Maruti Suzuki A-Star launched

Maruti Suzuki launched its premium A2-segment hatchback, the Maruti Suzuki A-Star, on November 18, 2008.

Suzuki A-Star

The stylish, sporty car comes in three variants, the Maruti Suzuki A-Star LXi, VXi, and the top-end fully loaded ZXi.

There was a bit of disappointment initially when the photos of the Suzuki A-star were revealed – the car looked nothing like the concept Suzuki A-star. We have carried a pile of stories on the Maruti Suzuki A-Star in the last one year.

The Maruti A-Star will be available at an introductory price of Rs Rs 3.46-4.11 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

The Maruti Suzuki A-Star LXi will be priced at Rs 3,46,775, the A-Star VXi will be priced at Rs 3,74,775, and the top-end A-star Zxi will be priced at Rs 4,11,775.

The Maruti Suzuki A-Star will be available in nine colors: Desert Brown, Supreme White, Bright Red, Paradise Blue, Sunlight Cooper, Midnight Black, Healing Green, Silky Silver, and Azure Grey.

Maruti also said that the company would roll out India’s first indigenous car by 2012. “We have started the ground work to launch a car which is conceived, designed and developed fully in India,” said Maruti Suzuki India Managing Executive Officer, Engineering, I .V. Rao said.

Maruti Suzuki A-Star Exterior

In terms of design, the Maruti Suzuki A-star has a contemporary European look. The car has an aerodynamic body, raised bonnet, elliptical curved windows, and oblong headlamps. The car has a sporty grille, and a contoured rear bumper.

Maruti Suzuki Interior

The interior is soothing, and has more space at the front than at the back. All the Maruti Suzuki A-star variants come with an integrated head rest in the front seats.

The Maruti Suzuki A-star is equipped with a tacho pod, digital trip meter, odometer, fuel gauge, an integrated music system with AUX-in facility, clock, a short-throw 6-gear shift and a sporty steering. The power steering is 3.6-metres long and has 4.5m of turning radius. The power steering and power windows are standard in the Maruti Suzuki A-Star’s Vxi and Zxi variants.

The integrated music system comes with four speakers for the A-Star Zxi and Lxi variants. The A-Star Vxi variants gets two speakers.

Maruti’s A-star has a floating cockpit design, aero-dashboard and wrap-around console in line with its sporty look. The Maruti Suzuki A-Star Zxi comes with vanity mirors, tachometer, and door handles in body color.

Maruti Suzuki A-Star engine

The Maruti Suzuki A-Star will be fitted with Maruti Suzuki’s new KB series engine. The 1.0 litre, three-cylinder K10B engine provides 67PS at 6000 rpm and 90Nm torque at 3500 rpm.

Maruti has said that with the 998cc K10B petrol engine, the Maruti Suzuki A-star gives a mileage of 19.59 kilometers per litre, and the top speed is 155 kmph.

Apart from fuel efficiency, that Maruti Suzuki A-Star is said to be eco-friendly as well. The company has said that the Maruti Suzuki A-Star meets the European ELV norms, and 85% of the car is recyclable.

Other features

The Maruti Suzuki A-Star has a ground clearance of 170 mm and a turning radius of 4.5 metres providing better control on pothole-ridden roads.

The Maruti A-Star has a crushable energy-dispersing frame that absorbs energy on impact and disperses it. Maruti calls it the Total Effective Control Technology (TECT).

The car comes also comes with airbags and ABS that provide safety.

The ABS is optional in the Maruti Suzuki A-Star Vxi model. The ABS and dual airbags come standard in the A-Star Zxi variant.

Accessories for the Maruti Suzuki A-Star include optional alloy wheels, sun roofs, and leather seat covers.

The Maruti Suzuki A-Star will be manufactured at its Manesar plant. The company hopes to sell 50,000 units in the Indian market and export 1 lakh units.

Suzuki will start exporting the Maruti Suzuki A-Star to Europe, in early 2009.

The Maruti Suzuki A-Star will be manufactured in over 200 variants and sold to around 150 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, Asia, Australia and Africa.

The company says that it expects the Maruti Suzuki A-Star to meet half of its overall export target of two lakh units by 2010-11.

At the launch, Maruti Suzuki said that it production and sales in 2008-2009 will not decline from the previous year’s levels but the export target for 2010-2011 will be slashed by 50,000 units.