After the unveiling of new cars and motorcycles at the Auto Expo 2016 earlier in February, the car manufacturers are stepping for the market launches. The month of March seems to be the busiest with eight cars and motorcycles lined up to enter the Indian market. Some of them are all new models and some of them are facelift. The list promises variety of vehicles in different segments.
Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza
Maruti Suzuki's first compact SUV and one of the most awaited vehicles of the year, the Vitara Brezza, will drive in to the market March 21. Expected to be offered in six variants -- LDi, LDi (O), VDi, VDi (O), ZDi and ZDi+ -- the Vitara Brezza will be powered by 200 DDis diesel engine that will churn out 88.5bhp of power at 4,000rpm and 200Nm of torque at 1,750rpm mated to five-speed manual gearbox. The compact SUV, conceived, designed and developed in India by Maruti's R&D team led by Chief Engineer CV Raman, is expected to be priced in the range of Rs 5.5 to 8.2 lakh.
Tata Tiago
The Tiago hatchback is the first model from Tata Motors' new design language, christened "Impact." The Tiago will be powered by a 1.2-litre three-cylinder DOHC petrol engine tuned to dish out 83.8bhp and 114Nm of torque, while the 1.0-litre three-cylinder diesel engine is capable of churn out 69bhp and 140Nm of torque. The launch of the car is expected in the second half of March with an estimated price tag of Rs 3.9 lakh to Rs 5.5 lakh.
Honda Amaze facelift
Honda Cars India has announced its 2016 Amaze facelift will be launched on March 3. Being a mid-life facelift, the changes will be purely cosmetic on the exterior, while the interior will get an all-new dashboard. The new model will come with a redesigned front grille with thick chrome line. The headlamps have got smoke treatment and the front bumper has been tweaked to house this changes. Under the hood, the Amaze is expected to pack the same i-VTEC petrol and i-DTEC diesel engines.
Renault Duster facelift
Renault India's popular SUV the Duster's facelift and AMT made its India debut at the Auto Expo 2016. The SUV will go on sale in the domestic market towards March-end. The facelift gets cosmetic upgrades inside and out, while the most important addition is the six-speed Easy-R Automated Manual Transmission (AMT). Powering the Duster facelift is the same 1.5-litre diesel engine. A slight hike in price can be expected.
Mini Cooper S
BMW-owned British brand, Mini will launch the Mini Cooper Convertible in India before April. To be available only in the Cooper S variant, this three-door convertible version gets a new soft-top roof. The new Mini Cooper S comes with the same design and style cues of the regular model and powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine that churns out 190bhp and 280Nm of torque mated to six-speed automatic gearbox. The convertible is expected in the price range of Rs 40 lakh to Rs 50 lakh.
Mercedes-Maybach S 600 Guard
Mercedes-Benz India will launch the Maybach S 600 Guard March 8. The special-protection version of the Mercedes-Maybach is the first vehicle to be certified with the highest ballistic protection level, VR10, for civilian vehicles. The Maybach S 600 Guard will be powered by a 5980cc V12 twin-turbo engine that develops 523bhp and 830Nm of torque. The high-security version of the Mercedes-Benz flagship sedan can be expected at a price of over Rs 10 crore.
Royal Enfield Himalayan
Royal Enfield's first adventure tourer, the Himalayan, will enter the market in March. The Himalayan will be powered by an all-new 411-cc oil-cooled single-cylinder engine tuned to dish out 24.5bhp at 6,500 rpm and 32Nm torque at 4,000-4,500 rpm paired with five-speed transmission. To be positioned below the Classic 500 and the Continental GT, Royal Enfield Himalayan is expected to be priced in the range of Rs 1.65-1.85 lakh.
Bajaj V
Bajaj V, the new commuter motorcycle made with the metal of the dismantled INS Vikrant, India's first aircraft carrier will be launched in March. Even before its official launch, International Business Times, India, revealed the price of the bike last week. The motorcycle is priced at priced at Rs 63,160 (ex-showroom Pune) and the bookings are open for a token amount of just Rs 500. The Bajaj V is powered by a 149.5cc single-cylinder four-stroke air-cooled DTS-i engine, churning out maximum power of 11.8bhp at 7,500rpm and 13Nm of torque at 5,500rpm.
