Auto India, Car India

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Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) has planned to focus on the research and development (R & D) as they aim to introduce new products in the market to meet the competition and upgrade its existing model line-up etc.

It has increased its research and development strength by 45 percent to 430 engineers in the last 3 months and plans to have 1,000 engineers in the next 3 years.

MSI said that their division will have one of the largest automobile R & D facilities in India after their new 600 acre Manesar facility established by 2010, which will produce new concept cars and engines for the global market.

Once the new R&D facility takes shape, we will go full throttle on designing and developing new products (cars and SUV’s) for the global market. Besides the new concept car A-Star, major thrust will be laid on developing India specific cars like yet to be launched DZire (the Swift sedan), which have been fully designed and developed in India. We plan to have an R&D center at par with our global center of development of SMC in Japan.

- A senior MSI official said.

It makes sense to have a local R&D for a company, which has the largest market share in one of the most vibrant market in the world. Strict cost control has allowed MSI to increase its market share to around 60% from 52% in the past 10-months. With a new facility Maruti’s cost of developing new cars will be one of the lowest in the world and will give it edge over German and Korean car companies.

- Auto analyst said