Maruti to launch Baleno in over 100 mkts globally, first product to be exported to Japan

Country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) is looking to launch the premium hatchback Baleno in new markets, including Caribbean Islands and South Africa, in the coming months as part of plans to export the model to over 100 nations.

The car, which has already crossed the milestone of 1 lakh sales in the domestic market, will also be shipped to countries in Latin America, Middle East and South East Asia. "In following months it (Baleno) will be launched in Caribbean Islands, Uruguay, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, Peru, South Africa, Indonesia, Middle East countries like UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia," a company spokesperson said.

MSI currently exports the car to France, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Chile, Israel, England, Nepal, Bhutan, Austria and Australia. Till date around 38,000 units of the model have been dispatched to these destinations.

Baleno is the first product from the MSI portfolio to be exported to Japan where its parent company Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) is based. The company and its supplier partners have invested Rs 1,060 crore in the development of Baleno, which is being manufactured at the company's Manesar plant. MSI had launched Baleno in India on October 26 last year.