Skoda India has officially launched the Automatic range of their best selling Rapid mid size Sedan. Launched earlier this year, the BS6 Rapid TSI was available with only a 6 speed manual transmission till now.

The Skoda Rapid BS6 is available with a 1.0L TSI 3 cyl turbo petrol engine only producing 110PS Power and 175NM Torque. The manufacturer has introduced a new 6 speed torque converter automatic transmission which is the same as on the Polo and Vento TSI.

This Automatic gearbox is available on all except the entry level Rider variant of the Rapid TSI:

• Rider plus

• Ambition

• Onyx

• Style

• Monte Carlo

Other than the transmission

• Projector headlamps with LED DRLs

• Auto folding ORVMs

• 16” Alloy wheels

• Automatic climate control

• Auto headlamps & wipers

• Cruise control

• 7” Touchscreen system

• Android auto & Apple carplay

• Reverse camera

• 6 way adjustable driver seat with lumbar support

• Leather upholstery

• Auto dimming IRVM

• Front and Rear centre armrests

• Smart Power windows with anti pinch

• Remote central locking

• Rear defogger

• Front and rear fog lamps

Safety:

       Safety features on the Rapid TSI includes:

• ABS with EBD

• Dual airbags

• Side airbags (on Style variant only)

• Perimetric alarm system

• Pretensioner seatbelts

Launch & price:

        The new Automatic range of the Skoda Rapid TSI is priced from Rs9.49L to Rs13.29L (Ex-showroom prices); at a premium of around ?1.5L over the manual variants. The new Rapid TSI competes against the likes of the VW Vento TSI, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Hyundai Verna, the new Honda City and the Toyota Yaris. 

Sanitization and social distancing has become a mandatory process in the automotive industry, thanks to the on-going Covid 19 pandemic. All the cars are to be sanitized before delivery to the customer and the dealership must ensure that no other person gets access to the inside of the car other than the allotted customer. However, Tata Motors have gone a step further in this regard and started delivering its cars and SUVs in a unique plastic bubble known as Safety Bubble which is claimed to shield the car from bacteria and viruses even further.

This Safety Bubble procedure has been introduced under the “Sanitised by Tata Motors” initiative which was launched in August 2020 and also involves deep cleaning and sanitization of the vehicle along with measures to reduce direct physical contact. Tata motors will soon be introducing this Safety bubble at all it's dealerships to ensure uniform sanitization standards.

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Ford India is developing a significantly updated version of the Ecosport compact SUV. Prior to that, Ford India has silently updated the pricing of the existing version for 2021. Surprisingly, prices have been reduced as against to the hike announced by every other manufacturer. Along with that, Ford India has also updated the variant line-up and features on the Ecosport 2021.

Feature updates:

The 2021 Ford Ecosport offers electric Sunroof , EBA, TCS, HLA, ESP from the Titanium Variant itself. However, despite the additional feature, the Titanium Variant is only Rs.1000 pricier than before. The Titanium+ Variant is expected to get new

Variant updates:

The 2021 Ford EcoSport variant range starts from Rs.7.99L. Some variants have been axed from the previous line-up though. The Titanium Variant is no longer available with an Automatic gearbox and the Titanium+ doesn't get a manual transmission option. The Thunder special edition has also been discontinued.

As of now, the 2021 Ford Ecosport is available in the following variants:

Petrol MT

Ambiente     Rs.7.99L

Trend            Rs.8.64L

Titanium       Rs.9.79L

Sports            Rs.10.99L

Petrol AT

Titanium+     Rs.11.19L

Diesel MT

Ambiente      Rs.8.69L

Trend             Rs.9.14L

Titanium        Rs.9.99L

Sports            Rs.11.49L

 The EcoSport Ambiente MT petrol is now cheaper by Rs.20,000 and costs Rs 7.99L. The Trend MT petrol is now 35,000 cheaper at Rs.8.64L. The Titanium MT is available at Rs 9.79L, with only Rs.1000 increase in price. The Sports petrol MT is now priced at Rs.10.99L; Rs.24,000 cheaper than before. The Titanium+ Automatic though is Rs.39,000 cheaper than before and is available for Rs.11.19L.

In the Diesel range, the Trend variant is cheaper by Rs.35,000 and the Sports variant is more affordable by Rs.24,000. The Ambiente and Titanium trims remain the same in terms of pricing though.

Engines:

Just like before, the Ford Ecosport is available with a 1.5l, Dragon series 3-cyl Ti-VCT petrol engine producing 122PS of power, and 149NM of torque through either a 5 speed manual or a 6 Speed Torque converter automatic with paddle shifters. The 1.5L, TDCi 4 cyl turbo diesel produces 100PS of Max Power and 215NM of Max torque through only a 5 speed manual gearbox. 

These price reductions and feature updates have made the Ford Ecosport better value for money than before. Adding Sunroof on the mid level trim will also increase the appeal to the sunroof-loving Indian buyers. With the numbers of rivals increasing with the newly launched Nissan Magnite and the upcoming Renault Kiger, this is a timely update by Ford India.

Stay tuned for further updates.