The wait for a performance Maruti Suzuki has finally come to an end with the launch of the Baleno RS on March 3. The Baleno RS will also mark the debut of Maruti’s first ever turbocharged petrol engine in India. The Baleno RS will join the Volkswagen Polo GT TSI and the Abarth Punto in the Indian hot-hatch league.
The Baleno RS gets a body kit as well as new alloy wheels. The cabin will be fully loaded with features like touchscreen infotainment system, climate control, automatic projector headlamps and wipers, electro chromatic mirrors, keyless entry and possibly leather seats. The RS might also have a new interior shade that is currently not offered with the standard car. Dual front airbags and ABS with EBD will be a standard item in the feature list.
The 998cc three cylinder turbo-petrol develops 100bhp of power at 5500rpm and 150Nm of torque starting from 1700rpm. It seems to have the required go and comes mated to a five-speed manual gearbox that drives the front wheels. The Baleno is the first Maruti hatchback to get all-four disc brakes to add the required stopping power.
The Baleno RS might come only on the top-spec Alpha trim and with the added equipment and the new engine, the price can be expected to be about Rs 1 lakh more than the standard car. We expect a price tag a tad above Rs 8 lakh for the Baleno RS Alpha.
