Maruti restarts selling LPG WagonR in old version

With the development of an LPG variant of its latest generation WagonR yet to be complete, the country's largest car-maker, Maruti Suzuki India, has resumed selling the alternate option in the old version of the model.

After launching the new generation WagonR in April, the company had discontinued the 'Duo' variant of the old WagonR, which had both petrol and LPG options.

"We are now selling the 'Duo' and it will continue till the LPG variant of the new WagonR is ready. The work on new LPG is going on," Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) Chief General Manager (Marketing) Shashank Srivastava said.
    
'Duo' was contributing about 20-22 per cent of total WagonR sales, which stood at 10,000-12,000 units a month and the LPG variant is priced at Rs 3.68 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).
    
When asked about likely timeline for launching the model, he said: "The R&D team has just started the work and it is unlikely that the LPG variant will be ready in this fiscal."
    
Meanwhile, the company will launch the factory-fitted CNG version of WagonR in this month. Along with, four other models -- Alto, Estilo, Eeco and SX4 -- will be launched on a single day in the second week of the month.
    
Earlier MSI Executive Officer (Marketing and Sales) Mayank Pareek had said the company stopped the production of the 'Duo' and any decision of launching the LPG variant of new WagonR would depend on market demand.
    
The company launched the new generation WagonR at a price range between Rs 3.28 lakh and Rs 3.81 lakh, adding one more model to the highly price competitive compact car segment.
    
The new WagonR is developed from the latest platform of the vehicle that is available in Japan. The car is powered by the BS-IV compliant 998cc K-series engine.
    
MSI had invested Rs 290 crore in upgrading the WagonR, which has been sold nearly 900,000 units since 1999.
    
The new WagonR is pitted against the likes of newly launched models, including the Chevrolet Beat (priced Rs 3.41 lakh-Rs 4.43 lakh) and Ford Figo (Rs 3.49 lakh-Rs 3.99 lakh), and Hyundai i10 (Rs 3.47 lakh-Rs 3.83 lakh), among others.