Renault India to launch Maruti Omni/Eeco rival based on CMF platform - Report

19/07/2016 - 15:01 Renault Van, Renault Anjan Ravi

Could share platform with the Renault Kwid.

According to a report on LiveMint, Renault India will introduce a van that will challenge the likes of the Maruti Omni and Maruti Eeco, sometime in 2018. The van will ride on the CMF architecture, possibly the CMF-A platform that also underpins the Renault Kwid and Datsun redi-Go.

The Renault-Nissan alliance has heavily localized the CMF-A platform in India.

While the MPV segment has not worked well for majority of the manufacturers (aside from the Maruti Ertiga and Toyota Innova Crysta, sales of MPVs has seen a slump in the past 18 months), the CMF-based van in question could provide for a low-cost 5/7-seater that could find a lot of takers in Tier 2 and 3 markets.

The engine could be shared with the Renault Kwid, which despite offering a 0.8-liter petrol engine at the moment is confirmed to receive a more powerful 1.0-liter petrol motor in the coming weeks. The 0.8-liter engine delivers best-in-class fuel economy on the hatchbacks (25.17 km/l), whereas the 1.0-liter unit is adaptable with manual and automated manual transmissions.

Renault Kwid 1.0 SCe engine cut section at the Auto Expo 2016 — Despite being termed 'basic', the three-cylinder petrol engine on the Renault Kwid delivers best-in-class fuel efficiency.

Also read: Renault Megane Sedan to launch in India next year

The CMF-A architecture is localized in India to the tune of 98 percent. It has helped both manufacturers, Renault and Nissan, to price their products competitively. And the sales numbers only prove the point further: The Renault Kwid has amassed 150,000 orders whereas the near month-old redi-Go has found 10,000 buyers already.

[Source - LiveMint]