Renault India has confirmed the launch of Duster 1.3L turbo this month in the country. Being showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo, the SUV will draw power from the same BS6 compliant motor as the recently launched Nissan Kicks. Renault Duster 1.3L turbo price is expected to start from Rs 9.50 Lakhs (Ex. Showroom) as it is speculated to be premium by nearly Rs 1 Lakh over the current range which lies in the bracket of Rs 8.49-9.99 Lakhs. It will not have any cosmetic updates at the outside while the features in the cabin will also be carried over from the current model.
Recently, the BS6 emission norms were implemented in the Indian auto industry from April 1, 2020. Since then, Renault has discontinued the 1.5L K9K diesel engine as it did not upgrade the aforementioned engine to the BS6 emission levels. The company updated the naturally aspirated 1.5L 4-cylinder petrol engine to BS6 emission levels and has been retailing the Duster with only this engine option since then. With the discontinuation of the diesel engine, the Duster AWD variant also had to be phased out. The sales of Duster have seen a substantial dip as the diesel variants are no longer on sale. In fact, the growing competition and less powerful petrol engine has compelled the French automaker to introduce the 1.3L turbo petrol engine with the SUV.
Renault Duster 1.3L turbo interior will be identical to the ongoing model with features such as 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone connectivity, multifunction steering wheel, cooled storage compartment and automatic climate control. Speaking of the new 1.3L turbo petrol engine, it is christened as Renault HR13DDT while it is also used by Mercedes Benz in some of its vehicles. The engine churns out a top power of 154bhp and peak torque of 254Nm while it will be paired with a 6-speed manual transmission as standard. The company might also offer it with a CVT gearbox as optional. The present 1.5L 4-cylinder petrol engine develops 104bhp and 142Nm while linked to a 5-speed manual unit.
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