India-bound Renault 7 seat SUV to soon challenge the Mahindra XUV500

Renault India’s first big success came with the Duster compact SUV. Even as the taste of this success lingers, the French automaker is planning more SUVs for the Indian market. The next big thing for Renault will be a Mahindra XUV500 challenger no less.

The automaker is putting together a 7 seat version of the Captur crossover, and this vehicle will be based on the M0 (pronounced M-Zero) platform. Notably, the M0 platform is also used by the Renault Lodgy. In the Captur’s case though, this platform will use the longer wheelbase to allow a 7 seats-in-3-rows layout.

Meanwhile, we’re a couple of years away from the India-spec, 7 seat Captur. The new Renault is slated for launch during October 2017. By then a brand new XUV500 could be readied up by Mahindra.  The SUV is expected to roll out from the Oragadam factory, which hosts a joint manufacturing facility run by Renault-Nissan.

 

 

Given the fact that it shares its platform with the Duster and the Lodgy, the new Captur is likely to share plenty of parts too. This is expected to reduce the time required for development, and costs too. Engine and transmission options remain unknown for now.

Renault India has 3 more utility vehicles coming up…

[Renders courtesy AutoBild.De]

Apart from the Captur, Renault has 3 more utility vehicle segments that will sit in various segments. One common thread will bind all three vehicles, in that they’ll be positioned in the affordable car segments. In 2018, an all-new Duster is said arrive into India.

The new Duster is expected to use Renault’s new 1.6 liter turbo diesel engine, one that makes significantly more power and torque (157 Bhp-380 Nm), and that produces lower tail pipe emissions. The M0 platform, and a 7 seat layout will be adopted by the new Duster.

Renault is also building a smaller compact SUV, which will sit in the sub-10 lakh rupee segments, even as the Duster expands in size. A compact MPV that will sit under the Lodgy is also said to be in the works. Both these vehicles could be based on the CMF-A platform, which made its debut on the Kwid low cost hatchback. This platform will serve as the basis for many budget cars from the Renault, Nissan, Dacia and Datsun brands across the world. The new MPV will also sit in the sub-10 lakh rupee segment.

As detailed above, it’s clear that Renault is getting aggressive with car and SUV launches in India. The automaker plans to launch one all-new car each year, to keep the momentum going. Renault plans to expand its market share in India, which currently sits at about 2 %, to 5 % by 2017. While the Kwid and the facelifted Duster are expected to push numbers for Renault, the upcoming quartet of utility vehicles are likely to be the engines for the next wave of growth in India.

Via TheEconomicTimes