India-bound Maruti Suzuki Baleno – In Images and Video

The Maruti Suzuki Baleno has been unveiled at the ongoing Frankfurt Motor Show, and the car showcased was built at Manesar. That’s right, India will be a production hub for Maruti Suzuki’s most expensive hatchback ever, which will also be exported to developed markets around the world, including Europe.

The Baleno nameplate could make a comeback into India as early as the 26th of October, which is said to be the launch date of this car. The new hatchback will be positioned above the Swift in terms of price and positioning. To keep it competitively priced, Maruti Suzuki has upped localization levels.

Watch the Frankfurt unveiling of the Baleno in the video lined up,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHqEmA_JGTo

For the Indian car market, the Baleno could initially be available with two engine options, both tried and tested units. The 1.2 liter K-Series petrol (89 Bhp-120 Nm) and the 1.3 liter Fiat Multijet turbo diesel (89 Bhp-200 Nm) are the 2 engine options Maruti is expected to fit into the new hatchback. 5 speed manual gearboxes will be standard.

 

While there’s a CVT automatic gearbox paired to the petrol motor for the European market, it remains to be seen if such an option is served up for India as well. Notably, India will be the first market in the world to get the Baleno, even as Europe and Suzuki’s home market of Japan will have to wait until 2016.

The 2016 Baleno hatchback sold in Europe will use a 1 liter-3 cylinder BoosterJet turbo petrol engine with a peak outputs of 110 Bhp and 170 Nm. In due course of time, this engine may make it to the Indian car market as well. The turbo petrol motor gets 5 speed manual and a 6 speed automatic transmissions.

The new car uses a brand new platform, whose main focus is that of shedding weight (by 15 %) and increasing rigidity (by 10 %). Also, the Smart Hybrid Vehicle System (SHVS), which made its debut on the Ciaz, will also be offered on the Baleno, code-named the YRA.

The new Baleno uses the Liquid Flow design philosophy, which will also be seen on future Suzuki hatchbacks. The car measures 3,995 mm in length, 1,745 mm in width, 1,470 mm in height, and features a 2,520 mm wheelbase. For global markets, the new hatchback will feature ESP, 6 SRS airbags and ABS+EBD, as essential safety features.

For India though, twin airbags, 3 point seat belts and ABS+EBD could be the revised safety features on offer. The Baleno will take on the likes of the Honda Jazz and the Hyundai i20 Elite, and will sit at the very top of Maruti Suzuki’s hatchback line up. Expect prices to start from a little over 5 lakh rupees.

[Live images courtesy AutoBlog]

[Studio images courtesy Suzuki]