Top-end Maruti models in a soup over alloy wheel shortage

Maruti Suzuki could risk irking and even losing potential customers as top-end variants of its popular models like the Swift, Dzire and Ertiga continues to have waiting periods of about six months or more.

The acute short supply of alloy wheels, which is one of the USPs in top-end variants like ZDi and VDi, has contributed to the delay. In addition, market demand for these top-end variants have shot up in the first quarter of this fiscal year.

The alloy wheel components were being imported from a single vendor in Thailand. However they have not been able to meet this sudden surge in demand and there is no immediate scope for expansion.

The price difference between the middle and top variants in these models is Rs 80,000 and below. This relatively minor difference is an incentive for buyers to opt for the higher-end model over the mid-level variant, hence the surge in its demand. Alloy wheels have also become increasingly popular as they are lighter, stronger and better looking.

Meanwhile, Maruti dealers reckon that the company is planning to roll out the top-end VDi and ZDi variants of Ertiga with all its unique features minus the alloy wheels. These would cost about Rs 25,000 less and is expected to hit the markets very soon.

Following is the list of waiting period for top-end variants of Maruti car models (Ex-showrooms, Mumbai).

Swift ZDi: 4.5 months
Dzire ZDi: 6 months
Ertiga VDi: 3-4 months
Ertiga ZDi: 6 months