[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Boom Shiva

Heh heh. That's because the pics have been worked on by the best in the business. Rudra can make ANY car look like a million bucks!

Originally Posted by Boom Shiva

Normal Balenos don't have Mr. Rudra Sen doing the photography and post production

That's a lot of assumptions. Only three of my BHP garage photos are shot by Rudra, and four photos my garage have no post-processing at all.

[mail4ajo]

I like both the old (Thanks to Samurai's and SupremeBaleno's car) and New baleno. It's definately first on my upgrade car wish list. But what I may not digest is the expected high price of the new Baleno.

I am certainly not in for a "Premium Maruti". In my opinion, it would take some time for Maruti to create that upclass image for its cars. Show me one corporate or upper class buyer who would like to pay 8-9lakhs plus for a Maruti and use it as his first car. I would rather prefer a Honda or Toyota for that kind of asking price simply because it demands more image and respect in India.

Competitive pricing and choice of a diesel is very crucial for the success of the New Baleno

[Boom Shiva]

Originally Posted by Samurai

That's a lot of assumptions. Only three of my BHP garage photos are shot by Rudra, and four photos my garage have no post-processing at all.

My apologies. You are a very good photographer in that case

[theMAG]

Originally Posted by Boom Shiva

Heh heh. That's because the pics have been worked on by the best in the business. Rudra can make ANY car look like a million bucks!

BS,

I aint talking abt the pics alone, but also the live 1st hand experience. I've seen lotta black Balenos in Bangalore, but still The Warrior's looks much better, the car I mean.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by theMAG

I aint talking abt the pics alone, but also the live 1st hand experience. I've seen lotta black Balenos in Bangalore, but still The Warrior's looks much better, the car I mean.

Now that's a statement I'll accept. I went for a black Baleno because that really brought out the beauty of this car. I have never considered Baleno ugly, if I did I wouldn't have bought it, and I surely wouldn't have photographed it so often.

I also own a Santro, but you won't see any photos of that in my garage. You can't just take anybody and make them look like Aishwarya Rai. Even photographers and makeup artists have their limits. Same way you can't take an ugly car and make it look like this, that too without any mods.

The OMB has the bodyline and the front that is really good, and it comes out very well especially in black. It already has a winning look, and Rudra knows how to polish it well. And it is a delight to shoot a black Baleno.

The OMB still sells and it will be resold again in used market and I think will hold it's value well like the OHC. Therefore, it is not a closed chapter.

[supremeBaleno]

Just looked up the Chennai ex-showroom price of the other C-segment offerings. Except for NHC, all are 1.6L petrol engines. I have not taken the VTEC or CVT into consideration.

Verna : i - 624977, Xi - 643438, XXi - 701432
Fiesta : ZXi - 651000, Sxi - 711000
Aveo : LT_LE - 676474, LT_OP - 722527
City : EXi - 688000, GXi - 738000

Even though the NHC is the costliest, the price difference between the 4 brands cannot be termed huge - just a few thousands here and there. If MUL prices the NMB on these lines, I would expect it to do good business.

Rewind to 1999 : Maruti was known as a small-car maker. The Baleno was something unheard of. Add to it the fact that the Baleno was not a looker on the lines of OHC or Lancer. So expecting people to pay Honda prices was stupid to say the least.

Fast forward to 2007 : All the cars look more or less the same - no one can claim looks as a USP. The Baleno is all over the place (due to huge discounts) and people know about the car and its strengths. No reason why it should not sell if priced alongside its peers. Add the diesel and Honda might need to dust off and bring out the anti-diesel campaign again.

Originally Posted by mail4ajo

I like both the old (Thanks to Samurai's and SupremeBaleno's car) and New baleno.

Thanks there, ajo.

Originally Posted by mail4ajo

Competitive pricing and choice of a diesel is very crucial for the success of the New Baleno

Agree that pricing is going to play a key role. And the diesel powerplant can work magic here, so that is another key factor in the Baleno's success.

Originally Posted by mail4ajo

Show me one corporate or upper class buyer who would like to pay 8-9lakhs plus for a Maruti and use it as his first car.

I dont know whether it is his first car, but Tamil actor Srikanth paid close to 20lakhs for the Grand Vitara from the Maruti stable.

[amtak]

I am sure that maruti now has a clear winner on its hands. however, as said earlier by I think all, pricing would be the key factor...isn't it? but then even Swift was priced a bit high (not in comparison with Getz) but I am sure Maruti now knows the pricing strategies

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

Hey, its the smartest looking baleno this side of the country. .
now do you get it ??

it really is, samurai, very tastefully done.

yes very tastefully photoshoped i must say.

Originally Posted by Boom Shiva

Heh heh. That's because the pics have been worked on by the best in the business. Rudra can make ANY car look like a million bucks!

yes exactly my point.

Originally Posted by Boom Shiva

My apologies. You are a very good photographer in that case

im sure of that ... !!!


any one can take a pic and process it and make it look great.many members on the forum have balenos.now am i missing something here or does samurais baleno have some thing MORE

[shrivz]

Suzuki SX4 sedan Spy Pics
here are the links:

Winding Road » Archive » Spied: Suzuki SX4 Sedan!

Suzuki SX4 Sedan Spotted!
Honestly I still prefer the old baleno.. and as samurai said, the lines on the OMB's Bonnet are fantastic... I Love it and Own it...

[himanshugoswami]

Lemme add my 2 cents here.

I recently bought a Baleno LXI and upgraded to stock tyres pre delivery. That alone transformed the look of the car.

Now, I did not buy the car for its looks (although i have never found the OMB ugly or offensive looking-just that I was never "WOWED" by its looks IMHO the only good looking and well proportioned sedans in India are the Fiat Petra and the Hyundai Embera, but thats a different topic altogether). However, having lived with the car for a month now, i feel that it has the kind of looks that really grow on you and it is a very well balanced and well proportioned design, esp. in profile.

Samurai's (and Rudra's) shots of the car add another dimension to the Baleno though!!

Somehow, teh NMB just doesnt do it for me! Dunno why, but cant put my finger on it. guess it looks too much like the current crop out htere, esp in profile.

[Vid6639]

Ok forgetting the looks and everything about the old baleno. I would say the New baleno would definitely shake up the C+ segment.

If you see the competition it has currently i.e. Verna, Fiesta, NHC and Aveo.

The Aveo is not much competition to anyone. Although a good car it still doesnt cut it.

The Verna's looks have not been a big hit and the petrol engine isn't too great either for performance or mileage.

The Fiesta good solid car but understated looks, poor service and I personally feel its too compact looking. The engine is good but mileage again not so great.

That leaves us with the NHC. This is currently the highest selling in the segment. Good mileage, very spacious honda reliability and not too bad an engine although underpowered. Practicality wise the NHC is the best allrounder.

Now get the NMB in. You have a car with decent looks, interior doesn't seem too bad and pretty spacious but can't commit till i see it. The engien mostly will be from the old baleno. This engine is known for good mileage and fantastic performance. Since the NMb will weigh more the performance may not be the same but equally good.

Take the swift and esteem as a example. If i am right the swift is heavier than the esteem but has the same engine. Nonetheless the performance is very good as well as the mileage.

I predict this will be along similar lines.

[shuvc]

Originally Posted by vid6639

The engien mostly will be from the old baleno. This engine is known for good mileage and fantastic performance.

And they'll surely have an option of the JTD's or DDIs engines.

[GTO]

It will be darn interesting to see how the new Baleno fares, as Maruti has traditionally not done well in any 5+ lac segment.

Actual reviews will also reveal if the car is outstanding in any way (a must for any new entrant).

[mclaren1885]

Before shooting out all speculations about the NMB does anyone know what engine its coming with ??? What are the performance figs etc ??? Its too early to talk about this , as even the dealers havent yet got any news regarding the launch and there is no news of the training for the M&S or repairs .. Until all the details are know , there is no point arguing about this bettering the NHC or the OMB itself .. Looks are highly subjective , to each his own .. I love the OMB , xxxx hates it ... So ?? This war of words just doesnt seem to end , its been almost two years now ..

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by mclaren1885

Before shooting out all speculations about the NMB does anyone know what engine its coming with ??? What are the performance figs etc ??? Its too early to talk about this , as even the dealers havent yet got any news regarding the launch and there is no news of the training for the M&S or repairs .. Until all the details are know , there is no point arguing about this bettering the NHC or the OMB itself .. Looks are highly subjective , to each his own .. I love the OMB , xxxx hates it ... So ?? This war of words just doesnt seem to end , its been almost two years now ..

Point well-made. Still no DEFINITE news as to the launch and we are arguing on whether it will do wonders and so on.