The Hindu Business Line : Suzuki to step up design, engg work

Hyderabad, March 27 With over seven launches in 35 months designed with Indian engineering teams collaboratively, Japanese automaker Suzuki is likely to step up engineering and design work out of here.

The company R&D team based in Gurgaon, which now comprises 480 engineers, plans to increase this to about 1,000 people by 2010, according to Mr I.V. Rao, Managing Executive Officer, Engineering, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.

Speaking to Business Line, Mr Rao explained how the company’s India R&D teams have managed to roll out about seven models with design and engineering inputs from India.

“In the case of Swift, 22 designers went to Japan and worked collaboratively. Given the success we have achieved, Suzuki has decided to increase investments in the R&D teams here and also mandate more work,” Mr Rao said. Apart from pure design work, the company is also evaluating new model development work and setting up of test facilities including test track in India by 2010, he said.

Referring to the A Star, its global car launch, Mr Rao said that this will be launched by second half of this year from the Manesar plant.

Mr Rao earlier launched the Swift notchback in the Andhra Pradesh market, and said that the entire car was designed to suit the domestic customers. The company sees itself playing a bigger role in the C segment market, which has emerged as one of the growing segments in India.

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