Car News Of The Week: Nissan Kicks Details, Harrier 7-Seater Plans, New Thar Spied And More

  • Dec 16, 2018
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Here is a brief look at all the headlines from the world of cars over the last week

Nissan Kicks FD0566

For all petrolheads out there, last week was a pretty exciting one. Not only did we get more details on what to expect from the upcoming Nissan Kicks SUV, we also got information that Tata is working on a seven-seater Harrier! That aside, it was all about spy shots and we got the first glimpses of the most hotly anticipated cars coming in the next two years, including the 2019 Toyota Camry and the second-gen Mahindra Thar. South Korean carmaker Kia also revealed its India plans in detail and said it will launch five cars by 2022.  

Being the end of the year, there were very few launches last week, Land Rover introduced the 2019 Discovery Sport for India and the Tata Tiago got a snazzier XZ+ variant. Globally though, Porsche’s new Macan S got an amped up version for 2019 and McLaren revealed the beautiful and bonkers 720S Spider.

Here's a complete lowdown of all the headlines from last week.

Nissan Kicks Vs Creta Vs S-Cross Vs Captur: Specs Compared

kicks rivals 001


It is well known that Japanese carmaker Nissan is trying to reposition itself in India as a premium mainstream brand. It hopes to do so by introducing its global lineup of cars in the country. The upcoming Kicks is the first piece in this puzzle and Nissan is betting big on it to spearhead an all new range of cars under its revamped strategy for India.

Expected to be priced between Rs 10 lakh to Rs 14 lakh (ex-showroom), the Kicks will compete with the best-selling Hyundai Creta, the Renault Captur and the Maruti Suzuki S-Cross. With Nissan revealing the specifications of the Kicks, let us see if it has what it takes to go head on with its major rivals, on paper.

Tata Harrier Seven-Seater In The Works, Launch In 2020
harrier
After much hype and speculation, Tata Motors has confirmed to us that a seven-seat version of the Harrier is under development. The homegrown manufacturer has also confirmed that it will first showcase a concept, dubbed H7X, that will preview the SUV. We’re expecting the concept to debut at the Geneva Motor Show, considering how Tata has always showcased their showstoppers at the annual Swiss auto show. Check out all the details on the seven seater Harrier here.

Beefier Next-gen Mahindra Thar Caught Testing

Thar rear1
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The brawny, old-school Mahindra Thar is all set to get bigger and beefier. The next generation Thar, which was confirmed to be under development by Mahindra themselves, has been spotted testing for the first time in India. And by the looks of the test mule, it seems to be both longer and wider than the current-gen model. Likely to be underpinned by an all new platform and featuring an all new BSVI-compliant turbo diesel engine, the new Thar could be launched at the 2020 Auto Expo. Check out all the spy shots here.

2019 Toyota Camry Spied Testing In India

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The next-gen, all-new Toyota Camry has been spied testing a few days after the previous-gen car was discontinued. The eighth-generation Camry is based on the company’s new GA-K platform which also underpins the Lexus ES 300 h. The new Camry is 29mm longer, 14mm wider, has a 49mm longer wheelbase. However, it is 35mm lower than the outgoing model.Likely to be powered by a hybrid powertrain which includes a 2.5-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine paired to an electric motor driving the front wheels, the new Camry could be launched as early as January 2019. Here are all the details about the 2019 Camry.

Tata 45X-based Hatchback Spied Again, Interiors Revealed  

45x
Tata’s all new Baleno rival, the 45X is shaping up to be quite a good looking premium hatchback. In the latest round of spy shots, the car can be seen sporting a more practical design than the early concept previewed at the Auto Expo. The connected taillamps merging into the rising shoulder line, the larger three-dimensional grille, and the sleek headlamps flanking the grille have the Tata design team’s stamp all over it. We should see the production-spec version hit showrooms before Diwali 2019. And to hit rivals where it hurts the most, expect a competitive price tag too, which is likely to begin at Rs 5 lakh and top out at Rs 8.5 lakh (ex-showroom). Click to see more details revealed in spy pictures.

Kia Bets Big On India, To Launch 5 Cars By 2022

kia
South Korean carmaker Kia is planning to enter the Indian market next year with the SP Concept-based SUV showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo. While the premium SUV in the compact segment is Kia’s first, it will mark the beginning of a long lineup of India-specific cars that will follow suit. Kia has confirmed that it plans to have at least five made-in-India cars in its lineup by 2022. It intends to launch a new car every six months, starting with the SP Concept-based SUV in September 2019. A multi-pronged product strategy will help Kia foray into booming segments like the sub-4m SUV, premium hatchback and premium MPV.

Kia plans to be among the top five carmakers in India by 2022 with a market share of 10-15 per cent by the time it reaches 100 per cent capacity utilisation. Tap here to read all about Kia’s India plans and upcoming lie of cars.

Land Rover Launches 2019 Discovery Sport

LR
Jaguar Land Rover has launched the 2019 Discovery Sport SUV in the country. Prices for the SUV remain unchanged and start at Rs 44.68 lakh and it can be had with 2.0-litre Ingenium petrol and diesel engines. Notably, the 2.0-litre diesel motor on the SE and HSE variants get a more powerful state of tune. It now produces 179PS of power when compared to the Pure variant’s 149PS. Here’s what all has changed in the 2019 model.

Tiago Gets New XZ+ Variant With More Features

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The Tata Tiago XZ+ has been added to the range as the new flagship variant of Tata’s popular hatchback. The changes are comprehensive enough to catch people’s attention, and the price hike is small enough to make them consider buying it.

The XZ+ variant costs Rs 26,000-Rs 42,000 over the XZ, depending on the engine chosen and an all new 7-inch touchscreen infotainment unit from the Tigor. Check out all the features and detailed pricing here.

Hyundai Considering Palisade Launch For India?

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It has been well known that Hyundai has promised to bring six all-new SUVs over the next couple of years in India. We know for a fact that Hyundai is working towards bringing its first sub-4 metre SUV based on the Carlino concept by April 2019. We'll also meet Hyundai India's first EV in the form of the Kona EV next year,. Then, there's the next-generation Creta as well that should hit showrooms by early 2020. Hyundai is considering the new Santa Fe to take on the likes of the Skoda Kodiaq, while an SUV slotted below the Carlino (think Kwid) is on the cards as well. The sixth SUV in this list, we reckon, could be the Palisade.

If market conditions prove conducive, we can see Hyundai India venturing into a space they've never been in before with the Palisade, and the carmaker will go up against entry-level luxury SUVs such as the Volvo XC40, BMW X1, Audi Q3 and the Mercedes-Benz GLA. Unveiled at the LA Motor Show last month, here are all the details about the big seven seater SUV from Hyundai.

New McLaren 720S Spider Unveiled

Mclaren
Christmas seems to have come early this year as the British marque McLaren has taken the wraps off its drop dead gorgeous convertible, the 720S Spider. Based on the 720S Coupe, the new Mclaren is meant to combine the thrill of open-air driving with great handling and performance. McLaren’s all new Ferrari 488 Spider rival is leaner, meaner and lighter and is by a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged McLaren V8 engine which produces 720PS and 770Nm of torque. Talking of numbers, this convertible is capable of doing a 0-100kmph run in just 2.9 seconds and costs just over Rs 2.15 crore in the UK. Here are all the details of this piece of art from the British marque.

2019 Porsche Macan S Revealed; Gets a New V6 Turbo Engine

MacanS
Porsche has added a new model to the Macan range with the reveal of the new Macan S. Aside form refreshed looks, the Macan S also brings with it a new 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 engine. It produces 354PS of max power and 480Nm of peak torque. Although Porsche hasn’t specified the transmission of the new Macan S, we expect it to be the company’s revered 7-speed PDK transmission. The Macan facelift is yet to be launched in India. We expect it to make its debut here in the first quarter of next year. Meanwhile you can read all about it here.

So, that about sums it up for this week, stay tuned to ZigWheels for the latest news, views and reviews on everything automotive.

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