Mahindra and Ssangyong combinedly developing a crossover for India

Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) is working hard on a new addition to its product portfolio, and in doing so, the company has tied up with Ssangyong. The combined project is termed as S102, which will be the first ever vehicle to be launched based on Mahindra and Ssangyong joint platform.

The S102 is basically based on Ssngyong's Korean product X100 platform. While the crossover is expected to arrive by late 2015 or the beginning of 2016. It will compete against the successfully running Ford Ecosport in India. Also it may affect the high demand running for SUV like Renault Duster in the local market.

Interestingly, the new S102 crossover could come with a 1.0-liter turbocharged petrol motor, which is again developed jointly by both auto companies. Commenting on the powertrain development Dr. Goenka, Excutive Director & President- Automotive & Farm Equipment Sector, said, “ We are jointly developing an engine family comprising of six different engines, but the big one is the new product based on X100 platform. I think people, begin to see the value of it and that will only grow.” He also added saying that the process of developing the engine will take place in India and Korea.

Hyundai Grand i10 Sedan spied ahead of its launch

Hyundai Grand i10 sedan, just a few days away from its much anticipated Indian debut, was spied as a test mule. It has been caught testing several times on the Indian roads and as clearly visible, Hyundai is not leaving any stone unturned to make it a completely refined vehicle with performance level at its best.

 In the images, one can easily witness the VTVT badge, darkened B-Pillar and an indicator bulb above the wheel. While the interiors of Grand i10 hatchback are retained in this new sedan including the dashboard and seats. Rumors are also doing the round that Hyundai may also introduce an automatic variant of this sedan with the company's traditional 4-speed automatic transmission, which is already doing duties to its younger sibling, Grand i10 hatchback.

The company would offer the Grand i10 sedan with the same 1.2-liter Kappa VTVT engine; thus retaining the engine because of its decent performance in the Grand i10 hatchback. Most probably, Hyundai will incorporate its conventional five-speed manual gearbox with the engine due to its cost-effectiveness. The Grand i10 sedan is speculated to be making its debut just before the inception of the 2014 Indian Auto Expo, most favorably on Feb 4, 2014.

EXCLUSIVE: Mercedes-Benz to launch the GLA during festive season

Mercedes-Benz has announced it will launch 10 new products in India this year and it has already brought in its flagship model, the new S-Class in the first week of 2014. The other nine products include mostly AMG, however the biggest launch of the year for the German manufacturer will be the GLA, which will be the compact SUV. The CLA is likely to get pushed to 2015 as Mercedes-Benz might focus more on the GLA than the CLA.

The GLA is slated to be launched during the festive season around September-October and this will be the new volume seller for Mercedes-Benz. The X1 and the Q3 were the game changers for BMW and Audi as they increased the volumes for both of them. The GLA is believed to do the same for Mercedes-Benz too. This is one reason, why the company is focusing on introducing the GLA and the CLA launch might just get pushed.

The GLA will come with a petrol and diesel engine option. The petrol will be a 1.6-litre turbo petrol that will produce between 122-156bhp of power. The diesel will be a 2.2-litre that will churn between 109bhp to 136bhp. We aren’t sure of which all engines will be available, but mostly the 4MATIC (all-wheel drive) could be skipped for the Indian market. These engines will come mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Numerous driving assistance systems offer support in the GLA and reduce the driver's workload. Standard-fit features for the SUV include ATTENTION ASSIST drowsiness detection and radar-based COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST with adaptive Brake Assist, which now helps to protect against collisions from a speed of only 7 km/h.

This feature combines with DISTRONIC PLUS (€1023.40) to become COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS. This incorporates an additional function: when a danger of collision persists and the driver fails to respond, the system is able to carry out autonomous braking at speeds of up to 200 km/h, thereby reducing the severity of collisions with slower or stopping vehicles. The system also brakes in response to stationary vehicles at a speed of up to 30 km/h, and is able to prevent rear-end collisions at speeds of up to 20 km/h.

Celerio and iV-4 SUV concept to be Maruti's Show-stopper at 2014 Auto Expo

Like other carmakers, India's largest car manufacturer, Maruti Suzuki is also doing its final preparations for the 2014 Delhi Motor Show. With its new technology and cars, the company aims to make a strong impression on the visitors at the Pan-India event. The Indo-Japanese brand will unveil a couple of exciting products and facelifts of their existing models. One of the most anticipated car of the year is Maruti's new compact hatch, Celerio, which will replace the A-Star and Estilo in the market. This model will have its world premiere at the 2014 Indian Auto Expo and it will replace the Alto worldwide.

The Celerio gets the same 1.0-litre K-Series petrol engine that also does duty in the Alto K10 and the A-Star. This model will be made available in two transmission options- a five-speed manual and an automated manual gearbox. The Celerio will be the first car in the Indian car market to feature automated manual transmission, which will remove the clutch pedal from the car. It offers an automatic transmission feel to driver and is reportedly 5 per cent more fuel efficient than the regular manual version. Driver can shift the gears either sequentially or fully automatically. It is expected to cost little higher than the regular manual car, however the hatchback will be cheaper than the automatic version.

At the 2012 Auto Show, Maruti showcased the XA Alpha compact SUV concept, however the production version of the SUV is not ready to be unveiled this year's event. Interestingly, the company won't disappoint the visitors as it will present a larger concept, iV-4, which was recently unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Additionally, the company could also unveil the SX4 replacement, Swift and Dzire facelift at the 2014 Indian Auto Expo.

Ford Classic sedan to get cheaper

After witnessing an increase in demand for sub-4 metre and entry level sedans, Ford India launched the Classic entry-level model in the country. However, the company is still selling both the Fiesta and Classic, which has opened a space to bring in the new Fiesta facelift in the market. According to some media reports, Ford Classic will soon get a significant price reduction to counter the increasing competition in the popular entry-level sedan segment. The prices are expected to be reduced by around Rs. 70,000 to 1 lakh, which make its starting price about Rs. 5 lakh.

Maruti Swift Dzire and Honda Amaze are currently dominating the entry-level sedan segment, while Ford Classic and Chevrolet Sail only contributed to a limited extent. Moreover, the carmakers like Hyundai and Tata Motors will also introduce their compact sedans in the market in near future, which will add more fuel to this competition. If reports to be believed, Nissan India could also launch the price cut version of Sunny sedan, as the company is planning to introduce the facelifted Sunny at the Auto Show.

Ford Classic is just the re-badged old Fiesta, which was launched way back in 2005. Currently, it is the oldest sedan in its league sold in the market. It is being offered in both petrol and diesel guise. While the petrol model gets the 1.6-litre DuraTec engine that develops 101bhp and 146Nm of torque, the diesel version is powered by a 1.4-litre TDCi engine producing 68bhp and 160Nm of torque.

It is expected that the new prices for the Classic will come into effect by the end of this month. However, it is still unclear what other changes the sedan will get. We expect it to be priced around Rs. 5 lakh for the entry level petrol model, while the diesel model is likely to be tagged around Rs. 6 lakh.