All-new Mercedes-Benz SL coming to India by mid-2012

The all-new, 2012 Mercedes-Benz SL is going to be an awesome sports car...

‘Lightweight, athletic, luxurious.’ Yes, that is what Mercedes-Benz say the 2012 SL-Class will be, and we’re quite inclined to believe them. Weight reduction has been a major design brief for Merc’s new top-of-the-range sports car and the new SL is about 140 kilos lighter than the current model. It gets a new bodyshell made of aluminium, which Mercedes claim makes for agile, sporty handling. Plus, there’s a range of new BlueDIRECT engines powering the new SL500 and SL350, which will not only be more powerful than the older engines, but also up to 29% more economical.

Mercedes-Benz are expected to have the new SL range on display at the upcoming Auto Expo in New Delhi, in January 2012. The new SL-Class cars are likely to be launched in India by mid-2012 and given Mercedes-Benz’s association with Buddh International Circuit, we wouldn’t be surprised if the India launch of the new SL happens at the Greater Noida circuit.

Honda to launch new Fireblade in India in 2012

The new Fireblade will be in Honda showrooms in India, in 2012

Earlier this week, Honda released the first official photographs and details of the new, 2012-spec CBR1000RR Fireblade, the company’s high-performance litre-class superbike that’s widely regarded as one of the best sportsbikes in the business. The current Fireblade, which was launched in India a few years ago and which was priced at around Rs 12.50 lakh (ex-showroom), will be phased out and will be replaced with the 2012 model early next year.

HMSI will showcase the new CBR1000RR Fireblade at the Auto Expo in Delhi, in January next year. The bike, which celebrates 20 years of the Fireblade – the first one was launched back in 1992 – builds on the original model’s strengths, taking performance to even higher levels. The new Fireblade features revised, sharper styling, new suspension components, lighter wheels, retuned fuel-injection system, uprated brakes and a revised four-cylinder engine that now pumps out a phenomenal 175 horsepower and 112Nm of torque. On a bike that weighs 199 kilos, those power and torque numbers translate into near-unbelievable performance on the street.

‘The new Fireblade allows all supersports bike lovers, including the most experienced, to savour the joy of owning a CBR1000RR. The bike feels sportier than ever before and is a joy to ride, whether on winding roads or at a circuit,’ says Hirofumi Fukunaga, Large Project Leader for the 2012 CBR1000RR. And that may well be the truth. Among other things, the new Fireblade features completely revised, fully adjustable suspension for vastly improved high-speed handling. There’s the 43mm inverted ‘big piston’ telescopic forks at the front and double-tube rear suspension at the back, which Honda claims offers improved damping, increased tyre grip and better stability under braking.

Apart from more power and better handling, the new CBR1000RR is also safer – it features the latest anti-lock brakes (ABS), which allow the rider to brake very hard even on wet, slippery surfaces without the fear of locking up the wheels. And then there’s an electronic steering damper, which offers the best of both worlds – light, responsive steering at low speeds, combined with perfect stability at very high speeds. Honda engineers have also paid special attention to usability – there is no dearth of power with litre-class superbikes, but making all that power usable is where the challenge is. And Honda’s Programmed Dual Sequential Fuel Injection system (PGM-DSFI), which has been optimised for smooth, linear power delivery at low speeds, makes sure that things never get out of hand on this lightweight, hugely powerful motorcycle.

We expect HMSI to showcase the new Fireblade at the Auto Expo in Delhi, in January next year, and the bike should be available in Honda showrooms in India shortly thereafter, at a price of about Rs 13-14 lakh. Yes, that’s a lot of money and, yes, this is a very powerful, very high-performance superbike that’s not meant for novice riders. But for those who know and love big, fast bikes – and have the financial wherewithal to be able to afford one – the new Fireblade will be the must-have garage accessory in 2012.

McLaren Automotive comes to Asia, could be in India by 2013-14

Heart set on getting a McLaren supercar? Soon, soon...

McLaren Automotive, the UK-based company responsible for the greatest supercar of all time – the McLaren F1, which was launched in the 1990s – has now announced plans to enter the Asia-Pacific region, and we’re sure India will be an important part of their future plans. The company’s wholly owned subsidiary, McLaren Automotive Asia Pte Ltd., will be based in Singapore.

‘2011 is a landmark year for McLaren. This is an exciting new chapter in our history, and success in the Asia Pacific region is vital to our ambitions,’ says Ron Dennis, Executive Chairman, McLaren Automotive and McLaren Group. The group currently has just one car in its lineup – the MP4-12C – a modern, lightweight and high-tech supercar that is not afraid of taking on any Ferrari, Lamborghini or Porsche. McLaren Automotive Asia Pte Ltd., which will be responsible for all of McLaren’s operations in Asia, will handle the import and distribution of the company’s cars and will also take care of functions like logistics, marketing and technical support.

There is a small, but rapidly growing, niche for high-performance sports cars and supercars in India. Established European marques already have a presence here and companies like Ferrari and Porsche have gone on record saying that they anticipate strong growth in the Indian market in the mid- to long-term future. Things may be a bit more tough for a small company like McLaren, which is certainly not as well known as a lot of the bigger European brands. ‘Future expansion in Asia is anticipated, but will be conservative and strategic, aimed at supporting excellent returns for retail partners,’ says a release from McLaren. The company makes it clear that it will first set up and expand operations in more affluent markets like Singapore and China, and a foray into the Indian market might only happen by 2013-14.

‘For our new automotive business, the Asia-Pacific region shows huge potential – both economically and demographically. GDP annual growth rates are expected to outperform all other global regions, whilst the growth in numbers of high net worth individuals in the region is world-leading, especially as that growth is driven by younger entrepreneurs who are keen to invest in luxury products – sports and cars are of huge interest, putting McLaren front of mind,’ says Ron Dennis.

It might take a year or two, but with McLaren having set up base in Singapore, we believe they will be India sooner rather than later. So if you have your heart – and bank account – set on owning a MP4-12C, you could fully expect to walk into a McLaren showroom in Delhi or Mumbai sometime in the near future and fulfil your need for speed.

Skoda Citigo coming to India in 2012

Skoda's new small car, the Citigo will be launched in India in 2012

Skoda has released the first official photographs of its brand-new small car, the Citigo, which will be launched in Europe early next year. A five-door version of the Citigo will also be launched in India in 2012. ‘The Citigo is one of the pillars of our growth strategy. It paves the way for tremendous opportunities in a new segment,’ says Skoda Board Chairman, Dr H C Winfried Vahland. ‘Despite its small size, it offers ample interior space and is agile and frugal. Put simply, the car offers all of Skoda’s values in a compact package and fits perfectly with our aims,’ he adds.

The Citigo will be positioned at a notch below the Fabia hatchback and is likely to be priced at around Rs four lakh in India. ‘The demand for small cars with low fuel consumption, at a favourable price and with reasonable operating costs, is growing. The Citigo is a reaction to this trend,’ says Dr Vahland. According to Skoda, the Citigo has been engineered to provide ample space for four occupants and while its prime focus is urban travel, the car will be powerful and comfortable enough for longer journeys as well.

Skoda says the Citigo is a ‘clever’ small car, with interiors that make life comfortable for its owner. Inside the car, Skoda has provided numerous storage compartments, a portable and easy-to-use navigation system, Bluetooth compatibility and an integrated, high-quality entertainment system. And with multiple airbags and a new, laser sensor-based brake assistance system that activates automatically when it detects an impending collision, the Citigo has also been engineered to be a very safe car.

The Citigo will be fitted with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that, depending on state of tune, produces 60-75 horsepower. The engine, mated to a five-speed manual transmission, has been designed for optimum efficiency and can deliver as much as 28km/l in terms of fuel economy – something that small car buyers in India will definitely appreciate. In terms of performance too, the Citigo is no slouch – it’s capable of accelerating from zero to 100km/h in about 13 seconds and can hit a top speed of 160km/h.

With a host of Asian and European car manufacturers launching new small cars in India, the competition for the Skoda Citigo will definitely be tough but going by the car’s specs, it seems it has what it will take to be successful in a demanding market like ours.

Repowering transport sector will be a major challenge

Smaller, smarter and more efficient vehicles are the future of transport...

According to ‘Repowering Transport,’ a new report recently released by the World Economic Forum, countries seeking to reduce oil dependency as well as emissions of their transport sector must support the development, distribution and adoption of new technologies through a structured policy approach, public-private partnerships, risk hedging and collaborative financing.

As things stand today, global transportation and fossil fuels (petrol, diesel) are inextricably linked. More than 60% of the 87 million barrels of oil consumed every day power the world’s transportation system. And if you’re wondering whether the Toyota Prius and its ilk have made a significant difference, get this – liquid fossil fuels account for more than 96% of the current energy supply to the transport sector.

The ‘Repowering Transport’ report estimates that an annual investment of about US$400 billion would be required to achieve just 25% penetration of alternative energy sources (electricity, biofuels, CNG/LPG) from 2010 to 2030, and reduce total oil consumption in the world’s transport sector by 0.5% per year. However, even though that’s a massive sum of money, it’s still relatively moderate compared to the US$740 billion needed every year in global oil subsidies and maintaining status quo in the worldwide transport sector.

According to the Repowering Transport report, lack of financing for ‘green’ transportation is not because capital isn’t available. Instead, it’s because of the uncertainty prevalent in the regulatory environment and the challenges in risk assessment in this area. To deal with this, the report proposes a two-pronged policy approach to achieve energy diversification – establish and impose fuel taxes and carbon fees, and set progressively higher fuel efficiency performance standards.

While India hasn’t made any significant efforts to reduce its transportation sector’s dependence on oil, countries like China and Brazil have taken strong steps in this area. China has pledged a US$15 billion investment in electric vehicles, coupled with a tight-knit collaboration between government and private enterprise, aiming to put 5-10 million electric vehicles on the road by 2020. Brazil, on the other hand, has been promoting the use of biofuel, which today powers a fifth of the country’s entire transportation system. It’s time India also sat up and took notice of these initiatives. We need to figure out, as soon as possible, what steps we need to take in the short- to mid-term future.

‘The report finds that oil will continue to be the dominant fuel for transportation over the next 20 years but innovative partnerships among business, government, academia and civil society marks are accelerating technology development of alternative sources,’ says John Moavenzadeh, Head of Mobility Industries at the World Economic Forum. Countries like Canada, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the US have started work in a big way towards forging these partnerships and making them work. We, here in India, need to make sure we don’t get left behind.

Ford to boost capacity, invest US$72 million in Chennai

The new Ford Fiesta, which will be launched in India later this year...

Ford Motor Company has recently announced that it will invest US$72 million towards expanding its powertrain facility in Chennai, to further support its sales and export growth plans in India. When the expansion programme is completed in mid-2012, Ford’s engine plant will have a production capacity of 330,000 units per year, up from the current 250,000 units capacity.

‘This investment reinforces the importance of our Chennai plant and Ford's continued expansion in India. This expansion will allow us to provide more technologically advanced and fuel-efficient engines to our customers in India and in markets around the world where we export Chennai-built vehicles,’ says Michael Boneham, President and MD, Ford India. ‘The new investment also further supports our plan to introduce eight new global Ford vehicles in India by 2015. When the expansion is finished, a third production shift will be added at the engine assembly plant, creating more than 300 new direct jobs,’ he adds.

The new investment is part of Ford India's transformation into a major global export and manufacturing hub – soon, 1.6-litre and 1.4-litre petrol and diesel engines, built at Ford’s Maraimalai Nagar facility near Chennai, will be exported from India. Incidentally, this engine manufacturing facility was inaugurated in January 2010 and production hit the 100,000 units figure in March this year, just 14 months after operations commenced at this plant.

The Maraimalai Nagar plant is the first Ford facility in the world that features a single flexible production line where both petrol and diesel engines can be manufactured. The plant currently produces five ‘Duratec’ petrol engine variants and one ‘Duratorq’ diesel engine variant for Ford vehicles, and is also gearing up to produce powertrains for the all-new Fiesta sedan which will be launched in India later this year.

Maruti to launch all-new Swift by August this year

The new Swift should boost Maruti Suzuki's fortunes in a big way...

In recent months, Maruti Suzuki’s once-dominant position in the hatchback segment in India has come under serious attack. Cars like the Ford Figo, Volkswagen Polo, Nissan Micra, Chevrolet Beat and revised Hyundai i10 have all pushed their way into Indian consumers’ hearts and minds while Maruti offerings have been sidelined on account of being a bit stale. And now, with Toyota and Honda also preparing to launch their own hatchbacks – the Etios Liva and Brio respectively – in the country, things aren’t about to get any easier for Maruti anytime in the near future.

Of course, Maruti isn’t exactly sitting around twiddling its thumbs – the Indo-Japanese giant is quietly working on a series of new products that will take on the best that the Europeans, Koreans and other Japanese companies have to offer. And the first of these is very likely to be the all-new Swift, which may be launched in August this year. First launched in India in May 2005, the Swift has been a huge success story for Maruti, with the company selling more than 300,000 units of this car in India in less than four years from the date of its launch.

Very soon, the current Maruti Swift will make way for an all-new version, which is a bit bigger overall than the outgoing car. Styling changes aren’t dramatic and that’s probably because of the fact that the Swift has already managed to carve a strong identity for itself – something that few cars in this segment have been able to do. For those interested in numbers, the new Swift is 90mm longer, 10mm higher and 5mm wider than the existing car and has a 50mm longer wheelbase. In India, the new Swift is very likely to get higher-spec trim material for its interiors, compared to the current Swift. Safety features like anti-lock brakes (ABS) and airbags will definitely be on the options list, and there might also be features like Bluetooth connectivity and steering wheel-mounted controls for the music system.

The new Swift will be available with a 1.2-litre petrol and 1.3-litre common-rail diesel engines, both of which will be adequately powerful and reasonably frugal. The 1.2-litre K-series engine will be the same unit which also does duty on the Ritz, but may get variable valve timing for the Swift, making it a bit more powerful. A five-speed manual gearbox is expected to be standard on both the petrol and diesel models, though we certainly hope Maruti will also offer a five-speed automatic as an option. If they do, the Swift will have a clear edge over the competition since very few hatchbacks in India have automatic transmission.

Another thing about the Swift is that it’s always been an enthusiast driver’s car – it isn’t overtly powerful, but the taut, sharp handling makes driving this car a pleasure. With its carefully tuned chassis and suspension, the existing Swift boasts of excellent driving dynamics and in this area, we expect Maruti Suzuki to only improve things even further with the new car.

The existing Maruti Swift is priced between Rs 4.35-5.65 lakh, ex-showroom, and we believe Maruti will more or less stick to this price bracket for the new Swift as well. Expect to pay about Rs 4.60 lakh for the base model petrol version and approximately Rs 5.30 lakh for the base model diesel, for the new Swift. Yes indeed, if you’re in the market for a new hatchback, the new Swift could well be worth waiting for.

Jaguar Land Rover inaugurates assembly plant in Pune

And now, you can buy Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles assembled in India...!

The Tata Group owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) recently inaugurated its first assembly plant in Pune, in India. JLR will assemble the Land Rover Freelander 2 at this facility, via completely knocked down (CKD) kits, which will be sourced from JLR’s Halewood manufacturing plant in Liverpool, UK.

‘Today marks a significant step in our growth strategy for the Indian market. The opening of this plant demonstrates close co-operation between the parent company Tata Motors and Jaguar Land Rover and we are keen to develop this further,’ said Carl-Peter Forster, CEO and MD, Tata Motors. ‘Jaguar Land Rover is delighted to have officially opened our first assembly facility in India. We are excited about the prospect of assembling cars in Pune for the Indian market where we have achieved significant growth since we opened our first showroom in 2009. It is a great time to be expanding our operation in India due to the increasing demand for luxury products and the strength of the Indian economy,’ added Dr Ralf Speth, CEO, JLR.

JLR vehicles available in India include the Jaguar XJ, XF and XK, and the Land Rover Freelander 2, Discovery 4, Range Rover Sport and Range Rover. For more details, visit the Jaguar India and Land Rover India websites