Coming soon: Renault's new hatchback "Modus"

After the recent launch of Renault Koleos, which did no good for the company in terms of the starting numbers by the not-so right marketing strategy and surprisingly high price which was way above people’s expectations, the company is in news again for their new hatchback, Renault Modus.

 

The company has its manufacturing facility located in Chennai near Oragadam and its new model, the Renault Modus, will be manufactured here. Because of this, this car was spotted in Chennai in various Test rounds conducted by the company. This new hatchback looks to have the same engine as of Nissan Micra and would definitely compete with the likes of Ford Figo, new Maruti Swift, Toyota Etios Liva, Hyundai i20, Honda Jazz & Volkswagen Polo.

The new hatchback Modus is expected to have two variants in each version i.e. petrol & diesel. The petrol version would be available with a 1.2 litre with engine3 cylinder MPFI petrol engine making 75 BHP of max power and 104 Nm of max torque. On the other hand, the diesel variant will be powered by 1.5 litre DCi diesel engine producing 63 BHP of max power and 160 Nm of max torque.

 

From feature perspective, this hatchback from the Renault brand is expected to have more aesthetically appealing interiors apart from better air-conditioning and interior plastics with the upper variant may get a six speed auto box as well.  Modus comes with a unique feature, adjustable rear bench which allow adjusting the luggage space to suit various requirement.

Renault is planning to exhibit Modus to all Indian car maniacs at the 2012 New Delhi Auto Expo. And the launch is expected to be at the start of 2012 with the price tag between Rs. 4,50,000 – 5,00,000. Stay tuned for more updates on this new offering from this brand.

Renault-vation completed: "KOLEOS" all the way

French cars have the reputation of being quirky, so whenever you step into a French car, you go in knowing the steering will be in the backseat and seats on the roof. You can’t help it. So imagine our surprise when we found everything in its right place. We’re talking about the Renault Koleos. The face-lifted Renault Koleos made its world debut in India on September 8th, piping the official launch in China by a few days.

The styling changes with the face-lift have yielded a smarter, more conventional looking car. If you liked the Fluence, you will like the Koleos. The headlamps are similar in shape and house projector lamps. The two piece grille of the original car has now been replaced by a big chrome affair with three horizontal slats and a big Renault logo in the middle. The rest of the car remains the same. This means you get a tried and tested base along with a whole bag of common sense. Not to mention the intelligent all-wheel drive system for when it comes time to put some dirt on the paint.

   
The Koleos comes in only one variant & is powered by a 2.0-litre common rail turbo diesel that puts out 149bhp and 320Nm of torque. Standard equipment includes six airbags, cruise control, parking sensors, automatic 4-wheel drive, and rain and light sensors. The highlight though is the 8 speaker BOSE music system that is a head banger's delight. This comes coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission. The engine is eager enough, but the slow-witted gearbox doesn’t like to be hurried through its ratios. However, the linear and lag-free nature of the engine encourages you to drive without a sense of urgency. And that's just as well, because when you rev it hard and past 3800rpm and there's a distinct vibration that creeps into the cabin. The gearbox can be a bit slow for spirited driving but shifting to manual mode enhances the experience dramatically.

The Koleos may not be a drag star, but is a fantastic cruiser. Highway stability is excellent and ride quality is brilliant. The Koleos handles pretty well too; the steering is sharp enough for a crossover and provides good feedback. The suspension is one of the highlights of the Koleos. It is pliant for the better part, soaking up bad roads with utter ease though an underlying firmness can be felt at lower speeds and over sharp edges where a mild thump sometimes filters through. On the inside, the Koleos’ rear bench is pretty spacious and supportive with the right amount of bolstering and adequate knee-room. Even the front seats (fully-powered for the driver) are comfortable, managing to keep aches or pains at bay even after a long drive. One thing we don’t like is the color of its interiors. The cabin is finished in beige and chocolate brown. Darker tones of grey and black would have looked better.

  

Peugeot to follow Volkswagen's strategy in India

Peugeot Citroen, the French car maker is raring up to enter the Indian market very soon. The French company, which is the only large automaker not present in India, would be using the top-down strategy in the Indian market which was adopted earlier by the big names of Volkswagen and Toyota.

They are aiming to position a premium sedan which will compete with Volkswagen’s Passat before gradually shifting to lower segments. It will, in fact, be a re-entry for Peugeot, which had exited the country more than a decade ago after it suffered consistent losses.

Peugeot is gunning for the launch of their premium sedan - Peugeot 508 in India before the end of year 2012. The car is expected to be shelved in the price segment of Rs 20 to 25 lakh where it will be taking on the likes of not only Volkswagen Passat but also have to compete for space against Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Nissan Teana and the Superb from SkodaAuto.

Volkswagen, too, had marked an India entry with the launch of the Passat in 2007 before moving onto other models, both in upper and lower ends. After positioning its brand at the premium end, the German major finally launched the Polo (a compact car) in 2010, its cheapest car yet.

Recently, France’s second-largest car maker, Renault, adopted a similar strategy, making a re-entry with the launch of the Fluence premium sedan, in an attempt to shed its image as a manufacturer of the no-frills Logan sedan.

Peugeot is also aiming for a launch in the premium hatchback segment in India, which is also the fastest growing segment in the country. According to sources, the company is looking to enter the segment where models such as Maruti Suzuki Swift, Ritz, Nissan Micra, VW Polo and Hyundai i20 are already present. Primarily, the car company is considering launching Peugeot 107, 206 and 207, currently being sold in European markets.

Sources are saying that Peugeot is now looking at unveiling at least some of its models at the next Delhi Auto Expo in first quarter of 2012.