It's a car-nival out there: These beauties are waiting for you

Potential car buyers have a lot to be excited about right now. Faced with skidding sales, car makers are scrambling to introduce new models and offer hefty discounts to lure customers into showrooms.

A host of automobile companies have launched new models in the past few weeks: more debuts are planned over the next two months, when the festive season will be in full swing.

Most of the launches are in the compact hatchback segment, which accounts for 75-80 percent of the car market, although there are some eagerly-awaited sports utility vehicles (SUV) debuts as well.

Here’s a look at the various models that car buyers can salivate over:

[caption id=“attachment_67884” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“The new version of premium hatchback, Tata Vista, has a starting price of Rs 3.88 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Reuters”]  [/caption]

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Tata Motors: The country’s largest automaker has launched a new version of its premium hatchback, Tata Vista, with a starting price of Rs 3.88 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The new model - which offers both petrol and diesel engine versions - will be available in the market from September 1. The Vista will be offered in six colours - ‘summer sparkle’, white, silver, red, blue and grey.

Audi: The luxury car maker has rolled out a new version of its sports utility vehicle (SUV) Q5, priced at Rs 35.13 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai), which is lower than the existing price range. The new version, powered by a 2.0-litre engine, will be available in the market from October. The existing versions of the Q5 are available between Rs 39.06 lakh and Rs 45.12 lakh (ex-showroom, Maharashtra).

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Hyundai: The country’s second-largest car company plans to introduce a 0.8-litre small car in October to go against rivals, Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors. The company expects to start producing the petrol engine car, codenamed HA800, in September, according to the Wall Street Journal. The vehicle could have a starting price of Rs 2.5 lakh, which will make it cheaper than the Santro hatchback, the cheapest car from Hyundai Motor India’s stable. The new model, the report said, could help Hyundai tap first-time car buyers in the country.

[caption id=“attachment_67885” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“This month, the company also launched an upgraded version of its bestseller, the new Swift, with 140 new features at a starting price of Rs 4.2 lakh (petrol engine). Reuters”]  [/caption]

Maruti Suzuki: India’s largest car company plans to launch a car priced below Rs 2.5 lakh in the next 18 months. This is the first time Maruti is considering the launch of an entry level car since the debut of Maruti 800 in the 1980s. This month, the company also launched an upgraded version of its bestseller, the new Swift, with 140 new features at a starting price of Rs 4.2 lakh (petrol engine). The diesel version of the car starts from Rs 5.2 lakh. Built on a new platform, the new Swift is longer and wider than its predecessor, according to the company. The car already has bagged 50,000 bookings and the company expects it to drive festive sales.

Force Motors: The company’s foray into the passenger car segment was marked by the launch of its premium sports utility vehicle, Force One, last week. The car will be available in showrooms from September 1. The SUV will have features such as driver information system, cruise control, audio control mounted on steering and dual AC vents for each row. Force One will be available through 22 dealers across the country, the company has said. Prices start at Rs 10.6 lakh (ex-showroom,Delhi) and Rs 11.1 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai).

Skoda Auto: The Czech car maker, wholly owned by Volkswagen, will launch a new version of the Laura, the Laura RS, primarily incorporating cosmetic changes, including new interiors, on August 31. The model will be available in black, white, yellow and blue. The price of the car is expected to be around Rs 17 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai). An entry-level sedan is also tipped to make its debut soon.

Toyota**:** The Japanese car maker’s entry into the hotly competitive premium hatchback segment was eagerly awaited by car enthusiasts. The Liva, priced at Rs 3.99 lakh and launched this month, is targeted at young buyers in the age group of 25-35 years. A diesel-engine variant is expected by this year-end or early next year.

Honda Siel: The Japanese car company launched a refurbished version of its small car, Jazz, and slashed prices by up to Rs 1.6 lakh. The changes are cosmetic, but with a price tag of between Rs 5.5 lakh and Rs 6.1 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), the car could change the dynamics of the competitive small car market. Jazz was launched in 2009 with a price tag of around Rs 7 lakh, making it the most expensive small car in India at the time. Lower prices could make it more attractive to price-conscious buyers. Last month, the company also slashed the price of its flagship sedan, City, by up to Rs 66,000.

Renault: The French car maker plans to introduce a premium compact car in January. The model will be priced at Rs 4 lakh-5 lakh, which will put it in direct competition against Maruti’s Swift, Hyundai’s i20 and Volkswagen Polo. By the middle of the next year, the company has plans to launch an SUV, Duster, which will compete with the company’s former partner, Mahindra and Mahindra, and Tata’s SUVs under Rs 10 lakh. Koleos - a crossover between a car and a sports utility vehicle - is also expected to be launched soon. The price is expected at Rs 18-20 lakh.