Greater Noida: The biennial automobile show, Auto Expo kicks off on Wednesday with media presentations and will be officially inaugurated on Thursday. The expo will be open to the public from February 7-12 at India Expo Mart in Greater Noida.
Here is the list of all the new vehicle launches at the event:
1. Hyundai unveils new Tucson
Hyundai Motor India launched a new version of its premium SUV Tucson as it looks to bolster its presence in the segment.
While unveiling the model at the Auto Expo here, Hyundai Motor India Managing Director and CEO SS Kim said the new Tucson comes with enhanced technology, design and performance.
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A top company official also said that Hyundai Motor India is not planning to hike prices of electric model Kona, despite expectations of a rise in the cost of the vehicle with the government proposing to increase customs duty on imported EVs.
Kona Electric is currently priced at Rs 23.71 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).
2. Kia Motors launches premium MPV Carnival at Auto Expo
South Korean auto maker Kia Motors launched its premium multi purpose vehicle Carnival, and showcased a new concept for a global SUV Sonet at the Auto Expo.
Carnival is being launched in India in three different specifications at a starting price of Rs 24.95 lakh for its Premium variant (ex-showroom), Rs 28.95 lakh for its Prestige variant (ex-showroom), and Rs 33.95 lakh for its Limousine variant (ex-showroom).
Kia Sonet concept will be developed further ahead of a launch in the Indian market in the second half of 2020.
3. Renault unveils AMT version of Triber
French car maker Renault unveiled the AMT (automated manual transmission) version of its sub-compact multi-purpose vehicle Triber at the Auto Expo and said it plans to double sales in India in mid-term.
The company is also working towards entering the fast growing electric vehicle (EV) space in the country and is likely to launch its first EV in the next two years, Renault India Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Venkatram Mamillapalle said.
4. Tata Motors to launch four more products in 18-24 months: Chandrasekaran
Tata Motors announced four global unveils, a pre-production preview and a commercial launch at the Auto Expo.
It launched the Harrier which will be priced Rs 13.69 lakh onwards for manual and Rs 16.25 lakh for automatic variant. It also showcases the pre-production version of its Gravitas SUV that is scheduled to be launched in the first half of FY 2021.
Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran on Wednesday said Tata Motors will launch at least four more products in the next 18-24 months with focus on sustainability and electric vehicles.
5. Mercedes Benz to launch electric SUV EQC in April
German luxury carmaker Mercedes Benz will kick off its EV journey in India with the launch of electric SUV EQC model in April, as it mulls more such products to be introduced here.
"We are introducing the EQC in the (Indian) market. We are quite bullish on this segment. What we see today is a GST advantage in selling fully electric vehicles," Mercedes-Benz Cars Head overseas region Matthias Luehrs told reporters here on the sidelines of Auto Expo.
Mercedes Benz launched AMG GT 63S 4Matic 4-Door Coupe in India priced at Rs 2.42 crore.
The company also announced opening of bookings open for its upcoming models, A-Class Limousine and new GLA SUV, which are slated to be launched in June and October this year, respectively.
Mercedes Benz claimed its AMG GT 63 S 4MATIC 4-door Coupe, is the world's fastest series production four-seater. It has a top speed of up to 315 km/hr.
6. GWM commits USD 1 billion investment in India
China's largest SUV manufacturer Great Wall Motors (GWM) said it will invest USD 1 billion in the Indian market in a phased manner.
The USD 1 billion (about Rs 7,100 crore) investment will be made in areas like research and development, manufacturing, sales and marketing, GWM Marketing and Sales Director (India) Harpreet Singh Brar said at the Auto Expo here.
7. MG Motor India unveils Marvel X, showcases line-up of 14 products
MG Motor India has showcased a global line-up of 14 products and may introduce some of them in the country based on the consumer response, said a top company official.
Besides, the company unveiled its futuristic concept car Marvel X, the world's first mass-production model to achieve Level-3 Intelligent Driving at Auto Expo here.
"We are delighted with the reception received for our cutting-edge products. MG's vision for the future of mobility is connected, tech-driven, and sustainable, and products showcased are a testament to our commitment to enabling this vision," said MG Motor India President & Managing Director Rajeev Chaba.
"We may bring some of them in India based on consumers response," he added.
The 14 models include internet, electric and autonomous cars across hatchback, sedans, and utility vehicle segments.
8. Maruti Suzuki questions customs duty hike on imported electric vehicles
Maruti Suzuki India questioned the rationale behind the government's move to hike customs duty on imported electric vehicles, saying it isn't easy to localise in a short period.
The company, which earlier planned to launch an electric vehicle (EV) based on WagonR this year, is reviewing the decision as it is finding it difficult to bring EV to the market at an affordable price.
9. Volkswagen opens bookings for two new SUVs
German automaker Volkswagen commenced pre-booking for two up coming SUVs which it plans to launch in the first half of the year.
The company, which is looking to launch four sports utility vehicles (SUVs) in the country over the next two years, started pre-bookings for Tiguan Allspace and T-Roc.
The company also showcased its Taigun SUV, which is the first product built on MQB AO IN platform under Volkswagen Group's India 2.0 project.
10. Mahindra launches eKUV100 priced at Rs 8.25 lakh
Homegrown auto major Mahindra & Mahindra on Wednesday introduced electric variant of its compact SUV KUV100 at starting price of Rs 8.25 lakh (ex showroon Delhi post FAME benefits) at Auto Expo here.
The company claims that electric KUV 100 (eKUV 100) is India's most affordable passenger electric vehicle in the segmen.
Besides, the company showcased e-XUV300, which is expected to hit the market in the second half of 2021 to strengthen its position in the EV segment.
The company, part of USD 20.7 billion Mahindra group has also showcased Aton, a new age urban mobility solution and Funster, a roadster electric concept with convertible rooftop.
Mahindra & Mahindra also introduced Cruzio range of buses at the auto expo and has formally entered into the passenger bus segment.
Cruzio would establish Mahindra, a full range player in the commercial vehicle segment having presence across the segment.
The company has launched two variants Cruzio and Cruzio Grande having a seating capacity of 15 to 65, respectively and would be compliant with BS VI emission norms.
"We have formally entered into the bus segment with Cruzio range," said Mahindra & Mahindra Managing Director Pawan Goenka.
11. Jio showcases connected vehicle solutions at Auto Expo
Telecom major Reliance Jio is showcasing its connected vehicle solutions that can help users get insights into vehicle performance and other metrics.
The solutions include components like hardware, connectivity and platform, which will allow scaling based on user-requirement as well as security of the data involved.
The telecom major is said to be in discussions with vehicle manufacturers and fleet management companies for installation of these solutions.
Reliance Jio, however, declined to comment.
The platform allows users in multiple areas like route management, vehicle telematics and diagnostics.
(PTI Report)
