[JayPrashanth]

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That Maruti Suzuki's parent company, Suzuki Motor Corporation, is readying up a twin cylinder turbo diesel engine for use in small cars is something that has been revealed a while ago. While the next generation A-Star (international Alto) was speculated to be the first car to receive this engine, Team-BHPian Rockporiom asserts that this diesel engine will be first used on the WagonR Diesel. He goes on to add that this information is from a source working with Maruti Suzuki and that the training of dealer level staff for the WagonR Diesel is already underway.



The news about turbo diesel power for the WagonR is not new, what with assorted reports mentioning this at various times in the past. However, the timing of this speculated launch is something that comes as a bit of a surprise as test mules of the WagonR have rarely been spotted in the recent past, save for a Japanese Domestic Model (JDM) of the WagonR and the photo shoot leak of the WagonR Sting Ray model. With the latest flow of information, the possibility of Maruti Suzuki testing the 800cc turbodiesel engine on the JDM WagonR test mule is high.



It may be noted that car makers around the world routinely use existing car models to test out specific parts of upcoming cars. Therefore, the possibility of the JDM WagonR being tested in India with a turbo diesel motor cannot be ruled out as Maruti Suzuki doing thus will have most car spotters flummoxed. The 800cc, twin cylinder turbo diesel engine powering the Maruti WagonR is touted to deliver an ARAI certified fuel economy figure of 25 Kmpl.



It remains to be seen whether Maruti Suzuki will shoehorn the new 800cc turbo diesel engine into the current WagonR or whether the company will launch this engine in the WagonR StingRay's engine bay. The possibility of the latter happening is ripe as WagonR Sting Ray with a diesel engine could be positioned between the current variants of the WagonR and the Swift. More details of this brand new development will be revealed soon as the launch of the WagonR Diesel is expected to happen in the next one month, in time for the festive season in India.

Notably, the StingRay model's launch will happen in a few weeks from now. The Maruti Suzuki Sting Ray is expected to sit between the current WagonR and the Swift, which also means that the current WagonR will continue to be produced. The current version of the WagonR is available with a 1 liter K-series triple cylinder engine that is capable of operating in petrol, CNG-petrol and LPG-petrol fuel modes, depending on the variant chosen.



The addition of turbo diesel power on the Sting Ray version would complete the WagonR range and would give prospective buyers a wide array of choices. The timing of the WagonR diesel and the new Sting Ray variant of the car comes at a time when Hyundai India is targeting the likes of the WagonR and the Ritz models with the new i10 Grand hatchback. The i10 Grand Hatchback will sit between the current i10 and the i10 hatchbacks. Considering the expected price level for the i10 Grand, the WagonR Diesel might be the counter that Maruti Suzuki has lined up to take on the latest Hyundai hatchback.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by JayPrashanth

The timing of the WagonR diesel and the new Sting Ray variant of the car comes at a time when Hyundai India is targeting the likes of the WagonR and the Ritz models with the new i10 Grand hatchback.

Somehow find it hard to believe, but then - the timing couldn't have been better. WagonR petrol/AT/diesel range could be the ultimate city car range for India! Slab sided dimensions, good visibility, urban appeal (Stingray), chair like seating position, cheap to run and maintain - and of course - its a Maruti!

[RSR]

Whoa! If true, this is a surprising but welcome development.

The A and B segments are getting hotter and hotter by the day! First, the facelifted Micra CVT & the VFM Micra Active, then the Grand i10 (including diesel) and now this. The Nano diesel and Eon 1.0 lit. are around the corner, with the next generation i20 and Jazz to follow after that, and the new Estilo/A-Star replacement tall boy hatch as well as the Datsun Go not too far behind. I think the extended festive season stretching till the Auto Expo is going to be one of new launches every fortnight. The car buyer in general and the hatchback buyer in particular will have plenty of choice

I'm eagerly waiting for the specs to leak out. Will Suzuki R&D be able to pull off something which they are completely new at, especially considering the NVH challenge of a 2 cyl. diesel?

[deehunk]

The testing of 800cc diesel engine with different turbos was done for more than 2 years, it is expected to have a small fixed geometry turbo similar to Beat. NVH factor may pose a problem compared to Beat or i10 if they want to compete in the compact diesel segment.

[Soumyajit9]

A year ago, my parents had a brought a New Wagon R and I have driven it extensively in my hometown. The NVH Level of a Petrol Wagon R is very high, compared to my Beat P or i10. I wonder how will Maruti contain the NVH Level of a 800cc diesel engine inside its paper foil thin body.
What I am expecting is a NVH Level comparable, or probably worse than a Petrol Nano. This could also point to a possibly poor engine refinement.

Although the WagonR D will not exactly be positioned against Beat D and Grand, it would be interesting to see how it competes with them.

In any case, Maruti is Maruti. People will flock to buy the WagonR D for whatsoever reason, just like Alto (even though it got Zero Safety Rating), people never stop buying that tin box.

[Viju]

False news. Whoever gave this news to fellow TeamBHP member did not have their facts right. No Wagon R diesel coming in the next 1 year at least for sure.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

I wonder how will Maruti contain the NVH Level of a 800cc diesel engine inside its paper foil thin body.

Agree that the K10 Petrol is noisier due to the 3 Cylinder configuration and similar insulation like the earlier cars with 4 pot motor.

They have been able to contain noise levels better in the Swift Diesel, DZire and SX4. Expect them to apply the same common sense (unless again they will target cost cutting) in case they launch a 2 Pot Diesel motor for the WagonR too.

In any case, Maruti is Maruti. People will flock to buy the WagonR D for whatsoever reason,

Yeah right said!! Choices and check boxes vary depending on the usage. For people who seek easy seating position, lot of headroom with adequate shoulder room, easy ingress-egress, and better FE out of a diesel now and like you said the Maruti affinity for whatsoever reasons that we have discussed in various threads, they will buy it.

I know this will have nothing to do with Petrol/Diesel but this comes from someone like me who's driven (and still drives) the Same Tin Box for over 207000 kms without a single niggle or an engine job!

Originally Posted by Viju

False news. Whoever gave this news to fellow TeamBHP member did not have their facts right. No Wagon R diesel coming in the next 1 year at least for sure.

There is a good possibility of a launch as heard from various "reliable" sources representing MSIL or their concerns (ASCs/Dealers).

[alokgunhal]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

A year ago, my parents had a brought a New Wagon R and I have driven it extensively in my hometown. The NVH Level of a Petrol Wagon R is very high, compared to my Beat P or i10. I wonder how will Maruti contain the NVH Level of a 800cc diesel engine inside its paper foil thin body.

What I am expecting is a NVH Level comparable, or probably worse than a Petrol Nano. This could also point to a possibly poor engine refinement.

Although the WagonR D will not exactly be positioned against Beat D and Grand, it would be interesting to see how it competes with them.

In any case, Maruti is Maruti. People will flock to buy the WagonR D for whatsoever reason, just like Alto (even though it got Zero Safety Rating), people never stop buying that tin box.

We have owned a Maruti Zen 1997 model and have driven through good roads, bad roads, worse roads. Having covered around 90,000 kms on that GREAT car we had to give up as my dad wanted a higher seating position in the car. We checked out Beat and beat a hasty retreat from the showroom or the fact that the car felt cramped for 3 people at rear.

We then went back to Maruti and chose the Wagon R. Ingress and Egress is easy. In the new WagonR, the rear seat can manage 3 people better than many other segment competitors. The large windows on the car induce a roomy feel to the car. My dad and I have driven the car on highways extensively and we absolutely love the cruising abilities of the Wagon R. In fact on a recent drive with our Wagon R and SX4 both the cars complemented each other in comfort and cruising abilities.

This said if a Wagon R Diesel is coming soon then I am sure there will be takers for the car and this will open up a niche segment of semi mid size Diesel cars. Add to that the peace of mind one gets at the well established MASS set up in this country I am sure the Diesel Wagon R will do well.

[saket77]

If MS plonks an oil burner in its small cars like Wagon-R, it will make this practical car even more practical with the running costs of diesel. The low cost of Maruti ownership will boost the sentiments towards smaller diesels too.

If MS makes this move, it can set the small car segment on fire and turn the numbers on its head. Oh wait, they surely don't need to turn the numbers on their heads, they are already in their favour!
But seriously, Wagon-R can be a very good candidate for a diesel power plant.

[CARDEEP]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

A year ago, my parents had a brought a New Wagon R and I have driven it extensively in my hometown. The NVH Level of a Petrol Wagon R is very high, compared to my Beat P or i10. I wonder how will Maruti contain the NVH Level of a 800cc diesel engine inside its paper foil thin body.
What I am expecting is a NVH Level comparable, or probably worse than a Petrol Nano. This could also point to a possibly poor engine refinement.

Although the WagonR D will not exactly be positioned against Beat D and Grand, it would be interesting to see how it competes with them.

In any case, Maruti is Maruti. People will flock to buy the WagonR D for whatsoever reason, just like Alto (even though it got Zero Safety Rating), people never stop buying that tin box.

Are you sure on the NVH part of the Wagon-R? We own a Santro Xing, & I rejected the Wagon-R at the time of purchase of our car, but I find the NVH in Wagon-R better as compared to my small car. It is a different fact that my car is much more sturdy & only bouncy at the rear... at least the front is not .

But, I still fathom why would a person buy a 2-cylinder Wagon-R... Diesel & brand Maruti-Suzuki. This is what a quarter of car buyers deem sufficient in India.

[carzone]

The WagonR, already the 2nd best selling car in the country after the Dzire, if plonked with a oil-burner, is ready to hit new heights on the sales chart. Even now, 75% on the WagonR I see on the roads have the CNG plates on them. With the diesel on the cards, the sales of this practical hatch is getting new towers. Diesel gets you the much needed boot space, longer range and is every where available, no reason one would buy a diesel over the CNG.

The trick is to price it right. Asking for a premium of over a lac than the current Waggie P would do no good to the sales. If they price it right, RitzD might have a hard time. We don't actually have a diesel mill for around 5.5L ex.

I drive a Wagon-R and am aware of the bad NVH of the car. But a little bit of damping can overcome this issue is what I feel. I hope we get the diesel plant with the Sting-ray itself before the festive season.

[volkman10]

Some more speculations on the subject car, from eralier report.

The engine will power the existing Wagon R, A-Star and maybe even the Alto. This engine is likely to be a 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder diesel engine.
Power ratings are not yer clear, but Maruti Suzuki is using localised turbocharged for this new engine. Sources confirm that Honeywell will supply the turbocharger for this engine.

The Wagon R’s diesel version is likely to hit the market sometime around the festive season. A few spottings of the European spec Alto’s being tested in and around the factory.
Sources indicate that this could be the diesel spec A-Star not just for India, but even for the European market.

http://www.business-standard.com/art...0400418_1.html

[san2]

With the i10grand Hyundai is seriously planning to upstage Maruti
IMHO the Wagon R is the right product for Maruti to introduce their smaller diesel engine

[Soumyajit9]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Agree that the K10 Petrol is noisier due to the 3 Cylinder configuration and similar insulation like the earlier cars with 4 pot motor.
They have been able to contain noise levels better in the Swift Diesel, DZire and SX4. Expect them to apply the same common sense (unless again they will target cost cutting) in case they launch a 2 Pot Diesel motor for the WagonR too.

Cost cutting is Maruti's selling point. The Swift, Dzire, SX4 are all premium cars in their segments. So I don't expect Maruti to put the same kind of insulation in the Waggie as those cars have. The priority for Maruti should be placing the car in the right slot, which will push for some cost cutting measures. Since the body shell isn't changing and its' only the new diesel wine which is going in the old bottle, I don't expect Maruti to do any plus or minus with the insulation.

Yeah right said!! Choices and check boxes vary depending on the usage. For people who seek easy seating position, lot of headroom with adequate shoulder room, easy ingress-egress, and better FE out of a diesel now and like you said the Maruti affinity for whatsoever reasons that we have discussed in various threads, they will buy it.
I know this will have nothing to do with Petrol/Diesel but this comes from someone like me who's driven (and still drives) the Same Tin Box for over 207000 kms without a single niggle or an engine job!

I had never been in a Wagon R before I bought my Beat. When my parents got the Wagon R, I sometimes wondered why didn't I even Test Drive the Wagon R before going for the Beat. I absolutely love the freedom within the Wagon R - The legspace, headspace, seating position, ABC Pedal position - Everything is just Wow !! I hate Maruti products (no offence intended), but the Wagon R makes an exception for me. And if the StingRay actually makes its way to the Indian market, the Chevy Beat will need to start making some major facelift.

Originally Posted by CARDEEP

Are you sure on the NVH part of the Wagon-R? We own a Santro Xing, & I rejected the Wagon-R at the time of purchase of our car, but I find the NVH in Wagon-R better as compared to my small car. It is a different fact that my car is much more sturdy & only bouncy at the rear... at least the front is not

Well, I haven't been in a Santro, so won't be able to tell the difference between the NVH Levels.
Isn't the Santro a 4 cylinder 1.1 l engine and the Wagon R, a 3 cylinder 1.1 l engine ? So ideally the 4 cylinder Santro would have lesser NVH Levels ? (I am no automobile techie, just guessing)

But, I still fathom why would a person buy a 2-cylinder Wagon-R... Diesel & brand Maruti-Suzuki. This is what a quarter of car buyers deem sufficient in India.

Because it is Cheap, Maintenance is Cheap, Looks Good, Fulfils City-Use needs.

Originally Posted by volkman10

The engine will power the existing Wagon R, A-Star and maybe even the Alto. This engine is likely to be a 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder diesel engine.
Power ratings are not yer clear, but Maruti Suzuki is using localised turbocharged for this new engine. Sources confirm that Honeywell will supply the turbocharger for this engine.

Well, if the A-Star and Alto get the same engine, I am guessing that it will trigger a pricing and placing riot with Wagon R !! Hope Maruti has some better plans to avoid the fight between Wagon R, A-Star and Alto - all with same engine !!!

[CARDEEP]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

Well, I haven't been in a Santro, so won't be able to tell the difference between the NVH Levels.
Isn't the Santro a 4 cylinder 1.1 l engine and the Wagon R, a 3 cylinder 1.1 l engine ? So ideally the 4 cylinder Santro would have lesser NVH Levels ? (I am no automobile techie, just guessing).

... & I was referring to 1061CC 4-Cylinder Wagon-R here. Apologies, never thought new Wagon-R would be bad in this aspect. Then why people go for Wagon-R over Santro... brand Maruti-Suzuki only, which attributes to 7-8 times sales over a competent & may be safer product.