Latest Car News in India

Maruti eyes at inducting new segments, shift gears from small cars to SUVs

Maruti Suzuki India, the most popular car honcho in India is foraying into new divisions to augment its share in every segment and outpacing its rivals. Maruti’s latest entrant in the multipurpose utility segment, Maruti Ertiga, will lock horns with the segment best sellers Toyota Innova and Mahindra Xylo. Along with these Ertiga will also give a tough competition to other cars like Chevrolet Tavera Neo and Tata Aria which are priced a notch higher than Ertiga. MSI started the year 2011 with a bang, the company had 45% share in the Indian auto segment which dropped to 38.44% by the end of the year due to the continual labour strikes at its Manesar plant which led to heavy production losses. In order to regain the lost share in the Indian auto segment, the auto honcho had to modify its product portfolio in India.

Maruti Suzuki India eyes to get 50% market share in the coming years by not just inducting new cars in India but also by inducting new segments to get a good hold on the Indian car market. MSI has a number of small cars under its fleet of cars, the small car segment accounts for 60% of the Indian market.

Maruti chief general manager (marketing) Mr. Shashanl Shrivastava stated that Maruti’s new car Ertiga has been developed to target the customers who are looking for a spacious family vehicle which they can use while going out for shopping or driving to office. Ertiga is a car that is priced competitively and can suffice a common man’s daily requirements. After Maruti’s Gypsy and Grand Vitata failed to woo the Indian customers, the company’s presence in the utility vehicle segment was zilch until before Ertiga’s launch. The company looks at carving a niche for itself in the MPV segment and Ertiga seems to be a trump card for Maruti that can help it attain that.

Indian auto segment is currently dominated by small cars; Maruti currently has as many as seven hatchback cars in India, with so many small cars present in its portfolio the company surely will not look at introducing another hatchback with same body style. MSI eyes at tapping those segments of the Indian automotive market which are untouched. Maruti displayed the new SUV concept at the 11th Auto Expo which is in the making and will soon join the SUV segment in India. The company is focusing at bringing an affordable entry level diesel SUV that will appeal to the majority of consumers.

Maruti now plans to crack the SUV segment which is growing at a past pace along with these the company is mulling over to foray into new segments which can bring the lost glory back.