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Team-BHP Support ![]() ![]() | ![]() The Maruti Ertiga's report is in a separate thread here ![]() While the Maruti XA Alpha can be found at this link ![]() The Maruti Pavilion: ![]() Classy white entrance: ![]() Maruti was always packed to the gills: ![]() Last edited by Rehaan : 12th January 2012 at 12:58. Reason: Adding pics for Ertiga & XA links |
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Team-BHP Support ![]() ![]() | ![]() Smokin' hot Kizashi wearing a matte-finish white paint job. The Kizashi may be ridiculously over-priced, but it's got one proportionate design: ![]() The Tall-Boy section! Kei cars are the mini automobiles of Japan exclusively, designed to pack the maximum amount of interior space in a small foot-print. The Japanese Government offers plenty of support to this category of vehicles, including several tax benefits. Kei Cars have strictly enforced restrictions on their physical dimensions and engine capacities; that's why they are generally powered by small 600 - 700 cc engines, some with turbo-chargers. These cars will win no beauty contest with their quirky designs (some bordering on the strange), but should find acceptability in our practical-oriented country. Maruti is currently exploring the feasibility of an India launch. ![]() The Palette SW runs a mere 3,495 mm in length. The 658cc 3-cylinder petrol engine is mated to a CVT Automatic transmission. This car is based on the Wagon R platform: ![]() ![]() Funky interior is in tune with the awkward, unusual exterior design. Notice that there is no gap between the front seats, due to the gear shift's unique positioning on the center console. The foot operated hand-brake is also moved out & into the footwell: ![]() Legroom is surprisingly good for such a small car. However, these cars are very narrow, making lateral space best for 2 only: ![]() Sliding doors on both sides. Getting in & out of the car is effortless: ![]() Reasonable boot space. Plus, the rear seat does fold down in a 50:50 split: ![]() Looks outright ugly from most angles. Imagine an Indian'ised version without the glossy paint job, spoiler and thin tyres: ![]() The bigger Solio, on the other hand, gets a 1.2L K-series (naturally aspirated) petrol. It is also based on the Wagon R platform: ![]() Available in FWD & AWD: ![]() Sliding doors on both sides for easy ingress / egress: ![]() ![]() CVT Automatic transmission. Again, notice the unique van-like gear lever position that frees up space for front seat occupants: ![]() Respectable legroom: ![]() ![]() With the rear seat folded away, the flat bay gives you enough room to move house: ![]() The MR Wagon is also a small kei-class car with a 3-cylinder turbo-charged petrol engine (though an N/A version is available at a lower price point) and a CVT Automatic: ![]() Boxy on the outside.... ![]() And boxy on the inside. I quite like the dashboard design: ![]() Seating capacity is for 4 only. The audio system is a touch-screen unit: ![]() Conventional door design (unlike the sliding doors of the cars pictured above): ![]() The other kei-car appeared to have better legroom. Notice the flat floor: ![]() Last edited by GTO : 9th January 2012 at 14:34. |
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Team-BHP Support ![]() ![]() | ![]() The Automatic A-Star Cabriolet was a hit with the women (squeals of "soooooooooooooo cuteeeeeeee" were heard every 120 seconds): ![]() ![]() ![]() This 2-door A Star gets a soft-top: ![]() ![]() Maruti is obviously hooked on to facebook (like 99% of the country...I fall in the other 1% BTW). You could "like" any of these concepts: ![]() Overheard a mother telling her child "Any more junk food & I'll take you to the Omni Cuppa". What on earth was Maruti thinking when they decided to get this ugly contraption to the Auto Expo. Small mercy that it was parked away in a corner: ![]() ![]() ![]() Someone at Maruti has good taste in alloy wheels... ![]() ![]() ...though the same cannot be said about their hideous taste in exhaust tips: ![]() ![]() An Alto K10 that looks like the pocket rocket that it really is. Gotta love the subtle body kit: ![]() A garishly done up Swift: ![]() The Raid Gypsy was parked so much on the inside that no one would even notice it: ![]() The SX4 Crossover, available with a 150 BHP engine, 6 speed box & AWD: ![]() Horrible choice of body paint? Check. Tasteless body kit? Check. Gawdy stickers? Of course: ![]() Add LCD and voila, you have a new concept for the Auto Expo! Thankfully, no visitor even bothered with this poor show car: ![]() Last edited by GTO : 9th January 2012 at 14:51. |
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Team-BHP Support ![]() ![]() | ![]() The Gaming Room Extremely well-thought out corner, and one that the younger generation had a blast in. Let's start with the i-Create 3D experience. Wear the eye gear and you feel like you are in a car factory. The game responds to your hand gestures; you can lift & fit parts to build a car: ![]() ![]() ![]() Gran Turismo 5. Only kids could fit into the car; adults would have to stand by and use the remote control to race: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Last edited by GTO : 9th January 2012 at 14:42. |
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Team-BHP Support ![]() ![]() | ![]() Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Auto Expo 2012 Section! |
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![]() | #6 |
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Thrissur
Posts: 332
Thanked: 336 Times
| ![]() Dissappointing fare by the Country's leading car co. A non beleiver like me is praying on knees to prevent them from bringing all those to India. |
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![]() | #7 |
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: siliguri/Darj
Posts: 510
Thanked: 323 Times
| ![]() Great coverage of the Auto Expo! My first auto expo as a member of Team-BHP (I joined in Feb 2010), and I am enjoying it immensely thanks to a very dedicated and well organised Team here at Team-BHP. Keep up the good work! And finally got to see the Kei cars up close. And felt very sad for the lone gypsy :( |
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![]() | #8 |
Distinguished - BHPian ![]() Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: All over!
Posts: 5,425
Thanked: 9,003 Times
| ![]() Oh christ! What the hell is that?! What era is Maruti targetting these vehicles for - the dark ages? Apart from the A-star (imagine what days have come!) and maybe the SX4 crossover, nothing is worthy of being put on the road. Ridiculous offerings from Maruti. What are the chances these will see light of the day? |
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![]() | #9 |
Senior - BHPian ![]() | ![]() The Matt White Kizashi and the Grand Vitara were done up by Arush,Autopsyche. Nice to see 14inch Wheels fitted on the A-Star. Though the Eeco and Omni look hideous. |
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![]() | #10 |
Senior - BHPian ![]() Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Adelaide
Posts: 1,192
Thanked: 694 Times
| ![]() I don't want to imagine how these kei-cars, especially Palette, will behave on our highways. Fortunately, these small engines may not push these cars to high speeds. Does Japan have straight highways? How come the wipers of Solio are not resting horizontally? |
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![]() | #11 |
Senior - BHPian ![]() Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 1,186
Thanked: 165 Times
| ![]() Disappointing! I hope half the cars shown here never see the light of the day. I wouldn't be caught dead in any of the vehicles shown here,except the Gypsy,Alto K10 and the SX4 crossover. Lousy,bland and uninspiring. Depressing,I dare say ![]() |
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![]() | #12 |
Senior - BHPian ![]() Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Kannur
Posts: 3,641
Thanked: 6,019 Times
| ![]() That A-Star looks OK, but interior colour combination looks ugly. May be full-black interior look good. Almost all Maruti vehicles look ugly to the core! |
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![]() | #13 |
BHPian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Hyderabad
Posts: 247
Thanked: 48 Times
| ![]() Maruti / Suzuki is successful in finding new lows in aesthetics and design. Really bad looking vehicles overall |
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![]() | #14 |
Senior - BHPian ![]() Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pune
Posts: 1,057
Thanked: 490 Times
| ![]() Except for the Kizashi, nothing else amused me in their stables. Boxy designs all over? Seriously? The specs for the SX4 crossover looks nice, why dont they get it for the sedan in here? The A-star looks kinda cute, would attract many female drivers. |
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BHPian ![]() | ![]() All of the kei cars have a small plastic projection in the center of the rear seats. Even if the looks are somehow miraculously digested by the Indian mango people (crossing my fingers and hoping they are not), this projection might enforce the fact that this is a four seater in the back, which might not go down well. |
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