The new Micra for India will look similar to the European model, but will be based on the low-cost CMF-A+ platform.

Nissan is planning to bring the all-new Micra to India by 2019. The India-bound Micra will get the same design as the one already on sale internationally. However, the car could get a minor facelift by then.

Unlike the Euro-spec hatchback (K14) that is based on Nissan’s V platform, the India-spec Nissan Micra will be underpinned by the far more cost-effective CMF A+ platform.

Heavy localisation will also play its part in keeping costs low. As the CMF platform will also be the base of the all-new Nissan Sunny that is due sometime in 2018, this will help bring down manufacturing costs considerably. In addition, the group’s new 106hp, 1.5-litre petrol unit launched recently on the Duster could also be used on the Micra and the Sunny.

While no diesel engine is expected with the new Micra, the X-Tronic CVT automatic gearbox will be offered as an option to a five-speed manual.

The Micra currently competes in the competitive hatchback segment, along with the Maruti Swift and the Hyundai Grand i10.  

Courtesy : Autocar

Jeep is all set to launch its first made-in-India model, the Compass, on July 31, 2017. Local production of the SUV commenced in early June and it has already gathered more than 1,000 bookings. Jeep will sell the model with two engine options – a 2.0-litre 172hp 350Nm diesel and a 1.4-litre MultiAir turbo-petrol. Now the equipment list has surfaced online, confirming that the Compass will be available in five variants. Here's what you'll get on each of the variants:

Jeep Compass Sport

• Petrol and diesel engine options
• Six-speed manual only
• 5.0-inch infotainment system (U-Connect)
• 16-inch steel wheels
• Halogen headlamps
• Dual front airbags
• ABS, EBD, stability and traction control
• Four-wheel disc brakes
• Power adjust and folding wing mirrors
• All-black interiors
• Electric parking brake

Jeep Compass Longitude

• Diesel engine only
• Front fog lamps
• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Keyless entry and go
• Rear parking sensors
• Dual-tone interior

Jeep Compass Longitude (O)

• 7.0-inch infotainment system (U-Connect) with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• Dual-zone climate control
• Projector headlamps
• Rear parcel tray

Jeep Compass Limited

• Petrol and diesel engine options
• LED tail-lamps
• Rear camera
• Grey leather upholstery
• Door sill guards
• SelecTerrain 4WD system
• Dual front, side and curtain airbags

Jeep Compass Limited (O)

• Petrol and diesel engine options
• HID headlamps
• Contrast black roof

Pricing and competition check
The Compass is expected to be priced between Rs 18 lakh and Rs 25 lakh. When launched, direct rivals will include the Hyundai Tucson, the Ford Endeavour, the Toyota Fortuner and the recently launched Volkswagen Tiguan.

Courtesy : Autocar

Rugged V90 Cross Country estate gets aggressive bodywork, 210mm ground clearance and a 235hp D5 diesel engine

Volvo launched the V90 Cross Country today in India at Rs 60 lakh (ex-showroom, India). The model expands Volvo’s 'Cross Country' range in India, which includes the V40 Cross Country and the S60 Cross Country. The new estate is set apart from the standard S90 by a rugged-looking exterior, complete with aggressive bumpers and additional black cladding all around. 

The vehicle gets 20-inch wheels as standard and that raises ground clearance by 60mm to 210mm, and all-wheel drive, which gives it mild off-roading abilities when compared with the standard V90.

The V90 Cross Country gets roof rails and there’s also adaptive air suspension at the rear. Luggage space is at 560 litres but can be expanded to 1,526 litres with the second-row seats folded.

Unlike the S90, which uses the 190hp D4 diesel engine in India, the V90 Cross Country gets the more powerful 235hp D5 motor paired to the same eight-speed automatic gearbox.

The Swedish carmaker, which prioritises safety in its vehicles, has equipped the V90 Cross Country with a host of safety features such as collision mitigation support (front), park assist function with camera (front and rear), emergency brake assist and lane-keeping aid.

The cabin gets equipment such as a 12.3-inch driver display, seen in other Volvo models, nappa leather upholstery, power adjustable driver and passenger seat with memory, four-zone climate control and panoramic sunroof.

Courtesy : Autocar

The next Porsche 911, scheduled to be launched internationally in 2018, will get a hybrid powertrain and a fully digital dashboard. The car, currently being tested at the Nürburgring facility, will use the same technology as Audi’s Virtual Cockpit.

Base models of the 911 are expected to use the same 3.0-litre, flat-six, twin-turbo engine that made its debut in the facelifted 911 Carrera.Porsche 911 product line director Erhard Mössle has revealed that the new 911 will sit on a modified version of the MMB platform used by the current car and feature only mild styling changes.

 Porsche already has hybrid powertrains in its Cayenne SUV and Panamera sedan, with both cars using the same supercharged 3.0-litre petrol engine in combination with an electric motor. The 918 Spyder also features a hybrid powertrain – a 4.6-litre V8 engine with two electric motors.

 Last September, Porsche engineers told our sister publication Autocar UK that they were working on packaging a hybrid powertrain in the 911's body – something that could also account for the wider stance of development cars.

 Porsche is also considering an all-electric version of the 911 in the same vein as the Audi R8 e-tron.

Courtesy : Autocar

Connectivity between vehicles as well as between vehicles and transport infrastructure in the vicinity is one important step towards connected motoring that aims to reduce road accidents or minimise their consequences. 
From 2019, Volkswagen will start fitting its first models with pWLAN as standard in order to serve as an additional communication technology for the exchange-selected information relevant to traffic between cars made by different manufacturers. This will involve information being exchanged both between vehicles (car-to-car), as well as between vehicles and the transport infrastructure. This will, for example, enable information about the current traffic situation, accidents and other situations relating to traffic conditions to be shared with the local environment within a radius of approximately 500m, even faster than has been possible in the past.  

The technology is based on IEEE 802.11p (pWLAN), which the automotive industry has standardised and tested for direct, non-proprietary inter-vehicle communication as well as between vehicles and transport infrastructure and in international markets. 

It enables to share information about the current traffic situation, warnings or even sensor data with the local environment within milliseconds. This extends the vehicle’s coverage by several hundred metres, virtually making it possible to look round the corner. 

It provides an added advantage to the customers, as it uses a special frequency band intended for road safety and traffic efficiency. There are no ongoing communications costs and it does not rely on mobile phone network coverage.  

Johannes Neft, head of vehicle body development for the Volkswagen brand, said, "We want to increase road safety with the aid of networked vehicles, and the most efficient way of achieving this is through the rapid roll-out of a common technology. What matters most is that the technology is used consistently, and by as many manufacturers and partners as possible."

Courtesy : Autocar