Made-in-India Maruti Suzuki Baleno to enter Europe in February: Report

After the shipment of the first batch of the Baleno to Japan earlier this month, Maruti Suzuki -- the country's largest car maker -- is now getting ready to begin exporting it to European markets. This will mark the company's re-entry to the European markets.

A report of Car and Bike claims that Maruti Suzuki will begin exporting the made-in-India Baleno premium hatchback to Europe from this month. Earlier, Maruti Suzuki had dispatched 1,800 units, of the Baleno from the Mundra Port in Gujarat to Japan. This is the first time in history a made-in-India Maruti Suzuki model has been exported to Japan, the home of its parent company Suzuki Motor Corp.

Maruti Suzuki will export the made-in-India Baleno to over 100 countries. Apart from Japan, the Baleno will be exported to Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Spain. The premium hatchback will also be sold in Latin American countries such as Chile, Paraguay and Colombia. The models like Ertiga, Swift, DZire, Ciaz and Celerio will also be exported to these markets depending upon the growing demand.

Launched in October, in India, the Baleno is powered by the 1.2-litre K-Series petrol engine tuned to develop 83bhp and 115Nm of torque, while the 1.3-litre DDiS diesel mill churns out 74bhp and 190Nm of torque. Both engines are mated to a five-speed manual transmission, and the petrol engine is also available with CVT automatic gearbox.

Offered in four trims and seven colours, the Baleno is sold through Maruti's premium Nexa dealerships. The Baleno is offered with safety features like dual airbags and ABS with EBD across all variants.