Various foreign luxury car manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW are selling their cars in India. The companies are also planning to introduce new models this year, while some of their models that are already on sale in India will be updated. So let’s see what are the updated and new models that will be released in India this year.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class:
Mercedes is all set to offer a generational update to the E-Class model that is already on sale in India. The updated model will be 15mm taller, 20mm wider and 17mm longer than the current E-Class model. This model is sold in India only as a long wheel base. Hence, the updated model will also be sold in India only with a long wheel base. In the current model, Mercedes is offering three engine options namely 4-cylinder 2.0-litre turbo petrol, 4-cylinder 2.0-litre diesel and 6-cylinder 3.0-litre diesel. All three engines are likely to be used in the updated model as well.
BMW 5 Series:
The company is planning to launch the updated model of the 5 Series model, the fuel version of the BMW i5 electric car, in India this festive season. While the i5 electric car is being sold in India as a regular wheelbase model, the upcoming eighth generation 5 Series model will be launched in India only as a long wheelbase model.
Audi Q6 e-tron:
Audi has developed a new platform called PPE to build its future electric cars. Audi will launch the first car built on that platform, the Q6 e-tron, in India later this year. The electric SUV will be sold in India only as a two-wheel drive with an 83kWh battery pack. This electric SUV model is expected to be launched in India at a price between Rs 70 lakh and Rs 80 lakh.
Audi Q8 Facelift:
The updated facelift model of the Audi Q8 was launched in the international market in September last year. After months of waiting, Audi is now about to launch the model in India. We can expect this in the coming months in India. Along with minor design changes, the Q8 facelift also gets some new features. Audi is going to sell this fully imported model in India without any mechanical changes.
Mercedes Maybach EQS SUV:
Mercedes is going to sell this fully electric SUV Maybach EQS model in ‘680’ form in India. This model uses a 108.4kWh battery and two electric motors. Together, the two electric motors are capable of producing a combined power of 658hp and 950Nm of torque. Also, this electric SUV has a range of 600 km. It is expected that this model will reach the speed of 100 kmph in just 4.4 seconds and will be launched in India at a price of Rs 4 crore.
Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe:
Mercedes is going to introduce the GLC coupe model with a raked roofline to replace the GLC SUV. However, the same engine used in the SUV is going to be used in this coupe model as well. The GLC SUV was powered by 2.0-litre turbo petrol and 2.0-litre diesel engines. Apart from this, Mercedes is also planning to release an AMG version based on the performance of the same model.
Mercedes-Benz GLB Facelift:
The GLB facelift is one of the 12 launches planned by Mercedes this year. The GLB facelift will come with some design changes and an updated infotainment system. The same 4Matic all-wheel drive petrol and diesel engines used in the current model will also be used in the updated facelift. The GLB facelift is expected to be priced between Rs 65 lakh and Rs 70 lakh.
Mini Countryman:
Mini launched the third generation Countryman model in the international market in September last year. After that, this model will be released in India. The model is being sold overseas with three different petrol engines and an electric version. It remains to be seen which of these variants Mini plans to launch in India.
Mini Cooper Electric:
Mini introduced this model along with the aforementioned Countryman model. Unlike the previous generation Cooper SE model, the Mini Cooper Electric is built on a platform that the company has developed exclusively for electric vehicles. Expect the launch of the Cooper Electric in India in the third quarter of this year. The Cooper Electric is sold overseas in two variants, the Cooper E with a range of 305 km and the Cooper SE with a range of 402 km. Whether Mini will launch these two variants in India remains to be seen.
