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Part-2 - Sedans to be launched in 2012

Though car makers have been putting in efforts to leverage on the growing opportunities in the hatchback and small cars space, the charm of the sedans don’t fail to impress. The demand for the entry level to high end and upmarket sedans are growing by the day, spurred by increasing income levels and interest amongst the Indians. Car makers are cleverly designing their cars to make the best use of the low excise duty levied on the cars measuring less than four meters. The capacity of the petrol engines are kept below 1.2 litres while the diesel engines are designed with a capacity of less than 1.5 litres. The controls help in keeping the prices under check, with an excise duty of 10% as compared to longer cars which are burdened with an excise duty of a whooping 22%. 2012 is witnessing the emergence of a new class of CS or compact sedans and SUVs. Let’s take a look at some of the likely trailblazers for the year.

bullet Fiat Linea (Facelift)

Not to be left behind in the race for launching upgraded versions of successful car models to woo buyers, Fiat plans to launch a facelifted version of its car, the Linea, in 2012. Linea, launched initially in January 2009, is likely to feature new front and rear bumpers, new head and tail lamps, new front fender and also a new boot lid. The company also plans to upgrade the interiors. In spite of improving on the car and launching a fully loaded T-Jet variant, Linea failed to attract a good response, selling only 947 units in January 2011, which was its best recorded performance. The car was launched in India a day before the 11th Auto Expo started.

It is speculated that Fiat will mildly tune its 1.3 litre multijet engine to give a displacement of 1,248 cc. Fiat expects to storm the car market with the facelifted version of the Linea.

bullet Ford Fiesta Sedan (Automatic)

Ford India plans to launch a new automatic version of Ford Fiesta in both petrol and diesel variants. The new car is described as a fun-to-drive car with a well trimmed, luxurious cabin, sporty driving, a lively engine and excellent fuel economy apart from being a value-for-money sedan. The 2012 Fiesta will be available in three trim levels, S, SE and SEL. While the Fiesta S will be the entry level sedan, the SE will provide with metallic cabin accents, power windows and door locks along with a CD player. The Fiesta SEL will be the high end version with LED parking lights, a rear spoiler, painted wheels, a premium music system, ambient lighting and an efficient navigation system. Safety features of the car include stability and traction control, ABS, front seat side airbags and side curtain airbags and driver knee airbag amongst others.

The new Fiesta will be powered by a 1.6 litre inline-4 which generates 120 hp and a maximum torque of 112 pound feet. The engine is mated to a five-speed manual transmission or a six speed automatic transmission system. The car can sprint from 0-60 mph in 9.5 seconds and contributes to a fuel economy of an astounding 29 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highways. Opting for the SFE package takes up the highway fuel efficiency to 40 mpg. The new car is expected to be priced at about Rs50,000 to Rs75,000 above the manual version.

bullet Hindustan Ambassador CS (New)

Hindustan Ambassador is one of the compact sedans which will be debuting in 2012, heating up the competition for Tata Indigo e-CS. The new Ambassador is likely to be based on the Morris Oxford III model. The refreshed Amby forms a part of the effort of Hindustan Motors (HML) to desperately reclaim its lost position from what it had been known earlier as, The King of the Indian roads, after hitting its all time low of selling only 5,510 units in Apr-Dec 2011.

HML has taken up the expectation of the people, claiming that the car has been designed with lots of space, aggressive looks, great performance and ground clearance. The car will feature a new look with straight lines and an aerodynamic bonnet, wrap-around headlamps like that featured in the Suzuki Swift. The safety of the car will be enhanced with an anti-lock braking system and aluminium alloy wheels. The interiors will also be upgraded and will feature leather seats.

bullet Honda City (Facelift)

Honda has launched its sixth generation 2012 Honda City in India, with a killer price tag starting at Rs6.99 lakhs. Honda City is one of the most successful and desirable sedans in India, rated in the first position in the JD Power Initial Quality Survey in the mid sized car segment. The car will be available in four variants, Corporate, E, S and V, out of which the V variant will feature a sunroof and automatic transmission. The much awaited facelifted Honda City features an upgraded electric sunroof, chrome plated front grille, updated front bumper, 10-spoke alloy wheels and turn indicators on the rear-view mirrors. The car also features cruise control and a sunroof in the top end variants. The safety of the car has been ensured with dual front SRS airbags, ABS and EDB along with Brake Assist.

The revamped Honda City will be powered by the same 1.5 liter iVTEC petrol engine as in the outgoing model, producing a peak power of 118 PS at 6,600 RPM and a peak torque of 146 Nm at 4,800 RPM. The car will contribute to a fuel efficiency of 16.81 kmpl as per the ARAI certified mileage.

bullet Honda Civic (Next Gen)

Honda plans to unveil its 2012 Civic sedan and coupe at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The scant details provided by Honda reveals that the new Honda Civic features a new integrated spoiler and a third brake light which helps to maintain the aerodynamics of the car at higher speeds. One however cannot expect the same design to be released as the sketch revealed by the company is just a teaser sketch, revealing just the styling direction. Honda has mostly retained the good looking exteriors of the car it replaces, making slight changes. Honda claims that the new version of the car has outstanding looks. The car is expected to be launched in India in Mid 2012 or in 2013.

The new Civic offers a wide range of engine options though Honda has refrained from giving more details. One could however expect a conventional petrol, a hybrid and an alternative fuel powered car. The new Europe Spec Civic is 10mm wider and 20 mm lower than the earlier version, sporting a 1.4 litre i-VTEC engine which produces 100 PS and a maximum torque of 127 Nm. The 1.8 litre iVTEC version can develop a power of 142 PS and torque of 174 Nm. The 2.2 litre i-DTEC diesel version produces 50 PS and 350 Nm of torque.

» Read more Articles On Fiat Linea
» Read more Articles On Honda Civic