[saurabhdadhichi]

Also new sketch released capturing this time rear of Terrano (similar to the ones posted by fellow BHPians):
http://overdrive.in/news/rear-of-new...ficial-sketch/

[jkdas]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

Looks like Terrano is going to be just cosmetic changes over duster. Most importantly, pricing is going to decide the fate of this car. Renault is a bigger and more aspirational brand in India currently(compared to Nissan) though they came in pretty late.

Now with EcoSport pricing out in public, Nissan has 2.5Lakhs to adjust their pricing. If they decide to price this above Renault, they that will only widen the gap between EcoSport and Terrano. Interesting !!!!

"Pricing" it has to be priced right else if they have to pull the buyers of Duster.

Nissan already has a premium-ness to its name (in my humble opinion) as a brand who gives quality product. Renault was lucky to have such a vehicle (Duster) at that point of time, that's all.

[agambhandari]

Simply put, the Terrano doesn't deserve a chance if priced north of the Duster. A major price correction is bound to come in the coming months in the duster and I guess, then the Terrano could take up the duster's space.

The design of the Terrano does look more appealing than the plain ol' Duster

[pranjal1984]

Is the Terrano being launched only in India or is there going to be an international launch?

[rajshenoy]

Is the launch date confirmed ? I read few days back about july 16th launch(unveiling) but no news in this regard.

I am interested to finalize my new car and with every new launch, either i get a new model at aggressive price or existing cars start giving discounts and freebies

[TheARUN]

What will also be interesting to see is the customer preferences, the Duster is European, the Terrano is Japanese, so customers who buy Japanese cars because of their reliability are going to be getting a solid built European car and vice-versa. This badge engineering is shaking up all kinds of old perceptions

[agambhandari]

Originally Posted by TheARUN

What will also be interesting to see is the customer preferences, the Duster is European, the Terrano is Japanese, so customers who buy Japanese cars because of their reliability are going to be getting a solid built European car and vice-versa. This badge engineering is shaking up all kinds of old perceptions

There won't be any preferences. Everybody will know it is a duster with a pretty face, and even Duster, though European, isn't a quintessential solid European car, that's reserved for the Germans, the French are known to have pathetic build quality.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by agambhandari

There won't be any preferences. Everybody will know it is a duster with a pretty face, and even Duster, though European, isn't a quintessential solid European car, that's reserved for the Germans, the French are known to have pathetic build quality.

Note that I have thanked you in a 'thumb-to-the-nose' and sarcastic manner for this post. I am not really a Francophile as such but I would definitely beg to differ and vociferously too, about your sweeping statement above.
Please tell us what exactly, in your considered opinion makes the French build quality pathetic?

Do bear in mind that the Duster is a Dacia from Eastern Europe. Renault-Nissan have an alliance and Renault owns Dacia. The same way that Skoda is also an Eastern European brand and owned by the big VAG conglomerate. There is definitely a lot of sharing and cross pollination that goes on, unbeknownst to us consumers...

Now, those quintessentially French cars like the 2CV, the Peugeot, other Citroens and Renaults etc simply do not pack up and expire on their owners despite being driven at breakneck speeds on those uneven cobbled streets and lousy country roads. (You ought to see some of the country roads in Southern France and believe me you will rapidly revise your opinion of cars like even the humble 2CV as well as the Renault Twingo and Kangoo and various vintages of Peugeots too...)

The famous French suspension makes travel in those cars on those roads, more than bearably comfortable. Last time I checked, France was in Europe, so I guess they would possibly qualify for being European.
Their cars are adjudged to be more than good enough for 'safari country', such as L'Afrique and I can tell you most certainly that they are excellent for India too.

Those Citroens usually acquit themselves rather well indeed, in various rallies too...
The Peugeot 309GLD was one of the absolute best cars to have come down the pike to our market. It is a different matter that the brand was not managed well by its principals and was therefore allowed to die.

Even today, I can pretty much bet, that most Renault car owners will rarely crib about the ride, suspension and overall build quality of their cars.

As regards preferences, everyone knows also that the VW Vento and Skoda Rapid are sisters under the skin and that the Passat and Superb, to some extent, are too. Take also the Q3, the Tiguan and the Yeti as well for good measure. Different strokes for different blokes, I would venture to say, in this 'brand preference' game...

The bottom-line is that one or any of us simply cannot pre-decide and pre-judge in our 'infinite wisdom' that 'French build quality is pathetic', because none of us are God and nor are we proper accredited Auto experts with proven credibility in the real world market place.

At best, what we can share here are our 'opinions' only but even these ideally ought to be supported by facts.

[TheTeacher]

I remember reading in the Reader's Digest in the early '70s about a guy who was traveling across the desert in Africa in his Citroen. He was low on oil, and no oil was to be had anywhere. At the next village he bought a whole bunch of bananas and kept shoving them into his oil intake area where the running engine kind of gently sucked it in (probably oil pump). He reached his destination and had the engine torn down, cleaned and rebuilt.

Now that, I call tough!

[ACM]

The Terrano

People see it as a European vehicle from a Jap maker. But then one close of the door and it feels born in Japan.

Reports abound about the Terrano being priced higher than the Duster. Seriously? Why bother to release it at all.

There are also reports of a more contemporary looking Duster in less than a year with better Interiors to take on the EcoSport and renew the VFM justification that it came with originally. But then where will the Terrano fit in can they manage two levels higher better trim than the Duster to justify the price tag.

They seriously need to offer even more than the current Duster for atleast 1L lesser to make any headway in the Indian market.

[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by ACM

The Terrano

People see it as a European vehicle from a Jap maker. But then one close of the door and it feels born in Japan.

They seriously need to offer even more than the current Duster for atleast 1L lesser to make any headway in the Indian market.

Just wondering if they can incorporate the upcoming duster features in terrano and release it now. Later on, Renault can launch duster refresh with these changes.

In any case, they need to lower the price immediately or offer stuff like ABS,EBD etc on all variants to justify the price tag. Base RxE duster sells a shade lower than Titanium EcoSport. Making anyone curse renault !!

[TheTeacher]

Duster has lost me as a customer. It was at the top of my list, but I decided against getting it. Not at all VFM at current prices, in my humble opinion.

[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by TheTeacher

Duster has lost me as a customer. It was at the top of my list, but I decided against getting it. Not at all VFM at current prices, in my humble opinion.

Duster was not VFM from day one if you ask me. But it sold well for a year because it was unique. Its price was VFM when we compared it with likes of XUV500 and it was much more compact than Scorpio/Safari.

Come EcoSport, now we are feeling the difference. Its clear how much cost cutting renault has done and yet priced it so high.

Duster is technically from Europe(Romania is part of Europe isnt it) but it is definitely not European quality. But its not bad either. We all know Logan.

I want to know the launch date of Terrano and possible price correction/more goodies on duster. I can wait for a month for this

[agambhandari]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Note that I have thanked you in a 'thumb-to-the-nose' and sarcastic manner for this post. I am not really a Francophile as such but I would definitely beg to differ and vociferously too, about your sweeping statement above.
Please tell us what exactly, in your considered opinion makes the French build quality pathetic?

Ok, this time I accidentally thanked you, probably a Nature's way to return the favour!

Anyways, when I said Pathetic quality, I was mostly referring to the Interiors. Nearly all the French cars from the past decade have gotten flack for flimsy or cheap plastics or suffering from fit and finish. They are getting a little better now, though.
I will of course provide you with the some fact to back it up.
Say, this review of the latest Renault Clio from Autocar UK,

Material quality levels are fine, but don’t quite match that level of ambition. Most of the Clio’s background cabin plastics are ordinary in their look and feel. One or two loose, creaky trims even serve to remind us of Renault’s chequered track record on fit and finish.

clearly talking about the Renault's past not-so-good record in terms of quality and the fit and finish.

Now I don't have a lot of personal knowledge about the overall Robustness/Reliability/Toughness of the car, but from what I have learned from the popular culture is :
Check out this Google Search for:French cars Reliabilty

BTW, those who love a brand(talking for the French ones), do overlook all the shortcomings, say the Alfa Romeo, even when they are known to be really bad in terms of reliability.

Anyway, I think we are getting OT talking about french cars vs the rest when we should be talking about what is essentially a Facelifted car from Romania!

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by agambhandari

g for the French ones), do overlook all the shortcomings, say the Alfa Romeo, even when they are known to be really bad in terms of reliability.

OT: The Alfa is as Italian as a Bernini Sculpture.The Alfa Romeo is beautiful and sassy and eminently desirable, but not very reliable nor solid....however, according to J Clarkson, one can't call one's self a 'real petrol head' unless one has owned an Alfa at some time...this simply speaks volumes about the sheer heart tugging desirability of the marque..I saw one day before yesterday in Singapore; an old GT1300 Junior and fell completely in love...just look at those sweeping lines of the Giugiaro-Bertone design and you will see why...
The Alfa , I guess, is like that 'totally unsuitable, unreliable girl friend' who will tear you apart inside, but for whom you will still do anything...