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'Volkswagen issues new video footage and photos of the VW Taigun Concept' plus 17 more

'Volkswagen issues new video footage and photos of the VW Taigun Concept' plus 17 more

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• Volkswagen issues new video footage and photos of the VW Taigun Concept
• Mahindra Centuro garners 10,000 bookings in 18 days
• Have you watched the new Skoda Octavia RS commercial yet?
• Spied – 2014 Hyundai i10 and 2015 Hyundai i20 test together
• Daihatsu Mira e:S sets fuel efficiency record for JDM Kei cars at 33.4kpl
• Video – 2014 MINI Cooper S gets a 3D rendering
• Hyundai Elantra facelift to be launched in South Korea next month
• Russia produces its 100,000th Renault Duster
• Suzuki SX4 S-Cross is its full name! Surprised?
• Spied – Maruti Wagon R Stingray seems launch ready
• Spied – 2015 BMW M3 caught testing in Death Valley
• Official Trailer – Get aquainted with the Maserati Ghibli
• BMW i3 gets fully revealed days ahead of world debut
• Video – Renault-Nissan sells 100,000th Zero-Emission car
• Indonesia – Honda to open order books for the Brio MPV in September
• Yamaha adds new D’elight 114cc scooter to its European lineup
• Rendering – Datsun Go Sedan takes on the Honda Amaze, Maruti Dzire
• Report – VW Taigun green lighted for production; India, Brazil get top priority

Volkswagen issues new video footage and photos of the VW Taigun Concept Posted: 24 Jul 2013 07:24 AM PDT The Taigun’s design is a collaboration between Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg design center and its Italian offshoot Giugiaro. It was unveiled at the Sao Paulo Motor Show and is still a concept car. Volkswagen today has issued a fresh collection of images and a video clipping of the car out in the wild. [Can't view the video? Head to Youtube] We’ve had surplus stories on the concept’s design features, so let’s find out which of those may and may not make it to the production car. The grille and headlamps would look more real-world and the split tailgate would give way to a cost-effective single piece design. According to a report on Autoweek.com, the headlights and grille get diluted to resemble the fronts of new VW products. The tailgate, a two-piece design in the concept, would be replaced by a single-piece design for cost effectiveness.. The Taigun combines the elevated seating posture of an utility vehicle with the tiny footprint of a city car. You would sit 2.5 inches above the Up!’s seating point. The platform is borrowed from the Up! which makes the Taigun a member of the Volkswagen NSF (New Small Family). It has a slightly raised seating position compared to the Up! and would be made in many ways depending on the market needs and purchasing power. The A-Segment SUV would be made in several ways – a plain version for the first-time car owner, a rugged version that gets ski racks and an exposed stepney, and finally a plush version with leather interior, brushed aluminium touches and more electronic gadgets. The A-Segment SUV is coming out in 2016 based on the Up! platform. It competes with the Chevrolet Trax and the Ford EcoSport. The Taigun aims directly at the Ford EcoSport and Renault Duster which have kicked off the global urban SUV trend. The Chevrolet Trax and Peugeot 2008 are also competitors that the Taigun needs to watch out for. VW Taigun Image Update [Source - AutoWeek.com]

Mahindra Centuro garners 10,000 bookings in 18 days Posted: 24 Jul 2013 05:32 AM PDT The Mahindra Centuro, the first motorcycle from the company to be entirely developed in-house, has started off very well thanks to its killer introductory price tag. The 110cc commuter motorcycle has clocked 10,000 bookings in just 18 days which is commendable considering that Mahindra is a new brand in the unforgiving Indian commuter bike segment. It’s to be noted that the first 10,000 units of the Centuro had a discounted price of Rs. 44,000 (ex-showroom Delhi). At an introductory price of Rs. 45,000 (ex-showroom Delhi), you get electric starter, alloy wheels, digital dashboard with Distance To Empty meter, remote flip key, engine immobilizer with anti-theft alarm, Find Me and Guide Me lamps. The Centuro is powered by Mahindra2Wheelers’ homegrown 110cc MCI-5 4-stroke air cooled engine which generates 8.5 bhp and 8.5 Nm of torque. The engine is paired to a 4-speed gearbox. Read our review of the Mahindra Centuro Apart from the competitive pricing, another important contributor for the Centuro’s good response is the free five year warranty. Mr. Viren Popli, Executive Vice President, Mahindra2Wheelers stated - We are truly delighted that the Mahindra Centuro has garnered over 10,000 bookings in such a short period of time. At the same time, we are very aware of the enhanced customer expectations and are striving to meet and exceed them. Press release on Page 2.

Have you watched the new Skoda Octavia RS commercial yet? Posted: 24 Jul 2013 05:17 AM PDT There can be just one car that makes bystanders gawk in awe in a neighborhood where soft toys have six-pack abs, ice creams are served out of monster trucks, lawn hose pipes are turbocharged, barbecue grilles warrant safety goggles, and baby carriages ride on 20-inch wheels. Its the Skoda Octavia RS, as the VW Group’s Czech subsidiary explains in its new TV commercial that airs on the British tele starting tomorrow. [Can't view the video? Head to Youtube] The 2014 Skoda Octavia RS hits the UK market next week in liftback and station wagon formats with either a 220PS 2-liter petrol engine or a 184PS 2-liter diesel engine.

Spied – 2014 Hyundai i10 and 2015 Hyundai i20 test together Posted: 24 Jul 2013 03:32 AM PDT The spy shots that you see here show the 2014 Hyundai i10 and the 2015 Hyundai i20 testing together in Korea. Lets talk about the i20 first. Hyundai has already started working on the next generation i20 and we have seen the development prototypes testing in India as well. From the little detail that the camouflaged car reveals, we can check out how the C Pillar of the car would look like. Overall proportions are expected to remain the same as the outgoing model. The new i20 would be launched sometime in 2014. Now coming to the i10. The 2014 i10 that you see in these pictures is the model that we will get in India. You can tell by the black roof rails and conventional rear window. The European i10 on the other hand has an even smaller rear window and quarter glass which we will not see on the Indian specification model. Check out our exhaustive coverage on the 2014 Hyundai i10 Earlier it seemed that the world debut of the i10 would happen at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, but now it seems that Hyundai India would launch the new i10 even before September. The new i10 will coexist with the old i10 and would be positioned below the i20. Hyundai could get creative and call it the i15. When it arrives, the new i10 would present the 1.1-liter CRDi engine in India. [Images from Bobaedream]

Daihatsu Mira e:S sets fuel efficiency record for JDM Kei cars at 33.4kpl Posted: 24 Jul 2013 03:31 AM PDT Apparently it’s not just the Indians who are obsessed with the fuel economy of a car. The Japanese follow close on our heels in asking “Kitna deti hain?” (Of course in their native language!). Japan’s penchant with efficiency can be measured by the amount of Kei cars that ply on its roads. As most of you know, the JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) Kei cars have an engine capacity limitation of 660cc and the car makers usually indulge in a never ending fuel economy competition. The Daihatsu Mira e:S, a variant of the Mira whose purpose of life is to squeeze every ounce of petrol, was the first Kei car to brake the 30kpl barrier back in 2011. However Suzuki came back with a 33kpl Alto Eco (A-Star in India) only to handover the crown back to the Mira e:S now. The Mira e:S has been tweaked to deliver a phenomenal 33.4kpl and mind you there is no hybrid technology involved! The 10% improvement has been achieved merely by improving the combustion efficiency and reducing the drag co-efficient of the little hatchback. The improved Daihatsu Mira e:S will go on sale in the domestic market in August. Fellow Kei car makers like Honda, Suzuki and Nissan are also reportedly working towards breaking Daihatsu’s FE record. And they say India is obsessed with fuel economy! [Source: Thejapan-news.com]

Video – 2014 MINI Cooper S gets a 3D rendering Posted: 24 Jul 2013 02:54 AM PDT The 2014 MINI Cooper is set to make its debut at the LA Auto Show in November, however you needn’t wait till that to have a clear idea about how it looks! [Can't watch the video? Head to Youtube] Here is a 3D model of the next gen Mini Cooper S which was created by Humster3D. The model is based on the uncamouflaged spyshots of the car that were doing rounds on the internet. It seems very close to the real deal! The third iteration of the iconic hatchback retains its core DNA of a compact footprint. Of course the car will be slightly bigger than the outgoing version but it’s still very much a MINI! The front fascia gets a gaping grill lined with chrome and a rectangular secondary airdam. The headlamps are moved further towards the bonnet and the circular foglamps are placed wide apart. The signature air scoop on the bonnet gets wider and thinner. The side profile is typical of a MINI Cooper. The rear gets slightly larger taillights and the centre mounted twin exhaust tips invade the bumper deeper than the current car. While the exterior design is not a far cry from the current model, the next gen MINI Cooper will have a completely new hardware setup. Based on BMW’s modular UKL front wheel drive platform, the MINI will make use of a family of new BMW 3 cylinder engines.

Hyundai Elantra facelift to be launched in South Korea next month Posted: 24 Jul 2013 02:49 AM PDT The Hyundai Elantra with its Fluidic Sculpture design language has struck a chord with the International and Indian audience alike. The stylish sedan from the South Korean automaker is currently the segment leader in India. Regular Indian Autos Blog readers know that Hyundai is working on refreshing the Elantra which has reached its mid-life stage. We have shown you a few spyshots of the Hyundai Elantra facelift testing in South Korea and in the US. Since the design is a global hit, Hyundai played it safe with the refresh. Except for few minor touches here and there, the styling has been retained. Autotimes.hankyung.com reports that the facelifted Elantra will be launching in South Korea on August 24th. The car features new headlamp elements which sport better detailing and projector bulbs. The bumper is revised subtly as with any other facelifts. The taillight elements also get reprofiled. The interior is also expected to continue forward without undergoing any significant visual changes. Overall, the facelift exercise has been very modest. The Hyundai Elantra facelift is expected to retain its engine lineup which includes a 1.8 litre petrol motor and a 1.6 litre diesel engine. The engines are available with either a 6-speed manual or an automatic transmission. The Indian D Segment will welcome the 2013 Skoda Octavia and the refreshed Renault Fluence during the festive season. Will Hyundai India move quickly and bring the refreshed sedan here to maintain its appeal? [Note: The image of the current Elantra is added only for illustration purpose] [Source: Autotimes.hankyung.com]

Russia produces its 100,000th Renault Duster Posted: 24 Jul 2013 02:47 AM PDT The Dacia Duster (Renault Duster) has just hit another milestone. The 100,000th Duster recently rolled off the production line at Renault’s Moscow facility. The facility which is handled by Avtoframos, commenced the production of the Duster in December 2011. The Duster is currently made in Romania, Russia, Brazil, India and Colombia, all though the badge on the grill differs for some markets. In Russia and India for example, the Duster is sold with the Renault Lozenge. Renault in Russia sells the Duster with petrol and diesel powertrains with manual and automatic gearbox options. The Duster is also available in 4×4 and 4×2 with over 70% of the sales coming from the all wheel drive version. Stay updated on the Renault/Dacia Duster The Renault Duster is available with a choice of three engine options: a base 1.6-liter petrol, a 2.0-liter petrol and a 1.5-liter diesel engine. Depending on the engine, the Duster comes with a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed manual or even a 4-speed automatic. Dacia has confirmed that the Duster would be facelifted very soon and that the refreshed crossover would debut at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Meanwhile in India, Nissan is testing out a re-skinned version of the Duster called the Terrano. The Nissan Terrano is expected to be launched in the coming months.

Suzuki SX4 S-Cross is its full name! Surprised? Posted: 24 Jul 2013 01:54 AM PDT There has been a little confusion about the actual name of the 2014 Suzuki SX4 crossover which is about to go on sale in the Europe. The car was previewed by the S-Cross concept but Suzuki decided to retain the concept’s name as the main branding for the second generation car. The automaker’s reluctance to use the SX4 name as the primary badge is understandable since the outgoing car is a whole segment below the current car. Suzuki fears that the SX4 name could dilute the new car’s premium crossover appeal and hence decided to emphasize more on the S-Cross moniker. Dale Wyatt, sales and marketing director of Suzuki’s UK said - We have sort of won the battle. It will be badged as the SX4 S-Cross, although the SX4 bit will be much smaller. The 2014 Suzuki SX4 S-Cross sits on a completely new platform and is much bigger than the old SX4 crossover. The car gets new design, extra equipment and more boot space to graduate up market. The crossover offers a choice of 1.6 litre petrol and diesel motors. The petrol motor develops 120bhp and 150 Nm of torque. The Fiat sourced MultiJet diesel motor is good for an identical 120bhp but pumps out a healthy 320 Nm of torque. The Suzuki SX4 S-Cross will go on sale in the UK starting from October 1 and will be competing with the Nissan Qashqai (which is due for a replacement). [Source: Am-online.com]

Spied – Maruti Wagon R Stingray seems launch ready Posted: 24 Jul 2013 01:52 AM PDT The Maruti Wagon R Stingray will soon be launched in the Indian market. Our regular readers would know that the car has already been spied while undergoing a photo shoot. These spy shots come from Autocar India reader Syed Ismail. The front of the Stingray is where all the action is. It seems that Maruti would offer the projector headlights along with the slim looking grill finished in chrome. The bonnet is flat without any contours while the front bumper has a massive air dam. Judging by this car’s number plate, it seems that Maruti could launch the Stingray anytime! Towards the side of the car, the Stingray gets a new set of alloy wheels as we mentioned before. At the rear, the changes have been toned down. The Stingray in the Japanese market gets a completely different set of taillights. From these images it appears that Maruti has not bothered with any of that. A simple chrome surround has been added to the outline of the taillight cluster and that’s that. The chrome plated rear number plate holder has the ‘Stingray’ badging with ‘Wagon R’ subtly inserted underneath. There should be at least a couple of changes in the interior of the Stingray (maybe a different music system) to better differentiate it from the regular Wagon R. Expect the Stingray to command a INR 30,000-40,000 premium over the regular Wagon R when it goes on sale. [Images from Autocar]

Spied – 2015 BMW M3 caught testing in Death Valley Posted: 24 Jul 2013 01:48 AM PDT The two 2015 BMW M3‘s you see in these images were caught somewhere in the Death Valley, the US, by Auto Plus reader Amandine. The next generation M3 (based on the F30 3 Series platform) has been rumored long coming. We had several media renderings that claimed to be an official leak, as early as the beginning of this year. All that made us think that BMW would announce the new M3 at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. However, that does not seem to be the case as Friedrich Nitschke, managing director of BMW M GmbH, said that a Detroit reveal was planned. Here is what we know about the new M3. We know that it would ditch its V8 for a turbocharged V6. We also know that BMW plans to use a lot of carbon fiber bits to make it extremely lightweight and as a result the focus is going to be on agility, rather than outright speed. We’re talking about a carbon fiber hood, rear spoiler and even the exhaust could be a titanium unit. Quad exhaust pipes gives the game away. We also know the new M3 is going to be available as a 5-door sedan only. The 2-door coupé and the cabriolet will be shifted to the 4 Series lineup. Interestingly, the M4 is also being planned for a Detroit debut. [Images from Auto Plus]

Official Trailer – Get aquainted with the Maserati Ghibli Posted: 24 Jul 2013 01:08 AM PDT The Maserati Ghibli is the most compact and the most affordable car to carry the Trident logo on its nose. [Can't watch the video? Head to Youtube] Unveiled at Auto Shanghai 2013, the luxury sedan is aimed squarely at the high end variants of the mainstream executive sedans like the BMW 5 Series, Jaguar XF, Mercedes E Class and the Audi A6. Being a Maserati, the Ghibli prioritizes on exclusivity, driving dynamics and sportiness. Here is the promotional video of the Maserati Ghibli which gets you acquainted with the car. We can’t help but to mention the resemblance of the one of the sequences in the promo video to that of the 2014 Mercedes S Class. In both the videos, the owners of the cars are depicted as successful constructors. Both drive down in their exclusive set of wheels to a construction site! There is a choice of a petrol and a diesel engine, yes, the Ghibli is the first diesel Maserati. The 3.0 litre V6 petrol motor is available in two states of tune – 330bhp and 410bhp. The diesel engine is also a 3.0 litre V6 unit and it is capable of 275bhp and an efficiency of 16.66km/l! Maserati hopes to sell about 50,000 cars per annum (not the Ghibli, but across the range) by 2015 and the Ghibli is a key model in making that dream come true.

BMW i3 gets fully revealed days ahead of world debut Posted: 24 Jul 2013 12:13 AM PDT The BMW i3 is set to be launched on July 29. The launch would be taking place simultaneously across New York, London and Beijing. Until now, we have seen the i3 with a small bit of camouflage at the front, the rear was completely covered and the interiors were not revealed. Not anymore. Here are the leaked images of the production specification i3. If anything, the i3 looks even more futuristic at the front thanks to those new bumpers and accentuated lines. Check out our coverage on the BMW i3 The rear looks just as good thanks to an all glass tailgate with embedded taillights. But the most interesting bit about the i3 lies inside. BMW seems to have done a splendid job with the interiors of the car and the design of the controls is something we have not seen in other BMWs till date. The instrument cluster is represented on an iDrive like screen in front of the two-spoke steering wheel while a conventional iDrive system takes center stage. The i3 will be powered by a 170bhp electric motor claiming a 0-100km/h time of 7.2 seconds. The 250Nm motor will propel the i3 to speeds up to 150km/h while offering a range of about 130-160km. Optionally, you can also get a range extender which comprises of a 650cc motorcycle engine acting as a generator for an additional 150km of driving range. BMW i3 Image Gallery [Images from Autoblog.nl]

Video – Renault-Nissan sells 100,000th Zero-Emission car Posted: 23 Jul 2013 11:57 PM PDT Renault-Nissan have announced that they have sold their 100,000th Zero-Emission car which happens to be a Nissan Leaf. The Alliance, which sold their first EV back in December 2010, boast of the following statistics: Electric cars from Renault and Nissan have driven over 841 million kilometers which is enough to circle the earth 20,000 times.  53 million liters of oil was saved thanks to these vehicles. 124 million kg of CO2 have not been emitted. [Head to YouTube if you're unable to watch the video above.] The Alliance has sold more zero emission cars than other brands put together. Key to this, is the Nissan Leaf which has sold more than 71,000 units worldwide. The company splits the sales as 30,000 units for the US, 28,000 for Japan and 12,000 for Europe. The Leaf is currently the world’s best selling electric vehicle. Zero-Emission vehicles with the Renault Lozenge have accounted for 30,000 units with sales coming from the Twizy, Zoe, Fluence ZE and the Kangoo ZE. Indian Autos Blog had the good opportunity to drive the Leaf in India and the Fluence ZE in Portugal. Renault-Nissan Alliance Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn said - The age of the mainstream zero-emission vehicle is here. We expect demand to keep growing as the charging infrastructure develops – and we remain 100% committed to zero-emission technology for the long term. Renault Nissan Sells 100,000th Zero-Emission Car Press Release [Head to Scribd if you're unable to view the document above.]

Indonesia – Honda to open order books for the Brio MPV in September Posted: 23 Jul 2013 10:55 PM PDT The Honda Brio MPV, which looks to become another important chapter in the Japanese auto giant’s Indian and Indonesian operations, will be unveiled at the Indonesian International Motor Show (IIMS) opening its doors on September 19th. Oto.Detik.com quotes Mr. Jonfis Fandy, head of marketing and aftersales, PT Honda Prospect Motor, who states that it will not be a mere unveil but a launch. Mr. Fandy says that the Indonesians can order their Honda MPV starting from the IIMS 2013. However, the deliveries are expected to begin only by early 2014 as the new plant is yet to become fully operational. As regular Indian Autos Blog readers know, the MPVs rule the roost in Indonesia and that’s precisely the reason why Honda vested the responsibility of developing a Brio based 7-seater with its Indonesian subsidiary. This is a rendering of the production version created by our in-house artist Shoeb based on the official sketches. Honda has released the official sketch of the car in question a few days ago hinting at a stylish compact MPV which borrows the front fascia from the Brio. The rear half of the car sports an interesting styling which is derived from the Honda Civic Tourer concept. The Honda Brio MPV is expected to be launched in India sometime in the first half of 2014. [Source: Oto.Detik.com]

Yamaha adds new D’elight 114cc scooter to its European lineup Posted: 23 Jul 2013 09:41 PM PDT Yamaha’s global scooter lineup is wide and full of variety just like its performance bike lineup. Yamaha has over 30 scooter models in its European lineup ranging from a punitive 50cc runabout all the way to a 530cc mega scooter. The Yamaha D’elight is the latest addition and its a light, compact and retro styled automatic scooter. The affordable scooter is powered by a 114cc air cooled 4-stroke YMJET-FI (Yamaha Mixture Jet-Fuel Injection) engine whose power output is not mentioned. However, Yamaha says it develops a peak torque of 7.7 Nm which is more than adequate to haul the 98kg two wheeler. The handlebar mounted circular headlamp with chrome surrounds along with smooth and curvy body panels transport you back to the ’60s. The front apron has a nice chrome element which adds to the design finesse. Sleek turn indicators, telescopic front forks, front disc and three spoke alloy wheels are the other contemporary elements. [Can't watch the video? Head to Youtube] The light weight scooter offers under seat storage capacity big enough for a half face helmet and there is also an open glove compartment ahead of the rider’s knees. The fuel filler is near the glove compartment for added practicality. Adding to that, the low seat height of 755mm and a small turning radius of 1.8m makes it a nimble urban runabout. The D’elight is priced at 1,799 Pounds (around Rs. 1.64 lakhs) in the UK. The scooter will compete with the Vespa LX 125. Since Yamaha India is concentrating on scooters nowadays, we wonder whether this stylish retro scooter with modern features would come to our shores. Do you want Yamaha to launch the D’elight in India? Head to Page 2 for a detailed image gallery and press release.

Rendering – Datsun Go Sedan takes on the Honda Amaze, Maruti Dzire Posted: 23 Jul 2013 09:37 PM PDT The Datsun Go and the Datsun brand were officially announced in India on July 15. Since then, we have come across many renderings based on the Go. In our last story, a Datsun Cross Go, a crossover with a soft SUV feel, was envisioned. While the crossover market is ever expanding, so is the compact sedan market composed of the likes of the Honda Amaze and the Swift Dzire. Theophilus Chin, who made these renderings of a Datsun Go sedan, has the headlines loud and clear: Less than 4 meters in length and will hence rival the Maruti Swift Dzire and the Honda Amaze. Check out our exhaustive coverage of the Datsun Go Just to be clear, Datsun has announced no such plans for a sedan based on the Go. For the Indian market, the Datsun Go will be followed by an even smaller hatchback (codenamed the I2) and an MPV. While a sedan has been announced for the Russian market, it is going to be based on the Lada Granta and we don’t think it would look like this (though we hope they prove us wrong). One thing is for certain. If Datsun were to make a sedan version of the Go, the economies of scale would certainly be in their favor. Given that a sub 4 lakhs price tag has been announced for the Go hatchback, the Go sedan should definitely be there with the Dzire in terms of price. [Images from Theophilus Chin]

Report – VW Taigun green lighted for production; India, Brazil get top priority Posted: 23 Jul 2013 08:52 PM PDT The VW Taigun has been given the go-ahead for production. Auto Week reports that its sources within the company have confirmed that the small SUV would be see the light of day. The Taigun is already past the concept stage and has moved on to an initial engineering program. If everything goes according to plan, the Taigun will enter production in 2016. Taigun has already moved to the second stage of development. VW will initially assemble the Taigun at two manufacturing locations. The left hand drive variants will be made in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The Taiguns made there will also cater to the local consumption. Check out our exhaustive coverage on the VW Taigun The right hand drive Taiguns is expected to be made in India and apart from these locations, VW is also mulling production at Kaluga, Russia. The Taigun is unlikely to make it to the American markets though. Another interesting bit we learn from this report is that VW will make the Taigun only as a front wheel drive. While the company says the Ford EcoSport is their biggest competitor (and the EcoSport features 4WD in Brazil), the Taigun will come with only front wheel drive for better economies of scale. The 1.0-liter TSI petrol engine is likely to be retained though. For markets such as India, VW will also offer a diesel engine. The Taigun is VW’s answer to the 8.7 million small SUVs that were sold in 2012. [Source - Autoweek]