The Renault Duster with its attractive package has been an instant hit in the Indian market, receiving overwhelming response from buyers. While Ford is delaying the launch of the much anticipated mini SUV EcoSport, Renault is readying up the 4-wheel drive version of the Duster. The Duster 4WD has been spotted testing on the roads of Trivandrum, Kerala. Renault already manufactures the Duster 4WD at its Chennai plant for exports and now the launch for the Indian market is getting closer. Renault has a big opportunity to introduce the Duster 4×4 much before the launch of the EcoSport to cash in on some good volumes.
The Renault Duster 4-wheel drive features an intelligent 3-mode all-wheel drive system which was developed using Nissan’s technology. There is a rotary switch on the dashboard to choose between different driving modes including 2WD, Auto and Lock mode. The 2WD mode transmits the engine torque to the front wheels only, Auto mode transmits the torque automatically to all 4-wheels when required, while the Lock mode provides engine torque to all four wheels permanently at speeds less than 80 km/hr.
Apart from the technical aspects, the boot space on the 4WD version is reduced to 408-litres compared to 475-litres on the standard 4×2 version. The exteriors of the Duster will remain unchanged except for a few 4WD badging. The direct rivals for the Duster 4WD will be the Mahindra Scorpio and Tata Safari. We expect Renault to price the 4WD version in excess of around Rs. 1 lakh over the standard 4×2 version. The Renault Duster equipped with the 1.5-litre dCi diesel engine comes with a starting price of Rs. 8.39 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi).
Source – Team-BHP