2005 Maruti Zen Restomodded By Race Concepts: 200+ BHP
The Maruti Suzuki Zen may have been forgotten today, however, back in the 2000s it was seen as the first premium hot hatchback in India. Today, the Zen has become a rare sight on Indian roads, but there are some people who still own one. Recently, a video has been shared online in which a 2005 Maruti Suzuki Zen has been restomodded to an entirely new level. This particular Zen now produces over 200 bhp, making it the most powerful street-spec Zen in India.
This unique Maruti Suzuki Zen hatchback has been built by the popular aftermarket performance modification shop, Race Concepts in India. In the video, the owner of Race Concepts starts by giving a brief history lesson on the Zen in Maruti Suzuki’s lineup. He highlights that the Zen was sold with a small 1.1-litre petrol engine.
Now, the engine block and most other components of the engine have been modified. It now gets a bored-and-stroked G-series unit, which is very similar to the legendary G13B from the Maruti Esteem. The owner of Race Concepts then mentions that it has been given full internal strengthening for high boost. It also gets forged pistons, forged connecting rods, upgraded injectors, and a larger throttle body.
Additionally, the main highlight of this build is the large turbocharger. To keep this turbo and engine cooler, there is a front-mount intercooler, revised intake plumbing for improved heat dissipation, a bonnet heat-extraction vent, and a bigger air intake. The engine bay also gets a strut brace to reduce chassis flex.
In order to efficiently manage space, the AC of this Zen has been deleted. The owner of the shop mentions that after all of these modifications, this Zen in low boost (7 PSI) with regular pump fuel makes 195 bhp, which translates to 205 hp at the crank. He adds that the engine has the potential to run 270–280 bhp on high-octane fuel and higher boost levels.
The owner adds that the only drawback of higher-powered engines is that the engine reliability and drivability were prioritized for road use. In terms of key performance details, 0–100 kmph happens in under 7 seconds. The quarter-mile time of this Zen is in early 14s, which is almost in the supercar territory for a 20-year-old hatchback chassis.
To be able to handle such power, the Zen has been given a stage 3 high-clamp clutch rated for 300 bhp and 350 Nm of torque. It also gets a lightened flywheel from the 1.3-litre platform, allowing quicker rev matching and sharper response. To stop this Zen quickly, it gets custom slotted rotors, performance pads, and high-quality braided brake lines.
The original 2005 Zen exterior silhouette has been kept intact. It gets flared metal wheel arches fused into factory bodywork to fit wider wheels, and a heat-dissipation bonnet vent. The 2005 facelift bumper and headlight design have been retained. As for the color, it has been painted in a striking custom blue chosen by the owner. It also has been given 5-inch Comomotive rally wheels with performance low-profile tyres.
On the inside, it retains factory fabric seats and materials, maintaining an era-correct retro vibe. The major updates include a 12.5-inch OM flat-face steering wheel, race-style gear knob, boost gauge, and shift light. It comes powered by a Race Dynamics R200 standalone ECU, which controls boost, ignition timing, fueling, and engine safeties.