The 20th edition of the ICOTY (Indian Car of the Year) jury round is underway. The nominations have been selected by 20 decorated judges representing esteemed publications which also include Kranti Sambhav, Editor at OVERDRIVE and Rohit Paradkar, Assistant Editor at OVERDRIVE. The panel consist of seasoned experts from esteemed publications that will evaluate the nominations on the basis of key factors such as performance, practicality, frugality, and safety to name a few.
The list of premium contenders includes products like the Mercedes EQS Maybach that oozes opulence from every crease and curve of the body, be it interiors or exteriors. And the BYD Seal, the electric sedan looks sleek, stylish and stunning while offering quite the range and performance. Let's take a look at the vehicles and see what they have to offer, winners will be announced in January 2025.
The BYD Seal is quite the handsome looking car that is offered with battery pack options â€" a 61.44 & 82.56 kWh battery pack. The larger battery pack also gets AWD and RWD option while the smaller battery pack gets the RWD option. The smaller battery pack pushes 204 PS and 310 Nm of peak torque, while the larger battery pack generates a good 313 PS and 360 Nm of peak torque.
The BMW i5 M60 draws power from an 81.2kWh battery pack that pushes a total of 601PS and 795Nm of torque. It accelerates from 0 to 100 kmph in 3.8 seconds and has a top speed of 230 kmph. The battery can be charged up from 10 to 80 percent in around 30 minutes using a 205 kW DC fast charger. On the WLTP cycle, the M60 xDrive version has a range of up to 516 km.
Mercedes EQS SUV - Rs 1.41 crore
The Mercedes EQS 580 SUV comes with a large 122 kW lithium-ion battery. The company claims a range of 809 km. It is powered by a dual-motor setup that makes 544PS and 858 Nm. This lets it do 0 to 100 kmph in 4.7s and reach a 210 kmph top speed.
Mercedes EQS Maybach â€" Rs 2.5 crore
The Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 electric SUV has an all-wheel drive system powered by two electric motors. It is capable of producing about 658 PS of peak power and 950 Nm of peak torque. The electric SUV has a top speed of 210kmph and can dash from a standstill to 100kmph in 4.4 seconds.
Mini Coopers S - Rs 44.80 lakh
The Mini Cooper S 3-door is offered with the 2.0-litre, inline four-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine generating 204PS and 300Nm and Mini claims a 0 to 100 kmph sprint of just 6.6 seconds. Globally, the hatchback is also offered with a 1.5 litre 3-cylinder petrol unit as well.
Powering this 530Li is an updated 2.0-litre turbo petrol that makes 258PS and 400 Nm, now with a 48v mild hybrid system. The eight-speed ZF gearbox has also been updated. The company claims a 0-100 kmph dash in just 6.5 seconds.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class - Rs 78.50 lakh
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines with 197PS/320Nm and 200PS/440Nm, respectively. There is also a new 3.0-litre, six-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit that generates 381PS. These engines offer slightly more combined output because of an electric boost. All engines are mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission.
The Kia Carnival houses a 2.2-litre diesel engine that makes 193 PS and 441 Nm of peak torque. The engine is mated to an 8-speed torque-converter automatic. You also get 3 different driving modes - Eco, Normal and Sport.
The company claims a 0-100 in 10.7 seconds.
BMW M5 - Rs. 1.99 crore
The BMW M5 is powered by a  4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 and an 18.6 kWh battery pack that pushes a combined output of 727 PS and 1000 Nm of peak torque. The company claims a 0-100 kmph sprint in just 3.4 seconds and it has a top speed of 255 kmph. It can travel up to a claimed 69 km on only electric power.