Honda launches Brio variants with more features

Honda has launched a refreshed variant of the Honda Brio hatchback with more features added to it. It has also revamped its variants line up to six variants, but which now has only one automatic variant from two earlier.

Following customer feedback, Honda has now taken a couple of features that were available in the newly launched Honda Amaze and added it to the Brio hatchback. This includes a rear defogger and a height adjustable driver’s seat in the top-end variant that is now called the Honda Brio VX-MT / VX-AT variant (the latter being the only available automatic now).

Honda Brio E-MT:  Rs. 4.12 lakh

Honda Brio EX MT (new variant): Rs. 4.28 lakh

Honda Brio S MT: Rs. 4.60 lakh

Honda Brio V MT: Rs. 5.06 lakh

Honda Brio VX MT (new variant): Rs. 5.34 lakh

Honda Brio VX AT (added features): Rs. 6.12 lakh

Bentley Continental GT Speed introduced

Bentley has been consistently making fast four seater luxury cars for a while now and the Continental GT Speed is their latest avatar of a seriously fast four-seater luxury lounge. 

Now available in India, the new Bentley Continental GT Speed is powered by a 6.0 litre twin turbo charged W12 engine that generates 625PS of power and 800Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a close ratio eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox for savage acceleration and impeccable cruising ability. 

The end result is 0-100 km/h in 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 325 km/h for the latest sporty four-seater Bentley. 

Bentley also states that the new Continental GT Speed is also 13 per cent more fuel efficient than its predecessor.

The chassis of the Continental GT has been tuned for the ‘Speed’ spec and the suspension lowered to reduce body roll around corners at speeds. The luxury super car also gets 21 inch wheels along with a darkened grille and front bumper intakes.  

Next-gen Honda CR-V to launch on February 12 (Price 28 Lakh)

After launching the new generation CR-V in the UK in November 2012, Honda has announced the SUV will launch in India on February 12, 2013. The improved 2013 CR-V will be shorter and more refined. Prices are expected to be around Rs 28 lakh. For the UK, there is an oil-burner option but for India, the CR-V will debut only as a petrol version. For the first time, the CR-V will be available with both two- and four-wheel drive options.

The new CR-V has a more aerodynamic stance and lower coefficient of drag, a more raked and aggressive front end along with unchanged rear and signature tail lights.

It’s more spacious on the inside, with a 589-litre boot that goes up to 1648 litres with the rear seats folded flat. It will feature improved NVH levels, whiplash protection system and a number of new features 

Fiat Punto Sports Launching Tomorrow

Fiat India will launch the Punto 90 HP Sports version on May 18^th, 2012. The Punto 90 HP Sports will likely be offered only in the top-end Emotion variant and may be priced Rs. 30,000 (approx.) more than the regular Punto (75 Bhp) diesel Emotion variant which is priced at Rs. 6.84 lakh.

The Punto 90 HP Sport version is expected to come with cosmetic changes like chrome accented interiors, chrome exhaust tip, specially stitched gear knob,  gear lever cover, color coded ORVMs, door sills with ‘Punto’ letters embossed and ‘Sport’ branded body decals. The 90 HP Sports version will likely be made available in three colors namely, bossa nova white, exotica red and hip hop black.

Punto Sports at Auto Expo 2012
The Punto 90 HP Sports version will be powered by a 1.3-litre Multijet diesel motor that puts out 91.7 Bhp (93 PS) of power and 209 Nm of torque unlike the ordinary Punto which is powered by a 1.3-litre Multijet diesel motor that puts out 74.9 Bhp (76 PS) of power and 197 Nm of torque.
Performance wise, the Punto 90 HP offers more power on tap but still exhibits a turbo lag below 2,000 rpm and hence to keep the engine in the power band, frequent gear shifts are needed in city driving conditions.
Out on the highway, the Punto 90 HP performs better than the Punto (75 Bhp) as it accelerates faster to reach three digit speeds and it also has a better power-to-weight ratio, improving the mileage a little. The claimed mileage of the Punto 90 HP is 20.5 Kmpl which is slightly better than the claimed mileage of Punto which is 20.3 Kmpl.
Fiat launched the Punto 90 HP in the year 2010 and the car attracted a few enthusiasts who wanted more power and torque on the Punto diesel to fully exploit its handling characteristics.  In 2012, Fiat gave a minor cosmetic facelift and launched the 2012 Punto. And now, Fiat is gearing up to launch the Punto 90 HP Sports edition on May 18^th with cosmetic upgrades, targeting enthusiasts who are looking for powerful diesel hatchbacks.

Mercedes Benz M Class

Mercedes-Benz India has launched the new 2012 M-Class SUV priced at Rs. 56.9 lakh for the ML350 CDI variant and Rs. 66 lakh for the limited AMG edition. The M-Class will be made available to customers from July 2012 onwards, while the limited edition, of which only 100 will be made, is on sale now.

The new M-Class looks clean, sharper and more elegant than its predecessor. The new M-Class is 23 mm longer and 15 mm wider than the outgoing model. The interiors of the new M-Class have many changes such as redesigned AC vents, new central console layout and refreshed instrument cluster.

The ML350 is powered by a 3-litre, six-cylinder, common-rail diesel motor that puts out 258 Bhp of power and 619 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a 7-gtronic (7-speed) automatic transmission. The new ML 350 can accelerate from 0 – 100 Kmph in 7.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 224 Kmph.

The new M-Class comes with a long list of standard equipment such as ECO start/stop function, reversing camera, active parking assist, airmatic suspension, tail lights featuring LED fiber-optic technology, attention assist feature, memory seats, thermotronic auto climate control, media interface,  electric parking brake and electric sliding sunroof. The airmatic suspension has an auto leveling feature which keeps the vehicle at the same level no matter what load it is carrying. It also allows the driver to select various comfort settings of the suspension.

The M-Class features an all-wheel drive system with selectable low-range gearbox as well for challenging off-road conditions. It can handle tarmac and testing off-road conditions with equal ease. The M-Class will face stiff competition from the segment leader, Audi Q7 and the BMW X5.

Nissan Murano Launching Soon

The Japan based auto manufacturer, Nissan is planning to launch its latest mid-size SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle), Nissan Murano in Indian market. Nissan might launch this SUV by 2012. With the launch of Nissan Murano, Nissan intends to tap into the potential offered by the growing SUV market of India. The Nissan Murano price falls in the range of Rs 35,00,000 

This stylish mid-size crossover SUV, Nissan Murano, was unveiled in December 2002 and thereafter it was reworked a number of times to make it up-to-date. The second generation of the Nissan Murano launched in the  year 2007 and was available for sale in the year 2008. The company launched a new version in 2009 and in 2010 as well. The company had introduced its first crossover Nissan Murano in US and Canada with a 3.5 litre, DOHC, V6 petrol engine that is still being sold with some upgradation. On the other hand, the mid-size SUV - Nissan Murano - is available with both petrol and diesel engine in the UK. In India, the petrol 3.5 litre engine is highly expected.

The Nissan Murano is equipped with 3.5L, 24-valve, SOHC, V6, petrol engine. Its powerful powerplant produces 252 bhp power at 6000 rpm and churns out top torque value of 334 Nm at 4400 rpm with the help of Continuously variable transmission (CVT). The compact SUV offers fastest acceleration in  its segment and enables it to go from 0-100 kmph in just 8.0 seconds and achieve the top speed mark of 210 kmph. Nissan Murano is a front wheel drive (FWD) vehicle which is also available with four wheel drive as an option.

Nissan Murano is a sporty vehicle with stylish exterior that is bound to attract the youth. The two-tone beige interior with colour coded wood makes its interior one of the best SUV interior in its segment. Other standard features that are available with Nissan Murano includes power windows, speed sensitive electronically powered steering, BOSE Audio system with 11 speakers, 20 inch alloy wheels, ABS (Antilock Braking System) with EBD, electronic stability control, airbags (which includes dual front, front side and side curtain), Bi-Xenon headlights, leather seats, dual-zone surround automatic climate control and many more things.

The five door mid-size SUV Nissan Murano is internationally available with eye-catching exterior and interior design job that give it a very special look. The exterior of the car is made distinctive with new styled front fascia and stunning rear design. The nose of the compact SUV possesses designer chrome slats along with Nissan logo that rest on the honeycomb grille. The Bi-Xenon headlights of the car create fantastic image of the overall frontal look; the headlights share the slot of front grille, very few cars have this type of headlight placing. The front fog lamps are positioned in 3D like cluster in round shape while the lower air intake sits between the fog lamps. The ORVMS are in body colour while the door handles are in chrome finish. The rear side gets funky LED tail lights and new design rear windshield along with rear defogger. The Nissan Murano comes with chrome tipped twin exhaust placed at the each ends of the lower side. Rear fog lamps, high stop lamp, reflectors, rear spoiler are other safety features.

The Nissan Murano comes dressed with elegant and first grade interior features. Leather seats and steering wheel plus ample illumination turn it into a luxury hotel's suite; the cabin seems more appealing with modern designed dashboard entities. The dashboard of the car comes integrated with funky instrument panel that is backlighted with various dazzling illumination. In centre dash, there are audio and AC controls set in distinguish style with chrome touch.

The Nissan Murano is equipped with four spoke powered steering wheel that has got mounted audio, bluetooth, and cruise controls with some illumination. The front and rear windows are powered while the both front seats are power adjustable with memory adjustment. Apart from that, there are other interior features that include interior mood lighting, 12 volt DC power outlets, auxiliary audio input jack, front seat back pockets, wood tone trim, etc.

Interior Comfort

The compact SUV Nissan Murano is believed to be introduced here with most comfortable seat rows and features. The driver seat of the car is 6 way manual adjustable with lumber support while the passenger seat is 4 way adjustable; all the seats are heated. The rear seat is 60:40 split fold-flat with automatic fold down and up feature, reclining rear seats with centre armrest. The front centre console comes with armrest.

The leather wrapped four spoke multi-functional steering wheel provides the driver several facilities including controlling audio system, activating cruise control and operating mobile phone with bluetooth options. You can also enjoy your selected music tracks with advanced audio system that is comprised of 11 speakers. Added to this, there is dual zone climate control system that offers the desired temperature inside the cabin.

Volkswagon Golf Expected Launch in June 2012

There are a good number of engines and trims of the popular Volkswagen Golf world over, but in India the most anticipated variant is Volkswagen Golf GTD. This model of the Golf is powered by a 2.0 litre, TDI powertrain that churns out a top power of 170 hp at 4,200 rpm and a peak torque of 350 Nm between 1,750 and 2,500 rpm. The hatchback comes with standard  six speed manual transmission while you can opt for an automatic 6 speed gearbox as well. The stylish four wheeler covers 0-100 kmph in just 8.1 seconds, you can speed up to 220 kmph.

The exterior of the upcoming Volkswagen Golf is fitted with sound designing job that creates a magical effect on onlookers. The front nose has got adjustable halogen headlamps that has been incorporated with turn indicators and day time running lamps. The headlamp cluster are attached with radiator grille and bold Volkswagen logo at the centre. The slats get chrome inserts which give it a sophisticated appearance. The lower air intake sports honeycomb design in black treatment. The lower grille cluster is mingled with fog lamp cluster; it has unique designed vertically stacked clear and bright fog lamps. The Volkswagen Golf comes with body colour ORVMs integrated with turn indicators to provide clear vision to the trailing cars. Added to this, the door handles are also wrapped in body colour. The rear side of the Volkswagen Golf carries elegant and sporty image contributed by wider tail lamps, high stop brake light mounted on rear spoiler, soft and advanced hatch gate and chrome tipped twin exhaust system.

From the interior side the dashboard of Volkswagen Golf is more adventurous and is equipped with the latest hi-tech equipments; it includes bluetooth connectivity, digi­tal radio and compatibility with MP3 music players and wireless gadgets. The instrument cluster comes in twin dials and a multi-functional computer screen that displays important car running data such as fuel consumption, mileage, speed, estimated distance to refuelling, etc. Apart from that, the Volkswagen Golf comes with several comfort and convenience features that include driver seat adjustment, front seat centre armrest with storage, power steering with mounted audio and cruise control, AC, music system with four speakers, etc.

The much-awaited Volkswagen beauty - Volkswagen Golf - is reported to debut in India with the latest safety provisions. The car comes with whiplash-optimised front headrests, airbags, ABS with EBD, front fog lamps, day time running lights, Electronic stabilization programme (ESP), parking sensors, etc.