The Maruti S-Presso that has been doing rounds on
the public roads for several months now finally has a launch date now, although
it's yet to be official. It has been reported that the launch is scheduled to
take place on 30 September 2019.
The
Maruti S-Presso is a derivation of the Maruti Future-S Concept which made its
presence felt at Auto Expo 2018. It will carry forward the torch from the Alto
which has been immensely famous in the Indian market and has long stayed the
'go-to' car for the first time car buyers in the country. Hence, the S-Presso
will be presented as a direct successor to the Alto. It will have much more to
offer in terms of its bolder SUV-inspired looks and features which will make it
a worthy competitor to the Renault Kwid. It marks a new beginning for Maruti
Suzuki as this will be its first new budget car after a span of nearly seven
years.
Spy shots have revealed that the Maruti S-Presso
will feature an SUV-ish stance and carry a much contemporary design. It will
get a flattish bonnet and a higher ground clearance in comparison to the Maruti
Alto, to look brawny and dominating. This will be the second product after the
Maruti Vitara Brezza from Maruti Suzuki's R&D unit. Its development has
been carried out by Maruti Suzuki's team with assistance from Suzuki Japan.
The company has most likely used the flexible and
lightweight Heartect platform for the development of the Maruti S-Presso. It
makes use of a BS-VI version of the K10B 1.0-litre engine which pushes out 68
PS at 6,000 rpm and 90 Nm of torque at 3,500 rpm in the older BS-IV form.
5-speed manual and 5-speed automated manual will be the transmission options.
Expect the Maruti S-Presso to be priced in the range
of INR 3.7-4.5 lakh (ex-showroom). It will be pitted against the Renault Kwid
and Datsun Redigo.
