Maruti Suzuki Begins Dispatching Baleno Shipments to Japan

Maruti Suzuki India has exported the first shipment of the Baleno to Japan where the premium hatchback will be launched in March. This is the first time that a model manufactured by Maruti Suzuki, India's biggest carmaker, is being exported to Japan where its parent company Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) is based.

The first consignment comprises of 1,800 units and was shipped from Mundra Port in Gujarat, where SMC is setting up a manufacturing plant to supply cars to its Indian arm.

Launched at a starting price of Rs. 4.95 lakh, the Indian-spec version of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno currently packs a 1.2-litre K-series petrol engine producing 83bhp and 115Nm of peak torque and the 1.3-litre DDiS diesel engine which develops 74bhp and 190Nm of peak torque. Transmission duties are handled by both a 5 speed manual gearbox and a 5-speed CVT unit.

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Although Maruti Suzuki hasn't revealed details about which variant of the Baleno is being exported to Japan, it is likely to be the one which is equipped with the 1.4-litre petrol engine that churns out a maximum of 91bhp and a peak torque of 130Nm.

The Indian carmaker also plans to export the Baleno to over 100 global markets. The company and its supplier partners have invested Rs 1,060 crore in the development of Baleno, which is being manufactured at the company's Manesar plant.

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"I am convinced that the Baleno will be a success story of 'Make in India', and the significance of Maruti Suzuki as the global production base will further expand," said Suzuki Motor Corporation President and COO T Suzuki, who was in Delhi to take part in the Auto Expo.

Recently, around 200 dealers from Japan visited the Manesar plant to closely look at the manufacturing process of the product.

In the domestic market, the car has been well accepted and currently the company has over 80,000 bookings for the model.

It competes with the likes of Hyundai i20, Honda Jazz, and Volkswagen Polo and is sold through the company's new premium network of showrooms, Nexa.