Hyundai India could make a re-entry into the D-segment sedan space, a space that it has left vacant ever since the previous generation Elantra sedan went out of production a few years ago. This time around, the Elantra sedan is a much more refined and better looking car than ever before, so much so that its namesake in the United States, the Avante sedan, has gone on to be a top selling sedan, besting the likes of the Toyota Corolla and the Honda Civic. So, Hyundai has clearly raised the bar with the latest Elantra/Avante sedan and this very car could be launched in India by Diwali 2012.
The 2012 Elantra features the Fluidic design philosophy that all new Hyundai cars come with. The new design has ensured that the Elantra is a looker, a far cry from the odd ball looks that the previous generation Elantras were bestowed with. Apart from the new design, the car is an all new model, based on a completely new platform. The interiors see a dramatic lift up in quality while the engine range is also new. The 2012 Elantra is packed to the gills with features, making it one of the most loaded cars in the D-segment space across the world. Safety too is accorded top priority with the Elantra getting 6 airbags, ABS, ESP and other safety bits.
Elantra Fluidic Dashboard
For the Indian market, a 1.8 Liter petrol engine and a 1.8 Liter turbodiesel engine is said to power the Elantra. Currently, Hyundai India only has two diesel engines in its portfolio, the 1.4 Liter and 1.6 Liter units powering the Fluidic i20 and the Verna respectively. So, the addition of the 1.8 Liter turbo diesel engine to the Elantra Fluidic will be the third diesel engine in the brand’s portfolio. Currently, the Elantra/Avante sedan sold in international markets comes only with a petrol engine option. So, India will be the first market in the world to get a diesel engine variant of the Elantra.
2012 Hyundai Elantra Fluidic Side Profile
However, there is also the possibility of Hyundai offering the 1.6 Liter turbo diesel engine currently used in the Verna Fluidic, on the Indian Elantra, in a more powerful state of tune. Coming to petrol power, the 1.8 Liter, four cylinder petrol engine produces 148 Bhp of peak power and 177 Nm of peak torque. This engine is lighter than the 2 Liter unit in replaces and Hyundai claims that it is also 20% more fuel efficient. The engine is available with a 6 speed manual and a 6 speed automatic transmission. These transmissions could also make it to the diesel engine as well.
2012 Hyundai Elantra Fluidic Rear
Courtesy: BSMotoring
No comments:
Post a Comment