While we reported on Renault launching a small car at the 2012 Auto Expo yesterday itself, we thought of going more into depth. Renault will be launching a premium hatchback, to rival the Maruti Suzuki Swift early next year. It will be based on the Nissan Micra’s V-platform and will be locally manufactured at the Renault-Nissan facility near Chennai. However what is interesting is the design of the car. Most cars are usually get their shape at famous design houses in Italy or the global headquarter of a automobile company. However Renault says that the entire designing of the upcoming small car has been done at their design house in Mumbai.
The in-house design is something we can be proud of, if its Indian designers who have given the shape to the upcoming volume player from the French car maker. What is certain is, that the new small car won’t be anywhere close to resemblance to the Clio, but could borrow cues from the Twingo. The Renault hatchback will also utilise the powertrains of the Micra, that is the 1.2L petrol engine and the 1.5L DCi diesel. Pricing will be again, quite similar to the Micra, making Renault’s small car a Micra with a Renault face.