我是 LongbridgeAI，我可以總結文章信息。馬魯蒂鈴木印度有限公司（MSIL）與 AU 小型金融銀行合作推出了 “美好旅程” 計劃，這是行業首個以定期存款為支持的汽車貸款方案。該計劃針對小型汽車買家，允許客户在 3 到 6 個月內積累儲蓄，這些儲蓄可作為購車時的首付款。這種方式幫助客户評估購車能力，並使銀行能夠評估還款能力。自推出以來，MSIL 已收到約 8,000 個諮詢，導致超過 1,700 個訂單，涉及車型包括 Alto K10 和 Wagon R
Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL) has introduced a recurring deposit (RD)-backed auto loan scheme aimed at small-car customers who struggle to arrange a down payment, allowing them to build savings while giving the bank greater visibility into their repayment discipline before the loan is disbursed.
In an interview with Business Standard, Partho Banerjee, senior executive officer (marketing and sales), MSIL, said the "industry-first RD-backed auto loan scheme" was launched last month in collaboration with AU Small Finance Bank for customers of four small-car models: Alto K10, S-Presso, Celerio and Wagon R.
The scheme, called "Suhana Safar", targets customers who aspire to own a car but are hesitant because of concerns around arranging the down payment or managing future EMI (equated monthly instalment) obligations.
Under the scheme, a customer first opens an RD account with AU Small Finance Bank and deposits a fixed amount every month for three to six months. The monthly deposit is set at roughly 80 per cent of the expected EMI on the car loan. For instance, if the estimated EMI on a car is ~Rs 10,000 a month, the customer would deposit around ~Rs 8,000 every month into the RD account during the savings period.
The money accumulated in the RD, along with the interest earned, is not used to repay the loan. Instead, it serves as the down payment when the customer decides to purchase the vehicle. Once the RD matures, the customer can avail of a regular car loan from the same bank and begin paying EMIs in the normal manner.
"The idea came from similar programmes in the jewellery industry," Banerjee said, adding that the scheme allows customers to assess whether a future car loan fits comfortably within their household budget before committing to it.
To encourage customers to complete the purchase after the RD matures, MSIL dealers will reimburse the final month's RD instalment once the vehicle is bought, he noted.
The arrangement also benefits lenders. By tracking the customer's ability to make regular RD deposits over several months, the bank gets ample time to evaluate repayment behaviour and loan eligibility before disbursing the loan. Banerjee said the scheme, therefore, creates a "win-win" situation for both the customer and the financier.
Since the launch of the scheme last month, MSIL has received around 8,000 enquiries so far, which have translated into more than 1,700 bookings, he said. India's largest carmaker is closely monitoring the response and may expand the initiative through additional financing partners in the future, he added.
MSIL sold 194,555 units of small cars — Alto, S-Presso, Baleno, Celerio, Ciaz, Dzire, Ignis, Swift and Wagon R — in India during the April-May period this year, recording 42.03 per cent year-on-year growth.