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Shanghai-VW has cloned the latest generation Passat, made it smaller and is introducing it as the Volkswagen Lavida in the Chinese market. Everything from the car’s daylight opening, tail light, kink on the C-Pillar to the car’s headlights are similar to the Passat (NMS). Volkswagen has many tie-ups with local Chinese auto makers but the latest Lavida’s development used very few inputs from Wolfsburg.
Ford has presented the B-Max five-seat MPV on the internet. The public will see it in flesh for the first time at next month’s Geneva Motor Show. The B-Max is the MPV counterpart of the EcoSport SUV. It will make it to India by mid-decade with a longer wheelbase. The bodywork, front-end and rear are likely to stay similar on the extended wheelbase version.
Renault is finalizing last minute details on the fourth generation B-Segment Clio as it gets ready to present the vehicle in October’s Paris Motor Show. The new Clio will be the most stylish of generations as Renault is trying to connect emotionally with its would-be buyers. A 900cc, turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine is said to be the driving force on the Clio 4. Isn’t that engine ideal for the Indian market as Nissan could also benefit from it?
There was a huge buzz for the Renault’s first small car. After all, it will be the company’s first mass market product for the Indian masses. There were many rumors floating in the market and a lot of car names were thrown around (Modus, Clio, Twingo, Sandero which we revealed were not true much before the launch).
Renault India finally showcased its Pulse during the Indian GP in Delhi. When we saw the Pulse, we immediately realized that the Pulse was just a re-badged Nissan Micra.
However, Renault waited till the Indian Auto Expo to launch the product.
Renault India showcased the robust Duster at the Auto Expo last month. Its launch is expected to unfold in mid-2012. Renault has not finished conducting tests on the various system on-board this mini SUV vehicle. Renault India will be offering 4×2 and 4×4 versions. Clearly the battle is between Renault and Ford – at the moment Renault’s winning the race to the production line.
Newly acquainted with Indian Autos Blog, reader Natesan Jeyaraj from Chennai managed to click these images while riding his motorcycle.
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Dacia’s finally ready to bring out the Lodgy mini van as seen in this spy video. The Renault-owner Romanian low-price vehicle manufacturer previewed the new arrival a few weeks back using pictures. It will be seen for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show next month. Renault is also eager to produce its version for markets that are out of Dacia’s reach – Should the Lodgy follow the footsteps of the Duster and sneak into India?
Our Brazilian friends at AutosSegredos are at it once again spying the upcoming Fiat Siena as it was driven to the factory yard without camouflage. The new Siena arrives in March with three engine options and Fiat’s dual clutch automatic transmission. Fiat does not have immediate plans to sell the Palio sedan outside South America, though lovers of the Italian brand feel this is THE car for Fiat India.
Hyundai’s sandwiching the i10 and i20 models using the unnamed HB hatchback in Brazil. Auto Esporte has rendered the car’s dashboard using spyshots – its a mix of Elantra and Verna. The HB is almost done with its testing according to reports and breaks cover in the next six months. The package of the i20, space of a premium hatchback at the price just above that of the i2o – is this a winning concoction or what?
In Romania, Dacia wore a comedy tragedy mask as the Logan was the best selling car shifting 15,808 units in 2011 yet representing almost a 31 percent drop in sales compared to 2010. Skoda managed a sale of 4,138 units of Octavia [Laura] putting it in the second position trailed by the Renault Clio in third with 3,920 units sold.
The Logan is a product of Renault’s Romanian car company Dacia. In India Mahindra manufactures the Logan as the Verito and has announced that a sub-4 meter model will be launched in early 2013.
Dacia has used the Logan platform to build the Sandero hatchback, Duster SUV and the Lodgy MPV that will be sold from August. A pickup and a MPV version of the Logan are also available in Romania and some other parts of Europe.
At the unveiling of the Bajaj RE60, the company’s CEO Rajiv Bajaj told reporters that they were open to talks with Renault-Nissan for the use the RE60′s platform to manufacture a compact car. Officials from Japan and France were invited to see the RE60 at the Bajaj stall in the Auto Expo. The RE60 was completely developed in-house by Bajaj with no assistance from either Nissan or Renault.
Since Mr Bajaj’s invitation, we have not heard anything from the Franco-Japanese camp.
It is now being reported in some sections of the media that the visitors are yet to confirm their interest in using the platform to roll out an inexpensive vehicle.
Touted as the future of the automobile, the EV or Electric vehicle is the buzz word for most auto manufacturers today. Many companies are pumping millions of dollars into the development of automobiles that can be powered by electricity. We drove two electric cars in 2012 – the Fluence EV in Portugal and the Leaf that came to the Auto Expo. We were convinced that electric vehicles are slowly going to replace cars powered by internal combustion.
Read about Indian Autos Blog’s casual encounter with the Nissan Leaf
Renault displayed a super good looking Fluence Black Edition at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo. It sports features such as 17 inch black alloy wheels, body graphics, chrome trimmings on its body, rear spoiler and Black Edition badges.
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