[speedsatya]

In the UK , the A-star sold in India is the new Alto .I remember seeing newspaper advertisements.

[ashutoshb]

So is it like this?
Cheaper, stripped down LXi with the F series Euro IV engine replaces the 800 and becomes the bread and butter model.
More expensive VXi with the K series engine with more goodies becomes the obvious upgrade. Gives the buyers another option and makes them stay within the Maruti brand.

[sujaylahiri]

Originally Posted by ashutoshb

So is it like this?
Cheaper, stripped down LXi with the F series Euro IV engine replaces the 800 and becomes the bread and butter model.
More expensive VXi with the K series engine with more goodies becomes the obvious upgrade. Gives the buyers another option and makes them stay within the Maruti brand.

Yeah I agree with you. Maruti Suzuki should really replace the 800 with the Alto. It has been around for 26 years for Christ sake!

[vivekgk]

Originally Posted by ashutoshb

So is it like this?
Cheaper, stripped down LXi with the F series Euro IV engine replaces the 800 and becomes the bread and butter model.
More expensive VXi with the K series engine with more goodies becomes the obvious upgrade. Gives the buyers another option and makes them stay within the Maruti brand.

This would be a good idea. The Alto is based on the WagonR platform, so it's much better than the age-old 800. I've only driven an Alto VXi once, but it still left some good memories. Excellent performance, and on such a tiny car too!

I think that the market has changed a lot since then. I don't think that the K-series Alto would seriously affect the sales of the WagonR or A-Star because they're very different cars, with more space and features. If Maruti offered an Alto with K-series engine and some semi-premium features like power windows, remote locking, rear wash/wipe, better interiors, it would still be an old design. It would still offer the same low space and the flimsy feel. Not to mention, it would be very downmarket, with poor image. People who want image would still buy a more modern car.

In any case, it would prevent some from choosing competitors products like the Chevy Spark, which is exactly what Maruti wants.

[Sutripta]

If one extrapolates from Marutis thinking of old, this (Alto with K10B) is not going to happen, unless the AStar is killed, or has a major price correction.

In some respects, Maruti's thinking is highly predictable, almost like the output of a computer program. The Alto 1.1, if priced like an Alto, would (did?) eat into the sales of the more profitable Zen and WagonR. If priced to protect the WagonR and Zen, well then it would protect them by not selling itself. Solution: kill the 1.1. Similar thinking for the 800 5speed. And the biggest example, in fact what should have been a no-brainer: a 1.3 Zen. The Esteem was simply far more profitable. However, the two door Zen made sense to Maruti!

I would love a 1000cc Alto as my city car. The AStar is overpriced and too wide.

Sutripta

[longhorn]

A K10B Alto is a very practical alternative to the Chevy Spark, the Santro and also the AStar. As long as you are not worried about 'image', it makes perfect sense. Decent boot, acceptable rear bench (unlike the AStar) makes sense as a city runabout and also for that occasional highway trip.

[thainogkok]

the current Alto that sale in Japan now,
sooner or later it will come to India

[Sankar]

I don't want to go OT but still a clarification:

Originally Posted by longhorn

... acceptable rear bench (unlike the AStar) makes sense as a city runabout and also for that occasional highway trip.

A-Star's rear bench is not as cramped as its made out to be for an average Indian, provided an average sized guy is in the front. Last evening a fellow bhpian got into the rear seat of my A-Star and his first remark was that "hey, there's decent space in here". I have got similar remarks from others too. Everybody expects Astar's rear seat to be cramped but its not that cramped compared to Alto's. The small rear window contributes to the cramped feeling.

[zavegur]

It makes me think, why don they come up with a little 2 seater with the same old Alto engine??
Benefits?
-less weight
-so more power
-better driveability
-much cooler
-very practical
-theoretically cheaper
-more space and comfortable

Well, what not?
Seriously, people need to think about it.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by Sankar

Everybody expects Astar's rear seat to be cramped but its not that cramped compared to Alto's.

That's the impression I too got from the looks of the car.

If they launch an Alto with the 1litre K-series, I am buying one.

Originally Posted by zavegur

why don they come up with a little 2 seater with the same old Alto engine??

That would be even more awesome. No doors at the rear. Just maybe fixed windows, or not even that. Would be a nice city runabout for DINKs or even a 2nd/3rd car for those with bigger cars for the highway.

[Sankar]

Originally Posted by zavegur

It makes me think, why don they come up with a little 2 seater with the same old Alto engine??

2 door sub compact in India would cater to only a very small portion of the market. Due to this it is not economically viable to manufacture a 2 door Alto.

Maruti had 2 door Zen in the market for a short time, but that 2 door car was already being built to export to EU as Alto. Our current Alto wich replaced the Zen(Alto) in the EU was only sold as a 4 door worldwide. So no hope of a getting a 2 door version of this car specifically for India, same case for A-Star :-(

[xingamazon]

I am not sure how much this news would be practical for MSIL, but for sure if this product is coming out. It would beat all the models available in the market hands down for its VFM value.

What else can one ask for, it can be a model which would be loved both by economy seekers and motor enthusiasts alike. It would be the holy grail of car seekers.
Unless, Figo or Vista comes with a 1.6 l engine priced equally with their prices, dont think anything can touch its VFM.

[(Alok)]

Perhaps it (Alto1.0 L) is a mercy killing to zen estilo.

[devarshi84]

Originally Posted by Gansan

Perhaps because it was eating in to the sales of another hot selling model - the old Zen. That is not the case with the A Star now!

And A-star is filling that gap. Alto 1.1 will eat into A-star's sales.

[Gansan]

The sales are very low, nowhere near the zen numbers.

Originally Posted by devarshi84

And A-star is filling that gap. Alto 1.1 will eat into A-star's sales.