India’s leading car manufacturer, Maruti Suzuki unveiled the latest vehicle from its stable — the S-Cross, a ‘premium crossover’. It will be launched in early August 2015 as a ‘disruptive’ product, will create a new market, according to R.S. Kalsi, Executive Director (Marketing & Sales) Maruti Suzuki (India).
“There were certain gaps in our product portfolio and the S-Cross will fill one. It is for those who want the power of a sports utility vehicle (SUV) and the comfort of a sedan,’’ Mr. Kalsi told this correspondent, adding that the S-Cross fits in with the company’s plan of reaching two million vehicle sales by 2020, ‘depending on the macro-economic factors.’
When launched, the diesel-engine powered S-Cross will be available in five colours and two engine options — the 1.3 litre DDiS 200, which is being offered in five variants and the 1.6 litre DDiS 320, which will be offered in three variants.
C.V. Raman, Executive Director, Engineering, Maruti Suzuki said the S-Cross is made on an all-new platform at the Haryana facility, where the company makes 11 models, has a capacity of 1.5 million units. “The new platform is for the cross-over and SUV sort of products and the possibilities are immense. Along with our suppliers, we invested around Rs. 600 crore on the new platform.’’
‘Nexa’ retailing networkThe launch of the S-Cross coincides with the launch of Maruti Suzuki’s high-end retailing channel network, ‘Nexa’ to provide a ‘premium’ retailing experience. It will exclusively sell only the company’s premium products starting with the S-Cross.
“We plan to set up 100 stores in the first year in the top 30 cities where 70-75 per cent of our sales come from,” Mr. Kalsi said.
