Team-BHP - Maruti rolls out 1,00,000th A-Star
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-   -   Maruti rolls out 1,00,000th A-Star (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/63425-maruti-rolls-out-1-00-000th-star.html)

Quote:

The country's largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India has achieved the feat of rolling out the 1,00,000th of its flagship export model, A-Star.
The Manesar facility of the company, which manufactures A-Star, SX4, Swift and Swift DZiRE, has also crossed the 5-lakh-units production mark since the commencement of the unit.
These landmarks come less than two weeks after the company achieved the milestone of producing 80 lakh units of the car since 1983.
"A-Star is doing very well in the export market. We are planning to export over 75,000 units of the car by the end of this fiscal," Maruti Suzuki India Chairman R C Bhargava told PTI.
He said Japanese car giant Nissan has increased the order of the small car to 54,000 units for this fiscal from 30,000 units. Nissan sells the car in the European market under the brand Pixo.
"At one stage Nissan was very hesitant to place order and they had reduced it from 50,000 units, which they were discussing with us. Now the total A-Star export will cross 1.3 lakh units in 2009-10," Bhargava said.
The company has already exported over 50,000 units of A-Star to over 44 countries including Netherlands, UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, Angola, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Morocco, Libya, New Zealand and some Latin American nations. The production of the model started in October, 2008. The 1,00,000th A-Star unit was rolled out of the Manesar plant on August 11.
Meanwhile, the Manesar plant, which has an installed capacity of 3-lakh units a year, has produced over 5 lakh units within 35 months of its commercial operations.
"Manesar plant is doing very well, in fact it is doing better than anybody has projected," Bhargava said.
People are buying A-Star in droves? This is news to me. I'm sure Manesar is doing well purely because of the huge demand for DDiS engine based cars. Already I'm seeing increasing number of Ritz on the roads. The ads by dealers also promote Ritz over the Swift. Saw an advt today in Bangalore Times where they were promoting Ritz diesel over Swift diesel with the USP of having the same engine :)

Source: Business Standard

Like the article says 50% is exported. No wonder its priced to 'not sell'

A-star is doing better than expected mainly because of some scheme or something that is running in Europe. From what I have read, the relatively low emissions is also helpful as Europeans are putting preference on low emission cars.

What I am not able to understand is this : Lets say that 60% is export, then 40K units must be running on Indian roads. But I am not able to spot as many A-star as I am able to spot Ritz.

In any way, maruti is doing good by producing so many cars and low emission was expected from the A-star in Europe ( its Alto there, atleast UK ). This is surely an achievement in times where automotive market is not expanding. I appreciate Maruti for this achievement.

A-Star sells less than 3000 units a month according to Autocar India's this month's issue. That is pretty low for a car of it's size!

I think its made in India as a Renault and Nissan too.

I see more of ritz than A-star.
Maybe people didn't appreicate the lack of space at the back.
As 50000 units are exported means only 50000 are there for indians(still the figure is high if its selling 3k every month)

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaggoswami
Lets say that 60% is export, then 40K units must be running on Indian roads. But I am not able to spot as many A-star as I am able to spot Ritz.

Same here. I don't see that many A-stars on the road in Chennai or Kerala. So where are all these cars that they are supposedly selling ?

BTW, to which countries are they exporting ? Is Europe on the list ? Because one drawback seen in the A-star is the lack of space. If that's for us moderately built Indians (nitrous being an exception:)), was wondering how it would work for the comparitively better built Europeans ?

EDIT : In hindsight, I guess the export models would be 3-door variety, with the rear bench not really used for seating. In which case, the space might not be an issue in EU countries.

I think around 50% of them have been exported as a global Alto, as per I have read somewhere.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaggoswami (Post 1429024)

What I am not able to understand is this : Lets say that 60% is export, then 40K units must be running on Indian roads. But I am not able to spot as many A-star as I am able to spot Ritz.

The AStar being sold in India is it the same that is being exported to european markets ? Coz when I did the TD of the AStar I was told by the sales representative that the AStar sold in EU is a 2 seater version. stupid:


Or are the 2 seater and 4 seater both being produced in India, but only the 4 seater sold in india ?

we got only the FOURDOOR version sold here in India, intenational markets would have two and four door versions, i havent seen a two door A-star or Alto as yet. the current design. I dont think they make one. If Maruti puts a 1.3DDILS MJD into the A-star, it might transform itself as a diesel pocket rocket, what say guys?


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