title: M3 Lee

text: In the Pacific War, armored warfare played a relatively minor role for the Allies as well as for the Japanese, compared with that of naval, air, and infantry units.


title: M3 Lee

text: In the Pacific Ocean Theater and the Southwest Pacific Theater, the U.S. Army deployed none of its dedicated armored divisions and only a third of its 70 other separate tank battalions.


title: M3 Lee

text: While the US Marine Corps deployed all six of its tank battalions, none of these were equipped with the M3 Lee. (USMC tank battalions were equipped initially with M3 Stuarts, which were then replaced by M4 Shermans in mid-1944.)


title: M3 Lee

text: Some M3 Grants played an offensive role with the British Indian Army, in the Southeast Asian Theater.


title: M3 Lee

text: The Australian Army also used Grants during World War II, mainly for homeland defence and training purposes.


title: M3 Lee

text: The only combat use of the M3 Lee by the US Army against Japanese forces occurred during the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign of 1943.


title: M3 Lee

text: Following the better-known landing at Tarawa, the US 27th Infantry Division made an amphibious assault on Makin Island with armoured support from a platoon of M3A5 Lees equipped with deep-wading kits belonging to the US Army's 193rd Tank Battalion.


title: M3 Lee

text: After British Commonwealth forces in Europe and the Mediterranean began receiving M4 Shermans, about 900 British-ordered M3 Lees/Grants were shipped to the Indian Army. Some of these saw action against Japanese troops and tanks in the Burma Campaign of WWII.


title: M3 Lee

text: They were used by the British Fourteenth Army until the fall of Rangoon, regarded as performing "admirably" in the original intended role of supporting infantry in Burma between 1944 and 1945.


title: M3 Lee

text: In the Burma Campaign, the M3 medium tank's main task was infantry support. It played a pivotal role during the Battle of Imphal, during which the Imperial Japanese Army's 14th Tank Regiment (primarily equipped with their own Type 95 Ha-Go light tanks, together with a handful of captured British M3 Stuart light tanks as well) encountered M3 medium tanks for the first time and found their light tanks outgunned and outmatched by the better British armour. Despite their worse-than-average off-road performance, the British M3 tanks performed well as they traversed the steep hillsides around Imphal and defeated the assaulting Japanese forces. Officially declared obsolete in April 1944, nevertheless, the Lee/Grant saw action until the end of the war in September 1945.


title: M3 Lee

text: At the beginning of the war, Australian Army doctrine viewed tank units as minor offensive components within infantry divisions. It had no dedicated armoured branch and most of its very limited capabilities in tank warfare had been deployed to the North African Campaign (i.e. three divisional cavalry battalions). By early 1941, the effectiveness of large-scale German panzer attacks had been recognised, and a dedicated armoured mustering was formed. The Australian Armoured Corps initially included the cadres of three armoured divisions – all of which were equipped at least partly with M3 Grants made available from surplus British orders.


title: M3 Lee

text: The 1st Australian Armoured Division was formed with a view towards complementing the three Australian infantry divisions then in North Africa. However, following the outbreak of hostilities with Japan, the division was retained in Australia. During April–May 1942, the 1st Armoured Division's regiments were reported to be re-equipping with M3 Grants and were training, in a series of large exercises, in the area around Narrabri.


title: M3 Lee

text: The cadres of other two divisions, the 2nd and 3rd Armoured Divisions were both officially formed in 1942, as Militia (reserve/home defence) units. These divisions were also partly equipped with M3 Grants.


title: M3 Lee

text: In January 1943, the main body of the 1st Armoured Division was deployed to home defence duties between Perth and Geraldton, where it formed part of III Corps.


title: M3 Lee

text: By the middle of the war, the Australian Army had deemed the Grant to be unsuitable for combat duties overseas and M3 units were re-equipped with the Matilda II before being deployed to the New Guinea and Borneo Campaigns. Due to personnel shortages, all three divisions were officially disbanded during 1943 and downgraded to brigade- and battalion-level units.


title: M3 Lee

text: During the war, the Australian Army had converted some M3 Grants for special purposes, including a small number of bulldozer variants, beach armoured recovery vehicles, and wader prototypes.


title: M3 Lee

text: Following the end of the war, 14 of the Australian M3A5 Grants were converted to a local self-propelled gun design, the Yeramba, becoming the only SPG ever deployed by the Australian Army. Fitted with a 25-pounder field gun, the Yerambas remained in service with the 22nd Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, until the late 1950s.


title: M3 Lee

text: Many M3s deemed surplus to Australian Army requirements were acquired by civilian buyers during the 1950s and 1960s for conversion to earthmoving equipment and/or tractors.


title: M3 Lee

text: Overall, the M3 was able to be effective on the battlefield from 1942 until 1943. However, US armored units lacked tactical expertise on a method to overcome its design. Its armor and firepower were equal or superior to most of the threats it faced, especially in the Pacific. Long-range, high-velocity guns were not yet common on German tanks in the African theater. However, the rapid pace of tank development meant that the M3 was very quickly outclassed. By mid-1942, with the introduction of the German Tiger I, the up-gunning of the Panzer IV to a long 75 mm gun, and the first appearance in 1943 of the Panther, along with the availability of large numbers of the M4 Sherman, the M3 was withdrawn from service in the European Theater.


title: M3 Lee

text: American designations first with British Commonwealth designations (where actually used) given in parentheses


title: Pole vault

text: Pole vaulting, also known as pole jumping, is a track and field event in which an athlete uses a long and flexible pole, usually made from fiberglass or carbon fiber, as an aid to jump over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the Mycenaean Greeks, Minoan Greeks and Celts. It has been a full medal event at the Olympic Games since 1896 for men and since 2000 for women.


title: Pole vault

text: It is typically classified as one of the four major jumping events in athletics, alongside the high jump, long jump and triple jump. It is unusual among track and field sports in that it requires a significant amount of specialised equipment in order to participate, even at a basic level. A number of elite pole vaulters have had backgrounds in gymnastics, including world record breakers Yelena Isinbayeva and Brian Sternberg, reflecting the similar physical attributes required for the sports. Running speed, however, may be the most dominant factor. Physical attributes such as speed, agility and strength are essential to pole vaulting effectively, but technical skill is an equally if not more important element. The object of pole vaulting is to clear a bar or crossbar supported upon two uprights (standards) without knocking it down.


title: Pole vault

text: Poles were used as a practical means of passing over natural obstacles in marshy places such as the province of Friesland in the Netherlands, along the North Sea, and the great level of the Fens in England across Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk. Artificial draining of these marshes created a network of open drains or canals intersecting each other. To cross these without getting soaked, while avoiding tedious roundabout journeys over bridges, a stack of jumping poles was kept at every house and used for vaulting over the canals.


title: Pole vault

text: Distance pole vaulting competitions continue to be held annually in the lowlands around the North Sea. These far-jumping competitions (Frisian: "Fierljeppen") are not based on height.


title: Pole vault

text: In his book "The Mechanics of the Pole Vault," Richard Ganslen reports that the London Gymnastic Society under Professor Voelker held measured pole vaulting events in 1826, involving 1,300 participants and recording heights up to . Other early pole vaulting competitions where height was measured took place at the Ulverston Football and Cricket Club, Lancashire, north of the sands (now Cumbria) in 1843. Modern competition began around 1850 in Germany, when pole vaulting was added to the exercises of the Turner gymnastic clubs by Johann C. F. GutsMuths and Friedrich L. Jahn. In Great Britain, it was first practiced at the Caledonian Games.


title: Pole vault

text: Initially, vaulting poles were made from stiff materials such as bamboo or aluminum. The introduction of flexible vaulting poles in the early 1950s made from composites such as fiberglass or carbon fiber allowed vaulters to achieve greater height.


title: Pole vault

text: In 2000, IAAF rule 260.18a (formerly 260.6a) was amended, so that "world records" (as opposed to "indoor world records") can be set in a facility "with or without roof". This rule was not applied retroactively. With many indoor facilities not conforming to outdoor track specifications for size and flatness, the pole vault was the only world record set indoors until 2022.


title: Pole vault

text: Today, athletes compete in the pole vault as one of the four jumping events in track and field. Because the high jump and pole vault are both vertical jumps, the competitions are conducted similarly. Each athlete can choose at what height they would like to enter the competition. Once they enter, they have three attempts to clear the height. If a height is cleared, the vaulter advances to the next height, where they will have three more attempts. Once the vaulter has three consecutive misses, they are out of the competition and the highest height they cleared is their result. A "no height", often denoted "NH", refers to the failure of a vaulter to clear any bar during the competition.


title: Pole vault

text: Once the vaulter enters the competition, they can choose to pass heights. If a vaulter achieves a miss on their first attempt at a height, they can pass to the next height, but they will only have two attempts at that height, as they will be out once they achieve three consecutive misses. Similarly, after earning two misses at a height, they could pass to the next height, when they would have only one attempt.


title: Pole vault

text: The competitor who clears the highest height is the winner. If two or more vaulters have finished with the same height, the tie is broken by the number of misses at the final height. If the tied vaulters have the same number of misses at the last height cleared, the tie is broken by the total number of misses in the competition.


title: Pole vault

text: If there is still a tie for first place, a jump-off occurs to break the tie. Marks achieved in this type of jump-off are considered valid and count for any purpose that a mark achieved in a normal competition would.


title: Pole vault

text: If a tie in the other places still exists, a jump-off is not normally conducted, unless the competition is a qualifying meet, and the tie exists in the final qualifying spot. In this case, an administrative jump-off is conducted to break the tie, but the marks are not considered valid for any other purpose than breaking the tie.


title: Pole vault

text: A jump-off is a sudden death competition in which the tied vaulters attempt the same height, starting with the last attempted height. If both vaulters miss, the bar goes down by a small increment, and if both clear, the bar goes up by a small increment. A jump-off ends when one vaulter clears and the other misses. Each vaulter gets one attempt at each height until one makes and one misses.


title: Pole vault

text: The equipment and rules for pole vaulting are similar to the high jump. Unlike high jump, however, the athlete in the vault has the ability to select the horizontal position of the bar before each jump and can place it a distance beyond the back of the box, the metal pit that the pole is placed into immediately before takeoff. The range of distance the vaulter may place the standards varies depending on the level of competition.


title: Pole vault

text: If the pole used by the athlete dislodges the bar from the uprights, a foul attempt is ruled, even if the athlete has cleared the height. An athlete does not benefit from quickly leaving the landing pad before the bar has fallen. The exception to this rule if the vaulter is vaulting outdoors and has made a clear effort to throw the pole back, but the wind has blown the pole into the bar; this counts as a clearance. This call is made at the discretion of the pole vault official. If the pole breaks during the execution of a vault, it is considered an equipment failure and is ruled a non-jump, neither a make nor a miss. Other types of equipment failure include the standards slipping down or the wind dislodging the bar when no contact was made by the vaulter.


title: Pole vault

text: Each athlete has a set amount of time in which to make an attempt. The amount of time varies by level of competition and the number of vaulters remaining. If the vaulter fails to begin an attempt within this time, the vaulter is charged with a time foul and the attempt is a miss.


title: Pole vault

text: Poles are manufactured with ratings corresponding to the vaulter's maximum weight. As a safety precaution, some organizations forbid use of poles rated below the vaulter's weight. The recommended weight roughly corresponds to a flex rating that is determined by the manufacturer by applying a standardized amount of stress (most commonly a weight) on the pole and measuring how much the center of the pole is displaced. Therefore, two poles rated at the same weight are not necessarily the same stiffness.


title: Pole vault

text: Pole stiffness and length are important factors to a vaulter's performance. Therefore, it is not uncommon for an elite vaulter to carry as many as ten poles to a competition. The effective length of a pole can be changed by gripping the pole higher or lower in relation to the top of the pole. The left and right handgrips are typically a bit more than shoulder width apart. Poles are manufactured for people of all skill levels and body sizes, with lengths between and and a wide range of weight ratings. Each manufacturer determines the weight rating for the pole and the location of the maximum handhold band.


title: Pole vault

text: Speed is an essential element to high jumps. The horizontal kinetic energy produced by the run formula_1 is converted to vertical propulsion formula_2. Assuming no loss of energy formula_3, this means that formula_4.


title: Pole vault

text: Competitive pole vaulting began using solid ash poles. As the heights attained increased, bamboo poles gave way to tubular aluminum, which was tapered at each end. Today's pole vaulters benefit from poles produced by wrapping pre-cut sheets of fiberglass that contains resin around a metal pole mandrel, to produce a slightly curved pole that bends more easily under the compression caused by an athlete's take-off. The shape of the fiberglass sheets and the amount of fiberglass used is carefully planned to provide the desired length and stiffness of pole. Different fiber types, including carbon-fiber, are used to give poles specific characteristics intended to promote higher jumps. In recent years, carbon fiber has been added to the commonly used E-glass (E for initial electrical use) and S-glass (S for solid) materials to create a lighter pole.


title: Pole vault

text: As in the high jump, the landing area was originally a heap of sawdust or sand where athletes landed on their feet. As technology enabled higher vaults, mats evolved into bags of large chunks of foam. Today's mats are foam usually thick. They are usually built up with two cross-laid square section logs with gaps between them, topped by a solid layer of foam of the same thickness. This lattice construction is wrapped in a close-fitting cover topped with nylon mesh, which allows some air to escape, thus combining both foam and a measure of air cushioning. The final layer is a large mat of mesh-covered foam which is clipped around the edges of the complete pit and prevents the athlete from falling between the individual bags. Mats are growing larger in area as well to minimize risk of injury. Proper landing technique is on the back or shoulders. Landing on the feet should be avoided, to eliminate the risk of injury to the lower extremities, particularly ankle sprains.


title: Pole vault

text: Rule changes over the years have resulted in larger landing areas and additional padding of all hard and unyielding surfaces.


title: Pole vault

text: The pole vault crossbar has evolved from a triangular aluminum bar to a round fiberglass bar with rubber ends. This is balanced on standards and can be knocked off when it is hit by a pole vaulter or the pole. Rule changes have led to shorter pegs and crossbar ends that are semi-circular.


title: Pole vault

text: Although many techniques are used by vaulters at various skill levels to clear the bar, the generally accepted technical model can be broken down into several phases.


title: Pole vault

text: During the approach the pole vaulter sprints down the runway in such a way as to achieve maximum speed and correct position to initiate takeoff at the end of the approach. Top class vaulters use approaches with 18 to 22 strides, often referred to as a "step" in which every other foot is counted as one step. The run-up to the vaulting pit begins forcefully with the vaulter running powerfully in a relaxed, upright position with knees lifted and torso leaning very slightly forward. The head, shoulders and hips are aligned, the vaulter increasing speed as the body becomes erect. The tip of the vaulting pole is angled higher than eye level until three paces from takeoff, when the pole tip descends efficiently, amplifying run speed as the pole is planted into the vault box. The faster the vaulter can run and the more efficient their take-off is, the greater the kinetic energy that can be achieved and used during the vault.


title: Pole vault

text: The plant and take-off is initiated typically three steps out from the final step. Vaulters will usually count their steps backwards from their starting point to the box only counting the steps taken on the left foot (vice versa for left-handers) except for the second step from the box, which is taken by the right foot. For example, a vaulter on a "ten count" (referring to the number of counted steps from the starting point to the box) would count backwards from ten, only counting the steps taken with the left foot, until the last three steps taken and both feet are counted as three, two, one. These last three steps are normally quicker than the previous strides and are referred to as the "turn-over". The goal of this phase is to efficiently translate the kinetic energy accumulated from the approach into potential energy stored by the elasticity of the pole, and to gain as much initial vertical height as possible by jumping off the ground. The plant starts with the vaulter raising their arms up from around the hips or mid-torso until they are fully outstretched above the head, with the right arm extended directly above the head and the left arm extended perpendicular to the pole (vice versa for left-handed vaulters). At the same time, the vaulter is dropping the pole tip into the box. On the final step, the vaulter jumps off the trail leg which should always remain straight and then drives the front knee forward. As the pole slides into the back of the box the pole begins to bend and the vaulter continues up and forward, leaving the trail leg angled down and behind.


title: Pole vault

text: The swing and row simply consists of the vaulter swinging the trail leg forward and rowing the pole, bringing the top arm down to the hips, while trying to keep the trail leg straight to store more potential energy into the pole, the rowing motion also keeps the pole bent for a longer period of time for the vaulter to get into optimum position. Once in a "U" shape the left arm hugs the pole tight to efficiently use the recoil within the pole. The goal is to carry out these motions as thoroughly and as quickly as possible; it is a race against the unbending of the pole. Effectively, this causes a double pendulum motion, with the top of the pole moving forward and pivoting from the box, while the vaulter acts as a second pendulum pivoting from the right hand. This action gives the vaulter the best position possible to be "ejected" off the pole. The swing continues until the hips are above the head and the arms are pulling the pole close to the chest; from there the vaulter shoots their legs up over the cross bar while keeping the pole close.


title: Pole vault

text: The extension refers to the extension of the hips upward with outstretched legs as the shoulders drive down, causing the vaulter to be positioned upside down. This position is often referred to as "inversion". While this phase is executed, the pole begins to recoil, propelling the vaulter quickly upward. The hands of the vaulter remain close to the body as they move from the shins back to the region around the hips and upper torso.


title: Pole vault

text: The turn is executed immediately after or even during the end of the rockback. As the name implies, the vaulter turns 180° toward the pole while extending the arms down past the head and shoulders. Typically the vaulter will begin to angle their body toward the bar as the turn is executed, although ideally the vaulter will remain as vertical as possible. A more accurate description of this phase of the vault may be "the spin" because the vaulter spins around an imaginary axis from head to toe.


title: Pole vault

text: This is often highly emphasized by spectators and novice vaulters, but it is the easiest phase of the vault and is a result of proper execution of previous phases. This phase mainly consists of the vaulter pushing off the pole and releasing it so it falls away from the bar and mats. As the torso goes over and around the bar, the vaulter is facing the bar. Rotation of the body over the bar occurs naturally, and the vaulter's main concern is making sure that their arms, face and any other appendages do not knock the bar off as they go over. The vaulter should land near the middle of the foam landing mats, or pits, face up.


title: Pole vault

text: The "six metres club" consists of pole vaulters who have reached at least 6.00 metres. In 1985 Sergey Bubka became the first pole vaulter to clear six metres.


title: Pole vault

text: Four women have cleared 5 metres. Yelena Isinbayeva was the first to clear on 22 July 2005. On 2 March 2013, Jennifer Suhr cleared indoors to become the second. Sandi Morris cleared 5.00 meters on 9 September 2016, to become the third. Anzhelika Sidorova cleared at the Diamond League final in Zürich on 9 September 2021.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Tranmere Rovers Football Club is a professional association football club based in Birkenhead, Merseyside, England. The team compete in , the fourth tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1884 as Belmont Football Club, they adopted their current name in 1885. Tranmere's regular kit is an all-white strip with blue, or occasionally blue and green trim, their main colours since 1962. The club moved to its current home, Prenton Park, in 1912. In 1995, the ground had a major redevelopment in response to the Taylor Report. It now seats 16,567 in four stands: the Main Stand, the Kop, the Johnny King Stand and the Cowshed.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Tranmere played in regional leagues until they were invited to become a founder member of Football League Third Division North in 1921. They finished as champions for the 1937–38 season, though were relegated out of the Second Division the following year. They dropped into the Fourth Division in 1961, before winning promotion back to the third tier at the end of the 1966–67 season. Relegation in 1975 was followed by an immediate promotion in 1975–76 under the stewardship of manager John King, and this time they survived for just three seasons in the third tier until being relegated once again in 1979. During the 1980s, they were beset by financial problems and, in 1987, went into administration. However John King returned to manage the club for a second spell and guided Rovers to promotion in 1988–89, which they followed up by winning the Associate Members' Cup in 1990 and then promotion out of the play-offs in 1991.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: The 1990s would prove to be the most successful period in the club's history as Tranmere remained in the second tier, and came close to reaching the Premier League with three consecutive play-off campaigns at the start of the decade. Under King's successor, John Aldridge, Tranmere experienced a number of cup runs, most notably reaching the 2000 League Cup final. They were finally relegated in 2001 and then spent 13 seasons in the third tier, before two successive relegations saw them drop out of the Football League after an 84-year stay. Tranmere spent three seasons in the National League and then returned to the third tier of the Football League via successive play-off campaigns in 2018 and 2019. They were relegated from League One in 2020 after clubs voted to end the season early due to the COVID-19 pandemic.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Tranmere Rovers were, initially, formed as Belmont Football Club when the football arms of two cricket clubs – Lyndhurst Wanderers and Belmont – came together in 1884. On 15 November 1884, they won their first game 4–0 against Brunswick Rovers. This was a friendly match, as there were no leagues until 1888. Under the presidency of James McGaul, the team had a successful inaugural season, losing only one of their fifteen matches. An unrelated, disbanded side had played under the name "Tranmere Rovers Cricket Club (Association football section)" in 1881–82. On 16 September 1885, before their second season began, Belmont F.C. adopted this name Tranmere Rovers. Tranmere is historically a large village that was subsumed within the later expansion of the town of Birkenhead.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Tranmere played their first matches at Steeles Field in Birkenhead. In 1887, they bought Ravenshaws Field from Tranmere Rugby Club. In 1895, their ground was renamed Prenton Park, although it was 25 years later that the team moved into the current stadium of the same name. Tranmere first wore a kit of blue shirts, white shorts and blue socks. In 1889 they adopted orange and maroon shirts, but in 1904 returned to wearing their original kit.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: In 1886, Tranmere entered their first competition: the Liverpool and District Challenge Cup; in 1889, they entered the West Lancashire League. They joined the Combination, a much stronger league, in 1897, and won the championship in 1908. In 1910, continuing their movement through the leagues, they entered the Lancashire Combination and in 1912 they showed their ambition by moving to the present Prenton Park site, with an 800-seat stand. Tranmere won the Lancashire Combination Championship in 1914 and Stan Rowlands became the first Tranmere player to receive an international cap when he was selected to play for Wales.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Rovers continued to play throughout the First World War, although their players were criticised for avoiding military service, despite being employed in the local shipyards.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Following the expulsion of Leeds City Reserves in 1919, Tranmere were able to enter the Central League. Their timing was excellent as the following season, four Central League clubs – including Tranmere – were invited to join the new Division Three North. On 27 August 1921, as founder members of the division, they won their first Football League match 4–1 against Crewe Alexandra at Prenton Park. At this time the team were managed by Bert Cooke, who did so for 23 years in total, the club record for longest serving manager.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: In 1924, local youngster Dixie Dean made his debut aged 16 years 355 days. He played 30 games for Rovers, scoring 27 goals, before being transferred to Everton for £3,000. In the 1927–28 season, Dean scored a record 60 League goals for Everton. After Dean's departure, a string of talented youngsters also left for Division One clubs, leading to Cooke's reputation as a shrewd businessman. Among those sold was Pongo Waring who – having scored six goals in the 11–1 victory over Durham City – went to Aston Villa for £4,700. Waring retains the record of scoring most goals for Villa in a single season.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: In 1934, an FA Cup tie between Rovers and Liverpool was watched at Anfield by 61,036 fans, then a record crowd for a game involving Rovers. One year later, Bunny Bell netted 57 goals during the 1933–34 season, and nine goals in the 13–4 Boxing Day 1935 victory over Oldham Athletic. As of 2011, the aggregate of 17 goals in one game remains a league record.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: During this same period, Tranmere made several appearances in the Welsh Cup, reaching the Final on two occasions. In 1934, they lost 3–0 to Bristol City in a replay, after a 1–1 draw. The following season, they went one better by beating local rivals Chester 1–0 to win their first silverware since joining the Football League.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Rovers won their first championship in the Football League in 1938 with victory in Division Three North and, hence, promotion to Division Two for the first time. It is still Rovers' only championship in the Football League. However, they were relegated the next season winning six matches – the record for the worst performance of any team in Division Two.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Prenton Park emerged from the Second World War largely unscathed. Tranmere rejoined the peacetime Football League in Division Three North and stayed there until the 1958 restructuring of the football league's lower divisions. Manager Peter Farrell led Tranmere to finish 11th in the final season of the Northern Section, securing a place in the new national Division Three where they were, again, founder members. The final match against Wrexham, also fighting for a place in the higher league, attracted a crowd of 19,615, which remains the highest ever attendance at a Prenton Park league match.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: In 1961, Tranmere's inspirational captain Harold Bell left the club. Bell had been picked in the first game after the Second World War in the 1946 season and did not miss a match until he was dropped on 30 August 1955, a total of 459 consecutive appearances for a British team, a record which held until 2011. Rovers certainly missed their captain, and were relegated to Division Four for the first time in 1961.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: The club brought in Dave Russell as manager who made some revolutionary changes. Tranmere had worn a kit of blue shirts, white shorts and blue socks since 1904 – the same colours as local rivals, Division One club Everton. Russell introduced an all-white strip to set the teams apart; these have been Tranmere's usual colours since. Russell also developed a successful youth policy which included England international Roy McFarland among its graduates. Russell guided Rovers back to Division Three in 1967, a year before a new 4,000-seater main stand was opened, and Rovers reached the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time. Three years later the club's record attendance at Prenton Park was established as 24,424 supporters witnessed Rovers draw 2–2 with Stoke City in the FA Cup.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: In 1972, Ron Yeats was installed as player/manager. He strengthened Tranmere's connections with local rivals Liverpool by recruiting several former teammates such as Ian St John, and bringing in Bill Shankly in a consultancy role. This team saw one of the most memorable Rovers results of all time when, in a League Cup tie in 1973, Tranmere beat First Division Arsenal 1–0 at their former Highbury home. However, Tranmere returned to the Fourth Division in 1975. The following decade was among the bleakest times in the club's history, with the team usually in the lower reaches of the Fourth Division, beset by financial problems, and attaining crowds of less than 2,000.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: In 1979, Steve Mungall joined Tranmere from Motherwell. He went on to make more than 500 league appearances for Rovers in a 17-year period. This spell saw Rovers rise up the league and make several appearances at Wembley. He remained with the club on the coaching staff before leaving in October 2000 to pursue business interests.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Another relegation to Division Four in 1979 put the club in financial difficulties. Debts mounted throughout the 1980s, with insolvency forestalled through a series of friendly fixtures, contributions from fans and a £200,000 loan from Wirral Council. This partnership proved an enduring one, as Wirral's logo still appeared on the shirts until 2011. In July 1984 the club was sold to a Californian attorney, making Tranmere one of the first English clubs bought by a foreign owner. Nonetheless, in 1987 the club went into administration, with local businessman Peter Johnson taking over control and ownership. This proved to be a turning point in Tranmere's history, the club under his ownership enjoying by far the most successful period in its history, in which manager John King took the team from the bottom of Division Four to the brink of English football's top league. King's first task was to avoid the team finishing bottom of Division Four, which would have resulted in their relegation from the football league. Safety was guaranteed on the last game of the season with a 1–0 home win over Exeter City.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: The first full season (1987–88) of King's second managerial spell in charge saw Tranmere make their first appearance at Wembley stadium when a good mid-season run of form saw them qualify for the Football League Centenary Tournament. Tranmere were the surprise stars of the event, beating Division One Wimbledon and Newcastle United before losing on penalties to eventual winners Nottingham Forest. The following season, King guided Tranmere to promotion as Division Four runners-up. Their final game played to clinch promotion was against Crewe Alexandra, and was notable for the fact that both teams needed a point to gain promotion. The first half was contested as usual, but the second half, with the score at 1–1, both teams failed to attack each other's goals, leading to combined celebrations at the final whistle.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: In the same season, they achieved a string of cup successes including beating Division One Middlesbrough. Promotion was almost achieved in their first season in Division Three, losing 2–0 in the Play-off Final to Notts County., a week after Tranmere's 2–1 victory over Bristol Rovers at Wembley in the final of the Leyland DAF Trophy had clinched the club's first trophy. A key element in Tranmere's success during this period was the form of striker Ian Muir. He joined the club in 1985 and scored 180 goals in eleven seasons. He is the club's record scorer, and the first inductee to their hall of fame. Fellow hall of fame member John Morrissey joined the club in 1986. The winger spent 14 seasons at the club, making 585 appearances.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: In the 1990–91 season, Tranmere won promotion to Division Two for the first time since the 1930s, with a 1–0 play-off win over local rivals Bolton Wanderers. Once again, Rovers made an appearance in the Leyland DAF Trophy final, this time losing 3–2 to Birmingham City. This made the play-off victory over Bolton Tranmere's fourth appearance in a Wembley final in just over a year.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Former Liverpool player John Aldridge joined the club in summer of 1991, signing from Spain's Real Sociedad for £250,000; he would remain on the club's payroll for the next 10 years, scoring 170 times to put him behind only Ian Muir in the all-time scoring charts. Aldridge also received 30 caps for the Republic of Ireland, and was the first Tranmere player to score at a World Cup. In 1993, Scotland international Pat Nevin joined the team, forming a four-man attack alongside Aldridge, Malkin and Morrissey. Tranmere reached the play-offs in three successive seasons missing out on promotion to the newly formed Premier League through defeat to Swindon Town in 1993, Leicester City in 1994, and Reading in 1995. 1994 also saw Tranmere progress to the League Cup semi-final, where they faced Aston Villa over two legs. The home leg was won 3–1 by Tranmere, with Villa scoring their only goal in the 94th minute. The away leg was 2–1 to Villa until the 88th minute with Villa finally winning 3–1, so the match went to extra time and penalties. Tranmere were one kick away from the final but Liam O'Brien's sudden death penalty was saved by Mark Bosnich and they eventually lost 5–4.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: A reconstructed Prenton Park was opened in March 1995, with the all seater stadium now holding just under 17,000 supporters. One year later, John Aldridge was appointed player/manager and held that position for five years; he retired from playing in 1999.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: In the 1999–2000 season, despite severe financial constraints, victories over a succession of Premiership sides led not only to a place in the sixth round of the FA Cup but a place in the 2000 Football League Cup Final against Leicester City – the first time Rovers had ever reached a major final. Matt Elliott scored Leicester's opening goal, before Tranmere's Clint Hill was sent off for a second bookable offence. Despite being reduced to ten men, David Kelly equalised; but Elliot soon netted Leicester's second goal and Tranmere lost the match 2–1. It was the last League Cup game to be played at the original Wembley stadium.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: In 2000, the all-white kit was reintroduced and is still used in 2014. That season they enjoyed yet another run in Cup competitions beating local Premier League rivals Everton 3–0 at Goodison Park, then Southampton 4–3 (after being 0–3 down), before finally bowing out to Liverpool. They nevertheless struggled in League matches; Aldridge quit before Tranmere's relegation to Division Two ended a spell of ten years in Division One.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Brian Little was appointed as manager in 2003. He took Rovers to a play-off semi final in 2004–05 and a best ever 6th round replay in the 2004 FA Cup where they lost to eventual finalists, Millwall. At the end of the 2005–06 season, Little left the club and was replaced by former player Ronnie Moore. In Moore's three seasons in charge, the club finished 9th, 11th and 7th, just missing out the play-offs in the final season. Despite this, he was sacked in 2009 and replaced by former England winger John Barnes, whose only previous domestic managerial experience was with Celtic 10 years earlier. It was whilst Barnes was manager that long serving Kitman, Mark Trevor, ended his 12-year 'Labour of Love' washing the kit of his local team. Having been at the club since 1997, he washed his last kit in August 2009 ready for the home game with Charlton Athletic. Barnes' reign lasted considerably less, it was a mere five months before long-serving club physiotherapist Les Parry was given temporary charge. Rovers finished the season in 19th place in League One, avoiding relegation on the final day of the season thanks to a 3–0 victory at Stockport County. In June 2010, Parry was given the manager's job on a permanent basis. He was sacked on 4 March 2012, after a 1–0 defeat by Chesterfield left them only one point above the relegation zone, and replaced by Ronnie Moore for the remainder of the season. Moore won six of his thirteen games in charge at the end of the season, guiding Tranmere to a comfortable mid-table position, as they finished the season in the top half for the first time in several years. Moore then signed a new one-year deal with Tranmere, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2012–13 season.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Towards the end of the 2013–14 season, Moore admitted breaking the Football Association's betting rules, and was sacked by Tranmere when the club were just outside the relegation zone. Assistant John McMahon took over as caretaker manager, but Tranmere were relegated to League Two on the final game of the season. Rob Edwards was subsequently appointed as new manager.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: On 11 August 2014, it was announced that former player and Football Association chief executive Mark Palios and his wife Nicola were taking a controlling interest in the club from outgoing chairman Peter Johnson. Mark Palios would become Executive Chairman of the club, with Johnson becoming Honorary President.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: After a poor start to the season, the home loss to Plymouth Argyle on 11 October 2014 saw Tranmere in last place in the Football League for the first time since 27 August 1987 after they had lost their first two matches of that season. Edwards was sacked as manager on 13 October. Mickey Adams took over a week later, with the aim of saving the club from relegation to the Conference. However, on 25 April 2015 Tranmere were relegated from the Football League after another defeat to Plymouth Argyle in the reverse fixture, ending their 94-year stay in the leagues.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Gary Brabin was appointed as manager on 5 May 2015. It was a season of ups and downs, with home form suffering while away form was much more successful. It took a while for Rovers to adjust to life in the non-league, with erratic form during the season. Tranmere finished sixth, one place outside the play-off zone, in Gary Brabin's first season.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Tranmere started the 2016–17 season brightly, ranking at the top of the table at the end of August, gaining Gary Brabin the manager of the month. Form later dipped which resulted in one goal scored in the next four games, with the 1–0 defeat to Sutton United on BT Sport resulting in Brabin being sacked on 18 September 2016. Assistant manager, ex-Southport boss Paul Carden took the reins on an interim basis. On 6 October 2016, former Tranmere player Micky Mellon was appointed permanent manager. His first game in charge was against cross-border rivals Wrexham, and a 2–0 victory for Tranmere. Despite a 2nd-place finish and a club record 95 point haul, this still was not enough to gain automatic promotion back to the league. Tranmere faced Aldershot Town in the play-offs. A goal from James Norwood and a brace from Cole Stockton in the first leg away at the Recreation Ground saw Rovers take a 3–0 lead back to Prenton Park for the second leg, which ended in a 2–2 draw, Norwood and Stockton once again on the scoresheet. This gave Tranmere a 5–2 aggregate win and their first Wembley appearance in 17 years. On 14 May 2017, Tranmere suffered a 3–1 defeat in the National League play-off Final at the hands of Forest Green, Connor Jennings with Rovers first goal at Wembley since the 2000 League Cup Final.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Tranmere's 2017–18 season got off to a poor start, with 3 wins from the first 12 games. Tranmere slipped to 18th in the league, their lowest ever league position. A spectacular winter turnaround saw Tranmere move into the play-offs, where they would find themselves for the remainder of the season. This turnaround included a record breaking run of 9 consecutive home league wins. This record breaking stint was ended in February by a 4–1 defeat at the hands of eventual title winners Macclesfield Town. Tranmere responded to this defeat by winning 8 out of their next 9 games, finishing the season as National League runners-up for the second time in as many years, qualifying for the play-offs. In the play-off semi-final, Tranmere met Ebbsfleet United at home. Tranmere came from behind twice to take the game to extra time, the full-time score being 2–2, James Norwood with the first goal and Burnley loannee Josh Ginnelly with the second. An extra time free kick from James Norwood, followed by a goal from Larnell Cole saw Tranmere run out 4–2 victors after extra time, sending Tranmere to Wembley for the National League play-off Final. On 12 May 2018, a crowd of 16,306 were at Wembley for the Final against Boreham Wood. Tranmere were 2–1 victors, their first trophy in 27 years, and were promoted back to the Football League.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Under the chairmanship of Mark Palios and the management of Micky Mellon, Tranmere played in League Two for the 2018–19 season and finished 6th, thereby reaching the play-offs. On 25 May 2019, Tranmere secured back-to-back promotions, beating Newport County 1–0 at Wembley, with a goal from Connor Jennings in the 119th minute, thus securing their spot in League One for the 2019–20 season.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: By March 2020, the team were within the relegation zone, but with a game in hand on their nearest rivals and on a run of three successive victories. The cancellation of fixtures due to the COVID-19 pandemic meant that the season could not be completed, and a vote was taken by League One clubs on 9 June to resolve promotion and relegation issues on a points per game (PPG) basis. This meant that Tranmere would be demoted to League Two for the 2020–21 season. Club chairman Mark Palios said that the decision was unfair and that he was considering legal action as a result. He also announced that 20 members of staff would have to be made redundant.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: With the team back in League Two, Mike Jackson was named as manager of Tranmere on 18 July 2020. He was sacked on 31 October 2020. Keith Hill succeeded temporary manager Ian Dawes on 21 November 2020. He was sacked on 11 May 2021, after the side reached the play-offs but before the play-off matches had started. Tranmere were defeated by Morecambe in the play-off semi-final. At the end of May 2021, it was announced that Micky Mellon was returning to the club, after spending the season apart managing Dundee United.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Belmont F.C., the forerunners of today's Rovers, wore blue shirts and white shorts, as did the early Rovers, until a radical change in 1889, when a combination of maroon and orange shirts and navy blue shorts was introduced to "dazzle" their opponents in the West Lancashire League. These were abandoned in 1904 in favour of the earlier blue and white colours which have, in some form or other, remained until the present day. In 1962, Dave Russell introduced a white strip with blue trim, saying "Tranmere Rovers should have a specific identity of its own, so on Merseyside there's now Liverpool's Red, Everton's blue and Tranmere's white". Since then, the team have worn varying combinations of blue and white, moving back towards a more predominantly white kit in 2000. The team's colours are reflected in their nickname of the "Superwhites".


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Tranmere first introduced a badge on their shirt in 1962, wearing the coat of arms of the borough of Birkenhead, along with adopting their motto ""Ubi fides ibi lux et robur"", meaning "Where there is faith there is light and strength". The crest was replaced in 1972 by a monogram, and in 1981 by a simplified blue and white shield. In 1987, a complicated and confusing crest was introduced, adapting the Birkenhead crest through the inclusion of a football and a TRFC logo. The simpler badge was adopted in 1997, and modified slightly in 2009 to mark the club's 125-year anniversary. The blue and white crest incorporated simplified elements of the Birkenhead civic coat of arms: the crosier and lion originally formed part of the Birkenhead Priory seal; the oak tree was a symbol of the Tranmere Local Board; the star or starfish represents Bebington; the two lions represent Oxton; and the crescents may represent the Laird family.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Rovers played their first matches at Steeles Field in Birkenhead but, in 1887, they bought a new site from Tranmere Rugby Club. The ground was variously referred to as the "Borough Road Enclosure", "Ravenshaw's Field" and "South Road". The name "Prenton Park" was adopted in 1895 as a result of a suggestion in the letters page of the Football Echo. Because the land was required for housing and a school, Tranmere were forced to move and the name went with them. The present Prenton Park was opened on 9 March 1912. There were stands (also known as bleachers) on both sides of the pitch, a paddock and three open terraces, the general format which remained until 1994.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Many improvements to the ground were driven by changes in legislation. The biggest change of all took place during 1994 and 1995. The Taylor Report suggested that all stadia in the top two divisions of English football should no longer permit standing. The club's response was to redevelop three sides of the ground with entirely new all-seater stands created – the Borough Road Stand (now the Johnny King Stand), the Cowshed and the new Kop, in addition to the existing Main Stand. Capacity in the ground thus increased from 14,200 to the 16,567 of today. On 11 March 1995, the new ground was officially opened at a cost of £3.1 million.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Attendances at the ground have fluctuated over its hundred-year history. Around 8,000 visitors watched the first game at the stadium, as Tranmere beat Lancaster Town 8–0. Prenton Park's largest-ever crowd was 24,424 for a 1972 FA Cup match between Tranmere and Stoke City. In 2010, an average of 5,000 fans attended each home game.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Tranmere Rovers had an average home attendance of 6,552 during the 2018–19 season, making them the 4th best supported club in League Two and 42nd in The Football League as a whole. The club has a number of supporters' groups, including the Tranmere Rovers Supporters Trust; in 2010, the trust raised £12,500 for the club to sign Andy Robinson on loan. In 2011, they raised £200,000 and plan to purchase a controlling interest in Tranmere. TSB (Tranmere Stanley Boys) is the hooligan firm associated with the club. The club has been the subject of an independent supporters' fanzine "Give Us an R" since the 1990s.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Despite being geographically closest to Everton and Liverpool, Tranmere's time in the lower leagues has meant that they have rarely met either club and have built up traditional rivalries with near neighbours Chester, Wrexham and Southport, all of whom are now non-league clubs. According to a survey entitled 'The League of Love and Hate' conducted in August 2019, Tranmere fans listed the more distant Bolton Wanderers and Oldham Athletic as their biggest rivals, followed by Everton, Liverpool and Crewe Alexandra, although the results are debatable as the census does not contain non-league clubs. Tranmere also had a fierce rivalry with Wallasey-based near neighbours New Brighton until the latter club failed to be re-elected to the Football League in 1951.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: As of the end of the 2021–22 season, Tranmere had met the following teams most times in the Football League:


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Tranmere Rovers Ladies Football Club were founded in 1990. Based in the Wirral, they are affiliated with the men's team, and play home games at Villa Park, the home of Ashville F.C., in Wallasey. Between 1996 and 2004 they competed in the FA Premier League National Division, then the top tier of the English women's football pyramid. Since 2011, they have played in the North West Regional League, Premier Division. As of the start of the 2011–12 season, they have won the Cheshire Cup a record 11 times.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: As part of the club's 125-year anniversary celebrations in 2010, a hall of fame was announced, initially honouring seven former players and managers: Ian Muir, John Aldridge, John King, Ray Mathias, Steve Mungall, John Morrissey and Pat Nevin. Harold Bell holds the record for the most consecutive league appearances for a British team. He was picked for the first game after the Second World War in the 1946–47 season and did not miss a match until 30 August 1955, a total of 401 consecutive matches in the Third Division North.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: By the start of the 2020–21 season, the club had employed 30 managers. The first man to hold this position was Bert Cooke, appointed in 1912. He oversaw the club's entry into the Football League and remained in charge for 23 years, the longest spell of any manager at the club. Major changes were not seen until businessman Dave Russell took over in 1961. His introductions included the team's current all-white kit and regularly arranged floodlit home fixtures on Friday evenings rather than the usual Saturday afternoon. Rock band and Tranmere fans Half Man Half Biscuit described the practice in their song "Friday Night And The Gates Are Low".


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: Tranmere's most successful period came at the end of the twentieth century. John King returned for his third spell at the club in 1987, having previously both played and managed the team. He led them to a victory in the League Trophy, and from the bottom of the Fourth Division to reach the play-offs for promotion to the Premier League on three occasions. Success continued under King's replacement, John Aldridge, including an appearance in the 2000 Football League Cup Final. From 2009, they were managed by former club physiotherapist, Les Parry, until he was sacked on 4 March 2012, and replaced by Ronnie Moore. In February 2014 it was reported that Moore was under investigation by The Football Association, for breaching its rules against betting on competitions in which his club were involved. Three days later, he was suspended, and after admitting the FA's charges he was sacked on 9 April 2014.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: On 27 May 2014, the club announced that Rob Edwards had been appointed as their new manager. He was sacked on 13 October 2014. Moving quickly to arrest the decline which had seen Tranmere slump to the bottom of League Two, former Port Vale manager Micky Adams' appointment was announced on 16 October 2014. He left the club by mutual consent on 19 April 2015, when the club were bottom of the league with two matches remaining. He was replaced by Gary Brabin, whose contract was in turn ended in September 2016. Micky Mellon was appointed manager the following month, going on to lead the team to two consecutive play-off Final victories in the 2017–18 and 2018–19 seasons and a return to League One. After four years at Tranmere, Mellon moved to Dundee United on 6 July 2020.


title: Tranmere Rovers F.C.

text: On 18 July 2020, Mellon's former assistant manager Mike Jackson was appointed as manager, however his tenure was short-lived. After only two league wins in his first 10 games Jackson was sacked on 31 October 2020 following a 1–0 home defeat to Morecambe. He was replaced as first team manager on 21 November by Keith Hill. Hill opened his reign with a 1–0 victory against play-off hopefuls Carlisle United. His side were top of the form table (after 20 games) in February, the team's spine spearheaded by Scott Davies, Peter Clarke, Manny Monthé, Jay Spearing, Paul Lewis and finally, James Vaughan, who is still the youngest ever Premier League goalscorer since 2005. Hill was sacked in May 2021, after the team had reached the League Two play-offs but before the play-off matches took place. At the end of May 2021, Micky Mellon returned to Tranmere for a second spell as manager.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The is a kei car produced by Suzuki since 1979. The model, currently in its ninth generation, was first introduced in 1979 and has been built in many countries worldwide. The Alto originated as a commercial vehicle derivative of the Fronte, but over time the Alto nameplate gained in popularity and by 1988 it replaced the Fronte name completely. The Alto badge has often been used on different cars in Japan and in export markets, where it is considered a city car.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: In Japan, the Alto badge was originally meant to be for the commercial use version of the Fronte passenger car. The word "alto" is a musical term. When introduced, the Alto was only available as a three-door "light van" and with bare-bones equipment. However, Suzuki generally did not use the "Fronte" badge in export, usually calling all versions "Alto" abroad. Most early export Altos were thus technically speaking rebadged Suzuki Frontes. These were exported with changes such as enlarged engines, sometimes modified bodywork. Thus the Japanese SS40 Fronte became the SS80 Alto with a 660 cc engine abroad. The Alto badge gradually took over in Japan as well, as the distinction between kei commercial vehicles and passenger cars was diminished in early 1989. The Fronte line was retired in March 1989. The Alto plate has been used on export versions of various Indian-built derivatives since the early 1990s, as neither cars are restricted by the kei rules and Indian cars are also considerably cheaper than Japanese-built ones.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: Since 2014, the Suzuki Celerio has replaced the Alto in Europe and other export markets. The Alto badge was kept alive on the second generation of Indian-built Maruti Altos in several countries.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The first generation (SS30V/40V), introduced in May 1979, is a three-door cargo version of the Fronte passenger car, equipped with a folding rear seat. Front suspension comprised coils struts, with leaf springs at the back. The steering was of the recirculating ball type, and four-wheel drums were used. On introduction, the Alto received the T5B two-stroke (SS30) three-cylinder engine, producing at 5500 rpm. The Alto was a "micro sensation" when introduced, largely due to its rock bottom price of ¥470,000 (circa $1,900 in 1979, at a time when the cheapest Ford Pinto cost $4,999 in the US). This low price was made possible by a number of Japanese special concessions for commercial vehicles: most notably, the engine was subject to less stringent emissions rules and did not require expensive twin catalysts. Two fewer doors provided another saving, as did the exemption from commodity tax. The Alto's success changed the kei-car market, and other producers such as Subaru (with the "Family Rex") quickly followed suit with cut-price "commercial" vehicles that were really intended for private use.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: Suzuki was unable to keep up with demand the first few years, particularly in the home market. The Alto helped Suzuki move into seventh place in Japanese production for cars and trucks. In the last full year of production for this generation, it was still by far the best selling Kei car, with the Alto outselling the Fronte at a rate of about five to two.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: In May 1980, a fully automatic two-speed option was added to the Alto SS30. In January 1981, the F5A four-stroke from the Fronte was also made available for the Alto; although it only had a single-barrel carburettor, it too put out but at 6,000 rpm. Torque was considerably lower, however, down from . 1981 was also when it became available in the United Kingdom, as Suzuki began selling cars there that year.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: In export markets, the Alto name was used for the passenger car versions (chassis codes with trailing letter "S") as well as on commercials (ending in "V"), while the van was marketed as the "Suzuki Hatch" in Australia. The four-doors were not proper hatchbacks, only featuring an opening rear window. Export cars were also available with twelve-inch wheels, unlike the domestic versions which only used ten-inch units until the introduction of the 4WD version in October 1983. The 4WD "Snow Liner" thus gained an extra of ground clearance. Most export Altos were passenger car versions (which used the "Fronte" badge in the Japanese domestic markets), and usually received the F8B engine and the SS80 chassis code. The 800 had better performance, and due to the higher possible gearing it saw an improved gas mileage as well - by about ten percent according to Suzuki. The SS80 was also built in New Zealand, by South Pacific Suzuki Assemblers at a rate of six per day. It was introduced in New Zealand in March 1980.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: While Suzuki held on to the two-stroke engine concept for a half decade longer than any of its Japanese competitors, eventually market pressures and ever tightening emissions regulations spelled its end in the Alto by September 1981. The Jimny, however, did use the same engine (called LJ50 in the Jimny) as late as 1987.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: By 1984, the 800 cc Alto/Fronte (called "FX") were introduced in Pakistan and were locally manufactured by Pak Suzuki Motors along with the 1000 cc Jimny (SJ410).


title: Suzuki Alto

text: In Australia, the SS40V was sold as the Suzuki Hatch, only available as a two-seat commercial vehicle. This meant it was taxed at 35 percent duty as opposed to 57.5 percent for passenger cars, and sales were not affected by Australia's then-quota on import cars. The Hatch originally offered a single-carburetted engine with at 6000 rpm and at 4000 rpm. The side rear windows were covered with fibreglass by default, with a glass panels optional. The only other option was air conditioning. The Hatch was by far the cheapest new car sold in Australia at the time, although equipment was limited: the buyer received standard vinyl seats and mats and cross ply tires, with the only concession to luxury being a push-button AM radio. M. W. Suzuki in Victoria, Suzuki's distributor for Southern Australia, introduced the "800 pack" in January 1981 that included the motor. The pack also added steel-belt radial tyres, 12-inch wheels (up from 10-inch), front-wheel disc brakes and bolder bumpers front and rear.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The second generation (CA71) was introduced in September 1984. This generation Alto echoed the design of the GM M-platform that underpinned the 1983 Suzuki Cultus. It continued with the F5A engine of the SS40, but also became available with turbocharged and multi-valve engines thereof, mainly in the "Works" series. In December 1984, a four-wheel-drive version (CC71) was added; until it arrived Suzuki had kept the four-wheel-drive version of the first generation Alto (SS41) on offer. Performance versions of the Alto family first appeared in September 1985, when a fuel injected and turbocharged engine with was made available; this could also be had in combination with four-wheel-drive. The Alto Turbo gradually acquired more performance-related modifications until the Alto Works version was introduced in February 1987. This was the first kei car to reach the legal limit of . It acquired considerable popularity, with models of it still made by Fujimi. A five-door body became available in October 1985. This was superficially identical to that of the Fronte's, but the rear seat folded flat and it was technically speaking a commercial vehicle. This was the first five-door commercial of its kind in Japan, and was originally a special model introduced to celebrate the one millionth Alto produced.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: In July 1986, the CA/CC71 received a rather thorough facelift. New wraparound headlights, a new dash and interior heralded the new available ITL rear suspension (Isolated Trailing Link), a three-link rigid setup. Some lower end models retained the earlier leaf sprung rigid axle; those with ITL received the CA/CC72 chassis code. A "Walkthrough Van" was introduced in January 1987, while at the other end of the spectrum, the personal coupé Cervo on the CA/CC72 base was introduced in 1988 with a new F5B engine. In August 1987, higher spec Altos became available with a three-speed automatic rather than the two-speed unit that had been used before.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: Most export markets received the passenger car version, which would have been badged "Suzuki Fronte" in Japan, but were usually sold as Altos abroad. When equipped with the 543 cc F5A engine, the export model code is SB305. Most cars sold outside of Japan, however, received the larger (0.8 litres) F8B engine and the SB308 model code.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The 796 cc, F8B-engined CA/CB91 was sold in Europe with either a four-speed manual or two-speed automatic transmission. Export Altos were technically speaking Frontes, as this was the name used for passenger versions in Japan. They received larger bumpers, making them longer and wider. European Altos received the same facelift as the CA/CB72 did in early 1987 (a little later than in Japan), followed by a market specific facelift in January 1988, unveiled at the Brussels Motor Show. This model remained in production (latterly by Maruti Udyog) for the European market until 1993, when it was replaced by an also Maruti-built 1-litre version of the Cervo Mode, which was sold as the Alto until 2002. The Maruti 800 did continue to be available under its own name in Europe until 2004, when it could no longer pass emissions and safety requirements.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: While the car has been long retired in other markets, it remained in production in Pakistan under the moniker Suzuki Mehran. The Pakistani version is essentially a simplified basic rebadged second-generation Suzuki Alto CA/CB91 which was sold in the Japanese and European market from 1984 to 1988. The Mehran remained in production due to its cost effective nature and cheap parts availability. In March 2019, the moniker Mehran officially ended its production after 40 years of production, replaced by the eighth-generation Alto.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: Around 1990, the China Ordnance Industries Corporation (COIC, a predecessor company to Norinco) purchased the complete rights and all machinery for manufacturing the SB308 Alto from Suzuki. COIC charged four hitherto military enterprises with manufacturing the Alto: Chongqing Chang'an, Jilin Jiangbei, Xiangtan Jiangnan, and Xi'an Qinchuan were all to switch over to civilian manufacture. Chongqing Chang'an were able to adapt Suzuki's just-in-time manufacturing (JIT) methods and were the first to market the car, in 1992. Jilin Jiangbei lost money on each car built and ended up on the brink of bankruptcy; Xiangtan Jiangnan never got production off the ground, while Xi'an Qinchuan suffered a fire and chose to develop their own design instead (a car called the Qinchuan Flyer; the company was later made part of BYD Auto). Chang'an ended up without real competition in the segment. Chang'an's productivity set a new standard for the Chinese auto industry.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: In 1993, Changan Automobile took over production of the Alto. The Changan Suzuki SC7080 Alto was produced with the same F8B engine as used in other export markets, and was replaced by the facelifted SC7081 Alto/City Baby/Little Prince/Happy Prince in 2001. The top-of-the-line Happy Prince, discontinued in 2007, used the sportier looking front bumper, grille, and bonnet of the Alto Works. Citing lower sales and stating that upgrading the design to meet new regulations would not be cost effective, Chang'an ended production of the old Alto on 28 July 2008. A total of 504,861 were built by Chang'an Suzuki between 1993 and 2008.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: Another version called JN Auto has been built by Jiangnan Auto. As of December 2010 Zotye's Jiangnan Alto is one of the cheapest car in the world, with a price tag of $2830. The entry-level model comes with the F8B three-cylinder . An inline-four engine with a displacement of and an output of was also available. The Jiangnan TT was eventually replaced by the Zotye Z100 in 2010.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The third generation (CL/CM11) replaced the CA71 in September 1988. This was the last generation of Alto to have an associated Fronte model. It had strikingly angular styling, with an unusual glazed C-pillar on the 5-door. Another curiosity of this generation was the availability of a version with a sliding door on the driver's side, the "Slide Slim", intended to simplify entering and exiting in tight spaces. It also made egress easier for the old and the infirm. The Slide Slim has two regular doors on the passenger (left) side. This door type wouldn't be used for some time until the arrival of the Toyota Porte and Peugeot 1007. When the Fronte name was discontinued in October 1989, the passenger car versions (CN/CP11) became Altos. Initially the CL11 used the 12-valve F5B engine known from the SS71 Cervo, but with an added 6-valve version in lower-spec versions. A DOHC version was also available in the Twin Cam Rl. Passenger car versions had the same engines, but all with 2 PS less due to more stringent emissions controls. The fuel-injected, 6-valve, turbocharged Works models came with an SOHC engine (FF S/X or 4WD S/R) or a DOHC version (FF RS/X or 4WD RS/R). The front-wheel-drive Works' were available with a 3-speed automatic in addition to the standard 5-speed manual.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: This generation was very successful at home, with Suzuki's kei car sales tripling in 1989 versus the year before. It was, however, not generally exported, and was never built by Suzuki with engines of more than 660 cc nor with left-hand-drive. Export models arrived late, only by 1993 after the earlier export version had been retired, and it was only seen in a very few places, namely New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Singapore. In most countries the earlier Alto/Fronte was replaced by an Alto-badged Maruti Zen (an Indian-built Suzuki Cervo Mode). With a 0.8-liter engine the CL11 Alto was built with left-hand-drive in South Korea, Poland, Romania and Uzbekistan as the Daewoo Tico, and also in China by Anchi.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: When the Kei car standards were changed in 1990, the engine was upgraded to the (F6A), and the Alto became the CL/CM/CN/CP21 in the process. The new standards also allowed for a longer car, which meant new bigger front and rear bumper, and new headlights and grille. Lower grade Van versions received a 6-valve engine, while passenger car versions (and the l'Èpo Van) got a single-cam 12-valve version. This engine was upgraded to in January 1991. 4WD versions with the three-speed automatic transmission were fuel-injected and offered three more horsepower. The F6A-engined Works RS/X and RS/R still claimed the legally limited with of torque, but the lower grade i.e. Turbo (introduced in July) received a 6-valve SOHC-engine producing and of torque (slightly more than the high-revving, twin cam RS). Reflecting decreased tax benefits for commercial Kei cars, the Works series were now classified as passenger vehicles, allowing for a real back seat. The lineup was reorganised in January 1991, with a lot of new engine specifications.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: In September 1991, responding to increasing safety demands, the Alto received side impact protection. Also, the vertical door handles (see picture on the right) on three-door versions were replaced by traditional horizontal ones. The re-engineering was extensive enough to necessitate new model codes, with vans becoming CL/CM22 (FF/4WD) and passenger versions (including the Works) now called CR/CS22. While most of the engines remained as they were, the Alto Van's engines were updated with power output up to .


title: Suzuki Alto

text: This was the model that reached limited exports. The New Zealand version was mostly the same as the Japanese market five-door van model, with a cargo-oriented bare-bones trim combined with the rather soft Japanese suspension settings and light, low-geared steering. Unlike the Japanese models, however, this low spec was coupled to the (carbureted) 12-valve engine with and a standard five-speed transmission. A three-speed automatic was also available. In a period test, this model reached the 0–100 km/h benchmark in 15.9 seconds and a top speed of .


title: Suzuki Alto

text: A very limited production version for competition purposes arrived in 1992, called the Alto Works R. This was a lightened, strict two-seater with four-wheel-drive, a close-ratio five-speed transmission, and a tuned engine - although official output remained , as required by the Kei regulations. The car has an adjusted ECU and a free-flow Suzuki Sport RHB31 turbocharger, as well as a different throttle body. Less than a hundred were built, although it continued to be available until the arrival of the next generation Alto. This model, without a backseat and with racing bucket seats in front, was classified as a van and accordingly received the CM22V chassis code, unlike the usual Alto Works. The undercoating and most creature comforts were deleted (although air conditioning remained an option) and the car sat on steel wheels, which made the car about lighter than a regular Works RS/R.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: Suzuki also produced a version of the Alto, known as the Alto Hustle, with a raised roof behind the front seats. This was unusual in that it used a modification of the five-door Alto's body rather than a completely new body, allowing Suzuki to market it as part of the Alto family. Its appearance was similar to the Nissan AD Max van. The Hustle was short-lived, only being offered between November 1991 and October 1993.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The engine options were mostly as for other Altos, albeit without the turbocharged offerings. The standard model has , while a 12-valve version has depending on if it was carburetted or fuel injected. The lowest and highest-powered versions were also available with four-wheel-drive, and there was a bare bones two-seater version (Hu-2) on offer.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The fourth generation (HA11) appeared in November 1994. The design was marked by simplicity, as Suzuki strived to return to making a more basic car. The Slide Slim model, with its sliding door on one side, was discontinued, as were some of the higher end versions of the third generation Alto such as the Regina. The new Wagon R took over much of the more expensive Alto's market share, leaving the Alto to compete at the lower end of the market. The fourth generation was generally not exported, with most foreign markets instead receiving Alto-badged versions of the Indian-built Maruti Zen.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The F6A engines were joined by a new high-performance K6A (HA21) for the Works RS/Z model. Front-wheel drive or full-time four-wheel drive were offered, in three- or five-door sedans or as a three-door van. The Works model was also reclassified as a sedan, as many advantages for light commercial cars had vanished. The tailgate and rear doors are still fairly angular, but the front was more rounded than previous models.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: In March 1995, the Alto Sv model appeared. This was a special fuel economy model, well equipped with air conditioning, power steering, AM/FM cassette stereo, etc. The "Alto With", a limited sporty edition based on the well-equipped Sf model (also with four-wheel drive) with a front and rear spoiler, appeared in June 1995. In July 1995, a version of the Works Turbo ie/s called the Limited appeared; this had special stereo equipment and keyless entry and power locks. It was developed by AddZest (Clarion). In November 1995, the Works model received a new grille and front bumper, with a bigger opening. In May 1996, the l'Èpo model appeared, this three or five-door sedan was based on the Se/Le model and was also available with four-wheel drive. This version received full power equipment, remote key entry, distinctly upholstered full fabric seats (rather than the vinyl backed units of the Se/Le), hubcaps and many other amenities.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The Works Turbo F Limited ie/s version appeared in November 1996, offering a carbon panel, special alloy wheels, and more spoilers. In April 1997, the range received a facelift with side door impact beams and a new front design, with new marker lights beneath the headlights and a redesigned trunklid. The Alto l'Èpo P2 appeared at the same time, using a fuel injected version of the 12-valve engine with rather than the usual carburetted unit. All 12-valve models fitted with four-wheel drive and automatic transmission received a fuel injected version, as was the case since the third generation Alto. The l'Èpo models also received a new (optional) airbag. The Works models only received smaller changes at this time, such as white-backed meters in the dashboard. The RS/Z also received 14-inch wheels and fuller equipment. In November 1997, the even better equipped l'Èpo Limited model appeared, with a more powerful stereo system including a CD player. In January 1998, the Works Sports Limited model appeared, a Works ie/s with 14-inch wheels and special seats. In May the "Alto Beam" special model appeared, with UV reflecting glass and extra large seats.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: In March 1995, a second iteration of the Works R arrived, again a limited production vehicle with a close-ratio transmission, built for competition purposes. Like the first Works R it was built in less than one-hundred examples, but this one appeared in two series: The Series 2 had sold out by October 1995 and the third series was available from January until September 1998. Unlike the first Works R, this one was a passenger car version (chassis code HB21S) and received the new, lightweight K6A engine. It was lighter than the regular Works RS/R, and the engine was considerably more powerful - although claimed output remained as per the regulations, torque increased from 10.5 to 11.0 kgm (at 3500 rpm for the Series 2, 4000 rpm for the Series 3). Period sources state that the engine's actual output was at least . The engine received considerable changes over the regular Works, many more than the first Works R. The throttle body and camshafts were different, while a larger HT06/RA12 turbocharger was fitted, along with 260 cc injectors and a larger intercooler (necessitating a hood scoop nearly as wide as the bonnet itself). The weight savings were only over the Works RS/Z for this model. This was the end of the Works R series of cars, foreshadowing the end of the Works badge in 2000.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The fifth-generation Alto (HA12/22) was introduced in October 1998. The styling was generally more rounded, the shape of the cabin showing the Alto's relationship with the new Suzuki Kei. Suzuki designed the new Alto with an eye to reducing cost, both for themselves and for the end users. To that end, weight was reduced to a minimum, while four-wheel drive models were able to use the same bottom plate as front-wheel drive models. With sales of the 2-seat commercial versions dropping steadily, those versions (Va and Sc, with four-speed manual transmission) were now only built to order.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The 658 cc K6A engine was now also available without a turbocharger, joining the turbocharged version and the familiar 657 cc F6A engines. The turbocharged Works models were available with a 60 PS F6A engine (Alto i.e., 5MT/3AT/4AT and FWD or AWD) or a 64 PS VVT K6A (RS/Z, 5MT/4AT and FWD or AWD). The front-wheel-drive RS/Z was sold with a non-VVT K6A engine when in combination with a 4-speed automatic transmission, it too with a claimed 64 PS. Unique to this generation was a five-door version of the Alto Works. With the December 2000 facelift, the Works versions were discontinued, as the Alto was realigned as an economy version. The Suzuki Kei Sports picked up the Works' mantle.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: Several derivatives were produced from this generation. Suzuki produced two "classic-style" versions: the Alto C with a deep chrome grille and a curious headlamp arrangement by which circular main lamps were joined with ovoid sidelights and indicators, which was shared with the Alto Works; and the later Alto C2 which had separate headlamps and sidelights and a wider grille. Mazda also sold the standard Alto as the Carol, and Mitsuoka used the Carol as a basis for their Ray.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: In December 2000, the fifth generation Alto received a thorough facelift, becoming the HA23. Front- and four-wheel drive models now used the same chassis number. As the Works and all other turbocharged models were discontinued, naturally aspirated versions of the new K6A became the only ones on offer, with either or in an especially efficient lean burn iteration. The K6A met the MLIT requirements to be classified as an "excellent low emissions vehicle". The retro-style Alto C was also discontinued. In February 2001 a new retro version was introduced, the Alto C2. Unlike the earlier C, this one had the same headlights as other Altos and did not have the chrome detailing of the earlier version.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: Front- or four-wheel-drive, manual and automatic transmissions were available (no more CVT), in either a 3- or 5-door hatchback body. A 3-door van version remained available. Passenger model production was discontinued in August 2004 to make room for the succeeding generation, but a decontented Van version was kept in production until January 2005. These forwent the VVT system and the automatic only had three forward speeds rather than four as before.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: This model also entered production in India as the Maruti Suzuki Alto (model code RF) in September 2000 and was built there until 2014. From 2002 until 2009 Maruti-built Altos were exported to Europe as Suzuki Altos; sales continued in Latin America and other markets until the next generation Maruti Alto took over in 2012. The car is powered with 0.8-litre F8D three-cylinder and 1.1-litre F10D four-cylinder engines with fuel injection.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: Pakistani production began in 2000 utilizing the old carburetted 1.0-litre F10A four-cylinder engine and also available with CNG variant. The production was halted in 2012.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: Beginning in mid-1999, and originally imported from Japan, the car was also sold in Colombia as the Chevrolet Alto. As the market for two-door cars was minimal in Colombia, it was only available with five doors. The Colombian model was equipped with a one-litre, sixteen-valve inline-four engine with at 6500 rpm, an engine it shared with the locally made Chevrolet Wagon R+. GM Colmotores began building it themselves in 2000 and kept it in production until 2003. The Chevrolet Alto was also exported to Ecuador.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The sixth generation (HA24) was introduced in September 2004. The bonnet and headlamps curved down at the front, giving a similar effect to the Toyota WiLL Vi or the Citroën C2. The Alto was realigned as a less costly car to accommodate new models such as the Cervo and Alto Lapin. The more powerful engines were moved into the other more upmarket versions like the Suzuki Kei Works and Alto Lapin SS, leaving the Alto with only a version. In Japan, this version of the Alto was not only rebadged as the Mazda Carol, but also by Nissan as the Pino.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The seventh generation was first shown at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show alongside its sister car, the Mazda Carol. It is available with a engine, a 5-speed manual, a 4-speed automatic transmission or a CVT, in FWD or 4WD variants. Under the Japanese 10-15 test cycle, the front-wheel-drive with CVT achieves 24.5 km/litre fuel economy.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: In 2011, Suzuki launched the Alto Eco variant, that features the R06A engine lifted from the Suzuki MR Wagon and an idling stop function. It is capable of reaching based on Japan's JC08 Mode test cycle (32 km/L under 10-15 test cycle). This is .2 km/L higher than the .


title: Suzuki Alto

text: In 2013, the Alto Eco was updated with the addition of Suzuki's ENE-CHARGE system, first applied on the fifth generation Wagon R. With this technology, fuel economy has now improved to 33.0 km/L based on Japan's JC08 Mode test cycle.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The Suzuki Alto available in international market is known in India as the Maruti Suzuki A-Star (short for "Alto-Star"), but is also known as the Suzuki Celerio in some other countries. It was launched in December 2008 by Suzuki's Indian subsidiary Maruti Suzuki.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: It is actually a different car from the Japanese market one although they share the same name. The car is manufactured exclusively in Haryana, India and is exported worldwide. It is available in some European markets with a somewhat different front end as the Nissan Pixo. The car was rolled out to the Indian customers in December 2008 and exports began in April 2009.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: With a totally new body and engine, Maruti hopes to bring freshness to the Indian car market, of which it already holds a major share. The "K10B" inline-three engine was developed especially for the new car, and is also used for the Nissan Pixo. The A-Star has a fresh new dashboard, with an available unique protruding tachometer besides the usual meter cowl (only in the ZXi trim).


title: Suzuki Alto

text: In February 2014, Maruti Suzuki unveiled an all-new Celerio, which replaces the A-Star and Zen Estilo.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The European market version of the Maruti Suzuki A-Star was unveiled at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. It was developed to be a global car and will be made at Maruti Suzuki's plant in Manesar, Haryana, India. It is stylistically based on the Suzuki A-Star Concept. The Alto was conceived as a response to high petrol prices and global warming. It was released as an eco-friendly car priced from £6,795 OTR.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The Nissan Pixo is the "sister car" to the Suzuki Alto and is mechanically very similar, but featuring a few notable exterior differences, including the main grille and headlamps. It was launched at the 2008 Paris Motor Show and was available in Europe from 2009 to 2013. Because it was developed and built cheaply in India, the Pixo was sold for just under £7,000. In the summer of 2013, the Pixo was withdrawn from UK showrooms.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The Nissan Pixo was reviewed, and subsequently mocked, by Top Gear in series 17. The review became a Top Gear challenge where Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond bought cars on the second hand market for the same price as a new Pixo. Clarkson bought a 2002 Mercedes Mercedes CL600 for £6995, and Hammond bought a 1994 BMW 850ci for £6,700. James May defended the Pixo, arguing that it was more modern, reliable and economical than the two luxury cars.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: In 2012, India's Maruti introduced a low cost replacement for the original Maruti 800 called the Alto 800. This was also exported to many markets outside of Europe and sold as the Suzuki Alto 800, while some markets simultaneously offered the pricier A-Star as the Suzuki Alto.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The eighth generation Alto was introduced in Japan in December 2014. The new Alto was the first Suzuki's car designed on lightweight "HEARTECT" platform. It is also the first Alto that using torsion beam model rear suspension, replacing the old 3-link model (except for all-wheel-drive models). The new lightweight platform, lighter body, engine, seats and simpler rear suspension made the car lighter than the outgoing model. This car was also designed to have a very low fuel consumption, achieved using "Suzuki Green Technology" for the body and the engine, and resulted in the car having a claimed fuel consumption of .


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The conventional models of the new Alto is available in 5 trims levels. The passenger variant are called "F", "L", "S" and "X", plus a commercial van variant called "VP". All powered with a naturally-aspirated "K06A" inline-three engine, from previous generation. This engine received major improvement in fuel efficiency by raising the compression ratio and adopting the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system (excludes "F" trim with manual transmission and "VP" van), while enhancing the low-to-mid speed driving performance by newly designing the intake and exhaust systems. The weight also reduced by adopting a cylinder head integrated with an exhaust manifold and simplifying the catalyzer case. It is mated with either a 5-speed manual transmission ("F" and "VP"), a 5-speed automated manual transmission called "Auto Gear Shift" (AGS) by Suzuki ("F" and "VP"), or a CVT ("L", "S" and "X"). All transmissions are available with all wheel-drive option. The "K06A" engine with manual transmission for "F" and "VP" trims are rated at and , while the rest of the range producing and higher because the engine has VVT.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: A sporty variant intended for daily use called "Turbo RS" was introduced in March 2015 which was followed by a more spartan performance-tuned "Works" variant which made a comeback after 15 years of absence in December. These high performance models are powered with the turbocharged variant of "K06A" engine, producing and - ("Works" is higher). It is paired with either a 5-speed manual (not available for "Turbo RS") or automated manual transmission with taller gear ratios than the less powerful "F" and VP" trims. The handling is also reworked with new wider high performance tires from Bridgestone, shock absorber from KYB, ventilated front disc brakes, strut bar to increase body's rigidity, rear stabilizer bar for front wheel-drive models (also available for "X" trim).


title: Suzuki Alto

text: For the interior, unlike the previous generation, adjustable front seats head rest and 50:50 foldable back seats (still with adjustable head rest, excluding "VP", "F" and "L" trims) are deleted. All natural aspirated engined models received two tone black and white colours.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: In 2018, the seat upholstery was replaced with dark blue colour for "L", "S" and "X" trims. "Turbo RS" and "Works" trims has black with red accents interior colour, leather wrapped steering wheel, paddle shift for AGS models and tachometer. The "Works" trim added racing front seats from Recaro, stainless steel pedals and turbo boost meter.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: In term of exterior, all naturally aspirated models are using halogen headlights as standard and 13 inches steel wheels with hubcaps (except "VP") and "X" with special two tone colours. The "Turbo RS" and "Works" received more sporty bumpers, side skirts, rear upper spoiler, fog lights, stickers, 15 inches aluminium wheels from Enkei (also available for "X" trim), front brake calipers with red colour for "Works" and HID headlights.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The safety is also upgraded with additional electronic stability control and collision avoidance system. The car achieved 4 of 5 stars in crash tests performed by "JNCAP".


title: Suzuki Alto

text: To celebrate 40 years anniversary of Alto, a special edition called "L Limited" was launched in June 2019. The car is based on "L" trim with additional accessories and features from higher trims.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The "Turbo RS" trim was discontinued in December 2018, followed by "X" trim in October 2020, "VP" commercial van in August 2021 and finally replaced by ninth generation four months later.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The eight generation was revealed for the Pakistani market on 12 April 2019 at the Pakistan Auto Show (PAPS). The car is sold in three variants: "VX", "VXR" and "VXL". The "VX" being the base model with minimal equipment, no air conditioning and a 5-speed manual transmission; the "VXR" variant gaining twin airbags, power locks, power steering, etc.; while the premium "VXL" model is further equipped with air conditioning, ABS brakes, and an automated manual transmission "AGS".


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The local manufacturing of Alto has made Pakistan one of the few countries in the world that locally manufactures kei cars. Currently, Pakistan is the only country other than Japan to locally manufacture this generation of Suzuki Alto. Pak Suzuki Motors' second generation Alto looks cosmetically the same as the Japanese-made one and is powered by the same engine. It is rated at and , lower than Japanese model because the lower compression ratio (10 vs 11.5), lack of VVT and several other differences.


title: Suzuki Alto

text: The ninth-generation Alto was introduced in Japan in December 2021. It is continued to be built on lightweight "HEARTECT" platform and powered with the same "R06A" engine for the conventional models. Additionally, the car received new "R06D" engine with mild hybrid system that also seen in Suzuki Wagon R Smile and became first Alto with hybrid system. CVT is the only transmission that available in this generation and became the first Alto without manual transmission option. The "Auto Gear Shift (AGS)" automated manual transmission is also abolished.


title: White Army

text: The White Army () or White Guard (), also referred to as the Whites or White Guardsmen (), was a common collective name for the armed formations of the White movement and anti-Soviet governments during the Russian Civil War. They fought against the Red Army of the Bolsheviks.


title: White Army

text: When it was created, the structure of the Russian Army of the Provisional Government period was used, while almost every individual formation had its own characteristics. The military art of the White Army was based on the experience of the First World War, which, however, left a strong imprint on the specifics of the Civil War.


title: White Army

text: The name "White" is associated with white symbols of the supporters of the pre-revolutionary order, dating back to the time of the French Revolution, in contrast to the name of the Red Guard detachments, and then the Red Army. For the first time, the name "White Guard" was used in Russia for Finnish police detachments created in 1906 to fight the revolutionary movement. Their members wore white bandages on their sleeves; however, this did not have a direct connection with the White Army during the Civil War.


title: White Army

text: The White armies comprised a number of different groups, who operated independently and did not share a single ideology or political goal. Their leaders were conservative or moderate generals and political leaders, each with different goals and plans to achieve them, and most of these armies did not coordinate their actions. The chain of command in each, as well as individual members, differed, from experienced veterans of World War I to fresh volunteers.


title: White Army

text: The White Guards, in addition to directly fighting with the Reds, as well as the Makhnovtsi, carried out the White Terror, while taking part in mass executions, including assisting foreign interventionists (for example, 257 civilians were killed in 1919 in the course of the struggle in the village of Ivanovka of the Japanese Army and the White Guards against the pro-Bolshevik detachments of partisans).


title: White Army

text: After the October Revolution, the arrested generals Lavr Kornilov, Anton Denikin, Sergey Markov and others were released by Commander-in-Chief Nikolay Dukhonin before his removal and went to Don to Ataman Alexey Kaledin. The Don Region abandoned the power of the Soviets and proclaimed independence "before the formation of a nation-wide, popularly recognized government". The first white army was created by Mikhail Alekseyev, calling it the "Alekseyev Organization". Officers were recruited there on a voluntary basis. A Volunteer Army was created from the members of this organization. Generals Alexey Kaledin and Lavr Kornilov joined him. Three months later, in April 1918, the Council of Defense of the Don Host formed the Don Army. In May 1918, the Drozdov brigade joined the Volunteer Army from the Romanian Front.


title: White Army

text: Among those who came to the Don were public figures. Boris Savinkov, the former head of the SR Combat Organization, who organized the Union for the Defense of the Motherland and Freedom under the Volunteer Army, was also there. Military leaders and Cossacks reacted extremely negatively to his presence.


title: White Army

text: One of the first to join the Alekseyev Organization was Vasily Shulgin, who later became a member of the Special Meeting under Denikin.


title: White Army

text: On 8 June 1918, the uprising white Czechs took Samara. On the same day, the People's Army was organized under the command of Colonel Nikolai Galkin. It was formed by the Committee of Members of the Constituent Assembly. On 9 June, after the arrival of Lieutenant Colonel Vladimir Kappel in the army, the following were formed: 1st Volunteer Samara Squadron, Cavalry Squadron of Staff Captain Stafievsky, Volzhskaya Equestrian Battery of Captain Vyrypayev, horse reconnaissance, subversive command and economic unit. After the formation of the units, Kappel's troops occupy Syzran and Stavropol on June 11 and 12, respectively.


title: White Army

text: On 10 July, the People's Army again entered Syzran, occupied by the Bolsheviks, and threw them back to Simbirsk. A few days later, Kappel's detachments occupied Simbirsk and from there they advanced in several directions: from Syzran to Volsk and Penza, from Simbirsk to Inza and Alatyr and along the banks of the Volga to the mouth of the Kama.


title: White Army

text: After the capture of Kazan, the People's Army was reorganized. The Volga Front was created under the command of Stanislav Chechek. It was divided into several groups: Simbirsk, Kazan, Khvalynsk, Ufa, Nikolaev, Ural Cossack troops and the Orenburg Cossack troops.


title: White Army

text: Kappel suggested the command to take Nizhny Novgorod. He suggested that the occupation of the city would break the Bolshevik plans to sign additional agreements with the Kaiser of Germany in Berlin, as he would deprive them of money from the "pocket of Russia". However, the command and the Czechs abandoned these plans, citing a lack of reserves.