Three Cars India Should Eye This Year

Ambassadors, Premier Padminis, and now, Maruti 800s, are the main ever-expanding table of contents of India's automotive history hardbound. Our nation now gets its cars tailored to fit its very unique whims and fancies - any carmaker worth their salt has realized this, while well-informed customers are making sure that this trend will remain long term. Gone are the times of hand-me-downs and outdated beasts of foreign burden, but a period has dawned where creases from abusive donning of thinking caps abound on the foreheads of international automotive decision makers just before car launches here.

There have previously been some important new sets of rims in the united kingdom this season, with cars just like the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and new-gen Dzire, and the Nissan Sunny Diesel, to mention a few. Nevertheless the year's only completed three strokes, and by the full time glasses clink on New Year's, it could have been a rather eventful four-stroke cycle, by what's still to debut.

A look at three biggies likely to hit the market ahead of the 2012 calendar gets redundant:

A) TATA NANO DIESEL - THE PLANET'S MOST ECONOMICAL CAR?

Ironically, it seems fitting to start piecing the three-spoke wheel with one of many smallest cars in the world. Quite simply since there are few, rather, there is none other just like the Tata Nano. With possibly as numerous patents to its design because the ubiquitous iPod, it obviously did not get the country's tarmac as choked as several analysts were led to believe. If it had marketing bungles or bad luck the culprit is a different story, the fact remains that the world's cheapest pair of four wheels is placed to have even cheaper. In the future, that's, if the diesel subsidy sticks and sensibility prevails.

While no official price estimates are out, the Nano Diesel should be priced in the region of three lakh rupees. However, what's more important is that the running costs of the approximately 700cc oil-burner may Suzuki Blind Van hover around a rupee a kilometre due to the targeted fuel economy of 40kpl. To put that in perspective, the cost of using the average 125cc motorcycle within our metros today is just about Rs.1.3/km assuming an Rs.80/litre cost for petrol with a 60kpl fuel economy figure.

Obviously, the "world's cheapest car" title would no longer apply to the version, but it could be replaced with the "world's most fuel-efficient car" nomenclature instead. While this might be great news for the Nano's image-reconstruction and "interested" banks, it might cause a reduction in sales of two-wheelers. True, that was said about the original iteration with this small wonder as well, and most of us discover how that theory backfired. Obviously, the Nano would nevertheless be three to four times higher priced to buy, but it'd still pip a significant USP of a motorcycle - low running costs. All you hardcore biking enthusiasts, you didn't read that here...

We always knew it was just a matter of time till a diesel version with this remarkable little vehicle came to light, but only time will tell if these expectations could be met in desired price bracket. That aside, a still-inexpensive Nano with a powerful diesel motor, along side much-needed improvements like a beginning rear hatch should give the Nano its best shot at becoming a car for the masses. And, daresay, even for the not-so-masses.

B) FORD ECOSPORT - SMALL BUTCH COMES TO SHOVE

It was not because of a typo in Google Maps that India's Auto Expo 2012 was chosen for the global unveiling of Ford's international crossover, the EcoSport. The organization seen that India requires attention big time, considering that the economies of scale achievable and the economies of payscale now achieved in this country are reaching an amount far beyond other previously critical markets. But while others have missed the boat, or at the least the first voyage, Ford has spotted an untapped segment - the little, affordable-SUV one.

The EcoSport is a compact crossover based on small-car underpinnings with lots of anatomy also distributed to the current Fiesta. "Big things now come in small packages", is apparently the style statement behind the stance with this car. The best thing for India, since we need our transport big enough to fit the wife and brats, yet maneuverable enough to gap-grab and to negotiate illegal U-turns.

This Ford actually manages those tasks with aplomb, even looking macho in the process with a big dominant grille, flared wheel arches, exterior spare tyre, high waistline, and purposeful-looking body cladding. To nitpick, the disproportionately undersized wheels could perhaps be gifted one more inch or two in diameter to grant it more street, er, off-street cred.

The best of the EcoSport however, actually lies beneath the hood. The car features a groundbreaking 1-litre, three-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine which will produce 120bhp, a production figure that rivals the standard one-point-sixer. An enormous upside to the advanced technology is incredible fuel efficiency which is tough to beat in this segment. Renault Duster beware. Notably, this achievement in engine technology was deemed the world's best at the recent International Engine of The Year awards. Also being offered could be the Fiesta's 1.5-litre diesel motor.