Maruti Alto 800

It’s not everyday that you get to test a car that’s likely to be a surefire best-seller, but that’s just what this is – a first drive of Maruti’s all-new Alto 800, a car that in all probability will start life at the top of the sales charts.
The new Alto is a car Maruti has poured its heart and soul into to get right. What the company wants is continuity and progress. It wants the Alto 800 to take off from where the current Alto stands today, and for that Maruti’s designers have given it an identity that is instantly recognisable. 
So there’s an overriding feeling of familiarity as you walk upto the car. The compact dimensions, the high-mounted headlights and the thick ‘C’ pillar at the rear of the car tell you this is an Alto instantly. But the new bits stand out as well. The new two-part grille is attractive, the high-mounted petal-shaped headlights stand out, there’s a hint of a chin spoiler, which looks sporty, and the wheel arches are mildly flared as well. Unlike the earlier car, this one is mildly tipped forward too, adding to that sporty feel. The design is familiar around the back, but here too there are fresh new details like the crystal-like tail lights and some sculpting on the hatch that adds a spicy touch.
What makes the car look a bit awkward from some angles however is the massive ground clearance, something that just doesn’t sit well with the compact dimensions. The conservative Alto 800 however is likely to appeal to a wider audience than Hyundai’s overtly styled Eon, which draws polarised opinion.

All-new Maruti Alto 800 nearly here

new-maruti-alto
by autocarindia.com

Maruti Ertiga review, test drive

Fact File

Price Range (in lakhs)*

Ex-showroom price

Rs 7-9 lakh Ex-showroom (estimated)

Engine

Fuel	Petrol / Diesel
Installation	Front, transverse, front-wheel drive
Type	4 cyls in-line, 1373cc, petrol/ 4 cyls in-line, 1248cc, turbo-diesel
Power	93.8bhp at 6000rpm/ 88.5bhp at 4000rpm
Torque	13.25kgm at 4000rpm/ 20.39kgm at 1750rpm

Transmission

Gearbox

5-speed manual

Dimensions

Length	4265mm
Width	1695mm
Height	1685mm
Wheel base	2740mm
Ground clearance	185mm

Chassis & Body

Weight	1160kg/1235kg
Wheels	15inch
Tyres	185/65 R15

Suspension

Front	Independent, MacPherson struts
Rear	Non-independent, torsion beam

Steering

Type	Rack and pinion
Type of power assist	Electric assist

Brakes

Front	Ventilated discs
Rear	Drums

by autocarindia

New Swift Dzire review, test drive

The second-generation Dzire is quite different from the car it replaces. For starters, it’s only 3995mm long so it is a whole 165mm shorter than its predecessor. To keep length under the crucial four-metre mark, the new Swift sports an extremely short boot. As a result, the new Dzire looks more a notchback than a proper saloon.

We first broke the news about the sub-four-metre new Swift Dzire on our website on December 31, 2010. We also brought you the first pictures of the car in our May 2011 issue. As you can tell, we have been tracing the evolution of this car very closely and that’s because a saloon car for potential small car money is not easy to ignore.
The second-generation Dzire is quite different from the car it replaces. For starters, it’s only 3995mm long so it is a whole 165mm shorter than its predecessor. To keep length under the crucial four-metre mark, the new Swift sports an extremely short boot. As a result, the new Dzire looks more a notchback than a proper saloon.
by autocar

What They Have Got !

Hyundai

 

Hyundai showcased its MPV concept, the Hexa Space (code-named HND-7), at the Expo. This 4.3-metre car is built on a 2750mm wheelbase and propulsion comes from a 1200cc turbocharged Kappa petrol motor. Hyundai also revealed the latest-gen Sonata executive saloon at the Expo. It is powered by a 198bhp, 2.4-litre petrol engine with six-speed manual and automatic transmissions. The Korean carmaker also showcased its new Elantra, which will take on the likes of the Honda Civic, Skoda Laura and Volkswagen Jetta, as well as the funky Veloster 2+2 coupe.

 

 

Jaguar Land Rover

 

Tata-owned JLR displayed a slew of its cars and concepts at the expo. Production cars included the face-lifted XF, the XJ and Jaguar’s most powerful production car yet, the wild 542bhp XKR-S. However, the pair of Jaguar concept cars, the C-X75 and the C-X16, was what made heads turn at the stall. Land Rover showed two DC-100 concept SUVs, one of which came with a stunning white roof that contrasted with the bright red lower half of the car, while the other had no roof at all.

 

 

Mahindra

 

The Auto Expo served as the launchpad for the Ssangyong brand in India. Taking centre-stand on the expansive Mahindra stand, the Ssangyong display included the soon-to-be-launched Rexton SUV, the stylish XIV-1 Concept, Actyon Sports dual-cab pick-up and a full-electric version of the Korando. Brand Mahindra had the two Reva electric cars on display, an electric Verito and of course, one of this year’s big stars, the XUV500.

 

 

Maruti

 

Maruti unveiled the XA Alpha compact SUV concept at the Auto Expo. A car that could be built on the new Swift platform, the Alpha looks every bit the compact SUV and with overall length at 4000mm, it is eligible for the lower rate of excise duty for small cars. Maruti will be offering the mini-SUV with its range of K-Series petrol engines and the 1.3-litre DDIS diesel engine. The eagerly anticipated Innova fighter, the Ertiga, is also on display. This seven-seater is also the launchpad for Maruti’s latest K-series petrol engine, the 1.4-litre K14.

 

 

Mercedes-Benz

 

Mercedes-Benz displayed a combination of concept, road and racing cars at the Auto Expo. Among the production models on display were the SLS AMG roadster supercar, the new, third-generation M-class and a customised S600 Pullman Guard armoured limousine. The star of the show however was the concept A-class - a hatchback that previews Merc’s forthcoming design direction for its family of MFA transverse-engined front-wheel drive cars. However, the first car off this platform to be launched in India will be the all-new B-class mini-MPV.

 

 

Nissan

 

Nissan unveiled the seven-seater Evalia MPV at the Auto Expo. Built on Nissan’s B-platform, this is the car we previously knew as the NV200. Powering the Evalia will be the 1.5-litre dCi turbo-diesel engine from the Sunny diesel. Production will start in the second half of 2012. Nissan is also showcasing its pioneering electric car, the Leaf and its powerful supercar the GT-R at the Auto Expo.

  

Renault

 

Renault unveiled the Duster midsize crossover at the Expo. It shares its platform with the Logan, so as you can imagine it’s not an all-out off-roader and will in fact be sold only with two-wheel drive in India. Renault has also launched its Micra-based hatch, the Pulse, at the Auto Expo.

 

 

Royal Enfield

 

Royal Enfield has launched its eagerly anticipated Thunderbird 500 at the 2012 Auto Expo in Delhi. The company is targeting touring enthusiasts with this cruiser. The bike gets distinctive ‘black’ styling and it is powered by a 500cc Unit Construction Engine (UCE) that makes 27.2bhp. Apart from the bikes on display, the Enfield stall includes biker apparel and riding accessories as well.

 

 

Skoda

 

Although no new models or variants were launched, the Fabia Monte Carlo and the RS 2000 concept did garner a lot of attention. The Monte Carlo Fabia is a tribute to 100 years of the Monte Carlo rally and 110 years of Skoda in motorsport. The company’s recent success in the S2000 rally series prompted Skoda to make a celebratory concept car, the RS 2000. Also on display at the Skoda stand are the company’s new Rapid saloon and Laura RS.

  by autocar

Maruti Ertiga unveiled at Auto Expo

Maruti has unveiled its new Ertiga compact MPV at the 2012 Auto Expo in New Delhi. The Ertiga, which is due to go on sale by late-March 2012, is Maruti’s first crack at the MPV segment. Based on an extended Swift platform, the Ertiga carries the Maruti family look with the front resembling the Ritz hatchback while the peeled-back headlights that stretch to the pronounced wheel arches are reminiscent of the new Swift. The front bumper styling is quite sporty with a large air inlet and neat enclosures for the fog lights. Tail styling looks rather generic though. The overall length is 4265mm so the Ertiga does not qualify for excise benefits available to sub four-metre cars.
Maruti has extended the Swift wheelbase to 2740mm and this has allowed the inclusion of a third row of seats – the Ertiga can seat seven passengers in a 2+3+2 layout. Flexible seating also allows you to reconfigure the seats to free up luggage space by folding the last row and also individual seats on the middle row. The cabin features a combination of black and beige plastics and this gives it an upmarket look. However, the dashboard design is identical to the Swift. The Ertiga will be offered in three trim levels on both petrol and diesel versions, and though climate control will not be offered on any model, a twin AC system will be part of standard kit.
Maruti will debut the new K14B petrol engine on the Ertiga. The latest addition to the K-Series engine family produces 93.87bhp at 6000rpm and 13.25kgm at 4000rpm. If the 16.02kpl ARAI-tested figure is anything to go by, real-world fuel economy from this motor should be good too. The Ertiga uses the same gearbox as the Swift though the gear ratios have been tweaked to compensate for the heavier loads the engine will be subject to. Also on offer will be the 89bhp, 1.3-litre DDiS diesel engine from the SX4.
courtesy-autocar