Rumour: New Maruti Alto 800 could get diesel engine

According to media reports, Maruti Suzuki is gearing up to launch a new Maruti Alto 800 in December 2015. The car is expected to be more fuel-efficient than the current model and could also be available with the option of a diesel engine.

At present, the Alto 800 is available in petrol and CNG variants, which can deliver ARAI certified fuel efficiency figures of 22.74 kpl and 30.46 kpl respectively. The new Alto 800 will be engineered to deliver better fuel economy. The 798cc, 2-cylinder diesel engine from the recently launched Celerio diesel is also likely to be used to power it. This engine, which is built in-house by Maruti Suzuki, is constructed using aluminium and Maruti claims that it is the lightest diesel engine in the country.

The Celerio diesel has an ARIA certified fuel efficiency figure of 27.62 kpl. The Alto, with its smaller and lighter body, should manage to better this figure.

The Alto is one of Maruti's best-selling models in India with 28 lakh units sold in the past 10 years. The addition of the diesel variant could see the car's sales numbers rise.

Source: Autocar Professional