The new Renault Megane will be in India early-2010. It'll have both petrol and diesel power, and will compete with the likes of the Civic and the Jetta.
The new Megane, the third-generation model, will be produced at Renault-Nissan’s facility outside Chennai. The Megane will be sold across India through existing Mahindra-Renault dealerships, but whether the car will be branded a Mahindra-Renault remains or just a Renault remains to be seen
With the Megane, Renault is hopeful this stylish new model will give its brand the upscale image the Logan failed to deliver. Initial impressions suggest that this stylish new car would appeal to the Indian buyer. The earlier Megane was popular in Europe thanks to a choice of good diesel engines and pricing that made it good value value
The Megane’s interiors is sure to be a hit with Indian buyers, especially those who want to upgrade from Optras and Corollas. The swooping dashboard has a two-part layout, and is available in different colours according to customer preference. So you can order your Megane in contrasting dark-and-light grey or dark grey and beige. The instrument cluster features a digital speedo with an analogue rev counter. The oil temperature, fuel level and door open warning displays are integrated into the same pod as the speedo. Other information is displayed in an adjoining LCD display
The Megane has a range of powertrain options, which include both diesel and petrol engines, mated to either five- or six-speed manual transmissions, or a CVT. A more powerful version of the same 1.5-litre dCi diesel (code: K9), which also powers the Logan, is expected to be the base engine. This unit produces 85bhp, with another iteration producing 105bhp. There is also a 2.0-litre dCi unit putting out a healthy 130bhp and 30.6kgm of torque.
Petrol engine options include a 1.6-litre 110bhp unit, a 2.0-litre 140bhp, and a turbocharged 1.4-litre producing 130bhp and 19.3kgm of torque
