Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.

Maruti Suzuki, country’s largest car maker is likely to develop small cars from scratch for the Japanese market. The company will be developing and producing completely new small-car models for Japan.

A 70:30 joint venture between Suzuki Motor and Maruti Suzuki at Manesar, Haryana has been stepping up investments in research and development (R&D) in India and has formed Suzuki Powertrain India, which manufactures diesel engines and transmissions for cars. Suzuki Motor has invested Rs 1,500 crore in an R&D centre coming up at Rohtak, also in Haryana. This will be its first such centre outside of Japan. Spread over 700 acres, the first phase of the project is likely to be completed by 2012.

So, the whole engineering process will move to India and all small cars will be conceptualized and developed in India. The company is still in the ideation process.