Renault RBC is expected to be launched in the middle of this year and will be slotted below the Lodgy
Nissan Motor India launched the Kicks premium SUV in the domestic market officially on January 22 and it helped the brand to post 55 per cent sales growth last month marking a good start. Just as Nissan, its global alliance partner Renault does need a new product to revive its sales as the Kwid has long been the solo contributor in garnering volumes.
The French auto major has not had any big launches in the last three years and the popularity of the Kwid is certainly going down. The Kwid registered 28 per cent negative growth in 2018 and it shows the significance of Renault’s next launch. The Chennai-based manufacturer is plotting a new product to enter into the entry-level MPV segment.
The spy pictures of what has been reportedly codenamed RBC have already appeared on the internet and is expected to be launched in the middle of 2019. It will be slotted below the Lodgy in the lineup and just as every other Renault vehicle, it will be aggressively priced courtesy of the high local content.
Several reports have indicated that the Renault RBC will be priced around Rs. 4.8 lakh (ex-showroom). This will make it more affordable than the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga as its main rival could only be the Datsun GO Plus that received a major facelift late last year. We can expect the RBC to be more premium than its Japanese cousin.
The seven-seater will come with V-shaped front radiator grille with LED signature lights, sharp headlamps, LED tail lamps, tall pillars for ensuring good interior space for the occupants, newly designed front and rear bumpers, and so on. The MPV is based on the updated version of the CMF-A architecture that underpins the Kwid.
It will likely be powered by a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with manual and AMT transmissions. Important features expected are standard driver side airbag, ABS with EBD, touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, etc.