Maruti Suzuki opens online bookings for Baleno RS

Maruti Suzuki India has opened bookings for the Baleno RS, the first high-performance car to be offered through the company’s premium Nexa retail channel. The Baleno RS is to be launched on March 3, 2017.

The Baleno RS can be booked online through the Nexa website – www.nexaexperience.com – in addition to conventional booking options with an initial payment of Rs 11,000.

The India-spec Maruti Baleno RS gets different front and rear bumpers, unique mesh grille and black painted alloy wheels. The overall look of the car is similar to the one showcased last year at the Auto Expo in New Delhi.

Maruti Suzuki is expected to price the Baleno RS at a premium over its standard counterpart though the amount of premium is yet uncertain. The RS will mark Maruti’s entry into the hot hatchback segment that currently houses the Polo GT and the Abarth Punto Evo – the most powerful car in the segment.

The Baleno RS will be available only in the top-spec Alpha trim, which means it mirrors the standard Baleno Alpha’s feature list. Key features include Bi-xenon automatic headlamps with LED DRLs, dual airbags and ABS, disc brakes on all four wheels, SmartPlay infotainment system with navigation, reverse camera and parking sensors and electric adjust and folding wing mirrors with indicators.

Torque of the town: the Maruti Baleno RS engine
The biggest talking point about the upcoming hatchback is the introduction of an all-new engine to India. The RS will be powered by a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder Boosterjet turbo-petrol engine developing 102hp and 150Nm of torque – a detuned version of the motor currently on offer on the Baleno in international markets which develops 111hp.

The car will be offered with a five-speed manual gearbox as standard with no option for an automatic as of now. The RS will also feature disc brakes at all four corners. It will also be heavier than its other petrol siblings with the model weighing in at 950kg as against 935kg – for the CVT petrol model.

Recommended read: A close look at the Maruti Boosterjet engine