Various manufacturers are launching their cars in the month of February. As many as 5 car launches have been confirmed for this month.
With the start of the new year, many manufacturers announced their plans to launch facelifts of their cars this year. Some of them announced launches of all new cars this year. Five manufacturers have chosen the month of February for the launch of their vehicles. The cars that would be launched are –
1) Mercedes C-Class Diesel (11th February) – Mercedes-Benz launched the W205 C-Class in India a couple of months ago. They launched the C200 Petrol variant in the beginning. Now, they are launching the diesel-powered variant known as the C220 CDI. This variant is powered by a 2.1-litre, four-cylinder engine producing about 170 HP and 440 Nm of torque. We expect this variant to be around Rs. 2 lakh dearer than its petrol counterpart considering that it would also be imported as a CBU in the fully loaded trim.
2) Volkswagen Jetta Facelift (17th February) – Volkswagen updated the Jetta a few months ago. In a bid to push sales up, Volkswagen is adding additional features to the Jetta. This is the last facelift the car would receive before the next generation Jetta comes sometime in 2016. The car is getting a new grille, new headlamps with integrated DRLs and chrome inserts, a redesigned front bumper with a larger air dam and a new set of alloy wheels. The interiors of the vehicle are getting a new flat-bottom steering whel, new instrument cluster and a new infotainment system along with some other minor changes. The Jetta is expected to continue with the same 2.0-litre TDI diesel and 1.4-litre TSI petrol engines as the current model.
3) Hyundai Verna Facelift (18th February) – Hyundai is giving the Verna a facelift to increase its appeal and regain lost sales after the launch of the Honda City (4th generation) and the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz. The car is expected to get some changes to the exteriors as well as the interiors. The exteriors would feature cosmetic changes such as redesigned front grille, new fog lamps, new projector headlamps, new bumpers and new alloys wheels. The interiors might see the addition of a touchscreen infotainment system and additional airbags for the top-spec variant. It is expected to continue with the same range of engines but might get a tweaked suspension and steering setup which would provide better feedback than the current model.
4) BMW i8 (18th February) – BMW would be launching the i8 Hybrid in India this month. The i8 has been built with excessive use of carbon fibre and weighs just under 1500 kgs. The drivetrain, suspension and battery pack rest on an aluminium frame. The features of the car include: scissor doors, LED and laser headlamps and 20-inch alloy wheels. The interiors of the vehicle feature carbon fibre-reinforced plastic and a 3-spoke steering wheel, heads-up display and ambient lighting among other interesting bits. The i8 is powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 231 HP and 250 Nm or torque which powers the rear axle. The front axle is powered by an electric motor producing 131 HP and 320 Nm of torque. The combination of these two helps the BMW i8 zoom from 0-100 km/hr in a claimed 4.4 seconds.
5) Maruti Suzuki Swift DZire Facelift (23rd February) – Maruti Suzuki has plans to launch 9 products in India this year. First in the line is the DZire Facelift. The car is getting cosmetic changes such as a new grille, smoked headlamps and a redesigned front bumper. The car would also get new alloy wheels and minor changes at the rear. The interiors of the popular compact sedan are expected to get the same updates which the Swift hatchback received such as a tweaked dashboard, keyless entry and go system and a new infotainment system with Bluetooth connectivity. The Maruti DZire is expected to continue with the same engines but they might be tuned for a better fuel efficiency.
