Inaugurating the plant, Mr. Shinzo Nakanishi, Managing Director, Maruti Suzuki, said: “We are happy to introduce a brand new family of petrol engines for our customers. Maruti Suzuki is the first company to introduce fuel-efficient vehicles in India way back in 1983 and has continuously improved the technologies over the years. Like all Maruti Suzuki technology, this new engine is highly fuel efficient, while offering the best in refinement and performance. It will take the engine technology to the next level in India. The new engine series is also an important step towards attaining the target sales of a million units in the domestic market by 2010-11. The operational capacities of our plants have reached the million mark.”
The KB series engine will be mounted on the forthcoming model, A Star, from Maruti Suzuki. The 998cc engine has been carefully designed to be environment friendly and fuel efficient with its light weight construction and innovative technologies to improve combustion and minimise friction. The smart distributor less ignition (SDLI) system with dedicated plug top coils, high pressure semi-return fuel system and advanced injectors for superior atomization provide uniform and optimized combustion for better performance.
After A Star, the all-new, light-weight engine series will be progressively introduced on other models as well over a period of next 3-5 years. The new engine will also power the export version of the A Star. The company plans to commence exports of this model from early 2009.
The KB-series engine, while fully complying with the prevalent BS III norms, is ready to meet the future emission norms in the country. It meets the Euro V norms for the export model of A Star. The plant has an installed annual capacity of 240,000 engines.
The new engine will be manufactured in the state-of the-art, fully integrated manufacturing facility within the Gurgaon plant. Spread over an area of 20,300 m2, the plant is part of the Rs. 9,000-crore investment plan drawn by Maruti Suzuki and Suzuki Motor Corporation.
