[TusharK]

Maruti Suzuki has commenced export of the made-in-India Fronx to Japan. The first consignment of over 1,600 vehicles has been dispatched from Gujarat’s Pipavav port.



The Fronx is the second Maruti Suzuki model to be exported to Japan after the Baleno in 2016. It is also the first “SUV” from the brand to be exported to the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’, which will go on sale in the autumn of 2024.



The Fronx is based on the Heartect platform. In India, the car has two engine options: a 1.2-litre petrol engine that makes 89 BHP and 113 Nm and a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol that puts out 99 BHP and 148 Nm. Transmission options include a 5-speed manual, a 5-speed AMT and a 6-speed automatic.



Maruti Suzuki is the biggest passenger vehicle exporter in India. In FY2023-24, the carmaker shipped over 2.8 lakh units to over 100 countries. The company has a 42% share in the exports of passenger vehicles. In Q1 FY2024-25, Maruti exported a record 70,560 units.



Link to Team-BHP News

[Desi Dybuk]

How far we have come as a country! First it was the Honda Elevate which was being exported to Japan & now the Suzuki Fronx! Incredibly proud!

[Thilak29]

I have seen similar pictures from other manufacturers at port as well, who do not "mummify" their cars like seen here, what's so unique here that it requires additional wrap?

[thomahawk]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

what's so unique here that it requires additional wrap?

Must be the poor paint quality. My Brezza is so full of scratches wherever I look; Even the roadside foliage seems to scratch the car

[ron178]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

I have seen similar pictures from other manufacturers at port as well, who do not "mummify" their cars like seen here, what's so unique here that it requires additional wrap?

I wonder if this kind of stuff makes it into their ESG reports or it's just the g/km and km/L. Not sure what the technical reason is, but it sure seems like an awful waste of plastic — I do hope it is recycled or can somehow be reused.

But I'm happy Indian-made cars are being received well overseas. Japan already seems to have fallen in love with the Fronx's design, and the Elevate is also doing well for itself. So are the India-made VWs in the Caribbean, and the Mahindras in Australia.

[shubham7799]

This goes on to show the impetus and effects of the Make in India. Who would have thought that Japanese giants would be dependent on Indian manufacturing units for sales in their home markets as well.

This should fill our chests with pride to see that Suzuki, Honda and Toyota(including the sticker engineered models) are using the Indian manufacturing units for their supplies in Indian and foreign markets.
Kudos and way to go!

[White bird]

Hope it doesn't end up like the export of Ford Ecosport to the US.

[Nithesh_M]

Is this a way to move ever increasing unsold inventory? I can understand Honda doing it with the Elevate but is Nexa also struggling to push the Fronx? There's a 17% decline from last July.

[volkman10]

Originally Posted by Nithesh_M

Is this a way to move ever increasing unsold inventory? I can understand Honda doing it with the Elevate but is Nexa also struggling to push the Fronx? There's a 17% decline from last July.

This is not the Indian Fronx as it is the Fronx with 1.5L engine, AT and with AWD as option, with different specs.

[Venkatesh]

Press Release

[shortbread]

Originally Posted by Nithesh_M

Is this a way to move ever increasing unsold inventory? I can understand Honda doing it with the Elevate but is Nexa also struggling to push the Fronx? There's a 17% decline from last July.

I don't think one can simply siphon off domestic yard stock for exports; it's not as straightforward as transferring inventory between showrooms. My friend who co-owns a major Maruti dealership, has said there's significant inventory buildup and tension among dealers who are overwhelmed with stock, while Maruti continues to push additional cars to maintain volume. So, your inquiry makes sense.

Nonetheless, exports are indeed a viable solution to sustain production volumes and utilize capacity, offering a much better approach than bullying domestic dealers. Additionally, exporting vehicles benefits the economy and contributes positively to the exchequer.

[Nithesh_M]

Originally Posted by volkman10

This is not the Indian Fronx as it is the Fronx with 1.5L engine, AT and with AWD as option, with different specs.

Ah. The unobtainium spec. What other changes do we expect in Japanese trim?