All-new Maruti-Suzuki WagonR launched

Merely months after Hyundai launched the new Santro in a bid to gain supremacy in the entry-level hatchback segment, Maruti-Suzuki has hit back by launching the third-generation WagonR in India. Consistently a best-seller, WagonR has been a huge success story for Maruti-Suzuki with a loyal fan following. The launch of this new model - priced between INR 4.19 Lakhs and 5.69 Lakhs - is a move by the leader to not let Hyundai invade it's turf.

WagonR has never been a style statement on wheels. It was - and still is - boxy with a design that gives precedence to function over form. The new model is no different. The squar-ish headlights that WagonR has always been synonymous with are retained, albeit stretched at the edges and swept back on to the sides. A new grille with a chrome insert in the middle and an updated bumper housing a large air dam and trapezoidal fog lamp pods complete the changes in the fascia. In profile, the ‘tall boy’ look and proportions are left intact. To add drama, a floating roof effect has been brought in the C-pillars and the character lines along the doors and wheel arches are more pronounced. At the rear, the WagonR now gets vertical taillights that extend till the roof.

Interiors have gone through a thorough update as well with a bright dual-tone dashboard replacing the dull grey interiors of the outgoing model. A 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Smartphone connectivity, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay takes prime place in the center console with manual air-conditioning controls placed beneath it. A 3-spoke multi-functional steering wheel and a digital tachometer greet the driver while the bigger cabin would help keep the occupants happy by offering more space and practicality.

Standard features on the new WagonR include driver airbag, Anti-lock Braking System with Electronic Brake-force Distribution, rear parking sensors, central locking and front power windows. The top-end variant, apart from the touchscreen infotainment system mentioned above, gets additional goodies like a passenger airbag, steering-mounted voice control, electrically-retractable rear view mirrors, rear wiper, washer and defogger and a storage tray under the co-driver's seat. It's sad Maruti-Suzuki isn't forcing Hyundai to follow suit by offering passenger airbags as standard in the WagonR. Thankfully, it's atleast an optional feature on all variants.

The biggest surprise element in the new WagonR rests under the hood. While the 3-cylinder K10B engine has been carried over from the outgoing model, Maruti-Suzuki has pulled off a master stroke by adding the more powerful K12M 4-cylinder engine to the WagonR lineup. While the former delivers 67 horsepower and 90 Nm of torque, the latter delivers 82 horsepower and 113 Nm of torque. Both the engines come with the option of a 5-speed manual or an automated manual transmission (AGS). Suspension duties are handled by MacPherson struts with coil springs at the front and torsion beam at the rear.

Bookings for the new WagonR opened just a week back and Maruti-Suzuki claimed over 12,000 bookings at the launch event. Clearly, India's largest car-maker has another blockbuster in the making.

New Suzuki Jimny is all the car you'll ever need

Every second car sold in India might be wearing the omnipresent ‘S’ badge but you will be hard-pressed to slot a car wearing one in the ‘aspirational’ category. The S-Cross – variants with that Fiat-sourced stonker of a 1.6-liter diesel engine – came close but it still didn’t look the part to be truly aspirational. Even globally, Swift Sport is the only model in Suzuki’s lineup that could pull at your heart strings, thanks to its suave styling, sporty handling and the peppy 1.4-liter turbo petrol power inside. That’s no longer the case.

When Suzuki unveiled the all-new Jimny - the first in twenty years - in Japan earlier this month, the brand’s new flag-bearer was born. 

A lot of you might know the Jimny and what it did for 'Brand Suzuki'. But for those of you that don’t, here is a brief background of the model and the legacy it carries. 

With over 285 million units sold across 194 countries, the Jimny is one of Suzuki’s long-serving and best-selling nameplates. That it happens to be a mini SUV with spot-on styling, perfect proportions and unchallenged off-roading capabilities is just an added bonus.

The first-generation Jimny debuted in 1970 as Japan’s only four wheel drive minicar meeting the market’s unique ‘kei’ specifications. With Suzuki getting serious about the export prospects, the second-generation model was launched in 1977 and continued in production until 1998. We know this as the Gypsy in India. The Jimny entered its third generation in 1998 and you could buy one of these until earlier this year. Yes, as incredible as it sounds, this model was on sale for twenty long years. 

This long gap partly explains the enthusiasm surrounding the new Jimny’s global unveiling. In addition to satisfying the demand amongst hardcore fans and loyalists – which we understand run into tens of thousands globally – the new Jimny arrives at a time when the global preferences are shifting towards SUVs and crossovers. Add to that the fact Jimny has no mainstream competitors to speak of anywhere in the globe, the stage is all set for a dream run!

Don’t believe us? Get this. The Jimny went on sale in Japan soon after the official unveiling on 05th of July. And now, less than a month later, waiting lists to own one of these is said to be between 8 and 24 months depending on the variant chosen. Admittedly, the production capacity is limited but it’s still no mean feat!

At first glance, the Jimny might come across as a wannabe off-roader trying to imitate the Mercedes-Benz G-Class and the Land Rover Defender, two legends of the trade. But, look beyond that and you’ll realize the new Jimny is just a modern interpretation of how its predecessors always looked like. Be it the simple circular headlights, the grille with five vertical slats, the boxy shape and the 3-door layout, every element that defined the Jimny for decades have neatly found their way into the all-new model. The standard Jimny is exclusive to Japan and designed to meet the country’s kei car regulations. The Jimny Sierra that gets chunkier bumpers and flared wheel arches is the one slated for exports and the model that looks much nicer. 

The interiors have come of age and looks like any other new Suzuki. The multi-function steering wheel follows the brand’s latest design theme while the 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system is the same that’s seen in other Suzuki models. The instrument cluster, the central air-conditioning vents and the array of buttons and switches in the center console are designed to look tough and they do that exceedingly well. Kit on offer includes modern day niceties like integrated satellite navigation, Android Auto and Apple Car Play and safety features like dual front, side and curtain airbags, Autonomous Emergency Braking and Electronic Stability Control.

In all markets outside of Japan, the Jimny would be powered by a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated petrol engine that drives the rear wheels and generates 100 horsepower. Peak torque is rated at 130 Nm. That’s not much but then Jimny is not made to go fast on expressways. It is designed to prevail over roads less taken and comes properly equipped for that.  

Built on a robust ladder-frame chassis with a 3-link rigid axle suspension and equipped with Suzuki’s famous AllGrip Pro 4WD with a low range transfer gear, the Jimny is not a poser off-road like most other compact crossovers and wannabe SUVs. This is a car you don’t have to think twice before venturing off-road. In fact, with a 37° approach, 49° departure and 28° ramp breakover angles aided by a 210 mm ground clearance and a very short wheelbase, the Jimny begs to be taken down the dirty path.  

If you are so smitten by the new Jimny, just know you aren’t alone. As a matter of fact, there is nothing not to like in it. Yes, 3 doors might be two too short for India but with the kind of revenue and profit Maruti-Suzuki sends back to the coffers in Japan, it wouldn’t be a tough act to get their nod to develop a longer 5-door model specifically for India.

If that happens, the all-new Jimny might be all the car we will ever need with its compact footprint, modern feature-rich interiors, go-anywhere capabilities, Maruti-Suzuki's extensive after-sales support and Japanese reliability. Dear Maruti-Suzuki, are you listening?

Toyota and Suzuki inks deal for sharing cars in India

Toyota and Suzuki concluded an agreement yesterday to mutually supply hybrid and other vehicle models in India, a move that could decimate the competition if executed properly.

From signing a memorandum to explore business partnership early 2017 to announcing their co-operation for introduction of battery electric vehicles late last year to this agreement, Toyota and Suzuki have come a long way in a short time, aiming to play to their strenghts and bolster their respective positions in the Indian market.

Per the deal inked yesterday, Maruti-Suzuki would supply it's popular Baleno and Vitara Brezza to Toyota for sale through the latter's dealerships while Toyota would supply it's Corolla to be sold through Maruti-Suzuki's premium Nexa network. Let's not forget each of these three cars are top-sellers in their segments already and a deal like this is only going to increase their dominance further.

What makes this agreement even more significant is the sheer dominance of these two players in the Indian automotive industry. Maruti-Suzuki has been decimating competition in the A- and B-segments forever while Toyota has been competition's envy in the premium segments. Coming together of these two biggies, from exchanging popular models to introducing battery electric vehicles, promises to make things even better.

The competition should be scared, really scared!

Suzuki unveils the all-new 2017 Swift in Japan

Suzuki has taken the wraps off the all-new Swift hatchback at an event held in Japan today. With more than 5.3 million units sold worldwide since it's introduction as a strategic global model in 2004, the Swift is a crucial model for Suzuki. The all-new model is expected to consolidate the Swift's position in Suzuki's lineup.

Just like the current-generation model, the new Swift gets an evolutionary design incorporating all the elements that made the existing car a crowd-pleaser. Featuring a wrap-around windshield with blacked-out A and B-pillars, a progressively expanding body when viewed from the top, an inset Mini-like cabin, prominent waist lines that flow onto the taillights on either sides and scaled-back headlights, the new Swift is instantly recognizable with its predecessors. Yet, there are enough new styling cues to distinguish the new model. 

A sleek hexagonal grille with a red-coloured line in the center gives the new Swift's fascia a distinct identity. In profile, the characteristic tapering window line now gets the rear door handles as well, giving the car a coupe-like appearance. There is also a partially blacked-out section in the C-pillar that successfully manages to impart a 'floating roof' effect. The taillights are more squarish now while the bootlid and rear bumper gets prominent character lines for added muscularity. It is clear Suzuki has tried hard to please all with the new Swift and we have to agree that they have succeeded partially.

Mainstay of the new Swift's powertrain lineup internationally will be the 1.2-liter, 4-cylinder DUALJET K-Series petrol engine coupled with a 5-speed manual transmission. The sporty RS variant will get Suzuki's new 1.0-liter BOOSTERJET engine that's expected to make its debut in India under the hood of the upcoming Baleno RS. The SHVS (Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki) mild hybrid system also features in the list of technologies underneath the new Swift. The Indian versions though are expected to carry over the existing 1.2-liter K-Series petrol and the Fiat-sourced 1.3-liter DDIS diesel engines, possibly with higher power outputs.

There is a new upmarket flat-bottom steering wheel inside overlooking a sporty twin-pod instrument cluster. The center console gets a rather large touchscreen infotainment system and big rotary controllers for the climate control system, resulting in an uncluttered dashboard. A full suite of safety features are on offer including Adaptive Cruise Control and Dual Sensor Brake Support collision mitigation system that uses a camera and a laser sensor to prevent impending collisions, the latter employed for the first time ever on a Suzuki car.

The new Swift shares its underpinnings with the Baleno and is expected to shed weight compared to the current-generation model. With pricing expected to be more or less similar as well, it will be interesting to see how Suzuki pitches these two cars in various markets. We expect the Swift to be targeting the young and the young-at-heart types as a chic and sporty offering with the Baleno presenting itself as a mature and spacious car for the whole family.

The new Swift goes on sale in Japan, starting next month, followed by launches in other international markets including India through 2017. With stylish looks, sporty handling and efficient powertrains, the Swift has never ceased to impress. Expect the new Swift to carry the legacy forward!

Maruti-Suzuki Baleno RS with 'Boosterjet' engine spotted testing in Chennai

With more than 100,000 units sold in just over a year since launch, the Baleno has been a runaway success for Maruti-Suzuki in India. In fact, production constraints at the Gurgaon plant and export commitments strictly restricted the number of units that could be sold in the domestic market. Let's not forget India is the manufacturing hub for the Baleno with Maruti-Suzuki exporting the hatchback to global markets including Japan and Europe.

The success of Volkswagen's GT twins opened up the performance hatchback segment in India with Fiat following suit with the powerful Punto Abarth. Maruti-Suzuki's intentions to offer one became apparent at the 2016 Auto Expo in New Delhi when the Baleno RS Concept made its debut. Testing on public roads started soon afterwards.

Spotted testing in Chennai yesterday, it appears Maruti-Suzuki is not done with the testing schedules of the Baleno RS yet. Slated for launch before end of the year, this car would be the launch pad for Suzuki's 'Boosterjet' engine in the Indian market. The 1.0-liter three-cylinder turbocharged direct-injection mill is already on offer in the Baleno globally where it generates 110 horsepower and 160 Nm of torque. In comparison, the existing 1.2-liter petrol engine generates 83 horsepower and 115 Nm of torque from its four cylinders. Mated to a 5-speed manual transmission and Baleno's lightweight chassis, the RS is expected to be a genuine performance hatchback unlike the decked-out limited-edition RS that was offered in the Swift sometime back.

While Maruti-Suzuki does not offer the Baleno in black now, the Baleno RS is expected to be offered in one, similar to the car being tested. Additionally, it could also get visual add-ons like a different grille pattern, more muscular front and rear bumpers and subtle skirting all around to differentiate itself from the regular Balenos. The interiors are also expected to get subtle visual embellishments along with a few additional features.

When it goes on sale, expect the Baleno RS to be priced at a premium over the regular variants. Given that Maruti-Suzuki surprised us with competitive pricing across the existing Baleno range, shall we expect the same with the Baleno RS as well? Let's wait and watch.