7 cars and bikes launching in India in July 2017: From Benelli 302R to Jeep Compass

The first half of 2017 is over with some spectacular cars and two-wheelers entering to various vehicles segments and making a huge impact. The new Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Volkswagen Tiguan, Volvo S60 Poletar, Maruti Suzuki Ignis and Isuzu MU-X are some of the notable newcomers in the past six months.

June witnessed the arrival of Mercedes-Benz E 220d, updated Nissan Micra and the new BMW 5 Series. And now, July is also as exciting as the previous months as seven cars and bikes are lined up to enter the market.

We have compiled all the details of the upcoming cars and bikes in July in India.

DSK Benelli 302R

DSK Benelli, the Indian subsidiary of Italian motorcycle maker Benelli, has started accepting bookings for 302R. The fully-faired sibling of TNT 300 will also become most affordable fully-faired motorcycle from Benelli's stable. The launch of the model is expected in mid-July.

DSK Benelli 302R will use the same powertrain that currently does duty in TNT 300. The mill is an in-line two-cylinder DOHC unit that develops 36 bhp at 12,000 rpm and 27 Nm at 9,000 rpm. The engine is mated to a six-speed transmission and the bike reportedly has a top speed of over 170 kmph. The 302R is expected to carry a price tag of around Rs 3.25 lakh – Rs 3.50 lakh ex-showroom.

TVS Apache RR 310S (Akula 310)

TVS Motor Company's sports bike based on the Akula 310 concept displayed at Auto Expo 2016 is expected to enter the market by July end. The production version of the bike has been rumoured to get a new name, Apache RR 310S.

The heart of Apache RR 310S will be the same 310cc engine of BMW G 310 R mated to a six-speed gearbox. The engine will churn out 34 hp of power and 28 Nm of torque. As for its pricing, industry insiders speculate the price to be around the Rs 1.5 lakh.

New Triumph Tiger Explorer

The multiple reports say that British motorcycle maker Triumph will launch the new Tiger Explorer range before August. The new range consists of two main variants -- XR and XC. The XC models are designed for adventure off-road riding, while the XR series is best for long distance highway touring.

The XR range consists of XR, XRx and XRt sub-variants, while the XC range comes in three variants -- XC, XCx and XCa. Out of these six variants, it remains to be seen which all will come to India. The 1,215 cc inline three-cylinder engine of the new Tiger Explorer develops 137 bhp at 9,300 rpm and 123 Nm of torque at 6,200 rpm mated to a six-speed transmission.

Skoda Octavia facelift

Czech carmaker Skoda will launch the face-lifted Octavia sedan in July. Reports say the launch date is on 10^th, while the company is yet to announce the exact date. Major nip and tuck in the new Octavia are focused on its face. The best-selling sedan of the company now comes with a split headlight. The new headlight optionally comes with full LED technology. While the side profile remains untouched, the tail lamps get new inlays inside the cluster and it complements the changes up front.

Under the hood, Octavia is expected to continue the same. In India, Octavia is currently offered with a 1.4 TSI petrol, a 1.8 TSI petrol and a 2.0 TDI diesel engines. Another interesting rumour is that the prices of the new Octavia may go down, thanks to the GST rates. The current model has been priced from Rs 19.28 lakh to Rs 23.35 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi.

Mercedes-Benz GLA facelift

Mercedes-Benz India will launch GLA facelift on July 5. The new GLA has received several styling tweaks including new bumpers, front grille and different alloy wheels making the vehicle look more crisp in design and athletic in appearance. While the rear largely remained unchanged, alloy wheels get dark coloured inlay.

The coolest addition inside the cabin is the new 8-inch infotainment system that supports Navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. India-spec will be powered by the same 2.2-litre diesel motor which produces a maximum output of 182 bhp and a torque of 300 Nm. The 2.0-litre petrol mill will belt out 135 bhp and 300 Nm of torque. Both mills will be mated to a seven-speed dual clutch transmission.

Mercedes-AMG GLC 43

Mercedes-Benz India will follow up GLA facelift launch with AMG GLC 43 launch by the end of July. Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 will be positioned between the standard GLC and 63 AMG, and is likely to be priced at Rs 90 lakh. Mercedes-Benz's current GLC line-up in India includes the GLC 300 petrol and the GLC 220d diesel.

Under the hood, AMG GLC 43 will get 3.0-litre bi-turbo V6 engine, which will churn out 357 bhp and 521 Nm of torque. The performance-oriented version of the GLC will be offered in an all-wheel drive system and can accelerate from 0-100 kmph in 4.9 seconds.

2017 Jeep Compass

Although the company has not revealed the launch date of Compass, multiple reports claim that the 'Made in India' Jeep SUV will enter the market in July. The company has already started accepting bookings for a token amount of Rs 50,000.

Expected to be priced at around Rs 15 lakh to Rs 25 lakh, the new Compass will be offered in two engine options -- a 2.0-litre MultiJet diesel and a 1.4-litre MultiAir turbo petrol. The diesel mill will develop 170 hp and 350 Nm of torque mated to a six-speed manual transmission. On the other hand, the petrol mill will belt out 160 hp. A six-speed manual and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic will be offered with the petrol mill.