http://www.carwale.com/news/Latest news updates on Indian car industry, expert views and interviews exclusively on CarWale.Copyright 2012 CarWaleCarWale RSS Generator2982http://www.carwale.com/news/2982-maruti-estilo-first-photographs.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/2982-maruti-estilo-first-photographs.htmlCharles Pennefather8/27/2009 1:00:02 PM24005http://img.carwale.com/ec/2982/img/m/2982_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/2982/img/m/2982_lMaruti Suzuki India Limited launched the New Estilo yesterday and CarWale went to a friendly neighbourhood dealership and took a few photographs. Here they are, along with a few comments.

]]>Maruti Suzuki India Limited launched the New Estilo yesterday and CarWale went to a friendly neighbourhood dealership and took a few photographs. Here they are, along with a few comments.

The Estilo now has dropped the ‘Zen’ branding in the advertisements, but it retains a badge that says ‘Zen Estilo’. The most prominent changes to the looks are in the front – the redesigned swept-back headlamps, three horizontal chrome strips for the grille instead of the previous single strip, and a more aggressive front bumper that follows a slightly different design from Maruti’s other new launches, the Ritz and the A-Star. It’s now more in tune with new Mitsubishi and Ford grille/bumper designs, and the front wheel arches are now missing the line that rose toward the rear.  The bonnet has also got a prominent central ridge and doesn’t flow as smoothly into the A-pillar as the old design did. We’re not sure we like the redesign – it makes the car look bolder, but it’s a fussy design that lacks the clean lines of the outgoing model. New electrically adjustable mirrors on the VXi variants, now fold towards the front without breaking, should an errant biker get too close. New wheelcaps adorn the wheels, and the changes at the rear include a new rear wiper design and the exhaust tip is now shorter and is more vertical. New paint options are a beige, blue, brown and orange, essentially colours similar to the Ritz and A-Star. The interiors have new colour schemes, a two-tone beige/brown colour combination with newly designed seat covers, and a digital fuel gauge is now standard.

The talking point of the car is the new engine, derived from the A-Star. The 998cc three-cylinder K-series powerplant has upped the Estilo’s power and torque ratings from the earlier 64bhp and 84Nm to 68bhp and 90Nm. The shifter is also now a cable-operated one, which promises smoother shifts. The gearshift lever seems to be quite similar to the A-Star's. We did like this engine a lot in the A-Star, and expect it will provide enough pep and efficiency (ARAI-certified 18.3kpl) to put a smile on your face.

The facelift and heart transplant should help increase the Estilo’s market share, which has fallen short of the WagonR’s by a fair margin in recent times. The pricing, beginning at Rs 3.12 lakh, ex-showroom, Delhi, should be good enough to get people into Maruti showrooms. Only time will tell how many walk back out with a brand new Estilo.

]]>2936http://www.carwale.com/news/2936-maruti-suzuki-to-launch-revamped-zen-estilo-coming-this-august.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/2936-maruti-suzuki-to-launch-revamped-zen-estilo-coming-this-august.htmlCarWale Team8/19/2009 4:28:32 PM26293http://img.carwale.com/ec/2936/img/m/2936_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/2936/img/m/2936_lMaruti Suzuki is geared up to launch a new avatar of the Zen Estilo. This is the first major revamp the car has received since its launch in 2006, and our sources tell us it will be unveiled to the public on the 25th of August.

]]>Maruti Suzuki is geared up to launch a new avatar of the Zen Estilo. This is the first major revamp the car has received since its launch in 2006, and our sources tell us it will be unveiled to the public on the 25th of August.

As you can tell from the picture above, the front of the car certainly looks more grown up with the large teardrop shaped headlamps flanking a more mature looking grille. The car sports a new bonnet, fenders, tail lamps and an aggressively styled front bumper – all adding up to a more grown-up look. And it does seem that the nose is now a tad longer.

The car also receives cosmetic changes to the interior, but the most significant improvement by far is what lies under the bonnet of this new car. Plucked straight out of the A-Star, which was the first car to sport Maruti Suzuki’s new KB series range of engines – the Estilo now gets the 3cylinder, 998cc DOHC mill that produces all of 67bhp. We hear that the Estilo will also sport a new gearbox in addition to the new powerful, yet efficient engine, which is Bharat Stage-IV compliant.

They are rumors that Maruti Suzuki may even drop the ‘Zen’ branding, now simply calling the car the ‘Estilo’. Maruti had chosen to keep the Zen branding alive with the Estilo when they launched the car in 2006 to keep maintain continuity from the original ‘Jellybean-design’ Zen which was launched way back in May 1993. Unfortunately the Zen Estilo never really sold in large numbers, owing to its unexciting styling and overall similarity in packaging to its sibling – the Wagon R, since they both share the same platform with the same 1061cc engine and drive-train. One look at the sales figures for 2008-09 and you’ll have a fair idea of why Maruti Suzuki really needed to give a boost to the Zen Estilo. The car clocked only 32,694 units whereas its sibling, the WagonR clocked a rather impressive 134,768 units. So it’s wait & watch time for Maruti Suzuki to see if the new Estilo can grab some of its lost marketshare.

Picture Source: Team-BHP

]]>1903http://www.carwale.com/news/1903-maruti-suzuki-sales-figures-for-february-2009.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/1903-maruti-suzuki-sales-figures-for-february-2009.htmlCarWale Team3/4/2009 12:43:02 PM4294http://img.carwale.com/ec/1903/img/m/1903_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/1903/img/m/1903_lMaruti Suzuki’s sales grew up by 24% in February 2009 as compared to the February 2008. The company sold 79,190 units (including exports) compared to 63,822 units sold last February.

]]>Maruti Suzuki’s sales grew up by 24% in February 2009 as compared to the February 2008. The company sold 79,190 units (including exports) compared to 63,822 units sold last February.



The domestic sales of Maruti grew by 19.1% as 70,625 units were sold this February. Sales of the A1 segment (M800) fell by 29.1% as the company sold 4075 units of the M800; the C segment (Omni, Versa), the A2 segment (Alto, Wagon-R, Zen, Swift, A-star), the MUV segment ( Gypsy, Vitara) and the A3 segment (SX4, Dzire) saw an increase in sales by 14.2%, 5.1%,  90.44% and 310.8% respectively.

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