Maruti plans new Alto with bigger engine

India's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India is planning to launch a new version of its small car Alto, the highest selling model in India, with a bigger engine.

According to industry sources, the company plans to launch the new Alto with a one-litre petrol engine from its latest generation of engine, the K-Series.

When contacted, Maruti Suzuki India Chairman R C Bhargava told PTI, "Alto needs a face-lift. It has been there for quite a while."

He, however, declined to comment when a refreshed Alto would be launched and what kind of engine would be fitted on the new version.

Last month, MSI had introduced BS IV compliant Alto on the existing 800cc F Series engine.

Sources said the company has decided to equip the Alto with a 1000 cc K series engine.

"With a bigger K-series engine, the new Alto will obviously be costlier than the existing Alto," a source said.

The existing Alto is priced between Rs 2.29 lakh (Rs 229,000) and Rs 2.8 lakh (Rs 280,000), ex-showroom Delhi.

The Alto is the best selling car model in India averaging about 20,000 units per month. It has sold about 13.5 lakh (1.35 million) units since its launch in September 2000.

The plan to launch Alto with a new engine is part of MSI's strategy to equip its models with the latest generation K series engine.

Maruti Suzuki offers two variants of the K series engines -- 998cc three-cylinder, K10B fitted in A-star, Estilo, and the new WagonR and a 1.2-litre, four-cylinder K12M petrol engine powering Ritz, Swift and Swift Dzire.

In April, MSI crossed the milestone of rolling out 300,000 K Series engines. The company has a total engine capacity of 10 lakh (1 million) units annually, of which the share of K-Series engines is 2.5 lakh (250,000) units.