2012 TOYOTA ETIOS & LIVA INTERIORS

       2012 TOYOTA ETIOS & LIVA INTERIORS

In a bid to keep the cost low, Toyota India compromised on the aesthetics of interiors. The grey tone interiors became the weakest link of the entire package. Took a long time for Toyota to figure out the Achilles heel but they have finally set the records straight.

Toyota India presented a Liva with revamped interiors at the 2012 Indian Auto Expo. Here we have images from the Expo.

As one can easily notice, the dull grey tone is passé and is replaced by a jet black tone. Changes have been made to the music system panel as well. The gear knob is now silver and not a flashy red one. We also noticed that the fit and finish of the panels have been improved dramatically.

Toyota also claimed that they have worked on the NVH levels of the Liva to make it quieter at high speeds (another major problem in the Liva). However, since we haven’t driven the new one, we cannot vindicate that claim.

Source - IAB

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Bajaj Launched KTM 200 Duke in India

               Bajaj Launched KTM 200 Duke in India

( Bajaj Auto Ltd )Today introduced KTM Power Sports AG's 200 Duke motorcycle in India, expanding its portfolio of sports bikes.

Bajaj owns a 39.26% stake in Austria's KTM. The 200 Duke, priced at 117,500 rupees ($2,340) at showrooms in New Delhi, will be sold through 32 exclusive showrooms in 30 cities in India, Rajiv Bajaj, managing director at India's second-biggest motorcycle maker by sales, told a press conference.

"We are confident this will be a successful product," he said.

The bike will be powered by a 199.5 cc DOHC 4V engine that produces 25PS of power @ 10,000 rpm and 19Nm of torque @ 8,000 rpm. It will have a top speed of 135kmph, dual disc brakes for superior braking and 17″ radial tubeless tyres, and will have a power to weight ratio of 180PS/tonne.

KTM's chief executive, Stefan Pierer, had recently said the company aims to sell 25,000-30,000 motorcycles in India this year and 200,000 motorcycles globally a year in 2015.

Bajaj also sells the Kawasaki 250R and 650R sports bikes in India.

Source -  wsj.com

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HYUNDAI IS GOING TO GIVE FACELIFT TO i20

  HYUNDAI IS GOING TO GIVE FACELIFT TO i20

The i20 was launched in 2008.

Hyundai is planning a cosmetic treatment on the i20 to infuse the new Fluidic design philosophy.

The front fascia of the new i20 is unveiled ( although not completely ). 

As expected, the new Fluidic design is quite evident on the front of the i20. The new headlamps are now swooping in the side profile of the car. There is also a heavy usage of chrome garnish to make it look upmarket.

Expect to see the new i20 hitting the Indian roads by the festival season.

Source - IAB

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Volkswagen Up , 5-door Revealed

          Volkswagen Up , 5-door Revealed

VW Revealed in three-door form in mid-2011, the Up! represents the Volkswagen Group's take on city commuting, with near-doppelganger versions of the car also revealed in Skoda and Seat form.

The five-door Up! maintains the 2.42m footprint of its three-door sibling, and interior space remains unchanged as a result. Rear storage space is also the same at 251 litres.

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Fans began guessing at this one when a high-riding concept appeared in Frankfurt last year, and Volkswagen confirmed its coming only a month later: the five-door version of the carmaker's new Up! city car.

Volkswagen expects nearly two-thirds of Up! buyers in Europe to opt for the five-door version

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Volkswagen expects nearly two-thirds of Up! buyers in Europe to opt for the five-door version, with the price difference unlikely to be more than AU$1000.

It will come as no surprise that the five-door's powertrain list is also unchanged from the three-door, with power coming from a turbocharged and direct-injected 1.0 litre three-cylinder petrol engine, producing 44kW in standard form and 55kW in up-spec models.

While the three-door has already been confirmed for an europe debut this year, it remains to be seen if we'll see the five-door here.

Source -  themotorreport.com.au

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KTM 200 Duke Coming Tomorrow

           KTM 200 Duke Coming Tomorrow

Bajaj and Austrian brand KTM into India with the launch of KTM Duke 200. we all  have been talking about the Duke ever since we got to know of Bajaj’s plans of launching the brand in India. The 200 Duke will also be launched in other other developing markets like Brazil and Malaysia.

The 200 will entirely be manufactured in India and will make use of high local content. This simply means that Bajaj will be able to price the bike competitively &  the Duke 200 is expected to be slotted between the Yamaha R15 V 2.0 & the Honda CBR250R in terms of pricing.

Bajaj will announce the prices when it formally launches the bike tomorrow.

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Next-Gen 2013 Fiat Linea

               Next-Gen 2013 Fiat Linea

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Next-Gen Mini Cooper Will Get BMW-Like Interior

Next-Gen Mini Cooper Will Get BMW-Like Interior

In 2014 Mini will launch the next generation of MINI Cooper models. The second generation Cooper will be the first to use the new front-wheel drive platform developed by BMW.

The new hatchback is said to retain the retro MINI style and the biggest surprise could come from the inside. Recent spy photos reveal an interior design which is very BMW-like. In a way, the design cues resemble the ones found in the 1 Series, with the typical arrangement of gauges, radios buttons and dashboard as seen in BMW vehicles.

Will MINI have any radical change? Hard to predict at the moment, but there is also the possibility that the spy photos captured the BMW 1 Series GT with MINI-style body parts in order to hide the field testing of a BMW with the front-wheel drive platform.

The 1 Series Gran Turismo, also known internally as Compact Activity Tourer, will be one of the first front-wheel drive vehicles from BMW. Design wise, the 1er GT follows the steps of the 5 Series GT niche model and also the future 3 Series GT.  1 GT will be 2 inches (5cm) longer than the 3-door and 5-door models, but it will sport an unique front-end. To reflect the Gran Turismo design, the 1 GT will have an elevated driving position, as seen in the 5 Gran Turismo.

Earlier this week, in an interview for Automotive News, Dr. Kay Segler, Head of MINI, says the company will add three models by the end of the decade. Segler refrained from offering specific details on the three models, but they will likely use the upcoming front-wheel drive platform that will be shared with the BMW family as well.

 

Source - bmwblog

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