Fresh reports suggest that Maruti Baleno is either getting a special edition or a turbo petrol variant to compete with the 2020 Hyundai i20.
The 2020 Hyundai i20 has been recently launched in India, with tons of upgrades and changes. Some of the biggest changes come under the hood, where it gets a new 1.0 Litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine. The motor is able to offer 120 PS and 175 Nm of peak torque, making it the most powerful hatchback in India.
With these figures, the i20 is even more powerful than the Volkswagen Polo TSI by nearly 12 PS. Torque figures of both these hatchbacks are the same, at 175 Nm. Seeing this, other manufacturers have decided to step up their game. While Tata is bringing out the Altroz Turbo soon, looks like Maruti is also planning the same.
Also Read: 5 Reasons Why Maruti Suzuki Baleno is Best Selling Premium Hatchback!
Fresh media reports suggest that Maruti Baleno might get back its 1.0 Litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine back. It was discontinued more than a year ago due to low demand. Also, the engine was completely imported from Japan, which made its price higher than even the Baleno diesel. It produced around 100 PS and 150 Nm of peak torque, paired with a 5-speed manual stick.
Further, specific changes were made to the Baleno RS in terms of handling and braking. Seeing the sudden rise in demand for turbo-petrol engines and the ongoing trend of manufacturers introducing small turbo motors, Maruti and other left out carmakers are working up. Hyundai and Volkswagen are the leaders in turbo-charged petrol cars.
Other reports also suggest that Maruti Baleno might just get a sportier variant with bodykit, skirts and different alloy wheels. This could be done just to offer that sporty styling quotient and nothing else. Meanwhile, Maruti is also reported to get a CNG variant soon, as the company plans to replace the need for diesel engines with a CNG kit.
