This week Maruti Suzuki India announced it will start sales of its first light commercial vehicle (LCV)—the Super Carry—by the end of August. Initially the vehicle will be sold in three cities—Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Ludhiana—through a newly-established ‘commercial’ channel of the company. Maruti has invested Rs 300 crore towards its development.
What exactly is Super Carry?
With the Super Carry, Maruti Suzuki marks its entry into the highly-competitive LCV segment. The vehicle, from the front, resembles the Omni—the van the company has been selling for over 30 years in India. Like the Omni, the front gets horizontal design lines at the bottom, conveying stability. As compared to some other LCVs, Super Carry’s bumper has a relatively bold design—the company says it represents ruggedness. It will be available in two widely preferred colours—white and silver. The ex-showroom prices are Ahmedabad (Rs 4.03 lakh); Kolkata (Rs 4.11 lakh); and Ludhiana (Rs 4.01 lakh).
Is the cabin also like Omni’s?
Yes, like in the Omni, there are horizontal design lines inside Super Carry’s cabin, which provide a sense of width. There are multi-purpose storage spaces, a lockable glove box and a bottle holder for driver and co-driver. Because it is an LCV, there are two seats upfront; the rear section is the loading area. Unlike the Omni which gets two separate bucket seats, the Super Carry has a single, flat bench seat. This helps easy ingress and egress in tight parking conditions that such LCVs are usually operated in. Like in the Omni, there is a thick fibreglass heat shield between the seats and the engine for better heat insulation and NVH.
How big is the Super Carry?
Its dimensions are bigger than the Omni’s. The Super Carry is 3800mm long, 1562mm wide and has a height of 1868mm. Its wheelbase is 2110mm and the tyre size is 145R-12LT-8PR. The minimum ground clearance (unladen) is 160mm. Its turning radius is 4.3 metres.
What kind of weight can it carry?
The claimed payload of the Super Carry is 740kg in all terrains. Maruti says it is equipped with a light steering wheel, contributing to effortless drive even at full load. The relatively long wheelbase provides stability while in motion. The loading bay has been kept low and the deck is wide, thus the operator can carry close to the maximum permissible load on a single trip. This means more number of trips and, as a result, better earnings for the operator.
Does it have car-like features?
The Super Carry is made to a price, so the cabin isn’t feature-loaded. But it does have a mobile charging socket, odometer, trip-meter, fuel-meter and digital clock, besides the provision for a stereo. Some other features include openable sliding back window glass and a conveniently located spare wheel carrier for ease in replacement.
Does it get a brand-new engine?
It’s fitted with the same 793cc, two-cylinder compact diesel engine which powers the Celerio, but with different specifications. In the Super Carry, it generates a power of 32.2bhp@3500rpm and a torque of 75Nm@2000rpm. Mated to a five-speed manual transmission, it has a claimed fuel-efficiency of 22.07kpl and has a top speed of 80kph.
What are the safety features?
There are active safety features—safety systems that help avoid accidents—such as front disc brakes, a large windscreen for a good view of the road, both driver and passenger outside rear-view mirrors, rear reflectors, headlamp leveller, etc. Maruti says it has powered the Super Carry with the Load Sensing Proportioning Valve (LSPV) braking system, which provides better stability during braking. The company also claims it has carried out robust packaging of electrical parts to enhance occupant safety. A high tensile material is used between the sitting area and the luggage space to minimise the chances of a heavy load intruding into the cabin in the event of a frontal collision. The galvanised material in the chassis area provides better rust resistance.
Where will it be sold?
Maruti has set up separate sales outlets exclusively to sell this LCV. The design and layout of these outlets have been conceptualised to match the profile of the LCV buyer. RS Kalsi, executive director, Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki, says that the company will capitalise on the strength of its network and the existing dealers will be extended an opportunity to create these outlets.
Where will it be serviced?
Maruti has a robust service network of over 3,000 workshops in 1,500 cities. Kalsi says the company will provide servicing through its existing network and, in addition, will use Maruti Mobile Service vans for doorstep servicing if the customer desires so. “The Super Carry customer will get the same service assurance as other existing Maruti passenger vehicle customers,” he said. It will be offered with a warranty of two years or 72,000km, whichever is earlier.
Why is it sold only in three cities?
“We would first like to study the market and then scale up,” says Kalsi. The pilot launch in Ahmedabad, Ludhiana and Kolkata essentially covers one location each in western, northern and eastern parts of the country. “Feedback from these markets will help us strengthen our efforts and roll out across other states in a phased manner,” he added.
How can you book the Super Carry?
For bookings, prospective customers can either reach out to the respective outlets or can call Maruti Suzuki customer care on a toll-free number provided on the company website.
Which LCVs will it compete with?
The market leader is Tata Ace. The Super Carry will also have to compete with Mahindra Maxximo.
