Maruti Suzuki India limited (MSIL), India’s car market leader on Wednesday (Nov 19) launched its new hatchback, powerful, compact and light weight, state-of-art and sporty looking car ‘A-star’ to fuel new excitement in the slumping small car market segment.
Since the last two-three months the auto market, including the two-wheeler market, has been facing selling crisis, even during the festive season. The small car segment was worst hit due to rising prices of cars and auto loan interest rates, as most of its consumers belong to small and medium family income group.
Maruti, which is facing tough competition to Hyundai’s i10, was keen to roll out this car to beat its toughest competitor and to enhance its market share in the small car segment; it has already acquired a whopping share of 55%.
The newly unveiled car is the best-in-class fuel-efficiency with a mileage of 19.59 kilometers per litre, according to Pune-based ARAI- country's premier automotive research agency that has conducted the test.
It’s new KB series engines fulfills the present BS-III emission norms and will pass the forthcoming environment norms in India as well as in the advanced markets of the Western world, official website claims.
“A-star is truly a green car with no compromise,” said MSIL as it meets the European ELV norms (85% of the car should be recyclable and must be free from hazardous materials like Lead, Cadmium, Mercury and Chromium).
Launching the car in Delhi, R C Bhargava, Chairman MSIL said that A-star has been launched targeting the urban young professionals who seek best-in-class fuel efficiency, lower emission, and high quality and high performance alongwith style.
‘A-star delivers a fantastic driving experience with futuristic looks and it is the most relevant car that addresses the needs of today's customers, be it India or any other part of the world,’ said MSIL in the release.
The new-generation three-cylinder, lightweight aluminum K10B 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, elaborate MSIL.
The car has been designed by Rajesh Kumar Gogu and Saurabh Singh of MSIL and has been developed with the collaboration of Suzuki- the major partner of Maruti. MSIL has chosen Manesar plant in Haryana for manufacturing and assembling this car.
A-star is Maruti Suzuki’s eight vehicles launched in less than 40 months of span in India and abroad; 95% of the parts used in the car are indigenous. This is Suzuki's fifth World Strategic Model that has also been launched in overseas by replacing ‘Alto’ model with ‘All-new Alto.’
Whereas, in India, A-star is available for selling along with its traditional ‘Alto’ model, and the price of its three variants: LXi, VXi and the top-end fully loaded ZXi are Rs. 346775, Rs. 374775 and Rs. 411775 (Delhi Ex-Showroom price).
A-star launched under the slogan- small cars for big future- has been available for selling in nine variants colours - Desert Brown, Supreme White, Bright Red, Paradise Blue, Sunlight Cooper, Midnight Black, Healing Green, Silky Silver and Azure Grey.
For exporting A-star, MSIL will make available it in 200 colour variants to export it in 150 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, Asia, Australia and Africa, said MSIL.
MSIL hopes that A-star will contribute half of Maruti Suzuki's overall export target of 2,00,000 units by 2010-11. At present, Maruti Suzuki is targeting to sell 1,00,000 units in European Market, while in India the joint firm has planned to sell remaining 50,000 units, as sources said.
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