+1.

With this car sharing lots of components with the A-star (Alto in international markets), i doubt they will be able to undercut the price so much as to make it the next 800/ Alto.

At best, they could make it an A-star replacement. Would be able to do away with A-star's biggest drawback - lack of space!

A car that is atleast one generation ahead of the current Alto/K10, with presumably more interior space, to replace the 800 - and thus positioned/priced below the current Alto/K10?

If Maruti does that, the first thing it will kill is the current Alto, not Eon. It's better to kill the 800, reduce current Alto prices further to match 800 prices and bring this car in to replace the A-star (with maybe a slight price-cut to match Eon prices).

Agreed. That can be the case where they push Alto further down and position this car as Eon competitor. It will be interesting to see that engine option for this car.

Somehow I feel like Maruti will continue with the Astar variant as it has got a different image. Not a mass seller. A-star is fun little car.

"Suzuki has just announced the 2012 Alto Eco, which (hold your breathe) returns a mileage of 32 kmpl in the Japanese 10-15 test cycle. But what makes this Alto running on gasoline power return such an insane fuel efficiency figure, which is atleast 28% better then the most fuel efficienct petrol car in India."

JDM Alto Returns 32 KMPL!! | MotorBeam - Indian Car Bike News & Reviews

Source:

Coming soon: Maruti's nano

"...The 660-cc car will be priced higher than the Alto.

Maruti Suzuki has decided to enter the sub-800cc segment. Two cars in this segment, already in operation in Japan, will be unveiled during the Delhi Auto Expo in January, to gauge viewers’ response.

Called Palette and MR Wagon, these cars are powered by parent Suzuki’s smallest engine till date. On the basis of the feedback at the expo, a production version would be readied for the Indian market and either one or both of the compact cars would be launched in the next two-three years, sources familiar with the developments said.

Although both models are powered by 660cc petrol engines, the company is steering clear of the world’s cheapest car, the Tata Nano, which carries a price tag of Rs 1.53 lakh and has a 624-cc engine. The price gap between the entry-level Tata Nano and the 800cc engine-powered Maruti Alto is Rs 1.43 lakh.

The Alto, Maruti’s current bestseller, will remain the entry-level car for the automaker in India and the new cars will be positioned on par or above Alto’s price tag of Rs 2.96 lakh.

Although the size of the engine is smaller than the Alto’s, the new small cars will have greater interior space, thanks to the improved height, compared to the Alto 800. Additional features of the two cars will be announced by the company later."


BTW, I find this car very similar to the New 800 scoop, in the side profile. So, IMO, Maruti has taken this car and modified the front to make it new 800. Let's wait and see.

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The car called Palette is one of the worst looking car / van I've ever seen, though space is at its abundance.

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This looks awkward but so does many of the so called K cars and the vans in Japan. I think it is the Japanese philosophy of maximum efficiency at work.

Alto Eco is not a stunner but if priced just below EON or at par with it then I can assure this Alto is going to be the next money spinner for Maruti. I think this styling would be quite acceptable to the Indian market who would value the fuel efficiency and the space more than the exterior styling (just that segment).

Of late, why is Maruti coming out with one bad looking car after the other(OK, I agree that looks are subjective but ain't it majority view?). If ever there was a competition for "Bad looking car of the year",one of the Marutis will surely win. Look how they have spoilt the looks of new swift(Swift owners, please excuse, no offence meant, it's my personal view). When will they learn to produce another beauty like "Original Swift"?

+1 Dzire.
Seems to be a mix of A-Start, Estilo, Wagon R. Will capture the market if it is highly fuel efficient.

Maruti can sell anything, Ritz and Swift Dzire are two glaring examples of this. I also feel that the Old swift was better looking than new one. Now as regards Alto, wasn't a all new Alto due since this car is there since very long time. We should not get surprised by the differences between current and new Alto as Zen relaunching story is already experienced by us.

well, this looks like a front astar and back wagonr kinda car!
i have NO expectations with Maruti Suzuki now, whatsoever.
Maruti has lost its chisel in making cars. all they do now is just bring the same design that exists in japan.

Agree and most of the times the pure japanese designs are not to our liking . Gone are the days of maruti 800 type I and maruti zen .

This tallboy looks like a designers revenge for not getting his paycheck on time!

Having said that if Maruti take out the 800 and reduce the price of the k10 to EON price and bring this tallboy in its place just below the A-star its gonna do wonders at the sales figures.. So effectively it would be as below:

K10 (at EON's price) --> Tallboy --> A-star

If this is a prod design, body roll will be way too much, IMHO.

I think Maruti needs to bring back the jelly bean Zen with a k-series engine and better interiors and safety measures .

Great scoop architect.

I think this will be the new A-star for India. The front door is exactly like that of the A-star and the face is obvious. The Alto badge confirms it. But the lack of camouflage is puzzling. Maybe MSIL was fishing for free insights from the market ahead of launch. Then, we shall give them that.

The car looks a bit clumsy at the rear, but it seems the prime objective was to fix the lack of space at the rear and the boot and rightly so.

architect, do keep your camera armed for the 'back lifted' Ritz as well.