India will be the export hub for Suzuki's newest hatchback.
At the launch of the Maruti Baleno, the company has confirmed that the Baleno will be exclusively manufactured in India and exported to over 100 countries, including Japan.
Managing director and CEO of Maruti Suzuki, Kenichi Ayukawa, said -
Baleno is a real global model to satisfy our customers not only in India but also across global markets. I am excited that this model will be exported to Japan from India, opening a new chapter in the long history of Maruti Suzuki.
Other than Japan, Maruti will also export the Baleno to European markets. Making its world debut at the 2015 IAA in Frankfurt, the Suzuki Baleno will pack a 1.0-liter Boosterjet and a 1.2 Dualjet engine with the SHVS mild hybrid system. Sales of the Euro-spec Baleno will begin from the spring of 2016.
The premium hatchback was launched in the Indian market today, with prices starting from INR 4.99 lakhs and going all the way to INR 8.11 lakhs. The India-spec model has a choice between a 1.2-liter K-Series petrol engine and 1.3-liter DDiS 190 diesel motor.
