India is all set to get a set of new launches over the course of the next few weeks, right from the exciting Maruti Suzuki Jimny to the luxurious Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV. There is even a convertible in the lineup this time around for those of you looking for open-top fun. Here’s a list of the top five upcoming cars:
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Suzuki Jimny | Maruti Suzuki is all set to launch the Jimny in India on June 7 and the car has already been reviewed, so we won’t go into much detail here. Suffice to say that the Jimny, even the five-door variant, is just as capable as its legendary status implies. The SUV is powered by a 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated engine which means 103 PS of power and 134 Nm of torque. It gets both manual and automatic transmission options and yes, the low-ratio gearbox has also been built in. Now, while prices haven’t been announced yet, bookings for the car have begun and Maruti Suzuki says that 30,000 bookings have already been made.
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Hyundai Exter | Hyundai’s newest compact SUV the Exter has been scheduled to launch on July 10. This will be South Korean car company’s smallest SUV for India, sitting below even the Hyundai Venue. Powering the Exter will be a 1.2-litre petrol engine mated to either a 5-speed manual or an AMT. There is also going to be a CNG option for those who want more savings on the fuel front. In terms of design, the Exter gets a fairly boxy design, a split LED headlamp and a tailgate with a moderately raked glass. Thick cladding and flared wheel arches should, however, cement the car’s SUV nature.
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Honda Elevate | The Honda Elevate has been set for a June 6 launch and it will be the brand’s biggest yet. The Elevate is an all-new Honda car built from the ground up. Making its global debut in India, the Elevate will go up against the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara and a number of others in the segment. The SUV is expected to be powered by the 1.5-litre petrol and 1.5-litre strong hybrid options that also do duty on the Honda City. A 6-speed manual as well as a CVT gearbox should be on offer as transmission options.
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Mercedes-AMG SL 55 | Mercedes-AMG is readying the SL 55 for an India launch as the company’s flagship convertible. Set for its debut on June 22, the SL is a two-door soft-top, adding to its oomph factor. Unfortunately, the car will be brought to our shores via the CBU or completely built-up unit route, so expect significantly high prices due to the duties that apply. As for what powers the SL 55, we will see a 4-litre twin-turbo V8 capable of punching out 471 PS of maximum power and 700 Nm of peak torque. Transmission duties will be handled by a 9-speed automatic and Mercedes’ 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system.
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Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV | And finally, the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV is coming to India. Expected to launch later in June, the EQS SUV is the SUV variant of the EQS sedan launched in October last year. It sits as the company’s flagship EV SUV and will be part of 10 new models the company is expected to launch by March next year. Globally, the EQS SUV gets three variants, each more powerful than the last. The top-spec 580 4MATIC can produce 536 PS of maximum power and 858 Nm of torque. Range on this variant is measured between 507 km and 613 km according to the WLTP cycle.
Stanford Masters Journalist who writes on automobiles
