The New Delhi Auto Expo attracted a lot of international attention with Tata Nano this January. Take a look at what six major automakers have n store for us for the 2010 expo.
VOLKSWAGEN
POLO: VW will display its Polo the most awaited car at Delhi Auto Expo.VW will display more than one variant including the Polo Cup Race version.The company has targeted Maruti's Swift and the Ritz with a Rs.4.5-lakh on road price for the base Polo.At its launch ,power will come from the 1.2litre petrol,a 1.2-litree three cylinder diesel and there's a 100 bhp 1.6-litre petroltoo,which should come in at large stage.
BMW:
The Auto Expo 2010, which will be held from January 5 to 11 next year in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, has received a strong response from BMW that will showcase its current Indian line-up alongside its international products that could find way onto our roads.
BMW 5-Series GT
The two-door, 3.0-litre twin turbo, BMW Z4 Roadster, launched in November this year is sure to catch everyone’s attention at the BMW pavilion. Other cars from our domestic market include the soft-roader X5 that comes with the fire-breather 4.8 litre, 350bhp V8 petrol and the 3.0-litre diesel. The 3-series will bring along with it the made-in-India 154 bhp 320i, 211bhp 325i and the already popular 320d. The 5-series bay will have on display the 525i, 530i, 520d, 530d and the M5.
From the company’s global product line-up the car enthusiasts will have the first look of the new 400 bhp, twin-turbo direct-injected 4.4-liter V-8 550i Gran Turismo. It’s a perfect combination of a sedan that has touring car flexibility and the versatility of an SUV. The new X1, the compact SUV that has taken over as the entry level SUV and the shattering new 760Li with 535bhp twin-turbo, 6.0-liter, V12 engine will make their appearances in the show. Furthermore the new X6 M with its 4.4-liter, 555 bhp V8 engine will also find its way to the BMW stable at the forthcoming Auto Expo.
Mercedes Benz
Gullwing:Developed from thr ground up by AMG, the new meredes-Benz two seater supercar sets out to resurrect the spirit of one of the most revered sports cars of all time-the classic 1954 300 SL or gullwing.This is a menacing looking car-low,wide and tremendously well planted by mammoth 6.2litre V8 engine that develops 563bhp.
GL Class: The surprise at the Mercedes stand will be the GL-class, which goes on sale soon in India.
The car is Mercedes' idea of what a super-luxury off-roader should be.
The overall silhouette is very similar to the M-class but its girth is closer to the massive Audi Q7. The GLclass comes with three rows that can accommodate seven and the rear pair of chairs has good headand legroom.Like other luxury 4x4s, the GL has a fine cabin; it's as good as the S-class in terms of material quality.
Power comes from a petrol and two diesel engines. The petrol V8, 5.5litre motor develops 383 bhp and a torque of 54 kgm.
The diesels options include a 3-litre V6 with 200 bhp of power and 52 kgm torque and a 4litre V6 with 302 bhp of power and 71 kgm of torque.
The E-class coupé: This car is a replacement for the CLK in international markets, and it will be displayed at the expo, but Mercedes has no plans to sell it in India. It is the world's most aerodynamic road car with a drag coefficient of just 0.24, lower than even the new Toyota Prius.
C-Class range topper: Along with the E-class coupé will be a new ver sion of the C-class featuring direct injection technology. The 1,796 cc C250 CGI develops 204 bhp and an impressive 31.6 kgm of torque. It will power the car to a top whack of 240 kph and will hit 100 kph in 7.4 seconds. The 250 petrol will be launched at the expo and will be the range topper in the C-class line-up.
Maruti
Versa/Eco: Maruti isn't giving up on the Versa just yet.
It plans to give it a shot of botox in the form of a longer bonnet and a new engine along with more competitive pricing and a new name.
The name Versa will be replaced by Eco and it will share its 1.2 K-series engine with the Ritz. Knowing Maruti, you can rest assured that the pricing will be good.
MPV Concept: Also at the Maruti stand will be a new MPV concept based on a stretched SX4 platform.The all-new concept will be a monocoque design and has been built by Maruti engineers without any help from their Japanese counterparts.
The car awaits the go-ahead for pro duction from the Suzuki top management in Japan.
The seven-seater MPV will be available with different petrol engines including the 1.6 VVT from the SX4. No diesel motor is on offer just yet, but Fiat's Multijet could be offered at a later stage. As with all Marutis, pricing will be very competitive, ensuring this is the cheapest seven-seater available in the country.
Kizashi: Visitors will also get to view the much talked about Kizashi saloon, which made its debut two years ago at the expo as a concept car. Suzuki originally planned a whole range of Kizashis, but the eco- nomic crisis put a stop to that. The only version out so far is a four-door saloon with a 2.4-litre, 184 bhp petrol engine. At present, its main markets will be America and Japan and it will arrive in India only late next year. The Kizashi looks like a bigger SX4 from a distance with a sleek, high-waist profile, nicely balanced front end and twin exhausts faired into the rear bumper. Inside the cabin there's loads of space and very well-built interiors.
Audi
A7 Concept: Audi will have a stunning showstopper -- the A7 conce -- at its stall. As its nam suggests, the A7 will be positioned between the A6 and the limousinelike A8. The car is still in the concept stage but Audi officials claim that the final product will look very similar to the show car. A few curves will look different, the bumpers will be marginally altered after going into production, but the coupé-like roofline and glass area will be similar. The big news is that it will eventually be launched in India.
Mechanically the A7 will be a slight mix of both the A6 and A8.The floor, for instance, will be from the A6, but the engines will be most ly common across all three ranges (A4, A6, A8), while the A7's interior will owe more to the new A8.
Expect two- and four-wheel-drive versions.
225 Front Roadster: Audi also has another big draw at its stall -- the 225 Front Roadster dating from 1935. Reconstructed on an original chassis frame, this is one of Audi's most spectacular cars. It was first exhibited with a gleam ing white paint finish a the 1935 International Motor Show in Berlin.
Only two prototypes were built; although the car created a sensation and was greatly admired, it turned out to be too expensive for successful series production. Both prototypes have disappeared, and it was therefore decided to build a replica of the Audi 225 Front Roadster by working from photographs. The car comes with a 2,257 cc six-cylinder engine.
Indian range: Keeping company with these two stars, Audi will have its entire India range on display including the R8 sportscar.
All in all, this is one stall you would not want to miss.
Toyota
I-Unit Concept: If Honda stole the limelight at Auto Expo 2008 with Asimo, then this year it's Toyota's turn to show something unique and innovative.
Toyota's I-Unit personal mobility concept car has already picked up rave reviews due to its looks. The Toyota I-Real is constructed from lightweight carbon fibre reinforced plastic, boasting operating controls located in the side armrests in lieu f a steering wheel.
The I Real has a maximum speed of around 30 l has a maximum speed of around 30 kph and will be able to go from upright position to a reclined one for its High-Speed Mode. Like its forerunners in the personal mobility series, the I-Real uses three wheels (two at the front and one at the back), in low-speed mode, shortening its wheelbase to allow it to manoeuvre naturally among pedestrians at similar eyesight height without taking up too much space. In high-speed mode, the wheelbase lengthens to provide a lower centre of gravity and better driving performance.
Landcruiser Prado: Toyota will also display the Landcruiser Prado diesel along with the updated version of the SUV, which goes on sale soon after the Expo.
The updates will include a new front grille, headlamps and a revised bumper. The biggest change though will be the addition of a diesel engine to the range. It will be the same common-rail diesel motor that currently pow ers the Fortuner and develops 168 bhp.
Etios: The expo will also see the much-awaited Toyota Etios hatchback make its international debut.The carmaker has taken its own ime entering the small car segment, but its new compact car (code: EFC 800L) promises to be worth the wait.
The car will come with class leading levels of space inside the cabin and special emphasis will be on rear seat comfort and ride quality. It will be launched in two body styles -- a saloon and a hatchback. The saloon will be launched in December 2010or January 2011 and will be followed by the hatchback four months later.
source: hindustantimes
