Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS: Dealer bookings are open, but there is a catch

Maruti Suzuki is gearing up for the launch of go faster version of the Baleno hatchback. The Baleno RS has been scheduled for the festive season launch and some of the dealerships reportedly have already started accepting bookings.

Though the company has not officially started bookings yet, Nexa premium outlets started taking orders, reports IndianAutosBlog. The interesting bit is that dealerships are actually accepting new booking for the Baleno with an option to change their booking for the Baleno RS when the latter enters market. Opting this route will help buyer to advance up the waiting list, and can potentially have the Baleno RS delivered immediately after the launch.

The Baleno will be the new member in the hot hatch segment of India. The highlight of Baleno RS is the Boosterjet engine. This is the first turbo-petrol model from Maruti Suzuki. The mill is expected to dish out 110bhp 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.

Mauti Suzuki will differentiate Baleno RS from the regular Baleno with sportier front and rear bumpers. The rear bumper will feature dual-toned scheme with faux diffusers. It will also get side skirts and new diamond-cut alloy wheels in dark shade. The Baleno RS will flaunt features such as reverse camera, automatic climate control and 7-inch touchscreen SmartPlay entertainment system with Apple CarPlay. The hot hatch will come with disc brakes for all four wheels. The braking will be assisted by ABS, while dual airbags will be offered as standard.