The Europeans have blown hot & cold in the Indian car market. Currently, they have been relegated behind Korean, Japanese and Indian brands. One such brand is Renault, which is trying to gain lost ground in India. Now, Renault seems to be testing quite a unique car in the country. This is the Renault Austral. Let’s talk about why Renault is testing it and significance of this Premium Renault Duster.
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Austral Spotted
The Austral would have rivalled products like Tata Harrier, MG Hector, etc. Now why is it here? Renault-Nissan has in the last two years brought several cars to India just for testing purposes. It joins a famed list of cars like Koleos, Arkana & Ariya that have been spotted testing in India. However, the case of Austral is slightly different from the other mentioned cars.
Premium Renault Duster – Hybrids
The Austral spotted in India is the E-tech version that comes with a 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine mated to a 400v hybrid system mated to a 2kWh battery pack. Renault claims its E-tech is 40% more fuel efficient than a mild hybrid Austral with the same engine. Last year, Renault revealed that it is looking to introduce strong-hybrid powertrains in India. It has plans to localise its hybrids to ensure the products are competitive. The Duster is expected to be the brand’s first car to come with a strong hybrid setup in India.
Also read – 5 new Renault cars coming! Here is the detailed plan
Renault’s plan
The French brand has confirmed that it plans to update the Triber and Kiger. As for the Kwid, it seems like it will be replaced by the electric version. However, Renault’s most awaited product is the new-gen Duster which is expected to be launched in the second half of 2025. Another product we could expect is a B+ SUV, which we think could be a product between the Kiger and the upcoming Duster.
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