Indian Autos blog

Czech artist Marek Piano Kedzierski has rendered three body styles that Skoda could bring out using the Rapid platform. For Europe the Rapid is a compact liftback (a la old Skoda Octavia) unlike in India where it is a sedan. The European version will have MissionL styling cues and more expensive interiors.

Piano proposes three variants – Sportback, Combi and Coupe besides a tightly designed hatch variant.

The Audi A4 received a facelift last year and is expected to be launched in India next month (we’ve already shown you photographs of camouflaged test mules on Mumbai streets), but looking much ahead, there are bigger plans for the A4 nameplate.

AutoBild Germany has reported that the A4 is falling behind in terms of sales volume compared to the C-Class (class leader) and BMW 3 Series in the home market of Germany and it is going to be an uphill challenge to overtake its rivals in the coming years.

Toyota officials from India, Thailand, Brazil and USA were requested to appear for a secret unveiling of the next generation Toyota Corolla in Japan in the form of a mockup earlier this year, CarAndDriver Brazil has reported. C&D has written that like the Camry, Toyota’s next generation Corolla will be a global model in hatch and sedan avatars.

It may be launched next year in Japan and travel to overseas markets in the second half of 2013. Since the Corolla is the best selling car in its segment in India, TKM may want to fast forward the launch. The Ford Focus and redesigned Skoda Octavia are said to be making their way to India in the next two years which the Corolla can perceive as a threat.

It’s no surprise that the Germans rule the roost when it comes to the luxury market because they are the ones that take maximum risk. Sure, companies like Volvo and Jaguar make brilliant products but they stick to the formula. The Germans, on the other hand, are constantly inventing and innovating.

[Audi Q2, BMW X4 and Audi SuperAvant will take product lines to avenues unknown thus far]

And it’s not just technologies, it’s entire product lines. Earlier, the luxury car market only constituted of long sedans and bulky SUVs. But the game has entirely changed. Now its all about coupes, crossovers, sports tourers et al. And who took the risk first? The Germans.

Tata engineers and designers would be working to bring out a successor to the Vista, one of Tata’s bread and butter products.

Though no specifications or reports have dropped in, we guess the R&D department (Tata Engineering & Research Centre) is already carrying out activities and working out a success formula for the next generation Indica expected to touch down in 2014 or 2015.

We expect Tata Motors to provide a comprehensive overhaul to the interior and exterior. The level of progress they made from Gen 1 to Gen 2 is expected on the successor as internationally sold hatchbacks like the Volkswagen Polo and Nissan Micra have reached India and a gamut of new models are expected to make an entry in the next 2-3 years with even better quality, interiors, build, etc. Honda’s diesel engine technology can also be perceived as a threat to Tata’s mini car marketshare.

Mercedes Benz India are very well aware that they can offer three body styles (three-box, hatchback and SUV) in the price band that stretches from 20-25 lakh rupees.

The explanation they gave to a group of Indian bloggers during a meeting back in February was that there are customers who would buy a premium brand, sacrificing the space or comfort that same-price rivals such as the Skoda Superb or the Honda Accord offer.

They said that based on customer behavior, the lion’s share of this segment belong to the SUV models, while up to 15% of the market volume in the 20-25 lakh rupee segment can be taken up by smaller cars.

Ford may not have even finished testing the Fiesta facelift that is expected to bow at the Paris Motor Show in the latter part of 2012, but Autointernationaal.nl has published a report revealing that work has already started on the next generation Fiesta in Europe.

The report says that Ford has tasked 500 engineers in Cologne, Germany to develop the next generation Fiesta. The release date of the model is speculated as 2015.

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Porsche, as a brand, is known to take a lot of risk when it comes to diversifying its product portfolio. Most of the risks such as the Cayenne and Panamera have paid off brilliantly. So the Stuttgart based manufacturer is all set to take on another challenge.

Porsche’s upcoming baby SUV is expected to be the brand’s first venture in the smaller crossover segment. Autobild.de presents us with the rendering of the upcoming baby Porsche and Autocar.co.uk provides us with juicy details.

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