Maruti Suzuki India Limited is showcasing three concept cars at the Auto Expo 2008 in New Delhi. These include Concept A-Star, Concept Splash and Concept Kizashi.
Production models, based on Concept A-Star and Concept Splash, will be launched in India in the near future, and will contribute to the company's goal of achieving one million unit sales by 2010.
The Maruti Suzuki pavilion also displays the SX4 WRC Rally Car, with which Suzuki Motor Corporation is entering the World Rally Championship (WRC) for the first time this year.
The theme of the Maruti Suzuki pavilion is "Colours of Life". It signifies the wide range of the company's products and services, and how those enable the company to serve the needs of diverse Indian customers.
Managing Director of Maruti Suzuki India Limited, Shinzo Nakanishi said: "The Maruti Suzuki pavilion showcases our way forward as we consolidate our leadership in India. We will launch more world strategic models, step up our R & D, boost exports to Europe and the rest of the world, offer next generation engine technology and invest in facilities for manufacturing, marketing and brand building".
He added: "I believe Maruti Suzuki is ready to play a major role in Suzuki's global operations, and we will pursue our goals as a socially responsible corporate with the support of our excellent people".
Concept A-Star
The Auto Expo in New Delhi marks the world premiere of the Concept A-Star, designed and developed jointly by Maruti Suzuki and Suzuki Motor Corporation. This is a rare occasion when a global car company has chosen the Auto Expo in New Delhi for the global launch of a concept car.
The Concept A-Star is the first concept car in which designers from Maruti Suzuki's R & D team have been involved from the start of styling development. As such, it is an excellent showcase of Maruti Suzuki India's capabilities in this area.
The Concept A-Star demonstrates that environmental compatibility and safety can be delivered with no sacrifice in style and performance. The dynamic looking body contours of the Concept A-Star communicate the Suzuki sports DNA while the boldly flared fenders and extra-large wheels hint at strong dynamic capabilities.
The design of the Concept A-Star has a predominantly European character while incorporating Indian accents that emphasise the car's identity as Suzuki's first Japanese-Indian concept vehicle.
The Concept A-Star comes with a chassis that enables lively handling, and a high efficiency 1.0 litre engine for outstanding fuel economy.
Maruti Suzuki to make the next World Strategic Model
Maruti Suzuki will manufacture and launch a production model based on the Concept A-Star. The production model, based on the design themes of the Concept A-Star, will be built at Maruti Suzuki India's Manesar plant and sold mainly in Europe but also in India and other countries. Production is due to start in October 2008. Full-scale production for Europe is due to start in December 2008 and will be followed by expansion for other markets around the world.
Suzuki Motor Corporation is pursuing a world strategy designed for long term growth. The production model based on Concept A-Star will be the fifth World Strategic Model from Suzuki, following the launch of the Splash at the 2007 International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt.
The forthcoming production model will be an A2-segment five-door hatchback reflecting a focus on world-class environmental compatibility and comfort. It will have a newly developed Euro 5-compliant 1.0-litre aluminium petrol engine with CO2 emissions lower than those of European competitors (target: lower than 109g/km).
The new 1.0-litre aluminium engine will be produced by Maruti Suzuki India, and a manual transmission for it will be manufactured by Suzuki Powertrain India, an SMC subsidiary that's based beside Maruti Suzuki India's Manesar plant.
Concept Splash
Concept Splash displayed here at the Auto Expo lends the design theme to the fourth World Strategic Model from Suzuki Motor Corporation. Splash signaled the beginning of the second phase of Suzuki's world strategy where the theme was "Family". Suzuki plans to make Splash available for sale in Europe in spring 2008, and hopes to reach Europe-wide sales of about 60,000 units per year. It will be produced in Hungary by Magyar Suzuki. It will be manufactured and launched in India at some point in future.
Concept Splash is a next-generation concept car that's ideal for various people and lifestyles, along with families that want to enjoy outings either alone or with friends. The compact yet tall body enables a comfortable and pleasant ride in all situations, from daily shopping runs to long-distance drives.
Furthermore, the interior projects the joy of driving through a strikingly original and colourful design. Space utility is ensured in an effort to offer excellent usage and versatility.
Concept Splash is built on a platform inherited from the sporty Suzuki Swift. In line with the new car's development concept, the chassis is specially tuned for confidence-inspiring handling, stability and ride comfort that are not compromised by the tall body.
Concept Kizashi - Suzuki's entry into the D-segment
With Concept Kizashi, Suzuki Motor Corporation has announced its entry into the D-segment. It also marks the onset of the next phase of World Strategic Model strategy. This phase revolves around the theme: "Status".
After designing cars based on themes of `Sportiness' and `Family', Suzuki has designed a high end car that would give its owner a sense a pride or `status'. The idea is to create a large car so that Suzuki customers aspiring for bigger cars remain within the fold. Therefore, Suzuki decided to expand and enhance its product portfolio to cover all segments from A to D in the next few years.
Another important reason behind the D-segment entry was to fully exploit the high level of Suzuki's technological competence and enhance its brand image. Kizashi in Japanese means "prelude" or "foretaste". The Concept Kizashi is thus a prelude to the future. The name symbolizes the change within Suzuki: From a leader in mini and small cars, towards a company offering the full range of models.
Suzuki enters the World Rally Championship
The SX4 cross-over displayed here in the Maruti Suzuki pavilion is the car with which Suzuki Motor Corporation would participate in the World Rally Championship (WRC) this year.
Suzuki's participation in the WRC is one of the most important marketing and brand building initiatives for the corporation's automobile division in recent years. While it may be Suzuki's maiden entry in World Rally Championship, motor racing is in Suzuki's DNA.
Suzuki's decision to participate in the WRC — the world's most demanding motor sport competition and one of the top two motor sport championships alongside F1- follows its very successful involvement in the Junior World Rally Championship since 2002. Suzuki won the champion's title in 2004 with Suzuki Ignis. In 2007, Suzuki went on and made a record when its driver PG Andersson driving the Suzuki Swift Super 1600 became the first person to win the Junior Rally Championship 2007 title for the 2nd time.
The colours of Maruti Suzuki
While cars of the present and the future are at the centre of the display, the Maruti Suzuki pavilion also highlights some less discovered facets of the Corporate: environment-friendly products and processes, commitment to road safety, passion for motorsport and above all, the MARUTIANS, our people who make it all possible.
