As we head into a new year with lots of hope and expectation, the situation or mood is no different in the Indian auto industry. After a pretty uneventful 2012 for many players and disappointing for some, all manufacturers hope sales will pickup in the coming year, and by fast-forwarding launches, many aim to take first advantage of a recovering market.
In this month’s article, we will look at 6 cars that are expected to touch down in the first half of 2013. These cars have either been previewed already or launched in other parts of the world, so there’s nothing secretive about them any longer. But the question is, can these additions make 2013 a memorable year for the car industry?
Ford EcoSport
The Ford EcoSport is no doubt the most anticipated vehicle to hit the market in 2013. The car made its global debut in India at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo emphasizing that Ford considers India highly as far as the B Segment cars are concerned. However, the car made its sales debut in Brazil, and, has also been launched in the Chinese market a few days ago with a nominal increase in wheelbase.
In a recent interaction, Ford India’s future MD, Mr. Joginder Sigh told us, “The Figo was a game changer for us, and we expect the EcoSport to be even more transformational.”
The car is packed with technologies like the SYNC, Ford’s in-vehicle communication and entertainment system that gives drivers navigation directions, ability to make voice-activated phone calls, listen to text messages, etc.
The EcoSport, is expected to be available with two engine options – a 1.0 litre EcoBoost turbocharged direct injection petrol engine and a 1.5 litre diesel motor. The top-of-the-line petrol variant will get the PowerShift dual-clutch automatic gearbox. But, the majority of the sales volume is expected to come from the oil burner.
However, the most challenging task of the EcoSport will be to derail the Renault Duster that is now a common sight on the roads. Clearly, pricing will be the most important factor if success and EcoSport could be framed into a single sentence.
Mahindra Verito sub-four meter sedan
Mahindra seems to be very fond of the sub 4-meter concept. In 2011, Dr Pawan Goenka, President of the Mahindra Automotive sector, announced that there would be a sub 4-meter Verito, which will be cheaper because of the excise benefits. The sub-four meter Verito will go head on against the Maruti Swift Dzire and the Honda Brio Amaze.
Thanks to the smaller dimension, the Verito should be Rs. 30,000 - 50,000 less than the existing model. It will be interesting to see what Mahindra’s designers are going to come up with, since the current car is not a looker in the first place, and making the truncated version look better will be a tricky job.
We expect the same 1.5 litre diesel engine from Renault to do the duty on the junior Verito since its displacement is within the sub-four meter norms. However the 1.4 litre petrol engine doesn’t qualify for the excise benefits, and we don’t think Mahindra will launch a petrol version of the car because of the reduced demand for petrol cars.
The smaller car is expected to have the same interiors, and will share a majority of its components with its big brother in order to maximize the benefit of economies of scale.
The compact Verito is expected to pump up the sales volumes and steal some of Swift Dzire’s prospective customers who are put off by the long waiting period. The compact Verito will be launched by the end
of March 2013.
BMW X1 facelift
Our sources confirm that BMW India is ready to launch the face lifted BMW X1 in the second month of the New Year. This move indicates that BMW India has some really aggressive plans for 2013.
And for very good reason, as Audi India was breathing down the Bavarian giant’s neck for the whole of 2012. In just five years, Audi has become the second largest luxury carmaker in India thanks to Audi India MD, Michael Perschke’s strategy.
Back in April, BMW presented the face lifted X1 at the New York Motor Show. This midlife facelift features slight changes to the front and rear fascia and some modifications to the interior design. The face lifted car’s front bumper has been revised completely with added silver accents. And it features recessed fog lights along with a redesigned grille. The headlamp assembly has received internal changes, but the form stays intact. The door mirrors are new and outer sills on the side are modified while it also gets new tail lamps and rear bumper.
On the inside, the center console has been redesigned and the air vents get a bit of chrome. The steering wheel also gets some silver treatment.
BMW X1 will be offered with the eight-speed automatic, which is now standard in almost all models across the range. More details on the engine options will be available when it is officially unveiled.
The face lifted BMW X1 has the full potential to increase BMW’s lead over Audi and Mercedes in the Indian luxury car market. Come February, we expect to see a fierce battle unfold in the Indian luxury space.
Mahindra E2O
The Reva NXR – expected to be renamed as E2O (to be pronounced as E-two-oh) – to align itself with the Mahindra naming system, is in the final phase of testing. Designed by Dilip Chhabria, the car made its public debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show and was also showcased at the 2012 New Delhi Auto Expo.
The E2O is powered by a 39.4bhp electric motor, which sources energy from a 48 volt Li-Ion battery pack. A top speed of 105km/h is possible and it has a range of 160 kms on a full charge of battery.
The E2O is a two-door hatchback that can seat two adults in the front and has space for two kids at the back. The car will be built at the newly inaugurated Mahindra Reva factory in Bengaluru which has a production capacity of 6,000 units annually.
Originally slated to be launched in 2012, the company is now apparently eyeing for an early-2013 launch and is working on a leasing program for the batteries so that the little urban runabout can be made more affordable.
With an estimated price of around Rs. 6 lakhs, the electric car is expensive for its size, but it has green credentials to lure the environment conscious buyers and those who wish to make a statement.
Audi Q5 facelift
You will notice that the 2013 Audi Q5 is not very different than the older model, this is because it is just a subtle facelift. One can see a revised six-point grille, refreshed headlights and a slightly updated front bumper.
The headlights have a minor nip and tuck with an orange hue on the turn lights. There are no differences to the car’s side and rear profile. Inside, drivers are entertained by the next generation MMI (Audi’s infotainment) system, Audi Connect and Google Maps.
Audi has replaced the hydraulic power steering with an electrical unit and this may lead to lower fuel consumption while the chassis has been modified for increased ride comfort.
Audi India currently offers the Q5 in multiple petrol and diesel options. While there is no confirmation from Audi’s side, we have a very strong feeling that the new updated version of these engines will debut with the all-new Q5.
The set of engines include a 3.0-liter TSFI with two state of tune 270bhp and 327bhp. Oil burners include a 2-litre TDI with 150 horses and a 3-litre TDI with 240 horses.
All engine options are now 15 percent more efficient thanks to direct fuel injection and start-stop system that come as standard.
While Audi is planning to launch the face lifted Q5 first thing in 2013, there have also been reports that Audi India is planning a minor price correction for the face lifted model when it reaches dealers in January.
The Audi Q5 has been able to successfully retain the market leadership position in India despite recent launches such as the Volvo XC60 and the BMW X3. The launch of facelift is expected to further strengthen its position.
Chevrolet Enjoy
The Chevy Enjoy, which was showcased at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo is the company’s new talisman to crack the bloating MPV market, which is overwhelmed by the entry of the Ertiga, Evalia and Quanto.
The Enjoy borrows its powertrain from the Sail with the same 1.3 litre XSDE motor finding its way under the MPV’s hood, in the same state of tune generating 76bhp of power and 205Nm of torque.
Seating wise, it will be offered with three rows in 2+2+3 and 2+3+3 cabin layouts and it has to be mentioned that the Enjoy’s chassis was fine-tuned by Lotus Engineering UK. This is the same company that helped Tata and Mahindra make major improvements on the Aria and Scorpio refresh.
But, with its simpleton interiors, cargo van design and a hatchback’s diesel engine, the Enjoy will have a very short life if it picks up a fight with the Innova. Its natural segment is the one that has the Mahindra Xylo and Maruti Ertiga, which in the future will have cars from Honda and Ford.
More recently we got to learn that the Enjoy is preparing to lead GM India’s charge in 2013 with Mr. Lowell Paddock, MD of GM India, mentioning that the Enjoy’s third row space is better than the segment kingpin, the Innova. The focus for GM will be selling both petrol and diesel variants, be it the Enjoy or the Sail, for the moment.
Believe it or not, the Enjoy is China’s fourth bestselling vehicle brand in 2012. The company has sold 196,131 units of this vehicle in 2012. It’ll be interesting to see whether the MPV would be able to replicate the same amount of success in India as well.
Shrawan Raja is the Managing Editor of the daily updated
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