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Old 18th June 2012, 13:20   #931
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re: Renault (including Duster Unveil) @ Auto Expo 2012 - EDIT: Now launched at 7.19 Lacs

Question:
How many of us would buy a very ugly looking vehicle but loaded with features ?
and, How many would go for a vehicle which is a goodlooking one but loaded with basic features ?
Cost wise they are in the same range more or less.
My point is the duster is like the second part of the question.(speaking of the base or middle range model)
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Old 18th June 2012, 14:09   #932
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re: Renault (including Duster Unveil) @ Auto Expo 2012 - EDIT: Now launched at 7.19 Lacs

Quote:
Originally Posted by raycers_honda View Post
Question:
How many of us would buy a very ugly looking vehicle but loaded with features ?
and, How many would go for a vehicle which is a goodlooking one but loaded with basic features ?
Cost wise they are in the same range more or less.
My point is the duster is like the second part of the question.(speaking of the base or middle range model)
I would go with vehicle which is good looking both interior and exterior, but Availability of spares and after sales service is more important to me.
I believe Renault has a golden chance of turning things for them in India.
I & many petrolheads waiting patiently for Duster launch.
Lets see what's in store for us from Renault.
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Old 18th June 2012, 22:07   #933
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re: Renault (including Duster Unveil) @ Auto Expo 2012 - EDIT: Now launched at 7.19 Lacs

I see a Renault Duster First drive report here !
Renault Duster first drive - Overdrive Magazine -
Has the journalist drive started already ? was there any invitation for TBHP team ?
Mods please share , if you have any update on your test drive for this muscular beauty !
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Old 19th June 2012, 00:24   #934
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re: Renault (including Duster Unveil) @ Auto Expo 2012 - EDIT: Now launched at 7.19 Lacs

A report from AutocarIndia confirms that the duster gets launched in July-

Renault Duster coming this July - News - Autocar India

Available in Petrol (1.6L) and Diesel (1.5L). The Diesel engine in two tunes 85bhp and 110bhp.

Price range 7.5 L to 11 L.

At a price-point of 11L, does this make sense ? Why not a 2.2 L Scorpio / Safari at that price-point ? Or, stretch your budget a bit and go for XUV ?

Is Renault messing up with the pricing here ?

What are your thoughts guys ?
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Old 19th June 2012, 01:19   #935
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re: Renault (including Duster Unveil) @ Auto Expo 2012 - EDIT: Now launched at 7.19 Lacs

The Duster is not ugly but it not good looking either, its quirky and in a way an aged design, but this is a personal thing.

I would have liked the top end 4x2 to be just under 10 but given the state of the market I think Rehaan's pricing posted earlier is perhaps more spot on.

The Duster top end at 10.5 perhaps 11 with the Navigation, Rear AC etc option pack will be around 100k less than the XUV base, which maybe is fair.

Tthe XUV W6 and W8 at 14 and 15.8 lakhs OTR is not exactly cheap but its flying off the shelves and the wait list after multiple booking opens and closes is still around 3 months, even after ramping up production from 2000 to 4500 units per month! Why leave money on the table.
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Old 19th June 2012, 01:37   #936
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Certainly, i would not spend above 10 L (top variant) on a car that has a 3 * euro ncap rating when even the cheapest cars being launched these days have at least 4 stars in the ncap ratings. I am sorry but this is a deal breaker for me.

Time to wait for the ecosport and compare it to the benchmark that is the yeti. Ecosport is "expected" to get a 5 star rating same as the new fiesta. If the ecosport does not get a 5 star rating and prices are higher than the duster (again expected) then i am putting my money on the yeti.
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Old 19th June 2012, 08:10   #937
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re: Renault (including Duster Unveil) @ Auto Expo 2012 - EDIT: Now launched at 7.19 Lacs

Quote:
Originally Posted by M5_fan View Post
Certainly, i would not spend above 10 L (top variant) on a car that has a 3 * euro ncap rating when even the cheapest cars being launched these days have at least 4 stars in the ncap ratings. I am sorry but this is a deal breaker for me.
If proper EuroNCAP rating is a key criteria, I guess it has to start from the C+ or premium cross-over segments – like the Yeti or Jetta. For that matter, I don’t think the Ecosport for India will have a 5-star EuroNCAP rating.

With or without NCAP, I expect these cars (Duster, Ecosport) etc. to be well-built.

Quote:
Originally Posted by M5_fan
Time to wait for the ecosport and compare it to the benchmark that is the yeti. Ecosport is "expected" to get a 5 star rating same as the new fiesta. If the ecosport does not get a 5 star rating and prices are higher than the duster (again expected) then i am putting my money on the yeti.
Comparing Ecosport/Duster to the Yeti is a bit unfair IMHO. It’s almost like benchmarking the Ford Fiesta against VW Jetta (in the sedan world) .
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Old 19th June 2012, 08:21   #938
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If the humble I20 hatch back itself can have an Euro NCAP rating of 5 Stars, then why cant the Euro derived Renaults and others? I appreciate it is built to a cost. Also, I guess, in an less developed environment like ours, having these 3 stars itself is a good thing.
Say compared to a Bolero VLX, Thar, Scorpio, Sumo Grande or Safari or other such similar competing vehicles, the 3 star NCAP rating of the Duster should stack up pretty well!
Main thing is that they should be decent enough to offer at least ABS with EBD and front airbags as standard across all variants.
Whatever said and done, the Duster will certainly be a better alternative to a Safari, Scorpio, XUV etc, from a slightly more evolved buyer's point of view, i.e; one who has transcended mere size and glitzy electronic gizmos as key differentiating criteria when considering an SUV.
It should be a good vehicle and I am sure that there will be many of them on the roads over the next 6 months!

Last edited by shankar.balan : 19th June 2012 at 08:25.
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Old 19th June 2012, 08:28   #939
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re: Renault (including Duster Unveil) @ Auto Expo 2012 - EDIT: Now launched at 7.19 Lacs

Quote:
Originally Posted by vishnana View Post
I see a Renault Duster First drive report here !
Renault Duster first drive - Overdrive Magazine -
Has the journalist drive started already ? was there any invitation for TBHP team ?
Mods please share , if you have any update on your test drive for this muscular beauty !
This article says "Renault is expected to price the Duster close to the Scorpio and at those prices, this will be serious competition".
This is not the kind of pricing I was expecting.
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Old 19th June 2012, 08:57   #940
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sumeshmani

This article says "Renault is expected to price the Duster close to the Scorpio and at those prices, this will be serious competition".
This is not the kind of pricing I was expecting.
Go back into the last one year's auto journal speculation and you will see this pricing comment cropping up fairly frequently. I think Duster positioning plan was always intended to give the Scorpio, Safari type vehicles a solid run for their money by offering better ergonomics, more modern technology, better finish, fit and stuff, greater driveability and handling characteristics plus diesel power and butch looks at a highly affordable price.
Frankly now, if the Duster does keep its price promise, anyone looking for a 5 seat modern, less expensive SUV will definitely migrate. In fact, as has been said earlier on the thread, there will certainly be some migration from sedan buyers too, especially given our horrid road conditions here in India.
I liked your link to Shubhabrata's article. Quite a fair point of view there from him.
I m sure this vehicle will be a success. Also because we, like anyone else, want new things to come in now and them. Novelty value will also contribute to the sales!

Last edited by shankar.balan : 19th June 2012 at 09:02.
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Old 19th June 2012, 08:58   #941
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shankar.balan
If the humble I20 hatch back itself can have an Euro NCAP rating of 5 Stars, then why cant the Euro derived Renaults and others? I appreciate it is built to a cost. Also, I guess, in an less developed environment like ours, having these 3 stars itself is a good thing.
Say compared to a Bolero VLX, Thar, Scorpio, Sumo Grande or Safari or other such similar competing vehicles, the 3 star NCAP rating of the Duster should stack up pretty well!
Main thing is that they should be decent enough to offer at least ABS with EBD and front airbags as standard across all variants.
Whatever said and done, the Duster will certainly be a better alternative to a Safari, Scorpio, XUV etc, from a slightly more evolved buyer's point of view, i.e; one who has transcended mere size and glitzy electronic gizmos as key differentiating criteria when considering an SUV.
It should be a good vehicle and I am sure that there will be many of them on the roads over the next 6 months!
Surely if i were in the market for a scorpio, safari, thar or bolero etc. i would pick the duster in a heartbeat. But since i am looking for an urban SUV sort of vehicle that has good performance, a go anywhere on any kinds of roads capability, refinement, a bit of premiumness and most importantly safety features for those long trips with me and my family. So i shall be ignoring the duster, mainly because of the safety part.

Guess i shall be a yeti owner like you or an ecosport owner if it is priced well and has a 5 star safety rating. I have test driven and test ridden the yeti many times and i feel its the best all round car in india. It has everything a car should have and exceeds a customer's expectations in almost every department. The only thing that is holding me back is the price and skoda A.S.S. i hope the duster launch and the ecosport launch drives the prices of the yeti down a little bit and things get even more interesting for me as a buyer.

The more expensive car is not necessarily the better car. So i do like to compare cars that are a segment above or below a certain car. Sorry i don't know how to multi quote on the ipad but someone said comparing the duster/ecosport to the yeti is like comparing the new fiesta to the Jetta. Its true, however in such a comparison i would pick the fiesta in a jiffy because the jetta is simply boring according to me. I do not mean that in a negative sense. Its just that the jetta is a very honest and humble car and that kind of puts me off. The new fiesta on the other hand has some flair and panache and some soul. Its like the jetta is hormazd sorabjee and the new fiesta is jeremy clarkson. So who would be rather friends with? Lol. <- sorry for the Off-Topic Paragraph. Also theres the issue of punjabi (i am also a punjabi) uncles being unable to pronounce renault. They will pronounce it as Re-nolt.

Last edited by M5_fan : 19th June 2012 at 09:12.
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Old 19th June 2012, 09:06   #942
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M5_fan

Surely if i were in the market for a scorpio, safari, thar or bolero etc. i would pick the duster in a heartbeat. But since i am looking for an urban SUV sort of vehicle that has good performance, a go anywhere capability, refinement, a bit of premiumness and most importantly safety features for those long trips with me and my family. So i shall be ignoring the duster, mainly because of the safety part.

Guess i shall be a yeti owner like you or an ecosport owner if it is priced well and has a 5 star safety rating. I have test driven and test ridden the yeti many times and i feel its the best all round car in india. It has everything a car should have and exceeds a customer's expectations in almost every department. The only thing that is holding me back is the price and skoda A.S.S. i hope the duster launch and the ecosport launch drives the prices of the yeti down a little bit and things get even more interesting for me as a buyer.
The Yeti, as I have posted earlier, is priced very comparably to its international pricing levels, for similar specs. Im not sure they can reduce price much more really. In any case, given the kind of discounting that we are seeing in the Yeti, your effective price paid will be significantly less than the marked price.
Yes I totally agree that if you are looking for a well groomed, capable, stylish, safe and high quality cross over, then as of this moment, the Yeti is probably your best bet. i found it to be so despite all my visible grumblings! For a small family of 2 adults and 2 kids it is a perfect large crossover hatch. It is not a people carrier, but heck, it was never meant to be!
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Old 19th June 2012, 09:10   #943
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re: Renault (including Duster Unveil) @ Auto Expo 2012 - EDIT: Now launched at 7.19 Lacs

Quote:
Originally Posted by vb-san View Post
If proper EuroNCAP rating is a key criteria, I guess it has to start from the C+ or premium cross-over segments – like the Yeti or Jetta. For that matter, I don’t think the Ecosport for India will have a 5-star EuroNCAP rating.

With or without NCAP, I expect these cars (Duster, Ecosport) etc. to be well-built.


Comparing Ecosport/Duster to the Yeti is a bit unfair IMHO. It’s almost like benchmarking the Ford Fiesta against VW Jetta (in the sedan world) .
Actually this is the difference: Some manufacturers think that safety is Optional and don't give enough weightage to safety features (Including Maruti!). But many have realized its importance. Ford is very safety conscious and from what I have heard, the Ecosport will be 5-star rated.
For that matter, even a Hyundai I20 is also 5 star rated, so it is not just about the price bracket in which the vehicle is placed, but the companies design philosophy and importance it gives to safety features.
As the Duster arose from the Dacia Duster, it was designed as a low end multi purpose vehicle, built to a cost (almost 30-40% cheaper than Yeti in Europe). the irony is that in India, due to customs and duties, it lands up much more expensive than what it should be. Ideally it should have been placed in the 7-8 Lac Rupee range and it would have been a runaway success. But you can expect practically for it to land up in the 9-12 Lac bracket, with the desirable variant being the 11-12 Lac (ex-showroom ones). Ofcourse given the number of variants that they are planning (9 I heard), they will end up confusing everyone and try to woo customers in all categories.
But, the design/ size/ proportions are extremely quirky when you see in real life and may not be to everyone's liking. But I don't feel that is Barrier (Like we have seen with XUV!) if the pricing is spot on.

Regards,
Behemoth

Last edited by Behemoth : 19th June 2012 at 09:12.
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Old 19th June 2012, 09:38   #944
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OT: In the early 90's when Ford first came here, through their then JV with Mahindra, they used to show their committment to safety of their people by insisting that all Ford execs travelled only in cars which had proper seat belts, front and rear.

That obsession with safety I am glad to say, seems to continue. This will only help us consumers and it would be a very healthy sign if our government amends the rules and makes the essential safety kit like ABS and front airbags at least mandatory here, like it is abroad. About time, I think.
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Old 19th June 2012, 09:50   #945
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re: Renault (including Duster Unveil) @ Auto Expo 2012 - EDIT: Now launched at 7.19 Lacs

Quote:
Originally Posted by Behemoth View Post
Actually this is the difference: Some manufacturers think that safety is Optional and don't give enough weightage to safety features (Including Maruti!). But many have realized its importance. Ford is very safety conscious and from what I have heard, the Ecosport will be 5-star rated.
What I meant is, just going by the 5-star rating in Europe may not be ideal. Simply because you don’t get the same safety specs in the cars sold in India (in the sub-15 lakh segments; Hyundai i20 top variant is a possible exception). Like you mentioned, if I am going for a car, my first priority goes to the manufacturers’ seriousness on safety (you rightly mentioned Ford as an example), rather than the number of airbags.

Coming back to Duster, from what I have gathered, the car should be of decent quality (Dacia is a much improved brand after they started the association with Renault-Nissan). But as you mentioned, the success will be hugely dependant on how Renault play the VFM game.
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