car lovers, the last few years have been quite fruitful, with almost every make of all cars available off the shelf. The year 2011 seems to equally full of more bounties as there is much more to come.One of the best-known names in the four-wheel drive vehicles is Land Rover. With Tatas having acquired Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), the company has started assembling the Land Rover Freelander 2 in India. This move has dropped the price by more than Rs 6 lakh and the price of the Freelander 2 will be now around Rs 28 lakh. Seems affordable, considering that its competition Ford Endeavour and Toyata Fortuner are priced as low as Rs 20 lakh. The Land Rover will outclass both these cars in fit and finish, luxury trim and possibly performance. Land Rover’s slogan “The best 4 by 4 by far!” is not an exaggeration. It has a 2.2-litre diesel engine that pumps out 160 bhp. The Freelander can also be termed a compact SUV.
Also in the compact SUV category is the Mitsubishi RVR. It is being referred to as the Mini Outlander. It will have an 1800-cc turbo-charged diesel engine. The price will approximately at Rs 15 lakh. It is expected to launched in mid 2011.
Mitsubishi will also bring in the Pajero Sport. The Pajero, thanks to its numerous Paris-Dakar wins, enjoys a rock-solid reputation and will be available with either a 2.5-litre diesel or 3.2-litre diesel engine. Its price is about Rs 20 lakh. It is expected any day.
Renault will introduce the Koleos. It is also a compact SUV and a cross-over car (whatever that means). The Koleos has stunning good looks, a 2.0-litre diesel engine that pumps out 150 bhp. The price is about Rs 20 lakh. If Renault gets its service and spare parts up to the mark, the Koleos could put the likes of the Endeavour, Honda CRV, Fortuner and Sante Fe on the backfoot.
Renault’s re-entry into India will be spearheaded by the Fluence. It is beautiful looking car. I can’t make up my mind as to who makes the most beautiful cars, the French or the Italians. May be drinking wine has something to do with it!
The interior of the Fluence is ultra-lux. The bush-telegraphs says that the rear seats are the most comfortable in this class. That means a cut above the Toyota Corolla, Honda City and the Skodas.
The price is also right, at just below Rs 14 lakh. The engine is from the Logan but has been tweaked up to provide 105 bhp from the 1500-cc common rail turbo engine. This car is expected in the first quarter of 2011.
Volvo is coming with another bullet-proof offering, the XC 60. Again it’s a compact SUV. It has 4x4 drive and is a capable off-roader. As usual, car lovers can expect Swedish build, safety, style and longevity, plus, off course, plush interiors. It has a 2400-cc diesel engine that gives a 202 bhp output. The price is between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 40 lakh depending on the model. This, too, is expected soon.
Nissan will introduce the NV 200. It’s a mini-van that can seat up to eight passengers. It will also come as a commercial vehicle. The engine is the K9K engine from Nissan, which also did duty in the Logan. Nissan and Renault are partners in manufacturing and a lot of bits and pieces are shared. The NV 200 is, however, a JV with Ashok Leyland. The 1.5-litre engine puts out 85 bhp. The price ranges between Rs 8 lakh to Rs 12 lakh.
The Venture is a funky-looking offering from Tata Motors. The car is quite good looking and is a compact multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). It seats up to eight passengers. It also comes loaded with fitments such as power windows, power steering, rear wiper, side-impact beams and keyless entry.
With a price tag of Rs 3 lakh, it will compete with the Maruti Ecco, which is a smidgen below Rs 3 lakh. It is a five-seater and has none of the luxuries that the Venture boasts off. The engine in the Venture is a 1400-cc diesel and gives out 71 bhp.
Another winner from Tata could be the Aria. It’s a compact SUV that will be available in 2-wheel as well as 4-wheel drive options. It will have disc brakes at the rear, a first for Tata. The 2.2-litre Dicor engine from the Safari will be under the bonnet putting out 140 bhp. Given the Tata brands loyalty, the Aria may put a dent in the sales of Innova and Captiva. It may be on the roads by the time you read this. The price ranges from Rs 12 lakh to Rs 14 lakh.
Mahindra will launch yet another compact SUV, the Mini-Xylo. The 2.5-CRDe engine from the Xylo has been downsized to 1.5-litre CRDe by cutting out one cylinder, making it a three-cylinder engine. As such no technical details are available. The price will be below Rs 5 lakh. It is expected by mid 2011.
These are just a few of the new entries on the Indian roads. Since not all manufacturers reveal their plans for new releases, so there will be some surprises.
The Kizashi from Maruti could elevate India’s largest automaker to even greater heights. The Kizashi, made in Japan, is a luxury sedan. Something, Maruti does not have in its stable at present. Since it will be a CBU offering, the price will be in the Rs 16 lakh plus range. Will it sell at that price? It is a good-looking vehicle with luxurious interiors. There is plenty of space and excellent fit and finish. It will have at 2.4-litre petrol engine putting out 185 bhp. That is a lot of grunt so the Kizashi would be a good performer.
One of the best buys released last year was the Nissan Micra. It had a host of luxury items and safety features, which previously were found only in expensive cars. To get a strong foothold in the market, Nissan has fired the imagination of the Indian buyer. The Nissan Micra will now be available with a diesel engine. It is the same engine that was in the Logan, the 1.5- litre dCI. The engine has proved itself and there is no doubt that the Micra is a super little car. The diesel engine is quite fuel-efficient and should make a delightful combination in the Micra. The price ranges from Rs 4.50 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. It can be launched any day.
Since the price of petrol just went up by about Rs 3! The electric car Reva can have its day in the sun. A joint venture between Mahindra and Reva, has led to the Reva NXR. It is a good-looking, three-door hatchback, seats four and will do 80 km on a single charge of the battery and will do 80 km/ph. With a more expensive battery, it will have a range of 160 km and a top speed of about 100 km/ph. The batteries are lithium ion and the cost of the Reva NXR will range from Rs 3.50 lakh to Rs 4.50
lakh.
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Techie tips
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Quite a helpful driving aid is the Global Positioning System (GPS). It lets you know where you are at any time anywhere. A lot of expensive cars offer this as standard equipment. It is easily available in the market and an asset if you are travelling on the highway or finding your way in the new city.
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Door visors are another helpful item. It is a plastic awning that fits above the car window. It allows the glass to be lowered 4-5 cm without allowing prying hands to reach inside. It also does not allow rainwater to enter into the cabin. Most important, with the car parked in the sun, the windows can be left lowered to allow the heated air to escape. The cabin temperature will be cooler.
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