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Old 5th April 2012, 00:59   #16
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Re: Upgraded Renault Fluence E4D launched @ 15.20 lakhs

Slightly Off-topic:
Quote:
Originally Posted by kevinephraim View Post
Not related directly about the Fluence but reading the above posts made me wonder if it were possible to remap
Ref: the same engine which is in the Micra diesel
Ref to actually get about a 104 horses?
Ref :

Making the Micra Diesel a real hot hatch?
Micra comes with a Fixed Geometry Turbo [FGT] & Fluence comes with a Variable Geometry Turbo [VGT]. So ideally we will not be able to extract 110 PS, but an 85 bhp is quite possible with a re-map & a diesel tuning box [without damaging the engine]. This 85 PS engine is what is available in the Sunny [same 1.5L K9K engine]
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Old 5th April 2012, 07:24   #17
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Re: Upgraded Renault Fluence E4D launched @ 15.20 lakhs

I have a Fluence and agree with all that the only thing bad in this car is the power. Rest is all good . I have enquired with Pete's & another shop in Bangalore for tuning box. Once I fix, I suppose ,the car would be a pleasure to drive.
Each car would have some short comings here & there.
I have had real bad back problems, and avoided long drives for few years. But in this car, I get good and comfortable seating, a smooth ride. I did a continuous nine hours drive in Fluence with any discomfort (touchwood) . Leaving for another 7 hours drive today,to Wyanad. So, when choosing this car, my priority was different.
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Old 5th April 2012, 07:44   #18
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Re: Upgraded Renault Fluence E4D launched @ 15.20 lakhs

Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation)
What does this do?

Quote:
Originally Posted by suhaas307 View Post
Hatchbacks are for people who simply can't afford a sedan yet.
beg to differ on this, have seen many people owning a sedan are now opting for hatchbacks due to various reason, dont intend to start a debate here.

Does this mean that even the Micra's would soon come with the new VGT 1.5 engines instead of the FGT. What about the Pulse then?
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Old 5th April 2012, 10:04   #19
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Re: Upgraded Renault Fluence E4D launched @ 15.20 lakhs

Maybe it is a mental block but I am not comfortable with a 1.5L engine in a 17-18L Rs. car. This is applicable even to the new Altis.
Also Viddy, the Laura Manual is 110 hp whereas the DSG is 140 hp.
I would prefer a 2L engine producing 110 hp over a 1.5L one making 110 hp. I am of the opinion that even though the 2L and 1.5L are making same power, the torque delivery would be different between the two and honestly that matters more than power considering our driving conditions most of the times.
This is quite surprising especially since its known what Renault is capable of doing with engines and turbos.
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Old 5th April 2012, 10:40   #20
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Re: Upgraded Renault Fluence E4D launched @ 15.20 lakhs

Quote:
Originally Posted by ghodlur View Post
beg to differ on this, have seen many people owning a sedan are now opting for hatchbacks due to various reason, dont intend to start a debate here.

Does this mean that even the Micra's would soon come with the new VGT 1.5 engines instead of the FGT. What about the Pulse then?
Well.. times, they are-a-changin'

But it will take some time before hatchbacks are given just the sort of premium sedans get in our market. It's probably the reason why the VW Golf doesn't sell here. Renault themselves would have brought in the Megane if the hatch market was doing well, but instead brought in the Fluence sedan, which is based on the Megane.
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Old 5th April 2012, 12:04   #21
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Re: Upgraded Renault Fluence E4D launched @ 15.20 lakhs

Quote:
Originally Posted by ghodlur View Post
What does this do?


beg to differ on this, have seen many people owning a sedan are now opting for hatchbacks due to various reason, dont intend to start a debate here.

Does this mean that even the Micra's would soon come with the new VGT 1.5 engines instead of the FGT. What about the Pulse then?
We did some work recently on Indian Auto market trends and feedback from all OEMs was that Indian markets differ from markets elsewhere by having a "premium hatch" segment that can compete, and is winning vis-a-vis sedans.

And almost all of them saw the mini-MPVs and SUVs as a logical evolution of this market -- what this type of customer upgrades to.
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Old 5th April 2012, 16:30   #22
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Re: Upgraded Renault Fluence E4D launched @ 15.20 lakhs

Quote:
Originally Posted by Vid6639 View Post
Yeah GTO but the Laura also comes with a 110PS engine for manual transmission albeit from a 2L engine. So power is similar to Laura actually.
True. But differences being:

1. The Laura is the oldest from the currently sold bunch of D1 segment sedans. At the time of launch, it's power was reasonably good, and a bump up from its predecessor (the Octavia 1.9D and its 90 BHP motor). That 1.9 PD engine might have been noisy; the DSG gave it reasonably good times. Therefore, as an established product, the Laura has nothing to prove. The Fluence, however, has to find its feet in an over-crowded segment. How exactly does it with a 1.5L Logan engine?

2. The Laura does have a 138 BHP option with the DSG. And that's the better selling (as the AT outsells the MT with this car).

3. The Skoda's 2.0 isn't shared with a popular 6 lakh rupee taxicab!

Quote:
Originally Posted by kevinephraim View Post
Making the Micra Diesel a real hot hatch?
With the Micra diesel's lousy brakes & soft handling, the lesser the BHP, the better

Quote:
Originally Posted by ghodlur View Post
What does this do?
ASR is pretty much the same as Traction Control.
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Old 7th April 2012, 10:44   #23
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Re: Upgraded Renault Fluence E4D launched @ 15.20 lakhs

Friends any update on the status of E2D? I mean has the new engine been carried over to this variant too and what is the resultant price rise?
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Old 15th April 2012, 22:25   #24
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Re: Upgraded Renault Fluence E4D launched @ 15.20 lakhs

Autocar India's review on the Fluence E4D. The car does look pretty impressive.

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Old 28th April 2012, 17:55   #25
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Re: Upgraded Renault Fluence E4D launched @ 15.20 lakhs

I don't get what's the logic of renault giving the same engine in a premium segment car which is present in its hatch back and a failed entry level sedan!

either they think that indians don't know what BHP and torque are all about or they simply came in a haste and unprepared in the market where first impression is almost everything! bad business decision! I mean come on.. you can spend millions or probably billions of bucks to launch a series of products in a new market but with just 1-2 engines for all?! where you can spend so much, I am sure you can spend some more and get us a competing engine as well.

how can you even think of dishing out a small meagre 1.5L engine of micro and logan in your flagship sedan and probably the most important product in the country?! its unfair to the fluence buyers.

they can still convert this into a winning match by providing a 2L 140 plus BHP engine. coz doesn't matter how good looking your car maybe but it still doesn't cut it for us performance lovers.
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Old 29th April 2012, 23:40   #26
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Re: Upgraded Renault Fluence E4D launched @ 15.20 lakhs

Why go for the fluence?

Ans:

1) Back Seat Drive - though not the best we can get at the price.
2) A BP / Heart patient wanting an entry level premium car (if we can call it that at 18L OTR).
3) Older Folks wanting to be differnet but not go fast.

Really speaking though the above points were for a laugh. This matched the Laura price point and power for 2006-2008 years 105 Bhp engine (current 140 Bhp) but that did have a DSG AT. The really speaking the renault seems to be hoping for a rub off effect of their F1 performance giving their cars a hallo - but there is no performance to match in the Fluence. It is simply an underpowered and poor proposition for the segment.

The only thing going for the car is that it does have a really nice shape.
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Old 30th April 2012, 11:03   #27
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Re: Upgraded Renault Fluence E4D launched @ 15.20 lakhs

Quote:
Originally Posted by ACM View Post
Why go for the fluence?

Really speaking though the above points were for a laugh. This matched the Laura price point and power for 2006-2008 years 105 Bhp engine (current 140 Bhp) but that did have a DSG AT. The really speaking the renault seems to be hoping for a rub off effect of their F1 performance giving their cars a hallo - but there is no performance to match in the Fluence. It is simply an underpowered and poor proposition for the segment.

The only thing going for the car is that it does have a really nice shape.
What you mentioned is correct to an extent, but why to single out the Fluence? Every other car in this segment is overpriced IMHO. Infact, when compared to the Toyota diesel, the Renault E4D pretty competitive in comparison. I guess the top-end Corolla diesel (or the Laura Elegance MT) costs more than the Fluence.

Probably they lacked the courage (quite understandable with the brand recognition they have) to have a bigger engine in the Fluence and price it similar to the other European rivals.
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Old 30th April 2012, 12:20   #28
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Re: Upgraded Renault Fluence E4D launched @ 15.20 lakhs

Quote:
Originally Posted by vb-san View Post
What you mentioned is correct to an extent, but why to single out the Fluence? Every other car in this segment is overpriced IMHO. Infact, when compared to the Toyota diesel, the Renault E4D pretty competitive in comparison. I guess the top-end Corolla diesel (or the Laura Elegance MT) costs more than the Fluence.

Probably they lacked the courage (quite understandable with the brand recognition they have) to have a bigger engine in the Fluence and price it similar to the other European rivals.
Yep there are other culpits as well, and Toyota was the first one at that. Yes the Toyota diesel is found by many to be adequate, but then the kind of buyers who would pick up the corolla would possibly not be too keen on the fluence anyways. The Toyota gets its customers on claims of practicality and reliability - peace of mind. The Renault also targets the heart and attemps to get customers through the mix of looks, features and it does present an emotional quotent unlike the Toyota. So while Toyota can get away with it's "bland/adequate" engines - others can't. Renault presents a face that similar to Honda attempts to tug at the heart as well and you can't do that with cars that don't in the engine department.

Infact if you look at it from the global prespective Renualt though not a really premium brand would rank a bit higher than Skoda, but the offerings that they have brought to India vs what we have from Skoda would tag them the otherway round.

Last edited by ACM : 30th April 2012 at 12:22.
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