The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India launched a CNG variant of its latest compact car 'Celerio', priced at Rs 4.68 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Maruti Suzuki India strengthened its dominance with five of its models figuring in the top 10 best selling car brands in the domestic market in April.

The company has exported over 2.85 lakh units of the compact car. The Alto range now has eight variants, with prices starting at Rs 2.41 lakh.

Figures released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers ( Siam) on Friday showed that the number of cars sold in the domestic market in April has come down to 135,433 from 150,737 units in the same month last year.

Market leader Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL) and Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), which at one point was clocking doubledigit growth, saw domestic sales shrinking in April as demand remained subdued due to the economic slowdown.

The company said its domestic sales declined by 12.6 per cent during the month to 79,119 units as against 90,523 units in April 2013. Sales of mini segment cars, including M 800, Alto, A-Star and Wagon R, declined 25.4 per cent to 26,043 units.

Sales of mini segment cars, including M800, Alto, A-Star and WagonR, declined by 11 per cent to 40,085 units as compared to 45,047 units in the year-ago month, the firm said. Sales of the compact segment comprising Swift, Estilo, Ritz rose by 9.3 per cent to 28,285 units in March this year as against 25,868 units last year.

Japanese carmaker Nissan brought back its iconic Datsun brand with the launch of its entry-level Datsun Go, priced between Rs 3.12 lakh and Rs 3.70 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) to take on market leader Maruti's Alto and Hyundai's Eon in the hotselling small car segment.

The importance of a robust distribution network has been demonstrated by Maruti Suzuki which is by far the largest among automakers in the country, 10 times more than Nissan's at 1,236 dealers.

Japanese auto major Nissan's Datsun brand made a global comeback with the company launching its entry level car 'Datsun Go' priced between Rs 3.12 lakh and Rs 3.70 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) in India, intensifying competition in the small car segment.

Fuelled by five years of disappointment, Ratan Tata's little car wants to erase its 'cheap' past for a 'smart city' future. The Tata Motors pavilion at February's Auto Expo displayed a Nano with automatic manual transmission.

Maruti reported a marginal decline in total sales at 1,09,104 units in February, against 1,09,567 units in the same month last year. The company said its domestic sales rose by 1.8 per cent during the month to 99,758 units as against 97,955 units in February, 2013.

Bajaj Auto is marketing the RE60 as a more stable and comfortable alternative to the three-wheeled autorickshaws ubiquitous on India's roads even though it looks like a small hatchback car and is expected to cost less. It would rather you didn't call it a car.

C V Raman, Executive Director MSIL, said though the car production has stopped, spare parts will be available for customers for the next 8-10 years as per rules.

The inaugural day of Auto Expo saw Maruti Suzuki India unveiling two concept models -- sedan Ciaz and crossover SX4 S-Cross.

Both the sedan 'Zest' and hatchback 'Bolt' will be powered by the company's new Revotron engine series. The two cars are based on the company's enhanced X1 platform, on which the existing Vista and Manza models are built.

Maruti Suzuki India reports 10.3 per cent decline in total sales in Jan at 1,02,416 units as against 1,14,205 units in the same month last year. The company said its domestic sales declined by 6.3 per cent during the month to 96,569 units as against 1,03,026 units in January, 2013.

As per the tests done by Global NCAP, an independent charity based in UK focused on consumer orientated vehicle safety initiatives, these cars received zero for adult protection ratings in a frontal impact at 64km/hr.

The feature on Maruti (God Is in the Detail, February 2) was worth reading.

In a bid to generate enthusiasm and boost sales, companies will launch 20 new vehicles at the Auto Expo event and showcase more than 50 automobiles for the first time in the country. Here's a sneak preview of some vehicles that will be unveiled at the show.