Renault may launch Duster SUV in July 2012

There has been quite a buzz surrounding the launch of Duster and it’s not just because of India’s affinity to every vehicle that even remotely looks like an SUV, but also because of the expected price tag of just Rs 8 lakh for the entry-level version!   

Renault had earlier planned to bring the Duster here in India by June but the launch was shortly pushed back to October. However, if sources are to be believed, the car is likely to be on our shores earlier than expected as the launch date has now been pre-poned to July. 

The Duster is Renault’s most awaited car till date and when launched, it will cost about Rs 8-12 lakh. It currently does not have any direct competition – the Duster is bracketed by the Mahindra Scorpio and the Premier Rio, but it looks likely that it will have competition  from the mini-Xylo that is currently in works. 

The Duster will be powered by a 1.5-litre dCi diesel putting out 108PS of power and a 1.6-litre petrol engine with around 100PS and 135Nm of torque. However it will be available only with two wheel drive and manual gearbox for now. 4WD and automatic versions will come in later next year. The Duster will also be exported to the UK with Dacia badging and some cosmetic changes; the company is even considering of exporting the car to South Africa.