PROJECT REPORT 0 ON MARUTI SUZUKI

Submitted in Partial fulfilment of the requirements of Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)

Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi

Submitted to : Ms. Geetu Sodhi Submitted by : Siddhanth Munjal Enrolment No. : 10414201709

JAGANNATH INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT SCHOOL VASANT KUNJ, NEW DELHI

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
After carrying out thorough study, I have prepared this project report on the Marketing Strategy of Maruti Suzuki ltd. The data for the contents of which have been carefully derived from various sources including the World Wide Web, books, magazines, brochures and newspapers.

I owe sincere thanks to my teacher Ms. Geetu Sodhi, for her constant guidance, assistance & monitoring. Working on this project has helped me gain a complete perspective of how MARUTI SUZUKI handles the marketing, promotion & distribution of their products in India. I am quite sure that the knowledge that I have acquired from this exercise will benefit me in the near future.

SIDDHANTH MUNJAL

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Mr. SIDDHANTH MUNJAL, BBA IP Morning(B) III Semester has completed the project titled Marketing Strategies of Maruti Suzuki under the supervision of Mrs. GEETU SODHI for the fulfilment of the requirement as a course of study.

Place: New Delhi Date:

Project Guide Ms. Geetu Sodhi

CONTENTS

Objectives Methodology Introduction Indian automobile industry Timeline of Indian automobile industry Milestones of Maruti Suzuki ltd. Increasing small car segment Automobiles Production facility in India SWOT analysis Position of Maruti Suzuki Customer obsession Sustainability efforts Maruti & road safety IDTRs Maruti Insurance Maruti True value Maruti AutoCard Conclusion Bibliography

OBJECTIVES

To study the marketing strategies of Maruti Suzuki along with the company profile. Also included are the initial stages of the company, its growth and development in the Indian market. To study the automobiles manufactured and marketed by Maruti Suzuki ltd. To prepare a SWOT analysis of the company for a better perception of the company profile. To conduct a survey and acquire conclusions about the companys popularity among masses.

METHODOLOGY

This project is based on both primary and secondary data. Primary data has been gathered using a survey conducted on a group of 30 people locally in Delhi. However various internet websites has been referred to for gathering various details about the company.

INTRODUCTION
Maruti Suzuki India Limited is a publicly listed automaker in India. It is a leading four-wheeler automobile manufacturer in South Asia. Suzuki Motor Corporation of Japan holds a majority stake in the company. It was the first company in India to mass-produce and sell more than a million cars. It is largely credited for having brought in an automobile revolution to India. It is the market leader in India and on 17 September 2007, Maruti Udyog was renamed Maruti Suzuki India Limited. The company's headquarters are in Gurgaon, Haryana (near Delhi). Its manufacturing facilities are at two locations viz. Gurgaon and Manesar. Marutis Gurgaon unit has installed a capacity of over 350,000 units per year. The Manesar facility, launched in February 2007, has a capacity of nearly 100,000 units per year and a diesel engine plant with an annual capacity of 100,000 engines and transmissions. Manesar and Gurgaon facilities have a combined capability to produce over 700,000 units annually. During 2007-08, Maruti Suzuki sold 764,842 cars, of which 53,024 were exported. In all, over six million Maruti cars are on Indian roads since the first car was rolled out on December 14, 1983. Maruti Udyog Limited's (MUL) share of the Indian passenger vehicle market had been dropping off considerably after the globalization of the Indian market. The future of MUL's low-cost model - the Maruti 800 (M-800) - was now at stake with the international automotive players entering the Indian market.

M-800 had dominated the Indian car market since it was launched in 1984. The introduction of
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new cars by competitors made the M-800 look obsolete as it had not been changed in any major way for over two decades. Apart from the increased competition, MUL also had a few other problems on its plate. There was a delay in setting up of a plant in India for manufacturing diesel engines and transmission systems for cars. The engines for its diesel variants were imported from other countries, and there were limits on the quantities it could import. In the market, MUL's models like the Zen, Alto, WagonR, and Baleno were showing mixed results. While Zen, Alto and WagonR were successful, Baleno failed to live up to MUL's expectations. Its utility vehicle 'Versa' met with a disastrous response from the Indian consumer. In addition, rising incomes, the growth in the used-car market, and availability of easier finance options, led customers to shift their allegiance to other models from competitors. To reduce its excessive dependence on a single model (M-800), the company had restructured the strategy for the M800, and planned for product upgrades and new product development. In tune with changing customer preferences, the company launched its hatch-back model, 'Swift' in May 2005, to compete with Hyundai Getz and Fiat Palio. MUL hoped this model would help the company shed its low-cost and simple look. The move expressed the company's intent to move up the value pyramid (by upgrading Alto-WagonRSantro customers to the new model) while simultaneously increasing market penetration at the bottom of the value pyramid by making the M-800 more affordable.

Type Founded Headquarters Key people Industry Products Revenue Employees Parent Website

Public (BSE Maruti, NSE Maruti) 1981 Gurgaon, Haryana, India Mr. Shinzo Nakanishi, Managing director and CEO Automotive Cars US $ 3.5 billion (2009) 7,000(approx.) Suzuki www.marutisuzuki.com

INDIAN AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY

The Indian automobile industry has four major segments - commercial vehicles (CVs), passenger vehicles, three wheelers, and two wheelers. The market share for each of these segments of the Indian automobile industry, for the year 2003-04, is shown in Figure I.

According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the Indian passenger vehicle market has three categories -- passenger cars, multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs), and utility vehicles (UVs). The passenger car market is further divided into various segments based on the length of the car (Refer to Exhibit II for a detailed description of the lengthwise classification of passenger cars. The Indian automobile industry was a highly protected slow-growth industry with very few players till the opening up of the Indian economy in 1991. Low manufacturing costs, availability of skilled labour, an organized component industry, and the capability to supply in large volumes attracted global auto majors to set up their operations in India after the opening up of the sector.

For example, Fiat and DaimlerChrysler started outsourcing their component requirements to India. 100 percent Indian subsidiaries of global players, like Delphi Automotive Systems and Visteon, exported components to other parts of the world.

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Macroeconomic factors like government regulations, low interest rates, and availability of retail finance played an important role in the rapid development of the automobile industry in India during the late nineties (Refer to Exhibit III for an understanding of the impact of the Union Budget on the Indian automobile industry over the years)...

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TIMELINE OF INDIAN AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY:

1897 First Person to own a car in India - Mr Foster of M/s Crompton Greaves

Company, Mumbai

1901 First Indian to own a car in India - Jamsetji Tata 1905 First Woman to drive a car in India - Mrs. Suzanne RD Tata 1905 Fiat Motors 1911 First Taxi in India 1924 Formation of traffic police 1928 Chevrolet Motors 1942 Hindustan Motors 1944 Premier Auto Limited 1945 Tata Motors 1947 Mahindra Motors 1948 Ashok Motors 1948 Standard Motors 1974 Sipani Motors 1981 Maruti Suzuki 1994 Rover Motors

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1994 Mercedes Benz 1994 Opel 1995 Ford Motors 1995 Honda SIEL 1995 Reva Electric Car Company 1995 Daewoo Motors 1996 Hyundai Motor Company 1997 Toyota Kirloskar Motors 1997 Fiat Motors (Re-Entry) 1998 San Motors 1998 Mitsubishi Motors 2001 koda Auto 2003 Chevrolet 2005 BMW 2007 Audi 2009 Land rover and jaguar

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MILESTONES OF MARUTI SUZUKI LTD.

1980s This was the time when scooter had a waiting period, industrial production was licensed. The Indian manufacturing industry sees a new dawn. 1981 Maruti Udyog Ltd was incorporated under the provisions of the Indian companies Act, 1956. The government of India selected Suzuki Motor Corporation as the joint venture partner. 1982 The JV was signed between government of India and Suzuki Corporation. The company born out of this JV was Maruti Udyog Ltd. 1983 The peoples car is born. Maruti 800, a 796 cc hatchback, Indias first affordable car launched. The company went into production in a record time of 13 months. The first car for many Indians Mr. Harpal Singh, the owner of the first Maruti still drives the car after 25 years. 1984

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Business gets Omni present During a time when business was booming and people needed better ways to transport, Maruti Omni provided a great advantage- it was very spacious, yet stylish enough to carry people too. 1985 Providing the platform India was evolving and so did the people. Maruti gypsy was Indias first off-road vehicle and is still the best to do the Raid de Himalaya. Maruti gypsy (970cc, 4wd off-road vehicle) launched. 1987 Maruti goes overseas In its bid to go International way back in 1987, Maruti sent its first lot of 500 cars to Hungary. 1987-88 Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) Award awarded for the second year. 1989 Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) Award for the third year. Early 1990s The era of liberalization. A time Indian industry had been waiting for long. Manufacturing becomes very crucial to the economy. It was a time when industry was growing and India was looking towards the world with renewed vigour, renewed hope. 1990

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Indias first sedan- ESTEEM Received Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) Award for the fourth year. 1991 Engineering Export Promotional Council (EEPC) Award for the fifth year. 1991-92 Performance Acknowledged by Economic times & Howard business school association of India corporate performance award for best in public sector. 1992 Maruti becomes more important to Suzuki in the agenda for growth. Suzuki motor corporation (SMC) increases its stake in Maruti to 50 percent. 1992-93 Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) Award for the sixth year. 1993 Maruti Zen the world car. One of the Indias most favourite cars, the Maruti Zen captured the imagination of people when it was launched. The 993cc hatchback outlived its lifecycle by many years and still continues to be a favourite car of many. 1993-94 NPC Award. Runners Up in best production performance in automobile industry
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Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) Award for the seventh year 1994 Esteem 1.3L (1298cc, 3box car) launched 1994-95 National award for Energy Conservation Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) Award for the eighth year Late 1990s The late 90s was a buzz of activity for Maruti. While Maruti was a market leader at the beginning of the 90s, competition coming in with new products gave a new twist to the situation. The company had to respond to the situation with going back to its fundamentals. The customer was the key and the company looked at implementing various initiatives to delight the customer. The results became evident in 2000 and further. Maruti is, until today, the undisputed winner of the JD power award for customer satisfaction. 1995 Indian national suggestion scheme association (INSSAN) Award for the second year. ISO-9002 Certificate EXIM star trophy for outstanding export performance by JLN Port-trust 1996 1.5 million Vehicles rolled out. Certificate of significant achievement under the CII Business excellence award was given.

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1996-97 National Export Award, for excellence in exports in the Engineering Goods category ( motor vehicles, auto spare parts & components) 1997 Maruti service master (MSM) launched as model workshop in India; achieved highest customer satisfaction index (CSI) Hero Honda Rolling Trophy 1st in CII (North) QC circle competition MUL has been granted STAR TRADING HOUSE STATUS w.e.f. 01/04/96 to 31/03/99 by ministry of commerce based on export performance of MUL in last 3 years. Our objective is to become SUPER STAR TRADING HOUSE by 1999 which could be achieved by increasing exports@30% p.a. 1998 Confederation of Indian industry (CII) Exim Award for Business Excellence. 1999 MSIL was certified for establishing and maintain EMS as per ISO 14001:1996 standards in 1999. 2000 Company reported a loss of Rs.269 crores. JD power customer satisfaction award received.

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IDTR ( Institute of Driving Training and Research ) launched jointly with the Delhi government to promote safe driving habits. Maruti Alto launched. First Car Company in India to launch a call center. 2001 Turn around with profits Rs. 104.5 crore Four new businesses- true value, insurance, finance. Maruti versa launched Maruti true value launched. No. 1 in customer satisfaction in J.D. Power Survey award for the second year. 2002 Divestment- Suzuki motor corporation (SMC) acquires majority stake in MUL (increases to 54.2%) Maruti finance & insurance launched. No. 1 in customer satisfaction in J.D. power survey award for the third year. MSIL was re-certified for establishing and maintaining EMS as per ISO 14001:1996 standards in 2002.

2003 Maruti gets listed on BSE and NSE

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IPO ( issue oversubscribed 11.2 times ) New zen launched first facelift by Maruti engineers. No. 1 in customer satisfaction in J.D. power survey award for the fourth year. 2004 A new esteem launched- second successful facelift by Maruti engineers. No.1 in sales satisfaction index in J.D. power survey award for the fifth year. 2005

Swift launched-first world strategic model from Suzuki motor corporation. J.D. power survey award for the sixth year. MSIL has changed its EMS from ISO 14001:1996 version to ISO 14001:2004 version w.e.f. 1st July 2005.

MSIL was re-certified in 2005 as per ISO 14001:2004 standards.

2007

Swift diesel launched New car plant and the diesel engine facility commences operations during 2006-07 at manesar, Haryana

Sx4 luxury sedan launched with the tag line Men are back Maruti launches Grand Vitara. The company name changed from Maruti Udyog ltd to Maruti Suzuki India ltd

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Maruti joins hands with the Gujarat government to set up Driving and Technical training institute for Tribal youth

Change in leadership- Mr. S. Nakanishi appointed as new MD, & Mr. R. C. Bhargava appointed as chairman by board of Directors.

J.D. power survey award for the eighth year. India customer satisfaction index award. India automotive performance, execution and layout study (APEAL) award. India initial quality study.

2008

World Premiere of Concept A-star at 9th Auto Expo, New Delhi. Maruti won Car Manufacture of the Year Mr. Jagdish Khattar, former Managing Director, received the Next Generation Automotive Man of the year award.

The ICICI-NDTV profit Viewers Choice Awards was bagged by Maruti Suzuki SX4 in the mid size car segment.

Maruti Suzuki India limited, bags award for Most customer responsive company in the automobile sector. The awards are instituted by Avaya global connect and The Economic Times in association with Ernest & Young and AC Nielsen. Professor M. Jankiraman of Indian institute of management, Lucknow, has designed the methodology.

TV-18 Autocar Mid Size car ward SX 4

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CNBC TV-18 Autocar Value for money SX 4 CNBC TV -18 Autocar award for viewers choice SX 4 CNBC TV -18 Autocar manufacturer award Maruti Suzuki. CNBC TV -18 Autocar man of the year Jagdish Khattar. Alto crosses one million mark. MoU signed with Adanis for setting up mega car terminal at mundra Swift crosses the 250,000 sales units. Swift DZire launched. Launch of M800 LPG. Maruti Suzuki features among the worlds 200 most reputed companies in the annual worldss most reputed company survey -2008. In the passenger car sector, Maruti Suzuki finishes fourth globally.

Inauguration of the KB Engine Facility at Gurgaon. Maruti wins JD power customer satisfaction index nine times in a row. MSIL launches fifth world strategic model A- star. Auto monitor awards for 2007 Maruti Suzuki was awarded Manufacturer of the year( Passenger Car category) Young achievers, a new category this year Rajesh Singh Gogu and Saurabh Singh were awarded for designing Concept A-star.

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2009
MSIL adopts voluntary Fuel Disclosure. First shipment of A-star leaves Mundra port- January 10 A-star bags, zigwheels car of the year award A-star rated best small car of the year- Autocar UTVi Automotive technology of the year: newly launched K 10 b engine Manufacturer of the

year.

Special commendation to the Indian auto industry : a tribute to MSILs silver jubilee

Signs MoU with Haryana Govt. To set up manage and run two IDTRs in Haryana Swift smiles: 300,000 milestone. Fastest car model to reach the 3-lakh milestone. Launched in May 2005, the sporty car achieved this fest in only three years and eight

months.
Online club called Swift Life for all swift-owners. 50th Maruti Driving School unveils. A-star or Suzuki alto debuts at Geneva Motor show sales begin at EU. Capacity to manufacture expanded from 800,000 to a million units annually. The annual sales in 2008-09 is the highest ever by the company in its 25 year history 2008-09 marked Maruti Suzukis silver jubilee year in India.

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 Maruti Suzuki unveils new Ritz K12M engine at Gurgaon plant. The 2008-09 export numbers, the highest ever by the company was led by A-star, the

fuel efficient compact car launched in Europe during the year.

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INCREASING SMALL CAR SEGMENT

1. Small car segment constitute 80 % of the total passenger cars. The total worth of car

industry in terms of annual sales turnover of approx. 10,000 crores. So the size and worth of the small car market in India makes is highly lucrative preposition.
2. Maruti Suzuki ltd. is the market leader in the car industry in India and has more than

half of the market share. But the new global entrants are changing their company strategies to capture the Indian market. They are indulging themselves more in the small car segment. International car makers have entered the Indian market with an expectation to derive larger profits out of the Indian middle class.
3. Also the reason for increasing small car segment is the internationally increasing fuel

prices. Demand of fuel efficient cars has increased worldwide; therefore more companies are indulging in small car segment.

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4. The share of Maruti Suzuki in the Indian market;

90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

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AUTOMOBILES

Maruti 800: Launched - 1983 Maruti Omni: Launched - 1984 Maruti Gypsy: Launched - 1985 Maruti Zen: Launched-1993 Maruti Alto: Launched - 2000 Maruti Wagon-R: Launched - 2002 Maruti Versa: Launched - 2003 Maruti Grand Vitara: Launched - 2004 Maruti Suzuki Swift: Launched - 2005 Maruti Zen Estilo: Launched - 2006 Maruti Suzuki SX4: Launched - 2007 Maruti Swift Dzire: Launched - 2008 Maruti A-Star: Launched - 2008 Maruti Suzuki Ritz: Launched - 2009

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MARUTI 800
Maruti 800 is a city car manufactured by Maruti Suzuki in India. It is a rebadged version of an old model of the Suzuki Alto. Over 2.5 million Maruti 800's have been sold since its launch in 1984. It used to be the bestselling car in India until 2004, the Maruti Alto upon its launch took that title. It is also exported to a number of countries in South Asia including Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and to some South American markets (as Chile, sold as Suzuki Maruti), and was available in selected European markets between 1988 and 1992, sold as the Suzuki Maruti. In Morocco it is currently sold as Suzuki Maruti (as of March 2008). The car comes in different versions including one with air conditioning and one without. It was launched in December 1984 with almost 100% imported components. The 800 has undergone some minor face lifts but overall it still remains the same as it was in 1984. The car has reported slipping sales in recent times, mainly due to the introduction of the Alto at a comparable price. The car produces approximately 37 bhp (28 kW; 38 PS) of power and runs on 12 inch wheels. Curb weight is 650 kg (1433 lb) and 4 passengers (including the driver) fit in. Top speed is in the region of 125 km/h (78 mph) and the car is known to deliver fuel economy better than 20 km/l (47 mpg) on clear and plain roads. Maruti Suzuki had earlier launched a version with a 4 valves per cylinder engine producing 45 bhp (34 kW; 46 PS) coupled with a 5-speed manual transmission (currently found in the Suzuki Alto) but discontinued it after a couple of years. A Euro III emission compliant version of the car was released in 2005 in India. The Maruti 800 is still popularly hailed in India as "the smallest car in production" due to its relatively tightly spaced interior. Its main competitor is the cheaper Tata Nano (123,000 compared to 184,641 Rupees) which has an 8 percent smaller exterior size and a 23 percent larger interior space.

MARUTI OMNI
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The Maruti Omni is a microvan. The first version of Maruti Omni had 796 cc engine, same as the Maruti 800 city car. This was the second vehicle to be launched by Maruti, one year after the 800, in 1984. Later version of the Omni includes the: Omni (E), released in 1996, 796 cc engine, 8 seater capacity vehicle Omni XL - 1999, same engine, modified with a higher roof. Omni Cargo LPG - 2004, created to answer the growing popularity of this car being used as an inter-city cargo vehicle. Omni LPG - 2003, same 796 cc engine, added with a factory fitted LPG Kit, authorised by the Indian RTOs (Regional Transport Offices). This makes it the most economic 4 wheeler in India, as far as the driving costs are concerned. Omni Ambulance - A Modified E version into an ambulance vehicle. This is the most common type of ambulances found in Indian cities.

The Omni could be divided into two categories: the family version and the cargo version. The newer family version has two extra seats directly behind the front seating and facing away towards the rear of the van making it an eight seater. (Older versions were modified by individual owners to add additional capacity this way). The cargo version is completely devoid of back seats. Both versions have sliding back doors and hatchbacks. The Omni is also unique in a way that it uses a front mid engine rear wheel drive layout, as it helps in maximizing cabin and cargo space and providing maximum traction.

MARUTI GYPSY
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The Maruti Gypsy is a four wheel drive SUV based on the Suzuki Jimny SJ series long wheel base jeep. Produced in India, it is also a common sight in Chile and Kenya. Within Europe, it is most often found in Malta and Hungary. In contrast to the Suzuki, the Maruti is available with 4 seats and a sizeable trunk. The Maruti Gypsy is available as a "soft top", "hard top and as an "ambulance car". In India, it is widely used by the police and defence forces. In fact, the MG413 model is now the mainstay of the Indian Army. In civilian use, the Gypsy is a popular choice as a low-cost SUV and is a common sight at rally events. The Maruti Gypsy is a bare-bone, utilitarian SUV. It features almost no creature comforts, like power-windows and power-assisted steering. As quoted by Autocar India, "There is nothing that can touch a Gypsy off the road, except perhaps an Arjun battle tank. The trouble is that everything else does better on the road - the ride from the archaic leaf springs all round is horribly bumpy and the interiors are utilitarian as well. And available with only two doors, its inconvenient too." The price of a new Maruti Gypsy, if purchased in India, is US $12,500 (5,00,000 INR in 2008). As a 4x4 at this price point, its only Indian competitors are sold by Mahindra and Force Motors. The petrol engine in the Gypsy is also much more refined than the diesel mills used in the cars from the two aforementioned companies. As a result, the Gypsy is developing into a very popular vehicle in its category. However, as of date, the Gypsy is available on order only against a 100% advance payment with a waiting period of over 3 months. This has led to the creation of a strong market for used Maruti Gypsies.

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MARUTI ZEN
The Maruti Zen is a 5-door hatchback produced and sold in India. It has acquired significant popularity in India since the nameplate was first introduced in 1993. The word "ZEN" is an acronym standing for Zero Engine Noise. It also stands for the Japanese word "Zen" which derives from the Sanskrit word "Dhyana" and means "To figure out something by meditation or by a sudden flash of enlightenment." Also sold as Suzuki Cervo Mode, in many parts of the world a blockbuster in its segment, the first generation Maruti Zen was introduced in 1993. In Europe, the car was sold as the Suzuki Alto. In 2000 its cost (of LX model) was around Rs 3,80,000. The best part of the Zen is it remained in trend for over a very long period without any changes in Exterior Design or looks. The production of this model ended in March 2006 Zen had a diesel variant which used the Peugeot's TUD5 (PSA TU engine) engine. The Zen quickly became a hit with the Indian Racing Scene, highly modified versions of the 993 cc G10B engine topping 100+ Bhp. In June 2003, a three door sports version of the Zen in VXi segment was launched, prices at 3.9 Lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi); there were two models released which differed only in colors 1. Zen Carbon (black) 2. Zen Steel (silver)

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MARUTI ALTO
The Maruti Alto is a city car manufactured by Maruti Suzuki in India. It was launched in the local Indian market on September 27, 2000 although the Maruti Alto brand name was very successfully being used to export the Maruti Zen to Europe from India since around 1994 having captured over 40% market share in Belgium and 33% in Netherlands by 1998. It is the best-selling hatchback in India. Since 2006, It is India's largest selling car and crossed the 1 million production figure in February 2008 becoming the 3rd Maruti model to cross the million mark in India after Maruti 800 and Maruti Omni and 4th overall joining Hyundai Santro. Besides being exported to Europe from 1994-2004, it has also been exported to several other countries. The Alto is offered in the following variants

Base model - (non-ac, launched in 2004, Mumbai price approx. 2.4 lakh Rs. as of December 2008) LX - Base model with A/c, cup holders, fabric seats , remote fuel lid opener and few small changes, Mumbai price approx. 2.7-2.75 lakh Rs. as of December 2008 LXi - Same as LX with power steering, Mumbai price 2.85-2.9 lakh Rs. as of December 2008)

There used to be a VX/VXi model with a 4-cylinder 1061 cc engine (64 bhp/80 Nm torque) launched in August 2001. This has now been discontinued. But this VX model is still sold in certain European countries. The Alto VX model also featured a tachometer which was absent in LX model. All models are equipped with 5-speed manual transmission.

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MARUTI WAGON-R
The Maruti Wagon-R is a made-for-India version of Suzuki Wagon R. Maruti Suzuki India Limited has recently revamped its looks and introduced a new look WagonR which sheds the boxy look at the back. The Wagon-R was born out of Japanese keijido-sha restrictions which dictated a limited length and engine size. This boxy, tall-boy design has now completed five years of presence on Indian roads. Maruti's launch of the car was ill-timed. Despite being one of the world's first tall-boy designs (along with models from Daihatsu and Daewoo), the Wagon-R was not first-to-market in India. A less avant garde version of the Hyundai Atos was the first tall-boy design to hit the Indian roads. It preceded the Maruti-Suzuki Wagon R by a two year lead. The car comes with a variety of trim levels. These include the LX (sans power steering), LXi (power steering), VXi (fully loaded) and the AX (automatic). The car normally comes with a 5speed manual transmission and seats 4 (including the driver) comfortably. The Wagon R's bread-box shape did not immediately cut ice with the Indian consumer and the car saw slow sales initially.

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MARUTI VERSA
The Maruti Versa is a microvan produced by Maruti Suzuki and sold in India since October 2001. It is the second van released by Maruti Suzuki since the Maruti Omni was released in 1984. About seventy percent of the vehicle components are made within India. The Versa is a clone of the now discontinued Suzuki Every Landy. There are two basic versions of this car in production; the two 8-seater DX/DX2 versions, and the 5-seater STD version. The DX2 version of the Versa is equipped with twin air conditioners for front and rear. The Versa has a 16-valve, 1.3-liter 4-cylinder engine generating 82 hp (61 kW) at 6000 rpm. It is controlled by a 16-bit engine management system. A curb weight of 985 kg (2,172 lb) gives it a high power / weight ratio. The Versa can reach from 0-60 mph in 13.5 seconds. The initial target audience for this vehicle were customer who planned to buy a sedan like the Maruti Esteem or a utility vehicle like Tata Sumo. The 82 bhp (61 kW) engine is located under the front seat. The company mentions its few advantages as : Flexi seating, Twin A. C, safety, Power steering, Metatech engine, Large sliding doors, Easy parking and Easy driving.

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SUZUKI GRAND VITARA

The first-generation Grand Vitara was a slightly larger, pricier and more powerful version of the Suzuki Vitara 4-door. It was facelifted in 2002 and again in 2004. A rebadged version was sold in North America by General Motors as the Chevrolet Tracker. The Tracker is sold in Latin America, but Mexico, as Chevrolet Grand Vitara. In Mexico, Grand Vitara and Tracker are different vehicles, sold by Suzuki and Chevrolet respectively. In Chile, 5-door Grand Vitara is known as Grand Nomade. As of 2003, the smaller Suzuki Vitara has been withdrawn from the North American market. Sales were slow, with just 4,860 sold in 2004 for the United States. In Canada, sales were strong. All North American Vitaras were built at CAMI Automotive in Ingersoll, Ontario, while the North American Grand Vitaras were built in Japan, where it is the Suzuki Escudo. The 2006 model has had a structural redesign with a new ladder-boxed chassis integrated into a unibody construction. In India, it is sold by Suzuki's Indian subsidiary, Maruti Suzuki. The new Grand Vitara 2.4 comes reloaded with a 2.4 litre VVT (Variable Valve Timing) engine that delivers a maximum power of 163.5 bhp @ 6000 rpm and a torque of 225 NM @ 4000 rpm. The VVT engine on the new Grand Vitara 2.4 delivers a balanced mix of power and efficiency. The Suzuki Grand Vitara SUV range has always been loved by the customers for its style and handling as well as its off-road capabilities. The new Grand Vitara 2.4 answers the customers need for more power. An All-time, 4-mode, 4-Wheel Drive (4WD) continues to ensure effective control across terrains. Disc brakes in the rear wheels, that ensure superior braking, provide additional safety dimension to the Grand Vitara 2.4.

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MARUTI SUZUKI SWIFT

The swift has set new benchmarks for those who love cars. In style. In technology. In performance. In handling. And sheer spirit. There is no other car like it. And the more Swift owners there are, the more swift owners they create. Resulting in its ever-increasing popularity. The diesel variant of Swift comes with DDiS engine The best engine in the world as it is called. It is like no other diesel engine which delivers so much performance, fuel-efficiency, driving pleasure and durability or such low noise and vibration levels.

More pulling power with Turbocharger and Intercooler combination. Smoother running, low noise and cleaner exhaust thanks to aunique 5-step multi injection technology. Highly fuel efficient engine, thanks to a Double Over Head Camshaft (DOHC) 190 Nm of torque and 75 bhp for a superior drive with fewer gear shifts. Incredibly compact and light 1.2 litre engine is highly efficient. Minimum noise and vibrations. Has a chain drive timing system that makes the engine maintenance-free compared to others. One of the cleanest, most environment-friendly engines available today.

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MARUTI ZEN ESTILO

Originally manufactured by Suzuki, for the Japanese market only, under the name Suzuki MR Wagon, was launched in India by Maruti Suzuki in 2006 as Zen Estilo. It was also marketed in Japan by Nissan as the Nissan Moco under an OEM agreement. It is a mini MPV (multi purpose vehicle). The new Zen estilo comes with some of new added technological features, a few of them are:

ABS (Anti-lock braking system) for complete control. Airbag for added protection during impact. TESS (Total effective strength structure). 32x4 Hypertech engine for better drivability in city conditions. EPS (Electronic power steering) to assist at all speeds.

The car has been launched with in three variants LX, LXi and VXi, with VXi being the highest model.

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MARUTI SUZUKI SX4

Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro's Italdesign called studio, The the "SX used SX4 4" by replaces the Aerio (some markets Liana). designation was

American Motors (AMC) for a sporty liftback model in its allwheel drive AMC Eagle passenger cars. Although originally intended solely for the European market, the SX4 is sold in Japan, India, South America, Australia, South Africa, as well as North America. It was introduced at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show and is manufactured at the Magyar Suzuki plant in Esztergom, Hungary, in Japan and also at the plant in Manesar, India. An expected 60,000 units will be produced 2/3 to be sold by Suzuki and 1/3 by Fiat, badged as the Sedici. It is manufactured, marketed and sold in India by Maruti Suzuki. It has been launched in two variants VXi and Zxi.

It has won the best mid size car award two years in a rom 2008 & 2009. Also won the viewerss choice- car of the year award 2008. Best value for money award 2008. NDTV profit car & bike awards 2008.

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MARUTI SWIFT DZIRE

Maruti Swift Dzire is the new entry level sedan from Indian automaker Maruti Suzuki. Launched on March 26 2008, Maruti DZire is based on the popular Maruti Swift platform. The DZire replaces Maruti Suzukis popular entry level sedan, Maruti Suzuki Esteem, production of which was discontinued in late 2007. Maruti Suzuki has introduced DZire only in the Indian market. DZire is a result of an indigenous project started in 2005 to design a three-box notchback version of the Swift. Some changes have been made to the cars overall styling to seamlessly integrate the boot. The wheelbase remains the same. The car weighs about 30-35 Kgs more than the Swift hatchback. Few modifications in the rear suspension have been done to cope with the additional weight of the boot and improve the ride quality for the rear passengers. Adjustments in the rear seat inclination have been made to improve the rear seat comfort and legroom. The car is pitted against the other entry level sedans in the Indian market, such as the Mahindra Renault Logan and the Tata Indigo. The Dzire has become infamous for delivery delays as the number of cars being booked is large. The price of the car and the features offered are very attractive compared to the entrylevel sedan competition (in India), resulting in large number of bookings. The diesel version of the Dzire, in particular, had delivery times extending from 4 to 6 months.

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MARUTI A-STAR
The Maruti Suzuki A-Star (Known outside India as Suzuki Alto and Nissan Pixo) is a small car launched in December 2008. It is the next generation Suzuki Alto and is exported worldwide. The car was rolled out to the Indian customers in December 2008 and exports began in April 2009. It comes in three variants - LXi, VXi and ZXi. The initial expected prices in the Indian market are INR345,000 (ex-showroom Delhi) for the LXI, INR 372,000 for the VXI and INR 406,000 for the ZXI. With this price tag, the car is targeted at customers with budgets somewhere between the Zen Estilo and the Swift. With a totally new body and engine, Maruti hopes to bring freshness to the Indian car market, of which it already holds a major share. Initial reviews have been positive. It has a fresh new dash board, with a unique protruding tachometer besides the usual meter cowl (Only in the ZXi trim).It is the fourth model after Swift, SX4 and Grand Vitara which has helped Maruti to make stylish cars, something which it was unknown for during older models. Though the drive is comfortable for the front row, rear seating is a little small for taller passengers. The interiors have been reported to be a bit cramped as compared to the Hyundai i10, its closest competitor. It has the new K10B series engine which Suzuki says is technically highly developed and gives a balance of fuel efficiency and power. The ZXi is the fully loaded version with all the expected features like power windows, central lock, ABS, rear wiper, fog lamps, CD player, airbags etc. It is claimed to be the only car which will be available in 200 variants. It has won Best Small car award 2009 from Autocar and Topgear. Technology of the Year from Overdrive.

MARUTI SUZUKI RITZ

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The Suzuki Splash (marketed as Ritz in India) is a city car introduced in year 2008 and jointly developed between Suzuki Motor Corporation and Opel which will also market their version as the Agila. It debuted as a concept car at the 2006 Paris Auto Show and the production model debuted at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show. The Splash is slotted below the Swift in the line-up, and uses a shortened wheelbase version of its chassis. The car was launched with two petrol engines, a 3 cylinder 1.0 litre and 4 cylinder 1.2 litre, and a 4 cylinder version of Fiat's Multijet diesel engine. Unlike its predecessor, the Wagon R+, the Splash has five seats as standard. It was introduced to the Japanese market on 20 October 2008, available as Splash 1.2 for 1,239,000. Maruti Suzuki has now introduced it in India(Suzuki's largest market) as Ritz. Maruti Ritz is specifically designed to keep the following points above others in the same car segment

Style Design Mileage Luxury

Maruti has specially taken care of the suspension in this new car. Ritz has successfully tackled the uneven Indian roads during the test run. The suspension has been raised than Swift. It has also been softened to offer more ease while riding. The ground clearance is 170 mm, more than required for Indian roads. Both the variation of engine can accomplish BS - IV norm, the first among Indian cars. With all these riding pleasures, Maruti Ritz is surely going to stun the Indian car market.

PRODUCTION FACILITY IN INDIA

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Maruti Suzuki has two state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in India. The first facility is at Gurgaon spread over 300 acres and the other facility is at Manesar, spread over 600 acres in North India.

The Gurgaon Plant

Maruti Suzuki's plant in Gurgaon houses three fully integrated plants. While the three plants have a total installed capacity of 350,000 cars per year, several productivity improvements or shop floor Kaizens over the years have enabled the company to manufacture nearly 700,000 cars/ annum at the Gurgaon facilities.

The entire facility is equipped with more than 150 robots, out of which 71 have been developed in-house. More than 50 per cent of our shop floor employees have been trained in Japan.

T he Gurgaon Plant also houses `K' Engine plant.

The `K' family engine plant has an installed annual capacity of 240,000 engines and was commissioned in 2008.

Spread over an area of 20,300 m2, the `K' family engine facility is part of the Rs 9,000 crore investment plan drawn by Maruti Suzuki and Suzuki Motor Corporation.

The next generation `K' engine like all Maruti Suzuki earlier technologies is highly fuel efficient, while offering the best in refinement and performance.

It will take the engine technology to the next level in India. A-Star is the first car to be powered

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by `K' family engine. The forthcoming models will be powered by other `K' family engines.

The in-line plant layout consisting of Casting, Machining and Assembly processes has high level of automation, effective material handling and inventory reduction techniques in place, aimed for high operational efficiency.

The facility employs global manufacturing best practices like cold testing, 100% on line automated checks to ensure global quality.

The Manesar Plant

Our Manesar plant has been made to suit Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) and Maruti Suzuki India Limited's (MSIL) global ambitions.

The plant was inaugurated in February 2007.

At present the plant rolls out World Strategic Models Swift, A-star & SX4 and DZire. The plant has several in-built systems and mechanisms.

There is a high degree of automation and robotic control in the press shop, weld shop and paint shop to carry on manufacturing work with acute precision and high quality.

The plant is designed to be flexible: diverse car models can be made here conveniently owing to automatic tool changers, centralized weld control system and numerical control machines that ensure high quality.

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The plant at Manesar is the company's fourth car assembly plant and started with an initial capacity of 100,000 cars per year. This will be scaled up to 300,000 cars per year by October 2008.

Diesel engine plant Suzuki powertrain limited

Suzuki powertrain India limited the diesel engine plant at Manesar is SMCs & Marutis first and perhaps the only plant designed to produce world class diesel engine and transmissions for cars. The plant is under a joint venture company, called Suzuki powertrain India limited (SPIL) in which SMC holds 70% equity the rest is held by MSIL. The facility has an initial capacity to manufacture 100,000 diesel engines a year. This will be scaled up to 300,000 engines/year by 2010.

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SWOT SUZUKI
STRENGTHS

ANALYSIS

OF

MARUTI

1. COST LEADERSHIP;

Maruti Suzuki limited has the best value chain with localized sourcing, economies of scale and huge production volume which in has in fact always materialized in sales volume completely. With a fully depreciated plant its investment per car manufactured is around Rs. 40,000 where as it is Rs. 2-3 lakh for its competitors due to new plants and developing value chains. It has perfected the supplier and vendor base who in past have always had assured sales. This materializes in huge advantage of price rendering with still higher margin of profit than competitors.

2. LEARNING CURVE;

Maruti Suzuki ltd. has traversed through the learning curve in last 15 years giving it a deep insight into Indian consumers psyche, buying behaviour and his needs, wants & desires. This also makes Maruti Suzuki very well aware of intricacies of the Indian small car market. Its huge strength provided it serves as a platform for evolving effective and efficient marketing strategies to enable it to heat competition.
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3. EXTENSIVE AND COMMITTED DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE NETWORK;

Maruti Suzuki is credited with transforming the concept of after sales service in India. It set up an extensive network of showrooms, dealers, workshops and authorized service stations. With companys authorized service outlets spread across the whole nation, any customer is never far away from these whenever and wherever the need arises. Some of the key initiatives of the company involve the car pickup and delivery facility for women car owners. Another unique initiative is the door step service facility through Maruti Mobile support. The company has also worked on an anti-theft immobilizer or i-cats system for all its new cars.

4. TECHNOLOGY BACK UP;

By virtue of joint venture between the government and Suzuki motor co. Of Japan which is world for highly efficient low cost cars gives it a perfect technology provider. It makes all the contemporary technology readily available to it. This gives the company a state of art manufacturing equipment and thereby provides strength of incorporating technical innovation in its models within short span of time.

5. PRESENCE IN ALL THE SEGMENTS OF MARKET;

Maruti Suzuki ltd. was the first motor company to be manufacturing cars in India. This has proven to be beneficiary of the company. Foreign players didnt enter the Indian market till early 1990s. This interval of more than a decade helped Maruti Suzuki to secure a customer base in every sector of the economy particularly the middle classes.
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6. GOVERNMENT SUPPORT;

Maruti Suzuki has always relished government support because of it being a government initiative. And this support still continues because of the company being one of the largest public sector company in India. Also the support provides with financial stability in case of dire situations which till now have not materialized.

7. STRONG BRAND EQUITY;

The presence of Maruti Suzuki in India for the past 14 years has had huge brand awareness. This coupled with superior performance of quality models like 800, zen, esteem, alto backed up by low maintenance cost, easy availability of spare parts and extensive distribution and services outlets has given a strong brand power to the company.

WEAKNESS

1. A huge market share is difficult to protect and maintain. 2. Lack of competition in past induced a competitive slag due to over confidence. 3. Products inferior technology as compared to new rivals is one of its biggest concerns. 4. Tussle between government of India and Suzuki motor company taking control of this

joint venture severally hampered in the process of strategic decision making.

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OPPORTUNITY

Maruti Suzuki has great opportunity in tapping the fast increasing Indian middle class on virtue of its price leadership, strong brand equity and quality products.

THREATS

1. The biggest and the latest threat to the small car sector of Maruti Suzuki ltd. is the Tata

motors Nano. With a price tag of Rs. 1 lakh it aims at capturing the Indian middle income groups.
2. Maruti Suzuki ltd. has been planning to increase its production and also planning to

increase its customer base. This requires a huge amount of capital. But with economic recession spread worldwide such an investment can prove to be dangerous to company, hence the company will have to be very careful in such large investment.
3. After the globalization of Indian economy many foreign players have entered the

market. And with them they have brought the highest technological standards. This have raised the level of competition in the market hence it is highly important that the company maintains its high standards and keep providing the best value for money.
4. The increasing prices of fuel in the international market have lead to the requirements

of fuel efficient cars.

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NET SALES

NET SALES AND PROFIT AFTER TAX FOR THE LAST 8 YEARS HAVE SHOWN CONSISTENT INCREASE EVEN AFTER THE RISE IN COMPETITION GLOBALLY. PROFITS FOR THE YEAR 2008-2009 HAVE DIPPED A LITTLE BECAUSE OF THE INCREASING AMOUNT OF COSTS BUT IN THE MATTER OF SALES THE COMPANY HAS BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN ITS POSITION IN THE MARKET.

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PROFIT AFTER TAX

THE FOLLOWING GRAPH SHOWS THE INCREASING PAT (PROFIT AFTER TAX) AND EBITA (EARNINGS BEFORE INTEREST TAX AND AMORTIZATION) TILL FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS EXPECT THE LAST FINANCIAL YEAR OF 2008-2009, WHICH CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE GLOBAL INCREASE IN COSTS AND GLOBAL DEPRESSION.

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SALES AND EXPORT

THE FOLLOWING GRAPH SHOWS THE COMPANYS DOMESTIC VOLUME AND EXPORT. THIS GRAPH ALSO SHOWS THE DEVELOPMENT IN THE COMPANY. THE TOTAL PRODUCTION HAS REACHED NEARLY 0.8 MILLION IN THE YEAR 20082009. THIS CAN ATTRIBUTED TO THE EXPANSION STRATEGY OF THE COMPANY UNDER WHICH BOTH THE GURGAON AND MANESAR MANUFACTURING PLANTS HAVE SEEN DEVELOPMENT IN MANUFACTURING TECHNIQUES.

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MARKET SHARE

MARKET SHARE OF MARUTI SUZUKI HAS STAYED CONSTANT FOR ALMOST A DECADE NOW, WITH A FEW YEARS IN BETWEEN WHEN A DIP WAS ALSO SEEN IN IT. BUT MARUTI SUZUKI SHOULD BE APPLAUDED FOR BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN A SHARE OF OVER 50 % IN SUCH A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE EVIRONMENT WHEN MANY FOREIGN PLAYERS WITH MUCH BETTER

TECHNOLOGY HAVE ENTERED THE INDIAN MARKET.

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NETWORK DETAILS

IN THE GRAPH BELOW THE VAST EXPANSE OF MARUTI SUZUKI IN INDIA CAN BE SEEN. THE GRAPH SHOWS THE INCREASING NUMBER OF DEALERS, OUTLETS, SERVICE CENTERS, SALES NETWORK AND THE SERVICE NETWORK FOR THE LAST 5 YEARS. THIS CAN BE CALLED A VERY IMPORTANT REASON WHY THE COMPANY HAS BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN MORE THAN 50 % OF THE SHARE OF THE INDIAN MARKET.

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CUSTOMER OBSESSION

In these competitive times the challenge is to keep inventing newer ways of doing things to keep the customers in your fold. Over the last few years ,the company strengthened the existing practices and experimented with many new initiatives by way of kaizens (continuous improvements) to delight its customers.

These initiatives ranged from product design and quality to network expansion, and included new service programs to meet unsaid needs of customers. Servicing customers 24X7 ..... 365 days.... The company takes great pride in sharing that customers have rated Maruti Suzuki first once again in Customer Satisfaction Survey conducted by independent body, J.D.Power Asia Pacific. It is 9th time in a row.

The award mirrors the company's commitment towards "Customer Obsession".

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SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS

Sustainability at Maruti Suzuki refers to sum total of all the actions and initiatives undertaken by th e company for its longterm survival and growth.

To achieve long-term sustainability and prosperity the company has nurtured a socially responsible behaviour towards its various stakeholders.

Since inception, the company has proactively taken care of the needs and sustainable growth of its stakeholders and they in turn, have supported the company in achieving its vision and business results year after year. As a result, sustainability has become an integral part of the company's approach to business and decision making. ISO 14001 certificate Milestones

MSIL was first certified for establishing and maintaining EMS as per ISO 14001:1996 standards in 1999. MSIL was re-certified for the same in 2002. MSIL has changed its EMS from ISO 14001:1996 version to ISO 14001:2004 version w.e.f. 1st July 2005. MSIL was re-certified in 2005 as per ISO 14001:2004 standards.

Awards

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World Environment Foundation has awarded World environment foundation has awarded Maruti as winner of Golden Peacock award for Environment Management 2007.

Renewable energy department, Haryana Government has awarded first prize for excellence in implementation of Energy Conservation measures in industrial sector.

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MARUTI AND ROAD SAFETY

Road Safety & Maruti Suzuki

Maruti Suzuki has been playing a leading role for many years now in promoting road safety and safe driving in the country. The company believes that in addition to fund support, one of the best ways for corporates to fulfil their social responsibility is by offering their managerial skills to society.

National Road Safety

Taking forward its commitment to Road Safety, Maruti Suzuki has adopted a National Road Safety Mission. Under the mission Maruti Suzuki plan will:

Train 500,000 people in safe driving in the next 3 years across India. While utilizing the existing 2 Institutes of Driving Training and Research (IDTR) in Delhi and the 51 Maruti Driving Schools (MDS) across the country the company will enter into partnerships with state governments for more IDTRs and with its dealers for more MDS.

Of the 500,000 people to be trained, at least 100,000 will be people from underprivileged section of society, who are keen to take driving as a profession.

In addition, Maruti Suzuki will continue to support to government and industry in their efforts for road safety.

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INSTITUTE OF DRIVING TRAINING AND RESEARCH

The first major step towards promoting road safety was in the year 2000 when Delhi Government invited Maruti Suzuki to manage the Institute of Driving Training and Research (IDTR) and start driving training courses. The company introduced training facilities and infrastructure including world-class driving test tracks, advanced computer simulators and training modules as per international standards at the institute, which is spread over an area of 14.5 acres. Regular research in road safety and safe driving was also started at the institute. In 2006, the second IDTR was set up to promote road safety by primarily targeting noncommercial drivers and impart driving training to them. This institute is also equipped with the same facilities and infrastructure as made available in the first IDTR. Upcoming facilities

In addition to the two operational IDTRs in Delhi, Maruti Suzuki has an extensive plan to spread its network across the country.

Gujarati

Some recent initiatives include signing an MoU with the Government of Gujarat, to set up, manage and run The Gujarat Regional Automobile Training Institute ( to be referred as GUJARATI) at Gajadara village of Waghodia taluka in Vadodara district. This facility will not
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only provide driving training to tribal youth, it will also offer automobile technical training to them and enhance their employability.

Uttarakhand Motor Driving Institute (UMDI

In a similar arrangement, Maruti Suzuki has also signed MoU with Government of Uttarakhand to set up, manage and run Uttarakhand's first and only Motor Driving Institute (UMDI) at Jhajra village in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. IDTR @ Haryana

Another interesting alliance in this direction was signed with Government of Haryana to set up manage and run two Institutes of Driving and Traffic Research at Bahadurgarh and Rohtak. The two institutes will form an integral part of Maruti Suzuki's ongoing corporate social responsibility initiative - the National Road Safety Mission, announced in December 2008. Under the National Road Safety Mission (NRSM) the company plans to train 5 lakh persons in road safety across India in the next 3 years.

While the state-of-the-art Bahadurgarh IDTR is spread over 12 acres, the Rohtak facility sprawls 17.5 acres. Both the institutes will offer class room training as well as test tracks for enhancing driving skills. Maruti Suzuki will, in fact, bring in advanced training module that is based on international lines. Advanced driving simulators will help impart training in safe environment. Arrangement of hostel for learners would be an added advantage. In addition, these facilities would also house a 'vehicle tester line' for vehicle fitness which would evaluate older vehicles for their suitability to ply on roads.

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Once fully operational, these two IDTRs are expected to train around 3,000 candidates monthly in road safety. Maruti Suzuki presently operates two IDTRs in Delhi and trains around 5,000 monthly. Maruti Driving School

Maruti Suzuki has involved its vast dealer network in promoting road safety and safe driving. In collaboration with the dealers, the company has set up 51 Maruti Driving schools (MDS) in 45 locations across the country. The MDS too are equipped with driving simulators. One of the unique features at MDS is that it also has women trainers. All trainers at MDS are trained at the IDTR facilities. MDS network has trained over 52,000 people so far of which over 50 % are women learners.

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MARUTI INSURANCE

Maruti Insurance is one of the most renowned car insurance companies in India. The company has ties up with Bajaj Allianz, National Insurance Company, Royal Sundaram, and New India Assurance. Car insurance policy of Maruti Insurance is a single solution to all car insurance needs, which may include instant policy issuance to post accident repairs on near cash-less basis. The Basics Features of Maruti Insurance:

Maruti provides motor insurance for Maruti vehicles only, which excludes Third Party policies.

Maruti Insurance is available to customers only through Maruti dealer network all over India.

Maruti Insurance provides insurance for Maruti vehicles up to 7 years old. One of the biggest plus points of insuring under Maruti Insurance, the vehicle can remain under cover as long as it lasts.

Advantages of insuring with Maruti Insurance:

The vehicle owners do not have to pay the repair charges. They have to pay for the compulsory excess and applicable depreciation only.

Maruti Insurance offers its policy holders insurance services, at all Maruti authorized dealer all over India. These insurance services may include buying new policy, endorsements issuance, claims settlement, and effecting renewals.
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The auto insurance offers a hassle-free and fair claim settlement. The company pays for payable and the customer does not have to bear the cost of repair or replacement of auto parts. He or she does not have to go through the hassles of personal involvement or follow up with surveyors or insurance companies.

When the customer insures with Maruti Insurance, he or she can get the damaged vehicles repaired at authorized Maruti dealer workshops where they can be absolutely sure of Maruti Genuine spare parts and trained technicians.

When a policy holder is renewing with Maruti Insurance for the first time, the no claim bonus (NCB) is transferred to Maruti Insurance policy at the time of renewal, automatically. The policy is issued instantly through the Internet, making it more convenient for you.

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MARUTI TRUE VALUE

Maruti True Value is India No.1 organized pre-owned car brand .True Value is venture of Indias largest automobiles manufacturer Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. Unique advantages * India's largest certified used car dealer network * 300 outlets in 178 cities and growing * All car related services under one roof * Professionally trained manpower * Complete peace of mind Maruti True Value business expands the family of Maruti customers, providing reassurance to existing Maruti customers about resale of their cars and further emphasizes Maruti s Commitment towards enhancing customer satisfaction by continuous association during the vehicle ownership life cycle. No one knows your Maruti car better than Maruti - based on this premise; Maruti channelizes its expertise to ensure that transactions in pre owned cars are transparent and fair. Through that, the company endeavours to extend the relationship and emotional connect that it enjoys with the customer.

True Value has transparent and fair evaluation process, which is currently missing in the largely unorganized market for pre-owned cars. Maruti True Value processes and systems ensure that the seller gets the right price and is paid promptly.
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Under True Value, the seller has the option to be paid in cash, or get a True Value car in exchange for a brand new Maruti Suzuki car. True Value category cars bought by Maruti True Value dealers are taken to state-of-the-art workshops. True Value Category cars are refurbished in state of art workshops using Maruti Genuine Parts and by skilled technicians. These cars are then sold through Maruti True Value outlets.

As a mark of confidence, and to provide reassurance to customers, every vehicle bought under Maruti True Value is inspected and certified by Maruti Engineers and the Car carries a oneyear warranty and three free services. Convenient finance options are also offered to buyers of Maruti True Value cars.

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MARUTI AUTO CARD

Maruti Auto Card loyalty program aims at bonding with the customers. Earlier Maruti Suzuki India ltd. has an agreement with Citibank for the issuance and service of the Maruti Suzuki Auto Card. But it has now come to an end and now Maruti Suzuki India ltd is in talks with SBI for the card. Maruti SBI card Auto Card shall be launched very shortly. And w.e.f. from December 31, 2009 all Maruti Citibank cards will be withdrawn and instead will be issued the Maruti SBI cards.

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CONCLUSION
From the customer survey and research, it can be concluded that Maruti Suzuki has continued to be among the favourites of many customers. Maruti Suzuki has been able to maintain the middle income market segments specifically. Maruti Suzuki is one of the most trusted brands of India. Middle income groups still prefer to have a Second hand Maruti 800 on any new brand because of the features it had. But not only Maruti 800 but the latest Maruti SX4 and Maruti Swift is being liked by masses. Many are waiting for A-star and Ritz to get on the roads. The Maruti Suzuki have many happy customers, because of the easy accessibility to spare parts and also many service centres everywhere around. Also to mention that most of the Maruti customers belong to the middle income groups, hence they can be said to be the target of the company. The main competitors of the company are Tata motors (specifically Indica) and Hyundai Motors (specifically the new i10). The customer preferences are more specifically driven by Fuel Economy, Price & After sales service. Advertisements influence the people most about their choices, and its the largest source of information. Maruti Suzuki has been able to hold its image among the middle income groups as an economical car thus attracting masses.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

www.marutisuzuki.com www.maruti800.com www.marutiomni.com www.marutigypsy.com www.marutialto.com www.marutiwagonr.com www.marutiversa.com www.grandvitaraindia.com www.marutiswift.com www.marutizen.com www.marutisx4.com www.marutidzire.com www.marutisuzukiastar.com www.marutisuzukiritz.com AutoCar Magazine

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