Maruti Suzuki opens bookings for the Baleno

Maruti Suzuki has opened bookings for the Baleno premium hatchback ahead of its official launch on October 26. The booking amount is Rs 11,000 and deliveries are expected to begin within a week of the vehicle being launched. It will be the second vehicle to be sold from the Nexa showrooms and will join the S-Cross which was launched earlier this year.  
The Baleno is a new hatchback from the Japanese automaker and will slot in above the very popular Swift in their vehicle range. It measures 3.95 meters with a wheelbase of 2.52 metres . It gets their latest design philosophy which includes the flowing mesh grille, swoopy headlamps and heavily flared rear wheel arches. The familiar Suzuki elements are visible at the rear thanks to the shape of the tail lamps, bumper as well as rear windshield.
The design of the cabin includes bits that are common across all Suzuki models like the steering wheel, instrument cluster and the touchscreen infotainment system. Like the S-Cross, the Baleno too will be offered in the Sigma, Delta, Zeta and Alpha variants. We have already detailed all the features of each variant.
On the engine front, the Baleno will be offered with the familiar 1.2-litre VVT engine that produces 83bhp and 115Nm of torque while the diesel will probably be the 1.3-litre Multijet unit that will produce 90bhp/200Nm of torque. Transmission options for the former include a five-speed manual or a four speed AT while the latter will be offered only with a five-speed manual.
This hatchback is Maruti Suzuki’s entry into the upper echelon of the B+ segment where it will rival cars like the Hyundai Elite i20, Volkswagen Polo and the Fiat Punto Evo.