India’s biggest automaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) is targeting to sell 300,000 units of cars geared up with various automatic transmission innovations by 2020. The automaker presently sells about 94,000 units per year of automobiles with AGS (automatic gear shift), AT (automated) and CVT (constantly variable transmission).
It is depending on the more cost effective AGS innovation to drive sales development of vehicles with automatic transmission. “Our mission is to double AGS contribution from the current levels of 94,000 units to around 150,000 units by end of FY 17-18 and attain 300,000 mark by 2020,” a business spokesperson informed.
The company right now offers AGS technology in Alto K10, Wagon R, Celerio, Ignis and Dzire. CVT can be found in Baleno, while AT transmission comes in the Ciaz and Ertiga.
Moving ahead, the company is planning to bring in AGS innovation in models as much as Dzire and AT (automatic) and CVT (continuously variable transmission) in models beyond Baleno. “Our vision is to democratize the two pedal innovation by making them budget-friendly and relevant for the clients. Relying on the reputation of the technology in a particular segment, we bring an appropriate option like AGS, CVT or AT,” the representative stated.
The automaker is also in the process of treking production capacity of automatic transmissions and has also embraced localisation of numerous parts in order to make the versions affordable. “Awareness is still a difficulty … With boosted awareness we anticipate more first-time buyers and rural penetration,” the spokesperson stated.
The sale of automated variants across the company’s product portfolio has increased progressively in the recent years. In 2013-14, the company had sold just 900 automatic units. In 2014-15, the figure rose to 32,426 units, while it rose to 56,968 units in 2015-16. In the last financial year, the company sold an overall of 94,736 units making up AGS, CVT and AT innovations. In general, the company with more than 47 percent market share in the domestic passenger automobile market, prepares to sell a total of 200,000 units every year by 2020.
