Maruti Suzuki launches Baleno RS warm hatch at ₹8.69 lakh

Maruti Suzuki launches Baleno RS warm hatch at ₹8.69 lakh

101hp/150Nm trumps the standard 1.2 petrol, but with added weight

Marking a tentative step into the performance segment, Maruti Suzuki’s Baleno RS is also the company’s first foray into turbo petrols. The current lineup of vehicles only use the veteran 1.2-litre naturally-aspirated petrol. Maruti claims that the new 1.0L BoosterJet direct injection turbocharged three-cylinder engine offers 20% more power and 30% more torque than the NA mill.

Marking the RS distinct from its more pedestrian brethren are the sportier front and rear bumper, new front grille and a chrome treatment to the lip and side skirts all round. Also present are dark painted alloys, though these appear to be similar to the standard items in a different colour. We understand the suspension is retuned, but just to accommodate the slightly higher weight.

The interior is treated with all-black upholstery and surfaces (no leather, however). There’s a colour TFT multi-function display that displays power and torque output, which is cool in a PlayStation sort of way. The entertainment system supports Apple CarPlay, as we’ve become used to in recent Nexa-branded (Maruti’s premium lineup) cars.

The Baleno RS is available in a single, fully-loaded Alpha variant that includes ABS with EBD, seatbelt pre-tensioners and front airbags. Seven colours are on offer including the Fire Red pictured here. It’s priced at ₹8.69 lakh, ex-showroom, Delhi, which is about ₹1.4 lakh more than the top NA petrol, or ₹25,000 more than the top diesel variant of the standard car.