January 2021 Is Set To Kick Off A Slew Of Car Launches In India

The Indian auto industry is braced for an action packed start to 2021 with a slew of launches planned right from January onwards. The upcoming models range from local cars to international models. Here’s more about them:

Audi A4 Facelift

Launch: January 05 

Expected Price: Rs 40 lakh onwards

First up will be the mid-life refresh of the Audi A4 sedan. Pre-bookings have already commenced for a token amount of Rs 2 lakh online or at authorized dealerships. It’s sharper than before, gets Audi’s latest gizmos and will be powered by a 190PS 2.0-litre TFSI turbo-petrol engine mated to a 7-speed S-tronic transmission. Dealer sources hint that it’ll be offered in two variants: Premium Plus and Technology.

Toyota Fortuner Facelift

Launch: January 06

Expected Price: Rs 30 lakh onwards

Next up is a much needed mid-life facelift of Toyota’s full-size Fortuner SUV that first made its debut in Thailand around June 2020. It’ll receive plenty of exterior upgrades, finally get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity,  and is likely to get the uprated 204PS/500Nm 2.8-litre diesel alongside the 166PS 2.7-litre petrol engine. What’s more, it’ll also be offered in a sportier ‘Legender’ trim which adds more aggressive exteriors and premium features to its arsenal.

Tata Altroz Turbo

Launch Date : January 13

Expected Price: Rs 8 lakh onwards

One of the most hotly anticipated launches of 2021, not only because it will be powered by a 110PS/140Nm 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine but also because it could be the first Tata to come with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission option alongside the 5-speed manual gearbox. The manual variants will get  the XT, XT (O), XZ and XZ (O) trims to choose from while the automatic gearbox variants are likely to be limited to the top two trims. The specs above could make the Altroz Turbo a tough competitor against the likes of the Hyundai i20 Turbo and Volkswagen Polo TSI.

BMW 3 Series Gran Limousine

Launch: January 21

Expected Price: Rs 50 lakh onwards 

The next launch for January 2021 is a BMW 3 Series that will cater more towards chauffeur-driven seths. Dubbed the 3 Series Gran Limousine, it’s an extended wheelbase iteration of the 3 Series that’s 120mm longer and has its wheelbase extended by 110mm. Expect the majority of the features from the 3 Series as well as the 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines to be retained in the Gran Limousine. Interesting fact: India will be the first right-hand drive market to get the long wheelbase 3 Series as it was originally meant for the Chinese market back when it debuted in 2019.

Hector Facelift

Expected launch: Early January

Expected Price:  Rs 13 lakh onwards

The MG Hector SUV is set to get a mid-life refresh and has been spotted undisguised in the country. The upgrades on the outside are similar to the Hector Plus with a new set of alloy wheels, revised front grille and gloss black trim.  The cabin looks relatively unchanged aside from a new black-creme scheme. Don’t expect any major feature addition. It will continue to utilise the 170PS 2.0-litre diesel and 143PS 1.5-litre petrol engine options.

MG Hector Plus 7-seater

Expected launch: Early January

Expected Price: Rs 13.50 lakh onwards

Another Hector is on the way, but this time it’s the more practical 7-seater version of the Hector Plus SUV. The main update is the presence of bench row seats for middle row occupants, instead of the individual captain seats in the Hector Plus 6-seater. Expect its feature list as well as the 170PS 2.0-litre diesel engine and the 143PS 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine options to be retained. 

Volvo S60 2021

Expected launch: Early January

Expected Price: Rs 45 lakh onwards

The Swedish carmaker is set to kick off 2021 with the unveiling of the latest iteration of the entry-level S60 sedan. It looks like the S90’s smaller sibling inside and out, with notable design bits like LED headlamps with Thor’s hammer DRLs. It’ll also be well equipped with creature comforts as well as Volvo’s traditionally advanced set of safety features. Powering the sedan is a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit developing 190PS of power and 300Nm that’s paired to an 8-speed automatic gearbox. 

BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe Petrol

Expected launch: Early January

Expected Price: Rs 37 lakh onwards

Currently, BMW offers the 2 Series Gran Coupe only with a 220d 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine that delivers 190PS and 400Nm. But that’s all about to change as BMW will be introducing petrol-powered variants to the 2 Series Gran Coupe. Powertrains are unknown, but there are multiple options like the 218i 140PS/220Nm 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo engine, the 228i XDrive 228PS/350Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo motor or the M235i xDrive 306PS/450Nm 2.0-litre turbo mill. It will most likely be the 228i that will be launched here.  

Aside from car launches, there’s also a slew of unveils on the way. They include the facelifted Jeep Compass on January 07, the production-spec Renault Kiger (likely), the Harrier based Tata Gravitas on January 26, and the next generation Mahindra XUV500 SUV (likely).

All prices ex-showroom, India