Maruti Ritz vs Maruti Swift vs A-Star

With Maruti coming up with so many models in the small car segment there is a serious threat of cannibalizing its own models. What Alto did to M800, What Estillo did to Wagon-R, What desire did to SX4, and what A-star did to itself.

Although Ritz is supposed to be priced smartly in between A-star(or wagon-r, and Estillo) and the Legendary Swift but is there actually a scope of another segment there, I seriously doubt.

Well Here is a quick comparison between figures of A-Star, Ritz and Swift

	A-Star	Ritz	Swift
Engine	KB10	K12M
Capacity	1L	1.2L	1.3L
Power	67 bhp	84 bhp	87 bhp
Mileage (overall)	18-19 kmpl	16-17 kmpl	10-11 kmpl
Price	3.5 - 4.5 Lakhs	4-5 Lakhs	4.5-5.5 Lakhs

With such an overlap between the specs and price tags there is a lot of pressure on Maruti from there own models.



I doubt if Maruti is going to capture the competitions markets or re-distribute its own sales amongst the huge list of models http://indywheels.blogspot.com/

Maruti Ritz vs Hyundai I10

Maruti Ritz is set to be launched in the price range of 4-5 lakhs, A segment which is no-doubtly ruled by Hyundai i10. Maruti Ritz is to be priced in between A star and Swift and is going to directly compete with i10. So a natural question arise how well does Ritz do compared to i10.

Well here are some specs

Ritz I10 Kappa

Engine K12M 1.2L Kappa
Capacity 1200cc 1200cc
Power 84bhp 80bhp
Mileage(overall) 16-17 kmpl 15-16kmpl

I seriously doubt the mileage figures of Ritz provided by maruti considering the higher bhp and just 3 less than that of swift (87) and its mileage being just 10-11 overall.

The interiors os Ritz are partly borrowed from its sibling Swift in form of steering and gear knobs. It has the same K series engine as A-Star but with more power. Remember A-Star is highly underpowered for its class.

The specs sure look good but I seriously doubt its actual onroad performance. As the engine is the same K series I suspect it to be noisy and underpowered as A-Star.

The mileage will definitely better than i10 Kappa, and other features like icat immobilizer, standard on Maruti cars are definitely a plus.

But if we go by the specs Maruti Ritz definitely seems to be a better choice in terms of power, mileage, and maruti support.

-brought to you by Indywheels: http://indywheels.blogspot.com

Hyundai i10 Diesel 1.1L

A new 1.1L, 3-cylinder CRDi engine with VGT(Variable Geometry turbo) develops 55KW/75bhp capable of reaching a maximum speed of 165km/h will power european and indian i10. According to Hyundai, the the diesel i10 will consume 4.3 liters of diesel per 100km(23kmpl) and it CO2 emissions is 114g/km(less than the stipulated 120g/km). Hyundai has already created a lot of buzz with the all new 1.2-liter Kappa engine last year and well crossed maruti swift in terms of sales in a short span of 17 months.



Hyundai i10 Diesel is going to be the smallest diesel car in India. If the Hyundai I10 diesel specs are to be believed this will sure be a better and more efficient engine than what is currently powering Swift Diesel. The diesel motor will come in form of a three cylinder 1.1 litre turbo charged engine. The price range is expected to be in between 5-6 lakhs INR, It would be competitively priced below Swift diesel as is the case with i10 1.2L kappa variants. Mileage is expected to be well above 20 kmpl on highway and 18-20 kmpl in city.

Expected to hit the showrooms by mid 2009 somewhere around May-June to be more precise. So if you are planning for a small diesel car, watch out for this one.

Brought to you by IndyWheels

Maruti Suzuki launches A-star

New Delhi, November 19, 2008

Car market leader Maruti Suzuki India Limited unveiled the much-awaited, World Strategic Model, A-star here today. Powered by the new, state-of-the-art, light weight, 998cc K10B petrol engine, A-star is the best in class fuel-efficient car with a mileage of 19.59 kilometers per litre, as tested by ARAI, Pune, country's premier automotive research agency. Built on a brand new platform, the A-star is an excellent city car with best in class turning radius, power, flat torque (minimum gearshifts) and performance. A-star is truly a green car with no compromise. The newest model meets the European ELV norms, which implies that 85 per cent of the car is recyclable. In addition, it is free from hazardous materials like Lead, Cadmium, Mercury and Chromium. The A-star was launched in the city by Mr. RC Bhargava, Chairman, Maruti Suzuki India Limited and other senior company officials. The A-star has been designed keeping in mind aspirations of the urban economy-conscious customers, who seek best-in-class fuel efficiency, lower emission, and high quality and high performance alongwith style. It also takes the engine technology in India to the next level. A-star is the most relevant car that addresses the needs of today's customers be it India or any other part of the world. A-star is Maruti Suzuki's eighth vehicle launched in less than 40 months. It reinforces Maruti Suzuki's dominance in the highly competitive A2 segment where Maruti Suzuki holds a whopping 55% market share. Positioned in the premium A2 segment and targeted towards urban young professionals, the stylish, sporty and youthful A-star delivers a fantastic driving experience with futuristic looks. This new car, built under the slogan - small cars for big future - stems from Suzuki's commitment to make India the global hub for small cars. This car is Suzuki's fifth World Strategic Model. The A-star, produced at company's Manesar plant is being launched with a high 95 per cent indigenization levels.

A Brand New Engine and Transmission

The A-star is the first car from Maruti Suzuki to be fitted with the new KB Series engine. The K10B engine on the A-star is carefully designed to meet the current and forthcoming environment norms in India as well as in the advanced markets of the Western world. In India, the engine conforms to the present BS-III emission norms The KB series engine plant, built at an investment of Rs 1,200 Crore, is an outcome of over three years of design and development in collaboration with Suzuki Motor Corporation. The new-generation three-cylinder, light-weight aluminum K10B engine is a major initiative undertaken by the company towards offering latest technology to its customers. Maruti Suzuki engineers have put together a host of innovative technologies to enhance performance, minimise friction and provide high acceleration. The engine offers power of 67ps @ 6200 rpm and torque of 90nm @ 3500 rpm. The flat torque curve comes in handy while negotiating the stop-go city traffic conditions with ease. The engine has undergone over 250,000 km of endurance testing and over 500 hours of engine calibration and 7,500 hours of engine validation on dynamometer.

Driving Comfort

With a turning radius of 4.5 meters and a ground clearance of 170 mm, the A-star is suitable for all Indian conditions, including congested areas and potholed roads. The A-star boasts of a unique all-round gas damped suspension, making rides much more comfortable, and also reducing wear and tear resulting in a low maintenance cost. The A-star has a front suspension frame for excellent handling. Front and rear suspensions have been fine-tuned for enhanced riding comfort with perfect handling on Indian road conditions. Ultra high-grade steel used in coil springs provides high rigidity and agility for passenger comfort.

Safety

Some important safety features on the A-star include:

Crushable structure energy dispersing frame and a high rigidity body combined with lightness Airbags and ABS

The A-star's body reflects the Total Effective Control Technology (TECT) concept in the form of crushable structures that absorb impact energy and then disperse impact energy away from occupants in the event of a collision.

Aesthetics: A class apart

Interiors: The interior of A-star boasts of a refreshing mix of modernity and ethnicity. The smart tacho pod, digital trip meter, odometer, fuel gauge, clock, an integrated music system with AUX-in facility, a short-throw 6-gear shift and a sporty steering, together offer an unmatched experience. A floating cockpit design, sculpted aero-dashboard and wrap-around console add to the overall engaging sporty theme. The crimson illumination that is gentle to the eyes and has stress relieving properties, has been integrated soberly in the interiors. Exteriors: The design reflects the contemporary European tastes with apportioned cabin layouts. Besides aerodynamic looks, the car's exterior has numerous interesting features such as sweeping expressive lamps, comet shaped tail lamps, and a wide sporty grille that also offers good engine ventilation. One of the most striking features that capture attention is the highly contoured rear bumper which brings in the cool quotient to the premium A2 segment car. A-star car is available in three variants: LXi, VXi and the top-end fully loaded ZXi. An array of nine vibrant colours, together with three new ones, include

Desert Brown * Supreme White Bright Red Paradise Blue * Sunlight Cooper Midnight Black Healing Green * Silky Silver Azure Grey

* New colours

Exports

The A-star will be made in over 200 variants and exported to around 150 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, Asia, Australia and Africa. The A-star will contribute half of Maruti Suzuki's overall export target of 200,000 units by 2010-11. As announced earlier, the company plans to commence exports of A-star in early 2009, to Europe.

Price

Introductory Prices of A-star in DELHI are:

Model City Ex-Showroom (Rs) A-star Lxi Delhi 346775 A-star Vxi Delhi 374775 A-star Zxi Delhi 411775