Renault India launched Fluence E4 diesel top-end variant at Rs. 14.50 Lakhs
Renault India has added the top end Diesel variant of Renault Fluence D Segment sedan in India. During the official launch of Renault Fluence in May 2011, Renault launched Diesel variant with More »
Honda India launches new City at Rs. 6.99 lakhs
Honda Siel Cars India has launched a facelifted version of the City at Rs 6.99lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The new City gets a new chrome grille, restyled bumpers and new tail lights. The More »
Nissan India launched Sunny diesel at Rs. 7.98 lakhs
Just yesterday we brought to you technical specifications of Nissan Sunny diesel, and we said it is scheduled for launch in by late January or in February 2012. Today Nissan has announced More »
BMW India launches new 330D convertible at Rs. 57 lakhs
BMW India has launched the 3-Series convertible 330D. The BMW 330D is for those who love the fast wind above their head, while enjoying the performance of the car. This is not More »
Mahindra Duro Dx 125 launched at Rs. 43,000/-
The Mahindra Duro is one of the two scooters that went on sale when Mahindra & Mahindra established its two-wheeler arm. It was basically the old Kinetic Nova that was revamped with More »
Fiat India launches limited edition Punto Sport 90hp at Rs. 7.36 lakh
Fiat India has launched a limited edition of the Punto 90HP called the Punto Sport at the newly opened Fiat Caffe in Pune, Maharashtra on 18th May 2012. This limited edition hatch, the Punto Sport is priced at Rs. 7.36 Lakhs ex-showroom Delhi which is a premium pricing compared to the other models of Fiat Punto in India.
It is powered with Fiat’s 1.3-litre 90bhp MultiJet diesel motor which delivers a fuel economy of 20.5kpl. The Limited edition Punto Sport Grande is available in three distinct colour options – Exotica red, Bossa Nova White, and Hip Hop Black. There’s no denying that exterior and interior styling is distinctive, crafted by the Designer of the Century, Giorgetto Giugiaro.
On the exterior, the Punto Sport version gets special decals on the sides and rear with colour-coded wing mirrors, chrome-door handles and a chrome exhaust tip. Coming to the interior, the upgrades for the Sport version include red stitching on Seats, a leather gear knob & gear cover, aluminum pedals, additional chrome bits on the dash, and Punto branded door sills.
In addition to the above, the Punto 90hp comes with Dual Stage Airbags, ABS with EBD, Automatic Climate Control, Blue & Me technology, Integrated CD/MP3 player with USB and Alloy wheels with the widest tyres (in the category).
The Punto Sport was launched at Fiat’s new Fiat Caffe in Pune. The Caffé is located at Koregaon Park; it is Fiat’s second Caffé, the first being in Delhi. Currently, India is the only country where Fiat has two Caffe outlets. Fiat also recently opened its first exclusive dealership at Hyderabad.
Fiat is planning to start a new company that will look after their marketing and sales operation and will have no involvement with Tata Motors. Mr. Enrico Atanasio will be the MD of this yet unnamed company. There are currently 166 Tata-Fiat dealers, all of them will be offered to open a separate Fiat-dedicated showroom. In the next 12-18 months, Fiat is looking at establishing its Pan-India showroom and independent workshops network with priority list of top 50 cities across India.
Also see – Fiat India launches 2012 Grande Punto at a price of Rs. 4.81 lakhs
See more pictures of Fiat Punto Sport 90hp limited edition -
Suzuki Swift X-ITE Special Edition unveiled in Germany
While there was a rumors last year, which revealed that Swift X-ITE accessories will be launched in Germany. Now news updates claim that Suzuki has launched the Swift X-ITE edition which is befitted with all the accessories offered as standard equipment of the car, which will cost around 15,490 euros (INR 10,78,000 approx.). Now Swift X-ITE 3-door hatch gives the owners an increased value for the sporty styling exterior as well as additional features in the interior design.
The Swift X-ITE is has a sporty exterior which comes equipped with an array of features like the modified front bumper, extended side skirts, roof-mounted spoiler, new rear bumpers, Vinyl graphics, 17-inch alloy wheels, aluminium gear knob. The graphics on the exterior are available in three colors, superior white with red graphics sets, Ablaze Red Pearl Metallic with black graphics and Cosmic Black Pearl with white graphics.
Apart from these 17 inch alloy wheels give a neat look to the car, aluminium gear knob, stainless steel door sills and embroidered floor mats are some of the other features present in the car which enhances the overall look of the car. Swift X-ITE is armed with a 1.2litre gasoline engine that churns out maximum power of 93 bhp, which is more than what Indian version offers. Swift X-ITE delivers a fuel economy of 20kmpl.
In India, Maruti Suzuki Swift is available in both sedan segment and hatchback segment with decreased boot size. The car is running successfully on the Indian roads. Therefore introducing any new change in the car would not be a viable option for the Japanese auto maker. Of late Maruti came up with a special edition of Maurti Swift, which was more of a stock clearance step to shot-up petrol variant sales as demand for diesel version is high than petrol version.
Also see - Maruti Swift Sport is all set to enter India with 1.4-litre petrol engine
Hyundai Verna to get lower AT variant in diesel, Reverse Camera now standard
The Korean carmaker, Hyundai is soon going to offer an automatic transmission(AT) option on the lower trim variants of the Verna 1.6 diesel; at present, the four-speed automatic is available only on the top-end SX (O) trim. The company says dealers have been getting many enquiries from prospective Verna customers for a cheaper diesel automatic.
The automatic Verna diesel accounts for 10 percent of the Verna’s overall sales, and Hyundai wants to increase this to as much as 25 percent after the new variant is introduced. The price difference between the top-end automatic and manual variants of the 1.6 diesel Verna is approximately Rs 75,000, and we expect a similar price difference between the respective lower variants.
The Verna is still the only car in its segment to offer a diesel engine with an automatic gearbox, and the addition of cheaper auto variants will only increase its popularity among buyers looking for an affordable diesel automatic saloon.
Hyundai India has also recently started offering a reversing camera as a standard fitment on the Verna, even on the base variants, to push sales. The other reason why this standard reverse camera is being offered in all variants, is to remove the complexity in the production process and all the Verna’s will have the same rear view mirror.
This again makes Hyundai Verna, the only car in the segment which is offering the reverse camera as standard equipment. As there is no clarity on the prices of the new models with reverse camera but expectations are that the price will be hiked by Rs. 17,000 to Rs. 20,000. It is currently the best-selling car in its segment with sales figures having touched 27,533 units in the last six months.
Also see - Hyundai reduces down the waiting period for Verna and i20
New Maruti 800cc car to replace M800 & Alto 800, by this-Diwali
As we reported last month, Maruti Suzuki India Limited(MSIL) plans to launch a replacement for 800, which is expected to launched by end-this year. Note that this new model is not the Cervo, instead a new car based on the existing platform of Maruti Suzuki’s Alto designed by Indian engineers and does not have any relationship with the Cervo. This car has been already spotted and rendered by AutoCarIndia magazine.
Now another fresh media report by Wall Street Journal, the new car will not only replace the Maruti 800 which is out of production by now, but also it will replace the Maruti Alto 800cc car which has seen decline is sales after petrol price hikes seen in past couple of years. Although there has been no official confirmation, supplier revealed that the Alto K10 (1000cc model of Maruti Alto) will continue to sell while the Alto 800 will be replaced with the new 800cc car.
Another supplier added, it will be a completely new car on its existing platform. We expect the new 800cc car to improve the quality, aesthetics and features to cope up with the competition and buyer’s expectations. It is also reported, that the new 800cc car could be launched by Diwali, which falls on Nov. 13 this-year, as this occasion is considered an auspicious time by many Hindus to make new purchases.
Currently, though there is no much detail revealed about the new 800cc car we expect it to be priced around 2.40-2.50 lakh rupees for different models / variants. This price can help Maruti buyers from switching to other vehicles like Hyundai Eon which is already emerging as a significant player of entry-level small car segment.
Stay tune with bharathautos.com for more details on new Maruti 800cc car.
See the follows -
Maruti 800 to replaced by new model by this year end
Maruti Suzuki India to unveil 800cc small car
Spied – 2012 Maruti 800 small car
Source – The Wall Street Journal
Image credit - AutoCarIndia
(Note - The image is computer-generated based on exclusive spy pictures.)
Bajaj Auto to launch Pulsar 200NS next week in Maharashtra
The most anticipated bike launch of the year is undoubtedly the launch of the new Bajaj Pulsar 200NS, now it seems to be finally. This is not a rumour, but in an interview with CNBC, Mr. Rajiv Bajaj, the Managing Director of Bajaj Auto, revealed that the Pulsar 200 NS will be launched next week in Maharashtra. The company will launch Pulsar 200NS in phased manner and it will be available countrywide by the month of July, as we said earlier.
“We have to become a better and bigger motorcycle brand worldwide. We’re the leader in markets like the Philippines, Nigeria, Honduras, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Exports have tripled in the last three years,” Rajiv Bajaj said.
Earlier this year when the Bajaj Pulsar 200NS was unveiled , Mr. Rajiv Bajaj had promised it will be priced under 1 lakh and if Bajaj stays true to its word, we expect the new bike to give a lot of sleepless nights to rivals. In another interview, Rajiv Bajaj said that the current Pulsar series will be continued and the company will launch a new Pulsar every year from now onwards.
Bajaj Auto is aiming to produce 2,500 units in the month of June and then the company will produce it according to demand from the month of July. The export of Pulsar 200NS will start from the month of August. The company expects to sell around 10,000 -15,000 units a month after 2-3 months period.
So, let us hope together with our fingers crossed for all the surprises we are going to see in next week.
Refresher – Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS will be powered by 200 cc engine, with SOHC 4 valve engine with triple sparks plugs producing 23.17 BHP of peak power at 9500 RPM and 18.3 Nm of peak torque at 8000 RPM, Bajaj claim the Pulsar 200 NS will hit 60 km/h in 3.61 seconds and 100 km/h in just 9.83 seconds. The Pulsar 200 NS is not the fastest Indian with a top speed of 136 km/h. The engine is mated to a 6-speed gearbox and the Pulsar 200 NS uses liquid cooling. With the use of lighter components, the Pulsar 200 NS weighs 145 kgs.
Also see - No visual changes in Bajaj Pulsar 200NS production model
See more pictures of Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS -
Video – KTM Duke 200 rides though its Exhaust Submerged in Water
When KTM Duke 200 made its presence in India during February 2012, everybody worried about the underbelly exhaust not being suitable for the rainy reason. Some even (including Duke owners) thought that water would seep in when the Duke 200 has to wade through water, thereby seeping inside the engine and causing damage.
Now a video emerged in Youtube which shows how the KTM Duke 200 performs in water logged conditions, even with the exhaust fully submerged in water, published by a person named Vijay. From what we can see, the KTM Duke 200 has performed admirably well, with no hint of water affecting the motorcycle by seepage through the underbelly exhaust.
The video showcases the following tests in a place where water was filled till 16.5 inches (upto the knee):
- Bike riding through water at 15 km/h
- Idling in water
- Stopping and starting in water
- The bike can be parked switched-off in water and restarted even after 30 mins
Now we all know that the Bajaj Pulsar 200NS also has a similar underbelly exhaust… So it should ideally mean that the Pulsar 200NS should also wade easily though Knee deep water, right?
See the video of Under belly exhaust for KTM Duke 200 -
Also see - Snap – KTM 200 Duke
New Bajaj Pulsar 200NS versus KTM 200 Duke
Porsche drops plans to launch an entry-level sports car
According to German newspaper Stuttgarter Zeitung, Porsche has apparently dropped plans to build a two-seater entry-level sports car that would have been smaller and cheaper than its Boxster model. In an interview with Porsche CEO Matthias Mueller, the newspaper learned that such a model would risk dropping the credibility of the brand and alienating traditional customers.
“We would do no good to the brand if we were to lose traditional Porsche customers” by pursuing a smaller Boxster model, Mueller said.
Last year, Mueller told Automotive News Europe that Porsche was planning to launch an entry-level sports car as a possible successor to the iconic Porsche 550 of the 1950s. He further quoted saying a model could launch in 2014.
As for a baby version of the Porsche Panamera, which we learned about last week, the model may be delayed until 2017. The model will compete with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5-Series.
Also see – Porsche Pajun could go to production-line in 2017
Source – AutoNews
Mini John Cooper Works GP edition unveiled
The special-edition Mini known as the Mini John Cooper Works GP was unveiled at the Mini United festival in France, last weekend. This new special-edition will go on-sale later this year with a limited production run of just 2,000 units. It is the fastest Mini ever (only once has there been anything like it, but even that wasn’t as quick).
“Underpinning the performance characteristics of the MINI John Cooper Works GP is exclusive powertrain, chassis and aerodynamics technology inspired directly by motor sport,” Mini said in a statement. “Its twin-scroll turbo engine generates outstanding torque, displays remarkable elasticity and demonstrates a healthy appetite for revs. Specially developed, adjustable race suspension channels this superlative output into spectacular yet precisely controllable handling.”
As far as engine system is concerned, Mini hasn’t confirmed anything yet but reports suggest that power will come from a 1.6-liter twin-scroll turbocharged engine that has been upgraded to make a peak power of 230bhp, slightly higher as compared to the 210 bhp of its fastest predecessor.
Moreover, the car will come incorporated with an adjustable race suspension, competition-spec braking system and a race tuned suspension. The company also said that the John Cooper Works GP lapped the Nurburgring-Nordschleife in 8 minutes and 23 seconds – that’s pretty quick.
Stay tune with bharathautos.com for more details on Mini John Cooper Works GP.
Also see - 2012 Auto Expo – Mini Cooper officially launched in India
See more pictures of Mini John Cooper Works GP -
Audi released a R8 Drifting video celebrating 500,000 Facebook fans
To celebrate reaching 500,000+ fans of Facebook, Audi got Dindo Capello to take their flagship model R8 V10 to a track in Barcelona and burn the number ’500,000′ with donuts done with the supercar.
Dindo Capello said, “In the past, it would have been impossible to something like that without preparing the car for the event but now, with an Audi road car, you can do it.”
Now the company has released a clip showing behind the screen of the video.
See the video’s below -
Pedal-powered Ferrari FXX replica turning heads, very slowly (Video)
A supercar goes superbike in a video that was made by a created by a sizable cast and crew that features a replica of the track-only Ferrari FXX. Hannes Langwelder is the Austrian artist that is the mastermind behind the whole production.
The replica is only of the car’s body, with its power made by pedal… not gas peddle, but bicycle pedal. It is called the Fahrradi Farfall FFX, which means Bicycle Butterfly. The 220-lb replica’s dual set of pedals are mated to 11 gears.
This is not the first pedal-pushed model that Langwelder has created, either. He previously created a pedal-powered Porsche in 2010, which was driven on TV’s Top Gear by Richard Hammond.
As much as the video might make you laugh, but the Fahrradi is actually on display at the LENTOS Museum of Art in Linz, Austria and is available to purchase for a quite ridiculous $ 1.5 million USD. (See more pictures and video below, after the jump)
Also see - Snaefell Laverda Sidecar Project
See more pictures of Fahrradi Farfall FFX -
See the video of Fahrradi Farfall FFX in action -
Source – WorldCarFans
