Maruti Suzuki set to launch Ignis and Baleno RS in October-November

Maruti Suzuki India, which set the Auto Expo agog yesterday with the reveal of its first compact SUV, the Vitara Brezza, today unveiled the Ignis and Baleno RS hatchback concepts.

Speaking at the products’ reveal today, Kenichi Ayukawa, managing director and CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “The Concept Ignis and Concept Baleno RS are our two new offerings for India whose production models will be launched through the Nexa channel and will reinforce our commitment towards constantly introducing aspirational cars that offer a new premium experience to our customers.”

According to CV Raman, executive director – Engineering, Maruti Suzuki India, the Ignis will get two-pedal technology which means either a CVT or an automatic transmission. It will be powered by 1.2-litre petrol and diesel engines.  

The premium hatchback has been a success in the domestic market and Maruti wants to make the most of a good thing. The Baleno RS concept, a sporty version of the car, is powered by the new 1.0 Boosterjet direct injection turbo engine which is claimed “to deliver amazing power, torque and road speed.” According to Raman, “the 1.0-litre Boosterjet engine will be a three-cylinder unit and as good as a 1.3 or 1.4-litre engine.”

The Baleno RS will compete with the likes of the Volkswagen Polo GT TSI, Abarth Punto and the Ford Figo 1.5 petrol.

New-generation platform
The company also showcased its new-generation Suzuki platform which is lighter, but also more rigid than conventional platforms. This, says Maruti, was achieved by radically reviewing and undertaking fundamental redesign of the underbody’s structure. The overall vehicle design is also optimised, including parts mounted on the underbody. The platform uses a continuous structure in a smooth form. This innovative platform has improved crash resilience and achieves an approximately 10 percent increase in body rigidity in case of the Baleno, compared to conventional vehicles in the same class.

The new-generation platform allows keeping vibration and noise in check, while maintaining ride comfort. This translates into better driving performance and fuel efficiency, without sacrificing collision safety and NVH performance.