Renault HBC will be launched in India next year to take on Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV300 and Ford EcoSport
Earlier this year, Renault India’s MD Venkatram Mamillapalle confirmed that his brand would launch a sub-four-metre SUV in 2020. The plan has been reiterated by Groupe Renault’s Senior VP and Chairman of AMI-Pacific, Fabrice Cambolive. Under the Drive the Future strategy, Renault has devised new targets for India.
Groupe Renault aims to increase its volume figures by over 40 per cent with a target of well over five lakh units by 2022. The French brand intends to double the sales volume to two lakh units annually over the next three years domestically. Renault hosted the global premiere of the Triber MPV just a while ago in New Delhi.
It will be launched in the second half of this year and is reported to target 60,000 unit sales in its first full year of production in 2020. However, to double its already shrinking sales, Renault definitely needs another new product in a volume space to boost its sales aspirations and this is where the sub-four-metre SUV comes into play.
The hotly contested segment has seen increased competition in recent months as Hyundai Venue and Mahindra XUV300 have come in to take on the established Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Tata Nexon and Ford EcoSport. Renault is certainly late to the party with its HBC but as the old saying goes, it is better late than never.
Renault is hoping to replicate the success of the Kwid in other segments as well. The sub-four-metre HBC will allegedly sit on the CMF-A+ platform and will be benefitted by high localisation. Expected to be aggressively priced between Rs. 6 lakh and Rs. 9.5 lakh (ex-showroom), the HBC could have several commonalities with the Triber to keep production costs in check.
The HBC is expected to be powered by the Kwid derived 999 cc three-cylinder dual VVT petrol engine in its turbocharged avatar. It will more likely be mated to either a five-speed manual or a five-speed AMT transmission. The powertrain will be BSVI compliant upon arrival and the HBC may never get a diesel unit. Before its arrival though, Renault will introduce the updated versions of Kwid and Duster.
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