Maruti Suzuki's first premium hatchback, the Baleno, with SHVS mild-hybrid system, was caught testing in Mumbai. The Baleno petrol with SHVS mild-hybrid system is currently being exported to international markets. It is not clear if the spotted vehicle is a petrol run or diesel run unit.
The picture taken by MotorBeam shows the car without camouflage. The vehicle was painted in midnight-black and is fitted with R16 wheels with a sporty alloy design. All four wheels carry disc brakes, while the rear of the car has been spotted with a roof mounted spoiler.
Maruti Suzuki is reportedly planning to launch the SHVS mild-hybrid technology equipped Baleno hatchback in India sometime in 2017. The spotted model can be the first mule for the India-spec, which is expected to be coupled with 1.3-litre DDiS diesel engine. The diesel mill is tuned to develop 74bhp and 190Nm of torque. The Baleno diesel returns a claimed fuel efficiency of 27.39 kmpl. With the mild-hybrid system in place, the fuel efficiency figure will further go up that will attract more takers for the premium hatchback.
Maruti Suzuki plants in Haryana are the global production hub for the premium hatchback, the Baleno. Hence, the model spotted may have been testing for any of the global markets as well. There is no concrete information on the same at present.
Maruti Suzuki Baleno never looked back since its entry into the market in October 2015. The hatchback, which is being sold through Maruti's dealership Nexa in India, has crossed one lakh unit of sales recently and the car continues to rake in sizable numbers. The company has sold 10,623 units of the Baleno in September 2016 alone. The waiting period for the Baleno currently stands at over four months.
