After a long wait, the Jeep brand will finally make its way to India, three models in tow. Here’s the dope on all three of them

Fiat has been considering bringing the Jeep brand to India for a while. The Italian car maker initially declared the launch of the Jeep brand in India in 2013 but that was postponed due to price related issues. Now though, it seems that the launch is finally around the corner. With the launch of its Indian website and recent activity on all social media platforms it seems evident that the launch is around the corner. 

Two years back when Jeep was scheduled to come to India, it was expected to come with two models – the Wrangler Unlimited and the Grand Cherokee. But apart from these two, a third model is also expected to come to India now - the flagship Grand Cherokee SRT. This new model will mark the introduction of the performance SRT brand in India. 

The Grand Cherokee SRT comes with a 6.4-litre Hemi V8 unit that makes 475 horses and an insane 630Nm of torque. These figures allow the Grand Cherokee SRT to touch the 100kmph mark from standstill in just 5 seconds, and that’s quite a feat considering its humungous size. 

The standard Grand Cherokee on the other hand will sport a 3.0-litre unit that makes 240PS. This engine comes mated to a ZF-sourced 8-speed autobox. The Wrangler Unlimited is available in short wheelbase and long wheelbase version in the international market but in India only the longer one is expected to go on sale. The 4-door Wrangler Unlimited will make 200PS from a 2.8-litre diesel mill. This unit will come mated to a 5-speed automatic gearbox. 

Fiat is expected to launch the Grand Cherokee SRT at around Rs 1.40 crore. The Grand Cherokee and the Wrangler Unlimited should be priced around Rs 60 lakh and Rs 40 lakh respectively. Expect all these three cars to be showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo in February. 

Courtesy :  Zigwheels

To take advantage of the heavy eyeballs that the biennial event garners, Audi will be taking the wraps off three of its upcoming models next month

Manufacturers are gearing up to display their new launches at what is one of Asia’s largest auto shows. Out of the world’s major luxury carmakers, Audi, has announced that it will be showcasing three new cars at the Auto Expo 2016. They’re as follows.

New Generation Audi R8 V10: The next iteration of Audi’s supercar will be present at the Auto Expo 2016. The new generation Audi R8 V10 is a more powerful and dynamic-looking supercar compared to its predecessor. Powering the new Audi R8 is a 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10 engine in two trims with different power outputs -- 547PS and 618 PS -- which will be transmitted to all four wheels via Audi’s Quattro drive system. The new R8 receives a revised styling which follows Audi’s new design philosophy. Borrowing almost about 50 per cent parts from the technically advanced race-spec R8 LMS, the new generation R8 will definitely grab attention of all car enthusiasts at the expo. 
 
Audi A8 L Security: With other German carmakers like Mercedes-Benz and BMW offering armoured vehicles to its elite customers, Audi will also be stepping in the exclusive customised car segment with the A8 L Security. The Audi A8 L Security was first seen at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. The Audi A8 L security will be manufactured solely under personal supervision at Audi’s top-secret plant in Neckarsulm, Germany. The A8 L Security has been built from a specially designed platform, optimized to provide its occupants with the maximum level of safety. Compared to its rivals, Audi will be the only manufacturer to provide all drive system on its armoured vehicle.
 

Audi Prologue Concept: Portraying the future design philosophy of the German manufacturer, Audi will display the Prologue concept which is a five-door model with a raised body structure. Displayed first at the Shanghai Auto Show, the Prologue concept will be one of the highlights as claimed by the manufacturer. The Prologue concept is a combination of new-age technology without compromising on everyday practicality of the vehicle.

Courtesy : Zigwheels

Maruti Suzuki will soon launch an automatic version of the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire diesel which will come with a 5-speed AMT setup.

With the advent of automatic car slowly gaining popularity with the masses, Maruti is slated to launch an automatic or AMT version of their extremely popular Swift Dzire compact sedan in India very soon. The new Swift Dzire AMT will also most probably get the Suzuki Vehicle Hybrid System or SVHS which in essence is a start-stop system that helps save on fuel.

The new Suzuki Swift Dzire Automatic will get the same AMT unit supplied by Magnetti Marelli that does duty in the likes of the Celerio but will be mated to the current 5-speed gearbox that is available in the Dzire. The gearbox, with its crisp throws and great ratios is bound to be a great combination for the AMT unit, a combination of which should offer good drivability while not compromising on fuel economy.

The Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire will essentially go up against the Tata Bolt diesel which is the only diesel automatic compact sedan in the country today and which also employs the same AMT shifting unit from Magnetti Marelli that Maruti will use. The new car should be priced slightly above the standard diesel variants and will come in both VDi and ZDi trim levels along with the respective VDi+ and ZDi+ trims.

The engine on the Swift Dzire will continue to be the same 1.3-litre DDiS engine that comes with 75PS of peak power. The new Suzuki Swift Dzire diesel automatic will possibly be one of the last upgrades and updates that Maruti will do to the Dzire before the car goes through a complete change sometime later in 2016.

Courtesy :  Zigwheels