Maruti To Use High Strength Steel

By vicky.in

Published: Friday, September 17, 2010, 10:59 [IST]

Maruti Suzuki to use high strength steel in all cars by 2012. It is reported that Maruti Suzuki which is India's largest passenger car manufacturer consumes over six lakh million tones of steel annually of which 50 percent is imported from overseas markets like China and Japan. Estimates say that 15-20 percent of this is high strength steel which the company has announced its intention to use in all its car variants by 2012.

Such a move is reportedly going to reduce the weight of its cars resulting in better fuel consumption numbers for the end-consumer and with rising fuel prices this would make for another USP for the leading player.

In fact, Maruti Suzuki has gradually started using high strength steel instead of normal steel in its model 'A Star' resulting in reduction of carbon emission to 109 mg per km from 150 mg per km, according to a company official. Most of the high strength steel is used in floor and chassis of the vehicle and such a move is likely to reduce the weight of the car by 120 kg.

This move is not new for Maruti Suzuki who has been making several alterations in the car to reduce its weight and improve fuel efficiency. This website carried a news (see http://www.wheelsunplugged.com/ViewNews.aspx?newsid=3311 ) when there was slowdown in car sales and its profitability was being affected that it drew a plan for rolling out lighter cars for the future. It has been gearing itself to be called as the automaker for the lightest vehicles on Indian roads, more in line with with its chairman Osamu Suzuki's comment 'lighter, faster, better.'

Article Published On: Friday, September 17, 2010, 10:54 [IST]

More from DriveSpark