The French car manufacturer, Renault, has been spotted testing its mini MPV the “Modus” in India. This gives a hint that the company is likely to launch its new Modus in the Indian market soon. As stated by Renault, the company is focusing on its plans for expansion in the Indian automobile industry. India is being termed as one of the fastest growing automobile industry in the world today and thus, Renault is looking forward to introduce some new cars in the country.
The company has already launched Fluence sedan and Koleos SUV in India that are likely to give tough competition to other available cars in the respective segment. Both these Renault vehicles have been launched in the mid to premium segment of the Indian automotive industry and are fairly priced around Rs. 14.4 lacs and Rs. 22.99 lacs, respectively.
According to the plans of Renault, the Renault Modus is expected to be launched in the country by January at the Auto Expo 2012. The Modus is a premium hatchback car and has a taller roofline along with a spacious cabin.
The two Renault Modus variants are the Modus and Grand Modus. Among these two, the Modus variant is only expected to be launched in India as the other one would not be able to avail the excise duty cut.
The engine configuration of the Renault Modus would be kept the same as of Nissan Micra. The petrol version would be available with a 1.2 litre engine, which produces maximum power of 75 hp, whereas the torque generation capacity of the petrol variant is expected to be 104 Nm. On the other hand, the diesel variant will be powered by 1.5 litre DCi diesel engine. The diesel variant can produce a maximum power of 63 hp and peak torque of 160 Nm.
Coming to the design and interiors of the Renault Modus, this new vehicle possesses the features that are typically associated with Renault cars. The spacious interiors of the car offer comfortable riding for passengers. Moreover, the rear seats of the Modus slide on rails and can be easily adjusted so as to provide more shoulder room and legroom. Another prominent feature of the Modus is that the car provides for the flipping of the base of front passenger’s seats to reveal a storage area. This feature is termed as the ‘stay put’ system by the maker.
The company has its manufacturing facility located in Chennai near Oragadam and its new model, the Renault Modus, will be manufactured there. The Modus is likely to give a tough competition to its contenders such as the Swift, Honda Jazz, Hyundai i20 and also the Nissan Micra. The testing of this vehicle on Indian roads has concreted the news of the launch of Renault Modus in India soon.
