Renault India Private Limited (RIPL), a completely owned division of French multinational auto major Renault S.A., has officially introduced an automatic variant of its mid-sized Scala sedan in the domestic market. The company has affirmed that the recently launched Scala automatic will deliver best-in-class fuel efficiency and performance. Reportedly, Renault India will introduce its automatic sedan in petrol models only.
The Renault Scala automatic variant comes trimmed with the X-tronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) transmission system, which ensures hassle-free driving in chaotic city traffic. Coming to its under-the-hood specifications, Renault Scala CVT automatic models are expected to feature the same engines installed in its current RXL and RXZ petrol, manually driven siblings. Interestingly, Renault India has claimed that its new sedan will deliver an astonishing mileage of 17.97 kmpl (as certified by ARAI), which makes Scala CVT one of the most fuel efficient sedans with automatic transmission.
Expressing his views regarding the company's take on future of Scala automatic in the Indian passenger car market, Marc Nassif, Managing Director (MD) of RIPL, quoted “With more and more cars on the road as well as frequent stop-and-go traffic, India has been seeing an increase in demand for automatic sedans in recent years. However, despite the growing interest for these cars, petrol automatic vehicles are still limited to a 6 percent share in the premium sedan segment because they deliver lower mileage and higher cost of ownership.”
Since its launch on the Indian turf during September 2012, Renault India has already registered sales of around 3,000 units of its mid-sized saloon. Hence, the French auto major is betting high with its Scala automatic saloon and estimates further increase in sales numbers in the country. At present, Renault Scala competes against the likes of Maruti Suzuki SX4, Honda City, Hyundai Verna and Volkswagen Vento. The company is yet to divulge details about the retail pricing of Scala automatic for domestic audience, but industry experts believe that the car could be offered within an introductory price bracket of Rs. 8 to 9 lakhs.
