Maruti Suzuki’s Ambitious LCV Project to See Daylight Soon
Published On Apr 21, 2016
In the year 2012, India's largest passenger car maker Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL) announced its plans to venture into the SCV segment. MSIL had aimed to roll out a light commercial vehicle code-named Y9T in the last quarter of 2014-2015, but the project has been delayed by 18 months.
Though the company is a leading brand in cars, MSIL's inexperience in the commercial vehicle segment and its inability to read product attributes have led to the setback. Earlier in 2014, its engineers discovered faults in the prototype LCV's design. According to the company's sources, all the issues pertaining to the product's design have been resolved and the model is ready to see the daylight in next few months.
“First time in over 30 years of company’s history, a product is delayed. We could not understand the load factor in the segment. Unlike a car, where you can seat four-to-five people with some luggage, an LCV gets abused in the Indian market. A one tonne truck often carries 1.5 tonne,” said one of the company's top executive.
Now, Maruti Suzuki is all set to roll out its new LCV as a commercial goods carrier in the sub 2-tone segment. Soon after its launch, the vehicle will go against the likes of Tata Ace, which has been ruling the market since its introduction in 2007.
The upcoming Maruti Suzuki LCV will be launched with CNG and a diesel powered engine. Its CNG version will draw power from a 1200cc engine while the diesel versions will borrow an 800cc motor from Celerio hatchback. This 800cc diesel power plant is jointly developed by Suzuki Motors and MSIL in India.
See Also:
Indian Automobile Sector to Grow in FY2017
Commercial Vehicle Sector Thrives in India, Aids Economic Progress
