[Vigkey]

Originally Posted by anilp

Ford Ecosport will have competition now. It's also likely to take away a fair chunk of the Swift, i20, etc. This looks good.

Agree this is a seriously good looking car, but considering this as a competition to Ecosport, Swift and i20 is far-fetched, especially with its 800cc engine and 13" tires. Kwid will be a serious competition to the likes of Wagon-R, Celerio, Alto, Spark which are all proper small cars. Kwid does not have the quality or equipment or or features or technology to compete with the higher-up segments.

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

Is this car based on Datsun Go Platform ?
If Yes, Wagon R is a slightly expensive but much better proposition than Kwid.
The side profile somehow makes me feel that this could be a car based on Go platform.

Sir, do you mean the platform on which Redi-Go will be built? I seriously doubt if Kwid is based on the Go's platform - which essentially is Micra's platform. below is thee quote from T-BHP official review.

Originally Posted by bblost

The Go is based on Nissan's "V" platform (same as the Micra).

Kwid is based on a new platform on which future low-cost cars from Nissan-Renault will be built on and Red-Go will be one of them.

But again, how is the platform going to decide if the car is good or not?? If I understand correctly, Micra and Pulse are decent cars but Go is not, but all three are built on the same platform.

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

For once, I thought of replacing my Wagon R with this car, but would wait for crash test results before making a move.

As Adimicra pointeed out, I dont think the India made Wagon-R would fare any better than the Alto or Swift in the crash tests. Same will be the case with 90% of India made cars priced less than 15L.

[srinath.s]

Now this is what the international media has to say about the Kwid: Link

Goes on to say a lot of things about the Indian market: how tough it is to crack, how the demands of buyers are completely different (just look at the stark contrast between the reactions to the car here and in that article), so much so that an international carmaker needs to go to extreme lengths to develop a product for it!

[anachronix]

Renault has done brilliant job to make the Kwid look like a mini-Duster. It looks like the Kwid is built on the cheaper Datsun, but the mini-Duster look would let this one see good sales numbers compared to the Go!

I only hope the safety issues with the Go Platform is addressed. The wafer heavy kerb weight sounds scary though!

[aravind.anand]

India is in for a treat ! I hope I get to follow more of the Kwid than all those boring Altos, i10s and Wagon Rs.

This is one amazing design ! And if I were in place of Carlos Goshn, I would give a pay hike to the design team, give them all a company paid vacation too !

Also, I would call the Powertrain VP to my cabin, and ask him to go get a smaller K9K for duty on this car! By design, this car is going places - only thing that can really enhance its appeal would be a good diesel engine !

[FIAT3031]

Originally Posted by rahul412

Read somewhere that the weight the car is just 650 kgs. Thats too light just 50% of Polo and Punto. Must see the crash results.

Its impossible for the car to weight 650kgs
Alto 800 (std) - 695kg
Nano XT - 700
Celerio - 810kg

So are you saying KWID will weight less than Nano

[StarrySky]

Absolutely stunning exteriors makes Kwid look like a much more expensive car than it actually is. The mini-Duster look is a masterstroke. However, from the real world interior pics, the interior looks as expected from a car in its price range. Now the Team-BHP review should tell us if any corners have been cut (or rather, what corners have been cut).

[anu21v]

Originally Posted by rahul412

Read somewhere that the weight the car is just 650 kgs. Thats too light just 50% of Polo and Punto. Must see the crash results.

I am hearing from my sources that this car is crash-test compliant and being targeted at 4/5 Star rating. I wont be bothered about the weight as long as crash test ratings are good.

[RSR]

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

Is this car based on Datsun Go Platform ?

The side profile somehow makes me feel that this could be a car based on Go platform.

PS : Cannot reveal and/or confirm, but I did receive some information that the platform of Kwid is similar or slightly modified Go platform. As I received this information via a longer channel, I am posting it last in my post.

Originally Posted by anachronix

I only hope the safety issues with the Go Platform is addressed.

Fortunately, the Kwid has got absolutely nothing to do with the Go's platform. Datsun built the Go & Go+ on a seriously cheapened version of the Renault-Nissan Alliance's (now) older V platform, that also underpins structurally strong & safe cars such as the Micra/Pulse & Sunny/Scala.

Originally Posted by Vigkey

Sir, do you mean the platform on which Redi-Go will be built?

Kwid is based on a new platform on which future low-cost cars from Nissan-Renault will be built on and Red-Go will be one of them.

Yep! It's also mentioned on Team-BHP's news section page on the Renault Kwid.

Kwid is built on the brand new CMF-A (Common Module Family - Affordable) platform, that is meant for low-cost small cars built on the highly versatile modular platform of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, known as CMF or Common Module Family. Datsun's upcoming production car based on the Redi-Go concept will also be built on the CMF-A, and could share many more things with Renault's Kwid.

Here is clear official confirmation from the Kwid press release:





Link to the full press release, in case one is interested:

http://www.slideshare.net/mobile/ind...india-48372068

Originally Posted by anachronix

The wafer heavy kerb weight sounds scary though!

It's very difficult to believe that an economy car of the Kwid's size would weigh that little. Even the good old Maruti Suzuki M800 A/C 12-valve 5-speed, which was as light as a car could get, had a kerb weight of 665 kg. The very light but fairly big Datsun Go has a kerb weight of 769 kg.

I would wait for official confirmation of the car's kerb weight either by the company (or an automobile testing agency) before coming to any conclusion.

[kiku007]

Hello Maruti,

Hyundai showed you that a 3L hatch can have good quality interiors through the Eon and now Renault has shown that a 3L hatch can look awesome with the Kwid.

Take some lessons and start building Altos that have decent design flair and quality.

[pgsagar]

S-U-P-E-R-B! But I cry foul. Why should a 3-4 lakh basic hatch look so much better than rivals costing twice as much? In one sweep Renault has tossed all hatchbacks aside. I thought it was some mini-SUV. And to think it is a 3-4 lakh basic hatch, which looks better than even those crosses from VW and Toyota costing twice as much. Hell, I'm not in the market looking to buy a hatch but I feel like rushing in and buying one. That is the appeal this car has. This car is competion to all the hatches and mini-SUVs up to 10 lakh. Others better look out. If this car were a Maruti, police would have been called in to control the rush at showroom.

[i74js]

OT: if this car is introduced by MSIL instead of Nissan, it alone can make enough sales to bring MSIL to 50% market share in India.
The car shows clear winning potential provided Nissan manages to the price right and increase the dealership penetration (as committed to 280) from the present numbers.
The design and presentation cannot be qualified as "made to cost" or cheap, instead qualifies to be aspirational and can certainly become the first car in the family.
Good work Nissan, please make sure you play it right and you have a second winner at hand.
Cheers

[Nilesh5417]

Interesting pic of the interior from the official Kwid website. I notice:
1. No steering mounted controls or are they typical renault behind the steering on a stalk?
2. Placement of power window switches behind the gear lever?
3. No lockable glovebox
4. 12V switch placed flat and right next to cup holders
5. AC vents that shut fully! Interesting design.
6. Large digital meters?
7. 2 Airbags?

[pgsagar]

Love that steering wheel. Looks small chunky and nice to hold, in with the times. And that squarish cut at the bottom. Isn't front grill influenced by Range Rovers? The headlights have that angry scowl, again reminiscent of 1st Gen Outlander. The square front with high bonnet is so SUV-ish.

[DCEite]

Wasn't the Rhino Rx (or whatever it was called) about the same size as this one?

[saket77]

Well done Renault!

Looks like they have researched about the Indians really well. Stunning looks, fuel efficient, good interiors. Although displacing just 800 c.c. but DOHC design will make sure that it is both fuel efficient and powerful than the competition. Just wish that they do not join the feather weight war, just for the sake of safety. Simply put, a 5 star rated 700 kg car is not as safe as probably a 4 star rated 1000 or 1200 kg car.

This car has the potential to heat up the competition.

Thanks!