Delhi Auto Expo 2012 : Premier showcase plans

Indian passenger car maker Premier will be showcasing their facelifted Rio compact SUV in three variants for both petrol and diesel versions at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo. Having recently launched the petrol Rio Premier is all set to remind the public of their Rio considering that competition will finally arrive on our shores in the form of Ford’s EcoSport compact SUV and Maruti’s compact SUV which will also be there at the Expo.

The Rio is currently the only passenger car that Premier makes, recently Premier had launched a petrol version of the Rio. The Rio petrol version is powered by a 1173cc engine, delivering 77BHP and offers 15 km/pl, while the diesel version is powered by a 1489cc turbo diesel engine based on Peugeot technology delivering 65BHP of power, offering 16 km/pl.

The diesel Rio comes with a 1.5 litre four cylinder diesel engine developing 66PS of power and 150Nm of torque. The Rio is available in four versions, accommodates 5 people, the higher models have additional features such as anti-lock breaking system (ABS), keyless entry and alloy wheels.

The Premier Rio is based on the Daihatsu Terios which sells in considerable numbers every year in many nations across the world. Premier already has 50 dealerships across the country to sell the Rio and by the end of 2012 the Indian car maker plans to increase the number of dealerships to 100.

The Premier Rio is a first in its segment and is an interesting alternative to the regular hatchback available in the Indian market today. Since it does not have a 4X4 option and is not meant to be an off-roader the car does not technically qualify as a rival to the Maruti Suzuki Gypsy which otherwise falls in the same price bracket.