The Maruti SX4′s design dates back all the way to 2005. The collaboration between Fiat and Suzuki resulted in the birth of the SX4 and the next generation SX4 is scheduled by the end of 2012. The Maruti SX4 facelift will feature a new design along with vast improvements to the suspension and interiors. However the major changes would be to the engines, which would be all new for both petrol and diesel variants. This would result in better performance for the SX4 Diesel and better fuel economy for the SX4 Petrol.

Maruti Suzuki has been developing a new K-Series engine, which would power their upcoming MPV. The 1.4 liter motor will find its way in the next generation SX4. The 1.4 liter, K-Series engine produces 95 bhp of power and 130 Nm of torque. This is a slight decrease from the current 1.6 liter VVT motor, which produces 102 bhp of power and 145 Nm but the decrease is very less compared to the increase in fuel efficiency. The new 1.4 liter motor is very frugal and returns more than 15 kmpl in the city. This will drastically boost the sales of the petrol SX4.

The diesel engine in the new SX4 is a 1.6 liter unit, which has been developed by Fiat Powertrain Technologies. Suzuki recently acquired the license to develop the engine for their own cars, which Fiat happily handed over to them. The 2012 SX4 Diesel will produce 105 bhp of power and 290 Nm of torque, making the SX4 very powerful. The Multijet motor is popular for being quick and frugal. Now the only question is, who will launch the 1.6 liter Multijet engine in India? Fiat or Suzuki?

Maruti Suzuki has managed to receive 5000 bookings for the SX4 Diesel in just 20 days. Although the number of bookings for the Super Turbo SX4 is impressive, it does not give a clear picture of the success of the car. The initial euphoria is always there and most cars get good amount of bookings at launch. Will the SX4 Diesel sustain its sales infront of the Volkswagen Vento? Only time will tell.

“We have received an overwhelming response for the SX4 diesel. Our target was 2000 units per month but with this kind of response we will have to work harder to cater to the demand,” Shashank Srivastava, Chief General Manager, Marketing, Maruti Suzuki India, said.

A signature of government officials the HM Ambassador car is all set to be phased out pretty soon. The Delhi Police has decided to phase out Ambassador Cars completely and replace them with the Maruti Suzuki SX4. Earlier, the Commissioner of Police Delhi, BK Gupta had stated his requirement for more fuel efficient cars. A proposal was sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs long time ago which was finally accepted. Although, phasing out of Ambassador Cars have just started with police department receiving twelve SX4 cars. Commissioner BK Gupta was the first to get his car replaced with a brand new SX4.

The Commissioner of Delhi Police stated that four basic things were kept in mind while choosing a replacement for Ambassador which included fuel economy, maintenance cost, comfort and speed. This will certainly bring down the running cost of police vehicles.  The SX4 cars being provided to Delhi Police Officials is equipped with a radio tag which is installed for security reasons. This is the only difference in the features of the cars provided to Delhi Police officials. Police officials seemed quite upbeat about the move. Some of the senior police officials believe that replacing the old Ambassadors cars with SX4 will certainly change the way people perceive police cars.

Maruti SX4 Diesel - Click above for high resolution picture gallery

Maruti Suzuki has launched SX4 Diesel. The SX4 Diesel is cleaner and more fuel efficient than all comparable cars in its class and will be offered in three variants: VDi; ZDi and ZDi (with leather upholstery). The Super Turbo (that is what Maruti Suzuki is calling the engine) DDiS engine mounted on the SX4, delivers 90PS of peak power at 4000rpm. The engine offers a maximum torque of 200Nm at 1750rpm and offers a fuel efficiency of 21.5 kmpl (certified as per CMVR rules). Maruti’s claims it to be 8% more than comparable cars.

“SX4 with a Diesel engine is one of the most attractive cars in the upper A3 segment. With the changed urban landscape, suburbs have become an integral part of cities and people travel long distances. The new age diesel technology as offered by the SX4 Super Turbo Diesel is high on power and performance while being low on emissions. SX4 Diesel offers an economical and punchier ride. We expect the SX4 diesel to repeat the success of our other diesel offerings and strengthen the Maruti Suzuki portfolio,” Mr. Shinzo Nakanishi, MD and CEO, Maruti Suzuki said.

This is the first car in the country to be certified as ‘OBD-2’ compliant. OBD refers to On Board Diagnostics. OBD-2 informs the customer of any malfunction in the emission control system which may be leading to undue increase in exhaust emissions. In the last four years, Maruti Suzuki has mounted diesel engines on Swift, Dzire and Ritz. SX4 is one of the few cars in the country to sport petrol, CNG and now a diesel variant. The Super Turbo DDiS engine will be manufactured at Suzuki Powertrain India Limited, the Manesar-based joint venture of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan and Maruti Suzuki India Limited having an annual capacity of 300,000 units.

Maruti Suzuki SX4 Diesel Details : -

• Variable Geometry Turbocharger delivers higher efficiency and reduced emissions, besides instant power. Depending on requirement, the vanes in the turbocharger change their angle to provide optimum air flow. This optimizes efficiency across the engine rpm range.
• The high pressure fuel injection system delivers fuel at upto 1600bars. The high pressure pump has an in-built flow control mechanism to improve efficiency, while adding power.
• The high pressure pump, fitted on the engine, is equipped with an in-built ‘flow control mechanism’, further improving fuel utilisation.
• The Super Turbo DDiS engine uses lower viscosity engine oil (SAE 5W40), which enhances lubrication for smoother running.
• The Super Turbo engine is controlled through a remapped ECU which continuously communicates between the engine and the user.
• Adequate noise suppressants improve the NVH performance and make the cabin silent and comforting.
• The suspension and brakes of the SX4 Diesel Super Turbo have been suitably modified to account for the heavier engine and the changed weight distribution of the car.
• The engine has been calibrated for drive pleasure and offers excellent acceleration of 0-100 km in 14.5 seconds.

Click here to read our initial driving impressions about the Maruti Suzuki SX4 Diesel.

Maruti SX4 Diesel - Click above for high resolution picture gallery

Maruti Suzuki is set to launch the SX4 Diesel by the end of February. We got our hands on the soon to be launched SX4 and took a short drive to see how the diesel engine fares in the SX4. The Maruti SX4 Diesel features the same 1.3 liter Multijet motor found in the Fiat Linea and the Tata Indigo Manza. The SX4 Diesel, when viewed from far won’t give you any hint about its diesel nature (except the diesel noise, which can be heard in the video at the end of this post). On the exterior everything on the SX4 Diesel is similar to the petrol SX4 except the DDIS and ZDI badges.

The Multijet engine has been neatly packed under the hood of the SX4 Diesel. This car is roughly 70kgs lighter than the Linea Diesel which makes the car slightly more quick to respond due to a slightly better power to weight ratio. In short, its the same recipe which flavours the Linea, but we are pretty sure the Sx4 will do better numbers than its Fiat counterpart. In the same tune of 90bhp, the SX4 has good low end torque and responds to the input of the accelerator once the turbo spools up completely at around 1900Rpm. Power delivery is linear and you won’t feel a significant kick like you do in the Swift Diesel. Turbo lag is present at lower RPMs but once you work in the turbo band, the SX4 diesel is quick. The car feels quite peppy considering a 1248cc engine is lugging this beast. Maruti Suzuki has hit the right mark with a good balance between power and fuel economy.

The Diesel SX4′s Multijet engine cleanly revs all the way upto 5000 Rpm. For those who think the car is too big to be powered by a meager 1.3 litre engine, you are clearly wrong.

The interior gets beige colour and the fabric quality felt marginally better too.

Pricing is not out yet but expect Maruti to price it competitively considering the dwindling sales of the petrol version. Stay tuned. We will update you with more from the launch.

Maruti Suzuki will launch the SX4 diesel by the end of this month, but the car has already reached a dealership in Huble, Karnataka. The demo car features the DDiS and ZDi badge and those are the only visible differences between the oil burner and its petrol counterpart. Powered by the Fiat sourced 1.3 liter Multijet, the diesel powered SX4 features VGT which helps it produce 90bhp of power. The SX4 diesel weighs 70kgs less than the Tata Indigo Manza and Fiat Linea Diesel and will be priced Rs. 70,000/- more than the petrol variants.

Source – ACI

Maruti Suzuki will launch the SX4 diesel in by end of February, 2011. The diesel variant of the SX4 will be powered by the 1.3L Fiat Multijet engine with VGT, producing 90hp of power and 200Nm of torque. However compared to its rivals, the Fiat Linea and Tata Indigo Manza, the SX4 diesel will be lighter by atleast 70kgs offering better performance. Maruti Suzuki will price the SX4 diesel very aggressively at an introductory pricing of Rs. 6.99 lakh for the VDi variant, which is just Rs. 10,000/- more than the VXi variant.

Suzuki China has unveiled the 2011 SX4 at the Guangzhou Auto Show. The new SX4 now features a slightly revamped exterior along with an upgraded interior and added features. However the powertrain of the Suzuki SX4 remains unaltered. Other than the smart key and DVD playback system for rear passengers, the SX4 is quite similar to the one sold in the Indian market. The slight aesthetic upgrade along with lots of chrome is a welcome change for the Indian market, which we expect to debut on the SX4 diesel.