A-Star of India

Suzuki is going to make you a star – and this is it. Called the A-Star, the city car replaces the ageing Alto and will be unveiled at India’s New Delhi Motor Show in January.

The firm has been very busy over the past three years, debuting a series of major new models and concepts, including the SX4 small off-roader, Splash supermini and Kizashi saloon.

The A-Star will be a five-door hatch that’s designed to put the emphasis on comfort and eco-friendliness. Power comes from a new Euro V emissions-compliant all-aluminium 1.0-litre petrol engine, which is claimed to have a CO2 output of less than 109g/km.

The powerplant will be produced by subsidiary Maruti Suzuki India. Although the same division also makes a 1.3-litre diesel, the latter
is not likely to appear in the A-Star, because the petrol unit has better environmental credentials.

However, that doesn’t rule out a future oil-burner being developed by the Indian division. This would be used for the city car and other vehicles in the range. Because India is such an important market for the firm, designers from Maruti’s research and development arm have been involved from the initial stages of the A-Star’s styling. It’s the first time this has happened, and the result is a showcase of
the studio’s capabilities.

When the newcomer reaches production, the A-Star will be manufactured at Suzuki’s factory in India to be sold mainly on the domestic market and in Europe. Production is scheduled to start in October, with models going on sale here in December.