The most anticipated and curious of the bunch are Mahindra’s Born Electric range of global SUVs
We have seen that July was a good month for most automakers just like June was. But August and September are expected to be even better as we expect more launches in various segments. Here are a few.
Hyundai Tucson – August 4
Tucson was unveiled recently and the prices will be announced upon launch which will happen on August 4. It will be launched in two trims, Platinum and Signature and gets a 2.0L petrol and a 2.0L diesel engine option. Diesel variants get AWD option too.
Mahindra Born Electric SUV Concepts – August 15
Mahindra is set to unveil five new electric SUV concepts at MADE headquarters in the UK on August 15. Three SUVs get sophisticated coupe and fastback shapes, while the other two get a conventional silhouette. This event does not include XUV400 which is not Born Electric. All five Born Electric SUVs are global SUVs and will give Mahindra global recognition.
Maruti Suzuki New Alto – August 18
The cheapest passenger car in India, Alto is getting a generation update with SUV inspired stance and a larger footprint. The Heartect platform unlocks more interior space and hence more value for customers. Alto will retain the 800cc engine but is also expected to bring back the 1.0L engine that used to be offered with Alto K10. It will be launched on August 18.
Toyota Urban Cruiser HyRyder – August 16
New Toyota HyRyder will launch on 16th August. Production will start by the end of July and exact prices for the four trims will be revealed on launch date. HyRyder gets AWD and a strong hybrid option which no one else in the market offers apart from its cousin Grand Vitara. It will get very attractive pricing too.
Mercedes-Benz AMG EQS 53 4Matic+ – August 24
Taking a paradigm shift from Alto, we have Mercedes’ new flagship electric sedan that will reach Indian soil on August 24. It is currently the only car with least drag-coefficient of 0.2 Cd on a production car. It gets 107 kWh battery pack and dual motor layout with 650 bhp of power and 950 Nm of torque. We can expect prices to go above Rs. 2.0 cr.
Mahindra XUV400 Electric – September
Mahindra’s second burst-fire of EVs in the Indian market will start with XUV400 Electric. Since it is an EV and don’t benefit from 4m size restrictions, Mahindra will retain SsangYong Tivoli’s original dimensions which will be around 4.2m long with a decent sized boot and proper proportions. It will compete with Tata Nexon EV Prime and Max who currently rule the EV market in India.
Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara – September
Maruti Suzuki’s version of Toyota Urban Cruiser HyRyder will launch soon after the latter is launched in the market. It will also get all of HyRyder’s strengths we mentioned earlier. Both SUVs are based on Suzuki’s Global C platform and also get global Vitara’s 4WD system. Both SUVs will be manufactured by Toyota at their manufacturing facility in Bidadi, Karnataka. We know that HyRyder will launch in August. So, it is not wrong to assume that Grand Vitara will launch in September.
Mahindra Bolero Neo Plus – September
Mahindra has launched Bolero Neo already in the market replacing TUV300. But what if you want to stuff nine people in a vehicle? Fret not, because Mahindra has got your back. Expanding the Bolero name plate even further, the company will launch Bolero Neo Plus which is a rebranded TUV300 Plus that came with 9-seater layout and a 2.2L diesel engine and 6-speed MT. Mahindra has already registered the Bolero Neo Plus with NCT.
MG ZS EV Base – September
MG has launched the facelifted ZS EV with a larger 50 kWh battery pack. The base model production was held at launch as to concentrate on top-spec more. But the prices were already announced and it was supposed to be launched in July. But due to delays. We can see it launch in August or September for sure.
Hyundai Venue N-Line – September
Hyundai has launched the new Venue in India already. But to boost more sales, Hyundai will launch an N-Line variant of Venue like we saw with i20 hatchback. Hyundai hasn’t mentioned an exact date for launch, but we can expect it around September. It will just be a cosmetic job rather than a mechanical upgrade.
Kia Sonet X-Line – September
Just like Venue N-Line, we can expect an X-Line variant of the Sonet. It will be similar to Seltos X-Line with a matt paint job and red highlights all around. Mechanically, it will be identical to standard Sonet. Kia hasn’t specified a timeline, but we can expect it to launch around September.
