Scoop: Maruti Alto K10 AMT to be launched on 5th November

Will you call a manufacturer who nearly captures 40% market share of a big automobile country like India, a Master Strategist. And, especially when it comes to small car or budget car market, none matches the product line-up of the Maruti. And it seems like they have done it again, by offering an AMT in the smallest car in India, the Alto K10. In fact, before the Alto K10 offered the AMT, the smallest car to offer an AMT gearbox was yet another Maruti, the Celerio.

We have now got an insight that the new Maruti Alto K10 will be launched on 5th of November, following its soft launch in Chandigarh, a week ago. The speculations have made round for long now regarding the launch somewhere near Diwali for both the new Swift and the new Alto. While we reported how the dealerships have started the booking for the Swift, nothing of such sort has been done for the Alto.

Consider this, a person buying his first car in a budget of Rs 3-4 lakh will generally not prefer an AMT, but thanks to Maruti, people are now more inclined towards automatic gearbox. The design of the new Alto reminds us of the Alto 800, at least from the back, while the front gets a new headlight and bumper design. Although the radical change is on the inside, with the car getting a more upmarket materials. The triple tone black, grey and beige interiors give a roomy feeling, while the top model gets standard stereo and power windows.

The Alto K10 facelift will get the same K10 four cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine. Alto K10 will be powered by a 998cc 4-pot motor generating 67.1bhp power @ 6200rpm and 90Nm of torque @ 500rpm. The power will be sent to the wheels via a five speed unit and delivers an ARAI certified mileage of 20.92 km/l in the manual version. While the new AMT will be similar to the one on the recently launched Celerio. However, the efficiency will be one notch up on the new hatch courtesy to the AMT.

Once launched, the new Alto will be competing against the Hyundai Eon and the Datsun Go. Although, the advantage for the new K10 will the AMT gearbox, which no one offers in this segment.