Maruti Suzuki is gearing up for the launch of its second premium offering, the Baleno hatchback, in India. Except for price, most off the information is already out. The launch will take place on 26 October.
A report in The Economic Times says the Baleno hatchback will be made in India both for the domestic market as well as the rest of the world, including Suzuki's home country, Japan.
This will be the first instance that Maruti Suzuki will be supplying car to its parent company. The 'made in India' Baleno will be exported to over 100 countries including western Europe.
"Baleno has been developed for the global markets and India will be the exclusive manufacturing hub for the car," R S Kalsi, executive director, marketing and sales, Maruti Suzuki, told TOI in Jaipur.
Apart from Japan, Baleno will be exported to Italy, France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Spain. The premium hatchback will also be sold in Latin American countries such as Chile, Paraguay and Colombia.
Depending upon the country, there will be changes in the hatchback. The European spec will get 1.0-litre Boosterjet turbo-petrol engine which is not part of the Baleno engine line-up in India. Both left-hand drive and right-hand drive Balenos will be exported from the country, depending upon the importing country's preferences.
"It will be a flagship model for us, and we have made efforts to load the car with essential safety and technological features that will make it stand out in comparison to competition," Kalsi added.
When launched, Baleno will be up against the Hyundai Elite i20 and Honda Jazz, both known for their features and premium tag. Maruti Suzuki has loaded Baleno with features to heat up the competition with the Japanese and Korean rivals.
As part of its expansion strategy, Maruti Suzuki is aggressively expanding Nexa dealership across the country. The company is planning to open 80 Nexa outlets before the delivery of Baleno.
