Suzuki Alto (スズキ・アルト, Suzuki Aruto) is a kei car built by Suzuki. Its selling points have long included a low price and good fuel economy. The model, currently in its eighth generation, was first introduced in 1979 and has been built in many countries worldwide. The Alto badge has often been used on different cars in Japan and in export markets, where it is considered a city car..mw-parser-output .toclimit-2 .toclevel-1 ul,.mw-parser-output .toclimit-3 .toclevel-2 ul,.mw-parser-output .toclimit-4 .toclevel-3 ul,.mw-parser-output .toclimit-5 .toclevel-4 ul,.mw-parser-output .toclimit-6 .toclevel-5 ul,.mw-parser-output .toclimit-7 .toclevel-6 uldisplay:none
In Japan, the Alto badge was originally meant to be for the commercial use version of the Fronte passenger car. When introduced, the Alto was only available as a two-door "light van" and with bare-bones equipment. However, Suzuki generally did not use the "Fronte" badge in export, usually calling all versions "Alto" abroad. Most early export Altos were thus technically speaking rebadged Suzuki Frontes. These were exported with changes such as enlarged engines, sometimes modified bodywork. Thus the Japanese SS40 Fronte became the SS80 Alto with a 796 cc engine abroad. The Alto badge gradually took over in Japan as well, as the distinction between kei commercial vehicles and passenger cars was diminished in early 1989. The Fronte line was retired in March 1989. The Alto plate has been used on export versions of various Indian-built derivatives since the early 1990s, as neither cars are restricted by the kei rules and Indian cars are also considerably cheaper than Japanese-built ones.
Thus, the European-market models were actually:
Since 2014, the Suzuki Celerio has replaced the Alto in Europe and other export markets. Alto is thus a JDM-only badge for now.
The first generation (SS30V/40V), introduced in May 1979, was a three-door cargo version of the Fronte passenger car, equipped with a folding rear seat. Front suspension comprised coils struts, with leaf springs at the back. The steering was of the recirculating ball type, and four-wheel drums were used. On introduction, the Alto received the T5B two-stroke 539 cc (32.9 cu in) (SS30) three-cylinder engine, producing 28 PS (21 kW) at 5500 rpm. The Alto was a "micro sensation" when introduced, largely due to its rock bottom price of ¥470,000 (circa $1,900 in 1979, at a time when the cheapest Ford Pinto cost $4,999 in the US). This low price was made possible by a number of Japanese special concessions for commercial vehicles: most notably, the engine did not require twin catalysts. Two less doors provided another saving, as did the exemption from commodity tax. The Alto's success changed the kei-car market, and other producers such as Subaru (with the "Family Rex") quickly followed suit with cut-price "commercial" vehicles that were really intended for private use. The Alto helped Suzuki move into seventh place in Japanese production for cars and trucks. In the last full year of production for this generation, it was still by far the best selling Kei car, with the Alto outselling the Fronte at a rate of about five to two.
In May 1980 a fully automatic two-speed option was added to the Alto SS30. In January 1981, the F5A four-stroke 543 cc (33.1 cu in) from the Fronte was also made available for the Alto; although it only had a single-barrel carburettor, it too put out 28 PS (21 kW) but at 6,000 rpm. Torque was considerably lower, down from 5.3 to 4.2 kg⋅m (52 to 41 N⋅m; 38 to 30 lb⋅ft). 1981 saw also the year that it became available in the United Kingdom, as Suzuki began selling cars there that year.
In export markets, the Alto name was used for the passenger car versions (chassis codes with trailing letter "S") as well as on commercials (ending in "V"), while the van was marketed as the "Suzuki Hatch" in Australia. The four-doors were not proper hatchbacks, only featuring an opening rear window. Export cars were also available with twelve-inch wheels, unlike the domestic versions which only used ten-inch units until the introduction of the 4WD version in October 1983. The 4WD "Snow Liner" thus gained an extra 2.5 cm (1 in) of ground clearance. Most export Altos were passenger car versions (which used the "Fronte" badge in the Japanese domestic markets), and usually received the 796 cc (48.6 cu in) F8B engine and the SS80 chassis code. The 800 had better performance, and due to the higher possible gearing it saw an improved gas mileage as well - by about ten percent according to Suzuki. The SS80 was also built in New Zealand, by South Pacific Suzuki Assemblers at a rate of six per day. It was introduced in New Zealand in March 1980.
In Australia, the Suzuki Hatch, sold as a two-seat commercial vehicle to be taxed at 35 percent duty (as opposed to 57.5 percent for passenger cars) offered a standard 543 cc (33.1 cu in) engine with 19.2 kW (26.1 PS) and 35 N⋅m (26 lb⋅ft). The side rear windows were covered with fibreglass by default, with a glass panels optional. The only other option was air conditioning. M. W. Suzuki in Victoria, Suzuki's distributor for Southern Australia, introduced the "800 pack" in January 1981 that included the 796 cc (48.6 cu in) motor. The pack also added steel-belt radial tyres, 12-inch wheels (up from 10-inch), front-wheel disc brakes and bolder bumpers front and rear.
While Suzuki held on to the two-stroke engine concept for a half decade longer than any of its Japanese competitors, eventually market pressures and ever tightening emissions regulations spelled its end in the Alto by September 1981. The Jimny, however, did use the same 539 cc (32.9 cu in) engine (called LJ50 in the Jimny) as late as 1987.
By 1984, the 800 cc Alto/Fronte (called "FX") were introduced in Pakistan and were locally manufactured by Pak Suzuki Motors along with the 1000 cc Jimny (SJ410).
The second generation (CA71) was introduced in September 1984. This generation Alto echoed the design of the GM M-platform that underpinned the 1983 Suzuki Cultus. It continued with the F5A engine of the SS40, but also became available with turbocharged and multi-valve engines thereof, mainly in the "Works" series. In December 1984 a four-wheel-drive version (CC71) was added. Performance versions of the Alto first appear in September 1985 when a fuel injected and turbocharged engine was made available. It gradually acquired more performance-related modifications until the Works version was introduced in February 1987. This was the first kei car to reach the legal limit of 64 PS (47 kW). It acquired considerable popularity, with models of it still made by Fujimi. A five-door body became available in October 1985. This was superficially identical to that of the Fronte's, but the rear seat folded flat and it was technically speaking a commercial vehicle. This was the first five-door commercial of its kind in Japan, and was originally a special model introduced to celebrate the one millionth Alto produced.
In July 1986 the CA/CC71 received a rather thorough facelift. New wraparound headlights, a new dash and interior heralded the new available ITL rear suspension (Isolated Trailing Link), a three-link rigid setup. Some lower end models retained the earlier leaf sprung rigid axle; those with ITL received the CA/CC72 chassis code. A "Walkthrough Van" was introduced in January 1987, while at the other end of the spectrum, the personal coupé Cervo on the CA/CC72 base was introduced in 1988 with a new 547 cc (33.4 cu in) F5B engine. In August 1987, higher spec Altos became available with a three-speed automatic rather than the two-speed unit that had been used before.
Most export markets received the passenger car version, which would have been badged "Suzuki Fronte" in Japan, but were usually sold as Altos abroad. When equipped with the 543 cc F5A engine, the export model code is SB305. Most export cars received the larger (0.8 litres) F8B engine and the SB308 model code.
The 796 cc, 40 hp (30 kW) F8B-engined CA/CB91 was sold in Europe with either a four-speed manual or two-speed automatic transmission. Export Altos were technically speaking Frontes, as this was the name used for passenger versions in Japan. They received larger bumpers, making them 105 mm (4.1 in) longer and 10 mm (0.4 in) wider. European Altos received the same facelift as the CA/CB72 did in late 1986, followed by a market specific facelift in January 1988, unveiled at the Brussels Motor Show. This model remained in production (latterly by Maruti Udyog) for the European market until 1993, when it was replaced by an also Maruti-built 1-litre version of the Cervo Mode, which was sold as the Alto until 2002. The Maruti 800 did continue to be available under its own name in Europe until 2004, when it could no longer pass emissions and safety requirements.
While the car has been long retired in other markets, it remained in production in Pakistan under the moniker Suzuki Mehran. The Pakistani version is essentially a simplified basic rebadged second-generation Suzuki Alto CA/CB91 which was sold in the Japanese and European market from 1984-1988. The Mehran had been in production due to its cost effective nature and cheap parts availability. In March 2019, The moniker Mehran officially ended its production after 40 years of production.
Around 1990, the China Ordnance Industries Corporation (COIC, a predecessor company to Norinco) purchased the complete rights and all machinery for manufacturing the SB308 Alto from Suzuki. COIC charged four hitherto military enterprises with manufacturing the Alto: Chongqing Chang'an, Jilin Jiangbei, Xiangtan Jiangnan, and Xi'an Qinchuan were all to switch over to civilian manufacture. Chongqing Chang'an were able to adapt Suzuki's Just-in-time manufacturing (JIT) methods and were the first to market the car, in 1992. Jilin Jiangbei lost money on each car built and ended up on the brink of bankruptcy; Xiangtan Jiangnan never got production off the ground, while Xi'an Qinchuan suffered a fire and chose to develop their own design instead (a car called the Qinchuan Flyer; the company was later made part of BYD Auto). Chang'an ended up without real competition in the segment. Chang'an's productivity set a new standard for the Chinese auto industry.
In 1993 Chang'an Motors took over production of the Alto. The Chang'an Suzuki SC7080 Alto was produced with the same F8B engine as used in other export markets, and was replaced by the facelifted SC7081 Alto/City Baby/Little Prince/Happy Prince in 2001. The top of the Line Happy Prince, discontinued in 2007, used the sportier looking front bumper, grille, and bonnet of the Alto Works. Citing lower sales and stating that upgrading the design to meet new regulations would not be cost effective, Chang'an ended production of the old Alto on 28 July 2008. A total of 504,861 were built by Chang'an Suzuki between 1993 and 2008.
Another version called JN Auto has been built by Jiangnan Auto. As of Dec, 2010 Zotye's Jiangnan Alto is one of the cheapest car in the world, with a price tag of $2830. The entry-level model comes with the 796 cc (48.6 cu in) F8B three-cylinder 36 PS (26.5 kW). An inline-four engine with a displacement of 1,051 cc (64.1 cu in) and an output of 52 PS (38.5 kW) was also available. The Jiangnan TT was eventually replaced by the Zotye Z100.
The third generation (CL/CM11) replaced the CA71 in September 1988. This was the last generation of Alto to have an associated Fronte model. It had strikingly angular styling, with an unusual glazed C-pillar on the 5-door. Another curiosity of this generation was the availability of a version with a sliding door on the driver's side, the "Slide Slim", intended to simplify entering and exiting in tight spaces. It also made egress easier for the old and the infirm. The Slide Slim has two regular doors on the passenger (left) side. When the Fronte name was discontinued in October 1989, the passenger car versions (CN/CP11) became Altos. Initially the CL11 used the 12-valve 42 PS (31 kW) F5B engine known from the SS71 Cervo, but with an added 34 PS (25 kW) 6-valve version in lower-spec versions. A 46 PS (34 kW) DOHC version was also available in the Twin Cam Rl. Passenger car versions had the same engines, but all with 2 PS less due to more stringent emissions controls. The fuel-injected, 12-valve, turbocharged Works models came with an SOHC 58 PS (43 kW) engine (FF S/X or 4WD S/R) or a 64 PS (47 kW) DOHC version (FF RS/X or 4WD RS/R). The front-wheel-drive Works' were available with a 3-speed automatic in addition to the standard 5-speed manual.
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