India’s largest passenger car maker Maruti Suzuki has received its single largest order to manufacture 4,000 units of its sports utility vehicle Gypsy from the Indian Army. As the contract is finalized through central government tendering, the company has declined to disclose the deal’s financial value. Though the details about the financial value is still in wraps but assuming the ex-showroom price of Rs 5.42-5.96 lac, the order should be in the vicinity of Rs 216 to 238 crores.
R S Kalsi, Executive Director Marketing and Sales said, “The armed and paramilitary forces are a major customer for Maruti Suzuki. The army is amongst the major buyers of our vehicles since 1991. Starting with around 1,500 Gypsys the first year, we have sold about 31,000 of these to them. The latest order is the single largest we have had for the Gypsy from the army."
Up until now, Maruti Suzuki has manufactured close to 1,40,000 Gypsys for India and 22 per cent of these have been exclusively produced for the armed forces. Out of 4000 units, company has already dispatched 2100 units over the past two months while the rest of the order will be completed in the next four to five months.
The vehicles have been specially designed to meet the requirement for the Indian Army. “These (army) vehicles operate in tough terrain, in difficult geographies, such as in Ladakh. There are elaborate standards and quality inspection processes, which are carried out continuously. Given the good performance and the adequate availability of spares of our cars, the army prefers these,” added Kalsi.
The Gypsys will come equipped with black-out convoy lights, which emit a green ray during black-outs. The vehicles also have towing and special hooks for mounting of weapons.
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Source : CarDekho