Car News Of The Week: C-Class Launched, Harrier And WagonR Launch Dates Revealed, Hyundai QXi Spied, And More

The last week of 2018 has been quite eventful, what with the entire office celebrating Christmas and Benjamin getting us slices of his special plum cake. Even in terms of car news, the week’s been filled with interesting details, events and revelations. Take for instance the fact that the Tata Harrier and the Maruti Suzuki WagonR are set to launch on the same day next year! Or the spy shots of Hyundai’s upcoming sub-4 metre SUV and Renault’s Kwid-based MPV. We even took some time off to write a letter to Santa. Have a look.

Clash Of The Titans

It seems that Maruti Suzuki wants to crash the Tata Harrier’s launch party on January 23 with the introduction of the new-gen WagonR! Although both cars are very different, they command equal attention and respect from their respective fans. While a common launch date is good for you as a reader, it’s going to make for a very busy day for us. Out of the two, we’ve already driven the Harrier. Check out our first drive review here. The upcoming Tata is expected to be priced close to Rs 13 lakh for the base variant while the Wagon R is likely to be priced between Rs 4.2 lakh and Rs 5.5 lakh. More details in the links below.

UPDATE: We’ve driven the new WagonR! Check out our detailed review by following the link: Maruti Wagon R 2019 Review

• New Maruti Suzuki WagonR Launch Date Revealed

• Tata Harrier Launch Confirmed For January 23

• 2019 WagonR Full Exterior Spied

Launches 

Mercedes-Benz C-Class Petrol Priced At Rs 43.46 lakh

After launching the C-class facelift in September this year with a diesel powertrain, Mercedes-Benz has now added a petrol variant to the lineup. Equipped with a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine, the petrol-powered C-Class is priced at Rs 43.46 lakh and is only available in the mid-spec Progressive variant. This makes the petrol sedan less expensive than the C 220 d Progressive. The 184PS motor is further paired with a 48V electric starter motor to offer better efficiency and pickup. It rivals the likes of the Audi A4 30 TFSI Premium, the BMW 330i M Sport Shadow Edition and the Jaguar XE 2.0-litre Petrol Pure. More Details here.

Spy Cam

More Hyundai QXi Spy Pics: Brezza, Nexon, XUV300 Rival Looks Ready!

Another car we are eagerly waiting for in 2019 is the Hyundai QXi, the South Korean carmaker's first sub-4 metre SUV in India. And don't worry, it won’t officially be called the QXi, which is just an internal codename. It will be based on the Carlino concept that Hyundai showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo. The design cues for the SUV have been derived from the Creta as well as the Kona, with elements like slim LED DRLs, and a projector headlamp setup placed on the bumper. One can also spot smaller details such as a shark-fin antenna and turn indicators on the wing mirrors. More detail here.

Renault Kwid-based MPV Interior Spy Shots Reveal Dual-tone Dash, Touchscreen & More

We have known for some time now that Renault is working on a budget MPV. Based on the largely successful Kwid, the MPV will look to rival the Datsun GO+. But, for the first time, a spy cam has been able to click the interiors of the MPV that’s been codenamed the RBC. The images have revealed some interesting features like a grey-and-beige interior, a three-spoke steering wheel, a semi-digital instrument cluster, a touchscreen infotainment system and four airbags. More details here.

Upcoming Cars

Mahindra XUV300: More Details Emerge

Mahindra recently revealed the official name of its sub-4 metre SUV which was codenamed the S201. Called the XUV300, it is based on the Ssangyong Tivoli, and is likely to be priced between Rs 8 lakh - Rs 12 lakh. It will go on sale in the first half of February 2019 and packs in a lot of features, including a sunroof, dual-zone auto AC, seven airbags and disc brakes on all corners. It is likely to be powered by a 1.5-litre diesel unit borrowed from the Marazzo (121PS/300Nm) and a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol motor, which is said to have been co-developed with SsangYong. Bookings of the SUV are open at all mahindra dealerships. More details here.

Third MG SUV To Launch In Q3 2020; e-SUV In Q1

MG Motor has big plans for India and after the announcement of the first two offerings for the country, the company has revealed it will launch yet another SUV in the third quarter of 2020. This is expected to be either be a compact SUV to rival the Creta or a premium SUV based on the same as platform as the Baojun 530. The electric SUV, however, will be showcased in the first quarter of 2020. More details here.

Fun Read

Christmas Car Wishlist 2018: Toyota Supra, Jeep Gladiator, McLaren Speedtail And More

We’ve been good boys and girls the whole year, so we thought we’d write a letter to Santa asking him to bring us some of our favourite cars. Check out our list here.

Suzuki Teases Jimny Sierra Pickup, Survive Concepts

*Spoiler Alert* The first car on the above list is the Suzuki Jimny. And while we were still recovering from that fact that Maruti will not be getting it to India, Suzuki has teased two new concepts based on the Jimny which look oh-so-adorable. The Jimny Sierra Pickup Style is a mini pickup truck with a retro logo and wooden panels and all the charm of an old-school farm vehicle. The Jimny Survive, on the other hand, is a more off-road oriented variant to help explore the wild. Both of these are based on the Jimny and are unlikely to make it to production. More details here.

1 in 5 Indians Feel Drunk Driving Is Ok: Ford Survey

Ok, this is something scary. While it is the holiday season and everyone should go out and celebrate, it has to be done responsibly. We won't say much but leave you with the following statistics - 41 per cent of respondents in the survey said they would not take an accident victim to the hospital and 33 per cent respondents are tolerant of under-age driving. With New Year’s eve around the corner, we urge you to drive sober and keep safe. Here’s wishing everyone a happy new year!