Maruti to increase R&D headcount to 1,000 by FY10

The country's largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki India (MSI), will be increasing headcount in its R&D division to 1,000 by the end of March 2010, as the firm gears up to meet parent Suzuki Motor Corp's aim of making the Indian subsidiary global hub for small car development.      

"Currently, our R&D strength is 720 people and it will be increased to 1,000 by March, 2010. We are now looking out for more experienced people," MSI Managing Executive Officer (Engineering) I V Rao said here.      

Suzuki Motor Corp (SMC) has already said India would be the global small car development hub outside Japan for other markets, he added.      

MSI's R&D centre is being developed to be at par with SMC's facility in Japan. It will also have crash test centre.      

Rao also said MSI is working on all its models, including M800, to meet Bharat Stage-IV emission norms.      

"From an engineering point of view, M800 and Omni will qualify for BS-IV norms. If these two were to be phased out, it will be a marketing decision," Rao said, adding the upgraded M800 would be costlier from the existing model by only "a couple of thousands".      

MSI Chairman R C Bhargava had said in April that M800 and Omni would be phased out gradually once BS-IV emission norms would be applied in the country.      

The company would launch the country's first BS-IV emission norms compliant car — Ritz — on May 15 in both petrol and diesel variants.