[JayPrashanth]

Suzuki has begun testing the replacement to the Alto/A-Star in Europe. The current version of the A-Star/Alto made its international debut in 2008, and 2014 promises to be the year when its replacement will roll in. Team BHP's rendering artist, AntlerRoad, has conjured up a speculative render of the 2014 Suzuki Alto/A-Star. This render is based on the raft of spyshots of the 2014 Alto, which have emerged onto the interweb over the past few days.



From the looks of it, the 2014 Alto/A-Star could get larger and taller than the current version. One sore point of the current A-Star, as expressed by buyers, has been its cramped interiors. So, additional space on the next generation A-Star/Alto's inside due to an extended wheelbase could just be what the doctor ordered. The car is expected to come with Suzuki's new design philosophy, with a front grille inspired by the likes of the recently launched S-Cross crossover.

Other details including engine options remain unknown at this point in time. The 1 liter K-Series petrol engine's continuation is a strong possibility while a new 800cc turbo diesel engine could also make it to the 2014 Alto's engine bay. Suzuki is working on small capacity turbo diesel engines for its hatchback range and the 2014 Alto is expected to be the recipient of the diesel engine program. CNG and LPG options could also be on the anvil for specific markets.

Notably, the 1-Liter K-Series petrol engine that is also used on the Suzuki WagonR comes with LPG-petrol and CNG-petrol dual fuel engine options. So, the possibility of dual fuel options on the 2014 Alto remains high. The new WagonR platform is expected to host the 2014 Alto. Suzuki sells the Alto under various brands. In India, the international Alto is sold under the A-Star moniker while Nissan sells rebadged versions of the hatchback under the Pixo moniker. Suzuki also sells the Alto with the Celerio badge in specific markets.

The A-Star has been a slow seller for Maruti Suzuki in India despite the car being offered in both manual and automatic gearbox options. The addition of dual fuel and diesel engine variants to the 2014 Alto/A-Star could do its bit to pep up sales of this hatchback in the Indian car market. With the impending arrival of the Hyundai BA/i15/2014 i10 into India over the next couple of months, the re-positioning of the current i10 hatchback, at a lower price point, seems very likely. Therefore, Maruti Suzuki could do well to bring the 2014 Alto/A-Star to India at the earliest.

[performance plumbing]

The car in the spy pics looks taller than the one shown in the rendering. Hope the headlamps are different. these look a bit too much like the i10

[Ikoner_03]

Thanks for sharing this news. Agreed this would be a taller version of the present A-Star but why such an awful design? Hope this is an indicative image. The A-stars front grille could have been retained.

[100kmph]

The A-Star inspite of good handling failed due to the following reasons:

1. Non existent rear boot and luggage space. Both.
2. Small rear windows creating claustrophobia.
3. Poor low end torque resulting in about twice the no of gearshifts.
4. The design is not for everybody.
5. Other cars of the same size & shape(not engine capacity) have more powerful engines, spacious interiors and better level of equipment.Say beat or i10
6. The car looks like a child of the swift and the alto. No uniqueness.
7. No diesel engine like the beat.

For a small car they have to improve the low end torque to improve city driveability where it will spend most of its time.

[parassoni]

Don't know when this will launch, But the pic I'm posting is no "Rendering" All Hail, The Duster Slayer from Suzuki isn't too far away by the looks of it!

This pic is from an Official Ertiga Owners Forum based out of Indonesia(Boy you shud see what a following they have back there!) :!

JP: Pardon me, was just trying to search for the SX4 crossover thread but didnt seem to find any, So posted here!! Have now found it, request you to either delete or move this post!

[shreyan_k10]

man, isn't that i10 and estilo's child? if it's another tallboy, a brilliant handler and a great FTD car meets its death.

[saion666]

I just hope this is not true. It looks more like an Estilo facelift to me. The DNA of the A-star is lost if this yet another tall boy happens to be its successor.
The Chinese version looked better than this and stuck to the low slung design.People who needs rear space and boot to carry the house can get the WagonR, leave the A-star as it is.

[jalva]

The grill and headlamp integration look straight out of Toyota camp. E.g. 2013 (or 2014?) Corolla Euro version and our own Etios

http://auto.indiamart.com/autoblog/w...rolla-2014.jpg

http://lh5.ggpht.com/-HIc5nZqNdC8/Ub...5B7%25255D.jpg

http://motorbash.com/wp-content/uplo...yota-etios.jpg

http://www.cartoq.com/wp-content/upl...os-photo-1.jpg

[HammerHead]

I don't think new A-Star would be any different from this.
Pics: Google search

[yogibear007]

Originally Posted by HammerHead

I don't think new A-Star would be any different from this.
Pics: Google search

Bang on HammerHead. But don't really like the way the treatment is going. It's not really a Alto/A Star anymore. Looks like a crossover between Alto and Wagon R. But then where is the cute smallest version of the hatchback ? Smaller tallboy will not really help.

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by HammerHead

I don't think new A-Star would be any different from this.
Pics: Google search

We are not discussing some face-lift here, a whole new Generation car code YL7 is coming. Certain export batch A-Star cars looks like the car you have posted here.

A small capacity twin cylinder Diesel, developed by Suzuki is also being tested. Not sure which car will get it, maybe Wagon R or YL7.

Once Maruti gets full fledged access to this new compact Diesel engine, expect most of their small cars to have it as an option.

[dheepak10]

The rendering in the first post is mostly perfect, except for the headlamp part.
PFB my rendering of the Suzuki YL7 Alto.
From the scoop pictures I feel that it is a cross between the AltoEV (A-star) revealed in China and the Alto800. It would be a tallboy hatch; maybe not as tall as Wagon-R.


Front View


Rear View (Would look in the lines of Japanese Alto, with a small rear windscreen)

[JayPrashanth]

Link to News Section

The Maruti Suzuki A-Star will be replaced by a tall boy model next year in global markets while the Japanese domestic market (JDM) is expected to get this car by the end of this year. Known as the Alto globally, the next-gen A-Star has been spied testing in many parts of the world. Now, the car has hit the testing circuit in India, one of the most important markets for Japanese car maker Suzuki. The next-generation Alto/A-Star is a completely re-engineered car (full model change) and is code-named the YL7.



The all new hatchback will be the 8th generation model of the Alto, whose serial production began way back in 1979. The current Alto/A-Star made its debut in 2009. So, the product cycle of just 4 years (2009-2013) is quite short indeed, at least by Maruti Suzuki standards. Now that the Estilo has been discontinued and with the A-Star continuing to be a dud seller for Maruti Suzuki in India, the next generation Alto/YL7 is expected to replace both the Estilo and the A-Star in the Indian car market.



The car's official unveiling could happen early next year, at the 2014 Indian Auto Expo. The next-gen Alto/YL7 hatchback is also expected to spawn a compact sedan that could sit under the Maruti Suzuki Dzire. Internationally, the next-generation Alto/YL7 is likely to use the 660 cc, triple cylinder engine that will serve as a replacement to the 1 liter K-Series petrol motor. It remains to be seen if Maruti Suzuki would outfit the smaller engine, which outputs 52 Bhp-63 Nm, into the car sold in India.



In the Japanese domestic market, this engine will be mated to a CVT automatic transmission. A high fuel efficiency is said to be the prime objective of the 660 cc motor. The motor is touted to deliver as much as 33 Kmpl in the Japanese driving cycle. In the Japanese car market, the car would benefit by additional fuel saving aids such as a start-stop system and brake energy regeneration. The next-gen 2014 Alto is also expected to shave off about 20 kilograms from the current A-Star's weight.



In India, the K-Series-3 cylinder petrol motor and the 5 speed manual/4 speed automatic gearboxes could be carried over to the next-gen Alto/A-Star (code-named the YL7). Also, Maruti Suzuki is expected to outfit the new hatchback with an 800 cc turbo diesel engine, which could eventually find its way onto other Maruti hatchbacks such as the WagonR and the Sting Ray models. Suzuki is currently developing a range of small capacity turbo diesel engines with capacities ranging between 0.8 liter and 1.4 liters.

The global Alto, known as the A-Star in India, is sold across the globe under different badges: Suzuki Alto, Suzuki Celerio and Nissan Pixo. The 2014 Alto is expected to take a similar route. Suzuki has chosen its Indian subsidiary, Maruti Suzuki, to lead its export push into developing nations in the Middle East and Africa. The next-gen Alto, along with other budget hatchbacks, is expected to lead Maruti Suzuki's export push.

Image courtesy HotshotVipin and WorldCarFans

[Deep Blue]

Originally Posted by JayPrashanth

The next-gen Alto/YL7 hatchback is also expected to spawn a compact sedan that could sit under the Maruti Suzuki Dziire]

A sub Dzire SEDAN!!. What next? A sub Ertiga MPV. Maruti is stretching things a bit too much. I hope Tata is not thinking of a Nano Sedan.

[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by Deep Blue

A sub Dzire SEDAN!!. What next? A sub Ertiga MPV. Maruti is stretching things a bit too much. I hope Tata is not thinking of a Nano Sedan.

Why Maruti, everyone is doing it. What is wrong if Maruti wants to do it first ? Some time back i was reading about Datsun Go based MPV. Everyone is stretching their hatchbacks(Brio, Etios,Grand i10) into sedans after we saw DZire becoming huge hit, and now everyone is stretching it further to copy success of Ertiga. And as long as we have more alternatives for any segment its better isnt it ?