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Will Maruti Add Diesel Engines To Alto, Wagon R?
Maruti Suzuki, India's leading carmaker was definitely shocked when the demand for diesel cars increased so quickly. Although it did not have its own diesel engines, it was saved by Fiat from whom it bought the Multijet diesel engine currently being used in the Swift, Swift DZire and the SX4.
Maruti Suzuki saw the sales of the cars which were its bread and butter, its small cars decline sharply last year. Many people preferred buy its compact cars such as the Swift and Swift DZire primarily because these models were available with diesel variants.
The huge disparity in petrol and diesel prices has made diesel the preferred fuel despite the high cost of diesel variants. If Maruti Suzuki wants to regain its market share it has to increase the number of its models available with diesel engines.
The carmaker has already increased diesel engine production at its plant in Gurgaon. Moreover it has signed a deal with Fiat to supply one lakh diesel engines per year. All these additional diesel engine capacity is expected to be used for the company's current hot sellers Swift and Swift DZire.
But don't you think Maruti Suzuki is ignoring its small cars Alto and Wagon R. These two models have been Maruti Suzuki India's best selling models. Both models have seen a small decline in their sales in recent times. Both these cars will definitely be boosted if they get diesel engines too.
The Maruti Suzuki Alto, India's highest selling car since many years needs a push if it has to retain its dominant position. A diesel powered Alto will be a car that will be attractive to many more people. Since diesel cars offer higher mileage and the Alto is relatively a light car, we can expect the Alto diesel to deliver a mileage of above 25kmpl.
The Wagon R diesel's case is also very similar. It is a car that overtook Hyundai's Santro and is now one of the most liked small cars for its space. There is little doubt that a Wagor Diesel will make magic to Maruti Suzuki's sales.
But the most important question is whether Maruti Suzuki has the right diesel engine that can be fitted to the Alto or the Wagon R. Some say the three cylinder diesel engine used in the Chevrolet Beat could be the best possible option available. This engine is very much similar to Fiat's multijet engine and the only difference is that it has one less cylinder.
If Maruti Suzuki India does decide to build an Alto Diesel or a Wagon R diesel Diesel, does it have sufficient capacity to handle the possible demand? There is little doubt about the fact that the demand for such diesel small cars will almost double once they are launched. Maruti Suzuki which is currently struggling to handle the long waiting periods of its diesel cars might face a similar if not tougher situation.
This is a situation considering Maruti Suzuki's existing production capacity. But if Maruti Suzuki completes its third unit in Manesar and also builds its new plant in Gujarat do not be surprised to see more diesel cars coming out of Maruti's plants. And if Maruti decides to add a diesel engine to the Alto and Wagon R we can only say the carmaker will have a definite winner in its hands. Is Maruti Suzuki listening?
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