Milestones don’t come much bigger than this: Maruti Suzuki has just crossed the 10-million-unit mark for car sales in the country. The company has managed this just over 28 years after it sold its first car in December 1983. But perhaps the more impressive statistic is that it has achieved half these sales in only the last six years.
Not surprisingly, the car that has sold the most units over the 28-plus years is the car that started it all – the Maruti 800, which accounts for 23.36 lakh units overall. However, the Alto (K10 included), which has been on sale for a much shorter time, still chalked up an impressive 19.08 lakh units. The ten millionth car in question was a red Swift VXi, which was sold in Coimbatore.
“Maruti Suzuki’s success story is closely linked with the success story of India in the last two decades. Even as India has grown and transformed, Maruti Suzuki has evolved to meet changing demands,” said Shinzo Nakanishi, managing director and CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited. “We will continue to drive the growth and evolution of India’s car market. I thank employees, dealers and suppliers for their support and commitment.”
To mark the occasion, Maruti has unveiled a ‘Celebration Edition’ of the SX4 saloon. The car will get a set of decals on its bodywork, but most of the changes are to the interior. The inside door handles and aircon surrounds are now chrome, while there is new upholstery and commemorative floor mats and cushions as well.