Autoblog

Land Rover Defender concepts turn red for New Delhi [w/video]

Zach Bowman — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 11:29:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, SUV, Land Rover, India, Off-Road

Land Rover took to the Delhi Auto Expo with a pair of Defender Concepts, demonstrating a few design possibilities Land Rover could pursue with the next-generation SUV. The company says it intends to launch the vehicle by 2015, which means the automaker has its work cut out for it if it plans to meet that deadline. The concepts feature many of the same attributes that made the original Defender and off-road icon, including dramatically short overhangs front and rear and a near vertical wind screen for increased visibility.

This isn't the first time we've seen the pair of Defenders, though. After an initial debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, Land Rover spruced them up for a North American reveal at the Los Angeles Auto Show last November.

The Defender Concept Twins also come loaded with technology designed to make blazing your own trail all the easier, including a clever sonar-based system that can measure water depth as the vehicle crosses deep creeks and flooded streams. In addition, a new Terrain Response system maps the ground ahead of the vehicle in 3D and suggests alternate routes when the vehicle detects an obstruction. Hit the jump for a quick video on the vehicle as well as the full press release.

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Land Rover Defender concepts turn red for New Delhi [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai HND-7/Hexa Space concept unveiled in New Delhi

Zach Bowman — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:59:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Minivan/Van, Crossover, Hyundai, India, Design/Style

Hyundai officially unveiled the eight-passenger Hexa Space Concept at the New Delhi Auto Show. This MPV features clever hexagonal seating designed to optimize interior room, with each chair fitting into a honeycomb matrix, allowing passengers to sit three across without feeling cramped or crammed together. The seats can also be folded flat to allow for expansive cargo room. Outside, the vehicle makes use of the Hyundai fluidic sculpture design language. A bold front fascia with exaggerated headlight displays and a sprawling front grille define the Hexa Space Concept's nose, while large LED tail light arrays mark the vehicle's rear.

Under the hood, a 1.2-liter turbocharged, direct-injection engine is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. Not surprisingly, Hyundai doesn't have any plans to bring the Hexa Space to market any time soon, though a similar MPV-style creation could show up in the Indian Market to do battle with the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga in coming years.

Hyundai HND-7/Hexa Space concept unveiled in New Delhi originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford EcoSport bows at the Delhi Auto Expo

Zach Bowman — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Crossover, Hatchback, Ford, India, South America

Ford has officially unveiled the EcoSport ahead of the Delhi Auto Expo. The vehicle wears a CUV version of the company's Kinetic design language with a large octagonal grille and discreet headlights. Despite its concept looks, Ford says the vehicle could be in production in as little as six months.

Under the hood, the EcoSport boasts the smallest Ecoboost engine ever created. The turbocharged 1.0-liter, three-cylinder engine is good for around 118 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque, though a small-displacement diesel option may bow in the future.

The EcoSport will be built in India and Brazil and is likely to play a large role in growing the Ford presence worldwide. The vehicle will head to 100 markets globally and is slated to be the second of eight new Ford products headed to India by 2015. That doesn't mean we'll be seeing the CUV on our soil anytime soon, however.

Ford EcoSport bows at the Delhi Auto Expo originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford teases next EcoSport ahead of New Delhi

Zach Bowman — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:29:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Budget, Etc., Crossover, Ford, India

While we're gearing up for the 2012 Detroit Auto Show next month, Ford is getting read to take on the Delhi Auto Expo with a gamut of production and concept vehicles. The company has released a teaser for what is likely the company's next EcoSport CUV to stir up interest.

The second-generation production vehicle is likely based on the same platform as the Ford Fiesta (the outgoing EcoSport is based on Ford's foreign market Fusion crossover) and will make its way around the globe in select markets as part of the automaker's "One Ford" strategy. That means European buyers will get a shot at taking home an EcoSport of their own, though we don't expect the model to show up on our shores anytime soon.

Ford will also show off the company's Figo, Fiesta, Ford Classic and Endeavour to the Indian market. The Delhi Auto Expo kicks off on January 7 and runs through January 11. Hit the jump for the full press release.

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Ford teases next EcoSport ahead of New Delhi originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Indian Grand Prix brings F1 to the subcontinent [spoilers]

Noah Joseph — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, India

India is rapidly motorizing, and with it is emerging a burgeoning automotive industry. Where there's cars there's bound to be racing, and just as the world's biggest automakers head to India in droves, so has the world's foremost racing series. India has seen two of its top drivers make it into F1, it's given rise to its own F1 team, it's hosted numerous demonstration events, and this weekend, for the first time, it hosted its first grand prix.

The race was held on what has - despite a stray dog wandering onto the track during Friday's practice sessions - been widely rated as a fantastic new circuit on the outskirts of New Delhi. But while the hype is all well and good, the part that really counts is how the race went down. Follow the jump to read on.

Continue reading 2011 Indian Grand Prix brings F1 to the subcontinent [spoilers]

2011 Indian Grand Prix brings F1 to the subcontinent [spoilers] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 30 Oct 2011 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM confirms Chevrolet Spark for North America after all

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 13:28:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM, Misc. Auto Shows, India, Canada

2010 Chevrolet Beat for India - Click above to enlarge

The question of whether or not General Motors will bring its diminutive Chevrolet Spark to the United States still doesn't have a definitive answer. Thanks to a GM of India press release, however, we now know that the little urban runabout will be coming to North America, although that geography obviously also includes Mexico and Canada.

In the past, GM spokespeople have suggested that it might be possible for the Spark (A.K.A. "Beat," or that unbearably irritating robot from Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen) to be imported Stateside and that the automaker had kept U.S. regulations in mind when designing the car. Regardless, with gas as cheap as it currently is and a new Aveo just around the corner, we're certainly not holding our breath for a U.S. launch any time soon, and we feel that seeing the Beat in Mexican and/or Canadian showrooms is more likely.

That said, feel free to hit the jump to read GM of India's press release on the introduction of the Beat, which made its production-ready debut earlier in the week in New Delhi.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading GM confirms Chevrolet Spark for North America after all

GM confirms Chevrolet Spark for North America after all originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Jan 2010 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Auto Expo 2010: Honda New Small Concept unveiled at New Delhi show

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 08:26:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Budget, Hatchback, Honda, Misc. Auto Shows, India

Honda New Small Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

India's Auto Expo 2010 kicked off this week and the first major concept to come out of New Delhi is this: the Honda New Small Concept.

Befitting its name, the New Small Concept is both compact and rather bland - particularly when compared to Honda's recent stylistic endeavors - but the five-door hatch is sure to find budget-minded buyers when it arrives in both India and Thailand in 2011.

Unfortunately, details on the proposed powertrain and interior are all but nonexistent, with Honda Siel Cars India Ltd. (Honda's Indian arm) simply stating that the HSC can fit five people and benefits from an "Efficient Energetic Exterior." For an inexpensive runabout, the HSC has potential to be a hit in emerging markets, but don't expect it to hit U.S. or European shores anytime soon. Make a break for the brief press release after the jump.

UPDATE: Live pics added to the gallery below thanks to Indianautosblog.com.
UPDATE 2: Reports indicate (Automotive News - Sub. Req.) that Honda will sell the compact hatch for around 500,000 rupees (a little over $10,000) and power will be provided by a range of engines, maxing out at 1.2-liters.

Gallery: Honda Small Car Concept Live

Gallery: Honda New Small Concept

Continue reading Auto Expo 2010: Honda New Small Concept unveiled at New Delhi show

Auto Expo 2010: Honda New Small Concept unveiled at New Delhi show originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 08:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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