1. Tata Altroz Racer
The first car on the list is Tata Altroz Racer which is expected to be launched in June 2024. The company has been releasing a few teasers each revealing design details and features. The Altroz Racer was first showcased at the 2023 Delhi Auto Expo and later at this year’s Bharat Mobility Expo. The Altroz racer is essentially a much sportier version of the regular variant and will feature a powerful engine, cosmetic tweaks, updated interior with new features and more.
The Racer will get a new orange paint scheme with a contrasting black roof and dual white stripes running the length of the bonnet and roof. It gets black treatment for the roof, wing mirrors, window line and the A, B and C pillars including the integrated spoiler. It will also feature a shark-fin antenna and ‘Racer’ badging. Other expected design highlights will include re-designed front and rear bumpers with air intakes and, refreshed front and radiator grille.
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The Altroz gets a more powerful engine compared to the regular Altroz. The racer is powered by a 1.2-litre, 3-cyl, turbo petrol engine which puts out 120 bhp of power and 170 Nm of torque. The engine comes paired with a 6-speed manual transmission. It is also expected that Tata might offer the Altroz with the Dual-clutch DCA automatic gearbox.
2. Maruti Suzuki Dzire
Maruti Suzuki recently launched the much anticipated Swift hatch in the Indian market. And now, the company is gearing up to launch the Dzire sedan based on the Swift. The car was spotted testing a few days ago for the very first time. And now, the company has been caught testing again and the spied images reveal it sporting a segment-first electric sunroof. The sedan was spotted testing in high altitudes of Himachal Pradesh.
The new Maruti Dzire will be based on the fourth-generation Swift hatchback and will feature a similar front-end design with the same dashboard layout and will get the same 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder NA petrol engine.
As per the spied images, the upright silhouette of the new Dzire looks similar to the existing model and the front end too looks similar to the next-gen Swift which was revealed a few months ago. The front-end design will be in line with the new Swift but it might get a different grille and front re-designed bumper. On the sides, it is expected to get minor tweaks with sharp cuts and creases, it will also get newly designed 15-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels. Moving rear, it’s expected to get a re-designed tailgate with LED lighting and a tweaked rear bumper.
3. Maruti Suzuki Swift CNG
The next car on the list is the Maruti Suzuki Swift CNG expected to be launched in the coming days. The Swift CNG will look identical to the petrol Swift and will feature the same 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder, NA petrol engine. It could have a fuel efficiency of more than 27 km/kg. For reference, the petrol Swift has claimed fuel efficiency of 24.8 kmpl for the MT variants and 25.75 kmpl for AMT. The new engine puts out 82 hp of power and 112 nm of torque in petrol mode, in CNG mode it will have lesser output.
The CNG Swift is expected to be offered in three trims – VXi, VXi (O) and ZXI with prices starting from Rs 7.8 lakh (ex-showroom). In terms of features, the CNG variant is expected to get a free-standing 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, connected car tech, 40 plus connected car features, wireless charger, semi-digital cluster with 4.2-inch MID, steering-mounted controls, automatic climate controls, push-button start, rear parking camera with sensors and much more.
4. Mahindra Thar 5-door
Fourth on the list is Mahindra Thar 5-door. Mahindra is expected to bring in the Thar 5-door sometime before August, but there is no official confirmation. The company has been testing the SUV rigorously across the country covered in camouflage. The 5-door version of the SUV will likely be offered with a hard-top only, unlike the 3-door iteration which is also offered with a convertible soft-top option.
In terms of features, the 5-door Thar is expected to get all-LED headlights with tail lamps, a bigger 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, digital instrument cluster, automatic climate control, push-button start, wireless charging and much more. Talking about the powertrain, the upcoming Mahindra Thar 5-door will likely also be offered with the same 2.2-litre diesel (128 hp) and 2.0-litre turbo-petrol (150 hp) engine options, with both automatic and manual transmissions. What’s more, the 5-door version of the SUV will also likely get the optional 4×2 configuration along with 4×4.
5. Citroen Basalt
Fifth car in the list is Citroen Basalt which will be launched in second half of 2024. Formerly known as the C3X, the SUV will directly go against the upcoming Tata Curvv. Citroen says that the name ‘Basalt’ is inspired by volcanic rock, embodying robustness and timeless serenity. The Basalt will be produced in India and will also be exported to South American markets.
In terms of design, the front facia of the Basalt looks very similar to the existing C3 and C3 Aircross. It features a different finish for the grille inserts and you also get the same chrome-lined Chevron logo at the top and a two-part grille and a faux silver skid plate. The design of the LED DRLs and the bonnet remains the same but one step up here is that the Basalt features a projector setup for the headlamps instead of the halogen units seen on other C-Cubed models.
Talking about the powertrain, the Basalt could get the same 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder turbocharged Petrol engine with 110 hp and 190 Nm torque. Gearbox options will include a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter automatic.