Friday, 28 June 2013

Petrol price hiked by Rs 1.82 per litre from midnight



Petrol price was today hiked by a steep Rs 1.82 a litre, the third increase in rates this month, as falling rupee made imports costlier. An increase in diesel rates is expected early next week.

 Oil companies raised petrol rates by Rs 1.82 a litre, excluding local sales tax or VAT, with effect from midnight. Actual increase will be higher and will vary from city to city depending on local taxes.

Petrol price in Delhi was hiked by Rs 2.19 per litre to Rs 68.58 from tomorrow as against Rs 66.39 currently. This is the third increase in rates this month. Oil firms had on June 1 raised prices by 75 paisa, excluding VAT, and followed it with a Rs 2 per litre increase on June 16.

The revision in prices as per the practice of changing rates in line with cost every fortnight, was due on Sunday June 30 but were raised today. Diesel price too is likely to be raised by 40-50 paisa per litre early next week in accordance with the government mandate for small doses of increases every month.

Isuzu to manufacture MU-7 SUV and D-Max at Hindustan Motor's Chennai facility



We just announced yesterday that Hindustan Motor's joint venture partner Mitsubishi has stopped the production of Cedia Sports, Lancer EVOX and Outlander SUV. What next was everybody's question ! Here's is the answer to what will now be manufactured there !

As officially announced by Isuzu, it would use HM's Thiruvallur, Chennai facility to assemble MU-7 SUV and D-max pick up trucks.The company had already launched this monster looking SUV in India (Check out details here). The company had already displayed their vehicles in Hyderebad and Coimbatore and test marketing these products. 

The two automakers signed an agreement today in Chennai. Commenting on the development, Mr. Takashi Kikuchi, President, Isuzu Motors India, said:

The collaboration with Hindustan Motors will support us by carrying out assembly of our products at Thiruvallur which is about 70 kms from Sri City, Andhra Pradesh, where our own local manufacturing facility is planned to come up. We can thereby advance the scope of our sales operations and increase the scale of supply volumes without waiting for our local manufacturing facility to be ready.


Audi Q3 Sport at INR 24.99 Lac ? Coming soon !



The scenario for Luxury carmaker in India is seen to be very unpredictable in India. BMW, the number one in Indian market until last year is ranked at number three as of now. Audi, the new luxury market leader has already launched few facelift for the year owing to which the numero uno slot gas been achieved. 

Despite the various new launches, there is one slot which is still left untouched. Mercedes has recently launched B Class and A Class  hatchbacks in India and BMW has also teased 1 series hatchback for Indian market. However, Audi India has decided to play smartly - instead of launching their A3 hatchback which is already prevailing in Europe and other markets. Audi India however has planned to launch a base variant of Q3 which would be low on features and still priced competitively to attract people looking for low cost luxury cars.

Mr. Michael Perschke makes a point and says "Audi Q3 Sport would be a value for money vehicle and getting a Luxury SUV at same price at which you get a Luxury hatchback". 

The base Q3 sheds about Rs 3.5 lakh off its list price by stripping off the Audi's trademark daytime running LED's on front lamp along with the quattro all-wheel drive system as well as the DSG gearbox. This variant, called the Q3 Sport, will have its front wheels driven through a six-speed manual gearbox and the 2.0 TDI engine comes in a lower state of tune producing 140bhp (like on the A4) instead of the 177bhp the standard Q3 2.0 TDI makes.

Stay tuned for more information on Audi Q3 Sport.

Nissan to relaunch Evalia in India with captain seats and improved features



Nissan India has not been doing well with their latest model for India - Evalia MPV. The car is doing just 175 units per months of an average. Whereas on the other hand, its competitor Toyota Innova is decently doing apprx. 6,000 units a month, not to forget the lower sales of Innova for last 3 months in a row.

Nissan plans to relaunch the MPV in India with improved features, inclusion of captain seats in the middle row with better and superior cushioning. The third row butterfly windows could also be changed to slider windows.  The new Evalia is expected with some cosmetic changes to the exterior as well, which could include new bumpers and lights.

Stay tuned for more information on this one.

Thursday, 27 June 2013

John Lennon's Ferrari 330GT and a home goes for sale at 14 million pounds



The first car and house bought by Beatles legend John Lennon are up for sale for a combined price of 14 million pounds.

The blue Ferrari 330GT has not been driven in a long time, while, the Tudor mansion in Weybridge, Surrey, was home to Lennon and his first wife Cynthia between 1964 and 1968.

Less than a year after buying his house, Lennon passed his driving test and didn't have to go any further than his front door to pick his first car, reported Daily Express.

Lennon strolled round the assortment of deluxe Aston Martins, Maseratis and Jaguars, before forking out 6,500 pounds - around 110,000 pounds today - for the Ferrari.

He did 20,000 miles in the classic Italian motor before selling it three years later in 1968, the same year he moved out of the house. Experts expect the classic car, which boasts a 4-litre V12 engine and a top speed of 152mph, to go for 220,000 pounds when it goes under the hammer next month.

Included in the sale is its original registration certificate, service history and correspondence with Lennon.

Auctioneers selling the motor have taken it back to the mansion to take a series of photos of it there. Tim Schofield, head of Bonhams' motor car department, said, "This is a beautifully presented example of a really rather rare Ferrari 330GT. The fact that is a 2+2 model with two seats in the front and two in the back means it is effectively a Ferrari family car.

"When John Lennon bought the car his first son Julian was just two years old, and with his wife Cynthia the family would have driven around in style." The car is being auctioned by Bonhams at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Meanwhile, the 1913 mansion estate boasts six bedrooms, a swimming pool, 1.5 acres of landscaped garden and is up for sale for 13.7 million pounds with estate agents Knight Frank.

2013 Edition of CBR250R launched at INR 1.56 to INR 1.92 Lac



2013 just got much more exciting for racing aficionados as Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd (HMSI) today launched the 2013 Edition of its popular global sports performance bike CBR 250R. The 2013 edition of CBR 250R comes in 4 new global colours. This includes Sports Red, Black, Pearl Sunbeam White and a Limited Edition – Repsol color.

The Repsol color Limited Edition of CBR 250R brings the iconic racing feel of Honda Repsol team’s MotoGP bike RC 213V to Indian roads. Now CBR 250R riders in India will have much in common with Repsol Honda team’s Moto GP stars like Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez!

The 2013 edition CBR 250R is available for sale across all Honda Exclusive Authorized Dealerships starting June’13 end, priced as below:

                                           Standard                  C-ABS       (Ex-showroom, Delhi prices)
Sports Red                        Rs. 1.56 lac             Rs. 1.85 lac
Black                                 Rs. 1.56 lac             Rs. 1.85 lac
Pearl Sunbeam White         Rs. 1.57 lac             Rs. 1.86 lac
Limited edition: Repsol              -                    Rs. 1.92 lac


Being a limited edition, the Iconic Repsol color will be available for sale only till October 2013 in C-ABS variant. The model incorporates the advanced Combined Anti-lock Braking System - a World first in 250cc motorcycle segment.

Since its introduction in March 2011, CBR 250R has been winning the hearts of Indian biking enthusiasts with its economy and extreme versatility.

CBR 250R’s liquid-cooled 250cc, 4-stroke, 4-valve single-cylinder DOHC engine delivers astonishing 19.5Kw (26BHP) power and 22.9 Nm torque. The PGM-FI technology (enhances performance and fuel efficiency), aerodynamic style and global design inspired by Honda’s iconic CBR 1000RR Fireblade and VFR 1200F make CBR 250R an ideal ride option. With a low seat height, light weight and slim styling, the CBR250R is perfect for a daily commute, quick trips around town or longer weekend trips.

No wonder, CBR 250R has won an overwhelming 20 awards to become “India’s Most Awarded Motorcycle” in 2011.
                                           


Mitsubishi Outlander too discontinued along with Cedia Sports and Lancer EVO X in India



If you are a regular reader of Wheel-O-Mania, you would know that Mitsubishi has stopped the production of Cedia Sports and Lancer EVO X for India.

It comes as a big shock from the globally reknowned Japanese carmaker, "the stop of 3 out of their 5 model portolio for India". After discontinuing Cedia, EVO X and now Outlander, Mitsubishi India will now sell Pajero Sport and Montero.

It still remains unknown that whether Mitsubishi will launch a replacement of Outlander which would be in line with their strategy to focus on SUV range.
 

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Workers strike at Bajaj's Chakan, Pune plant



The Labour strikes have always haunted us especially looking at the grave strike at Maruti's Manesar plant where an HR manager was killed. After that we also saw strikes at Hero plant, Mahindra plant and now it is the same scenario outside the Bajaj's Chakan factory in Pune. Nearly 2000 workers are on strike demanding wage revision.

"Our agitation continues and production remains crippled even today as the employees have not gone for work demanding wage revision," Bajaj Auto Union sources told.

"We will continue our agitation as long as our demand for wage revision and better work conditions at the plant are not met. Bajaj management has so far not invited us for talks," sources said.

Company officials were not available for comment. The plant has 925 permanent workers, besides 1,000 temporary and contractual employees and trainees. These 1,000 workers are also demanding permanent employment.

The Union's demands include 25 per cent wage hike, permanent employment for contractual workers, reinstatement of some suspended employees and bringing back to Chakan plant those transferred outside.

It is also demanding that workmen be given an option to subscribe to 500 equity shares of the company at a discounted price of Re 1 per share.

As on March 31, 2013 the Chakan plant has the capacity to produce 1.2 million units of motorcycles, including Pulsar, Avenger, Ninja and KTM brands annually. The company recently launched KTM 390 at a price of INR 1.8 Lac. More details could be seen here. 

Salman Khan faces 10 years in 2002 Toyota Land Cruiser hit and run case



Salman Khan's hit and run case from 2002 has been after his life and now with the court verdict nearby, the actor could be charged upto 10 years in jail. However, the actor's family has come out in support of Salman.

The family says there has been many rumours which fly across internet which ultimately damage his reputation on personal and professional front. Hence, his lawyers will be creating and updating website salmankhanfiles.com where all the information pertaining to his cases will be mentioned and updated.

As per them anyone who wants to get an update on same, should visit this website and stop believing in rumours. It may be recalled that one person was killed and four others were seriously injured when the Toyota Land Cruiser, allegedly driven by Khan crushed a group of persons sleeping on the pavement outside a bakery in Bandra, Mumbai on 28th September 2002.

Ford EcoSport Live launch from New Delhi at INR 5.59 Lac - Complete details are here



Today is a big day for the Indian automobile Industry and could be a rememberable day for Ford India. Not to forget the way Duster turned the fortunes for Renault in its favour when it launched on 4th July 2012. Ford EcoSport has been in news for a long time now. We first released the images of the EcoSport spotted at a dealership and then various features. The various specs, engine details, variants, brochures and prices have already been revealed by us earlier and here we come again with the official specs this time being delivered by Ford India's top management from the Live event in New Delhi. Here are the prices of Ford's EcoSport variants.


  • EcoSport 1.5L Petrol Ambiente - Rs 5,59,000
  • EcoSport 1.5L Petrol Trend - Rs 649,990
  • EcoSport 1.5L Petrol Titanium - Rs  750,990
  • EcoSport 1.5L Petrol Titanium Automatic - Rs 844,990
  • EcoSport 1.0L Petrol Ecoboost Titanium - Rs 789,990 
  • EcoSport 1.0L Petrol EcoBoost Titanium Option - Rs 828,990
  • EcoSport 1.5L Diesel Ambiente - Rs. 669,000
  • EcoSport 1.5L Diesel Trend - Rs 760,990
  • EcoSport 1.5L Diesel Titanium - Rs 861,990
  • EcoSport 1.5L Diesel Titanium Option - Rs 899,990


Ford EcoSport, as we all know will be equipped with 3 engine variants and 4 different trim levels. The 1.5L Gasoline engine, 1.0L Gasoline engine and 1.5L Diesel engine.

The 1.5L Diesel engine, and ofcourse the volume garner for Ford India is coming only in Manual transmission. The engine will deliver a power of 89 bhp and 204 N-m of torque. The car comes equipped with ARAI acclaimed fuel efficiency of 22.7 Kmpl.

The 1.5L Gasoline engine is available in both 5 speed manual transmission and 6 speed automatic transmission. The engine will deliver 110bhp of power and 140 N-m of torque. The manual variant will come with ARAI acclaimed fuel efficiency figures of 15.8 Kmpl and 15.6 Kmpl for automatic variant.

The most awaited 1.0L EcoBoost Gasoline engine, which is available only on Titanium and Titanium Optional variants will come with 5 speed manual transmission and will deliver power of 122.5 bhp and 170 N-m of torque. The engine comes with ARAI acclaimed fuel efficiency figure of 18.9 Kmpl.


The base variant comes with descent number of features like tilt and telescopic steering, music player with Aux-in built in alongwith Bluetooth, electrically operated wing mirrors, remote locking, multi functional display and 15" wheels. However there is no rear seat power windows in base variant and no rear parcel tray available either.

The next variant Trend comes along with Ambiente features plus the rear seat power windows, ABS, power steering, audio mounted steering controls and driver seat height adjuster.

The next variant Titanium gets 16" alloy wheels, leather wrapped steering wheel, front fog lamps, roof rails, reverse parking sensor plus dual airbags.

 The top Titatnium+ variant comes loaded with features like Engine start/stop button, 6 airbags, Microsoft SYNC emergency system; used for contacting emergency services immediately with current location data in an event of crash, hill-assit, ESP voice commands among the other long list of features.

The EcoSport has been launched in 7 different colors namely Diamond White, Panther Black, Sea Grey, Chill, Moondust Silver, Kinetic Blue and Mars Red.

Ford's EcoSport also offers range of accessories which will be available across its dealerships. Here is the complete list of accessories available -

  • Alloy wheels
  • Air deflectors
  • Body cover
  • Mud deflectors
  • Bumper appliques
  • Chrome front grill
  • Fog lamps
  • Headlamp guards
  • Mud lamps
  • Rear spoiler
  • Reverse parking sensor
  • Roof rack tray
  • Side running board
  • Spare wheels
  • Styling rails

Official - Mitsubishi Cedia and Lancer EVO X discontinued in India



As per the Mitsubishi India's website, the Cedia sedan and Lancer EVO X are discontinued from the Indian market with Cedia sports being discontinued and production stopped for Lancer EVO X.

The company website shows the slogan - "The Ultimate Rally Car now goes Offroad" for Cedia and for Lancer EVO X the website reads - "Production laid to rest". It could also be possible that globally the production could have come to a halt however there is no confirmation from the Japanese carmaker, Mitsubishi on this one as of now.

With Cedia gone from India, the Mitsubishi India line up remains to - Outlander SUV, Pajero Sport and Montero i.e. all SUV line - up. This is also in line with the Mitsubishi's global strategy which states that the carmaker decides to focus only on SUV's and would gradually slowdown its production of sedans.



Honda Amaze goes for sales in Nepal at INR 15.92 Lac



Honda's latest offering Amaze which was accepted pretty well in Indian market has now been launched in Nepal too at a starting price of INR 15.92 Lac

Syakar Trading Company, is responsible for selling the cars in Nepal. Honda Cars India will export the cars from India and Syakar Trading Company will be responsible for dealership network in Nepal.

Amaze is priced at -

 Amaze E MT - INR 15.92 Lac
Amaze EX MT - INR 16.55 Lac
Amaze S MT - INR 17.79 Lac

The Amaze was launched by Padma Jyoti, chairman of the Jyoti Group, the parent company of Syakar Trading and Shigeru Yamazaki, director and senior vice-president – sales and marketing at Honda Cars India Limited.

Padma Jyoti, chairman of the Jyoti Group said -

The Honda Amaze is powerful yet fuel efficient, comfortable yet spacious and stylish yet affordable. We are aiming to sell around 320 units of the car in the first year. We have been receiving many queries about the vehicle ever since its launch in the Indian market; and now since the vehicle has been launched here, we are expecting to see a very good sales volume.

Tuesday, 25 June 2013

KTM Duke 390 finally arrives in Indian market at Rs 1.80 Lac



KTM's much awaited Duke 390 is finally here.as we already revealed you a couple of weeks back through one of the dealers in Delhi-NCR, about the launch date in India as 25th June 2013.

The KTM Duke 390 is be the first 350cc+ bike for the Austrian bikemaker in India. The bike is priced around INR 1.80 Lac,  ex-showroom price, Pune thanks to the heavy localization which will give other bikes in similar category a run for their money. The 390 Duke shows off the same sporty KTM 'ready to race' DNA as on the 200, being a flamboyant, edgy and aggressive looking machine, with an unashamedly modern air. Watch out the LIVE unveiling of KTM Duke 390 here.

A significant feature is the inclusion of Bosch's 9M ABS option. The sensors at the front and rear end will be connected to independent ECU for ABS functioning. The rider also has an option of switching off the ABS option.

All parts have been lightened with excess material shaved off, helping to keep the bike light at an impressive 139kg. The 390 front mudguard is sporty and stubby, while both wheels look really smart in orange. Its powerful headlight sits in a futuristic looking bikini fairing. The near flat handlebar is tapered alloy, while the instruments remain a compact, digital readout that sadly still isn't the most readable in the business.

Powering the Duke 390 is a 4 stroke water cooled  375 cc single cylinder engine that delivers power output of 43.5 horses at peak torque figure of 35 N-m. The bike is equipped with 6 speed manual gearbox similar to Duke 200. The 375cc bikes's transmission shares lot of components from its younger sibling Duke 200 but with different gear ratios.

The Duke 390 also boasts of forged piston and chrome plated cylinder. Visually, the bike looks similar to Duke 125 and Duke 200 however the changes include orange colored alloy wheels, and orange paint on trellis frame.  Stay tuned for more information.

Have you seen the 2014 Skoda Superb TVC Video ?



The 2014 Skoda Superb is already out in Europe but we still need some time to see the same on the Indian roads. Infact, we will see Skoda's Octavia before we see 2014 Superb on Indian roads.

As per the new TVC from Skoda, the Czech carmaker focuses on the amount of time that you spend in your car and hence advises you to be opt for a comfortable car. The amount of time spent in car by an average person is equal to the amount of time taken to travel from earth to moon and back to earth.

More interesting stats are being shared by Skoda. As per the carmaker, you spend apprx. 22 days  waiting for your loved ones and 23 days washing your car. Also, you spend about 6 months of your lifetime at the traffic signals and therefore, in totality three years of your lifetime in your car, so better buy a comfortable car, says Skoda.

Watch out the Official Video here.

Monday, 24 June 2013

CNG price hiked by Rs 2 in New Delhi and Rs 2.25 in Noida



CNG prices in Delhi have been increased by Rs 2 per Kg  and Rs 2.25 in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad. Piped Natural Gas (PNG) price in Delhi has also been hiked by Re 1 from Rs. 23.50 per unit to Rs. 24.50 per unit up to consumption of 30 units in two months with effect from Tuesday. Beyond consumption of 30 units in two months, the applicable rate in Delhi would be Rs. 40.50 per unit.

Due to differential tax structure in Uttar Pradesh, the applicable price of domestic PNG to households in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad would be Rs. 26 per unit up to consumption of 30 units in two months, which has been increased from existing Rs. 25 per units. Beyond consumption of 30 units in two months, the rate applicable in these cities would be Rs. 43 per unit

LIVE - Mercedes E-Class launched at Rs 41.50 Lac




As we told you a couple of hours ago that Mercedes E Class facelift would be launching today, the carmaker has already previewed the car at Buddh International circuit. Also, we just received a teaser image from Mercedes Benz India, attached above.  We would also be streaming the Live coverage of the car - Click here to watch the Live unveiling of Mercedes Benz E Class here.

The pricing of the car is as follows -

  • E200 CGI Petrol - INR 41.50 Lac
  • E250 CDI Diesel Avantgarde - INR 44.48 Lac
  • E250 CDI Diesel Limited edition - INR 49.9 Lac
All the prices above are ex-showroom price. However, the Limited edition Diesel variant has only100 units for sale.


The changes to the car include mostly in exteriors with LED headlamps, more aggressive front grill and removal of fog lamps to give car a more attractive look. In interiors, there are subtle changes which includes silver trim or a wooden trim depending on variant, new sportier steering wheel, redesigned aircon vents, inclusion of sat-nav and DVD system as well.

The new E Class will be launched tomorrow with two engine options only, one each for the petrol and diesel. The petrol will be launched in the E200 trim while the diesel will get the E250 CDI trim. The current E350 CDI will be discontinued.

Maruti Suzuki launches Ritz @ Buzz Limited edition at Rs 4.50 Lac




Maruti Suzuki has launched the Limited edition of Ritz hatchback in India. Priced at Rs 17,990 over the current model, the limited edition features 12 additional features. The new variant is available only in Lxi, Vxi, Ldi and Vdi only.

The @Buzz edition comes with special exterior body graphics, bumper protectors, mud-flaps, door sills, art-leather seat covers and a steering wheel cover. Additional features include a rear-parcel tray (on the LXI and LDI variants, standard on the VXI and VDI), a 2-DIN Nippon music system with USB, Aux-in, Bluetooth and rear parking sensors.

Here are the prices of the car -

  • Ritz @ Buzz Lxi - Rs 4.50 Lac
  • Ritz @ Buzz Vxi - Rs 4.85 Lac
  • Ritz @ Buzz Ldi - Rs 5.60 Lac
  • Ritz @ Buzz Vdi - Rs 5.92 Lac

 The limited edition @Buzz package is priced at Rs 17,990 over the cost of the car.

2013 Honda's Dream Yuga launched at INR 45,101, ex-showroom Delhi



Just a couple of days back, on 11th June 2011, we witnessed launch of Honda Activa-i from HMSI. And here we are again back to you with yet another news of HMSI's Dream Yuga launch. The new bike is priced at the similar levels - INR 45,101 with HET, Honda Eco technology equipped in it. The HET improves the vehicle efficiency by upto 11% by reducing the weight of the vehicle by 8%, thereby also improving the power-weight ratio of the bike.

The new bike gives an improved mileage of 74 Kmpl instead of 72 Kmpl earlier. This means, you get improved mileage from new technology at the same price. The bike is powered by a 110cc engine that produces peak power of 8.5bhp and 8.91 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a 4 speed gearbox.

2013 Honda Dream Yuga will be available in 5 colours, black, monsoon grey metallic, alpha red metallic, force silver metallic and maple brown metallic. There are three variants to the Honda's Dream Yuga bike

  • Kick Start, Drum brakes with Spoked wheels
  • Kick start, Drum brakes with Alloy wheels
  • Self start, Drum brakes with Alloy wheels
Honda's Dream Yuga is competitevely aimed at replacing Hero's Splendor which is currently highest selling bike in India and Bajaj's Discover, which is second on the list. Honda is planing to become number one in this commuter motorcycle segment by 2016.

Rumour - Duster based Nissan Terrano to be priced at Rs 8.90 Lac, ex-showroom price



Nissan's Duster based Compact SUV which is yet to hit the market in October 2013, is already on much awaited list after Ford's EcoSport which will be launched on 26th June 2013. The Japanese carmaker, last month revealed the official sketch of the car and no doubt the car looks much more attractive than the Renault's Duster.

 Now, we have some additional details about the Nissan's Terrano. The car will be available in four variants - XL, XL (O), XV and XV Premium. There is a buzz in the market, that the car would be priced at Rs 8.90 Lac, ex-showroom price. This makes Nissan's Terrano INR 17,000 higher than the currently sold Renault's Duster.

It is already known that the Nissan's Terrano will be priced higher than Renault's Duster as per the agreement between the two carmakers. Last week, the carmaker also started a promotional campaign of the car and the official website is also Live now.

The changes to the car includes the front grill with Nissan Badge, refreshed front bumper, smoked headlamps, new alloy wheels and new tail lamps. Expect minimal changes in the interiors with only expectations of changes in new fabric colors.

Stay tuned for more information on Nissan's Terrano Compact SUV for emerging markets. 

Nissan launches its Student Brand Manager programme




Nissan India has launched the fourth session of its Brand Manager programme for management students across the country in 30 cities. The company expects to receive 4,000 entries and finally plans to select just 30 candidates. The 30 selected lucky students will get a Brand Ambassador badge along with a brand new Nissan Micra.

Launching the campaign, Nitish Tipnis, director, sales and marketing, Hover Automotive India, said, “The fact that the NSBM programme is entering its fourth consecutive year reflects our commitment to identify and nurture management talent. It also helps us build our brand association with the young people of India who will be tomorrow’s leaders of the corporate world.”

The selected students will receive a grant for six months to help them conceptualise and implement ideas on Nissan brand visibility and impact. As a NSBM, they will also get a Nissan Micra to conduct activities such as test drives and host marketing activities and align their thoughts to the product propositions.

Sunday, 23 June 2013

Nissan Micra facelift Images, features, brochures scanned and other details revealed - Coming soon



All our readers are already aware that Nissan is working on Micra facelift and the new model has already been unveiled in Europe - which has now officially been displayed and India too will get the same version soon. The carmaker has also previewed the Indian spec version and here are the Images and brochures of the Indian version with features in detail. The company has begin teaser promotional campaigns which says - Coming soon !

Two new colors have been added to the list which includes Turquoise Blue as ‘Pacific Blue’ and a beige-ish color as ‘Metallic Platinum Sage’.



Exteriors sport a new facade along with a new grille design, bonnet and bumper while headlights, new alloy wheel design (16″) and foglights come with new surrounds. The rear end sports new LED lights and a new bumper design while options are aplenty in the form of panoramic glass roof and choice of exterior colors. Customers can also avail of park assist system and alloy wheels in a new design.

The car is also available in UK market with same HR12 petrol engine with 3 cyl. 1.2L petrol engine but with two variants - 80 PS and 98 PS. Transmission includes two variants - Manual and CVT transmission. Nissan India too is getting itself ready for the CVT version of Nissan Micra.

The ARAI certified fuel efficiency of the HR12 Petrol Manual engine is 18.44 Kmpl, which has been improved from earlier 18.06 Kmpl and the Diesel K9K motor will deliver a FE of 23.44 Kmpl. The FE of Automatic petrol variant are still not released but Nissan expects the same to be in range of 19 Kmpl.

There has also been in jugglery in variants offered which is discussed below -

Earlier they were available in variants
Petrol - XE, XE Plus, XL, XV
Diesel - XV, XV Premium

Now the nomenclature would be as -
Petrol MT - XL, XL (O)
Petrol CVT - XV CVT
Diesel MT - XL, XL (O), XV, XV Premium

The Japanese carmaker expects the Diesel to be a high volumes gainer - thanks to the world class 1.5L K9K engine, which is reknowned globally.

If you see the plastic quality and the fabric quality they appear to be of the top most feel and touch. Notice the polished buttons and displays on dashboard - as compared to those available on the Indian spec Micra.

The new Micra now offers alloy wheels on all XV variant (petrol, diesel and CVT) while fog lights are restricted to top end XV variants. The XV premium now also gets rear spoiler. Earlier, Fog lights and petrol were not offered in Petrol variants.

As far as Interiors are concerned, The new Piano Black finished central console is available only on the XV variants. We think the other XL variants continue to get the beige and silver finish as the old car.

On safety front, a driver airbag is offered on all the variants as standard, just like the existing car. A passenger airbag is included in the XV variants, while the XV Premium also adds an additional two side airbags. As a result, you now have 4 airbags on the top-end diesel.

ABS with EBD and Brake Assist is seen on all the variants starting from the XL (O). The diesel variant now also gets ABS + EBD, which was sorely missed on the currently running Micra.

View the entire Media Press release and you will get to know the details and changes made in the new Micra. All Images could be seen here.

EW MICRA: STYLE AND TECHNOLOGY COMBINED
Comprehensive round of improvements go deeper than a mere makeover
Innovative technical features include NissanConnect satnav
Third best-selling Nissan model in the UK goes on sale in September
Nissan has significantly updated the Micra with a round of changes so wide-ranging they go well beyond what usually constitutes a mid-term facelift.

As well as a new look front and rear – complete with sheet metal changes – New Micra has been given a substantial interior makeover. There is new technology, a new centre console, new trim and new finishing touches.
Depending on trim level there’s an all-new communication centre with the latest state-of-the-art touchscreen navigation system now with a larger screen. On the exterior, additions include two bold new colours "Pacific Blue" and a "Mettalic Platinum Sage" and new 15-inch and 16-inch alloy wheels.
Nissan has also expanded Micra’s choice of personalisation options designed to allow an owner to create their own unique Micra. The changes, allied to the model’s acclaimed performance and handling, boost and broaden the appeal of Nissan’s popular small car.
At its heart, however, New Micra remains true to the design ethos that shaped the definitive small car when the original was launched, 30 years and more than six million examples ago.
New Micra remains not just fun to drive and, thanks to its compact turning circle, easy to park but is also one of the most advanced small cars on the market.
Among its features are its highly efficient direct injection gasoline-supercharged (DIG-S) petrol engine, its innovative, accessible and genuinely helpful Parking Slot Measurement, which helps guide the driver into tight parking spaces, and I-Key which delivers not just keyless entry but also keyless engine start.
With its new look, comprehensive improvements and quality upgrades, New Micra will build on the success of the current model, introduced to the European market three years ago. It’s the third best-selling Nissan model in the UK and Europe behind Qashqai and Juke.
Changes in detail
New Micra’s most obvious changes are to the exterior. The entire ‘face’ has changed with a new grille re-establishing a stronger link to Nissan’s corporate look with the familiar circular badge ‘held’ within a chromed extended V-shaped motif.
But it’s not just the grille that has changed. In fact, the bonnet, wings, headlamps and front bumper are also all new. And where fitted, the front fog lamps have been given a distinctive new shape & chrome surround. The changes give New Micra a stronger, more assertive and dynamic look.
It’s all change at the rear, too, with a redesigned bumper, new LED tail lamps and a panel at the bottom of the tailgate. The fresh look is complemented by a new 15-inch alloy wheel design and the introduction of machine-finished 16-inch alloys. Together the styling changes make New Micra appear more purposeful and better ‘planted’ on the road.
An eye-catching palette includes two new colours: pearl metallic Pacific Blue (a predominantly turquoise shade) and metallic Platinum Sage. These join the eight existing colours.
A number of significant changes can be found inside too. The instrument graphics ahead of the driver have been improved for greater clarity, while there’s a totally new centre console with restyled air vents.
The interior has been enhanced with the use of gloss black finish on the centre console and a silver look to the gear selector finisher. The door armrests have been textured to give a higher quality appearance and there are new seat and door pad fabrics. Visia and Acenta grades have a durable tricot mesh woven fabric – a material often used for sports clothing – while top Tekna models have a suede-like fabric with double stitching.
The interior also now benefits from dash-mounted Aux-in and USB slots linked to all audio units while a 12v socket has been added, allowing mobile phones or MP3 players to be recharged on the move with ease.
All but entry-level Visia models benefit from audio equipment that has been better integrated into the centre console with matching gloss and matt black finishers as appropriate.
More significantly, New Micra benefits from the availability of the latest NissanConnect navigation and communication system, which has new features and a bigger 5.8-inch screen (up from 5-inches) with chromed controls.
Upgraded navigation now features eco-routing, which automatically calculates the route likely to use the least fuel. It is supplemented by an eco-scoring table that allows a driver to check how economically he or she has been driving.
The larger colour touchscreen not only means maps and directions are easier to read, but also that album cover art linked to the owner’s music library can be displayed.
The new system also incorporates advanced features such as Google Send-To-Car technology, which allows an owner to plan a journey on their PC or tablet at home or in the office and then send the instructions to the car ahead of the journey.
Google’s Point of Interest (POI) search-and-access to weather forecasts, local fuel prices and flight information, is also included. The navigation system now includes a motorway ‘exit view’ complete with lane guidance to help when leaving highways and the system also displays prevailing speed limits with a driver-set speed warning providing visual and audible alerts when the car hits a certain speed above the limit.
Another innovation is the availability of an advanced parking aid. Thanks to its electric power steering and one of the best turning circles in its class – just 4.65m – New Micra is instantly at home in the city… especially when equipped with Parking Slot Measurement and Rear Parking Sensors.
PSM lives up to its name by measuring parking slots and alerting the driver via a dashboard display as to whether New Micra can be safely parked in the space or not: the system can even be adjusted to account for the driver’s skill – amateur, normal or expert.
But perhaps the biggest innovation is under the bonnet where one of the most efficient petrol engines in the world can be found, Nissan’s latest three-cylinder 1.2-litre direct injection gasoline supercharged (DIG-S) unit.
The range-topping DIG-S develops 98PS to provide exceptional performance and refinement with diesel-rivalling economy (68.9mpg combined) and emissions from just 95g/km. DIG-S engines also feature automatic stop/start when the car is stationary improving fuel economy by around four per cent.
The entry-level 1.2-litre unit develops 80PS for lively performance and emissions from 115g/km. New Micra is front-wheel drive with a slick five-speed manual gearbox as standard or optionally the latest generation CVT.
There are three models in New Micra line-up starting with the entry-level Visia. Standard equipment includes remote central locking, front power windows, electric power steering, 14-inch wheels, Radio & CD player with Aux & USB plus a full complement of safety equipment including driver and front passenger airbags, side airbags and curtain bags, ABS and ESP.
Mid-range Acenta adds chrome accents, body colour door mirrors and handles, 15-inch wheels, roof spoiler, automatic climate control, front fog lamps, driver’s armrest, leather covered steering wheel, Bluetooth connectivity plus automatic control for the headlamps and wipers.
Top Tekna versions add automatic air conditioning, NissanConnect, rear parking sensors, Parking Slot Measurement, 16-inch alloy wheels, suede-like seat fabric, automatic folding door mirrors and Intelligent Key with engine start button.
A panoramic glass roof is available as on option on Tekna grade.
A wide range of personalisation options is also being introduced from Acenta grade, so owners can now specify their preferred colour of wheel centre caps and door mirrors on the exterior, while inside they can personalise their gear knob, air-vent, gear stick surround and velour mats to make their car unique.
“New Micra benefits from all the attributes of the current K13 model such as strong performance, handling and advanced technology, but with enhanced quality and a dynamic new look. The next chapter of the Micra story has begun,” said Helen Perry, Micra Product Manager for Europe.

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