The 1.3-litre diesel has been confirmed for the Suzuki Baleno but the new 1.0-litre BoosterJet petrol engine might not make it to the Indian model, being reserved for exports.
Keeping up with its promised date, Suzuki will soon commence exports to Europe for the new Baleno premium hatchback from India as the model recently started production at the Manesar plant. The production ready Baleno can be seen rolling off the assembly line in the image above, ahead of the model’s public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week. Sales, on the other hand are set to commence in Europe during the first half of 2016. The new premium hatch is also set to arrive in Indian showrooms by November this year during the auspicious period of Diwali.
Codenamed YRA by Suzuki, the new Baleno rivals the Hyundai Elite i20, Honda Jazz, Volkswagen Polo and the likes in the segment and is positioned above the Swift in the company’s lineup. The car is based on an all-new lightweight platform and will get a host of features including a touchscreen infotainment system, auto climate control, navigation, Bluetooth connectivity among others to justify the premium price tag. The hatchback is also expected to come loaded on safety tech with the base variants getting at least a driver side airbag as standard in India (like the S-Cross).
Talking about the powertrain, the 2015 Suzuki Baleno will be sourcing power from a 1.3-litre DDiS diesel engine for domestic and export markets, while a 1.2-litre K-Series petrol motor is likely to make an appearance as well. The new 1.0-litre BoosterJet petrol engine will also be making its debut on the Baleno, but is unlikely to make it to India at present. Complete details on the engine figures and other technical specifications will be available next week. When launched in the country, the Baleno could get a new name so as to not be confused with the erstwhile sedan of the same name and possibly be sold through Maruti’s new NEXA dealerships.
Spy Pictures Source – TheAutomotiveIndia.com