When was the last time you heard about a 2-door version of the Maruti Baleno? Well, this YouTube Shorts would want you to have one.
This 2-door Maruti Baleno facelift could be just what the driving enthusiasts wanted. Maruti is not in the business of making performance-oriented budget cars. However, its history in India shows a mildly successful attempt with the RS version of the Baleno to compete against the likes of VW Polo GTI and Fiat Punto Abarth. Currently, our market has the Hyundai i20 N Line and VW Polo TSI as affordable hot-hatches. Something like a 2-door RS version of the Baleno could bring in a ton of excitement and competition in the segment.
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2-Door Maruti Baleno Facelift
The short video clip provides a generous glimpse of the changes to this RS Edition of the facelifted Baleno. The most prominent change to the exterior is the 2-door setup reminiscent of hot hatches. The front fascia remains sporty like the donor model but the bumper looks much sportier with larger air vents for enhanced aerodynamics, the alloy wheels are elegant with wider tyres for better handling capabilities, the tail-end features minor changes to make it look a bit more aggressive and modern with an integrated roof spoiler and a redesigned bumper. All in all, this could well make it into production if Maruti decides to rival the i20 N Line.
Specs
The RS version of the Baleno that was launched in 2017 came with a 1.0-litre 3 cylinder turbo petrol engine producing 102 PS and 150 Nm of peak power and torque respectively. It was mated to a 5-speed manual transmission with a few changes to the suspension, braking, steering to make it feel like a performance hatchback. Similar mechanicals are tweaked for every regular car to convert to a driving machine for the enthusiasts. Whether or not this RS version of the Baleno will make it to production, remains to be seen. However, even if it does, the chances of it being a 2-door vehicle are almost non-existent.
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Let us know whether you would want a sporty RS version of the recently upgraded Maruti Baleno in the market, or would you rather opt for the i20 N Line that is currently on sale?