Bored of your old car or bike and looking for something new? Look no further; BT gives you the complete run-down of some exciting new wheels, which will (or are expected to) touch Indian roads shortly, and immediately get bogged down in city traffic. Oh, and you better hope that interest rates don't catch fire anytime soon, not if you want to buy one of these.

Ford Fusion
An unkind critic called it a ford fiesta on stilts, but the Fusion is the first of a totally new class of vehicles to hit the Indian market. Despite its ungainly headlights, the Fusion drives well and offers razor-sharp handling. Ford describes it as an 'Urban Activity Vehicle'. What that means, even Ford's marketing department has no clue, but the vehicle is still great fun to drive.
SPECS: 1.6 litre with 99 horsepower Duratec engine. 14-inch alloy wheels, ABS and in-dash CD player (on Fusion +).
PRICE: Rs 6.2-6.95 lakh
DATE: On sale now

Mercedes Benz 350 SLK
The old SLK was driven by people who would fit Arnold Schwarznegger's description of 'girlie' men, accurately. The new slk, on the other hand, looks chunkier and beefier, and is something the 'Governator' could well like. Yes, it still has that oh-so-cool mechanised retracting roof.
SPECS: 3.5 litre 24 valve V6 engine with 270 horsepower. Six-speed gearbox, 0-100 in 5.6 seconds. 17-inch alloy wheels, electric-hydraulic 'vario' roof. And, most importantly, the three-pointed star on the bonnet.
PRICE: Rs 42-45 lakh
DATE: On order

Skoda Superb
The superb is essentially a re-skinned Volkswagen Passat with a Czech badge. It is big, but not as expensive as the rest of the German competition (Mercedes or BMW), but when you are spending that kind of money, you might as well go for the badge.
SPECS: Choice of three Petrol (115, 150, 193 horsepower) and two Diesel (100, 130 horsepower) engines. Heated front and rear seats, xenon headlamps, front and side airbags and 16-inch alloy wheels.
PRICE: Expected at Rs 22-25 lakh
DATE: First half of 2005

Hyundai Santa Fe
The terracan might well be one of the best offerings among high-end SUVs, but it is a bit too big for many people. Oh, and it is also rather expensive. Enter the slightly smaller, but no less adept, Santa Fe. Preceded by grade-A consumer reports, the Santa Fe might just re-ignite the Hyundai India flame, which seems to have slightly dulled of late.
SPECS: Not available yet.
PRICE: Around Rs 14-15 lakh
DATE: Second half of 2005

Honda CR-V
One of the most popular SUVs launched in India, the Honda vehicle did not quite set the streets on fire. For starters, it was an automatic. That has now been corrected in the new version that comes with a new 2.4-litre engine to boot.
SPECS: 2.4 litre vtec engine with 158 horsepower, new five-speed manual or automatic transmission, real-time four-wheel drive, abs and EBD standard along with front airbags.
PRICE: Around Rs 14.57 lakh
DATE: On sale now

Suzuki Swift
The Hyundai Getz tried to make a market for the 'super-mini' car, but has found the going tough. The new Suzuki Swift is also taking a chance at this market, but with its radical and very non-Suzuki shape, can this car do well? We will have to wait and watch.
SPECS: 1.3 litre engine with about 80 horsepower, a Diesel option should also be available.
PRICE: Around Rs 4 lakh
DATE: Second half of 2005

Kinetic Comet
The Indian bike consumer wants something that will run many a mile on a drop of petrol, performance be damned. Kinetic thinks that there are some motorheads out there who want a bit more, and that's why it first launched the Aquila Cruiser and has now come out with the Comet Sportsbike. Wonder when Japanese companies will get the hint?
SPECS: 250cc V-Twin with 27 horsepower, 300mm front and 210mm rear disc brakes, monoshock rear suspension. Top speed-140kmph.
PRICE: Rs 1.7-2 lakh
DATE: Orders open in 12 cities now