If recent reports are to be believed, Maruti-Suzuki may just get the jump on Tata Motors in the race to create the most affordable small diesel car.
A leading business daily reported that Suzuki Motor Corporation have developed an 800cc, twin-cylinder diesel engine which will make its way into the popular sub-compact segment. The report goes on to mention that a new model, codenamed the YL7, will be offered with this engine and is set to replace the A-Star and the Zen Estilo. The company is also reportedly working on larger 1.2-litre and 1.4-litre diesel engines.
Maruti-Suzuki are said to also be preparing an SX4 replacement, and a new compact crossover for launch in 2014.
Meanwhile, Tata Motors are known to be testing a diesel model of the Nano, believed to be either a twin-cylinder 700cc unit or a rumoured new 1.1-litre three-cylinder. Either way, Tata Motors have apparently decided that the time is not right to launch the diesel Nano, owing to the prevalent slump in car sales.
The smallest diesel engine on sale at present is the 936cc three-cylinder turbo-diesel unit in the Chevrolet Beat. This is, of course, a derivative; being a three-cylinder version of the hugely popular 1248cc, four-cylinder FIAT MultiJet diesel.
On another significant note, India still has no compact diesel hatchback with an automatic transmission. The only automatic diesel hatchback available is the Mercedes-Benz A 180 CDI and that’s in a completely different price band.
