Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL), the country’s favourite passenger car maker, is just days away from the launch of an automatic variant of its popular Ritz hatchback on domestic turf. The company has already unveiled the first pictures of Ritz AT hatch on its website and the hatch’s entry into Indian car market is nothing but imminent. Top industry experts have pinned the soon-to-be launched Maruti Suzuki Ritz AT hatchback to come within a price bracket between Rs. 5.5 and Rs. 6.5 lacs.
In September 2012, the company introduced facelifted version of Ritz in the country’s passenger car market and since then, immense rumours are doing rounds regarding launch of the car’s automatic variant. At present, the Maruti Suzuki Ritz is involved in an extremely stiff competition against the likes of Honda Brio, Ford Figo, Hyundai i10, Nissan Micra, Renault Pulse and its sister A-Star in the country. However, only Honda Brio, Hyundai i10 and Maruti Suzuki A-Star have an automatic variant, which entails them to pose direct competition against the yet-to-be launched Ritz AT.
Coming to under-the-hood character, the upcoming Maruti Suzuki Ritz is powered by a 1.2 liter KB12 motor capable of churning out a decent power output of 86 bhp. The Ritz AT’s engine assembly will come mated to a four speed automatic transmission system, similar to the one installed on its little sister A-Star hatch. However, the company has decided to introduce its automatic Ritz hatch in only petrol guise, with only VXi AT trim getting the much fawned upon transmission system. The mileage is expected to play a big factor in deciding the fate of Ritz AT in the Indian car market, and MSIL has claimed its new automatic car to deliver an impressive fuel efficiency of 17.16 kmpl.
