New Delhi • The venue of Auto Expo 2012 is like a microcosm of the city. Outside of the main show buildings, where luxury automakers showcase their shiny new vehicles in gleaming high-tech displays, the exhibition grounds are less than glamorous. The pavement is dusty, exposed wires abound and some of the old structures look like ghostly pavilions from a long-ago world’s fair. But, if you look beyond the surface, you can see the beauty of the architecture and imagine what the buildings used to look like when they were new.
Or, you can just stay inside and enjoy the show.
The prevailing theme of this year’s Auto Expo was small SUVs, as opposed to previous years, when small cars ruled here. Indian automakers Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki and Tata, along with Audi, Ford and Hyundai, all showcased new compact SUVs.
Following are some of the highlights:
Audi
Bollywood stars Katrina Kaif and Lisa Ray, who is Canadian, helped Audi garner the largest crowd on hand for an unveiling at the show as the German automaker unveiled its smallest SUV, the Q3. The attractive five-seater sits below its Q5 and Q7 siblings and will compete directly with BMW’s X1. The Q3 is available with a choice of two 2.0-litre engines: a TDI diesel with 170 horsepower and a TFSI gasoline engine with either 170 or 211 hp. Unlike BMW’s X1, says Audi, the Q3 comes standard with the quattro all-wheel-drive system. The Q3 will be launched in India in March.
Audi also showed the A3 e-tron, the A6 and Q7 V12 at its stand.
Bajaj
The compact Bajaj RE60 is reminiscent of the green motorized rickshaws that dot the New Delhi streets. The eco-friendly RE60 will take on its Indian competitor, the Tata Nano, which costs less than $3,000. The RE60 features a one-cylinder, 200-cubic-centimetre engine and claims a fuel economy rating of less than three litres per 100 kilometres. It has a top speed of 70 km/h.
Ford
Ford unveiled its all-new EcoSport, featuring the automaker’s smallest EcoBoost engine. The next-generation EcoSport has a 1L three-cylinder gasoline engine delivering 120 hp.
Hyundai
The compact seven-seater Hexa Space concept from the Korean automaker is targeted at urban customers in their 30s and 40s who need a lot of room for all their stuff. The seats offer multiple configurations: The centre and second-row seats fold flat for more comfort while the back-row seats fold flat to offer more cargo space. The Hexa Space is powered by a 1.2L turbocharged GDI engine with a six-speed transmission.
Mahindra
Mahindra took the wraps off its new XUV500 for 2012, built by recently acquired Ssangyong. The seven-seater SUV features a 2.2L turbodiesel engine with a six-speed manual transmission.
Suzuki
The Japanese automaker says its concept five-seater XA Alpha blends the “elegance and compactness” of a crossover with the “muscular and rugged DNA” of an off-roader. The concept is based on Suzuki’s Swift SUV and is set to go into production in 2014. It will likely be offered with a variety of engines including a K-Series gasoline and a 1.3L diesel engine.
Tata
Tata took the wraps off its new SUV, the Safari Storme, which is powered by a 2.2L 16-valve engine producing 140 hp. It is mated to a five-speed manual transmission.
The Indian automaker also unveiled five concepts: the Nano Pixel, featuring gullwing doors; the Nano CNG; the Indigo Manza diesel-electric hybrid; the Starbus Fuel Cell hydrogen car; and the Tata Magic Iris CNG.
