Don't know the right direction on diesel: Kenichi Ayukawa

Interview with Managing Director, Maruti Suzuki

Maruti Suzuki has launched only the diesel engine version of the sports utility vehicle, Vitara Brezza. The fuel, however, seems to be in trouble, with it being identified as a primary contributor to air pollution in cities — leading to the Supreme Court temporarily banning the sale of some varieties of diesel vehicles in the National Capital Region. Maruti Suzuki Managing Director Kenichi Ayukawa admitted, in a conversation with Swaraj Baggonkar, that car manufacturers, including Maruti Suzuki, are finding it difficult to work on diesel technology given the recent challenges. Edited excerpts

What future do you see for diesel vehicles in India?

Whether or not people will be buying diesel cars in the future depends on what we decide is better. As far as we understand, the SUV segment comprises 90 per cent diesel models — but this is not so for the rest of the country. That’s why we went ahead with diesel for the Brezza.

Are you worried at the frequency with which rules are changed?

Regulations are not yet fixed. We have to look at how the government decides. Depending on that, we will have to decide our next step.

Will you reduce focus and investments on diesel technology?

We have to continue developing technology. But in volumes, we don’t know yet what changes could be, because that depends on various conditions. Three years back, people were excited about diesel; right now, nobody seems to be excited about it. This is very strange situation. I do not know the correct direction. We already have petrol technology and we have to see how we manage that. It depends on what stand the government takes and what customers want.

Where do you want to be in the compact SUV segment?

We want to be the segment leader. We have to focus on Brezza for the time being — it is enough to cater to the demand.