Renault is set to launch an all-new hatchback in the sub-Rs.4 lakh segment this year as the French car maker intensifies its efforts to transform into a volume player in the Indian passenger vehicle (PV) market.
The proposed small car will compete in the Maruti Alto segment. And, it will be the first product out of Renault-Nissan’s new vehicle platform CMF-A, a global platform meant to design and develop low-budget cars for customers in India and other markets.
“It is a very wide platform in terms of diversity, and this will be a global car. It will be sold in other countries also,” Sumit Sawhney, Country CEO and Managing Director, Renault India, told The Hindu.
He said the company had not finalised the launch dates. But the first new launch of 2015 would be its 7-seater MPV (multi-purpose vehicle) Lodgy, and the new hatch would come after that.
Presently, Renault India sells only Pulse in the small car segment.
The chairman and CEO of Nissan and Renault combine Carlos Ghosn had said that CMF-A would be India-based platform. It would be designed Indian engineers, he had said, and indicated that the first product out of this platform would hit the market by 2015.
But, Mr. Sawhney declined to elaborate on the new hatchback. However, he said the segment accounted for 30-40 per cent of car market and company was keen to have a strong presence.
