Maruti''s Wagon R will be pricey

Maruti Udyog’s Wagon R, a car that is popular in partner Suzuki’s Japan, and which will roll out of the company's Gurgaon factory soon will be priced between Rs 3.6 and 4.10 lakh, depending on the model. Maruti claims that this 1,000-cc, 16-valve, 62bhp car is a superior product in terms of concept, technology, and innovativeness. It is described as a 'tall-body' car and comes with a multi-point fuel injection system to meet Euro II emission norms.

According to the company, the Wagon R will run 16 to 18 km per litre of petrol with the air-conditioner on. One of the significant in-built features of the car is a self-diagnostic system that warns in advance of any breakdown. The system also indicates the nature of the fault and suggests replacement of faulty parts. The car comes with power windows, central locking, air-conditioner/heater, music system and remote fuel tank lock opener.

Maruti Udyog expects the Wagon R to be a hit in India. It has set a sales target of 30,000 cars for the April 2000 to March 2001 period. For the first time, the company is doing away with its traditional booking procedure and allowing the vehicle to be purchased off-the-shelf.

Meanwhile, the company is firming up its plans for the launch of Alto, another vehicle identified for India. The two variants of the car – with 800cc and 1,000cc engines -- will be in the market sometime in June 2000. Maruti Udyog expects to sell 40,000 Altos a year.

Maruti has identified other Suzuki vehicles that can be brought to India. One of them could be the Every Van, a larger and sophisticated version of the Omni. If all goes well, Every Van will be on Indian roads in early 2001.