The mini truck perfectly addresses two elementary priorities of buyers in this segment. Plus, the brand moniker speaks for itself – a name that we Indians trust like anything!
This is a ‘Kei Truck’. In fact, only Super Carry can make a genuine claim to be one, as the ‘Keitora’ (‘light truck’ in Japanese) philosophy is ingrained in its pedigree. We all know that the Japanese car market is distinctly known for the abundance of tiny passenger vehicles, popularly known as ‘Kei cars’. Born out of similar product categorisation, the Kei trucks are tiny pick-ups or mini trucks with cab-over design built on the Kei car platforms and engine options. A remarkable Japanese invention indeed, these mini trucks became so popular in other Asian markets, equipped with much larger engines to maximise their load carrying capacity.
Suzuki is perhaps the leading Japanese automaker known for its Kei trucks across the globe. The brand’s ‘Carry’ truck has seen multiple engine options to suit a wide range of applications and market requirements, since its inception in 1961. You will be surprised to know that the mini truck’s van version ‘Every’ has also seen multiple avatars, including that of Maruti Omni, Versa and Eeco MPV that fill our Indian roads even today! And with the Super Carry, the company has packed the positive factors of the legendary Kei trucks, with a customised package to suit the local requirements of the Indian mini truck segment.
To put it in a nutshell, the Super Carry mini truck perfectly addresses two elementary priorities of buyers in this segment. One, Maruti Suzuki has packed a punch by powering the mini truck with powerful DDiS turbo-charged diesel engine. The company claims that the engine is tuned for better load bearing capacity to haul heavier volumes even up steeper inclines, with superior acceleration and on-road speed of 80 kmph. For those who prefer CNG option, the truck comes with an MPFI engine that guarantees smoother drive and improved fuel efficiency.
Two, mini truck buyers always value practicality, especially with regard to cargo loading area and handling dynamics. This truck comes with a fairly large 3.25 square metre cargo deck, complemented by a wider wheel base of 2,110 mm for enhanced stability for heavy loads. Further, the automaker assures car-like handling, thanks to strong and sturdy strut assembly and leaf-spring suspension. Compact turning radius of 4.3 m can also help manoeuvring through narrow lanes much easier. The truck is also available in a cab-chassis avatar to cater to diverse business needs.
In terms of vehicular safety, the Super Carry features strong rust-resistant steel chassis and front panel, large and durable OVRMs, and disc brakes for front wheels. In addition, the Load Sensing Proportioning Valve (LSPV) braking system is offered to enhance safety by adjusting the pressure of the brakes according to the weight of the load. And a micro-switch cuts off fuel supply to prevent accidental starting of the vehicle during CNG refuelling.
Exclusive interview with Mr. R.S. Kalsi, Senior Executive Director (Marketing and Sales), Maruti Suzuki India
“Super Carry is designed and developed on the basis of detailed research and understanding of the SCV customer’s requirements in India. It is a product with trust of Maruti Suzuki and technology backed by Suzuki Motor Corp of Japan offering best-in-category features on safety, comfort, quality, reliability and fuel efficiency”, says Mr. Kalsi. We find out more about the exciting product and MSIL’s plans to make it big in the SCV space.
Excerpts:
How and why did Maruti Suzuki conceive the idea of entering the SCV space with Super Carry?
According to our research, nearly half of our customers are businessmen, small traders or self-employed. This led to Maruti Suzuki’s foray into the commercial segment in September 2016. These products are used either to earn livelihood or to increase the efficiency of business. The customer seeks a product which is high on performance and low on maintenance, thereby offering better retention and earning. We will continue to offer products and solutions based on the needs of our customers.
Globally Suzuki is an experienced and established player in the mini-truck segment, and we have leveraged the same to our advantage. On the other hand, MSIL has been a dominant player in CV segment with our offerings like Omni and Eeco, which have a combined market share of more than 80 percent in the C-segment.
With the mini truck space already having strong players, how do you think the Super Carry can make a difference for customers? Also, given the fact that Maruti Suzuki has more experience in moving people than cargo, what gives you the confidence to be able to do well in the market?
Super Carry is designed and developed on the basis of detailed research and understanding of the Indian customer requirements. It offers best of both the worlds – power and strength as well as carrying capacity. Super Carry excels in driving comfort and manoeuvrability in the SCV segment. It also comes with Maruti Suzuki’s reliability and assurance of unmatched after-sales support.
MSIL engineers have rigorously tested the Super Carry by keeping Indian conditions in mind. The product is high on performance and low on maintenance, thereby giving customers better retention and peace of mind. The pace of growth in the number of customers preferring to opt for Super Carry is a testimony to acceptance of Maruti Suzuki in this space as well.
How many units of Super Carry have you sold till date since its launch?
We launched Super Carry in September 2016. In less than 3 years, it has crossed the 30,000 cumulative sales milestone recently. While the first 10,000 sales took around 20 months, the next 20,000 sales came just in 10 months.
Is Super Carry available pan-India? What is the sales strategy you have chosen for the product – exclusive dealerships or synergies with the existing Maruti Suzuki passenger car dealerships?
Super Carry is available through the commercial channel, which is now the fastest growing automobile retail channel in India. Presently, Super Carry is being retailed at over 294 commercial outlets across 223 cities. It is our endeavor to reach closer to customers as much as possible, and we will plan network expansion as per the growing business requirement.
How are you addressing the service requirements of customers in different parts of the country?
The vast Maruti Suzuki service network of over 3,500 plus service touch-points across 1,764 cities caters to the full Super Carry service requirement.