Car Moon

A new special edition version of the Suzuki Alto has been released in Britain. Featuring various cosmetic and equipment upgrades, the SZ-L model is available in a limited number of 500 units, priced at £8,170 a piece.

Offered in either Superior White or Bright Red non metallic colours, the Alto SZ-L is based on the SZ3 mid grade model with air conditioning, pollen filter and side airbags fitted as standard equipment. Exterior upgrades include unique wheel caps, black fog lamp surrounds and black 'B' pillar trims as well as SZ-L embossed tailgate trim and black side mouldings.

Mazda is enhancing its Carol range of micro-minis in Japan with a new four-wheel drive model called the GS4. The new version of the Carol, which is more or less a JDM Suzuki Alto with Mazda's badges and five-point lower grille, is powered by a tiny 660cc three-cylinder engine matted to a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Being the only car manufacturer that will participate at the forthcoming International Green Week in Berlin, Suzuki wants to make a splash at the fair with a custom made Alto. The Japanese automaker covered its mini car in a vinyl wrap (or at least it looks like a wrap) with a design that imitates fish scales and to top it off, they also added a... tail fin. Billed as the world's largest fair for food, agriculture and horticulture, the International Green Week runs from January 15 to 24 in Berlin.

Strangely enough, and even though the latest generation Suzuki Alto, which is also marketed in some regions including Europe as the Nissan Pixo with a different nose job, was introduced only last year at the 2008 Paris show, the Japanese firm has announced that it will display a near-production concept model of the next generation Alto at the forthcoming Tokyo Motor Show in late October.

European car safety testing body Euro-NCAP has announced its latest batch of results for six new cars. Five of these models, the Audi Q5, Honda Jazz, Hyundai i20, Kia Soul and Peugeot 3008 received Euro NCAP's maximum five star award while Suzuki's made-in-India Alto scored only three stars, its rating limited by its performance in adult occupant protection, child protection and safety assistance technologies. Euro NCAP made a special note on the Honda Jazz and the Hyundai i20 as both cars managed to achieve a high score in pedestrian safety.

On the 1st of March, Suzuki's all-new Alto mini will go on sale in the UK with an on the road price starting at £6,795. The five-door Alto hatchback is powered by a three-cylinder 67HP 1.0-litre engine and has a combined fuel consumption of 64.2 mpg UK with CO2 emissions of just 103 g/km. Not that buyers will care, but the Alto is the first European-specification model to be exported in three years from the firm's Maruti Suzuki plant in Delhi, India, which is celebrating its 25 year anniversary this year.

Suzuki's all-too feminine Alto Lapin microvan has received a modest aesthetic facelift that brings it a "little bit" closer to appearance to the third-generation Nissan Cube that was unveiled at last week's LA auto show. The boxy-shaped "kei-car" that was initially introduced in 2002 is available only in Japan where it is offered with a choice of two powertrains, a naturally aspirated 0.66-liter unit that produces 54HP and a turbocharged version of the same engine with 64HP. Buyers can also opt between 2WD and 4WD variants.

Suzuki performed the global debut of its all-new Alto mini car at the Paris show. If you were expecting to see a production version of the A-Star Concept that made a splash at last year’s Tokyo Show, then you’d definitely be disappointed with the outcome. At any rate, measuring just 3.5 meters in length the 2009 Alto is powered by the same three-cylinder 1.0-litre petrol engine that’s already in the Splash delivering an average fuel economy of 4.5 lt /100km or 52.2 mpg US. Watch the video after the jump. -Continued

Revealed for the first time at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, the 2009 Alto is the fifth and smallest member of Suzuki’s European lineup. The all-new Alto has an overall length of 3,500mm, width of 1,600mm, height of 1,470mm and a wheelbase of 2,360mm, so it’s roughly the same size as the Fiat 500. Suzuki’s new mini car is powered by a three cylinder 1.0-litre petrol engine with an output of 68 PS that was initially launched on the Splash. Fuel consumption is low at 4.5 lt /100km or 52.2 mpg US / 62.7 mpg UK on the combined cycle while CO2 emissions are 103g/km. -Continued

When the new Alto goes on sale in Europe during the first quarter of 2009 it will be offered with a standard five-speed manual transmission and optionally with a four-speed automatic transmission. According to the Japanese automaker's officials, Suzuki aims to achieve annual sales of 60,000 units of its Indian-built minicar in Europe.