Renault Fluence launched at Rs.14.40 lakh for petrol and Rs.12.99 lakh for diesel

Renault India has launched its first car in the country, the Fluence priced at Rs.14.40 lakh for the petrol (automatic) version and Rs.12.99 lakh for the diesel (manual) version.

The company has wisely priced the diesel version at almost Rs. 1.40 lakh lesser than the petrol variant, due to great demand for diesel cars in its segment and the company too, hopes that the sales of diesel version will be more than the petrol version. Also see: Renault Fluence launch video and first impressions.

Obviously, the less expensive diesel Fluence is a stripped off variant and will not sport many features offered in the petrol Fluence. For instance, the diesel Fluence lacks rear AC vents and cruise control. The Fluence will be available across 14 sales outlets of Renault in India. Also read: Renault Fluence photo gallery

The launch of the Fluence marks the French auto maker’s entry into Indian car market. The Fluence is a C+ segment sedan which has competitive cars such as the Chevrolet Cruze, Toyota Corolla Altis, Skoda Laura and Honda Civic.

The Fluence’s striking design makes it stand out against other cars in the C+ segment available in the country. The Fluence measures 4,618 mm in length, 1,813 mm in width, 1,488 mm in height and has 2,703 mm wheelbase.

The Fluence has a curvaceous exterior design with smooth flowing, well-proportionate edges. The side profile of the Fluence boasts flared wheel arches and a high shoulder, giving the car an upmarket feel. The interior of the Fluence has a simple yet pleasing dashboard with faux wood inserts giving the car a classic touch.

The seats are plush and spacious because Renault has tried to make maximum use of cabin space with the Fluence. By setting the rear seat lower, it has maximized headroom for rear seat passengers, despite the sloping roofline. The Fluence has ample elbow room as well (Front: 1,480mm, Rear: 1,475mm). Also read: Renault to launch Dacia Duster in India for Rs 7 lakhs

The Fluence petrol variant is powered by a 2.0 litre engine that churns out 135 bhp of maximum power and 190 Nm of maximum torque. The petrol motor is mated to a 6-speed automatic (CVT) transmission. The Fluence diesel is powered by a 1.5 litre dCI diesel engine which delivers 105 bhp of maximum power and 240 Nm of maximum torque. The diesel motor is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission.

Praveen Radhakrishnan Diesel cheaper than petrol???? Wow that’s a sure winner :)

Anand Chagamreddy Diesel variant is cheaper because interiors are cheap and it is under powered than petrol version… this car would be a flop

Chinmay Naik Nice pricing policy

Nithin Jose I think the cost is high if we compare with same segment cars!!

Anil Anupam Mohanty Not surprising considering the fact that the engine used as diesel is a basic one (the one that powers the Logan).

Bikash Tripathy Looks like another Linea… With a late entry into India and a handful of distribution in place…I can’t bet on this at all.

Venkatesh Yadav Looks neat…pure French….the lines are way different than any in market….front Grill is small with real wide low bumper air intake….This is different than others…rear badging and tail lamps are from old school but are quite refreshing….they could have put in a bigger diesel heart to make it more peppy…..Overall nice product to heat up the segment….:)

Viplav Deshpande Diesel engines are Renault’s strong point. Although pricing the Diesel lower than the petrol is an interesting gamble and might have paid off. But on the rest of the fronts Renault has got this horribly wrong. Renault cars have poor build, and not great at ride and handling either, they also are far from being called great looking or luxurious.

Now with these things in mind pit the Fluence against the VW Vento Diesel or the Chevy Optra Magnum TDCI and Hyundai Verna Diesel 1.6 which are one segment below the Fluence and still it gets completely beaten on all fronts by the Vento, Verna and Optra. Add to it the 3.5 lakh rupees plus Premium you pay for the Fluence Diesel over these cars.

I think Renault has gotten off to a horrible start in its Indian innings, its building a coffin for itself by employing these kinds of disastrous strategies a la FIAT India. It’s a clear case of not understanding the market and TG at all. The French seem to have not learnt anything from the India debacle of Peugeot.

Jim Mathew Now, don’t get me wrong guys, a 1.5 liter engine with pathetic 100 horses doesn’t make sense in a car that costs 13+1.5 = 15 lakhs on road. Now I know why Ford and Hyundai enjoy such a success!

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Renault is aiming to sell 1 lakh cars in India by the end of 2013. Excluding the Fluence, the French car maker is planning to launch four new models in India by the end of 2013 and target’s to capture 5% market share in the Indian auto market by 2020.

By the end of 2013, the company targets to sell 1 lakh cars in the country. The company plans to open 40 showrooms by 2011 end and 100 showrooms by end-2012. The Fluence is sold across 60 countries and its total sales stood at 1, 30,000 units in 2010.