Sign Up   |   Welcome Guest  |  Login  
Home » Articles
Carazoo on Facebook
Carazoo on twitter
SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend

Car Articles

Read articles on cars and car industry. Get fully updated on all information related to cars. Read exciting happening in the Indian and Global Car industry, tips to help you and more...


Latest Articles
More Old Articles
Rate This Page

Part-3 - 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 Hyundai Sonata (Next Gen)

Hyundai plans to launch its most awaited next generation Sonata, based on the design of the Mercedes CLS. The new Sonata is expected to be available with advanced wireless monitoring system, linked to a monitoring centre. Hyundai unveiled the new Sonata at the 2012 Auto Expo, to be held between 7th and 11th January 2012 in New Delhi. It is also possible that the car will be completely made and developed in India itself, to keep the price of the new fluidic style car highly competitive. The new Sonata Sedan is expected to be priced about Rs. 18 lakhs and to be pitted against the Honda Accord, Skoda Superb and Volkswagen Passat in the Indian market.

bullet Hyundai Elantra (Next Gen)

The next generation Elantra is expected to be launched in January 2012, priced at about Rs11 to Rs14 lakhs. The new Elantra will be the second car to wear the sharp cuts and prominent lines which are characteristic of Hyundai. The car, to be assembled at the Chennai facility of the company, gets a distinctive appearance with a bold hexaganonal grille and sharply styled head and tail lamps.

The new Elantra offers choices of a petrol or diesel engine. The 1.8 litre four-cylinder petrol engine comes with 148 PS, mated either to a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic gearbox with manual over-ride, dubbed Shiftronic. The 1.6 litre CRDi diesel engine has a power of 120 PS. The car comes with a high level of comfort features including Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS), eco-driving guide system, climate control, Bluetooth connectivity, reverse parking sensors, ABS, traction control, EBD and six airbags amongst others. The new Elantra will be pitted against the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla Altis, Chevrolet Cruze and Skoda Laura.

bullet Jaguar XF (Facelift)

2012 will see refreshed models of the XF and XFR sedans of Jaguar, which debuted in the world premiere at the New York Auto Show. The 2012 XF sports a new hood, grille and fenders in the front. The car has larger lamps at the tail with LED lamps at the trimmed trunk lid. The car sports a completely new look with stylish bumpers and alloy wheels. The interiors have been refreshed with an enhanced panel of instruments and the Bowers ’ Wilkins exclusive sound system.

The new Jaguar XF features a supercharged 470 HP 5.0 liter V8 engine with a power of 385 HP. The other engine option of 5.0 litre V8 engine is naturally aspirated. The XF can reach a speed of 60 mph in 8 seconds, achieving a maximum speed of 225 km. The car emits CO2 of 149 kgm and is Stage V Euro emission norms compliant.

bullet Maruti Suzuki Dzire CS (Next Gen)

Maruti plans to follow the launch of the new Swift with the next generation Dzire on the same platform. The new car will be under four meters length and will be a compact sedan, to take advantage of the tax breaks for smaller sedans.

The new Maruti Dzire will feature a K Series petrol engine with 84 bhp. The VVT technology will provide lower end grunt. The diesel DDIS multi-jet engine from Fiat will have a power of 84 bhp, which could be fitted with Variable Geometry turbine (VGT) for extra 15 HP in the high-end variants along with the Fixed Geometry Turbo (FGT). The engine will be mated to a 5-speed manual transmission system. The new Dzire is expected to give out a mileage of 18.5 kmpl.

bullet Mahindra Verito (Next Gen)

Mahindra & Mahindra (M’M) plans to launch the next generation Mahindra Logan CS under the name of Mahindra Verito CS apart from three other cars in an effort to expand its portfolio. The car, to be priced at Rs. 4 lakhs and above, will be the CS version of the car with a compact boot and a smaller engine. The Verito CS will be the most inexpensive SUV in its class, proving to be a major competitor for the Premier Rio when launched at the Auto Expo, 2012. M’M plans to launch two new versions of the car by the end of the fiscal.

The new Verito will be powered by a 3-cylinder 1.5 litre diesel engine which delivers a power of 70-75 PS. M’M plans to introduce a new SUV and a smaller version of the car in the sub-four meter category shortly.

bullet Mercedes Benz S-Class (Next Gen)

The 2012 next-generation S Class Mercedes Benz is expected to be a landmark in design technology with its futuristic features, inspiring the cars to be launched and continuing the history of the longest running sedan of the company.

The New car, full of luxury features and plush interiors, will be available in both short and long wheelbase versions and will be powered by a range of V6, V8 and V12 powerplants, both naturally aspirated and turbocharged. The company uses the F700 to preview its new active pre-scan suspension, which is a technology which adjusts the suspension according to the road ahead. The SERVO-HMI or Human Machine Interface provides a virtual operating assistant which will interact actively with the driver. The most fuel efficient version of the car, the S300 Bluetec Hybrid, is powered by a four-cylinder hybrid drivetrain which produces 224 hp and a maximum torque of 560 Nm. The car has a fuel efficiency of 44 mpg and has low CO2 emissions, making it a green vehicle.

» Read more Articles On Mercedes Benz India