As we know that Maruti Suzuki is developing a small entry level hatchback that will replace the Alto F8D and the legendary Maruti 800. The car (Codenamed YE3) is expected in early December so testing should have begun by now.

As one can see that the detailed spy shots reveal an almost production-ready hatchback that is slightly bigger than the 800 and the Alto. The new hatchback is based on the old 800 platform and will use Alto’s 800 cc engine. But it gets a completely new design which, to be  honest, feels like it is inspired by a lot of cars that are on sale in India.

The headlamps and the front bumper seem to be inspired from the Ford Figo. The huge hexagonal grill is reminiscent of the A- Star. The grill has a small horizontal chrome slat with a Suzuki logo embedded in it. The hood features an extremely sharp crease sweeping to the A-Pillar.

The side profile is a mash up of Figo and A-Star. The rear window kink reminds us of the Swift. A very sharp crease starts at the headlamp and goes right to the tail lamp. The wheel caps are very Figo-ish. The roofline is slightly taller than the current Alto which should translate to a better headroom.

The rear almost seems like it was designed by Hyundai designers. The overall shape resembles of the i10 but with i20 inspired tail lamps at both ends. The rear image also reveals that this is an LXI variant (essentially a base variant with less frills).

So essentially the 800 successor seems to be very much inspired by the Figo, i10, Swift, A-Star and i20. While that is a nice pedigree to have, is the summation synergistic is the question?

So do you like what you see?

[Source: oncars.in]

There are dark clouds forming over the future of petrol cars in India

This will have adverse effects on the pocket of the common man. This rise will also drastically affect the auto makers who are fuming and shocked at the same time.

Most of the major players are already having a tough time clearing their gasoline variant inventory and this hike is like adding fuel to the fire.

Just a day after the death sentence announcement from the government auto companies like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, General Motors and Tata Motors have announced discounts of up to Rs. 50,000 on petrol models for a limited period.

The Maruti Alto, once the highest selling car in India, is being offered with a discount of Rs.30,000 (approximately 10% its price). Other petrol models from Maruti are being retailed with discounts of Rs.15,000 to Rs.25,000.

Tata is offering Indica and Indigo with discounts ranging between Rs. 10,000 to Rs.50,000.  India’s cheapest car, the Tata Nano, is being offered with Rs.10,000 in discounts. Hyundai too is providing Rs.3,000 as discount on its petrol engined cars. Petrol cars may not be profitable if these discounts continue.

We don’t know what Honda is going to do now. Having nothing but gasoline motors to power their cars, they would be facing the worst situation of the lot as customers would like to stay away from petrol engine cars even if their running is not much. Honda’s working on a compact diesel engine for its mini car range, but that is not expected to land before 2013.

Looking at the changing conditions, India could soon become a diesel-only nation. Even without the rupee depreciating, the price of petrol has constantly risen over the last two years.

[Source: IBNlive]

In fact, it has clocked so many orders that it has run into a typical Maruti problem of ‘increased waiting period’. While the company has clocked 32,000 orders, its factory can only roll out 6,000 units in a particular month.

There are various success factors working in favor of the Ertiga. But the biggest one by far is the value that it offers for the price it asks. Sure, the Ertiga affects everything right from existing MPVs like the Xylo and Innova to the upcoming ones like Nissan Evalia, Chevrolet’s Njoy and Mahindra’s mini Xylo. Even some expensive hatchback like the Jazz and i20 might bear the brunt of the cheap price tag of the Ertiga.

But the Ertiga hurts Toyota India the most of all manufacturers for two reasons:

• Although the Ertiga is technically not a direct rival of the Innova because the Innova is a much bigger MPV, it is pretty obvious that some prospective Innova customers may have been lured to the Ertiga because of its price tag. The Ertiga has the same wheelbase as the Innova and the two offer very similar levels of room. Maruti is clearly outselling the Innova for the next 6 months.
• The Ertiga might have had a much bigger impact on Toyota India’s fortunes. Many of us are intrigued by the concept of mini MPV which the Ertiga has presented in India for the first time. But Toyota already had the Avanza which is exactly like the Ertiga in every possible way. The Avanza is a very successful mini MPV in South-East Asian market but Toyota India was always hesitant to bring this product to India because it was not designed for India.

If Toyota India would have managed to bring the Avanza before the Ertiga, who knows, may be Toyota India would be sitting on 32,000 orders by now. But one should not count out the difficulty in explaining the differences between the two MPVs to the customers.

Cannibalization is always a possibility when you have two people movers that don’t have the versatile features like design, power, handling or sportiness sedans and hatchbacks enjoy in varying amounts. When was the last time you heard of a sporty MPV or a stylish MPV? Differentiating the Innova and Avanza could have been tricky but if Toyota had pulled it off, the story could have been interesting. Its not too late, this is a marathon race and the finish line is not in sight. Toyota can use the Etios platform, but has the Ertiga’s brilliance in its brief life triggered the company into action?

A lot of people may think that with the Ertiga sitting on 32,000 units, its game over of most other MPV. But the way I see it, the games have just begun!

[Source: profit.ndtv.com]

But the cloud has been turning dark over the Alto with sales gradually dropping and it reached an all-time low in April 2012 with drastic decrease in sales by around 11% and is MoM% was at -49.4% (March-12 to April-12).

What killed the Alto?

• IAB noted recently that new Swift’s achievement as the best selling car in India. Swift’s feat overthrown the Alto from its numero uno position.
• Diesel cars are mostly preferred by customers over gasoline; Note that Alto does not have a diesel mill in its lineup.
• Hyundai’s Eon is gaining upon Alto’s sales gradually. It sold 8,541 units in April 2012 and is expected to climb up in the charts.
• The Alto’s sales will dip even further with Fiat and Nissan ready to enter the A segment.

New model by Diwali?

Now MSIL is said to be having plans to launch a new model on the Alto’s platform and might share its 800cc petrol engine. This was revealed by senior executives of Suzuki Motor Corp at a parts supplier meeting. They also said that the K10 model will live on while the basic models with the 800cc engine are going to be retired.

Maruti also banks on the Diwali period in which most manufacturers bring their line-up with special offers to increase their sales and it works everytime with so many people are set to make purchases during the auspicious time. A supplier also said that even though the new model shares same platform with the Alto, it could be a completely new car.

The Alto K10 (1,000cc model) will not be discontinued as it was launched only about two years ago

We expect to see some spyshots or scoops in the following months. MSIL could begin testing this model in a few months, since it will be out by Diwali. Note that this model is not the Cervo that has apparently started doing the rounds in the media after a brief hiatus. The car coming in Diwali is designed by Indian engineers and does not have any relationship with the Cervo.

Will the new model will repeat the success story of the Alto? Wait till about November 13 to find out!

[Source - Online.WSJ.com]

The car may even go by the name Swift Sport. Suzuki sells a sporty version using the same name in Europe and many other parts of the world. As India is concerned about fuel economy and has largely ignored petrol engines, the Swift Sport is incompatible to the changing market conditions.

However Maruti Suzuki did display a modified version of the Swift at this year’s Auto Expo (pictured). Going by that show car and the internationally available Swift Sport, we expect the new variant to get features like rear spoilers, scoops, wide wheels and of course performance enhancements. But major questions remain about its engine and price.

Which engine will the sporty Swift use?

We’re ask two questions as a reply – Will it be the same K12 modified heavily to produce higher outputs or could it be the K14 from the Ertiga without any severe changes?

K12B vs K14

K12B Specifications (on the Swift)

• Capacity – 1197cc
• Maximum Power – 87 PS @ 6,000 rpm
• Maximum Torque – 114 Nm @ 4,000 rpm

K14 Specifications (on the Ertiga)

• Capacity – 1373cc
• Maximum Power – 95 ps @ 6,000 rpm
• Maximum Torque – 130 Nm @ 4,000 rpm

The Swift already being the highest selling car in India would be a delight for customers who love performance. 80% of the Swift customers are driving away diesel variants and a sporty Swift that gels well with the Swift’s personality, could help Maruti improve sales of its petrol variants.

But when we can expect the Swift Sport to enter the market entirely depends on the work Maruti puts in on the powertrain front. If they are going to present the car with the 1.4 liter engine from the Ertiga, the transplant is a bit more complicated than say retuning the current 1.2 to produce more power.

What are your thoughts on a Maruti Swift Sport?

IAB has already informed readers that the India-made Ertiga will be exported to Indonesia in May.

Suzuki expects to sell 50,000 units of vehicles within a year of which the Ertiga will contribute about 30%.

It seems their expectations might fulfill much before the original forecast. The Ertiga received close to 8,500 orders even before the official launch on May 7th, said Dimelza Sharindradini, Public Relations 4W PT Indomobil Suzuki Sales (SIS) to Okezone.

The Ertiga was launched in Indonesia in three variants.

• Ertiga GA at IDR 143.000.000 (8.27 lakhs)
• Eritga GL at IDR 153.000.000 (8.85 lakhs)
• Ertiga GX at IDR 165.000.000 (9.55 lakhs)

All the above three variants are powered by new K14B (DOHC-VVT) engine that produces 70kW/6,000rpm and 130Nm/4000rpm. This is a Front-Wheel Drive model and is a body built on a stretched Swift platform.

Ertiga’s Competitors – Can they win the contest?

Toyota Avanza, Daihatsu Xenia and Nissan’s Grand Livina are the Ertiga’s competitors in Indonesia. The Ertiga brought in a tough contest between them. The reasons are:

1. Ertiga has a wheelbase of 2,740 mm or longer than the Xenia (2655 mm) and Grand Livina (2600 mm).
2. Ertiga has 185 mm ground clearance, together with the Grand Livina.
3. Ertiga is front-wheel driven while the Avanza and Grand Livina Xenia are rear-wheel-driven.
4. FWD along with the K Series engine’s tuning offers better fuel economy and middle row seats are not affected by Transmission tunnel
5. Ertiga costs lower than the entry level models of Toyota Avanza and Grand Livina.

Deliveries to the first 5,000 customers have begun. It is also rumoured that if there is any price change that follows this development, it won’t affect first 5,000 Indonesian customers.

[Source - Okezone.com]

But all good things come to an end. The Alto has been dethroned from its podium by sister Swift for the month of April.

Let’s just say Maruti Suzuki isn’t complaining.

The Alto sold 17,842 units in the month of April as compared to Swift which clocked 19,484 units for the same month. The Swift has definitely benefited from the increased production at the Manesar plant. The waiting period has been brought down from 6-8 months to a mere 2-4 months.

But this is not about the Swift. It is actually about the Alto. While Maruti need not press the panic button soon because it is just a month’s sales figure, there are certain points of worry.

• First among which is the rapid dieselification of the market. Most manufacturers are running a petrol to diesel ratio of 20:80 in their sales figures. Alto, on the other hand, does not have a diesel engine in its arsenal. This fact is not alarming important because none of its competitors like the Nano, Eon and Spark have it either. But Tata Motors is developing an 800 cc diesel engine for the Nano which could wreck havoc on the Alto’s future sales figures.
• Second is age. The Alto is old, in fact very old. Apart from the introduction of the Alto K10 (a slightly more powerful version of the Alto), nothing much has changed from the date of launch.
• The most alarming fact is competition. Alto ruled the roads because there was hardly any competition in the same segment. Now the situation is different and the little Alto is definitely feeling the heat. It is only going to get more difficult from here. With Fiat and Nissan all set to enter the small car market, Alto‘s figures could further take a hit.

What are your thoughts on the Swift’s temporary dominance in the Indian auto market?

[Source: hindustantimes.com]

As you can see from the spy-shots the A-Star facelift will get a new front with smaller head-lights, a new grill, and a new bumper. At the back the changes seem to be minimal with just a new tail light assembly.

The Suzuki Alto is being sold as the A-Star in India. During the month of March 2012 the A-Star sold just 706 units. The Chevrolet Beat and Hyundai i10 outsold the A-Star comprehensively by clocking 5,621 and 10,157 units respectively. Despite receiving new beige interior and a 60:40 split seats a few months ago, the A-Star continues to see a drop in its sales.

With the likes of Hyundai i10 and Chevrolet Beat stealing the limelight from the B1 segment in recent months, it would be good to see the diesel variant of the A-Star in the Indian market, but that may not happen until the next generation A-Star is released in 2013-14. Perhaps Suzuki can improve the efficiency of the K10 engine by adding variable valve timing as they did to the K12 engine present in the new Swift. The Indian market will have to wait a bit longer for a diesel A-Star.

[Source - Auto.Sohu.com]

The website does not divulge details on the car’s mechanical package but shows a mildly revised interior and exterior.

Launched in 2008, the Splash was jointly developed by Opel and Suzuki. It is based on the outgoing Swift’s platform and shares its powertrains with the Swift.

In Europe, Opel rebadges the car and sells in under the ‘Agila’ nameplate. The car was christened Ritz as Ford had acquired the rights to that name in India. The Ritz is the second best selling car in its segment, right behind the Swift.

Maruti Ritz facelift exterior

The Ritz/Splash facelift  new front grille and pulled-back fog light enclosures. The grille’s circumference is not broken by the horizontal slab that houses the registration plate. It is tucked inside the continuous structure.

The rear bumper has been modified sporting fake air vents and a splitter like attachment. These enhancements are purely visual and don’t have a bearing on the car’s performance or aerodynamics.

Maruti Ritz facelift interior

The interiors are pretty much the same as the outgoing model. Eagle-eyed Suzuki enthusiasts will tell you that a glossy black finish has been applied on the border of the center console which is dull grey on the presently selling vehicle.

We’re unable to spot the independently mounted tachometer that nests on the dashboard, right behind the steering wheel, on the current model.

Maruti Ritz facelift – Under the hood

Suzuki has also introduced an Automatic Transmission on the new Splash/Ritz which could be the 4-speed unit serving on variants of the Swift platform. In India, the 4-speed AT is provided on the Swift Dzire. The mechanical package could be more refined and responsive if VVT (Variable Valve Timing) technology, recently installed on the Swift, Dzire and Ertiga, makes it to the Ritz which current makes do with fixed valve timing. The Ritz is expected to continue using the same 1.2L K Series petrol engine and 1.3-liter, Fiat-sourced diesel.

One of Maruti’s top officials recently told IndianAutosBlog.com that product upgradation strategy is present across its portfolio but did not comment on the possible launch time frame of the revitalized Ritz. Maruti has been seen testing the facelifted Ritz with heavy camouflage in north India and a spy shot completely exposing the car was also uploaded by a Facebook user during the car’s development stage.

[Source - Suzuki.co.jp]

The Ertiga is only available with a 1.4-liter petrol engine. Suzuki is targeting 50,000 units sales volume annually in the Indonesian market dominated by the likes of the Toyota Avanza, Daihatsu Xenia and Nissan’s Grand Livina.

The Ertiga is being exported from India where it was launched last month sandwiched between the Dzire and SX4. The Ertiga was previewed using the R3 concept two years ago at the Delhi Auto Expo. Maruti has received a brisk response to the Ertiga with over 10k bookings registered within a few days of launch.

The MPV models control almost 50% of the Indonesian car market and is growing steadily in the rate of 15%-20% per year. As the Ertiga is an extended Swift, the hatch’s credentials like the fun to drive factor, good fuel economy and easy to maintain nature, tag along with the Ertiga. Suzuki controls about 10% of the Indonesian market and with the Ertiga’s launch, that figure is expected to rise to 15% notes SoloPos.com.

Maruti Suzuki Ertiga Mumbai launch

Can’t see the slideshow above? Head over to the Flickr Page for direct viewing.

[Source - SoloPos.com]