Nissan launches the Datsun GO in India at Rs 3.12 lakh

Japanese auto giant Nissan's dream of re-launching its low-cost Datsun brand has finally been fully realised as its entry-level hatchback GO was launched today in India at a starting price of Rs 3.12 lakh.

The re-launch of Datsun comes exactly 100 years after the company began manufacturing cars for the very first time in Japan. According to Nissan, India being the destination for this historic event only signifies the company's commitment to the local market.

The Datsun GO will come in three basic variants – The D (base), A and T (top-end), which are priced between Rs 3.12 lakh and 3.69 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) respectively. The pricing is in line with Nissan's promise that even the top-end variant of the car will come in at well below Rs 4 lakh.

Built on the Micra platform, the Datsun GO sports a 1,200cc petrol engine which produces 68PS of power. The engine is mated to a five-speed manual transmission which routes the power to the front wheels. Nissan claims that the car returns a gas mileage of 20.63 km/litre which is ARAI certified.

In India the GO will go up against the Alto from Maruti Suzuki and Eon from Hyundai. Despite being base model of the car being a lot more expensive than its competitors, the GO's larger dimensions and overall packaging should hopefully make for many takers.

The GO, like all other Datsun cars that will come to India in the future, will be sold through Nissan's existent dealership network. The company is targeting first-time car buyers with the GO, something it said wasn't possible with its current line-up of cars.

Datsun is an integral part of Nissan's plan to capture 10 per cent share of the Indian passenger vehicle market by 2016. By the end of this year alone the company has said that it will take the number of models in its low-cost brand to three, and while the launch of the GO and GO+ has been confirmed the third car remains unannounced.

The GO is perfectly in-line with Nissan's philosophy for Datsun which is low-cost but not low quality. The company hasn't skimped on use of quality materials or in terms of providing outdated technology. Instead the car lacks a few creature comforts which the company hopes targeted buyers will not miss.

Price list: (approx)

GO-D : Rs 3.12 lakh
GO-A : Rs 3.46 lakh
GO-T : Rs 3.69 lakh

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Hero MotoCorp launches its new Splendor iSmart

India's largest two-wheeler manufacturer Hero MotoCorp has announced the launch of its new Splendor iSmart 100cc motorcycle, equipped with idle start-stop technology at a price of Rs 49,967 ex-showroom Mumbai.

The Splendor iSmart which was showcased at the recent Delhi Auto Expo is the first motorcycle in India to come with start-stop technology to increase fuel savings while at traffic lights or when stationary for a prolonged period.

“Our customers will love the new i3S technology which makes this motorcycle truly smart, giving them (customers) more for every drop of fuel. We have applied for a patent for this technology which may be later extended to several other models,” said Anil Dua, Senior Vice President at Hero, in a press release.

The iSmart is based on Hero's tried and tested 100cc Splendor model, though it offers greater efficiency and style. It is powered by the same 100-cc single-cylinder, air-cooled, 4 Stroke engine that delivers maximum power of 7.8 Ps at 7500 rpm and maximum torque of 8.04 NM at 4500 rpm.

Given the heated competition in the Indian two-wheeler segment, the Splendor iSmart is the first of Hero's new line of bikes to make it to the market. However, it isn't part of the line-up featuring new engines developed independently by the company.

“We have been receiving encouraging customer queries on launch schedules of the various models. We plan to roll out four other models - the newer versions of Pleasure, Xtreme, Karizma and ZMR – later this month,” said Anil Dua, Senior Vice President at Hero, in a press release.

At the recent Delhi Auto Expo, Hero showcased some futuristic concepts such as the Zastur, RNT and iON, while also showcasing models which are close to their production ready forms such as the HX 250R and 110cc scooter Dash.

This line of all new two-wheelers may not be up for immediate launch, but Hero's future as the world's largest bikemaker solely rests on their success.

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Hero to launch new Karizma, ZMR, Pleasure, Xtreme this month- according to Indian Auto Blog

Hero Motocorp has already launched two products – Splendor iSMART and HF-Deluxe Eco – this month but the world’s largest two-wheeler maker does not plan to stop there. In fact, Hero will launch four other models by the end of this month.

The Hero Pleasure sporting newly designed headlights and taillights has already been spotted at a dealership in South India. The cosmetically updated scooter is also extended Hero’s IBS (Integrated Braking System) technology, though its engine remains unchanged.

The updated Hero Xtreme will get cosmetic updates such as LED taillights, new headlight with ‘eyebrow’ lights and a new speedometer. Feature additions in the updated Xtreme include a mobile phone charging socket and engine immobilizer system. The 14.4 PS 149.2 cc engine however, continues unchanged.

The new Hero Karizma and ZMR will also launch by the end of this month.
The updated Karizma and ZMR sport an all-new front fascia with a reworked headlight and indicators. Both motorcycles also sport mechanical changes. The Karizma and ZMR are powered by a 223 cc engine, whereas the ZMR gets fuel-injection while the base Karizma gets a carburetor. While the Karizma produces 19.2 PS, the ZMR outputs 20 PS.

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Hyundai Xcent a compact sedan in India priced at Rs 4.66 lakh

India's second largest passenger carmaker Hyundai has launch its all-new compact sedan Xcent, which is based on its Grand i10 hatchback platform, at an introductory price of Rs 4.66 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) the the entry-level petrol variant.

The Xcent will go head to head with Maruti Suzuki's blockbuster Swift DZire and comes in three basic trim options – entry, S and SX. There are also option packs available on the S and SX variants which are better equipped, while the petrol variant can also be had with an automatic gearbox.

Design wise the Xcent boasts of a well integrated boot which is not the case with some of the car's competitors. If it isn't already obvious the car offers extra storage space in the form of a boot. The interiors are exactly the same as those in the Grand i10 while the build quality is definitely a notch above the competition.

Like most Hyundai cars the Xcent comes feature packed in comparison to other cars in its class. Some of the more pronounced offerings are 15-inch alloy wheels, an infotainment with 1GB of onboard storage, automatic air-conditioning and a cooled glove-box. On the safety front the car can be had with ABS and dual front airbags.

Under the hood of the Xcent it's much the same story as the Grand i10 upon which it was built. The car is equipped with a 1.2-litre Kappa petrol engine churning out 83 PS of power and can be either mated to a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic gearbox. The diesel engine on offer is Hyundai's 1.1-litre U2 CRDi which makes 71 PS of power and like before is mated to a 5-speed manual box only.

The company claims the petrol variant of the car returns 19.1 km/litre of the fuel when mated to the manual box, while the automatic variant manages 16.9 km/litre. The diesel car boasts of a 24.4 km/litre mileage, with all figures being certified by ARAI.

Hyundai Xcent HIGHLIGHTS

First-in-Segment Features

• Rear AC vents
• Smart key with push button start
• Rear parking camera and sensors
• 15” Diamond cut alloy wheels
• 2 DIN audio with USB, CD player with 1 GB internal memory
• Auto folding mirrors
• Electro-chromic mirror
• One touch electric trunk opening

Other Features

• Antilock braking system (ABS)
• Rear arm-rest with cup holders
• Glove box cooling
• Steering mounted audio controls and Bluetooth
• Dual Air-bags
• Rear parking assist
• Rear defogger
• Steering mounted controls

SAFETY

Xcent offers active and passive safety measures to occupants such as Dual Airbags, Antilock braking system (ABS), rear parking assist, central locking, rear defogger are integrated to offer higher safety to occupants.

Petrol (Manual)
Entry: Rs 4.66 lakh

S: Rs 5.32 lakh
S Option: Rs 5.57 lakh
SX: Rs 6.22 lakh
SX Option: Rs 6.47 lakh

Petrol (Automatic)

S O: Rs 6.28 lakh
SX O: Rs 7.19 lakh

Diesel M/T

Entry: Rs 5.56 lakh
S: Rs 6.23 lakh
S Option: Rs 6.48 lakh
SX: Rs 7.13 lakh
SX Option: Rs 7.38 lakh

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