New Delhi:
Maruti Suzuki Baleno, the entry level premium hatchback, has reached 6 lakh cumulative sales milestone in India in just 44 months. It is to be noted that the Baleno was first launched in India in 2015 and since then the car has been the segment leader of the premium hatchback segment.
Shashank Srivastava, Executive Director, Marketing and Sales, Maruti Suzuki India Limited said, "The milestone of 6 Lakh unit cumulative sales in a record time of just 44 months clearly reflects Baleno's popularity. We thank our customers for their continued support that has helped Baleno to create this industry benchmark of fastest 6 lakh sales milestone."
The car maker has claimed that the Baleno has taken 44 months to reach the 6 lakh sales figure and is the fastest car to do so. Further, the Maruti Suzuki has claimed that Baleno has a market share of over 27 per cent in the A2+ segment and it achieved a growth of 11.5 per cent growth in 2018-19.
As far as the engineering of the Baleno is concerned, the premium hatchback is available in three engine options i.e. 1.2-litre VVT petrol, 1.3-litre DDiS diesel and an all-new 1.2-litre Dual Jet, Dual VVT smart hybrid petrol.
The 1.2-litre VVT petrol motor makes 83 hp and 113 Nm of torque, while the 1.3-litre DDiS diesel churns out 75 hp and 190 Nm of torque. The 1.2-litre Dual Jet, Dual VVT smart hybrid petrol engine is produces 90 hp and 113 Nm of torque. All the three engines are mated to a standard 5-speed manual gearbox.
Importantly, there is an option for a CVT with the 1.2-litre VVT petrol mill. On the other hand, there is also a Baleno RS variant, powered by a 3-cylinder, 1.0-litre Boosterjet DITC petrol engine. The engine produces 102 hp and 150 Nm of torque and is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission.
The Baleno is retailed through more than 360 Maruti Suzuki NEXA outlets in over 200 cities. In April 2019, the car maker hiked the prices of Baleno diesel variants as well as Baleno RS. To adhere BS6 emission norms, which will come into effect from April 1 next year, the company has decided not to produce vehicles with the Fiat-sourced 1.3-litre diesel motor.
