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Maruti Suzuki India Ltd on Monday launched premium hatchback Baleno, with the petrol variants of the car priced between Rs 4.99 lakh and Rs 7.01 lakh while the diesel variants are priced between Rs 6.16 lakh and Rs 8.11 lakh.
Baleno will be manufactured in India and sold through NEXA, the new chain of premium exclusive automotive retail outlets recently launched by Maruti Suzuki. The company and its suppliers have invested over Rs 1,060 crore towards developing this model, the automobile company said in a statement.
Kenichi Ayukawa, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki, said “The Government of India has been always supporting to bring up India as a production hub of small cars. Now it’s our turn to meet the ‘Make in India’ expectations of the Government. Baleno is our first answer.”
Baleno comes with DDiS 190 diesel engine (1.3 litre) with a fuel efficiency of 27.39 km/litre and the proven VVT Petrol (1.2 litre) with a fuel efficiency of 21.4 km/litre, the company said. It also comes with a Continuously Variable Transmission option in the petrol variant.
This is also the first car in India to offer Apple CarPlay, in-car experience for iPhone users which lets the driver control all the multimedia functions via voice commands.
“I am excited that this model will be exported to Japan from India therefore opening a new chapter in the long history of MSI,” Ayukawa said.
The firm plans to export the model to over 100 countries.
It will be manufactured at the company’s Manesar plant.
MSI is eyeing leadership in the premium hatchback segment with Baleno, which will be sold through the company’s new premium network of showrooms, Nexa.
“We are looking for leadership position in the segment in a gradual manner. We are optimistic about this model to achieve top slot as it is packed with features,” MSI Executive Director Marketing and Sales R S Kalsi said.
Baleno will be competing with the likes of segment leader Hyundai i20, Honda Jazz and Volkswagen Polo which are priced between Rs 5.34 lakh and Rs 8.63 lakh.
The premium compact segment comprises 20 per cent of the total domestic passenger car market.
According to industry estimates, some 5-5.3 lakh compact segment cars are sold per annum in India. During April-September this fiscal, around 2.9 lakh compact hatchbacks have been sold.
The Baleno hatchback comes with various features including multi-information speedometer and UV reduction glasses.
As per the company, the petrol variant of Baleno would deliver a fuel mileage of 21.4 kmpl while the diesel version would deliver a mileage of 27.39 kmpl.
Although the new model shares name with the erstwhile premium sedan Baleno there is nothing common between the two models.
MSI had discontinued the mid-sized sedan Baleno in 2006 and was replaced by SX4 later on.
The company, which plans to launch several models this fiscal, has set a target of achieving two million sales annually by 2020.
(With additional inputs from PTI)
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