Top Picks For Under 5 Lakhs Cars!!

With a boom in the small car segment in the Indian automobile marker, for the first-time buyers are literally spoilt for choice.

Her's our pick of what's installed for you if your budget is just under 5 Lakhs:

The most affordable and most fuel efficient car in India, the Tata Nano currently runs a 624cc two-cylinder petrol motor. It is going to be available in an all-new diesel avatar.  In addition to that, Tata, in a tie up with Bosch Diesel Systems has developed a 800cc two-cylinder diesel engine. This diesel Nano, is to be launched early next year and is speculated to cost Rs 2 lakh ex-showroom.

Tata showed the world that it could build the cheapest car yet, but it was Maruti that put India on wheels with the 800 back in the day. And it is all set to revive the iconic car that is expected to be powered by a more refined 800cc engine. 

The new car will be based on the Alto platform and as a result will offer more room inside. The price is expected to be higher than the Tata Nano petrol at Rs 2.25 lakh ex-showroom.

Chevrolet is all set to get into the ultra compact segment as well with an all-new 800cc Spark. Expect stingy fuel consumption and very practical interior packaging as in the Daewoo Matiz. The 800cc Spark should come in the right price range as well.

The Mahindra Verito compact sedan will be a sub four-metre car with the same engines in its petrol and diesel avatars, and the same features as the Mahindra Verito sedan aka the Renault Logan. 

The price is expected to be lower. The Verito compact sedan is an effort to make a sub 4-metre car which would not have higher taxes or a higher price tag.

Tata pulled off a brilliant move with the launch of the Indigo CS. It plans to do something similar with the Manza and launch a compact sedan version below the four-metre mark for lower taxes. The Manza CS is expected to get the 1.2-litre petrol and 1.3-litre diesel mills as in the Tata Vista.

Toyota Unveils Fun Vii A Concept Car; A Smartphone On Wheels

Toyota has announced the launch of it's concept car Fun-Vii prior to its official debut at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. The concept, dubbed as a “smartphone on wheels” by Toyota President Akio Toyoda, will let the drivers customize the skin of the car which will to display anything they wish for, ranging from stock quotes to advertising to pictures downloaded from their phones.

Seating three individuals, the Fun-Vii’s ultimate goal is to add a fourth dimension to the driving experience. That is, interconnectivity will join driving, turning and stopping. Toyota of course has no realistic release date for such a concept (if it even goes into production in any form), but has envisioned it to have other features such as auto-pilot and an onboard 3D hologram avatar for a year 20XX release. That’s right, 20XX – Toyota is pretty confident something like this will be manufactured in this century.

Tata Nano To Get A Makeover!!

According to the latest news Tata Motors has signed a deal with the rather premier design school NID to have its Nano redesigned. So let’s see what Nano comes out to be and what NID has in its creative mind to bless the people’s car with.

In order to boost the dipping sales figure the country and the automaker has crafted the car with all-new features and distinctive attributes at same cost price to attract customers. As per facts, Nano sales figures slashed down this year plus company production plant at Sanand is manufacturing half of its annual capacity of 2.50 lakh units.

The director of premium NID institute, Prof Pradyumna Vyas stated that NID, which is a world-class design institute, approached the homegrown auto major Tata Motors for redesigning Nano. NID institute has foremost academic courses at the post-graduate level and is regarded for its advance transportation facilities and automobile designing. Also, Tata Nano will experience a lot in terms textile designing, product designing and lifestyle accessories.

Now BMW Enters The Preowned Market In India!!

BMW India has announced the launch of its pre-owned car business, BMW Premium Selection, which will offer ‘carefully selected' and ‘comprehensively examined' luxury Beemers  starting at Rs.16 lakh. “The pre-owned car business will play an important role in the success of the company in India...we expect the used car business to be about 10 per cent of new car sales,” BMW India President Andreas Schaaf told journalists here. “Till October, we have sold 8,042 cars in India, accounting for 40 per cent of the luxury car market.

With the BMW Premium Selection, we are looking to enhance our position…a decisive factor in the development of pre-owned car business will be through establishment of exclusive and luxurious ‘BMW Premium Selection' showrooms of international standards at important commercial centres across the country,” Mr. Schaaf said.

Initially, BMW's pre-owned cars will be available at seven locations — Gurgaon, Ludhiana, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad — and soon extended to other cities.

Mr. Schaaf said all cars selected under BMW Premium Selection are less than five years old and would have clocked under 1.2-lakh km. The pre-owned BMW vehicles come with up to two year/2-lakh km warranty (whichever is earlier), while the owners also have the option of taking round-the-clock roadside assistance. To push sales, BMW is offering 13 per cent finance rate on purchase of its pre-owned cars through its financial services arm — BMW Financial Services.

Commenting on the luxury car market condition, Mr. Schaaf said this segment was growing well till October, but since then the condition was getting difficult to push sales. “We had set a target of selling 10,000 units this year, which is becoming difficult now,” he added.

Skoda launches Yeti 4x2 for Rs 13.35 lakh

Skoda's much awaited SUV Yeti 4X2 is finally launched for Rs 13.35 lakh (ex-showroom Maharashtra). This new model is powered by the 2.0-litre TDI engine taken from the Skoda Laura, which has the capacity of producing 110PS and 250Nm of torque.

This all new version of the Yeti is available with the same engine but has the ability to delivering 140PS power output. The 4x2’s engine is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox (a six-speed manual on the 4x4) and is 100kg lighter than the 4x4 model. It also has safety features like  airbags, ABS, EBD and traction control. However, features like hill descent control and electronic differential lock have disappeared with the AWD. The Yeti 4x2 is available in two variants – Ambient and Active but not in the range-topping Elegance variant.

The Skoda Yeti is a brilliant five-seat all rounder; it has a lot of space, it easily negotiates bumpy roads thanks to the good ground clearance and it handles much better than most SUVs in the price bracket. With the reduced price, this car can be an interesting option for people waiting for the Mahindra XUV500.

Hyundai Launches The New LPG Variant Of Its Hatchback i10

Hyundai Motors on Tuesday announced the launch of a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) powered variant of its hatchback i10. The car is priced between Rs.416,144 and Rs.430,659 (ex-showroom Delhi).

"The LPG version of our next-gen i10 is a viable alternative for customers looking at low running cost," said H.W. Park, managing director and chief executive, Hyundai Motor India Ltd.

This new variant is to be powered by a 1.1 litre iRDE2 engine which has the ability to run on both LPG and petrol. The car has a factory-fitted LPG kit.

"With separate petrol (35 litre) and LPG (34 litre) tanks, the customers have an option to choose from LPG and petrol modes," the company said in a statement.

The car sports a special LPG tank which offers larger boot space than other LPG-fitted cars.

"The LPG kit in i10 blue drive is impact resistant and is approved by the department of explosives," the statement said.

The car has been fitted with an alternator management system which controls delivery of power to the battery, which extends the battery life and improves mileage.

Now Get More At The Same Price With The New Tata Nano!

Yesterday team Tata Nano announced the "introduction of a bouquet of features -- of new colours, new interiors, a more powerful gasoline engine and even greater fuel efficiency of 25.4 kmpl, further improving on its record as India's most fuel efficient petrol car. The car is already available at dealerships, at the same price as before."

In their bid to improve the sales figures, Tata Motors is giving its small car Nano a makeover, with a more powerful engine and new features, while keeping the prices same.

"Making the Tata Nano even more desirable, the car's 624cc engine has been made more powerful, delivering an impressive 38 PS of power (earlier 35 PS) and 51 Nm of torque (earlier 48 Nm)," the company said in a statement.

The new Nano will give you a mileage of 25.4 km per litre of petrol as certified by Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) compared to 23.6 km a litre earlier, Tata Motors claimed. In addition to that the company also claims the new Nano to be highly fuel efficient "with a low kerb weight of 600 kg, ensures that the Tata Nano at 92.7 gram per kilometre has the lowest CO2 (carbon dioxide) emission among cars in India". The earlier Nano had an emission record of 101 gram in every km.

The All New Range Rover Evoque Unveiled By Nargis Fakhri...

Last night Bollywood newbie Nargis Fakhri revealed the all new Range Rover Evoque at the DLF Emporio in Vasant Kunj in Delhi. Evoque was first launched in India on the 4th November under the banner of 'Evoque Experience' which let the customers to get up close to the car whereby with the help of interactive displays, provided an insight into the oh so sophisticated design and the functional and technological qualities of the car.


At the launch Rohit Suri, Head of the Premier Car Division, Jaguar Land Rover India said: "We are extremely excited about the arrival of the Range Rover Evoque in New Delhi, as this car has made a huge impact on potential customers in this city as it has done across the world".

The Range Rover Evoque is the most perfect culmination of bold and sophisticated design with clever technology that is relevant and intuitive to use. The Evoque is designed to endure all surfaces and weathers as a result of using its legendary Land Rover all-terrain technologies.

In India, the Evoque will be available in both 5 door and Coupe body styles. The Coupe is available in a petrol variant and the 5 door version in diesel. The Range Rover Evoque (5 door) is available in three distinct derivatives - Pure, Prestige and Dynamic and the Coupe is available in the Dynamic form. Tata has once again outdone itself. This is one luxury car you will not want to miss out on, thats for sure...

Skoda Announces The Price Of Rapid

A few days back we gave you a sneak peek into the Skoda Rapid's Worldwide First Drive. After luring you towards this 'Thoughtful Car' for the 'Thoughtful Person' it is only fare that the car is made available at a rather 'Thoughtful Price' for you.


Well take a look at this masterpiece's video and know it for yourself....

This all new Skoda is full of promises and is likely to give the Maruti Suzuki SX4 and Volkswagen Vento a run for it's money. We reckon it is going to be a huge success so why not book for your own sets of Rapid wheels now and flash your new ride!! 

The All New Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 2013 Model To Boost 650hp

The 2013 Mustang line being unveiled at the Los Angeles auto show is more exciting as it packs a staggering 650 hp for the 2013 Mustang Shelby GT500. This makes it the most powerful Mustang to yet hit the road, and it will almost certainly be the least expensive 650-hp new car money can buy.

Here's what the beast on the road looks like:

The 2013 Mustang GT gets LED fog lights and a bump from 412 hp to 420 hp, thanks to internal friction reductions in the engine. The six-speed Select Shift automatic will allow full manual control, with no default upshift at the redline. Recaro seats will be available all the way down to the V6, in cloth or leather.

There will be new performance packages, upgraded audio systems and a new option called Track Apps, with an on-board accelerometer. Track Apps can save and display lap times, quarter-mile times and g-loads on the new 4.2-inch LCD in the center stack, not to mention a range of engine telemetry options, right down to cylinder-head temperatures. 

Maruti Diesel Car Prices To Be Hiked By Rs 10,000

 It's trouble in the Maruti Suzuki, India land again as they have announced the increased the prices of its diesel cars by up to Rs 10,000. Which means that starting this week the Swift, Dzire and SX4 will cost you an extra Rs 10,000, the price of the Ritz hatchback has been raised by 2,000.

"There has been a critical upswing in the inputs cost and an adverse appreciation in the Japanese currency yen that had made imports costlier and forced this hike," a company spokesperson said. 

Following the persisting strike of 59 days since June at the Manesar plant the carmaker is in the process of revival by normalising production after it saw a 55% decline in October to a mere 50,487 units. Subsequently, the waiting time for some of Maruti's diesel model has gone up to nine months. 

According to some reliable industry sources other carmakers, including Hyundai Motor and Toyota, are also looking at price revisions. 

With the new diesel car prices hike we highly recommend opting for a preowned car which can often be made available from as good as new. 

BMW Reveals Carbon Fiber Frame, Glass Exterior Concept Cars...

Earlier this week BMW unveiled a pair of concept cars, a hybrid and an electric car each manufactured of light-weight carbon fiber and a see-through glass exterior.

These set of hot wheels are expected to see the day of light within the next two to three years. The carbon fiber in the i3 city car and i8 sports car significantly reduces the weight of the vehicle and the size of its frame, giving designers more flexibility and creating more interior space for passengers, said Richard Kim, the man who designed the exteriors of both vehicles.

For the German automaker, it allowed for more glass where there is traditionally metal, Kim said. The doors of both vehicles are mostly made of glass, along with much of their roofs and tail ends.

BMW said the car offers “superb safety in the event of a collision. You may not see as much glass, but you will be able to see the light coming through,” Kim said at a sneak peak event on Wednesday in New York. The cars officially debut next week at the Los Angeles auto show.

The all-wheel drive car has a battery and a gas engine that work together, with the battery powering the front wheels and a gas engine powering the rear wheels. Without the gas engine, the car has a range of about 20 miles, but fully charges in less than two hours.

Whilst these cars are bound to be expensive, hold on tight as they too will soon from it release be available in the used car market like all great one's do...

Suzuki Motors Sales Figures See 5.3% Rise Despite Indian Strike!!

Japanese Suzuki Motor giant has reported a 5.26% hike in their net income for the six-month period ended September 30, despite the persisting operational strike in India during the same period. This makes it one of the other success story of the year.

During the period of April-September, the company's net income has reported an increase to 32.01 billion yen (about Rs 2,010 crore) from 30.41 billion yen (about Rs 1,910 crore) in the same period last year, Suzuki Motor said in a statement.

The net sales during the period, however, declined by 6.82% to 1.23 trillion yen (about Rs 76,907 crore) from 1.32 trillion yen (about Rs 82,715 crore), it added.

"The domestic economy is somewhat recovering from the stagnation following the Great East Japan Earthquake, but it is exposed to a downward pressure from various factors including the flood in Thailand and a further appreciation of the yen," the company said. It also said the decreased sales in India had an impact on its net sales. "...sales amount (in Asia) decreased by 36.1 billion yen to 427.6 billion yen year-on-year due to decreased sales of Maruti Suzuki India and the exchange rate factor following the Yen appreciation," it added.

Whilst it is interesting to note that the Maruti Suzuki India had posted 59.81% fall in its net profit at Rs 240.44 crore for the quarter ended September 30, in the global spectrum Suzuki still manages to be a leading brand.

Hyundai Launches Eon Hatchback, Its Cheapest Vehicle Yet!!

The Hyundai Motor Company has now began selling the new Eon hatchback. This new version of Eon is priced even lower than the Santro, company’s cheapest vehicle to date, selling for around a mere Rs. 280,897. This is sure to give Maruti a run for their money as it has previously held the record for India’s best-selling car, with Alto, which sells from Rs. 235,413. 
Eon hatchback is sure to cause some major issues for the Maruti Suzuki clan, especially since it is still trying to resolve the labor issues at its production plant. Hyundai is expected to reveal the new vehicle for the first time this week at a press conference which is by invitation only. 

Maruti Suzuki had around 43 percent of all the sales of passenger vehicles for the past six months, while Hyundai has only around 20 percent. The head of sales for Maruti Suzuki refused to comment on the new Eon hatchback until he has had a chance to see it. He commented that everyone has always known that India is a good market for small vehicles, and now everybody ts to be a part of it. 

The deliveries of vehicles are expected to grow slowly due to the fact that the India Reserve Bank has recently raised its interest rates 12 different times, since last year in March. This was done in an attempt to slow down the inflation, and it hugely brought down the demand for vehicles because in India around 80 percent of all vehicles purchased are funded by loans. 

Chevrolet Celebrating It's 100 Years Of Excellence...

Chevrolet celebrates it's 100 years this week. So,m as a tribute to Louise Chevrolet, the great man who started it all we'll take you down the memory lane to show you where & how it all started...Check out this video to embark on the Chevrolet journey...

Since it's advent 100 years ago, Chevy has come a long way ahead. Wherein as a brand Chevy has made a mark globally as a result of the strong emphasis it places on fuel efficiency and fuel alternatives. The new Chevy models for 2012 include the much awaited 2012 Cruze Eco and the 2012 Chevy Sonic.

As for what can we expect from Chevy in the next 100 years? Only time will tell if there will ever be an actual transforming Bumblebee Camaro on the market one day.

Lamborghini Launches Aventador LP 700-4; Priced At Rs 3.69 cr

To lure the growing billionaire club of Asia's second-fastest growing economy, Italian luxury sports car maker Automobili Lamborghini SpA has rolled out the envious and rather dominating Aventador LP 700-4 model for the Indian roads which is priced at Rs 3.69 crore (ex-showroom, Delhi) on Thursday.

Aventador was first saw the day of light at the Geneva Motor show earlier in March this year and since then had more than 20 Indian customers demanding it. The company claims to have received over 1,500 bookings globally.


This beast is powered by a 12-cylinder and 6.5-litre engine making it one of the fastest street-legal cars in the world as it has the ability to touch a top speed of up to 350 km per hour. Crafted from composite carbon materials that are used in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner Lamborghini the Scissors Doors, Aventador accelerates to 0-100 km/hour in just 2.9 seconds.

Don't believe us? Check out this video:

Lamborghini is reported to open its second facility in Mumbai by next year. "India is one of the fastest emerging markets for sports car for us. Aventador is a consistent continuation of Lamborghini's brand values something that now has a huge potential after the success of the recent Formula 1 race. Taking the brand further, we plan to extend our reach in the Indian market by starting the next showroom in Mumbai in early 2012," said James Page, Marketing Manager for SE Asia and Pacific, Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.

SKODA Rapid's 'Worldwide First Drive'...

Skoda has announced the launch of it’s new sedan called Skoda Rapid 2011 in India this year in India. It is based on Vento’s platform and has already created a lot of buzz since it was debuted earlier last month.

Rapid features a new front profile that is emphasized by a wider front grill and the complimented bold lines. The sedan is powered by a 1.6 litre petrol engine which is estimated to deliver a decent 105 bhp. Skoda Rapid is placed underneath Vento in the hierarchy and is designed to compete directly with Maruti SX4.

Rapid is Skoda's 6th attempt at wooing the Indian drivers. It is all set to hit the Indian roads soon. So we decided to give you a taste of what it would look like if you were to drive it. 

Check out this latest video from Skoda...

Let us know what you think about the car? Comment below....

FYI: October Auto Sales Figures

Volkswagen has reported a souring 67.30% increase in its India sales to 7,266 units in October as opposed to the 4,343 units in the corresponding period last year according to a statement given by Volkswagen. Compact car Polo and sedan Vento continue to be the flag bearers for the brand, with a total of 6,814 units sold in October, 2011, the company said. "Our action model strategy has once again proved to be very successful, with the Polo and the Vento Breeze being a huge attraction for customers during the festive season," Volkswagen Group Sales India Member of Board and Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Neeraj Garg said.

Toyota Kirloskar sales have also seen a whooping jump of 63% in October. Despite the Tsunami effect and the resulting delays in the delivery the company's sales stats makes Toyota one of the major players in the industry.

Also, according to the latest figures, Honda Siel Cars sales jump 5% in October as a result of selling 1,220 units of its new compact car Brio, 463 units of hatchback Jazz, 3,376 units of its flagship sedan City, 281 units of premium sedan Civic, 172 units of luxury sedan Accord and 14 units of its sports utility vehicle CR-V.

Other figures reveal:

• Hyundai Motor India sales down 7%
• GM India Oct sales rise marginally
• Tata Motors sales rise 5% in October

Research Reveals Top Wheels For India...

One of the most common question posed to the Mr.Car team is which is the best car according to you? One of the reason's why it puts us in a fix is because there is no one definitive answer to it as there are numerous factors involved; best car as per budget, car types etc. And so we decided to carry out an extensive research and below is our list of the best cars in the country across various segments.

• India's Top Premium Hatchback
  Ford Figo: Fords sensational entry into the most competitive segment in India. All thanks to the smart repackaging of the last-gen international Fiesta platform the American carmaker has been able to position the Figo at a phenomenal price point.

• India's Top Compact Hatchback
  Maruti Suzuki WagonR: Maruti's tall boy's success story continues and it is definitely in its best avatar yet.

• India's Top Entry Level Compact Sedan
  Maruti Suzuki D'zire: The Swift D'zire came as a replacement for the popular Esteem, and has proved to be even more popular than its predecessor.

• India's Top Entry Level MPV
  Maruti Suzuki Eeco: Introduced to replace its long time predecessor the Maruti Omni, this MPV segement new comer speaks of great volumes, thus making it an ideal long distance carrier vehicle.

• India's Top Premium Luxury Sedan
  Mercedes-Benz E-Class: The E-Class sedan is one of the best examples of the new age sedan equipped with great performance and just the right amount of styling.

• India's Top Prestige Sedan
  BMW 7 Series: This chauffeur driven beauty has its backbenchers sinking into the comfort of its plush interiors, while enjoying a comfortable smooth ride.