Paris Motor Show 2016: India Relevant Cars Previewed

The Paris Motor Show is about to kick off soon and we have already brought you a host of cars that are slated to be unveiled. Of course, quite a few cars showcased at the show will never make it to India. So here is a quick list of cars that will make it to India soon or are relevant to India from in a larger scheme of things.

1. Audi Q5:

New Audi Q5

The second generation Audi Q5 is confirmed to be showcased for the first time at the Paris Motor Show. It will take most of its styling cues from the larger Audi Q7 and should come with a range of petrol and diesel options. The mid size Audi Q5 will strengthen Audi's Indian portfolio with competition like the Mercedes-Benz GLC and the Land Rover Discovery Sport showcasing good sales figures. There will also be a sportier Q5 either in S or RS spec. Whether Audi decides to go for a conventional sporty petrol engine or move to a large diesel for this remains to be seen.

Expected India launch: Mid-2017

2. BMW X2:

With the X2, BMW will complete it's coupe SUV portfolio. The new BMW X2 will slot in between the X1 and the X3 and will essentially be a coupe version of the X1. The X2 will make it to India in the near future and will be a great option for someone who wants a stylish coupe-SUV at the Rs 40-45 lakh price point. Expect a front wheel drive and all-wheel-drive layout to underpin the X2 with the same engines that power the X1 on offer. The interior too will be pretty much similar to what the X1 offers with a touch of sportiness (like carbon fibre panels or bright red stitching) to differentiate.

Expected India launch: Late 2017

3. Dacia Sandero Stepway:

Dacia Sandero Stepway

Dacia is a subsidiary of Renault that in India has seen great success with the likes of the Kwid being adopted very well by the choosy car buying audiences in the country. Now although we do not have a real timeline on if the Sandero will ever make it to India, it does make a lot of sense for Renault to bring the Stepway variant to India. And this is why - the Kwid with it's SUV like styling is what has really made sit up and take notice. The Duster on the other side of spectrum has typically SUV-esque looks too. Renault's other offerings in India have never really worked and thus the Sandero Stepway with its SUV looks would be a great middle ground between the Kwid and Duster. IF Renault prices it well and offers even more tech than it currently does in the Kwid, it could have yet another winner on its hands. Although not much is known about the updated Sandero that is coming to the Paris Motor Show, it is essentially a facelifted version of the car that is currently available.

4. Honda Civic:

Honda Civic Hatchback

A new generation Honda Civic is always an important launch since it is probably the car most people in Europe will actually buy. And the new generation Honda Civic in its hatchback form will be larger than ever before with even more futuristic styling than we have seen in while. Of course there will also be the equally popular Type R variant which will be unveiled at the Paris Show. The sedan version of the car (styles similarly) will also make it to India soon to go up against the Toyota Corolla, Volkswagen Jetta, Skoda Octavia and the Chevrolet Cruze amongst others.

5. Hyundai i30:

Hyundai i30

The Hyundai i30 is the first car that will showcase the upcoming design language for the Korean brand. The sleeker design is an evolution of what we are used to seeing on the i20 in India. Of course, the car is larger than the i20 and will go up internationally against the likes of the Renault Megane. Reports suggest that the i30 has a completely redesigned suspension geometry making it a much better handling car than before. The i30 will get a range of diesel/petrol engines and manual/auto gearboxes. That said, we wonder if a hatchback larger than the i20 currently makes sense in India which means that the i30 might not make it here anytime in the near future.

6. Land Rover Discovery:

Land Rover Discovery

The Tata Motors-owned JLR group will have an important reveal at the Paris Motor Show, the new Discovery. A very popular SUV in European and its home British market, the new Disco will have a seven seat layout. Land Rover has already teased the front fascia on the new Discovery in a shade of orange and if spy pictures are anything to go by, the large SUV will fill the gap between the Evoque and the Range Rover Sport nicely. The new Discovery also means that the whole Land Rover range is now comparatively new paving the way for the new Defender to make its grand re-introduction and debut in a few months. We will be getting the Discovery in India priced upwards of the Rs 80 lakh mark. The Discovery will be an interesting rival to the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLS, Audi Q7, BMW X5, Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Volvo XC90.

7. Lexus UX:

The Lexus UX might not be directly relevant to India as it is a concept car, but with Lexus' entry into the country scheduled for sometime early next year, the compact SUV that the UX spawns will be. The compact luxury SUV segment has already changed the fortunes of the likes of Audi and BMW and we expect a compact SUV from Lexus to greatly boost sales for the Japanese luxury manufacturer. The production version of the car will most probably get a diesel engine in India (considering the popularity of diesels) and a hybrid-petrol powerplant. The compact Lexus SUV will most probably see a production version in international markets in 2018 and could make it to India soon after that depending on how popular the Lexus brand gets in the country.

8. Mercedes-AMG GLC43 / GT C:

Mercedes-AMG GLC43 Coupe

The Mercedes-AMG range will be showcased at full strength at the Paris Auto Show. They will also have two new products on display to the public for the first time. The AMG GT will get a convertible version with two power options (with wider body with more aggressive aero on the more powerful version) which will make it to India by early next year. The other car will be a more powerful version of the GLC coupe SUV. The GLC coupe will get the same 43 AMG spec engine that you get in the C-Class coupe/convertible(that will be launched in India soon) and the SLC that has already been launched in India a few months ago.

9. Nissan Micra:

Next-generation Nissan Micra

The Nissan Micra is long overdue a major update and the Paris Motor Show will see a brand new version of the popular supermini. The new Micra will feature a brand new design language, a completely new interior and new engine options including a small 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol motor. The new Micra is expected to come to India in the near future but the car in the avatar shown at Paris might not be the one we get here. Instead, there is a possibility of India getting a slightly different Micra which could be based on the V Platform instead on which the current Nissan Micra is also based. That said, it could make sense for Nissan to bring the new Micra exactly as is considering the fact that the Hyundai i20 and the Maruti Baleno has been very popular in India despite its higher pricing.

10. Porsche Panamera:

2017 Porsche Panamera

The new Porsche Panamera has been previewed and officially launched but will make its first full public reveal at the Paris Auto Show. The new 4-seater, 4-door Porsche is now faster and more powerful than ever before with a new V8 twin-turbo engine. The new Panamera also gets a turbo diesel engine with the 4E Hybrid making its debut at the show. That said, what we like most about the new car is the updated design that makes it look a lot better than its predecessor. The new Porsche Panamera is slated to come to India early next year and will only be available in the diesel 4S variant and the top-of-the-line petrol turbo V8.

11. Suzuki S-Cross Facelift:

Suzuki S-Cross Facelift

The S-Cross facelift will be showcased at the 2016 Paris Auto Show and as expected, will be an important car for the Indian market. The S-Cross has been selling steadily in India but not at the numbers expected. The new S-Cross facelift might appeal to a larger audience as it looks a lot more aggressive and almost SUV-esque as compared to the S-Cross that we get currently. The new facelift includes a new larger vertically slatted grille, a new set of wheels and some other updates including new headlamps and tail lamps. The new S-Cross also features an updated interior. Combined with the 1.3-litre and 1.6-litre diesel engine, the new S-Cross should help boost sales from the Nexa channels.

12. Volkswagen BUDD-E:

Volkswagen BUDD-e

What is possibly the most important car at the Paris Auto Show, the Volkswagen BUDD-E concept will be a preview for the upcoming mass market VW electric car. The new car looks like an evolution to the Up! and will feature an all-electric driveline to take on the recent boom in electric cars. Of course, the BUDD-E platform will spawn a range of electric cars that will aim to combat the salvo of cars from manufacturers like Tesla. The new VW BUDD-E could also be an ideal candidate for Volkswagen's future autonomous driving program which is due to be implemented in a few years. The car is said to have around 400Km of range with the German brand planning to scale up the electric range in larger cars to almost 600Km.