Suzuki to Add 15 New Models in India in 5 Years

Suzuki Motor Co. CEO Toshihiro Suzuki tells reporters at the Frankfurt auto show the company will add 15 new models, including entries in the larger B and C segments, in India by 2020.

The cars will be part of a 20-model global blitz Suzuki announced in June. The company aims to increase annual sales of its Maruti Suzuki Ltd. unit to 2 million vehicles by the end of the decade.

The company currently has capacity in India to produce 1.5 million vehicles annually. Its plans are to open a third factory two years from now with capacity to make 250,000 vehicles per year. Last month Maruti Suzuki launched the S-Cross small crossover as the first model in its new upscale Nexa brand in India. The company also plans to enter India's light commercial vehicle market by next spring.

Reaching its Indian sales goal would boost India's contribution to Suzuki car sales to 60% of global sales from the current 40%. CEO Suzuki concedes there will be risk in depending upon a single market for such a large share of the company's sales.

There are no plans to increase Suzuki's 56% stake in Maruti Suzuki, according to the CEO. But he says he wants the Indian venture to take a stronger role in developing models suitable for sale outside India. Having just settled a rancorous equity partnership with Volkswagen AG, Suzuki emphasizes the Japanese carmaker has no interest in entering another such alliance.