Nissan Magnite AMT and Kuro Edition | With the unveiling having already taken place, all that’s left now is for the prices to be announced. This is expected to take place in the next few days with the Magnite AMT version coming to the market first. Now, while the Magnite was available in an automatic transmission option, this was limited to a CVT gearbox mated to the 1-litre turbo-petrol engine. The new AMT gearbox, on the other hand, will be mated to the 1-litre naturally aspirated petrol and will be available across all the trim levels, i.e. XE, XL, XV and XV Premium. The Kuro Edition sees an all-black treatment on the standard Magnite. On the outside, the grille, grille surrounds, skid plate, alloy wheels, roof rails, door handles and even the accents under the headlamp units have been blacked out. For a sporty contrast, Nissan has painted the brake callipers red and left the ‘Nissan’ and ‘Magnite’ badging as they were. The inside sees changes with a blacked-out roof liner, sun visors, steering wheel and AC vent surrounds. The Kuro Edition will be based on the higher XV trim. It will be available with both naturally aspirated as well turbocharged engine options along with all the gearbox options in the Magnite lineup. Nissan says that the Magnite will be the official car of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 and will reportedly launch on October 7. (Image: Nissan)
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2024 Skoda Kodiaq | Skoda just showcased their next-generation Kodiaq to the world with a European launch expected early next year followed by an India launch later. As part of the generational upgrade, the Kodiaq receives updated exteriors, better interiors, newer tech as well as a slew of engine options. You still have the signature butterfly grille but flanked by a new set of sharper headlamp units. These are Skoda’s new-gen matrix LED headlamps and are said to be 15 percent brighter. The rear is where the biggest change is with a new set of tail lamps and a light bar running the width of the boot. Internationally, the Kodiaq will be powered by a total of four engine options. A 1.5-litre TSI petrol will be mated to either a mild-hybrid system or a plug-in hybrid. There is also a 2-litre TSI petrol and a 2-litre TDI diesel. The interiors get a complete revamp with an all-new multi-layered dashboard, a new infotainment system and a clean centre console with nothing but storage space on or inside it. Tech has improved with ADAS for safety and a number of new features including a new 12.9-inch infotainment system. (Image: Skoda)
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Lexus LM | Lexus, too, is all set to introduce its luxury MPV the LM to India sometime this month. Now, while the LM (Luxury Mover) is technically a van, with what Lexus has done to design it, it looks like anything but that. The outside is refined with a large spindle grille, sleep headlights and sharp tail lights. On the inside, things get super premium especially when specced in a four-seater configuration. With this config, the LM gets a massive 48-inch widescreen monitor for the back seats. A 28-speaker setup provides quality surround-sound and the Ottoman seats recline with pillow-style headrests should ever feel the need to nap while travelling. Speaking of sleep, the cabin has been thoroughly noise-proofed and a glass roof along with the lights helps with the sense of space. The LM is powered by a 2.5-litre self-charging strong hybrid powertrain. This is capable of producing 250 hp of maximum power and 239 Nm of peak torque. Globally, there will be another 500h variant which will be powered by a bigger 2.4-litre turbo-hybrid powertrain. Bookings for the Lexus LM have officially begun and since it sits above the Vellfire in Lexus’ lineup, expect premium pricing. (Image: Lexus)
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Force Gurkha 5-door | Launched last year, the Force Gurkha is all set to get a new 5-door variant. The SUV has been spotted testing multiple times already and some of the more recent sightings suggest a pickup variant should also come into the picture soon. For now, however, we’ll concentrate on the 5 doors. Now, this is essentially just a stretched out 3-door Gurkha, there are going to be a few changes. The front, for example, has been spotted sporting a set of square headlamps, unlike the round units on the 3-door version. The grille, however, remains the same as does the snorkel and 18-inch alloys. On the inside, we could see anything from a 5-seater to a 7-seater. The 4WD tech on offer also seems to be different as the 5-door test mule was spotted with a shift-on-the-fly knob positioned beside the driver’s seat on the centre-console. Powering the 5-door Gurkha is expected to be the same Mercedes-sourced powertrain. This 2.6-litre diesel is capable of producing 91 hp of maximum power and 250 Nm of peak torque. As far as rivals go, the Force Gurkha will compete against the Mahindra Thar 5-door variant and the Maruti Suzuki Jimny of which the 3-door variant isn’t available in India yet. (Image: Force)
BYD Seal | BYD is bringing their third car to the Indian market. Christened the Seal, the electric sedan is fairly minimally designed, at least on the outside. The front doesn’t have a grille, for obvious reasons and the sleek headlamps give it a sharp sporty look. Contrasting black air intakes complete with LED lighting elements flank the bumper. The profile of the Seal is a classic sedan type and you can see that in its silhouette despite its fairly curvy body lines. Now, there aren’t confirmed details yet, but the Seal that comes to India is expected to be powered by an 82.5 kWh battery pack. This is BYD’s long-range variant of the Seal and is claimed to travel up to 700 km on a single charge. A dual electric motor on an all-wheel-drive system provides movement by producing 312 hp of maximum power and 360 Nm of peak torque. Over on the inside, the cabin layout is a lot less polarising when compared to its SUV sibling, the Atto 3. It gets a 15.6-inch rotating infotainment system, a 10.25-inch driver’s display, panoramic sunroof. Driver assistance systems such as adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and blind spot monitoring come as part of the package. (Image: BYD)
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Tata Harrier and Safari facelift | Bookings for the facelifted Tata Harrier and Safari have also begun starting October 6. As we progress to the launch date, we should begin to see more details trickle down about both the Harrier and the Safari, but for now, all we have is a set of teasers that outline just a bit of the front. The Safari is the clearest of the two with a new broad grille, body coloured inserts and Nexon-styled split headlamp design with a full-width lightbar at the top. The Harrier, on the other hand, is fairly foggy and while the top lightbar looks similar to the Safari, the main headlamp cluster that is just about visible seems to be different in design. Powering the two SUVs is expected to be the same 2-litre diesel engine that produces 170 hp of maximum power and 350 Nm of peak torque. There should be changes to the inside as well with maybe a new cabin layout and additional tech. (Image: Tata Motors)
Stanford Masters Journalist who writes on automobiles
