In the wake of a soaring competition in the small car segment and a nose-diving market share, India's largest carmaker Maruti has launched a more powerful version of its largest selling model Alto. The new Alto K-10 is powered by a bigger 1-litre (998 CC) K series engine that also powers the Estilo, A-Star and Wagon R.
Maruti's move will bring cheer to those customers who thought the largest selling five-seater car was underpowered. Currently, the Alto's top-end Lxi model contributes to 70 per cent of sales and competes with the Rs 2.7-lakh Hyundai Santro standard and the Chevy Spark that costs Rs 3.23 lakh. The new Alto is claimed to return 20.2 kmpl and can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 13.3 seconds.
Maruti has refurbished the suspension and braking system to cope with the enhanced motor. Moreover, it's is longer by 125mm to accommodate the bigger K-series engine. It has a new aggressive front, with a differently styled combination of dynamic hood, bold eagle-eye headlamps with crystal-clear lens.
"With the AC switched on and five people in the car, the engine of the Alto seems short of power although its light weight contributes tremendously to the fuel-efficiency of around 18-20 kmpl. The new Alto can wipe out these problems without hampering fuel-efficiency too much", says an auto industry expert. (Business Standard)
While the existing Alto will continue to serve customers across India, the new sibling, Alto-K10, is specifically targeted at those customers, who are looking for premium features and performance in an economical package. The car will be priced between Rs 3.03 and Rs 3.16 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).
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