UPCOMING CARS

Land Rover Evoque Convertible

Expected Price: ₹80 Lakhs

Expected Launch: 27 March 2018

Land Rover Evoque Convertible is not launched in India yet. Information on this page is tentative.

Land Rover Evoque Convertible Preview

The Evoque Convertible is the latest offering from the British SUV maker. Aimed at creating a new segment, the Evoque convertible is based on the 3-door version of the SUV. The Evoque has been instrumental in engineering the turnaround of ailing Jaguar-Land Rover companies. The reason we have this car up here is that it was spotted testing in India indicating a launch around the corner.

The Evoque convertible looks almost like the standard SUV except for the convertible roof. The front fascia gets a few more blacked out elements to make it look sporty. The profile has been carried over till the shoulder line and the A-pillars are beefed up for strength. The rear fenders have been redone to include the folding convertible roof but are not very far from the original Evoque. The signature headlamps and tail lamps have been carried over to the convertible.

The interior has been tweaked quite a bit. The dashboard is dressed in black leather with silver accents. It gets a 10.2 inch super-wide resolution touch-screen with the latest connectivity options including Apple Car Play and Android Auto. The convertible roof can be opened up in 18 seconds and closes back on till a speed of 60kmph n 21 seconds. On the safety front, you have front and side airbags with ESP and a rollover protection system that deploys in 90 milliseconds.

The Evoque convertible gets the new 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that is now available in India under the hood of the Jaguar XE. The petrol engine develops 240bhp to power the SUV past 100kmph in 7.8 seconds to a top speed of 180kmph. Mated to a ZF nine-speed gearbox, the Evoque Convertible gets the Active Driveline feature.

The Evoque convertible stands alone in its segment for now with a unique offering of a convertible that can take you anywhere with its Land Rover capabilities. And since it has been spotted testing in India, we may get one quite soon.

BMW New X3

Expected Price: ₹50 Lakhs

Expected Launch: 19 April 2018

BMW New X3 is not launched in India yet. Information on this page is tentative.

BMW New X3 Preview

BMW celebrated the public debut of the new-generation X3 at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. The G01 X3 enters into the third generation and moves to a new platform while retaining the unmistakable styling of the mid-size crossover. BMW will showcase the new-gen X3 at the 2018 Auto Expo followed by the Indian debut to take on the likes of Mercedes-Benz GLC, Audi Q3 and the yet-to-be-launched Volvo XC40.

Appearance wise, the X3 carries an evolutionary design with some subtle cosmetic updates. So, the characteristic kidney grille is now bigger while the roofline has become higher at the back. The tail lights are more angular and wrap-around with new lighting signature. It is based on a newer platform, weighing 55 kilograms less than its predecessor. At 4.7-metres in length, with a wheelbase of 2.8-metres, the new X3 also grows in dimensions. The 550 litre boot space can be expanded to 1600 litres by folding down the 40:20:40 rear seats.

On the inside, the subtle changes continue, but the overall cabin carries forward the typical BMW style. What’s new is the floating display for the infotainment system which has now become wider and bigger. Ventilated front and rear seats are optional while dual-zone climate control is now a standard feature.

Engine wise, the new X3 gets the usual range of diesel and petrol powertrains that was offered previously. So there is a 2.0-litre diesel and petrol engine. The latter is available in the xDrive 20i trim. There is a bigger 3.0-litre diesel as well which will be offered in the xDrive 30d trim. However, the biggest addition is an M-spec model which has been dubbed the M40i. It is offered with a 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol straight-six 360bhp/500Nm and has been mated to an M-spec eight-speed AT.

When launched in India, the new X3 will take the CKD route to the country. We expect the crossover to be offered with diesel engine options and the xDrive 20i trim in India. The prices will remain on par with the current generation so expect a price tag between Rs 50 – 60 lakhs.