Rs 20 lakh plus cars

From hatches to supercars, this is one section every car dreams to be in. Having said that, this is one segment where there is no competition. Every car is unique. Here is what 2012 has to offer you.

MINI

Expected: Mid 2012, Price: Rs 15 lakh – Rs 40 lakh

Few current cars combine retro cool, practicality and exceptional driving dynamics the way the new crop of MINIs do. India will finally see these sweet numbers roll in soon. The official announcement has already been made and the MINI range, including the MINI One, the Cooper, the diesel-powered Cooper D and the Countryman will join retro-modern contemporaries like the VW Beetle and the Fiat 500. The BMW-owned brand may be making a late entry into the Indian market, but is looking to do things differently by considering an assembly set-up in the BMW plant near Chennai. If implemented, this should give the MINIs a price edge over the CBU Fiat 500 and VW Beetle. Expect prices to start at Rs 15 lakh for the base models, and go up t o Rs 40 lakh for the bells and whistles John Cooper Works models.

Mercedes-Benz B-Class

Expected : Late 2012, Price Rs 20 lakh – Rs 24 lakh
This is the first car to sport the three-pointed star logo and a front-wheel drive platform which also means it will be the beginning of a new breed of Mercedes-Benz cars in India that are way more affordable than the lot they sell today. The B-Class is a cross between a hatchback and an MPV, which also means it has a slightly weird body style which could prove the only possible hurdle to its acceptance in India. 
That said, it should come here with the choice of either a 1.8-litre diesel engine or a 1.6-litre petrol mill coupled to an option of a 7-speed dual clutch gearbox. The B-Class prices should start at Rs 18 lakh and that should have the BMW X1 worried!

2012 Volkswagen Beetle

Expected: End 2012, Price: Rs 21 lakh

The Beetle is probably one of the most recognisable cars in automotive history. The original car, designed in the 1930s, holds the record for the longest produced automobile in history. Volkswagen revived this classic back in 1998, with a modern take on the original car, and this model has been available in India for the last couple of years or so. But this year, VW launched a brand new ‘new’ Beetle, which the designers say, is even more similar in design to the historic model, and this one will drive into India in 2012.
Some of the more rounded design elements may have been dropped, but this Beetle looks as gorgeous as ever. As for pricing, the current car costs about 21 lakh rupees, so expect the new one to be in the same range, which means what started out as a ‘people’s car’  will remain as elitist as ever.