@AutoExpo2016 – The Motor Show by SIAM, CII and at India Expo Mart A Curtain Raiser

SUVs and crossover cars, will be displayed at the Auto Expo 2016, to be held from February 5-9, at the India Expo Mart, Greater Noida, Delhi NCR. Some deserve a special mention:

Maruti Suzuki YBA: Maruti Suzuki is expected to showcase its compact SUV, codenamed YBA. Also called
XA Alpha/Vitara Brezza, this sub-4-metre SUV will compete with Ford EcoSport, Mahindra TUV300 and soon-to-be-launched Tata Osprey.

Tata Nexon/Osprey: The picture here is of the Nexon concept showcased at the 2014 Auto Expo. Tata has now readied this compact SUV and there are high chances of it being displayed at the 2016 Auto Expo. It’s likely to be called Tata Osprey.

Honda BR-V: Short for Bold Runabout Vehicle, the Honda BR-V is unlike most cars you have seen in India. In fact, Honda calls the BR-V a ‘crossover utility vehicle’. It can seat seven passengers and will compete with crossovers, MPVs and SUVs, even sedans.

SsangYong Tivoli: The Tivoli is the first new model from SsangYong under Mahindra ownership. A direct Hyundai Creta rival, the Tivoli is based on SsangYong’s new design language. It could get both diesel and petrol engines.

Datsun Go-Cross: Nissan’s budget brand Datsun, which earlier revealed the Go-Cross concept at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show, is set to showcase this affordable crossover car. When ready, it just might be the cheapest crossover in the country. Also on display will be the RediGo.

Jaguar F-Pace: In the acronym JLR, ‘J’ stands for Jaguar (makes only cars) and ‘LR’ stands for Land Rover (makes only SUVs). While Land Rover hasn’t made any cars, Jaguar has developed an SUV, called the F-Pace. It should be displayed at the JLR stall.

The Auto Expo 2016 will be bigger than ever, with most four-wheeler players participating. And even though a few leading two-wheeler companies like Bajaj, Royal Enfield and Harley-Davidson will be absent, we’ll see several new two-wheeler players at the event, including UM Motorcycles, DSK Benelli and Dhasan Moto. Here’s a list of five new bikes to watch out for at the Expo.

Benelli Tornado 302

Benelli, which already sells the TNT 300 in India, could bring the fully-faired version of the bike at the Expo. Expected to be priced over R3 lakh, this 300cc motorcycle will rival products KTM RC 390, Kawasaki Ninja 300 and Yamaha R3. Powering it is the same two-cylinder, 300cc engine that powers its naked sibling. This engine develops a power of 38bhp.

UM Renegade cruiser range

UM Motorcycles, a US-based player, is planning to launch three cruisers under its popular Renegade range. Known for offering affordable cruisers and entry-level sportbikes, UM Motorcycles had signed a strategic joint venture with Lohia Auto last year. Under the agreement, a new company named UML was formed with a 50:50 partnership. The three cruisers the company is planning to launch are Renegade Commando, Renegade Classic and Renegade Sport—all of which are likely to be manufactured locally at Lohia Auto’s plant in Kashipur, Uttarakhand.

TVS-BMW G310R

TVS-BMW’s first product, the G310R, is expected to make its India debut at the Expo. The production-ready version of the 300cc motorcycle was revealed in November last year, and the same could be showcased at the Expo. The naked sportbike has been developed in Munich by BMW Motorrad with the help of TVS Motor Company, and it will be developed in-house at the TVS plant in Hosur, near Bangalore. The G310R features an all-new 313cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine.

Hero HX250R

Unveiled as a concept at the Auto Expo 2014, the production-ready version of the HX250R could be revealed at the upcoming Expo. Powering this quarter-litre, fully-faired sportbike is a 249cc, single-cylinder engine that, coupled with a 6-speed gearbox, develops 31bhp of power. Hero has developed this bike with the help of Erik Buell Racing (EBR), which it had acquired last year. If the company’s claims are to be believed, this bike will be able to touch the 100kph mark in less than 8 seconds with a maximum speed of 160kph.

TVS Apache 200

In August 2015, TVS Motor Company had announced it will launch two new products by the end of this fiscal. Although TVS hasn’t reveal the names, these are likely to be the Apache 200 and the new Victor. While the Victor will be a commuter bike, the Apache 200 will enter the fast growing 200cc segment. The Apache 200 is expected to take its design inspiration from the TVS Draken concept that made its debut at the Auto Expo 2014. Power will come from a 200cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine, which could be a bored out version of the Apache RTR’s 180cc unit.