The country's largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India Ltd is launching a new multi-utility vehicle (MUV) by October this year. To be built on the Versa platform, the car is expected to strengthen the company's portfolio in the van segment. The new car, codenamed O2, is currently at an advanced stage of design and would be produced at Maruti's plant near Delhi.

Maruti has refrained from divulging any further details about the new MUV, including the proposed price. Saying that it does not "share product plans in advance", the company added that it would make all necessary announcements about its plans "at an appropriate time."

The new car is expected to bolster Maruti's position in the combined people and luggage carrier segment. The segment grew to 10,708 in April 2009 from 8,816 in April 2008, according to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.

The company has launched the A-Star and the Ritz in the last few months, targeted at the urban driver.

Maruti Suzuki meanwhile unveiled the Ritz in the Kerala market and Pune markets on Saturday. The car is available both in petrol and diesel engine options and is positioned at the premium-end of the compact car market, said Amitava Roy, general manager of the company during the launch in Kochi.

The car is available in both petrol and diesel engine options and is a stance hatchback positioned at the premium-end of the compact car market, the company, which holds a market share of 58 per cent in the segment, said in a release.

The 'Ritz' has been specifically designed for India. Maruti Suzuki engineers worked with the Suzuki design team in Japan to co-design the car and carry out India-specific changes, said the release.

The transmission system has been optimised to match Indian driving habits. The suspension of the vehicle with a high ground clearance of 170 mm has been tuned for Indian road conditions. The new 1.2 Litre K12M petrol engine and the 1.3 DDiS diesel power plant, both offer optimum performance and fuel efficiency.

The car will be available in two different power-train options: a 1.2-litre, four-cylinder, 16-valve unit with maximum power of 85PS petrol engine with a fuel efficiency of 17.7 kmpl; and the 1.3-litre, common rail 16-valve diesel (DDiS) unit that delivers a maximum power of 75PS with a higher fuel efficiency of 21.1 kmpl.