Archive for the ‘Spy pictures’ Category

Spied – Tata Magic Iris, Penguin pickup truck (video)

Our friends at Motoroids can’t cease publishing spy shots and videos of hot upcoming automobiles. In their latest update they’ve captured a video of the Penguin pickup truck formed on the Magic Iris passenger carrier. They’ve also managed pictures of the Magic Iris spied somewhere in Pune.

An interesting bit of news is Penguin could be powered by the same 624cc petrol engine used on the Nano. This contradicts Overdrive’s theory of a single cylinder 350cc diesel engine (essentially a single cylinder version of the Ace’s engine).

We don’t know which one to believe. We’ll wait for more concrete information before speculating further.

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Entry posted on March 17th, 2010 and filed under Commercial Vehicles, Spy pictures, Tata

Spied – New Mitsubishi Lancer in India (Exclusive)

New Mitsubishi Lancer IndiaNew Mitsubishi Lancer India

Thanks to our regular reader Rohin Sureka, we’re able to bring you these pictures of the next generation Mitsubishi Lancer testing in Kolkata. Rohin’s snapped these pics at night so a few things are unclear.

1) Has Rohin caught the Lancer Evolution?

After a brief search on google images, I understood that many of the Evos don’t have badges on three locations at the rear. It is the regular Lancer which has the logo in the centre, Mitsubishi on the bottom left, and Evo on the bottom right. We haven’t tracked the car closely or driven them, we could be wrong. We’d like to know from our well-versed readers whether this is the Evo or in fact the Lancer.

2) When is it coming to India?

This test mule was spotted in one of the markets in Kolkata. As we all know, Mitsubishi has a production line in West Bengal Chennai and Rohin’s clicked when the Lancer mule was running about clocking data and miles. This doesn’t give us an idea of the launch date or whether Mitsubishi is considering it for the Indian market this year. We can assume that Mitsubishi will launch this car by the end of 2011.

3) What if this is the Evo?

Great then! The Mitsubishi Evo according to our sources will be in India in the next few months. Mitsubishi could assemble kits shipped from Japan at the West Bengal plant. Prices would start somewhere around 35 lakhs approximately.

4) Is there a market for Lancer still in India?

Absolutely. The Mitsubishi Lancer is the company’s best product not only in India but also overseas. I think the Lancer is why people walk into Mitsubishi dealerships, and in India they were having a great run with the first Lancer. The Cedia hasn’t worked as many of us were expecting it to be a mini Evo. It was neither fast nor fuel efficient. With this all-new Lancer, Mitsubishi could get back into the ring and fight the battle which it doesn’t seem interested in now.

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Entry posted on March 15th, 2010 and filed under Mitsubishi, Spy pictures

Spied – More images of Euro Ford Fiesta testing in India

The Euro Fiesta hatch has been caught yet again in Chennai, this one’s red color

There have been many reports on the Euro Ford Fiesta coming to India next year with a boot, but none of them have been approved by Ford. Ford maintains that it constantly tests vehicles in Chennai and the Euro Fiesta could be part of that.

Spied testing in Chennai city, this red Ford Fiesta was quite easily the best looking car on that stretch road. It is huge, it has a great design and the red color was smashing!

Can Ford price the new Fiesta hatch competitively? Ford should have learned from Honda’s mistake of introducing a premium hatchback in India. If Ford is going to take a chance, then better give the customer with maximum value at that price point.

Perhaps Ford can take a chance by pricing the base Fiesta petrol at around 6.5 lakh rupees. They could give it features like climate control, electrically operated seats, cruise control, good sound system, etc at the entry point itself. The Fiesta is offered in Europe with a 1.4 liter petrol and diesel engine.

As the length is beyond four metres (4067mm), Ford could take two routes

1) A cosmetic change to shorten the length and plonk a re-tuned Figo petrol engine (probably turbocharge it, (read Ecoboost)) under the bonnet to qualify for small car benefits.

2) Keep the length, preserve the beauty, put in the powerful 1.4 petrol that Europe gets and sell it as a hot hatch with alloy wheels, music system, steering mounted controls, climate control etc.

Ford knows better. We’re expecting the Fiesta sedan to arrive before the hatch and its success will determine the future of the hatchback.

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Entry posted on March 15th, 2010 and filed under Ford, Spy pictures

Spied – First look of 2010 Suzuki Swift interiors

Thanks to our friends at Alvolante, a leading online portal in Italy, we’re able to bring you the first look of the 2010 Suzuki Swift’s interiors.

Upon elaborate inspection, I figured the new Suzuki Swift’s dashboard is slightly more ordered. The centre stack is clearly visible and the steering wheel is more Chevrolet.

The AC vents have a different shape, the gear knob is the same and a compact twin dial layout replaces three dials. The new Swift’s dashboard lacks a digital clock but a LCD screen is the new addition.

The new Suzuki Swift based on a new platform, according to media reports debuts at the Paris Motor Show later in the year. It could come to India in the first quarter of 2011, but how Maruti will position this hatch remains a mystery. Chinese publications have also hinted the sedan version of the new Swift by the end of this year for international markets.

From limited vision this is all I can figure out. Existing Swift owners, why don’t you give me a hand in completing this comparison.

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Entry posted on March 12th, 2010 and filed under Spy pictures, Suzuki

Video – Tata Venture Spied

The Tata Venture based on the Super Ace platform was displayed at the Auto Expo in January. Tata Motors officials said they were planning to sell the Venture through both their CV and passenger car dealer network.

Caught testing here, the Venture is being pasted through one of the expressways near Pune. It is fitted with a 71bhp turbocharged diesel engine. The model will be out on the Indian market in the next couple of months, according to Motoroids.

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Entry posted on March 11th, 2010 and filed under Spy pictures, Tata

Spied – Honda Jazz/Fit Hybrid

The Honda Fit/Jazz hybrid isn’t coming to India anytime soon. It’s not entering US, its primary market in the first place as Honda is finding it hard to price it right.

After the Insight, the hybrid vehicle brought in to compete with the Toyota Prius, backfired, Honda is not willing to let another one slip. It is taking its time with the Jazz hybrid which will be priced lower than the Insight.

Honda Executive Vice President Koichi Kondo -

There are plenty of people who think that the current Fit (Jazz) meets their needs already. A hybrid version might seem expensive. Our engineers are really struggling.

Japanese auto companies in India are interested in selling hybrid vehicles here and if the Jazz hybrid is launched in Japan, could it find its way to India?

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Entry posted on March 2nd, 2010 and filed under Spy pictures, honda jazz

Leaked – New Nissan Micra interior

The next generation Nissan Micra has small seats but airy greenhouse

The next generation Nissan Micra will be unveiled tomorrow at the Geneva Motor Show. But what if you’re impatient and dying for an early glimpse? Read on then.

The new Nissan Micra will enter the Indian market in July this year with a 1.2-liter 3 cylinder petrol engine and 5-speed manual transmission. The new Nissan Micra will be produced at the company’s Chennai facility.

Going by what little we can see in the picture, the next generation Micra is suitable for two well built males and two young women. The seats don’t look very big, but the headroom is decent. We expect the Micra to be similar in size to the Chevrolet Beat.

We will bring you images and information of the new Nissan Micra from the Geneva Motor Show tomorrow.

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Entry posted on March 1st, 2010 and filed under New Nissan Micra/March, Spy pictures

Spied – Ford testing next generation Endeavour*

*Ford testing next generation Endeavour in the form of the Ranger pickup truck

You might have come across the Ford Ranger while watching the Australian Domestic cricket league on Star Cricket. In truth, the Ranger is the pickup truck formed on the Endeavour’s platform sold in Australia.

The Ford Endeavour (Endy) just received a complete facelift last year. Ford’s also planning automatic and manual transmission variants for the Endy and has not hinted about a model change.

Car Advice Australia says the new Ranger enters their market in 2011 and will be a “global model.” No details have emerged on the powertrain front but it is safe to expect a CRDI engine with a turbocharger.

They claim the next Ranger will be slightly wider and longer than the current model. Does this mean the Endy will grow in size? Wouldn’t that make it longer than a goods train? :P

The spyshots were captured in Sweden and the new Endeavour could come to India in 2012. Or 2013.

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Entry posted on February 25th, 2010 and filed under Ford, Spy pictures

More Nissan Micra details, images pop up; CVT listed (video)

The story of the Nissan Micra/March keeps getting better. The new video released on the Nissan media site clearly conveys how seriously the company has approached their newest creation. This is also their first compact car in India, and if the promises are really delivered, the standards are going to be pretty high.

Based on an all-new V Platform, the Micra for a start will get a 1.2-liter 3 pot gasoline engine. Six months down the line, sources have indicated a 1.5-liter diesel engine will be listed. For India, Nissan could consider putting in something like a 1.3-liter engine, but nothing concrete has emerged from anywhere.

Coming back to the petrol motor, a newly developed CVT (continuously variable transmission) features a “sub-planetary” gear that allows for a very wide gear ratio of 7.3.

The new Micra/March will be unveiled at the Geneva auto show on March 2nd. The car enters the Indian market around the month of July. Production will begin in May at the Oragadam plant in Chennai.

A new batch of spyshots have been posted, thanks to Headlight Magazine’s eagle-eyed readers.

Nissan Micra March Eco Car Thailand

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Entry posted on February 16th, 2010 and filed under New Nissan Micra/March, Spy pictures

Scoop – Ford Fiesta hatchback testing in India (Video)

Here’s one we are closely following – the Ford Fiesta Hatchback.

This is a five door hatch back that will soon be launched in North America (US and Canada). However, it is possible that this car could also find its way to India in 2011. A sedan version is also in the offering for the global market.

Pictures of this car on test are available elsewhere as well, but we may be the first to provide scoops of the front end. With that we can also identify some of the external features of this car.

To start with, the build quality looks absolutely sturdy. Appears to be a very heavy car with a meaty engine to pull it through. In comparison to the current Fiesta in India, this car has a aggressive design with up-swept lines and a broader waist line. The body lines are however smooth and clean. It gives the car a stocky feel. It is miles ahead of the Indian Fiesta. Infact, it makes the current version look like an outdated piece of soviet machinery.

click through to read more and see images

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Entry posted on February 15th, 2010 and filed under Ford, Spy pictures

Spied (once) again – Chevrolet next generation Aveo U-VA

The new Aveo U-VA is an evolution of the current model and comes with a long wheelbase

The side shot of the next generation Chevrolet Aveo U-VA which will co-exist with the existing model when it hits the market next year with diesel engine, reveals the car’s extended wheelbase. The rear passengers aren’t going to complain, that’s for sure.

The next gen Aveo hatchback was previewed at last month’s Detroit Auto show as the Aveo RS concept. Regular reader’s of IAB would have got bored of this car as we have been featuring it right from last year using batches of spyshots. The interior spyshot of the the Aveo helped in understanding its connection with the recently launched Chevrolet Beat.

The yet to be named (if you’re in India) Aveo hatch will be launched with at least one diesel engine manufactured here in India. It belongs to the new breed of Chevys – the Beat and Cruze are its siblings.

More updates on this vehicle as soon as we learn about the displacement, power and other options.

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Entry posted on February 15th, 2010 and filed under Chevrolet, Spy pictures

Spied again – New Hyundai Verna (Code:RB)

While the spy shooters have been taking a lot of images of the new Hyundai Verna, the new photographs on a Korean auto forum provide a clearer idea of the boot and the roofline.

The next generation Verna and Elantra (spied on another occasion) have clearly borrowed a lot from the Sonata YF. They are also moving closer to being 4 door coupes. Hyundai’s design language is heading in the right direction.

The new Hyundai Accent will go on sale in 2010, so the Indian debut should not be very far away. We expect the car to reach India by the end of 2011. The regular CRDi engines and larger displacement 4 pot petrols will rest under the new Verna’s hood. There are also chances for the 1.6 GDi that produces 140bhp to make it on to the RB, but the Indian RB is likely to feature traditional CRDI engines and to the maximum extent, a petrol engine with variable valve timing – which again is our best guess.

We’ll keep an eye out for more news as well as test mules.

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Entry posted on February 12th, 2010 and filed under Hyundai, Spy pictures

Spied – Ford testing new variant of Endeavour in Chennai?

Thanks to our regular reader Sundar, we are able to show you a Ford Endeavour test mule caught in Chennai city traffic. Visually the test mule had no differences to a showroom model except for the “On Test” badge pasted on the rear windshield.

When we started digging for a connection, we unearthed what we were looking for.

Michael Boneham, President and Managing Director, Ford India to Zigwheels at the Endy launch last year -

As far as offering a manual transmission on the 3.0 litre goes (3.0 comes only with automatic transmission), I can’t say anything right now. In the future we might introduce an automatic on the 2.5 litre TDCi (2.5 comes only with manual box) as well and a manual on the 3.0 litre. It depends on demand and right now we feel that there is a need for an automatic box.

Although Mr.Boneham doesn’t confirm any plans, he hints about a 3.0-liter manual and the 2.5-liter automatic transmission variants. What Sundar has caught here could well be one of the two.

have you spotted a test mule recently? get in touch with me at editor(at)indianautosblog.com

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Entry posted on February 10th, 2010 and filed under Ford, Spy pictures
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