boje
01-02-2009, 11:09 AM
You have already seen images of the Suzuki Alto that was revealed to the public for the first time in Paris. Based on the A-Star - that's going to be the
arne of the car here in India, the new Alto will slot in between the Wagon R and the Swift. Maruti Suzuki does rather well in the small hatchback game and the A-Star is going to help it build on that strength.
The all-new car is about the same size as the Wagon R. But the big news is the new K-Series engine that already meets Euro V norms and promises to thrill Europeans with sterling C02 emis¬sions values. The I.O-litre engine is to power the A-Star for India as well. So, after almost a dec¬ade we are getting a brand new LO-litre engine from Maruti Suzuki. However, the older Ll-litre engine may also live to see another day in India, and get slotted under the hood of the A-Star.
The A-Star looks cheeky, perky and a bit tall. However, one detail did not strike quite such a cheery chord - Suzuki's A-Star does not have wind down
windows for the rear seat passengers. It makes do with Qualis-like windows that hinge open slightly. In cool Europe this may be sufficient for comfort and ventilation, but if this is the final window set-up in India, the aircon will have to be very good and always on. On the other hand, the boot space is surprisingly good and the A-Star promises to swallow a fairly large amount of luggage, more than either the Zen Estilo or ilO. After the ilO, the A-Star is the second car to be developed by an Indian team and offers significant local components from the word go, destined for export.
397
Inside, the A-Star looks comfortable with the tall-ish cabin allowing more head room and far easier ingress than in the current Indian Alto. The quality levels are good, but won't blow you away. One nice detail is the rev counter which is mounted in its own pod beside the main instrument cluster. If the execution had been shoddy, it would have looked like an afterthought. However, the pod looks properly like a boy-racer add-on and that's cool.
The car is expected to be launched in November. The prices are expected to hover between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 4lakh. Maruti is hoping to offer a car which maintains a premium feel closer to the Swift, at a price that will give cars like the ilO a headache or more. A total of two lakh cars will be built, of which half will be for export. Some 50,000 cars are slated for domestic consumption and the rest will look slightly different and wear the Nissan badge, to be sold as the Pixo.
The Pixo will share the underpinnings and engine, but the front grille will be changed to a more Nissan family styling ethos. Like the Alto, the Pixo will also head to Europe and other markets where it will, effectively, compete with its Suzuki twin and Toyota Aygo.
arne of the car here in India, the new Alto will slot in between the Wagon R and the Swift. Maruti Suzuki does rather well in the small hatchback game and the A-Star is going to help it build on that strength.
The all-new car is about the same size as the Wagon R. But the big news is the new K-Series engine that already meets Euro V norms and promises to thrill Europeans with sterling C02 emis¬sions values. The I.O-litre engine is to power the A-Star for India as well. So, after almost a dec¬ade we are getting a brand new LO-litre engine from Maruti Suzuki. However, the older Ll-litre engine may also live to see another day in India, and get slotted under the hood of the A-Star.
The A-Star looks cheeky, perky and a bit tall. However, one detail did not strike quite such a cheery chord - Suzuki's A-Star does not have wind down
windows for the rear seat passengers. It makes do with Qualis-like windows that hinge open slightly. In cool Europe this may be sufficient for comfort and ventilation, but if this is the final window set-up in India, the aircon will have to be very good and always on. On the other hand, the boot space is surprisingly good and the A-Star promises to swallow a fairly large amount of luggage, more than either the Zen Estilo or ilO. After the ilO, the A-Star is the second car to be developed by an Indian team and offers significant local components from the word go, destined for export.
397
Inside, the A-Star looks comfortable with the tall-ish cabin allowing more head room and far easier ingress than in the current Indian Alto. The quality levels are good, but won't blow you away. One nice detail is the rev counter which is mounted in its own pod beside the main instrument cluster. If the execution had been shoddy, it would have looked like an afterthought. However, the pod looks properly like a boy-racer add-on and that's cool.
The car is expected to be launched in November. The prices are expected to hover between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 4lakh. Maruti is hoping to offer a car which maintains a premium feel closer to the Swift, at a price that will give cars like the ilO a headache or more. A total of two lakh cars will be built, of which half will be for export. Some 50,000 cars are slated for domestic consumption and the rest will look slightly different and wear the Nissan badge, to be sold as the Pixo.
The Pixo will share the underpinnings and engine, but the front grille will be changed to a more Nissan family styling ethos. Like the Alto, the Pixo will also head to Europe and other markets where it will, effectively, compete with its Suzuki twin and Toyota Aygo.