Upcoming new car launches in 2016

With a recovering economy and nearing festive season, carmakers have lined up a slew of new launches for 2016. The list of upcoming cars spans across entry­level hatchbacks to premium sedans and SUVs. Our feature will bring you abreast with all key details of these upcoming vehicles so that you can plan your next purchase better.

Maruti Suzuki Ignis

Maruti Suzuki has confirmed the Ignis compact crossover to be launched towards the end of this year. The Ignis was first unveiled at the 2016 Auto Expo as a concept model and it is expected to be sold through Nexa dealerships.

Engine: Though the company has not disclosed the powertrain options, we expect the vehicle to be powered by a 1.0 L Boosterjet petrol engine developing 112 hp. The engine will be mated to a 5­ speed manual and possibly to an Automated Manual Transmission (AMT). While a diesel engine doesn’t seem likely at the launch, the company would introduce it at a later stage.

What’s new: The Maruti Suzuki Ignis will be underpinned on a new­generation architecture, which also underpins the Baleno. The new chassis is stiffer and light in weight, which will keep the weight in check and help performance and efficiency.

Price and competitors: The upcoming Ignis is likely to be priced between Rs. 5 to 7 lakh, ex-showroom and will lock its horns with the Mahindra KUV100.

Jeep Grand Cherokee

After showcasing the Jeep Grand Cherokee at the 2016 Auto Expo, the American luxury SUV maker will launch the Cherokee on Indian soil this year. The Jeep Cherokee will join the Wrangler in the company’s portfolio. The launch of the Jeep in the country also coincides with the brand’s 75th anniversary.

Engine: The Jeep Cherokee will get its power from a 3.0­L, V6, diesel engine, which is good enough to produce 237 hp of power and 549 Nm of torque. The car will feature Quadra­Drive II 4WD system that will come with rear Electronic Limited Slip Differential for better control and grip. The motor will be mated to an 8­speed Paddle­Shift automatic transmission.

What’s new: As the name says ‘Grand’, it means the carmaker will offer the new SUV with a host of features. The features like auto­dimming mirrors, company’s latest infotainment system with connectivity technology, square wheel arches, roof rails, big wheels and wraparound LED tail lamps, will be offered with the new Grand Cherokee.

Price and competitors: The Grand Cherokee is likely to be priced between Rs 40 to 55 lakh, ex- showroom. When launched, it will compete with the likes of BMW X5, Audi Q7, Volvo XC90 and Mercedes­Benz GLE in the segment.

Jeep Wrangler

The iconic American SUV maker is all geared up to launch the anticipated Jeep Wrangler in the Indian car market. The Jeep Wrangler will be sold as a CBU unit.

Engine: The Indian­spec Wrangler will get its power from a 3.6­L, V6, petrol engine that makes 281 hp of power and 353 Nm of torque. The powertrain will be mated to a 5­speed automatic gearbox.

What’s new: The Jeep Wrangler will be made available in two interior trims – McKinley Black which will have grey accent stitching and McKinley Dark Saddle with black accent stitching. The infotainment system will include Alpine Premium Sound System with a 6.5­inch touchscreen. The customers can choose from three different rooftop options as well such as No Top, Soft Top and Hard Top.

Price and competitors: The Jeep Wrangler does not have any direct competitor in India and is expected to be priced at around Rs. 25 to 35 lakh, ex­-showroom.

Jaguar F­Pace

With the launch of the Jaguar F­Pace in the country, Jaguar will mark its entry into the SUV segment. The F­Pace is expected to go on sale in the second half of 2016. The luxury compact SUV is based on the Jaguar C­X17 concept and will underpin the lightweight architecture.

Engine: Internationally, the Jaguar F­Pace will be offered with Ingenium engines ­ two petrol and two diesel units and a bigger 5.0­L, V8, supercharged petrol mill. The 2.0­L, four­cylinder engine will produce 237 hp while, the 3.0­L, V6 unit will generate 377 hp of maximum power.

The 2.0­L, four­cylinder and 3.0­L, V6 diesel motors, on the other hand, will develop 177 hp and 337 hp of power, respectively. All the engines will be paired to an 8­speed automatic gearbox, sending the power to its AWD system, except for the entry­level 2.0­L petrol variant.

In India, we expect the F­Pace to be launched with the smaller petrol and diesel unit along with the possibility of the 5.0 LV8 version being offered in limited numbers.

What’s new: The SUV will come with a spacious cabin and a boot space of 650 L. The rear seats can be split into 40:20:40 configuration to create more space. The Head­up Display (HUD) and Activity Key along with other advanced driving aids like InControl multimedia system, ensure a relaxed and undisturbed journey.

Price and competitors: The Jaguar F­Pace will be made available in four trims – Pure, Prestige, R­Sport and First Edition. It is expected to be priced between Rs 90 to 1.1 crore, ex­-showroom and will with Porsche Cayenne, Porsche Macan, BMW X6 M and Land Rover Range Rover Sport.

Tata Hexa

Tata Motors showcased the production­ready Hexa SUV at the 2016 Auto Expo. The Hexa has been designed by Tata’s three design studios in India, Italy and the UK. As the car maker has taken inputs from Land Rover, the Hexa is expected to sport a premium design and advanced features.

Engine: Under the bonnet, the new Hexa will get the Varicor 400, a 2.2­L, turbocharged, four- cylinder diesel engine that develops 154 hp of power and 400 Nm of torque. The SUV will get a six­speed manual transmission and an all­wheel­drive option, similar to the Tata Aria.

What’s new: Based on the Aria’s platform, the upcoming SUV will feature refreshed design and styling. The features like newly designed projector headlamps, new bumper and fog lamps are some of the changes that can be seen in the upcoming Hexa.

Price and competitors: When launched, the Hexa will compete with Toyota Innova Crysta and Mahindra XUV500. We expect the car maker to price it competitively between Rs 13 to 18 lakh, ex-­showroom.

Audi SQ7

In order to compete with the performance­oriented cars in the country such as the Mercedes­Benz ML 63 AMG and the BMW X5 M, Audi will soon launch its performance SUV, the Audi SQ7 in India.

Engine: Powering the all­new Audi SQ7 will be a 4.0­L, V8, twin­turbocharged diesel engine producing 435 hp of power and 900 Nm of torque. The SUV will come equipped with an 8 ­speed automatic transmission paired to Quattro all­wheel­drive.

What’s new: The Audi SQ7 will have an S­badging and sport the Matrix LED headlamps. The SUV will also get 20­inch alloys in a dark shade along with new upholstery inside the cabin.

Price and competitors: The SQ7 will take on the likes of BMW X5 M, Mercedes­Benz GLE63 AMG/GLS 63AMG and Land Rover Discovery. The SQ7 is likely to go on sale with a price tag of Rs. 1 to 1.20 crore, ex­showroom.

Volvo S90

The latest offering by the Swedish car maker, the Volvo S90 has been scheduled to be launched this year. The flagship sedan will come with features like Thor’s hammer headlamps, as seen in the new Volvo XC90 and L­shaped tail lamps.

Engine: The Volvo S90 is internationally powered by a 2.0­L, four cylinder, petrol and diesel engines. There is also a hybrid petrol version (T3 Hybrid) which is also expected to be sold alongside the petrol and diesel mills in the wake of the subsidies offered under the government’s FAME scheme. The petrol motor generates power in two states of tune – 250 hp and 315 hp. The diesel motor, on the other hand, produces 187 hp and 232 hp of power in two states of tune. The engines are paired to a 6­speed automatic transmission with an optional all­wheel­drive system.

In India, we expect the less­powerful engines to be launched, which could be mildly detuned to cope up with the quality of fuel available.

What’s new: The Volvo S90 shares its underpinnings with the XC90 and is based on the new Volvo’s SPA platform (Scalable Product Architecture).

Price and competitors: The Volvo S90 will directly compete with the Mercedes­Benz E­Class, the BMW 5 Series, the Audi A6 and the Jaguar XF. The luxury sedan is expected to be priced between Rs 50 to 65 lakh ex­showroom.