Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS is all set to go on sale in India next month on the 3rd of March 2017. If you remember we told you that the company will start accepting bookings for the car from today, the 27th of February. And similar to Maruti Suzuki Ignis, the bookings for the Baleno RS can only be done online via the Nexa website for a token amount of Rs. 11,000. We have also come to know that the car will initially have a waiting period of 4 to 6 weeks, which is not surprising considering the regular Baleno still commands a similar waiting period in India. And just in case you are wondering how different the two cars look, we've got you covered.
The upcoming Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS will mark the Indo-Japanese carmaker's entry into the growing hot hatch segment, joining the 100 bhp club. This means upon its launch the new Baleno RS will challenge the likes of Volkswagen Polo GT, Ford Figo 1.5 Ti-VCT, and even the Fiat Abarth Punto Evo for that matter.
What makes the Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS a hot hatch is the new turbocharged 1.0 litre BoosterJet 3-cylinder petrol engine, which has been tuned to churn out a maximum of 101 bhp and develop 150 Nm of peak torque from as low as 1700 rpm. The engine has been detuned for the Indian market, while globally the same motor makes 112 bhp. The transmission duties will be handled by a 5-speed manual gearbox, which will surely be a delight for enthusiasts. Here's a list of everything you need to know about the Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS.
The specifications sheet was leaked last month and the car has already been spotted several times so we already know a lot about the car. While in terms of design the Baleno RS looks a bit similar to its regular hatchback version, but the car does come with updated styling and several new features. Up front, the car comes with a revised front that features a new grille, restyled headlamps with projector lights and LED daytime running lights. The front bumper has also been changed as it now comes with a wider airdam and larger round foglamps. The car also gets a more prominent silver bumper lip adding to its sporty character. Maruti has also used a lot of chrome along the grille, door handles and the rear as well. The Baleno RS also comes with new black alloy wheels.
The car will also come with a revised cabin with SmartPlay infotainment system with Apple CarPlay support, and aluminium finish pedals. That said, the Baleno RS doesn't come with a flat-bottom steering wheel or sporty interior as we had hoped. Safety features though include dual front airbags, pinch guard power window for the driver, ISOFIX child seat mount, reverse parking camera and sensors among more.
