Hot Hatch On Discount: Baleno RS Price Cut By Rs 1 Lakh

• The Baleno RS makes use of a 1.0-litre Boosterjet engine developing 102PS and 150Nm of torque.
• The go-faster version of the Baleno also gets a host of cosmetic changes and rear disc brakes.
• With the price cut in place, the Baleno RS now retails for Rs 7.79 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi)
• The Baleno RS is now priced similar to the top-spec standard Baleno variant.

Introduced in 2017, the Baleno RS was Maruti Suzuki’s attempt at a hot-hatch. It packs a three-cylinder Boosterjet engine good for 102PS but failed to hit the hottest-hatch mark due to its mediocre chassis and dynamics. Nevertheless, some Maruti Suzuki dealerships have now slashed the prices of the go-faster version of the Baleno making it more affordable and tempting at the same time. Here’s why: 

All prices ex-showroom 

The underlying reasons for the massive price cut might be the slowdown and the fact that the 1.0-litre engine is not BS6-compliant as of now. It is also highly unlikely that Maruti Suzuki will update it to meet the upcoming emission norms. That brings us to the question - Is it the end of the line for the Baleno RS? Only time will tell. However, the new update notwithstanding, the stock-clearing exercise is a good time to pick up the Baleno RS. 

Recently, Maruti Suzuki slashed the prices of around 10 models by Rs 5,000 as a result of the government's reduction of corporate tax. It was an attempt to boost sales amidst the grim phase the automotive industry is going through. 

The Baleno RS was priced at Rs 8.89 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) making it dearer by around Rs 1 lakh than the top-spec standard Baleno Petrol Zeta manual variant. Although, with this new fat price cut, it is very close to the Zeta variant. At this price point, the RS makes for a tempting buy as it packs more power (102PS/150Nm) and comes with all the bells and whistles, slightly stiffened suspension, rear disc brakes and some cosmetic additions. Maruti Suzuki already offers the standard Baleno in a BS6-compliant package. 

Source: Teambhp