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The Managing Director of Maruti Udyog Ltd, Mr Jagdish Khattar, and the Director (Marketing), Mr Kinji Saito, with Maruti's new car `Twin' during a press conference at the Auto Expo 2004 in the Capital on Wednesday. - Ramesh Sharma

New Delhi , Jan. 14

MARUTI Udyog Ltd (MUL) is planning to launch at least two new models this year. Among the cars being considered are the Suzuki Liana, the Ignis, and the Jimny.

The company has already commenced customer feedback through clinics at various sale points in the country. The customer feedback is expected to enable the company to take a decision regarding the pricing and positioning for these cars, which may then be launched in the country.

MUL is also actively considering the possibility of bringing in the Suzuki Twin, which is a compact two-seater petrol-cum-electric car.

The country's largest passenger car manufacturer is, however, hoping that its future vehicles will be able to leverage its strengths in the small car segment and refocus this capability for the Indian market. This is one of the reasons why it is hoping to get positive feedback about the Suzuki Twin and the Jimny.

The Twin sports a petrol-cum-electric engine, and sells in Japan for the equivalent of Rs 1.9 lakhs. Manufacturing the car in India could enable MUL to price it close to this figure. Jimny is a compact sports utility vehicle that offers most of the luxury features that larger, full sized SUVs have to offer.

In the meanwhile, MUL has revised upwards its exports target for the current fiscal by about 25 per cent from 40,000 units to over 50,000 units.

For the nine months ended December 2003, the company has recorded its best exports performance of 35,040 units. MUL's previous best export performance was for the full year 1996-97, when the company exported 35,031 units.

The company is also hoping to increase its component sourcing from local vendors and said the effect of the hike in steel prices will be marginally offset by the cut in duties announced by the Government earlier this month.

Speaking at the Auto Expo, Mr Jagdish Khattar, Managing Director of MUL, said the company has recorded growth in sales of over 30 per cent during the current fiscal, but the growth next year cannot match this frenetic pace. Maruti's cumulative domestic sales for the nine months ended December 2003 crossed the 2.48 lakh mark.

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