Some compenies at Expo

Audi

 

Audi showcased its Q3 compact SUV at the Auto Expo. The company will offer the Q3 with both front-wheel and four-wheel-drive options. Prices are likely to be competitive and to lower costs, Audi will assemble the Q3 at Skoda and VW’s Aurangabad facility. Apart from the Q3, Audi also showcased the A3 E-Tron as well as a lineup of regular production cars that included its range of saloons, SUVs and sports cars. 

 

 

Bajaj

 

Bajaj Auto displayed its first low-cost, four wheeled city vehicle at the expo – although its basic platform and design means it’s more rickshaw-replacement than passenger car. The lightweight RE60 aims to set a new benchmark in areas of fuel-efficiency and emissions. It features 2+2 or 1+3 seating layout options, a 44-litre boot and a top speed of 70kph. Prices will be revealed closer to when production of the car begins in a few months. 

 

 

BMW

 

The German carmaker has launched its powerful new M5 saloon. The M5 is powered by a twin-turbo, 4.4-litre V8 that pumps out 552bhp and 64.9kgm of torque. The four-door supercar has been priced at Rs 95.9 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Also on display is the Mini range, including the Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper Convertible and Cooper S Countryman. The BMW-owned manufacturer will bring its four-model offering to India as CBUs.

 

 

Chevrolet

 

Chevrolet is all-set to kick off its Wulling-based SAIC endeavour with its MPV – known as the CN100 in China – and the Sail hatchback. Chevrolet unveiled the facelifted ‘Neo3’ Tavera and an updated Captiva as well. The Captiva gets a design upgrade and will get a new 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel engine and six-speed automatic transmission. The Tavera gets a new bold exterior profile and will be powered by an ICML-sourced BS IV-compliant 2.0-litre CRDI engine. 

  

Ducati

 

The Auto Expo saw the Indian launch of Ducati’s naked superbike, the Monster 795. What’s more is, due to the overwhelming response it received, Ducati decided to slash the price of the Monster by Rs 1 lakh and it is now available at an introductory limited-period price of Rs 5,99,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi). Bookings have commenced but deliveries will only commence post March 2012

 

 

Ford 

 

Ford revealed its all-new global compact SUV concept, the EcoSport. The EcoSport cleverly combines the charm of an SUV, the frugality of small engines, cutting-edge styling and a very affordable price-tag. It will debut with a new 1.0-litre three-cylinder, direct injection ‘EcoBoost’ turbo-petrol motor. It will also get the 1.5-litre diesel engine that currently does duty in the Fiesta. Ford also has on display its existing line-up, which includes its Fiesta saloon, the Endeavour and the Figo.

 

 

Hero MotoCorp

 

Newly christened Hero MotoCorp unveiled its concept scooter, the Leap, at the Auto Expo. The battery- and petrol-run scooter is still in its early days and Hero MotoCorp still has to finalise production dates for the Leap. Hero also showcased its 125cc bike, the Ignitor, along with its first 110cc bike, the Passion X Pro and its 110cc automatic scooter, the masculine Maestro.

 

by autocar

Bajaj’s RE60 four-wheeler revealed

Bajaj Auto has just revealed its first low-cost, four-wheeled city vehicle ahead of the Auto Expo in New Delhi.
Called the RE60, the vehicle aims to set new benchmarks for four-wheelers in the areas of fuel-efficiency and emissions, returning a claimed 35kpl and emitting just 60g of CO₂ per kilometre.
This is possible mostly thanks to the RE60’s lightweight, rigid, metal-polymer hybrid monocoque construction, which keeps the vehicle’s kerb weight at just under 400kg. Also playing a major role is the liquid-cooled, four-stroke DTSi engine. The 200cc, single-cylinder unit is rear-mounted, produces approximately 20bhp and uses a closed-loop fuel injection system.
The car is intended for intra-city use with a footprint not much bigger than that of an auto rickshaw, which is interesting, because Bajaj is marketing it as a safer, better-appointed alternative to a three-wheeler rather than a conventional passenger car.
“At Bajaj Auto, we believe the people of this planet deserve much better, much faster,” said managing director Rajiv Bajaj.
“We are presenting an optimised solution for intra-city passenger transport. This vehicle has been designed for intra-city use, keeping in mind the intra-city duty cycles and safety requirements.”
He further emphasised that the vehicle’s development required minimal investment, and no additional infrastructure, resources, huge subsidies or time.
At first glance, the short wheelbase, upright glasshouse, and skinny wheels give the RE60 a comical stance. However, a closer look reveals a smart urban face, with headlights that have a Renault touch to their design. There is no grille under the RE badge on the snout.
The interiors are also Spartan – the dash has the instrument cluster in the centre with stowage boxes on either side. However, there is a lot of storage space in the cabin. The seats look quite basic and the rear bench is flat and an evolution of the rickshaw bench. The commercial-vehicle version of the RE60 shown at the launch even had an auto rickshaw meter fitted to the dash.
The windows don’t roll down, but instead are split in the middle and flip down. Further evidence of the car’s low-cost positioning is the absence of front headrests, the lack of roof lining and the exclusion of inertia reels on the seatbelts.
The RE60 features 2+2 or 1+3 seating layout options, a 44-litre boot and a top speed of 70kph. Its 2.75m length, 1.3m width and 3.5m turning circle radius should make it very manoeuvrable in city traffic.

Bajaj Avenger 200 DTS-i

Fact File

Engine

Type	198.8 cc
Bore/stroke	67/56.4 mm
Compression ratio	9:5:1

Dimensions

Length	2195 mm
Width	750 mm
Height	1070 mm
Ground clearance	169 mm

Suspension

Front	Telescopic forks
Rear	Hydraulic shocks,elliptical swingarm

Brakes

Front	260 mm
Rear	130 mm drum

Economy

City	33.8 kpl
Highway	35.7 kpl