- Eight new cars, seven German and one Korean, were spotted testing in March
- Most of them, especially the BMWs, underwent cold weather testing
- Concepts in near production-ready form and due for launch soon
Back in March, we revealed eight new cars which were spotted undergoing test and are likely to be launched in India soon. While most of the cars in the list come with a BMW badging, we will also see a few new models being rolled out from the Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai and Rolls-Royce stable. Here below is a brief glimpse at the upcoming cars for the Indian market which were spied testing in March.
BMW 3 Series
Codenamed the ‘G20’, two units of the new 3 Series had been spotted testing in Munich last month. One of them was in the standard trim and the other in an M-Sport guise. To distinguish the M-Sport from the regular model, it gets more aggressive front bumpers and trapezoidal dual-exhaust ports. Based on the new CLAR architecture, it is also now lighter than its predecessor.
BMW 1 Series
Despite being spotted with a heavy camouflage, the vehicle does reveal a few a details on the upcoming model. The new model will be underpinned by the new UKL FWD platform and is likely to get AWD capability. The vehicle gets the familiar kidney grille and an angled rear glass and C-pillar, for the sporty stance. It will be sold as a five-door hatch and the drivetrain options are limited to three-cylinder and four-cylinder motors.
BMW 7-Series
BMW was spotted testing the autonomous 7-Series last year and we expect the changes to be limited to mild tweaks for better efficiency and more power output figures. The vehicle is expected to be introduced sometime in 2019.
BMW Z4
The Z4 is BMW’s first sportscar collaboration with Toyota, which will also produce the next iteration of the Scion FR-S. The Toyota sportscar will come with a hardtop, however, the BMW Z4 roadster, as seen in our spy-shots taken near the Arctic Circle, will sport a soft top. The engines range from 190bhp to 425bhp which is probably the most powerful engine offered in the Z4 M. In addition, there is an optional hybrid engine with up to 204bhp in Power mode.
BMW X7
Yet another BMW that was spotted testing last month which is also expected to be introduced in India. The company’s new design language focusses on minimal lines and the new X7 also seems to draw some inspiration from the iPerformance concept. Reports indicate that the X7 will have an M Performance version as well.
Mercedes Benz A-Class sedan
It was previewed as a concept back in April 2017 and this time around the A-Class sedan has been spotted on test. The sedan retains the coupe-like silhouette and will also feature the latest in innovative assistance systems. Expected to be showcased later this year, it is believed that the A-Class sedan is going to be cheaper than the CLA.
Hyundai’s eight-seater SUV
Back in March Hyundai was spotted cold-weather testing its unnamed full-sized eight-seat SUV in Lapland, Finland weather conditions. This could be the Santa Fe XL with a longer wheelbase compared to the regular model which was recently revealed. The eight-seater SUV will compete against the likes of the Chevrolet Suburban and Ford Expedition in the US.
Rolls-Royce Cullinan
Rolls-Royce was spotted cold-weather testing the Cullinan once again and this time in the cold weather of Lapland, Finland. The vehicle gets the traditional grille adorning the tall chiselled bonnet, along with the familiar slim rectangular headlamps. It is likely to be powered by a 6.75-litre V12 twin-turbo engine from the Phantom. It is believed that the Cullinan would debut later this year before it probably goes on sale in early 2019.
