Maruti LCV likely to get turbocharged diesel motor

Maruti Suzuki India’s upcoming light commercial vehicle, the Carry (codenamed Y-9T), which will mark the carmaker’s foray into the LCV segment, is reportedly going to have a turbocharged diesel engine. Maruti is planning an annual production capacity of 80,000 units for the vehicle. 

Production of the diesel LCV, powered by Maruti’s 800cc engine, will kick off in December 2014 and the vehicle is expected to be at the dealerships by end-January 2015. Maruti is developing its first in-house diesel engine – a two-cylinder 800cc powerplant – at Gurgaon with parent Suzuki’s support. This engine is believed to be almost ready and should go into serial production by end of the year.

Turbo Energy Ltd (TEL), a Chennai-based component maker, is the exclusive supplier for turbochargers for the Maruti diesel LCV. 

K Achuthan, executive director (marketing and engineering), TEL, told our sister publication Autocar Professional: “The turbocharger has been specially designed for the 800cc diesel LCV. TEL will be the exclusive supplier for this application at Maruti Suzuki.”

The TEL turbo has been developed over a year and a half in Chennai. It will be 100 percent localised and will be manufactured locally.      

“The performance targets by Maruti Suzuki on the torque requirements were very challenging. So far, we have not been approached by the carmaker for supplying turbochargers for its petrol engines,” says Achuthan.  

Shobha Mathur