To set a unique stage for itself, Maruti is seeking the platform of Auto expo in New Delhi for a wider spectrum of its range. In addition to concept MPV, Maruti is to display a concept SUV. In all these years Maruti has been serving the Indian customers with cars developed by its apex Suzuki Japan. Now for the first time, Maruti’ s indigenously developed Concept SUV would be available at the Auto Expo. (The engineers from Marui visit Suzuki for developing Swift).
Maruti is in no hurry about this SUV since only the concept is devised now and it may be ready for launch by 2012. Maruti’s range of cars at the Expo will include an electric version and the recently launched Eeco MPV ( a replacement for Versa MPV). This is dual purpose vehicle – cargo and passenger car- meeting BS IV norms; equipped with 1200cc petrol engine; comes in three variants of 5-seater standard, 5-seater AC and a 7-seater.
Maruti targets to sell 40000 Eecos within the first year of its launch.
According to the company’s Chief GM, Versa was wrongly positioned as the customers were not willing to recognize it as luxury car and this made the company to refine the platform for Eeco. This new Eeco will cost lesser than Versa’s Rs3.5 -4.25lakhs. The C segment, with Omni already doing well(8000 -10000 units /month), will be boosted with this Eeco and if needed cargo version of this Eeco will be designed by the company.
Maruti has a different strategic scheme for 2010. Eeco is ready for launch at Auto Expo; upgraded Alto is set for April 2010; low-cost Alto (replacing M800) by mid year. In the meantime, the sales for the year end is to be a repeat of November while not similar to the ones in 2008. In all the projected sale is an increase of 18-20% this fiscal.