The Low Cost Green Car (LCGC) norm is to Indonesia, what the sub 4-metre norm is in India. The LCGC segment vehicles need to have a small capacity engine, low price but are not restricted by size; a perfect formula for Indonesian customers that are looking for value for money offerings. The latest entrant in the segment has been the Datsun GO+ MPV that recorded 3500 bookings within 2 months of launch and now recent reports suggest that Suzuki is also planning to venture into this space with a low-cost MPV that will rival the GO+.
The new low-cost MPV that will be developed for the Indonesian market will also extend to other Asian countries as well and will sit below the Ertiga in Suzuki’s line-up. The company had showcased a Wagon R based MPV on numerous occasions, but stated that the upcoming MPV would be an all new model that has never come to Indonesia and a team of engineers have been developing the new lost cost MPV in Japan. With the Wagon R ruled out, low-cost nature of the upcoming MPV gives the Indonesians a good reason to believe that the upcoming model will based on the existing Celerio to save costs.
This render by AutonetMagz showcases the Celerio with an unchanged design and wheelbase, but accommodates the third row at the rear with some changes. The Celerio also comes with the small 1.0-litre K-Series petrol engine that will easily qualify under the LCGC norms. While nothing concrete is known on Suzuki’s plans, the company did state that the new low cost MPV would be revealed either by the end of this year or sometime around next year.
With sub-segments a common fashion in the Indian auto sector, the success of the Datsun GO+ might just make way for a sub 4-metre 7-seater segment in the Indian market. Based on the GO hatchback, the Datsun GO+ gets the same mechanicals as the hatchback and has met with a positive response with an affordable price of Rs. 4.33 lakhs in Indonesia. The GO+ was caught testing recently around the country, with the launch slated during the festive season this year and could see a similar pricing in India as well.
Source – AutonetMagz.com
