From Brezza to Innova Crysta: Facts to know about key models launched at Auto Expo

India’s flagship automobile show, the Auto Expo, on Thursday witnessed 51 new product launches, with Bollywood celebrities, including Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor, along with sportstars Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli adding to the glamour quotient. Keeping with the theme of ‘mobility for all’, the expo opened with car market leader Maruti Suzuki unveiling its much-awaited compact SUV Vitara Brezza, while a host of hybrid and electric vehicles from different manufacturers represented technology of the future. The show, jointly organised by SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers), ACMA (Automotive Components Manufacturers Association) and the Confederation of Indian Industry, will be opened for public from February 5-9. Here are the key details about the models launched on Wednesday: Maruti Suzuki: The largest carmaker in the country launched Vitara Brezza. The compact SUV, scheduled to hit the markets in the coming weeks, is the first products from the company, in which Indian engineers have played a bigger role in designing and development. The price is not revealed yet but its rivals are the Ford EcoSport, Mahindra TUV300, Renault Duster and Hyundai Creta which are priced in the range of Rs 6.79 lakh to Rs 13.77 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Speculation is that the company will go for an aggressive pricing. (Check out for details here) [caption id=“attachment_2611804” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Chevrolet Essentia. Image: IBNLive[/caption] General Motor: The US major, fighting a slowing sales in India, showcased the Chevrolet Essentia and Chevrolet Beat Active. The Essentia is a four-door notchback to be launched in 2017. Notchback is a styling term describing a car’s body style. The Essentia is a compact sedan, an extremely competitive segment. The company also showcased a soft-roader concept based on the platform called Chevrolet Beat Active. Both the cars will come with state of the art connectivity and technology including Apple Car Play, Android Auto and Chevrolet’s latest MyLink infotainment system. Hyundai: The Korean auto major unveiled sports utility vehicle ‘Tucson’. According to Overdrive, the name is not new to India but the model is. “The new SUV looks a lot larger than the Tucson we are familiar with. It features Hyundai’s Fluidic design language with a front end that is dominated by that large hexagonal grille. It is a very aerodynamically efficient design and with an overall length of almost 4.5m and width of almost 1.9m, it is not a small vehicle,” the Overdrive article said (read here). The car will be rolled out later this year. NDTVAuto pegs the price between 18 lakh and 23 lakh. At that price range, its rivals include the Honda CR-V. The company also showcased a concept of a sub-4 meter SUV called HND-14, an entry-level model in the SUV segment. HND-14 will be positioned below Creta. With HND-14, Hyundai’s family of SUVs will have five products, including Santa Fe, Tucson, Creta, and Active i20. Honda Cars India: The company unveiled its seven-seater crossover utility vehicle ‘BR-V’, a product exclusively developed for the Asian markets including India. Overdrive reports that the model is bigger than the Ford EcoSport and Mahindra TUV300. “The BR-V is based on the Mobilio platform and will enjoy a place above the seven-seater MPV,” it says. Scheduled to be launched in the country this year, its rivals are Hyundai Creta and Maruti Suzuki S Cross. Honda also showcased its flagship sedan Honda Accord at the expo. Toyota Kirloskar Motor: The company has unveiled the Innova Crysta. Overdrive notes the company has made a lot of changes to the outgoing Innova and is actually bigger and more premium. “It gets a sleeker front and rear end while the side remains identical to the current Innova with a boxy, MPV like profile,” the article says. The model will will have the option of a 6-speed automatic transmission and “a 7-inch infotainment system with navigation, electrically adjustable driver’s seat, 17-inch alloys, an engine start/stop button and cruise control”. Mahindra & Mahindra: The company on Thursday unveiled concept coupe XUV Aero and compact SUV Tivoli, an offering from its Korean arm SsangYong. The auto major also launched a sports version of its electric car e20 Sports and new range of trucks under the brand name Blazo. The XUV Aero crossover coupe concept comes with 210 HP engine aided by multiple drive and suspension modes. With PTI