A common question that is always on the minds of automobile lovers of India pertains to the new cars that are going to come out into the market. To answer this query that most of our readers have, we at Indian Drives bring to you some of the best cars that will beautify Indian roads in the year 2012.
Fiat Punto EVO:
Fiat has provided its latest Punto with a lot of design upgrades. The new variant has been named the Fiat Punto EVO and is being provided with an updated front bumper having integrated fog lamps, a redesigned front grille as well as minor changes to its headlamps. The rear bumper has also been redesigned with its tail lights being tweaked as well. The EVO launched in Europe has been given a latest dashboard though it has to be seen whether the variant in India is going to be provided with the same. A small increment in prices across all its models seems likely.
Force MPV:
Force Motors had recently launched the Force One, its premier passenger vehicle. The company is now following up the same by launching its latest MPV. Force has in fact adopted the Viano from Mercedes Benz and will be manufacturing the same under its name after having taken a license from the original makers. The Force MPV has been essentially targeted for people having large families and will have the capacity to seat 8 passengers. It will retain the same engine that the Mercedes Benz has been using in the Viano and it will offer a peak power of 139Bhp. Though the prices have not yet been disclosed by the Company, it is expected to be priced in the range of Rs.10 lacs to Rs.15 lacs.
Chevrolet Sail Hatchback:
The Indian market has always given positive reception to small cars. This serious potential that small cars hold in the Indian market has made design the Chevrolet Sail that indeed has the capacity to dominate on the sales perspective. The Chevrolet Sail has been blessed with striking looks from every angle that it is observed from. It is likely to come down on the cost factor as it shares a lot of components with the Chevrolet saloon. Indians could be able to own a Chevrolet brand by paying as less as Rs.4 lacs, in which its base edition is being priced.
New BMW 3 series:
The 3 series is going to be the biggest launch for BMW in the year 2012. The sales in the Indian market for this car will commence once the company has adequate availability of the right-hand-drive variants of this vehicle. This is expected to happen sometime in mid 2012. The latest 3 series has been made wider and longer and strongly resembles the 5 series vehicles. This increase in dimension has given the vehicle a more spacious cabin, something which has been a major problem for the present version. The engines are going to be tweaked for better power and efficiency. With plans of BMW of setting up its engine plant here in India, it can be expected that the pricing of the 3-series is going to come down significantly in the future.
New Maruti Swift Dzire:
The success story that Maruti has experienced with its Swift Dzire, designed exclusively for the Indian markets, is something that has caused envy among a lot of car makers. The latest Dzire being planned has all the potential to surpass the success achieved by its present version, as it comes armed with Rs.30,000 reductions in price. The car could be reduced due to the benefits that the car is getting for trimming its length to below the four meter mark. Though the design of the new car looks even more attractive, the boot space has been significantly affected by the trimming of the car length. The car is going to share similar engines with the latest Swift.
Mahindra-SsangYong Rexton II:
Mahindra’s acquisition of the South Korean manufacturing company SsangYong seems to be working well from them with another SUV, the Rexton II, following the Korando into the Indian market. This SUV has been blessed with adequate seating capacity to comfortably seat 7 passengers. Its diesel engine works with desired efficiency to offer a peak power of 161Bhp. The car retains an old-school chassis which curbs the excitement of driving this car but its impressive ground clearance and its all-wheel driving feature enables the SUV to display efficient capabilities off the road. The car is also being assembled in India thereby it can give the bigger brand names like Toyota Fortuner stiff competition, in terms of pricing. The vehicle is expected in the range between Rs. 19 lakh and Rs.21 lakh.
New Honda Civic:
The latest Honda Civic is out in the market and is expected to be launched in India in the middle of 2012. The vehicle has toned its lines down and is therefore going to find a wider appeal among customers. However, its interiors still retain the radical features. The instrument console has been split into two levels. The latest Civic is expected to come with an updated variant of its 1.8L SOHC I-4 engine, which has been improved to provide further refinement, improvement in efficiency and performance as well as reduction in emissions. The vehicle will achieve a maximum power of around 140Bhp. Though, a diesel variant is also being planned, it does not have much chance of coming to India before the end of 2013. The car is also expected to surprise its customers with quite an aggressive pricing strategy.
Ford Fiesta hatchback:
The market has been showing huge interest on the latest Fiesta hatchback. With its growing interest in the Indian market, Ford has finally taken the decision of making the Fiesta hatchback available for its customers in this country. Though the hatchback is being promoted in the premium segment, the success of the hatchback will depend upon its pricing to a great extent. The vehicle might not get the desired market response in India if it is priced anything more than the Rs.6.5 lacs mark.
Chevrolet Captiva:
The Captiva is the most versatile SUV from Chevrolet. This vehicle has been provided with an impressive new rendition. The new Captiva now sports more of a family look with its new split grille and the twin barrel headlamps. Clear lens provided on the tail lamps have completed the process of makeover. The car, which has the capacity to seat 7 passengers, has seen its interiors also get a lot of revision. There has been an enhancement as far as the engine goes with the old 2 liter engine being replaced by a newer 2.2L diesel engine. This has seen the maximum power of the vehicle increase to 184Bhp from the 148Bhp that the present car delivers. It is expected that the prices are going to be revised with an increase of approximately Rs.1 lacs.
Mahindra Verito:
The Mahindra Verito has also chopped off its boot section substantially to join the growing brigade of sub-4m cars but this design change is working well. The interiors are spacious, the build is solid and the diesel engine has a proven track record. All this combine to make this car a great small car. It is going to be priced below Rs.5 lacs, which will further enhance its appeal.
Conclusion:
The Indian auto market has definitely the potential to accommodate all the top models that are coming up in the modern times. This has also been realized by most car manufacturers across the globe and they are all bringing in the latest variants from their stables into this market. Though, this article has been restricted to 20 cars that are going to have a major impact on Indian roads in 2012, we are going to see a lot more cars actually making either their debut in this market or come up with updated variants. The best forum is being provided at the beginning of the year itself with the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo to be held in January.
