Maruti Alto 658 JDM

Maruti Suzuki is planning for a change in the company's product line. The change is very cute in the form new 2015 Alto 658. This 8th generation of Alto may be named differently as many variants are still available in the field. The confirmation that it’s a new variant or a replacement for the old Alto 800 and the Alto K-10 will be awaited. The new vehicle has been imported for testing and soon will create a new segment of cars.

The entry level hatch is very retro in terms of looks, feeling like a combination of Alto and Wagon-R. The front gets a total new shape from the existing petal shaped headlights and he rear gets a black finish, which is not yet confirmed, will stay for India also. Rumours are there that it is 100 mm shorter than the older Alto 800, but the dimension measures the same at 3395 mm for both the vehicles.

The major change is the engine, which is a 658 cc water-cooled, 3-cylinder DOHC with electronically controlled fuel injection device (EPI). This seems small but produces a peak of 51 BHP @ 6500 rpm and maximum torque value of 63 NM @ 4000 rpm. This miraculous engine return a company claimed mileage of 37 kmpl which is the most interesting fact of the car as a whole. It has a fuel tank of 27 litres. Rumours of the engine being turbocharged are also heard but no such detail was found for the imported Alto. Let's see what happens next.

The car uses McPherson strut coil spring for the front suspension and torsion beam type coil spring for the rear. Disc brakes will be equipped in the front whereas drum brakes are used for the rear. Tyre size will be 145/80R13, which has been a standard size for Alto models. Option for an ABS model can also be expected as it is available as ABS standard model in Japan. The ride height is 155 mm which most probably will be increased for Indian roads. The vehicle weighs at 650 kg and comes with all the modern day requirements like power steering and power windows. Rest depends upon the trims Maruti Suzuki makes for India.

The car will have to face a long term testing procedure to reach within us and this will surely take time, which can be around few months. The new 2015 Alto has changed a lot this time and we will wait to see how people react on this change. The new engine has many advantages over the older one and the fuel consumption will attract a lot of buyers for the same.