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Maruti to launch Every Plus in October

Bijoy Kumar Y

Maruti is expected to launch the much awaited Every Plus by October this year. This multi-activity vehicle was to supplement the Omni range in India and was scheduled for an Auto Expo launch in February 2002. Insiders say that the launch has been brought forward because of changing market dynamics.

A Maruti spokesperson told Business Standard that the eight-seater Every is a very important launch since it will take a chunk of the people mover market dominated by diesel powered vehicles such as the Tata Sumo, Mahindra Bolero and the Toyota Qualis.

Maruti Udyog already has no less than five cars in the 800 to 1100 CC segment and the Every is expected to further strengthen its hold in the small car segment, with its 1300 CC engine.

Maruti has not yet fixed the pricing of the car but the manufacturer is intending to slot the Every as a premium offering this side of its sedans. Dealers expect the car to be priced between Rs 400,000 to 550,000 with three models coming up.

The Every Plus is the second generation of Suzuki's Every series and is bigger and wider than the Omni.

It features a semi-forward frontal design unlike the flat nose of the Omni.

One of the biggest deterrent to Omni sales was the perception that it was not too safe as a personal car due to lack of crash protection, and the Every, with a mini bonnet, addresses this issue very well.

Like the Omni, the Every comes with sliding rear doors but a very versatile interior. The Every Plus is a genuine seven-seater vehicle with four bucket seats and a bench rear seat but may get configured as an eight-seater with two rows of bench seats in India.

Again like the Omni, the engine is mounted beneath the front seats and under the floor with a conventional bonnet revealing only refill points for liquids such as coolant, wind shield washer and brake fluids.

The engine is the same four-cylinder unit that powers the new Esteem and that means a 1300 CC all aluminium power plant with 16 valves and multi-point fuel injection system.

It will have close to 85 bhp at 6000 rpm and 11.3 kgm of torque available at an early 3000 rpm.

The cardinal difference between the Every and the Esteem is that the Every is a rear-wheel driven vehicle. The car will be launched with a five-speed manual to start with but a three speed automatic AX version is also on the cards.

The Every also features air-conditioning and electric windows, both features hitherto not available in the Maruti Omni. Maruti will also be offering the EPS (electric power steering) for the Every.

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