Maruti Suzuki Jimny and 5 more cars making their way to market this June
While the Jimny is perhaps the most anticipated model this month, some other exciting cars are also in the line-up including the all-new Honda Elevate and the iconic Mercedes-AMG SL55 Roadster.
June will be a fairly exciting month for four-wheeler enthusiasts with a little bit of something for every class of buyer. SUV enthusiasts get the new Suzuki Jimny and all-new Honda, sedan buyers can consider looking at a new variant from Volkswagen and EV lovers will see a sportier coupe-like SUV from Volvo. If none of those tickle your fancy, maybe look at the new soft-top convertible from Mercedes.
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Maruti Suzuki Jimny | The Maruti Suzuki Jimny is finally going to be launched and we think it is safe to say that everybody is excited. The Jimny is coming to India first in its five-door guise and in two trim variants. Design-wise, the Jimny features all the tell-tale signs such as the flared wheel arches, the boxy silhouette, slatted grill and even circular headlamps. In fact, the five-door variant is identical to the three-door Jimny sold internationally save for the two extra doors and lengthened rear quarter. Now, powering the Jimny is a single 1.5-litre K15B naturally aspirated engine. This is the older powertrain considering most of Maruti’s other cars have moved on to the newer K15C unit. However, it produces 105 PS of maximum power and 134.2 Nm of peak torque. There is a choice of both automatic and manual transmissions.
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The Jimny is an offroad SUV and as such, Maruti Suzuki has equipped it with the company’s AllGrip Pro 4WD system. This means it gets a manual transfer case and low range gearbox with 2WD-high, 4WD-high and 4WD-low modes. The interiors are fairly decked out as well with everything from a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with SmartPlay Pro+ to an Arkamys sound system and wireless charging with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The SUV has already been tested and reviewed by many and it is finally coming to the public on June 7. All that remains to be seen are prices. Of course, bookings have already begun and over 30,000 units have already been reserved.
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Honda Elevate | Honda is also all set to unveil the Elevate globally come June 6. This will mark the company’s entry into the mid-size SUV segment and despite the brand’s late entry, there is a fair bit of excitement around it. The Elevate has already been spotted testing a number of times on Indian roads and coupled with the teaser images we have been seeing from Honda, we have a lot to tell in terms of styling. For starters, it will share most of its design cues with the latest-gen CR-V and WR-V which were revealed last year. It gets a flat-nosed front, sharp LED headlamps and DRLs, squared wheel arches and wraparound tail lamp clusters. One of the official teasers also showcased a single-panel sunroof along with roof rails and a shark-fin antenna.
Powering the SUV is expected to be the same 121 PS 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine that does duty on the fifth-gen City sedan. The same car’s 1.5-litre hybrid powertrain is also expected to make it to the line-up, but at a later date. Of course, the equipment list will also be fairly lengthy with features such as an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment screen, semi-digital instrument cluster, wireless phone charging and connectivity, and ADAS. Now, while the Elevate is only expected to be unveiled on June 6, a full launch and price reveal is expected to follow in August. With that in mind, we expect prices to be in the range of Rs 11 to Rs 17 lakh ex-showroom.
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Volvo C40 Recharge | June 14 will see a new EV coming to Indian roads. Globally launched in 2021, the C40 Recharge is Volvo’s second electric vehicle for India. It is based on the XC40 Recharge that already sells in our market and as such, features a lot of the same design elements. The most prominent difference, however, is the coupe-style roofline of the C40, unlike the XC40’s more conventional rear design. Overall, styling is clean and precise with Volvo’s unique design features such as the Thor’s hammer LED DRLs and wraparound tail lamp graphics. The interiors are built using recycled and renewable materials.
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A 9-inch touchscreen infotainment screen and 12.3-inch digital driver’s display will make it to the features list along with automatic climate control, wireless smartphone charging, panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera and even ADAS. Internationally, the C40 is offered in both rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive. For the Indian market, however, we expect Volvo to bring in the AWD version which is powered by a 78 kWh battery pack. Two electric motors supply a total of 400 PS of power and 600 Nm of peak torque. Range for the C40 Recharge is claimed at 370-420 km and the battery pack can be charged from 10 percent to 80 percent in 37 minutes using a DC fast charger.
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Volkswagen Virtus GT | Almost a year has passed since Volkswagen launched the Virtus and the company recently announced that the top-spec GT Plus variant will be getting a new transmission option. Earlier available with just a 7-speed DSG transmission, the car will now be available with a 6-speed manual gearbox for the enthusiast. The 1.5-litre turbo-charged TSI still produces 150 PS of maximum power and 250 Nm of peak torque. Now, while the new gearbox is the biggest update, Volkswagen has also announced that a new GT Edge Limited Collection Edition will be launched for the Virtus with an exclusive Deep Black Pearl paint shade. Aside from this, the standard Virtus will also get the Lava Blue Paint shade that is available on the Tiguan SUV.
Volkswagen Taigun | The VW Taigun, too, is getting updates of its own with a 6-speed manual gearbox coming to the GT Plus trim and a 7-speed DSG automatic gearbox being made available on the lower GT trim. The engine again is the same 1.5-litre turbo-petrol as in the Virtus, producing 150 hp and 250 Nm. Like the Virtus again, the Taigun’s GT Plus trim will get a new GT Edge Limited Collection edition but with two new paint schemes—Deep Black Pearl and Carbon Steel Matte. Volkswagen is also offering two new editions for the Taigun called the Trail Concept and Sport Concept. Each of these will come with their own personalities thanks to their unique decals.
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Mercedes-AMG SL 55 Roadster | Last on the list is the Mercedes-AMG SL which is expected to arrive on June 22. The SL has always been Mercedes’ flagship convertible and is finally making its way to India after more than a decade. The previous iteration of the SL was the fifth-gen roadster launched way back in 2012. The convertible is now in its seventh gen and replaces a total of two cars in Mercedes's global line-up—the S-Class Cabriolet and the AMG GT Roadster, apart from, obviously, the sixth-gen SL. India is all set to get the AMG SL 55 roadster guise of the iconic SL-Class and this will be the only variant to be made available. Powering the car is a 4-litre V8 turbo-petrol engine capable of turning 478 PS of maximum power and 700 Nm of peak torque.
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Design-wise, the SL 55 is pretty mean looking. The company has decided that the hardtop roof of the previous generation was too much and has returned to the age-old soft-top for a more traditional appeal. This also means a 21 kg saving in weight. There are similarities with the smaller GT roadster, sure, but the SL also gets its own unique touches such as the Panamericana grill and aggressively structured front bumper and the sharp angular headlamps that finish off the face. On the inside, you get the new large, portrait-style 11.9-inch infotainment system, a 12.3-inch driver’s display and a long list of other features.
Stanford Masters Journalist who writes on automobiles
