Maruti to launch ninth small car, Ritz, in May
03 Apr 2009
Maruti Suzuki is set to launch its new compact car, the Ritz, in May. Designed on the lines of its globally successful Splash model, it will be available with a 1.2-litre petrol engine or a 1.3-litre multi-jet diesel engine.
Its expected price of Rs4-4.5 lakh will be just under that of the Swift. It will also be marginally shorter than the Swift by 30 mm, but the high roof will help make it spacious.
The Ritz will be positioned between the A-Star and the Swift, and will counter Hyundai's i10 and i20, Skoda's Fabia, Ford's Fusion, Fiat's Palio and Tata Motors' Indica Vista.
This car is Maruti's ninth small car, and is aimed to consolidate its position as the leader in the crowded market.
Dubbed as a multi-purpose vehicle, the Ritz will cater to small urban families, with its BS-IV engines and a 5-speed manual gearbox. It will coexist with the ageing WagonR, just as the newly-launched A-Star is thriving alongside the Alto.
The Ritz will be launched prior to Honda's small car Jazz, due to hit the roads in June, and Fiat's premium hatchback, Grande Punto. The Ritz has cleared all the homologation tests and was approved by the International Centre of Automotive Technology (iCAT) at Manesar in Haryana last week for launch in the Indian market.
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