India's largest car maker Maruti Suzuki had kick-started its product onslaught for the festive season with the Swift Deca edition last month. The company has Ignis crossover and Baleno RS as confirmed new products waiting for the launch soon. Emerging reports indicate that the launch of Baleno RS can be expected in November.
A Gaadi.com report claims the Maruti Suzuki will launch the Baleno RS via Nexa premium dealerships in November. The go faster version of the regular Baleno hatchback is one of the most anticipated vehicles from Maruti Suzuki this year.
The Baleno RS will be the first Maruti Suzuki car to be powered by the 1.0-litre Boosterjet engine. The turbo petrol unit is expected to dish out 11bhp and 170Nm of peak torque. It will be either mated to five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. Reports indicate that the automatic transmission option will also come with paddle shifters. In that case, Maruti Suzuki is obviously stepping in to the hot hatch segment of India with the Baleno RS.
Additionally, the Baleno RS will also boast of disc brakes for all four wheels. Apart from the Fiat Abarth Punto, this will be the only affordable hatchback in the country to be equipped with all-wheel disc brakes. The braking will be assisted by ABS, while dual airbags will be offered as standard.
The Baleno RS will have its own design character compared to the regular Baleno. The RS version will flaunt sportier front and rear bumpers. The rear bumper will feature dual-tone scheme with faux diffusers. Additionally, it will get side skirts and new diamond cut alloy wheels in dark shade.
