Maruti WagonR Sting Ray spotted in India

Maruti Suzuki is expected to launch the WagonR Sting Ray in the next couple of months, according to an earlier report carried by IndianCarsBikes. Now, a new spyshot of the car has emerged, with the Sting Ray in a supposed photo shoot. Normally, a photo shoot of car in studio settings happens before its launch. So, a market launch of the car seems to be impending. 

The Sting Ray variant is a sharper looking model in the WagonR line, sold primarily in the Japanese domestic market.  The car was showcased in concept form earlier this year, at the Tokyo Auto Salon. Compared with the concept version, the production version of the Sting Ray concept seems to be toned down, with the bumpers raised by a few inches.

However, the production version does seem to retain the projector-style headlamps, front grille and side skirts of the concept version. Also, the alloy wheels get a new design. At the rear, the tail lamps get a once over, along with a new bumper. According to CarSizzlers, the insides of the WagonR Sting Ray could get an all-black look, in keeping with the overall sporty theme of the car.

The 1 liter-3 cylinder K-Series petrol engine is expected to be retained on the Sting Ray model. On the WagonR, this motor comes with power and torque outputs of 67 Bhp and 90 Nm respectively. This engine is mated to a 5 speed manual gearbox as standard. Currently, Maruti Suzuki does not offer an automatic gearbox option on the India-spec WagonR although the international versions do get the option of a CVT automatic gearbox. 

The WagonR is a hatchback that features tall boy styling and a 60:40 seat split. Known for its easy ingress and egress, the car is particularly suitable for elders. The car was first launched in India during the winter of 1999, as a competitor to the Hyundai Santro. Ever since, the car has gotten numerous upgrades in terms of mechanicals, features and styling. Apart from its standard petrol engine, the car is available with petrol-LPG and petrol-CNG dual fuel options. 

All said, it remains is unclear as to whether the WagonR Sting Ray will be sold alongside the current model or whether it will serve as a replacement model. As the Sting Ray has reached the photo shoot stage, it will just be a matter of time before the car is launched in the Indian market. So, more details about this car could surface in the coming weeks.