Mysore, April 9, 2012 Car market leader Maruti Suzuki today flagged-off the fourth edition of Maruti Suzuki Dakshin Dare rally from the landmark Mysore Palace. Over 220 motorsports enthusiasts from across the country have come together to be a part of Maruti Suzuki Dakshin Dare.

This year Maruti Suzuki Dakshin Dare will cover longer distance of 2000 kms spanning Karnataka, Kerala and Tamilnadu. There are over 100 four wheelers and 20 in the bikes category this year in a mix of ultimate and endurance categories.

Maruti Suzuki's association with motorsports is more than a decade and half, and this initiative covers all irrespective of the age, gender and vehicle manufacturer. The company has not stopped at just promoting motorsport in the country. It makes conscious efforts to use the learnings from these events to enhance the performance and quality of its cars. During these events, extensive feedback is obtained for Maruti Suzuki engineers on the performance of Maruti Suzuki cars in extreme conditions ¿ on road and off-road.

The winners of last year's Maruti Suzuki Dakshin Dare Endurance Class, husband-wife couple Satish and Savera will be returning in their Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara. Rally veteran and national champion Sanjay Agarwal in his Maruti Suzuki Gypsy will be a force to reckon in the Ultimate Cars category. Veena Ponappa will be leading an all women team while there will be a Moto Quad in action for the first time. Interestingly, non-auto corporate houses have shown interest in the event this year and there are teams from 3M and Kotak Mahindra.

Maruti Suzuki Dakshin Dare 2012 is being organized in partnership with Motorsports Inc, a leading motorsports organizer of India, for the fourth year in the running.

Maruti Suzuki and Motorsport:

Be it a motorsport enthusiast, an amateur or a professional, Maruti Suzuki offers the thrill and joy of motorsport to all of them.

Maruti Suzuki motorsport calendar is packed with exciting motoring events. For families, there are events like Women's Fun Drive and Treasure Hunt throughout the year, across cities. Maruti Suzuki Autocross brings action for amateurs and professionals, together.

But what makes the Maruti Suzuki motorsport calendar an attraction in India (and internationally too) are Maruti-Suzuki Raid-de-Himalaya, Maruti Suzuki Rally Desert Storm and Maruti Suzuki Dakshin Dare.

Maruti Suzuki Raid-de-Himalaya is India's longest and most demanding motorsport rally. It is the only Indian motorsport event listed on the off-road rallies calendar of FIM (Federation Internationale Motorcyclisme), Geneva, Switzerland. Only 12 international motoring events world-wide are listed in this calendar.

Maruti Suzuki Rally Desert Storm brings another extreme to motorsport which again thoroughly tests the skills of the drivers and ruggedness of their cars and the bikes in the deserts of Rajasthan and arid lands of Rann of Kutch.