Maruti looks at S-Cross exports; ships some units to Nepal, Bhutan

Around 25-30 units had been shipped so far; co to decide future course of action based on feedback

Maruti Suzuki, India's largest car maker and second largest exporter of passenger vehicles, is exploring export opportunities for the S-Cross. The company has shipped a small number of its first ‘crossover’ vehicle to neighbouring Nepal and Bhutan.

A company spokesperson said that 25-30 units have been shipped so far. “Based on the feedback, we will decide the future course.”

Read more from our special coverage on "MARUTI SUZUKI"

• Maruti sales dip marginally in February
• Marutis Feb sales grow a feeble 0.2%, Hyundai up 9%
• What threat? Auto makers see opportunity in Uber, Ola
• Maruti retains top slot in passenger vehicle segment in Jan
• Maruti Suzuki suspends production at Haryana units owing to Jat protests

Maruti Suzuki has exported a total of 113,447 vehicles in the 11 months ending February, marginally down from the same period last year.

S-Cross, positioned between a sports utility vehicle and a sedan, was launched in August last year at a price beginning Rs 8.34 lakh (ex showroom, Delhi).

Built on a completely new platform. It was an attempt by the market leader to expand presence in the premium segment and move towards its goal of selling two million units annually by 2020. The company and its suppliers have invested Rs 600 crore in developing this model.

The firm had introduced the S-Cross in two diesel options of 1.6 litre and 1.3 litre engines last year to be retailed exclusively through its new retail outlet chain Nexa. However, sales of the 1.6-litre vehicle were hindered by pricing issues.

The company had to cut price by Rs 2 lakh for the 1.6-litre variant, where customers did not see much value at the launch price.

When the S-Cross was launched, the 1.6-litre option was priced at  Rs 11.99 lakh, Rs 12.99 lakh and Rs 13.74 lakh for the base, mid and top-end models. It is now available for Rs 9.94 lakh, Rs 10.94 lakh and Rs 11.69 lakh, respectively.

In spite of the pricing issues, the company has managed to sell about 21,000 units of the S-Cross in domestic market within seven months of the launch.

“With S-Cross, we are starting a new segment in India - Premium Crossover. It would take time for the product to establish itself. We have corrected the prices to align them with the customers’ view,” added the spokesperson.

The company recently started exports of its new hatchback, Baleno, to markets in Europe. Baleno is being produced only in India and is also the first Maruti product to be shipped from India to parent Suzuki’s home market Japan.