[niv26]

Have we got any interior pics of delta model, Does car audio system is same as higher variants.
I see driver info. console is different.

[teemus]

Originally Posted by captain.torque

Bottom line: Maruti deserves a big pat on their back and I can safely say that no carmaker would now dare enter this segment or launch a new car WITHOUT safety features matching the Baleno.

Kudos to Maruti for that!

But I doubt if Maruti will turn overnight into a saint. I guess it's more to differentiate between the competition (i20 and Jazz); at the same time trying to pluck a customer or two from the Figo (or Aspire) segment.

If it was indeed a good hearted change in strategy, perhaps, S-Cross with more powerful engines can surely do with ABS and Airbags as standard. Perhaps it could have been marketed as a Nexa thing. Loss of opportunity?

Edit: I stand corrected; S-Cross has at least 1 driver airbag for base variant and ABS as standard. Thanks Shashi for pointing out.

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

As far as I know, Maruti S cross always had airbags, ABS and rear discs standard on all variants. Please correct me if I am wrong. Only sigma has driver side airbag.

[hybridpetrol]

Originally Posted by kumar2007

Another launch with no top end AT. Stupidity.

Mate, you should realize that, releasing the top end AT would push the sticker price further.
Currently Baleno has been released with the price bracket of 4.99L - 7.01L hardly 2L price difference between lower and top end variants.
Also notice that the Delta MT price is 5.71L, while the Delta AT price is 6.76L = 1.05L difference for the same set of features.
Just do the math. If they give Alpha AT variant, it would probably come at 8.06L, which is not a very good price for a petrol B2 segment car.
Agreed that there will be buyers to take it. Still the MT and AT price difference will be glaringly obvious for everybody, resulting in a price shock. Manufacturers does not want that in the initial launch day.
Any guesses why Jazz is considered over-priced?
So, the strategy here is, since AT is preferred still by the less percentage of population. Let them adjust with the lower / mid variant.
The market is still maturing when it comes with AT boxes. After a few more years, there will be a number of cars with AT boxes on the road, and once our population gets used to the AT cars, there will be even a few AT Only models in the market!

[Leoshashi]

Originally Posted by teemus

Kudos to Maruti for that!

If it was indeed a good hearted change in strategy, perhaps, S-Cross with more powerful engines can surely do with ABS and Airbags as standard. Perhaps it could have been marketed as a Nexa thing. Loss of opportunity?

As far as I know, Maruti S cross always had airbags, ABS and rear discs standard on all variants. Please correct me if I am wrong. Only sigma has driver side airbag.

Regards
Shashi

[kumar2007]

Originally Posted by hybridpetrol

Mate, you should realize that, releasing the top end AT would push the sticker price further.
Currently Baleno has been released with the price bracket of 4.99L - 7.01L hardly 2L price difference between lower and top end variants.
Also notice that the Delta MT price is 5.71L, while the Delta AT price is 6.76L = 1.05L difference for the same set of features.
Just do the math. If they give Alpha AT variant, it would probably come at 8.06L, which is not a very good price for a petrol B2 segment car.
Agreed that there will be buyers to take it. Still the MT and AT price difference will be glaringly obvious for everybody, resulting in a price shock. Manufacturers does not want that in the initial launch day.
Any guesses why Jazz is considered over-priced?
So, the strategy here is, since AT is preferred still by the less percentage of population. Let them adjust with the lower / mid variant.
The market is still maturing when it comes with AT boxes. After a few more years, there will be a number of cars with AT boxes on the road, and once our population gets used to the AT cars, there will be even a few AT Only models in the market!

I think the market has enough buyers for a top end AT. This 'strategy' of theirs is stupid. Why would someone willing to pay 'adjust with the lower' variant?

They will just look elsewhere.

[Karthik Chandra]

Originally Posted by kumar2007

I think the market has enough buyers for a top end AT. This 'strategy' of theirs is stupid. Why would someone willing to pay 'adjust with the lower' variant?

They will just look elsewhere.

Or manufacturers can have 2 AT variants, i do not know how much it would cost to include a top end AT, but as you have said there are customers willing to spend for top spec AT.
Customers can't looks elsewhere, because AT is not available in top spec currently with the exception of the GT TSI.
This will be the trend until some manufacturer does a cost benefit analysis and launches a top end AT or atleast gives an option.

[hybridpetrol]

Originally Posted by kumar2007

I think the market has enough buyers for a top end AT. This 'strategy' of theirs is stupid. Why would someone willing to pay 'adjust with the lower' variant?

They will just look elsewhere.

Elsewhere, where?
Can you list out the B2 hatchbacks which have features more than Baleno Delta AT in B2 segment?
The feature list of Delta AT actually rivals Polo GT Tsi! (Except that GT Tsi is a performance hatch with DSG gearbox)
The top Alpha variant & to some extent the Zeta, merely adds features that are just being introduced into the B2 segment in the past few months. Such features were earlier available in higher segment sedans.
So, if one wants the AT box - in B2 segment, the choice is to lose some features (but still have all the features of top variant of B2 segment car a year ago), or get all the newest of features in MT.
I repeat - the manufacturers do this, to keep the price bracket small, to attract the masses.
If you want all the features of a top end car, in AT box, there is not really any options, you just have to go to the higher segment sedans only.
However, I expect, few years down the line, India will shift towards AT, by then there will be cars released even without the MT box. At that point of time, you can have all the features of a top end car in AT box!

[veyron_head]

Shocker of a pricing from Maruti!! I have owned two Marutis and not long ago I decided not to buy another Maruti, considering their high service costs (every 5k kms) and the lack of safety in their lower end cars. But seeing that even the base variant baleno equipped with dual airbags and ABS and a starting price less than 5 lacs, I am warming up to the idea of another Maruti!!

I only hope they dont go the ecosport way and delete features in the next couple of months.

[StarrySky]

Good pricing for the Baleno, especially the petrol variants. I had written in the S-Cross thread about asking my father to upgrade his car, but dropped the idea after the pricing announcement. This time, it is quite tempting to say the least. My father's Ritz has only ABS, I would like him to upgrade to a car which has ABS+Airbags and he is a big Maruti loyalist. Let's see how it goes

Originally Posted by kumar2007

I think the market has enough buyers for a top end AT. This 'strategy' of theirs is stupid. Why would someone willing to pay 'adjust with the lower' variant?

It has taken manufacturers quite a while to offer at least one AT variant in their new launches from Day 1. I guess we will have to wait some more till they offer AT on all variants.

[Su-47]

Originally Posted by vibbs

Get a 1.4 K series tuned for performance or a 1.0 L Boosterjet and I would not mind buying one.

Originally Posted by jvm_1986

They have room to price the 1.0 boosterjet version very well too. Given the Kerb weight of the Baleno, the 1.0 Boosterjet should be a hot hatch from Maruti Suzuki.

Originally Posted by antz.bin

With the rest of the basics taken care of, this car is a potential warm-hatch in the making if only Suzuki introduces a remap-happy forced-induction, 110bhp 1.0 Boosterjet engine for not too much of a premium.

Great pricing Maruti! However, I do agree with what the gentlemen above have stated. Please do consider introducing 1.0 boosterjet as an option.

Actually, I'm curious to know how much of price increase would that result in? If it can be limited to 50-75k, you may find a lot of takers.

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by hybridpetrol

I repeat - the manufacturers do this, to keep the price bracket small, to attract the masses.
If you want all the features of a top end car, in AT box, there is not really any options, you just have to go to the higher segment sedans only.
However, I expect, few years down the line, India will shift towards AT, by then there will be cars released even without the MT box. At that point of time, you can have all the features of a top end car in AT box!

I understand what you are saying but I agree that this trend is very stupid. Why are they trying the cap the prices. Anyone buying will look at the variant he wants and not say oh my god this car runs up to a very high price point. This is some sales/marketing trick probably taught in MBA and it does not work.

Why not let the customer/buyer decide whether he wants to spend for the top end AT or not. If he has the money to buy a top end AT why are you forcing him to save money and go for a lower variant?

If I want to buy a hatch for 10 lakhs, why should I go to the Baleno and buy the middle model for 8 lakhs. There are enough threads discussing this.

The Creta thread, the Jazz thread and the Figo thread all have the same complaints. Customer wanted to spend for the top end but manufacturer is forcing the customer to settle for a lower model.

[singleton]

Just went and checked the car at the Bangalore ORR showroom. Top end model only in Stock yard. Car looks great in flesh, in the new blue color. The only concern was the very limited view from IRVM.

SA here says they have got around 100 bookings already, most of which is the blue color (greenish blue, forgot the name). Delivery in 4-5 weeks if booked today is what they are promising.

[catchjyoti]

May be now is the time when Hyundai's hands will be forced and it will add basic safety features in all variants and add an automatic option! Hyundai is mainly driven by it's marketing department and they are usually very quick to respond to market threats.

So here is hoping that we get a 6-speed TC or CVT option in i20 soon

[SkyWalker]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

Why are they trying the cap the prices. Anyone buying will look at the variant he wants and not say oh my god this car runs up to a very high price point.

Because Car Magazines and People have a tendency to compare top end variants without comparing the variant-variant which matches features. I am guessing Maurti figures they will have a problem if their petrol car is considered costlier than the i20/Jazz - never-mind features/transmission.

At least that's what i think is in Maruti's mind. Sure, it doesn't sound very logical for most of us.

[y2ksrs]

Originally Posted by hybridpetrol

Mate, you should realize that, releasing the top end AT would push the sticker price further.
Currently Baleno has been released with the price bracket of 4.99L - 7.01L hardly 2L price difference between lower and top end variants.
Also notice that the Delta MT price is 5.71L, while the Delta AT price is 6.76L = 1.05L difference for the same set of features.
Just do the math. If they give Alpha AT variant, it would probably come at 8.06L, which is not a very good price for a petrol B2 segment car.
Agreed that there will be buyers to take it. Still the MT and AT price difference will be glaringly obvious for everybody, resulting in a price shock. Manufacturers does not want that in the initial launch day.
Any guesses why Jazz is considered over-priced?
So, the strategy here is, since AT is preferred still by the less percentage of population. Let them adjust with the lower / mid variant.
The market is still maturing when it comes with AT boxes. After a few more years, there will be a number of cars with AT boxes on the road, and once our population gets used to the AT cars, there will be even a few AT Only models in the market!

Agreed that Alpha CVT would have sent the price beyond 8 lacs, but they could have at least given CVT in the Zeta trim and priced it at ₹7.3 lacs. There would not have been any price shock. As mentioned by me and many other members here, CVT on the Zeta would have been the ideal automatic hatch, which could have killed off the Jazz V AT completely. I'm still harboring hope that Baleno will have Zeta CVT in the near future (at least when the exports start or when the Boosterjet engine option is launched).