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India’s biggest motor show begins soon and this time Chinese automakers will account for 20 per cent of the vehicles that will be on display at the event. Some of the leading brands like Toyota, Honda, BMW, Ford, TVS and Hero will not participate at the Auto Expo 2020 due to a prolonged slowdown in vehicle sales since the beginning of last year. However, there’s no reason to fret since there are plenty of cars to be excited about. Three major Chinese brands are looking to enter India in the coming months while local manufacturers like Tata and Mahindra have a slew of concepts, SUVs and electric cars lined-up for India. Here are our top picks that you should lookout for at the India Expo Mart next month.
Maruti Suzuki will have a massive 17 car display at this year's Auto Expo, including the facelifted Ignis, petrol powered Vitara Brezza and S-Cross, but the star of the show will be the Futuro-e concept. The country’s largest automaker hasn’t entered the EV space yet, but it looks like the plans are on in full swing. The FUTURO-e electric car concept gets a distinctive coupé-styled silhouette with SUV-like proportions and draws design inspiration from geo-organic structural forms occurring in nature. The electric concept is a design study for next generation mobility solutions and its primary target audience would be young buyers who are on a lookout for cars with futuristic designs.
For the first time ever, Hyundai will be showcasing their juicy line-up of performance cars at the Auto Expo 2020. There is no official word on which of these N badged cars will make their way to the Expo, however, we won’t be surprised if cars like the i30 N and the Veloster N make it to the stands. We have always been big fans of i30 N, which has been made using Hyundai’s glorious motorsport expertise. That apart, Hyundai will also showcase the all-new Creta, facelifted Tuscon and Verna, as well as the BS6 versions of the Elite i20, Venue and the Santro.
MG Motor India will flex its muscles at the Auto Expo by storming its stands with as many as 14 cars. There will be BS6 ICE cars as well as electric cars with ‘internet inside’. The most exciting one is the Vision-i MPV concept which was initially showcased as the Roewe Vision-i concept at the 2019 Shanghai Motor Show. According to a report, it’s the world’s 5G enabled car as SAIC has joined hands with Huawei and China mobile to develop the next generation of smart transportation systems. At the Auto Expo, it will most likely wear the MG badge. We will also see the MG Maxus D90 SUV, which will be MG Motor’s Land Cruiser Prado rival. The company is also rumoured to showcase a sedan as well as a small EV.
China’s largest SUV manufacturer Great Wall Motors will make its way to our shores with the Haval and Ora brands. Haval SUVs are popular in China while Ora is a specialist in producing budget electric cars. The Haval H6 will rival the likes of MG Hector, Jeep Compass and Tata Harrier. In China, the H6 gets 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre diesel engines that produce 188bhp and 161bhp, respectively. We could also see the H2 and H6 Coupé at the Expo and GWM recently revealed that all these three cars have scored 5-stars in the ANCAP.
Another Chinese automaker called Haima Automobile is looking to step into the Indian market. There’s no official word on which cars Haima brings to India. But in China, the brand sells a range of mid-sized sedans named M3, M5 and M6. They might bring their latest offering, a mid-sized SUV called the 8 S along with a range of electric cars. To avoid disappointment, don't mistake the names for BMW's performance breed when names like M5 are announced.
The Indian brand, Mahindra will showcase 18 vehicles at the Auto Expo, including a futuristic concept vehicle and three production ready EVs. This will include the e-KUV100, XUV300 electric and a brand new XUV500. The electric XUV300 will compete against the Tata Nexon EV, Hyundai Kona Electric and the MG ZS EV. Other displays will include charging and battery technology and a series of BS VI gasoline engines. Find Mahindra at hall 10 and stall 2 at the Auto Expo.
We first saw the futuristic Volkswagen I.D range at the Geneva International Motor Show in 2018 and we will see them at the Auto Expo. The German carmaker is set to reveal four SUVs at the Expo including the Creta rivalling, MQB-AO-IN platform based SUV, ID Crozz electric SUV, Tiguan AllSpace and the T-Roc compact SUV. The I.D. Crozz gets VW’s 4Motion AWD system, a 225kW electric motor and has a range of 500km according to the NEDC cycle.
Tata Motors will showcase the Tata H2X sub-compact SUV which will go up against the Mahindra KUV100 and will be based on the ALFA architecture. The front end resembles the Harrier with its sleek LED DRLs positioned above the headlamps and an aggressive stance. There are imposing wheel arches too hinting at an overall sporty and edgy design. It is rumoured to be named the ‘Hornbill’ and expect it to hit the street sometime later this year. Tata Motors will also showcase the Gravitas, the seven-seat version of the Harrier. We may also get to see a BS6 compliant Harrier with added features.
Kia is raking it in with the Seltos selling like hotcakes and the Carnival has already received more than 1400 bookings in two days. Joining the party will be Kia’s third offering, a compact SUV that will be based on the Hyundai Venue – code-named the QYi. The front end of the QYi is highlighted by slim headlamps flowing cleanly into the signature tiger nose grille. The rear of the car features sleek tail lights, that are united by a thin light strip. There’s no word on engine options yet, but don’t be surprised if there’s a BS6 turbo petrol on offer. The QYi will be showcased alongside a few cars from their international lineup as well. The Korean carmaker will also announce the prices of the Carnival at the Expo.
Concept cars, electric cars, green mobility, it’s all the talk of the town right now. But nothing is sweeter than a good ol’ V8 standing proudly amidst a sea of electric cars. The Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S is the most powerful AMG GT that the German carmaker has ever produced. It was also the fastest 4-door coupé around the Nurburgring last year. It’s propelled by a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 that churns a mind-numbing 635bhp and 900Nm of torque. It is capable of sprinting to a 100kmph in just 3.2 seconds, putting so many sportscars, even supercars to shame. Mercedes-Benz will also show us the A-Class sedan and the all-new GLA at the Expo this year.
Skoda returns to the Auto Expo after a six year drought and is set to come with a bang. The company will showcase the much awaited Vision IN concept, a made-for-India compact SUV to rival the likes of the Kia Seltos and Hyundai Creta. There will also be the red hot Octavia vRS 245, of which only 200 units will be making their way to India. The RS 245 has a slight bump in power as opposed to the earlier Octavia vRS 230. We may also witness the facelifted Superb and BS6 compliant Rapid. Skoda may also treat us to the Karoq, the Kodiaq's smaller sibling which might come to India as well.
Need to find your way around the Auto Expo 2020? Here's a detailed map with all the prominent exhibitors. Feel free to pay us a visit at our stall(N91) in Hall 12.
