Coming Soon - Renault’s Twizy Z.E. Concept

French car manufacturer Renault is looking for an Indian partner with whom its Zero Emission cars can be developed for India. The Twizy Z.E Concept occupies the prime spot in Renault’s zero emission plans for India.

The Twizy Concept has a four-wheel chassis and offers the driver and passenger – seated one behind the other – an all-electric means of transport which produces zero CO2 emissions. With 2.30 meters long and just 1.13 meters wide, the Twizy ensures that it sneaks through the urban traffic without much problem.

It has a turning circle of just three meters and a footprint barely larger than that of a scooter. So, parking should not be an issue in India’s crowded streets. Powered by a 20 bhp electric motor the car develops 7.14 kgm of max torque and can attain a top speed of 75 kmph. It combines comfort with responsive performance at all engine speeds and it can accelerate at a similar rate to a 125cc bike.

Renault to set up Independent Dealerships in India

As Mahindra-Renault joint venture of 4 years nears its end (due to the differences between the two companies on the pricing and engineering issues), Renault will be launching independent dealerships across the country. The number of cities that Renault will open its own dealerships is still under review.

Currently, MRPL (Mahindra-Renault) has 100-odd dealerships, which sell their low-cost mid-size sedan, Logan, across the country. If Renault were to go independent, MRPL dealerships would continue to sell Logan, said a couple of dealers.

Renault revealed in January plans to launch its own brands and set up an independent distribution network in India next year. The announcement confirmed talk of an imminent breakup of the JV, already under strain after the shrinking sales of Logan, which now sells just around 500 units a month from a peak of 2,200. Due to this, MRPL has been forced to cut down production at its Nashik plant, which has a capacity to make 50,000 Logans.

The Renault-Nissan combine also has alliances with two-wheeler maker Bajaj Auto for developing an ultra low-cost car, and with Ashok Leyland for light commercial vehicles.

Coming Soon - New ULC (Ultra Low Cost) Car from Bajaj-Nissan

Nano’s got competetion! A joint venture between Indian two-wheeler major Bajaj Auto and Nissan-Renault is planning to launch a ULC Car in India whose expected price is 2500$. Bajaj will have 50% stake in the JV and both Renault-Nissan will have 25% each.

The Compact Car will have 70-80% of its parts in common with those used in Bajaj’s scooters, motorcycles and three-wheelers. This will help cutting down the project cost for the new car from Rs 1,500 crore to around Rs 200-300 crore.

The mileage of the car will be well above 20 kmpl but Bajaj will be targetting 30 kmpl. The JV sees people who need an upgrade from a 2 wheeler to 4 wheeler as prospective buyers so the main focus is on lowering the monthly cost of ownership. The car is expected to hit the roads in the year 2012.

Mahindra Renault to launch revamped Logan

Mahindra Renault, the 51:49 joint venture that makes the mid- sized sedan, Logan, is taking a relook at its current single-product portfolio due to a sharp fall in sales.

Among the options being considered is a makeover of the existing product for which the JV (Joint Venture) will also see fund infusion from both equity partners.

As part of a product revamp, Renault is learnt to be giving the Logan a facelift and adapting the product to the new emission norms coming into effect in 2010.

However, the exact date of the launch is not yet known. Stay Tuned for updates!