of Honda City petrol sales. According to sources, the car would be offered with a 1.5-litre i-DTEC engine, which currently powers Amaze sedan but in differently tuned outputs. Apart from this, the 1.5-litre i-VTEC powertrain of City shall be offered with numerous advancements in order to give away superlative performance.

The other striking new feature of upcoming Honda City would be its new philosophy named as "EXCITING H DESIGN!!!". Under this, the three design factors, namely, High Technology, High Tension and High Touch represent the company’s aim to achieve a balanced body structure along with superior technology embedded in all of its vehicles. The new design concept was first seen in Fit model, which has already made its debut in major international markets. As reported, the upcoming Honda City is based on the same design platform.

On taking inspiration from the Fit model, the next generation Honda City would bear numerous designing changes as the front fascia will hold elongated wraparound clear lens headlamps along with projector lights and a sportier new grille. At the rear, new LED taillights along with running creases that will extend till the boot of the car are going to add to its styling.

Also to mention, the mileage figures for the upcoming petrol and diesel versions of Honda City are expected to be bit higher as compared to the current variants. Riding on the Earth Dreams Technology, the upcoming sedan of Honda shall give away best-in-class fuel efficiency as compared to its rivals.

Also the pricing might well work for Honda in its favour as reports are citing that the upcoming car cost significantly low. Industry experts are betting high that the base variant of Honda City petrol could cost around Rs. 7 lakh while the introductory diesel trim might get carry a price tag of Rs. 8 lakh. If this happens, then Honda would definitely have an edge over its rivals considering the kind of brand value the company has in India. In addition, Honda is likely to carry forward the good work done by Amaze sedan and the much acclaimed Earth Dreams diesel technology.

India car sales seen falling in FY-14

Car sales in India are expected to fall in the current financial year that ends in March, an industry body said, marking a second straight year of decline, as high interest rates and a slowing economy force consumers to delay purchases.

Automakers sold 163,199 cars in India last month, a drop of 3.9 percent from a year earlier, data from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) showed.

SIAM had estimated in April that car sales would grow by 3-5 percent this year, but has indicated in recent months that they may fall instead.

Car sales had declined continuously in the first nine months of the year, said Vishnu Mathur, director general at SIAM.

"Now the decline is moderating, so if it keeps on moderating at this pace maybe we'll see zero growth in January-February," said Mathur.

"Definitely the year will be negative," he added Sales of motorcycles rose 18.1 percent in October to a record 1.1 million, helped by festive season demand and strong sales in rural regions, where incomes were boosted by good monsoon rains.

The September to December months, marked by a number of festivals, are considered by many Indians to be an auspicious period to make big-ticket purchases.

Truck and bus sales were down 19.8 percent at 53,533 units, SIAM said.

Meagre urban salary hikes in an economy growing at its slowest pace in a decade, combined with high interest rates and fuel costs has dimmed the near-term outlook for the Indian auto industry. Some analysts have pushed back forecasts for a sustained recovery to the next financial year.

Jeep Wrangler

If you have a penchant for adventure on wheels and think about going to places where few would dare to wander we have just the right set of wheels for you. Presenting the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara!

A lot of purists were waiting for this one. In fact a very dear friend of mine had been pestering me on a weekly basis about the arrival of the iconic Jeep products. So when I told him that I had managed to get my hands on a Wrangler, it was pretty much like a wet dream coming true for the guy. Now Jeep has a barrage of models which it has brought to India. While the 2-door Wrangler Sport boasts a massive 3.6 litre Pentastar V6, the one we have here is the more apt for our market, Wrangler Unlimited Sahara. While a big V6 engine and small insides are a big no-no, a long wheelbase, lots of legroom and diesel mated to an automatic transmission sounds just right. So how does the big Jeep go about its business here in Indian conditions? Let’s find out…

Iconic Design

The Germans aren’t uniquely capable of tastefully refining an iconic shape redesign after redesign, decade after decade. The current Wrangler isn’t a cartoonish “retro” reinterpretation of a classic vehicle from the distant past. Like a Porsche 911, it’s a special purpose iconic vehicle that has undergone an uninterrupted evolution over the years. Unchanged since the 2007 redesign, the exterior retains an unmistakable resemblance to the original Jeep. Form relentlessly follows function. The Sahara’s chunky five-spoke 17-inch alloys, look fantastic even though it’s a very simple design. Unlike with some supposed off-road vehicles, you’ll find no mere rim protectors here.

There’s no “DUB Edition.” Given the 2007’s increased width, the four-door actually has better proportions than the two-door.  While on the whole it might not be as attractive as a Freelander or a Q3, it’s the details that set the Wrangler apart. There are the classically rugged hood latches, high impact fender flares and rugged bumpers that enhance the formidable look while the Wrangler's round halogen headlamps still hold true to its original design, flanking its equally iconic seven-slot grille for that genuine Jeep brand expression. Now this might seem like a hardtop, but unscrew a few allen screws, yank out all four doors (will take a little effort though) and you have the perfect Dune buggy. Even the windshield can folded and rested on the bonnet like a typical jeep. Versatility at its best. All said and done, the Jeep might not be a beauty, but no one with any appreciation for design (as opposed to “styling”) can fail to find it attractive.  

Jaguar C-X17 SUV review

From the driver's seat you look over the Jaguar C-X17’s lumpy bonnet, rather than down it as usual, yet this car could only be a Jaguar. It may offer a different view of the road from that of any other Jaguar ever built, but there's enough evidence in those shapes over which you're seeing the road to remove the need for any kind of label.

The middle of the bonnet has a reassuring power bulge, not identical to any other Jaguar's but strongly related. At either side, two gentle curves gracefully intersect at the car's frontal extremity, one pair gliding across the top of each headlight, the other describing the muscle that runs above each front wheel. 

This is the latest iteration of C-X17, the concept version of the all-wheel-drive "sports crossover" Jaguar will surely launch in two or three years' time off the enormously expensive all-aluminium architecture in which it is pouring every earned pound - and then some - to build a viable future among the world's premium car manufacturers

When I ask whether the new aluminium structure lurks beneath the elegant skin of this particular prototype, engineer Graham Wilkins, vehicle engineering manager for the cars that will use this new architecture tell me it is not much more than an engineering lash-up. "It has a supercharged XK engine," he says, "and it has four-wheel drive. It's not the real thing, but more of a bespoke experiment. What's important is it proves the car can look that good, yet all the new stuff would fit under there. That's as important as having it in place."

Jaguar high-ups have been in two minds about how to treat the C-X17 ever since it first broke cover two months ago. For some, it's a way of showing that the F-type's design style can extend to one automotive extremity - sports cars - to the other, SUVs, while encompassing saloons and estates on the day. Ergo, Jaguar can build whatever cars its R&D department believes the market will take.

Others feel this concentration on design style obscures the significance of the wholesale change to aluminium, a programme costing many millions that will affect every Jaguar ever made from now on. It is becoming apparent that this is not merely a compact architecture Jaguar is building but the basis of its entire future range - looking ahead for two decades and more.

Gingerly, I climb into the car. First thing you see through the cabin door are the elegantly simple seats in saddle leather, reminiscent of those from the original E-type, whose beauty and simplicity has stayed with us for 50 years.

There is bright work, but the effect is simplicity: a generously proportioned pair of round dials ahead, a high centre console running right through the car which, fascinatingly, can turn itself into a screen, a louvered light shade above that plays patterns on the lower interior, and a simple raked fascia with a metal trim-piece at its trailing edge, with 'Jaguar' embossed above the console. 

The essential "volumes" of the interior are as they might be in production, says Jaguar advanced design chief Julian Thomson, who is proud of what his team achieved, but the colour and trim are, in essence, experiments.

The car may look slick, but the crudity of its under-bits come instantly into focus as we begin to roll. Prototypes are usually like that. Before I go, an engineer lurking in the rear selects Drive with a Tommy-bar mysteriously inserted in a hole in the console.  

Honda New City Diesel

Honda New City Diesel Preview

Honda is believed to have recently reduced production of the City in a bid to free up assembly line space for the Amaze diesel. However, a more plausible and well known reason is that Honda will unveil a completely new version for the global markets, in India, on November 25. It is expected to get a new design and also be offered with a diesel engine giving Honda a firm chance to book itself a place in the C-Segment of the Indian car market.

Exterior

The 2014 Honda City is expected to imbibe many features of the ‘Exciting Design H!!’ language that characterises the recently unveiled Jazz/Fit premium hatchback. It is expected to get a similar fascia but like the Amaze and the Brio, we believe that Honda will modify the grille slightly to differentiate both cars. Honda could also retain the same side profile and rear end as the current car but with sportier touches. New exterior design features are likely to include LED brake lights (like the ones found on the Accord) and new design for the alloy wheels and indicators mounted on the OVRMs.

Honda is believed to have increased the length and consequently the wheelbase in a bid to increase interior space. We hope that it will adapt the same lines as the current car but in a more sportier design in a bid to make the City appealing to a wider audience. However, the reality is that apart from spy shots of heavily camouflaged cars spotted testing in China, we have no idea of what the car looks like. There is also no official word from the Japanese automaker on the unveiling of the car so we can only speculate on what the new model will be like at this moment.

Interiors

Inside, we expect that much of the design elements will be taken from the new Jazz/Fit due it being based on the principles of the design language as well as in a bid to keep the costs down. However, for the Indian markets, we expect that Honda will retain many of the features and design elements from the current car. This means a black dashboard, beige upholstery for the lower spec models and leather for the top-end diesel and petrol variants. The rear seats are now likely to get a blower and bottle holders making it only the third car in the segment to do so.

Feature list

The City despite being a well-known face in the C-Segment had to always contend with having a rather small feature list as compared to its rivals. Eventually to counter this, Honda introduced the AVN package with the top spec V variants. This is now likely to become a standard feature in the top spec diesel and petrol variants of the new car.

Variants

The new Honda City will get all the standard variants that are there in the current car. We believe that there will also be a new top spec VX variant which will be available with both engines and gearbox options.

Engines

The bit we are most interested in is that Honda is likely to offer the new City with the same 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel engine that powers the Amaze sedan. It is expected to have the same output as the Amaze and this means 98bhp and 200Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. However, there is also a possibility that Honda may introduce the 1.6-litre i-DTEC engine which is in the recently launched UK spec CR-V diesel. It produces 116bhp and 300Nm of torque, a respectable figure for a C-Segment sedan. The petrol on the other hand will continue to be powered by the 1.5-litre i-VTEC mill that produces 116bhp and 146Nm of torque. It is mated to a five-speed manual or a five-speed automatic.

When do we get to see it on the roads?

Reports suggest that Honda dealers have already started taking bookings for the new City but deliveries are only expected to begin just ahead of the 2014 Indian Auto Expo. The City is expected to have a high amount of localisation and may be exported to many other countries from the Indian plant. It is likely to be priced in the range of Rs 7.5 lakh to Rs 11.50 lakh for the top spec diesel variant.

When launched, the new Honda City will compete in the C+segment with the Renault Scala, Nissan Sunny, Chevrolet Sail, Fiat Linea, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Verna, Skoda Rapid and the Volkswagen Vento. Honda is expected to offer the diesel engines only in the S, V and most likely a VX variants all of which will be priced Rs 1 lakh more than their petrol equivalents

 
One of the more rare BMW models in India is the 5-series GT which is not as often spotted as the other BMW models. BMW though is keen to expand the model range and so the 3-series now gets the GT treatment. So what is the new 3-series GT all about? For starters it certianly looks different from the 3-series sedan but unlike the 5-series GT it actually looks handsome.  So below we tell you everything that you need to know about this new BMW.
 

Looks
The rear styling as well as the front is changed and looks unique than the traditional sedan shape. The 3 GT now comes with design details like frameless windows, a coupe-style, gently downward-sloping roofline and a large, automatically opening and closing tailgate. The new 3 GT has a 110 millimetre long wheelbase and is also taller than the 3 series Estate. Yet it still looks sleek like any BMW should

Interiors
This is where the new 3 series GT makes great sense as its more roomy than the sedan. The front and rear passengers have got an increase in space wihere there is a 70 millimetres of additional legroom over the Sedan version which makes it great to be sitting at the back.
The 3 GT has 520 litres of boot capacity. It has practical bits like a 40:20:40 split/folding rear seat bench with folding head restraints and tilt-adjustable backrests plus there is a large load area.
The 3 GT has trim levels called Sport Line, Luxury Line or Modern Line equipment packag plus there is the optional M Sport package. Design wise its pure BMW and everything looks classy.

Engines
It has three petrol and two diesel engines. The one that makes sense is the 2.0-litre diesel engines.In India BMW will offer an eight-speed automatic as an option for all engine variants. Both gearboxes link up with the fuel-saving Auto Start-Stop function. You also get a plethora of tech too!

Acura ILX

It's been a year of transition for the automotive industry, as the world's top carmakers continue to forge ahead toward an uncertain future. We've finally seen the long-awaited arrival of the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ, and the horsepower wars continue, highlighted by the battle between the Camaro ZL1 and the Shelby GT500. On the opposite end of the spectrum, ever more fuel efficient cars with alternative powertrains are entering the market, including potential game-changers like the Tesla Model S. The coming months will also usher in a seismic change in the all-important midsize sedan segment, with Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, and Nissan rolling out new versions of their entries. All the while, gas prices continue marching in one direction: Upward. Given all the change and new entries on the way, it may be difficult to pick out which car is the right one for you.To make things a little clearer and to give you a better idea of what's to come, we've put together our 2013-2014 Motor Trend Ultimate New Car Buyer

2014 Acura MDX - New York 2013

Looking like a virtual clone of its well-received one-off predecessor, the 2014 MDX boasts more crisply rendered "Executive Aero Sculpture" styling with a shape honed in the wind tunnel that allows it to slice through the air with 17 percent greater efficiency. A greater emphasis on advanced lightweight materials -- primarily high-strength steel, aluminum and magnesium -- helped engineers trim 275 pounds from the basic package while creating an even stronger and more rigid unit body that Acura expects will help it earn top safety marks from both NHTSA and the IIHS. The new MDX also will be the quietest ever produced thanks to an equal emphasis on noise attenuation and diversion. In addition to tighter body panel fits, acoustic glass and more extensive use of sound deadeners, this refined Acura also features Active Noise Control technology.

Nissan LEAF

Winner of prestigious awards like the 2010 Green Car Vision Award, 2011 European Car of the Year, 2011-12 Car of the Year Japan and most importantly that of the 2011 Car of the Year, Nissan’s all-electric car, the Leaf indeed proves that the future of clean and environment friendly cars is very bright. Put into commercial product in 2010, the Leaf has gone on to set records in terms of its monthly sales and is fast becoming accessible in various world markets. We got a chance to experience and drive one recently in Greater Noida and surely came back mighty impressed!

Till date, for most of us, the Reva has been the sole example of an all-electric car in India. However, that car also put forward a lot of negatives and limitations in front of millions of India – driving range, performance, space et al. The Nissan Leaf on the other hand promises to shatter all these pointers and how! Before even stepping into the car, its design language surely impresses you no ends. It surely is a real world car with distinctive and future styling. For example, the frontal styling is characterized by a sharp, upright V-shaped design featuring long, up-slanting light-emitting diode (LED) headlights that employ a blue internal reflective design that seems to announce - "This car is special." This design is functional too  - intended to cleverly split and redirect airflow away from the door mirrors, thus reducing wind noise and drag.

The moment you step inside the LEAF, you realize the real modern and ‘futuristic’ deal lies inside! The steering looks funky but move your eyes to the speedometer console and then to the central console and you are in for surprises of the good variety! The large touch screen (7-inch size) in the center does scream “high tech” and houses everything an owner would need in day to day usage – GPS navigation including telling the driver about the nearest charging station, menu read-outs, audio system etc.  Nissan has also incorporated what it calls as CARWINGS – a clever system that monitors and shows battery state, charging status etc and also includes a very clever way of automatically starting the air-con to cool the car at a pre-described time! The speedometer console on the other hand has display for motor temperature, current usage, charge status, distance to go and the usual stuff like odometer. The LEAF can also show the difference in range when you put on any feature that puts load on the battery – air-conditioning for example!

If you are used to automatic cars, getting used to the LEAF is pretty ease save for the fact that being an electric vehicle, 100% torque is available from a standstill. The LEAF’s EM61 unit puts out the equivalent of 109PS of power and 280Nm of torque – impressive figures for a car that weighs at just 1.5 tons. We drove the car when it had four passengers on board and yet, the car responded very well. Throttle response is terrific and the car goes about doing its duties in, well, a silent way! Another thing that impresses you is the ease of driving this car – the steering is perfectly weighed, the suspension set-up perfect and good for Indian kind of roads and the seats very comfortable. Infact, space wise, the LEAF can easily seat five adults without an issue. On the handling front, because most of the heavy batteries are placed low, the car has a very low center of gravity – push it hard around curves and corners and you instantly feel the low C.G which translates into road hugging grip!
The heart of the LEAF is its batteries. The power is stored in as many as 192 laminated Lithium ion cells which have a capacity of 24 kWh and power of 360 volts. Power is sent to the front wheels via a single speed automatic transmission. The batteries can be charged to 80% their capacity in just half an hour through 480 volt quick charging stations while on the other hand the conventional 220 volt stations take 7 hours for a full charge which also gives the LEAF a range of 150-170km depending on usage and traffic conditions.

With the LEAF, Nissan has shown that the world indeed is ready for all-electric cars. At the same time, countries like India, which has one of the highest numbers of cars on the road, desperately need a solution like this. Typical savings over a conventional petrol and diesel sedan over a period of year could run into Rs 1 lac and Rs 50,000 respectively for a 20,000km annual usage pattern! The benefit on the environment is the other huge plus point. At the same, it is a fact that such a scenario of being able to use e-cars on a daily basis in a practical manner is still years away – charging station infrastructure, subsidies from the government and general user perception, everything needs to be developed and changed. However, Nissan is pretty serious about giving Indians a chance to own the LEAF and experience the future first-hand. If everything does go as planned, we could see the LEAF in a Nissan showroom by 2013 but, ofcourse, being a CBU product, expect pricing to be around the Rs 25-30 mark

Land Rover DC100

The DC100 represents a whole new type of Land Rover which will come in the future. It is a radically different design treatments above the waist demonstrate the modularity and flexibility of the platform. The shape of DC100 is instantly recognisable to generations and, like the original Land Rover and the Defender that followed it.

The interior is like a concept spaceship with many futuristic touches thrown in. The styling may seem a bit bare but its quite well done and different. The DC100 concept has its instruments placed at the centre . The instrument panel also has an intuitive touchscreen interface where you get telematics technology.

All of the concepts' functions can be controlled via this interface, using  the touchscreen which again is futuristic. The steering wheel includes four shortcut keys that reconfigure the touchscreen to control functions such as navigation, audio and climate.

Honda Amaze launch on April 11, 2013

Japanese auto major Honda will debut the Amaze sedan in India on April 11, 2013. Launched in Thailand, on November 23, 2012, Honda's maiden diesel offering is one of the most eagerly awaited of the company’s products. The 1.5-litre i-DTEC oil-burner has been developed by the former Honda F1 team. According to the company, the sub four-metre sedan claims to deliver fuel efficiency of 25.8kmpl.

In India, the Amaze will be offered in two engine options: the Brio’s 1.2 litre petrol unit gets carried over and puts out around 90PS and 109Nm while the 1.5-litre diesel engine with 100PS and 208Nm on tap allows the car to accelerate from 0-100km/h in about 12.5 seconds. While the diesel variants will have only a 5-speed manual transmission, the petrol Amaze will come with both a 5-speed manual and automatic transmission as options. Expected to be priced in the Rs 5.5 lakh - Rs 7.5 lakh

Maruti Suzuki SX4 facelift Launched

When Maruti Suzuki launched the SX4 back in 2007, it was a runaway hit for the Manesar-based company but times have changed a lot since then. A slew of new launches from competitors meant that the SX4 was in a dire need of an upgrade to remain in contention. After months of speculations and rumours, Maruti has finally given the SX4 a facelift with changes made to the cars interiors, exteriors and engine to give some stiff competition to its rivals.

On to the mechanical front, the petrol variant of the SX4 is powered by the same 1.6-litre engine producing 104.7PS at 5600rpm and a peak torque of 145NM at 4100rpm while the 1.3-litre turbo-diesel pumps out 90PS @ 4000 rpm and 200Nm of torque @ 1750 rpm. While both the petrol and diesel engines remain un-tampered with on the new SX4, the point that will impress our mileage obsessed buyers will be the efficiency figures. Maruti has been successful in improving the mileage of the new car by 6 per cent over its predecessor and the petrol variant returns an efficiency figure of 16.5kmpl and its diesel sibling 21.79kmpl (manufacturer figures). The SX4 remains the only model in Maruti’s portfolio to have three different engine options and the CNG variant offers a claimed efficiency figure of 22.1km/kg.

Exterior changes on the new SX4 include a more pronounced bumper along with two-tone front grille, fog lamp with dual-tone garnish and electrically foldable outside rear view mirrors with built-in turn indicators. All this features have combined to give the new car a sportier stance and also the length of the car has been increased by 10mm owing to the revised bumper. Apart from the four standard colours the new SX4 gets additional two shades, Serene Blue and Granite Grey.

Isuzu to set up plant in Andhra Pradesh

Japanese commercial vehicle and SUV major Isuzu will set up a manufacturing plant at Sri City in Andhra Pradesh's Chittur district, at a total investment of Rs. 1,500 crore.

 

The carmaker will start production of its MU-7 SUV and D-Max pick up by the beginning of 2016. It is currently importing fully built models from its Thailand plant and has already started sales operations in Hyderabad and Coimbatore. Isuzu is also in discussion with potential partners, including Hindustan Motors, to start CKD assembly of the models before it starts local production in its own plant.   

 

Though a relatively late entrant here, Isuzu is bullish about its prospects in the Indian LCV and SUV markets. "We feel in the next ten years the Indian market  will grow strongly," says Shigeru Wakabayashi, deputy MD, Isuzu Motors India. Its goal is to sell 80,000 vehicles in India and export 40,000 units annually. 

Mahindra e2o

 Mahindra & Mahindra owned electric car brand Reva has now officially announced to launch the much awaited e2o (ee-two-oh) on March 18 despite the 2013 Union budget didn't extended subsidy on electric vehicle, which was terminated last fiscal. The Mahindra e2o will sport the next generation Lithium-ion batteries and will have a range of 100kms on full charge. The e2o will enable users to carry out self fueling through any 15 amp plug point at home or at their workplace.