Upcoming Cars of 2014 above Rs 20 Lakh

The Rs 20 Lakh plus range will have something for everyone. Read on and take your pick from some of the best automobiles in the world. From the Volkswagen Beetle to the Ferrari 458 Speciale, this cateory has it all 

Volkswagen Beetle

Expected Launch: Early 2014

Expected Price: Rs 28.00-32.00 Lakh

The new Volkswagen Beetle will soon be unveiled in India much to the delight of fairer sex who have always adored this car. The New Beetle features surprisingly masculine (sort of) styling with wider and more hunkered down wheel arches as compared to the older car. The New Volkswagen Beetle is 84 mm wider, 12 mm lower and 152 mm longer than the last one, which has resulted in entirely new proportions. This gain in length and change in proportions means that the overall form of the new Beetle now represents the one seen on the original Beetles more than ever. The extended roof and raked front windscreen also means that the overall contours have changed, resulting in obvious similarities to the original Beetle. Expect the Beetle to be priced around the 30 Lakh mark and expect the Beetle to be available in both a Coupé and Cabriolet version. 

BMW i3

Expected Launch: Mid 2014

Expected Price: Rs 25.00-30.00 Lakh

BMW’s foray into electric mobility has been publicized well over the last few months. With plans to make the first set of production cars out of carbonfiber making headlines too, the BMW i3 is packed full of technical wizardry and engineering innovations. The electric motor powering the BMW i3 will generate a staggering 172PS of peak power and 250NM of peak torque. As the i3 is powered by an electric motor, the power delivery will be instantaneously delivered through a single speed transmission to the rear wheels of the car. The electric motor sources its power from lithium-ion batteries located in the cars underfloor section. This also results in a low centre of gravity, which in turn means that the i3 is bound to be a great handler. The Lithium-ion batteries in the i3 will give the car a range of between 130-160 kilometers under general driving conditions when charged fully from a conventional domestic power socket or a BMW I Wallbox. 

Audi S7

Expected Launch: Early 2014

Expected Price: Rs 1 Crore

Audi’s spectacular ‘S’ range has started trickling into India first with the S4 and then more recently with the S6. The next step in Audi’s plans to bring in its Sport Saloon range includes the 4-door coupe, the S7. The S7, as the name suggests is the sportier version of A7 features a 4.0 Litre Bi-turbo TFSi V8 engine making 420 PS of peak power and a staggering 550Nm of peak torque. The Audi S7, unveiled in the 2011 Frankfurt Auto show features a seven speed S-Tronic gearbox mated to Audi’s all wheel drive Quattro system. The S7 features the same technology featured in the A7 like the electronic boot spoiler and the advanced pop-up display equipped infotainment system. The S7 is comparable to the likes of the Mercedes CLS500 and the BMW 650i Gran Coupe. Although there is an even more powerful RS7 in Audi’s arsenal too, we expect only the S7 to come to Indian shores. 

Audi A8 / S8

Expected Launch: Early 2014

Expected Price: Rs 80 Lakh – Rs 2 Crore

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The all new facelifted Audi A8 is very close to launch and regular readers will remember our exclusive scoop story on the A8 being tested in Bombay a few weeks ago too. Although not much has changed in the new A8, with the exception of the new ‘Matrix Headlamps’ and a new set of bumpers and grille, the new A8 certainly deserves a mention here for two reasons. Firstly, the new A8 will be Audi’s only hope against the biblical new S-Class, whose launch is just around the corner, a car which will take the Indian luxury limousine market by storm. The second reason is the fact that Audi India have recently admitted to plans of introducing the S8 saloon in India simultaneously too. The S8 will feature the same 4.0 Litre TFSi engine that does duty in the S7 and will make more that 515PS. The S8 though will not be the most expensive A8 version on sale; that honor will go to the new Audi A8 W12 which come with a 6.3 Litre W12 engine that will produce 500PS of peak power. Expect prices for the cheapest A8 to be around the Rs 80 lakh mark and the W12 version to cost around Rs 2 Crore.

BMW 3 Series GT

Expected Launch: Mid 2014

Expected Price: Rs 40-50 Lakh

The BMW 3GT, is the smaller version of the BMW 5GT (or only GT as it was called in a few countries) and is based on the new BMW 3 Series. Marketed as an independent model, the 3GT is a 5-door sedan/notchback and is the first generation of what BMW now call the Progressive Activity Coupe (PAC) series of cars. The 3GT features a 110mm longer wheelbase as compared to the standard 3 Series along with a 79mm higher roof and an increase in width of about 17mm. Although realistically, the 3GT will not do very well in India, its mere presence will help strengthen BMW’s waning image in the public eye. Expect the 3GT to have the same engine options as the standard 3 series, i.e. the 2.0 Litre Diesel and the 3.0 Litre 6-cylinder petrol as featured on the 320d and the 328i respectively. 

New Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Expected Launch: Early 2014

Expected Price: Rs 25-40 Lakh

The new C-Class will be unveiled globally on the 16th of December 2013. The Indian launch should follow soon after in early 2014 considering the C-Class is one of the most important cars for Mercedes-Benz in India. The new C-Class is slated to look like a smaller version of the new S-Class with the smael swept back headlamps and heavily raked rear tail lamps. The new C-Class will also showcase Mercedes-Benz’s new design philosophy for its interior design. The new C-Class will be available in a host of petrol and diesel engines similar to the current range and will also be available with a new twi-turbo V8 engine that will do duty in the new C63 AMG. Expect both the standard and the C63 to come to India soon next year and see blistering sales results. 

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Expected Launch: Early 2014

Expected Price: Rs 80 Lakh- Rs 2.5 Crore

The S-Class is possibly one of the best cars in the world and every generation has been a huge step up in terms of design, quality and of-course, technology. The new S-Class will be launched in India by the 15th of January. Initially, Mercedes is slated to bring only its S500 V8, twin-turbo V8 and will soon follow up with the high selling S350 CDi twin-turbo diesel engine S-Class. The S63 and S65 AMG too will follow soon as a part of Mercedes-Benz’s efforts of getting the entire AMG range to India in 2014. The S-Class, often called ‘The Best Car in the World’, has already started getting immense response from current S-Class and other Mercedes-Benz owners. When we contacted a dealer in Mumbai recently, he admitted to have unofficially started taking bookings for the new luxury saloon. The S-Class will also spawn a special ‘Pullman’ edition, which in essence is a stretched version of the S-Class and will replace the now deceased Maybach 57/62 as the Daimler group’s flagship luxury limousine.

Mercedes CLA-Class

Expected Launch: Early 2014

Expected Price: Rs 21-35 Lakh

Of all the cars expected to launch next year, the ZigWheels team is most excited by the drop-dead-gorgeous Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class. The Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class, essentially a baby CLS-Class and based on the A-Class underpinnings is a 4-door coupe with a beautifully curved body and some of the best lines seen in recent times. What makes it even more special is the fact that the CLA is sltated to cost under Rs 25 Lakh for a base model version and mot more than Rs 40 Lakh for the fully loaded version. The CLA45 AMG too will come to India soon as a part of Mercedes-Benz’s plans to launch the entire AMG range into India. The CLA is not only a fantastic car to look at but also a fantastic car to drive with Mercedes’ fantastic new front wheel drive systems and their new 7-speed Dual clutch gearbox. The Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class will go head on against Audi’s A3 and the likes of the Skoda Superb and the Honda Accord amonsgt others. 

2015 Ford Mustang

Estimated Launch: Late 2014

Estimated Price: Rs 35-55 Lakh

Rejoice! The Ford Mustang will officially make its debut in India in 2014 with an all new right hand drive version for the first time in history. The all new Mustang that was revealed on the 5^th of December 2013 is going to feature many firsts for the Mustang. For the first time, the Mustang will be available with Independent rear suspension and for the first time will the Mustang be officially available in right hand drive. The big news though is the return of the turbocharged, 4-cylinder engine to the Mustang family. Last seen in the third generation Mustang, the turbocharged 4-cylinder engine makes a return this time around with the highly acclaimed 2.0 Litre Ecoboost motor capable of producing over 300PS. The base model variant of the Mustang though will be offered with a conventional V6 engine.

For the purists though, Ford will still offer the 5.0 Litre V9 producing about 400PS. There will also be more powerful version of the Ford Mustang under the Shelby guise, which are also expected to make their way to India soon considering how popular the Shelby brand is amongst automotive enthusiasts world over. Expect the Mustang to cost as little as Rs 35 lakh for an entry level version and upto Rs 55 Lakh for a full blooded Shelby version. The Mustang will most certainly becomeone of the most popular sportcars in India if launched appealing to both the purists and the fans to the car in general.

BMW 2 Series / BMW M2

Expected launch: Mid 2014

Expected Price: Rs 30 Lakh

The BMW 2 Series is the 2-door coupe version of 1 Series hatchback that was recently launched in India. The 2 Series is expected to appeal to the entry level sportscar enthusiast with its relatively cheaper pricetag. The 2 Series will replace the 1 Series coupe and cabriolet and will henceforth be the cheapest coupe BMW offers. The 2 Series is the spiritual successor of the 02 series BMWs from the 1970s and is available in 5 different engine options. For India though we believe BMW will offer the 2 Series in its 225d and 235i engine options. The 2 Series coupe will soon spawn a range topping M2 coupe and cabriolet too and will also spawn a 2 Series Gran Coupe and a subsequent M2 version of that. The 2 Series, although a totally different type of vehicle will go up against the likes of other Rs 30 Lakh performance oriented cars like the MINI Cooper and likes of the Mercedes CLA.

BMW 4 Series / BMW M4

Estimated Launch: Early 2014

Estimated Price: Rs 40-50 Lakh

Just as the BMW 2 Series is the coupe version of the BMW 1 Series, the BMW 4 Series is the coupe version of the popular BMW 3 Series sedan. The BMW 4 Series, revealed globally last year has been highly acclaimed as one of the best handling cars of 2013 by critics worldwide. The stylish 2-door coupe body is festooned with typical BMW styling features like the new oblong kidney grills and the elongated headlights that fuse into the grille along with certain unique features like a side gill on the front fenders. The BMW 4 Series will be available in a 2 door coupe, a 2 door cabriolet and in the future a 4 door coupe to compete with the Mercedes CLA and the Audi A5 4-door coupe. The BMW 4 Series should be available with the 420d or the 428i/435i engine options. The BMW M4 which will replace the legendary BMW M3 (coupe body style) will be available in India soon after too. The BMW M4 promises to be one of the most awaited cars of 2014. Can it replace what is possibly the greatest sports saloon badge ever made i.e. the M3 remains to be seen. Expect the base model BMW 4 Series to be priced just under the top of the line BMW 3 Series in India.

Ferrari 458 Speciale

Estimated Launch: Early 2014

Estimated Price: Rs 4.0 Crore

The Ferrari 458 Italia is no slouch. However if the standard Italia is not enough to get your excitement levels high, Ferrari’s evolution model for the 458 Italia, the Speciale will certainly do the needful for you. Ferrari has integrated various new bits to the already fantastic 458 like improvements in active aerodynamics and engine and traction management systems that makes the 458 Speciale a whole league ahead as compared to the standard car. In Ferrari’s own words, “The technological advances set the 458 Speciale apart from the 458 Italia from which it is derived, to an extent unprecedented in the previous Challenge Stradale and 430 Scuderia special series.” The 458 has been the most popular Ferrari in India since its launch three years ago and the Speciale too will tug at the heartstrings of people who can afford excellence. In fact, if rumors are to believed, a few Speciales have already been pre-booked and are slated to come to India sometime mid next year.

2014 Nissan GT-R

Expected Launch: Early 2014

Expected Price: Rs 1.0 Crore

Nissan is slated to finally officially bring the haloed GT-R to India in 2014. Although there are already several Nissan GT-Rs in India already, Nissan has never officially given service support for one which has been a deterrent for several prospective owners. The Nissan GT-R, one of the fastest cars in the world comes with a 3.8 Liter twin-turbocharged 24-valve V6 engine, each of which is hand-crafted by its own master technician in a clean-room environment. The V6 engine makes a staggering 553PS of peak power at 6400Rpm and a staggering 628Nm of peak torque at 3200-5800Rpm. The GT-R comes equipped with all-wheel-drive giving it a staggering sub-3 second 0-100Kmph time. The GT-R is also a favorite amongst tuners, many of which have managed to easily tune a GT-R to over 1000PS of peak power with a few going further to achieve figures in the region of over 1500PS from the standard V6 block. The availability of the Nissan GT-R though an official route in India will be essential in the development of the high-end tuner scene which has been generally absent in India.

Jaguar F Type R Coupe

Estimated Launch: Early 2014

Estimated Price: Rs 2 Crore

What is possibly the most beautiful car made today, the Jaguar F Type Convertible now has a Coupe version too. The F Type Coupe, available in V6 S, V8 S and the all-new V8 R format with a range topping 550PS on tap will be available in conjunction with the convertible models. The F-Type, Jaguars newest offering has seen wide acclaim for the way it looks, sounds, handles and performs in general in addition to the sheer quality of its design and materials on the interior. The F-Type coupe will be a better handling car than the convertible since it will be a lot stiffer which means it can handle a lot more power. The RS version of the F-Type too is just around the corner and should make in the region of about 600PS putting it up against the likes of the Ferrari 458 Speciale, the new Lamborghini Gallardo replacement, the Porsche 911 Turbo and the Aston Martin V8 Vantage. The F-Type coupe is the spiritual successor to the legendary Jaguar E-Type and comes with a lot of similar styling touches that take inspiration from what is possibly the most beautiful car ever built.