New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki India, the countrys largest car manufacturer, is set to expand capacity at its Manesar plant to 1.7 lakh units per annum by the end of this month.

At present, the plant produces one lakh cars per annum The expansion is part of the Rs 9,000-crore investment plan drawn up by Suzuki Motor Corporation and Maruti Suzuki till 2010, a senior company official said.

From the expanded production line at Manesar, Maruti will roll out, among other models, the DZire, a sedan version of the Swift.

The plant, which was commissioned in February 2007, manufactures at 120 per cent of its installed capacity and rolls out the Swift (both diesel and petrol variants) and the SX4 sedan.

With the enhanced capacity, the waiting period for a Swift which in some cases is up to a month is expected to come down. It will also give the company the much needed flexibility to accommodate the production of the Swift DZire, said company sources.

In fixing the deadline for the expansion at Manesar, the company had in mind the A-Star, Suzukis fifth car on a global platform that will be rolled out from October.

By January 2009, the company will also export the the A-Star from India.

S. Nakanishi, managing director of Maruti Suzuki India, said, The company is focused on attaining one million sales in the Indian market in the next three years, which will be one-third of Suzukis worldwide sales. The present capacity expansion is in line with that goal.

By 2010, Maruti Suzuki aims to increase capacity to 300,000 cars at the Manesar plant,Nakanishi added.

He said the plant has been designed keeping in mind the global aspirations of Maruti Suzuki and its parent Suzuki Motor Corporation.

The facility is considered one of Suzuki Motor Corporations best outside Japan.

Within the complex is Suzuki Powertrain India Ltd, the diesel engine and transmission plant.

Suzuki Powertrain manufactures 1.3 litre diesel engines used in the Swift.

It is the global supplier of diesel engines for Suzuki Motor Corporations plants.

Maruti Suzuki is also setting up a suppliers park at Manesar to attract ancillary investment.