Audi India will introduce the 4-door A7 Sportback model tomorrow in a function in Gurgaon. We’ve been expecting Audi to drive in the A7 since last year. An A7 test mule was spotted by Shoeb in Mahim, Mumbai on the second week of January.
Engine options globally available for A7
- Supercharged 3.0-liter V6 with 272 PS
- 4.2 liter V8 with 377 PS
- 3.0-liter TDI with 253 PS
- 4.2 liter TDI with 355 PS
Audi has been teasing the A7 on its official website. Like the A8, the A7 will also come to India through the CBU channel. How many engine options will be available to Indian buyers? How much will it cost? To find out, stay glued to IAB.
Select dealerships in India have received the new Hyundai Verna which will be launched tomorrow morning in Delhi. The existing Verna, less than a year after receiving a cosmetic makeover, has been laid to rest.
Hyundai is adopting a phased launch strategy for the new Verna. After the Delhi premiere tomorrow, it will launch the car in Chennai day after tomorrow evening followed by trips to other cities.
It is almost certain that our speculation on the variants portray the actual picture. One of our Bangalore readers wrote in saying the top-end model (1.6 CRDI AT) will cost 11.74 lakh rupees (on-road). There is a lot of speculation on the prices, but in about 24 hours official prices will be revealed.
Hyundai will offer ten variants of the new Verna with four engine options (2 petrol, 2 diesel) along with the choice of an automatic transmission.
While returning home from dinner last Friday, our good friends at IndianCarsBikes.in spotted a Magic Iris testing on the Mumbai-Pune expressway. Curious to learn more, they sweet-talked the driver to understand that it was a Iris CNG variant being put through a round of testing.
It is not only Tata Motors who is fascinated with CNG fuel and its prospects in India. Son of the soil Maruti Suzuki made a brave claim that 20% of its new car sales will come from CNG variants by 2016.
IAB reported back in January 2011 that Tata Motors, apart from diesel both LPG and CNG versions of the Nano are on the anvil. The Indica platform cars have been armed with such alternate fuels before. The deployment of environment- and wallet-friendly fuels then is going to be across the vehicle range starting with the Magic Iris extending to large commercial vehicles.
To test market response, the Autorickshaw-eclipsing Magic Iris was launched in Jaipur last year in BS3 spec. It is powered by a 611cc water cooled diesel engine that makes 11bhp and mated to a 4-speed manual gearbox. A source familiar with developments inside Tata Motors told Indian Autos Blog last week that a pan-India launch of the Magic Iris is coming up in 2011. Who knows, they might introduce the CNG variant alongside the diesel in BS4 compliant form.
When we asked if Mahindra should introduce the Chairman H, an old Mercedes-derived luxury sedan recently unveiled in South Korea by Ssangyong, we were served with mixed responses from our readers -
Suhail Sood – A Mercedes front and a BMW rear, who on earth would buy this?
Vijay Kasi – It looks prehistoric!
Jishnu SV – This car looks 20 years old. By the way the tail light is a BMW copy.
Sandeep – Yes!! of course it is a good car, so a BIG YES!!!
GS Walia – If one is getting Merc- and BMW-like car at a decent price, one can think about this.
Now our friends at OnCars.in report that Mahindra has axed plans to sell Chairman H in India. It says there is no place in the current portfolio for the Chairman and converting it into a RHD (Right Hand Drive) will need investment, a meaningless exercise if there is no market for this product. Mahindra is happy to sell the Verito and will focus on bringing down utility vehicles in the Ssangyong portfolio.
You may argue that this is the fourth time we’re bringing the boring “On Test” Nissan Sunny to the front page. You may also say that you are tired of reading about it as it is brought to light every other day on IAB.
But have you seen video footage of the Sunny being testing in daylight?
Gotcha!
Chennai-based Rathnavel Kasiviswanathan caught the Sunny testing in Chennai.
Rathnavel -
With the alloy wheels, the car looks good. The dashboard is simple. It definitely is a good competitor to the likes of the Maruti Swift Dzire, Ford Fiesta Classic and Tata Indigo Manza. I noticed orange background lighting to the center console. The quality of car, like the dash is of high standard. The front-end has chrome lining and looks exactly like the Nissan Versa from North America. The tail light though camouflaged, looked awesome!
Well-informed Rathnavel’s account gives an enthusiast perspective. Note that he hasn’t mentioned Honda City or Hyundai Verna in his text.
Our reader Abhijit Sharma from Delhi sent us this image of Chery testing the QQ3 in India. Spotted with UP16 registration plates, it was snapped near the Moolchand flyover. The QQ3 is a carbon copy of the Daewoo Matiz/Chevrolet Spark but due to its rock-bottom price, Chery has managed to do fairly well in emerging countries.
In most countries where it is on sale, the QQ3 is the cheapest car or upon introduction was the lowest priced car. It is assembled in China, Russia and Indonesia.
Available with either a 3-cyl 800cc or a 4-cyl 1,000cc gasoline engine, the QQ3′ greatest or most attractive feature is its price tag. Recently there were rumors floating around about a tie-up between Chery and Argentum Motors to roll out compact Chinese cars. Argentum Motors had taken over the Surajpur plant formerly owned by Daewoo which back in the day manufactured Cielo and Matiz models.
Mahindra is gearing up to launch not one, but three large SUV models in India within the next few months. The W201 is an important vehicle for Mahindra brand and image, the Korando is Ssangyong’ turn around vehicle while the largest of the three – Rexton – has the imposing dimensions, Mercedes Benz-derived powertrain and three rows of seats.
Out of the three launches, but for style, the Rexton has everything a SUV buyer wants in India. As this is a tried and tested product, there will be no post-launch niggles. The Rexton is the best situation of all three to make a name for itself.
Sent in by one of our readers, this Ssangyong Rexton was sitting in a dark undergoing parking area in Mumbai. The spotter tells us this vehicle was not a special import but was part of Mahindra’ test fleet. Our friends at TAI earlier spotted a silver Rexton in Delhi sporting MH registration plates so we have good reason to vouch for the reader’ claim.
The Tata Venture is marketed as a vehicle with the footprint and maneuverability of a hatchback along with the interior space of a utility vehicle. The sub-4 meter long Venture accommodates 5,7 or 8 passengers in three forward facing seats and has room for luggage as well. Dual HVAC, power steering, power windows along with reverse parking assist and keyless entry makes it tempting for people in joint families.
It will be interesting to see if Tata is able to impress families with the Venture as it bears a strong resemblance to the popular Ace mini lorry. The Venture is a derivative of the Super Ace, a less popular pickup capable of handling heavier loads. If only Tata Motors could have introduced the up-market passenger application prior to the utilitarian pickup hauling cement bags, the result could have been better, no? The first impression in the minds of the car-buying public would have been different.
The Venture is fitted with a 1.4-litre turbocharged diesel engine, delivering 71PS power and a ARAI certified 15.42kmpl. It is available in a range of five shades and three trim levels.
