2012 Paris Motor Show Archives

July 12, 2013

BMW shares a glimpse of its upcoming 1-series GT MPV

The Concept Active Tourer outdoor revealed by BMW surely gives an idea about BMW’s future cars offering front wheel drive. This concept will form the basis of the forth coming series called BMW 1 series GT MPV. There will be more than 20 such cars with BMW and Mini brands offering a front wheel drive. This is the beginning of a new future for BMW.

The initial BMW Concept Active Tourer was unveiled at the 2012 Paris Motor Show which was held on 29th September 2012. The event highlighted all new technology from BMW. The car was carefully designed with respect to its dimension so that it could fit into the compact luxury car segment. It offered ultimate style and comfort. The car was equipped with eDrive technology which was a new element introduced by BMW. The interior of the concept car was spacious and exotic, perfectly complementing the High Reflection Silver coloured exterior. Now this concept has been taken one step ahead with the Concept Active Tourer Outdoor. It is pretty much on the same lines as that of CAT but is definitely sportier when it comes to its looks. This altogether new concept will soon be seen as the BMW 1- series GT MPV. As of now, it is expected that this new GT will be launched somewhere in the year 2015.

Although the pictures have been revealed, BMW will be officially unveiling this new concept, CAT Outdoor, at a German Outdoor Pursuits show. This event will focus on exhibiting BMW’s ideology, which is defined as “fresh route to combining sporting aesthetics and style with compact dimensions and functionality”

BMW says that the car is offering ample amount interior space and has a variable rear compartment that makes it perfect for everyday use. It even houses a stand for carrying sports utilities. The car has an enlarged tail gate with a wide aperture. The boot has a bicycle stand which is foldable. This avoids unnecessary consumption of space. The centre console on the inside is “floating” in the front row. This improves the leg room in the front row seats. The fabric used to cover up the interiors is supreme and has been contrasted with leather coverings on the boot floor.

The car is equipped with a 3 cylinder transverse engine having a fuel capacity of 1.5 litres. This concept car also has a plug – in electric motor which may or may not be a part of the production car. If mounted, this electric motor will use a lithium ion battery. The turbo charged engine along with electric motor are capable of producing a power of 188 bhp. BMW also says that the CAT will complete its transition form 0 kmph to 100 kmph in a span of less than 8 seconds.

A note worthy feature is the ECO PRO mode of the car. This mode reduces the energy consumption by air conditioning and also by other equipments in the car that rely on electricity. It also displays various driving tips which further add to the efficiency of the car. This Pro Active Driving Assistant along with navigation system guides the driver to choose a route that offers least traffic and is therefore more fuel efficient.

The car will be available in 2 models – 5-seater and 7-seater. The pictures which have been revealed are of the 5-seater model. Since the car will be utilizing transversely mounted engines, the interiors will be very spacious and will spare the car of a typical minivan look.

BMW is all set to unveil this new concept car painted in Gold Orange at the Outdoor Friedrichshafen Fair which will be held tomorrow, 12th July 2013.

October 1, 2012

Volvo V40 Cross Country To Enter India By March 2013

Volvo Cars, the Swedish car manufacturer possessed by China based Geely Corporation, has announced that the introduction of the new Volvo V40 Cross Countryin the Indian market would happen by March next year (2013).

Based on the standard V40 five-door hatchback, the new Volvo V40 Cross Country is said toboast a 2.0-litre D3 diesel engine.

In addition, the vehicle will beplaced in the premium crossover sectionwith the aim tostrengthen the competition with sectionheads comprising BMW X1 and Mercedes B-class.

Presently exhibited at the continuing 2012 Paris Motor Show, the next gen V40 Cross Country symbolizeslarger ground clearance for increasing the off-road drivability. Furthermore, the crossover wears an athlete postureleading from the furnishing of innovative bumpers, side sills with contrast inserts and defensive body panes. The strongcharmassured with greaterrecital is appropriate for Volvo entry in the country’s entry level section, which is projected to be valued at around Rs 30 lakh.

To be launchedthe Indian market in the form of completely built units (CBU), new Volvo V40 Cross Country is expected to possess a 163bhp 2.0-litre D3 diesel powertrain coupled with six pacemechanicalgear case. Costs and engine specs have not been formallydisclosed by the Swedish car maker.

While the automanufacturer is internationallyapplauded for its concern for security, its latest model for the country’s automobile market will be fitted outwith Collision Alert, Pedestrian Airbag Technology, Bending Xenon Headlamps, standard airbags, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, ESP, traction control, Pedestrian finding with complete Auto Brake and City security system.

September 29, 2012

Facelifted Chevrolet Beat uncovered at the 2012 Paris Motor Show

Chevrolet has uncovered a facelifted edition of the Spark at the 2012 Paris Motor Show that is marketed in the Indian market as the Chevrolet Beat, even though with small modifications to maintain the price of the car down.

The said model has already been introduced in the United Statesmarket where it hits markets with a superior set of engines.

As per previous reports, the company has made alterations to the front frame, modified the front bumper and the headlights, which currently boast a chrome border. At the rear side, there are innovativetail lamps and a high-mounted brake light in the back spoiler to put in novelty feature.

The 2013 Spark also obtains latest 15 inch alloy wheels in the European market.

From the inner side, the American car manufacturer has maintainedthe majority of the characteristics from the preceding model but has re-designed the centre cabinet and modernized the trim. The European spec Spark will continue to be catered by the 1.0-litre 65bhp in addition to a 1.2-litre 80bhp petrol engine. In the Indian market, the Chevrolet Beat is also presented with a 1.0-litre diesel engine.

As per reports, the Spark is fabricatedlocally for some European zones, it is secure to state that Chevrolet will launch the facelifted model (as the 2013 Beat obviously) in the Indian market after its European introduction.

We expect the latest facelift Chevrolet Beat to be launched in the Indian market by 2012 end or early 2013.

September 26, 2012

Skoda to showcase 2013 Rapid at Paris Motor Show

Skoda Auto will use the 2012 Paris Motor Show to showcase its wholly new designed 2013 Rapid, which will start hitting European showrooms from the end of October this year.

The Skoda Rapid offers a number of practical solutions. For example, there is an ice scraper integrated in the fuel filler flap, which provides the ice scraper with a fixed space in the car. The list of other practical solutions includes the practical holder under the driver’s seat for the warning vest and the reversible floor covering in the boot. In Europen countries, the engine line-up includes two diesel and four petrol aggregates. Five especially efficient GreenTec versions will also be available from launch.

When it comes to safety, the Rapid boasts comprehensive active as well as passive safety equipment. It has ESC (Electronic Stability Control), which is standard in a number of EU countries.

Winfried Vahland, chief executive of Skoda, expressed hope that the Rapid would emerge one of best selling models of the company.

Speaking on the topic, Vahland said, “The SKODA Rapid is SKODA’s new class and it has a central importance for our 2018 growth strategy. We think that in the years ahead, the Rapid will become our largest volume model after the Octavia.”

This year, Skoda Rapid is enjoying rapid sales. From January to August, deliveries to customers have increased by 8.5 per cent to hit a new record of more than 633,300.

The 2012 Paris Motor Show will start on September 29 and run through October 14.

September 25, 2012

Mercedes-Benz to unveil limited version S-Class Sport and E-Class Sport near Diwali

The Indian division of Mercedes-Benz, the German automobile maker, has revealed its intention to reveal its two latest limited version luxury cars comprising S-Class Sport and E-Class Sport, near the forth coming Diwali celebrations during October-November this year.

Amidst much ostentation and festivity, Mercedes-Benz rolled out its B-Class Sports Tourer on 18th September 2012. 3,000 pre-orders had already been received by the company before the launch. After being humbled by the wonderful reaction, Mercedes-Benz India is eyeing to make the most of the widespread fervid opinions of the domestic purchasers.

The specs and personal details of the yet-to-be rolled out special version vehicles are limitedat the present time, but given the ‘Sport’ suffix, the freshcomers are likely to bag the crowds of both luxury and sporty vehicle fans. The forth coming models are trusted to boast a related AMG Sports package, like the one set up in the Mercedes-Benz C-Class AMG Performance Special version that was launched in the India during June this year.

The forth coming vehicles from the company’s stables, the E-Class Sport and S-Class Sport are projected to encompass all the innovative trimmings of alluring sports cars, like better driving bio engineering, delicate interiors together withlively exterior design arches and flaring lines.

As per reports, the German premium car manufacturer is functioning towards the introduction of a revampededition of S-Class at the forthcoming 2012 Paris Motor Show that will start from September 29-October 14, 2012.

The car’s spy picshit the web and from a first look and the novel S-Class car looked stupefying.

May 1, 2012

2013 Renault Clio teased

Renault has been reported working on its fourth generation hatch, the Clio. There have been spy images of the entry-level hatch in the past, but for the first time the French automaker has released teaser image of the Clio.

The image was showcased to a group of shareholders at the company’s annual meeting. Though the images were not intended to leave the room, the teaser images are now doing rounds on the web.

We cannot translate the entire styling from the teaser image, but for starters, the next-gen Clio’s rear door handles will be integrated into the C-pillar. This gives the five-door hatch a three-door appearance, suggesting that there is no three-door Clio in the future lineup.

Renault has announced an official debut of the fourth-gen Clio at the 2012 Paris Motor show, while the French automaker’s product manager, Béatrice Foucher gave away few insights of the fourth-generation hatch at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.

According to which, the new product will resemble a more ‘emotional’ design that is inspired largely from the DeZir concept showcased at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. The fourth-gen Clio will appear in a sporty guise, growing broader and riding lower. Moreover, Foucher confirmed that the Clio will appear as a five-door hatch only as there is marginal sales in comparison of the three-door version.

In terms of power, the fourth-gen Clio will sport new three and four-cylinder motors. Foucher went on to declare that Renaultsport version is also in works, which will feature a downsized turbocharged engine. There is no word on the interiors yet, but coming as a sporty hatch, the Clio will offer more in terms of ergonomics and drivability.

In India, Renault has the Pulse hatch, Fluence sedan and Koleos SUV in its portfolio. The Duster compact SUV is also expecting a lunch in India by mid 2012 and Clio is one of the hottest products that could be launched under the Indian portfolio. We speculate a 2013 scheduled launch of the Clio, while the fourth-gen model may follow soon.

April 28, 2012

Refurbished Audi Q5 going to be launched at the Paris Auto show this year

Audi is about to reintroduce the Q5 with a bit of mid-life makeover at its launch in the forthcoming Paris Motor Show later this year. It seems that it has gone really well beneath the surface as well as it doing well on the engine upgrades. The engine of Q5 SUV has an enhanced performance and thus an enhanced efficiency. The entry-level SUV model from the luxury car manufacturer Audi comes fitted with a 2.0-litre TDI engine that pumps out 4 BHP of power in comparison to its previous models. The other variant of Q5 with a V6 TDi engine has a little 1 bhp upgrade in power, but it gives out a massive 8 kgm of torque more than its predecessor while the acceleration is much improved as well.

Just in case you think that this is just too much then you should check out the 2.0-litre TFSI engine that got changes in its Valve control and in their stroke with an improved thermal management. Provision of a returning fuel injection system that has a turbocharger where the cylinder faces the integration of the exhaust manifold has been included. All of these improved the efficiency of the engine and thus the strength has gone up by 10 bhp to 221 bhp.

On the designing part of the exterior the SUV has received refreshed bumpers, fresh headlights, front bumper and revamped grille has chrome surround for the fog-lamps. A new restyled diffuser for air has found its path beneath the new pipes for exhaust and the rear bumper. The side cladding in black that previously ran along the car’s edges is gone out from this refreshed SUV. Audi has its Q3 launch right at the corner with the refurbished A4 and the Q5 arriving towards the end of the year.