After Force Motors, it is now the turn of Sonalika to launch their own SUV in the Indian passenger car segment. Sonalika is credited with having the Toyota Qualis look-alike, the ICML Rhino in the passenger MUV segment. Force Motors have inspired many other niche manufacturers to try their hands at making SUVs for the passenger car segment in India. Pininfarina, the famous Italian design house is rumored to design this new SUV and Sonalika would be developing this car mostly in house with some inputs from suspension tuning specialists, Lotus.
A sum of about Rs 500 crores is set to be invested by the company in the passenger car segment now. After the launch of the SUV somewhere down by 2012, there would also be a passenger car segment which would be launched later on. This sedan would take on the likes of the Honda City, Vento and others and would be priced between Rs 8-10 lakhs. Initially, the company plans to roll out only a diesel engine. It would be the same Rover derived one with a capacity of 2.0 liters and varying power ranges from 120 Bhp to even 140 Bhp.
