Renault to launch five new models in India in next five years

Renault has announced that it will launch five new models for the Indian market over the next five years. These vehicles will be produced in India and customised to suit the tastes of the local buyers. Emboldened by the success of the India made Kwid, the new products cover a wide range in the market and will ensure that the French automaker has a presence in every segment by 2021. Here are the five vehicles that we believe will come into the market over the next five years. Kwid-based sedan The India specific compact sedans group have now got a second rung in the form of the Tata Kite 5 sedan as well upcoming Chevrolet Essentia. They will be joined by a compact sedan from Renault which will be based on the Kwid. It is expected to have the same face, feature list and engine options but will be a three-box setup with a decent sized boot.   

B0 hatchback This vehicle is expected to be the Sandero hatchback which has been on sale in Europe since 2007. It is a budget hatchback in Europe but will have enough to address the needs of the B-segment here in India. It sports Renault’s latest design philosophy and will get features like climate control and a touchscreen infotainment system. This car will take on the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Swift, Hyundai Grand i10, Tata Bolt and Ford Figo.     

B0 compact SUV This will be a B-segment crossover style vehicle which will be a raised hatchback with body cladding; tall wheels sub four metre length and high ground clearance. We believe the Dacia Sandero Stepway will be the vehicle of choice for this part of the market and it will be offered with both petrol and diesel engine options with latter being the 1.5-litre K9K oil burner. Rivals for this vehicle will be the Ford EcoSport, Mahindra TUV300 as well as Mahindra NuvoSport.   

C-segment sedan The Renault Scala has never really set the sales charts on fire for the French automaker and has now begun to age when compared to its competitors. A replacement for this model will show up in the next few years and is expected to be latest version of the Logan. It will slot in below the Duster in the current lineup and takes on the likes of the Honda City, Hyundai Verna, Nissan Sunny, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz and the Volkswagen Vento.   

Renault CapturIt is Renault’s new premium urban crossover and will slot in above the Duster when it is launched next year. It shares a common platform with the popular crossover but will get premium interiors and possibly more engine options. Expect it to be priced in the range of Rs 14 lakh to Rs 18 lakh and be offered with petrol and diesel engine options.