NN Auto Preview From Ford EcoSport Facelift to Volkswagen Passat major auto launches slated for October

The major automakers in India are cashing in on the festival season this October by rolling out its top models in the sedan and SUV segment to lure the auto crazy buyers ahead of Diwali. The month which started with a big bang with major four-wheel launches like the Maruti S Cross looks to promise more with trendier hot wheels hitting the roads from the best car makers. So let us have a look at the major auto launches slated for the month of October.

The Celerio will get a major facelift with new crossover-like styling. Christened the Celerio X, the car will mark Maruti Suzuki’s foray into the cross-hatchback segment. The expected launch date for the Celerio Cross is October 4, 2017. The Maruti Suzuki Celerio has been one of the best-selling models for India’s largest car maker since its launch a few years ago. The Celerio was the first car from the Maruti stable that received the AMT or as the company likes to call it AGS (Auto Gear Shift) and also briefly had the 2-cylinder diesel engine.

The Ford EcoSport first made its entry into the Indian auto markets in 2013 and turned around the landscape of the SUV segment in India as an affordable SUV. However, the current EcoSport has established itself as a top-selling model in its class and has managed to hold its own amid the new competition in the popular subcompact SUV. With the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza's strong dominance, Ford is looking to regain its position in the segment and will be introducing the comprehensively updated EcoSport during the festive season this year. The globally updated model was unveiled in the US late last year and gets cosmetic upgrades including a larger front grille, revised headlamps and reworked bumper.

Audi is on a launching spree this year with the German luxury car rolling out ten models in 2017. Audi shall be coming out with flagship A5 in the month of October. Unlike its earlier models that were only offered as the performance S5 Sportback and RS5, the new-gen model will offer three styles to choose from in a bid to appeal to a wider set of buyers and expand its presence in the segment. Interestingly, India will get the Cabriolet version for the first time. Internationally, petrol engines offered with the A5 range from an entry-level 190hp, 2.0-litre to a more potent 252hp, 2.0-litre unit. The diesel model is available with a 190hp, 2.0-litre unit or the larger 3.0-litre, six-cylinder diesel in two outputs – 218hp and 272hp. Although not confirmed, for India, the 252hp petrol seems to be the frontrunner and the 190hp diesel could be under consideration.

After announcing the commencement of production of its new Passat sedan at its Aurangabad facility, luxury car maker Volkswagen shall be launching its premier Sedan Passant in India on October 10, 2017. The eighth-generation Passat’s coming to India will mark the model’s relaunch after the previous-gen was discontinued in 2014. The new Volkswagen Passat is powered with a 177hp, 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine paired with a six-speed DSG automatic gearbox. The upcoming Passat is based on the Volkswagen Group's versatile MQB platform that also underpins a variety of models such as the VW Tiguan, the Skoda Octavia, Kodiaq and Superb. It is likely to be priced around Rs 30 lakh.