Drivevlog

Mahindra is will once again take orders for its hugely popular XUV500 SUV in January. As you may recall, the company shut down bookings on October 11, after having received over 8,000 orders – or four-months’ production – over the span of just 10 days. The company says production is on schedule and will also be ramped up to meet demand, which has grown thanks in part to word of mouth from customers who have taken delivery. The launch prices, which started at Rs 10.8 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), however are expected to go up.

Honda has showcased an all-new small diesel engine at the Tokyo Motor Show. The 1596cc i-Dtec unit is the first of a new generation of engines the company is calling ‘Earth Dreams Technology’. It claims the tech will deliver a good mix of performance and environmental values. The engine produces 118bhp at 4000rpm and a considerable 30.5kgm from 2000rpm, so it should have the performance end of the spectrum covered. Honda also claims it is lighter than any other 1.6-litre diesel engine in the market, and that CO 2  emissions are less than 100g/km.  While its first application will be in the European Civic, it’s not yet clear which other models will use this 1.6-litre motor, but Honda says the new technology will make its way across the entire model range over the next three years. [Source:autocarindia]

India's biggest carmaker Maruti Suzuki has increased the prices of its diesel cars by up to Rs 10,000. While the diesel variants of Swift, Dzire and SX4 cars became costlier by Rs 10,000 from Monday, the price of the Ritz hatchback has been raised by 2,000.  "There has been a critical upswing in the inputs cost and an adverse appreciation in the Japanese currency yen that had made imports costlier and forced this hike," a company spokesperson said.  The carmaker is in the process of normalising production after a 55% decline in October to 50,487 units, following recurrent strikes since June that kept the Manesar plant shut for 59 days. As a result, the waiting time for some of Maruti's diesel model stretches up to nine months.  Industry sources say other carmakers, including Hyundai  and Toyota , are also looking at price revisions. 

Skoda has launched the Rapid saloon in India at a starting price of Rs 6.75 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi. The Rapid is available in both petrol and diesel engine options, and offered with manual and automatic variants. Built on the same platform as the Vento (code: VW251), the Skoda iteration (code SK: 251) shares most mechanical bits with the VW saloon which includes engines as well. Hence, the Rapid is powered by the same 1.6 petrol and diesel motors both of which develop 105bhp, but in a slightly different state of tune. In the looks department, the headlights, the grille and the fogs are similar to Skoda’s Fabia. To help the Skoda and VW bits blend, the Rapid gets a new bonnet, new fenders and a mildly altered chin. The bonnet is longer, the new fender has the Vento’s sharp crease built into it and the chin is slightly altered at the corners, where it merges with the Vento’s beautifully executed wheel arches. The rear is different from the VW Vento too. Skoda has inserted its ‘C’ mot...

Tata Motors, today, launched the all new Tata Sumo Gold, the most powerful SUV in its category, which will redefine the market with its sheer power & reliability.  The Tata Sumo Gold has been conceived and designed keeping in mind the needs of the young & progressive customer, who is looking for a stylish, new-age vehicle that is powerful and takes on any terrain with ease.  Launching the Tata Sumo Gold, Mr. R. Ramakrishnan, Vice President, Commercial - PCBU, Tata Motors said ,  "The Tata Sumo Gold is a result of extensive consumer studies and field tests. The product has been designed to fulfil various requirements, long-awaited by the new generation customer."   At the heart of every Tata Sumo Gold, lies a growling engine that thumps out vicious power. The Tata Sumo Gold goes a step ahead in putting the reins of power in the customer's hands, by letting him choose from two powerhouses, that suits his driving experience, delivering the best-in-class acceler...

The all new Range Rover Evoque has reached India and was launched from the Jaguar Land Rover Corporate Showroom in Mumbai. Range Rover Evoque is the most exciting vehicle in a generation and has a blend of bold and sophisticated design with clever technology that is relevant and intuitive to use. The Evoque masters all surfaces and weathers, using legendary Land Rover all-terrain technologies. In India, the Evoque will be available in both 5 door and Coupe body styles. The Coupe is available in a petrol variant and the 5 door version in diesel. The Range Rover Evoque (5 door) is available in three distinct derivatives - Pure, Prestige and Dynamic and the Coupe is available in the Dynamic form. Pure  The purest expression of the LRX Concept, this minimalist masterpiece combines sleek lines with simple forms in its elegant cabin. Once inside, brushed aluminium finishes, full grained leather interiors and a neutral palette will instantly give you the sense that less is definitely ...

Targeting the fast growing billionaire club in Asia's second-fastest growing market, Italian luxury sports car maker Automobili Lamborgini  SpA launched the all-new Aventador LP  700-4 model in India, priced at Rs 3.69 crore (ex-showroom, Delhi) on Thursday.  The latest in the range, Aventador was first introduced at the Geneva Motor  show in March this year and has already received orders from 20 Indian customers. The company claims to have received over 1,500 bookings globally.  "This year we expect to sell around 20 Lamborghini in India and aim to double the tally in 2012," said Satya Bagla, managing director of Lamborghini's sole dealer in India, Exclusive Motors. Sale of sports cars in India has received a tremendous response and post-Airtel Indian Grand Prix, we expect the market to gain momentum for such luxury marquees, Bagla added.  Powered by a 12-cylinder and 6.5-litre engine, the Aventador is among the fastest street-legal cars ...