The Hyundai Grand i10 has just been unveiled and it already seems like its rivals are standing up and taking notice of the fact that it will be a major game changer in the Indian market. In a move that is aimed at ensuring its place as segment leader, Maruti Suzuki is likely to launch a small diesel powered car in the early part of next year.
We had earlier reported that the Japanese automaker (and obviously its Indian subsidy) will launch a new model that will replace the A-Star and Ritz. It will most likely be powered by an 800cc diesel mill and improved versions of the current range of small petrol engines.
What is believed to be a test mule of this vehicle has already been spotted testing in Europe, surprisingly in an RHD configuration and sporting India sourced JK Vectras, leading us to believe that Maruti Suzuki has major hand in its development. This also means that the same car will launched to rival the new i10 in the European markets.
The Indo-Japanese automaker is for the first time seeing its rivals being able to match its offerings or in some cases even better them. This is likely to have made them stand up and take notice of changing market dynamics.
