We Bring You The Dope On All The Latest Are In The News
INDIAN DÉBUT OF MERCEDES SLK 350
Giving the roadster trend in the country another dimension, Mercedes-Benz India launched the SLK 350 Blue Effi ciency recently. It closely resembles the SLS AMG and the SL class in terms of looks and styling. The new SLK adds to the luxury car portfolio of the company in India. The car comes with a 3.5-litre petrol V6 mill and churns out 310 PS of power and 370 Nm of torque. Apart from its stunning looks, another very interesting feature of the car is its ‘Magic Sky Control’ panoramic vario-roof. The new SLK 350 has been priced at Rs 61.9 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi).
NEW TATA VISTA
Tata Motors launched a new version of the Vista hatchback. The car comes with a new front chrome grille and triple barrelled headlamps and a new ‘summer sparkle’ colour, among other features. The other major addition is the clutch-to-start feature which ensures that one cannot crank the engine unless the clutch is fully depressed, thus there is no risk of re-crank if the engine is on. The car has been priced starting from Rs. 3.88 lakh for the Safi re petrol range and from Rs 4.79 lakh for the Quadrajet diesel range (ex-showroom, New Delhi).
VW LAUNCH ALL-NEW DIESEL JETTA
German auto major Volkswagen launched an all-New Jetta two-litre in the diesel version with the price starting at Rs 13.85 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai) on August 17. The New Jetta will be available in four variants: Trendline, Comfortline and Highline manual and DSG gearbox. It is equipped with a four-cylinder, TDi engine with a six-speed gearbox in both the manual and automatic transmission models.
AUDI Q5 2.0 TDI QUATTRO BUSINESS EDITION
Working towards offering a budget-bound Audi Q5, Audi India recently announced the launch of a Business Edition of their popular SUV, the Q5 2.0 TDI quattro. The engine offers 170 PS of peak power and 350 Nm of maximum torque and comes with a seven-speed automatic S tronic transmission. The car comes equipped with 17” alloys, day-time running LEDs, rear park assist and Audi media interface among other features. This cheaper Q5 will be brought to India as a CKD and will be priced at Rs 35.13 lakh (ex-showroom, Maharashtra). The car will be available at Audi showrooms from next month onwards.
ALL-NEW MARUTI SWIFT
Maruti Suzuki have launched the much-awaited new Swift in India. The petrol version still features the 1.2-litre K-series engine, but now with VVT (variable valve timing), which, they claim, will improve fuel-effi ciency and performance. The diesel iteration has the proven 1.3-litre DDis motor and, according to the company, it is six per cent more fuel-efficient.
The hatchback is OBD-2-compliant in respect of both the engines and is available in Blazing Red, Silky Silver, Glistening Grey, Arctic White, Torque Blue and Midnight Black. The new Swift has been priced between Rs 4.3 lakh and Rs 5.6 lakh (petrol) and Rs 5.2-Rs 6.4 (diesel, including the ZDi version).
NEW HONDA JAZZ LAUNCHED
When the company slashed the prices of their premium hatchback drastically, the Indian car market was taken by surprise and this new revamped avatar of the car adds to the buzz. Not a lot has been done to the engine, but the new Jazz looks like its elder siblings with a new front grille, a more aerodynamic front bumper, new headlamps and fog lamps, 15” alloys and a new rear bumper. The cabin now gets a dual tone interior and the most eye-catching feature in the new Jazz are its reclining rear seats, which are sure to set a benchmark in terms of comfort and luxury in the hatchback segment. The 1.2-litre i-VTEC petrol mill of the car has been armed with programmed fuel injection and the company promises better fuel economy. The new Jazz has been priced very competitively in the Rs 5.5-6.06 lakh range (ex-showroom, New Delhi).
ENTER THE NEW X3
BMW India launched the latest generation of their X3 recently at a lavish function held at Bavaria Motors, the company’s dealership in Pune. The SUV now has a more contemporary look and an eight-speed auto box along with a bigger 3.0-litre diesel motor. The company has retained the 2.0-litre diesel. However, this engine has undergone a few changes and now produces more power and torque. The ex-showroom price for the entire country start at Rs 41.2 lakh for the 2.0-litre diesel and Rs 47.9 lakh for the 3.0-litre diesel.
