Autocar India Editor, Hormazd Sorabjee has revealed in a tweet on his twitter page that Maruti Suzuki is set to launch the Kizashi luxury saloon in January 2011, in the Indian car market.
The Kizashi is Suzuki’s flagship model internationally and is also the most expensive Suzuki product worldwide. The Kizashi will carry the distinction of being the most expensive Suzuki product in India as well.
The Kizashi will be powered by a 2.4 litre petrol engine pumping out 185 bhp and 230 Nm, of power and torque respectively. The car is available internationally in both manual and automatic options, but we will have to wait and watch as to which transmission option is launched in India and at this point, the automatic transmission is the anticipated one. The Kizashi is also available in an All Wheel Drive (AWD) variant internationally, but it is highly unlikely that this version will be launched in India.
The Kizashi will be brought in through the Completely Built Unit (CBU) route initially, but Maruti could consider local assembly from Completely Knocked Down (CKD) kits, if the sales volumes are good. The Kizashi could be priced between 17-24 lakh rupees.
It will also be interesting to see whether the Kizashi is badged as a Maruti Suzuki or simply Suzuki like Maruti Suzuki’s lone CBU offering, the Grand Vitara. The car may carry only the Suzuki badge as the Maruti badge is too closely associated with all the small car offerings from the Maruti Suzuki stable.
Maruti has started to roll its sleeves for the Kizashi launch. The manufacturer recently awarded the creative mandate to Dentsu Creative Impact.
Last month’s, all the advertising agencies like Lowe, Dentsu and Publicis Capital were called in to create a pitch for the Kizashi and Dentsu Creative Impact shined above all the rest. Interestingly, the media duties will be handled by Lintas Media Group.
Speaking on the occasion, Maruti Suzuki chief general manager – Marketing, Shashank Shrivastava said -
Dentsu has won the creative mandate for Maruti Kizashi while the media duties will be handled by Lintas Media Group. We are expecting the launch of Kizashi in March next. The account size cannot be determined right now.
It is very important for Maruti to choose its advertising partner correctly, as this will be company foray into the luxury car segment where it will have to go head to head with giants like Honda, Skoda and Toyota.
The advertising agency will have to carefully change the image of the company from a low cost, maintenance-free car manufacturer to a company that can also produce standard-setting aspirational vehicles.
The Kizashi is expected in India with a 2.4-liter petrol engine mated to a 6-speed AT. Paddle shifters are likely to feature.
Maruti India is finally set to shift its focus from entry level hatchbacks and saloons to more premium cars. Maruti tried to capture this segment earlier as well with the Vitara but failed miserably.
Now, it is all set to launch the new Kizashi in the Indian market by year end.
Maruti Suzuki, always considered an expert in the small car with 7 offerings in the segment, will have to change its image for their premium offering – the Kizashi.
Priced around Rs 17 lakh – Rs 24 lakh, the new car will go head to head with Honda Accord, the Toyota Camry and the Skoda Superb with a 2.4-liter petrol engine.
A Maruti Suzuki official -
We will get the confidence to make the sedan here only when we generate adequate sales volumes from the CBUs and CKDs. We do have a plan, but there is a long time to it
But initially the Kizashi will be brought to Indian shores in the form of a CBU which means the base price is already pushed up by more than 100 per cent (including countervailing duties, education cess and other levies).
If it generates adequate sales volumes, the strategy is to shift from CBU to CKD. But CKDs will also attract a 60% duty. The rising yen cost is providing no relief either.
In order to counter these factors the company has a long term plan to manufacture Kizashi in India in its Manesar plant.
Carwale reports Maruti will introduce the Suzuki Kizashi in India this year. The vehicle, according to Carwale, will reach Maruti dealerships by the close of 2010.
The Kizashi was on display at the Auto Expo 2010 in New Delhi. It generated good response among show goers for its styling, interiors and build quality.
Suzuki has launched four sedans till now, the Esteem, the Baleno, the SX4 and the Swift Dzire. The Kizashi will be its fifth. The Baleno wasn’t received well by Indian customers and the Esteem was replaced by the Swift Dzire less than three years ago.
The Kizashi coming to India in all likelihood will sport the 2.4-litre petrol engine that makes about 185 bhp. Maruti could introduce the six-speed manual first and later on could bring the A/T model.
Will the Kizashi compete with the likes of the Skoda Laura, Volkswagen Jetta, Honda Civic? Or will it be positioned higher up to take on the likes of the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and the Skoda Superb?
Are there enough buyers who will ignore the Camry, Superb or even the value the Accord offers and end up driving home a Kizashi?
Our sources in Japan tell us Suzuki’s D-Segment Kizashi project has been put on hold. Suzuki announced it had scrapped the 3.5-liter V6 engine in favour of a 2.0-liter engine, but now that engine’s development has also been halted. Don’t expect the Kizashi in India till 2011 or 2012.
Maruti Suzuki India Managing Director Shinzo Nakanishi yesterday confirmed the entry of the D-Segment Suzuki Kizashi in India in 2009 if the car is launched in homeland Japan. According to sources, the Suzuki Kizashi might debut at the Los Angeles Auto show in November 2009.
Mr. Shinzo Nakanishi also revealed that the 3.5-liter V6 engine for the project has been scrapped and instead a smaller and more fuel efficient 2-liter engine will be the alternative to the Honda Accord, Skoda Superb and Toyota Camry slayer.
He added the market conditions and requirements have turned towards smaller and efficient engines and Suzuki Motor Corporation’s reflex is the scrappage of the 3.5-liter V6 variant which could have costed up to 25 lakh rupees in India if the original plan had gone through.
When asked about the remedy for the falling sales of the presently biggest car SX4, Mr.Nakanishi responded that a diesel engine would eventually arrive but the 1.3-liter Multijet that drives a handful of cars in India won’t make the cut as it is underpowered for application on SX4.
click through for Image Gallery
The Suzuki Kizashi, which will be Suzuki’s first car in the D-Segment will remain locked up in Suzuki’s garage till the end of the decade, Reuters reports.
Suzuki CEO Osamu Suzuki, it seems had hinted this way back last year in an interview sighting unfavorable economic conditions. He claims that there is no point in producing a car that will sell under a segment that’s doing horribly worldwide. Suzuki (under the name Maruti Suzuki) has been struggling even in India, where it commands more than 50% of the market share.
Yes! We have seen this car countless times before. Yet, we can’t stop as the number of times this car is being photographed on the streets with camouflage is increasing day by day. Actually these pictures are a bit old but the interiors have been snapped for the first time.
