The Hindu : Business : All new WagonR set for launch

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 12, 2006

Business

Business

All new WagonR set for launch

Sandeep Joshi

Developed by Maruti engineers, it will have an LPG version

NEW DELHI: Maruti Udyog Limited is all set to launch the refurbished model of its popular model, WagonR. Apart from its regular variants, the company will launch `WagonR Duo' that will run on LPG, making it the first-factory produced LPG passenger car in the country.

Aiming at consolidating its position in the A2 segment, the new WagonR has been designed and developed entirely by Maruti's engineers in their research and design centre. The new WagonR models are likely to be priced higher than the existing ones. Though company officials refused to comment on the launch of new WagonR, a top Maruti dealer here, who was recently invited for an exclusive preview of the car, said the new WagonR was likely to be launched by this month-end.

Though WagonR sales had been growing at 32 per cent compounded annually in the last three years, Maruti had gone in for its makeover after customers' adverse feedback about the boxy shape of the car, the dealer said, adding: "The new car builds on the strong points of the existing model and also brings in a host of changes designed to appeal to a vast variety of consumers."

The 1061cc car has also been a best seller in the highly competitive Japanese market in 2005-06, selling more than 2.3 lakh units. In the Indian market too, WagonR has been setting sales charts on fire and is among the top five cars being sold in India.

P. K. Bhardwaj reports:

Hyundai puts up car prices

Hyundai Motor India on Tuesday announced an increase in prices across various models, including the popular Santro, to offset increase in costs of input materials and freight.

The price hike effective from Wednesday ranges from Rs. 700 to Rs. 26,300, depending on the model.

While the price of Santro will go up by Rs. 3,500, the company's premium compact Getz will be dearer by Rs. 1,601-2,601, says a release.

The official announcement said that the mid-size Accent will be dearer by Rs. 1,600-2,600 between various variants, while the price of the Elantra sedan will go up by Rs. 6,300.

The CRDi LP variant of Elantra will see prices shoot up by as much as Rs. 26,300, the release added

The price of the luxury sedan Sonata and the SUV Tuscon will witness a marginal increase of Rs. 700.

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