Maruti Alto Sedan

[Murugan]

Originally Posted by SirAlec

they spoiled the image of swift! it was supposed to remain a hot hatch. Well because of us indians with that 'boot syndrome', they decided to launch the dzire, for me its very undesirable. will sell the swift soon because of this only.

Originally Posted by vkochar

I personally feel the DeZire looks horrible. The Esteem & Baleno was a much better looker IMHO. The Swift of course till today looks hot as ever.

Originally Posted by .anshuman

Indigo and Dzire might be commercial sucess but these cars look real bad,

Originally Posted by maddy42

First killing a car like swift adding a butt and now asking alto to get a butt.

Originally Posted by shebin

Maruthi has already killed the hottest looking hatch,swift when they introduce Dzire...

Well guys, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

I always loved the looks of the Swift and still do while my wife and son loathe its looks, especially the rear. Having owned the DZiRE for the past one month, whenever I look at the Swift now it makes me wonder "this car (Swift) looks incomplete with the boot chopped off!"

You can find some pics of my DZiRE here:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...ervations.html (Maruti Swift DZire - delivery on 7th April 2008 - some observations)

"What's good for the gander may not be good for the goose."

Wonder what people would have said if the DZiRE had been introduced first and the Swift much later?!

Also the fact is that the DZiRE has eaten into the sales of the Swift so enormously that the Swift is now available off the shelf (atleast in Chennai) while the waiting period for the DZiRE is more than 6 months.

As far as businessess are concerned, is'nt the customer always right?

Originally Posted by NetfreakBombay

Would love to have a 1.1 ltr engine and boot on my Alto... I think it will look as bad as it gets, but I will pay for it if its available.

Originally Posted by joslicx

Probably the intention of the threat starter was to discuss marketability of the product if it is offered! And that is probably a very interesting question!

Forget looks (even very ugly cars sell in india). An Alto sedan at less than 4m will still qualify for excise benefits so price can be kept low (direct competitor to IndigoCS) It will really be a very interesting proposition for Maruti!!!

Originally Posted by speedzak

So many members here and nobody to see the positive points? Ah! Come on!

Thru out the world and different car manufacturers, there was always this practise of making one platform and different bodystyles.

I don't understand why it should harm a hatchback if a sedan of it is launched. Hatchback lovers can always stick to their choice and the others can stick to their's.

Beauty! It's in the eye of the beholder, or so! Ain't it?

Sometimes! If I remember correctly, many of these (so called) ugly ducklings have been a big success commercially and it has also won many enthusiasts' hearts.

And don't think this is something that started very lately. It's been going around the industry from atleast 20 years or so!

Come on! Now, shall somebody support me on this? :Running with ears closed smilie:

Cheers! I'm very much with you guys on the practicality front. Many of us buy a car for its utility value and value for money aspects and not just the looks. An economically priced Alto sedan - I'm sure the Indian market will lap it up eagerly and Maruti will laugh all the way to the bank. I'm not talking about what the enthusiast is looking for; I'm talking about what the average cash strapped Indian will DSiRE!

[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by speedzak

So many members here and nobody to see the positive points? Ah! Come on!

Thru out the world and different car manufacturers, there was always this practise of making one platform and different bodystyles. No! I don't just mean the normal platform sharing like how it happens between Alto/wagon R/Estilo. I mean one car with different variants. Sometimes the hatchback would be launched first, then a sedan and a station wagon/estate.
There's absolutely nothing strange or unwanted in this practise. It gives customers more choices/options to choose from and the manufacturer also gains a lot of benefit by reducing component costs/single assembly line etc.. and many more.

I don't understand why it should harm a hatchback if a sedan of it is launched. Hatchback lovers can always stick to their choice and the others can stick to their's. How does it collide with each other except in the reduction of supply (if the plant of assembly is not that capable of producing sufficient numbers). There's also a possibility of that certain platform becoming very popular and very much profitable for the manufacturer that they can introduce special and limited hot versions in hatchback versions etc.. I will provide some examples I have seen in this short life of 20-25 years.

Beauty! It's in the eye of the beholder, or so! Ain't it? I would like a certain object due to it's share while the same factor would be the reason of hate for many. I've seen many people liking the new Sumo grande while some really thrashed it and called it eunuch shaped than the old muscular one. I don't like Logan's shape, but some love it. I hated the first looks of Toyota Venture (known as the Qualis here), but then I fell in love with the design so much that I still own one. I hate the way Pamela Anderson looks, but many make a mess of their pants when she makes an appearance. I love Keira knightley while many have the doubts of she being a female or not due to her flat and skinny looks! See.. It goes on and on.

Sometimes! If I remember correctly, many of these (so called) ugly ducklings have been a big success commercially and it has also won many enthusiasts' hearts. The Josh machine of India, Ikon was launched as a hatchback in SA. Some friends of mine, while they came to India made a whole lot of fun saying their Fiesta (as the ikon was called there) was pregnant from the backside while I used to tell them that their Fiestas doesn't have any butt to squeeze upon. LOL!
Ford escort, one of the first prestigious sedans to be launched in India was originally a hatch/notch in many other countries. And in some places, all the 4 variants were sold together.
Palio! which is a heartbeat for many of us, also has a butt fitted brother and a lengthened one as an estate. It was all sold in our country from one showroom, together.
Astra! Another enthusiasts' fav, is also sold in hatchback and estate version. The hatch of the indian version was really HOT! :finger burnt smilie:
Corolla! The car which has conquered the hearts of millions around the world is also sold in various styles. Some with different names too.
Civic! Is one of the hottest hatches in the world while we are discussing this. The sedan version too is loved and considered hot by many.
Golf! Loved by many for many generations, has a 3 box version called Fox and even an open top cabriolet.
Honda city (NHC) is the boot fitted Jazz. And even the next generation is going to be based on the same platform.

And don't think this is something that started very lately. It's been going around the industry from atleast 20 years or so! VW has been doing this with the Fox and Golf from the 80s (I was just born then). Toyota has been doing this from the time they were thinking whether to name it with a D or a T (ok, a bit exaggerated for sure). Maybe there are more examples, I don't want to go searching online etc.. by which Maruti will definitely start putting their pens on the Alto.

Huh! Didn't we discuss this already on some other thread before. Hatchbacks or any design for that matter, will look good if it is the initial model to be launched. The later ones will take a bit time to get used to.

Come on! Now, shall somebody support me on this? :Running with ears closed smilie:

If you read carefully, I fully favour Alto.
The positive points I consider are more boot space than the Hatch version with very nominal price increase. This will be really helpful for the comfort purpose and also from utility point of view.

But now as Alto is growing old, I would like to see a Splash with a boot.
Already Splash has 1.2 85bhp engine, lets say in India we will have 78-80bhp. This wont be underpowered.

But I do support Alto Sedan.

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by asr245

How about a Nano sedan?

Thats even more funnier,as funny as the first time i heard that maruti is planning a sedan out of swift.

[arunmur]

How about a notch back, like the traditional Octy or Viva. This could look decent with better practicality and lesser stress on the Alto/WagonR platform. Yeah this will be a very good uses of the platfrom, if they ever manage to do it. They could plonk in the 1.0 litre engine expected in A-star or the new 1.2 L engine in the Splash to make a good product. With a sedan they can move the rear seat a bit back(about 6-8 in), generating the much needed space for rear passengers.

With this also many Indians, who dream of owning a sedan will be overcome.

[CBlazer]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

Thats even more funnier,as funny as the first time i heard that maruti is planning a sedan out of swift.

We could have a sedan version of ALL hatchbacks sold in India. Why not have hatchback versions of ALL sedans too? That should even out things. Just imagine what our roads will look like. To me it's worse than seeing only Ambys and Premier Padminis on the road.

I've been hoping that car manufacturers (including Maruti) will focus on getting new and fresh designs to India. But, this "add boot make new car" exercise is a step in the opposite direction.

[SumitBahl]

This thread is a result of a far too stretched imagination.
Alto would be too funny in sedan avatar.
DZire looks good (I bought it..... )

[speedzak]

Originally Posted by CBlazer

But, this "add boot make new car" exercise is a step in the opposite direction.

No sir! Until we are ready and the market becomes flourished, car manufacturers cannot just launch new models and laugh all the way to bank. Till then, they have to do these kind of methods and keep the automotive sector growing.
When the time is ripe, our wishes will be answered (hopefully). Till then the tree has to grow and start showering flowers. If there's no tree, then there's no fruit. If there's no fruit, then no use of a tree.
If we don't allow the tree to grow and keep on shouting for ripe fruits, will that happen?

Ah so much of fruits and trees! I'm hungry now. The mangoes this year weren't any good either. Let me see what are my other options!

[rippergeo]

I agree with speedzak's initial post. putting a boot on a hatchback is an economical way of providing the consumer with more choice. just because it looks odd to some of us doesnt mean the manufacturer cant do it.

if it makes money for them, why not?

I hope they do it(launch an alto 1.1 sedan). more power to the consumer! and the manufacturer makes a profit, which can be used for launching all new models.

also- just because there is a sedan version of the swift, how does it harm the swift hatch in anyway? people who like it, will continue to buy it.

PS- i think the dzire looks fine. its not as cute as the swift, but it will do.

[joslicx]

Having seen quite a few Dzires lately I am beginning to wonder why do people hate its looks! IMO it is even better looking than its hatch version, the Swift! The rear now looks much more well-proportioned (unlike the fat bulge of Swift). This is a job wonderfully done by Maruti really.

[ashutoshb]

The 1.1 Alto VXi (with front power windows + power steering) used to sell at around Rs.3.5L+.

The 800cc Alto Lxi now comes at around Rs.2.8L.

Even if Maruti launches the Alto sedan at 3.5L, it will face tough competition from the Indigo CS, which is much more spacious and starts at around Rs.3.7L.

[SumitBahl]

Originally Posted by joslicx

Having seen quite a few Dzires lately I am beginning to wonder why do people hate its looks! IMO it is even better looking than its hatch version, the Swift! The rear now looks much more well-proportioned (unlike the fat bulge of Swift). This is a job wonderfully done by Maruti really.

I could not agree with you more.
I like it better than Swift. Swift had a fat back. Rear of DZire is better than of the hatch version.

[HappyWheels]

Saw a Tata Indigo here in Saudi and man, does it look odd.

But coming back to topic, PLEASE - dont kill the Alto. It is a beautiful vehicle as it is now. Hope they never even dream of such a move with the Alto.

[k.sabarigirish]

i do agree with rippergeo, why lose a market when customers are ready to accept.It is said Conceptualization to production of a new model takes around 3 to 4 years and now with the competition prevailing in the market (with 17 players) companies be it MSIL or Hyundai want to reap the benefits of their R&D, as the competition is high at times they fail to garner their cost, or if the model is a success they mod and release in different versions to break even or to reap benefits. Wats Wrong!! With the likes of Honda trying to do it. IMO Maruti and TATA can do it, to grab the customers who are looking for value for money and ofcourse to cater to the ' 3 Box Syndrome'.
I personally feel with models lined up for MSIL (A-Star and Splash) they won't go for a Alto Sedan.

[CaliforniaKnight]

Dont want to think about is what i have to say on a sedan alto...

[amit_mechengg]

GUYS i own the peppy alto. the reliability and the quality is very good. but the thought of an alto sedan with 800 cc i felt like laughing o my heart.

the 800 cc poor engine cant pull the existing load itself. when u put on AC it feels as if its running a 200 cc engine.

for a sedan they should have 1.1 litre engine or the same diesel powerplant from the swift. at a budgetary cost.