
Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara Phantom Blaq edition revealed: Changes explained
Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara Phantom Blaq edition
SUV in the Indian market. This special edition SUV will be available in limited numbers and has been introduced to mark the 10th anniversary of the brand's premium NEXA retail channel. Interested customers can book this new limited-run SUV online or by visiting their nearest Nexa dealership. Within the mid-size SUV space, the Grand Vitara Phantom Blaq competes with the Kia Seltos X-Line, Skoda Kushaq and Volkswagen Taigun finished in Carbon Steel Grey Matte.
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The Grand Vitara Phantom Blaq Edition is offered exclusively in the strong-hybrid Alpha+ top-spec trim. It debuts a matte black finish which is a first-ever colour option for any Maruti Suzuki model. On the outside, the Phantom Blaq Edition features a unique matte black paint, complemented by a de-chromed treatment, a blacked-out front grille, and 17-inch gloss black alloy wheels.
Moving inside, it gets the same interior layout with an all-black theme with perforated faux leather seats and subtle champagne gold highlights. Features wise, it continues to get 8-way driver-powered seat, electronic parking brake, auto purify with PM 2.5 Display, LED cabin lamps, a 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, 7-inch digital instrument cluster (strong-hybrid only), ventilated front seats, a panoramic sunroof, HUD display, 360-degree camera, wireless charger, ambient lighting, connected car tech, Arkamys sound system and more. In terms of safety, it gets electronic stability control (ESC), hill hold assist, ISOFIX child seat anchors, TPMS, Hill descent control and more.
As mentioned previously, the Grand Vitara Phantom Blaq edition is exclusively offered with a 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder strong hybrid Atkinson cycle petrol engine sourced by Toyota. The engine puts out 115hp and is paired to an e-CVT gearbox. Maruti claims an efficiency of 27.97 kmpl. There's another mild-hybrid engine offered with regular variants - a 1.5-litre NA, 4-cyl, Petrol engine with 103 hp of power and 135 Nm of torque. This comes paired either with a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter. This engine also gets an AWD option and has claimed fuel efficiency of 21.11kpl for the manual variants, 20.58kpl for the automatics and 19.38kpl for the manual AWD variant.
Mr. Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, said, 'As we celebrate a decade of NEXA, the Grand Vitara PHANTOM BLAQ Edition reflects our ongoing commitment to inspire customers with specially curated innovations. This Limited Edition captures the essence of indulgence, offering an SUV that not only performs exceptionally but also aligns perfectly with the refined lifestyles of our discerning buyers.' He added, 'Since its debut, the Grand Vitara has garnered an exceptional response, achieving the milestone of 300,000 sales in just 32 months, setting a new benchmark in the mid-size SUV segment in India. This success is driven by its versatile powertrain portfolio, offering customers the choice of Strong Hybrid, ALLGRIP Select, and S-CNG powertrain options, catering to diverse customer needs. The exclusive new Grand Vitara PHANTOM BLAQ is set to elevate its desirability further.'
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The fuel itself doesn't help. Ethanol has around 34% less energy content than petrol, meaning it naturally delivers fewer kilometers per litre. Industry executives estimate a 7% efficiency drop in non-E20 vehicles, though official studies, like those from ARAI and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), claim it's only 1-6%. Reji Mathai, director, ARAI says in the run up to the implementation of E20, ARAI, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) and Indian Oil, under the directive of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) had undertaken a joint study where they picked up new and old E10 compatible vehicle mix of two and four wheelers (BS VI & BS IV) and evaluated them on E20. "The vehicles performed satisfactorily and there was a minor increase of 2 to 6% in fuel consumption. The accelerated lab tests for material compatibility showed some degradation of certain plastics & elastomers that come in contact with the fuel. 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