We reported earlier that Renault’s low-cost brand, Dacia is working on the 7-seater Grand Duster, which has recently been spotted testing. The 7-seater SUV has been spotted again during a TVC shoot, which reveals the overall styling and features. The SUV is based on the second generation Duster, which is not offered in India.
The 7-seater Grand Duster will be based on the updated Duster, which will soon go on sale in European markets. The spy shots reveal that the new model gets updated LED headlamps, which are sleeker in design. The rear will also get updated LED tail-lamps. The vehicle gets new front bumper that has a large skid plate and fog lamps. The overall profile looks aggressive.
The side profile of the 7-seater Grand Duster comes with redesigned diamond-cut alloy wheels. The SUV has elongated body to accommodate third row of seats. The vehicle gets silver finished ORVMs and roof rails. The SUV gets blacked out windows and body-coloured door handles. The B-pillar is finished in black, while the other pillars are finished in body-colour.
The Grand Duster is expected to be offered with 6-and 7-seat layouts. While the six-seater will get captain seats in the middle row, the 7-seater will get bench-type seats in the second row. The Dacia Duster in global markets is available with multiple engine options. This time, the company will introduce an EDC automatic gearbox with the 7-seater variant. The vehicle will also receive the Eco-G version with bi-fuel technology, which is prepared to run on automotive LPG – also known as Autogas. Both front wheel drive or a 4×4 drive system will be on offer.
Renault won’t introduce the second generation Duster in India. Instead, the company plans to launch the third-generation model in India by 2022-23. The new model will be based on the CMF-B platform, which will also underpin the next-gen Nissan Kicks. Interestingly, the Dacia Bigster concept is also designed and developed on the CMF-B platform.
The Outgoing Renault Duster in India is powered by a 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine that churns out 154bhp of power and 250Nm of torque. Transmission choices will include a 6-speed manual and a CVT automatic gearbox.
