Launched internationally in 2010, the Dacia Duster (Renault Duster) has been a resounding success with worldwide production having broken the 1 million barrier in April this year. Following a 7 year lifecycle, Dacia will launch the second generation Duster sometime in 2017.
The second generation Duster will build on the design of the current model which maintains a simple, yet functional, design language. The headlights and grille get a major design makeover as do the taillights and the bootlid. Overall, the design of the car will be freshened up to keep the competition at bay, especially the Ford EcoSport which would have received a facelift by then.
The next generation Duster will also benefit from increased safety features, equipment levels and a more modern dashboard. The report, made by Auto Plus magazine, does not speak about engine or gearbox options, though we see the 1.5-liter K9K and the freshly inducted 1.2-liter TCe, not needing replacements.
The Duster received its mid-life facelift last year at the Frankfurt Motor Show, though Renault India are yet to launch the refreshed Duster. The facelift sees updates to the headlights, grille and interiors of the car mainly.
The Duster is a hugely important model, if not the bread-and-butter for Renault in India. Over 100,000 units of the Duster have been sold since its launch two years ago. The car is produced at Renault's Chennai factory, which also meets export demand coming from the UK, Ireland, Indonesia and South Africa.
[Source - Auto Plus]