Saturday, January 16, 2010

Chevrolet Beat Price

Chevrolet Beat Car Features:

  • Small, Smart and Sporty hatchback
  • Will be available in three variants 1.2, 1.2LS and 1.2LT
  • 1196cc DOHC Engine
  • Automatic Climate Control
  • Integrated Center Stack Audio with USB and Aux-in Port
  • Tilt steering
  • 60:40 Split folding seats
  • Tubeless Tyres
  • Chevrolet Beat Mileage 18.6 KMPL
Chevrolet Beat

Chevrolet Beat is available in seven colours Misty Lake, Moroccan Blue, Linen Beige, Caviar Black, Green Cocktail, Olympic White and Super Red.
Chevrolet Beat Small car
Chevrolet Beat Technical Specification:

  • 1199cc S-TEC II 4-cylinder, 16-valve Engine
  • Max Power: 80.5ps
  • 5-speed manual transmission
  • McPherson strut front suspension
  • Steering Column mounted LED back-lit speedometer
  • LCD digital tachometer
  • 4-channel/4-sensor EBD-ABS system
  • Alloy wheels
  • Dual Airbags
  • Seatbelts with Load limiters
  • Power Windows
  • Remote Central Locking
  • Integrated Audio System

Chevrolet Beat Price in India – Indian Rupee(INR)
Chevrolet Beat PS Price – 3.34 lakh rupees
Chevrolet Beat LS Price – 3.54 lakh rupees
Chevrolet Beat LT Price – 3.94 lakh rupees

Tata Aria Price

Tata Aria is powered by 2.2 Litre DICOR diesel engine and produces 140PS power and 320Nm peak torque and also available in 4×4 option.

Tata Aria

Tata Aria MPV Features:

  • Robust, elegant and comfortable
  • 3 rows of theatre style seating
  • Integrated 3D Sound System
  • Built in GPS
  • Multifunctional steering wheel
  • Automatic climate control and cruise control
  • Dual air conditioning
  • 6 airbags and ESP
  • Chasis frame comprising advanced hydro formed members
  • Stiffened body cage
  • Dual zone collapsible steering
With this feature set it looks like Aria will give some tough competition to Toyota Innova.
Tata Aria MPV
Tata Aria Price in India – Not announced yet but will be available in Second Quarter 2010…

Toyota Fortuner Price

Toyota Fortuner
Toyota Fortuner is new Luxury Sports utility vehicle @ premium price. Toyota Fortuner is powered by 3 Litre D-4D common rail type fuel injection engine with intercooled turbocharger which offers amazing power & performance.
Toyota Fortuner Engine
Toyota Fortuner Price Ex-Showroom Prices:
  • Toyota Fortuner Price in Delhi – Rs. 18,45,000/-
  • Toyota Fortuner Price in Mumbai – Rs. 18,40,000/-
  • Toyota Fortuner Price in Bangalore – Rs. 18,38,000/-
  • Toyota Fortuner Price in Hyderabad – Rs. 18,42,000/-
  • Toyota Fortuner Price in Chennai – Rs. 18,42,000/-
  • Toyota Fortuner Price in Kolkata – Rs. 18,60,000/-
  • Toyota Fortuner Price in Pune – Rs. 18,40,000/-

Toyota Fortuner SUV

Maruti Alto CNG Car Price

Maruti Alto CNG – One of the most popular small car Maruti Alto is now available in CNG version. CNG cars are economical and environmental friendly.
Maruti Alto CNG

Maruti Alto CNG car Features:

  • Best in Class AC
  • Amazing Mileage
  • Superb Maneuverability

Maruti Suzuki Alto CNG Offers:

  • 2 Year Warranty on vehicle & Kit
  • Assured safety
  • Amazing Economy
Maruti Suzuki CNG Alto

Maruti Alto CNG price in Delhi/NCR – Ex – Showroom Prices Indian Rupee (INR)

  • Maruti Alto Standard CNG – Rs. 2,70,000/-
  • Maruti Alto LX CNG – Rs. 3,01,000/-
  • Maruti Alto LXi CNG – Rs. 3,18,000/-

Maruti Alto Price

Maruti AltoAs it is India's best selling car, Maruti Alto is better in both price and quality. With the gasoline engine good fuel economy, better mileage and good performance are offered by the car. What is appealing about this car is that it is easy to drive even on heavy traffic. Maintainability is very less for Maruti Alto. Moreover it is also very easy to drive this vehicle on high traffic. Alto is believed to be the most beneficial car for the starters. Odometer, trip meter and speedometer are the present along with LCD screen.
Maruti Alto Price in India
Maruti Alto Price in Delhi – Ex Showroom Price*
  • Maruti Suzuki Alto Std BS III – 2, 31,190/- Indian Rupee
  • Maruti Suzuki Alto LX BS III – 2, 63,444/- Indian Rupee
  • Maruti Suzuki Alto Lxi BS III – 2, 81,452/- Indian Rupee

Maruti Alto Price in Mumbai – Ex Showroom Price*

  • Maruti Suzuki Alto Std BS III – 2, 44,500/- Indian Rupee
  • Maruti Suzuki Alto LX BS III – 2, 78,500/- Indian Rupee
  • Maruti Suzuki Alto Lxi BS III – 2, 96,500/- Indian Rupee

Maruti Alto Price in Chennai – Ex Showroom Price*

  • Maruti Suzuki Alto Std BS III – 2, 28,500/- Indian Rupee
  • Maruti Suzuki Alto LX BS III – 2, 61,000/- Indian Rupee
  • Maruti Suzuki Alto Lxi BS III – 2, 78,452/- Indian Rupee

Maruti Alto Price in Kolkata – Ex Showroom Price*

  • Maruti Suzuki Alto Std BS III – 2, 34,000/- Indian Rupee
  • Maruti Suzuki Alto LX BS III – 2, 66,500/- Indian Rupee
  • Maruti Suzuki Alto Lxi BS III – 2, 84,452/- Indian Rupee

Maruti Alto Price in Bangalore – Ex Showroom Price*

  • Maruti Suzuki Alto Std BS III – 2, 33,500/- Indian Rupee
  • Maruti Suzuki Alto LX BS III – 2, 65,000/- Indian Rupee
  • Maruti Suzuki Alto Lxi BS III – 2, 83,500/- Indian Rupee

Maruti Alto Price in Hyderabad – Ex Showroom Price*

  • Maruti Suzuki Alto Std BS III – 2, 29,500/- Indian Rupee
  • Maruti Suzuki Alto LX BS III – 2, 61,000/- Indian Rupee
  • Maruti Suzuki Alto Lxi BS III – 2, 79,500/- Indian Rupee

Maruti Alto Price in Pune– Ex Showroom Price*

  • Maruti Suzuki Alto Std BS III – 2, 35,500/- Indian Rupee
  • Maruti Suzuki Alto LX BS III – 2, 68,000/- Indian Rupee
  • Maruti Suzuki Alto Lxi BS III – 2, 85,500/- Indian Rupee

Maruti Alto Price in Ahmedabad – Ex Showroom Price*

  • Maruti Suzuki Alto Std BS III – 2, 36,500/- Indian Rupee
  • Maruti Suzuki Alto LX BS III – 2, 69,500/- Indian Rupee
  • Maruti Suzuki Alto Lxi BS III – 2, 88,000/- Indian Rupee

Friday, January 15, 2010

Bajaj small car to be smaller than Suzuki Alto

Bajaj small car

Bajaj’s compact car will share components with 2, 3-wheelers.

Bajaj small car

Bajaj small car

Bajaj small car

Bajaj small car

According to officials in Renault, the small car developed by Bajaj Auto featuring DTSi technology that will be marketed by Renault-Nissan alliance in India will be smaller than Maruti Suzuki’s Alto.

Scheduled for 2012 release, the Bajaj low cost car would be cheaper than any other small car in India. The design, engineering and manufacturing will be Bajaj’s tasks while marketing and selling the vehicle would be Renault’s job.

Bajaj small car

Renault’s new compact car based on Nissan Micra

Renault Yeni

The Renault Yeni could be the concept car the compact results out of

French auto major Renault is looking to deploy its small car into the Indian market by using its Japanese partner Nissan’ V-Platform.

Renault has ruled out cars like the Sandero, Clio and Twingo for India. The company claims these cars cannot be priced competitively if brought to India.

Maruti Suzuki recovers on a likely hike in car prices

Maruti Suzuki Swift

At the day's low of Rs 1415, the stock declined 0.70%.

Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was down 8.47 points, or 0.05%, to 17,576.40.

On BSE, 78,698 shares were traded in the counter as against an average daily volume of 1.42 lakh shares in the past one quarter.

The stock hit a high of Rs 1444 and a low of Rs 1415 so far during the day.

The stock had tumbled 9.74% in ten trading sessions to Rs 1416.85 on 14 January 2010 from a recent high of Rs 1569.75 on 30 December 2009.

The company's equity capital is Rs 144.46 crore. Face value per share is Rs 5.

The current price of Rs 1433.50 discounts the company's Q2 September 2009 annualized EPS of Rs 78.91, by a PE multiple of 18.17.

As per reports, the price rise would take place in a couple of weeks. The rise in prices is due to escalation of commodity prices, especially of steel and copper, reports suggest.

Maruti Suzuki India reported 50.6% increase in total vehicle sales to 84,804 units in December 2009 over December 2008. Domestic sales rose 36.5% to 71,000 units, while exports surged 223.7% to 13,804 units

Maruti Suzuki, last week, unveiled its brand new model Maruti Eeco at the Delhi Auto Expo priced at Rs 2.59 lakh. Eeco, which will be available in 5-seater and 7-seater versions, is expected to initially sell 40,000 units annually.

Last month, Japan's Suzuki Motor, a parent company of Maruti Suzuki India said it will sell a 19.9% stake in Suzuki to Germany's Volkswagen (VW) for $2.5 billion and use half the proceeds to buy shares in Volkswagen, as the two firms form a formidable force in the auto industry.

According to recent reports, Maruti Suzuki plans to raise production by up to 75% over the next five years in a bid to hold on to its 50% market share.

Maruti is seen reporting robust Q3 December 2009 results on strong volume growth. Maruti Suzuki's Q3 advance tax rose 196.3% to Rs 400 crore.

Maruti Suzuki India's net profit rose 92.5% to Rs 570 crore on a 46.6% increase in sales to Rs 7080.67 crore in Q2 September 2009 over Q2 September 2008.

Maruti Suzuki India is engaged in manufacturing, purchasing and selling of motor vehicles and spare parts.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Maruti Suzuki Ltd. Rolls Out New MPV, EECO

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. has recently unveiled the latest MPV in its line up, the Maruti EECO. Built on the Versa platform, the new EECO will be available in three different variants – a 5-seater standard, 5-seater with AC, and a 7-seater standard. Prices for the standard 5-seater EECO will start at Rs. 2,59,000 ($5640), while the 7-seater standard EECO will be available at Rs. 2,75,000 ($5991).

Maruti EECO

The Maruti EECO will come equipped with a new 1.2L petrol engine that is compliant with India’s Stage IV emissions requirements. The new engine is capable of outputting 73 bhp at 6000 rpm and 104 Nm of torque at 3000 rpm.

The EECO comes slightly lower (1800mm) than the other MPV’s from the Maruti staple like the aging Maruti Omni and Versa. The EECO is 3675 mm long, 1475 mm wide, with a wheel base of 2350 mm and a turning radius of a reasonable 4.5 meters. Some of the notable features include sliding driver seats, dual-tone styling, tubeless tyres, and a powerful braking system.

Maruti EECO

Maruti Suzuki engineers have specially developed the Eeco, its new powerful engine and a new transmission system to meet the diverse consumer aspirations that look for a vehicle that fit a large family and at the same time provides flexibility for dual use.” Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. MD and CEO Shinzo Nakanishi said.

Maruti also revealed that a concept electric version known as the Eco Charge is also currently being developed by the engineers at Maruti Suzuki Ltd.

Maruti EECO

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. currently has a 54.2% ownership stake by Japanese automakers Suzuki. The company has dominated the Indian car market for nearly 30 years, with one in every two cars sold in India coming with the Maruti Suzuki badge.

Maruti to decide on car price hike by end-Jan

Maruti Alto
India’s biggest car maker Maruti Suzuki India Ltd will take a call on increasing the price of its line-up by the end of this month after completing negotiations that are under way with suppliers of increasingly expensive raw materials such as steel.

Rival manufacturers such as Fiat India Automobiles Pvt. Ltd and Toyota Kirloskar Motors Ltd have already announced a price hike as rising demand for steel, rubber, aluminium and copper push up the prices of such inputs, putting car makers’ margins under pressure.

“We are currently negotiating with our suppliers for the second half—Q3 and Q4—and the contracts will be finalized in the next few weeks,” Ajay Seth, chief financial officer at Maruti Suzuki, told Mint. The company will decide on a price increase after the discussions, he said on the sidelines of the launch of the Eeco, Maruti’s new multi-purpose vehicle.

Typically, Maruti negotiates steel prices for six months with its suppliers and prices of other commodities are either hedged or left open, he said, adding that the company expects commodity prices to harden further.

Prices of steel are rising. Tata Steel Ltd, India’s biggest producer of the alloy, increased spot-market prices of its products used to make automobiles and appliances by as much as Rs1,500 per tonne early in the new year.

Prices of rubber, aluminium and copper rose 15%, 13% and 23%, respectively, in the quarter ended December over the preceding three months.

Seth said this will also have an adverse impact on the company’s margins. “The (rise in) commodity prices between the Q3 and Q4 will have an impact of at least 200 basis points on our margins over the previous quarter,” he said. One basis point is one-hundredth of a percentage point.

The company is working closely with vendors to pare imported content. Currently, imported content of Maruti vehicles as a percentage of total sales is 25%. Of this, 10% is made up of direct imports by Maruti and the remaining 15% through vendors.

In the next three years, Maruti plans to bring vendors’ share of imported content down to 5%. The full impact of localizing parts supplied by vendors on the company’s margins will kick in over the next two years. “This is the first year. Normally for the components we localize, the benefits are 20-25%,” he said.

Unveiling the Eeco, Maruti Suzuki managing director and chief executive officer Shinzo Nakanishi said the Eeco will help the company strengthen its position in the so-called C segment. Prices of rubber, aluminium and copper rose 15%, 13% and 23%, respectively, in the quarter ended December over the preceding three months

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

New Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Polo picture

The all new Polo has been showcased for the first time in India atht eh 2010 Auto Expo in Delhi and though its launch date is set for later this year, this display literally seals the deal and yes it's a great time to start saving up!

The premium hatch comes from a strong lineage however it will compete against the likes of the Skoda Fabia, Hyundai i20 and Suzuki Swift so the going is not bound to be smooth, however VW doesn't intend on leaving any stone unturned with the launch of the Polo so expect a neat price war to break out once the car hits the showrooms.

The car itself is a solid piece of machinery. Crafted by Volkwagen you can expect build quality to be top notch and to ensure the Polo has its wheels in the deep end of the pool from day one, VW is going to introduce the car with both petrol and diesel engines. The petrol engined Polo is powered by a 1.2 litre engine with an output of 75HP@ 5400 rpm and churns out a torque of 110Nm@3750 rpm. The diesel is also a 1.2 litre unit that churns out 75HP however it develops this at a lower 4200 rpm and churns out a healthier torque figure of 180Nm@ just 2000 rpm. On paper the diesel seems to be the winner, however a drive will be the best judge of this.

One look at the Polo and you are bound to have a smile on your face. It's a cute car that has a sporty undertone to its nature and just beckons for you to step up and take it for a spin. Small cars can be stylish and the Polo does reiterate this fact. Aiding the overall design are the large 15 inch wheels which work as the best attention grabbers. The interiors are functional and offer a host of pockets to store various knick-knacks. The materials used are neat and the cabin generally offers an overall feel good factor. Safety has not been compromised either and the new Polo is set to debut with ABS, dual airbags and an anti-theft immobilizer.

The new Polo is set to come into India soon and will be available in three trim levels, namely the Trendline, Comfortline and Highline. Pricing has still not been revealed but the expectation is that the car is set to be placed smack in the middle of Maruti territory.

Chevrolet Beat price in India and specifications

Chevrolet Beat price and specifications

Chevrolet Beat price and specifications

Chevrolet Beat will be yet another important launch by General Motors in India. The launch of Chevrolet Beat is after the recent launch of Cruze. Cruze has been received very well by Indian Customers. The new Chevrolet Beat is expected to be launched on January 4, 2010 at International Auto Expo Delhi. Chevrolet has started giving multiple teaser advertisements on TV like they did with their Cruze. The pictures show us, Beat will be more like Matiz Creative. The only difference being, Beat will have Chevrolet logo instead of Daewoo’s. The GM’s line-up constituting the Daewoo-sourced Matiz/Spark, will be replaced by Chevrolet beat.

The vehicle is a five-door instead of a three-door. The front doors are shortened. The Chevrolet Beat is not certified for the U.S. The reason may be the U.S. customers will not go for a car smaller than the subcompact Chevrolet Aveo. Chevi Beat is also considers as a new version of existing Spark models in India. Currently Spark is the largest selling brand for GM India. The arrival of Beat would accelerate their growth in entry level car segment. The India price, variants and technical specifications of Chevrolet Beat will be announced at Delhi on Jan 4.

Chevrolet Beat 2010 front side

Chevrolet Beat 2010 front side

The Beat concept was designed and built leveraging General Motor’s Global Product Development process. The concept was created from best practices around the world which integrate design, engineering, powertrain and manufacturing organizations. This is to ensure that each vehicle program meets its quality, timing and business targets.

It was being excogitated that Chevrolet India might be launched as “Beat” in India. Or the “Matiz” brand name might be revived. But now it has been officially announced that the new Chevrolet small car will be named as “Beat”. This is same as the concept’s name. Production for sale of the vehicle will start on December 15, 2009. Chevrolet Beat will be displayed at the 2010 Auto Expo.
Chevrolet Beat is expected to be launched with a 1.2 litre four-cylinder engine. There will be a five speed manual transmission. The production model of Chevrolet Beat bears the spirit of the Beat concept, which offers compact, city-friendly dimensions and a small-displacement engine, which deliver excellent fuel economy as well. The new Chevrolet Beat will add further depth and breadth to Chevrolet’s global line-up. Chevrolet is a brand which is sold in more than 90 countries. The new Chevrolet Beat will give the brand a leadership position in the segment.

 Chevrolet Beat 2010 back side

Chevrolet Beat 2010 back side

Design and Style of Chevrolet Beat 2010:

Chevrolet Beat is a car that is more suitable for people with an urban lifestyle. The styling of a sporty hatchback showcases the new concept of GM design and also a new trend in the design of mini-car segment. Chevrolet Beat’s spacious proportions and vibrant styling are courtesy of its segment-leading. It has a length of 3640mm, height of 1520mm. wheelbase is about 2375mm, and width is 1595mm. The attraction is its “body-in/wheels-out” stance.
Chevrolet Beat’s dramatically sized headlamps are noticed at first sight. It looks like stretching from the front fascia to the back of the hood. The polycarbonate lenses and chrome-coated bezels, looks like diamonds. All these add an unforeseen appearance and glamour. It has a window line which is slanted dynamically upward. The arching roofline and sharp sidelines gives a sporty and edgy look. This is rare in the segment.The secret vertical rear door handles are located in the C-pillar. This is yet another unusual feature. These rare features give Beat a unique, sporty three-door appearance. But five-door utility is not sacrificed.

The integrated rear spoiler of Chevrolet Beat is standard equipment. This is a first-in-segment offering. The spoiler essentially extends the rear roofline, provides enhanced aerodynamic performance and gives a stable stance in high-speed driving. It also provides increased fuel efficiency. Round tail lamps of Chevrolet Beat along with clear polycarbonate lenses adds to the strong rear impression. It has a chrome-coated radiator grille and two fog lamps. The two outside mirrors have a two-tone colour. The refined-looking roof rack along with other design cues extends the Beats’s styling beyond that of a mini car.

Interiors and Comfort Features of Chevrolet Beat:

Chevrolet Beat price and specifications interior

Chevrolet Beat interior

The flowing interior of Chevrolet Beat threads together the instrument panel, front seats and door trims. This creates an environment which is harmonious, uninterrupted and pleasing to the senses. The instrument panel is matched with the exterior. Door trim will be offered in red, blue or in silver. This will enhance the unified design of the car’s interior and exterior.
The fresh colours and fabrics, exterior colour schemes all continue inside to Chevrolet’s unique ‘dual cockpit’ layout and the door panels. Textured inserts flow from the elegant instrument panel to each side of the cabin into the doors. Thus adding another eye-catching element to the interior. It also has a high level of interior acoustic refinements similar to larger vehicles.
The centre console consists of a built-in single disc player that can play MP3s and radio. It also has a plug-and-play USB (mini-USB) input and an Aux input. The system is easy to use with large, clearly marked controls. The large volume knob adds to the usability. But the sound on most preset equalizer settings is quite unsatisfying. There is no meaning in comparing it to what we hear in larger cars, but just what is there in small car segment.
Since the Beat will necessarily be loved by younger audience, this is an important aspect of the audio section that needs to be improved. Seems like the speakers are the culprit. GM should consider getting good speakers. People will expect better sound quality since are spending more money for the extra bit of style and features.
The interior of the new Chevrolet Beat is functionality dedicated. The most striking and attractive design element is a motorcycle-inspired dynamic meter console. The refined interior provides upgraded functionality. Headrests can be vertically adjusted up to 65 mm. Carbon film-heated seats and various storage places add to interior utility. The pattern-printed semi-bucket seats of Chevrolet Beat provide a stable feeling. The high-quality materials and exceptional craftsmanship also enhance the luxurious interior atmosphere.

Interior space of the Chevrolet Beat will be comfortable for four large adults. The front seats of Chevrolet Beat are enough for large frames and the rear seat legroom is adequate, even though you have someone tall sitting in the front seat. Tall people will be fond of the fact that the seat rails on the front seats allow a fair bit of travel. The tilt-adjust steering in Chevrolet Beat helps you to find a perfect driving position. The addition of a dead-pedal will give a great deal of driver comfort. Chevrolet Beat
is not a car for you to squeeze five large adults. But it is comfortable for four. The boot is enough for the bags you’d need for a weekend.
Engine Options in Chevrolet Beat

The Chevrolet Beat has four cylinders, 16valve, DOHC, 1199cc engine. The engine produces 80bhp @ 6200rpm. Torque is 108Nm @ 4400rpm. This Euro-IV acquiescent engine is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox and powers the front wheels. The Beat will be sold in North America with a turbo engine mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Thus making it a hot ‘minicar’.
This S-Tec II engine in new Chevrolet Beat 2010 sports chain-driven 16-valve DOHC valve train and variable intake geometry was first seen early last year in the Aveo range in other Asian car markets. For Indian market, the engine has been re-calibrated for a perfect balance between performance and fuel efficiency. ARAI test figures claim 18.6kpl of mileage. But a test drive which involved plenty of acceleration and many spirited highway driving gave 14kpl.
The car can attain a speed of 0-100kph in just 15seconds and a quarter mile time of 22-24 seconds. The company really worked on getting the gearing close to perfect keeping in mind the average Indian driver, who loves to drive the car in the second and the third through traffic.

Ride Quality and Handling of new Chevrolet Beat 2010:

The Beat has control stalks setup for right hand drive. This thing strike you as you settle into the seats. Your headlight controls and indicator stalk is on the right hand side. The left hand one is for wiper control. The three spoke steering wheel is easy to grip. It has contours for ideal ten-to-two hand placement for an ideal and smooth driving position.

The hydraulic power assist steering in Chevrolet Beat rack present you with effortless steering. And makes you feel almost perfectly weighed. The car rides fairly well over bad roads. The front runs on a McPherson strut setup with an anti-roll bar. The rear has a compound crank type setup. The 165mm ground clearance is good enough for most of the road conditions. But you have to be careful when you drop a wheel onto the rutted make-shift shoulders.
The tyres are adequate for the car. But in order to deliver better economy maybe the engineers decided to go for 155/70 R14s across the range other than 175 section rubber. Sticking to one size will also help streamlining inventory and reducing operation costs. At moderate speeds the brakes had quite a bit of feel to them. At high speeds a lot more pedal travel is needed to have the front discs and the rear drums bite as much as you’d like.
Chevrolet Beat price in Indian market:
General Motors has already pulled up its socks in the Indian market. And Chevrolet becomes a young, exciting, trendy and value brand in the minds of the Indian consumers. Service at the dealer level is something that Chevy needs to work on. They’ve done everything they can by offering maintenance packages, buybacks and launching exciting new products.

It is believed that the price of Chevrolet Beat price in India would be 3.75 lakh – 5.25 lakh. But only 5th January 2010 will tell us everything. It is expected that Beat is a well-styled car and has the ability to give other hatchbacks in its segment a run for their money.

Suzuki unveils SX4 Hybrid Concept, plans for 2015 production

Suzuki SX4 Hybrid Concept
Suzuki SX4 Hybrid Concept

In addition to the cool R3 MPV, Suzuki is also showing off a new SX4 Hybrid concept vehicle at the New Delhi Motor Show. Interestingly, this SX4 uses a previously unseen hybrid system developed by Maruti Suzuki with assistance from India's National Hybrid Propulsion Program and the (deep breath) Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Sources' High Energy Density Battery Development Program.

This new hybrid drivetrain is a full parallel system – meaning it can run on electricity alone for short distances – utilizing a 1.2-liter gasoline-burning engine with a 50 kW electric motor. Unlike many hybrids that use a CVT transmission, the SX4 is equipped with a five-speed automated manual unit. A lithium ion battery pack of unknown capacity stores the electrons.

Suzuki shows off tidy R3 MPV concept

Maruti Suzuki R3
Maruti Suzuki R3 MPV Concept

Maruti Suzuki has unveiled its latest concept car, the R3 MPV inside New Delhi's Auto Expo 2010. Despite its small footprint, the Indian-designed vehicle actually secrets six individual seats.

MSi has yet to detail what platform underpins the R3, let alone what powertrain is inside the concept (if any), but the concept is said to provide a very good look at a forthcoming Indian-market model that could hit the country's roads within two years. Some sources are suggesting that the people mover could be motivated by anything from a Fiat-sourced 1.3-liter diesel to Suzuki's own 1.2- or 1.4-liter gasoline engines. To our eyes, it looks eerily similar to the just-previewed next-generation Opel Meriva, could the R3 be a holdover twin from the days when General Motors and Suzuki were working together more closely?