Maruti Suzuki to launch Ignis, Baleno RS this year

In order to maintain the double-digit growth rate in the fiscal 2016-17 and to strengthen its newly formed premium dealership chain Nexa, Maruti Suzuki will launch a new car and a new variant. The new models for the Nexa premium dealerships that were earlier confirmed are the compact car Ignis and the Baleno RS, both unveiled at Auto Expo 2016 in February.

"We plan to drive in these two cars around the festive season," said RS Kalsi, Director (marketing and sales) of Maruti Suzuki to Times of India. The company, India's largest manufacture by volume, is also planning to double the number of Nexa outlets to nearly 250 by the end of this year.

The Ignis will be pitched as a smart city car. It is expected to be launched during the festive season this year. It will be positioned as a rival to the Mahindra KUV100 in the micro SUV segment. The Ignis measures 3,700mm in length, 1,660mm in width and 1,595mm in height. It has a ground clearance of 180mm and comes with a wheelbase of 2,435mm. Powering the Ignis is likely to be a 1.2-litre VTVT petrol engine and a 1.3-litre MultiJet diesel unit.

On the other hand, the Baleno RS is a sportier version of the regular Baleno hatchback. It features a beefier front bumper while the rear bumper will feature a dual-tone scheme with faux diffusers. Other styling add-ons include side skirts and new diamond-cut alloy wheels in dark shade. The variant has been confirmed to have the Boosterjet engine of Suzuki. The 1.0-litre Boosterjet engine is a turbocharged petrol unit that will develop close to 110bhp and 170Nm of peak torque.

These two models will soon join the current Nexa range that consists of S-Cross crossover and Baleno hatchback. The Nexa, which currently contributes about 8 percent to the total sales of Maruti Suzuki, is expected to attain a double-digit share in the coming year.