Maruti Suzuki has begun exporting the A-star, its newly launched small car, to Europe. The first consignment of A-star for export left in a specially designed auto wagon railway rake from the Gurgaon railway station for Mundra port in Gujarat.
“The dispatch of the first consignment of A-stars from Gurgaon railway station is a quantum leap for Maruti Suzuki towards the company’s future as a small car manufacturing hub for Suzuki, Japan,” the company’s managing executive officer (production), M M Singh said in a statement.
Maruti Suzuki will transport over 200,000 cars by rail in NMG (New Modified Goods) rakes developed in-house by Indian Railways. Earlier, the company had announced it would scale up exports of its existing models to 100,000 units, and export large volumes of A-star to European markets beginning 2009. It now expects to begin shipping the A-star to Nissan Motor Co by March 2009.
“The A-stars will be sold under the Suzuki Alto brand in Europe. Maruti has invested in a new port and dedicated car handling facility at Mundra Port,” Singh said.