The Maruti Victoris made its global debut yesterday, and will be the second prong in Maruti’s two-fold attack on the midsize SUV segment in India. The crucial difference from its platform sibling, the Maruti Grand Vitara, is that it will be sold from Maruti Suzuki Arena outlets, which outnumber the brand’s premium Nexa showrooms 6 to 1 across India, giving the Victoris a much broader reach.
Maruti Victoris to be exported to over 100 markets
Broader still will be its reach around the globe, as Maruti Suzuki has big export plans for the midsize SUV. As is the case with the upcoming Maruti e-Vitara, India will be the Maruti Victoris exports global production hub too, and like the EV, this new SUV will be exported to over 100 countries globally. By contrast, the Grand Vitara is sold in around 60 markets.
“Suzuki Japan is shifting more and more of its export market from Japan to India. From India, we can export at a very competitive price and a robust, good durability product,” Maruti Suzuki MD and CEO Hisashi Takeuchi told our sister publication Autocar Professional. In fact, Maruti e-Vitara exports have already commenced.
Suzuki now developing global models, rather than local
However, says Maruti, it’s no longer about developing a vehicle for one market and simply putting it on sale in another. Inputs from all target markets for an upcoming Suzuki product are taken into consideration early on in the development cycle.
“Exports are becoming a very important portfolio for us,” Sandeep Raina, executive officer Product Planning at Maruti Suzuki told Autocar India. “And when we are developing products, we are taking inputs from our counterparts in the export markets and integrating and balancing things which can be a sweet spot for both markets.”
The Maruti Victoris price announcement is expected to be made in the coming days, likely being finalised now that the union government’s new GST rates for cars have been announced. Once on sale, Maruti will be looking at toppling the midsize SUV segment leader, the Hyundai Creta, with the Victoris and Grand Vitara combined.
Hormazd Sorabjee
Sahil Kukreja
