MUL to roll out Maruti Swift diesel version

Chennai, Dec 7 (UNI) Car major Maruti Udyog Limited (MUL) will roll out its diesel version of Maruti Swift by the end of this fiscal, company Managing Director Jagdish Khattar announced today.

Replying to queries after launching the stylish new Zen Estilo here this evening, he said "we will keep up the promise of launching it (diesel version) before the end of this year".

He said under the contract agreement, MUL would manufacture 50,000 new model units for Nissan to be sold in European markets in 2008-09.

Denying reports that the export percentage of MUL had dipped, Mr Khattar clarified that exports to Europe was nil as MUL would be producing new cars for European markets.

In non-European markets, MUL had made a 60 to 65 per cent growth in the first eight months of the current fiscal when compared to the last year.

He said MUL would be investing about Rs 9,000 crore over the next four years as part of modernisation and expansion and to bring out new models.

About Zen Estilo, Mr Khattar said, "young people in India desire products of contemporary styling and international appeal. The new Zen will appeal to this new India, just as the original Zen appealed to the India of mid 1990s".

The launch of Estilo would further strengthen MUL's position in compact car segment where it offers Alto and the new look Wagon-R.

UNI GV JJ 1950