Duster’s new 1.3 liter turbo petrol engine will make 153 bhp and 250 Nm peak torque
Renault India had showcased the Duster turbo petrol variant at the 2020 Auto Expo earlier this year. It was slated for launch soon after the expo, but the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, delayed plans. In spite of the pandemic, demand for mid-sized SUVs is on the rise. Creta and Seltos are leading sales charts.
Considering this increase in demand for SUVs, launching a more powerful variant of Duster will help company attract more customers. Renault India plans to launch the Duster petrol turbo variant later next month. It has already been detailed, thanks to its debut earlier this year.
At the 2020 Auto Expo, Renault Duster mid-sized SUV was seen with cosmetic updates – to differentiate it from the regular Duster. Turbo Duster receives red coloured inserts on its front grille, fog lamp housing and distinctive badging on its tailgate. It also sported 17 inch dual tone alloy wheels. In addition, there are massive roof rails, blacked out B Pillars and ORVMs. Where lighting is concerned, it will get projector headlamps with DRLs and LED tail lamps.
The five seater Renault Duster turbo petrol will get a dual tone dashboard, power steering, automatic climate controls and an illuminated glove box. It will sport a 7 inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support while safety equipment will range from driver and passenger airbags, rear parking sensors, hill start assist, reverse camera and ABS and EBD which will be offered as standard.
Engine Specs
Renault Duster turbo petrol will get an HR13 – 1.3 liter, 4 cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine generating 153 hp power and 250 Nm torque. The engine will be mated to a 6 speed manual gearbox, while there will also be an option of a CVT automatic gearbox.
Renault has also confirmed that the existing BS6 compliant petrol 1.5 L engine will be sold alongside the turbo petrol variant. This petrol engine is mated to a 5 speed manual gearbox and delivers 105 hp and 142 Nm. The turbo petrol engine will be restricted only to mid and top end variants.
The turbo petrol engine of the Duster is said to be using the same cylinder coating technology as is seen on Nissan GT-R supercar. The HR13 1.3 liter engine has been developed by Daimler and Renault Nissan Mitsubishi Alliance. It was introduced in December 2017 and is currently used on different models in the Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Nissan and Dacia lineup.
Renault has decided to bring in this new turbo petrol engine as the older K9K diesel engine, producing 108 hp power and 245 Nm torque is not being updated to meet the more stringent BS6 emission norms and is being discontinued. Renault Duster turbo petrol could carry a price tag of about Rs.13 lakhs. It will compete against turbo variants of Kia Seltos and Hyundai Creta.