Maruti-Suzuki rolls out 1,00,00,000th (1 Crore) car

It’s no doubt today that Maruti-Suzuki, the largest auto manufacturer in the country, has been going great guns ever since the company started way back in 1983 (then Maruti Udyog Limited) as a joint venture between the Government of India and Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan. But today marks an occasion that adds another, rather large, feather in the company’s hat. Maruti-Suzuki became the first Indian car maker to produce 1 Crore cars – that’s 1,00,00,000 cars! The momentous 1,00,00,000th car to roll out of the company’s Gurgaon plant was a Metallic Breeze Blue coloured WagonR VXi.

With this achievement, not only has Maruti-Suzuki become the only Indian car maker to have manufactured 10 million cars, but also joins a select club of automobile manufacturers around the world which have achieved this accolade. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Shinzo Nakanishi, Managing Director and CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited said, “As we reach this historic landmark, we thank our founding partners who laid a solid foundation of values and practices. We thank our customers who have brought us this far. The commitment of employees and continued strong support of business associates has played a critical role all through the journey. Their enthusiasm and commitment is especially reflected in manufacturing around 5 million units just in the last 6 years. Today is a day of pride for the full Maruti Suzuki family.”

As India’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, Maruti-Suzuki not only holds a 45-percent market share in passenger vehicles, but also offers a total of 16 models on sale. The road to 10 million cars was not a short one. Since the company started manufacturing the little Maruti 800 in India back in December 1983, the first million mark was hit in 1994, followed by 2 million in 1997. April 2005 saw the company roll out its 5 millionth car and just a hair under 6 years after that, in March 2011, the magic 10 million number was reached. Looking at the company’s current production capacity of 1.7 million units annually, which is swiftly on the rise as well, it won’t be too long before we see 20 million Maruti-Suzuki cars on the road.