Maruti Suzuki, India's largest car maker is gearing up to launch the diesel version of its popular Celerio in the country, according to a new report.
Citing sources close to the development, Financial Express reported that Maruti is working on a diesel engine for its commercial vehicles and the engine will be first tested in Maruti's upcoming LCV, codenamed Y9T. The LCV launch will be followed by the diesel Celerio in this fiscal year.
"Maruti is working to adapt the 800cc diesel engine, its first self-developed engine, for the Eeco van. The engine will first be launched in the new Maruti LCV (codeY9T) and the Celerio this fiscal," a source told FE.
Currently, Maruti sells Celerio with a 998cc, 3-cylinder, K10B engine, which can churn out a power of 67 bhp at 6,000 rpm and a torque of 9.1 kgm at 3,500 rpm. It is offered in six variants in the country - two with automatic transmission and four with manual transmission - and claims a fuel efficiency of 23.1 kilometers for both versions.
Unveiled at the Auto Expo 2014 in Noida, Celerio is the first car in India to come with Automated Manual Transmission (AMT). Celerio, which was originally launched at a starting price of ₹3.90 lakh, is now available at ₹3.76 lakh. The company revised the pricing of its recently launched hatchback Celerio in India, after the announcement of a reduction in excise duty by finance minister P Chidambaram.
The car, a radical offering from India's most trusted car brand Maruti, has been a huge success in the country. The Celerio continues to get overwhelming response from the auto lovers across India.
Maruti is also said to be developing a new petrol engine to power the company's upcoming YRA hatchback. The new petrol engine, codenamed K10C, is likely to generate 90 bhp of power and 140 Nm of peak torque and is rumoured to give a fuel efficiency of 20kmpl.
[ED:VS]
