Maruti Ciaz could come with Fiat’s 1.6-litre diesel engine

Maruti Suzuki is contemplating bigger diesel engines in its upcoming vehicles, reports ET Auto.

According to the report, Maruti would in-house Fiat’s 1.6-litre diesel engine in its upcoming compact SUV S-Cross, which was unveiled at the IIFA Awards in Malaysia. The report further adds that the company might introduce the Ciaz mid-sized sedan with the 1.6-litre diesel motor, albeit later on.

Currently, all the Maruti cars come equipped with Fiat’s 1.3-litre Multi-jet diesel engine and as per the feedback that the company has received from its buyers and auto fraternity, it is not keen to continue it with its premium vehicle due to being underpowered. As of now, Maruti’s Swift, Swift Dzire and Ciaz use the 1.3-litre diesel motor and Ciaz buyers have told the company that it is not as powerful as some of the sedans in its class.

Just so you know, Fiat 1.6-litre diesel engine is fresh to the Indian market as it hasn’t been used by any auto manufacturer in the country till now. It would debut with S-Cross in July 2015 and apparently, Maruti has commenced the production of this compact SUV at its Gurgaon plant.

It has also been known through ET sources that Maruti is going to use the new engine as a stop gap arrangement. The company’s own 1.5-litre diesel mill is going through research and development and it could be seen in Maruti’s premium vehicles in 2017. The work on the new engine has begun as Maruti has diverted its attention towards diesel engines due to increasing sales of the same. Recently, the company’s first ever self-developed 800cc, twin cylinder diesel engine made its debut with the Celerio hatchback and needless to say, it is father of all engines in fuel efficiency with 27.62kmpl (ARAI Specified). So, all we expect is more diesel vehicles from Maruti in future, albeit with ample power and supreme performance.