An AMT option is also in the cards for the 1.0L variant.
Motorbeam reports that Renault will improve the safety quotient of the Renault Kwid by offering dual airbags and ABS in the rumored 1.0L variant, which it expects to debut by mid-2016. The report contradicts what the Kwid's chief engineer Gerard Detourbet told IAB on the availability of ABS at the car's global unveiling.
This would sate customers who complain about the current Renault Kwid's lack of safety features, with a single airbag being an option only in the top-end RxT, which was launched at INR 3,53,131 (ex-showroom Delhi). It is powered by a 799 cc three-cylinder petrol engine capable of 54 PS at 5,678 rpm and 72 Nm of torque at 4,386 rpm. It is paired to a 5-speed manual gearbox, with an ARAI-rated fuel efficiency of 25.17 km/l.
The report further states that dual airbags and ABS in the 1.0L variant will be standard across the range, which could help the Kwid gear up for the 2017 Bharat NVSAP regulations. Older reports suggest that the bigger motor is capable of producing 77 hp, a version of which will also be used in the Brazil-spec Renault Kwid. An AMT option, which is confirmed, could also be introduced in this variant.
Also Read: IAB reader spots the Renault Duster 2016 (facelift) on test
Currently, deliveries of the Renault Kwid are delayed due to the recent production stoppages at the Renault-Nissan alliance plant in Chennai on account of the heavy rains the city received last week. Waiting periods are reported to be extended to 10 months.
Renault Kwid - Image Gallery
[Source: Motorbeam]
