Contrary to popular reports which said Maruti will phase out the 800 after the new emission norms come in, it may not! Maruti engineers are working hard to make the engines meet the new emission norms according to Maruti’s Managing Executive Officer IV Rao.

The company is working on almost all its models as it prepares them to meet the stricter new emission norms which will come into effect from 2010 onwards.

“Our new K-Series engines are very efficient compared to previous generation engines. So, we are now working on all existing engines to improve the after treatment on emission of the gases,” Maruti Suzuki India’s Managing Executive Officer (Engineering) I V Rao said.

“We are basically working on catalysers on the same engines for different models to meet the Bharat stage norms, that will come into effect from April 2010,” Rao said.

On reports that Maruti would phase out 800 and Omni models by 2015, Rao said, “We are working on to upgrade the Maruti 800 and Omni besides developing compliant models to meet the new emission norms.”

Source: economictimes

“Based on preliminary tests, we are confident that we will be able to comply both Maruti and Omni with Bharat Stage emissions norms, which means it will not only meet BS norms, but it will continue beyond 2010,” Rao said.

The company is also working on developing an all new indigenous model which will roll out in the coming three years. “we are developing a new model on existing platform, all by our engineers at Maruti in India.” he added.

“We have just started the initial activities for this model and its likely to take about 3 years to functionalise,” Rao said adding “Regarding segment, what type of model, what engine are being still debated and discussed.

“We are doing the basic discussions with our marketing division to identify the exact positioning of this model, based on which we would be developing the concept,” Rao said.

Maruti is aslo increasing the engineers headcount at their R&D centers in the country from the current 720 to upto a 1000 by 2010. The increase would consist of experienced and fresh recruits.

As a part of its planned 9000 crore investment in India, the company will also open a new R&D center in Haryana built on an area of 500 acres.

“We now have our engineering centre in Gurgaon plant which also caters for Manesar plant. We are now looking at land for setting up the improving grounds,” he said.

“It will be for crash facility, test tracks, evaluation of new models and other facilities for testing the performance of the vehicle and its durability,” Rao said.

Reacting to queries, Rao also said that in its exisitin form Gypsy wont be getting a diesel engine.