With new research and development and production facilities recently opened in India and two new models on display at the Delhi Auto Expo, Maruti Suzuki is going all out to halt the decline in its market share and hold on to its massive lead on the sub-continent.
It has just over 43% of the Indian market, which puts it way ahead of Hyundai on 15%. It is also the most trusted brand in India, according to all major customer satisfaction surveys. Yet just a few years ago the company’s share of the market was around 50%.
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A new factory at Manesar takes Maruti Suzuki’s production capacity in India to 1.5m vehicles a year. Meanwhile the R&D centre at Rohtak, which recently opened with what Suzuki describes as “the most advanced safety facilities in Asia”, has just completed its first crash test. Rohtak will be a fully operational R&D centre by 2016.
Suzuki produced its 50 millionth car last year, almost a quarter of which were made and sold in India. Yet, as India CEO Kenichi Ayukama admitted, that means it has tapped only 1% of the Indian population.
This year it will add to its range with the SX4 S-Cross, which is being billed as “an all-terrain crossover…with plush and cosy interiors for long-distance comfort”, and a saloon based on the Ciaz concept on view at Delhi. Suzuki described it as “the future of the sedan”.
Executive vice-president Toshihiro Suzuki said: “In 2004 the Swift became our first global model and the SX4 S-Cross and Ciaz are in the same vein.
“Suzuki was a pioneer of crossovers and is an expert in four wheel drive but now we need to think bigger. The Ciaz is a sporty and elegant sedan which showcases the future look of Suzuki. It will be for India, China and elsewhere.”
