IIMS 2015 launch?
The Suzuki Ciaz which had a strong start in India will venture into Indonesia sometime next year, reports Otonity.
The Ciaz which employs a high-tensile steel construction, is the lightest sedan of its segment. In Indonesia, competition would come from familiar rivals, namely the Toyota Vios and Honda City.
With high level of equipment and interior space as its primary selling points, the Ciaz for the Indonesian market is expected to be sold only with the 1.4-litre K-series four cylinder petrol motor that produces 91.1 bhp and 130 Nm of torque. The motor is mated either to a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission.
Indonesians are already familiar with this motor as it powers the popular Ertiga. While the Ertiga is shipped from India to Indonesia in the form of CKD kits, the Ciaz is expected to be imported as a CBU considering that sedans are not as popular in the archipelago as MPVs to justify investment for local assembly.
Also read: Sportier Maruti Ciaz with body kit planned
The Suzuki Ciaz would serve as a spiritual successor to the Suzuki Baleno sedan which was withdrawn from the Indonesian market in 2009.
The India-made Ciaz's first overseas assignment would be in Algeria, where it scheduled to be shown at a regional motorshow for assessment, next week. The company had also confirmed plans to export Ciaz to Middle East and Latin America at the launch.
Competitors: Toyota Vios, Honda City
Launch Date: 2015
[Source: Otonity]
