Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL), the country's largest passenger car maker, rolled out its brand new entry-level offering, the Alto 800 (petrol) in the domestic market with a base price tag of Rs. 2.44 lacs (ex-showrooms of New Delhi). In order to make the car more attractive and appealing to a greater number of audience, the company has also introduced a dual fuel petrol-CNG variant of the new Alto 800 with a retail value of Rs. 3.56 lacs (ex-showrooms of New Delhi).
With 10,000 advanced bookings, Alto 800 launched at a base price of Rs. 2.44 lac
The country's favourite car maker is on cloud nine, as the advanced bookings of the Alto 800 small car exceeded the 10,000 mark in less than two weeks. Buoyed after receiving such an overwhelming response, MSIL has decided to begin the export operations of the Alto 800 to the international markets of several African and Latin American countries by the early 2013.
Expressing his delight at the launch of Alto 800 and his sincere gratitude to the Indian car enthusiasts, Shinzo Nakanishi, Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), MSIL said, "The all new Alto 800 is an expression of our gratitude to all those customers who posed deep confidence into this model. Known for the defining values in the entry segment in India, customers' love for Alto has made it India's top selling car for eight years. The new Alto 800 promises to be even more significant with its stunning new looks, refined driveability combined with superior fuel efficiency of 22.74 kmpl. The availability of CNG variants adds to Alto 800's attraction."
According to reports, the development of latest hatchback required a total investment of Rs. 470 crore with over 200 MSIL engineers giving their all towards achieving the desired power and performance ratings. The newly launched Alto 800 has been designed and engineered entirely in the country, while the processes from blueprints to final denouement took about four years. Reportedly, MSIL is believed to be commencing the manufacturing operations of the fresh new Alto 800 from its world class production unit in Gurgaon, Haryana.
Pegged as 'the most awaited car of the year', the new Alto 800 boasts of an astounding fuel economy of 22.74 km per litre of petrol. Interestingly, the dual fuel variant under the namesake 'Alto Green' features a factory fitted CNG kit that enables the car to go 30.46 km on every kg of CNG, a remarkable 13 per cent superior mileage than its previous generation.
As per the claims stated by MSIL, Alto 800 flaunts a coming of age design paradigm, more capacious interior cabin space and a 15 per cent superior efficiency than the erstwhile Alto. At present, the latest product from the stables of MSIL is going to be involved in a direct face off against the likes of Hyundai Eon, Santro, Chevrolet Spark and the top-end variant of the Tata Nano. The entry-level small car segment just got interesting.
