Next-genSwift, updated S-Cross and Celerio in the pipeline.

Maruti has already launched models this year, the Ignis, the Baleno RS and the new 2017 Maruti Suzuki Dzire. The carmaker had lined up four launches for this financial year, out of which the first one was the new Maruti Suzuki Dzire sedan. In the pipeline are three more new car launches for the Indian market by the end of the financial year. Speaking at the new 2017 Maruti Suzuki Dzire launch, R.S. Kalsi, Executive Officer (Marketing and Sales), Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, confirmed that out of the three, one will be an all-new offering.

Sources close to the company confirmed that the all-new model that will come to India before the end of this financial year will be the next-gen Swift hatchback, which is slated to be unveiled at the upcoming Auto Expo 2018 in February. The new Swift hatchback, unveiled in late 2016, managed to retain the overarching design language of the original car. The 2017 Swift is built on the same platform as the Baleno, though it will be 10-15 percent lighter. The India-spec Swift will continue to use the 1.2-litre petrol and 1.3-litre diesel engines as the current car, though the diesel engine might be tuned to produce more power. The novelty that the 2017 Swift will offer will be automatic options on both the petrol and the diesel variant.

The other two models that will see mid-cycle refreshes are the S-Cross crossover and the Celerio hatchback. While the crossover was unveiled earlier, the India-spec car is likely to get similar styling tweaks as the international model. Expect Maruti to launch the S-Cross sometime during the festive season. The Celerio hatchback will also see minor tweaks to its exteriors and interior. Details are scarce at the moment, but it will be safe to expect Maruti to add more equipment and creature comforts to make the car more competitive against its rivals like the Tata Tiago and the upcoming Chevrolet Beat.

Courtesy : Autocar

A hybrid Karoq could also be developed in the future as well; no decision has been made on either model so far.

Skoda CEO, Bernhard Maier, has revealed that a hot Karoq vRS performance SUV could be the company’s next vRS-badged model.

The Karoq compact SUV is being targeted squarely as a practical family car, but Maier said Skoda could respond to a demand for a performance version to be made.

Speaking at the launch of the Karoq SUV in Sweden, Maier said: “We have from our customer base very clear feedback that there is obviously a demand in having an SUV with our vRS logo as well, and that has all the ingredients which make the Skoda a vRS."

“We are investigating. We have not made a final decision as of yet. But there might be at least a substantial discussion about that.”

The development comes following reports that called into question the future of the vRS brand. The Fabia vRS hot hatch was discontinued for this generation of the supermini. Two generations of Fabia vRS were made, but now the only remaining vRS model in the Skoda range is the Octavia.

If the Karoq vRS were to make it to market, it’d likely share the same 304hp, four-cylinder, turbocharged engine found in the Seat Ateca Cupra; the closely related cars would also be each others’ main competitor. The Volkswagen T-Roc R would also fall into the same hot SUV category.

Maier also said that a hybrid Karoq could be developed in the future. Internationally, Skoda will launch its first plug-in hybrid, a version of the Superb, in 2019. Maier added: "The [MQB] platform [that the Karoq is built on] is prepared for that, but there's no decision made so far. Until we launch the plug-in Superb we have enough opportunities to really check and balance what car is ready for the market at that time."

Courtesy : Autocar

The government has now given more clarity on the new Goods & Services Tax (GST) structure after releasing the rates for 98 categories of goods, including those for the automobile sector. Under GST, most vehicle categories will come under a standard 28 percent tax rate, along with a provision to separately levy an additional variable cess on any vehicle category.

“The rates are as per the expectations of the industry and almost all segments of the industry have benefited by way of a reduced overall tax burden in varying degree,” said Vinod Dasari, SIAM president.

The sub-four-metre small car segment will now attract a 1 percent cess for petrol models (less than 1,200cc) and 3 percent for diesel cars. This changes their effective GST rates to 29 percent and 31 percent, respectively, which is a slight increase from before and consumers might see a minor price increase in this segment. Taxation for mid-size cars and SUVs (length more than four metres, engines smaller than 1,500cc) will remain more or less unchanged at net rate of 43 percent. There is good news, however, for consumers in the market for large cars and SUVs (engines larger than 1,500cc) as there is now considerable reduction in indirect taxes from an earlier 50 percent to now 43 percent (GST of 28 percent plus cess of 15 percent).

In what seems like a bid to encourage the sale of electric vehicles, GST has been kept in a lower tax band of 12 percent; this includes two-, three- and four-wheelers as well. Surprisingly though, hybrid vehicles have been kept in the highest rate bracket there is, of 28 percent with an additional 15 percent cess (total of 43 percent), thus attracting the same amount of tax as a luxury car. This is especially significant since the government has been pushing to popularise clean and efficient vehicle technologies. This also seems like a setback for manufacturers like Toyota, Lexus and Hyundai, which have already committed significant investments towards hybrid technology.

"We were expecting some positive inputs towards hybrid vehicles but with the absence of that, and with the current taxation structure, there could be big challenges towards bringing in feasible hybrid technology. Luxury cars will definitely become cheaper by quite a bit. The impact on small cars will be negligible," Rakesh Srivastava, director (sales & marketing), Hyundai Motor India, told Autocar India.

Ownership costs of vehicles, too, are expected to rise, with auto parts now falling under the 28 percent tax slab of GST. This, along with 3 percent increase in the tax rate for services which now in total stands at 18 percent, could mean that vehicle servicing will cost more.

GST is expected to replace as many as 17 indirect central and state tax levies. The government has committed towards a deadline of July 1 for its rollout.

Courtesy : Autocar

It receives an upgraded engine, greater downforce, and a revised suspension.

The Volkswagen Up GTi has been revealed and, with 115hp, it packs more power than the original Golf GTi.

Set to go on sale in international markets in early 2018, the new Up GTi is the latest member of what Volkswagen officials recently suggested to our sister publication, Autocar UK, will become a larger and more prominent line-up of powered-up GTi models in future years. It arrives well into the latter half of the first-generation Up’s planned seven-year life cycle, providing the German carmaker with its first serious rival to the likes of the Fiat 500 Abarth and Vauxhall Adam S.

The new model receives an upgraded engine, greater downforce, and a revised suspension – all claimed to see it rise well above regular Up models in outright performance and handling terms.
Power is provided by a 115hp, 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, turbocharged, direct-injection petrol engine. It is backed up by 199Nm of torque between 2,000-3,500rpm.

Volkswagen is taking up the technical specification of the Up GTi’s engine, which also resides in the entry-level version of the recently facelifted seventh-generation Golf. Along with a stop/start and energy recuperation system, it receives a particulate filter that enables the compact three-cylinder to meet the new WLTP (Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure) emission standard.
A further development adopted by the new range-topping Up model is a so-called sound actuator. It provides a synthetically generated exhaust note aimed at enhancing the aural qualities of the 999cc unit.

Power is sent to the front wheels via a closely stacked six-speed manual gearbox. Volkswagen claims a 0-100kph time of 8.8sec and a top speed of 196kph.

A series of stylistic upgrades transforms the look of the Up, providing it with many of the classic GTi cues used by Volkswagen down through the years. Included is a new front bumper with additional cooling vents, round fog lamps with cornering light function and a plastic honeycomb grille insert. Above it is a GTi badge and the characteristic horizontal red feature line in the space between the headlamps.

Also included are GTi badges within the trailing section of the front fenders, adhesive stripes along the lower section of the doors, high-gloss black exterior mirror caps, standard 17-inch ‘Brands Hatch’ design wheels, and red painted front brake calipers. At the rear, there’s a uniquely styled spoiler atop the tailgate, together with a redesigned bumper featuring an altered valance within its lower section housing a single, round chromed tailpipe.

Along with the three-door version, Volkswagen has confirmed the Up GTi will also be available in five-door guise. Buyers can choose between five exterior colours – Tornado Red, Pure White, Dark Silver, Black Pearl and, new to the GTi line-up, Costa Azul. With the exception of Black Pearl, the new Volkswagen will also be available with an optional contrasting black roof.

The interior features a unique ‘red pixel’ trim within the dashboard, plaid check fabric upholstered front seats, a black roof liner, a multi-function flat-bottom steering wheel with red stitching, along with number of unique touches.

Among the standard equipment for the new Volkswagen model are a Composition infotainment system with six-speakers, a USB interface, air conditioning, heated seats, as well as electrical adjustable and heated exterior mirrors, and the aforementioned fog lamps with so-called static cornering lights.