Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), the parent company of Maruti Suzuki is on track to start operation at the new Mehsana plant in Gujarat from January 2017. Baleno will be the first vehicle to be rolled out from the plant. Emerging reports indicates Gujarat plant will also manufacture Ignis crossover, next-gen Swift and Swift Dzire.
Baleno will be the key product from plant and it is expected to significantly reduce the waiting period of the premium hatchback in India. Waiting period for Baleno currently starts at five months depending on the variant. In addition, Baleno manufactured at Gujarat plant will also exported to the rest of the world. Baleno is manufactured only in India and the Suzuki has already said that it will export the car to over 100 foreign markets.
The Ignis is expected to be made at its factories in the Haryana. However, with the proximity of the Gujarat plant to ports, the crossover's export units might be made at the site, reports Business Standard. The compact crossover is expected to enter Indian market in early 2017 and it will be pitted against the Mahindra KUV100 in the newly formed segment.
Suzuki has already started testing the new Swift, and the model has been caught on camera a few times. From what we know so far, the powertrain of the new Swift is expected to include a 1.0-litre Boosterjet petrol engine for global markets. The India-bound model of the Swift is likely to get a 1.2-litre petrol and a 1.3-litre diesel engine. Next generation of the Swift Dzire sedan is expected to debut in 2018 in an all new platform. This car will also be manufactured at the Gujarat plant.
The Gujarat plant has been developing with a total investment of Rs. 18,500 crore. The factory will have a capacity to make 2,50,000 vehicles annually in the initial phase. Suzuki plans to produce 2 million vehicles per year by 2022 in India, up from the 1.4 million cars at present. A major chunk of the target production is expected to come out of the Gujarat plant.
