SX4, Eeco, Estilo, WagonR and Alto will now be available in CNG-petrol dual-fuel versions too. They'll be available only in the Delhi NCR, Mumbai and Gujarat for now.

Maruti Suzuki has announced the introduction of CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) variants for five of its most popular models. Ranging from its SX4 sedan to its bang-for-the-buck MPV Eeco, right down up to its compact hatchback trio of the Alto, WagonR and the Estilo, a wide variety of the Maruti Suzuki portfolio will now be available with a CNG option. The variants however will be available only in Delhi NCR, Mumbai and Gujarat for now.

What will make the vehicles seriously competitive is the dual-fuel CNG + petrol nature of the cars, which will add massively to their versatility. Incorporating the new i-GPI (intelligent Gas Port Injection) technology, the company has claimed that the CNG variants will reduce running costs by 60 percent. The company fitted system should also add a large degree of reliability and safety. In addition, Maruti boffins have claimed that the dual ECU system incorporated in the engine will ensure that the performance of these vehicles will be at par with their pure petrol siblings, without a compromise on engine life. CNG conversions otherwise have been known to produce a drop of about 15 percent in the car's performance.

Interestingly though, the sporty and urban Maruti models which include the A-Star, the Swift and the Ritz - have been kept from the CNG conversion. That being said, the move brings four of Maruti Suzuki's engines under the CNG umbrella - including the 1-litre K10B engine apart from the 800cc Alto F80 engine, the 1.2-litre engine from the Eeco and the 1.6-litre mill from the SX4.