Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. will reportedly introduce a CNG version of the new Alto 800 to deal with decline in sales of its cars.

As ever-increasing fuel prices are affecting the sales of several car manufacturers, Maruti feels that the introduction of a CNG version in Alto 800's line-up has become inevitable for boosting sales.

Maruti sold 17,500 cars in July of this year as compared with 24,000 cars sold in corresponding month of previous year.

The launch of new Alto 800 is just around corner and therefore, there are lot of rumours and speculations revolving around the introduction of the new vehicle.

The CNG version is expected to be designed and manufactured on the manufacturing platform of the existing Alto. It will share the same 0.8 litre three-cylinder engine that will reportedly have a displacement of 796cc. What will make it totally different will be its factory-fitted CNG kit. It will compete with the likes of Hyundai Eon.

However, the emerging reports also suggest that the CNG version of Alto will cost nearly Rs 30 thousand more than the petrol version.

The incorporation of the reported CNG version in the Alto 800's line-up will definitely help Maruti in maintaining its lead in the market. But, it will be interesting to see if the new Alto 800 will be capable of cashing on the legacy of the manufacturer's celebrated Maruti 800 model.