Mahindra and Mahindra to launch Xylo

Mahindra today said its new MUV developed under the name of Ingenio is christened as Xylo (pronounced Zy-lo). The XYLO has been created with customers for developing a vehicle around the lifestyle and aspirations of its end-customer, it said. The vehicle has gone through testing in India and other countries, Mahindra said. “XYLO has been developed by a team consisting of 160 experts who have created new benchmarks in styling, technology and performance,” Mahindra Auto President Mr Pawan Goenka said in a release.Xylo has gone through testing in India and other countries and pictures of disguised Xylo is freely available in net. Xylo is expected to be priced between Rs6.5 lakh to Rs7.5 lakh and will compete with Toyota Innova and upcoming Tata Indicruz Crossover. Mahindra will launch the Xylo by December 2008.

Mahindra’s earlier launched Voyager van jointly with Mitsubishi in the MPV segment.  10-seater Voyager was originally sold as a family vehicle, it was later touted as an ambulance and even a mini-bus but none of the variants went well with Indian customers. Voyager was  found to be steeply priced and failed. After the failure of Voyager, Mitsubishi departed from Mahindra alliance and joined hands with Hindustan Motors.

As we earlier reported Xylo may also gets a petrol engine in addition to the Common rail diesel engine. For Xylo, Mahindra may source the petrol engine from its logan partner Renault. The common rail would be the 2.6L one which is already doing duty in Scropio. Xylo’s engine would produce 100bhp+ max power and 283Nm of max torque. Xylo will also get Mahindra’s latest Fuelsmart technology. Mahindra already said that the MUV being built on Ingenio platform (Xylo) will get this system. Micro hybrid variants of Xylo may also be out at the time of launch.  Xylo is built on an all new platform and will be an eight seater MPV.  As the Xylo will exported to other countries, it is known that Mahindra has paid special attention to the quality of the materials used in Xylo.

Ford to launch new Ikon TDCi diesel on November 05th

Ford will come out with the refurbished version of its old workhorse ikon. Ikon introduced in 2001 had been popular sedan among Indian customers till the advent of new generation entry level sedans such as logan and swift DZire. Ikon lost its sheen due to its outdated styling and last year economic times reported that the american automaker may cease the production of ikon as the model would fail the safety norms which is due in 2010. But since Ford could bring its small car only in 2010, it has to fiddle with the ikon for sometime.

New Ford ikon would come with facelifted front and spruced up interiors. A kink in the headlamps, redesigned aggressive front bumper and reshaped bonnet would give the ikon a modern look. Tail lamp cluster also gets refreshed. While the change inside the ikon will be limited to instrument cluster. With the facelift, new ikon will also get a new heart – 1.4 Diesel. New Ikon TDCi gets the1.4L turbocharged diesel which also powers the fiesta. High pressure common rail diesel engine pumps out 68PS of maximum power at 4000rpm and 160Nm of maximum torque.The engine is extremely frugal and returns 13kmpl in Fiesta. Considering the lesser weight of Ikon compared to Fiesta, you would expect the mileage of new Ikon TDCi around 15kmpl. Ford’s new Ikon TDCi will compete with Tata Indigo CS, Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire and Mahindra Reanault Logan base variant. New Ikon TDCi will be priced around Rs5 lakhs.

Picture of new Ford Ikon TDCi (likely)

Toyota plans ultra low cost car

Toyota plans to come up with a ultra low cost car possibly below the already planned Indian specific low cost car being built under the codename EFC. Following Tata, Hyundai and Renault Nissan, Toyota is looking at India for building the ultra cheap car. According to Asahi NewsPaper, Toyota aims at selling the car for $5000 (Rs2,50,000) by 2015.Toyota already said that the EFC would cost around $8000 (Rs4lakh) and if this new ultra low cost car i produced Toyota would have better chance of capturing higher market share in the cost conscious Indian market. The car will be sold under a new brand, the fourth for the automaker after Toyota, Lexus and Scion, according to the Asahi newspaper. Toyota wants to manufacture the car in India and could export the model to Brazil, the newspaper said.

Skoda to launch new Superb and new Laura

Skoda part of Volkswagen group has said that it will launch four new models in India by 2009. Skoda’s 2009 line-up includes – new Superb,new Laura,Fabia Combi and Roomster. “Hundred per cent in the plan is the launch of the Superb successor in the first quarter and Laura successor in the middle of 2009. We will showcase the new Superb in November,” Mr Thomas Kuehl, Board Member (Sales & Marketing), Skoda Auto said. He added “We hope people will prefer the five-seater Fabia Combi with a huge space to drive outside the city, to go to the countryside.” As station wagons are not popular among Indian consumers Skoda is little apprehensive about the market. Also Skoda has a bad experience with the octavia combi. “It is difficult to predict the market for Fabia Combi because it is not a preferred body style in the market. We start with the niche,” he said.

Pictures of new Laura,new Superb,Roomster and Fabia Combi

Picture of new Laura

Picture of new Superb

Picture of  Roomster

Picture of Fabia Combi

Maruti Suzuki to replace defective parts of Alto,WagonR and Estilo

Maruti Suzuki India says that they are replacing some defective parts in as many as 28,500 cars which inlcudes popular models like Wagon R,Alto and Zen Estilo. A problem such as this usually surfaces after a car has travelled 7,000-8,000 km. Each drive shaft costs about Rs3,000. These parts are being replaced as the vehicles are brought to any of their service centers in the country. The cars with the defective parts were manufactured between May 2006 and February this year. The defect in the parts is due to defective greasing in the shaft and these shafts were manufactured by Delphi Automotive Systems.  Maruti said that the defect does not cause any safety problems for the passengers in the vehicle.

Maruti Suzuki hikes prices of Swift and SX4

Maruti Suzuki has announced a price increase across its models despite the slow demand.

* Prices of M800, Omni and Alto is up by Rs 2,500

* Zen Estilo and WagonR has become dearer by Rs 3,000

* Surprisingly even after the launch of new Generation, Maruti Suzuki has increased the SX4 price by Rs6000

* Swift Vxi, Zxi and Lxi (in some markets) are becoming more expensive by Rs 4,500.

Swift Ldi and Vdi  is spared from the price hike.

Hero Honda’s new CBZ X-treme Pictures

As you know, Hero Honda has launched new variants of Cbz X-treme, Passion plus,Pleasure and Splendor NXG. Here are few pictures of new CBZ Xtreme. Thanks imran for notifying Riaz pictures uploaded in Picasa

1) Hero Honda new CBZ X-treme: comes with two tone graphics. At the front it gets clear lens indicators and matt silver handle bars.

2) Hero Honda new CBZ X-treme: engine gets the ATFT technology to ensure better combustion of fuel.

3) Hero Honda new CBZ X-treme: Red alloy wheels and red rear cowl with distinct ‘X’ mark is simply magnetic. CBZ X-treme which already boasts stu tail lamp cluster

Suzuki launches GS150R

You read it first at vicky.in

Live coverage of Suzuki GS150R launch from Delhi

As you read it first at vicky.in .Suzuki today launched the much awaited 150cc bike. The bike which is known as Lanza is christened as GS150R. GS 150R’s muscular fuel tank adds character to the bike. GS150R’s massive fuel tank can hold 15.5 of fuel.

Styled with inspiration from Suzuki’s international superbike GSX-R, GS150R is a mean looking machine. The bikini fairing, pilot lamps mounted on either side of wolf eyed headlamps is not exciting but looks pleasing. But the real attraction is the rear part of the GS150R. Stunning integrated LED tail lamp cluster also houses turn indicators on both sides.which is again an GSX-R inspired.

GS150R is powered a engine which respires through BS26 carburettor (NO Fuel Injection or FI). The engine also gets TPS (Throttle positioning Sensor). Suzuki says GS150R engine is tuned to ride better for  city riding. The 150cc engine is designed to with an acceleration performance in the low to mid range speed which is important for city driving. GS150R engine is equipped with engine balancer technology. According to Suzuki, engine balancer technology of GS150R which seeks to minimise vibration usually associated with the vibration. GS150R balancer system is fitted with balancer-driven gear fitted with a rubber damper for reducing the impact noises generated by its meshing with the balancer-driven gear.

GS150R 149cc engine develops 13.8bhp of peak power at 8500rpm and 13.4Nm of peak torque 6000rpm. is mated with a six speed transmission. Gear shift pattern is 1-down and  5-up. According to Suzuki, GS150R will return a mileage of 50kmpl in City and 55kmpl in Highway 60kmpl in City and 65kmpl in Highway.

Pictures of Suzuki GS150R

GS150R length is 2095mm, its width is 775mm and it height 1120mm.  The ground clearance of the GS150R is 160mm and its wheelbase stands at 1340mm. At the fore GS150R gets 2.75 -18 and at the rear Suzuki GS150R features fatter 100/90-18 tyre.

GS150R features disc brake at the front and drum brake at the rear. Hydraulics forks and gas charged rear suspension of GS150R will give you a comfortable ride. GS150R is neither Fuel Injected nor have monoshock suspension at the rear.

Suzuki has given GS150R contemporary features such as digital console. The digital console of GS150R features a digital speedometer and it let’s you to select two modes – Power mode and economic mode. As the name indicates once the power mode is opted, GS150R starts behaving a racing animal and the eco mode let’s you to conserve fuel. The GSX-R inspired engine rpm indicator glows to give an indication to the rider about the optimum up-shift timings. Eco and power modes of GS150R functions to cater to wide range of speeds and riding conditions.  The digital console also indicates the which gear is selected.

GS 150R comes with a six speed transmission. GS150R is available in four colours – pearl nebular black,metallic flint gray,candy max orange and Candy dark greenish blue. Suzuki has come up with a killer price for the GS150R. GS150R is attractively priced at Rs59000 (ex-showroom Delhi)

More details are expected and Pictures will be uploaded soon.