Maruti Suzuki begins export of A-star to Europe

26 December 2008

Maruti Suzuki India Limited, country's top car maker has kick-started its small car exports to Europe with the despatch of its newly-launched three-cylinder A-star, the Suzuki world model series from India.

The first consignment of A-star for export left in a specially designed auto wagon railway rake from Gurgaon railway station. RK Rao, member (mechanical), Indian Railway Board and MM Singh, managing executive officer (production), Maruti Suzuki India Limited, flagged off the train for Mundra Port.

"The dispatch of first consignment of A-star from Gurgaon is a quantum leap for Maruti Suzuki towards company's future as a small car manufacturing hub for Suzuki, Japan. Majority of this export will comprise the newly launched A-Star for Europe,'' MM Singh said.

''The A-star cars will be sold under Suzuki Alto brand in Europe. Maruti Suzuki has invested into a new port and dedicated car handling facility at Mundra port in Gujarat. We have signed a long term agreement with MPSEZL (Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone Limited)," he added.

Earlier, Maruti Suzuki had announced a scale-up of export of its existing models to one lakh units. Simultaneously, Maruti Suzuki will export large volumes of A-star to European markets beginning 2009. Suzuki has chosen India as an exclusive base for manufacturing and export of A-star to all major European markets.

''Despatch of the first consignment of A-Star cars by Auto-Wagon Railway Rake is also a revolutionary event for country's automotive logistics and a step towards putting in place required infrastructure for large scale exports of automobiles from India,'' the company said in a release.