Maruti S-cross petrol in the works

Maruti is planning to offer the S-cross with a M15 1.5-litre petrol engine. The move is in response to the rise in demand for petrol options following the widespread anti-diesel sentiments. The M15 is a 1,490cc, four-cylinder engine which produces 100hp at 5,900rpm and 133Nm of torque at 4,100rpm. The M15 engine is also likely to replace the 1.4-litre K14 unit found in Maruti Ciaz. The S-cross with the 1.5-litre petrol engine could be offered with an optional four-speed automatic gearbox also, but that has not been confirmed yet.

 

Launched last year, the S-cross, is presently sold across India through the manufacturer's premium Nexa dealerships. The car comes with two diesel engine options – 1.3-litre and 1.6-litre – both mated to manual gearboxes only. Presently, there is no petrol engine option. While the 1.3-litre DDiS 200 S-cross is doing well, the more powerful 1.6-litre DDiS 320 diesel engine has not garnered strong sales, thus, Maruti offers the car with the latter engine on a made-to-order basis. 

 

The crossover with the 1.3-litre diesel unit costs Rs 8.03 lakh for the base version and Rs 10.6 lakh for the top-of-the-line variant, while the 1.6-litre S-cross costs Rs 10.23 lakh for the base and Rs 12.03 lakh for the top-of-the-line version.