At present, the merger between Toyota and Maruti Suzuki is leading both of them to produce individual cars, such as the Glanza and the Baleno. It is understood that the manufacturers want to gain from each others’ experiences in the market and then make their cars better, but wouldn’t it be better if they focused more on rolling out a single car instead of two separate cars?
The most important area where Maruti Suzuki stands to gain from Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) is safety. A quick look at the tank-like build of the Innova Crysta and the Yaris is enough to understand the Japanese brands build quality. If the cars from Maruti Suzuki are able to get similar levels of build quality, even in hatchbacks, it will be welcomed by Indian customers with open arms. Since safety has become such an important issue now, people should not be afraid to put in an extra 30-40k on a Maruti’s new avatar.
Where does Toyota stand to gain?
Localization of parts and keeping costs down are what Maruti is expert at. TKM will need Maruti’s help in establishing a strong dealership network across the country. However, one really hopes that standards of safety at TKM are not compromised like Maruti Suzuki in the future.
