25 Expo stars you just can’t miss

    With the world's carmakers now in India, hundreds of cars were displayed at the Expo. So to make things easier, here is a list of the must-see cars.

    Published On Jan 07, 2012 07:58:00 PM

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    25 Expo stars you just can’t miss

    India’s status as one of the most promising emerging markets of the world got a major shot in the arm at the 2012 Auto Expo. International car manufacturers put up world-class displays designed specifically to impress, the quality of the concept and near-production cars took a big step forward, and now with almost all major car manufacturers present in the market there were literally hundreds and hundreds of cars to see. So to make things easier for you, here are the top 25 cars and concepts we think you just shouldn’t miss. Feast your eyes.   

    Here's the list of the 25 cars you just can't miss at the 2012 Auto Expo: 

    1. 2012 Toyota Camry
     
     
    The bold new Camry has been unveiled at the Auto Expo. The Japanese carmaker plans to assemble it from CKD kits so prices should drop considerably. Looking slightly more grown up and Lexus-like, with cleaner lines and more confident chrome details, the new Camry is likely to be really attractive to the Indian customer for the first time. And it won’t hurt that it will come powered by a larger capacity and more refined 2.5-litre 174bhp VVT-i petrol engine mated to new six-speed manual and automatic transmissions.
     
     
    2. Ford EcoSport concept
     
     
    Built on the Fiesta platform and engineered with both customer satisfaction and lower costs in mind, the all new five-door EcoSport gets chunky, technical styling, a new family of petrol motors and a very space-efficient interior. A large trapezoidal front grille done in chrome dominates the front end and the overall styling has modern crossover written all over it. The LED headlights may come only on the top-end version, this car may never have four-wheel drive and Ford just has to do a better job with the 1.5 diesel than they did with the Fiesta. But apart from that this car is a winner. And don’t discount the all-new 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine.
     
     
    3. Chevrolet Sail
     
     
    The Sail is a SAIC China-based sub four-metre hatchback (overall length is 3947mm) that is scheduled to go on sale in mid 2012. While styling may not break new ground and the chassis and underpinnings may be a decade old at least, the Sail is quite pleasing to look at. The Sail will initially come powered by a 81bhp 1.2-litre petrol engine, and GM’s version of Fiat’s Multijet 1.3 diesel will join the party later. 
     
     
    4. Chevrolet MPV
     
     
    Another strong contender from SAIC for the Indian market is the Chevrolet ‘MPV’. The second model to be added to the Chevy line-up by mid-2012 this Wuling van features styling updated by Chevrolet in India the ability to seat seven (or eight depending on seat configuration) and eventually a diesel motor. The MPV, however, will initially be sold with a 94.6bhp, 1.4-litre petrol engine, making a killer pricing strategy essential.
     
    5. BMW M5
     
     
    BMW’s all new M5 sport saloon takes centre stage at the BMW stall. Like all previous M5s, the new car's styling is subtle but aggressive in detail; most notably the lower air intake and the vent behind the quartet of fat tail pipes. The M5 features a twin-turbo, 4.4-litre V8 that offers staggering punch. 552bhp and 69.4kgm of torque can be unleashed to the rear wheels when you really want to get moving and this super saloon can hit 100kph in 4.4 seconds and 200kph in 13sec (manufacturer’s claims). 
     
     
    6. Mini Cooper S
     
     
    This is the sportier and more powerful version of the Mini hatchback and in many ways the iconic Mini. The Cooper S features a 1.6-litre petrol engine with a BMW-like two-part or twin-scroll turbocharger. Power is a frankly nuts 184bhp at 5500rpm while max torque of 24.47kgm is produced between 1600-5000rpm. So, as you can imagine, this pocket rocket is not all show. The Mini Cooper S has been priced at Rs 27.9 lakh.
     
     
    7. Audi A3 E-Tron
     
     
    Green credentials are a must these days, so to balance out masses of horsepower on display at the Audi stall is the A3 E-Tron concept. The sleek and sexy plug-in hybrid has a 211bhp 1.4-litre TFSI motor coupled with a 27bhp electric motor.
     
     
    8. Audi Q3
     
     
    Audi will introduce the Q3 compact SUV later this year with a base 2.0-litre TFSI petrol and a 2.0 TDi to compete head-on with the BMW X1. The Q3 will be assembled at Aurangabad and will come with front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive variants. Unlike the X1, however, there is much more useable space for rear-seat passengers. 
     
     
    9. Skoda RS 2000
     
     
    Skoda has the enviable distinction of being the manufacturer with the most number of rally victories, especially in the non-modified or N category. Of late, their S2000 rally cars have also been a big success and the RS 2000 concept car is something of a celebration. The RS 2000 has four doors and four seats, interestingly, despite being a convertible, and also has some unique styling bits too.  
     
     
    10. Tata Pixel
     
     
    One of the main show-stoppers at the Tata stall is the radical Pixel concept. Designed in house by Tata, the Pixel incorporates scissor doors and a large glass area and a panoramic roof. It gets a unique rear-wheel counter-steering system that helps give it a turning radius of just 2.6 metres. The Pixel will form the basis of the next-gen Tata Nano, which is expected around 2015.
     
     
    11. Tata Safari Storme
     
     
    Taking centre stage at the Tata stand is the Safari Storme. The Storme is not an all-new Safari but a thoroughly revised version of the existing SUV. Among the biggest changes to the vehicle is the adoption of Tata's modern X2 platform that also underpins the Aria. The interiors have received a makeover too with a revised dashboard design and Tata claims the new Safari drives, rides and handles much better.
     
     
    12. Volkswagen XL1 Concept
     
     
    Volkswagen’s low-drag, teardrop-shaped XL1 is a working prototype and in many ways the technological star of the show. According to the company, it has an insane fuel consumption of 111kpl! A two-cylinder, 1.0-litre TDI motor developing 48bhp coupled with a 27bhp electric motor and a drag coefficient of 0.186 helps it attain this feat.
     
    13. SsangYong XIV1
     
     
    The XIV-1 Concept is SsangYong’s vision of its next-gen crossover and is a showcase of the company’s design and engineering talents. While it may be like an SUV in appearance, the powertrain promises to deliver running costs closer to that of the average family hatchback. Something that’s sure to impress Indian car buyers.
     
    14. Peugeot RCZ
     
     
    This 2+2 coupe’s highlight is definitely the heavily sloping, curvy ‘double-bubble’ roof which gives it a sporty air. It’s powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine in different states of tune, making even up to 200bhp in certain versions. A 163bhp diesel is also available. 
     
     
    15. Peugeot 508
     
     
    The stylish 508 saloon that made its international debut only recently will be Peugeot’s first car for India. Strange for a maker of predominantly small cars, this step has been taken to give the lion brand some much needed polish. The 508 will be the flagship model when it is launched here and is expected to be powered by a 1.6-litre diesel engine. It is as spacious as the Honda Accord and given its classy styling, size and diesel powerplant it should be a great model for Peugeot to start with.
     
     
    16. Ferrari California
     
     
    A fourth model series for Ferrari - and the first new production Ferrari with no direct antecedent since the Dino 206GT was launched in 1968, this is, as Ferrari says, a convertible, a GT and a sports car all under one retractable hard top roof. It is Ferrari’s first ever front-engined, V8 road car, the first with a directly injected engine, the first with seven gears, and the first with a double-clutch transmission. In short and for Ferrari, it is a revolution. The soul however remains intact. 
     
    17. Maruti XA Alpha concept
     
     
    Maruti has taken the wraps of the XA Alpha compact SUV concept at the Auto Expo. The concept points to a new model that will join Maruti’s lineup somewhere in the next couple of years. The XA Alpha is built on the new Swift platform and overall length measures 4000mm. The four-metre length makes the XA Alpha eligible for a lower rate of excise duty for small cars.
     
     
    18. Maruti Ertiga
     
     
    The Ertiga is Maruti’s second attempt at a family MPV. Based on an extended Swift platform, the Ertiga carries much of the Maruti family look over. The wheelbase, now 2740mm long, allows the inclusion of a third row of seats and the Ertiga can seat seven passengers in a 2+3+2 layout. Power, to the front wheels of course, will come from a new 1.4-litre K-series petrol and the 1.3 diesel motor that is all but identical to that of the SX4.
     
     
    19. Mercedes SLS GT3
     

    The racing version of the SLS AMG has been conceived as a customer sport vehicle for participation in race series based on FIA GT3 regulations. The AMG 6.2-litre V8 engine is virtually identical to that of the series production vehicle but thanks to its low weight, the acceleration figures for the GT3 - 3.7 seconds for the sprint from 0 to 100kph – are slightly better. 

     
    20. Mercedes Concept A-class
     
     
    Undoubtedly the star of the Mercedes-Benz pavilion is the Concept A-class. It’s a hatchback that previews the forthcoming design direction the brand is going to take. Built on the same MFA platform as the B-class that will soon be launched in India, the Concept A-class is likely to be sold in India in saloon form. Time to smash the piggy-bank then?
     
     
    21. Mercedes S-class Pullman Guard
     
     
    Also on display at the Mercedes stall is the S600 Pullman Guard armoured limousine. This gargantuan V12 limo is about as luxurious as a Mercedes can get, but it is also as tough as a tank, achieving VR6 and VR7 safety ratings – the highest currently possible.
     
    22. Hyundai Hexa Space
     

    The Hexa Space, is a global debut for Hyundai and points towards a production model in the future. The talking point is the car’s eight-person seating layout which uses two rows of three slightly staggered seats at the front, and a conventional two-seat bench at the rear. 

    Hyundai Hexa Space gallery

    23. Hyundai new Elantra
     
     
    This is Hyundai’s stylish answer to the Honda Civic. Like the smaller Verna, the new Elantra also gets Hyundai’s smooth but aggressive ‘Fluidic Sculpture Design ’, and will come with 1.8-litre petrol and diesel motors. Again, interior styling is far from ordinary with a striking fascia that is dominated by a multimedia screen. In typical Hyundai fashion, the saloon should come very well specced so the Elantra will impress on the VFM scale too. 
     
    24. Nissan Evalia
     
     
    Nissan has unveiled the Indian-built Evalia MPV at the Expo, the car we previously knew only as the NV200. Built on Nissan’s B-platform, the Evalia is a seven-seater with a 2+3+2 configuration and seats its passengers in surprising comfort. Powering the MPV will be the familiar 1.5-litre dCi turbo-diesel engine from the Sunny diesel. But is the engine too small?
     
    25. Renault Duster 
     
     
    Renault’s midsize crossover, the Duster is based on the same platform as the Logan (now Mahindra Verito). The Duster is not an all-out off-roader and will sell only as a two-wheel-drive version in India. Interior space is impressive and, just like on the Logan, ride quality is expected to be nice as well. It will come with Renault's K9K diesel engine in two different states of tune and will have five different trim levels. Prices for the base petrol version are likely to start at Rs 7.5 lakh, making it tremendous value.

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