The Honda Amaze is set to launch in India on April 11, the first diesel sedan to appear from Honda in the country. This follows the arrival of the gasoline-only Honda Amaze in Thailand. Its expected price is between Rs. 5,50,000 and Rs. 8,50,000.
The Honda Amaze will make a splash through its high mileage, with a fuel efficiency of 25.8 kmpl. Before the Honda Amaze, the most fuel-efficient car in India was the Chevrolet Beat Diesel, which had a mileage of 25.44 kmpl.
Honda engineers reached the mileage level by using a thin-walled aluminum engine block, light cast-iron cylinders and an aluminum head. In order to reduce weight, they also used open deck construction, which is lighter than closed deck construction. The high mileage in the Honda Amaze can also be attributed to Idemitsu, Honda's lubricant partner, which has made a special ultra-low viscosity engine oil. Measures such as the use of shorter piston skirts also contributed to friction reduction in the diesel engine.
"The launch of Amaze this month will be a significant step in Honda's strategy to begin a new phase of growth for our business in Indian market," Jnaneswar Sen, Sr. VP - Sales and Marketing, HCIL, said. "We expect huge growth potential in tier 2 & tier 3 markets with this car and therefore we have been expanding our sales network to reach out to newer cities and markets."
The Honda Amaze measures slightly under 13 feet. It has a 1.5 liter diesel engine with 200 Nm torque. Honda plans to sell around 10,000 vehicles each month. Honda already received 2,552 bookings for the Honda Amaze in March 2013. Official bookings began on April 1.
