Indian Autos blog

The Chevrolet Cruze is being offered with a special styling package in the United Kingdom. The CS sports performance package is being offered on all variants of the car. The Chevrolet Cruze CS has been inspired by the Chevrolet Cruze BTCC (British Touring Car Championship) race car.

The Chevrolet Cruze CS comes with a rally car like 12-spoke white alloy wheels, a lowered stiffer suspension, rear spoilers, ‘CS’ graphics and matching interior carpeting. The CS package for the Chevrolet Cruze comes at a premium of 1,595 GBP (1,12,812 Indian Rupees) over the standard car.

Would GM India offer a CS package on the Chevrolet Cruze in India? No way!

The Chevrolet Cruze is the segment leader as of now and in the unlikely event of the Cruze losing its market share to the Corolla Altis Diesel or the future Hyundai Elantra, GM could offer an ‘attractive pseudo-CS package’ albeit with discounts. But that would not happen anytime now as the Cruze is ‘cruising’ its way to glory in the market place.

The next generation 2011 Suzuki Swift could get a start-stop system to increase fuel economy and reduce fuel emissions. The start-stop system is likely to be offered on the 1.2 liter petrol manual version of the 2011 Suzuki Swift which we expect to see in India.

Start-stop system is a system which automatically shuts off the engine if it idles for too long and automatically restarts the engine when there is slight dab on the accelerator pedal. This system reduces the engine’s running time at traffic signals an hence results in improved fuel economy and lesser emissions. This system is a boon during intra-city commutes where fuel economy drops mainly because of extended idling periods at traffic signals.

Car manufacturers in Europe are increasingly employing the start-stop system in their cars to reduce fuel consumption and emissions and thereby reducing taxes on the car.

The new Suzuki Swift could be brought to India by the first quarter of 2011 and would be offered with the 1.2 liter K-Series petrol engine and the 1.3 liter DDiS diesel engine. Suzuki offers a 1.2 liter VVT engine that produces 93 hp for the European markets and could also come to India in the distant future.

If only Maruti Suzuki India could offer the start-stop system on the Indian Swift, it would be a boon to Indian car buyers as so many of them buy small premium cars for intra-city commutes.

Watch as the 2010 Honda City glides gracefully on the roads of Mexico. A car cannot be marketed the same way in every country, but I felt the Indian ad agency handling the City did a shoddy job. A person driving through a waterfall should be a theme park’s way of attracting people and not that of a car manufacturer with a killer product.

The Honda City generates a lot of Honda customers and it is high time time the company thinks of a diesel variant.

The Hyundai Elantra or Avante (only the Korean Gods would know what it could be called in India) could be launched in India by mid-2011. We had showed you conceptual drawings of the Hyundai Avante’s interiors few days ago and now we have spy shots of the Hyundai Avante’s interiors.

The Hyundai Avante would be the re-born Elantra in India and is being developed for India right now. The Hyundai Sonata YF’s fluidic sculpture design theme has ‘flowed’ into the 2011 Avante/Elantra, both on the outside as well as the inside.

The Hyundai Avante/Elantra would be positioned between the Verna RB and the Hyundai Sonata YF (that is when the Korean gods decide to bring these cars to India). The Avante would come with a 1.6 liter direct injection gasoline engine producing 138 bhp and 167 Nm torque, mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission.

The Avante would be competing with the likes of the Chevrolet Cruze, Toyota Corolla Altis and the Skoda Laura. Rivals come with diesel engines (the Toyota Corolla Altis diesel would be launched this month) and Hyundai would be wise enough to offer a diesel engine for the Avante when it is launched.

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Premier’s mini SUV Rio is now available in Goa. Instead of conducting a national launch, Premier planned to introduce its vehicle city by city after collecting and incorporating feedback from each market.

Premier sources the Rio from Chinese company Zoyte which has recently introduced an electric version of the vehicle. The Rio is a rebadged older generation Daihatsu Terios.

The Premier Rio makes use of a turbocharged 1.5-liter diesel engine which originally appeared on the Peugeot 309. The Maruti Esteem and Zen were the others to receive it in India.

The enticing Rio has features like Air conditioning, power steering, power windows, split foldable rear seats, Alloy wheels, Anti lock braking system (ABS) make it an attractive buy for the urban commuter needing fuel efficiency, style and practicality.

The second generation 2011 Porsche Cayenne sports SUV has been launched internationally and it is reported that bookings for the Porsche SUV have opened in India already.

The car is expected to be officially launched in India between 22-27 July, 2010. All the five engine options that are available internationally would be offered to the deep-pocketed Indian buyer, including the diesel and hybrid versions.

The Cayenne is the first ever Porsche to come with a diesel engine. This 3.0 liter TDI diesel engine comes from Volkswagen. The hybrid version of the the Porsche Cayenne uses a 333 hp 3.0 liter petrol from Audi paired with a lithium ion battery powering an electric motor to produce 47 hp.

The Porsche Cayenne range starts at Rs. 65,82,000 for the base variant and stretches up to Rs. 1,27,10,000 for the top of the line Turbo that comes with a twin-turbocharged 4.8 liter V8 producing 493 hp and 700 Nm of torque. This 4.8 liter motor is shared with the Porsche Panamera Turbo.

Porsche is also reportedly developing a mini-SUV which could be called the Roxster and would directly compete with the likes of the BMW X3, Audi Q5, Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and the Land Rover Discovery.

2011 Porsche Cayenne Range -

Cayenne Base – 3.6 liter V6 – 296 hp

Cayenne Diesel – 3.0 liter V6 TDI – 237 hp

Cayenne S – 4.8 liter V8 – 395 hp

Cayenne Turbo – 4.8 liter twin-turbo V8 – 493 hp

Cayenne Hybrid – 3.0 liter V6 – 375 hp

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Toyota’s IMV platform which underpins both the Innova and Fortuner, has made headlines in Thailand.

Toyota initiated the IMV project to achieve a global manufacturing and supply system for utility vehicles. The components for the IMV platform don’t come from Japan. Asean regions have benefited hugely from this versatile platform which has seen one MPV (Innova), SUV (Fortuner) and pickup truck (Hilux).

Exports of Toyota’s IMV (Innovative International Multipurpose Vehicle) series manufactured in Thailand touched the one million mark recently. The IMV series models are sold to customers in some 109 markets around the world. Indonesia, Philippines, India, Argentina, Malaysia, South Africa, Venezuela, Vietnam, Taiwan and Pakistan build vehicles on the IMV platform.

The Toyota Fortuner is imported into India as knocked-down kits and assembled at TKM’s Bidadi facility near Bangalore.

We’re in the dark about the future of the IMV platform. If it yields another vehicle, we think it should be a MPV smaller than the Innova.

It isn’t only the customers who can’t stop fantasizing on their VWs. German tuners who have brought out numerous kits and accessories for the vehicle in the past are also equally passionate.

If you’re following the Polo Cup and want your VW Polo to look and feel like the cars you see on TV, then read on!

Tuner MS Design’s package for the new VW Polo is the latest to join that list. They’re offering customization options for the Polo which include 18-inch alloys, red color ORVMs, LED integrated front bumper, a lowered suspension, etc which they term as “MRace Polo.”

There are no mechanical changes, so if you hoped this Polo will set the streets on fire, then you better think again. As the changes are more or less after-market additions, it shouldn’t be a problem fitting them to your petrol/diesel Polo.

The parts can also be purchased individually. If you choose to buy the whole package, it will set you back by not less that 1,000 Euros (59,000 rupees).

MS Design MRace Polo package options

Daytime running lights (matt black)
Mirror cover set, red or silver
Front spoiler anthracite
Pair of side skirts, anthracite
Rear diffuser, matt black
Roof spoiler, glossy black
Lowering springs
Decor “RACE” 3-pcs, anthracite/red
4 alloy wheels MS21 8×18 offset 35 spacing 5L/100, with tyres 215/35X18

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