Toshihiro Suzuki, the Chief Operating Officer of Suzuki Motor Company, the parent firm of Maruti-Suzuki India limited, India’s largest carmaker today outright ruled out any potential alliance with any other carmaker. Speaking through a translator at a media roundtable, he said that it was important for Suzuki to develop its own technology lest any competitor feel that they have the upper hand. These comments came in reference to stories in the international media talking of a potential tie-up between Suzuki and the world’s largest carmaker Toyota.
However, Suzuki quickly clarified that this did not mean that the company was not open to partnerships in the future. He also pointed out that Suzuki was open to joint-development with large component makers and with raw materials developers. The company is developing several new technologies in alternate fuel systems including fuel-cells, electric cars and plug-in hybrids.
Speaking about the Indian market, Suzuki highlighted the fact that their plans to launch 15 new products by 2020 are still on track, this started with the launch of the Baleno last year and will continue with the launch of the compact Sports-Utility Vehicle, the Brezza at the first press conference of the Auto Expo which starts tomorrow. The Brezza is also a showcase for Indian development as the car has been developed by a team from Maruti-Suzuki led by CV Raman, Executive Director, Engineering, Maruti.
“We have to make suitable products for the Indian market and exceed the expectation of our customers not only when it comes to the products but also with regards to sales and service. We will continue to make investments in both these areas”, Suzuki pointed out. He has set the company an aggressive target of achieving a production of two million cars very soon and said that ‘Make In India’ was a cornerstone of Suzuki’s global strategy with the Baleno being globally exported from Maruti’s Manesar factory. He also said that Suzuki and Maruti engineers were continually working towards improving the fuel efficiency of both their petrol and diesel vehicles.
Toshihiro Suzuki, who is expected to take over the reins of Suzuki Motor Company from Osamu Suzuki soon admitted that the carmaker is still a small player in Europe and the rest of Asia and needs to do much more to improve their sales performance in other countries.