Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.

Country’s largest car maker, Maruti Suzuki, is all set to launch the much talked about Alto 800 by next month. The new Alto 800, which also has CNG options in offering, is expected to help the company in regaining lost ground in small car segments.

The company is launching the new model to replace the existing Alto as the company to overcome tough market conditions, especially high petrol price and interest rates that have dented the sales of small cars. For the first time since its launch eight years ago, the Alto sales declined 34.83 per cent in April-August 2012 to 89,000 units as compared to 1.22 lakh units in the corresponding period a year-ago. Last year, the company sold 3.08 lakh units of Alto and the year before it stood at 3.4 lakh units.

The new model, which will be powered with a new 796cc engine, likely to give an ARAI certified 22kmpl, will have price sub 2 lac, allowing it to compete with the Tata Nano and the Hyundai EON.