Top Car Launches At Auto Expo 2018 - New Swift, Elite i20 Steal The Show

Though the Auto Expo 2018 was a motor show of showcases, there were a few launches that created quite a buzz and had journalists and public alike scurrying to the stalls to catch a glimpse and experience the short, albeit interesting list of cars that are headed to showrooms near you.

 Maruti Suzuki Swift

One of the most anticipated cars of the year, the third-generation Maruti Suzuki Swift, was finally launched at the Auto Expo 2018 with a starting price of Rs 4.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The new Swift 2018 will be available with the same two engines - the 1.2-litre K-series petrol and the 1.3-litre DDiS diesel - with identical power outputs as before.

The petrol variants are priced between Rs 4.99 and Rs 7.29 lakh while the diesel variants are priced between Rs 5.99 and Rs 8.29 lakh, respectively. Both engines will be available with the AGS (Auto-Gear Shift) as well, albeit with the ZXi and ZDi variants costing Rs 6.96 and Rs 7.96 lakh, respectively. All prices are ex-showroom Delhi.

The Swift is based on the new Heartect platform which has made the hatch much more practical than before as it is 40mm wider and sports a 20mm longer wheelbase than its predecessor. The increase in dimensions makes it more spacious and better equipped to handle the competition. Maruti Suzuki has equipped the 2018 Swift with front-dual airbags as standard along with ABS and ISOFIX child seat mounts as well.

 Hyundai Elite i20 Facelift

The popular Hyundai hatchback was due for a makeover and it finally got it at the Auto Expo 2018. Hyundai launched the 2018 Elite i20 at a starting price of Rs 5.35 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The prices have increased marginally when compared to the outgoing model, which started at a base price of Rs 5.29 lakh. The Elite i20 carries over the same engines as before in the same states of tune. The 1.4-litre petrol motor with the torque converter, however, has been dropped from the lineup since the 1.2-litre Kappa petrol engine is set to receive a CVT gearbox in May this year. The petrol variants are priced between Rs 5.35 and Rs 7.90 lakh while the variants with the 1.4-litre CRDi diesel are priced between Rs 6.73 and Rs 9.15 lakh. The petrol and diesel engines are mated to a 5-speed and 6-speed gearbox, respectively.

The changes to the car are minimal and mainly cosmetic in nature. Read more about it here.

 BMW 6-series GT

The 5-Series GT was a rather forgettable car but the concept of a grand tourer based on a sedan was not. The 5-series GT was followed by the introduction of the 3-Series GT. Now, BMW has introduced an all-new grand tourer called the 6-Series GT, which is priced at Rs 58.9 lakh (ex-showroom India) to replace the 5GT. The new grand tourer features the same 2.0-litre twin-turbo petrol engine found on the 5-Series sedan. The engine makes 258PS of max power and 400Nm of peak torque. The engine is mated to an 8-speed ZF automatic gearbox that sends the power to the rear wheels. A diesel engine is also on the cards, but it will debut later in the year.

 Mercedes-Benz S 560 and Mercedes-Maybach S650

Mercedes-Benz delivered a double whammy at the Auto Expo 2018 with the launch of not one, but two super-luxury sedans - the Mercedes-Maybach S650 and the S-Class S560. The Maybach was launched at Rs 2.73 crore while the S-Class will set you back by Rs 1.94 crore. All prices are ex-showroom India.

Compared to the normal S-Class, the Maybach S650 is a whole 200mm longer and comes with signature 20-inch Maybach forged wheels as optional extras. The Maybach is powered by a 6.0-litre AMG V12 making 630PS of max power and 1000Nm of peak torque. The engine is mated to a 7-speed automatic gearbox that delivers the power to the rear wheels.

The S560, on the other hand, is powered by a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 which makes 496PS of max power and 700Nm of peak torque

BMW M5

BMW launched the latest generation of probably its most iconic car, the M5, at the Auto Expo 2018 at Rs 1.43 crore (ex-showroom India). The M5 is the fastest M car ever built and is also the first M5 to get the xDrive all-wheel drive system. However, the XDrive system does let you switch between AWD and RWD on the fly if you are the old-school kinds.

The engine lurking under the bonnet is the same 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 as before. It now churns out 600PS of max power and 750Nm of peak torque thanks to innumerable changes. All that power is delivered to the wheels via an 8-speed automatic gearbox rather than a 7-speed DCT seen in its predecessor. The 2018 BMW M5 can tackle the 0-100kmph dash in just 3.4 seconds and will go all the way to a top speed of 305kmph.