Maruti to double rural outlets by 2011

Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL), India's largest car maker, is going to double the number of its outlets in rural India from 231 to 450 by 2011. This move will increase the company's network from 35% to 50% in rural outlets. The objective is a part of Maruti's mid-term plan to generate sales of 2,50,000 cars annually from rural India which, in turn, will go a long way in helping it meet its target of a million vehicles in the domestic market by 2011-12. It clocked sales of 722,000 units in fiscal that just ended. The company has enjoyed a steady increase in the rural component (of sales) during the last two years to 9% over 63,000 units last fiscal from 3.5% in 2007-08. It is also informed that this year, the goal for this year is more ambitious at 15%, which will translate into 100,000 cars.