As per information received by Indian Drives, it is expected that Renault India is going to showcase three of its latest vehicles at the 2012 Auto Expo in New Delhi. This includes its Renault Pulse, the vehicle which has already been seen by many, following the company unveiling it just after India witnessed its first Formula One race at Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida. The compact SUV from the auto maker that has been highly anticipated, the Renault Duster is also to be displayed. Rounding up the list is its compact sedan that the company has made sharing the same platform as the Nissan Sunny. This is, in fact, the first instance that Renault has gone in for sharing a common platform for any of its vehicles. The auto maker has also planned all the three launches in a very strategic manner aimed at keeping a firm grip on the Indian car market. On the basis of these strategies, its hatchback, Renault Pulse is going to be first offered to Indian customers in January 2012.
The Renault Pulse has been using the same platform that is used by the Nissan Micra V. However, power to the car will be delivered only by a diesel engine. The 1.5L diesel engine that has been provided to the Pulse will generate a maximum power of 65Bhp with adequate amount of torque produced at 160Nm. One aspect that Renault has to be very careful about is formulating the price of its Pulse hatchback. It is not to be disputed that the Pulse has been equipped with some of the latest features when compared with the Micra. It also has a strong brand value in the market. It does not, however, mean that Renault can go significantly high with its Pulse pricing; else it is going to suffer the same consequences as suffered by the Nissan Micra. The auto maker is also planning to test its capabilities in the compact SUV by coming out with a rebadged product of Dacia, its subsidiary from Romania, the Duster.
This compact SUV might be provided with a petrol engine, although it seems that the car manufacturer from France has an increasing affinity for diesel engines at this moment. It is expected that this compact SUV will be seating 5 passengers, but consumers in India should not have the expectation that this vehicle is going to be launched very soon. Analysts do not expect Renault to market this vehicle any time before mid 2012. However, there are strong indications that this vehicle might be displayed at the Delhi Auto Expo. A new phase in Renault car manufacturing is seeing the auto maker develop strong affinity towards cross platforms. It is also coming out with a cheap sedan in the C-segment, which will be a rebadged variant of the Nissan sedan that has been recently launched. This vehicle, however, is not expected to hit the market not before end of 2012. Regarding engine provided to this vehicle, Renault continues to maintain its recent tradition of providing all its vehicles with diesel engines.