Renault took a big step towards becoming a serious player in the small car market by revealing its all-new hatchback for India. Known as the Pulse, this car is a mildly altered version of Nissan's rather clever Micra.
Under the skin, the two are basically the same. They share the same lightweight V platform chassis, the same basic suspension, the same gearbox and the same set of engines as well. These include a 1.2-litre three-pot petrol motor and a 1.5 turbo diesel.
What Renault has altered however are the looks. While the basic architecture of the car - with its large arched roof and big cabin - remains, Renault has changed the nose dramatically. The front end is now much sharper looking, with its raised, crisply styled lights, almost Hyundai-like hexagonal grille and a typical Renault matt-black centre section. The car has a much stronger chin than the Micra, the rear has been mildly altered and Renault says there could be an even sportier version of the car on the cards too. The interiors of the Pulse however are almost identical to those of the Micra, right down to colours and shades.
The Pulse (codename: B58) will be the French car maker’s third offering in six months; the Fluence saloon and Koleos SUV being the earlier two. The Pulse will be built at Renault-Nissan’s Chennai plant alongside the Micra, and Renault is expected to price it at a slight premium over the Nissan. One of the big selling-points of the Pulse will be a unique 2+2 year warranty that'll be offered.