Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Ignis, Baleno RS, next-gen Swift, Dzire to be rolled out from Gujarat plant

Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), the parent company of Maruti Suzuki, is planning to commence operations at the Mehsana plant in Gujarat in January 2017. The latest reports give a fair idea on which of the cars will be manufactured from the upcoming manufacturing unit. A report in Overdrive indicates the Gujarat plant will manufacture the popular Baleno hatchback, the upcoming RS version of the Baleno, Ignis crossover and next generation of the Swift and Swift Dzire siblings.

Previous reports stated the Baleno will be the key product from plant and it will be the first car to roll out. With over six months of waiting period, the Baleno is one of the most in-demand car of Maruti Suzuki at present. The Baleno will be manufactured only in India and the company will export the premium hatchback to over 100 foreign markets.

The Baleno RS and the Ignis are scheduled for a launch in the festive season this year. Both the models will be sold via Nexa premium dealerships. The Baleno RS is a sportier version of the regular Baleno hatchback. The hatchback will be powered by a 1.0-litre Boosterjet turbocharged petrol unit that will develop close to 110bhp and 170Nm of peak torque. The Ignis will be pitched as a smart city car. It will be positioned as a rival to the Mahindra KUV100 in the micro SUV segment.

Suzuki has already started testing the new Swift, and the model has been caught on camera a few times. From what we know so far, the powertrain of the new Swift is expected to include a 1.0-litre Boosterjet petrol engine for global markets. The India-bound model of the Swift is likely to get a 1.2-litre petrol and a 1.3-litre diesel engine. Next generation of the Swift Dzire sedan is expected to debut in 2018 in an all new platform. This car will also be manufactured at the Gujarat plant.

The Gujarat plant has been developing with a total investment of Rs. 18,500 crore. The factory will have a capacity to make 2,50,000 vehicles annually in the initial phase. Suzuki plans to produce 2 million vehicles per year by 2022 in India, up from the 1.4 million cars at present. A major chunk of the target production is expected to come out of the Gujarat plant.