'If the targets become unscientific and unjust, Then, just to meet CAFE-III regulation, a small car -- which produces a very low absolute carbon dioxide -- will have to be discontinued.'
Car purchases in India are largely limited to the top 12 per cent of households with an annual income exceeding Rs 12 lakh, while even small cars have become unaffordable for the remaining 88 per cent, said R C Bhargava, chairman of Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL), on Friday. "How can you get high car sales growth if 88 per cent of the country are below the levels of income where they cannot afford these cars costing Rs 10 lakhs and above?
Sluggish urban demand, a high base effect, and weak sales of hatchbacks and sedans weigh down passenger vehicle sales in FY25.
'Without his vision and foresight, his willingness to take a risk that no one else was willing to take, his deep and abiding love for India, the Indian automobile industry could not have become the powerhouse that it has become.'
Sedans and hatchbacks have both lost market share to SUVs, which now account for more than 50% share of the 4 million-odd-unit PV market in the country.
Compact sedans (Maruti Dzire, Hyundai Aura, Tata Tigor)' share in the overall sedan category grew from 68% in 2021 to 74.6% in 2024. Mid-sedans' (Honda City, Maruti Ciaz, Volkswagen Virtus) share declined from 26.2% in 2021 to 20.2%.
...But sales of domestic passenger vehicles dropped 2% to 3% year-on-year in August owing to low demand.
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Elaborating on the pricing formula of cars produced by Maruti Suzuki at its facilities in Haryana, the company said it marked up the cost of production of the car to generate profits.
Even as Maruti Suzuki's once bread-and-butter M800 model is seeing interest wane among buyers in India, demand for the country's once most iconic car has shot up in markets abroad.
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL), which witnessed labour unrest at its Manesar facility, is set to complete the process of regularisation of contract workers at the unit by November-end.
There is enough blame to go around for Maruti violence.
Company has taken preliminary tests of 1,181 candidates from state ITI.
The latest round of violence in Manesar brings into sharp focus how Maruti could have done better in terms of industrial relations management.
The numbers are in sharp contrast to the demand the company's premium hatchback Maruti Suzuki Swift had seen.
General Motors, Nissan Motor India and Volkswagen managed to ride the tide with new launches.
Sources close to Maruti management said the company has agreed to reinstate the 11 workers whose services were terminated for instigating the strike.
HMSI has increased the monthly salary of its permanent workers by Rs 14,770 a month.
Maruti Suzuki along with Dun & Bradstreet announced the launch of Colors of Youth 2011, a national level talent search competition for students pursuing professional courses in the country. Read on for details.
Workers across Suzuki Motor Corporation's three subsidiaries in the country are standing firm on their decision to continue an indefinite sit-in strike at the company's Manesar facility.
Workers' representatives largely giving in on good conduct bond; want revocation of most dismissals, suspensions.
The Ertiga model will be launched in both petrol and diesel versions.
As part of this cost-cutting exercise, the company has initiated measures to step up localisation levels and to pare the number of tier-I suppliers over the next two-three years.
Maruti Suzuki India Limited, the country's largest car manufacturer, on Wednesday unveiled its luxurious and sporty sedan, Kizashi, at an introductory price of up to Rs 17.5 lakh (Rs 1.75 million).
The clout of Aituc and other unions in Haryana's automobile heartland will depend crucially on whether they manage to get a foothold in the country's largest car company.
Workers want a union, while Maruti wants a 'Good Conduct Bond.' Both refuse to give in to each other. The real issue, however, is something else.
MSIL deputed another 40 engineers from its Gurgaon plant to work at Manesar also in Haryana. This takes the total strength of engineers at the facility now to 90.
Watch the flash mob that take over Auto Expo 2018.
Maruti Suzuki is planning a further investment of Rs 9000 crore in India for world class R&D centres, design facility, regional distribution centres and logistics support. The fresh investment will be made over a longer period, about eight years, as compared with three years for some earlier investments. Regional warehouses will cut short the delivery time of vehicles. The centralised and timely despatch of vehicles from its facilities in the north will mean faster shipment.
In the domestic market, sales grew by nine per cent at 64,857 units as against 59,539 units in April last year, while exports grew by 146 per cent at 6,891 units as against 2,797 units last year, the company said in a statement. This is the fourth consecutive month of sales crossing 70,000-units mark, it added.
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL), the country's largest car maker, has initiated a service campaign to inspect a probable fault and replace a part of the clutch operation system in the Ciaz, its mid-size sedan.
Of the 18 other ex-workers, who had been convicted of various other offences like violence, rioting and attempt to murder, four have been given a sentence of 5 years.
Practice of opening bookings for cars prior to launch has been followed by several companies over many years in India.
The challenges of transition to stricter emission norm BS-VI from BS-IV and compliance to new safety norms thereby making vehicles costlier are lurking around the sector.
In the next 2-3 years the company will pump in Rs 4,000 cr in product development, R&D and marketing infrastructure.
'Strange as it may seem, the more advanced the safety features in a car, the more critical is the role of the humble seat belt.'
R C Bhargava says company's move on the Gujarat plant will be beneficial to its shareholders.
With Nexa, the value-for-money mass-market car maker hopes to attract premium buyers. Sangeeta Tanwar reports.
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