The Maruti Ertiga sits in a segment where there is no direct competition as of now. There is the Mahindra Marazzo, which stands a bit higher than the Ertiga in terms of pricing. So there is a window for car manufacturers here to introduce a product which would cater to people who do not want the Ertiga, but another 7-seater MPV at a similar price range. Renault may be looking to capture this market with the RBC MPV which was spotted undergoing a test run on the streets of Gurugram.
The RBC is based on the CMF-A+ platform shared with sister company Nissan. The car has been made with the requirements of the Indian audience in mind and is quite evident in this heavily camouflaged test mule. The overhangs are very minimum on the car, which keeps the wheelbase at its maximum and translates to more space in the interior of the car. Sufficient legroom will be offered even for the third-row passengers. The wheels on the test mule are basic steel wheels, which perhaps would be offered with the base variant model of the car when launched.
Also Read: Renault India Zooms Past The 500,000 Sales Figure Mark In India
This MPV will be offered with both petrol and diesel engine options. Going by rumours, the MPV will be equipped with the 1.5-litre petrol and diesel power plants from the Duster. While the petrol unit generates a healthy 104.5 hp and 142 Nm, the diesel is expected to the top choice of customers. The engine develops 108 hp and 245 Nm of torque in the Duster and is also offered in a de-tuned version which generates 84 hp and 200 Nm of torque. The car will be mated to a manual transmission as standard and an AMT gearbox could be available as an option.