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Paris Motor Show 2008:
New cars and concepts take center stage at the Porte de Versailles


Suzuki Alto
Text & Images: Dhruv Behl
India had much to cheer about at the 2008 Paris Motor Show as Suzuki debuted its all-new Alto – a car that was conceptualized by designers of Maruti-Suzuki right here in India. Like the Hyundai i10, with whom it’ll compete tooth and nail, India will be the sole production hub for the new Alto. The car, however, will in all likelihood still be known as the A-Star in the Indian market when it’s launched later this month (November ‘08). While it’s not quite as stunning as the concept first shown at the Auto Expo in January, it’s still a well executed design. The interior, which will share several pieces of trim with its larger corporate cousins, is well put together and quite comfortable. Although the small rear windows of the European version made the back seat feel a little hemmed in. Furthermore, the rear windows of the car on display in Paris only flip-open sideways and don’t roll down – presumably this will change on the Indian version. Also, you may also notice the absence of a glove box.

The A-Star will be launched with Suzuki’s new Euro-V compliant 1.0 liter K-series engine, which is expected to produce just under 70 horsepower. The car is expected to come in under 4 lakhs, and slot between the Wagon R and Swift – right in the heart of i10 territory. We envision a battle brewing…

Hyundai i20

Like the Alto, the Hyundai i20 made its debut in Paris. It’s also a car that will be produced in India and distributed to different parts of the globe. And it’s also scheduled to be launched in India before years end.

The i20 is expected to replace the Getz in Europe. However, in India, as has become the norm, we’ll see both cars sold side-by-side – at least initially. Hyundai will be hoping the i20 can emulate the success of its smaller sibling, the i10, and make up for the somewhat limited sales of the Getz. It’s a handsome small car with world-class levels of build quality and materials – as we’ve come to expect of Hyundai after the i10.

It’ll most likely come with a retuned and slightly more powerful version of the i10’s 1.2 liter Kappa engine. It may also have a pairing of 1.4 liter petrol and diesel engines as well. On the whole, it looks like a great package and one that has its sights set squarely on Swift buyers – although, it’s expected to be a little more expensive. Either way, it certainly appears as though the Hyundai and Maruti-Suzuki battle in going to get a lot more intense in the coming months.

Chevrolet Cruze



Here’s another car that debuted in Paris. And one that looks a lot better in the flesh than it does in pictures. As we reported two months ago, the Cruze is expected to make it to India sometime next year

Chevrolet aim to take a big step forward with this car, and that’s clearly visible with its bold styling and excellent fit and finish. In fact, the interiors are exceptional, with what Chevrolet calls its twin cockpit design. The quality of materials are a match for the best from Europe. This particular car had an extremely nice textured fabric on the dash – although judging by the large brakes and tires, as well as its cross-drilled rotors, this particular car obviously isn’t the final production version. Nonetheless, it’s very impressive and bodes well for the future of GM and Chevrolet – as does the new Camaro and Volt also displayed at the show.

The Cruze will likely feature the very responsive 2.0 liter turbo-diesel found in the Captiva SUV, as well as an all-new 1.8 liter petrol engine. It’s expected to be priced in the 12-13 lakh range when it makes its way to Indian showrooms sometime next year.