The KUV100 is powered by the all-new mFalcon engine family; comes with first of its class six-seater arrangement.

Home-grown carmaker Mahindra & Mahindra today launched the KUV100 compact SUV at a starting price of Rs 4.42 lakh (ex-showroom, Pune).

The KUV100 (pronounced KUV ‘one double oh’) has seven variants on offer, starting with the base K2, going up to K2+, K4, K4+,K6, K6+ and the top-spec K8.

Prices for the petrol variant start at Rs 4.42 lakh and the top-spec petrol variant costs Rs 5.91lakh. The base diesel is priced at Rs 5.22 lakh going up to Rs 6.76 lakh (ex-showroom, Pune).
Previously codenamed S101, the compact SUV has been designed and developed at the Mahindra Research Valley in Chennai. The KUV100 will go up against established players such as the Maruti Celerio, Hyundai Grand i10 and the Swift. It features a distinct crossover design, unlike the boxy outline of the TUV300, which sets it apart from the competition. 

At the front, the KUV100 gets a slim high-up grille and large prominent headlamps with LED elements that extend to the front pillar. The squared wheel arches and high-set fenders lend the car a muscular appeal while the sloping roofline adds some sportiness. The rear doors feature pillar-mounted door handles à la the Chevrolet Beat.

The KUV100 will be powered by Mahindra’s all-new mFalcon engine family, and offer two engine options. The petrol engine is a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol motor making 82bhp at 5,500rpm and 11.73kgm of torque at 3,500-3,600rpm. The diesel is also a 1.2-litre three-cylinder motor that puts out 77bhp at 3,750rpm and 19.37kgm of torque at 1,750-2,250rpm. Power from both the motors is sent to the front wheels via an all-new five-speed manual transmission.

Inside, the KUV100 ditches the conventional 2+3 seating arrangement for the 3+3 seating which makes it the only six seater in the segment. The arrangement has been made possible by the addition of a bench seat. To house the bench seat, the gear lever has been mounted on the dash and the handbrake moved to the base of the centre console. The six-seat layout comes as standard on the K2 and K2+ variant, while other variants get the option of the five-seat as well.
In terms of safety, the carmaker has offered ABS as standard across the range along with driver and passenger airbags. 

Courtesy : Autocar

The refreshed Beat gets added safety and convenience features; top variant gets a new LTZ nomenclature.

General Motors India today launched an updated version of the Chevrolet Beat hatchback at a starting price of Rs 4.28 lakh going up to Rs 5.55 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The hatchback now comes with improved interiors and added safety equipment.

In terms of the safety features, the LT variant gets the addition of a driver side airbag. Moreover, the top trim, which follows a new LTZ nomenclature, comes with passenger and driver side air bags, anti-lock brakes (ABS) and electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD).

On the exterior, the Beat’s glass headlamps get black accents, body-coloured door handles, while the tail-lamps now sport a combination of coloured and clear glass. Other features include fog lamps with chrome surrounds, a newly designed rear spoiler with LED inserts and a restyled dual-tone rear bumper with sporty reflectors.

Inside, the car gets steering-mounted audio controls on some variants, a height-adjustable driver seat and silver interior highlights. The refreshed Chevrolet Beat also comes with remote keyless entry with a foldable key.

The Beat, which is available with a petrol and diesel engine, has an ARAI-certified fuel economy of 25.44kpl for the diesel engine and 17.8kpl for the petrol engine.

Mechanicals, however, remain unchanged and the Beat continues to be powered by the
1.2-litre, four-cylinder petrol unit developing 79bhp and 10.9kgm of torque. The diesel variants come with a three-cylinder unit developing 58.5bhp and 15.2kgm of torque. Transmission duties are carried out by a five-speed manual gearbox.

“The Chevrolet Beat, one of GM India’s best-selling models, raises the bar in the country’s fast-growing compact car segment. The new version was developed by carefully listening to our customers and enhancing it with smart new features and stylish looks,” Hardeep Brar, vice-president – Sales, General Motors India said in a company statement.

The updated Beat also gets the addition of two new colours, red and steel grey.

Courtesy : Autocar

Ford’s all-new SUV is coming and will be a lot better than its predecessor

The all-new Ford Endeavour is set to be launched in India on January 20. The previous generation of the American SUV was quite a hit with Indian buyers given its imposing dimensions and butch design, and Ford has had us wait for a really long time for the new generation Endeavour. The new generation Endeavour has been tested extensively in India and abroad, and is expected to fare much better than its predecessor off tarmac, since off-roading was one of the grey areas of the previous generation Endeavour. 

Based on Ford’s T6 platform, the new Endeavour is in sync with current offerings in its segment thanks to the addition of the features and equipment one would expect of a new generation SUV, and of course, Ford has ensured it retains the muscular design that the Endeavour is known for. It still sports a boxy styling and gets generous helpings of chrome, but then that’s the kind of character American SUVs are known for, and also the design virtues that made the Endeavour a favourite. 

To improve its performance off tarmac the Endeavour also gets a new terrain management system, something that has become the norm with SUVs expected to go off-roading. The Endeavour is also a lot more luxurious inside, to pamper occupants who’d rather prefer being ensconced in the luxury of this spacious SUV rather than get mucky. 

The new Ford Endeavour will be launched with two engine options, a 2.2-litre diesel and a 3.2-litre diesel. The 2.2-litre diesel will be offered with a choice of two-wheel and four-wheel drive, while the 3.2-litre will be offered with four-wheel drive only. The 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel makes 160PS and 385Nm of torque, while the 3.2-litre makes an impressive 200PS, while also offering 470Nm of torque. Expect the new Endeavour to challenge the likes of the successful Toyota Fortuner and the recently launched Chevrolet Trailblazer. Pricing should be in the region of 23-28 lakh ex-showroom.  

Courtesy : Zigwheels

It’s barely two weeks into 2016, and Mercedes-Benz has already launched its first car, the GLE 450 AMG Coupé at Rs 86.4 lakh.

The crossover-coupe is based on the recently launched regular GLE SUV, and sports a distinctive swooping roof-line. The nose features a single-slat grille flanked by LED headlamps and an aggressive looking bumper, while the roofline terminates into an S-class coupé-like rear end. Plastic body cladding, splashes of chrome up front and at the rear, a dual exhaust system and 21-inch wheels complete the 2.2-tonne crossover’s aggressive design.

The coupé carries over the standard GLE’s interiors, but is more luxurious, given the generous use of perforated Nappa-leather all around the cabin. Other highlights of the interiors include carbonfibre trim, a sport steering wheel, sport seats, stainless steel pedals and the latest Comand infotainment system.

The 450 AMG is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine that churns out 362bhp and 53kgm of torque, which enables the crossover to complete the 0-100kph dash in a sportscar-like 5.7 seconds. Power is sent to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic gearbox that offers five driving modes – comfort, slippery, sport, sport+ and individual. Each mode modulates chassis, suspension, steering wheel and powertrain settings as per driving and terrain conditions.

The GLE 450 AMG Coupé will go up against the BMW X6 and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo.

Courtesy : Autocar