Maruti Vitara Brezza to be exported to Asia, Africa, Middle East and Latin America

The new sub-4-metre Vitara Brezza, which is all set to be a showstopper at the upcoming Auto Expo 2016, has notched a new milestone in Maruti Suzuki’s research and development journey in India and will also be exported to similar India-like markets later. Another feather in carmaker’s cap with respect to this project is that it is headed by an Indian chief engineer – CV Raman, executive director of engineering, Maruti Suzuki India.

Speaking to Autocar Professional, Raman said that while initially the sales focus of the Vitara Brezza will be the domestic market, it will subsequently also be exported to India-like, right- hand-drive markets like Asia, Middle East, Africa and Latin America.  “We have the mandate to develop models for Asia, Africa, Middle East and Latin America,” he said.

In fact Maruti Suzuki has been given this mandate to develop models for these developing markets by its Japanese parent for the past 3-4 years, with the initial models headed to these markets from India being the Alto 800 and Alto K10 followed by the Ertiga and Swift Dzire. But what makes the Vitara Brezza a lot different is that the entire project was done in India unlike the Alto 800 and Alto K10 without Suzuki’s help.  

Developed over a period of three-and-a-half years, the Brezza SUV has involved the optimum utilisation of space in terms of seating and luggage space and will attract excise duty exemption, much like the compact Ford EcoSport.

The carmaker has used one of the platforms from the Suzuki product portfolio and a common engine and developed it into the Vitara Brezza. An important aspect of the development has been the R&D capabilities of its Rohtak facility such as crash labs and test tracks that have been harnessed to a large extent with only a few tests involving wind tunnel tests and long term endurance rust tests undertaken at Suzuki Motor Corporation. 

Also read: Full interview of CV Raman, executive director (engineering), Maruti Suzuki India