Registering back-to-back drop in monthly sales of over 30 per cent, India’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki is confident that its new launch S-Presso, a mini SUV, will revive demand for the carmaker and help in changing market sentiments during the crucial festive season.
The company on Monday launched its new entry-level car S-Presso priced in the range of Rs 3.69 lakh and Rs 4.91 lakh.
“We realised that entry segment needs a fresh design to meet the aspiration of new-age customers.
"Nothing like this has ever been attempted before in this segment. S-Presso has an aggressive outside, bold and dynamic inside keeping in mind the aspiration of the youth of India … The car symbolises positive energy and optimism for us, customers and the country,” said Kenichi Ayukawa, MD and CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.
S-Presso is also the company’s first new car launch in the entry-level segment in nearly a decade.
Talking about the current slowdown in the auto sector and drop in overall economic activity, Ayukawa said there are short-term turbulences, but he is confident about the country’s long-term growth story.
“The new model will help change the sentiment of the market. Starting with this festive season, it will re-energise the industry on growth path,” Ayukawa said.
Domestic passenger vehicle (PV) sales witnessed its worst-ever fall in August, declining by 31.57 per cent to 1,96,524 units from 2,87,198 units in the year-ago period.
The fall in PV sales in August was also the tenth consecutive month of decline. Market leader Maruti Suzuki India posted 36.14 per cent decline in its August sales at 93,173 units.
Segment-wise, the company registered sharpest decline in demand of its entry-level cars.
Sales of mini cars such as Alto and old WagonR fell 71.8 per cent to 10,123 units in August 2019 compared to 35,895 units sold in the same month previous year. The company is now confident that S-Presso will bring excitement in the segment, and attract the ever-evolving young customers.
S-Presso is powered by BS-VI compliant, one-litre petrol engine.
This takes the total number of BS-VI cars in the company’s portfolio to eight. The firm claims that it is a fully made in India with a localisation rate of 98 per cent.
The firm has invested Rs 640 crore on its development.
The car is built on the company’s fifth-generation HEARTECT platform and comes with both manual and auto gear shift transmission options.
S-Presso will be sold countrywide through the company’s ARENA retail network. The firm said the car would be available in global markets like Latin America, Africa and Asian countries over the next 3-6 months.
Safety-wise, the car is equipped with dual airbags, Anti-Lock-Braking System with Electronic Brake Force Distribution, limiters, rear parking assist system, high-speed warning alert, reverse parking sensors among others.
S-Presso will directly compete against Renault Kwid, which is currently priced from Rs 2.76 lakh to Rs 4.75 lakh. Renault is expected to launch facelift of Kwid very soon.
Safety features
The new car is equipped with dual airbags, ABS (Anti-Lock-Braking System) with EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution), limiters, rear parking assist system, high-speed warning alert, reverse parking sensors among others.
The company claims that it is a fully made in India car with a localisation rate of 98 per cent.
Exterior Features
It will have a length of 3,665 mm and width will be 1,520 mm and wheelbase 2,380 mm.
Its height will be 1,549 mm with 13-inch wheels, while it will be slightly higher at 1,564 mm with 14-inch wheels and will have a gross weight of 1,170 kg. It has slight resemblance with Vitara Brezza