2022 has been a year full of growth for the Indian auto industry and we’ve encountered a ton of launches & unveils taking place from several carmakers.
But with the new year ringing in, it’s time to look at what’s packed for us by the various carmakers. The Auto Expo will witness a big number of launches and unveils from the companies participating in it. Although this time around, some brands will showcase their offerings at their own events instead of the Auto Expo.
So, here’s a list of the key launches & unveils planned out for the first month of the year 2023.
Mercedes-AMG E53 Cabriolet
The three-pointed star will begin its new year operations with the launch of the AMG E53 Cabriolet 4Matic+. The two-door, four-seat convertible AMG variant of the E53 sedan comes powered by a mild-hybrid inline six-cylinder turbo-petrol motor. The 3.0-L motor is good for churning out 429bhp and 520Nm of torque and will be brought as a CBU.
Apart from launching the cabriolet, the German luxury carmaker will also announce its product roadmap on January 6, 2023.
BMW New 7 Series & X1
BMW will launch several of its cars at its Joytown Events scheduled to take place in Mumbai & Bengaluru soon. Here, the brand will launch two new-gen models where one will be the 7 Series and, the other, the X1.
The seventh-gen offering is the brand’s most tech-laden flagship luxury sedan & comes with a 31-inch 8k roof-mounted theatre display. BMW’s entry-level SUV is now grown-up and sports significantly upmarket interiors with the brand’s curved touchscreen & instrument cluster display.
The 7 Series will be launched on January 7 at the Mumbai Joytown event. While BMW will launch its best-selling offering – the new-gen X1 at the Bengaluru JoyTown event between January 28-29, 2023.
BMW 3 Series & X7 Facelifts
BMW’s 3 Series Gran Limousine will get a new plug-in hybrid petrol motor along with other petrol and diesel options. The M340i’s mid-life update will likely feature a few styling updates on the new face along with more tech. It is expected to get a new grille, sleeker LED headlights with blue accents, and a redesigned bumper.
On the inside, it will come with BMW’s curved display and a new leather-covered dash. Although, the X7 will come with a revised front fascia and will proudly sport BMW’s latest curved infotainment system. Expected with updated engines, BMW will launch the X7 & the 3 Series on January 7 at the Mumbai event.
Lexus RX
The fifth-gen RX SUV will be introduced in two variants and an updated hybrid powertrain at the Auto Expo. The new RX has a new spindle-body design and a more powerful & efficient hybrid engine with plush new interiors.
MG Hector 2023
The MG Hector is due for its facelift which will mainly focus on cosmetic updates and revisions to the SUV. The Hector’s interior, front grille, and tailgate along with its front and rear bumpers will be tweaked.
The main highlights of this update will be a new 14-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen infotainment and the inclusion of ADAS tech in the car.
MG has announced that the Hector facelift will be officially unveiled in India on January 5, 2023. The facelift is expected to be sold alongside the current model.
Grand Vitara/Hyryder CNG
Maruti-Toyota is all set to introduce the CNG versions of their SUV siblings – the Grand Vitara & Hyryder. The CNG versions will also be launched in January 2022 and will be showcased at the Auto Expo.
Toyota has already started accepting bookings for the Urban Cruiser Hyryder CNG at a token amount of Rs 25,000. The Hyryder CNG will be the first CNG-powered model in the midsize SUV segment.
The CNG kit will be offered with Maruti’s 1.5-litre K15C, 4-cylinder engine that produces 88bhp and 121.5Nm of torque in CNG mode. This powertrain also does duty in the Ertiga and the XL6 CNG as of now.
Maruti Suzuki Jimny 5-Door & Baleno Cross Unveil
Maruti has announced that it will unveil two of its completely new SUVs at the Auto Expo. These will be the 5-door version of the Jimny off-roader and the coupe-SUV based on the Baleno hatchback.
The 5-door Jimny has been spotted testing multiple times and we expect Maruti to showcase it at the Auto Expo. There’s a fair possibility that the automaker could unveil the SUV under the Gypsy nametag in order to grab interest.
A production version of the Futuro E concept SUV showcased by Maruti at the last Auto Expo, code-named the YTB will be the company’s next move for gaining market share of the SUV segment in India.
Mahindra Thar 2WD
The 2WD drive version of the rugged Thar SUV with the 1.5-L turbo-diesel engine is a great move by Mahindra. With the launch of this affordable iteration, the Thar becomes much more accessible to a larger section of the audience.
Tax benefits & the absence of the 4WD mechanism will also help the homegrown automaker price Thar aggressively closer to its rival Maruti, the 5-door Jimny. Since Mahindra is not participating in this time’s Auto Expo, we are expecting it to probably launch the Thar 2WD on the 26th of January.