New cars and motorcycles set to be launched in India in a few months

A slew of cars and motorcycles are set to be launched in India in the coming months. Here's what you should expect.

New Land Rover Discovery 

October 28, 2017

The new-gen Land Rover Discovery has chucked the squarish profile and straight lines for a sleeker and sophisticated design. he cabin arrangement of the 2017 Land Rover Discovery has been completely redone with new design and trim layers. Sharing with the flagship Range Rover are the steering wheel, dashboard and the central panel. When launched in India, the Discovery will be powered by the twin-turbo Sd4 Ingenium 4-cylinder diesel produces 240PS and 500Nm of torque

2018 Ford EcoSport 

November 9, 2017

Ford India has announced that the 2018 EcoSport will be launched in India on November 9, 2017. The new EcoSport gets a raft of updates, both on the outside as well as the inside. The most notable changes are the new trapezoidal grille, flanked by new headlights with integrated DRLs. It will come with Ford's new 1.5-litre, three cylinder, 123PS petrol motor in addition to the 1.5-litre TDCi engine.

Range Rover Velar

November 2017

The Velar is Range Rover's stylish, new SUV that fill sthe gap between the Range Rover Evoque and the Range Rover Sport. It borrows design cues from the aforementioned SUVs and features a radically new interior. The Velar will be available in two core ranges -- the Velar and the Velar R-Dynamic. Prices are expected to begin from Rs 75 lakh moving upwards to about Rs 90 lakh. As for the flagship D300 my set you back by Rs 1 crore

Maruti Suzuki Swift

Feb 2018

The all-new Swift is probably one of the most eagerly anticipated cars in India and it is coming soon. Based on Suzuki's Heartect platform, that also underpins the Baleno, the new Swift promises to be as much fun as the previous generation car, whilst growing up in size and sporting new features.

Ford Figo Aspire facelift

January 2018

The Ford Aspire is among our pick in the compact sedan segment but the car is in need of a refresh, given the stiff competition it faces from the Maruti Suzuki Dzire. Ford is set to tweak the exterior styling as well as revise the list of features.

Hyundai i20 facelift

April 2018

The Hyundai i20 has been a tremendous success and it continues to do well, despite facing serious competition from the Maruti Suzuki Baleno. The premium hatchback is due to receive a facelift and is expected to feature changes to the exterior as well as updates to the interior.

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz facelift

Feb 2018

The Maruti Suzuki Ciaz has been doing quite well in the market, however, the new Hyundai Verna has already raced ahead by outselling the Maruti as well as the Honda City.In light of the increased competiton, Maruti Suzuki will launch the Ciaz facelift that is expected to sport a revised front and rear bumper as well as new head and tail lamps. The grille is also expected to sport an Audi like goatee. The interior is also expected to be redesigned

Maruti Suzuki Celerio X

November 2017

The new Maruti Suzuki Celerio X is the cosmetically enhanced version of the regular car. Suzuki also showcased a Celerio X at the 2016 Geneva Auto Show and that particular car is the one which is likely to come down to the Indian market too. The Suzuki Celerio X had body cladding as well as 6-spoke alloys as well as a matte finish grille. The Maruti Suzuki Celerio Cross will most likely have a 20mm increase in its ground clearance and those cosmetic bits from the Geneva show car. Maruti will retain the 69PS 1.0-litre petrol engine in this Celerio Cross. Expect the Maruti Suzuki Celerio Cross to be priced around Rs 40,000 more than the regular Celerio. ABS as well as dual airbags will be standard on the lone trim that will be on offer.

Motorcycles:

TVS Akula 310

The TVS Akula is arguably the most eagerly awaited motorcycle of the century. Shown at the Auto Expo in 2016 as a race concept, the Akula will be launched in November. The Akula has been undergoing tests for quite some time and has been snapped on numerous occasions.   The 310cc engine in the Akula is mounted back-to-front and is fed from the front, and the exhaust exits the cylinder block at the back. Peak power is 34PS at 9,500rpm, redline is at 10,500rpm and it makes 28Nm at 7,500rpm.

Triumph Speedmaster

The 2018 Triumph Speedmaster is the newest addition to the current generation Bonneville family and is positioned as a more laidback cruiser/tourer. The target customer for the Speedmaster is someone who likes the classic design of the Bonneville T100/T120 but wants a more comfortable stance and touring ability. Interestingly, Triumph says the Speedmaster also boasts the same attitude as a Bobber with its classic twin-cylinder sound and torquey feel. In terms of competition, the Speedmaster is expected to take on the likes of the Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom and Indian Scout. It comes powered by the same 1,200cc, liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine as the Bonneville T120, Bobber and Thruxton R. The engine produces 77PS and 106Nm and comes mated to a six-speed transmission. The engine offers up to 10 percent more power and torque at 4,500rpm than the Bonneville T120

Honda MSX-125 Grom

The Honda MSX-125 Grom is the inspiration behind the Honda Navi, and you could call it the Navi's mad cousin. The Grom is quite a popular, mini-motorcycle and comes with interesting bits such as USD forks. The 125cc engine is expected to produces 10PS and 11Nm. It's unclear as to what Honda India may position the Grom as. The price is also a factor that could make or break the Grom in India. Fingers crossed!

Honda CB500X

The Honda CB500X could easily be the perfect touring bike for India. We rode the bike in New Zealand and found the 471cc, 47Ps engine to be quiet and humful. It has great potential in our country and we are eagerly waiting to see how it fares in our conditions.

Kawasaki Versys X-300

You don't have to be a genius to understand the importance of the Versys X-300 in our market. After the success of the Versys 650, Kawasaki India is surely eyeing the nascent sub-400cc adventure tourer segment. The Versys X-300 makes use of the fuel-efficient ,eight-valve, liquid-cooled 296cc, six-speed parallel twin akin to the Ninja 300.

Hero Dare

The Hero Dare was showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo and we expect the production spec to resemble the prototype. This could mean that the Hero Dare could get features such as LED head and tail lights along with a digital console that provides information like service due indicator etc. Utility features such as socket for charging mobile, boot light, side-stand indicator and pass switch are likely to be seen aboard. The Hero Dare expected to be launched in at an estimated price ranging between Rs 55,000 to Rs 60,000.

Ducati Panigale V4

Used for representation only

Ducati's new flagship superbike has been undergoing extensive tests and it surely looks as if the Italian manufacturer has something special in store. Ducati's first V4 powered motorcycle is expected to push the performance envelope to unprecedented levels and we can't wait to sample it.  The Desmosedici Stradale engine displaces 1103 cc from its V4 cylinder configuration, and makes a claimed 210 bhp at 13,000 rpm 120 Nm between 8,750 rpm and 12,250 rpm.

Bajaj Pulsar RS400

Used for representation only

We always knew the RS200's perimeter frame could handle a lot more power and were waiting to see if Bajaj would introduce a more powerful engine. The Dominar 400 raised our hopes of the RS getting the same engine. Well, word is that Bajaj may be readying the Pulsar RS400 for an early 2018 launch. Expect it to get the Dominar's engine, albeit in a slightly different state of tune.

Bajaj Avenger 400

Used for representation only

Power crusiers are on the rise and the Bajaj Avenger brand name is synonymous with the word cruiser motorcycle. The Avenger is expected to get the Dominar 400's motor, however, Bajaj may tune it to offer a relatively relaxed power delivery. The brakes and suspension will also see an improvement and it'll be interesting to see how well Bajaj prices it at.