Rumour: Renault Duster to get a petrol CVT variant

According to media reports, Renault will soon launch a petrol CVT variant of the Duster in India. The launch date of this new variant is not known yet.

The CVT transmission on offer with the Duster will reportedly come mated to a new 1.6-litre H4K engine. The Duster petrol range is currently powered by a 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder K4M engine that churns out 102 BHP and 142 Nm of torque, while being mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The CVT option is expected to be offered in the RXL and the top-end RXZ variants. It must be noted that there is no RXZ petrol variant in the present Duster line-up.

The decision to bring a petrol automatic variant appears to be Renault's response to changing market preferences. Indian customers are clearly showing an inclination towards petrol powered cars. We had recently reported that diesel models are now amounting to just 27% of the total new car sales in the country. Renault thus appears to be planning to offer an additional transmission option in the Duster petrol range in an attempt to garner more sales.

Source: Car and Bike