Weekly Wrap-up: Merc Launched CLS Class, E Class Cabriolet, Land Rover's Locally Assembled Evoque, Ford India Reveals Aspire

The spree of launches continues as the German carmaker came-up with Mercedes Benz CLS alongside the E Class E400 Cabriolet. Porsche too joined the race by launching Boxster GTS & Cayman GTS at Rs 1.15 Crore & Rs 1.17 Crore respectively. Land Rover to introduce locally assembled Evoque at Rs. 48.73 Lacs, Ex-Showroom Mumbai (Pre-Octroi). While in accordance with Prime Minister’s Make In India Campaign, Ford India too inaugurated its Sanand Plant. The occasion was witnessed by dignitaries like Smt. Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister of Gujarat, Sh. Saurabhbhai Patel, Minister of Finance and Sh. Vijaybhai Rupani, Minister of Transport along with senior officials from the government of Gujarat. The automaker also revealed Figo Aspire Compact Sedan which will be launched soon.  Lets review the week in a short glimpse.

New Launches

Mercedes-Benz Launches CLS 250 CDI at INR 76.5 lac (ex-Delhi)

After the CLA-Class, C-Class diesel, new B-Class and updated A-Class, Mercedes-Benz India has now added the facelifted CLS 250 CDI to its product line-up. Priced at INR 76.5 lac, the car sits in between the E and the S Class, and will be sold in the country as a CBU (Complete Built Unit). Read More

Mercedes-Benz E400 Cabriolet launched in India at INR 78.5 lac

In line with its 15 in ‘15 launch strategy, Mercedes-Benz India today launched the E400 Cabriolet in India alongside the CLS facelift. The car will be sold through the CBU route in the country and will serve more as a halo product (than a volume seller) in the company’s line-up. Read More: 

Locally Assembled Range Rover Evoque Launched at Rs. 48.73 Lac

Land Rover has started the local assembly of Evoque at their plant in Pune. Prices have significantly gone down compared to earlier CBU (completely built units) import - Range Rover Evoque now starts from Rs. 48.73 Lacs, Ex-Showroom Mumbai (Pre-Octroi). Read More: 

Porsche Boxster GTS & Cayman GTS launched in India at INR 1.15 Crore & INR 1.17 Crore respectively

Porsche India has just launched the GTS (Gran Turismo Sport) versions of its successful Boxster and Cayman supercars. Priced at INR 1.15 Crore and INR 1.17 Crore (ex-showroom, Delhi) respectively, both the models are available for order at dealerships across India from today onwards. Read More: 

Spied News

Tata Nano AMT Spied At Company's Sanand Plant

Seeing the success story of AMT gearbox, the homegrown car manufacturer Tata Motors will soon launch Nano with AMT gearbox. Our recent spy shots from the Tata’s manufacturing plant in Sanand plant suggests that the Tata Nano AMT is waiting to be dispatched to dealers. We earlier reported that India’s most affordable hatch will now have a openable boot with a handle provided at the back along with a hole to insert key as well. Read More: 

For All Endy Lovers Here - Ford India Starts Testing New Endeavour!

Ford India has started testing the new Endeavour in the country, these are the very first spy of the SUV rolling in from South India. The SUV was revealed last year in China while it was recently launched in Thailand at the on-going 36th Bangkok Motor Show (known as Everest to other Asian countries). Speaking of the Indian launch, the SUV is expected to go on sale later this year in the country and prices are expected to be in the range of Rs. 25-30 Lac. Read More: 

Nex-gen Fiat Linea Under Development?

Italian manufacturer, Fiat, is supposedly testing its next generation C-segment sedan, Linea. The car is is seen testing on some Swedish roads and is covered in heavy camouflage. It is said to replace the current Linea in several European and American market next year and hence its Indian advent is quite far. This all new car will also be based on Fiat’s ‘small-wide platform’ that deals with front wheel drive and all-wheel drive vehicles. Read More: 

Will Maruti name its compact SUV as Vitara Brezza?

Maruti is desperately preparing for the launch of its first compact SUV in the segment. And why not? When all the other players have already placed their respective products and quite enjoying the sales in the hot segment, Maruti would not sit and relax. The compact SUV codenamed as YBA has been spied earlier also and this time a report claims that the firm has registered a model named ‘Vitara Brezza’ for the Indian market. Read More: 

Toyota Vios Spotted Near Manufacturer's Bangalore Plant

Toyota Vios, a C-segment sedan is spotted testing on Indian roads, near the manufacturer’s Bangalore plant. The all new offering from the Japanese manufacturer will fill the gap between Etios and Corolla Altis. Vios is manufactured in Toyota’s Thailand plant and exported to different parts of the world but it will only make its way to India by the end of this year or in early 2016. Vios will go head to head with City, Ciaz and Verna when launched. Read More: 

Upcoming Volkswagen Vento Facelift Spied Undisguised

Volkswagen India has been working on Vento facelift, the spied test mule in the country were deliberately disguised around altered areas. But recent images from Russia has revealed the upcoming Vento facelift entirely. In Russia, Vento is known as Polo sedan. Speaking of the launch, the vehicle is expected to launch around the festive season. Last year VW India updated the Vento, biggest change was the addition of a brand new diesel. This said, cosmetic changes were hardly there with the current update. Read More: 

Maruti Celerio Diesel Coming this April?

It has been quite sometime that Maruti has been caught testing it's Celerio Diesel on Indian roads. That said, this would be Maruti's smallest diesel engine till date. Celerio is expected to be launched with a 800cc diesel motor, contradictory to its 998cc petrol as diesels are generally of larger capacities than their petrol counterparts. It is speculate that this newly developed motor is independently made by Maruti Suzuki India. Read More: 

Car and Movies

Three car Movies to watch in 2015: Fast & Furious 7, Mission Impossible 5 and Transporter 4

This year will witness the arrival of three all time favourite movies that include lot of cars and a power packed dose of entertainment. The three being the Fast & Furious 7, Mission Impossible 5 and Transporter 4. All of these are greatly loved by the Indian movie enthusiasts and the recently launched trailers of MI5 and Transporter make it more tempting. The trailer of Fast 7 was released back in 2014 and is equally exciting. Read More: 

Ford Inaugurates Manufacturing Unit in Sanand

Ford India Expands its Wings Wide: New Manufacturing and Engine Plant Launched in Sanand

 It’s a big day for Ford Motor Company as its brand new manufacturing facility opens today. The state-of-art vehicle and engine manufacturing facility based in Sanand, Gujarat, will serve India as well as the whole world. The first car to roll out of its Hi-Tech production line will be the Ford Figo Aspire, revealed today at the plant’s launch. Read More: 

Updated - Ford India Reveals Figo Aspire Compact Sedan, Launching Soon!

Ford has officially revealed their Swift Dzire rivaler Figo Aspire compact sedan during the inauguration of their new production facility in Sanand Gujarat. It will be the first product to be manufactured from the new facility followed by its twin - next-gen Figo hatchback. The sedan is likely to be launched first in by mid this year followed by the hatch. Just a reminder, both the vehicles are already on sale in Brazil and known as KA and KA+. Read More: 

Car News

Honda India to increase prices of its cars starting next month

Some bad news for auto buffs. Honda India will be increasing prices across the range of its models which would be effective from April 1st 2015. This time also company has cited the same reason of ‘rise in input cost’ which was quoted last time. Read More: 

Toyota Introduces Corolla Altis ESport Nurburgring Edition at 2015 Bangkok Motor Show

Toyota has further exaggerated the Corolla’s ESport variant in the Thai market by introducing ESport Nurburgring Edition at the on-going 36th Bangkok International Motor Show. The vehicle will go on sale on April 1, 2015 and is launched to celebrate 7th place finish at Nurburgring endurance race. Speaking of the prices, in Thailand, the White Pearl Corolla ESport Nürburgring edition costs 959,000 THB (nearly Rs 18.34 lac) and 949,000 THB (nearly 18.15 lac) for the hot Black Mica shade. Read More: 

Jeep unveils first Compact SUV

Jeep, a brand well known for creating tough and rugged purpose-built off-road vehicles, has just unveiled its first small SUV, the new Jeep Renegade. This entry hints Jeep’s new approach towards a new segment, and eventually newer markets. The renegade is the first car that is jointly developed by Fiat Chrysler’s Italian and American engineers at the SATA plant in Melfi, Italy. Read More:

Mercedes-Benz to offer 10 hybrid cars by 2017

Mercedes-Benz has announced a significant expansion in its plug-in hybrid model range with the introduction of 10 new such vehicles by 2017. Also, the German carmaker is rebranding its hybrid range, by replacing the current ‘Plug-in Hybrid’ suffix with a simple letter ‘e’. So, the C-Class’ hybrid model, which was previously known as the C350 Plug-in Hybrid, is now renamed as C350e. While, some of the current hybrid models from Mercedes’ stable already carries the aforementioned ‘e’ suffix, such as the C350e. Read More: 

Nissan tinkering with Datsun Go to make it safer

With all the failed crashtest's making headlines in 2014, Datsun Go's was a prominent one besides Maruti Swift and others. It was found that employing airbags won't make much difference to its safety aspect as Go's weak body shell was the real problem. Well, this is about to change as Nissan is working on its budget-offering, Datsun Go, to strengthen its body shell. Read More: 

CarDekho Features

#WorldCup2015: Cricketers and their Rides

With talent comes money and with money comes fun. Cricket players are no different from any other and loves to spend millions when it comes to owning hottest pair of vehicles. Indian cricket players enjoy the perks of being the highest-paid athletes which allow them to spend extravagantly on some of the best looking cars on the planet. For example, the ‘God’ Sachin Tendulkar owns a red Godzilla known as Nissan GT-R, BMW X5M50d, BMW 7 series 760 Li Individual Package, Audi Q7, Mercedes Benz 600 SL and many more. We have compiled a list of ICC World Cup 2015 playing cricket players who own some gorgeous rides. Read More: 

Top Bollywood celebrities and their cars!

Bollywood is known for its élan, style statements, good looks, hot bodies, opulence and show off. Very often Bollywood celebs make a style statement not with their attires, but with the vehicles in which they make appearances. Like Hollywood, Bollywood celebrities are also know for their love of fast machines and are often spotted zipping around town painting it red. While some are happy with one swanky expensive buy, others can’t help but have a collection which is the envy of peers and local audiences alike. We bring to you some of the top Bollywood celebrities and their drool worthy collection of cars Read More: 

Road Test

Mini Cooper D 5-Door: First Drive

Mini went conventional way with the Cooper last year, they added an extra pair of doors for the first time along with stretching the dimensions, going mainstream. But the question arises - does the extra weight and increased dimensions hampered Mini’s classic go-kart-feeling or not? Let’s figure it out! We drove the 5-door Cooper diesel on beautiful winding roads of Aamby Valley, Pune. Read More: