[SRK]

It was mentioned that the Baleno will be sold in Europe starting next year in spring time. This means that India will probably be the first place where the Baleno will be sold to customers ( as per the Oct 26 launch date reports).

Hope Maruti provides the same fit and finish that will be seen on the export models and can cater to the local demand without having long waiting periods.

Maruti should introduce a Z+ version with extra safety features and price it competitively against the current top end version of the Jazz, Polo and i20 Elite.

R. C. Bhargava had mentioned in an interview that the NEXA dealers (existing dealers run these showrooms) will be having more margin on these cars as compared to the normal Maruti outlets.What I think this translates to is that the customers will be paying a higher price just for a premium experience than what it actually would have been if sold from the normal Maruti showrooms.

Another thing that has to be seen is the service experience of these NEXA outlets.

[rednikhil]

If anyone has any illusions about a competitive pricing by Maruti, they can safely be laid to rest. Here is why:

• Maruti is the undisputed crowned king in the market. It does not need to try too hard by offering more features at a lower price point. More so since this segment particularly is a very familiar hunting ground for them.
• Nexa spells "Premium". So be ready to pay a premium.
• Past launches like the S Cross give a fair indication of the Maruti pricing strategy. Even the Swift, when launched, was not exactly a VFM proposition.

[Whichcarnow]

I don't know on what basis people are demanding this to be priced less than i20 or Jazz especially if it has the same euro characteristics as seen in the S-Cross. There is simply no reason why. And I agree with others that their should be a topmost variant with euro saftey kit viz 7 airbags, esp, all disks and the like. Charge 9 lakhs for it but if it is worth it, people will buy. Let their be a true "uncompromised" premium hatch for India.

[deetjohn]

If Baleno indeed is the big brother of the Swift, then it should be much more fun to drive than both the i20 or the Jazz.

And if they do add SHVS to the Baleno, MSIL will get some excise benefits from the Govt. I do hope Maruti makes use of that money well and make some features like rear wash/wipe, ABS, wider tyres etc. part of the standard equipment. And both Jazz and i20 doesn't get projector headlights now which might be included in the top variants of the Baleno.

There is price overlap between the variants of i20 and Jazz. And I think we would see the same along with varying mix of kit on Baleno. Terrific choices for someone hunting for premium hatchbacks.

[Wildy]

Are these going to be available in small towns through regular Maruti showrooms? Or One should order through NEXA only?

In that case, for the obvious reasons, many people may not prefer to order through Nexa. For example, In Andhra Pradesh, Only Vishakapatnam is having NEXA showroom and in Telengana only Hyderabad.

[SoumenD]

Woah!!! The blue looks gorgeous

Under lights it looks much better than the initial pictures that rolled out a few months back. Those alloys and projectors do give character to the car and it somehow looks smashing in an understated way. Not drop dead gorgeous like the Elite i20 but I would prefer this anyday if it handles like the 'Swift'. Build quality am hoping it would be on lines of S-Cross as MARUTI has been screaming the word 'Premium' like anything for the NEXA dealership.

Pricing is one thing we just tend to expect outrageously and at the end getting disappointed. The market is shifting to higher price-bracket segment-to- segment and unfortunately we have to live with that. Going by S-Cross pricing I would hope the DDiS 200 being priced a bit higher than i20. Reason being :

1. Supposed better build quality(going by S-cross again) & handling.
2. Safety features standard across the range or atleast from mid variant. (Elite i20 gets dual airbags only in ASTA trim, which is a shame)


Coming to the engine, any idea if the Boosterjet will be an imported unit or locally manufactured? If imported, I hope they don't do a DDiS300 with this one. At 100+PS it sounds to pack some good punch. Pricing around GT Tsi for the CVT would be sensible.

[rajneeesh]

Originally Posted by SoumenD

Woah!!! The blue looks gorgeous



Coming to the engine, any idea if the Boosterjet will be an imported unit or locally manufactured? If imported, I hope they don't do a DDiS300 with this one. At 100+PS it sounds to pack some good punch. Pricing around GT Tsi for the CVT would be sensible.

I don't expect the boosterjet to be introduced initially. It will come with the 1.2 Petrol frrom the Swift. The Diesel will also have the 1.3 but hopefully it will carry the 90PS variant with Variable Geometry Turbo.

The Boosterjet will make its way to India after some time as MSIL would like to indigenise it to a reasonable extent to get the cost down. With a large number of new launches over the next few years it will be worthwhile for MSIL to indigenise the 1.6 ( maybe reduce it to 1.5 L like VW) . This will help them price it competitively. This engine can then be introduced in the Baleno and the Ciaz s well.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by SoumenD

Pricing is one thing we just tend to expect outrageously and at the end getting disappointed. The market is shifting to higher price-bracket segment-to- segment and unfortunately we have to live with that. Going by S-Cross pricing I would hope the DDiS 200 being priced a bit higher than i20.

True. Prices are going north for sure!

The premium hatchbacks like Elite i20, Polo GT and Jazz have all crossed 10L OTR (Once a big mental barrier!) in cities like Bangalore, for their top end diesel variants- with the Elite at 10.08L, Polo GT TDi at 10.36L and Jazz VXD at 10.57L.

I think Maruti would target a price between Elite i20 and Jazz, thereby going head on against the GT TDi.

Originally Posted by SoumenD

Coming to the engine, any idea if the Boosterjet will be an imported unit or locally manufactured? If imported, I hope they don't do a DDiS300 with this one. At 100+PS it sounds to pack some good punch. Pricing around GT Tsi for the CVT would be sensible.

I don't expect the booster jet engine to be made available in the Indian market soon. However, since the car unveiled at Frankfurt was made in India, and also planned to be exported from India to other major markets- I wonder if the engine is already localised?

Or they might be targeting to localise it by spring 2016, when the exports to Europe will begin. Other cars like Ciaz, S-Cross etc can benefit from this engine as well.

[fz_rider]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

I don't expect the booster jet engine to be made available in the Indian market soon. However, since the car unveiled at Frankfurt was made in India, and also planned to be exported from India to other major markets- I wonder if the engine is already localised?

The engine is being imported from Japan. In an earlier thread, there was a attachment ( from the website Zauba ) which had the details about number of engines imported from Japan.

[y2ksrs]

Originally Posted by rajneeesh

I don't expect the boosterjet to be introduced initially. It will come with the 1.2 Petrol frrom the Swift. The Diesel will also have the 1.3 but hopefully it will carry the 90PS variant with Variable Geometry Turbo.

Any idea if an automatic transmission is expected in one of the engines mentioned? At least an automated manual transmission? And since the the launch is speculated to be on October 26, when would the Nexa dealers start taking pre-bookings? I had a quick chat with a SA at Nexa Chennai and they had no clue as to when the pre-booking would start. He did confirm that the launch is in October and the name will be Baleno.

I'm on the lookout for an automatic in the prove range of 8 to 10 lacs.

[WRXXX]

Great looking car! Super flow with a promise of Suzuki handling and FE.
Usually in the Indian market we used to get good looking cars or reliable cars, and Swift changed that to bring both together. Now this one brings good looks, reliability, performance(If BJ engine is released) and practicality of space and comfort. Way to go.

Seriously looking forward to this car.
The 1.2 Petrol if going by the reports should be a DualJet Motor not the usual K12B and DJ engine performance is supposed to be better and FE figures higher too. If SHVS is made standard across the board then the price of the whole Baleno series can undercut the competitors.

Once upon a time I wanted to get Palio GTX then gave it a miss, then I wanted to get the POLO gave it a miss too since I didn't want DSG complications and wheezy MPI engine, now will wait and see if Baleno will be the answer for my super hatch wait!!

And many thanks to @volkman10 and various other Team-Bhpians for posting some really informative video compilations.

[Sudeep_Kimster]

The New BALENO seems a direct competitor to Punto, Polo, i20 Elite.

But something crossed my mind; " What about if someone had owned a Baleno till date?"

Wont it feel like he is downsizing as the entire auto industry's trend seems to be?

From 4+ meter to less than 4meter, From sedan to hatch, from 1.6 Liter to 1.2 or 1L turbocharged (whatever will make into Indian market).

and the best part will be the conversation with the dealership sales guy.
Owner Old Baleno: I would like to exchange my Baleno Sedan with a Baleno Hatch
Salesguy : Baffled

[MetalBuff]

Originally Posted by Sudeep_Kimster

...and the best part will be the conversation with the dealership sales guy.
Owner Old Baleno: I would like to exchange my Baleno Sedan with a Baleno Hatch
Salesguy : Baffled

To which the sales guy would need to keep a pitch ready. "Maruti has superior farsightedness. First came the Baleno (Sedan), then the Baleno Altura (station wagon) and now, (shhh...after almost a decade!) due to the
"success" of both types, a new one, the Baleno hatch!"

Knowing how much MSIL can milk their products (WagonR etc etc), an unsuspecting customer might even believe that

P.S.: I have fallen for this one and provided Maruti doesn't bungle up the pricing, I'll be driving this baby home very soon.

Cheerio,
-Shivang Gandotra

[rajneeesh]

Auto / AMT transmission will ultimately find its way to the Indian Market in the Baleno. The big question is if it is offered as an option from the launch itself. Jazz and Creta have got a good response to their auto transmission variants. MSIL will have an eye out for this opportunity. The S Cross does not have the Automatic transmission but the Ciaz has a 4 Speed Auto

It will however come with the Hybrid option due to the tax incentives MSIL gets on it. Sometimes it is the bean counters who help you beat the competition ather than your engineers or the marketing guys. MSIL is a past master in this.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Screengrabs from the autocar first look video. Looks really spacious, somewhere between Elite i20 and Jazz in terms of space IMO.





Source -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNIsd3lvH4c

Originally Posted by fz_rider

The engine is being imported from Japan. In an earlier thread, there was a attachment ( from the website Zauba ) which had the details about number of engines imported from Japan.

Thanks