The northern region market has responded well to Maruti Suzuki cars. The auto maker has registered a growth of 30 per cent during the period April-December 2009 as compared with the corresponding period of the previous year. Nationally, its sales grew 22.5 per cent.
The company has sold 72,000 cars in the region [comprising Haryana (excluding NCR region), Punjab, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir] during the period April-December 2009 as compared with 55,000 units it sold during the corresponding period of the previous year. Further, nationally, the company has sold 625,000 cars during April-December 2009, which is a growth of 22.5 per cent over the previous year.
Speaking to Business Standard, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd AGM, Hardeep S Brar said, “The northern region has responded well to Maruti sales and we see a huge potential in this part of the country. We are selling 5,500 cars per month in Punjab, Chandigarh and Jammu & Kashmir, while we are doing 2,500 cars per month in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.”
Overall, the company has sold 86,000 in this part of the country in the fiscal year 2008-09, while nationally it has sold 722,000 lakh cars in 2008-09.
Commenting upon export, he added, “Having exported 105,000 units in this fiscal year, till December and by achieving 135 per cent increase in exports over the corresponding last year, we aim to export 130,000 cars by the end of this financial year.” At present, majority of the exports is being done to European countries, A Star being the popular model. The company is also targeting exports to non European countries like Australia and West Asia.
Meanwhile, the company launched its utility vehicle (UV) Eeco in Chandigarh on Thursday. “The new family car is designed keeping in mind the needs of the Indian customers. Eeco will help us strengthen our presence in the C segment and we expect to do significant numbers,” Brar said. Eeco comes in three variants with a price tag of between Rs 260,117 (for 5 seater standard), Rs 289,558 (for 5 seater AC) and Rs 275,856 (for 7 seater). He added that Eeco complied with Bharat Stage (BS)-IV norms and it was the fourth model to meet these norms well ahead of the April 2010 deadline. The company has invested Rs 60 crore for the product development.