Renault has continued doing test runs of the Kwid in India and overseas with the model to sport an 800cc engine with around 57 HP of power. An AMT unit will also be offered.
You read it first on MotorBeam! Having officially unveiled the design and features on the Kwid entry-level small car last month, Renault India is making sure to leave no stone unturned on its most affordable offering globally, which will be launched later this year in the country. Our sources close to the French automaker tell us that the company has roped in Ranbir Kapoor as the brand ambassador for the Kwid small car and will be shooting the TVC with the actor later this week (there will be four different commercials). Interestingly, Kapoor has been famously associated with brand Nissan (for the Micra) in the past years and has now moved base to Renault.
With Renault-Nissan being an alliance, the transition would have been smooth we suppose. Since the Nissan Micra is extremely dull in sales, it only makes sense to use the actor and his popularity elsewhere as the Kwid will be Renault’s most ambitious offering in India till date. That is also the reason why the automaker is exhaustively testing the model, which was recently caught doing test runs by our eagle-eyed reader Ram Gokul who managed to capture the junior Renault in Krishnagiri, near Bangalore sans camouflage.
The new images give a better idea about the Renault Kwid and its proportions on road. For starters, the hatchback is quite tall and offers plenty of road presence despite measuring 3.68-metres in length. The black plastic cladding on the lower section lends a rugged feel to the small car while the tail lights look a tad bit small on an otherwise wide rear. Offering a crossover like feeling on the Kwid, the low resistance tyres (in favour of improved fuel economy) do emerge as puny for the entire package. Nonetheless, the prototype version from the unveil carried good looking wheel covers, which will make it to production.
With features like a segment first touchscreen system and digital instrument console, the Renault Kwid will be bringing a novelty factor in the segment. In terms of power, the car will be using the newly-developed 800cc petrol engine that reportedly belts out 57 HP, paired to a 5-speed manual and automated manual transmission (AMT). Renault India has promised that its entry-level offering will be priced between Rs. 3-4 lakhs (ex-showroom), pushing it against the Maruti Alto K10 and Hyundai Eon in the same space.
Coming back to endorsements, while Ranbir Kapoor will be taking centre stage at the Renault camp, it is actor Sushant Singh Rajput that is now the new face of brand Nissan in the country and most of you may have already seen him with the Terrano in a new TVC. Despite being a popular name, Ranbir Kapoor could not help push the Micra out of showrooms. Hence, it needs to be seen if the actor will be able to create the right hype for the Kwid, which looks promising at first glance.
