This is what you call a Car Launch!

New Ford Figo and the Figo based sedan

Yes, that does look like Aston Martin and No its not an Aston Martin. Frankly, it looks like the Chinese take of a cheaper Aston Martin. Just kidding! Say hello to replacement for the current Ford Figo and the Fiesta Classic. In the European market, the hatchback will be sold under the Ford KA name, however, here in India, the hatchback will be named as the Figo and the sedan based on the same platform will be the Fiesta Classic replacement (Ford has yet to conceive a name).

There are no details as of now about the engines that will power this beauty but the 1-litre Ecoboost engine (currently on offer under the hood of the Ecosport) should make it. Yes, there will be a diesel engine on offer, probably the slightly tweaked version of the current diesel motor powering the Figo.

So then Mr. Dzire and Miss Amaze, started counting the days yet? Yes, says the Xcent!

New TATA flagship SUV in works

Finally TATA has accepted that there are things that Europeans do much better than our Desi Boys. This includes making an all-round SUV and Freelander from Land Rover is a prime example. Now though, Land Rover has decided to merge the Freelander badge under the ever-expanding Discovery line-up. The current Freelander will form the skeleton of the new flagship SUV from TATA that will lock horns with likes of Toyota Fortuner and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport. That means a car with a TATA badge costing between 20-25lacs. That is a bold move.

The chassis mechanicals may be shared with the British cousin, but the engine will be an enhanced version of the current 2.2 VariCor diesel engine that powers the Aria and the Storme. While the Land Rover Freelander 2 is currently assembled in India as a CKD, its tooling will likely be shipped over from the UK once production is stopped, so that the TATA Motors SUV can be built here from the ground up.

So, a TATA product built locally and with a considerable amount of Land Rover engineering behind it, will surely entice many. However, moving into the category of the Fortuner could be a disaster theory for TATA as we has seen examples in the past - the Grand Vitara and the Kizashi being the previous victims. This is simply because TATA is synonymous with low-end cars/SUV maker and moving into a premium segment will have its challenges for sure. We will not see the finished product till 2016 and we at Horsepower India wish TATA all the best to get it bang on target for the SUV-loving country like India.

What do you guys think of this move from TATA?

Maruti’s S-Cross coming next year...

Maruti is working on the S-Cross, a entry level baby SUV, which will go head to head with the Duster, Terrano and the entry level variants of the XUV500. It will not the same as showcased during the Auto Expo earlier this year as Maruti has a habit of ruining the looks whenever they try to improve the car. With a price tag expected between the 13-14lacs range, the S-Cross will work on the Hyundai’s principle by jamming it up with gadgets all over the place. So that means, the Japanese have started learning from the Koreans. Is that where our future is heading? Gulp!

The S-Cross will be more of a Crossover rather than upright SUV. This means that Suzuki has taken up a project which is going to be a lot more tough than expected. Crossover concept is fairly new in the Indian market and it has yet to spark its potential. However, Maruti will try and make it more dominating in looks by fitting it with 16-inch alloy wheels, albeit to the top-model only. High ground clearance, black cladding all around and metal scuff plates at the front and rear are some of the cosmetics you should expect as well. Will it come a 4 wheel drive system or not is still a mystery.

Under the hood, a Fiat 1.6 litre diesel engine will be the heart of this car. Churning around 118bhp and 320Nm of torque, it will have a decent kick once you stomp on the accelerator, provided they don’t make the car too heavy. To keep the costs down, most of the switches and the steering wheel will be shared from other Maruti cars.

In my opinion, this is a desperate attempt to to try and lure customers from the Renault, Nissan and Mahindra car lovers club. Whatever happened to the XA Alpha, this is something that Maruti has to get spot on. Yes it might have a good ground clearance and comfortable space inside for people but without butch looks and a commanding riding height, it will be tough to convince the customers.

New 7-Seater Skoda SUV is India bound... Probably.

We have certainly seen a shift of preference in the choice of cars in the past couple of years. And this shift is very evident when we see more SUVs on roads. This is worrying, not only to the environment but also to the car manufacturers who don’t have much to offer in the SUV type of vehicles. So, to cover up lost ground, car manufacturers are eager to into the competition of SUVs.

Skoda is working on a 7-seater SUV for India and it will compete with the likes of the Honda CRV, Toyota Fortuner and the upcoming new Ford Endeavour. Priced between 25-30lacs, it will be a tasty alternative to the Japanese and the American offerings.

The Czechs are also working on a baby SUV based on the upcoming VW Taigun. But both these will come after the Yeti face-lift which is due for a while. Although the Yeti has been a disaster recipe for the VW owned Skoda, they will not give up trying to make a fool out of people YETI again. Oh, that’s yet again!