Renault-Nissan alliance planning Micra-Pulse based compact sedan

Renault-Nissan alliance is in talks to enter the compact sedan segment in India with the Micra-Pulse platform. Currently this segment is the only segment apart from the compact SUVs that is showing growth in the weak market – the Swift Drize is one of the highest selling models for Maruti and the Amaze is solely responsible for reviving Honda sales. While this seems like a lucrative route for companies looking to swell numbers, it comes as bit of a surprise as the alliance has recently announced their plans to shelve badge engineering.

The reports suggest that the development is in the early stage and there is neither a concrete designs in place or any timeline for the launch, but the new product should be ready in less than two years. The new car will be based on the Micra-Pulse platform and will most probably be a simple boot-on-hatch sedan.

“We are in talks to come up with Micra and Pulse sedans but the plans are still undecided. It might take us two years to come up with the cars but if the company wants, it can be done earlier as well. It depends on the urgency of the alliance to break into the entry-level sedan segment,” said a source to Telegraphindia.

If the Franco-Japanese alliance does stick to their plan of curtailing badge engineering then only of one the two will offer compact sedan in India. The new sedan will most likely come with Renault badge to slot-in between the Pulse and Scala and although Nissan will probably not launch the sedan with their badge, a low priced stripped-down version might be launched as a Datsun sedan.