Indian Autos blog

To distinguish the Renault Duster arriving in India in next few months from the Dacia version sold in Europe, the French designers used a different front grille, lower intake, communication color, alloy wheels, mildly modified the central console and even introduced changes in the powertrain.

This was the model that was first shown to the Indian media at last year’s Renault Fluence key handover ceremony in New Delhi to the first batch of customers.

Indian Autos Blog reader Shriram N came to us with an image of the Renault Duster testing in Chennai last week. These Duster mules have been like public transport buses – there isn’t a route they haven’t traversed!

After Ford’s unveiling of the EcoSport, Renault must be telling their guys to speed up the formalities so that the car can get a head start. The Mahindra mini Xylo is the other SUV that’s testing in Chennai with the objective of pipping the other two to the finish line.

After Ford India released more details on its mini SUV EcoSport through its official website following the Beijing debut, the battle lines have clearly been drawn here in India.

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Though Renault displayed the Duster at the Auto Expo, it has not explicitly described the vehicle. The French company believes the Duster can change the perceptions and feelings people associate with Renault India. There are a few mini SUV models in India, and competing in a less populated segment gives them a better chance of establishing their brand.

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IndianAutosBlog.com reader Shehzad Raaz has spotted a convoy of Renault Dusters in Chennai, out testing for a variety of reasons. Our hunch is not all the test mules use the same powertrain.

As we’ve written before, Renault is yet to get an original car in the sub-10 lakh segments where over 80% of the cars are bought in India. The Pulse a Micra behind a mask, even though the effort is valiant by the Indian designers to give it a different personality. The sheet metal panels and side profiles match and this has earned the Pulse not a lot of applause.

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In our last article dealing with the Renault Duster, we familiarized you with all the details on the Dacia Duster, a rebadged Duster that launches in the UK in January 2013.

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Both Dacia and Renault versions of the Duster will be manufactured at the Renault-Nissan alliance plant at Oragadam, Chennai, from where it will be exported to the UK. The UK prices, in ballpark terms, are already revealed (check them out here) and we would like Renault India to price it identically here as well.

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IndianAutosBlog.com reader Fawaz Khan photographed a woefully conditioned Renault Duster on the ECR (East Coast Road) connecting Chennai and Pondicherry. We’ll excuse Renault for not giving such an important model a wash as long as they test it in places where our readers can easily snap pictures of them.

The Duster is preparing to come out before Diwali though its official website may bluff a June 2012 launch. A top Renault India official said the fifth car to their lineup, a sedan (redesigned Sunny) is another 2012 arrival, on the heels of the Duster’s introduction.

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A member from the Renault India management told IndianAutosBlog.com at the Renault Fluence E4 D (110PS) media drive that two cars are planned as 2012 releases. The first model is the Duster SUV before Diwali (IAB was the first to bust the June-launch myth) followed by the redesigned Sunny sporting the silver diamond.

Renault officials said they remain realistic and were not after the big manufacturers in India. They have been introducing products in the important segments and increasing dealer count.

The design team in the Renault Mumbai studio has worked on the Nissan Sunny to modify the front and rear fascias. The transformation is expected to be along the lines of the Vento-Rapid twins.

There are two reasons why India believes the Duster will be launched in June -

1) The official website says it’ll send you the brochure of the car in June upon signing up for one.

2) Reports on internet say its June.

See spyshots of the Renault Duster testing in Chennai

Today, through our highly placed sources in Renault, we learned that this is far from the truth. The Renault Duster will be launched this year, however not in June. Renault, we’re told, is looking at a pre-festive season period as a potential time frame to conduct the launch.

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