India is an important market for Suzuki which outsold Japan in the first half of 2007. Recently Suzuki hinted its desire to holding the 50% market share in indian passenger car industry for eternal. It seems that suzuki is trying hard to make this true. “Our next world car will be made in India,” Chairman Osamu Suzuki told in New Delhi today(October 11th). After swift, Maruti has worked closely with Suzuki Motors to build a car, called as A-star, this hatchback will be the fifth global car for Suzuki but first to be produced in India. Swift sedan, splash hatchback and the new car A-Star will be the part of Maruti Suzuki’s ongoing efforts to protect its market share in India, which stood at 54 percent in 2006.
Maruti Suzuki’s A-star concept will be debuted at the forthcoming Delhi Auto expo and then it will be showcased in rest of international shows. For european market, A-star would be the Suzuki’s new Alto which is scheduled to debut at Geneva Motor show in March. For the first time, Maruti engineers in India have contributed to one of the Suzuki’s global project right from its inception.The production model that inherits some of the design themes of the Concept A-Star will be manufactured at Maruti Suzuki India’s plant. Like the already-launched Suzuki world strategic models(swift, SX4, new vitara and splash. ), it will prove that sporty and exciting performance can be enjoyed together with outstanding fuel economy.
It has almost become a rule for modern hatchbacks to feature low slung grille, A-star complies to that. Number plate will sit on the broad strip. Large front bumper and spruced up fenders gives a sporty chracter to this hatchback. The eye shaped headlamps is clearly a ‘wow’ factor. The size and front of A-star remind us the old Chevrolet Matiz, albeit with a more muscular and sporting than its competitors, at least in prototype. It seems Maruti suzuki is responding to the customer’s voice, unlike the swift the rear passenger will have more visibility. A-star’s large rear windscreen will facilate it. The only sorepoint in the concept, is the position of suzuki’s badge, could have been postioned better.
A-star will have a newly developed euro 5-compliant 1.0-litre aluminium petrol engine with CO2 emissions lower than those of European competitors (lower than 109g/km). The engine and the manual transmission for the A-star will be manufactured by Suzuki Powertrain India. Suzuki would consider making a version with a small diesel engine from its powertrain unit in India.
A-star, a five door hatchback woould fit into the A - segment (currently alto is the market leader of this segment). A-star is expected to be priced around the 3 lakh range($7500). Are u lured by A-star’s proportion & its dynamic lines and interested in getting one? if numbers are to be believed you dream of booking a A-star won’t be easy, it might be one of the toughest you have ever come across. Maruti will sell only 50000 A-star a year (atleast initially) though it will produce 2lakh A-star’s a year. The number of Swift being sold by maruti suzuki every month is in the range of 6000 to 7,000 units . Production of A-star will begin by october 2008. Regarding the launch, Maruti Suzuki will export the A-star first to Europe (from December 2008) and later it will be launched in india. Apart from the A-star, Suzuki will also produce a new platform(Model N) in India in alliance with Maruti.
1 comment:
Looking like a real cool car!!!
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