Renault has given the green light to the Sandero hatchback (code: B90) which is due for launch in the 2009-10 financial year. The original plan was to build the Sandero in Renault-Nissan’s all-new manufacturing facility near Chennai. However, with the current slowdown in the automobile industry, Renault-Nissan is going slow on its greenfield facility. Contrary to market speculations that Logan production would also be shifted to Chennai, it is obvious that both the Logan and the Sandero could be produced in M&M’s Nashik facility.
Plans to produce the estate version of the Logan, the MCV (code: R90) in Nashik have been shelved. As a result, there is sufficient capacity for both the Logan saloon and Sandero hatchback. Producing both cars in the same plant makes logistics easy as both share many components, notably the 1.5- litre dCI diesel. However, the Sandero will get its own 1.2- litre petrol motor to meet the small car norms.
Source – ACI
