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Rendering – Hyundai’s India bound mini SUV envisioned with insider inputs' plus 17 more

'Rendering – Hyundai’s India bound mini SUV envisioned with insider inputs' plus 17 more

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• Rendering – Hyundai’s India bound mini SUV envisioned with insider inputs
• Spied – 2014 Ssangyong Korando C (facelift) completely revealed inside out
• Honda Activa starts rolling off the Narsapura plant in Karnataka
• Chevrolet Cruze spotted in Pune featuring a different stoplight
• Mercedes S65 AMG, arriving next year, to pack 630 PS and 1000Nm?
• Sources to IAB – ‘No such thing as a Perodua Jaguh planned’
• Spied – BMW X3 facelift caught testing in China
• 1,083 units of 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 300 recalled due to ABS problem; Indian bikes unaffected
• New variants of Force One SUV officially launched, range starts from Rs. 8.99L
• Tiger Sports tuned VW Vento has 180bhp! Weighs only 900kg
• Spied – What is this JDM Suzuki Wagon R doing in India?
• Report – Range Rover Evoque and Sport RS variants planned
• Honda to increase Amaze’s production to reduce waiting period
• Maruti to show new products at 2014 Auto Expo; small cars and SUVs in the pipeline
• Maruti’s LCV coming out within 2 years; Fiat MultiJet powered Tata Ace rival in the making
• Spied – 2013 Skoda Octavia spotted ahead of its August 9th unveiling
• GM India to recall diesel powered Sail twins also?
• Spied – LHD VW Polo BI FUEL caught testing in India; what is it doing here?

Rendering – Hyundai’s India bound mini SUV envisioned with insider inputs Posted: 29 Jul 2013 11:09 AM PDT By this time, regular Indian Autos Blog readers would be aware of the Ford EcoSport rivaling Hyundai mini SUV sitting in the Korean auto maker’s pipeline. We presented you the spyshots of the compact crossover which has started testing in South Korea and not to forget a speculative rendering of the car as envisioned by our in-house design specialist Shoeb. Brazilian monthly Auto Esporte presents us with a new rendering with inputs from a Hyundai insider. The interesting thing is, from the new rendering, the rear of the car also comes into picture. The SUV is instantly recognizable as a Hyundai, thanks to the signature hexagonal grill with thick chrome slats. Even the headlamps have a certain degree of similarity with the rest of Hyundai’s B Segment cars. The profile is characterized by a flat roof which tapers towards the rear. The rear gets EcoSport like wraparound windscreen and taillights that extend to the fenders. The overall dimensions also appear to be closer to the Ford EcoSport rather than the Renault Duster. This is Shoeb’s rendering of the mini SUV taking every available clue from spyshots. Information regarding the powertrain still stays behind closed doors but we expect a mix of new, and existing petrol and diesel engines to be on the table. Hyundai has shown a small displacement turbo petrol at a powertrain conference which can match the EcoSport spec to spec. Hyundai India has announced four new products (including the next gen i10) in the next two years and the upcoming mini SUV without a shadow of doubt (though the company hasn’t confirmed) is one of them as the mini SUV is the first entry on every manufacturer’s to-do list. [Source: Revistaautoesporte.globo.com]

Spied – 2014 Ssangyong Korando C (facelift) completely revealed inside out Posted: 29 Jul 2013 10:47 AM PDT Here at IndianAutosBlog,com, we have been bringing you all possible updates around the 2014 Ssangyong Korando C. The car was spied a few times earlier with camouflage but now we have spyshots which reveal the car’s redone front fascia and interior completely from the Korean website Hankyung. Originally designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro’s Ital Design studio, the Korando C is the best looking car in the Ssangyong portfolio. The facelift with its sharper front fascia, have to say, looks a little better. Front of the pre-facelifted Korando added for comparison. The headlamp gets angular and sports premium detailing complete with a LED DRL and HID bulb. The new grill is sleeker with sharp edges and there is a thin chrome strip running above it. Like other facelifts, the front bumper and foglamps are new. From earlier spyshots we can say that the profile and the rear of the car haven’t undergone much of a change save for mild alterations to the taillights. Thanks to the redesigned dashboard, the 2014 Korando’s cabin is a much better place to be in tomorrow. The steering wheel is the same but the new dashboard has an extended centre console on which a touchscreen display takes the pride of place. The cabin is accented with silver and faux wood inserts. The interior of the pre-facelift car is added for your reference. The 5 seater compact SUV is likely to retain its 2.0 litre diesel engine, currently available in two states – 149bhp and 175bhp. Both 6-speed manual and automatic transmissions are offered. The latest set of spyshots suggest that the 2014 Ssangyong Korando C would be unveiled shortly. It is to be noted that Mahindra has been studying the Indian market to launch the Korando C for the last two years. [Source: Auto.hankyung.com]

Honda Activa starts rolling off the Narsapura plant in Karnataka Posted: 29 Jul 2013 09:45 AM PDT The Honda Activa is unarguably the king of the Indian scooter segment. The unisex scooter has always had a long waiting period and Honda had to find a long-term fix for it. Today, that permanent solution has arrived. Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. had inaugurated its third plant at Narsapura, some 50km away from Bengaluru, Karnataka in May. The new facility started off with the production of the Honda Dream Yuga and from last week the Activa has started rolling off its dedicated assembly line. The new production venue not only reduces the waiting period of the popular scooter but also has a strategic advantage in terms of logistics. The produce from the Narsapura will cater mainly to South Indian states. The plant has an annual production capacity of 12 lakh units in phase 1. In phase 2 which will be implemented by the end of this fiscal year, another 6 lakhs units would be added to take HMSI’s total annual capacity to 46 lakhs. Commenting on the development, Mr. Keita Muramatsu, President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said - It's a happy moment for us as our new plant in Karnataka has begun rolling out our most popular selling scooter Activa from the 2nd line. Head to Page 2 view the press release.

Chevrolet Cruze spotted in Pune featuring a different stoplight Posted: 29 Jul 2013 07:00 AM PDT A Chevrolet Cruze has been spotted testing in India by our good friend Mr. Rohin Nagrani, Senior Editor, BS Motoring who snapped it on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. It is immediately apparent where the change lies. The taillight cluster is all new and features a different detailing to it. This was the Cruze Chevrolet had showcased at the 2012 Auto Expo. They called it a ‘Cuzomized Cruze’ though. The rear looks similar to the Cruze displayed at GM’s booth at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo. Which is why we’re a bit skeptical that this could be a modified Cruze and the taillight is just an accessory. What makes us think again that this is a modified/accessorized car is the number plate holder which has a ‘Cruze’ nameplate, like as though this were a dealership demo/display car. This is the current Cruze’s stoplight unit. About the same time last year, GM India introduced the ‘all new’ Cruze, which was nothing but a minor engine update and certain feature additions for the car. There were no exterior changes to speak about. Front of the ‘Customized Cruze’ from the 2012 Auto Expo. Note that the wheels haven’t been carried over. Globally, the next generation Cruze has been delayed by a year and we are expecting a late 2015 launch. Facelifts and model year updates should keep the Cruze relatively fresh until then. [Spyshot from Rohin Nagrani's Twitter Handle]

Mercedes S65 AMG, arriving next year, to pack 630 PS and 1000Nm? Posted: 29 Jul 2013 06:35 AM PDT The 2014 Mercedes Benz S63 AMG was recently announced and it will have its world debut at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show in September. However, Mercedes Passion Blog reports that an even powerful Mercedes S65 AMG is being planned by the Swabians. The Mercedes S65 AMG is expected to resemble the S63 AMG in terms of looks. Where the S63 AMG had its power coming from a 5.5-liter V8 Bi-Turbo, Mercedes Passion Blog reports that the S65 would get the famed Mercedes V12 engine! A power output of somewhere north of 630PS is being promised. The S63 on the other hand produces 585bhp which is identical to the 2014 E63 AMG S. Where the V12 would truly establish its dominance is in the torque figure. The S65 will get at least 1,000Nm of torque! We use the word ‘at least’ as the 5.5-liter V8 Bi-Turbo itself produces 900Nm of torque in the S63. The added four cylinders should equate to more than 100Nm of torque even without a remap. New S63 gets a 5.5-liter V8. The S65 on the other hand will get a V12. The AMG SPEEDSHIFT 7-speed automatic transmission would most likely send power to all four wheels via the Mercedes 4MATIC system. A 0-100km/h time of less than 4 seconds is targeted. If you want the V12 engine without the AMG package, an S600 variant is also planned. The S65 and the S600 could be launched in the first quarter of 2014. A mega Mercedes press conference is in order at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show! [Source - Mercedes Passion Blog]

Sources to IAB – ‘No such thing as a Perodua Jaguh planned’ Posted: 29 Jul 2013 06:24 AM PDT Top Malaysian auto industry sources bulldozed the ‘Perodua Jaguh‘ this afternoon and said they knew nothing about Perodua launching a model under that name in Malaysia or in markets where Perodua exports to. The sources were quick to point out the disparity in the Jaguh’s door handle design (and mechanism) to the Etios and felt it was quite impossible to have sliding seats on the second row in a B segment economy sedan as the brochure claimed. The Perodua Jaguh is a hoax. Indian Autos Blog got the wrong impression when analyzing the allegedly leaked brochure shots of the future car in the Malaysian public domain. Many credible regional and international South East Asian websites ran the story as the next launch from Perodua. Naturally, we fell into the trap as the Etios sedan is not made in RHD configuration in a plant outside India. The development is important to our Asian readers, if there indeed is one. The scans, though washed-out, appear legitimate and were built on the back of Perodua officials sounding upbeat about introducing a sedan in media interviews in the recent past. Too bad that the whole thing is a farce. Presumably its only a matter of time before Perodua issues a statement on these dodgy and doctored brochure scans as the topic’s spread like wildfire through the interweb. We promise to be very careful when reporting on a leak in the future. We learn something everyday. You can see the original story on the Perodua Jaguh here.

Spied – BMW X3 facelift caught testing in China Posted: 29 Jul 2013 03:22 AM PDT The BMW X3 is headed for a facelift and here are some images of the prototype being tested in China. These pictures were snapped by Auto Home China’s reader, ‘wudinannan’. The current X3 is the second generation model which was introduced in 2010. As it is three years old, BMW will introduce a refresh, or what they call a LCI (Life Cycle Impulse) for the X3. We have already seen the sort of facelift BMW does: minor tweaks are applied to the bumpers, grill and lights while the interiors remain largely unchanged. The 2014 BMW 5 Series is a good example of what we are talking about. Hence, do not expect the X3 facelift to sport any drastic changes. BMW has not camouflaged the car completely, saving it only for the bumpers and headlights. Engine options are expected to continue unaltered. In India, the X3 is the most affordable all wheel drive BMW you can buy (the company does not sell the X-Drive variants of the X1 or 3 Series). Since the launch of the latest generation, BMW India assembles the X3 at the Chennai plant. Expect the facelifted X3 to be shown by the end of this year, preferably at the Los Angeles Auto Show or at the Frankfurt Motor Show. BMW will introduce the next generation X3 sometime in 2017. [Images from Auto Home China]

1,083 units of 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 300 recalled due to ABS problem; Indian bikes unaffected Posted: 29 Jul 2013 02:38 AM PDT The 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 300 has been recalled due to a potential problem in the ABS system. In a report submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the US, Kawasaki states - During the manufacturing process of the ABS pump, dust particles may have contaminated the component creating a potential for interference with the motorcycle's anti-lock function. Under certain braking conditions, the loss of the ABS function may be unexpected which may contribute to an increased risk of crash. As many as 1,083 units of the bikes are covered under the recall. Kawasaki will specify the nature of repair to the American dealerships and notify the customers through email to bring their bikes into dealerships. The dealers will inspect the vehicle and replace the ABS pump if necessary. The Kawasaki Ninja 300 was launched in India in April with a price tag of Rs. 3.5 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi). The motorcycles sold in India are unaffected by the recall since they are not equipped with ABS. Cost concerns have restrained Kawasaki from offering ABS in India. The Ninja 300 is powered by a 296cc parallel twin liquid cooled engine which puts out 39 bhp and 27 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a 6-speed transmission via a slipper clutch.

New variants of Force One SUV officially launched, range starts from Rs. 8.99L Posted: 29 Jul 2013 02:34 AM PDT We have brought you the brochure scans of the new variants of the Force One SUV. Today, Force Motors has officially unveiled the new variants at an event in Pune. The SUV was available only in one trim level so far (with 2 seating configurations) and the company has added two more variants, one below the current trim level and one above it. The EX is the base variant, the SX is the original trim level but it now gets ABS with EBD. The LX is the top end variant which offers four wheel drive. The entry level EX variant comes with a 2.6 litre BS3 diesel engine which produces 82PS and 230Nm. The One EX gets foglamps, body colored bumpers and is available in a 7-seat configuration. Force Motors says that the EX variant would be a good high end taxi for rural markets. The SX and LX variants are powered by the 2.2 litre FMTECH diesel engine that is derived from Mercedes. This engine develops 141PS and 321 Nm torque. The SX variant offers LED DRLs, ski racks, rear washer, wiper and defogger, alloy wheels, 2-DIN audio system with Bluetooth connectivity, remote central locking, reverse parking sensor, ABS with EBD (optional), driver seat height adjustment and cruise control. The top end LX variant has the same equipment level as the SX in addition to a 4×4 system. The Force One EX is priced at Rs. 8.99 lakhs while the SX variant retails at Rs. 11.78 lakhs to 12.06 lakhs depending on whether you opt for captain seats and ABS . The top end LX will be launched in August. The new variants will be available at the showrooms from August 16. Speaking about dealerships, Force Motors is planning to increase its passenger car outlets from 25 to 50 by the end of the current fiscal. The company is preparing its manufacturing unit to accommodate the upcoming Mercedes derived premium MPV. Over 2,600 units of the One have been sold so far, since the car’s launch less than two years ago. The Pune based automaker is hoping to sell around 2,500 units of the One this fiscal and around 5,000 units in the next fiscal (FY 2014-15). BS Motoring reports that the BS4 versions of the One and the Gurkha will be launched in the first quarter of 2014. Press Release can be found on Page 2.

Tiger Sports tuned VW Vento has 180bhp! Weighs only 900kg Posted: 29 Jul 2013 02:30 AM PDT The Tiger Sports VW Vento is a tuned racing car for the track which will be competing in the Indian Touring Car Championship. Here are the headlines of this track devouring monster. The engine is a modified 1.6-liter motor with twin overhead cams. No turbo or supercharging has been done, though the remapped ECU and data logger help the power output to increase to 180bhp from 106bhp! It also comes with an advanced ‘lambda’ sensor for a very accurate air-fuel ratio. Gearbox wise, the 5-speed manual which was tuned for economy has given way for a close ratio 6-speed manual. It even comes with a limited slip differential. The Tiger Sports Vento weighs a mere 900kg which is a whopping 220kg lighter than the Vento petrol you or I can buy. Key to this weight saving are the two fenders, bonnet, boot and three doors which are made of advanced aerospace grade composite panels. The suspension setup and the chassis engineering was done by former racing driver Sanjay Balu. KW Suspensions, suppliers for the World Touring Car Championship, are the folks responsible for the Tiger Sports Vento’s racing suspension. Being a car modified for speed, this Vento gets uprated brakes with discs at the rear. The Tiger Sports Vento confirms to the FIA standards of safety as well.

Spied – What is this JDM Suzuki Wagon R doing in India? Posted: 29 Jul 2013 02:16 AM PDT The Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) Suzuki Wagon R is different from the Indian spec Maruti Wagon R in many aspects. For starters, the JDM Wagon R is a ‘Kei’ car and that means it’s powered by a 660cc petrol engine. The motor is available in both normally aspirated and turbocharged guises producing 52bhp and 64bhp respectively. Both manual and automatic gearboxes are on offer. This JDM Wagon R was seen roaming around in India and here are the spyshots from our ardent reader Mr. Vaibhav Gupta from Gurgaon. While the Indian spec car has its license plate enclosure on the hatch door, the JDM car has it on the bumper. And the taillights are also slightly different. The front fascia and the interior of the JDM Wagon R are completely different from that of the Indian car. The JDM gets ‘bench-like’ front seats and the gearbox has been mounted on the dashboard. Something we have seen on the Nissan Dayz. So what is this Wagon R doing in India? Well, this is not the first time we are seeing foreign cars testing on Indian soil without having a real intention of launching here. Our guess is that the Japanese hatchback is here purely for testing purposes. The JDM Wagon R received a minor facelift for 2013. Suzuki is increasing the contribution of its Indian technical team with every new product and there are chances that the JDM Wagon R could be testing a locally developed component or a system.

Report – Range Rover Evoque and Sport RS variants planned Posted: 29 Jul 2013 01:51 AM PDT The Range Rover Evoque and the Range Rover Sport are likely to get performance oriented variants. Land Rover is looking to add a few products to the ‘RS’ range of cars (which is currently reserved to Jaguar only) and they plan to do so with the Evoque being the first. Range Rover Evoque RS Subtle exterior changes will distinguish the Evoque RS from the regular version. The Evoque RS was rumored to be in the works for more than a year. However, it is understood that Land Rover has been concentrating on coping with the huge demand and adding new variants would have not helped them in achieving their delivery targets. The current 2.0-liter turbo petrol engine is expected to be tuned to offer 300bhp. The Evoque RS will sport subtle design extensions rather than outright and brash modifications such as widened wheel arches and large wheels. Autocar UK expects the Evoque RS to come out possibly by the end of this year. Range Rover Sport RS RS version of the Range Rover Sport will certainly widen its appeal to the performance seeking SUV buyer. The most dynamic and performance oriented Land Rover ever made will get even more horsepower. It is reported that the Range Rover Sport RS (which is currently testing at the Nürburgring, you can check out the spy images at the source link) will get a tuned 5.0-liter supercharged V8 engine producing 542bhp as against the current 510bhp of the Autobiography model. Land Rover is aiming for a 0-100km/h time of 4.5 seconds. The Sport RS will follow the Evoque RS and would be announced in 2014. [Source - Autocar UK]

Honda to increase Amaze’s production to reduce waiting period Posted: 29 Jul 2013 12:08 AM PDT Riding high on the success of its first diesel offering, the Honda Amaze, Honda Car India is looking to add more volumes by bringing down the waiting period of the sub-four metre sedan. Mr. Jnaneshwar Sen, senior vice president, Honda cars India, said - The demand for Amaze has been so strong and we still continue to have more bookings. In order to reduce the waiting period, we have decided to start a third shift at the Greater Noida plant by November. Ever since the Amaze was launched in India, Honda’s manufacturing plant in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, and the powertrain plant in Tapukara, Rajasthan, have been working on full steam to meet the customer demand. Honda is also in the process of setting up an assembly line at its Tapukara facility which would double the company’s annual production capacity to 2,40,000 units by 2014. Honda Cars India is also exporting the Amaze to places like South Africa (where it is called the Brio Sedan) and Nepal. The Brio based sedan is available with an 89PS 1.2 litre i-VTEC petrol motor and a 100PS 1.5 litre i-DTEC diesel engine. Both the engines are mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox while the petrol engine is also available with a 5-speed automatic transmission. The addition of a third shift would help Honda in reducing the waiting period for the Amaze. Considering that the waiting period for the Ford EcoSport, another sub-four metre contender, is shooting up, Honda’s move to increase the production of the Amaze is well timed. [Source: Financialexpress.com]

Maruti to show new products at 2014 Auto Expo; small cars and SUVs in the pipeline Posted: 28 Jul 2013 11:42 PM PDT The country’s largest car manufacturer, Maruti Suzuki, is facing the brunt of the slowdown in new car sales. Maruti has its seen sales dip in 2013, but is quite optimistic about the future nonetheless. In a recent interview with Economic Times, Kenichi Ayukawa, MD and CEO of Maruti Suzuki, spoke about the future models and technology the company was working on. Here are some excerpts of the interview. Fiat’s 1.3-liter MultiJet literally runs Maruti’s diesel lineup. When asked about an in-house diesel engine (Maruti uses Fiat’s 1.3-liter MultiJet diesel engine on various cars such as the Swift, Ritz, Ertiga, Dzire and the SX4), Ayukawa said - Going forward as we get into new segments and launch different vehicles, we would need diverse technology for diesel and other alternate fuels. A huge capital investment is required for development and production. There are some thoughts, but it would be difficult to commit by when we can implement that. Will we get to see a Maruti smaller than the Alto 800? How would Maruti plan on reaching the 1.6 million sales mark domestically in the future? Ayukawa said that Maruti “would be working on new products, especially small cars” to grow their share in India. Speaking about new model offerings and future segments, Ayukawa said - There are a series of products under development and some of which would be showcase in the upcoming Auto Expo in February 2014. Maruti would lead the chain of many exciting cars, SUVs and other products coming from the Suzuki pipeline. XA-Alpha is a Ford EcoSport slayer. It seems that the 2014 Auto Expo would preview more than one upcoming model from the Japanese. Question is, will we get to see the production version of the Concept XA-Alpha mini SUV? [Source - Economic Times]

Maruti’s LCV coming out within 2 years; Fiat MultiJet powered Tata Ace rival in the making Posted: 28 Jul 2013 11:04 PM PDT Reacting to the recent slowdown of the passenger car sales in India, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd has decided to venture into the LCV space which is showing a growth potential. We had already reported on the possibility of a Maruti LCV back in May. Suzuki Ravi (called as the Carry LCV elsewhere) is Tata Ace’s counterpart in Pakistan. The upcoming Indian version is yet to be named. Slated to be launched in the next two years, the product in question will be based on the platform of the Suzuki Carry LCV, which is on sale in countries like Indonesia, China and Pakistan (known as Suzuki Ravi there). The carry is nothing but a small pickup truck derived from the Maruti Omni. Mr. R C Bhargava, Chairman, MSIL, said - It was planned in our original agreement (with SMC) in 1982 that the Carry LCV would be launched in India but at that time, due to poor response from the market, it was shelved. Now the situation has changed and the board has given approval to go ahead for launching the LCV in India. Our engineers are working on adapting the diesel engine that we have licensed from Fiat (1.3 litre MultiJet) to be used in the LCV. This will be a pure goods carrier. The yet to be named LCV would be pitted against the Tata Ace, Mahindra Maxximo Mini Truck and the Ashok Leyland Dost. MSIL has not yet decided whether to retail the LCV alongside its passenger cars or set up an independent retail network. [Source: Financialexpress.com]

Spied – 2013 Skoda Octavia spotted ahead of its August 9th unveiling Posted: 28 Jul 2013 10:01 PM PDT The 2013 Skoda Octavia will soon be unveiled in India. The sedan is scheduled to be unveiled on August 9th with the launch expected to happen closer to Diwali. The Octavia moniker which was discontinued in India (the name Laura being introduced instead) is making a comeback. Regular Indian Autos Blog readers would know that the new Octavia has been testing in India since April. The sedan adopts clean and conservative lines which are typical of any Skoda. Here is a spyshot of the car from Rushlane.com’s reader Avinash SL. This spy shot comes from Indian Autos Blog reader, Mr. Prateek Joshi. The 2013 Octavia uses VW’s MQB platform and is 90mm longer and 45mm wider than its predecessor. The wheelbase is extended by 108mm making the cabin, especially the rear seat, even more spacious. The new Octavia would feature petrol and diesel engine options. It is highly likely to inherit the VW Jetta’s 1.4-liter TSI petrol engine while the diesel would be the 2.0-liter TDI, which is also seen on the Jetta. The diesel would be available with both manual and DSG automatic gearbox options. The 2013 Skoda Octavia will have to fight it out with sedans like the Renault Fluence (facelifted variant waiting to be launched), Chevrolet Cruze, Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Elantra and VW Jetta. [Images from: Rushlane.com]

GM India to recall diesel powered Sail twins also? Posted: 28 Jul 2013 09:48 PM PDT GM India announced last week that 1.14 lakh units of the Chevrolet Tavera would be recalled for non compliance with emission and specification norms. Sadly, the Tavera is not the only problem for the American car maker. In the beginning of June this year, GM had stopped the production of the diesel variants of the Sail and  Sail U-VA along with the Tavera. The reason quoted for the Sail twins’ production coming to a halt was a ‘quality issue with the Smartech diesel engine’. Since then, we have been hearing that production of the Sails would commence by end of July or beginning of August. However, Economic Times reports that the Sail hatch and sedan could also face a possible recall. Mr. P. Balendran, Vice President, corporate affairs, said - We have not arrived at any decision yet to recall the Sail, but are looking at all options. A recall for the Tavera was recently initiated with 1.14 lakh units being affected. It is believed that there are some ‘engineering issues’ with the Sail and the U-VA. The company has already identified a fix for the issues and plans to restart production within two weeks. Meanwhile, GM has identified a fix for the Tavera and say that the catalytic converter of the MUV would be replaced. In certain cars, the fuel pipe would also be replaced. Mr. Balendran said - We have identified the problem and the dealers have been informed on the issue to change the required spare part. The entire exercise would take around 35-45 minutes at the service station and would be performed free of charge. [Source - Economic Times]

Spied – LHD VW Polo BI FUEL caught testing in India; what is it doing here? Posted: 28 Jul 2013 09:28 PM PDT A Left Hand Drive VW Polo BI FUEL was caught testing in India over the weekend. These images were sent in by Indian Autos Blog reader, Mr. Prateek Joshi. Mr. Joshi says that he caught this test mule in Lonavala, Maharashtra, and that the badge on the right hand side of the boot lid read ‘BI FUEL’. That’s not the only interesting bit about this prototype. Check out those taillights. These taillights come from the Polo sold in Europe as they feature a circular reflector element for the brake light. The Polo sold in India does not come with these circularly shaped outlines, we get a horizontal strip instead. The powertrain badge is not visible on the spyshot, but here is an image showing it closer. This Polo could be here in India for routine testing purposes. Manufacturers like to test their automobiles all over the world on different terrain and weather conditions. Or maybe VW is testing the internal components of this car, to be specific, they are testing the LPG system on our country’s fuel. The BI FUEL Polo is powered by a 1.6-liter engine producing 82PS of power and 145Nm of torque. VW claims a combined fuel efficiency of 7.6l/100km (13.15km/l) and CO2 emissions of 123g/km. Its worth pointing out that VW India has been mulling to launch CNG variants of the Vento and the Polo since last year. Will the German car maker introduce alternate fuel variants of their popular offerings in a bid to boost their sales?