[Ritzman]

Note from Mod : Please continue the discussion in the Maruti Alto K-10 Test-Drive Thread

Country’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India is planning to launch a new version of its small car Alto, the highest selling model in India, with a bigger engine.
According to industry sources, the company plans to launch the new Alto with a one-litre petrol engine from its latest generation of engine, the K-series.
When contacted, Maruti Suzuki India Chairman R C Bhargava told PTI, “Alto needs a face-lift. It has been there for quite a while.”

Source: The Hindu : Business / Companies : Maruti plans to launch new version of Alto

[windsurfer]

This is an interesting development. I think this would make Alto more fun to drive. Bring it on!!!!!!!!

Source : Maruti plans to relaunch Alto with 1000cc K-series engine-Automobiles-Auto-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times

[phantom76]

So a new grille and a new set of tail lights are coming, probably. A 1litre engine will make it a better highway performer though.

[ottocycle]

From economictimes, Maruti is planning to relaunch Alto with 1L K series engine. That would mean that Alto will be powered with the same engine that powers the blue eyed boy.

Maruti plans to relaunch Alto with 1000cc K-series engine-Automobiles-Auto-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times

NEW DELHI: Country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India is planning to launch a new version of its small car Alto, the highest selling model in India, with a bigger engine.

According to industry sources, the company plans to launch the new Alto with a one-litre petrol engine from its latest generation of engine, the K -series.

When contacted, Maruti Suzuki India Chairman R C Bhargava told PTI, "Alto needs a face-lift. It has been there for quite a while."

He, however, declined to comment when a refreshed Alto would be launched and what kind of engine would be fitted on the new version.

Last month, MSI had introduced BS IV compliant Alto on the existing 800cc F-Series engine.

Sources said the company has decided to equip the Alto with a 1000 cc K-series engine.

"With a bigger K-series engine, the new Alto will obviously be costlier than the existing Alto," a source said.

The existing Alto is priced between Rs 2.29 lakh and Rs 2.8 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

The Alto is the best selling car model in India averaging about 20,000 units per month. It has sold about 13.5 lakh units since its launch in September 2000.

The plan to launch Alto with a new engine is part of MSI's strategy to equip its models with the latest generation K-series engine.

Maruti Suzuki offers two variants of the K-series engines -- 998cc three-cylinder, 'K10B' fitted in A-star, Estilo, and the new WagonR and a 1.2-litre, four-cylinder 'K12M' petrol engine powering Ritz, Swift and Swift Dzire.

In April, MSI crossed the milestone of rolling out three lakh K-Series engines. The company has a total engine capacity of 10 lakh units annually, of which the share of K-Series engines is 2.5 lakh units.

[harishnair]

A facelift is highly possible but I really doubt if MSIL will plonk the K10B in the Alto as it could prove fatal to Estilo and A-star.

[abhinav.s]

Originally Posted by harishnair

A facelift is highly possible but I really doubt if MSIL will plonk the K10B in the Alto as it could prove fatal to Estilo and A-star.

+1.. It will definitely eat into the sales of A-Star and Estilo. With the proven Alto tag and a 1000cc, it will surely be FTD and peppy if Maruti really do launch it!

[CARDEEP]

Originally Posted by windsurfer

This is an interesting development. I think this would make Alto more fun to drive. Bring it on!!!!!!!!

Source : Maruti plans to relaunch Alto with 1000cc K-series engine-Automobiles-Auto-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times

With some fuel pump related problems with BS4 Alto it was imperative for Suzuki to get their act together (& that too fast) unless let the sales suffer.

This would be fitting reply to Spark, & due to the economies of scale Maruti will have the capability of price reduction if the K-series 1l engine ion future.

Hopefully they improve the overall quality unlike the BS4 Alto with upgraded G-series 800cc motor that has been already showcased in T-BHP.

[MileCruncher]

See it this way. They are hardly selling the a-star or the estillo. So make the economies of scale on the K-series engine, they need to plonk it in another model. What better model than tried and trusted Alto. I'm sure the 800 cc will be the bread and butter with the VXi being the FTD vehicle.

[rpmx1000]

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

See it this way. They are hardly selling the a-star or the estillo. So make the economies of scale on the K-series engine, they need to plonk it in another model. What better model than tried and trusted Alto. I'm sure the 800 cc will be the bread and butter with the VXi being the FTD vehicle.

@Car deep - as far as hitting back at the Spark , you have got it spot on.

Vxi - Well that brings memories of when the original Alto VXi was selling - with the 1.1 F-series Wagon R engine. Many people had good memories of that car , it was not doing that well because the original Zen was still around and people did'nt take too well to change then. But that was a seriously good car.And I guess Maruti never had a good reason for withdrawing that car from the market. In a way, the Spark sales have brought them to rethink that old decision and bring it out now with the 3cyl K-series. And yes, this will be a good combi of performance and mileage
in that segment, it will be a pocket rocket! I just hope they don't detune the 67-bhp spec engine! They might, to keep it from affecting Estilo and A* sales.

I think your economies of scale point is a good argument, but for some reason I don't think this other point can be ignored.

[AyAn!]

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

See it this way. They are hardly selling the a-star or the estillo. So make the economies of scale on the K-series engine, they need to plonk it in another model. What better model than tried and trusted Alto. I'm sure the 800 cc will be the bread and butter with the VXi being the FTD vehicle.

Absolutely.I think that's exactly what they'll do! Plonk the K10B and badge it as a VXi with a few extra features thrown in.Just like the good ol' 1.1 VXi! But that'd practically kill A-Star too.Not the Estilo,because it will still find buyers for the added practicality its tall boy design provides.

[sgiitk]

1000cc is a must. My son had an Alto VX (1062cc) and it was great. However, the driving pleasure of our even older Zen (original model with Carb) was far greater.

[Gansan]

That would be a pocket rocket! How I wish I could swap my Alto for the new one, if it does materialize! But still I wonder if it would be as good as the old one with the 1.1 L Wagon R engine!

[supremeBaleno]

It won't, but still would be much better than the reworked-for-BSIV Alto that they released recently. A 1l K-series Alto is good news, though not sure when it will come, if at all.

[CARDEEP]

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

See it this way. They are hardly selling the a-star or the estillo. So make the economies of scale on the K-series engine, they need to plonk it in another model. What better model than tried and trusted Alto. I'm sure the 800 cc will be the bread and butter with the VXi being the FTD vehicle.

Originally Posted by rpmx1000

@Car deep - as far as hitting back at the Spark , you have got it spot on.

Vxi - Well that brings memories of when the original Alto VXi was selling - with the 1.1 F-series Wagon R engine. Many people had good memories of that car , it was not doing that well because the original Zen was still around and people did'nt take too well to change then. But that was a seriously good car.And I guess Maruti never had a good reason for withdrawing that car from the market. In a way, the Spark sales have brought them to rethink that old decision and bring it out now with the 3cyl K-series. And yes, this will be a good combi of performance and mileage
in that segment, it will be a pocket rocket! I just hope they don't detune the 67-bhp spec engine! They might, to keep it from affecting Estilo and A* sales.

I think your economies of scale point is a good argument, but for some reason I don't think this other point can be ignored.

Economies of scale will be created because almost 20k units of Alto, add another 10K units of new WagonR, plus (not more than) 10k units of A* & Estilo; as compared to almost 20k units of WagonR, A* & Estilo in K-series 1l & 20k units of G-series 800cc mill.
(I know that I have to an extent inflated the figures & the actual figures are few k's lesser)

Whether the engine is detuned (assuming not anything under 60 bhp) or not, the car will be a performer due to the light weight of the car.

[aargee]

The old Alto VXi 1.1 was discontinued for some reason & later WagonR enjoyed the same engine. Now if, the new Alto is plonking the same engine as WagonR what would be difference? Just the little goodies & the tall boy feature of WagonR missing in the new Alto?

Originally Posted by Gansan

But still I wonder if it would be as good as the old one with the 1.1 L Wagon R engine!

It will be & trust me on this Sir; if the new Alto is powered with 998CC K-Series engine & has sufficient goodies, then it will outrun the sales of WagonR.