The Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS is all set to go on sale in India on the 3rd of March 2017 marking the Indo-Japanese carmaker's entry in the hot hatch space. Ahead of its official launch, a production-ready of the performance-oriented Baleno RS has been spotted with all its badges in place. Equipped with several cosmetic changes and few mechanical updates, the new Baleno RS remains largely similar to the concept model that was showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo. Booking for the car has already started for a token amount of Rs. 11,000.
In terms of design, the car looks very similar to the regular Baleno but the RS version gets 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. That said a lot of these have already been revealed.
Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS Spied
The profile of the car remains unchanged and the only new additions are the side skirts and new black alloy wheels. The rear has also received and comes with considerable cosmetic updates like the new rear bumper cladding, rear skirts, larger roof-mounted spoiler, a larger chrome slat below the windshield and of course the new RS badge. Changes made to the cabin are yet to be seen, but considering its performance tag, the Baleno RS will include sporty bucket seats, a flat-bottom unit steering wheel with mounted controls, a moderately refurbished dashboard, SmartPlay infotainment system with Apple CarPlay support, and aluminium finish pedals.
Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS Rear
Last month we shared the specification sheet of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS that go leaked before its launch. The leaked spec sheet confirmed that the performance oriented Baleno RS will come powered by a 1.0 litre BoosterJet engine that does duty on some of Suzuki's global models. But the said 998 cc, 3-cylinder petrol engine has been detuned to churn out 100 bhp as opposed to 110 bhp which was speculated earlier while developing a peak torque of 150 Nm from as low as 1700 rpm. Furthermore, the engine will come mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox, which is expected to be a true delight.
The car will be retailed via Maruti Suzuki India's premium dealership network - Nexa and is likely to come bearing a price tag of Rs. 8 lakh - Rs. 9.5 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Once launched, it will go up against the likes of the Fiat Punto Abarth, Volkswagen Polo GT, and Ford Figo 1.5 litre petrol version.
Image Source: Pranav Radhakrishnan
