Maruti Suzuki is working on the production version of the Future-S concept from Auto Expo 2018. This model is said to be the next-gen Maruti Alto. IAB's automotive illustrator Shoeb Kalania has created a rendering using all the details available to show this future model will look like.
Buoyed by the success of the Renault Kwid, Maruti Suzuki has decided to give the next-gen an SUV-like design. The redesigned model will have an upright stance, a high-set bonnet, muscular wheel arches and a high ground clearance for an aggressive posture. It will offer a commanding higher seating. Expect it to look boxier and be roomier.
The all-new Maruti Alto will likely be based on the Heartect platform. It will have a body rigid enough to pass through the crash tests under BNVSAP. Also, it will feature high-speed warning alert, driver and co-driver SBR, driver airbag and rear parking sensors as standard which will certainly raise its safety quotient. An interior spy shot has shown that the car will have its instrument panel positioned above the centre console, something that may split opinions.
Currently, the Maruti Alto comes in two iterations, one powered by the F8D 0.8-litre engine and the other by the K10B 1.0-litre engine, both carrying an individual design. In the next generation, there may be only a single design for both the engine models. The F8D engine was upgraded to conform to BS-VI emission norms just last month, and the K10B engine should get the same upgrade in the coming months. These engines should continue through the lifecycle makeover. 5-speed manual and 5-speed automated manual should remain the transmission choices, with the latter being available with only the bigger engine.
Also read: Maruti Suzuki Ignis touches 1 lakh sales milestone
The 2020 Maruti Alto is said to go on sale in the fourth quarter of this year.
