Indian Car Blog - Carazoo.com

Maruti Alto is currently the largest selling car in India and its creator, Maruti Suzuki has plans to strip down the car’s cost. Do you believe this? Around 20,000 Altos are sold every month by this car major. This sales figure makes it very clear that a car like Alto is what Indians would like to bring in to their car porch. The buying preference of Indian customers is very clear and the news of one of the cheapest hatchback cars going to be revamped brings even more delight on everybody’s face.

The revamping of the Maruti Alto has been done with two objectives in mind. Our dear old Maruti 800 just made its way out of 13 cities and the new Alto is believed to be replacing the iconic car. Maruti 800, Maruti Suzuki’s flagship model and the most selling car in India just got phased out because of the BS IV norms. Secondly, the Alto would come in to beat the rising competition in the Indian automobile market. How successful is it going to be? We see most of the car manufacturers already on a launch spree and Maruti wants to hold the top position in the small car segment.

The all-new Alto is believed to carry an attractive price tag of Rs. 2 lakh. Wondering about the engine configuration? The revamped hatchback would be packed with a powerful 1-litre K-Series engine. Maruti Suzuki has always catered to the needs of Indian customers. It has always designed its cars keeping the Indian crowd in mind. The same idea echoes very well in their latest thoughtful move.

RC Bhargava, Maruti Suzuki chairman said that it is their constant concern and effort to lower down the prices of their automobiles. The new Maruti Alto may not be as cheap as the M800, but the car maker is certainly trying to bring the price close to the range of the Maruti 800. Must say, this indeed is a very thoughtful move by Maruti Suzuki.

It looks like, apart from the power-packed new engine, the decrease in the car’s price is the next major change. There are not going to be any major changes in the looks of the car. The company wants to retain the appearance of its largest selling car. What if a majority of buyers who have bought the car had actually for its looks? The top officials were heard saying that they would like to hang on to the design of their much successful model.

As we all know by now, Maruti has also given another popular hatchback, the Maruti WagonR a facelift and has invested Rs. 290 crore in the same. This model will be launched in no time.

With all these cosmetic surgeries and novelty in design in its cars, Maruti Suzuki is undoubtedly aiming to capture and hold its position in the Indian automobile market. We Indians, of course, continue to remain a hatchback loving nation.

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Well, some of the Maruti Suzuki dealers based in New Delhi have revealed that the company has started despatching the new Alto, which complies with the new BS-IV emission norms.

The new Alto has not been subjected to any major changes. It features the same 796cc MPFI petrol engine 3-cylinder, 4 valves per with 32bit ECM, which powered the BS III compliant Alto. There have been a few minor tweaks in the interiors. The seats, now, have integrated headrests. The BS IV compliant Alto comes in trims, LX, LXI and STD, and is available in metallic and non-metallic versions.

But another upgrade that was expected from Maruti Suzuki is, actually, missing. Yes, we are talking about the price of the Alto. Maruti Suzuki has gone one step ahead to beat the competition. The new BS IV complaint Alto will maintain its former price tag across the country.

Maruti Suzuki has a good line up of cars to be launched, including the Wagon R. The company is trying its best to touch the one crore cumulative production figure by March 2011. Maruti Suzuki started its operations in 1983 and since then it has maintained an excellent sales report. Maruti Suzuki achieved the incredible 10 lakh production milestone this year and has sold a total of 88.1 lakh units in the past two decades.

“We are well on our way to producing over a crore cars by the end of this financial year,” said I.V. Rao, managing executive officer (engineering), Maruti Suzuki India Limited, said. Separately, Mayank Pareek, Maruti Suzuki’s executive officer, marketing and sales, told, "The industry is on the verge of attaining the critical mass, which is required for the jump to the next level. Looking at the demographics, we will far exceed the 3million sales figure projected for 2015. My bet is that industry sales could be as high as 4.55-4.6 million units.

“At that level, market share loses meaning. Our aim is to be in a dominant leadership position." Pareek added: “We will predominantly remain a small car market despite all the theories of market graduating from small to big cars. At the end of the day, the Indian consumer will always look for value for money."

Maruti Suzuki recently phased out its iconic model Maruti 800, due to the new emission norms. Despite that the company is in high spirits and is expecting to reach the annual sales target of 4.5-4.6 million cars much before the projected 2015.

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If February held its head high because of the record sales figures it brought for the car manufacturers, March is not sulking either. Union Budget 2010 brought the partial rollback in excise duty reduction on cars, and then there was the price hike from few of the car manufacturers, but March kept its dignity and showed good sales numbers.

Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata Motors, Honda Siel, General Motors and Ford Motors represent more than 90 per cent of all vehicle sales in India, and if we take their combined domestic passenger vehicle sales into consideration, the numbers have gone up by 19.3 per cent in March, to 1,95,805 units, compared to 1,64,104 units during the same month last year.

February got lucky because consumers were expecting a partial roll back in the budget and pre-poned their decisions of purchasing a car. As a result, the February sales catapulted by 34 per cent, hitting 1,94,548 units as compared to 1,45,166 units in February 2009.

The last financial year started on a rather sluggish note but showed signs of recovery once the economic pace quickened. Consequently, passenger vehicle sales of these carmakers in 2009-10 shot up by 26.7 per cent, to 2,429,419 units, against 1,918,146 units in 2008-09.

Sandeep Singh, deputy managing director (sales), Toyota Kirloskar Motors, said: “The increase in sales for March can be attributed to the rise in prices that would come into effect from April 1 because of increase in input costs, the implementation of Euro-IV (emission norms) and the increase in local road tax and local sales tax.”

While most of the companies are still deciding on the increase in the car prices, Toyota and Maruti have already announced the precise amount. Toyota has increased the prices of Corolla, Innova and Fortuner models by Rs 5,000 to Rs 14,000 and Maruti Suzuki has increased the prices, ranging from Rs 1000 to Rs 7000, on A-star, Ritz, Estilo, Omni, Swift, DZire and SX4 models. Additionally, the price of Maruti Eeco has shot up by Rs 10,000 because the introductory price has been withdrawn.

Despite all these, industry experts believe that the overall growth would continue in 2010-11, but at a relatively lower rate. “The buoyancy in Tier-II and -III towns would help the industry to grow by 15 per cent in 2010-11, despite fears of increase in interest rates and high inflation,” Ankush Arora, vice president (sales and marketing), GM India, said. GM alone would register growth of 50 per cent over 2009-10, he said.

Riding on the successful launch of Eeco, the Ritz, the new Grand Vitara, Estilo and SX4, domestic sales for Maruti went up 7.7 per cent in March, at 79,530 units as compared to 73,855 units in March last year. Not only that, Maruti Suzuki became the only Indian carmaker to achieve a milestone of a million units being sold in a year.
Export figures also improved for Maruti. Against 70,023 units in 2008-09, Maruti sold 147,575 units during 2009-10.

Hyundai’s sales jumped by 27.3 per cent last month, to 31,501 units when compared to the 24,754 units sold in March 2009. This has been the highest domestic sales for Hyundai.

Thanks to Indigo Manza and Sumo Grande MKII, Tata Motors registered an increase of 17.4 per cent, at 27,761 units compared to the 23,649 units sold in March 2009.

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It has been 28 glorious years since the launch of our much-beloved small wonder, Maruti Suzuki 800. In the earlier years of 1980’s, purchasing a car was difficult and Maruti 800 came as a blessing in disguise and made it possible for thousands of Indians to realize their dreams of owning a car.

About two decades ago when the compact car was launched, as the product of a joint venture between Suzuki and the Indian government, it took to everyone’s fancy and gained itself a place in their hearts. Not only that, it also replaced the bulky Ambassador and gave the Indians a much compact, efficient and cheap automobile option.

Now, as the new emission norms have set foot across India, Maruti 800 has been withdrawn from 13 major Indian cities. So, if you are one of those people who revere the small 800 (and happen to live in one of the 13 cities where the BS IV norms have been implemented), you may trash your plans of owning a new Maruti 800. But don’t lose your hopes yet. You can still be a part of the revolution that was created by the Maruti 800 by purchasing the first Maruti 800 that was sold.

Harpal Singh and Gulshanbeer Kaur, proud owners of the country's first Maruti 800, are hatching plans to put their vehicle for sale. Singh bought his Maruti 800 on 14th December 1983, which is also celebrated as the ‘My Car Day’, and received the keys to his car from the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi herself. At that time, they bought it for Rs 47,500.

"I am the proud owner of the first Maruti 800. It disappoints me that the company has decided to shelve it. If they do, procuring spare parts for the car will become difficult and its maintenance cost will go up." Harpal Singh said.

However, wife Gulshanbeer Kaur has something different to contribute, "I am not sure how much we will get if we sell it. If we get a good price then we may think of selling the car".

After purchasing the Maruti 800, Singh drove down to Meerut with his family and the journey took them an extra hour. But that was not because the car was sluggish; it was just that interested onlookers would surround them, whenever they stopped, and want to know more about the car. And that is just one incident to indicate the way Maruti 800 revolutionised the Indian roads.

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Maruti Suzuki is phasing out its iconic model Maruti 800 in thirteen Indian cities, due to the new emission norms but that has not dampened the moods in the Maruti camp. The company could not have asked for better results from its latest launches including the A-Star, Ritz and the Eeco.

Now the latest news from Maruti Suzuki India is that it is planning to launch factory-fitted CNG vehicles in the next fiscal year. As CNG driven cars gain popularity in India, Maruti Suzuki is quick to take the lead and direct its focus towards manufacturing CNG cars.

Maruti has been in talks with Reliance India Limited (RIL) and the Gas Authority India Limited (GAIL) on the availability of natural gas and the possibilities of more fuel stations. And not just one or two cars, Maruti wants to have a BS-IV compliant CNG model in every segment it operates. Maruti is quick to add that though the CNG models will be costlier than their petrol or diesel counterparts, the running costs would be considerably lower.

"Our R&D people are working on developing a CNG vehicle which will have factory fitted kits. We are going ahead with the development but lot will depend on availability of the fuel across the country," Maruti Suzuki Chairman R C Bhargava said.

The company’s Manesar plant has started receiving natural gas from the Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL). As per the agreement between Maruti Suzuki and GAIL, GAIL will provide 0.33 MMSCMD of R-LNG at the rate of $5.8 per mmBtu for a period of 10 years.

GAIL’s new Chainsa-Jhajjar-Hissar pipeline swallowed a mighty investment of Rs 450 crore and Maruti Suzuki has become its very first customer.

Now, this deal with GAIL will bring down Maruti Suzuki’s production costs by about 0.4 per cent per vehicle, since the cost of power generation by gas is much lesser when compared to that of diesel. And Maruti will be passing on this cost cut to the consumers. No wonder Maruti is always on the top of the favourite list of Indians.

"No, it will not happen. Earlier we were producing at higher cost by absorbing the higher production cost of power generation by diesel. The gas supplied by GAIL will be mainly be used for paint shop and power plant," Bhargava said. The captive power generation at Maruti Suzuki India's Manesar plant is 68.5 megawatt.

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Everyone is on a spree. And we are talking about a particular spree that is not making anyone happier by any degree. Car manufacturers are, however, an exception to this. Anyway, the spree that we are talking about is the latest trend of increasing car prices for various reasons. New car buyers are getting the price hike blow almost every day.

First it was our very own Maruti Suzuki, which announced about the increased car prices even before the Union Budget 2010 was announced. Hyundai followed close on Maruti Suzuki’s heels and announced a price hike on its cars. The Union Budget did not do much to pacify the customers, but instead, it increased the excise duties on cars and fuel prices, not to mention the increased excise on steel prices.

While we were still recuperating from all these, Hyundai has brought another blow on the young and aspiring new car owners of India. Yes, deal with it. Hyundai has announced that it is raising the prices (once again!) of all its models in the first week of April, a company official said. Talk about repetition. Hyundai is the second largest car maker in India, after Maruti Suzuki.

"Hyundai will increase the prices in the first week of April," Hyundai Motor regional sales manager Kumar Priyesh said. Guess what could be the reason about this latest price hike. The company officials are saying it is because of the shift from BS III to BS IV standards is the main reason for the price hike.

It is interesting to note that Hyundai has tried to contain the price hike within Rs 4500 – 5000, saying that the entire hike would not be passed on to the customers.

Meanwhile, Hyundai is also planning to bring an 800 cc small car in India, which is likely to be launched in the second half of 2011. The happy and surprising news about this car is that it is going to be priced close to the cheapest model from Maruti, the Maruti 800.

Hyundai is also planning to launch its Santa FE in the SUV segment by October, this year. The Santa FE SUV would be priced around Rs 20 lakh.

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Suzuki Motor Corporation has raised its stake in Maruti Suzuki to 55 per cent, fuelling speculations about its intention for the Indian subsidiary and future plans of taking total control of India’s largest carmaker.

Recently, Suzuki raised its stakes in Maruti Suzuki by 8 per cent through secondary market purchase, and plans to increase it further. Now, Indian investment laws allow companies to make creeping acquisitions of up to 5% a year and any increase beyond 55% will require Suzuki to make an open offer for another 20%.

Being at the top of car sales in India has put Maruti Suzuki in a highly esteemed position in Suzuki’s global operations. Maruti Suzuki already contributes nearly 80% of Suzuki’s total profits, and when we look at the volumes too, it has outsmarted Suzuki’s numbers.

Auto analysts view the increase in stakes as a part of a bigger game plan, especially after the VW-Suzuki deal where Volkswagen picked up a 20% stake in Suzuki. It is likely that Suzuki would want to gain total control over Maruti.

After Suzuki, which currently holds 55% of the stakes, FIIs and LIC are the biggest stakeholders in Maruti, owning 22.21% and 11.22%, respectively. The current market value of Maruti stands at around $10 billion and Suzuki will have to pay about $5 billion, if it were to delist the company altogether.

“There’s no reason why Suzuki would want (it) ... unless it has a ... larger game-plan lined up,” one former Maruti official said. “Suzuki gets nothing by upping its stake unless it has a longer term strategy of which this is a part,” added the analyst.

Despite global auto manufacturers invading the Indian car market, Maruti has managed to be on the top of the Indian car sales figure.

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After Bajaj Auto and Renault, it is Ashok Leyland for the Japanese car manufacturer, Nissan. Nissan is in talks with Hinduja Group’s flagship company Ashok Leyland for developing an ultra-low cost small car for the international market. Nissan has zeroed in at a price tag not exceeding USD 5000.

Nissan has already announced its plans to develop a low cost car with Bajaj Auto and Renault. However, the project is yet to come up with a solution for developing such a cheap car.

China would be the top market for the small car, where the segment is growing in a big way with about 2 million units. India along with countries like Indonesia, Vietnam, Brazil, Colombia and some Latin American nations will be the other possible market options.

In India, the car would be competing with Tata Nano at the lower end and Maruti Suzuki Swift at the higher end.

India already has a number of small cars from some very established car manufacturers including Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Chevrolet. And this year is going to witness plenty of small car launches from newcomers in the small car segment in India including Honda, Ford and Volkswagen. And not to forget, Nissan is launching its Micra this year.

Nissan has a formal agreement with Ashok Leyland for making light commercial vehicles in India and apart from that Nissan also uses Ashok Leyland’s engineering services for various purposes. So it should not come as a surprise if Nissan partners with Ashok Leyland for its low cost global car.

The two firms had formed multiple numbers of Joint Ventures for manufacturing LCV’s (Light Commercial Vehicles), powertrains and developing technology, and setting up a manufacturing plant near Chennai. There has been some delay in setting up the manufacturing unit due to problems in land acquisition and so the partners have started producing LCVs from their respective facilities and plan to launch them by 2011.

All this and some more small cars! Bring it on, says India.

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Guess what? Maruti Suzuki might be riding a high wave with their production output surpassing the parent company itself but that does not stop India’s largest car manufacturing company to stop at it.

Maruti Suzuki has been ruling the roost in the compact segment and it is a known fact that 2 out of every 3 cars sold in India is a Maruti Suzuki. Maruti Suzuki wants to further consolidate their position in the Indian car market and how?

Maruti plans to launch another compact car Cervo in the Indian market by the end of 2010. Though Cervo was seen a replacement for the already successful Maruti cars like Alto and Wagon R, Maruti Suzuki plans to launch the Cervo that will co-exist with the popular other models.

This compact car is a five door car which features a 54 bhp, 1-litre and has a sleek and stylish body and going by Maruti’s pricing standards, they might just price it right. If the rumors are to be believed, Cervo might be priced between 2-3 Lakh. There is not even an ounce of doubt that once Cervo is launched in India with this price tag, it will become the fastest and the most selling model for Maruti Suzuki.

If we have to summarise the Cervo, it looks much similar to the Honda Jazz but with an economical price tag. The fit and finish of the car is praise worthy and has enchanting looks. The interiors of the car resembles a Swift or the SX4 and has loads of space, be it the head room, leg room or the boot space. We hear that the car comes equipped with front semi-bucket seats, 4-speed auto gearbox, a K6A DOHC engine with VVT and bluetooth capability. The car which has already been launched in the Japanese market is quite a hit.

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The 2010 Auto Expo has drawn the curtains on. It attracted nearly two million visitors during its seven days of display. From big machines to concepts to alternative fuel technology vehicles, the auto fair had something for everyone. The 2010 Delhi Auto Expo gave the world the message that the Indian automobile industry is fast on a full recovery mode.

The visit of Shah Rukh Khan to the Hyundai stall to unveil the i10 electric car and stopover of other celebrities to the Expo added icing to the cake. While the Volkswagen Polo, Toyota compact car concepts and Chevrolet Beat managed to pull large crowds, Tata Motors’ Jaguar and Land Rover become the photographers’ delight. The upcoming Tata Aria and luxury concept sedan Prima also fascinated the crowd. The audience appreciated the Audi Sportback and Mercedes Benz SLS AMG.

Other attractions included the Honda small car concept and the Maruti Suzuki Eeco and first indigenously designed concept car from Maruti, the R III. The Skoda Yeti and the BMW X1 too got some cheers. Toyota amazed the crowd with the launch of the Prius and Maruti Suzuki showcased its SX4 hybrid.

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We have seen a lot of Maruti Suzuki SX4 ply on Indian roads. But what if you see the same SX4 ply on the Indian roads in a new avatar, hatchback…?

Well the hatchback SX4 is not new to the world but is certainly new to India. One of these was displayed in the Auto Expo 2010 held at New Delhi last week.

This was for the first time Maruti Suzuki was showcasing the hatchback version of the popular SX4 in India that too at the Auto Expo. As we said earlier SX4 hatchback is not new to the world as it is the best seller for Suzuki in the European markets. The SX4 hatchback available in Europe has multiple engine options including the 2.0litre, 1.6 litre and 1.5 litre petrol engines.

Here at the Auto Expo 2010, a Prussian Blue Pearl SX4 hatchback which was displayed carried a 2.0 litre engine and has been exclusively imported for display purpose in India’s biggest Auto show. This car is Suzuki Motor Corporation’s urban sport crossover. This car has the right big car attitude, imposing looks and a nimble engine that powers this little SX4.

The mantra of style, space, high driving position, hatchback practicality and fuel economy that the SX4 hatchback carries in it, has made the SX4 hatchback a winner. This little wonder car also has a short turning radius, short gear ratios and a rigid body structure. This hatchback can seat 5 adults with at most comfort. The features that come along with this hatchback are two-wheel-drive (2WD) and an optional All-Wheel-drive (i-AWD) system. The driver can engage the i-AWD system from 2WD at a press of a button without sacrificing the fuel-efficiency. The SX4 hatchback also features the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and a low piston friction in the engine contributes to enhance fuel-efficiency, output and torque.

This little cute car is also loaded with features like that of door-mirror-mounted turn signal lamps and attractively designed aluminium-alloy wheels that add spottiness to the exterior design. Apart from these the other features that this car features is information display that is integrated into the instrument cluster for user-friendliness, a keyless start system for convenience, Onboard ESP for added stability and safety, ABS and EBD and six airbags all for safety. Low noise-cutting measures to promote comfort.

On the exterior the SX4 hatchback has a sophisticated new mesh-type front grille, all-new aluminium-alloy wheels that complement a bold contoured design. 16” inch wheels, high and elegant seat and door-trim upholstery enhances refinement. This hatchback also features a 60:40 split rear seat with single-folding design for passenger convenience and luggage-carrying flexibility and other features.

Lets just keep our fingers crossed to see if Maruti Suzuki makes the SX4 hatch back available here in India with all these features as well.

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Maruti Suzuki India Limited, India’s leading car manufacturer took another leap at the Auto Expo 2010 by showcasing its SX4 Hybrid to conquer the new greener India.

This hybrid concept from Maruti Suzuki is one of the exciting initiatives undertaken by Maruti Suzuki to enhance its Research and Development capabilities and gear itself for the greener technologies. Through this exercise Maruti Suzuki is keen to expand its learning on green technologies that put minimal stress on non-renewable energy.

SX4 Hybrid is a full parallel Hybrid concept with Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) on a sedan platform. The SX4 Hybrid Concept has been developed in-house by a team of Maruti Suzuki Engineers. The team worked under the Government initiated National Propulsion Programme (NHPP) and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Sources (MNRE)’s High Energy Density Battery Development Programme.

The SX4 Hybrid concept showcases how eco-friendliness and personal mobility can be attractively packaged together as an exciting product.

This concept car features a full parallel hybrid which means the car can run both on petrol and battery both at the same time. The concept features an electric motor and twin clutch arrangement with advance Lithium-ion battery technology. The SX4 Hybrid concept combines a 1,2 litre petrol engine and a 50 kW (67 bhp) electric motor along with 5-speed Automated Manual Transmission to provide high fuel efficiency with lower emissions. The SX4 Hybrid is also capable of running solely on its electric motor, offering a further boost to fuel efficiency and zero emission modes in city driving.

In line with the ambitious NHPP and MNRE programme outline, Maruti Suzuki will demonstrate a fleet of SX4 Hybrid for the Commonwealth Fames to be held in October 2010, with intent to showcase the hybrid vehicle technology efforts of Maruti Suzuki.

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Maruti Suzuki’s pavilion was for sure a favourite pit stop for many visitors who came to the 10th Auto Expo held at New Delhi.
The reason behind this was that the country’s largest car manufacturer has lined up an array of cars at the pavilion. There were concept cars, cars for the mass and then the once car which everybody wanted to see it in their own eyes. The Suzuki Kizashi.


Maruti Suzuki has been a master of the small car segment on India since long now and they are very happy and proud about it. But Maruti is still to conquer the bastion of luxury cars and premium cars in India. They have not met with much success in their previous outing with the Baleno. But then Maruti Suzuki re-charted their strategy to bring in the SX4 as a replacement for the Maruti Suzuki Baleno which met with moderate success.

The company also bought in the sedan version of the popular Maruti Suzuki Swift called the DZire and went on to be the market leaders in that segment. Now Maruti Suzuki wanted to ply in the segment where the big players of the automotive world in India play, the D-Segment. Keeping the D-segment as a strategic entry point for its luxury models in India, Maruti Suzuki conceived a car which the world would WOW at. So along came the Kizashi.

Kizashi in Japanese means “A sign of great things to come” and true to the name the Kizashi is a new synonym for Sportiness and elegance. This car is a combination of Japanese quality and European style flair. Suzuki Kizashi is the sixth World Strategic model from the Suzuki Motor Corporation’s stable. Suzuki bills this car as the new stimulant for D-segment choice with engaged driving and lifestyle enjoyment.

There were two Suzuki Kizashi adorning the Maruti Suzuki pavilion at the Auto Expo. The first Kizashi was draped in Snow White Pearl colour body paint while the second Kizashi wore Star Silver Metallic body clothing. Suzuki Kizashi is powered by a 2.4 litre VVT petrol engine coupled with a six-speed manual transmission and equipped with Continuously Variable Transmission which delivers a huge peak power output of 131 kw @6,500 rpm. The cars showcased at the Expo had a 2-wheel drive and 4-wheel drive options as well.

Design Concept of Kizashi

The design concept of the Kizashi that was envisioned by the designers was that of a dynamic athlete in motion. And therefore the designers had to keep three points in mind and those were
• A body honed through daily training for victory.
• Consistent great emotional strength and willpower for tackling
New challenges
• Powerful presence of a winner.
As the designers started working on these three points to churn out a car that could be a clear winner they also came up with Suzuki design philosophy characterized by expressions of solidarity, stability, quality, and thematic clarity.

Styling, Comfort, and Convenience

Suzuki Kizashi has a bold and aggressive styling that imbibes the Japanese craftsmanship and European-style design. This car is tailor made for driving enthusiasts and is complemented by 18’’ aluminium wheels. The styling is contemporary which communicates both sophistication and performance.

The cabin reflects Suzuki’s expertise in space efficiency in proportions that optimize roominess and comfort by extracting maximum benefit from the space afforded by the D-segment dimensions. This certainly was a task that Suzuki Motor Corporation did with precision though this was the first attempt of Suzuki to dabble in the D-Segment car building.

The interior design is upscale which falls in line with Kizashi’s performance characteristics. Driving enthusiast certainly will appreciate the sporty, chic instrument panel, and customers seeking luxury will be pleased with appointments that include high-quality upholstery and an automatic air conditioner with independent left and right controls.

The luggage bay is also not compromised with Kizashi’s optimal proportions. The immense boot, offers huge space for all the bags for a long holiday drive with the family.

Performance and Handling

Suzuki Kizashi has an exceptionally rigid steel uni-body and reinforced Macpherson-strut front suspension and multilink rear suspension that afford a crisp and nimble handling with excellent stability and low chassis vibration. This technologically brilliant car is engineered to accommodate all-wheel-drive. Customers can choose a newly developed i-AWD system that evokes driving enthusiasm while promoting control. Kizashi’s braking is also a state-of-the-art with all-round disk brakes that include 16’’ ventilated front discs that deliver confidence-inspiring stopping power.

Suzuki Kizashi is a product of constant testing and tuning conducted in diverse conditions around the world. Kizashi was tested in extreme conditions like coldest Minnesota and hot-weather Death-valley in North America. The handling of the car was tested in challenging country roads of United Kingdom and on autobahns and the Nurburgring in Germany. The i-AWD system of the Kizashi was tested and tuned in New Zealand.

The superior body rigidity and suspension efficiency of the Kizashi is just marvelous as the noise and vibrations are extremely low thanks to the optimized aerodynamic efficiency.

Safety in the Kizashi

Suzuki Kizashi sports an outstanding range of safety technologies to ensure high levels of driver confidence and control. The standard Active-safety equipment in the Kizashi includes an anti-lock braking system, electronic braking-force distribution, and an ESP with traction control that heightens driver confidence by promoting stability during cornering maneuvers, acceleration, and emergency maneuvers and on slippery roads.

Passive-safety features include a light, energy-absorbing body in which structures that absorb and disperse impact energy are combined with a deformation-resisting cabin in line with Suzuki’s proprietary Total Effective Control Technology (TECT) concept. The front seatbelts have pre-tensioners and force limiters. Suzuki Kizashi also features six to eight airbags, depending on market needs for further protection.
Maruti Suzuki has made no official announcement of the pricing of Suzuki Kizashi, but it is expected to be in the range of Rs. 10 Lakhs to Rs. 13 Lakhs based on the options. It is going to be a good competition for Honda Civic , Toyota Corolla , Skoda Octavia and Chevrolet Cruze.

No doubt, Maruti Suzuki India right now has a product it always wanted to serve as a launch pad for the D-Segment in India. With the Suzuki Kizashi, Maruti Suzuki has a clear winner in their hands.

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Car makers in India have a reason to welcome the New Year with much enthusiasm as car sales in India are soaring higher.

India’s numero uno car maker Maruti Suzuki reported a 36 per cent growth as it sold 71,000 units against 52,029 units in December 2008. Year-end discounts and a lower base did the magic for the company as it happened in case of other car makers also. Maruti Suzuki’s portfolio of small cars saw sales going up 42 per cent in December at 52,236 units against 36,831 units.

Its rival Hyundai also announced a healthy 43 per cent jump in December sales at 22,252 units against 15,602 units in the same month in 2008.

For Mahindra & Mahindra and General Motors, December was a month of over 100 per cent growth. Mahindra & Mahindra pack of utility vehicles such as the Scorpio, XYLO, Bolero and others saw a growth of 120 per cent at 16,999 units against sales of 7726 units in December 2008.

General Motors India figure increased 104 per cent as it sold 8,258 units against 4,041 units in December 2008, making it the highest-ever monthly sales figure achieved by the company since its inception. The December sales included 4,147 units of Chevrolet Spark, 616 units of the newly-launched Cruze and 859 units of the Chevrolet Beat which is launched today.

Czech luxury car maker Skoda Auto India reported a 52 per cent growth in its sales during December last year at 1,113 units compared with 732 units in the corresponding month previous year. The company hopes to show a better performance this year with further revival of the Indian economy.

With economy is expected to grow around 7.5-8 per cent in 2010 and more introductions of new models the car sales growth will be better.

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The Auto Expo, which will be flagged off tomorrow, is going to be another big event in the Indian motoring history. This auto fair will be a platform for the car makers to show off their creations. This Auto Show promises much more than car debuts, it will also play host to over two lakh visitors and promises to be bigger and better than before.

Maruti Suzuki will display a total of seventeen cars at the 2010 Auto Expo that begins tomorrow. Some of these cars are the Suzuki Kizashi sedan, the R III MPV concept, the Eeco MPV, YR9 small car and the Y3 small car concept to start with. The Kizashi will be the car company’s first attempt to enter the D-segment sedan in India. It will be powered by a 2.4-litre petrol engine borrowed from the Grand Vitara, but with more power and a six-speed sequential auto gearbox.

The upcoming Eeco is a facelift of the Versa with a Euro-IV 1.2-litre K Series engine. The R III concept will be an all-new MPV to take on the Xylo. The R III will be based on the SX4 platform and will boast a 1.3-litre Multijet diesel and a 1.4-litre K Series engine. The YR9 is the replacement for the Wagon-R, with more comfort and space on the inside and a 1.2-litre petrol engine. The YR3 is Maruti Suzuki’s first indigenous product to be designed, developed and manufactured in India. It is being designed as an 800 replacement.

Mahindra and Mahindra will display the new Xylo D2 variant that comes with a 2.5-litre, 95 bhp common-rail diesel engine, the Thar which an off-road lifestyle vehicle, the Bolero concepts and possibly its World SUV concept.

Tata Motors will finally let the world get a peek at the Indicruz, Nano Europa and the Prima sedan. Korean Hyundai will buzz in the i10 Electric and the Genesis coupe. The i10 electric will be unveiled at the Expo by none other than Bollywood Badshah Shah Rukh Khan.

Toyota will launch its small car, known as the EFC800L. It is based on an all-new platform and will be powered by a 1.2-litre petrol three-cylinder engine and a 1.4-litre diesel engine taken from the Yaris sedan. Toyota will also bring in the Prius hybrid and will also showcase the new Land Cruiser Prado diesel and the i-Real concept.

On the other hand, Toyota’s arch rival Honda will drive in its small car concept. The Honda small car will be powered by a new 1.0-litre petrol engine using VTEC technology. Apart from the small car, Honda will showcase the CR-Z hybrid.

General Motors will display the Beat, which it has launched in the country today. To add some colour and muscle to the show, the car behemoth will expose its Chevrolet Camaro, the Cruze WTCC, the Chevrolet Volt and the electric version of the Spark.

The three-pointed star has unleashed the GL 350 CDI and a new variant of the S-Class, the S500L, in the Indian car market today. Along with these two new cars, Mercedes-Benz will showcase the E-Class Coupe that might be going on sale in 2010 with petrol and diesel engine options. The SLS AMG will also grace the German luxury car maker’s stall.

India’s number one luxury car maker BMW will be launching an all-new car that is in a class of one, the 5 Series GT. BMW India will offer both the petrol and diesel variants and only 100 units of the vehicle will be made available in 2010. The other big showcases will be the BMW X1, the BMW X6 M, a 760 Li, BMW’s flagship car along with other BMWs that are currently available in India.

Audi will come out with the A7 concept. The other big displays will include a vintage Horch, the Audi R8 and other Audi cars currently on sale in India. Volkswagen is planning to splash the Polo. VW’s Touareg and Beetle, will also share space with the Polo as will the Jetta and Passat.

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The SX4 premium sedan will come in a different body style. It will soon get a hatchback version.

The SX4 hatchback, an international bestseller, is one of the most popular hatchbacks in European markets. In Europe the SX4 hatchback is available in multiple engine options that include a 2.0 litre, a 1.6 litre and a 1.5 litre petrol engines. In India, it is likely to be powered by a 2.0-litre engine. This engine can give a maximum torque of 190Nm at 4,000rpm while enhancing environmental compatibility by cutting CO2 emissions.

Moreover, lower piston friction in the engine contributes to enhanced fuel efficiency, output and torque. A Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) gives greater driving excitement and the SX4 hatchback with CVT enables lighter gearshifts and improved driving experience. The careful pairing of the transmission and the engine ensures a delightful driving experience.

According to Maruti Suzuki’s official release, “An ideal combination of style, space, high driving position, hatchback practicality, and fuel economy has made the SX4 hatchback a winner. Its strong, eye-catching exterior styling projects the SX4 hatchback as an urban warrior with a sense of fun. The SX4 hatchback with a short turning radius, short gear ratios, a rigid body structure, and a fine tuned suspension make for a nimble, fun driving experience.

Be it the motoring enthusiasts or the customers, the SX4 hatchback is endearing to all.”
The SX4 will come with features like 2-wheel drive (2WD) and an optional intelligent All-Wheel Drive (i-AWD) system. The i-AWD system can allow the driver to switch from 2WD mode to 4WD mode at the press of a button.

As a matter of fact, Maruti Suzuki will be showcasing the hatchback body style of the SX4 at 2010 Auto Expo.

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India’s largest car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki has declared that it is developing a new Multi-purpose Vehicle (MPV). This new MPV from Maruti Suzuki’s mill will be pitted against the best-selling Toyota Innova.

Christened as the RIII, it will make its debut at the upcoming Delhi Auto Expo. The RIII is likely to be built on a stretched SX4 platform. It will have three rows of seats and innovative packaging. It will be a monocoque MPV and will be car-like in its driving dynamics besides having high ground clearance and decent width considering the platform it is based on.
It has to be noted that the R III has been designed exclusively by Indian engineers in barely nine months.

At present, Maruti Suzuki does not have any car in the MPV segment. The car maker could use its brilliant 1.2L K-series engine and 1.3 VVT on the R III and a diesel version of the car is also expected if the R III has to take on the Innova. It is likely that the popular Fiat 1.3-liter Multijet will be employed. However, Volkswagen’s recent involvement with Suzuki raises the possibility that the R III might carry a powerplant from the German carmaker.

The R III is still in concept stage and will take another 18-24 months to make it to the showrooms. It is also part of Maruti Suzuki’s strategy to explore more profitable segments of the market and lessen its reliance on the small car sector where it is totally dominant.

Maruti Suzuki will exhibit as many as 17 vehicles at the upcoming Auto Show under the theme ‘Joys of Life.’ Its illustrious list of displays will include new launches like the Eeco, Suzuki Kizashi, which the company will import solely for the show.

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Clearing the clouds of doubts over the replacement of the Versa, Maruti Suzuki has declared the inception of the Eeco.

India’s number one car maker has phased out the Versa Multi-purpose Vehicle (MPV) some time ago and all car lovers were speculating a replacement for the MPV.

Maruti Suzuki disclosed the Eeco as “India’s answer to a family car” and the replacement of the Versa. It has been built on the Versa platform. It is truly a family car in the ‘great-Indian-family way’, with a two and three rows of seats making way for five to seven persons respectively.

The Eeco is a 5-door car placed in the C-segment. It is expected to be highly fuel efficient that comes with a BS IV compliant 1200 cc engine that car derive 73 bhp, and a torque of 101 Nm.

The dual tone interiors in shades of beige and grey provide a rich and spacious feeling to the car. Since it is a passenger-oriented car, the seats have been especially designed with integrated head-rest to make ride comfortable. The sliding doors make entry and exit hassle-free and the digital instrumental cluster adds to driver’s convenience. The Eeco will be displayed at the upcoming Delhi Auto Expo.

The Maruti Suzuki Eeco will compete head on with the recently launched compact SUV Premier Rio.

Maruti Suzuki expects to sell about 40,000 units of the Eeco in the first year. Moreover, the company may come out with a cargo version of the Eeco depending on demand. The price of the upcoming Eeco is likely to start at Rs.4 Lakh.

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Maruti Suzuki is on the roll right now at the moment. After Volkswagen hit the right button to buy 20 per cent of the stock of Suzuki Motor Corporation, this seems to be an added advantage for Maruti Suzuki to aim even higher for the small car market in India.

Come this 2010, and Maruti Suzuki has a slew of launches ready in its kitty. We in Carazoo.com have already covered on the Maruti Suzuki Omni replacement called Eco or O2, we have now the news on new Swift with 1.2 litre petrol engine also which is making inroads to India in the upcoming year. On the backdrop of this news, we are speculating that the new Wagon R also might be hitting the small car market in India.

Based on the information that we have sourced up, the new Wagon R will be based on the same platform of the current Wagon R, but the new Wagon R will be made to look like the next generation model. This car of course will be getting the new Bharat IV compliant K-series engine which guys in Maruti Suzuki are proud of. Unlike the current Wagon R which has a 1.1 litre engine, this new Wagon R might get a 998 cc petrol engine that could generate more power and output than the existing model, thanks to the new K-series engine.

The new K-series engine speculated to power the new Wagon R is same which does its duty in the A-Star. Like the existing Wagon R Duo which is being powered by petrol and LPG, the new Wagon R might get a factory fitted CNG kit which is in vogue at the moment. We expect that the new Wagon R will get an all-round cosmetic and styling change to be in par with the new generation. On the inside, the car might get a clutter free instrumentation panel which is easy to read with advanced technology put behind it. On the outside, the new Wagon R gets a more bold and macho look with new headlamps and tail lamps. With all these overall styling changes, Maruti Suzuki would now have a clear winner in their hands.

Maruti Suzuki also has left no stone unturned to gain its foot hold in the sedan segment. Just a month ago, Maruti Suzuki has revamped its fading SX4 to come up with an automatic transmission to counter its chief competitor Honda City. Now Maruti Suzuki also plans to bring in the diesel version of SX4 to capture the sedan market. It has already topped the charts with it popular model Swift and the sedan version of the same, Swift Dzire. Watch out for more in this space.

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The newly made Volkswagen-Suzuki alliance has already charted out its plans to develop a small car for the Indian market which would cost approximately around Rs2-2.5 lakh, which also could replace the Alto when the Maruti-Suzuki decides to retire its top-selling model.

Top officials in Maruti Suzuki have also confirmed this news that they were looking out for a car that would be replacing Alto for the price quoted above as that is the entry level for Indian customers today and the segment is very strategic for the company.

Volkswagen and Japan’s Suzuki Motor Corporation had, on Wednesday, announced a deal which will see the German carmaker picking up a 19.9% stake in Suzuki for $2.5 billion. The companies plan to develop small cars and electric vehicles under both brands. The new car that will be priced at $4000-5000 in the European market will be the cheapest car from the Volkswagen stable below the Up, which carries a price tag of around $8800.

Volkswagen also is enthusiastic in a car priced below the price segment of Up!, their cheapest car in the offering at the moment. VW is also looking forward for the fructification of the project with Suzuki.

Meanwhile VW will be launching its Polo hatchback in India by next year, which will be competing against popular hatchbacks in India like that of Maruti Suzuki Swift and Hyundai i20.

Although the contours of the partnership are still being worked out, both partners are interested in developing common platforms. Sharing platforms will enable VW to use Suzuki for contract manufacturing both in Japan and India. While VW is eying the options of producing its cars in the Maruti-Suzuki’s plants it is desperately seeking the small car expertise from small car whiz Maruti Suzuki to gain a foot hold in small car markets such as India and Europe and Suzuki is looking forward to learn the know-how of the diesel power plants technology from the German giant.

VW however was very clear to mention that they were not in the league to eye the Nano segment. But VW-Suzuki alliance has sent some shivers down the spine of many big players in India. Tata Motors for instance would have to re-draft their strategy as this alliance would mean some serious competition coming for diesel cars like that of Tata Indica Vista hatchbacks and Indigo sedans.

But there is a catch here in the whole process. However the global partnership will not result in the two companies sharing distribution and dealership networks in India. According to VW officials, the main focus of the synergy, particularly in India, will be on back-end areas like production and purchasing of parts.

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Suzuki Motor Corporation is preparing the next generation Swift. The new Suzuki Swift will be launched next year by the end of the third quarter.

The existing model of the Swift was launched back in 2005 and immediately went on to win the COTY (Car Of The Year) award. The Suzuki Swift accounts to 40 per cent of Suzuki sales in Europe and is the best selling model in UK. In India, the Maruti Suzuki Swiftis one of the top-selling models too.

The next generation Swift will draw styling cues from the outgoing model. The new face of Suzuki will feature on the Swift after it debuted on the India-bound Kizashi.

The Japanese car major is also likely to come out with an affordable hybrid car version of the Swift. The Swift plug-in hybrid was showcased at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show last month.

The next generation of the Swift will also be introduced in India. In India, it is expected to come with the 1.2 L K-Series petrol engine. Suzuki could continue the Multi-jet engine and supplement it with more powerful engines like the 1.5-liter CRDI unit.

On the international front, the new Suzuki Swift will carry the 1.3-litre, 1.5-litre and 1.6-litre petrol engines. As Japanese customers are used to AWD models, Suzuki will offer the 1.6L VVT engine delivering 125 bhp with AWD in its local market.

Suzuki will introduce the new Swift during the Paris Motor Show in the second half of 2010.

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Maruti Suzukiis all geared up to display its second concept car at the upcoming Delhi 2010 Auto Expo which will commence from 4th January till 11th January at the Pragati Maidan in New Delhi.

This is going to be the second time the number one car maker in India will be unveiling a concept car design in India. Earlier, it showcased the A-Star concept at the 2008 Auto Expo.

Maruti Suzuki engineers at its Manesar facility are giving its finishing touches to the codenamed concept car.

The concept car is a new small car which is being developed on an existing platform. The car company has said that depending on the reactions of the car enthusiasts in India, Maruti Suzuki will decide whether it should go for commercial production or not.

Carazoo.com feels that the proposed concept car is going to be the first made-in-India car by Maruti Suzuki. This is so as the car major has earlier mentioned that the ‘Made-in-India’ car will debut in the 2010 Auto Expo.

Meanwhile, Maruti Suzuki is planning to up its production by up to 75 per cent over the next five years in a bid to hold on to its 50 percent market share.

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India’s number one car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki has a big dream. To make its dream come true the company must work hard to raise its production by up to 75 per cent.

The company wants to have a hold of 50 per cent market share within the next five years. The board of Japan's Suzuki Motor Corporationwhich has a 54.2 per cent stake in Maruti will decide on the investment in next month.

Maruti Suzuki is planning to upgrade from 15 to 175 lakh units a year by 2015. The company remarked that this feat depends on the car market condition of India. Moreover, the company feels that by 2015, the domestic car industry will reach 3 million units while Maruti Suzuki will be capturing 50 per cent of the market share in India.

At present, the car giant has a production capacity of 10 lakh units a year. Besides, its sales in November 2009 jumped 67 percent from a year earlier. The capacity addition is expected to be done in phases. The company has 600 acres of land in Manesar and the company feels that they can accommodate two plants there for producing an additional 6 lakh cars as nearly two-thirds of the plot in Manesar is still free.

Maruti Suzuki is investing about 215 million dollars in expanding and upgrading its plant in Manesar by shifting some capacity from its old factory in Gurgaon, which will also be expanded at a cost of 1.5 billion rupees.

With its reliable, low fuel consumption, less carbon emitting cars that give a good performance, the company will certainly live by its dream. It has carved a niche in India that no car maker can topple!

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Of late, India has cemented its place as the hottest destination for auto makers across the world. Car manufacturers invested on the growing Indian car market and they are now reaping the harvest of their investments.

Japanese Suzuki Motor Corporation has emerged as the largest car maker of India with its Indian arm, Maruti Suzuki. Suzuki trebled its full-year global net income forecast on the back of strong Indian operations, despite sluggish sales overseas. While home market Japan as well as European countries contracted for Suzuki, India remained the only market to grow, with first half sales here moving up by 24 per cent at 4.7 lakh units against 3.8 lakh units in the corresponding period.

Ten year old Korean car company Hyundai follows the Japanese car behemoth in this regard. It has a capacity of producing around 6 lakh units, half of which service export markets. The company has earmarked India as one of the hubs for manufacture of models like i10, i20 and Santro and sells India-made cars to over 100 countries. While developed markets in Europe and US remain under pressure, operations in India have been gradually growing. The company's cumulative sales in January-October 2009 period have grown by 12 per cent year-on-year at 4.57 lakh units (4.07 lakh) with domestic sales up 11 per cent at 2.39 lakh units and exports up 13 per cent at 2.17 lakh units.

Honda too gets a sizeable portion of its revenues, sales and profits from its Indian subsidiary. It will bring its proposed small car for India by 2011. Beleaguered General Motors has its business flowing only in India in these hard times with its Chevrolet brand.

Volkswagen, Fiat and Ford are expanding in India. While Nissan and Renault are trying to establish a firmer grip in the market shares and are coming with a low-cost car.

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There has been a huge change in the export target of the Indian car makers, they have amended it, not to the higher end, but downwards. And the reason for this is the European government. Yes, you read it right, the governments in Europe have exhausted cash incentives for small fuel-efficient cars.

This will be, for sure, a huge hit on the large scale export of Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki India. These companies for the last eight months have been enjoying the benefits of the generous policy. During the period of the policy, these companies were exporting in large numbers. During this period car exports jumped 32 per cent to 3.10 lakh cars over the same period last year.

In Europe, the demand for A-Star, i10, and i20 was at a highest rate. And about 80 per cent of cars that came from India saw Europe as their target market. France, Italy, Germany, Austria, UK, Spain, and Netherlands were among the countries that offered cash benefits of up to 5,000 Euros to buy new energy-efficient cars emitting lower carbon-dioxide. Even though countries such as Netherland and the UK still ready to offer incentives on new cars, most of the other countries have exhausted their budget and withdrawn benefits.

Hyundai Motor India has acted to the situation quiet promptly by cutting down its export to 40 per cent from its current 50 per cent. Hyundai has shifted part of its i20 production to its plant in Turkey during the second half of the next year.

Maruti Suzuki is still in the process of decision making. The company might drop its export percentage from next quarter as Europe has cut down on such incentives.

Indian car manufacturers have the privilege of higher margins and profits on cars sold abroad.

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Delayed for over two weeks, the new Maruti Suzuki SX4 has still not lost its fervour. The wait is over and the Maruti SX4 has been finally launched. The main attraction of the SX4 is that the engine of the SX4 is equipped with an advanced variable valve timing (VVT) technology.

The SX4 is an attempt of Maruti Suzuki to wipe out the different assumptions about the brand that is prevailing in the car market. The popular notion is that Maruti is not a great performer when it comes to the big cars. And with other major companies such as Honda, Hyundai, and Toyota striving hard to satisfy the ever growing demands of the customers, Maruti will be in no time pushed to the wall as a small car manufacturer alone. This fear of the company might me the driving force behind the company’s new launch.


Maruti Suzuki has also introduced a 4-speed automatic transmission. The VVT technology guarantees that there is no shortage of power or wastage leading to improved optimized fuel consumption, engine efficiency, and lesser carbon emissions. The advanced VVT technology helps in starting the car accelerating it and climbing steep slopes better.

The SX4 is an environment friendly car that complies with the BS IV regulation, which will be effective from April 2010. It is among first cars in the A-3 segment that abide by the BS IV regulation of emission.

The SX4 has a more efficient engine that gives a mileage of 15.6 km per litre of petrol. The 1.6 litre engine produces a maximum power of 104.68ps @5600 rpm and a high torque of 145Nm @4100 rpm. The new SX4 has been made vibrant with a brand-new sporty honeycomb grille and 10-spoke 16 inch alloy wheels and dual tones interiors and plush upholstery.

The 4-speed automatic transmission is the best choice for city drive. A smooth and sporty drive allows an easy down-shift and effortless up-shift. A cluster of computer controlled sensors continuously administers the throttle input and optimize the engine response accordingly, thus requiring no changing of gears.

The new SX4 has two-tone beige colour interiors. At night, the steering mounted controls are illuminated for effortless usage. There is also new provision of USB connectivity on the dashboard.

The SX4 also has auto climate control system, windshield antenna, illuminated key insert, and variable instrument illumination.

The new SX4 is available in 2 transmissions namely manual and automatic. The two variants in manual transmission are VXi and ZXi. The SX4 is now available in seven metallic colours namely Azure Grey, Pearl Arctic White, French Éclair, Oyster Blue, Clear Beige, Silky Silver and Midnight Black.

The SX4 VXi manual is priced at 6.68 lakh, SX4 ZXi manual at 7.37 lakh, SX4 ZXi leather at 7.71, SX4 ZXi 4-speed automatic at 8.02 lakh, and SX4 ZXi leather 4-speed automatic at 8.36 lakh.

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The Alto and the WagonR are gearing up to get heart transplants. So, if you are planning to pick up one of these cars, we at Carazoo.com will suggest you to wait for another six months till the cars come with new powerplants.

The Maruti Suzuki Alto and the WagonR will carry KB-series engines after the heart transplants. The old engine variants of these two car models will be phased out in due course of time.

India’s numero uno car maker Maruti Suzukiis trying to conform to BS-IV norms. As a result, the car maker is on an ‘engine-converting’ spree and in a later stage the Swift and the Swift DZire will also get these new series of engines. Moreover, the much awaited facelifted SX4 will be coming with the same engine once the car is officially launched. Though we expected the launch of Automatic SX4 on 13th October, it did not happen. But the new facelifted SX4 has arrived in dealership and Maruti Suzuki may officially launch this car anytime now.

The Alto is Maruti Suzuki’s flagship model. After the iconic Maruti 800, the Alto is the top selling model of India’s ‘people car’ manufacturer. Though the Maruti Suzuki WagonR is plain in looks and styles, it has managed to clock decent sales figures consistently since its inception in 2002.

The Maruti Suzuki A-Star is the first car to come with the KB-Series engine. The trend of this engine was followed by the ritzy Ritz and the New Estilo. The KB-Series is low on fuel consumption emission of carbon dioxide.

Maruti Suzuki expects that plant this fuel efficient KB-Series engine into the Alto and the WagonR will further aid in the sales of these car models.

It has been revealed to us that the Maruti Alto with KB-Series engine will hit market by end of this quarter and WagonR with KB-Series engine will reach dealership by next quarter.

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The stage is set and the play is just about to begin. India’s largest car maker Maruti Suzuki is bound to launch its feather-in-the-cap premium mid-size-sedan, the Maruti Suzuki Kizashi, at the upcoming Auto Expo in New Delhi in January 2010.

Maruti Suzuki which will be a new player in the D-segment will be pitting its Maruti Suzuki Kizashi, expected to be priced above 12 lakhs, against cars such as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord in India. Maruti Suzuki will be a clear winner with its awesome price tag while the other cars in the segment cost above 18 lakhs.

But the big question still remains unanswered. Would Maruti be able to sell a high-end sedan in India? Maruti Suzuki, is associated with small, fuel-efficient cars and not with the high-end cars. The best example of Baleno backs this statement. Though the Baleno was a superb car in all ways, didn’t go very good with the consumers here in India. But the company is nevertheless going ahead with it.

The Suzuki Kizashi which is marketed in United States in both two wheel drive and four wheel drive options comes in three versions-a six speed manual, an automatic CVT and an automatic CVT with paddle shifters, while the all-wheel drive version comes with an automatic CVT for a CVT with paddle shifters. But the company here in India has kept the options open for gossips and rumors until the car will be actually launched in India during the Auto Expo.

But since there is a high demand for the automatic cars in the D-Segment in India, we guess that Maruti Suzuki will introduce only the six speed Manual version with two wheel drive (FWD) in India as the automatic is CVT. India does not have any four wheel drive sedans in this segment so far, and Maruti Suzuki is unlikely to take a risk with the new Kizashi.

The 2400 CC petrol engine produces 185 horsepower and 170 ft-lbs of torque. As far as the US reviews of the car are concerned, we have learnt that the car is reasonably good at cornering and power is adequate, and an electronic stability programme with ABS and EBD comes as standard features.

Safety and luxury wise, Maruti Suzuki Kizashi will have eight airbags including the rear outboard passenger side airbags. There are air conditioning vents at the rear. Just like the recently launched Chevrolet Cruze, the Kizashi comes with keyless push button start and entry, electric mirrors and central locking.

The steering wheel is tilt/telescopic adjustable, and features audio controls. The Kizashi has 10-way adjustable driver’s seat with three memory presets. The car also will have an option of either 17 or 18 inch alloy wheel, which might be retained for the Indian version also. The controls on the steering wheel include audio controls, cruise control, hands free mobile phone calling, and paddle shifters. Temperature can be adjusted separately for the driver and the front passenger.

If we get the all wheel drive version of the Kizashi, you can either choose to drive only in the front wheel drive mode for better fuel efficiency, and switch to all wheel drive at any speed to transfer 50 per cent of the power to the rear wheels. USB Port is a standard feature to connect the MP3 player to the car’s audio system. As per the reviews and test drive reports, the car is extremely grippy compared to other cars in the segment.

The twin silencers at the rear, integrated into the rear bumper, helps to give the Kizashi some sporty pretensions.

The interior of the car is reported to be quite spacious, similar to other Suzuki cars. This is one field where the Suzuki engineers are specialists at. The interior of the Kizashi is much more modern than the interior of the Suzuki SX4 which we have in India.

Maruti Suzuki Kizashi will not be here to win any beauty contests, as Suzuki always believed in Macho styling. Think of Maruti Suzuki SX4’s The Men Are Back TV commercial. To sum it up, Kizashi is a car which is really handsome and looks muscular at every given angle. Though the name “Kizashi” is not that macho-sounding, people here in India will certainly have a tough time pronouncing the name Ki-Za-Shi, which is so much like a tongue twister.

Now with the Auto Expo 2010 New Delhi around the corner, let the games begin. May the best manly car win the game. Good luck Kizashi, on your Indian outing.

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