The Hindu : Business : Suzuki KB engine plant on stream

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Wednesday, Oct 22, 2008
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Suzuki KB engine plant on stream

Special Correspondent

— PHOTO: ANU PUSHKARNA

NEXTGEN: Managing Director and CEO of Maruti Suzuki Shinzo Nakanishi during the launch of Maruti Suzuki KB Engine plant at Gurgaon, New Delhi, on Tuesday.

NEW DELHI: Maruti Suzuki India on Tuesday commissioned its next generation KB Series engine plant at its Gurgaon complex. The engine will be mounted on its forthcoming model ‘A Star’. The automaker also said it would be increasing its research and development strength to 1,000 by 2010.

Addressing media persons here, Maruti Suzuki Managing Director Shinzo Nakanishi said the new series engine was a significant initiative aimed at offering the latest technology to its customers and part of its strategy to achieve sales of 10-lakh vehicles in the domestic market by 2010-11. Set up with an investment of Rs.1,200 crore, the plant will manufacture 2.4-lakh engines annually. The 998-cc engine has been designed to be environment-friendly and fuel efficient with its light weight construction and innovative technologies to improve combustion and minimise friction. The KB-series engine is ready to meet the future emission norms in the country and also the Euro V norms for the export model of ‘A Star’. “After ‘A Star’, this engine will be progressively introduced on other models as well in the next 3-5 years. The company plans to commence exports of this model in early 2009,” Mr. Nakanishi added. Mr. Nakanishi said Maruti Suzuki would have 1,000 engineers by 2010, up from the current strength of 570 engineers.

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