Auto industry gearing up for new launches

There have been a range of policy and market-driven measures that have affected the prospects of the automobile sector during the last few months. However, the enthusiasm of the industry continues to remain high based on the intrinsic strengths of the domestic market and the latent demand scenario amongst the Indian middle class.

All that optimism is amply evident in the number of new car launches that have been lined up for 2013. Here are the most significant of the planned introductions for the year:

Datsun small car

Decades after it faded away from many markets worldwide, the Datsun brand is going to be revived by Nissan Motor. Later this year, new models under the Datsun brand will be launched in 4-5 key markets and the cars will positioned in the affordable class. India will be amongst the first to get a Datsun model and the other markets where the brand will be introduced in include Russia, Indonesia and South Africa.

The Datsun model under development for the Indian market will be based on the Micra platform. Nissan officials have confirmed that the car will be smaller than the Micra, but will be spacious inside and have its own strong character. Nissan must be hoping to capture the strong demand for affordable cars in the sub-Rs 4 lakh segment. They will have access to both petrol and diesel engines, so we are guessing that both options will be available.

New Hyundai i10

In the premium hatch segment, the most awaited new launch will be the new i10. After unveiling it at the forthcoming Frankfurt Motor Show, Hyundai is likely to launch it in India - one of the most key markets for the model. The new i10 will be offered with a new 1.1-litre common rail diesel engine and the current Kappa engine may also see a smaller, more fuel efficient one-litre displacement version in the new i10. It is likely to be priced higher than the current gen i10, but not by more than 5-10 per cent.

Honda Amaze

The biggest launch for Honda in years is likely to be the new Amaze. Not because it is a totally new car, but simply because it will sport the Indian subsidiary’s first diesel engine. This sedan version of the Brio hatch will also package a lot more in terms of practicality and efficiency. The Amaze also has the potential to be priced very attractively because it is a sub-four metre car with a sub-1.5-litre diesel engine. The car will also be offered with the same 1.2-litre petrol engine that the Brio is currently offered with. The Amaze will be launched in April and will take on the Maruti Suzuki DZire and the VW Vento.

Ford EcoSport

Remember the hype surrounding the Renault Duster last year. This year’s equivalent has been the Ford EcoSport. The new compact sports utility from Ford is based on the B-platform, on which the Fiesta saloon is also based. The EcoSport is an intelligent design package that makes a vehicle with a fairly compact footprint look big and burly. The EcoSport will have three engine options two 1.5-litre engines (a petrol and a diesel) and the much talked about one-litre, turbo-charged Ford EcoBoost engine. Bookings will open in May and deliveries begin in June this year. Expect prices to be in the range of Rs 9 lakh-11 lakh.

Maruti Suzuki SUVs

Maruti is said to be working on at least three sports utility vehicles and given the company’s strength in making smaller vehicles, all of them are likely to be compacts. The first to roll out, and possibly the only one this year, could be the one based on the current Swift platform. The next would be the SX4 crossover that was showcased at this year’s Geneva Motor Show and the third to be launched sometime next year could be the compact SUV based on the XA Alpha concept.

Volkswagen India

The affordable, compact SUV segment is attracting so much attention that Volkswagen is unlikely to be just a spectator. The German company is considering launching the Up! compact in India.

Meanwhile, it is likely to introduce two or three cars this year. The first in could be the automatic transmission version of the Polo hatch. The more interesting launch later this year could be the VW Cross Polo — a compact SUV style rework on the Polo hatch. This wont cost VW an arm and a leg in terms of development costs and will add to the appeal of the Polo brand. The third car launch from the VW stable could be the new Beetle. Much more aggressive to look at and with a complement of new engines, the new Beetle can finally hope to take on the MINI here.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

The most significant new launch in the luxury car segment this year is likely to be the new A-Class. Though it is technically a compact hatch, it is going to be a game changer for Mercedes-Benz. The new A-Class is classy replacement to the previous generation and it has already begun the process of converting young buyers into fans of the three-pointed star. It is offered with a range of engines and high-end interior trim. The India-spec models are being finalised right now. Expect the car to be launched by June-July this year. Prices could range from Rs 18 lakh-25 lakh.

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