Back at the recently concluded 2016 Auto Expo event in country, Maruti Suzuki had showcased the sporty and powerful variant of its popular hatchback – the Baleno RS. Under the hood, the Baleno RS featured the company’s much talked about 1.0-liter three-cylinder Boosterjet turbocharged petrol engine. Much like its bigger petrol and diesel engine counterparts, the Baleno RS would also be offered via the Nexa dealership.
The Baleno RS having being made to thrill the younger car buyers, comes with a 1.0-litre Boosterjet engine is a turbocharged petrol engine that generates an impressive 110bhp of power and 170Nm of peak torque. The hatchback has been pitted against impressive performers like the Volkswagen Polo GT TSI, Ford Figo 1.5-litre petrol and the Fiat Abarth Punto. On the design aspect, the Baleno RS would be offered with sportier front and rear bumper design, new side skirts and diamond cut alloys in a dark shade. Additionally, the rear bumper gets dual-tone scheme with faux diffusers.
As for the interiors, the Maruti Baleno RS does not get major upgrades on the dashboard. The upcoming variant shall feature a 7-inch touchscreen SmartPlay entertainment system with Apple CarPlay, reverse camera and automatic climate control system. The RS trim also gets new exclusive leather seat covers.
Sources have indicated that the Baleno RS which is expected to debut around the festive season this year shall receive a retuned engine that would be compatible with slightly lower grade fuel available in the country as compared to the international market. Owing to the presence of a better fuel grade internationally, the vehicle is expected to deliver slightly better power and torque figures than the Indian counterpart. But then, as the company expects to compete against the performance hatchbacks in the country, it would try to minimalise its difference.
The Maruti Baleno RS undoubtedly looked impressive in comparison to its regular variant, but the carmaker will have to offer something more than just basics. By this we mean, the missing automatic transmission. Its competitor, the Polo GT TSI comes with 7-speed DSG and turbocharged direct-injection engine which gives it an upper hand in this competition. If the Baleno RS comes with automatic option, it would not be a bad option to consider given Maruti’s low cost of ownership .
