Renault will bring a number of versions of its Pulse hatchback at the Expo. The French manufacturer is aware that the Pulse is nothing but a rebadged Nissan Micra, and the various display cars will help to give it a more youthful image.
The one to watch out for will be the Duster. Making its Indian debut at the Expo, this mini-SUV is expected to be launched by July, so take a close look at it. The Duster shares its platform with the Logan (now Mahindra Verito) so expect it to be rugged. But it’s not an all-out off-roader and will be available in India in two-wheel-drive only. It will be powered by three engines – a 1.6-litre 105bhp petrol and two 1.5 diesels making 90bhp and a more substantial 107bhp respectively. The big news is that it will be very aggressively priced from Rs 7.2 to 11 lakh approximately.
An auto show for Renault is incomplete without a wacky concept so the DeZir fits in perfectly on the Renault floor. The gull-winged coupé concept was first displayed at the 2010 Paris motor show. A mid-mounted electric motor, backed up by a lithium-ion battery produces a relatively modest 148bhp. But the DeZir’s tubular steel frame and Kevlar bodywork means it weighs just 830kg, so it can hit 100kph in under 5.0sec.
Dipan Sur
Viraaj Bhatnagar
Uday Singh
Hormazd Sorabjee
Kiran Murali
