Maruti Alto Sedan

Murugan · 8th May 2008, 23:23

The runaway success of the Maruti Swift DZiRE in both its petrol and diesel avatars makes me wonder if Maruti should seriously consider bringing out a sedan version of India's top selling (and probably the second cheapest) car - the Maruti Alto. After all, most of us like the 'status' associated with a three box sedan/ notchback as against a hatchback and Maruti should be able to price it quite close to the price of the hatchback version as in the Swift.

The cost of adding the boot to the Swift and metamorphosing it to a DZiRE is about Rs.40,000 and so we could well have an Alto sedan for less than Rs.2,70,000 (ex-showroom price)!

The now defunct VXI version of the Alto with its 1.1 L (1061 cc) engine should have sufficient pulling power too. Obviously it will cost a little more. Still it may well be the cheapest sedan in India if not the world!

Even the Indica hatchback was booted out to become the Indigo sedan and is an enormous success.

Maruti, are you listening?

jkdas · 8th May 2008, 23:28

They are too busy to listen to anyone.

If they are listening; "Please do something about the built quality and shortage of VDi and sort first! "

SirAlec · 8th May 2008, 23:36

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.

joslicx · 8th May 2008, 23:43

Quote:

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.

Agree. Dont want to see sedan version of each and every car! Alto has a very typical small car looks. It would look very very odd in a sedan avatar!

Some cars (read Alto which is a beautiful car looks wise, fabia etc) are meant to be small cars only. IMO they should never to sedanised ever.

kcstheg · 9th May 2008, 01:28

I, in all seriousness, fail to understand, why do we indians have this strong fetish for 3-box cars.

We, in general, rarely use that boot to its capacity.

abhinav.gupta88 · 9th May 2008, 02:00

No ways. They are not good at changing things. See Zen for the biggest example.

I dont think they would. Also this could mean the length going about 4 m and no tax exemption. So I dont think the price would be just that. Also the engine will have to bigger to power a sedan. An 800 cc engine wont suffice to that

Trapezio · 9th May 2008, 08:52

Hate to imagine how it would look!

aaggoswami · 9th May 2008, 09:04

Indigo spoiled the looks of a hatch that was amongst the best looking hatch ( ignore the undertyring ) till Alto( yes it looks good ) came and punched it. yes I am talking about Indica. Indigo spoiled the looks of Indica, which I believe had its own personality. The present Honda City we are having as a premium car is a poor sedanized version of a good looking hatch, Jazz/Fit.

The next Honda City will be based on the new Jazz that has typical hatch looks.

So it wont be only maruti.

I agree that we are not utilizing the boot to its full potential, but we need more boot space. The alto with a small boot will definately make many alto user get adequate boot space rather than having really less space in the hatch. I wont like it, but its rather will be good for customers.
Not all can afford huge sedans, but with this concept, small car customers wont have to share space with luggage.

Note: Liking the looks is mostly a personal front. I like Alto and Swift and my post shows that. But this might not apply to everyone.

greenhorn · 9th May 2008, 09:08

the alto with an AC in third gear pulls like an auto rikshaw. I dread what it would be like with a boot as well.
Maybe they'll bring the Vxi's 1.1l engine back

karanraheja · 9th May 2008, 09:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

The next Honda City will be based on the new Jazz that has typical hatch looks.

Goswami may i know the source of this info??? Cos i heard it wont resemble the hatch nor will be based on the hatch platform.

sbelekar · 9th May 2008, 09:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

The next Honda City will be based on the new Jazz that has typical hatch looks.

I thought current Honda city was a sedan version of Jazz/Fit. Whereas the next city sedan will be based on different platform.

suvi · 9th May 2008, 10:13

It is better if they re-introduce 1.1L ALTO with features such as ABS, Airbags etc. ALTO is a cute hatch and i personally feel, it should remain so.

GTO · 9th May 2008, 10:26

Murugan, I sincerely hope your thread doesn't give them any ideas!!! The Alto is best as a hatch, and should continue in that body style only.

vkochar · 9th May 2008, 10:38

A 800 CC Sedan !!! Oh God, No !!!

The cheapest Sedan In India I think is the recently launched Indigo CS ( Compact Sedan ). It looks OK. But the Alto as a sedan is unthinkable.

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.

amtak · 9th May 2008, 10:57

The answer is a big bold NO.

OT: I have started hating the way Indigo CS looks. Weird is the word!

8th May 2008, 23:23	#1
Murugan BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 382 Thanked: 261 Times	Maruti Alto Sedan The runaway success of the Maruti Swift DZiRE in both its petrol and diesel avatars makes me wonder if Maruti should seriously consider bringing out a sedan version of India's top selling (and probably the second cheapest) car - the Maruti Alto. After all, most of us like the 'status' associated with a three box sedan/ notchback as against a hatchback and Maruti should be able to price it quite close to the price of the hatchback version as in the Swift. The cost of adding the boot to the Swift and metamorphosing it to a DZiRE is about Rs.40,000 and so we could well have an Alto sedan for less than Rs.2,70,000 (ex-showroom price)! The now defunct VXI version of the Alto with its 1.1 L (1061 cc) engine should have sufficient pulling power too. Obviously it will cost a little more. Still it may well be the cheapest sedan in India if not the world! Even the Indica hatchback was booted out to become the Indigo sedan and is an enormous success. Maruti, are you listening?
	() Thanks

8th May 2008, 23:28	#2
jkdas Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Thiruvananthapu Posts: 9,687 Thanked: 1,492 Times View My Garage	They are too busy to listen to anyone. If they are listening; "Please do something about the built quality and shortage of VDi and sort first! "
	() Thanks

8th May 2008, 23:36	#3
SirAlec Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: zxc Posts: 3,393 Thanked: 726 Times	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.
	() Thanks

9th May 2008, 01:28	#5
kcstheg BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: hyderabad Posts: 81 Thanked: 0 Times	why do we need 3-box cars I, in all seriousness, fail to understand, why do we indians have this strong fetish for 3-box cars. We, in general, rarely use that boot to its capacity.
	() Thanks

9th May 2008, 02:00	#6
abhinav.gupta88 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Delhi , India Posts: 4,092 Thanked: 325 Times View My Garage	No ways. They are not good at changing things. See Zen for the biggest example. I dont think they would. Also this could mean the length going about 4 m and no tax exemption. So I dont think the price would be just that. Also the engine will have to bigger to power a sedan. An 800 cc engine wont suffice to that
	() Thanks

9th May 2008, 08:52	#7
Trapezio BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Kerala Posts: 640 Thanked: 63 Times	Hate to imagine how it would look!
	() Thanks

9th May 2008, 09:04	#8
aaggoswami Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Vadodara Posts: 4,982 Thanked: 2,930 Times	Doesnt matter. Indigo spoiled the looks of a hatch that was amongst the best looking hatch ( ignore the undertyring ) till Alto( yes it looks good ) came and punched it. yes I am talking about Indica. Indigo spoiled the looks of Indica, which I believe had its own personality. The present Honda City we are having as a premium car is a poor sedanized version of a good looking hatch, Jazz/Fit. The next Honda City will be based on the new Jazz that has typical hatch looks. So it wont be only maruti. I agree that we are not utilizing the boot to its full potential, but we need more boot space. The alto with a small boot will definately make many alto user get adequate boot space rather than having really less space in the hatch. I wont like it, but its rather will be good for customers. Not all can afford huge sedans, but with this concept, small car customers wont have to share space with luggage. Note: Liking the looks is mostly a personal front. I like Alto and Swift and my post shows that. But this might not apply to everyone. Last edited by aaggoswami : 9th May 2008 at 09:05.
	() Thanks

9th May 2008, 09:08	#9
greenhorn Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: KL-01 Posts: 7,744 Thanked: 4,387 Times View My Garage	the alto with an AC in third gear pulls like an auto rikshaw. I dread what it would be like with a boot as well. Maybe they'll bring the Vxi's 1.1l engine back
	() Thanks

9th May 2008, 10:13	#12
suvi BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 121 Thanked: 6 Times	It is better if they re-introduce 1.1L ALTO with features such as ABS, Airbags etc. ALTO is a cute hatch and i personally feel, it should remain so.
	() Thanks

9th May 2008, 10:26	#13
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 70,499 Thanked: 300,309 Times View My Garage	Murugan, I sincerely hope your thread doesn't give them any ideas!!! The Alto is best as a hatch, and should continue in that body style only.
	() Thanks

9th May 2008, 10:38	#14
vkochar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Delhi / Agra / London Posts: 2,146 Thanked: 819 Times View My Garage	A 800 CC Sedan !!! Oh God, No !!! The cheapest Sedan In India I think is the recently launched Indigo CS ( Compact Sedan ). It looks OK. But the Alto as a sedan is unthinkable. 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.
	() Thanks

9th May 2008, 10:57	#15
amtak Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai - The city of Sea Link!!! Posts: 2,914 Thanked: 899 Times View My Garage	The answer is a big bold NO. OT: I have started hating the way Indigo CS looks. Weird is the word!
	() Thanks