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 Surendhar M in Cars NewsOn December 27, 2020, 9:29 am

5 New Hyundai Creta/Kia Seltos Rival Launching In India – Details

The mid-size SUV segment will be crowded over the next 18 to 20 months with new models from
Maruti Suzuki, Toyota, VW, Skoda & Honda

The arrival of Kia Seltos last year has really opened eyes for many manufacturers as the true
potential of the mid-size SUV was clearly witnessed. The Hyundai Creta set the tone by
regularly averaging more than 10,000 unit sales monthly and the scenario did not change for
long until the Seltos arrived to turn the tables around in its favour.

The segment has got really tightened up in recent years as more carmakers are trying to grab a
pie and over the next couple of years Skoda, Ford, Mahindra, Volkswagen, Honda, Maruti
Suzuki, Toyota, and Jeep are waiting to enter the fray. Here we have listed the slew of upcoming
7 mid-size SUVs:

1. Honda HR-V

With the Civic and CR-V being discontinued in India recently, the City is now the flagship
Honda offering in the country. However, a recent report suggests that Honda is readying its HR-
V for an Indian launch, and the car’s debut will take place by the end of next year. The
upcoming next-gen Honda HR-V is all set to be revealed soon, and spy shots suggest that it will
be based on Honda’s latest global design language.
We expect the SUV to come equipped with an upmarket cabin with a large touchscreen
infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, connectivity based
technologies, improved safety features etc over the outgoing model. The car could also be
offered with the same powertrains as the City.

2 . Maruti-Toyota SUV

The partnership between Suzuki and Toyota has indeed been flourishing since 2017. The first
product spawned out of the tie up was the rebadged Baleno, christened the Toyota Glanza and it
will be followed by the badge-engineered version of the Vitara Brezza, likely to be named the
Urban Cruiser.

Rendering
Both the brands are using each other’s strengths to their advantage and electrification is a key
part of their relationship as well. A range of new vehicles are said to be in the pipeline including
the Vitara Brezza’s Global C platform based mid-size SUV.

It will likely debut sometime in 2022 and during the same year a Toyota version pertaining to
the brand’s taste could arrive. Unlike the rebadged models, both the mid-size SUV will have
their own unique characteristics with a highly distinguishable exterior.

3. MG ZS Petrol

MG Motor revealed a petrol-powered version of the ZS SUV at this year’s Auto Expo, which
until now has only been offered as a fully-electric vehicle in the country. So far, the electric car
has received a positive feedback in India, and MG feels that introducing an ICE version of the
SUV will further increase its popularity.

The foreign-spec ZS petrol comes with different motors – a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated VTi
engine, as well as a 1.3-litre turbocharged unit. The former makes 118 hp power, along with 150
Nm torque, while the latter generates 161 hp of max power and 230 Nm of peak torque. The
transmission duties on the ZS petrol will likely be taken care of by a 6-speed manual gearbox, as
well as an optional automatic.
4. VW Taigun

While the Skoda Vision IN based mid-size SUV is expected to arrive in early 2021, the Taigun
won’t be far away either as it will likely launch within a few months of the Skoda model’s
debut. It will have plenty in common with the Vision IN based production SUV including the
powertrain, mechanicals and interior bits.

Likely to be priced between Rs. 9.99 lakh and Rs. 16 lakh (ex-showroom), it will locks with a
number of mid-size SUVs including the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos. The interior will be
packed with upmarket features and the trademark fit and finish of Volkswagen could make a big
difference compared to its rivals.

5. Skoda Vision IN

Skoda Auto India’s first assault sticking by the India 2.0 project is a mid-size SUV. Based on
the Vision IN concept showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo, the production model will likely have
resemblances to the Kamiq in design. It will be heavily localised to be positioned competitively
against Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Tata Harrier and Nissan Kicks.

Underpinned by the MQB A0 IN platform, the five-seater will spawn a cousin in the form of
Volkswagen Taigun. It will be powered by a small capacity turbocharged petrol engine at least
initially and expect the features list to boast wireless charger, digital instrumentation, HUD, a
large touchscreen with the connected interface and so on.

 Sahil Kukreja in BMWCars NewsOn December 28, 2020, 8:30 pm

BMW Working On Electrifying 20% Of Its Lineup By 2023 – Report

BMW wants roughly every fifth car it sells to be powered by an electric powertrain by
the year 2023, as against the 8% that it currently sells
German luxury carmaker BMW is reportedly working on electrifying at least 20% of its
portfolio by the year 2023. The manufacturer is planning to increase the production of electric
vehicles, told Oliver Zipse, CEO, BMW to German daily Augsburger Allgemeine.

“We are significantly increasing the number of electric vehicles. Between 2021 and 2023, we
will build a quarter of a million more electric cars than originally planned”, Zipse told the
newspaper’s Monday edition. The carmaker wants every fifth car it sells to be powered by an
electric engine by 2023, as against the 8% that it currently manages to sell.

Zipse also reiterated the company’s aim to speed up the expansion of charging infrastructure. In
order to have a seamless transition to electric mobility, 15,000 private and about 1,300 public
charging points would have to be put into operation every week as of today, the manager
calculates. However, he confirms that the company is a long way from that.

As of now, BMW retails no fully electric car in the Indian market. Instead, the Bavarian luxury
automaker is working on launching the 3 Series Gran Limousine in India next month, which is
basically the long-wheelbase version of the 3 Series sedan. Talking about the upcoming new
model, it will have a 2961 mm long wheelbase, which is 110 mm longer than the standard
model.

In addition, the 3 Series Gran Limousine will also be 120 mm longer than the regular 3 Series,
and also slightly taller. The longer wheelbase results in extra 43 mm of legroom for the rear
passengers, while the larger rear doors make getting in and out easier. The rear seat comfort has
also been improved, with better cushioning and bolstering.

No changes are expected to be made in the powertrain department, and the long-wheelbase
version will likely carry over the same 2.0-litre turbo petrol and diesel engines. The former puts
out 258 PS and 400 Nm, while the oil burner is rated at 193 PS/400 Nm. If it isn’t too obvious
by now, the long-wheelbase version of the 3 Series will be priced higher than the regular sedan,
which is currently priced between Rs 42.30 – 49.30 lakh (ex-showroom).
 
 
 

 Surendhar M in Cars NewsTeslaOn December 28, 2020, 7:51 pm

Tesla Entry Into India In 2021 Confirmed By Union Minister Nitin Gadkari
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The bookings for the Tesla Model 3 will resume next year and sales operations will be
carried out by the brand itself
The speculations surrounding the India debut of the American auto major Tesla only escalated
when the brand’s least expensive Model 3 bookings began a few years ago across the globe.
Moreover, Elon Musk has often hinted at Tesla’s intention to enter a lucrative market like India
a number of times mainly on his Twitter handle whilst answering to questions.

Tesla even considered setting up a gigafactory in India in the past but plans did not come into
fruition due to political and economic reasons. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has confirmed the
entry of Tesla in 2021. The most valuable automaker in the world will commence its sales
operations in the country next year and stepping into local assembly depends on apparent
factors.

If the electric range of Tesla is well received amongst buyers initially, Tesla will consider
locally manufacturing its products according to the Road Transport and Highways Minister. The
reservations for Tesla models will begin in India in January 2021 while the deliveries are
scheduled for the end of the first quarter of next financial year.

While the sales operations will be dealt directly by the company in its modern digital standards,
it will be interesting to see how its strategy evolves. The name Tesla is already popular locally
and people are aware of its global status. There is no fully blown electric carmaker in the
country yet and it will play into the hands of the customers in the premium end of the spectrum.

As expected, the Model 3 is the first one to be made available and it could be priced around Rs.
55 lakh to Rs. 60 lakh as it will fall in the luxury category against the German trio considering
the price bracket. Tesla had preliminary meetings with the government of Karnataka a few
months ago as it has intentions to establish a Research & Development centre.

The lack of charging infrastructure and India definitely lacking the governmental push for
electrification, do you think Tesla could make a breakthrough? If so, we could be on for a deep
rooted revolution or unwind into a zero progress Twitter hope.

 
 
 

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