New Swift (K12) to boast 90 bhp power, better fuel efficiency

The ARAI rated fuel efficiency figures for the new Maruti Suzuki Swift are out. While we initially thought that the engines for the new car will remain entirely unaltered, such is not the case. Maruti Suzuki have worked quite a bit on the 1.2-liter K seriespetrol engine to boost both fuel efficiency and power. In its newest iteration, the engine will deliver 90PS of peak power. The figure will take it in the same league as the Honda Jazz’s i-VTEC which is currently the segment leader in specific output. The feat is attained by introducing the dual VTT tech to the K12 engine.

Not just has the power output increased, there is a substantial spike in the fuel efficiency as well. From an earlier ARAI certified figure of 17.9 kmpl, the fuel efficiency for the petrol Swift has jumped up to 20kmpl. Thanks to the new weight reduction techniques adopted by Maruti Suzuki, which also includes incorporation of advanced plastic fuel tanks, the fuel efficiency of the diesel engine too has gone up. The ARAI figures for Swift 1.3 DDiS diesel is 23.8kmpl, and increment of 2.8kmpl over the efficiency of the earlier version.

The engines for the new Swift will come mated with a five speed manual transmission. A much needed 4 speed auto variant will also be introduced a year down the line.

Maruti discontinues current Swift, new one to arrive in August

This time there seems to be some certainty about it! The launch time for the replacement of India’s most loved big hatch has almost been decided. Although the buzz about the launch of the new 2011 version of the Swift hatch in India has been on for months together now, with speculations suggesting launch dates from as early as March. This time, however, there is some substance to the buzz, as there has been an official activity. Maruti Suzuki seems to have decided to draw curtains on the current version of the Swift. The dealers are not taking the bookings anymore, which means that the new version is waiting somewhere around the corner to be introduced.

When asked, one of our friends who owns a huge Maruti Suzuki dealership in Pune confirmed that the company has, indeed, decided to discontinue the current model. The news would come as a dampener for those who have got the delivery of their Swift recently, but should sound like music for those who have been waiting for the new version.

The ne Swift is expected to hit the roads sometime in August. Sources indicate that the car was slated for a launch slightly earlier than that, but the recent strike at Maruti’s plant in Gurgaon derailed production, and thus the launch schedule.

The new Swift is a substantial improvement over the current version. It’s bigger, better engineered, and is said to handle better. The engines, however, remain the same, with the 1.2 K series engine reported to have been tweaked a little for better efficiency.

We are expecting a slight increase in price for the new Swift, amounting to upto 5 %, though nothing official has come out in this regard.

2012 SX4 may get a new 1.4 liter petrol engine

A few days back we told you that Maruti will be sourcing the 1.6-liter Multijet diesel engine from Fiat for its 2012 SX4 crossover, which will first come out of the company’s plant in Hungary. The new diesel engine will be replacing the current 2.0-liter oil burner unit, which again is a Fiat sourced mill. Now more news on the engine options of the second-generation version of the car is emerging. Seems like a 1.4-liter K-series (K14?) engine will replace the current 1.6-liter VVT unit.

The new engine will be marginally less powerful than the 1.6liter powerplant, but will be more fuel efficient. The new engine will produce 95horses and 130 Nm of twist, as against the 1.6-liter’s 102bhp and 145 Nm. The new engine would not just be more fuel efficient, but would also be more driveable in city conditions.

All said, we still think at 95PS of power shouldn’t be enough to pull the heft of the heavy SX4 with reassurance, unless the engine is really a gem. Let’s hope it really is.

Workers Strike Affects Delivery Of Maruti Diesel Cars By Extra Month

Petrol prices won’t stop their journey northwards, and many car buyers have switched to CNG\LPG with a substantial number of buyers going for diesel cars.

With the demand for diesel cars going up especially the hot favourite diesel budget cars being the Maruti Swift, Swift Dzire, Ritz their waiting period is a ranging from one month to four months. This waiting period is further extended by a month or more thanks to the workers’ strike happening at Maruti’s Gurgaon plant for over ten days now. Maruti has incurred losses to the tune of Rs. 500 crore owing to the stalled production.

Being helpless without the man power in the manufacturing plant, Maruti has extended the waiting periods by a month or more. The strike has also affected the delivery period of the SX4 Diesel which was two months earlier has become three months or more.

Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) Managing Executive Officer (Marketing and Sales) Mayank Pareek said: “Of course, strike has increased the waiting period of the diesel versions of the three cars. We usually do not produce more cars than the market demand. So, whatever loss in production we are witnessing, that will be the impact on sales in this month.” He, however, said the waiting period has gone up by only one to one-and-a-half week.

These waiting periods range from place to place depending on the stock they get but this strike has surely managed to put Maruti in deep waters. If these waiting periods do not end, the buyers are surely going to cancel their booking and opt for other manufacturers. Recently VW India has come up with ads in the leading Daily which says minimum waiting period. Finally one man’s loss is other man’s profit.

Estilo crosses 2 lakh sales mark, new Vogue special edition introduced

Now that’s testimony to the power of MSIL in India. The Estilo isn’t one of the more successful products from the MSIL stable, yet the car is all set to cross the 200,000 mark in the domestic market this month. The Estilo, which had a shaky beginning in the Maruti Suzuki Portfolio, has emerged as has managed to emerge as a strong brand after all. The car model has posted a growth of 25.4 percent in the last financial year.

MSIl is also exporting the Estilo to South Asian markets as well markets. Estilo is known as the `Karimun’ in the Indonesian market and over 16,900 units were shipped to the country last calendar year. The car won the ‘Favorite City Car’ award by Autocar Magazine (Indonesia Edition) for three consecutive years 2008-09-10. It was also rated `Small car of the year’, 2009 by Topgear Magazine (Indonesia Edition).

Interestingly, the Estilo is among the top five selling cars in the South Asian Markets. The exports have grown 41% over previous year. In recent years, Maruti Suzuki has continued to expand its international presence in several ASEAN markets such as Taiwan, Laos in addition to Indonesia and Malaysia

To commemorate the milestone of 200,000 sales in India, Maruti Suzuki has introduced a limited edition “Estilo Vogue” in the Indian market. The limited edition Estilo has accessories labeled with “Vogue” branding on Seat cover, floor mat etc. Interestingly, Maruti Suzuki offers a CNG variant in addition to the K series powered petrol engine on the Estilo

Alto becomes the world’s largest selling car!

Maruti Suzuki’s little Alto has managed a Herculean feat. It has become the world’s No.1 selling car in the calendar year 2010 by defeating strong opponents such as the VW Gol and Golf in Germnay and the Fiat Uno in Brazil. During calendar year 2010, Alto sold 3,00, 956 units. Whereas VWGol sold 2,93,738 units and Gold sold only 2,51,078 units. This is the first time when any Indian car model has outsold global best sellers.

Alto, which was launched in September 2000, has been a big success story from day one. It has sold cumulative 16.68 lakh units till now. Since financial year 2005-06, Alto has been the Number One selling car model in India.

Alto crossed its first 1 million sales mark in just eight years, November 2008, making it the fastest 1 million units selling car of India. “Today, Alto along with another sibling called Alto K10 launched in August 2010 sells average 32,000 units a month. In March this year, it sold over 38,000 units. During just concluded fiscal 2010-11, Alto alone has sold around 3.47 units. This is over 1/4th of Maruti Suzuki’s total sales of 12.71 lakh units from all models during the fiscal. It also reflects a growth of 47 per cent in Alto’s sales compared to 2.35 lakh units sold during fiscal 2009-10” informs Shashank Srivastava, Chief General Manager (Marketing), Maruti Suzuki India Limited.

Some other records of Alto in India:

• First car to cross the 5 lakh domestic sales figure (in 6 years)
• The achievement of the next 5 lakh unit sales – in 2 years and 2 months
• Crossed the 1 miilion production mark in Feb 2008.
• First car brand to cross the 2 lakh sales figure (domestic sales) in a single financial year – achievement twice in FY 2006-07 & FY 2007-08
• India’s largest selling car (domestic since FY 2005 -06)
• Fastest to sell 1 lakh cars – in 150 dys

Swift S Concept to be showcased at Geneva Show

This is one of the teaser images of the Swift S Concept which will be showcased in the Geneva Auto show on March 1 . It’s rumored to be powered by the VW 1.4 liter turbocharged petrol engine generating 180 PS of power. Transmission will be taken care of by the 7 speed double clutch transmission. Suzuki says that the third generation Swift will be sportier and exciting than ever with upgraded performance. Looking at the teaser its looks based on the Kizashi lines with bigger air vents, streamlined mirror, roof spoiler and dual head lamps. Suzuki plans to showcase the Jimny, Alto, Splash, Kizashi, and SX4 along with the Concept S Swift.

We would love to see this powerful hatch soon in a Maruti showroom nearby.

Kizashi official website

Just days before the official launch of the Kizashi D-segmenter, on February 2 Maruti Suzuki have launched the car’s official website. The website shows the cars in a a 360 degree view before running an AV highlighting the virtues of the car. The AV tries hard to project the Kizashi as a premium car with sporty styling, doesn’t quite have a great impact though.

There are no specs or details on the car available on the site. All you can do is watch the AV and share the link with your friends.

While the car in the videos doesn’t have any hints of Maruti’s logo on it, with only the Suzuki logo present both at front and back, the website does have the Maruti Suzuki logo on the top left corner. We thought Suzuki would like to keep the word Maruti out for this car’s branding as much as possible, but seems like they they are not obsessed about the idea as we thought they would be.

Here’s link to the official site: http://marutisuzukikizashi.in/

Maruti Suzuki to launch the SX4 diesel in February

We told you earlier that Maruti Suzuki is planning a diesel variant of the SX4. Seems like the launch is just around the corner, with the company planning to bring the diesel powered SX4 to the Indian roads in February after the launch of the Kizashi.

As we told you earlier, the diesel variant with come along with a face lift for the car The new, face lifted SX4 was exhibited by Suxuki in China and we had brought to you the pictures of the car.

The diesel SX4 will be powered by the same 90PS diesel engine which propels the Linea and the Manza. Unlike the fixed geometry turbo on the Swift DDiS, the SX4 diesel will feature the variable geometry version which not only offers more power, but delivers it more linearly.

The company is planning to price the diesel variant of the SX4 aggressively, which has not been doing too well (by Maruti standards) owing to the lack of a diesel option. The SX4 is currently available only with a petrol engine, which isn’t quite as fuel efficient as some of its other counterparts.

For more details on Maruti SX4 Please follow this link. http://www.carsalesindia.com/Maruti/SX4/Maruti_SX4.html

Maruti Suzuki to launch the Kizashi on 28th January

Maruti Suzuki is planning to launch its D-segment car, the Kizashi in India on the 28th of January 2011. The new car will initially be imported as a CBU, priced at around Rs 16lakh and MSIL will take a call on local assembly based on its success.  The Kizashi is well received across the world and is doing decent numbers in some key markets. The company has been pitting the D-segment car against some of the entry-level luxury cars such as the C-class and Audi A4 in its latest ad campaign. Suzuki plans to keep the ‘Maruti’ badge out from the Kizashi branding, so as to make sure that their first venture into the D-segment is not seen an effort by a small car maker to make a bigger car.

The Kizashi internationally comes with 2WD and AWD, although we doubt whether Maruti Suzuki would introduce the AWD version in the price-conscious Indian market. Powered by a 2.4-litre four cylinder engine, the Kizashi is looking good on paper – we hope it’s good enough to tackle its key competitors such as the Honda Accord and the Skoda Laura. The car will be available with a 6 speed manual and a 6-speed CVT transmission.

Kizashi’s features list includes goodies such as ESP, eight airbags, a Rockford Fosgate sound system and 18 inch alloys. Here’s the technical specification chart for your ready reference.

Exterior Dimensions               
Overall length (in.)    183.1
Overall width (in.)    71.7
Overall height (in.)    58.3
Wheelbase (in.)    106.3
Front tread (in.)    61.6
Rear tread (in.)    61.6
Ground clearance (in.)    5.7

Capacities               
Seating capacity    5
Fuel tank capacity (liters/gallons)    63 / 16.6

Engine               
Engine type    2.4 liter, DOHC, 16-valve, digital fuel injection
Number of cylinders    4
Bore x stroke (in.)    3.62 x 3.54
Compression ratio    10.0:1
Maximum output (horsepower @ RPM)    185 HP @ 6,500 RPM (MT)
180 HP @ 6,000 RPM (CVT)       
Maximum torque (lbs.-ft. @ RPM)    230Nm @ 4,000 RPM
Fuel distribution    Multiport Injection
Emission standard compliancy    BIN 5 / LEV 2
Fuel    Gasoline

Transmission               
Type    6MT    CVT   
Final drive ratio    4.117    5.798   

Chassis               
Steering    Electronic power steering with rack & pinion
Suspension, front    MacPherson strut and coil springs
Suspension, rear    Multi-link
Brakes, front    Vented disc
Brakes, rear    Solid disc

Weight               
Curb weight (min.) (lbs.)    3241    3329    3241
Gross vehicle weight (lbs.)    4409

Maruti Suzuki may drive in the Jimny to counter Mahindra Thar

Mahindra seems to have brought the compact, hardcore SUV segment alive. While the Premier Rio tried to have a shot at the segment, although sans a 4×4 option, it didn’t quite succeed. Now reports are rife that Maruti is planning to bring the Jimny compact SUV to offer competition to the Jimny 4×4. Currently the company is making the Gypsy king only against orders, a huge chunk of which comes from the armed forces. The Jimny will be a slightly more mainstream and comfortable option for the Indian market. 

The Jimny, in its original form is a two-door off-roader. With its short wheelbase and light weight it’s a potent weapon off the tar. However, for the Indian market, MSIL may just add two more doors to make it more practical.
The Jimny in its stock form comes with a 1.3-litre petrol engine, with 80 horses and 130 Nm of torque. However, for the Indian market petrol engines don’t makes much sense, especially for the SUV segment. Maruti Suzuki may just replace the petrol mill with the fab 1.3 DDiS diesel power plant, which would endow the Jimny with more than enough grunt to take on any terrain.

The cabin comfort won’t be too great, but would still be better than the Thar with a permanent roof and A/C. The Jimny also will have a filly covered cabin unlike the Thar’s open rear. The suspension is not well suited for comfort and Maruti Suzuki will probably have to make some amends if the Jimny has to make for a reasonably comfortable ride quality for families.

The discussions to bring in the car are still in the embryonic stage. The estimated price and launch timelines still far from having been finalized. We will, however, let you know as soon as we get to know more details.

Maruti Suzuki Kizashi coming to India by March 2011

Maruti Suzuki is planning to bring the Kizashi sedan to India by March 2011. The new D-segmenter fro Suzuki is aimed squarely at the likes of the Honda Accord. Maruti Suzuki is considered a maker of small cars in India, and the company’s effort to sell their products in the higher price bracket have not worked till date. An example is the Grand Vitara. Even while retaining at a price much cheaper that its peers, the SUV, due to the lack of a diesel option and being a Maruti Suzuki has never been able to do any respectable numbers.

The Kizashi, however, has been internationally acclaimed to be a capable D-segment car, and if marketed properly should help establish Maruti as a strong contender in the segment. The Kizashi has a 2.4-litre, 4-cylinder engine under its bonnet which is good for about 170PS of power and 220Nm of torque.  Transmission options are a 6-speed manual and a CVT auto. The car is also available in FWD and AWD versions. 

Maruti Suzuki plans to import the car as a CBU initially, and start local assembly / production once the sales pick up. The creative / ad agencies for the new brand have been selected and we should see some campaign running by the end of February.
Expect a price of Rs 15-16 lakh

Maruti Suzuki Kizashi Specs

Aspiration/Induction	Normal
Displacement	2393 cc | 146.0 cu in. | 2.4 L.
Valves	16 valves. 4 valves per cylinder.
Valvetrain	DOHC
Horsepower	166 BHP (122.176 KW) @ 6000 RPM
Torque	162 Ft-Lbs (220 NM) @ 4000 RPM
HP / Liter	69.4 BHP / Liter
Compression Ratio	10.0:1
Fuel Feed	Fuel Injected
	Multi-point Electronic Fuel Injection
Block	Aluminum
Head	Aluminum

Standard Transmission
Gears	6
Transmission	Manual

Optional Transmission
Transmission	CVT

Dimensions
Seating Capacity	5
Doors	4
Exterior
Length	183.1 in | 4651 mm.
Width	71.7 in | 1821 mm.
Height	58.3 in | 1481 mm.
Wheelbase	106.3 in | 2700 mm.

Ritz & Estilo CNG coming soon!

The Alto is the only car from the Maruti Suzuki stable that sports a CNG variant. The Alto will not feel lonely anymore as far as the CNG option is concerned. According to a report by Goa on Wheels, Maruti Suzuki will be launching the CNG versions of the Ritz and Estilo soon. With this move, the firm intends to grab a larger share of the CNG vehicle market which will prove beneficial owing to the rising fuel prices.

 

The launch of the CNG versions of the above mentioned cars would be just like icing over the cake as Maruti Suzuki has already been selling in good numbers and the firm is no doubt the king of the ‘Small Car’ segment. As of now, the firm will reportedly introduce CNG versions of the Ritz and Estilo only. After analyzing the response of their move, the firm may think of adding a CNG variant to more of its cars to start with, Maruti Suzuki Eeco.

 

However, CNG is not available nationwide which poses to be a problem. But the problem may not be big enough to worry Maruti Suzuki as CNG is available in major places like Mumbai, Delhi and Gujarat and will be available in more major metros across the country in the near future.

Alto might get a K-series

Take a small car and fit a bigger engine to it and see what difference it makes. All of a sudden your everyday car gets a much needed soul and it becomes a lot more desirable. But then bigger engines mean lesser fuel efficiency, which in turns makes small cars with big engines impractical. Seriously?

Well, not exactly. The engines made these days are actually more efficient than the ones made some ten years back. So when NDTV's sources suggest that Maruti plans to give its bread and butter car, Alto a heart transplant, we should be happy. And by now some of us might have thought of buying the car. Alto has proved itself in the market. It is a proper successor to the legend, the 800. Though Alto had a 1.1L engine in the past, but it was thirsty. So they discontinued it and the car was available with just one engine option. But as emission norms get stricter with each passing day, Maruti had to upgrade the 800cc engine to BS-IV. But replacing the engine to an already BS-IV engine makes more sense. The only engine they have in their line-up suitable for this small car is the 1L K-series (K10B)engine doing the duty in Alto's European namesake, the A-star. So fitting a 1L K-series engine solves a lot of problems. Maruti-Suzuki can produce a total of 2.5 lakh K-series engines annually, which will have to be upgraded once they start producing the new Alto.

Maruti Suzuki India Chairman R C Bhargava said, "Alto needs a face-lift. It has been there for quite a while." No comment was made on how the car be like, an upgrade or an entirely new one. Sources suggest that if this plan of Maruti's materialises, then Alto's price will go up by a small margin.

Alto has been doing good in the market with around 20,000 units selling per month. The new car is worth a wait. Lets see how Maruti plans to upgrade the Alto.

Source: Motoroids

2010 Wagon R details revealed!

This is just a representative image - the actual car may look different

We had earlier reported that the upgraded Wagon R will hit the streets on by the end of April. We also assured that the upgrade would not be just a minor face lift but would be much more than that since the firm has spent a lot of money on the upgrade. The firm has finally revealed that the car will hit the streets on 23rd of April. The upgraded Wagon R will be based on the current Japanese Wagon R. the new Wagon R will be taller, longer and wider and will feature new suspension components both in the front and rear suspensions. The bigger size ensures that the Wagon R is more spacious than before and provides better comfort.

The car will kick away the present 1.1-L engine and make way for a smaller 1.0-L three cylinder K series engine. The engine is the same 67 bhp engine from the A Star/Estilo. The gear ratios have been altered though so that the 3 cylinder engine can carry the hefty weight of the Wagon R. The car also sports a new dashboard, an integrated audio system and the rear wash-wiper in the apex Vxi model.

The car will be sold in the similar Lx, Lxi and Vxi variants as before. However, the Duo variant will be missing. There is no confirmation whether the Duo variant will be launched later on. Wagon R is Maruti Suzuki’s second bestselling car which has managed to hit a total sales figure of more than 800,000 units since its 1999 launch.

Source: BSMotoring, Motoroids

Exterior Styling:

• Bold and Aggressive Design
• V-character line
• Bigger and sweeping lamp with blue tint
• Wider bumpers that stretch to the corners
• Sloping character (roof)
• Flared fenders
• Bigger and wider wheels 
• Upright character in rear
• Ease in ingress and Egress (Larger doors)
• Chrome accentuation in Front and Rear (WagonR brand engraved in chrome in rear)
• Improved rear visibility.

Interior styling

• Dual tone interiors
• New IP, Silver accentuation all around
• 3-D seat fabric
• New Steering wheel
• Tilt steering
• Integrated audio with AUX-in and 6-band graphic equalizer.
• New ergonomic gear knob
• New Speedometer design
• Full-trim interiors including A, B and C pillar trims.

Spacious Package

• Best in class wheel base (2400mm, +40 mm more than wagonR)
• Huge leg-space. Best in segment tandem distance (100 mm more than previous WagonR)
• Best in class front seat travel (240mm, 33% more than WagonR) - helps tall users
• Best in segment front and rear headroom

Utilitarian add-ons

• Push type cup holders, utility hook
• Sturdy and deeper glove box with integrated shelf.
• Utility basket under co-driver seat (environment care)
• Front door map pocket
• Soft insert on the floor console(to safeguard the cell-phone camera unit)
• 60:40 split rear seats
• Co-driver side seat back-pocket
• Rear parcel tray
• Integrated tool box

Customer sensitive

• Tilt steering
• Electrical Outside Rear View Mirrors (ORVM)
• Front & Rear power windows
• Keyless entry
• Foldable assist-grips

Performance

• K-series engine
• Cable type transmission
• A power of 68 PS
• A high torque of 90Nm.
• New frame type suspension
• Better NVH
• Ride and comfort
• Stability
• New HVAC unit
• Fuel Efficiency of 18.9 kmpl

Safety

• ABS & dual Airbag
• Rear Defogger, wiper & washer
• Driver seat belt indicator
• Security system, i-CATS

Refreshed Wagon R by the end of April!

India’s car giant Maruti Suzuki revealed its plans to roll out the all new Wagon-R by the end of April 2010. According to various sources, the firm has spent Rs. 290 crore in upgrading the firm’s best selling hatchback. In addition to this, the company also confirmed the phasing off of the ‘Duo’ variant which runs on both LPG and petrol. When inquired, Mayank Pareek, Maruti Suzuki India Executive Officer (Marketing and Sales) said, “As of now, we have stopped the Duo and the new WagonR will only be in gasoline.”

The refreshed Wagon R will not be just a face lifted one. This fact was supported when Mr. Pareek revealed that a minor facelift usually costs about Rs. 50 crore and when the firm is said to have spent a little less than six times this figure, there is no harm in expecting something more this time. The expected Wagon R will definitely be BS-IV compliant and will feature the Maruti Suzuki K10B engine which will be manufactured at the firm’s Gurgaon plant. The new engine will also be mated with a new improved transmission system.

According to Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) standards, the car will have the capacity to return a mileage of about 18.9 kmpl.

Suzuki Kizashi to be imported by Maruti as CBU

‘Kizashi’ in Japanese means ‘a sign of great things to come’. This meaning has come true in its sense as the great thing i.e. Kizashi is on its way to the Indian streets. Maruti Suzuki confirmed that they have plans to import the Suzuki Kizashi to India as a CBU by the end of 2010. The car was displayed in the Auto Expo at Delhi. The car is Suzuki Motors Corporation’s flagship model in the D-segment as well as its sixth world strategic model. The car hit the Japanese and American streets during October and December 2009 respectively.

According to a few sources, “Kizashi is very much on the company’s drawing board. But right now, Maruti will follow CBU route from its Sagara plant in Japan during this calendar year. Eventually, the company may consider importing CKD kits from the same plant later subject to market demand.” To support the news, a Delhi based dealer also confirmed Maruti’s plans to launch the car in India around October, this year. According to the dealer, “The price bracket of Kizashi will be Rs. 12-14 lakh and it will be the most feature-rich car amongst Maruti’s portfolio. When asked about the engine specifications, he said, “It’s highly likely that it will sport a 2.4 litre all-aluminum engine.”

American Suzuki Motor Corp (Automotive Marketing and Public Relations) Vice-President Gene Brown reported to PTI during the Chicago Auto Show, "The Kizashi is going to be sold in India. I do not think the launch in India is that far in the future." He did not shed more light on the topic of Kizashi in India as he wasn’t in charge of the Indian Market.

Maruti Suzuki hikes prices with immediate effect!

The year 2010 seems to be cutting a wide hole across the pockets of the consumers of the Automotive Industry. The cost of production has always been increasing owing to the price of raw materials and resources. But to add to the misery, the BS IV emission norms have become the new excuse for price hike. Maruti Suzuki has revised the prices of its products. the prices have gone further up now. the new prices will be applicable with immediate effect.

The price rise on various models varies from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 9,000 approximately. The A-Star and Ritz will now be costlier by Rs. 1,000. The prices of Estilo and Omni has been rised by Rs. 2,500 and Rs. 3,000 respectively. The Swift and Dzire will be costlier by Rs. 3,750 and Rs. 7,000 respectively. The SX4 will observe a price rise by a whopping Rs. 9,000. The firm has also revised the prices of its BS III products including Maruti 800, Omni (LPG) and Gypsy. The Gypsy will be costlier by Rs.10,000 while the Maruti 800 and the Omni (LPG) will observe a price hike by Rs.3,000 each. 

The car manufacturer has also confirmed the withdrawal of the introductory prices of the Eeco. Thus, the Eeco will be costlier by Rs. 10,000 approximately.

Maruti Suzuki sells more than a million units in 2009-10!

Maruti Suzuki India Limited has finally made a benchmark in Indian Automotive History by managing to sell a total of 10,18,365 vehicles in the year 2009-10. The firm is the first car company in India to sell more than a million units in a financial year. Out of the total sales in the fiscal, 8,70,790 units were sold in the domestic market which again is the highest ever sold by the car company in a fiscal year. To add to this, the company’s export sales of 1,47,575 units of the year proved to be the highest annual exports by the firm.

As compared to the sales in the last financial year which was 792,167 units, the sales of the firm have witnessed a growth of 29 per cent. The domestic sales in the A2 and the A3 segments grew by 23.8 per cent and 30.8 per cent respectively, when compared to the sales figures of the year 2008-09.

The firm’s fuel efficient and compact car christened A-Star topped the exports sales figures with the sale of 1.27 lakh units overseas. The A-Star was exported to various European markets including United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands etc. amongst the non-European markets, the car was exported to Algeria, Chile, Indonesia and neighboring countries. The car was also exported to a few new markets including South Africa, Hong Kong, Australia and Norway.

In the month of March, 2010 Maruti Suzuki managed to sell a total of 95,123 units which is a growth of 11 percent as compared the sales figures for the month, in the last year which was 85,669 units. Out of the total sales, 79,530 units were contributed by domestic sales. The firm observed the highest monthly exports figures of 15,593 units which makes the export figures of August 2009 (14,847 units) second highest.

Maruti Suzuki rolled out its millionth unit of the year 2009-10, just recently on the 23rd of March, 2010. This makes the firm one amongst the few select global auto makers who share similar sales figures. In order to reach the production capacity of 12,50,000 units a year, the firm is reportedly expanding its production facility at Manesar with an investment of Rs 1,700 Crore.

Several cars to be phased out due to BS IV norms

The Bharat Stage IV (BS IV) emission norms will be applicable from the 1st of April, 2010. However, the entry of the BS IV norms has marked the exit of various old car models including the Skoda Octavia, Fabia (petrol) and Chevrolet Tavera. Maruti had taken the decision of not upgrading its Maruti 800 to suit the BS IV norms after which Skoda has decided to do the same for a few of its car models including the Octavia and Fabia (petrol). The Octavia’s 1.9 TDi Pumpe-Duse engine along with the Fabia petrol engine will be spared from being upgraded to the BS IV requirements making it face the similar fate of the once-legendary Maruti 800. These cars will now not be available in 13 cities across the country.

The Tavera from Chevrolet’s stable too is ready with its bags packed to bid good bye to all the BS IV cities. The MPV contender’s 2.5-litre diesel engine will not be upgraded by the firm to meet the BS IV requirements which will make the car unavailable in BS IV cities.

 

However, all the four cars mentioned above will be available in the showrooms of BS III cities across the country. Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Kanpur, Ahmedabad, Surat and Agra are a few amongst the cities which will bear the BS IV emission norms from the 1st of April.