Indian Autos blog

Back in 2009, Renault-Nissan entered into a partnership with Bajaj to bring out a Tata Nano rival. The idea was that Bajaj would develop a low cost car and Renault Nissan would sell it under their umbrella. Many speculations and rumors later, it seems that Renault-Nissan is not happy with the RE60 and the partnership is tottering on the edge.

The Bajaj RE60 was showcased just a day before the 2012 Auto Expo. It is powered by a 200cc rear mounted engine with a top speed of 70 kmph and a fuel economy of 35 kmpl. Rajiv Bajaj clearly demarcated that the RE60 was not a car but rather a three wheeler with an extra wheel.

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Renault India is looking to start a new innings in India after it has snapped its ties with Mahindra. Renault India is planning to bring in a number of car models across all ranges in the coming years reports Wheelosphere.

The first car that could come is the Renault Fluence saloon that could be launched by mid-2011 and retail at around 12-14 lakh Rupees. The Fluence saloon would get the 1.5 liter dCi diesel engine and would go head on against the Toyota Corolla Altis diesel, Chevrolet Cruze and the new 2011 Hyundai Elantra.

Soon after the Fluence, the Renault Koleos SUV could reach Indian shores by the end of 2011. Both the Fluence and Koleos would be brought to India as CKDs and assembled at Renault-Nissan’s Chennai plant.

The Koleos shares it platform with the Nissan X-Trail SUV and when both these SUVs are assembled in India, it could result in cost effective production. The 2.0 liter 175 hp diesel engine in the X-Trail could also power the Koleos and Fluence.

The big news however is that the Dacia Duster which is built on the Logan’s platform would come to India with a Renault badge. The rugged butch looking compact SUV could benefit hugely from the Logan’s local suppliers in India and this would help Renault in pricing the Duster at a very competitive price, say 7-10 lakh Rupees. The Duster could compete with the Mahindra Scorpio and the Ford Ecosport SUV based on the Figo’s platform.

Renault would also have badge engineered models of the Nissan Micra and Nissan’s V-Platform sedan. Renault’s V-Platform hatchback could be stylish and edgy to target sporty looking rivals like the Chevrolet Beat and the 2011 Maruti Swift while the practical Nissan could compete with the Ford Figo and Hyundai i10.

But before launching a number of products Renault and Nissan would be looking to increase the number of its dealers in India. The company would be increasing the number of dealers from 11 to 20 during Nissan Micra’s launch, 40 by March 2011 and more than 100 by 2013.

Renault India future lineup -Speculated pricing

> Fluence saloon – 1.5dCi diesel or 2.0 dCi diesel – Rs. 12 to 14 lakhs

> Koleos SUV – 2.0 dCi – Rs. 16 to 19 lakhs

> Duster – 1.5 dCi – Rs. 7 to 10 lakhs

> Renault’s V-Platform hatchback – 1.5 dCi or 1.2 L petrol – Rs. 3.5 to 5.5 lakhs

> Renault’s V-Platform sedan – 1.5 dCi or 1.2 L petrol – Rs. 6.5 to 8.5 lakhs

Autoincar and Bloomberg have reported that the Renault-Nissan alliance is working on bringing out a low-cost SUV on the V-platform by 2013, which will take on the role of the Juke’s younger brother. Remember that the Juke itself is the Qashqai’s younger sibling.

The Nissan V-Platform will be worked on for the next few years to yield a sedan and MPV, apart from the hatchback (Micra) which hits showrooms next month.

The platform is designed in such a way that it can host engines up to the size of 1.5-liters. If the SUV comes out in the next three years, it will be the fourth derivative of the V-Platform.

Didn’t we talk about the rush of mini SUVs awaiting us in the coming years a few days ago? The signals are only getting stronger by the day.

Nissan Motor Company’s Indian investment plans are on track to begin the production of compact cars by next year. Nissan and Renault are jointly developing a Rs 4,500-crore manufacturing facility in Chennai, which will roll out the company’s A-segment car- March (known as Micra abroad).

French Automaker Renault recently unveiled a new V6 diesel engine. A V6 diesel engine might never find its way into Renault’s Indian offerings, but it certainly gives us an idea of what Renault’s R&D is up to and what we can expect from their diesel cars in the future.