The Hindu Business Line : Maruti to drive in Suzuki's small car tech at Auto Expo

DESPITE the conspicuous absence of a number of car manufacturers, the forthcoming 7th Auto Expo at Delhi will still have a few stalls that will continue to keep the bi-annual show the top draw this winter.

Car market leader Maruti Udyog Ltd (MUL) is planning to showcase Suzuki's technology leadership in small cars. The central message of the Maruti pavilion, which is expected to be one of the biggest at the Auto Expo, will be how Suzuki's experience in making motorcycles helps it in developing light, compact and performance-packed cars. The company pavilion is likely to display a mix of power-packed sports cars, concept vehicles and popular models of Maruti. MUL is hoping to use the Expo as a platform to reiterate its leadership position in small cars.

Suzuki is planning to showcase its hybrid fuel vehicle, the Suzuki Twin. It is attempting to bring in fuel cell technology to small cars for the first time in the world.

Another Suzuki model to look for at the Expo is the Jimny, a compact sports utility vehicle (SUV), which was one of the early compact SUVs that went on to redefine the concept worldwide.

Spread over a 1,800-sq.-metre display area, the thematic focus of the Maruti Suzuki stall at the Auto Expo would be on the fact that the pedigree of Suzuki and Maruti cars are, in fact, bikes. Suzuki, incidentally, is one of the only three automobile manufacturers in the world to graduate from two-wheelers to four-wheelers, the other two being Honda of Japan and BMW of Germany. This is the first Auto Expo being held in India after Suzuki took management control of Maruti in May 2002. MUL had not participated in the last Auto Expo in January 2002. As such, the company is keen to display the technological capabilities of its parent company and at the same time showcase its in-house R&D capability.

Suzuki is keen on developing MUL into its research hub for the Asian region.

The company recently launched a new Zen, which was entirely designed and styled in-house. On these lines, the Expo stall will also showcase MUL's current Indian models customised to demonstrate the company's versatility in manufacturing and designing locally.

As per Suzuki's plan, Maruti will be able to fully develop a new car model in India by 2007. At the Expo, MUL will attempt to drive home this point in the minds of its customers.