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      India-bound cars spied testing in March

      Nikhil Puthran

      Nikhil Puthran

      Eight new cars were spotted undergoing test back in March in the international market. These cars are expected to make it to the Indian shores sometime soon. While most of the cars in the list come with a BMW badging, we will also see a few new models being rolled out from the Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai and Rolls-Royce stable. Here below is a brief glimpse at the upcoming cars for the Indian market which were spied testing in March.

      India-bound-cars-spotted-testing-in-March

      BMW 1 Series

      Despite being spotted with a heavy camouflage, the vehicle does reveal a few details of the upcoming model. The new model will be underpinned by the new UKL FWD platform and is likely to get AWD capability. The vehicle gets the familiar kidney grille and an angled rear glass and C-pillar for a sporty stance. It will be sold as a five-door hatch and the drivetrain options will be limited to three-cylinder and four-cylinder motors.

      BMW 7-Series

      BMW was spotted testing the autonomous 7-Series last year and we expect the changes to be limited to some mild tweaks for better efficiency and more power output figures. The vehicle is expected to be introduced sometime in 2019.

      BMW 3 Series

      Codenamed the ‘G20’, two units of the new 3 Series had been spotted testing in Munich last month. One of them was in the standard trim and the other in an M-Sport guise. To distinguish the M-Sport from the regular model, it gets more aggressive front bumpers and trapezoidal dual-exhaust ports. Based on the new CLAR architecture, it is also now lighter than its predecessor.

      BMW Z4

      The Z4 is BMW’s first sportscar collaboration with Toyota, which will also produce the next iteration of the Scion FR-S. The Toyota sportscar will come with a hardtop, however, the BMW Z4 roadster, as seen in our spy-shots taken near the Arctic Circle, will sport a soft top. The engines range from 190bhp to 425bhp which is probably the most powerful engine offered in the Z4 M. In addition, there is an optional hybrid engine with up to 204bhp in Power mode.

      BMW X7

      Yet another BMW that was spotted testing last month which is also expected to be introduced in India. The company’s new design language focusses on minimal lines and the new X7 also seems to draw some inspiration from the iPerformance concept. Reports indicate that the X7 will have an M Performance version as well.

      Mercedes Benz A-Class sedan

      It was previewed as a concept back in April 2017 and this time around, the A-Class sedan has been spotted on test. The sedan retains the coupe-like silhouette and will also feature the latest in innovative assistance systems. Expected to be showcased later this year, it is believed that the A-Class sedan is going to be cheaper than the CLA.

      Rolls-Royce Cullinan

      Rolls-Royce was spotted testing the Cullinan once again and this time in the cold weather of Lapland, Finland. The vehicle gets the traditional grille adorning the tall chiselled bonnet, along with the familiar slim rectangular headlamps. It is likely to be powered by a 6.75-litre V12 twin-turbo engine from the Phantom. It is believed that the Cullinan would debut later this year before it probably goes on sale in early 2019.

      Hyundai’s eight-seater SUV

      Back in March Hyundai was spotted cold-weather testing its unnamed full-sized eight-seat SUV in Lapland, Finland. This could be the Santa Fe XL with a longer wheelbase compared to the regular model which was recently revealed. The eight-seater SUV will compete against the likes of the Chevrolet Suburban and Ford Expedition in the US.