Maruti Suzuki #ConceptFutureS
Maruti Suzuki #ConceptFutureSMaruti Suzuki

India's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki is a regular and one of the largest exhibitors in every Auto Expo held in New Delhi biennially. This time, the Indo-Japanese outfit is taking its vehicle design prowess to next level by showcasing #ConceptFutureS.

Maruti Suzuki claims the #ConceptFutureS will tease the company's all-new compact car design language. The uniquely styled compact car has SUV-like characters aimed to delight customers in the compact car space. A few design cues from the sketch of what we can expect as an urban SUV soon reveal an upright stance, commanding higher seating and ground clearance, horizontal hood giving it a unique aggressive stance and posture.

The sketch image also shows an upright front, with a unique A-pillar treatment, that connects to the accent on the side sill and a raised rear end gives the concept a dynamic appeal. The teaser image indicates #ConceptFutureS in its production form break away from the conventional proportions of a compact car.

"The increasing preference for UVs and their bold architecture inspired our design team to study a new character for compact cars. #ConceptFutureS could mark a distinctive shift in how compact cars are shaped and designed in India in the future," said CV Raman, Senior Executive Director (Engineering), Maruti Suzuki India Limited.

The #ConceptFutureS, in its production form, is expected to be positioned below popular Vitara Brezza SUV. The new SUV is expected to be over 200mm shorter than Vitara Brezza. The SUV is also expected to be based on Suzuki's lightweight 'Heartect' platform that also underpins Baleno.

Engine options are likely to include the K-series 1.2-litre petrol with some form of electrification, and a future 1.5-litre diesel developed in-house, reports Autocar India.

The market launch of the SUV can be expected in 2019 and it will take on Mahindra KUV100 in the niche segment. However, we think Maruti Suzuki will bank on responses from the show-goers before taking a final call on the #ConceptFutureS-based urban SUV.

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