In a little under three years since Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) launched the Glanza — the rebadged version of Maruti Suzuki’s Baleno and the first model exchanged under the global collaboration between Toyota Motor and Suzuki Motor — the carmaker has sold 66,020 units of the premium hatchback.
Of these 66,020 customers, 66% (about 43,600) are first-time Toyota buyers. “The Glanza has given TKM an entirely new set of customers who may not have otherwise entered the Toyota family,” Tadashi Asazuma, executive vice-president, sales & customer service, TKM, told FE.
On Tuesday, TKM launched the second generation of the Glanza (based on the second generation Baleno launched on February 23), priced `6.39 lakh onwards (ex-showroom).
gWe expect the new Glanza to be even more popular than the previous one,” Asazuma said, “primarily because this time we have been able to make it look quite different compared with the car it is based on (Baleno).”
Unlike the previous-generation Glanza that looked quite similar to the Baleno, this time the exterior has been done by Toyota designers (in partnership with Maruti Suzuki). Also, unlike the Baleno that gets the Suzuki Connect (with 40-odd connected car features), the Glanza gets Toyota’s i-Connect (with more than 45 connected car features). “Our designers have also tried to differentiate as much as possible inside the cabin,” Asazuma said.
The Baleno, powered by a petrol engine, will reportedly be launched with a CNG variant as well, but Asazuma said at the moment TKM will focus on petrol and building a good customer base.
While he didn’t share how many units of the Glanza will Maruti Suzuki produce for TKM per month or quarter, he said it can differ month to month, and with the current semiconductor shortage issues, it is difficult to be defined.
As far as flexi-fuels are fuels are concerned, Asazuma said Toyota has these kinds of technologies in countries such as Brazil and the company’s cars can run on flexi-fuels.
TKM is also starting a pilot project on March 16 in New Delhi where a Toyoto car, manufactured in Japan, will be launched. The car will reportedly run on green hydrogen. “The hydrogen car is a pilot project at this moment, still under feasibility for Indian roads. (In India) we do see momentum from the government, but there must also be a requirement from customers,” Asazuma said.
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