The country’s largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki India, today launched CNG versions for five of its models, including the best-selling Alto, in its bid to regain 50 per cent market share.

Priced between Rs 3.23 lakh and Rs 7.47 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the other models with factory-fitted CNG options are — compact cars Estilo and WagonR, multi-purpose vehicle Eeco and mid-sized sedan SX4.

“The development is significant on multiple counts. This is the first instance when a car manufacturer has developed and launched factory-fitted, technologically superior CNG engines in India,” Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) Managing Director and CEO Shinzo Nakanishi told reporters in New Delhi.

The move comes at a time when the company’s market share has slipped below 50 per cent this fiscal. It has undertaken many steps, including launching a 1,000-cc version of the Alto and an automatic transmission variant of its A-Star hatchback, to regain the lost market share.

According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), MSI sold 2,82,488 cars during the April -July period, translating into a 47.68 per cent share in the overall 5,92,405 units market. In the year-ago period, MSI had a 53.13 per cent share of the 4,40,069 units car market, with sales of 2,33,811 units.

“The company’s big ticket entry into the CNG fuel segment augurs well for the environment,” Nakanishi added.

Asked if the company planned to launch CNG variants in its other models as well he said, “We would need more manpower for that, so in the beginning we will have CNG options only in these five models.”

MSI has spent Rs 40 crore on the development of these CNG fuel models.

The CNG powered Alto will be priced at Rs 3.23 lakh, costlier by Rs 45,000 from the petrol variant, while the same for Estilo is at Rs 4.05 lakh, more expensive by Rs 50,000 from its petrol variant.

The company said its new CNG WagonR will be offered at Rs 4.11 lakh, as against Rs 3.61 lakh for the petrol version. For its multi-purpose van, Eeco, the CNG version is priced at Rs 3.64 lakh, against Rs 3.09 lakh for the petrol version, while the CNG-powered sedan SX4 will cost Rs 7.47 lakh, costlier by Rs 55,000.

Last week, Nakanishi had said with the launch of these five new CNG cars, the company expects to increase its market share to over 50 per cent again.