Indian Autos blog

Indian Autos Blog extends warm wishes to its readers and their families for a prosperous and delightful 2012! Have we said it right?

2011 by far is the best year in terms of subscribers, scoop count, traffic, recognition, etc. We’re willing to work harder this year to make 2011 our second best year. In 2012 we’ll push for more scoops, exclusives, spyshots, reviews and feature articles so that you don’t have to look anywhere to satisfy your cravings for cars.

Image by Eagle FX

As you may have assumed, we’re gearing up for the Delhi Auto Expo and rolling out regular updates even on this grand new year weekend (someone wrote to me that this was a dream job, whose dream I ask?!).

I have to say that the spyshots, renderings and the build up to the Auto Expo is keeping us warm and we’ve stacked up some terrific content for New Year’s Day such as

• Mahindra Xylo facelift – IAB’s edition
• Peugeot 508 – Spied again!
• Another Chinese manufacturer knocking on Indian doors? – We have the scoop shots
• Collection of photographs of the Godzilla from the Nissan Innovation Drive
• More announcements from companies on their Auto Expo pavilions

We owe to keep our sister sites indianmotosblog.com and steeringnews.com, which recently received a makeover, updated regularly in 2012 so you know what’s happening to our favorite foreign cars and two-wheelers.

If you haven’t subscribed to IndianAutosBlog.com on its new social media channels, you must be kidding me!

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Our new friends at THE ESTD, distributors of exotic brands such as Koenigsegg, Ariel and Gumpert in India, have shipped us a selection of images of the mid-engined Agera supercar finding its way carefully through some rough patches of Indian road. The word Agera in Swedish means “to act.”

The Agera, made using lightweight materials such as carbon fiber, is priced at a cool 12.5 crore rupees (ex-showroom Delhi) and is easily the best alternative to the Bugatti Veyron available in India for a sum of 16 crore rupees.

The Agera is more than just a fine interplay of speed and horsepower. Nothing represents the essence and meaning of Koenigsegg better than this model.

But if you aren’t interested in anything else, then here you go – A 5-liter twin-turbocharged engine develops 910bhp and 1000Nm making it possible for the 0-60mph sprint to finish in under 3.5 seconds.

click through to see some fascinating images of the Agera on Indian soil!

DC Design, a very famous design house that carries the torch of car designing for India, has some major plans at the 2012 Auto Expo. The company plans to transform itself from being just a designing company to a full fledged production house by introducing a supercar in India.

Being a design house, the company openly admits that the car will be comparable to other supercars like Ferrari and Lamborghini only in terms of design and not in terms of firepower.

Go sportscar concept is an old example from the house of DC

Dilip Chabria, the person responsible for many famous designs and modeling such as Tarzan – the wonder car, Ambyrod and even the Chevrolet Beat concept has big ambitions for this supercar. The car will be assembled in their Pune plant and the deliveries will begin in 2013. Initially, the company will only manufacture 300 units a year. Later, the production capacity will be expanded to 3,000 units annually.

Like all supercars, this DC Design supercar will be mid-engined. A turbocharged V6 petrol engine sourced from Honda will stoke 400 horses when you put your foot down. If you think ‘Yea, that’s pretty alright”, well the car only weighs 1,560 kg. So expect a power to weight ratio of 257 bhp/tone and let’s face it – that’s pretty awesome!

The company planned to call this supercar ‘The Buddh’ after India’s first F1 track. However, the response to this name has been very dull (with all due respect to the circuit, I can imagine why). However, the astonishing part is that this supercar will not have a supercar price tag. It will cost one’s wallet just 30 lakhs to own it.

We can’t wait to see the prototype model and to get behind the wheel. Can you?

Sources inform IndianAutosBlog.com that Volkswagen India will launch the second generation Beetle with a diesel engine married to both MT and AT boxes this week. The engine in question is the 2.0-liter TDI making close to 130PS used on the Passat, Jetta and Laura in different settings. The transmissions are also carried over from the Passat.

The outgoing Beetle is powered by the sole 2-liter petrol engine mated to a 6-speed AT.

Volkswagen dealers are offering massive discounts, some to the tune of 5+ lakh rupees, to clear stocks of the old Beetle and make way for the new model. The replacement’s timing is perfect as competition is beginning to pile up the pressure with the launch of the MINI and Mercedes’s mini car range in the next two years. With assistance from a fresh design, better driving dynamics and a diesel engine, the unmistakable Beetle could present itself to customers not impressed by the MINI range.

Last week Volkswagen, without delving into tech specs, notified IAB of an Auto Expo launch for the new Beetle.

Generally here at IAB, we cover on stories pertinent to Indian context. Hence, the whole SAAB debacle was not at all covered by us. But some interesting development has made us turn our heads and take notice. Mahindra&Mahindra is now in private talks with the Swedish manufacturer to buy some parts of the company according to reports in the media.

Essentially, General Motors, the once big daddy of the automotive world, went bankrupt as soon as the recession struck United States. The company filed for bankruptcy and had to re-organize itself to come out of the red. As part of the re-organization plans, several brands owned by the company such as Hummer and Saab were to be hived off.

Saab 9-5 SportCombi © Saab Automobile AB

Saab had several offers from Chinese companies such as Youngman and Pang Da, but repeated cash flow delays and vetos from GM squashed that deal before it could get off of the ground. Finally, on 19^th December SAAB filed for bankruptcy and has been in the process of selling off its business.

However, there is a twist to the story. Mahindra is not entirely interested in SAAB, but only interested in some parts of it. Saab’s most desirable assets would be its manufacturing capabilities, tooling and in-house technology.

Come Jan 3^rd 2012, Bajaj would be hoping to recreate the magic Tata Motors created at the launch of the Nano a few years back. For the first time in 8 decades, Bajaj will present a car for the Indian masses. Very popular for its two wheelers, three wheelers and commercial vehicles, Bajaj has never had a single contender in the passenger car market. However, with the dawn of new year, the company will create history by introducing the ULC christened ‘RE60’.

Our pals BSMotoring have presented us a small pic which they claim is the actual model. The model presented in the picture sort of looks like the Reva (a.k.a G-Wiz). The RE60 is may look like a car but Bajaj Auto claims that it isn’t one. The company has made it quite clear that it doesn’t intend to build another Tata Nano. According to Bajaj, the RE60 will be perfect, low-cost transportation solution; a three wheeler with one extra wheel for stability. We have no idea how to make sense of it all. Seeing the vehicle on the 3rd is the only way to understand Bajaj’s proposition.

Anyways, coming back to the RE60. The ‘RE’ stands for ‘Rear Engined’ and the 60 stands for the 60 g/km of CO2 that the car produces. The RE60 will be powered by a 700-800 cc engine with priority given to fuel economy. The estimated figure is around 30 kmpl.

click through to find out more

The Mitsubishi Outlander may not be a very successful SUV in India but globally sells in decent numbers. As a result, Mitsubishi has decided that it will soon convert the guzzler into a hybrid SUV by 2013. The Outlander will be one of 8 hybrid/EV products that will be launched by Mitsubishi by the end of 2016.

A concept version of the Outlander Plug-in hybrid was showcased at the Tokyo Motor Show. Also known as Concept PX-MiEV, the car featured a plug-in hybrid powertrain with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and two 60 kW (80 hp / 81 PS) electric motors.

The battery alone can sustain the vehicle till 50 km. Once the charge starts depleting, the car activates the petrol engine to charge the battery. At high way speeds, the electric motor and the petrol motor work together to give you maximum power. Mitsubishi estimates the PX-MiEV II would have a combined fuel consumption of 60 km/liter.

Hyundai has had a very good run in 2011 with a slew of launches. As it prepares for 2012 Delhi Auto Expo, it has something very special for the audience. Hyundai is prepping a concept MPV called HND-7 for the masses to ogle. The HND-7, for now, will just be a concept but we think that there is something more to the story. It is Hyundai’s first hello to the Innova and the Maruti Ertiga.

Hyundai India has ambitious targets to take over Maruti Suzuki as the numero uno manufacturer of India. Currently, the company is in the second place and is trying every possible nook and corner to take the lead. The most startling evidence of this intense rivalry is seen with the launch of EON which aims its loaded barrel at Maruti’s current most successful car – Alto.

click through to read on