Renault Kwid 1.0L to launch 6-8 months after Kwid 0.8L - Report

17/07/2015 - 10:06 Renault KWID, Renault Anjan Ravi

Both engine variants will benefit from the AMT technology.

Renault India is gearing up to launch the Kwid in the festive season period this year (October-November). Initially, the Kwid will be powered by a three-cylinder 0.8-liter petrol engine which will deliver "class-leading" fuel efficiency, according to the car maker. The specifications of this engine are yet to announced, however, reports state it will deliver 57 bhp.

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At the Kwid's world premiere in Chennai in May 2015, Gerard Detourbet, Alliance Global Vice President, Alliance A-Segment Development Unit, confirmed that the company will launch further derivatives on this engine, apart from technologies like the automated manual transmission (AMT).

A report on Autocar India states that the more powerful Kwid 1.0-liter variant will launch 6-8 months post the Kwid's market introduction, and that both engine variants will benefit from the AMT tech. To keep costs in check, the AMT unit will be developed by Renault in-house, states the publication.

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Where the standard Kwid will rival the Hyundai Eon and the Maruti Alto 800, the Kwid 1.0L will take on the same cars in their powerful avatars - the Eon 1.0L and the Maruti Alto K10.

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Renault India has also announced that the Kwid will be priced between INR 3-4 lakhs, owing to a high localization of 98 percent.