Datsun GO

Datsun GO Preview

The Datsun Go compact hatchback has been revealed by parent company Nissan. It is roughly based on the Nissan V platform that underpins the Micra but is a completely new vehicle and is the first one from a brand that has been revived after three decades. The car is aimed at emerging markets like India, Russia, Brazil and Indonesia and will be joined by an MPV as well as a compact sedan that will be unveiled later.

The Datsun Go looks quite snazzy for the price. It gets a hexagonal honeycomb grille with chrome surround, no fog lamps, unpainted mirrors, lift type door handles and a single wiper like the Toyota Etios. The hatchback sits on 13-inch steel wheels and the show car was shod with Apollo Acelere 3G tyres.

From the front three-quarter angle, the relation to the Nissan Micra can be seen in the overall shape and the headlamps. From the side, the silhouette is surprisingly like the Skoda Fabia – which means that the boot space will be good as well. You can see as many as four horizontal creases from this angle, but it doesn’t look busy. The 13-inch wheels look a little too small for the size of the car, though. The rear three-quarter angle reminds us of the Maruti Alto 800, and not just because of the choice of colour for the paint. There are more bodywork creases at the back, especially in the space between the tail-lamps.

The interior, while remaining bare essential, looks like it is from a car that is more expensive. Datsun has chosen beige as the predominant colour, something that should appeal to the Indian buyer. There is no lid for the glovebox much like the Evalia, which begs the question of where one will keep things like the documentation of the car and manual. Datsun has also chosen to place the gearlever at the base of the centre console much like the Hyundai i10. Where it deviates from the latter is in the placement of the handbrake: unlike a traditional car, it doesn’t sit between the seats; it is to the right of the gearshift lever like the Honda Civic, and the shape of the handle reminds one of the handbrake in the Chevrolet Tavera or Ford Endeavour. What has Datsun done with the space in between the front seats, you ask? Well, they’ve filled it with... seat. No, really. They’ve extended the passenger seat all the way to the driver’s seat, so if you’re someone who’s, er, horizontally ample, this is the seat for you. The seat base extension doesn’t encourage the occupant to sit offset to one side, so this is a puzzling thing for Datsun to do.

There is a depression on the top left of the dashboard – this makes it certain that a passenger airbag is not on offer. There are some bits that have been derived from the Micra, most notably the AC vents, door handles and the instrument cluster. However, it differs from the Micra in some other aspects: a tachometer is absent, the inside mirror doesn’t look like it has an anti-glare option and we’re reasonably certain that the information display will not be showing average or instant fuel consumption. The headlamp beam leveller looks likely to be a cable-operated one like in the erstwhile Mahindra Logan. Surprisingly, the press images hint that the mirrors will be electrically adjustable on the top-spec variant – or if Datsun has gone to the extreme opposite, you’ll have to poke and prod the glass to adjust it like you have to in a base-spec Toyota Innova.

Given that the current generation of the Nissan Micra is roomy despite its diminutive dimensions, the Datsun Go should have an upper hand over its competition when it comes to seating four people comfortably. The accessories for the interiors will be at a minimum in a bid to keep costs down; however on the higher spec variants we can expect features like an audio system with USB and aux, and front power windows.

The Datsun Go is powered by the three cylinder 1.2-litre petrol mill that sits in the larger Micra. This engine produces 76PS and 104Nm of torque. We expect it to have better fuel efficiency than the Micra, either with taller gearing or a slightly lower power figure – maybe both. Power is transmitted to the front wheels via a five speed manual gearbox. It will be lighter than the Micra, because it is not a global model and as such doesn’t need to meet the strictest crash safety norms in places like the European Union and the US market, which the Micra can achieve as is.

During the launch of the Datsun Go, Carlos Ghosn, president of the Renault-Nissan alliance, said that the car, when launched next year, will be priced below Rs four lakh and will join the other nation-specific Datsun models that will be launched over the course of the year in developing markets South Africa, Russia, Indonesia and Brazil.

The Go is Renault-Nissan’s entry into one of the most competitive segments in the Indian market, the A segment which accounts for a significant chunk of the sales in the 45 per cent that constitutes the hatchback market. It will compete with the Tata Nano, Maruti Suzuki Alto 800, Maruti Suzuki Alto K10, Nissan Micra Active (in higher variants), Chevrolet Spark and the Hyundai Eon. It will be officially launched at the 2014 Indian Auto Expo. 

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
ITEMS	1.2
DIMENSIONS
Overall Length (mm)	3785
Overall Width (mm)	1635
Overall Height (mm)	1485
Wheelbase (mm)	2450
ENGINE
Configuration	3 cylinder petrol engine
Valvetrain Type	DOHC with Dual VTVT
Displacement (CC)	1198
Fuel System	Multipoint Injection
Maximum Power (ps/rpm)	75 @ 6000
Maximum Torque (nm/rpm)	104 @ 4000
TRANSMISSION
Type	5 - Speed MT

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Honda City Diesel

Honda City Diesel Preview

Honda is believed to have recently reduced production of the City in a bid to free up assembly line space for the Amaze diesel. However, a more plausible and well known reason is that Honda will unveil a completely new version for the global markets, in India, on November 25. It is expected to get a new design and also be offered with a diesel engine giving Honda a firm chance to book itself a place in the C-Segment of the Indian car market.

Exterior

The 2014 Honda City is expected to imbibe many features of the ‘Exciting Design H!!’ language that characterises the recently unveiled Jazz/Fit premium hatchback. It is expected to get a similar fascia but like the Amaze and the Brio, we believe that Honda will modify the grille slightly to differentiate both cars. Honda could also retain the same side profile and rear end as the current car but with sportier touches. New exterior design features are likely to include LED brake lights (like the ones found on the Accord) and new design for the alloy wheels and indicators mounted on the OVRMs.

Honda is believed to have increased the length and consequently the wheelbase in a bid to increase interior space. We hope that it will adapt the same lines as the current car but in a more sportier design in a bid to make the City appealing to a wider audience. However, the reality is that apart from spy shots of heavily camouflaged cars spotted testing in China, we have no idea of what the car looks like. There is also no official word from the Japanese automaker on the unveiling of the car so we can only speculate on what the new model will be like at this moment.

Interiors

Inside, we expect that much of the design elements will be taken from the new Jazz/Fit due it being based on the principles of the design language as well as in a bid to keep the costs down. However, for the Indian markets, we expect that Honda will retain many of the features and design elements from the current car. This means a black dashboard, beige upholstery for the lower spec models and leather for the top-end diesel and petrol variants. The rear seats are now likely to get a blower and bottle holders making it only the third car in the segment to do so.

Feature list

The City despite being a well-known face in the C-Segment had to always contend with having a rather small feature list as compared to its rivals. Eventually to counter this, Honda introduced the AVN package with the top spec V variants. This is now likely to become a standard feature in the top spec diesel and petrol variants of the new car.

Variants

The new Honda City will get all the standard variants that are there in the current car. We believe that there will also be a new top spec VX variant which will be available with both engines and gearbox options.

Engines

The bit we are most interested in is that Honda is likely to offer the new City with the same 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel engine that powers the Amaze sedan. It is expected to have the same output as the Amaze and this means 98bhp and 200Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. However, there is also a possibility that Honda may introduce the 1.6-litre i-DTEC engine which is in the recently launched UK spec CR-V diesel. It produces 116bhp and 300Nm of torque, a respectable figure for a C-Segment sedan. The petrol on the other hand will continue to be powered by the 1.5-litre i-VTEC mill that produces 116bhp and 146Nm of torque. It is mated to a five-speed manual or a five-speed automatic.

When do we get to see it on the roads?

Reports suggest that Honda dealers have already started taking bookings for the new City but deliveries are only expected to begin just ahead of the 2014 Indian Auto Expo. The City is expected to have a high amount of localisation and may be exported to many other countries from the Indian plant. It is likely to be priced in the range of Rs 7.5 lakh to Rs 11.50 lakh for the top spec diesel variant.

When launched, the new Honda City will compete in the C+segment with the Renault Scala, Nissan Sunny, Chevrolet Sail, Fiat Linea, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Verna, Skoda Rapid and the Volkswagen Vento. Honda is expected to offer the diesel engines only in the S, V and most likely a VX variants all of which will be priced Rs 1 lakh more than their petrol equivalents.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
ITEMS	City Petrol	City DIESEL
ENGINE
Configuration	4-Cylinder inline	4-Cylinder Inline
Valvetrain Type	SOHC	DOHC i-DTEC
Displacement (CC)	1497	1498
Maximum Power (ps/rpm)	116 @ 6600	98 @ 3600
Maximum Torque (nm/rpm)	146 @ 4800	200 @ 1750
TRANSMISSION
Type	5 - Speed MT / AT	5 - Speed MT
SUSPENSION
Front	McPherson strut with stabilizer,coil spring	McPherson strut with stabilizer,coil spring
Rear	Torsion beam axle with stabilizer, coil spring	Torsion beam axle with stabilizer, coil spring
Steering Type	Rack & Pinion Power steering	Rack & Pinion Power steering
BRAKES
Front	Disc	Disc
Rear	Drum	Drum
TYRE
Size	175 / 65 R15	175 / 65 R15

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Hyundai Grand i10

WHEN: September 3, 2013

HOW MUCH: Rs 4.2 lakh (petrol) / Rs 4.95 lakh (diesel) est starting price

ENGINES: 1.2-litre petrol, 80 PS / 1.1-litre diesel, 70 PS

COMPETITION: Maruti Ritz, Ford Figo

Hyundai will bring in an all-new car to the Indian market – the new Grand i10. This new car is a replacement for the current-generation in most markets, but in India it will continue to be sold alongside the existing i10, slotting in between it and the i10. To justify the ‘grand’ epithet, Hyundai’s engineers have stretched the wheelbase by approximately 100 mm compared to the European-spec version of the new i10, to liberate more interior room.

The other big news is on the engine front. The new Hyundai Grand i10 will be powered by an all-new three-cylinder diesel engine, codenamed U2 VGT. This new 1.1-litre diesel engine is essentially a three-cylinder version of the 1.4-litre four-cylinder diesel found in the larger i20. Hyundai hasn’t revealed any specifications as yet, but power output is expected to be in the range of 70 PS.

There will also be the option of the popular 1.2-litre Kappa engine, which does duty in both the current i10 and i20. Five-speed manual gearboxes will be standard with both petrol and diesel versions, with the 1.2-litre Kappa petrol having the option of a 4-speed automatic transmission as well.

We do not have any images of the interiors as yet, but according to some sources, the new Grand i10 will have a host of segment-first features, including rear AC vents, electric folding mirrors, audio controls on the steering wheel, music system with Bluetooth and USB connectivity plus 1 GB of hard drive space to store your favourite music. Regular features like power steering, air-conditioning and front power windows are expected to be standard even on the base version. This being a Hyundai, customers have come to expect a lot of value-add in the form of features at a given price, and with this new Grand i10, it will be no different. This is Hyundai’s tried-and-trusted recipe to delight customers, and it is definitely working. We expect 4 or five trim levels, plus two engine options, and the petrol AT as well, taking the total number of variants to around 10!

These are pictures of the European version of the new i10. The Hyundai Grand i10 as sold in India will be longer, sitting on a wheelbase which is 100 mm longer. The extra length will be visible in the rear doors between the B- and C-pillars.

We haven’t seen the car in the flesh yet, but from these pictures you can see that the new Grand i10 is a smartly styled product, which moves smartly away from the ‘wet soap’ look of the existing i10. The new i10 borrows some styling clues from its brethren, but the car manages to look stylish without being over-the-top. Hyundai’s designers have displayed admirable restraint with this one.

Pricing of course is key, and that is something which will be revealed only on September 3. However, there are some pointers as to what the likely pricing of the new Hyundai Grand i10 could be. For starters, the cheapest diesel hatchback in the Hyundai range is the i20 diesel, with a starting price of Rs 6.0 lakh, ex-showroom. The Ford Figo LXi starts at Rs 4.6 lakh, while the Chevy Beat diesel starts at Rs 4.7 lakh. The cheapest diesel from Maruti, the Ritz LDi, starts at Rs 5.4 lakh. I would hazard a guess and say that prices for the new Grand i10 diesel would start at just under the Rs 5 lakh mark.

As far as the petrol Grand i10, powered by the 1.2-litre Kappa motor, I expect prices will start at around the Rs 4.2 lakh mark, which is about 30,000 more than the current i10. This will be a smart pricing and positioning strategy from Hyundai.

Much will ride on the new Grand i10, but given Hyundai’s widespread dealer network, and the strong equity the company already enjoys, this car has all the right ingredients to succeed. At the risk of repeating myself, the Indian customer is getting further spoilt for choice, and that is always only a good thing.

Hyundai's engineers have retuned the suspension, with optimised linkage points. A choppy ride was one of the flaws of the earlier car, and the company is confident the new Grand i10 is capable of setting a class benchmark for ride quality.

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BMW Pencils in 3 Series Gran Turismo

WHEN: June 2014

HOW MUCH: Rs 35 - 40 lakh

ENGINES: 2.0-litre diesel,185 PS, 380 Nm / 2.0-litre petrol, 245PS, 350 Nm

COMPETITION: Volvo XC60

BMW India will add yet another model line to its offerings in India, when it launches the 3 Series Gran Turismo, or 3 Series GT, in the country next year. The new BMW 3 Series GT will be produced at the Chennai facility, alongside the 3 Series sedan with which it shares most of its running gear.

So what is the 3 Series GT? Simply put, it’s a stretched, hatchback version of the current 3 Series. The wheelbase is 110 mm longer, and the car is 89 mm taller than the sedan. It’s also got a swooping coupe-like roofline, and a hatchback rear. It’s an answer to a question nobody asked, but BMW have gone ahead and built it anyway.

An increase in length has meant an increase in weight also. The 3 Series GT is 140 kilos heavier than its sedan brother.

It follows the same thought process that the 5 Series GT did, of offering the space and practicality of an estate car, but in a more stylised package. BMW seems to be making something of a habit of blurring the boundaries between different segments, but to its credit, the 3 Series GT does appear a tad more convincing than what the 5 Series GT did.

The front end is immediately reminiscent of the 3 Series sedan, but the lights and twin kidney grille elements are taller. There’s also an additional crease line along the length of the body, and the coup like roof is of course all-new. In fact, the 3 Series GT does manage to pull off looking like an attractive car in its own right.

**Inside, the 3 Series GT borrows the same dashboard from its sedan brother, but then that’s a good thing. BMW has also raised the seats by 59 mm, which means you get a more commanding driving position, while the company claims that rear legroom is 70 mm longer. The boot has 520 litres of luggage space, which is considerably more than what the sedan offers, while the rear seat back splits and folds in a 40:20:40 ratio to afford even more practicality.

**Power comes from a range of familiar engines, and while the 3.0-litre, 6-cylinder turbocharged petrol in the 335i probably won’t make it to India, expect the 4-cylinder 328i petrol, as seen in the sedan, to very much be a part of the GT’s engine line-up in India. The 2.0-litre 320d diesel will of course form the mainstay of the range, and there’s an even more powerful version of this same engine in the 325d, in a similar state of tune as seen in the recently-updated 5 Series sedan. All engines will come mated to the company’s slick 8-speed automatic gearbox.

The electrically operated hatchback with its twin motors have contributed to the rearward weight bias of the 3 Series GT.

The new 3 Series GT will be produced locally, and BMW India’s Chennai plant, and will be the eighth locally-produced model, after the 1 Series, 3 Series, 5 Series, 7 Series, X1, X3 and Mini Countryman. Local assembly will mean that BMW will be able to price it competitively, but it will come at a premium compared to the 3 Series sedan. There is a substantial price gap in BMW’s line-up, especially between the 3 Series and 5 Series sedans, and the 3 Series GT will slot into this gap perfectly. We expect prices to start at Rs 35 lakh for the 320d, when it goes on sale in June next year.

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