The last few years have been really great for the small car industry in industry. We have seen a storm of launches. 2010 has been just another good year with the Ford Figo, Volkswagen Polo, Chevrolet Beat and very soon the Nissan Micra will make its entry. We don’t see Renault anywhere in the list. But, hang on. The car maker hasn’t given up yet.Renault and Nissan had earlier decided to share a versatile platform in India. Yes, we are talking about the V platform. Taking this step will help Renault, the French car maker sell compact cars in India without bearing the mighty product development expenses. The two companies are believed to be jointly producing cars at the Chennai plant, thus having common production lines and component sourcing facilities.
Now, there’s something more. The Clio, based on the V platform may soon be launched in India and this is going to create history. It will be the first time in India that two manufacturers use a common platform for two or more new cars in a single market. This is what our friends at Auto Bild India have reported. Renault, however, seems to deny the whole story at the moment.
A company representative said that the above report is completely false. He said that Renault, at the moment, is focusing only on the ‘Fluence’ sedan and the ‘Koleos’ crossover. Will the Clio be rolled out soon? The official says no. The company would think about it later. The car maker agrees that Clio is an excellent car. However, the viability of getting the car into the Indian car market needs to be explored. We will get official confirmation as soon the company decides to bring in the small car.
The Renault Clio was originally launched in 1990. This supermini car is presently in its third generation. In Europe, the car has worked wondered by being the top-selling car since its launch. The Clio is also largely credited with restoring Renault’s face after the difficulty the company faced during the second half of the 1980s.
Some other sources say that the Clio, when it leaves India, will go out with a new technology. The Clio is believed to be Renault’s first modern vehicle with an OEM rotating seat. The passenger seat can be rotated to a 75 degree angle and with this rotation the passenger can support his or her legs. A small lever located under the seat helps the passenger control the actuator. The new technology will actually add a huge amount to the cost of the car, but would however, be half of what aftermarket installations cost.
Will the hatchback be launched in India and then head to North America? The company remains secretive. No word yet. Only time can reveal the truth.
Labels: Clio, New-Car-Launch, New-Car-Technology, Nissan-V-Platform, Renault-Cars, Renault-Clio, Renault-Clio-In-India, Renault-Nissan-V-Platform, v-platform
