The upcoming Baleno RS will mark Maruti’s entry into the hot hatch space that is currently dominated by the likes of Volkswagen Polo GT TSI, Fiat Punto Abarth, and Ford Figo hatchback.

It is a car we are looking forward to but as promised at Auto Expo this year, the Baleno RS will only be launched in early 2017.

Blame this delay on the current demand for both the Baleno and the Vitara Brezza. The company is trying its best to keep up with the demand but still, the waiting period for both cars is anywhere between 3 to 8 months (depending on the variant).

Maruti Suzuki expects a similar demand for the Baleno RS and considering it has been spotted testing in India on several occasions, we know it’s ready for launch. The recent mules we saw were the ones without any camouflage and in a new metallic black body colour with chrome accents.

That said, we believe a new colour option will more or less be the only visual change on this performance-spec Baleno.

We’re interested in driving this one because it gets the 1.0-litre BoosterJet turbo petrol motor which is capable of producing a maximum of 110bhp and develop a peak torque of 170Nm. The motor will come mated to a CVT unit and possibly a manual gearbox as well, which will be a master stroke if you ask us.

Among feature additions, the new Baleno RS is likely to come with SmartPlay infotainment system with Apple CarPlay while the multi-function steering wheel from the standard could be replaced with a flat-bottom unit.

You also get aluminium finish pedals to complete the look. So the sporty credentials of the car have been taken care of.

Both the Baleno RS and the Ignis will be retailed via Maruti Suzuki India’s premium dealership network – Nexa. Expect a price tag in the vicinity of Rs 8 lakh to Rs 9.5 lakh.