Maruti Suzuki Baleno snapped at factory with SHVS badge

Maruti Suzuki mulling a Baleno SHVS variant has gained momentum, especially now with the car’s pictures being recently leaked with a SHVS badge. It seems the carmaker has begun the production of the mild hybrid variant.

The pictures are said to be clicked at Maruti Suzuki's Manesar production unit. It is anyway now clear from these pictures that a Baleno SHVS is in the making. Now it only remains to be seen if this model is primarily for the export markets only, or will be offered for the Indian market as well. Maruti Suzuki has not given out an official word about it, but speculations suggest the car will be launched for the Indian market soon. 

Coming to the specifications of the international-spec model, the petrol version powered by the 1.2-litre Dual-Jet mill will feature the SHVS technology. For the Indian market, on the other hand, the diesel model is expected to get the tech knowing the diesel Ciaz and Ertiga also get it here.

However, launching this model for the Indian market anytime soon should be a tough task for Maruti Suzuki. Primarily, for the reason that they have a huge demand of the standard Baleno that still needs to be catered to. The huge waiting periods is also the reason Maruti Suzuki has decided to push the Ignis' launch to next year. Adding any new model to their line-up at the moment will add more pressure on the company’s production line. This will eventually mean even more waiting periods for consumers.

Nevertheless, we can expect the Baleno SHVS to bring in a significant hike in sales upon launch. The current SHVS models have found favour with Indian buyers all thanks to the government subsidy that this mild hybrid tech attracts from the FAME India initiative. The Ciaz and Ertiga can be had with benefits of Rs 13,000 under this subsidy and we can expect a similar benefit for the hatchback as well. Stay tuned as more details emerge soon.

Inage Courtesy: CarandBike