Mahindra studying market for 'SUV Korando' launch in India

Kolkata: Auto maker Mahindra & Mahindra, which has launched its premium sports utility vehicle Rexton

in India, said it is still studying the market to find an appropriate time to launch SUV Korando from the

SsangYong stable.

The company had showcased its Korean subsidiary Ssangyong's two SUVs - Rexton and Korando - for the

first time in India during the Auto Expo in January 2012.


"We are working on the products. We studied market for both Korando and Rexton and decided that

Rexton has a place in Indian market at present so that was given the first priority," Mahindra & Mahindra

Chief Executive Automotive Sector P N Shah told reporters here after unveiling the Rexton for the Kolkata

market.

However, he added: "We have not shelved our plan to launch Korando in India. We are just looking for the

right opportunity."

Rexton, the first product launched by M&M from the portfolio of Korean subsidiary Ssangyong, has been

priced between Rs 18.73 lakh and Rs 20.93 lakh, ex-showroom Kolkata.

The Rexton is being manufactured and assembled at the company's Chakan plant near Pune, he said.

Shah said Rexton has already received booking for 1,500 units since its October launch and the company

plans to ramp up capacity by 500 units in order to lower waiting period.

At the time of the launch, the company had said it was aiming for a capacity of 5,000 units per annum.

Shah said Mahindra & Mahindra with its Korean subsidiary, Ssangyong Motors, has already announced

plans to invest USD 900 million on developing new platform for future models.

This investment would also support development of six new engines.

In November 2010, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) had signed a definitive agreement with Ssangyong

Motor Company to acquire 70 per cent stake in the ailing South Korean automaker at a total cost of USD

463 million (about Rs 2,105 crore).

Soon, cars that run on compressed air

London: French car giant Peugeot has unveiled new air-powered hybrid cars, which will knock 45 per cent

off fuel bills for an average motorist.

Driving the car - to be put on the road by 2016 - in towns and cities, costs could be slashed by as much as

80 per cent as the vehicle will be running on air for four-fifths of the time, company researchers say.

The system works by using a normal internal combustion engine, special hydraulics and an adapted gearbox

along with compressed air cylinders that store and release energy.

This enables it to run on petrol or air, or a combination of the two, the 'Daily Mail' reported.

Air power would be used solely for city use, automatically activated below 70 kph and available for "60 to

80 per cent of the time in city driving".

The company predicts, the cars could be achieving an average of 188 km a gallon by 2020.

The air compression system can re-use all the energy normally lost when slowing down and braking. The

motor and a pump are in the engine bay, fed by a compressed air tank underneath the car, running parallel to

the exhaust.


The revolutionary new "Hybrid Air" engine system the first to combine petrol with compressed air - is a

breakthrough for hybrid cars because expensive batteries will no longer be needed.


Cars fitted with Hybrid Air will be about 1,000 pounds cheaper to buy than current hybrid models.


Hundred elite scientists and engineers have been working on the air-powered car for more than two years, in

top-secret conditions at Peugeot's research and development centre at Velizy, just south of Paris.

The revolutionary system can be installed on any normal family car without altering its external shape or size

or reducing the boot size, provided the spare wheel is not stored there.


"We are not talking about weird and wacky machines. These are going to be in everyday cars," a spokesman

said.


Peugeot, which unveiled its prototype, envisages introducing it in smaller models first, the report said.


The car will be fitted with a sophisticated artificial brain that ensures it replenishes itself automatically so that

motorists never run the risk of running out of compressed air late at night on a deserted country road

because.


The air compresses and decompresses of its own accord as the car speeds up and slows down.

2013 Renault Fluence coming soon to India

The Fluence has always been a good looking car but its been around for a while so Renault used the Istanbul

Auto show to release it's facelifted Fluence. The biggest change is the adoption of Renaults new signature

grille that we've already seen on the Twingo, Clio and Alpine concept.

It's been neatly integrated on the Fluence and goes well with the tweaked headlamps. A new bumper neatly

incorporates LED day time running lights as well as a set of fog lamps. The side and rear profile remains

largely unchanged and we expect the India specific model will run on smaller wheels as well.

The new car gets a 1.6-litre petrol engine that pushes 115PS through a CVT auto box. The 110PS diesel

engine will continue while Renault will also offer the new diesel dCi 130 engine good for 130PS in certain

markets. The car goes on sale this month in Turkey and will follow in 55 countries, including ours, over the

course of the year.

Maruti launches refreshed WagonR in India at Rs 3.78 lakh onwards

Maruti has launched the updated Wagon R hatchback in India at a starting price of Rs 3.78 lakh ex-

Mumbai. The 2013 Wagon R has a big grille cut by a horizontal line with the upper half thinner in comparison

to the outgoing version while the lower half with the bigger air dam looks a tad aggressive, a family trait

considering the new design language from Maruti on its latest cars.

The headlamps with the blue tint from the 2012 version has been retained though.


The interiors also get a refresh with the dashboard now featuring a beige and black theme with the top of the

line Vxi trim getting beige upholstery and a USB-enabled music system while the lower end Lx and Lxi get

dual tone black and beige seats.

Mechanically, the new Wagon R remains unchanged but Maruti claims eight per cent more fuel economy

than before.

Here are the ex-Mumbai prices for all the variants of the 2013 Maruti Wagon R:

LX - Rs 3.78 lakh .

LXI- Rs 4.12 lakh .

VXI- Rs 4.39 lakh .

LXI CNG - Rs 4.69 lakh .

5 coolest set of wheels to look forward to

Bertrand D'Souza, Forbes India

1. Jaguar F-Type

Rs 50 lakh to Rs 55 lakh

This is one of those cars that come along once in a lifetime. Built to carry on the legacy of the Jaguar E-Type,

probably the most beautiful car in the world, the F-Type should create just the same tizzy over its styling. It's

got both convertible and coupé body styles and Jaguar India will release the car in India late in 2013. A

choice of three sporty petrol engines gives a range of performance options. At the entry level is a new 3.0-

litre V6 supercharged engine with 340 horses and a claimed 0-100 kmph time of 5.1 seconds. One step up

the ladder, you get 370 horses out of the same 3.0-litre engine, which is good enough to give it a 0-100

kmph blitz in 4.8 seconds.

2. New Honda CR-V

Rs 24 lakh to Rs 26 lakh

Once a much-desired SUV, the CR-V has fallen from grace due to its high sticker price and low efficiency.

When petrol is expensive, it could hope to keep ticking for only so long. 2013 will see the all new CR-V but,

more importantly, we hope it will have diesel power. This may not happen immediately, but the 2.2-litre i-

DTEC diesel will come. At present, the diesel option is offered only in Europe, but given that Honda India

has realised its survival is tough without diesel engine options, we hope the diesel CR-V too makes its

presence felt here. The 2013 CR-V comes with new styling, better interiors, improved dynamics (thanks to

an improved chassis, as well as an improved all-wheel drive).

3. Volvo V40 Cross Country

Rs 35 lakh to Rs 40 lakh

Somewhere in between a hot hatch and a Mini is the Volvo V40 Cross Country. This may conjure up

confusing images, but let us assure you that this has all the goodness of the V40 hatchback, with the comfort

and convenience of a large estate of crossover.

You get fantastic space, comfort and luxury mated to great performance. At least that's what we expect from

the T5 turbo-charged petrol. This unique 5-cylinder engine offers 254 Hp and 400 Nm of torque. Along with

all wheel drive, that comes as standard across the range, you get fantastic dynamics. But, of course, Volvo

India is well aware of the Indian connection to diesel and there will definitely be a diesel engine in the mix as

well. The Cross Country will have Volvo's full range of safety technology.


4. Audi S5

Rs 60 lakh to Rs 65 lakh


For the entry-level enthusiast who needs everyday convenience matched by weekend racer urges, there are

few cars that come close to the S4. Bigger brother S5 should then be an even more potent dose of the same

adrenaline shot. Subtle styling with minor sporty accents hide the shocking pace that lurks beneath the hood.

Flagship variant has a 4.2-litre turbocharged petrol that's good for 349 horses. But if that's too much for you,

a just-as-glorious V6 can also be had with an equally impressive performance. Interiors are sportier still, but

you can place four passengers and drive home without jarring any internal organs. With a full-time four-wheel

drive, Audi calls it 'quattro'; expect superb and confident handling.


5. Mercedez-Benz A-Class

Rs 18 lakh to Rs 20 lakh

The not-so-little hatchback from Stuttgart is a real scorcher. It looks fantastic and has one of the funkiest

interior spreads seen on a Merc till date. It will soon be available in India and we hope it is manufactured

here, which means a lot more people can finally touch the star. Its styling, unlike other Mercs, isn't deceiving

where performance is concerned. The sporty, well-toned exteriors match the engine spec, be it petrol or

diesel. Expect scintillating in-line four cylinder engines, a 1.6-litre petrol and a 1.8-litre diesel.