Rumor: 2012 Renault Duster SUV’s price to start at INR 7.5 lakhs?

In less than 24 hours, Renault India will launch a hotly anticipated vehicle that the Indian car buying populace has been waiting for eagerly. The product in question is the Duster SUV which, days ago, was launched in the United Kingdom, as the country’s least priced SUV. In India though, that title might not exactly fit on the Duster’s crown if the latest rumor we’re hearing turns out to be true. According to BSMotoring, the Duster SUV’s petrol variant could begin at INR 7.5 lakhs, making it a touch more expensive than the entry level version of the Scorpio SUV.

Renault Duster

Unlike the diesel engined M2DI Scorpio, it has to be remembered that the petrol Duster is 5 seater model. Seating apart, the price of the petrol engined model could have a bearing on the price of the diesel variants, especially given the fact that diesel engined cars are priced close to a lakh higher than petrol engined models and in many cases, this gap extends further. Assuming that Renault would charge at least a lakh extra for the diesel engined model of the Duster, (since the petrol model is a bare basic entry level model, that figure seems so very likely), the entry level diesel variant could be pegged at about INR 8.5 lakhs.

Extrapolating these figures, the 110 PS engined Duster could be priced even higher at about 9 to 9.5 lakhs. If this indeed is the case, the Duster will be commanding a premium over C-segment sedans, which is a fair bet given the extra ground clearance and butch appeal that an SUV brings to the table. However, at these pricing levels, don’t expect the Duster to fly out of showroom shelves. Rather, the SUV could be a decent seller than a best seller, which is something Renault India might be happy about given the limited(but expanding) reach the brand has currently.

Renault Duster

We’ve said it before and we say it again. Pricing is extremely crucial in a price conscious market like India, more so when the conditions for car sales aren’t exactly rosy. That said, the Duster SUV will have a modicum of freshness and novelty value going for it, which should bring in/retain a good amount of initial bookings provided Renault India doesn’t botch up on the pricing front. The expectations are mounting and the price which will be announced in less than 24 hours from now will once again determine the fate of the promising Duster SUV, as has been the case with so many car models in this country. Watch this space.

Via BSMotoring