Maruti Suzuki to double number of car models

Eyes annual sales of 3 million units; SUV and LCV foray also on cards

India's largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India is looking at nearly doubling the number of models to 25, including entry into SUV and LCV segments, as it aims a target to sell 3 million cars annually.

As part of a strategy to be present in newer segments of the passenger vehicle market, the company will launch within a few months an SUV to compete with Renault's Duster, followed by a compact SUV in 2016 to take on segment leader Ford EcoSport. 

Maruti Suzuki India (MSI), which is gearing up to launch a light commercial vehicle (LCV), is also in the process of setting up a separate network for its new foray.

RACE AHEAD

ON SUV AND LCV FORAY OF MSI:
“We will be present in the SUV segment in a few months from now, a model which will be competing with the Duster in that size... in 2016, we will have a compact SUV under 4 metres, so that it gets benefit of lower excise duty and which will be in the same segment as Ford EcoSport, “
ON MSI’S MARKET SHARE:
“Last year, we had a market share of 38.9 per cent, and this year till date we have 44.4 per cent, which is out of only 79 per cent of the total market, as we are not present in the SUV segment now.“
ON MARKET SITUATION:
“I am seeing some sort of positivity in the market, in terms of footfalls, enquiries coming in and conversions happening. “
ON FESTIVE SEASON SALES EXPECTATION:
“We expect a good festival. We expect 10 to 15 per cent upside during festival... We are quite bullish. In this month, we may be growing about 30 per cent. “

The company, which is putting up a new plant in Gujarat that will have a total annual capacity of 1.5 million units, sold 1.16 million units last fiscal.

"To sell 3 million cars (annually), we need to have at least 25 models. With 12 to 15 models we would not be able to sell 3 million cars," Maruti Suzuki India Chairman RC Bhargava told PTI in an interview.

MSI currently sells over a dozen models, starting from entry level Alto 800 to multi-purpose vehicle Ertiga.

He said only market would determine by when the company could touch the 3-million mark.

"We will be present in SUV segment in few months from now, a model which will be competing with Duster in that size. It has to be something which can compete with the Duster, and in 2016 we will have a compact SUV under 4 meter, so that it gets benefit of lower excise duty and which will be in the same segment as Ford EcoSport," Bhargava said.

Both the SUVs will be available in petrol, diesel and CNG options, he added.

He further said: "So at that time, we will also be competing in the full 100 per cent of the car market and not 79 per cent as we are doing currently.