Toyota, Honda, M&M line up new models for festive season

The auto sector has been under pressure because of rising input costs and interest rates. Rising petrol prices have further added to the problems. But that has not deterred auto companies from launching a slew of new models to attract more buyers in the festive season.
The biggest competition is in the small car segment that drives 60 per cent volumes. Global auto majors Honda and Toyota have come out with small cars tailor-made for Indian markets.
Others like Mahindra have launched higher end vehicles to stamp their dominance on the sports utility vehicle or SUV segment. Here's a look at the new models that might stare at you from those glass showrooms soon.

Global auto major Mahindra and Mahindra launched one of its most ambitious products in recent times - the XUV500. Priced attractively, this global SUV (sports utility vehicle) is likely to set a new benchmark for competition.
The base model, called the W6, has a price tag of Rs 10.8 lakh while the W8 variant has been priced at Rs 11.95 lakh.

The high end W8 4x4 (four wheel drive) sports variant of XUV500 is priced at Rs 12.88 lakh.
With XUV500, M&M hopes to replicate the success, it saw with Scorpio launch 9 years ago. Mahindra's D segment crossover SUV will meet head-on with Tata Aria, Skoda Yeti, Ford Endeavour and the popular Toyota Innova.

Honda Brio, the small car designed and developed especially for the Indian market, was launched on September 27, 2011. The car is available in four variants starting with a price tag of Rs 3.95 lakh for the base variant.

The high end variant of Brio would be available for Rs 5.10 lakh. The Brio is powered by a 1.2 liter petrol engine and will compete with Maruti Ritz, Hyundai i10, Toyota Liva and Ford Figo.

Japanese carmaker Toyota has launched the petrol variant of its much anticipated small car Liva in India, priced between Rs 3.99 lakh and Rs 5.99 lakh (ex- showroom, Delhi).

The company had last year launched Etios, the sedan version of Liva in the country. Toyota has also launched the diesel versions of its entry-level Etios sedan and compact car Etios Liva, priced between Rs 5.54 lakh and Rs 7.87 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Japanese automobile manufacturer Nissan's Indian subsidiary has launched its sedan car Sunny priced between Rs.5.75 lakh and Rs.7.68 lakh (ex-showroom).
The car will compete with other mid-size sedans like Verna Fluidic, Ford Fiesta, Honda City, SX4 and Fiat Linea.

Sunny promises a mileage of 16.95 km per litre.
The sedan is powered by a four-cylinder, 1.5-litre double overhead camshaft petrol engine, which can churn out a power of 99 PS at the rate of 6,000 rpm.

Audi, the German luxury car manufacturer, on Wednesday launched its executive class sedan, the Audi A6 in India.
Propelled by four powerful and highly efficient petrol and diesel engines, the Audi A6 costs Rs 37.70 lakh for the 2.0 TDI, Rs 39.90 lakh for the 2.8 FSI, Rs 46.95 lakh for the 3.0 TDI Quattro and Rs 47.00 lakh for the 3.0 TFSI Quattro versions (ex-showroom Delhi).

The model is available in India from August 2011. The car takes on the BMW 5 series, Jaguar's XF and Mercedes Benz's E Class.
The petrol variant of Audi A6 can easily reach 0-100 Kmph in just 8 seconds with a top speed of 250 Kmph.
The top end diesel variant of Audi A6 can easily accelerate from 0-100 Kmph in just 6.7 seconds with a top speed of 240 Kmph.