Lamborghini New showroom at Mumbai

Lamborghini has opened its first showroom in Mumbai yesterday. The Italian supercar maker has appointed Autohangar as its dealer in Mumbai to boost its presence in the financial capital of the country.  Autohangar is also the largest Mercedes dealer in the city. The showroom is located at Prabadhevi.  Until now, Lamborghini sold its cars in India through a sole distributor, Delhi & based Exclusive Motors, which will continue to serve customers in North India; Autohangar will look after the Western region of India.  Lamborghini is also planning to set up its own National Sales Company (NSC) in India, especially since its parent, the VW Group, has established a strong presence in India & can effectively support...

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Test Drive and Review of new Hyundai i20

It’s easy to see why the first  i20 was popular. When it was launched here in 2009, it was a fresh take on the large hatch & had almost everything buyers wanted – it was stylish, came with plenty of features & was spacious enough to almost justify its entry level saloon rivaling price. Fact is, i20 prices have always been on the upper slopes of the small car hill, & it is no different this time around. At Rs 6.21 lakh for this mid life refreshed Asta, this new i20 is still more expensive than the top end Swift & the Skoda Fabia. So, to make you feel like you’re getting your money’s worth, Hyundai has loaded this with even more features than the old i20. Standard on the Asta is a reverse camera, keyless entry...

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Spy pics of Next-gen Bajaj Discover

Avid Autocar India reader, Ninad Kashikar has just clicked these early & detailed spy pictures of an undisguised, next generation Bajaj Discover undergoing testing. However, the new bike will not replace the current Discover, but will instead be sold alongside it. As seen in the pictures, the new Discover gets a comprehensive styling makeover. The new front headlight cluster now has minor chrome inserts, & although revised, this new design does show off its Discover family lineage. A big change on the new, approximately 125cc Discover is a gas filled mono shock rear suspension system, a premium feature that is unheard of in the Discover segment. The Discover 125 will compete head on with the likes of Hero MotoCorp's...

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Carmaker Audi buys bikemaker Ducati for 1.12 billion USD

German luxury carmaker, Audi, has agreed to buy Italian bikemaker, Ducati, for a sum of 1.12 billion USD. Audi will also inherit all of Ducati’s current financial liabilities. Volkswagen owned Audi were earlier negotiating with Ducati owner Investindustrial to buy out the Italian exotic bike maker, but it has now culminated to a deal. The marriage of the two automotive giants fits well with Audi’s ambitious ‘Project Eagle,’ aimed at elevating VW to becoming the world’s largest auto manufacturer. Earlier, Andrea Bonomi, Investindustrial head had stated that Ducati was looking for a world class industrial partner for its future growth & wanted to sell the iconic brand for one billion Euros. The purchase will make Ducati the 11th brand in...

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Skoda Cut-Price Superb

Skoda has added a more affordable variant to the Superb called the Ambition. The Superb Ambition comes sans the projector headlamps, front proximity sensors & headlamp washers found in the more upmarket Elegance trim. On the inside, the Superb Ambition loses the Elegance’s touchscreen & also gets a single CD player with MP3 instead of the 6 CD changer on the higher variant. However, the Ambition retains all the safety features offered on the Elegance including eight airbags, ABS, EBD, ASR (Anti Slip regulation), TCS (Traction Control system) & ESP (Electronic Stability Program).  Available with both petrol & diesel engine options, the Superb Ambition gets a six speed manual for the Petrol & a DSG auto ‘box for the...

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Test Drive and Review of New Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

“What, another Pajero? Why? Aren’t there already two different Pajeros on sale in India? & isn’t this Mitsubishi’s fourth SUV?” Questions from car enthusiasts we meet on Delhi’s streets come thick & fast. Sure there’s a lot of respect for the Japanese company & plenty of respect for the Pajero brand name as well, but yes – Pajero, Montero, Outlander & now a Pajero Sport – that’s a lot of SUVs, which is puzzling. Of course the real reason the Pajero Sport exists is to take on competition like the Fortuner & Endeavour. It’s all about delivering as much SUV as you can on a budget. All three are based on light pick up trucks sold en masse in Thailand, each is similarly specified and, all of them have attained their fair share...

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Hyundai Genesis Coupe Formula Drift Car for 2013

The flock of drift race cars scheduled to compete in the 2012 Formula Drift season just got a lot more interesting with the introduction of Rhys Millen’s prized steed. Over the past few years, Millen has competed in Formula Drift with a Hyundai Genesis Coupe & now that the latter has a refreshed 2013 model, it was only right for Millen to get his own race tuned, drift spec Genesis Coupe. “I’m pleased to have Hyundai’s ongoing support for the 2012 season,” Millen said. “This begins the fourth year of our racing relationship with Hyundai, & we want to continue to build upon our success in both developing & racing Hyundai’s race proven products.” So here it is, fellas. Unbeknownst to a lot of folks, the car carries a 2013 Genesis...

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Maruti Suzuki Swift vs Swift dZire

We love a bargain in this country. We also love a good saloon, what with all the prestige that seemingly innocuous third box brings. So when the government announced that ‘small cars’ – which is what most Indians equate ‘hatchbacks’ with – would be defined by a four-metre length cutoff, it only served to further widen the chasm between saloons and their bootless counterparts. The excise benefits meant that soon hatchback makers everywhere got their measuring tapes out and began filing down bumpers to make the cut. Meanwhile, the saloons basked in the warm glow of premium adulation, with their Rs 10-lakh price tags and optional leather seats. But remember, we love a bargain in this country, so it wasn’t long before the regulations were exploited. Enter...

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Lamborghini SUV at New York

The concept version of the upcoming Lamborghini SUV will be unveiled at the end of April at the Beijing Auto Show, but some lucky guests   aka select Lamborghini clientele   at the 2012 New York Auto Show were able to get a sneak peek at the concept. Lamborghini tried to keep everything secret until the concept’s official debut in China, but there were some people at the event who decided to share some information. Those specific event goers reported that the car will have a silhouette similar to the BMW X6 & will be the same size as the Audi Q7. The concept will feature a carbon fiber body kit & LED headlights similar to the ones seen in the Estoque. At the rear, the SUV will feature four trapezoidal exhaust tips integrated...

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Honda City AT VS Ford Fiesta AT

Not too long ago, automatics were rather unpopular on any car this side of a Skoda Laura. The general perception of them being more expensive than their manual cousins & less fuel efficient didn’t sit too well with buyers in such a price sensitive segment. Old school autos also ate into big chunks of the engine’s power & were about as much fun to drive as a bar of soap. Things have changed though – our increasingly crowded streets & gridlocks mean that we spend more time changing gears than actually driving. Also, the modern automatic gearbox has come a long way from the slushboxes of old. Take for example Ford’s new Fiesta – it’s being offered with a twin clutch automatic – a thoroughly up to date gearbox. Ford believes...

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News of new 2012 Infiniti LE

We don’t have the official details on the new LE all electric concept just yet, but we already have the first images from the 2012 New York Auto Show. The The new concept is called the LE Concept & previews an Infiniti version of the already very successful Nissan Leaf EV. Infiniti has yet to offer any details on the concept’s powertrain, but expect to see the same electric motor as found in the Leaf. Its total output will be somewhere in the 110 HP area, with performance numbers being kept at the same level. Compared to the current Nissan Leaf, the Infiniti version will most likely focus on delivering an improved level of luxury. These images also show that the LE Concept will look completely different on the exterior...

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BMW Group has officially launched the MINI brand in India

The BMW Group, which owns the Mini brand, has officially launched the iconic brand in India. Available as a Completely Built up Unit (CBU), the Mini will be sold in three body styles; Hatch, Convertible & Countryman. The Mini range will sport 1.6 litre petrol engines with 120bhp & 181bhp power outputs, coupled with a six speed automatic transmission. India is the 100th country in which the Mini has been launched. The range, which was showcased at the Auto Expo earlier this year, already has 100 buyers in the country. The deliveries will start from May. Speaking at the launch in Mumbai, Dr Andreas Schaaf, President, BMW Group India, said: “We have brought the world’s most exciting premium small car brand to India. The Mini is more...

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New Toyota Etios heads of South Africa

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private Ltd. (TKM) announced the export of the Toyota Etios series to South Africa. The first consignment of 247 units has already been dispatched from Ennore Port near Chennai. The export model of the Etios will be built on the same platform as the Etios & the Etios Liva. However, they will be customised to suit local requirements & only the petrol variants will be exported. The Etios series is currently manufactured in Toyota’s plant on the outskirts of Bangalore & export models will be manufactured here as well. Hiroshi Nakagawa, managing director, TKM said, “Toyota Kirloskar Motor has a come a long way since its inception in India & with the export of the Etios, we have been successful in completing...

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BMW has revealed New Facelifted X1

X1 gets a mid-cycle styling update, will be officially unveiled at the upcoming New York Auto Show. These are the first pictures of the updated BMW X1 which will be revealed at the New York Auto Show. These updates come just two and half years after its entry level SUV was first revealed in its production guise. In a move to rid the car of its black plastic cladding and provide it with a more upmarket appearance, the X1 receives a host of subtle exterior styling tweaks. Changes include the adoption of a more heavily contoured front bumper with an altered grille featuring silver slats, more pronounced sockets for the round fog lamps and a completely redesigned lower section finished with a silver accent. The headlamps retain the same familiar...

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Leaked Release Date And Details New Toyota Camry 2012

In the 2012 model year, the Toyota Camry received a redesign, well actually two redesigns. In the U.S. we saw a Camry that featured a rather un Camry like wedge front end. In Thailand, however, they received a more conventional looking Camry. Recently, a brochure leaked about the new Thailand style Camry making its way to Malaysia in June 2012. Does this necessarily mean that the newly redesigned Camry will be available in the U.S.? Not really, but it is a good sign that it may eventually make its way here. This new Camry will likely be a test mule to see how it performs in smaller markets. If it does well, it will likely make its way around the world. This “new“ Camry features a stouter looking front end that nearly resembles...

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First Look of New Vespa LX 125

The Vespa brand enjoys a history in India, as erstwhile collaborators with LML making geared scooters that were popular at one time. Like all good things however, the LML JV was dismantled in 1999, Piaggio having setting up a spanking new manufacturing unit at Baramati in 2007. Piaggios first scooter here, the LX 125 is set to launch on schedule later this month. The Vespa LX 125 is an automatic, retro looking scooter, paying tribute to the original 1946 Vespa with retro styling. It’s a compact vehicle, with plenty of rounded curves & a cute, headlamp, flanked by chrome rear view mirrors. The front apron sports a centre cowl, reminding of scooters from the past, apart from a chrome grille that houses the horn. The front apron is otherwise...

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New Ferrari Dino 246 GT will Be Launched In Paris

2012 will be a pretty busy year for Ferrari. After the F12berlinetta & the new Enzo replacement, the company will take a little break from developing V12 supercars & will focus on offering the long rumored successor for the legendary Dino instead. In the past few years, Ferrari has been up & down when asked about a new Dino, but now Ferrari sources have confirmed to us that a new Dino is currently being developed & that it will be unveiled this fall at the Paris Auto Show, with the production to follow in early 2013   as a celebration of the car’s 45th anniversary. The new Dino will be the smallest model in Ferrari’s line up & will be powered by a detuned version of the V8 engine used in the 458 Italia. This means...

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BMW has Unvieled new i8 Spider

This open top BMW i8 Spyder concept will be turned into a production variant of the petrol electric hybrid supercar in 2015.  The i8 Spyder is the third pre production version of the revolutionary supercar. It’s set for its first public airing at the Beiging motor show later this month. This concept is said to give extra clues to the production coupé, which is due to go on sale in late 2014. Of note are the solid doors, which replace the transparent sides of the previous concepts. There are other subtle differences from the two previous concepts. The kidney grille is blanked off to cut aerodynamic drag & the ‘layered surfacing’ styling treatment has evolved slightly with its open roof design, the i8 Spyder has a new, free standing...

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