6 new car launches in September

Looking to buy a new car? You might want to reconsider your options as there will be a whole new load of cars arriving next month. With models including the Maruti Ciaz diesel hybrid, Mahindra TUV300 and Renault Kwid, plus premium options such as Mercedes C63 S AMG, Land Rover Discovery Sport and Audi A6 facelift, there’s something for everyone to be excited about.

We hope you are willing to wait just a little bit longer to drive them.

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Land Rover will replace its ageing Freelander with the Discovery Sport. This new model brings a big change in the brand’s model positioning with its all-new compact design and 5+2 seating capacity – a first in the mid-size luxury SUV segment.

The Discovery Sport will be available with a diesel engine in two different states of tune. The 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel engine will be set up to deliver 147bhp or 187bhp depending upon the variant. The engine will be mated to a 9-speed ZF gearbox from the Evoque and will power all four wheels when required via Land Rover’s acclaimed Terrain Response Technology.

The Discovery Sport will be assembled in India via CKD operations in Pune and will compete with the BMW X3 and Audi Q5.

Expected price: Rs 55 to Rs 75 lakh

Launch date: September 2, 2015

Renault Kwid

Renault may not have done very well in India’s small car market, but the French carmaker is preparing to have another go with the promising looking Kwid. Named after the concept car from the 2014 Auto Expo, the Kwid is a rugged looking small car based on Renault’s CMF-A platform. It will be produced at the brand’s Chennai factory with up to 98 per cent localisation.

The Kwid is expected to feature an 800cc, three-cylinder unit that will produce around 50bhp and 90Nm of torque. The Kwid will look to topple other budget small cars including the Maruti Alto 800, Datsun Go and the Hyundai Eon.

Expected price: Rs 2.60 lakh to Rs 4.50 lakh

Launch date: Mid-September 2015

Mercedes-Benz C63 S AMG

If you like the W205 C-Class, chances are you will end up having a soft spot for its mean looking AMG-fettled cousin – the C63 S. We say mean looking because of this car’s massive 5-spoke AMG wheels, quad tail pipes and muscular bodywork differentiating it from the regular C-Class range.

The C63 S gets AMG’s mental 4-litre, twin-turbo V8 that puts out 510bhp of power and 700Nm of torque. All that power is sent to the rear wheels via a 7-speed dual clutch AMG speedshift gearbox. This is the same engine that also powers the AMG GT S sports car and in here, it allows the four-door sedan to accelerate from 0- 100kmph in just four seconds.

The C63 S AMG will lock horns with the F80 BMW M3 when it arrives here.

Expected price: Rs 1.2 to 1.5 crore

Launch date: September 3, 2015

Mahindra TUV300

Mahindra recently released the first teaser image of its TUV300, gving us all our first look of the forthcoming compact SUV. This sub-four metre SUV will be positioned between the Quanto and the Bolero. While the teaser image showing bits of the front fender and bumper doesn’t do much to keep us excited, the TUV300 promises a lot in terms of space and practicality for a compact utility vehicle. It will be powered by a revised version of the existing 1.5-litre engine from the Quanto, called the mHawk 80. The three-cylinder engine currently makes 100bhp and 240Nm of torque through a 5-speed gearbox.

As a sub-4 metre offering, the TUV300 will compete against the Ford EcoSport, with prices starting at around the Rs 6.5 lakh mark.

Expected price: Rs 6.5 to Rs 8.5 lakh

Launch date: September 10, 2015

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz diesel hybrid

Maruti Suzuki’s next big launch is the Ciaz diesel hybrid – a car which is days away from an official launch . It has been frequently spotted testing giving us enough proof that the car is production ready and is set to compete in the highly competitive C-segment of sedans.

Called Ciaz SHVS (Smart Hybrid Vehicle), this new model will be available in diesel form with three variants on offer – VDi, ZDi and ZDi+. While Maruti is using the same old 1.3-litre Multijet engine, they have updated it to work in conjunction with the Smart Hybrid Vehicle technology which isn’t really a proper hybrid system but a mild setup that uses a lithium-ion battery, stop-start technology and regenerative braking for improved efficiency.

The Ciaz SHVS will soon hit the showrooms in place of the outgoing diesel model.

Expected price: Rs 9 to Rs 12 lakh

Launch date: Early September 2015

And launching tomorrow…

Audi A6 facelift

If you are seeking a luxury sedan and September is proving to be a bit too long a wait, then you can consider the Audi A6 facelift which officially arrives in the Indian market on August 20. The A6 facelift features Audi’s new Matrix LED headlight technology previously seen in the RS6 Avant, but unlike the fire breathing V8-powered estate, the A6 facelift concentrates on being a proper luxury sedan with its revised MMI infotainment system, additional features and more refined engine options than before.

Expected price: Rs 48 to Rs 60 lakh

Launch date: August 20, 2015