New Delhi, June 24 (Agency) Toyota and Suzuki on Friday announced that they would start production of a new SUV model developed by Suzuki at Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt Ltd (TKM) from August this year.Maruti Suzuki India Limited and TKM will market the new model in India as Suzuki and Toyota models, respectively. Furthermore, the two companies are planning to export the new model to markets outside India including Africa.
The powertrains of the new model to be on sale in India will be equipped with mild hybrid developed by Suzuki and strong hybrid developed by Toyota, a statement from the company said. By bringing together strengths of both Toyota and Suzuki through the collaboration, the two companies will be able to provide a wide variety of vehicle electrification technologies to customers and contribute to the acceleration of electrification and the realization of a carbon neutral society in India. Toyota President Akio Toyoda said, “We are pleased to announce the new SUV with Suzuki, a company that has a long history of local involvement in the Indian business.
Today, the automotive industry is facing various challenges such as electrification and carbon neutrality. By leveraging the respective strengths of Toyota and Suzuki to provide Indian customers with a variety of options, we hope to contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions and realize a society where ‘no-one is left behind’ and ‘everyone can move freely. “Suzuki President Toshihiro Suzuki said, “Production of the new SUV at TKM is a project that can contribute to the growth of India through providing eco-friendly mobility needed by customers. We recognize that it is a big milestone toward further deepening our collaboration in the future. We appreciate the support from Toyota, and at the same time, will explore new synergy and business opportunities through continuous collaboration.”