Renault India today unveiled the Renault Duster SUV at the 11th Auto Expo being held at New Delhi. This compact SUV or the mid-size crossover, as Renault wants to call it will soon make inroads to India. Renault Duster will be placed below the Koleos SUV when it lands in India.
Renault, with the Duster plans to broaden its footprint in the Indian market. The Duster boasts of the comfort of a sedan and the bold styling and performance of a SUV. The Duster which will be manufactured in India with high local content and made available in both Petrol and diesel variants will open up a whole new segment in the Indian passenger car market with its premium features, comfortable seating, powerful and rugged performance combined with high fuel efficiency. The Duster is an affordable and trendy offer for all Indian drivers seeking for an exciting alternative to a traditional sedan.
The company expects to launch the Duster in the second half of the current year and with its launch, Renault India, would have a portfolio of four new products spread across a broad spectrum to ensure that it has a wide reach and caters to a wide range of customers. If you might recall, Renault’s introductory product in the Indian market was the Fluence which was launched last year in May followed by the Luxury SUV – the Koleos in September, 2011. Renault India plans to launch a complete portfolio of five new products before the end of 2012.
Speaking to the media Katsumi NAKAMURA, EVP Asia Africa, Renault s.a.s. said` “India is an integral part of our global growth strategy and we are gratified with the way Indian customers have accepted Renault products. The successful launching of three quality products within 8 months is a milestone for Renault not only in India but globally. Renault India is all set to take another firm step towards its commitment.”
Mr. Marc NASSIF, MD Renault India said “We have come a long way to what we had committed two years back to our Indian customers on the previous Auto Expo. The PULSE is a product designed and developed by our India design studio at Mumbai, focusing on the Indian customer’s aspirations, tastes and preferences. We are very optimistic about the performance of Renault’s first mass segment product and expect the PULSE to add a new chapter to Renault’s growth story in India”.
When the Renault Duster hits the Indian market, it will be priced competitively and will go head on against the new breed of compact SUVs or Compact Utility Vehicles such as Ford EcoSport, Maruti Suzuki XA-Alpha and many other CUVs in the pipeline.
