BMW M5

BMW has always captured the imagination of car enthusiasts the world over, and at this years Auto Expo, you can be rest assured they will capture your hearts as well. One of the biggest talking points at the BMW display will be the latest version of the legendary sports saloon, the M5. The F10 M5 is rumored to be on display and will allow audiences to get a first hand look-and-feel of BMW’s sporting beauty and muscle. The M5 is a high performance version of the 5-Series and features a 4.4-litre V8 petrol engine that produces 560bhp and 680Nm of torque. Performance is, as a result, staggering with the M5 said to reach 0-100kmph in a mere 4.4 seconds and go on to clock a top speed of 306kmph (limited) and all that wrapped in a body that at first glance looks like just another 5-series with big wheels and a body kit. This is a car that we can’t wait to lay our hands on!

Honda CR-V

Ever since the price increases a couple of years back, the CR-V has been declining in the sales charts and that is a worrying fact for Honda India, considering how the car introduced Indian consumers to the age of soft-roader SUVs and how popular a product it was. The new Honda CR-V though has got a lot going for it, after being put on sale recently, it has received excellent reviews is expected to be available in India for 2012. The new SUV has improvements all across its technology and frame and is expected to be available with more standard equipment, better safety features, more powerful and efficient engines and the ilk. Challenge for Honda is to make sure the CR-V comes in at a price point to make it a viable alternative against offering from premium German brands.

Audi Q3

The Q3’s arrival in India has been long awaited, and finally at this year’s Auto Expo we will get a chance to lay our eyes on this much anticipated small SUV. This 5-door compact will come with both 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines – the outputs are estimated to be 170bhp for the petrol and the 140bhp for the diesel. Other variants with higher outputs exist, but it is not confirmed if these will make it to India. Keeping the success of the BMW X1 in mind, this small SUV promises to be a big volume puller for Audi India.

MINI Cooper

Besides BMW’s main line-up, exciting news has already been in circulation regarding the India launch of the Mini. Mini is expected to make a huge splash at this year’s expo and the car to watch out for is the MINI Cooper. With an attractive modern interpretation of original MINI’s design and stylish, high-quality interiors the MINI has the potential to do considerably well in India – especially if the company manages to price it around or below the Rs.15 lakh mark, as the company is planning to also assemble the cars in their Chennai facility. The MINI Cooper will come with 1.6-litre petrol and diesel engines available in the range. Other cars from the MINI stable that could be brought in to the Indian market could be the MINI Countryman and the MINI Coupe.

Chevrolet Captiva

Chevrolet is expected to introduce a heavily face lifted version of its flagship product, the Captiva at the Auto Expo. Apart from heavily refreshed interior and exterior styling the Captiva is also expected to feature a revised 2.2-litre diesel engine producing more power than the current engine and is expected to be made available with a new 6-speed gearbox. Expect to see both 2WD and 4WD versions being available in the market along with options for an automatic gearbox.

Hyundai Sonata

Hyundai is going to showcase the much acclaimed Sonata which promises to be one of the showstoppers for the Korean auto giant. Like the looks, the engines are also expected to improve, with a possibility of the 2.4 GDI engine being introduced into India. If priced right, the new Sonata promises to give its competitors a tough fight in the market.

Maruti RIII

At the last auto expo in 2010, Maruti Suzuki had displayed an uber cool concept car, which is now expected to be launched in production-ready form. The car is codenamed RIII and this MPV will launch Maruti into a new category with the car expected be essentially a worked-on and extended Maruti Ritz. It will most probably feature the 1.3 diesel engine producing 90bhp, but it will also come in lower variants with petrol engines. The RIII will be a family car with very low maintenance costs and is sure to grab sales and help Maruti gain back market share from Hyundai. It would be worth checking out the car and judging what it offers for the Indian customer.

Jaguar C-X16

Probably one of the most exciting cars on display at the Auto Expo will be the futuristic looking Jaguar C-X16 concept. In 2010, the Indian owned British manufacturer grabbed the public’s attention with the XJ, and now they promise to do it again with the C-X16. This sportscar concept is expected to be the latest sports offering and might also get an Indian launch. Powered by a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine capable of producing 370bhp the C-X16 will also have a Hybrid system with an electric motor capable of producing an equivalent of 95bhp which can be summoned by the driver at the touch of a button. The added power allows the car to zoom from 0-100kmph in just 4.4 seconds while still remaining extremely fuel and emissions efficient. Not to mention, the car looks stunning and very aggressive and is coupled with even more stunning interiors and comfort. This concept is sure to grab a lot of attention.

Ford EcoSport

Another talked about model from an American manufacturer comes in the form of the Ford EcoSport. This Fiesta-based compact SUV is reportedly going to be built in India, and is expected to take the compact SUV segment by storm. The EcoSport will be the second Indian built Ford car with the help of Australian engineers, after the successful Figo. Engine specifications too are not confirmed, but 1.5 or 1.6-litre engines seem to be the logical choice, given their use in the Fiesta sedan. We will just have to wait and see what this car has to offer at the official global unveiling, which will be in Delhi.

Mahindra Mini-Xylo

The Mahindra Xylo is already a sales success in our market, but now Mahindra is expected to launch a mini version of the car – the Mini-Xylo. It is expected that the car will be less than 4 meters in length, which brings it into the small car segment and it will also have a 1.5 litre diesel unit. Because of this the car is expected to cost around the Rs.5-6 lakh mark and could grab sales considering the affordable price. However, further specs will not be revealed until the expo begins where the car will be officially launched.

Nissan

Nissan’s assault on the entry level C segment seems to be heading in the right direction. With Sunny at the forefront, the Japanese manufacturer has been able to make good in-roads into the Indian market with steady progress in their sales figures, indicating that the addition of the diesel variant will only be beneficial to the company. To demonstrate their technological prowess, Nissan also recently brought into town two of its most exciting products – the much vaunted performance king, the GT-R and one of the best electric cars currently available in the world, the Leaf.


We got a chance to take the all-electric Leaf for a brief drive and can say that with Nissan’s progress in battery powered vehicles, the Leaf is a prime example of how quickly the technology is advancing. The cherry on the cake though was the ride in the GT-R with Nissan’s expert driver behind the wheel giving it full beans and us sitting in the passenger seat and marvelling at the brilliant performance and the ease with which the GT-R decimated the uneven surfaces of our roads. A Godzilla it truly is!

Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster

At the last Auto Expo, the SLS AMG was the main attraction at the Mercedes-Benz hall and you will probably be able to see a meaner, sexier version of the SLS AMG at this year’s show in the guise of the SLS AMG Roadster. The new drop top will lose the gullwing doors and will go topless in under 11 seconds at speeds up to 60kmph. Along with the convertible roof, Mercedes has also packed in a new electronically controlled Adaptive AMG Sport Suspension, AMG Performance Media system to track and display vehicle telemetrics, and an AMG Drive Unit to control it all. Yet another sure sign that Mercedes-Benz India means business.

Mercedes B-Class

Mercedes-Benz India will also launch their MPV targeted B-class in to the Indian market which now comes with improved design and engineering. This premium compact minivan features an all-new front-drive system as well as new engines. We expect Mercedes to slot in 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines under the hood. The petrol mill will be good for 135bhp and 185Nm while the diesel 2-litre will generate 140bhp and 300Nm of torque. The B-Class will use of state-of-the-art technologies for maximum efficiency, very smooth running and good fuel efficiency. The challenge is to see how Indian consumers respond to the concept of a small version of what is traditionally their favourite luxury brand, the Mercedes-Benz.

Tata

For all the diehard fans of the good old Safari, there is good news. The company is planning to showcase an all new version, which according to reports was expected to be tagged as the Merlin. But our sources tell us that the actual name for the SUV is going to be Safari Storme. The vehicle is also said to be based on the shortened X2 platform from the Aria, while the refreshed exteriors will offer a squarish grille with a chrome lip, new projector headlamps, improved interiors and a new tail lamp cluster. Under the hood will be a more refined version of the 2.2-litre DiCOR engine, which punches out 140bhp and generates 320Nm of torque. There will be a 5-speed manual gearbox (G76 MarkII) with shift-on-the-fly 4x4 while Airbags and ABS will also be included, but there is no word on an ESP system yet.

Toyota

Toyota will showcase the 2012 edition of their popular SUV, the Fortuner, along with racing versions of the Liva and the Etios. The Fortuner seen in the picture would offer cosmetic changes, both at the front as well as the rear, along with some interior changes. The engine however, is said to be the same 3.0-litre D4-D common rail diesel unit producing a maximum power output of 169 bhp with 343 Nm of torque. Scheduled for an early-2012 launch, rumours have it that the price is going to remain the same while an automatic gearbox version has already been confirmed.

Wanting to make a mark in motorsports, Toyota is said to be working on a racing series which would be based on the Liva and the Etios. The announcement is yet to come, but we expect the Japanese automobile giant to display the race spec versions of both these machines to give a sense of their racing development. The move has come after seeing the recent success of the Volkswagen Polo R Cup, which has won the hearts of many fans and race enthusiasts within the country. Another key attraction to the stall would be the FT 86, which is now being called as the GT-86. Named after Toyota’s GT car heritage, this vehicle features a 2.0-litre, naturally-aspirated petrol engine delivering 200 bhp. Thus, for all you motorsport enthusiast out there, the Toyota stall is going to be definitely worth visiting.

And let’s not forget some of the motorcycle manufacturers that will showcase their muscle at the 2012 edition of the Delhi Auto Expo. While Harley Davidson and Yamaha were the talk of the town at the previous expo, this time around we will see some more big names from the biking fraternity along with new editions from already existent players such as Honda, Yamaha, Hero and Bajaj. Oh it’s going to be beautiful and listed below are the new entrants at the expo.

Volkswagen

Volkswagen will be highlighting their BlueMotion technologies and its fuel-efficient cars as a part of the company’s ‘Think Blue’ campaign. On show will be the 2012 versions of the Touareg along with the iconic Beetle and the all-new Cross Coupe concept. The Touareg, which has not quite done too successfully in India, too would be on display in its latest avatar. The Touareg would feature a 3.0-litre diesel unit instead of a 3.6-litre engine along with BlueMotion technologies that’s doing business in the European nations.

The new Beetle, which is into its 3rd generation and is based on the Golf VI platform, will sure be one of the eye candies at the show. Bigger than outgoing model, it features optional bi-xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights that further enhance its look. With the Range Rover Evoque already flooring people with its looks and the likes of Audi planning to introduce smaller SUVs in the market, expect VW to do the same with this concept. When it comes to our shores, it’s expected that the 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine is most likely to do duty in the Crossover Coupe concept.

And let's not forget some of the motorcycle manufacturers that will showcase their muscle at the 2012 edition of the Delhi Auto Expo. While Harley Davidson and Yamaha were the talk of the town at the previous expo, this time around we will see some more big names from the biking fraternity along with new editions from already existent players such as Honda, Yamaha, Hero and Bajaj. Oh it’s going to be beautiful and listed below are the new entrants at the expo.

KTM

The 2012 Expo will witness the arrival of the much awaited Austrian bike manufacturer – KTM. KTM bikes will be on display and the most important one would obviously be the KTM Duke 200, which will be launched in the country at the beginning of this year. There might be a few other extreme KTMs to check out so make sure you pay them a visit.

Victory

The historic American manufacturer of cruiser bikes, and a long time competitor to Harley Davidson, Victory Motorcycles will also showcase their new models for India. They have already undergone extensive research for an India launch and we will be able to witness it with our own eyes as we watch another big name in the motorcycle world enter our shores. Be sure not to miss this one, and let’s see how Harley will respond.

Triumph

Yes you read it right! The legendary British manufacturer of iconic motorcycles will also be present at this year’s Auto Expo, and they will be here in full force. The bikes to be displayed would most likely include the Bonneville, Speed Triple, Street Triple, Tiger 800XC, sports bike Daytona 675, Triumph Storm, and Rocket III. All these legendary bikes will be available for you to see up close and personal and will also be available in the Indian market very soon. The bikes will come in as CKDs but we are just happy as hell that they have finally made it to India.

Aprilia and Ducati

The Italians will also be present as Ducati will plan to introduce their Monster 795 which has been specifically made for Asian markets, and Aprilia will showcase their ever so powerful RSV4.