India’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki is currently working on the next-generation Alto. Now a report by BW Business World is reporting that the next-gen Alto will sport a brand new 660 cc turbocharged petrol engine.
According to the report, a source with knowledge of the ongoing developments on upcoming Alto (codenamed Y1K) has stated that Maruti is working on a 660 cc turbocharged petrol engine that offers better fuel efficiency and will be compliant with BS-VI emission norms that will go into effect in April 2020. The Suzuki Alto sold in Japan uses a 660 cc turbocharged engine as part of the Kei car norms in place in the country.
The publication claims that the new 660 cc turbo petrol engine will return a mileage of 30 km/l (the current car’s mileage is a claimed 24.7 km/l). The next-gen Alto powered by the new engine is expected to cost around the same or slightly more than the current BS-IV complaint Alto 800 variant which starts at around Rs 2.5 lakhs, ex-showroom.
If Maruti manages to keep the price of the new Alto, which is due to arrive at the end of 2019 at around the same price as the current car while offering the new engine, it will make the car quite irresistible for customers in the entry-level hatchback segment where mileage and price are key factors when buying a new car.
The new Maruti Alto will be lighter and more fuel efficient than current Alto. The entry-level hatchback will be based on a new lightweight platform which will help the new Alto comply with the BNVSAP safety norms that will go into effect next year.
The platform will be developed by Suzuki in Japan but the new car’s development is being spearheaded by Maruti-Suzuki’s Rohtak R&D facility. Maruti will be in charge of the engineering, design and validation for the new Alto for India while keeping in mind the needs of the Indian customer base and local conditions.
The new Alto is also expected to be offered with more powerful engine options similar to the way the current lineup comes with an 800 cc and 1,000 cc engine options. No details are available as of now about what engine will power the more powerful Alto variant as of right now.
