Weekly Car News Fix: Car Launches, Unveils, And Price Hikes

The second week of April 2021 saw plenty of action in the auto industry that included launches, a couple of pre-launch announcements, unveils, and select models receiving price hikes. Here’s more about what transpired:

Launches

Citroen C5 Aircross Arrives In India

After what seemed like a long wait, no thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, Citroen finally begun its India journey with the C5 Aircross premium midsize SUV. It’s offered in two variants, gets a sole diesel engine, and comes loaded with features. To know more about how much you’ll have to shell out for the SUV. head here.

BMW 6 Series GT Gets A Midlife Refresh

A surprise launch from the Bavarian brand since it was expected that the 5 Series facelift would arrive before the updated 6 Series GT. Priced from Rs 67.90 lakh and Rs 77.90 lakh (ex-showroom), it’ll take on the recently launched E-Class facelift. Head here to know what’s changed in the 6 Series GT.

Unveils 

Hyundai Alcazar Breaks Cover 

Hyundai’s took the wraps off its next big thing for India, the Alcazar SUV. It’s pretty much a third row version of the Creta, but has its own differentiating bits including a more powerful  petrol engine. Head here for details.

Kia Sonet Gets 7-seat Version In Indonesia

The folks at Kia Indonesia decided to add more options to the Sonet SUV by introducing the 7-seater Kia Sonet 7. While it's pretty much identical to its standard 5-seater counterpart, there are some additional premiums that come with the Sonet 7, which you can read more about here.  

XUV700 Announced

Mahindra revealed that its upcoming mid-size SUV will be called the XUV700 and not the next-gen XUV500. That being said, the XUV500 nameplate will be back as a stronger and fiercer Creta/Seltos rival post the XUV700’s launch. There’s plenty to look forward to for this new mid-size SUV including a cleaner design and segment-first features. For more on what to expect, head here. 

Announcements

4th-gen Octavia Production Begins

With the next-gen Skoda Octavia expected to launch later this month, the first units have begun to roll out from its facility in Aurangabad. The Octavia’s generational update will bring in fresh looks, new tech and more, which you can read more about right here.

Mahindra’s Sticking With SUVs

In Mahindra’s long history as an SUV manufacturer, they had tried their hand in sedans with  the Verito sedan. But the CEO of Mahindra’s Automotive Division, Veejay Nakra has confirmed that the carmaker will stick with what it does best-- and that’s SUVs. 

Facelifted Jaguar F-Pace Gets A Launch Timeline

Jaguar is all set to bring the mid-life refresh of the F-Pace SUV to India by May 2021, with bookings being commenced. While the exterior updates will  be modest, the bigger changes will be on the inside, which you can read more about here. 

Price Hikes

 

With the new financial year starting in full swing, manufacturers have begun hiking prices of their model lineup. Nissan has given the Magnite its third price hike in four months, whereas MG Motors have hiked up the Hector and Hector Plus prices. Toyota on the other hand, has given the Innova Crysta, Fortuner and the Camry Hybrid an increment in pricing.