Key highlights
- Renault Bridger India launch next year
- It will get a new 1.2-litre petrol engine
- Factory-fitted CNG option also in the works
Renault is developing a new 1.2-litre petrol engine for the upcoming Bridger SUV. The new SUV is slated for a global debut next year. It will be equipped with multiple engine options.
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Renault Bridger 1.2-litre engine: What do we know so far?
As per a latest online report, Renault is developing an all-new 1.2-litre engine, which will be derived from the new Renault Duster’s 1.3-litre unit. The latter is made by Dialmer, which is also the parent company of Mercedes-Benz.
This new engine will also be compatible with a factory-fitted CNG powertrain. The idea behind downsizing the 1.3-litre to 1.2-litre is to undercut the tax barrier. Cars in India with a petrol engine smaller than a 1.2-litre engine attract less tax in the latest GST cycle.
The report also throws light on the technicalities of this engine. It is likely to be an MPFi unit, which makes it opposite to the Renault Duster’s 1.3-litre direct-injection system. The MPFI will help this engine to offer better low-speed response and higher fuel economy; it will be low on efficiency, but that is yet to be determined.
The Bridger production model will measure less than 4 meters in length, which will make it even more affordable. The main target that Renault wants to hit with Bridger is the B-SUV segment that sits just above the C-SUVs, like the Maruti Brezza.
The main competition of the Renault Bridger will be the upcoming Mahindra Vision S model, which is slated for a global debut next year. Renault also plans to introduce an HEV and BEV iteration of the Bridger in the future.
