So Audi Q5 is turning out to be a very famous test mule in the VW family. First Porsche used it to test their new baby cayenne – The Cajun. Now, Audi is using it to test their new BMW X6 competitor – the Audi Q6.
Yes people, beneath the body of the conspicuous Q5 is the sporty new crossover from Audi which will be the first challenger to the BMW X6 – a one of its kind coupe crossover.
This latest spy shots were taken at Nurburgring race track in Germany. It shows a test-mule for the car running up some high speed laps. The Q6 was under consideration since 2006 and finally Audi has started testing the product.
The Q6 is being developed specifically targeting customers in emerging markets such as China, Russia and India, which favor high-performance SUVs and crossovers.
You can see the extra sheet of metal between the doors indicating that this Q5 mule is stretched a bit. This is because the Q6 is going to use the Q7 platform. Audi is planning to make it considerably lighter by using a judicious mix of materials including aluminum for the roof and hood.
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Volkswagen India recently introduced the all new Jetta in India. We brought you live coverage of the whole event along with some exquisite pics. Sure, the Jetta is a very competent product from VW but with a hefty price tag.
At an entry level price of 14.12 lakhs, it’s not everybody’s cup of tea. But what if you can win the all new Jetta without spending a single penny?
Are you ready to do anything for your new Jetta?
The VW Jetta will be marketed in India with the tagline ‘Anything for Jetta’. Pretty soon you will start seeing banners and hoardings on your way to work whereing people from various strata of the society are doing anything for their Jetta. On similar lines #AnythingforJetta is new contest launched by VW where you can win your brand new Jetta.
No, you don’t have to eat a snake or jump of the mountain; all you have to do is tweet!
First you have to follow @Volkswagenindia on twitter. Then you can do a series of tasks to accumulate points. The person with maximum points wins a shiny new Jetta!
Want to know what these tasks are? Head over to http://www.anything4jetta.com/how-to-participate
VW is known to launch such contest with their cars. During the launch of the Vento, VW came out with a similar campaign wherein you had to share your innovative ideas and the person with the most innovative one wins a brand new Vento!
Will you participate?
Oh and click here to follow IndianAutosBlog.com on Twitter
Image Courtesy – Vijay Rajani
IndianAutosBlog.com is fresh off the BMW X3 press conference in Pune, where BMW launched its brand new compact luxury SUV at a whopping price of 41.2 lakhs. The BMW X3 already has enough contenders such Audi’s Q5, Landrover Freelander 2, Volvo XC60.
But a new challenger is taking birth on the hills of Nürburgring – It’s the Porsche Cajun. This baby Cayenne will mark the Porsche brand’s first entry in the compact luxury SUV segment.
According to the images reported by Autoblog.com, Porsche has already started testing the Cajun platform on the Ring. Right now, it is using the Audi Q5 body as a test mule. More proof comes in the form of number plates which are marked LB (Ludwigsburg). If it was actually an Audi, it would have been IN (Ingoldstadt).
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I remember attending the press conference that was conducted by Force Motors to christen their new SUV –Force One. In that conference, Mr Prasan Firodia was asked about the number of units of Force One that he expects to sell by the end of 2011.
He bravely responded that it doesn’t matter if it sells 100 or 10,000, Force Motors has entered the passenger car segment with long term goals and they have a comprehensive product plan chalked up for the next 2 years.
So we caught up with the senior management of Force Motors to discuss their future product plans. Here is what we could dig:
Right now the Force One is launched with just one variant. But there are 3 variants already in the pipeline.
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Japanese car manufacturers such as Toyota and Honda have always developed individual cars for the specific markets. So their popular models such as Camry and Civic are customized according to certain market requirements. Although, these cars will have the same badge and more or less the same components, externally they will be completely different cars to look at. Hyundai has taken the same route with the new Sonata in Europe. [ Read More ]
Is Mercedes Benz India working out the final details before bringing down the next generation CLS Class to the Indian market?
Industry sources have told IndianAutosBlog.com that Mercedes Benz India is likely to launch the next generation CLS model in India during Diwali time. The second generation W218 model debuted internationally in August last year. It is available in 4 and 6-cylinder diesel variants and 6 and 8-cylinder petrol variants.
There is no doubt in our minds that this will be a CBU model. The CLS will be the Audi A7 challenger and there are not many numbers to be had. But why give Audi India a free run when there’s the option of spoiling their party?
Powertrain details are still a secret but there is a feeling that Mercedes will start with the CLS 350 BlueEfficiency and then move on to the CLS 350 CDI BlueEfficiency. Will it be another top-down strategy by Mercedes? How many variants will they offer? Will they invite the seductive Jacqueline Fernandez to unveil the equally tempting CLS Class?
The image shown here was posted on the official Mercedes Benz wall in a collection of images having popular global destinations as backgrounds.
Sources have informed IndianAutosBlog.com that Renault has concluded trial production of the new Koleos at the Chennai plant where celebrations are on after 100,000 petrol engines were made in record time. And its no coincidence that Renault has updated the Koleos chapter of its official website with tidbits on the car.
IAB readers have already been served with constant tidbits on the new Koleos. We were the first in this planet to bring auto lovers the first look of the new Koleos. Our reader Ragho was the first person to spot the Koleos testing in India. Prior to these details, we informed you that testing of the car had started. Recently we informed you that petrol engines will not feature on the India-spec model and broke the news of a September third week (tentative) launch.
Sources add that Renault could price the manual transmission Koleos at just under 19 lakh rupees (ex-showroom). Renault will show the car at the Frankfurt Motor Show in mid-September. We are also told that dealers will receive demo vehicles well in advance to conduct previews with their customer groups.
Renault India is serious about getting good traction with the new Koleos, but we’ll have to wait and see if it achieves what it sets out to do.
In a press release issued today, Nissan stated that it crossed a milestone of producing 100,000 1.2-liter and 1.5-liter HR12DE petrol engines at the Renault Nissan Alliance plant situated at Oragadam, Chennai.
Nissan notified us a few weeks back that 100,000 Micra cars were rolled out of the plant since production began in early 2010. Nissan exports the Oragadam-made Micra hatchback to European markets.
The 1.5-liter HR12DE petrol engine will be used in the upcoming Sunny sedan. The release, without being explicit, says production of the Sunny will begin shortly.
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This latest spy shots were taken at Nurburgring race track in Germany. It shows a test-mule for the car running up some high speed laps. The Q6 was under consideration since 2006 and finally Audi has started testing the product.
