20 new car models, 10 bikes to hit city in next 1 year; leading this car-a-van is Ertiga, Maruti Suzuki's 1st MPV.
Courtesy to the automobile boom in Sanand, Ahmedabad, the erstwhile Manchester of the East, is fast developing into a Detroit.
That said, buying power of Amdavadis has also attracted global carmakers to the city who are set to unleash their metal stallions to burn rubber on Amdavadi streets.
Almost 20 new cars and 10 motorcycles from the ongoing Delhi Auto Expo will mark their Ahmedabad debut over the next one year.
Two-wheelers expected to come to the city will be priced at Rs44,000 and upwards, while wagons will stretch your budget up to a whopping Rs2 crore.
The Delhi Auto Expo 2012, which started on Thursday, is hosting 50 global brands. As many as 24 new vehicles have been launched by domestic makers, while international players have launched eight cars for India. A majority of these fast cars will be seen in Ahmedabad as well. Leading this car-a-van into Ahmedabad is Ertiga, Maruti Suzuki's first multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). Maruti, India's largest carmaker, will price Ertiga aggressively at Rs7.5-8.5 lakh in direct competition with other MPVs. Hyundai Motor India Ltd also showcased its concept MPV at the Expo but it won't be launched anytime soon. Company's new Sonata will be launched by February-end, while hatchback Veloster is planned for 2013. Nissan and General Motors (GM) will launch their own MPVs by year-end. Toyota's Innova (at Rs15 lakh) has undergone an upgrade and will be in showrooms next week.
The Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) segment of the car spectrum is warming up to the concept of sub-4 metre vehicles. Ford, with its Ecosport, has made first strides into this segment. Q3, Audi's entry-level SUV, follows close behind. The Quattro will be launched in April this year, priced from Rs26-31 lakh. Deliveries of the car will be made from June/July.
Among 'normal' SUVs, Tata Motors' new Safari Storme is a step above its predecessor demanding Rs8-12 lakh from you. The new Tavera (available in next two weeks) and Captiva (available from March) lead GM's charge in this segment. Toyota has also smartened up its Fortuner now priced at Rs21 lakh. Deliveries begin in June 2012.
Chevrolet's Sail (launch post-June) and Toyota's new Camry (launch in June) are the sole new hatchback and sedans to be launched in Ahmedabad soon. Among luxurious cars, BMW M5, in its totally customizable avatar, is already available in Ahmedabad, starting from Rs1.21 crore. However, Britain's Mini Coopers will not be launched here.
Among two-wheelers, Ducati's despecced Monster 796 is set to satiate petrol heads in the city. Royal Enfield's Thunderbird 500 will add necessary thump to the state's highways from June onwards while Harley-Davidson's Street Bob and Super Glide Custom with their reduced price tags of Rs9.95 lakh and Rs11.50 lakh will let their connoisseurs live the American Dream here in Ahmedabad.
Suzuki's Hayate commuter and Honda's Dream Yuga bike aim to make riding to work a pocket-friendly affair. The bikes will be launched in April and June, respectively.
(with inputs from Himansh Dhomse)
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