Maruti Suzuki Wagon R Diesel

The Estilo and the A-star may not be doing too well for Maruti Suzuki’s B-segment operations. However, the bare bones Wagon R has been selling decent numbers even with its petrol-only crusade. But Maruti Suzuki understands the need for a Wagon R diesel - especially with rivals like the Chevrolet Beat and Ford Figo ranking up big numbers with their oil-burner variants.

We hear that the Wagon R diesel will be powered by a 1.0-litre diesel engine - which is a similar derivation of the 1.3-litre Multijet engine as the ‘Small Diesel Engine’ that propels the Chevrolet Beat diesel. We expect a power output in the range of 55-65 PS and a torque output of about 150 Nm. The small diesel engine will be highly fuel efficient and should do a lot of good to the Wagon R’s fortunes. Expect a price range of Rs 4.5 to 6 lakh when the Wagon R diesel goes on sale in early 2014.