Benz Premium Small Car

We’ve always maintained that if you wish to survive in the auto business, you’ve got to have a small car in your portfolio. The German’s are slowly but surely realizing this fact. Up till now the German brands were concentrating on the luxury end of the spectrum only. Now though, Mercedes Benz is planning a small car for the masses, a premium hatchback infact.

Is Mercedes Benz India considering the A-Class or the B-Class hatchbacks? Well, only time will tell. But for now, we think Audi and BMW might be forced to bring in their players too. BMW however, had totally refused to plans of a 1-Series for India. While, it is still not clear if Audi is considering the A3 for India. If Mercedes Benz continue with their aggressive strategy to capture the lower end of the market, BMW and Audi might have to rethink their future plans.

Figo Bags Autocar Awards

The Figo was awarded 'Car of the Year Award 2011', 'Value for Money Car 2011' and 'Premium Compact Car'. Beside these it also won the 'Viewers Choice – Car of the Year 2011'.

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The Figo has been in the limelight this year and this is clearly visible in the kind of sales figures the company has seen. Ford India has already sold 60,000 units of the Figo since its launch in March 2010. In addition to recognizing the Figo's virtues, Ford India has been named "Manufacturer of the Year 2011" for its innovative practices in manufacturing and engineering excellence. Ford also came out with the 4x2 Endeavour this year (read first drive) which gives us an idea of the companies stratergy to woo the customers looking for an SUV.

 

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new Toyota Priuses

The Prius C Concept will provide the inspiration for a Yaris-sized Prius supemini that will launch in North America in the first half of 2012, a car Toyota claims will be the most efficient and best value hybrid car in any segment yet.

Toyota is keen to offer an even more efficient smaller hybrid at a lower price point and to that end will aim the production version of the C Concept at “young singles and couples who want an eco-sensitive, high-mileage, fun-to-drive Prius”.

Its modern styling takes cues from both the standard Prius and the recently refreshed Vitz (Yaris) supermini in Japan albeit with a much more striking front end. The Prius’s slippery shape has been successfully scaled down to supermini proportions, although concept car features such as its heavily sculpted bonnet, big chrome-effect alloys, large glass rear screen and headlight design are unlikely to carry over into production.

Whether the C Concept has a future in Europe is not clear. The firm has already confirmed a hybrid version of the Yaris for Europe in 2012, and it is not thought Toyota would want two cars competing against one another in a segment.

Technical details have also not been revealed at this stage. It’s unlikely that the Yaris will be able to accommodate the 1.8-litre petrol engine from the Prius and Auris powertrains. But Toyota does have 1.33 and 1.0-litre motors at its disposal.

The Prius V is also unlikely to have a future in Europe, given the presence of the Verso in Toyota’s European range. “A hybrid Verso would be ideal,” said a Toyota source, “but that won’t happen for now as it’s mid life-cycle. We don’t want to be importing cars to Europe that could steal sales in a segment we already cover. The US doesn’t have anything like the Verso, so a Prius MPV makes sense, filling in a gap in the model range with a name people know.”

The Prius V has more than 50 per cent more load capacity at just over 960 litres than the standard conventional hatchback, with an low, wide access at the rear to allow for easy loading.

It shares its platform and 1.8-litre petrol-electric Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain with the standard Prius and its styling is unmistakably Prius, growing slightly in height and length to allow for the extra load capacity. An extra row of seats isn’t added but the rear bench slides to allow for extra loading capacity.