Renault is launching new models to strengthen its hold in the Indian market in the next five years. Under this, the third generation Duster will arrive in 2026 and a new concept SUV named Bridger is also being introduced to compete with the Thar-Jimny.
France Renault car company is coming up with a new strategy to strengthen its hold in the Indian market. The company aims to achieve a market share of 3 to 5 percent in India in the next five years. For this, the company is planning to launch a new model every year. Under this plan, the third generation Renault Duster will hit the market in 2026.
The company has officially announced that the new Renault Duster will be launched on March 17, 2026. This SUV will be brought with a completely new design, more premium interior and powerful turbocharged petrol engine. Duster has been a very popular model in India, so people are eagerly waiting for its new avatar.
The company showed a glimpse of Renault Bridger
Along with this, the company has also shown a glimpse of a new concept SUV, Renault Bridger, by releasing teaser images, which is gaining a lot of headlines. This concept model will be presented globally on March 10. However, according to reports, it will take some more time to reach the Indian market. It is believed that this will be a sub-four meter SUV, which will be designed and developed in India only.
The new Duster will initially come in the market with two engine options. Its 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine will deliver 163 bhp power and 280 Nm torque. At the same time, the 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine will produce 100 bhp power and 160 Nm torque. A 6-speed manual gearbox will be standard across all variants, while models with the 1.3-litre turbo engine will also get the option of a 6-speed DCT automatic gearbox. If reports are to be believed, there are also plans to launch a hybrid version of the Duster around Diwali 2026, which will have a 1.8-litre petrol-hybrid powertrain.
According to the teaser, the design of the Renault Bridger concept model is boxy and tall, which is somewhat reminiscent of the Land Rover Defender. It has features like specially designed tail lamps, spare wheel mounted on the tailgate and ‘Bridger Concept’ badging. The company has made it clear that it will be an urban SUV, in which there will be no compromise on the comfort and space of the passengers.
According to reports, when this model hits the market, it will compete with vehicles like Maruti Jimny and Mahindra Thar. It is also being said that only the 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine used in Renault Kiger can be given in Bridger.