Can made-in-India Suzuki Baleno repeat its breakout success in Indonesia?

It looks like Suzuki will soon be launching the made-in-India premium hatchback Baleno in Indonesia. The images of Baleno being tested and photographed for the advertisements have started making their way to the web, suggesting the launch is not far off.

Maruti Suzuki's Manesar facility is the major export hub for the Baleno hatchback. The premium hatchback is expected to make its debut at GAIKINDO Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) 2017 in Jakarta. Suzuki Baleno is expected to be powered by the 1.4 L K14B Petrol mill, which can churn out 90bhp of power and 140 Nm of peak torque, mated to a five-speed manual and a four-speed automatic gearbox.

From the images, the model looks similar to the Baleno sold in India, but with features of the Baleno RS. The Baleno RS is the powerful Boosterjet engine version of the hatchback sold through Nexa, Maruti Suzuki's premium dealerships in India. In Indonesia, the Baleno is expected to get features such as tilt and telescopic steering, manual levelling headlamp, steering mounted controls, automatic climate control and height adjustable driver and co-passenger seats. The Baleno measures 3,995 mm long, 1,500 mm tall, 1,745 mm wide and has a wheelbase of 2,520 mm.

Maruti Suzuki launched the Baleno in India in October 2015 and within a short time, it emerged as the leader in its segment. The carmaker's second model being sold via Nexa dealership also regularly features in the top 10 best-selling monthly car lists of 2016 and 2017. Baleno is powered by a 1.2-litre K-Series petrol engine or a 1.3-litre DDiS diesel engine in India. While the petrol engine is tuned to develop 83bhp and 115Nm of torque, the diesel mill churns out 74bhp and 190Nm of torque. Baleno rivals Hyundai Elite i20 and Honda Jazz.

Source: Autonetmagz