Monday, October 31, 2011

Skoda to launch Rapid on 16th November

Skoda to launch Rapid on 16th November

Skoda Auto will launch its 'luxury saloon' Skoda Rapid  on the 16th of November in New Delhi. The car which is based on the underpinnings of the Vento will be powered with the same powerplants: 1.6 Petrol and a 1.6 Diesel. Skoda  Rapid is the first car from the Skoda  brand which has been designed, keeping

Land Rover to launch Evoque on 4th Nov?

Land Rover to launch Evoque on 4th Nov?

The new Land Rover Range Rover Evoque will be launched in Mumbai on 4th November. Land Rover India has already started excepting the bookings for the same and all details are now live on the Land Rover India website. The Evoque is going to be offered in 2 body styles, a 3-door and a 5-door version.

2012 Toyota Camry caught testing

2012 Toyota Camry caught testing

Toyota's new Camry which has made its international debut was caught testing in India near Magadi road Bangalore by Jishnu.  The car looked big and had good road presence.  Some of the features noticed are: Start stop button Steering mounted controls Infotainment system Projector headlamps LED tail lights Front and Reverse parking sensors The car sounded

Skoda Rapid Sedan launch in India on the 16th of November, 2011

Skoda Rapid Sedan launch in India on the 16th of November, 2011

Skoda India has finally disclosed the launch date of its new sedan, the 2011 Skoda Rapid, in India. To be launched on the 16th of November, 2011, the Skoda Rapid is based on the Volkswagen Vento Sedan and will fit into the C-segment car market in India. As of now production of the Skoda Rapid Sedan is already underway at Skoda's Chakan plant in Pune.

Powering the Skoda Rapid Sedan will be a 1.6L petrol and diesel engine derived from the Vento. The engines remain the same 1.6 Liter petrol and common rail turbo diesel units, both producing 105 Bhp of peak power while the peak torque for the petrol and diesel engine are 153 Nm and 250 Nm respectively. Both these engines will be mated to a five speed manual gearbox as in the Volkswagen Vento.

2011 Skoda Rapid Sedan India

While petrol variant of the 2011 Rapid Sedan will be getting the six speed dual clutch automatic gearbox, it remains unclear whether Skoda will be offering the automatic gearbox on the diesel engine as well even though there have been some rumors suggesting that Skoda might also launch a Rapid Automatic in diesel guise.  The Rapid, which will be built alongside the Vento in Volkswagen's Chakan plant will also share most other features and equipments like the dashboard and interiors with the Volkswagen Vento.

Stay tuned for updates on features and pricing structure.

Ferrari FF launched in India at a price tag of Rs. 3.42 crore

Ferrari FF launched in India at a price tag of Rs. 3.42 crore

Ferrari, after officially making its entry into the Indian automotive scene earlier this year with the appointment of the Shreyans Group as official importer, today launched its flagship four-seat super-hatchback FF at a price starting from Rs. 3.42 crore (ex-showroom, Delhi).

The idea is why not have our challenger series (a racing competition) and have customer training programmes now that there is a world-class track here in India,” Ferrari SpA Chief Executive Officer Amedeo Felisa told reporters at the launch in Delhi.

Ferrari FF India Front Image

Armed with a naturally aspirated 6.3 liter, 65 degree V12 engine, the Ferrari FF produces 660 PS at 8000 rpm and 683 Nm at 6000 rpm. The engine is mated to a seven speed double clutch semi-automatic paddle shift system similar to the 458 Italia and the California models in the Ferrari lineup. A new four wheel drive system, designed and patented by Ferrari themselves, known as the 4RM provides power to all four wheels as and when required by the wheels. Lighter by 50 per cent compared to the conventional four wheel drive systems, it functions only when the manetinno dial is at comfort or snow position, leaving the car most often in the rear wheel drive layout which, yes, we love to have.

Ferrari FF India Rear Image

Ferrari has taken inspiration form the 458 Italia while designing the FF’s frontal design. The headlights are similar and and the profile mirrors the two door sports car. The rear though is new and unique. The Ferrari FF has emerged as a car that a Ferrari lover will love to drive for long hours due to the ride comfort. Further the additional practicality of two extra seats and more luggage space ensures this will be a fast family car too.

Mr. Felisa said Ferrari expects to sell about 7,000 cars worldwide this year and about the same number in 2012. In 2010, it sold 6,800 cars.

Ferrari FF Launched India Ferrari FF India Rear Image Ferrari FF India Interiors Seating Image Ferrari FF India Interiors Dash Image Ferrari FF India Front Image


Sunday, October 30, 2011

Chevrolet unveils Camaro and Corvette concepts at SEMA, 2011

Chevrolet unveils Camaro and Corvette concepts at SEMA, 2011

Chevrolet is all geared up to showcase a series of Camaro and Corvette concepts at the annual car show in Las Vegas which will be starting this week. The brand will celebrate its legacy at the 2011 SEMA Show with a lineup of concepts that showcases different approaches to performance and personalization for these iconic sports cars.

"Go to any Corvette or Camaro enthusiast event and you will have a hard time finding a factory-stock vehicle," said Chris Perry, vice president, global marketing and strategy for Chevrolet. "These are cars that owners treat as canvases to express their personalization and high-performance dreams – and have been for decades. The SEMA Show is the perfect venue to test new customization concepts and to inspire new owners to start modifying their cars."

Corvette Carlisle Blue Grand Sport Concept :

Chevrolet Corvette Carlisle Blue Grand Sport Concept

Corvette Carlisle Blue Grand Sport Concept features a new Carlisle Blue exterior, new Silver-painted Torque 2 wheels and Pearl White full-length racing stripes. The Carlisle Grand Sport also showcases all-out performance with a dual-mode exhaust and Magnetic Selective Ride Control.

The vehicle features a LS3 6.2 liter with dry sump oil system – hand-built at GM's Performance Build Center, six-speed manual transmission, Magnetic Selective Ride Control, gray six-piston brake calipers, Goodyear F1 Supercar Gen 2 tires, dual-mode exhaust system, new Carlisle Blue Metallic exterior, Cyber Gray headlamps, Torque 2 silver-painted wheels in 18×10 inch (front) and 19×12 inch (rear), Carbon fiber ground effects – front splitter and rockers, full-width rear spoiler, Grand sport hood blanket, Pearl White full-length stripe kit, 4LT trim level with Ebony/Titanium leather color interior and blue stitching, Grand Sport Ebony floor mats, Grand Sport console lid, Racing Pedal Package, New-for-2012 Bose Premium Audio with nine speakers, USB port and audio jack with iPod integration on the touch screen.

Corvette Z06 Ron Fellows 'Hall of Fame' Tribute :

Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Ron Fellows Tribute Concept

Corvette Z06 Ron Fellows 'Hall of Fame' Tribute honors Ron Fellows service behind the wheel, using accessories offered from Chevrolet matched with custom graphics. Fellows has a long, distinguished racing career, including driving on the championship Corvette Racing C5.R and C6.R teams.

The vehicle features a Z06 Performance Package (Z07), Magnetic Selective Ride Control, CFZ carbon fiber package with splitter and rocker moldings, carbon fiber raised hood, black headlamp housings and mirrors, red brake calipers, ebony interior with red stitching, suede-trimmed steering wheel, shift knob, parking brake handle and armrests with red stitching, centennial-model seats, racing pedal package, and racing-style graphics.

Maruti Suzuki in talks with Fiat for sourcing engines

Maruti Suzuki in talks with Fiat for sourcing engines

Maruti Suzuki India is looking forward to finalizing a deal with Fiat to source diesel engines in the next two months, which is likely to help it in increasing the production of its popular compact car Swift.

"We are in discussion with Fiat for sourcing of diesel engines from their Ranjangaon plant. In fact, we are in fairly advanced stage and in two months time, we should see something on this," Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) Chairman Mr R C Bhargava told reporters here.

He said the deal with Fiat was being worked out considering the fact that the company’s main supplier Suzuki Powertrain India Ltd (SPIL) had reached its peak production capacity at the Manesar plant.

"SPIL has a capacity of 25,000 units a month. It has attained the peak, so we are looking at Fiat," he said.

Fiat Multijet Diesel Engine

Asked how many engine the company is looking to source from Fiat, he said: "It would depend on the kind of capacity they can give us. It is just how much production Fiat can do at their plant." Mr. Bhargava, however, said once the deal was finalised, Swift production would go up to about 20,000 units a month. Before the labour strike this month, the company was making about 18,000 units of Swift a month.

"By January 2012, the production of Swift should go up to about 20,000 units a month. This has factored the engine supply that will come from Fiat," he said.

Fiat’s Ranjangaon plant has a capacity to produce up to 3 lakh units of engines annually.

chopShop Source : The Hindu

Skoda Rapid Sedan Teaser Video out; Indian Launch in November

Skoda Rapid Sedan Teaser Video out; Indian Launch in November

Skoda India has come up with a teaser video of it’s upcoming sedan for India, the Skoda Rapid. The Skoda Rapid will be hitting Indian shores first followed by a global launch later on. Production of the Skoda Rapid Sedan is already underway at Skoda’s Chakan plant in Pune.

So far, the only few details we have on the Skoda Rapid Sedan is that it is based on the Volkswagen Vento’s platform powered by Vento's 1.6L petrol and diesel engine, looks close to a Fabia with a boot and will feature automatic variants. The engines remain the same 1.6 Liter petrol and common rail turbo diesel units, both producing 105 Bhp of peak power while the peak torque for the petrol and diesel engine are 153 Nm and 250 Nm respectively. Both these engines will be mated to a five speed manual gearbox as in the Volkswagen Vento.

Expected to be priced around Rs. 7 lakhs, the Skoda Rapid Sedan will be launched sometime in November, 2011. for now check out the teaser video of the Rapid :

Renault Pulse unveiled in India; Official launch in 2012

Renault Pulse unveiled in India; Official launch in 2012

After days of speculations and numerous opinions of what Renault’s new car for India will be, we now have the answer everyone has been waiting for. And putting aside all speculations of Renault bringing in the Modus or Clio for that matter, the small car that Renault will be bringing into India by sometime early 2012 is the Renault Pulse.

Based on Nissan’s V-Platform, the Renault Pulse is the first production car by Renault which was finalized in their design studio in Mumbai. And although we were expecting only minor similarities with the Nissan Micra, but a clear look at the Renault Pulse and one will make no mistake in identifying the re-badged Micra beneath the Pulse.

Renault Pulse India Interiors

Apart from the Renault treatment on the re-badged Micra, under the hood will be the same 1.5 litre dCi diesel engine capable of producing max power of 65ps @ 4000 rpm and a max torque of 160nm @ 2000 rpm. The fuel efficiency rating is about 23 kmpl. A petrol engine is also being considered for the Renault Pulse but at present it is not clear whether Renault will be offering the petrol variant when the Pulse gets launched next year.

As for pricing plans, Renault has mentioned that the new Renault Pulse will be positioned somewhere between Maruti's Swift and Nissan's Micra. The official launch of the Renault Pulse is scheduled for the 2012 Indian Auto Expo in Delhi.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

SKODA Rapid – ‘Worldwide First Drive’ teaser

SKODA Rapid – 'Worldwide First Drive' teaser

The much awaited all new SKODA Rapid’s first drive is coming your way very soon. Keep watching… Use Facebook to Comment on this Post

Renault Pulse small car unveiled

Renault Pulse small car unveiled

Well the wait is Over.. Renault has unveiled the small car Pulse which will be the volume seller for the French car maker. The car was revealed in Delhi at the hands of Formula 1 drivers Mark Webber and Karun Chandhok, on the eve of the inaugural Indian F1 GP. The car will be launched

Metallica’s F1 Rocks concert cancelled; Tickets to be refunded

Metallica's F1 Rocks concert cancelled; Tickets to be refunded

For all you James Hetfield fans out there here is a bit of disappointing news for you : The first Indian concert of the gods of rock, Metallica, which was earlier postponed to Saturday due to a technical fault, has been cancelled following the organisers’ inability to secure a permit.

Metallica arrived in Delhi on Friday very excited and ready to play their first show ever in India at the F1 Rocks concert,” Lars Ulrich, one of the founding members of the band, said in a press statement. “However, immediately at the end of the press conference at a hotel near the venue the band was notified that there was a serious question as to whether the show could proceed with regard to safety of the concert audience. Metallica’s first and foremost concern is always for the safety of their concert fans,” he added.

Metallica F1 Rocks India Concert

The concert was to take place at the Leisure Valley Grounds in Gurgaon on the outskirts of Delhi. Trouble started when fans broke a few barricades that were supposed to keep the crowd in check. The show's promoters- DNA Networks had to reluctantly announce the postponement after they failed to undertake repairs on the broken barricades. The fans then went on rampage breaking and destroying equipment. DNA Networks was also unable to secure a permit for the show even on Saturday which forced the organizers to cancel the show.

Lamborghini Aventador launch on 3rd November

Lamborghini Aventador launch on 3rd November

With high revving cars cruising along the Buddh International circuit, Lamborghini is preparing to launch its very own super car in India. The Lamborghini Aventador will rage on the Indian roads on the 3rd of November. Cateram made it official entry in India and Ferrari gearing to launch its new flagship the FF luxury super

JLR to launch Range Rover Evoque in India on November 4th, 2011

JLR to launch Range Rover Evoque in India on November 4th, 2011

Indian automotive giant Tata Motors British subsidiary Jaguar-Land Rover is gearing up to launch the Range Rover Evoque Crossover SUV in India on the 4th of November, 2011. The Range Rover Evoque will be imported into India as a completely built unit(CBU), straight from Land Rover's Hailwood plant in the United Kingdom and will be competing with the likes of the BMW X3 and the Audi Q5 in the Indian automotive scene.

Available in both petrol and diesel guise, the Range Rover Evoque Crossover SUV has a 2.2 litre SD4 turbo diesel engine capable of producing a maximum power of 190HP and a torque of 420Nm while the 2.0 litre Si4 petrol engine is capable of generating a peak power of 240HP and a torque of 340Nm. Both these engines will be mated to a six speed automatic transmission and will come in a permanent all wheel drive configuration.

2011 Range Rover Evoque India Interiors

The Range Rover Evoque will be available in three trims : Pure, Prestige and Dynamic. The petrol variant is expected to be priced around Rs. 63 lakh while the diesel variant will be priced around Rs. 50 lakh. Advance bookings for the Evoque have already been started.

Ford my launch the Fiesta AT on 7th November

Ford my launch the Fiesta AT on 7th November

Ford India plans to launch an automatic version of the all new Fiesta in November, 2011. The Fiesta which has been doing about average numbers as buyers perceive the car to be expensive. With very high competition especially from the Hyundai Verna, VW Vento and cut price Honda City the Fiesta is not able to

Tata Aria Automatic to hit roads soon

Tata Aria Automatic to hit roads soon

The Aria crossover is currently the flagship vehicle from the Tata stable. The company launched the Aria in November 2010 with only 4×4 option and in August 2011 launched the 4×2 version. With the launch of the Mahindra XUV 500 the competition has only heated and sales are being shifted to the newly launched SUV

Friday, October 28, 2011

MINI fb page goes live, launch at 2012 Delhi Auto Expo

MINI fb page goes live, launch at 2012 Delhi Auto Expo

Luxury carmaker BMW is set to launch the British marque MINI brand in India. The company has already started its soft promotion with launch of MINI India facebook page.The cars will be launched officially at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo. MINI will have a separate dealer network for the cars with two new dealerships opening

Range Rover Evoque website goes live

Range Rover Evoque website goes live

The next big launch form the JLR stable is the all new Evoque. Land Rover India has already started excepting the bookings for the same and all details are now live on the Land Rover India website. The Evoque is going to be offered in 2 body styles, a 3-door and a 5-door version. The

Exclusive : Ford Fiesta Automatic might be launched in India on November 7th

Exclusive : Ford Fiesta Automatic might be launched in India on November 7th

The 2011 Ford Fiesta was one of the most eagerly awaited cars of the year 2011 in India. However, the higher pricing of the model has meant that sales have been tepid thus far. Currently available only in five speed manual transmission guise, Ford India at the time of the Fiesta’s launch in India had maintained that India would soon be getting the automatic gearbox version of the Fiesta. And now if reports are to be believed, the time has come.

At present the only confirmed news we have is that Ford India will be unveiling a new car in India on the 7th of November, 2011. And taking a look at the preparations for the media event we have strong reasons to believe that the launch scheduled for the 7th isn’t going to serve as stage or launchpad for the second of the eight products Ford has promised by mid-decade. That leaves us with the conclusion that the car that will be launched on the 7th is either the Ford Fiesta AT or a new variant of the Ford Figo to take on the recently launched Hyundai Eon.

2011 Ford Fiesta Automatic India Launch

Coming to the car itself, the new Ford Fiesta is one of the best and expensive cars in its segment with the manual petrol variants ranging between Rs. 8.23 lakh and Rs. 9.42 lakh, while the manual diesel variants range between Rs. 9.27 lakh and Rs. 10.42 lakh. The addition of an automatic transmission is most likely to take prices up by atleast Rs. 75,000 with the automatic gearbox being offered only on the fully loaded Titanium Plus variants.

Stay tuned for more updates.

New Scooty Streak launched

New Scooty Streak launched

TVS entered the automatic scooter segment with the Scooty and has being betting since long on its success. TVS, which is now India's third largest scooter maker has launched a yet another variant of the Streak. The new all black Scooty Streak with striking graphics will definitely attract the youth and trendy people. Available only

Hero Maestro scooter, the next big launch

Hero Maestro scooter, the next big launch

After the Impulse the next big launch under the new Hero Identity is the Maestro Scooter. Hero MotoCorp had unveiled two new products at the time when the new Brand identity was showcased to the entire world. Hero which divorced from 26 year old relation with the Japanese two-wheeler Honda launched the Impulse on-off road

Leaked images of the 2012 Toyota FT-86 from a Japanese Brochure

Leaked images of the 2012 Toyota FT-86 from a Japanese Brochure

The Toyota FT-86 Concept II was first showcased at the Geneva Motor Show in March and following the event there has been a lot of anticipation regarding the new sports car from Toyota. The final production-ready Toyota FT-86 is expected to make its grand debut in December at the Tokyo Motor Show, but thanks to a leaked Japanese brochure, we may have an early look at the new rear wheel drive sports car in production form.

The leaked images reveal a design very similar to the one previewed on the myriad of FT-86 concept cars shown over the years, though there are some clear differences. The front end has been significantly revised to be less aggressive and more attractive. The first details of the interior reveal a central placed tachometer, a big steering wheel, minimalistic controls and a basic design.

Toyota FT-86 Leaked Interiors

Unfortunately, technical details of the new 2012 Toyota FT-86 are yet to be revealed but the FT-86 is expected to feature a 2.0 liter Boxer engine with approximately 200hp. The name of the new sports car will most likely change to "Celica".

Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 to be launched in India on November 3rd

Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 to be launched in India on November 3rd

With the whole world having its eyes on India during the inaugural Indian Formula1 Grand Prix, automakers the world over are utilizing the opportunity to bring in their latest additions to the Indian market. First we have Ferrari which will be launching the Ferrari FF in India on the 31st of October and following that will be launch of the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 by Lamborghini's Indian distributor, Exclusive Motors, on the 3rd of November.

The Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4, the Italian supercar maker's flagship and the most technologically advanced supercar yet, features an all wheel drive layout and an all carbon fiber monocoque. Powered by a super lightweight, 6,498cc V12 engine weighing just 235 kilograms, the Aventador puts out 700 Italian thoroughbreds at 8,250 rpm while 690 Nm of twist at 5,500 rpm will ensure that the nought to hundred sprint is dispatched in a blindingly quick 3 something seconds even as the 1,575 kilogram Aventador hurtles to a top speed well in excess of the 300 Kph mark.

Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Rear

Expected to be priced around Rs. 3.5-4 crore, only a limited number of Aventadors have been allotted to the Indian market for 2011-12 as the Lamborghini Aventador's production has been sold out for the better part of 2012. The exact pricing strategy will be available only after the launch on the 3rd and for now check out the images below of a Lamborghini Aventador which landed at Delhi for the upcoming launch.

Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Rear Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Front Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Delhi - 4 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Delhi - 3 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Delhi - 2 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Delhi - 1

ChopShop Source : SupercarsAndExoticsInNewDelhi

Skoda Superb to shred some price flab

Skoda Superb to shred some price flab

Skoda plans to maintain its lead in the D-Segment. The company is planning to launch a new trim "Elegance" of the Superb luxury sedan. The new Superb helped Skoda to be number one sedan in its class displacing the long time leader Honda Accord. The Superb is currently available in 3 engine options: 1.8 TSI

Ferrari to launch FF luxury car on the 31st October

Ferrari to launch FF luxury car on the 31st October

Ferrari which made its official debut in India few months back is now gearing to launch its all new luxury supercar FF in India. The official launch will take place on the 31st October a day after the F1 race in India in Delhi. The Ferrari FF is powered by a 6262 cc, V12 engine

Renault to launch Pulse small car on 29th October

Renault to launch Pulse small car on 29th October

To make a place for any car maker in India, it is very important for it to launch a small car here. And that is exactly what Renault is planning with the Pulse. Renault is all-set to unveil the Pulse compact car for India, on 29th October 2011. The Pulse will be Renault's third offering

Caterham launches Sports cars in India

Caterham launches Sports cars in India

Caterham sports car maker has made its maiden entry in India. The British motorsports brand Caterham Cars has tied-up with the Burmans, promoters of FMCG company Dabur to sell cars in India. The company will start selling its Caterham Seven, built- to-order models priced ranging from Rs. 28 lakh up to Rs. 90 lakh by

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Volkswagen opens new dealership in Mumbai- Andheri

Volkswagen opens new dealership in Mumbai- Andheri

To increase its Focus on customer touch points to enhances further sales in Mumbai, Volkswagen extends its Mumbai West dealership to Andheri Official Press release                        Mumbai, October 21, 2011 – Volkswagen today inaugurated the second showroom in Mumbai from Volkswagen Mumbai West. Volkswagen Mumbai West will retail all passenger car models currently available in

2013 Chevrolet Beat EV – A few details emerge

2013 Chevrolet Beat EV – A few details emerge

GM has released a little bit of information regarding its upcoming Beat EV battery powered electric car. At present the only information we have on hands about the electric Beat is regarding the electric motor that will be used to power the 2013 Chevrolet Beat EV.

Only a tiny morsel of info was given on the Beat EV, but we now know its permanent-magnet electric motor will produce 114 hp, some 31 hp more than the conventional Beat's gas-fired 1.2-liter four-cylinder. While that doesn’t sound like much, we must keep in mind that the Beat’s cousin – the Spark EV concept – only had 60 hp (45 kW / 61 PS).

GM Permanent Magnet Electric Motor EV

GM recently launched an electric-car demonstration project in China, South Korea, India and Germany. Developed under GM's "tailored for India" program, the Chevy Beat Battery Electric Vehicle debuted in New Delhi in June.

Another point to keep in mind here is that the Indian Chevrolet Beat is sold as the Chevrolet Spark in other countries, so once the “2013 Chevrolet Spark EV” is available in select U.S. and global markets, we can expect a production ready battery powered Beat EV to make it into India sometime in 2014.

2012 Audi A4/S4 Sedan Facelift unveiled; To be launched soon

2012 Audi A4/S4 Sedan Facelift unveiled; To be launched soon

After months of going through numerous spy shots and test mules, we now have with us, finally, the officially unveiled pictures and video of the 2012 Audi A4 facelift. And by the looks of it, Audi’s bestseller sedan for 29 years got extended another couple of years to the total.

Looking more aggressive, the 2012 Audi A4 facelift adopts a new front fascia with a revised grille, restyled headlights and a modified hood.  There’s also a new diffuser, revised taillights and a dual exhaust system. On the inside the cabin gains a new steering wheel, revised trim and additional chrome accents. Other changes include an updated infotainment system and buttons for the heated / cooled seats.

And coming to the heart of the 2012 A4, staying with the petrol side a new 1.8-liter TFSI produces 170 PS (125 kW / 168 hp) and 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) of torque. Other choices include a 1.8 TFSI with 120 PS (88 kW / 118 hp), a 2.0 TFSI with 211 PS (155 kW / 208 hp) and a 3.0 TFSI V6 with 272 PS (200 kW / 268 hp).

2012 Audi A4 Rear Image

The 2.0 TDI has outputs of 136 PS (100 kW / 134 hp) and 163 PS (120 kW / 161 hp). Another four-cylinder diesel produces 120 PS (88 kW / 118 hp), 143 PS (105 kW / 141 hp) and 177 PS (130 kW / 174 hp). Last but not least, the 3.0 TDI develops 204 PS (150 kW / 201 hp) and 245 PS (180 kW / 241 hp).

Expect the facelifted Audi A4 to hit Indian shores sometime early 2012 with a slight hike in price. For now check out the video below followed by images of the new A4 :

2012 Audi A4 Rear Image 2012 Audi A4 India Interiors 2012 Audi A4 Front Image

Renault Pulse will be the new small car from Renault in India

Renault Pulse will be the new small car from Renault in India

Like we told you a few days back, Renault will be unveiling it’s new small car for India on the 29th of October, 2011. At that point though it was unclear whether the new small car from Renault would be the Modus, which has been spotted testing in India numerous times, or a new car based on the V-Platform. And now finally with just days left to the official unveiling of the new small car from Renault, we now have confirmed news that the car from Renault for India will be the Renault Pulse.

The Renault Pulse will be based on the V-Platform and will share parts with the Nissan Micra and that includes the 1.2 Liter, 75 Bhp petrol engine and the 1.5 Liter, 65 bhp DCi diesel engine. Although at this point it not clear what the Renault Pulse will look like, there are rumors doing rounds that the Renault Pulse might essentially be a rebadged Modus.

Renault Pulse New Small Car India - 2

Renault wants to mark its attendance in this crowding segment and over the years build that up. It is not aiming to sell 6,000 units a month as the dealer network is not very strong at the moment.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Video : Watch a CLS63 being rendered by an AMG designer

Video : Watch a CLS63 being rendered by an AMG designer

Creating a design sketch from plain paper to digital rendering takes a long time, but AMG has condensed the process for us to show what’s involved.

In this time-lapse video an AMG designer starts with a hand drawn sketch which is scanned and loaded into photo editing software – in this case Photoshop CS5. From here, the artist uses a digital sketch pad to add color and the finishing touches.

Just a quick note: At 0:26 in the video don’t be fooled when the artist holds the paper sketch up to the monitor and it magically appears on screen. This isn’t some secret technology but most likely shown this way for editing purposes.

ChopShop Sources : Mercedes Benz, WorldCarFans

2012 Audi TT-RS Plus in the works; Lighter and faster TT-RS

2012 Audi TT-RS Plus in the works; Lighter and faster TT-RS

When Audi first came out with the TT-S, fans worldwide were thrilled, but the demand for something more was still lingering. Then came the TT-RS adding a little bit of muscle to the TT-S. And now the latest addition to cover the segment will be the 2012 Audi TT-RS Plus which is expected to hit the markets sometime early 2012.

According to Automobile France, the vehicle is expected to arrive next year, with the 2.5 liter in-line five-cylinder turbocharged engine being upgraded to deliver 385hp (283kW), an increase of 45hp compared to the 340hp of the standard model. That should make it quite fast. It should be lighter also, by as much as 130 lbs, thanks to no back seats, so expect this to be the best TT ever.

Apart from the above mentioned changes, we can expect some exterior modifications to set it apart from standard TT RS models. Don’t be surprised if Audi brings out titanium finish 20-inch wheels, carbon fiber chin and carbon fiber tail spoilers in the new Audi TT-RS Plus. Basically, we should get a miniature reproduction of what the GT treatment brought to the R8 and R8 Spyder.

Also supporting the news by Automobile France is a shot of a hack of the ETKA software used by the Volkswagen Group shown below :

2012 Audi TT-RS Plus Technical Specs

ChopShop Source : Automobile France

Caterham Sportscars to be launched in India ahead of F1 Indian GP

Caterham Sportscars to be launched in India ahead of F1 Indian GP

British sportscar maker Caterham will officially be making its entry into the Indian market with the formal launch taking place towards the end of this week leading up to the Indian GP. Backing the entry of Caterham in India is the Rs. 10,000 crore Dabur group.

Inorder to ensure that the cars go through with sales, Caterham plans to assemble the cars in India instead of importing them. Local assembly will save the company from the 100% – plus import duty and other taxes that fully-built cars attract.

Caterham Cars plans to launch its iconic sports cars – Seven and SP/300 – in India. While they are likely to be unveiled soon, their sale will start only by the middle of next year by when the company expects to start assembly operations, most likely in the Delhi NCR region.

Caterham Seven India

Caterham Cars Chief Executive, Ansar Ali, said: "We have been working for some time on establishing Caterham in India and we're arriving in yet another new market for our brand at exactly the right time – just as the brand new Indian GP signals the arrival of Indian motorsport on the world stage,”

Caterham, which is now owned by Tony Fernandes who also owns Team Lotus F1, also plans to encourage motorsports in India. A Caterham Academy, very similar to the that in the UK, has been planned to get established here and give Caterham owners an opportunity race their Caterhams in the single-make series that will be quite similar to VW Cup.

2011 Nissan Juke-R Concept unveiled; Pictures, Video

2011 Nissan Juke-R Concept unveiled; Pictures, Video

Nissan has unveiled the first official image of the Juke-R. This remarkable car based on the Nissan Juke with the drivetrain transplanted from the GT-R, has been revealed as a 'surprise guest' at an event in Malaga, Spain. And it’s been coloured in the hue of that deceptive, treacherous and stabby shape-shifting antagonist of Terminator 2.

The one-off crossover, the Juke-R produces 480bhp and is powered by the same 3.8litre twin-turbo V6 as found in the 2010 GT-R. The hardcore four-wheel-drive Juke-R will hit 0-62mph in four seconds and go on to a top speed close to 170mph. That makes it faster than a Porsche Boxster.

Some of the modifications include widened wheel arches, a full bodykit, a fixed rear roof wing, the GT-R's 20-inch wheels, Brembo brakes, and a custom roll cage. The concept also gets the GT-R’s advanced traction control and dynamics logic, to help control all of that GT-R flavored power in the small Juke package.

2011 Nissan Juke-R Concept Image

Paul Willcox, Nissan Europe's Senior Vice President for Sales and Marketing said that the Nissan Juke lends itself perfectly to a sports derivative and Juke-R explores that territory. “The Juke-R showcases two of the most exciting cars in our range and highlights the technical innovation that drives Nissan,” he said.

Two versions of the Nissan Juke-R are being created, one in each of left-hand and right-hand drive. The cars have been developed by Nissan and are being built by leading motorsports outfit RML with input from Nissan Technology Centre for Europe (NTC-E).

For now check out the photos and videos below :

2011 Nissan Juke-R Concept Rear Image 2011 Nissan Juke-R Concept Image 2011 Nissan Juke-R Concept Front Image