Maruti's much-anticipated Celerio model is all set to hit Indian roads on 6 February. Dealers across the country have begun accepting bookings for the small car.
The Celerio, which is flaunted as a replacement for the company's slow-moving A-Star and Zen Estilo models, will be the first vehicle in India to come with Automated Manual Transmission (AMT). The AMT technology, derived from the renowned Formula One motorsport championship, will allow drivers to change manual gears without clutch. This technology will be dubbed EZ drive.
The car, which is expected to be priced aggressively in the sub-continent market, will be offered in six trims - four with manual transmission and two with AMT EZ Drive clutchless transmission. The Celerio will pack a 998cc, 3-cylinder, K10B engine under the hood, which can churn out a power of 67 bhp at 6,000 rpm and a torque of 9.1 kgm at 3,500 rpm. The company claims that the Celerio will give a fuel efficiency of 23.1 km per litre. Additionally, the Celerio will feature steering mounted controls, alloy wheels and Bluetooth connectivity.
Although the demand for automatic cars is high in India, sales of such models have been affected by high costs. Reports suggest that Maruti's new model is likely to bridge that gap in the country. According to an Auto Car India report, the manual versions of Celerio is likely to be priced ₹3.9 lakh onwards and the automatic version is likely to fall in the sub-₹5 lakh range, which would make it the cheapest automatic offering in the country.
"We thought if we could address these issues, we will be addressing a good segment of consumers who are looking for automatic transmission in mass segment," said Maruti Suzuki India Chief Operating Officer (Marketing and Sales) Mayank Pareek, reported PTI.
Auto enthusiasts have anticipating the launch of Maruit Celerio since its appearance as a wind concept car, YL7, at the Thailand International Motor Show in November. The vehicle will be pitted against Hyundai's Grandi10 and Honda's Brio. The Celerio will see its market launch at the Auto Expo 2014 and prices will be annocuned at the launch.
