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Maruti to launch new-look Zen

By K. T. Jagannathan

CHENNAI NOV. 22. Maruti Udyog will launch an entirely new-look Zen in the domestic market soon. Indications are that a brand new Zen should hit the Indian roads by the end of the current calendar year.

The new Zen, it is learnt, is designed and styled from scratch entirely in India by local engineers. The car will sport a contemporary look in line with the latest in European styling and design. Though there had been efforts in the past within MUL to indigenise production, design and styling inputs have largely come from abroad, either from the parent company or independent design and styling houses. This is the first instance of in-house design and styling, from conceptualisation to production, at MUL.

Zen is in existence for the last ten years. There are about 5.5 lakh Zens in the domestic market. A little over one lakh Zens are plying on global roads. Zen, according to market sources, commands a good price in the second-hand market. During a recent visit to Hamamatsu, the headquarters of Suzuki Motor Corporation, visiting Indian journalists were told by officials of the Japanese company that MUL was being developed by Suzuki as the research and development centre for small cars. The imminent launch of a new-look Zen, the flagship brand of the company in the premium compact segment, it is claimed, will conclusively demonstrate the ability and capability of MUL to give a `face-lift' to the models. Significantly enough, the new-look Zen will be the first major initiative of MUL since Suzuki took majority control.

More than introduction of new models, MUL is now set to focus its time and money on constantly improvising its existing products and giving them a face-lift. Suzuki officials told the Indian presspersons that frequent introduction of new models was well nigh impossible and indeed a costly exercise.

Not just the design and styling, even the processes required for the manufacture of new-look Zen are reportedly undertaken in-house. Even the dies for making the skin panels are designed and made in India, it is learnt. This is the first time that dies are made in India. This will prove a big boon for the Indian component industry. MUL had entrusted the job of `refurbishing' Zen to a 30-member team couple of years ago. The team was given a clear brief to create a Zen with `contemporary European styling'.

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