Maruti Suzuki Ignis to launch today; bookings open at Rs 11,000

Maruti Suzuki will today launch its Ignis crossover at what appears to be a music concert in Delhi. While the bookings at NEXA showrooms had opened almost a month ago, a concert by artist Axwell signals that Maruti is targeting the youth with its compact crossover today.With so much happening at the launch event, Maruti Suzuki indeed has big expectations with this vehicle. The Ignis crossover has been a much-awaited offering from the automaker and Maruti too expects it to be a best-seller this year that should also lend a youthful image to the brand.The compact crossover will be the third crossover in the Maruti Suzuki lineup that comes after the S-Cross and the Vitara Brezza. However the new Ignis is expected to replace the old Ritz. As you may have noticed, Maruti Suzuki will be selling the Ignis across India via its Nexa dealerships. The Ignis would be the third product sold under the Nexa brand after the Baleno and the S-Cross.The Maruti Suzuki Ignis comfortably seats 4 occupants which would include the driver. The crossover showcases a fresh new design with chrome inserts in the front facade and a black insert for the bumper in the rear. The moderns twist comes from the squared headlamps that also pack in LED DRLs which form the outline, giving it a distinct look.A petrol variant that packs in a 1.2-litre engine that delivers 83bhp and 115Nm of torque. The diesel variant features a 1.3-litre motor capable of producing 74bhp and 190Nm of peak torque. While the standard is a 5-speed transmission, there is also an AMT version expected.It managed to score a 3-star rating for the standard equipment trim and a full 5-stars when equipped with the optional safety pack.  The Maruti Suzuki Ignis was first showcased at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show after which customers in India got their first glipmse of the vehicle at 2016 Auto Expo. The compact crossover is currently available in Japan, and made its European debut at the recent 2016 Paris Motor Show.