Mahindra unveils its new mFalcon family of engines On the sidelines of the unveiling of its KUV100 compact crossover, Mahindra has also unveiled its new family of engines. The mFalcon family of engines, as it is called will comprise power plants with a cubic capacity of 1.2, 1.5 and 1.6 litre. With fuel types including both petrol and diesel, the new engines will be available in a total of six variations. Apart from diesel engines, an area where Mahindra has a significant amount of expertise, the mFalcon family will also comprise some ground-up petrol engines. The new mFalcon engines will make their debut on the KUV100 compact crossover. Mahindra is terming the mFalcon engine used for the petrol version as the mFALCON G80, and the diesel version as the mFalcon, D75. The cubic capacity for the mFalcon WIT petrol engine for the KUV100 will be 1.2-litre. It will be a three-cylinder motor. Power output will be rated at a par-with-class 82 hp with a torque rating of 114Nm. The diesel engine doing duty under the hood of the KUV100 will be a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder turbo charged unit with 77 hp of power and a peak torque rating of an impressive 190 Nm. Mahindra claims that the small engine has been designed and tuned to deliver good torque at both low and high end of the rev-range for an enjoyable drive experience. The new 1.2 litre diesel engine will use one of the smallest turbochargers in the world. The other petrol and diesel engines from the family with the cubic capacity of 1.5-litre and 1.6-litre may be employed in other products from Mahindra. The new mFalcon engines will also be fitted under the bonnet of some Ssangyong products; the Tivoli compact crossover in particular, employs the 1.6 litre version. So while the 1.2 and 1.6 litre derivatives from the mFalcon family are ready, the 1.5-litre version is still under development and will be revealed later by the company. During the development of the new engines, Mahindra filed as many as 18 patents, underlining the new designs and technologies employed in the platform. Mahindra also believes that the timing for the launch of the new family of engines is just right especially in view of the recent Supreme Court order of banning new diesel vehicle registrations in the national capital. The new engines have been developed at a cost of Rs 500 crore and have taken 4 years of research and development. The new Mahindra KUV100 outfitted with the mFalcon engines will be launched on the 15th of January 2016. The bookings for the vehicle are open effective today. While Mahindra has been making some decent diesel powered engines for some time now, petrol powered mills is new territory for the Indian carmaker.
KUV100; bookings open on Dec 19 The vehicle will be available in seven body colours - Fiery Orange, Flamboyant Red, Aquamarine, Designer Grey, Dazzling Silver, Midnight Black and Pearl White. The KUV100 will come in seven trim levels - K2, K2+, K4, K4+, K6, K6+ and K8. All variants will get ABS as a standard, while the K2+, K4+, K6+ and K8 will come with dual airbags.
Volkswagen has launched the new Beetle in India at a price of Rs. 28.73 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai). The Beetle carries over the retro styling from the previous generation models. The car measures 4,278 mm in length, 1,808 mm in width and 1,486 mm in height. It has a wheelbase measuring 2,524 mm and a ground clearance of 136 mm. The car weighs 1,374 kg and has a fuel tank capacity of 55 litres. The car is available in four body colours - Habanero Orange, Oryx White, Tornado Red and Blue Silk. The exterior of the Beetle features a panoramic sunroof with tilt and slide functions, bi-xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights, front fog lamps with static cornering function, LED license plate lights, body-coloured protective side mouldings with chrome strip, a rear spoiler, body-coloured door handles and bumpers and 16-inch alloy wheels shod with 215/60 R16 section tyres. On the inside, the Beetle gets leather seats, a leather-wrapped, multifunction steering wheel, handbrake and gear knob, ambient lighting on front speaker surround- 3 colours, chrome inserts, scuff plates, paddle shifters and illuminated vanity mirrors. The car is equipped with features such as dual-zone climate control, auto-dimming IRVM, cruise control, auto headlamp activation, ran sensor, height adjustable front seats and a sound system with 8 speakers and USB, Aux-in and Bluetooth connectivity. Safety features include 6 airbags, ESP & ABS, parking sensors with display and hill-hold among others. The Beetle is powered by a 1,395cc, 4-cylinder TSI petrol engine that produces 148 BHP and 250Nm of torque. It is mated to a 7-speed DSG transmission. The car comes with a start/stop system with generative braking. Volkswagen has positioned the Beetle against the Abarth 595 Competizione and the Mini Cooper.
Volkswagen celebrated the India launch of the new Beetle at NSCI, Mumbai, through a lifestyle evening in the presence of Volkswagen Beetle customers, Bollywood actor, Shahid Kapoor, ace designer Kunal Rawal and the crème de la crème of Mumbai’s fashion circuit. The new Beetle is powered by a turbocharged 1.4L TSI engine which replaces the 2.0 liter mill found on the old gen Beetle. The 1.4 liter TSI mill is paired to a 7-speed DSG gearbox. Bollywood actor, Shahid Kapoor, who was also present on the occasion, said, “As an automobile enthusiast, the Beetle is something that I grew up with because at the core of it lies fun and freedom. The 21st Century Beetle has style, sophistication, freshness and a charm that comes so naturally to it. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Volkswagen India on the launch of the 21st Century Beetle, and wish them luck for a successful run in India.”
