Maruti Suzuki Goes Green & A New Swift on The Way!

Maruti Suzuki is on a roll these days. First it launches the new Wagon R with a bang, then it announces the coming up of the brand new Maruti Alto with a 1000cc K Series engines, and now it is back in news again – this time with the plans to launch a new Swift! And yes, the iconic car maker has more to tell – it has joined the green brigade, and is soon going to equip all its top-selling brands like Alto, WagonR and SX4 with a CNG engine.

The coming up of the brand new Maruti Suzuki Swift in the international market, though not confirmed officially, definitely confirms the car's journey to India sooner or later. The new Suzuki Swift will sport a 1.2-litre diesel engine with an added dual variable valve timing, which will produce more power and torque than the current Maruti Swift. As per speculation, power and maximum torque of the new Swift car will be in the range of 94 PS @ 6000 rpm and 118 Nm @ 4800 rpm respectively. This will make it the most powerful 1.2 litre diesel engine car in India, even surpassing the presently ruling Jazz’s 90hp engine.

What more can you expect from the new Swift? - Well, it will be more spacious, more fuel-efficient, and far easier to drive on any terrain. With so many added values coming in one package would you mind coughing out a few thousand bucks extra before signing on the dotted line? Of course not.

And now coming on to the car maker's CNG venture, Maruti Suzuki India has already planned to launch a new series of CNG-fired versions of its cars to retain its 50% share in the Indian automobile market.
These cars, which will come with a new factory-fitted technology unlike its retrofitted predecessors will be priced at a premium of around 15-20%. Justified, isn't it?

Audi Introduces R8 GT – The Fastest Road-Going Supercar

Weight loss + power gain = lightning pace is the new equation for the recently unveiled Audi R8 GT. After the phenomenal launch of Audi R8 in 2006, Audi R8 GT is now here to enthrall car lovers across the world with a fantastic blend of functionality and everyday practicality.

The all new GT version of Audi R8 has shed loads of weight. It is lighter than the previous version by 100 kg, and at 1,525kg, offers a better road performance with 552bhp and 398lb/ft of torque. The V10 engine configuration is capable of producing an amazing speed of up to 320 kph, and an acceleration of up to 0-100 kph in 3.6 seconds. No wonder, it is said the fastest road-going Audi ever! The supercar also boasts of a state-of-the-art R-Tronic sequential manual transmission.

Coming to the bodywork, Audi engineers has left no stone unturned to make this V10 powered coupe look stunning. They have put in some top-class sinister touches to it, and added the new carbon fiber ‘sideblades’, carbon-fibre splitter, and customary rear diffuser to rightfully set it class apart. Revamped side air ducts, smaller mirrors, and a superbly reworked rear design with a fixed wing and larger diffuser are some of the other striking features of this new Audi R8 GT car.

Audi R8 GT will be available in the following four colors:

- Samoa Orange metallic
- Suzuka Grey metallic
- Ice Silver metallic
- Phantom Black pearl

For the time being, only 333 units of the new GT version of Audi R8 will be made available to the markets worldwide. So, car lovers be on your toes. Grab a GT for yourself before they fly off the (t)racks!

Top 8 All-time Favorite Family Cars in India

A car is an asset that once driven home for the first time, it no longer remains only your passionate buy, it becomes a part of your family. A sense of belonging for the car starts seeping in amongst all your beloved family members. So, when it comes to buying a family car, it becomes a really difficult situation.

In India, automobile market is filled with a bunch of attractive cars, but not all of them are suitable for a big family, say of six - you, your spouse, your kids, your parents and may be your pet! While buying family cars one has to consider certain things- whether it is big enough to accommodate all your shopping bags, comfortable to go on frequent long commutes, whether it is child-friendly and safe, and whether it is affordable.

There are certain family cars in India, which caters to all these needs and much more. Here are those all-time favorite family cars of India:

Tata Sumo – a flagship family car from Tata Motors, Tata Sumo is known for giving an impressive mileage
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Tata Safari - on-road performance of this highway cruiser is next to nothing.

Toyota Innova – One of the most popular of all family cars, Innova is known for its high-end engine technologies like VVT-i and CRDi

Maruti Eeco – Looking to maintain a perfect balance between price, performance, and functionality? Go for this family car.

Mahindra & Mahindra Xylo – with a spacious cabin and folding rear seats, this family car is simply the best for your near ones.

Mahindra & Mahindra Scorpio – one of the most sophisticated family cars with fire-retardant upholstery.

Mahindra & Mahindra Bolero – this is looked up to as one of the most true-value family cars for having the highest ground clearance.
Chevrolet Tavera – like most luxurious Chevrolets, this SUV is sufficiently spacious and can accommodate ten passengers.

Tata Aria to be Launched in India Soon!

Tata Aria is raring to set the Indian roads on fire. Slated for a May/ June launch this year, the all-new seven-seater SUV-MPV crossover is going to be one of the most sophisticated vehicles from Tata Motors. Though the exact price of this latest Tata launch has not yet been finalized, it is expected to come with a price tag of around Rs 12 Lakh-Rs 14.5 Lakh.

Tata Aria comes with a 2.2-liter direct injection common rail diesel engine that currently powers the Tata Safari and Fiat Grande Punto. The engine is capable of generating a maxaimum power of 140 Bhp with maximum torque of 320 Nm. The newest SUV model from Tata Motors wil be the world's first utility vehicle to feature all wheel drive option, ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution), Six SRS Airbags and Traction control with Cruise control.

Tata Aria will be available in three variants:

- Tata Aria EX to be priced around Rs. 12,00,000.00
- Tata Aria GX to be priced around Rs. 13,00,000.00
- Tata Aria LX to be priced around Rs. 14,00,000.00

Tata Motors will offer four-wheel and two-wheel drive options in all its variants.

With an array of advanced features that stylize other vehicles like Ford Endeavor, Chevrolet Captiva, and Toyota Fortuner, Tata Aria promises to give all its contemporaries a tough competition ahead. Tata Motors plans to roll out this flagship SUV model in markets of the U.S., the UK and Europe in the next ten years. For the European markets, the company would be catering to a wide range of power-train options.

Volkswagen to Launch Electric Car in India by 2013

Another three years of wait for car lovers, and Volkswagen's electric car will be right here to set the Indian roads on fire. The German auto maker is mulling a grand launch of its newest rendition in the country by 2013, and presently, working on its final testing. Plan wise, Volkswagen electric car will set precedence to the company's electric range of E-Jetta as well.

Volkswagen intends to create a major dominance in the global electric car market by the year 2018, and so planning a series of new launches back to back for the next couple of years or so. According to an industry source, the car maker will debut its VW Golf and Jetta electric car models in the U.S. auto market by 2012.


Dr. Martin Winterkorn, CEO Volkswagen, recently announced a plan for "electrifying the brand's model line up". The company wants to build electric cars that everyone can afford. First up will be 500 battery-powered Golfs that is coming next year. It will be followed by a production hybrid version of the next-generation Jetta in 2012 for the U.S. market. The company is in talks with Toshiba and Sanyo, the two behemoths in the world technology market, to source powerful and economic lithium-ion batteries.

Nissan to Launch Ultra Low Cost Car in India

Tata Nano to find a competitor soon. Japanese auto major Nissan Motor has entered into a JV with Renault to make small cars in India. The new ultra low-cost passenger car, which will be pried at Rs 134,000, is all set to take on the might of Tata Nano, presently the cheapest car in the world. Makers of Nano, listen up!

Apart from Renault, Nissan has also roped in Bajaj Auto for this venture. The Indian car maker's margin on three-wheelers is said to be more than the current margin of Nissan in the four-wheeler segment, and with this launch, Nissan plans to increase its profitability by taking advantage of Baja's expertise in low-cost production techniques.

Gilles Normand, Nissan's corporate vice president in charge of Africa, the Middle East and India, said in a recent interview that with this venture, the car maker plans to capture the potentiality of Indian auto market in the low-cost passenger car segment, and take advantage of its expertise in small-car production. India, known for being the prime destination for small cars, witnesses a significant yearly sale of cars that are priced below Rs 360,000.

So, if you are considering another stylish addition to your small car collection after Nano, then here it comes – just a wait of another couple of years, and Nissan Mirca will be right here in India by 2012.

Mercedes Benz Launches E Class Coupe in India

Mercedes launched its E Class Coupe version today in India. The E class coupe is priced at Rs 54.83-lakhs onwards ex-showroom in Mumbai,. The stylized features of Mercedes E Cass Coupe includes pillarless side windows, long low stance and so new E-class coupe simply demands to be driven.

This latest launch Mercedes Benz E Class Coupe is loaded with many specialized features. Car comes equipped with the agility control suspension system, with the pre-safe system. A pre safe system is a brake feature that automatically applies the brakes in case of emergency, and attention assist that keeps the driver alert using about 70 parameters.

Engines and Models offered by Mercedes E Class Coupe are, the E250 CDI BlueEfficiency with 204bhp and 51.02kgm of torque and the E350 CDI BlueEfficiency making 231bhp and maximum torque of 55.1kgm.

Inspired styling elements include the distinctive V-shaped front end with its expressive twin headlamps and LED driving lights. A two-louvre radiator grille with prominent Mercedes star further enhances the car’s bold looks.

Nano Electric Vehicle at 80th Geneva Motor Show

We have said it earlier that its the age of Tata Nano. The small car from Tata Motors is hogging the limelight through out the world. Nano has now reached the ongoing Geneva Motor Show. Tata Motors, the automaker displayed its small car at the 80th Geneva Motor Show. But, the small car displayed by Tata was not the basic model, it was the Nano Electric Vehicle (EV).

The Nano Electric Vehicle is an eco-friendly car that uses super polymer lithium ion batteries, as in the Tata Indica Vista EV. The Electric Nano showcased at Geneva Motor Show gives an output of 160 km and an acceleration of 0-60 kmph in under 10 seconds.

Costliest Car Ever in Country - This one is Mercedes Benz S-Guard!!

This latest launch is the talk of the town and moreover of the entire auto industry. Are you still guessing the reason? Seems you have missed the latest update that is - 'India has got its costliest car at a whopping Rs. 6 crores. It's Mercedes Benz S-Guard.'

This luxury limousine has been launched in India today on 22nd February, 2010. Heavily priced, Mercedes Benz S-Guard would definitely not be a common mass's car and thereby would be limited to top notch celebrities, industrialists and government leaders. Want to know more about this 'costliest car launched in India', read here...