Maruti Suzuki Ritz: The Power tussle!

Sopan Sharma                                        9 May 2009

Efficiency is the name of the game here, and the Ritz will use the familiar 1.3-litre diesel engine from the Swift, but the real differentiator is the all-new K12M petrol powerplant.

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Special Page: Maruti Suzuki Ritz

We have said enough about how impressed we were with the spunk and pep of the K10B engine employed in Maruti Suzuki's last major launch, the A-Star. Continuing with the same theme, Suzuki's specially developed next step is the K12M engine - a 1.2-litre four cylinder powerplant that uses the same basics to greater and more practical effect.

Keeping engine weight low is the ground rule for Suzuki's K-series engines, thanks to the fuel consumptions and NVH benefits it offers to the users. To this effect, the K12M makes liberal use of plastic parts, along with smart bits like shortened piston skirts and resin coatings on the pistons themselves to reduce transmission losses.

Plastic intake manifolds, a rocker-less DOHC cam shaft, a nut-less conrod - the list of innovations continues. What promises to especially please consumers is that the Ritz will come stock with very high grade engine oil which would allow for the first oil change to come only at the end 10,000kms, as opposed to 1,000kms for most other engines. High-tech spark plugs will also come stock, necessitating plug changes only after the first 40,000kms.

Lightweight engine parts, a Smart DistributorLess Ignition (SDLI) and a high pressure fuel system will come together to give the Ritz petrol a claimed fuel efficiency of 17-18 kmpl.

The diesel version of the Ritz will carry the delightful 1.3-litre engine sourced from Fiat and seen in diesel hatchbacks across brands. Modified suitably to comply with the forthcoming BS-IV emission norms and provide even better driveability, the diesel will run even cleaner than before, and Maruti claims it will run 21 kilometres for every litre of diesel.

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