Concept A-Star from Maruti Suzuki

[robin_1981]

Maruti Suzuki and its parent Suzuki Motor Corporation have decided to showcase their jointly developed concept car at the forthcoming Auto Expo in New Delhi. It will, perhaps, be the first time that an international car maker will be using the New Delhi Auto Expo for the global launch of its concept car, Concept A-Star.Concept A-Star will also be displayed at other global motor shows during 2008.

Concept A-Star is seen as a major step forward for Maruti Suzuki towards realising its dream of making a global compact car. Such a compact car will be manufactured by Maruti Suzuki at Manesar facility for export to Europe. Concept A-Star will demostrate the R&D capabilities of Maruti Suzuki. The Concept A-Star, developed in collaboration with Suzuki Motor Corporation, signifies that styling capabilities at Maruti Suzuki are now comparable to the best in the world.

Designed totally in India, it will be a precursor to MSI’s global compact car that will be launched post 2010. The car will likely carry a 1.2 litre to 1.6 litre engine and will be available in both petrol and diesel versions.

Tata might also showcase the 1 lakh car at the upcoming Auto Expo 2008.

Read full article The Hindu News Update Service
and Maruti plans A-Star debut in Delhi- Automobiles-Auto-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times

[Ram]

Used to think that Maruti Udyog was no more than a simple assembly line set up to stamp and assemble Japan's cheapest tinboxes, exploiting Haryana's low-cost labor.

Didn't know they would someday grow brains and innovate and design concepts in-house, like a Mahindra or a Tata.

Will the Concept A-Star be the new kid in the Esteem/Swift space?

Ram

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by ram

Used to think that Maruti Udyog was no more than a simple assembly line set up to stamp and assemble Japan's cheapest tinboxes,

I think this is the first time we are hearing of Maruti Suzuki R&D, isn't it? May be, Maruti Suzuki has gained more respect from Suzuki Motor India after they exceeded the parent company in sales.

Before, all i have heard is the redesigns which were done in India. Zen, WagonR, Alto etc.

[redcandle]

Source

[redcandle]

One word......Interesting.

[Car-Agey]

With Tata, Mahindra, Bajaj and other proving their capibility, it was expected that more and more auto makers will start developing their automobiles in India. Maruti had already redesigned several models, it was a matter of time before a new car was developed by Maruti.

With Bajaj Renault working on the new small car and Hyundai setting up R & D centre in India and several others eyeing Indian talent, this sector heading for a revolution in the country.

[mail4ajo]

Dont brand me as a Maruti fan. If Maruti engineers could add value to the international Swift development with the Japanese team, this is not a great feat.

With everything from computer processors to cars being designed in India, we have come a long way. Production is what we need to focus on.

What I think is restraining them is the Japanese team intervention. Do you know that Maruti did not publicise Indian sales exceeding that of Japan? It was notified from Japan. Maybe they fear their bosses or are being too modest.

[hrishig]

"Concept A-Star is for a compact car"

Two possibilities...


1) This can be our esteem's replacement
2) Maruti knew i10 will be launched so they are also showing their points...


Good point is ,

Auto Company's have taken Indian consumers seriously are doing global launches India.

[Rahulkool]

i think they are making something to replace 800, yeah i know alto is its replacement but i guess something cheaper. not as cheap as tata 1lac car but somthing to give it run for its money

[dhall_gagan]

I still remember the day when due to Indian Govt's intervention MUL cud not launch WagonR at the right time & due to this Santro came first in India with the Tall-Boy Design...

And this day, when I hear of R&D work carried on in India, its gr88 news...

I agree that this will be in compact car Segment only & u never know, they might replace not so good selling Zen Estilo or Esteem replacement...

But at least they will be able to pull some crowd to their Stalls in teh Auto Expo this Year..

[StarScream]

Originally Posted by ram

Used to think that Maruti Udyog was no more than a simple assembly line set up to stamp and assemble Japan's cheapest tinboxes, exploiting Haryana's low-cost labor.

Now, that's an unfair characterization. The Maruti plant is as simple or complex as any other in the world. They do everything that goes into making a car unlike Honda, Toyota etc. which assemble cars from imported parts. The only car plant in India that matches Maruti or perhaps even exceeds it in terms of completeness is Hyundai in Chennai. I define completeness as doing everything required to make a car within the country.
The A-Star is not a surprise. Suzuki and Maruti have been working up to it. You first saw signs of Maruti R&D in the facelifts of cars like the Esteem, Zen and Wagon-R. Indian engineers started working more closely with their Japanese counterparts during the designing of the Swift. Now they are taking that collaboration further with the A-Star.
FYI, I hold no brief for Maruti.

[StarScream]

A-star unveiled today - here are pics














trying picture upload for the first time so apologies if it doesn' work.

[StarScream]

- Concept A-Star will be shown at the Auto Expo in Delhi froim Jan 9-17
- A-segment, 5 door hatchback
- Euro 5, 1 litre aluminium petrol engine with low CO2 emissions (less than 109g/km)
-sporty performance with outstanding fuel economy
-production model which borrows from A-Star design will be manufactured at Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant. prodction starts Oct. 08.
-to be marketed in Europe and other countries including India.
-new 1 litre aluminium engine will be produced by Maruti Suzuki and a manual transmission for it by Suzuki Powertrain India, an SMC subsidiary based beside Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant.
- Suzuki Powertrain produces the 1.3 litre diesel engine but SMC does not plan to use it in the new car since the new 1 litre engine is environmentally superior.
-SMC may study options for small diesel engines in the future.
-ConceptA-Star is the first concept car in which designers from Maruti Suzuki have been involved from initial stages of styling.

[StarScream]

pic of the back -



looks like the Swift with funny eyes, if you ask me. But I guess its a lot smaller since its supposed to be an A-segment car.

[amit]

ConceptA-Star is the first concept car in which designers from Maruti Suzuki have been involved from initial stages of styling.

What initial stages? The car looks so similar to the Splash!