[longhorn]

Full marks to the front design. Looks neat. I love that kink on the headlamp. They have done a good job here. It looks like an evolution of the current Alto.The bonnet has definitely been stretched and the wheels seem to be one size larger. I believe the designer was in a hurry to complete the rear makeover ASAP.

Marginal improvement in rear legroom means they would have reduced the dicky space and moved the rear seat back. Only Lxi and Vxi variants will be available and the interiors will be different from that of the current model - a good move that will help in product differentiation. Since it is postioned below the AStar - don't expect ABS,airbags, rear wash wiper etc. Consider yourself lucky if they plonk in a music system. We can expect 4 power windows and a tacho for the Vxi while the Lxi would come with aircon, PS and front power windows (if we are lucky).

[allwheeldrive]

Is this Alto going to be based on the new WagonR platform or is it the same old Alto platform ?

[harishnair]

The Front fascia looks very sporty, the dated rear is a disgrace to it.

Originally Posted by allwheeldrive

Is this Alto going to be based on the new WagonR platform or is it the same old Alto platform ?

From the pics it seems like only a face-lift with new engine, so the dimensions will remain the same as old Alto.

[longhorn]

Originally Posted by allwheeldrive

Is this Alto going to be based on the new WagonR platform or is it the same old Alto platform ?

It's the same old Alto platform. The front and rear get a face lift.

Originally Posted by harishnair

From the pics it seems like only a face-lift with new engine, so the dimensions will remain the same as old Alto.

The dimensions (at least externally) won't be the same. The have stretched the bonnet so the new Alto will be slightly longer than the current one, though that would not translate into better interior space.

[SCH]

[

From the pics it seems like only a face-lift with new engine, so the dimensions will remain the same as old Alto.[/quote]

Any news on the gear box, would it be the old ALTO one or the new one they have in Wagon R. I hope if they put in the new gear box then it would be tough to beat this hatch for city driving, with the FE of 20 as is being predicted.

[Sankar]

Front end looks very good, imho even better than the new WagonR, rear end looks completely detached compared to the slick front end design.

@allwheeldrive, platform doesn't change, its based on the same old Alto.

[DCEite]

Whats written below Alto, is that Sportz ?

[aaggoswami]

Came across this news stating that the updated Alto will be longer and more spacious.

Source : Will K spell magic? Maruti to launch new Alto next month

Article :

Will K spell magic? Maruti to launch new Alto next month
NEW DELHI: Maruti Suzuki will launch next month a refurbished version of Alto, the decade-old compact, entry-level car that has been the fulcrum of its sales, as the country's biggest carmaker looks to preempt the introduction of a similar product by rivals.

The Alto K10 will be powered by a larger 1000-cc engine and sport different exteriors and interiors, said Maruti officials involved in the project. The new product will be 125 mm longer than the vintage version and more spacious than the company's badges in the so-called B segment, Estilo, the old WagonR and A-Star, they said.

Maruti officially declined to share details about the car, but a spokesman said, It will be an affordable, but aspirational product.

The K10 will be priced in the `2.8-3.4 lakh range, squeezing between the Alto Lxi and Estilo LX. Only top-end variants Lxi and Vxi will be available.

Maruti's decision to unveil an inspired remake of a best-selling model after a decade comes in the wake of rivals Tata Motors and Hyundai Motor India readying a similar car for the premium entry-level segment. Hyundai plans to unveil a model priced below its top-selling Santro while Tata Motors is working on a vehicle to fit between Nano and Indica.

The two companies are taking aim at a product that sold 2.4 lakh units, nearly a quarter of Maruti's more than 1 million sales last year, and operates in a niche segment. Neither Nano nor a handful of small cars launched this year such as Ford Figo, Nissan Micra and VW Polo address the Alto's market.

Instead, the Alto, rather its top-end Lxi model that contributes to 70% of sales and is priced at `2.8 lakh, competes with the `2.7-lakh Hyundai Santro standard and the Chevy Spark that costs `3.23 lakh.

It is no longer about spotting the opportunity, but getting there first, said a senior Maruti executive.

Maruti's game plan is clear: as rival launches are not due anytime soon, make the most of the opportunity. Everyone has realised it is a large segment, said the Maruti executive.

The company is aware that it has to be careful with the K10's pricing so as not to disturb Alto sales. Rather, it wants the new model to complement Alto's market share, given the scale of volumes in the segment.

Experts said Maruti does not have a choice. The premium entry-level segment, notably a single model, is the nucleus of the company's annual sales.

Given that both the Hyundai and Tata models will undoubtedly boast high mileage and target big volumes, Maruti needs some quick rearguard action...they need to get it right first, said an auto analyst with a top Mumbai-based investment bank.

Analysts said Maruti is looking to sell nearly 2 lakh Altos and up to 1.5 lakh K10s a year, raising the combined tally by 40%.

With the K10, Maruti is giving buyers another alternative in a particular segment, a strategy introduced by former managing director Jagdish Khattar and honed over the years. The B-segment is crowded with Maruti models Alto, WagonR, A-Star, Ritz, Estilo and Swift, which together contribute to more than 70% of its total domestic sales and is growing at a 16% clip.

The whole idea of straddling a segment with multiple models is a very good one because consumers today are very fragmented and within segments there are psychographic fragments. This fragmentation is possible because of the large volumes in the segment, said the Maruti spokesman.

The Alto K10 will help us tackle that trend and add additional volumes in the premium entry-level segment, he said.

The strategy is also a perfect foil for the company's inherent strengths a formidable national network for sales and service and great fuel efficiency. Indeed, only a quarter of Alto sales come from the top 10 cities where competition is the most cutthroat.

If we don't offer more choice in every segment, said the Maruti official, our competitors will.

Since its launch, the Alto has always turned out to be the bright spot in Maruti's sales. But it faces serious competition, perhaps for the first time.

For Maruti, owned by Japan's Suzuki Motor Corp, it is familiar territory.

The company's aggressive plans for the K10 is reminiscent of the time when it faced a slew of rivals in the small car segment in the form of the Tata Indica, Hyundai Santro and Daewoo Matiz in 1998. Maruti reacted by first cutting price of the M800 by `20,000 in December 1998, and then quickly rolled out a flurry of models the Baleno in 1999, the WagonR early 2000 and the Alto around six months later.

Since then, its multiple-model strategy has helped it hold on to its market leadership. Given the margin pressures, a price war is no longer attractive. The twin-model strategy is considered the next best alternative.

In marketing terms too, the new car will attract first-time buyers who may have been looking for something more aspirational in the entry mid-size range. At least 60% of Alto buyers are first-timers, so catering to this section could turn out to be rewarding.

IMO, rather than working on the Alto, it would make more sense to work on A-star like increasing space in A-star. I know its not an easy task, but then working on Alto would not be any easier either. For the A-star they would be working a bit harder, but can cater to a larger segment. Its best bet if Alto is pushed down a bit, A-star coming down to near Alto levels.

[fx45]

rear styling is pathetic.. now it looks like its designed by 3 seprate designers for front, side and rear as all 3 speak a different styling language.

[romeomidhun]

The front looks sportier and stylish! Compensates the 'Spark'ed rear look.

BTW, can any one read the full name on the front number plate? Is it 'ALTO 1.0L' or some thing else?

[Equus]

I thought they blew the front too, but Nope - its very decent. I think this 1L engine (heard its a wee bit sluggish on WagonR) would fit the bill perfectly here and return even better mileage figures than the outgoing one! The one change I would like in here would be the head-rests on the rear seat. Honestly, I wonder how folks can sit in this for a longish drive.

[Antonian]

Originally Posted by fx45

rear styling is pathetic.. now it looks like its designed by 3 seprate designers for front, side and rear as all 3 speak a different styling language.

True. IMO,They have spoiled the simplicity of the old one.One of my friend sold his 2009 model one, and he is now waiting for K seris alto.Even though he is a hard core Alto fan,not happy with the engine performance.Hope, increse of 200 cc will workout.

[HammerHead]

IMO, with refreshed front, which looks good compared to the rear, new Alto will surely be a better buy over AStar.

[Johnn]

Originally Posted by romeomidhun

The front looks sportier and stylish! Compensates the 'Spark'ed rear look.

BTW, can any one read the full name on the front number plate? Is it 'ALTO 1.0L' or some thing else?

Looks like DDIS ! Diesel??????
Thats too much to hope for!

one website had mentioned diesel, and some news of heavier front end..
put them together with DDIS and voila!

[romeomidhun]

Originally Posted by Johnn

Looks like DDIS ! Diesel??????
Thats too much to hope for!

one website had mentioned diesel, and some news of heavier front end..
put them together with DDIS and voila!

I think it is ALTO K10.

It has some sort of an Accent look now, from the front.