November is going to be just as exciting as October with the launch of not one but two Mercedes models as well as the new electrified Tata Punch.
The festive season isn’t over yet, but with the end just around the corner, we have a few more big launches all lined up. From the sporty Mercedes-AMG C 43 to the much anticipated Tata Punch EV, there is a lot to be excited about. Here are five of the top cars we expect to see launching in November 2023.
Mercedes-Benz GLE Facelift We start off with the facelifted Mercedes-Benz GLE. The E-Class SUV was unveiled in February this year for the international markets and the company has now confirmed that the India launch is scheduled for November 2. The update brings with it some fairly subtle styling changes but some significant powertrain updates. On the outside, the highlight would be the headlamp units which retain their basic shape but get new lighting signatures and DRL design. The bumpers have been tweaked as well and the grille features a segment slat in the middle. The powertrain, on the other hand, gets three mild-hybrid updates. The first is a 2-litre diesel that produces 269 hp and 550 Nm in the GLE 300 d variant. Next up is the GLE 450 d, a 3-litre diesel producing 367 hp and 750 Nm. And finally, the GLE 450 is powered by a 3-litre petrol that generates 381 hp of maximum power and 500 Nm of peak torque. The integrated starter-generator in these systems allows for a 20 hp boost to power and a 200 Nm boost to torque. The interiors, again, see a few minor changes such as different trims and a new steering wheel plucked out of the S-Class. Same 12.3-inch infotainment display but with new software and greater functionality. (Image: Mercedes)
2/5
Mercedes-AMG C 43 Alongside the facelifted GLE, we are all set to also see the sporty C 43 returning to the Indian market. Based on the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the C 43 gets a slew of changes to add speed to the otherwise luxurious sedan. This includes components to both exteriors as well as interiors of the car. At the nose, you get Mercedes’ Panamericana grille as standard, larger air intakes on the bumpers, beefy side sills, 18-inch alloys, and an aggressive diffuser complete with a quad exhaust setup. Powering the C 43 is a new 2-litre turbocharged petrol engine. Now, for context, the older C 43 had a 3-litre V6 unit capable of 362 hp and 520 Nm. The new powertrain, although smaller, is aided by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system and is capable of churning out 402 hp of maximum power and 500 Nm of peak torque. Additionally, there is a boost function that outputs a further 13 hp for short durations. Over on the inside, things aren’t so different from the standard C-Class but we do get sportier seats, red accents all over, and a leather-wrapped flat-bottomed steering wheel. (Image: Mercedes)
3/5
Lexus LM Bookings for the Lexus LM began in August when the company revealed details for the India-spec luxury MPV. A sister model to the Toyota Vellfire, the LM is also based on Toyota’s GA-K modular platform. At the front, you see the latest version of Lexus’ humongous grille flanked by a sleek set of headlamps and vertical slats for the fog lamp housing. The overall design is a large, curvy box on wheels, but like any luxury people mover it’s what’s inside that counts. Lexus will be making the LM available in both the seven-seater and four-seater guise, the latter of which is the most opulent of the two. Passengers get to relax in a movie theatre-style environment thanks to a massive 48-inch wide-screen monitor, 23-speaker surround-sound audio system, pillow-style headrests on airplane seats, heated armrests, and ottomans, wireless charging pads, and too many more features to list here. The LM is powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol hybrid engine that produces 250 hp of maximum power and 239 Nm of peak torque. (Image: Lexus)
4/5
Tata Punch EV The Tata Punch EV has already been spotted testing several times over the past few weeks and it is due for a launch soon. The Punch EV test mules have been wrapped in camouflage so it is tricky to make out the details but it should see a design very similar to its ICE counterpart. There will be a few EV-specific touches as well. One of the things we could glean from the spy shots is a reprofiled LED DRL which should be a full-width version similar to the one seen on the Tata Curvv. The spy shots also reveal new alloy rims on the side and a 10-inch screen for infotainment on the inside. Powering the Punch EV is likely to be two battery options – a 19.2 kWh pack allowing for 250 km in range and a bigger 24 kWh pack that allows for 315 km. However, a recent rumour suggests that the Punch could get a range of upwards of 500 km. That’s more than the long-range variant of the Nexon EV, which can go about 465 km on a single charge. (Image: Tata Motors)
2024 Skoda Superb Now, this may not be connected to the festive celebrations in India but it is a worthwhile announcement all the same. Skoda is all set to showcase the new 2024 Skoda Superb to the world on November 2. Of course, we do not have too many details about the new car just yet but the company just released design sketches of both the interior as well as the exterior giving us an idea of what to expect. The outside features some significant styling changes and follows the company’s Modern Solid design language. The signature Skoda grille is still present, but the flanking headlamps are now more slender with new LED DRL elements. The overall design of the Superb is fairly swooping but this is just a design sketch so a more realistic shape will be seen at the debut. The interior of the Superb also sees a similar revamp with a free-standing touchscreen infotainment system, customizable rotary dials or ‘Smart Dials’ as Skoda puts them, and maybe a new three-spoke steering wheel. Under the hood, we are likely to see a range of engine options for the international markets including a mild-hybrid and a plug-in hybrid option. (Image: Skoda)
Stanford Masters Journalist who writes on automobiles
