No this isn’t a Maruti 800 driven over a center median by a drunk driver.
In China a company named Jinan Qingqi Motorcycle Corporation produced the three-wheeled version of the Alto (800 in India) briefly in the 90′s. The ‘Qingqi Alto Trycicle’ was manufactured with a 125cc, 12KW motorbike engine, CarNewsChina says, is “powerful enough to outrun a goat.” The central front wheel could not have grabbed more eyeballs than its 75-80k rupees starting price.
Three-wheeled cars are very popular in rural China and many car companies, despite stability issues at high speeds that pose serious safety concerns, continue to manufacture them. They serve as economical workhorses for traders in the week and double up as a family car on the weekends.
Sadly rural Chinese customers will have look in other places, as Jinan Qingi has moved on from the Qingqi Alto Trycicle to make handsome looking motorcycles.
CarAdvice.com.au has carried an interesting report on Suzuki in the wake of the Auto Expo. It looks like the developed-in-India Ertiga has caught the fancy of Suzuki’s Australian arm. The Ertiga was presented at the Auto Expo on the 6th of January and already officials from Suzuki Australia have been flown down to India to study the possibility of selling what Australians term as the “stretched Swift” in their showrooms.
Andrew Moore, Suzuki Australia’s national marketing manager -
It’s a bit of a different market in India but we are working closely with Maruti to see any potential [products] for Australia. Ertiga is one we are looking at.
The Ertiga is not Suzuki’s first MPV as the products like the APV and Eeco (a refurbished Versa) are available in international markets. As the Ertiga is built on a global platform and features 21st century design, Australia won’t be the only country performing market studies on the Ertiga.
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UK is one country where special edition models are quite popular. Every now and then, we receive updates about some special edition model hitting the market. This time it is that long forgotten Suzuki Grand Vitara that gets a special edition treatment. For 22,135 Pounds you get:
- New design front grille
- New design 18-inch alloy wheels
- Unique contrasting seat fabric
- Silver colored roof rails
- Bonnet side vents
- Turn signal lamps for OVRMs
- A tailgate mounted spare wheel
- Cruise Control and keyless entry
Under the hood, the Grand Vitara SZ-T is powered by 1.9-liter, Fiat-sourced diesel engine that delivers 129 hp and a peak torque of 300 Nm. Make your deposits soon as only 500 units will be made.
Reports of the Suzuki A-Star’s local foray is flowing thick and fast on media channels in Indonesia. The A-Segment hatchback, manufactured in Manesar, is expected to give company to the Estilo Karimun next year. It will be fitted with the same 1L, 3cyl K Series petrol mill. Two variants, ZXi and VXi, supposedly compose the Indonesian range of what the rest of the world knows as “Alto.”
India is the sole manufacturing location for the Suzuki A-Star. It is exported to countries in Asia, Europe and UK.
Being bullish on the future of EVs, Suzuki hit the Tokyo motor show with a number of ‘green’ vehicles. The most interesting of the lot is the Swift EV which was teased before the show. The Swift EV uses the current platform and harnesses power from the combination of an electric motor and an internal combustion engine.
Before engineering the Swift EV, Suzuki Engineers conducted a study which revealed that Swift owners only travel 29 km on a daily basis. Engineers hence designed this range-extended EV to cover that distance on pure electric power.
A smaller gasoline engine kicks into action to recharge the batteries when the power in completely drained out.
According to Suzuki, this type of technology has several benefits such as:
- Smaller battery than a full EV
- Lesser costs
- Less time to fully charge
Suzuki has promised that it will apply the range-extender technology to production models in the future.
At the Tokyo Motor Show this week, Suzuki unveiled the Regina concept. The Regina is 3.5 meters long and 1.6 meters wide, and premieres a global car. It is driven by a 800cc turbo petrol engine partnering with a CVT transmission that delivers above 20kmpl.
Innovation does not stop with just the impressive specifications. Suzuki’s new manufacturing techniques allow it build the Regina’s production version with better cabin space and lesser number of components, while not compromising on build quality.
The exterior design is composed of a green skin that envelopes the car. The passenger cabin volume is enhanced by thin seats and a pushed-in dashboard design.
The A-Star (Alto in Europe) was launched in late 2008 and is due for a mid-life facelift next year. In the next three-four years, Suzuki has to plan for a replacement for this global small car as competitors Hyundai, Peugeot and Toyota are said to be developing successor models of their rivals. The Regina’s dimensions and character hints at the next generation A-Star, but we’ll have to wait and see if that transition does take place.
The final nail in the coffin has been hammered and the divorce is about to get mighty ugly. After putting a end to the relationship, Suzuki wanted VW to sell its 19.9% stake.
However, VW refused to acknowledge Suzuki’s request. As a result, Suzuki has filed for international arbitration in London with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC’s) International Court of Arbitration.
The partnership turned bitter because VW did not give Suzuki access to the hybrid technology which it promised to share when forming the alliance. At the same time, VW accused Suzuki of violating the agreement by procuring diesel engines from Fiat. After the debacle, Suzuki believes it is urgent to terminate its business tie-up with VW, feeling a delay may adversely affect its cooperation with other companies.
Suzuki has also started distancing itself from VW when it comes to hybrid technologies. It is reported that Suzuki is sorting help from Mitsubishi to power their hybrid cars.
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A few might know that the A-Star sold in India is actually the the latest generation in most international markets, known as Celerio in the Middle East and Nissan Pixo in UK.
However, because the Alto (F8) was doing unbelievably well in the Indian market, Maruti Suzuki chose to sell both cars side-by-side in different segments.
However, in the JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) a raised version of the A-Star is sold as an Alto. Recently, Suzuki launched a frugal version called as the Alto Eco which delivers a mind boggling 32Km/l.
The reason for this astonishing fuel economy is a new 660 cc, R06A, three-cylinder engine with 52-horses at 6,000 rpm and a peak torque of 63Nm at 4,000 rpm coupled with a Start Stop system. The engine is mated to a CVT gearbox which powers the front wheels.
The 2012 Alto Eco will be offered in Japan in two trim levels, “S” and “L” with pricing set at around 6 lakhs a pop.
Back home, Maruti Suzuki has no plans to enter sub 800 cc segment. The company is readying a brand new M800 to fight the stiff competition from Hyundai’s EON and Tata’s Nano expected to launch in 2012.
