Maruti Suzuki India has stopped manufacturing its most expensive car SX4, the mid-sized sedan, reinforcing the widely-held belief that the small car leader does not have the expertise to make and market big cars.
Maruti will relaunch SX4 with a new 1.6-litre engine which will have a much higher pick-up. It will be more expensive than the current top-end Zxi variant, which comes at Rs 7.5 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Maruti will also rope in Bollywood star John Abraham as the new brand ambassador for the sporty model to arrest falling sales.
The new SX4 will have an additional automatic variant, another first for any sedan from Maruti. It will deliver 165-175 newton metres of power, much higher then the outgoing model and will meet the latest emission norms. When contacted the company spokesman refused to confirm the development. “We do not talk about future launches and product refreshments. However, any product refreshment is an integral part of our marketing strategy to maintain excitement and meet customer’s aspirations.”
