BMW i8
The front is dominated by a colourful and rather flat twin kidney grille; it gets oblong-shaped full LED headlights and a strange-looking bumper that has aerodynamically enhanced wings just below the headlamps. The windshield is raked sharply and further adds to the low look of the car. The i8 gets the standard BMW interiors with a few space age touches like the digital gauges and what appears to be a 10-inch display to interact with the iDrive system. It is powered by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder twin scroll turbo engine that produces 231bhp and 320Nm of torque and power is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed AT. The front wheels are connected to an electric motor via a two-stage AT box. This motor produces the equivalent of 131bhp and is mated to a 5kWh lithium-ion battery. This combination takes the total output to 362bhp and 570Nm of torque allowing the i8 to do 0-100kmph in 4.4 seconds.
Expected price: `1.5-2.2 crore
Expected launch: February 2015
USP: First electric luxury sports car in India; 39.9 kmpl; head-turner
DC Avanti
The Avanti appears to have been modelled on the lines of the Ferrari 458 Italia. It has a long and low bonnet that dips in the middle giving prominence to the DC logo and a single air vent located on top. The Avanti is a two-seater with the entire cabin being kitted out in what appears to be quilted-out leather. The sportscar is a mid-engined vehicle that is powered by the critically acclaimed Ford EcoBoost 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine. This mill churns out 250bhp of power and 360Nm of torque and has been mated to a six-speed manual transmission that sends power to the rear wheels. DC Design house has equipped the car with a double wishbone setup both at the front and at the rear.
Expected price: `20-25 lakh
Expected launch: End-2015
USP: First ‘made-in-India’ luxury sports car, value for money, features in line with other luxury sports cars
Jaguar XE
The Jaguar XE will get a smaller version of the XF’s massive chrome mesh grille complete with the leaping cat. The overall design is expected to be close to that of the XF and XJ—after cost-cutting measures with fabric/Alacantra seats and shiny but high quality plastic in place of wood for the trim options. The XE will be the British automaker’s first vehicle to be derived from an all-new aluminium platform and engine family called Ingenium which will comprise units in the capacity of 1.8 to 2.5 litres and have power outputs in the range of 184bhp to 300bhp. There is also expected to be a top-of-the-line RS variant which will be powered by the 3.0-litre V6 unit from the F-Type range.
Expected price: `28-45 lakh
Expected launch: Mid-2015
USP: Based on successful XF and XJ sedans; lightweight, modern and sporty; Jaguar’s maiden entry-level luxury sedan
FIAT Abarth
The Abarth 500 is an iconic hatch known for its racing performance. The puny car has a different feel to it even if its rivals like the Mercedes-Benz A-Class or the BMW 1 Series are much longer in comparison. The Italian carmaker has refreshed the upcoming model with some visual updates that include graphite finish for door handles, wing mirrors and the grille. The dashboard gets a graphite finish and the instrument cluster features an LCD. The Abarth 500 will be equipped with a flat-bottomed steering wheel, a turbo-boost gauge, Sabelt race seats and alloy pedals. It will be powered by a 1.4-litre MultiAir turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 135bhp of power and 204 Nm of torque. The company claims that the Abarth 500 can touch the 0-100kmph mark in 7.9 seconds and does a top speed of 205kmph.
Expected price: `23-28 lakh
Expected launch: April 2015
USP: Small, compact luxury car; high-performance engine, upgrades for 2015 model