The current Maruti Alto is available with two shapes – both in the hatchback form factor. The car’s 800cc version – called the Alto 800 – is available with petrol and CNG-Petrol dual fuel options. The 1,000cc version of the Alto is called the Alto K10, and is powered by a 1 liter-3 cylinder petrol engine that’s significantly more powerful (67 Bhp-90 Nm) than the 800cc motor (47 Bhp-69 Nm).Both engines are offered with 5 speed manual gearboxes as standard while the bigger motor gets the AMT option. Similar engines and transmissions are likely to be offered on the Future S-based next-gen Alto. The car will comply with the Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Program (BNVSAP) norms that will come into place from April 2019. What this means is, twin airbags, ABS, reverse parking sensors, ISOFIX child seat provision, speed alerts and seatbelt reminder system will be the satandard safety features on offer.
The new Alto is expected to offer more space on the inside due to the larger dimensions but the use of the HEARTECT platform will mean that the car continues to be ultra light. The HEARTECT platform extensively uses high tensile steel to keep structural rigidity high and weight low. This allows cars to lighter and stronger, and almost all new cars launched by Maruti Suzuki in the last couple of years have used the HEARTECT platform.
As for positioning and pricing, the Future S-based, next-generation Alto is likely to occupy the same positioning as the current model. What this means is that the car will complee with the likes of the Renault Kwid and the Datsun RediGo on the lower end, and the Hyundai Santro and Tata Tiago on the higher end. Expect more details of the next gen Alto to surface soon now that testing of the production version has begun in full earnest.
