The Hindu Business Line : Question & Auto

Recently, Hyundai is supposed to have rolled out a new alternative fuel variant of the Santro. Is it an LPG or a CNG variant? And is it available nationwide?

P. Sarvesh

After extensive testing, Hyundai Motor India (HMI) has launched a CNG variant of the Santro that will now provide potential owners a more economical and environment friendly option.

The new dual-fuel Santro will use Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as the alternate fuel. The new variant comes with the same 1.1- litre petrol engine which, without any modification, is compatible with CNG as fuel.

HMI has tied up with the country's leading CNG kit supplier Minda Auto Gas Ltd. The advanced kit not only comes with a number of safety features, but also has an advanced Lambda control system which ensures that it meets the current Euro III equivalent emission norms.

To ensure that there are no flaws in the fitment process, HMI has an exclusive arrangement with a fitment specialist NGVI of Korea to retro fit the kits on the Santro. Initially, the CNG Santro will be launched in Delhi, and all Hyundai dealers in the city, in collaboration with NGVI India, are equipped to sell and service the CNG Santro.

The CNG Santro comes with the same two-year, unlimited mileage warranty and there is an additional warranty for the same period on the CNG kit and the fitment as well. The CNG Santro has a manual selector switch, which would enable the driver to opt for petrol or CNG on the fly.

The on-board CNG cylinder has a capacity of approximately 12 kg and the running cost on CNG for the Santro is estimated at Re 1per km or less depending on the driving cycle and style. This is expected to lead to 60-70 per cent savings for the consumer.

The cost of the CNG Santro (XK, non-AC) is Rs 3.25 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi). The CNG kit can also be retrofitted by the authorised dealer in the other trim variants of the Santro and the price differential between the regular and the CNG versions is expected to be about Rs 60,000.

The CNG-kit variants of the Santro will be available only in Delhi, where CNG is easily available. Hyundai plans to launch dealer-fitted variants of the CNG Santro in other cities where the fuel is available, such as Mumbai, in a phased manner.

I read about Maruti introducing a new security system called the iCAT system. The system is being installed across a range of models from the company. Can it be installed in a car which does not have the system? I have a Suzuki Swift 2007 model. The new security system seems to be a very good. I want to know if I can get it installed in my vehicle at the neighbourhood dealership? Shyam Maggo

The anti-theft device that Maruti has introduced recently in all its passenger cars is essentially a digital engine immobiliser, which is more advanced than the type that is currently available in the after-market.

The immobiliser, branded iCAT (Intelligent Computerised Anti- Theft), is an electronic system that works on digitally encrypted codes that are designed to be tamper-proof. Cars factory-fitted with the iCAT systems have a secret code on the main key fob. Every time the car is opened or the engine is cranked, this code is matched with the corresponding code on the ECU (Electronic Control Unit) in the car.

Only when the two codes match, does the ECU allow the engine to start. Factory-fitted anti-theft systems have been available in vehicles sold in the advanced car markets of the US, the EU and Australia. But in India this option had not been offered so far. By its very nature, this advanced technology cannot be retrofitted by the company's dealers or other aftermarket outfits.

Encoding the ECU to communicate with the key fob for recognising the corresponding, operational secret code and manufacturing uniquely coded keys etc., will need proprietary equipment that will be available only with the manufacturer.

You can look at the option of retrofitting other types of remote car security and engine immobiliser systems that are currently available in the after-market. Try to choose one which has an engine immobiliser option.

Compared to the iCAT system, the after-market options may not be able to match up in terms of performance or reliability, but they still can provide a considerably higher level of theft protection than what you get in a car which has no such system installed in it.

I am looking to buy a new car. My budget is around Rs 4 lakh. I have shortlisted the Hyundai Santro XO and the Suzuki Swift LXi. This will be my first car and I am looking for a combination of power, mileage and style.

Abhinav Chaudhary

The Hyundai Santro XO and the Suzuki Swift LXi do not exactly possess a comparable combination of the three attributes that you are looking for.

The two cars and the variants you have mentioned are priced barely about Rs 20,000 apart, with the Swift being the pricier car of the two. Your choice between these two cars will have to be made based on your priorities within the three expectations of power, mileage and style. If power and style are more important choose the Swift, and if mileage is allimportant, then the Hyundai Santro it will have to be. Of course, you must also remember that for that small price differential, you will get the base variant of the Swift, and the lower priced Santro XO, on the contrary, is the top end variant of the manual transmission option.

(Queries may be sent to: q&a@thehindu.co.in or by post to Q&A, Business Line, 859/860, Kasturi Buildings, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600 002.)

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