Maruti to manufacture Boosterjet engine from 2016 for export-Baleno - IAB Report

Develops 110 hp and 170 Nm of torque. 

Maruti-Suzuki, the country's largest car maker will launch the Baleno on October 26. The Baleno is a hugely important product for the company, which plans on entering the premium hatchback segment. Apart from the domestic market, Maruti will also export the Baleno to over 100 markets, including Japan.

Exports of the Baleno will start in early-2016, Mr. R S Kalsi, Executive Director (Marketing and Sales), Maruti Suzuki, told Indian Autos Blog. The Manesar plant in Haryana will manufacture the Baleno for left- and right-hand drive markets, but most importantly with an all-new engine.

The engine in question is the 1.0-liter three-cylinder turbocharged Boosterjet engine, which will primarily be available for the European market. Mr. Kalsi confirmed to Indian Autos Blog that Maruti will manufacture this engine.

Developing 110 hp and 170 Nm of torque, the Baleno's Boosterjet engine will rival Ford's 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine (fitted on the Fiesta) and Hyundai's 1L T-GDI engine which will be introduced on the i20 range from 2016.

Reports suggest that Maruti could offer the Boosterjet engine in India at a later period, however, the company has no immediate plans to introduce this unit. For India, the Baleno will be sold with a 1.2-liter K-Series engine and a 1.3-liter DDiS diesel engine. The former is also available with a CVT in addition to a 5-speed manual.