[romeomidhun]

Source: https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Com...-cars-in-India

Suzuki to supply 30-50K Baleno and Vitara (international Vitara? ) to Toyota while Toyota to supply 10k Corolla (!) to Suzuki by 2019. So, Toyota baleno, toyota vitara and suzuki corolla will be coming? Interesting times ahead for the partnership.

[Turbanator]

In 2010, Toyota released a car designed for emerging markets, the Etios, but the model has not been popular. The automaker hopes to shore up sales of mainstay compact vehicles in India with the addition of Suzuki cars. Toyota also aims to lift local factory operation rates, which are stuck around 50%, by supplying vehicles to Suzuki.

Now, this looks interesting and practical, Toyota India has a spare capacity in their second plant and Suzuki a lot of order book/ demand. Who knows, Toyota India start producing Baleno at their Banglore plant, win-win for everyone I guess

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Com...-cars-in-India

[volkman10]

Originally Posted by romeomidhun

Suzuki to supply 30-50K Baleno and Vitara (international Vitara? ) to Toyota while Toyota to supply 10k Corolla (!) to Suzuki by 2019. So, Toyota baleno, toyota vitara and suzuki corolla will be coming? Interesting times ahead for the partnership.

It will be Vitara Brezza.

Suzuki and Toyota jointly announce the next steps on its partnership in India.

[romeomidhun]

Originally Posted by volkman10

It will be Vitara Brezza.

Suzuki and Toyota jointly announce the next steps on its partnership in India.

IMO, this is actually a huge gain for Toyota as they can get acceptability and a good grip in the premium sub-4m segment (in which Brezza and Baleno are positioned) where the volume of sales is very huge while Suzuki gets a car to compete in a sedan segment which has just around 1000 customers per month though the profit margin will be higher in that segment.

The main advantage which Suzuki expects from this tie-up, like new hybrid / electric technology will be attainable only when it can be used in their smaller cars - not when just re-branding a car like Corolla.

[musclecar]

Just read a tweet from Autocar (Shapur Kotwal) which said, "Big news; @Toyota_India and @Maruti_Corp will exchange cars; the Baleno and Vitara Brezza will be sold with a Toyota badge, while Toyota will supply the Corolla to Suzuki.

It is quite a disruptive news. If true, this would have a huge impact on the market.

Link- https://twitter.com/ShapurK/status/979254187581198336

Screenshot attached below.

Mods please merge this with the existing thread.

[SoumenD]

Originally Posted by musclecar

the Baleno and Vitara Brezza will be sold with a Toyota badge, while Toyota will supply the Corolla to Suzuki.

Wait what?

With toyota/maruti specific changes like Nissan/Renault or plain rebadging? I thought Toyota would be sharing the hybrid platform with Maruti for future cars or is it that these Balenos and Brezzas will be made hybrid?

Quite confusing. I doubt maruti will give away its two cash-cows just like that. Got to be more to it, than meets the eye (for now)

[musclecar]

Originally Posted by SoumenD

Wait what?

With toyota/maruti specific changes like Nissan/Renault or plain rebadging? I thought Toyota would be sharing the hybrid platform with Maruti for future cars or is it that these Balenos and Brezzas will be made hybrid?

Quite confusing. I doubt maruti will give away its two cash-cows just like that. Got to be more to it, than meets the eye (for now)

Autocar says that these cars would not be pure rebadged cars but would be styled differently. It would be interesting to see how these Japenese Giants merge the design language.

Link-https://www.autocarindia.com/car-news/suzuki-and-toyota-to-share-certain-models-in-india-407890#utm_source=push_notification&utm_medium=ref erral&utm_campaign=push?utm_wref=30351&utm_wsource =browserpush

[sandman_30]

This isn't really New. The official MOU was signed in Nov'17.

Morover, we've seen this happen earlier in India with Car companies sharing platforms. Happened with Nissan and Renault (For example Nissan Terrano and Renault Duster are essentially the same car).

Similar thing is expected now from the two Japs wherein they will share the same hardware (read platform, engine, mechanical) with 'soft' parts (bumpers, lights, interiors, badging, etc) being the differentiation.

[i74js]

Am I buying a Toyota @ Nexa or buying a Maruti @ Toyota outlet. What happens to the quality and reliability promise of Toyota; a Maruti cannot reach the reliability of a Toyota and obviously a Corolla cannot be sold at Maruti pricing.

What will happen to Yaris which is about to enter the Indian market?

This is disturbing - a case of identity crisis for the buyer as well as the seller.

What will happen to the service? if a Corolla is sold by a Maruti outlet, will it be serviced by Maruti or Toyota or both?

[volkman10]

ACI reports says, it will not be badge engineered products but will retain its own identity. As seen in VW- Skoda !

Vitara Brezza from Toyota could look like this! ( New RAV4 design cues)

the new models in the carmakers' line-ups won't be mere badge-engineered versions of their donor products but are likely to sport significantly revised styling. It is expected that ‘soft parts’ like the bumpers, grille, and lights will be different to ensure each model has a distinct visual identity. Sheet metal changes are unlikely to keep costs in check.

Under the skin, however, the Maruti and Toyota models will be identical and will share engines and gearboxes. In time, the models are also expected to adopt some form of hybridization in line with Suzuki and Toyota’s partnership in this area.

Link

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by i74js

Am I buying a Toyota @ Nexa or buying a Maruti @ Toyota outlet. What happens to the quality and reliability promise of Toyota; a Maruti cannot reach the reliability of a Toyota and obviously a Corolla cannot be sold at Maruti pricing.

What will happen to Yaris which is about to enter the Indian market?

This is disturbing - a case of identity crisis for the buyer as well as the seller.

What will happen to the service? if a Corolla is sold by a Maruti outlet, will it be serviced by Maruti or Toyota or both?

Exactly! I bought Toyota's over Maruti's for their better build quality, safety, and service. Heck, the only Maruti we bought is the S-Cross which is apparently better built than other Maruti's (but not entirely niggle-free).

I don't want a ultra-light rattly tin can with the Toyota badging. IMO Toyota has a lot more to lose with respect to their brand credibility. Our Etios done 55Kkm has held up better than my friend's 25Kkm run ciaz in terms of rattles and 'tightness'.

We recently even picked up a Corolla in Aug-17, and are very happy with the overall car - and I particularly like how together Toyota is as a dealership unlike Maruti that is out to confuse you (dealership EW v/s factory EW is just one example - Maruti dealers do that, but across all three Toyota purchases - EW means Toyota extended warranty backed by Toyota, not by the dealer).

[GTO]

This is a partnership of epic proportion - one of the biggest I've ever seen in the Indian car scene .

Hat's off to Toyota first for pulling this off with Maruti (and not letting anyone else do it). Many years back, VW had also entered into a relationship with Suzuki primarily for the latter's dominance in India, but that didn't work out. In fact, it ended with a bitter divorce.

Over the longer term - I'm speaking in decades here - it wouldn't be surprising for Suzuki to become a subsidiary of Toyota. This move is Toyota thinking of its Indian presence in 2030, 2040 or 2050. As things stand today, the 'Big T' has a minuscule market-share in the 4th biggest car market of the world.

In the short-term however, the exchange of cars will benefit both in smaller ways. However, Suzuki will really, really benefit from access to Toyota's technology. Suzuki simply has nothing in the area of proper hybrids, electric vehicles, autonomous cars etc. This would be Suzuki's biggest motivation. Of course, it also helps tying up with a big brother like Toyota so that no one else troubles you anymore.

[volkman10]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Exactly! I bought Toyota's over Maruti's for their better build quality, safety, and service.

It will not be badge-engineered, the exterior designs will be owned by the respective companies. Power-trains and future hybridization will be common to both the companies.

Service contract and finer details are expected to trickle in shortly.

[DicKy]

A bit disconcerting, since both are kind of popular in the Indian market with differentiated identities.

Sure, both have done badge engineering for ages, with Toyota taking it in a big way recently with rebadged PSA vans in Europe and Mazda 2 in USA.

But still can't digest the fact.
A Toyota Baleno. . . Okay, Toyota is not known for heavy built quality, but the Baleno feels too light. Also, when you buy a Toyota you know the engineering would be thorough, safety wise or durability wise.

Not sure how a Corolla owner would feel seeing the same car, with changed 'soft parts' as his, but with a Suzuki badge.

Agreed that both are known for reliability and low maintenance (Maruti petrols) ,but. Ugh, maybe it will seem fine when the models finally roll in.

On a lighter note, a Baleno buyer can buy the Toyota version if he wants the smooth after sales of Toyota.
Like wise a Corolla buyer can buy the Maruti version if he wants access to the nation's largest service network.

[sandman_30]

Originally Posted by i74js

What will happen to the service? if a Corolla is sold by a Maruti outlet, will it be serviced by Maruti or Toyota or both?

That is not how it will play out my dear friend.

Consider this.
Step 1. Toyota will supply car platform (Hardware, mechanicals) to Suzuki.
Step 2. Suzuki will 'build' a car around the platform (with changes strictly being limited to vehicle appearance, badging and to some extent interiors).
Step 3. They will give the car a new name (for example Suzuki altrolla or something)
Step 4. They will sell this car from Suzuki Dealerships and the car will be services at Suzuki Service Stations.

And all this while, Toyota will continue to sell and service Corolla from their dealerships/Service Stations like they are doing now.

- and vice versa will happen with Suzuki supplying Brezza and Baleno underpinnings to Toyota.