Renault Archives - Indiandrives.com

October 9, 2015

Base and Automatic Variants of Scala Discontinued by Renault

The base RxE variant as well as the automatic variants of the Scala has been discontinued by Renault in India. Launched in 2012 with as many as five variant options, now only two options of the Scala are available in the market.

The initial variants on offer included the RxE and RxL with manual transmission, the RxL which came with a CVT Automatic gearbox and two diesel models.

However, the present line up has one diesel and one petrol option. The petrol engine delivers 98bhp in terms of power as well as 134Nm of torque while the diesel is the 1.5-litre dCi K9K engine that delivers 85bhp of power as well as 200Nm of torque. Both the engines are mated to a five speed manual transmission. The fuel efficiency of the Scala Diesel is pegged at 21.64kmpl while the petrol Scala has a fuel efficiency of 16.95kmpl.

Renault is presently offering discounts of as much as Rs.35000 on the Scala and is trying to keep itself competitive in the C-segment in India. There are many competitors in this category and this includes the Hyundai Verna, Honda City, the Ciaz from Maruti Suzuki and many others. The demand for Scala has seen a considerable decline lately and it is expected that Renault might just have to launch an updated edition of the car very soon in order to keep up with the competition.

September 30, 2015

Fluence Based Electric Car to be Made by Renault in China

In what will come as great news to both car lovers and environmental enthusiasts, one of the leading auto makers globally, Renault has announced that it will be manufacturing the first electric vehicle of the company in China. Renault has tied up with many local companies in various countries across the world to launch its products and in China too, the car will come as a portion of the Renault Dongfeng joint venture.

The new car is to be based on the Fluence Z.E. However, it will be produced by Dongfeng Renault Automotive Company as part of the joint venture. The car is to be produced at the company’s Wihan plant and is to be sold commercially as part of the local Dongfeng brand. To be released around 2017, the car is to be sold in the Chinese market alone as of the present scenario.

In the present scenario where emission regulations and environmental responsibility are very much in the limelight when it comes to the automotive market, this does come as a shining light for the industry. China already faces a lot of vehicular emission and this would be a step by Renault in creating a product that would reduce the same. With a planned annual output of 150,000 cars annually as of now, this is part of the ongoing effort that both Renault and Dongfeng are taking to aid and abet sustainable development.

September 25, 2015

Renault Kwid Launched at Rs.2.56 lakh

The Kwid has been launched by Renault in India at a starting price of Rs.2.56 lakh. The launch marked the global release of the compact hatchback and the car is to be exported to various markets soon as well. The Renault Kwid will take on the Hyundai Eon and the Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 here in India.

The Kwid is extremely fuel efficient and comes with a mileage of 25.1kmpl. Powered by a 799cc three-cylinder petrol engine, the car delivers 53bhp in terms of peak power as well as 72Nm of peak toque and is mated to a five-speed manual transmission. With impressive looks both on the inside and outside this is all set to be the next winner from Renault.

Being manufactured at Renault’s Chennai production factory, the Kwid has managed to be so competitively priced as a result of its CMF-A platform as well as its 98 percent localization. This has resulted in quite a bit of cost savings and will make it all the more attractive for customers. With a whole host of customization options and stellar performance, the Kwid does appear to the best at what it is priced at.

The variant-wise pricing of the car is as follows.

Renault Kwid STD – Rs.2.56 lakh
Renault Kwid RxE – Rs.2.89 lakh
Renault Kwid RxE (optional) – Rs.2.95 lakh
Renault Kwid RxL – Rs.3.12 lakh
Renault Kwid RxT – Rs.3.44 lakh
Renault Kwid RxT (optional) – Rs.3.53 lakh

September 18, 2015

KrazyForKwid contest launched by Renault

A new contest has been started by Renault which allows buyers to win a brand new car. One of the lucky participants will have the opportunity to drive away in a new Kwid with tons of prizes for runners up as well.

The contest needs the people taking part to upload videos or photos which show their craze for the new Renault offering, the Kwid. This can be followed on Twitter live through the hashtags, #LiveForMore and #KrazyForKwid. This can also be run on Facebook.

The car comes with accessories such as chrome exteriors for the grille, fog light enclosure, window visors, boot lid, fog light frame, etc. There are also optionals such as crossover like roof racks and alloy wheels which makes it a fun offering as well. The bookings for the car have opened and deliveries are set to coincide with the festive season. A “Renault Kwid” app has also been set up in order to help buyers book the Kwid. The app focuses on providing a virtual showroom experience and they may select from among the various accessories available.

It was earlier reported that there would be various segment firsts would be launched with the Kwid but now it appears that these would be complimentary with the wide range of accessories on offer. There are as many as 60 categories of accessories on offer as well as 25 decal options and 6 accessory packs which make for a great pool of options for buyers to select from.

September 16, 2015

Taxi market getting ready for the Renault Lodgy

Taxi service providers as well as fleet owners have become a great market for car manufacturers and the growing popularity of rental cab services and radio taxis have made MPVs too quite popular in the market. In line with this, Renault seems to be looking at this as an opportunity to launch the Lodgy for the taxi market.

The seven seat edition of the 85PS version of the Lodgy is being readied by Renault and has been targeted specifically towards the taxi operating and fleet segment. The car will get two captain seats replacing the middle bench.

The Lodgy had been launched with the seven seat configuration as optional back in April and this was available only with the top of the line RxZ edition of the car. As of now, the eight seat configuration is default on most other trims and is also more affordable though it takes away the tax benefits that are allowed to seven-seaters in some states. In order to avail of these and keep costs low as well, the Lodgy is being readied in a cheaper, seven-seater avatar to cater to the taxi market.

In the 85PS edition, the Lodgy will have a 1.5-litre diesel engine, which will come on a lower 83.3 bhp configuration. The car will be mated to a five-speed manual transmission and is to be priced at around Rs.8.29 to Rs.10.99 lakh.

September 9, 2015

All New Renault Megane Hatchback Unveiled

Many Indians may not be knowing this, but the Renault Megane has been probably the most popular Renault hatchback model worldwide for almost 20 decades now. And now, almost 20 years after the first Megane was launched, Renault has unveiled a new model of the car.

It takes just one look at the new Megane to know that it has the typical Renault design features built into it. Surprisingly, the new Megane looks both stylish and nerdy at the same time. It has a good sense of proportion and balance about it, something which has become very rate these days especially in hatchbacks.

The Megane gets stylish lights both at the front and at the rear of the car. This feature has apparently been brought from the Renault Talisman and many are calling the new Megane as the Renault Talisman hatchback. At the front, the car gets c-shaped headlights fitted with daytime LED running lights that merge into the front bumper and at the rear wide taillights expand across the back of the car to give an indication of the width of the car.

Technical details of the new Megane have not been given out yet, but we can confidently tell you that it would be offered with four-cylinder petrol and a three-cylinder diesel engine. The primary competitor of the Megane would be the Volkswagen Golf in the international markets.

September 2, 2015

Limited Edition Renault Duster Explore Launched

The Duster really turned it for Renault in the Indian market. So it is quite natural that the company will experiment and further cash in on the car’s popularity by launching a few different avatars of it. So keeping that in mind Renault has launched a limited edition model of the Duster SUV called Duster Explore. According to Renault the Duster Explore “celebrates the essence of adventure and symbolizes the indomitable spirit of exploring the outdoors.”

On the inside, the Duster Explore looks vibrant with orange inserts almost everywhere. The ornage theme is carried to the car’s exterior as well where the Renault logo is surrounded by it. Other than that orange stripes can be seen on the wing mirrors and along the sides of the car. Black matte treatment has been given to the B and D pillars and matte black sticker runs along the side of the car with the Explore logo. Renault calls this the Nouveau Orange theme.

Mechanically the Duster Explore remains same with the same engine and transmission as the original Duster. It will be made available in two different variants – 85 PS RXL and 110 PS RXL Explore at an ex-showroom Delhi price of Rs.9.99 Lakh and Rs.11.10 Lakh respectively.

August 28, 2015

Base 7-Seater Renault Lodgy RxE Coming Soon!

The response to the Lodgy MPV, which Renault launched earlier this year in India, hasn’t been all too enthusiastic to put it politely. Although the car was launched in eight-seater and seven-seater variants, the seven-seater version was only available in the top end trims.

So now to add a little more spice to the existing Lodgy lineup and attract customer attention to the car, Renault is planning to launch a seven-seater base version with an 85PS engine fitted to it. Right now the seven-seater version is only available in the top end trims with 1.5-liter DCi engine capable of producing 110PS peak output.

Presently, the difference between the seven and the eight-seater in the RxZ trim is about Rs.30,000. This will remain same in the base RxE trim as well once the seven-seater is introduced in that trim level.

August 26, 2015

Discount of up to 6 Lakhs on Offer on Renault Cars

Did you have a plan to buy a car ahead of this festive season? It could just be the time for you as French carmaker Renault is offering huge discounts on its existing lineup in India. The discounts being offered vary from Rs.30,000 to a whopping 6 lakh depending on the car one is choosing to buy. The discount being offered includes everything from cash discounts, corporate discounts, loyalty bonus and other special financial schemes.

If you want the MPV Renault Lodgy then buying the car now would mean you get it at Rs.31,000 less than the original price. You would get a discount of Rs.55,000 should you choose to buy the Scala hatch that the company is selling in India at a price of close to Rs.9 lakh for its top end versions.

Renault’s most popular car in the Indian market has been the Duster. It has in a way revolutionized the SUV market in India as well as giving Renault a big push in terms of sales numbers. A cash benefit of Rs.51,000 is being offered on the Duster and not just that. Buyers can now win a trip to South Africa if they win a contest that they can participate in if they buy the Duster now.

A discount of whopping 4.5 lakh is being offered on older models of Fluence sedan, while purchase of the much newer facelifted Fluence would mean you get a cash discount of Rs.1 lakh. Similarly Rs.1.5 lakh discount is on offer on the new 2014 Renault Koleos, but if you choose to buy the older 2013 model, you could avail a discount of Rs.6 lakh.

August 24, 2015

Renault Nissan to Downsize their Chennai Plant

According to a report by Reuters, Renault Nissan is planning to downsize their Chennai plant by relieving around 1000 temporary workers. Currently, the plant has a total of 8000 workers – both permanent and contractual. While permanent staffs will be unaffected by this decision, the ones hit hard will be the contractual workers, apprentice and trainees. The company currently has a production rate of 40 cars per hour at this facility, which it is planning to halve and bring to 20 cars per hour.

The Chennai plant of Renault Nissan produces 4,80,000 cars annually and acts as an export hub for around 100 countries. The production and export figures from this plant are expected to come down substantially after this decision.

This decision comes in the midst of falling sales and piling up of stock at the dealership ends. Time of late hasn’t been very good for Nissan-Renault. Their hottest product, Renault Duster, have seen a slump of some sorts in its sales figure because of the onslaught from cars like Hyundai Creta and Maruti S-Cross. And not just the Duster, sales of other popular Nissan-Renault products viz. Lodgy and Terrano have also been affected. In the coming days Renault will launch a new hatchback named Kwid and the company is hoping that this car with its competitive sub 4 lakh price tag will revive its fortunes once again.