Eeco Diesel will target fleet operators but will also make an interesting 5-7 people carrier.
It is absolutely obvious that Maruti will use their new indigenously developed 800 cc twin cylinder diesel on other cars apart from Celerio. There have been murmurs of the small motor going to Altos and WagonRs but a more logical update, which can be considered as a rumour for now, has arrived.
If a report on Gaadiwaadi.com is to be believed, the manufacturer will be plonking the twin cylinder mill on the Eeco, which is more popular for its commercial usage. Since the demands of the commercial market (like noise, vibrations etc) are low, the 800cc motor will make a lot of sense.
This 793 cc aluminium engine produces 46.9 bhp of maximum power at 3,500 rpm and 125 Nm of peak torque at 2,000 rpm. On the Celerio it returns an impressive fuel efficiency of 27.62 kmpl.
Its too early to comment on Eeco Diesel’s figures but they will be around the same ballpark for sure. The Eeco, which is a stripped-down Versa, at present is available with a 1.2 litre petrol engine which churns out 73 bhp of power and 101 Nm of torque. A CNG variant is also available and despite you not feeling it – it is an impressive seller and features in the top selling cars every month.
Also Read: 7-Seat WagonR MPV may Launch in March [Speculation]
The inclusion of a diesel variant will make Eeco a more luring preposition for the fleet operators, providing them lower running costs. If it is really launching soon, expect Maruti to continue offering the people mover as both – a 5 seater and 7 seater.
