Toyota is known to have been fairly eager to have its personal variations of Maruti Suzuki’s iconic Jimny and Swift for its mannequin line-up in a lot the identical manner the 2 corporations at present share the Baleno and Glanza, the Ertiga and Rumion, and the Grand Vitara and Urban Cruiser Hyryder. Suzuki, however, has gently refused, stating that the 2 fashions are integral to its DNA and usually are not for sharing as promoting them with a Toyota badge may dilute their iconic standing. “Toyota wanted to badge engineer the Jimny and Swift, but we politely declined,” mentioned a Suzuki supply.

1. Toyota desires Maruti to share Jimny and Swift
2. Suzuki says each fashions intrinsic to its model id
3. Badge-engineered merchandise may benefit each carmakers

It’s clear why Toyota would love its personal variations of the approach to life SUV. With a Toyota badge, the very-capable Jimny may very well be a far cheaper 4×4 various to the Fortuner, which is exorbitantly priced and out of attain for a lot of.

From one perspective, sharing the Jimny with Toyota may give Maruti Suzuki much-needed volumes, since Jimny gross sales are sputtering after the preliminary euphoria has worn off. Maruti has offered solely 15,476 items of the Jimny within the June-November 2023 interval; actually, in November, gross sales have been down to only 1,020 items. However, regardless of Jimny’s gross sales being decrease than anticipated, the corporate isn’t inclined to share it with Toyota simply to spice up volumes.

“It’s like asking Toyota to let us badge engineer the Land Cruiser. Models that are at the heart of our brand are not meant for sharing and both companies respect that,” mentioned an organization supply. 

For the identical motive, the Swift is off the desk. However, it is comprehensible why Toyota, which has solely retailed Maruti Suzuki’s premium Nexa merchandise below its personal model, can be eager on buying the extremely widespread and iconic Swift. The Swift, offered via Maruti’s mass-market Arena channel, constantly information a mean of over 17,100 items each month. Given that the Maruti-supplied Glanza and Rumion contribute, on common, 25 p.c to Toyota’s complete month-to-month gross sales, introducing a Toyota-badged Swift may doubtlessly see gross sales enhance by 25 p.c.

The Toyota-Maruti Suzuki partnership in India, the place they share fashions and platforms, has proved to be a win-win for each the Japanese carmakers which have efficiently leveraged the economies of scale with low-investment badge engineering workouts. This has given each corporations a considerably bigger portfolio throughout varied worth factors with a stable uptick in gross sales. Maruti can even be constructing EVs for Toyota and Suzuki’s world markets, and the deep ties between the 2 corporations are set to develop into solely stronger.

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