Renault Nissan alliance is expected to bring in a number of new models over the next few years including the new Duster and new-gen X-Trail
Renault-Nissan alliance is planning to invest around Rs. 4,000 crore to bring in new products including the next-generation Duster and its Nissan alternative. The original Duster was on sale for over seven years and it really helped in establishing a premium brand image for Renault. However, with a lack of updates and the arrival of more modern rivals, the Duster had to be let go.
1. Next-Gen Renault Duster:
Fret not, as the Duster nameplate will be back in India by the middle of this decade and it will be based on the global third-generation Duster which will see the light in the near future. The majority of the aforementioned investment will be focussed on setting up the modular CMF-B platform, currently used in Europe and other markets.
It will be the foundation for the future Renault and Nissan models in India. The second-generation Duster for the domestic market will be underpinned by the heavily localised CMF-B architecture. In addition to the next-gen Duster, a brand new SUV also appears to be under development based on this platform.
The Dacia Bigster concept will influence the design of the upcoming Duster and the midsize SUV will be available in five- and seven-seater configurations. The CMF-B platform will be specifically tooled to suit the needs of Indian customers and will also be capable of adopting different powertrain options and body types while complying with future safety regulations.
2. New-Gen Nissan X-Trail:
Renault’s domestic lineup comprises Triber, Kwid and Kiger while Nissan only sells the Magnite. The latter will introduce the new generation X-Trail with a hybrid powertrain in India, likely in H2 2023, and its local testing commenced a while ago. Late last year, Nissan showcased the X-Trail, Juke and Qashqai in New Delhi and they are expected to hit the market in the near future.
3. Nissan MPV, Upcoming EVs:
Nissan is also developing an affordable volume-based MPV based on the Triber. The alliance is considering a new entry-level electric vehicle underpinned by the CMF-AEV architecture – one for each brand. It must be noted that the zero-emission version of the Kwid is already on sale in South America. Renault could also be evaluating the launch of the Megane E-Tech electric crossover.