Car News That Mattered This Week (May 8-12): New Launches And Unveilings, Fresh Spy Shots And More

The past week saw a few premium launches from Skoda and BMW, while MG and Hyundai revealed their future plans for India

Past week, Hyundai opened the order books for its upcoming Exter SUV, while Kia launched a new special edition of the Sonet. During the same period, Hyundai and MG also revealed their roadmap for their future India plans. Skoda relaunched the Kodiaq SUV, while BMW introduced the sportier variant of the X3. 

Let’s have a quick overview of all the important highlights of the week

Hyundai Exter Bookings Open

Hyundai has revealed the exterior profile of its upcoming micro SUV, the Exter, while also opening bookings for the same. We have also detailed the variant-wise engine and transmission details of the Exter.

Kia Sonet Gets A New Edition

Kia has introduced a limited-run "Aurochs" edition of the Sonet, which gets slight cosmetic tweaks on the outside. Aside from that, no technical or feature modifications have been made to this edition of Kia's subcompact SUV.

Facelifted Hyundai i20 First Look

Hyundai has globally unveiled the facelifted version of the third-generation i20. The hatchback gets minor design tweaks for a sportier appearance.  The cabin layout inside the hatchback remains the same, except for a few new equipment and features.

2023 Skoda Kodiaq Relaunched

Skoda has launched the updated version of the Kodiaq SUV with the BS6 phase II-compliant engine in India. The SUV has got some new features with the 2023 update and has also become slightly more efficient. 

5-Door Maruti Jimny Production Begins

Maruti has commenced series production of the 5-door Jimny after debuting it at the 2023 Auto Expo in January. We have also got the latest data for the number of bookings for Jimny.

Tata Altroz CNG At Dealerships Now

Tata is all set to announce the prices of the Altroz CNG soon, but ahead of that, some units have already reached a few dealerships. The Altroz CNG uses a 1.2-litre CNG-petrol powertrain and comes with many segment-first features.

Spy Shots This Week

The spy shots this week include two compact SUVs from Korean brands – Creta EV and facelifted Seltos. The test mule of Creta EV was spotted while it was being charged, whereas the facelifted Seltos was seen flaunting a much wished-for feature.

MG and Hyundai’s Future Plans Revealed

MG has outlined its five-year roadmap for India, which also includes setting up a second manufacturing facility in the country. Hyundai also revealed its 10-year plan in India which comprises expanding its production capacity and the launch of new EVs in India.

Sportier BMW X3 Launched In India

BMW has launched a sportier variant of the X3 SUV with the moniker “M40i” in India. It gets a more powerful turbo-petrol engine which churns out 360PS. The SUV also gets “M Sport” specific highlights on both the exterior and interior while its features list includes a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system along with a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display and a 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.

More Lithium Reserve Found In India

Months after India discovered its first lithium resource in Jammu and Kashmir, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) discovered another lithium reserve in India, this time in Rajasthan. According to the reports, India could have the largest lithium-ion reserves in the world.

Challenges Of Proposed Ban On Diesel Vehicles In India

The Energy Transition Advisory Committee recently issued a report that recommends a ban on diesel cars across India by 2027. However, the report is currently being reviewed by the government as there are multiple challenges associated with implementing this step.

Google Maps To Receive Significant Updates

Google is all set to add a  new and useful feature to its Maps application, known as Immersive View for Routes. This new update will be first rolled out in 15 cities around the world in the coming months.

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