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In its ‘FutuReady’ event in Chennai, Renault has shed light on its future road map for the domestic market. It has announced a new modular platform and added that the entire product lineup will be revised. Renault’s India portfolio will now be based on two different platforms- the RGEP and RGMP. This approach will allow the company to streamline production, cut costs and optimize its portfolio further for the Indian market. We will see seven launches from the carmaker in the coming months. All of those models will be based on one of these platforms. Here’s a closer look.

The RGEP is for affordable models. It will effectively replace the ageing CMF-A platform in Renault’s current lineup. The French carmaker’s India portfolio consists of the Kwid, Triber, Kiger and the recently-launched Duster. The first three are affordable models targeted at cost-conscious buyers. They will move to the RGEP (Renault Group Entry Platform). The outgoing Kwid is based on the CMF-A (Common Module Family-Affordable) platform. The Triber and Kiger are both based on the CMF-A+ platform- essentially an extended version of the CMF-A.

The RGEP will be a modular platform and will be quite versatile as well. It will support multiple body styles like hatchbacks, SUVs, and MPVs. It will also support multiple powertrains. It will come with an underbody placement for the CNG tank, which again, will be a two-cylinder setup. This is expected to liberate a lot of space on CNG variants.

At present, the CMF-A-based Kwid, Triber and Kiger are available with dealer-level CNG retrofitments. This will change once the new platform takes over. The tanks will be placed under the body and the filling point will be placed adjacent to the petrol filler.

The new RGEP platform can support seating capacities of up to seven, and both manual and automatic transmission options. In addition to factory-fitted CNG, the RGEP is also said to support newer powertrains and to have the next-generation digital architecture. It was conceived with the idea of striking a better balance between affordability, a step-up in technology, flexibility and connectivity. It has a significantly more advanced electronic architecture than the CMF-A.

Over the coming months, we will see the Kwid, Triber and Kiger transitioning to this new platform. This shift will bring about notable improvements in the overall appeal of these products, eventually translating to more sales. It will help the carmaker gain a stronger foothold in the sub-10 lakh segment.

In fact, Renault is one of the few companies that managed to challenge Maruti Suzuki’s dominance in the entry-level segment, with the Kwid. If things go as planned, we will see Renault gaining momentum again, in the mass market. India’s affordable car space now has Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, and Tata Motors as the strongest players.

RGMP is the platform that underpins the new third-generation Duster. It is a modular platform that has been developed for emerging markets like India and is more advanced than the global CMF-B platform. Structurally, there are many similarities between the RGMP and CMF-B. The former, however, gets a more advanced Electrical And Electronics (E&E) Architecture.

The electronic backbone has been co-developed with Google and is called SWEET400 (SoftWare Electric and Electronic Technology). It enables the integration of connected and software-driven features.

Like the RGEP, the RGMP is also heavily localised. It supports multiple body styles, and vehicle lengths. It can accommodate wheel sizes from 16-inches to 19-inches, and supports both two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive setups. It is also a multi-energy platform and can accommodate internal combustion, hybrid, and all-electric powertrains.

The upcoming Duster hybrid will also have the same platform as its base. The seven-seater C-SUV (based on the Bigster) will also be underpinned by RGMP.