It8217;s 8216;LUV8217; of a different kind for Maruti,Mahindra

While Maruti has fallen for its new 'Life Utility Vehicle' Ertiga,for Ssangyong,it is 'Leisure Utility Vehicle'.

It seems 8216;LUV8217; is in the air in the automobile industry. While Maruti Suzuki India has fallen for its new 8216;Life Utility Vehicle8217; Ertiga,for Mahindras-owned South Korean firm Ssangyong Motor,it is the 8216;Leisure Utility Vehicle8217; Actyon Sports that it is smitten with.

As companies look to create new segments in the already crowded automotive market and make a differentiation,new acronyms are being invented to attract customers.

Back in January this year,when Ssangyong Motor Co SMC President and CEO Lee Yoo-il launched the 8216;Actyon Sports8217; 8212; a model that resembled a pick-up vehicle 8212; the firm described it as South Korea8217;s 8220;first LUV Leisure Utility Vehicle8221;.

Dubbing the model as 8220;the perfect vehicle for outdoor life8221;,SMC said: 8220;Considering the dramatic increase in outdoor and extreme sports population,8217;Actyon Sports8217; proactively responded to the needs of the customers who enjoy leisure activities8221;.

So much was SMC in 8216;LUV8217; with the Actyon Sports that Yoo-il had said it 8220;is the new flagship model of Ssangyong Motor that will expand the scope of automotive culture and bring a new sensation to the Korean automotive market8221;.

For a company that was struggling with debt till Mahindra amp; Mahindra Mamp;M acquired in 2011,it is not surprising that SMC has bet big on its newfound 8216;LUV8217;.

8220;Actyon Sports will play an important role as a driving force to achieve 2012 sales target and get Ssangyong Motor back on track,8221; he had said then.

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Back in India,Maruti Suzuki also needed to find new avenues to keep its leadership position,especially considering the fact that its market share in the Indian passenger vehicles segment,which stood at 26.18 lakh units,went down to 38.44 per cent last fiscal.

Thus came the LUV 8212; 8216;Life Utility Vehicle8217; 8212; in the form of a seven-seater van 8216;Ertiga8217;.

8220;Ertiga strengthens the product portfolio of the market leader and also creates an all new Life Utility segment8230;,8221;MSI said while launching the vehicle.

Explaining why the company needed to fall for LUV,MSI Managing Director and CEO Shinzo Nakanishi said: 8220;Many urban families in India are now looking for a vehicle that offers more space and flexibility than a sedan,without being bulky,bland and expensive like a utility vehicle.8221;

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These families are currently having to compromise,and settle for a vehicle which does not meet their lifestyle needs,he added.

Nevertheless,is there a possibility of the two LUVs clashing in India in the near future? Unlikely.

Mamp;M President Automotive and Farm Equipment Sectors Pawan Goenka said the company is 8220;not at present8221; planning to launch their LUV in the country.