Maruti Suzuki to Start Selling Alto K10 from August

Maruti Suzuki, India’s largest passenger car maker, is going to commence selling of new Alto K10 subcompact car from August 2010. Alto K10 would feature the company’s latest K Series engine which ensures better mileage and more interior space for the passengers.

Alto has already become highly successful vehicle for Maruti Suzuki who sells around 25000 Alto cars every month. However, the company has decided to introduce a new version of Alto after realizing that the competitors like Tata and Hyundai are planning to launch new subcompact cars offering a lot more features including better mileage in the near future.

Maruti Suzuki will come up with two variants of Alto K10: Lxi and Vxi. Price would be ranging from Rs. 2.8 lakh to Rs. 3.4. Considering the success of existing Alto model, the company is hopeful about the success of new Alto K10.

Reports out in the media suggest that Tata is now working on a new B-segment car which would take the features of Nano as well as Indica. Though Alto has been doing very well in the Indian market, there is every possibility Tata’s upcoming subcompact model could offer more features, and thus, creating an intense competition.

Hatchback cars are very popular in Indian car market and it contributes more than 70 percent of total vehicles sales in the country. So, it is natural that companies like Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors and Hyundai are interested to invest in this segment and grab a significant chunk of shares.

Maruti Suzuki Experienced 17.3% Increase in June Sales

Maruti Suzuki posted 17.3% increase in its year-on-year sales in June. However, the largest automaker in India, Maruti Suzuki has sold 88,091 cars last month, a clear jump from 85,109 units sold in the same period last year. This increase in sales reflects the surging demand of passenger cars in the country.

Though Maruti Suzuki posted a year-on-year growth in June sales, it was 28% down compared to the company’s total sales in May which reached at 102,175 units. It is partly because of the company’s shutdown of plants for 6 days for maintenance last month.

Maruti Suzuki should be happy with their June sales considering a number of other factors. First of all, carmakers in India increase the price of their vehicles because of hike in the price of raw materials like rubber and steel. Moreover, the government has also hiked the price of petrol and diesel recently. These factors affected sales in June.

India has one of the fastest growing car markets in the world and many carmakers are now investing in Indian looking to gain at least a chunk of market share in India’s growing car market.

Maruti Suzuki currently leads the country’s passenger car market with a number of other carmakers like Tata Motors and Toyota trying to grab more market share. Maruti Suzuki is highly responsible for the growth of passenger cars in India and has become India’s first carmaker to reach the one million mark in sales.

Maruti Eeco: The new multipurpose car in India

Famous Indian automaker, Maruti Suzuki, unveiled its new multi purpose vehicle, Maruti Eeco. It is a five-door, C segment vehicle, which has been specifically designed for India. The Eeco is the first car in India featuring DSA transmission. It is built to replace Maruti Suzuki’s microvan, Maruti Versa, launched in October 2001.

The Eeco is a spacious car which is built on the platform of Versa and it maintains a similar design to that of the Versa but the Eeco comes with a small and lighter engine. Developed by local engineers, the total development cost of the vehicle as Rs.600 million. Shinzo Nakanishi, managing director, Maruti Suzuki said that the Versa gave them a lot of learning but it did not sell much. They hoped that the demand for the new Maruti Eeco will be good as it is reasonably priced. Nitrobahn reports:

The EECO comes slightly lower (1800mm) than the other MPV’s from the Maruti staple like the aging Maruti Omni and Versa. The EECO is 3675 mm long, 1475 mm wide, with a wheel base of 2350 mm and a turning radius of a reasonable 4.5 meters. Some of the notable features include sliding driver seats, dual-tone styling, tubeless tyres, and a powerful braking system.

Colors: Metallic Glistening Grey; Metallic Silky Silver; Metallic Midnight Black;

Metallic Blue Blaze; Bright Red; Superior White.

Fuel efficiency: 15.1 kmpl

Engine: The Maruti Eeco comes with a 1,200 cc engine, transmission system that produces 73 bhp @6000rpm, a high torque of 101Nm@3000rpm. Maruti Suzuki incoporated its latest engine management system. The high-pressure-injection system combined with optimized injectors produces better atomization resulting in low emissions and fuel consumption.

Transmission: 5-speed manual transmission system with the Diagonal Shift

Assistance (DSA) technology.

Emission: The Eeco is the fourth model to adopt BS-IV compliant and ELV compliant. Indian government would start following the BS-IV from April 1, 2010.

The car uses ecologically harmful substances such as Chromium, Cadmium, Mercury and Lead only within the permissible limits as per European standards. This ensures that the materials of the vehicle are recyclable. It is also BS-IV compliant which the Indian government would start implementing from April 2010.

Price: The non-AC version 5-seater would cost Rs.2,58,000.

The 7-seater non-AC version costs Rs. 2,71,000.

The 5-seather AC version would cost Rs.2,89,000.

Here is the press release from Maruti Suzuki:

Maruti Suzuki launches Eeco

All-new spacious family car to sport new 1,200 cc engine, transmission system

· Focus on ‘A Big Car’ with space and

comfort for family

· Superior functionality and drivability

· Flexi-seating with 5 and 7 seater options

· Roomy interiors

· Sliding doors add to ease entry and exit

· Air-conditioning

· Range of six exhilarating colours

· BS-IV compliant

· Superior, in-house developed 1200 cc

petrol engine with 73 bhp power

· First-time ever DSA transmission

· Petrol Fuel efficiency 15.1 kmpl

· Beige and grey dual-tone interiors

· High ground clearance

· ELV compliant

NEW DELHI, January 7, 2010: Maruti Suzuki, the country’s number one automobile

manufacturer, has launched Eeco, an all-new spacious family car.

The Maruti Suzuki Eeco is a five-door, C segment vehicle, which has been specifically

designed for India by the auto-major.

Eeco comes with a new, powerful and highly fuel efficient 1200 cc engine. This new

engine delivers 73 bhp of raw power @6000rpm, a high torque of 101Nm@3000rpm

specifically designed to meet the Indian driving conditions.

The Eeco comes with a flexi design, offering 7-Seater and 5-seater options. It also offers

air-conditioning.

On the occasion, Mr. Shinzo Nakanishi, Managing Director and CEO, Maruti Suzuki said,

“Eeco performs the twin objectives of being a spacious family car and a dependable

vehicle to run businesses. Maruti Suzuki engineers have especially developed the Eeco,

its new powerful engine, and a new transmission system to meet the diverse consumer

aspirations that look for a vehicle that fits a large family and at the same time provides

flexibility for dual use. Towards this objective, Eeco will be a new powerful attraction.”

Maruti Suzuki is spearheading the adoption of more stringent BSIV norms and Eeco is

the fourth model to meet these norms well ahead of the April 2010 deadline.

In line with the Maruti Suzuki philosophy of making its range of vehicles environment

friendly, Eeco is yet another offering from Maruti Suzuki stable which is ELV compliant.

Page 2 of 4

Styling: Exterior and Interior

The Eeco is designed to meet the functional needs of its owner – be it personal such as an

outing with family or for business.

Its exterior continues the long standing Maruti Suzuki tradition of combining functional

design with spacious volume. Trendy and contemporary body graphics adorn the sides of

car giving it an appealing look. With balanced proportions, the 155/R13LT sized tubeless

tyres add to the smooth, yet powerful drive with a good grip on the road.

The dual tone interiors in shades of beige and grey provide a rich and spacious feeling.

The seats have been especially designed with integrated head-rest to make for a

comfortable ride. The digital meter cluster adds to the driver convenience as well as a

sophisticated feel.

Stance and Space

The overall dimensions make the vehicle spacious and stable. The proportions lend an

outstanding ergonomic layout with ample legroom and headroom at the front and rear for

passengers apart from providing a comfortable driving position. The presence of sliding

doors offers eases entry and exit for passengers even in congested road conditions.

Safety

The Eeco platform complies with all safety norms prevailing in the country. The turning

radius of 4.5 metres with suspension system, tuned specifically for Indian road conditions,

offers superior riding comfort, stability and handling.

Superior 1200 cc petrol engine

Eeco has a powerful new four-cylinder 1200cc engine, which has been conceived and

designed at Maruti Suzuki. The concept given to the engine designers was to deliver the

best fuel efficiency and at the same time, make it more driver-friendly.

Maruti Suzuki engineers worked on incorporating the latest technologies for making this

engine deliver the best fuel efficiency in its class, while meeting the driveability

requirements of the Indian consumer.

The engine management system incorporated in the vehicle is the latest from Maruti

Suzuki. A high-pressure-injection system with optimized injectors has resulted in better

atomization resulting in low emissions and fuel consumption.

A high compression ratio was chosen for this engine to improve the Combustion

efficiency. At the same time, engineers incorporated a knock sensor to protect the engine

Page 3 of 4

in case of any fuel variations. This combination also helped in improving the low end

torque response from the engine making it more drivable in low-speed city traffic

conditions. Intake and exhaust systems were optimized for proper breathing and hence

smoother power delivery across the full rpm range.

Maruti Suzuki engineers also worked on the friction development of the engine to

improve fuel consumption. The engine features low friction design pistons and rings, low

viscous engine oil, which makes it possible for this 1.2 litre engine to churn out a

maximum power of 73 bhp and a maximum torque of 101 Nm and at the same time

delivering a superior fuel-economy of 15.1kmpl, while meeting BSIV Emission norms.

Superior power train with DSA technology

The Eeco uses the 5-speed manual transmission system with the Diagonal Shift

Assistance (DSA) technology__which has been extensively worked on to match the new

engine to provide better fuel consumption. This DSA technology leads to an improved

and gliding diagonal gear shift. The system eases diagonal motion and allows for a gear

change without any break in continuity of the action, thereby improving the gear shift

feeling.

Environment friendly

The Eeco is ELV (End of Life for Vehicles) compliant which means it uses Lead,

Cadmium, Mercury and Chromium within permissible limits. All four of these substances

can cause irreparable damage to the environment if used indiscriminately. The ELV

regulations are yet to be adapted by the Indian automobile industry. In addition, the BS

IV compliant, environment friendly engine makes the Eeco truly India’s first Green Car

among C segment vehicles

Specially Designed for India

Having been specially designed for India, the Eeco has a superior suspension which

allows for a smooth and comfortable ride on rough Indian roads. All seats, front, middle

or rear are equally convenient to access and individually designed to be comfortable.

Eeco is available with air-conditioning option to combat the extreme climates in the

country.

These features make Eeco the most suitable vehicle for large Indian families that want a

vehicle for both – work and family outings and fun together.

A team of engineers worked on Eeco for over two years when it was subjected to various

rigorous R&D tests regarding safety, stability, transmission system, engine system

durability and calibration, Fuel compatibility, passenger comfort among others.

Page 4 of 4

Eeco represents the growing expertise of Maruti Suzuki engineers to conceive, design

and produce vehicles in India. This is also in line with parent Suzuki Motor Corporation’s

vision of turning India into a global hub for small car design.

Eeco is offered in an array of six exhilarating colors:

_ Metallic Glistening Grey _ Metallic Silky Silver _ Metallic Midnight Black

_ Metallic Blue Blaze _ Bright Red _ Superior White

For more information, please contact:

Corporate Communications,

Maruti Suzuki India Limited,

Vasant Kunj, New Delhi

Ph: 91-11-46075414, 46781113-1115, 46781000

Website: www.marutisuzuki.com

Aditya Chatterjee / Anubha Vaish

Adfactors PR Pvt Ltd

New Delhi

Ph: 91-11-40565100

Website: www.adfactorspr.com

At the Delhi Auto Expo Maruti Suzuki also showcased an electric version named “Eeco Charge.” It is developed by Maruti engineers but the company will not launch it pretty soon. Maruti Suzuki is planning to introduce a CNG version of the Eeco.

Maruti Suzuki will launch diesel variant of SX4 and a multi-utility-vehicle

(This entry was originally uploaded on May 2009.)

After launching Maruti Ritz on May 15, 2009, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. (MSIL) is going to launch its new multi-utility-vehicle in October 2009. The new car, codenamed O2, is being built on Versa platform. The car is now at an advanced stage and it will be produced at Maruti Suzuki’s manufacturing plant in Delhi. Price of the car has not been decided yet.

Indian auto market is currently going through a tough phase. Though the market is gradually recovering from the recession, sales is still low. At such a critical situation, this new car will further enrich MSIL’s portfolio and bolster its sales in the “combined people and luggage carrier segment1.” According to the statistics published by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, in April 2009, this segment grew to 1,078 units from 8,816 units in April 2008.

Meanwhile, MSIL is going to launch diesel version of its SX4 car after it got good response from its customers on Maruti Swift Dzire. Maruti Suzuki SX4 is a compact car mainly developed and produced jointly by Suzuki and Fiat since 2006. The diesel version of Maruti Suzuki SX4 would cost between Rs.400,000 and 500,000.

Related articles:

Khabrein.info

Stockwatch.in

Hindustan Times

Maruti Ritz specifications: A quick look

(This entry was originally uploaded on May 2009.)

On May 15, 2009, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. launched its latest hatchback car, Maruti Ritz. The car is the first one to follow BS-IV emission norms. In my previous posts, I gave you all the news about the launch of Maruti Ritz. In this post, I am giving all the specifications and features of Maruti Suzuki Ritz.

• Name: Maruti Ritz
• Model variants: Maruti Ritz comes in three Petrol variants includeing Lxi, Vxi and Zxi. The two diesel variants including Ldi and Vdi.
• Length: 3715mm
• Width: 1680 mm
• Height: 1620 mm
• Wheelbase: 2360 mm
• Ground clearance: 170 mm
• Turning circle radius: 4.7 meters
• Kerb weight: Lxi (1005 kgs); Vxi (1015 kgs); Zxi (1030 kgs); Ldi (1100 kgs); Vdi (1110 kgs).
• Seating capacity: 5
• Fuel tank capacity: 43 litres
• Brakes: Maruti Ritz comes with ventilated discs on its front wheels and drum discs on rear wheels.
• Tyres: The Zxi variant supports 185/70 R 14 size. On the other hand, all the other variants run on 165/80 R 14.
• Colors: Fire brick red, bakers chocolate, blue blaze, silky silver, racing green, glistering grey, midnight black, and superior white.

Maruti Ritz design:

The car is designed following the “tall boy philosophy.” The high roof makes the car appear more spacious. The exterior and interior design has been done by Suzuki Motor Corp.’s design team in Europe. It is then taken through three design clinics. In addition, test laboratories in Japan, Europe, and India carried out various tests including engine dyno, wind tunnel, cold/hot chambers, and emissions lab.

Maruti Ritz Interior:

Like the exterior, the interior of the Maruti Ritz is designed to give you comfort and a feel of liveliness and luxury. Just because it is a compact car does not mean that it has not enough luggage space. The 60:40 rear seat split enables you to increase your boot space when you are driving with extra luggage. In addition, the high roof line and adjustable seats makes the car very comfortable. The two tone dashboard and the waterfall console with silver lining will make you feel like you are driving an expensive brand car.

Maruti Ritz Exterior:

The roof line of the Maruti Ritz flows in arc and the rear vertical gives it a high aerodynamic efficiency which enables the car to remain steady at high speeds and reduces drag. The car also looks very sporty and the crease lines on the sides add up to its youthful look. The boomerang tail lights ensure high visibility at night. The Vxi and Zxi models of the car come with front fog lamps and rear fog lamps which enables the driver to drive in difficult weather conditions. The alloy wheels not only increase Maruti Ritz’s style quotient but also provides better stability.

Maruti Ritz Engine:

Maruti Ritz is powered by the lightweight and fuel efficient K12M engine. The petrol version of the engine has a fuel efficiency of 17.7 kmpl. The engine can pickup very quickly for its high power and torque. The engine oil is not required to be changed before 10000 km. The spark plugs have a life span of 40,000 km. The DDis technology diesel engine has a fuel efficiency of 21 kmpl and offers low engine noise.

Cylinder: 4 (diesel and petrol).

Engine CC: 1197cc (petrol) 1248 cc(diesel)

Maximum power: 85ps@6000 rpm (petrol) and 75ps@4000 rpm.

Maximum torque: 113 Nm@4500 rpm (petrol) and 190 Nm@ 2000 rpm.

Some more features of Maruti Ritz:

• The Maruti Ritz comes with iCATs.
• The Maruti Ritz has central locking
• The Maruti Ritz comes with child lock.
• The Maruti Ritz has dual airbags.
• The Maruti Ritz has front ELR seat belt with pretensioner.
• The Maruti Ritz comes with front and rear fog lamps.
• The Maruti Ritz comes with body colored bumpers.
• The Maruti Ritz has OVRM feature to control side mirros.
• The Maruti Ritz comes with hub caps.
• The Maruti Ritz comes with full wheel covers.
• The Maruti Ritz has alloy wheels.
• The Maruti Ritz has rear window defogger.
• The Maruti Ritz has rear wiper and washer.
• The Maruti Ritz comes with air-conditioner.
• The Maruti Ritz has power steering.
• The Maruti Ritz has double horn.
• The Maruti Ritz comes with fabric insert on door trim.
• The Maruti Ritz has front and rear door power windows.
• The Maruti Ritz comes with tilt steering
• The Maruti Ritz has audio control mounted on steering wheel.
• The Maruti Ritz comes with keyless entry system.
• The Maruti Ritz comes with foldable grip assistant.
• The Maruti Ritz has adjustable front seat head restraint and rear seat head restraint.
• The Maruti Ritz comes with roof antenna.
• The Maruti Ritz comes with ashtray.
• The Maruti Ritz comes with cup holder in console.
• The Maruti Ritz comes clock.
• The Maruti Ritz comes with tachometer.
• The Maruti Ritz has seatbelt reminder for driver seat.
• The Maruti Ritz comes with door ajar warning lamp.
• The Maruti Ritz has seat back pocket.
• The Maruti Ritz has front seat under tray.
• The Maruti Ritz has radio and CD with speakers.
• The Maruti Ritz comes with parcel tray.
• The Maruti Ritz has seat height adjuster (driver side).
• The Maruti Ritz comes with accessory socket.
• The Maruti Ritz has cigar lighter.
• The Maruti Ritz comes with anti-glare interior rear view mirror.

Related articles:

Maruti Suzuki Ritz official website

Maruti Ritz launch: Some information

(This entry was originally uploaded on May 2009.)

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. today launched its latest premium compact car, Maruti Ritz, today. A hatchback car, Maruti Suzuki launched both petrol and diesel version of Maruti Ritz. The price starts from Rs.3,90,000 to Rs.4,99,000.

Shinzo Nakanishi, Managing director and CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., told reporters that Maruti Ritz is the fifth global model introduced by Suzuki Motor Corporation. and it is the first car in India to meet the Bharat Stage-IV emission norms. Both the diesel and petrol variants of the car will follow the emission norms. Mr. Nakanishi hopes that the car will yield great result for the company. Maruti Suzuki has no plans to export the car at this moment.

The design of the car adopts the “tallboy” philosophy and it is positioned for the A2 market segment. Overall, Maruti Ritz design adopts European style. India is one of the major markets for small cars. When we think of small cars, naturally we think of cheap cars that can be bought by people with tight budgets. When Maruti Suzuki started its operation in India, it produced low cost cars. The Maruti Suzuki 800, the first car launched by the company, was a low priced car which became immensely success and revolutionized the Indian auto industry. Though launched in 1984, Maruti Suzuki 800 still generates respectable amount of revenue for the company. Maruti decided to scrap the production of Maruti Suzuki 800 but later decided to upgrade its engine to meet India’s new emission norms.

However, things have changed a lot in India. With the rising economy and rapidly expanding capacity of the Indian middle class, people are not looking for low priced cars anymore. Indians living in large metropolis are going for compact cars that are stylish, well designed, offer more comfort and good driving experience. The year 2009 will be marked as the year of India’s transition toward premium compact cars. Many companies are going to launch their own premium compact cars this year and in the earlier part of 2010. For instance, Honda Motors will launch Honda Jazz, Fiat will launch Fiat Grande Punto. Hyundai Motor Company, which already launched successful compact cars like Hyundai Santro, Hyundai i10 and Hyundai Getz, is going to launch Hyundai i20. Initially, Hyundai Motors planned to sell 1,000 units of Hyundai i20 every month but the demand has already doubled and Hyundai expects to see further increase in the demand.

Maruti Ritz has been developed on the platform of Maruti Swift which enabled the company to offer the car at a lower price. In addition, a large portion of the parts of the car were produced in India.

Mr. Nakanishi said that MSIL has not fixed any sales target for the car yet because it it is tough to predict the future trend in a highly competitive car market like India. Moreover, the country is now coming out from economic recession. However, Mr. Nakanishi said that his company has all the capabilities to meet the requirements.

The petrol version of Ritz would be available in three variants with price tags ranging from Rs.3,90,000 to Rs.4,80,000. The diesel run Maruti Ritz will come in two variants priced between Rs.4,65,000 and Rs.4,99,000. The prices are introductory offers and subject to change at a later date.

The launch of the new car also drove up Maruti Suzuki’s share prices. Today, shares of Maruti Suzuki observed an intraday high of Rs.852 and intraday low of Rs.837.25.

Related articles:

Business Standard (1)

Business Standard (2)

Money Control

India Infoline

Web Newswire

Times of India

Maruti Ritz Reviews in Different Websites

(This entry was originally posted on May 2009.)

On May 15, 2009, Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL), the largest car maker in India launched its latest hatchback car Maruti Ritz. Maruti Ritz is the fifth global model launched by Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. after Swift, Grand Vitara, SX4 and A-Star. In September 2006, at the Paris Motor Show, Suzuki presented a concept of the company’s future production concept, “Project Splash.” It received positive response which motivated Akira Kamio and his team to develop Ritz.

India is one of the emerging markets for auto mobiles. Small cars are very much popular in India. Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) is one of the pioneers of small cars in India. The company produced Maruti Suzuki 800, the first mass produced small car in India which revolutionized the Indian auto industry. Though the car needs some major upgrades, it is still the first choice of many Indian families. With the rising economy, taste of Indian people has also changed. Instead low priced small cars, they are now looking for small cars, that looks sporty, stylish, and offer lots of comfort features. With that end in mind, Maruti Suzuki launched Maruti Ritz. Here is a review of Maruti Ritz from different websites:

Autos.maxabout.com gives Maruti Ritz a ratings of four out of five. It says:

Unlike traditional hatchbacks, the rear end has allowed for a thicker C-pillar and made provision for a smaller quarter glass that is not very different from the Swift. With an overall width of 1.68 metres, the Ritz is 8cm wider than the Wagon R+. Smartly shaped headlights give it a friendly appearance, and they combine with a trapezoidal grille to form a “face” that reflects the new Suzuki family identity.

The Suzuki brand emblem proudly takes its place in the centre of the grille, and the entire front end of the car incorporates energy-absorbing structures for pedestrian protection.

Maruti Suzuki offers lots of interior space. Four people can easily fit and if necessary there is room for one more. The rear sits are set higher than the front seats so that all the occupants can get a good view. zigwheels.com says:

The large hatchback segment is proliferating and Maruti Suzuki being the small car segment leader has cleverly engineered the Ritz to be bang on the money keeping in mind its likely rivals already on the market as well as those which it will have to deal with in the coming month! Already the Swift encounters competition in the form of the Hyundai i20 and the Skoda Fabia at the upper end of the spectrum while others like the brilliantly conceived Tata Indica Vista resides along side it.

The Maruti Ritz is fitted with K12M engine which follows the BS-IV emission norm. Webhush.com says:

The roomy Maruti Ritz runs on K12M which is 1197 cc low-weight all-aluminum 4-cylindered engine (4 valves a cylinder) integrated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The engine does 85 PS of power at 6000 rpm and torque will be 113 Nm @ 4500rpm – implying Ritz can fly on roads, I mean it! FLY ON ROADS. The K12M engine also gives pretty low emissions so its the earth lovers’ car. The ground clearance is raised by over 30mm as compared to its international clone Splash so to make it suitable for the pothole laden Indian road conditions.

edmunds.com says:

Under the hood of the gasoline version is Maruti’s new 1.2-liter K-series four-cylinder engine, rated at 85 horsepower and 84 pound-feet of torque. The diesel is the same exceptional Fiat 1.3 Multijet, delivering 74 hp and 140 lb-ft.

With a stiff chassis and a well-engineered suspension, the Ritz tackles Indian roads with aplomb. Maruti has raised and softened the suspension on the Ritz more than on the Swift, which translates into better comfort, even on poor surfaces. Whereas the softer Ritz doesn’t feel as enthusiastic to drive as the Swift, it is leagues better than Maruti’s other tall boy, the Wagon R.

24timepass.com says:

Maruti A-Star is a type from the group of ‘end of the life vehicle’ (ELV), it would provide better comfort for four sitters, and can also accommodate five. The expected price range of Maruti Ritz is between Rs.4-5 lakh.These parts include steering wheel, gear knob, door handles and the indicator switches. It is expected that the New Maruti Ritz will be available in two different petrol engines and other is a single diesel engine. For the available two petrol engines of the car one is available in 1000cc displacement with 65 bhp available in 3-cylinder etc,

Motorbeam.com says:

The Ritz has been described by Suzuki as a multi-utility vehicle that will likely appeal to those with small families and a limited budget. The car may replace the Wagon R, though Maruti is yet to confirm that. The car shall also come with Maruti Suzuki’s standard set of safety features like ABS, airbags, brake assist, etc some of which may be trimmed for India, to keep costs into consideration. Also the engine & transmission options may vary for India for the petrol versions. Ritz is going to be yet another winner form Suzuki, after Swift, SX4 and the Swift Dzire.

ritzmaruti.in says:

Maruti Ritz can be called a roomy car for four passengers. However, seating five is not really a problem unlike the Alto.The height although lesser than WagonR gives very good head room.

Storage for The front console includes a flip lid box, a glove compartment and a tray.The hatch is smaller though but it has a hidden space for the spare wheel just like the Swifts.

The Congress led UPA has just come to power and it brought major stability and assurance among the business community. Today, the Indian sharemarket observed its record high surge. The Congress which was previously in power will continue with its economic reform. It will attract more foreign investment and focus on economic growth. Well, at this moment, it is not possible to say what will happen but the hope is there and Maruti Ritz have to make the best use of it and it has all the elements to do so.

Maruti Ritz is coming to conquer India

(This entry was originally uploaded on May 2009.)

On May 15, 2009, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. (MSIL) is going to launch Maruti Suzuki Ritz, the premium hatchback car. Maruti Suzuki Ritz will compete in the A2 segment. In the last four years, this is the eighth launch of MSIL and its fourth hatchback model car followed by Maruti Zen Estilo, Maruti Swift, and Maruti A-Star and seventh car in the A2 segment. Designed to attract youngsters, the car is spacious and offers great driving experience. Maruti Ritz is designed on Maruti Swift platform. Maruti Ritz is 3.7 meters long. It is 30 mm shorter than Maruti Swift in length and 8 centimeters wider than the Wagon R+. Designers of the car focused a lot on shoulder space. Five passengers can easily fit into the car.

Maruti Suzuki Ritz will be positioned between the Maruti Suzuki A-Star and Maruti Swift. It will mainly compete with Hyundai’s i10 and i20, Skoda’s Fabia, Ford’s Fusion, Fiat’s Palio and Tata Motors’ Indica Vista. A similar version of the model, which will be named Maruti Suzuki Splash, will be launched in the international market. The Maruti Suzuki Splash will be thirty millimeters shorter than the Maruti Suzuki Ritz.

Currently, in the A2 category, Maruti Swift holds 75% market share, Hyundai Getz11%, Chevrolet U-VA 8%, Hyundai i20 4% and Skoda Fabia 2%. MSIL has a 58% market share in the A2 segment. Shashank Srivastava, chief general manager (marketing), Maruti Suzuki India, said that his company’s main strategy is to offer more products in the same category in order to fetch greater market shares. Mr. Srivastava believes that Maruti Suzuki Ritz would succeed where Maruti Swift failed. He also admitted of “some cannibalization of Swift by Ritz” at the initial stage but customers would gradually understand the differences.

Maruti Suzuki Ritz engines and variants:

• Maruti Ritz is fitted with the all aluminum K12M engine. The 1.2-litre, four cylinder, petrol engine is the latest in lightweight K-series engines that are very much fuel efficient. To achieve fuel efficiency and NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) reduction, plastic parts have been used along with shortened piston skirts, plastic intake manifolds, rocker-less DOHC cam shaft and nut-less conrods. The raisin coatings on the pistons reduce transmission losses.
• There will be six variants of the Maruti Ritz- three in petrol and the other three in diesel. The K12M is an 1197cc petrol engine. It generates 85 bhp at 550 rpm. The common rail diesel engine is a 1248 cc engine that produces 75 bhp.

Environment friendly and fuel efficient:

• To make it a more environment friendly car, Maruti Ritz has been ridded of harmful substances like chromium, cadmium, mercury etc. This makes Maruti Ritz more recyclable to salvage valuable materials.
• The Maruti Suzuki Ritz is the first car from Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. that complies with BS-IV emission norms.
• The Maruti Ritz has Smart DistributionLess Ignition (SDLI) that enables the car to achieve a fuel efficiency of 17-18 kmpl. Maruit Ritz will also be able to run on 10% ethanol-petrol blend. The diesel version will have a fuel efficiency of 21 kmpl.

Other features of Maruti Suzuki Ritz:

• The Maruti Suzuki Ritz will come with a 5-speed manual gearbox. Rumor is that a auto-gear version will be released.
• The Maruti Ritz will be available with RR fog lamps.
• The Maruti Suzuki Ritz will come with a rear bumper designed to suit the roads of India.
• For security, the Maruti Ritz will come with i-CATS (Intelligent Computerized Anti-theft System) on all the variants of the Ritz.
• The Maruti Ritz will be available in splash green, lagoon turquoise and eight other metallic colors. The splash green and lagoon turquoise are specifically developed for this car by Suzuki.
• The Maruti Suzuki Ritz will come along with high grade engine oil which will be needed to change after 10,000 kms compared to 1000 kms in other engines. The new Maruti Suzuki Ritz will also come with high-tech spark plugs which you will have to change after 40,000 kms.

Price:

Maruti Ritz will cost between Rs.450,000- 500,000.

Maruti Ritz microsite:

Maruti Suzuki launched www.marutisuzukiritz.com, an interactive mini-site to commemorate the launch of the Maruti Ritz on May 15^th. The site sports a ticker showing the final count down of the launch. Visitors can also download wallpapers and screen savers. There is a teaser that reveals the car in small portions when the visitor moves his mouse. The micro-site also offers games and puzzles. There is this ‘Sneak a Peek Ritz Contest.’ You can win various prizes including trolley bags, Puma T-shirts, and Ritz desk sets. There is also two personalized sections- ‘Share a Moment’ and ‘Read a Moment.’ In the ‘Read a Moment’ section, visitors can write about their various personal experiences with cars. You will also get to read others’ interesting experiences. The lucky winners will win special Maruti Ritz merchandise.

Related articles:

Zig Wheels (1)

Zig Wheels (2)

Zig Wheels (3)

Zig Wheels (4)

Zig Wheels (5)

Zig Wheels (6)

Desi Critics

DNA India

Kerala Online

Express India