New BMW X3 Review, Test Drive

We drive the soon-to-be launched BMW X3 and here are our first impressions. Despite being far more attractive than the earlier X3, this is not a design that makes you go ‘wow’ instantly. It’s a handsome looking car for sure, with attractive details and nicely designed sections but, it is also a bit of an acquired taste. You take a bit of time to ‘get’ the appeal of the tucked-in waistline, the pitched forward belt-line and that very upright bonnet.As one would expect, there’s more than a bit of the X5 in the X3’s details. The kidney grille looks very similar, the heavy looking bumper is there on this car too and look at it from the rear and you’ll swear this is BMW’s full-sized SUV. The new X3’s footprint is actually almost the same as the...

Read more »

BMW PRESENTS MOBILITY OF THE FUTURE Pics :)

...

Read more »

BMW Unveils Mobility Of The Future

The BMW Group has showcased its visions of future mobility in the shape of the i3 Concept and i8 Concept studies. These concept vehicles provide a glimpse of the first electrically powered production cars from the new BMW i sub-brand, due to be launched as the BMW i3 in 2013 and the BMW i8 in 2014. “We are marking another milestone in the history of the BMW Group. As chairman of the Board and an engineer myself, I am very proud of this project,” declared Norbert Reithofer, chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, at the premiere of the two vehicles in Frankfurt on July 29. “As the world’s leading premium car manufacturer, our aim is to offer customers purpose-built electric-drive cars as well,” he added.With its zero-emission electric...

Read more »

High-end Mercs under single roof

  Shaman Group has put up on sale a cluster of high-end and exclusive vehicles from the Mercedes-Benz stable. The Mumbai showroom has put on display cars like the E-Coupe, E-Cabriolet, SLK 200, SL350, ML, GL and the R-Class – all under one roof. These CBUs are exclusive and lifestyle Mercs which are purely built keeping performance, exclusivity, safety and luxury in mind. This collection of CBUs is rare a sight as buyers don’t get to see a variety of high-end Mercedes under one roof. These brand new cars are for selective buyers and can be customized as per the buyers’ demands. Prices of these Mercs start from Rs 58 lakh and goes up to Rs 1 crore (on-road Mumbai). The 184bhp SLK 200 is available at Rs 58 lakh, the 272bhp E 350...

Read more »

New spy pictures of Hyundai HA

  We’ve got our hands on another spy picture of the Hyundai HA, this time with fewer covers as compared to the cars spotted earlier. The test mule was spotted by our alert reader Roshan Vignesh being tested near Chennai. Its evident from the pictures that the HA carries a cab-forward stance, similar to the i10. And considering its strong shoulder line and the severely raked A- and C-pillars, it suggests that this baby Hyundai will be a recipient of the company’s ‘Fluidic Sculpture’ design language, which is full of sharp cuts. With the HA, Hyundai is aiming at stealing some of the Nano’s thunder by pricing it in the range of Rs 2-3lakh. At this price point, it will be able to compete with the top-end versions of the Nano and...

Read more »

Red Bull to enter road car market

  Formula 1 team Red Bull Racing wants to be recognised as a serious engineering firm away from the racetrack, and will use its recent tie-up with Infiniti to move into road car development. RBR boss Christian Horner told Autocar he wants to “use Red Bull’s expertise outside F1”. Horner said, “Red Bull used to be known only as an energy drink company, but now it is recognised as an engineering team. It’s a natural evolution for us to get involved in road car engineering.” Chief among the Infiniti/RBR plans is a co-developed sports model in the mould of the Renault Clio Williams, although Nissan’s luxury arm has not yet disclosed which car will receive this treatment. Infiniti insiders are already suggesting brand awareness is...

Read more »

Audi launches A8 L W12 Quattro

  Audi India launches the most powerful version of its flagship, the A8 L W12 Quattro. Powered by a 6.3-litre FSI petrol motor, this top of the line variant develops 500bhp and 63.73kgm of torque. To distinguish the new W12 from rest of the A8s, this high-end variant gets single-frame radiator grille with a touch of high gloss black paint finish and special chromed horizontal bars along with chrome inserts on the air inlets and exterior mirrors. The exhaust system has two trapezoidal-pattern tailpipe trims neatly integrated into the rear bumper. The A8 L W12 quattro comes with LED headlamps as a standard fitment. The new A8 L offers both luxurious ride comfort and sporty handling. It is once again, based on a virtually all-aluminum...

Read more »

New Honda CR-V 2012 official pics

  Here is the first official picture of Honda’s all-new CRV concept. The Honda concept SUV uses an all-new platform that will feature on the production car. The concept features a series of styling changes over the current CR-V designed to give the SUV a more aggressive stance. The most prominent changes are at the front, where the CR-V features a wraparound lower front bumper that is better integrated into the rest of the front fascia than on the current car. The three-bar horizontal front grille is also much more dominant than the current CR-V’s, with slimmed-down headlights flanking it on either side. Honda claims the front-end styling changes result in much improved aerodynamics over the current car. Heavily sculpted bodywork...

Read more »

Mercedes C63 AMG Black Series revealed

  Mercedes reveals its most powerful C-Class — the 509bhp Mercedes C63 AMG Coupé Black Series. Like all three previous Black Series Mercedes, the C63 sticks with a tried and tested formula of sledgehammer power, track-focused hard-core chassis and aggressive race-derived styling. Power comes from AMG’s 6.3-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine, which has forged pistons, conrods and crankshaft, a new engine control unit and a 50 per cent bigger oil cooler. The prodigious output is channelled through a seven-speed AMG Speedshift transmission, which uses a wet, dual-clutch in place of the usual fluid coupling. The transmission has four control settings and can snap through the gears in 100 milliseconds in the sportiest Sport Plus...

Read more »

New 2012 Innova revealed

  As seen from the pictures, Toyota has given its brilliant people mover a major facelift, with new lights and a new grille and the profile has been altered a bit as well. The upright grille sits more vertically than the current car and this means the bonnet looks less van like. The new headlights have been stretched over the fenders, and the fogs and chin are new as well. It also gets new alloy wheels.  The styling updates at the rear include a new bumper, re-styled number-plate housing and re-profiled tail lamps. As seen from the pictures, there are minor tweaks to the interiors, the manual A/C controls get bigger knobs and the centre console gets a wood-trim surround, and there is an all-new steering wheel which seems to be...

Read more »

Chevrolet launches Beat Diesel

 Chevrolet has launched the diesel version of its Beat hatchback. The base PS version starts at Rs 4.29 lakh, and the next variant, LS, is priced at Rs 4.59 lakh. The LT is priced at Rs 4.99 lakh and the top-end LT with option pack is priced at Rs 5.45 lakh. In comparison, the Ford Figo diesel starts at Rs 4.58 lakh for the base variant. The EXI is priced at Rs 4.93 lakh while the ZXI costs Rs 5.17 lakh, and the top-end Titanium costs Rs 5.49 lakh. All prices are ex-showroom Delhi.The Beat diesel is powered by a 1.0XSDE Smartech engine. It is a three-cylinder version of the famous Multijet diesel unit that was co-developed by GM and F...

Read more »

SCOOP! New Maruti 800

  Maruti has been secretly working on the 800’s replacement and these exclusive spy pics show what the new Maruti 800 will look like. Like the current 800, this all-new car will slot in below the Alto and is in fact based on the existing Alto platform. The 800 will be powered by the same 796cc three-cylinder motor (F8D) from the Alto which has been modified to meet the latest emission norms. The new 800 is expected to have all-new interiors and will be a little bit more spacious than before. Maruti is targeting a sub-Rs 2-lakh price for the new Maruti 800 to distance it from the Alto by at least Rs 40,000 and put it smack into Nano territory. For the full story and more detailed images, read the August issue of Autocar India ©...

Read more »

EXCLUSIVE! Chevrolet Cruze to get upgrades

 The Chevrolet Cruze is slated to get a new engine from GM’s Family of Z series engines. The new, 2.0-litre DOHC common-rail diesel engine, which puts out a powerful 163bhp (up from 150bhp) and even more torque, promises to keep the Cruze safely on the top of the performance diesel pedestal. Expect minor cosmetic upgrades too. GM India, based on customer feedback, is also redesigning the rear seats to improved headroom. The enhanced Cruze is expected to be in showrooms later this year. © Haymarket SAC Publishing (India) Pvt Ltd, 2011 All rights reserved....

Read more »

New Swift Coming August 17

Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL) is all-set to launch the much-anticipated all-new Swift on August 17.The company has also released a teaser website for its all-new Swift and has revealed  that all customers who have booked the Swift will now get the all-new model instead. However there will be an incremental cost over the outgoing model.The all-new Swift looks quite similar in terms of styling to the outgoing model but is in fact built on an all-new platform, each body panel is new and the car is bigger than its predecessor in every dimension. The interior gets some styling cues from the larger Kizashi saloon, particularly in its centre console. The new Swift, like the outgoing model, is expected to spawn a saloon variant as well.Engine...

Read more »

Toyota Fortuner facelift unveiled

  Toyota has launched a refreshed version of its Fortuner SUV at a ceremony in Bangkok. The refreshed SUV has been launched for the Thailand market and the same could make it to India in early 2012. The refreshed Fortuner has an all-new nose designed to appear wider and more aggressive. It has new headlamps that are slightly stretched, a restyled and sculpted bonnet with a larger scoop for the air-intake, a re-profiled bumper and a wider redesigned chrome grille that makes it resemble the Land Cruiser. The Fortuner gets new seats and darker wooden trim. Toyota hasn’t changed the SUV’s side profile but the rear now gets new clear-lens tail-lamps that have a different profile from the current ones. The roof-rack and scuff plate,...

Read more »

Brabus 371kph E-class Cabriolet

  Brabus has launched the Brabus E V12 cabriolet, the “world’s most powerful and fastest four-seater cabrio,” according to the firm. Based on the Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet, the power the new car comes courtesy of a heavily revised V12 engine from the Mercedes S 600, featuring bigger turbochargers, a longer stroke, larger pistons and increased cylinder bore. Power is up to 788bhp with 112.12 kgm of torque, giving the Brabus E V12 cabriolet a claimed top speed of 371 kph and a 0-100kph time of just 3.7sec. Other features of the hardcore open E-class include a high-performance limited-slip differential, a wider body and track compared with the standard car and a front splitter with integrated LED daytime running lights for an...

Read more »

Maruti's highest-altitude workshop

  Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL) has added another service workshop to its network but this time, it has opened India’s highest altitude car workshop.  Situated at an altitude of 3,740 metres, the workshop is located at Kaza in the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh. The service center at Kaza would cover areas like Kibber, Hanse, Losar, and Keylong and will have a servicing pool of about 780 vehicles. The service centre will cover surrounding areas such as Rangnik, Kibber, Hanse and Losar to Keylong. It will service a pool of around 700 vehicles. Maruti has another workshop which is located at a high-altitude of 3,505 metres at Leh. Maruti currently has 2992 workshops in India spread over 1406 citi...

Read more »

BMW K1300R review, test ride

  Outlandish naked bikes which flaunt their massive exposed engines ooze a raw and untamed energy. They dare riders to hop on and tame them and make a popular choice to pop about town astride, or blast around on a weekend. The K1300R from BMW stretches the envelope a fair margin to make the statement bolder, faster and a lot more addictive. The K1300R’s demeanor suggests functional, industrial design and intense strength. The tank stretches forward from the rider seat like a muscled chest, with extensions jutting all the way up to the front headlights. The industrial look is emphasized by BMW's Duolever front suspension.There's no shortage of design detail to help the K1300R’s brutish look. Up ahead, a small screen offers the...

Read more »

2011 Suzuki Swift

When the all-new Swift goes on sale around May this year, you can foresee the tough time Maruti is going to have explaining to customers that it is actually new. You need to stare long and hard to spot the differences in the next-generation Swift, which looks remarkably like the old one.The new Swift may look more or less unchanged, but is in fact built on an all-new platform and every body panel is new. It’s grown considerably too and the new Swift is bigger than its predecessor in every dimension. Though the width and height have increased only marginally, length is up by 90mm and the wheelbase has been stretched too by a very useful 50mm.The Swift looks very modern and fresh despite the familiarity of its shape. The new Swift looks even...

Read more »

Honda Rejigs Pricing Strategy

Honda, over the past month, has made some surprising moves. The brand, which otherwise commands a premium, sharply re­­­­duced the prices of its bestselling City and the premium hatchback Jazz. On June 14, the carmaker announced ‘new prices’ for the City, slashing the price tag by Rs 44,000 for the top-end version to Rs 66,000 on the ­­­entry level one.The growing sales of new rivals like the VW Vento and Hyundai’s new Verna have clearly driven this uncharacteristic move on Honda’s part. But the Japanese carmaker says that the price revision is due to the increased localisation level in the City. According to Jnaneswar Sen, senior vice-president – Sales and Marketing, Honda Siel Cars India, “Our R&D function in India started working...

Read more »

Beat diesel coming next month

  GM India expects the Beat Diesel to be a game-changer for the company and the Indian market when it goes on sale this month. The baby Chevy will be the first diesel in its class, which could give it a first-mover advantage in the A-segment which forms the bulk of the market. In fact, the Beat Diesel is all set to notch up a series of ‘firsts.’ It is the first three-cylinder diesel engine in India, the first diesel under one litre and, according to company sources, has the best ‘torque-per-litre’ and ‘bhp-per-litre’ figures in the industry. It produces a respectable 58.5bhp and 150NM (15.29kgm) of torque at 1750rpm from its 936cc engine which in a compact hatch promises sprightly performance. However, the key question that’s...

Read more »

Maruti ends Swift production

  Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL) has stopped production of the current Swift Hatchback at their Mansear Plant. The outgoing model will be replaced by an all-new Swift next month.  The current generation Swift has been available in the Indian market since 2005 in both petrol and diesel models, and the replacement will offer both engine options as well.The all-new Swift looks quite similar in terms of styling to the outgoing model but is in fact built on an all-new platform and each body panel is new and is bigger than its predecessor in every dimension. The interior gets some styling cues from the larger Kizashi saloon, particularly in its centre console.  The new Swift, like the outgoing model, is expected to spawn...

Read more »

Bolero Facelift Spy Pics

We recently revealed in the “Confidential Section” of our latest issue that Mahindra is planning a facelift of the Bolero MUV and these are the first spy pictures, sent by our forum member T.S. Vipul, taken at Mahindra’s facility at Haridwar.As seen in one of the images, Mahindra will add a new variant called the ZLX in the Bolero lineup.  The refreshed Bolero gets a slightly revised grill with a darker grey shade (which was earlier body-coloured) that gives it a more prominent look.  The front bumper is all-new as well. The updated Bolero will have a rear-wiper with a defroster to meet future CMVR (Central Motor Vehicle Rules); however there are no fog lamps and no alloy wheels.The interiors are where the major changes...

Read more »

Fiat's 'diesel for petrol' offer

Fiat India has introduced a unique marketing initiative titled ‘Diesel at the price of petrol’, for the month of July.  If you buy a Fiat Linea or Punto, you get a chance to participate in a lucky draw, which may entitle you to a year’s supply of fuel or the diesel variant of the petrol car that you plan to buy.In case you plan to buy a diesel Fiat and your name comes up in the lucky draw, you’ll have to pay only for the corresponding petrol variant. If you buy the Linea T-jet, and win, you get Rs 100,000 off on the ex-showroom price.This initiative is meant to influence customers who would prefer to buy a diesel Fiat due to the low running costs but are deterred due to the high initial premium.  Buyers can opt for a diesel...

Read more »

Land Rover To Update 2012 Range

Land Rover has revealed a host of revisions to its Discovery 4 and Range Rover Sport models for 2012, including more power and a new eight-speed ZF gearbox.The 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel offered in both cars has had a 10bhp boost to take power to 252bhp. The ZF gearbox, also found in Jaguar and BMW models, comes with a ‘Drive Select’ rotary gearshift and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Land Rover claims shift times of just 200 milliseconds in both cars.Both cars, which were last heavily revised in 2010, have also undergone a series of subtle exterior cosmetic changes and an increase in both standard and optional interior equipment.The entry-level eight-speaker audio and navigation systems on both cars are now Bluetooth, DAB, USB and...

Read more »

2012 Toyota Camry Leaked Image

Here is the first leaked image of the upcoming new Toyota Camry, to be officially unveiled later this year.As is evident from the picture, the 2012 Camry seems to possess heavily redesigned front styling with a more Japanese flavour. The headlights are stretched back to the wheel arches which add a sense of width, and there is a strong kink on the headlight. The grille comprises a single dual chrome horizontal slats with a larger Toyota logo, and some Lexus-like cues are apparent in the styling too. The bumpers get a more aggressive stance with a taller but narrower air dam and a more pronounced chin.Overall, the profile looks sportier than the outgoing model, and the car will be slightly larger dimensionally.  However, there is no...

Read more »

Updated Corolla Altis launched

  Toyota Kirloskar Motors (TKM) has launched an updated version of its Corolla Altis saloon. The refreshed model now comes with new set of headlamps, refreshed grille and bumper, updated rear lamps. The interiors now feature darker mock wood trim.The petrol engine has been tweaked and will now deliver 138bhp, 7bhp more than the earlier model.The updated Altis now is equipped with new gearbox options; the 5-speed manual is now replaced by a new 6-speed unit while the top-end automatic version gets a new 7-speed CVT unit. Diesel models will feature the same 6-speed manual gearbox.The prices of the petrol version have gone up by Rs 15,000-24,000 while the diesel prices have been hiked by Rs 15,000-30,000 depending on model. The...

Read more »

BMW S1000RR Review, Test Ride

Every square inch of the 1000cc supersport territory is crammed with precise, potent and devastatingly quick motorcycles. These cutting edge motorcycles have honed their skills to a gleaming razors edge over several generations and racing programmes. Every gram and millimetre is pared away until bare necessity and ruthless pace remain. A quick first ride on BMW's S1000RR shows the lack of accomplished racing pedigree or decades of superbike building experience hasn't stopped them from achieving lofty targets.The S1000RR's design cuts through the clutter. An S1000RR face is cockeyed. The size of the low beam (larger unit) and the high beam designed purely to meet functional needs. This disruptive design is carried forward to the engine fairing....

Read more »