Top Five Launches of the Year 2013

We’re nearly at the end of 2012. And what a year it has been with a kaleidoscope of launches, facelifts, discount offers and so much more. We’ve seen the trend for UV’s go up and due to the hikes in petrol prices, the downfall of petrol powered cars. The year 2012 also saw the consumer interest in diesel cars go up and also the localisation of several international manufacturers in the Indian market in order to get the competitive edge over the national auto makers; a good year for cars despite the many ups and downs.

But enough about the year 2012, which we will soon put behind us and venture bravely into the new year. We’ve reported of quite a lot of the happenings that are to take place in the year 2013 to our readers, and now we bring to you the top 5 launches that are to take place in the year 2013 for your enjoyment and information.

Hyundai i10 Diesel

Hyundai Motors is planning to release their next generation i10 model in a diesel powered version along with the regular petrol version. From what we’ve gathered the model has been under testing since as early as mid-2012 and is slated for a 2013 first quarter launch. The speculations are that Hyundai is planning to replace the old Epsilon engine with a new 1.1-litre CRDI mill, which incidentally is the smallest diesel engine in Hyundai’s roster. In addition to the diesel version, we’ll also be seeing a 1.0-litre Kappa petrol engine for the petrol line-up which will enhance the fuel efficiency. The i10 diesel is expected to offer competition to the likes of Maruti Suzuki Ritz, Chevrolet Beat, Swift and other entry-level diesel cars in the segment.

Honda Brio 2TP (Sedan)

Honda Cars India is finally set to release their very first diesel powered car in India; and about time too. Honda has suffered quite a drop in sales figures due to the lack of a diesel option for the Indian fuel conscious auto market. So Honda’s solution for its dropping sales is the new Honda Brio diesel sedan which is as yet nameless and has been codenamed 2TP. Let’s bring you the best first. The Honda Brio sedan is sub-4 meters in total length; yes, that means reduced excise duty which in turn translates into a lower Brio sedan price tag. Of course this was achieved via means of an added-on boot which means that in other dimensions the Brio sedan is very similar to the hatchback. The Brio diesel sedan is set to house 1.5-litre diesel mill that is expected to hand out mileage figures in the area of 25kmpl. The Honda Brio 2TP is expected to compete against the likes of Maruti Suzuki Swift Dezire, Toyota Etios, VW Vento and others in the segment.

Chevrolet Sail Sedan

The Chevrolet Sail sedan from General Motors is yet another eagerly awaited launch slated for early 2013. GM has confirmed that the Sail sedan release will trigger the replacement of the existing Chevrolet Aveo model that is now obsolete. The notchback will house the Fiat sourced 1.3-litre TDI mill that is also available in the Swift Dzire. The power output form this engine will be 75bhp with 210Nm of peak torque. The mileage figure is expected to be around 22kmpl. The car is expected to offer competition to entry-level sedans like Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, Toyota Etios and Tata Indigo.

Chevrolet Enjoy MPV

General Motors has confirmed that its strategy for the year 2013 is aggressive expansion of its current India line-up and this is quite evident in the fact that the international auto maker is set to launch 4-5 models in the Indian market over the next few years. One of these is the Chevrolet Enjoy MPV; it will be GM’s first MPV offering to the Indian market and is expected to offer competition to the likes of Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, Nissan Evalia and Toyota Innova.

Ford EcoSport

Ford India confirmed the release date of the much awaited Ford EcoSport compact SUV to be February 2013. The compact crossover will be powered by their celebrated, award winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol mill. While Ford India hasn’t released much information on the engine specs, we know that this will be the first vehicle to incorporate their famous engine. That coupled with the SUV’s smart looks, good fuel economy and if competitive pricing is assured, should do what the Duster has done for Renault. This compact SUV is expected to compete directly with the Renault Duster, Mahindra Quanto and indirectly with the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga.

That concludes the list of top 5 eagerly awaited launches slated for the year 2013. Stay tuned with CarDekho as we take you into the new year of auto happenings in India and around the world.

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