The Times of India
New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki on Tuesday said it has no plans to launch a car below the 800cc segment but intends to unveil 'world strategic models' like the Splash and A-Star for the Indian market.
"Our view is that as Indian middle class families move up in life, they should continue to receive a range of cars from Maruti Suzuki that offer superior quality, international design and rich features. That is where our focus will lie," the company said in a statement.
In what was a reference to Tata Nano, Maruti also said it was "delighted" that various manufacturers were making efforts to offer low-cost cars in the segment below Maruti 800. "While Maruti Suzuki commends these various initiatives, the company has no plans whatsoever of developing or offering a car in the segment below the Maruti 800," it said.
Maruti said the Indian middle class had grown in every facet of their lives. "Their incomes have gone up significantly. Their lifestyles have improved in ways that were hard to imagine a decade ago... With that, expectations from a car have evolved considerably. Car customers now generally settle for nothing less than contemporary styling, international quality and latest features that enhance their safety and convenience, while expecting performance and fuel efficiency like their parents did before them," the company said, adding that this trend was prevalent even in entry-level segment.
"In future, the company plans to launch World Strategic Models like Splash and A-Star, as part of the same conscious effort to offer international quality and design to Indian customers at an attractive price," the statement said.
