Maruti Suzuki Alto has been ideal replacement for the legend 800 hatchback from the Indian carmaker. The car has been popular in the country for over a decade now. The Alto hatchback has recently been awarded 'World's best selling car in 2013'. Mayank Pareek, Chief Operating Officer for Marketing and Sales, Maruti Suzuki said, “A car emerging from India as the top selling small car of the world and that too, for the third time is a matter of great pride. It also shows growing attraction of Alto among customers as the most suitable car in the market. We are confident, Alto will continue to remain and rule the game.” The engine configuration for the Alto line has more-or-less remained the same since its inception days.
The latest of the lot, Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 is powered by F8D 796 cc engine generates a peak power of about 48 Bhp at 6000 rpm and peak torque of about 69 Nm at 3500 rpm. The engine is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. Features such as air conditioning, power steering and power windows come as standard in the top end Lxi version. Design for the car has undergone a complete overhaul in comparison to previous Alto model. The new Alto 800 is slightly taller and faster than its older counterpart. The car weighs around 715 kgs and with its peppier engine, it is perfect for city rides. The top end variant of Alto 800 is loaded with features such as central locking, left side rear view mirror, rear spoiler, front power windows and body side moldings, integrated audio system with USB port and full wheel caps. The manufacturer charges around 15,000 extra for this bulk in features. The fuel efficiency for the Alto 800 is on the higher side as it returns around 22.74 km/pl in petrol, whereas the CNG variant delivers around 30.46 km/kg.
The maruti Suzuki Alto is also available in K10 variant. The current lot of K10 is powered by 998cc, All Aluminum Light Weight K108 engine that generates about 68 Ps of power and 90 Nm of torque. The hatchback reportedly delivers a fuel efficiency of around 20.92 kmpl. For comfortable drive experience on Indian roads the hatchback gets Mcpherson Strut with Torison Type Roll Control Device for the front, whereas the rear is blessed with Coil Spring, Gas Filled Shock Absorbers with Three Link Rigid Axle and Isolated Trailing Arm. Reports suggest that the Indian car-maker plans to pass on the automatic transmission magic to the Alto k10 series. If the automatic variant makes it to the local market, it shall definitely help in boosting sales for the steadily declining market for Alto series.
