With the start of the year 2023, automakers in India are getting ready to launch their new and facelifted models in the Indian market. Some new launches and unveils are likely to take place at the upcoming Auto Expo 2023.
In this article, let us take a look at all launches that will take place this month.
1. Mercedes-Benz E53 Cabriolet
Mercedes Benz India recently announced that the E53 AMG Cabriolet luxury sedan will be launched in India on January 6th. The car will come to India via the Completely Built-up (CBU) route and is expected to be priced from Rs 1.5 crores.
The E 53 AMG Cabriolet is essentially the two-door, four-seat convertible version of the E 53 AMG sedan. The E 53 cabriolet will be powered by a 3.0-litre, 6-cylinder engine which produces 429 horsepower and 520 Newton-meters of torque. The power is sent to all four wheels via a 9-speed automatic transmission. Mercedes claims that the sedan can do 0-100 kilometers per hour in just 4.5 seconds.
The E 53 Cabriolet gets AMG-specific design elements like a signature grille and a new front splitter, which makes its front-end design in line with other AMG models.
Moving on the Inside, the car gets a fully digital cockpit and the flat-bottom AMG Performance steering wheel. The leather upholstery is finished in a dual-tone black and brown theme and several AMG performance-based systems such as the TRACK PACE, AMG steering buttons, and the AMG DYNAMIC PLUS driving mode. The car also gets the AMG RIDE CONTROL+ air suspension.
2. Mahindra XUV 400 electric
Mahindra & Mahindra is all set to launch the XUV 400 electric SUV to the Indian market. The XUV 400 electric SUV was unveiled recently and the company announced that it will launch an electric SUV in January 2023.
Initially, the Mahindra XUV400 electric SUV will be available across 16 cities, including Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Goa, Jaipur, Surat, Nagpur, Trivandrum, Nashik, Chandigarh, Kochi.
Powering the Mahindra XUV400 is an Ingress Protection (IP) 67 compliant 39.5 kilowatt-hour battery pack and Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor, cumulatively churning out a peak power of 149.5 PS and a maximum torque of 310 Newton-meters. Offering a top speed of 150 kilometers per hour, the electric SUV accelerates from 0-100 kilometers per hour in 8.3 seconds. The Mahindra’s C-segment electric SUV offers a range of 456 kilometers on a single full charge as per Indian driving cycle (MIDC), says the company.
Mahindra claims that the battery takes only 50 minutes to charge from 0-80% with a 50 kilowatt Direct Current fast charger. When charged via a 7.2 kilowatt/32A outlet, it takes 6 hours 30 minutes for 0-100% charge, while it can be charged fully in 13 hours with a standard 3.3 kilowatt/16A domestic socket.
The Mahindra XUV400 is available in five colour options, including Arctic Blue, Everest White, Galaxy Grey, Napoli Black, and Infinity Blue with a dual-tone roof option in a Satin Copper finish.
3. Hyundai IONIQ 5
Another electric car on the list is the Hyundai Ioniq 5. The company will be launching the Ioniq 5 electric vehicle at the upcoming Delhi Auto Expo. Bookings for the new electric vehicle are now open and customers can place their orders by paying a token amount of Rs 1 lakh.
Built on the Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) of Hyundai, the Ioniq 5 will arrive in India via Completely Knocked Down (CKD) route. The electric vehicle measures 4,635 millimeters in length, 1,890 millimeters in width, and 1,625 millimeters in height and has a wheelbase of 3,000 millimeters.
In terms of the exterior, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 features 20-inch aerodynamically-designed alloy wheels, LED headlamps with Daytime Running Lights (DRLs), LED tail lamps, flush door handles, shark-fin antenna, and an integrated spoiler. Globally, the Ioniq 5 is offered with two battery options: 58 kilowatt-hour and 72.6 kilowatt-hour, offering up to 480 kilometers of range (Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure cycle).
4. Affordable Mahindra Thar 2WD
Another Mahindra on the list is the Mahindra Thar 2WD. The SUV has recently been spotted in a dealership, hinting that the launch is imminent.
The affordable variant of the Thar will be offered with a smaller diesel engine and will only feature a Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) drivetrain.
The SUV will be powered by a smaller 1.5-litre turbo diesel engine, which produces 116 horsepower of power and 300 Newton-meters of torque. It is worth mentioning that this is the same engine that also powers the Mahindra XUV 300 and Marazzo MPV. It should also be noted that the 1.5 Thar will only be available with a two-wheel drive option.
5. MG Hector facelift
MG Motor India recently launched the facelifted MG Gloster in the Indian market, and now the company is ready to roll out the new and updated MG Hector.
The updated MG Hector will get a revised front end with a large “Argyle-inspired” diamond-mesh grille with prominent chrome surrounds at the top of the grille. The updated MG Hector is also expected to get Level-2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) technology, which includes lane keep assist, blind spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision warning, and lane departure warning.
Moving on to the interior, the SUV will now feature a massive 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system with an embedded e-SIM. Apart from that, the SUV will get a revised dashboard design with new horizontal AC vents, and a center console that gets a new flowing design, along with a new gear lever.
Mechanically, no changes are expected. The SUV will be offered with two 143 horsepower, 1.5-litre petrol engines – one with mild-hybrid technology – and a Fiat-derived 2.0-litre multijet turbo diesel engine that produces 170 horsepower. The 2022 MG Hector is likely to be priced around Rs 1.5 lakh-2 lakh more than the current model. When launched, the SUV will continue to compete with the Tata Harrier, Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, and Nissan Kicks.
6. 2023 BMW X1
BMW is all set to launch the next generation BMW X1 SUV in the Indian market. The new X1 will be unveiled at the upcoming BMW Joy Fest.
Talking about the design, the new BMW X1 gets a large, chrome-heavy kidney grille flanked by slim headlights with inverted L-shaped Daytime Running Lights (DRLs). In profile, it features chunky wheel arches and flush door handles.
Moving on to the interior, the X1 gets a new dashboard design with a curved display that incorporates a 10.7-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster.
When launched, the new X1 will continue to compete with the Mercedes GLA, Volvo XC40, and Audi Q3.
7. 2023 BMW 7 series and i7 electric
BMW India is all set to launch the next generation BMW 7 series luxury sedan in India on January 7th, 2023, at the BMW Joytown music festival. Along with the 7 series, BMW will also launch the i7 electric sedan on the same day. The new generation 7 series made its global debut in April 2022, and the new 7 series will be available in Internal Combustion (IC), hybrid, and Electric Powertrain options.
The 2022 BMW 7 Series features a new design language that BMW claims is only reserved for its flagship models. The new 7 Series features a massive kidney grille and a split headlamp setup with the daytime running lights up top and main headlamps embedded into the front bumper.
The new 7 series will be available in four different guises – 735i, 740i, 760i xDrive, and the i7 xDrive60. The entry-level 735i will be powered by a turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine that is capable of producing a maximum power of 282 horsepower and 425 Newton-meters of peak torque. This engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the rear wheels. BMW claims that the 735i can sprint from 0-100 kilometers per hour in 6.7 seconds and has a top speed of 250 kilometers per hour.
The 740i also uses the same engine. The 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine under the bonnet of the 740i has been slightly tuned to produce a maximum power of 375 brake horsepower and a peak torque of 540 Newton meters. This engine is mated with the same 8-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the rear wheels. BMW claims that the 740i can sprint from 0-100 kilometers per hour in 5.4 seconds and the top speed has been limited to 250 kilometers per hour.
If you need even more speed, there’s the even more powerful 760i. The 760i XDrive will be powered by a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 which produces a maximum power of 536 brake horsepower and 750 Newton meters of peak torque which is sent to all four wheels via the standard 8-speed automatic.
BMW claims that the 760i accelerates from 0-100 kilometers per hour in just 4.2 seconds.
Then there’s the all-electric i7 xDrive60. The all-electric i7 will be powered by a twin-motor setup that produces 536 brake horsepower of power and 745 Newton meters of peak torque.
The i7 is equipped with a 101.7 kilowatt-hour battery pack that delivers a claimed range of 625 kilometers on a single charge. The battery pack supports 195 kilowatt DC fast charging and BMW claims that the battery can be charged from 10-80% in 34 minutes.
Charging using the onboard charger and a 3-phase 11 kilowatt AC plug will take around 9.5 hours. There will also be a more powerful all-electric i7 xDrive M70 which will arrive next year with 651 brake horsepower on offer.