Renault India, the Indian subsidiary of the popular French car company, is gearing up to launch the much awaited Captur SUV this Diwali. The Captur will find itself slotted half a segment above the Duster. Speaking of the Duster, the famous small SUV recently got an all-new model that is likely to launch in India in 2019. The new model could also make it to the Auto Expo 2018. The current generation Duster has been fast losing out to the likes of Hyundai Creta and the new-gen model is likely to help this SUV reclaim the top stop it enjoyed on the sales charts. That said, Renault India hasn’t yet given up on the current model. The company has come up with the new Renault Duster Sandstorm special edition to help the ageing SUV find more takers during this year’s festive season.
Also See- Upcoming Renault Cars in India | Renault Cars at Auto Expo 2018
The new Renault Duster Sandstorm edition gets as many as 9 new updates to make this small SUV more attractive. The Duster Sandstorm is available in two trims – RXS Diesel 85 PS Sandstorm edition and RXS Diesel 110 PS Sandstorm edition. While the former has an introductory price of Rs 10,90,400 (ex-showroom, New Delhi), the more powerful version costs Rs 11,70,400 (ex-showroom, New Delhi). The 85 PS model comes with a 5-speed manual transmission, while the 110 PS model gets a 6-speed manual transmission. It is available in the 2-wheel drive (2WD) format only.
The new special edition of the Duster launches just days ahead of the advent of this year’s festive season. Also, this new model launches ahead of the debut of the India-spec Captur later this month. The introduction of this new limited model should help the fast-ageing SUV find more takers due to the surge in new car sales during the festive period. It may be noted here that the Duster has lost out to the Hyundai Creta, which is now the segment-leader in terms of sales. Hence, the new special variant should help the Duster leave at least a small dent in the sales of its Korean adversary.
Renault Duster Sandstorm Price
| RXS Diesel 85 PS Sandstorm edition | Rs 10,90,400 |
| RXS Diesel 110 PS Sandstorm edition | Rs 11,70,400 |
The new model has gone on sale in two trims – RXS Diesel 85 PS and RXS Diesel 110 PS. The former costs Rs 10,90,400, while the latter has an ex-showroom price of Rs 11,70,400. There is no AMT or 4WD option with either of these. The new special edition tries to justify a slightly higher price tag through the various styling updates and new features it comes with. In spite of the slight increase in price, the Sandstorm will be still cheaper than the Captur. We expect prices of the Captur to start at roughly Rs 12 lakh. Hence, there are slim chances of a price overlap between the Duster Sandstorm and the Captur SUV.
Also See- Renault Captur vs Renault Duster
Renault Duster Sandstorm Features
- Sandstorm decals on the hood, doors, tailgate and ORVMs
- Shiny black front
- New style ZODIAC 16 inch machined alloys
- Body Colored Outside Door Handle
- Black & grey interior
- Centre fascia with dark chrome finish
- Shiny black door trim
- Decorative strip & grab handle
- Door handle finish in black
- New seat covers
- New floor mats with ‘Sandstorm’ branding
- 7-inch touch screen infotainment
- Dual Front airbags
Colours
The New Duster Sandstorm Edition is available in 3 colour options –
- Moonlight Silver
- Outback bronze
- Slate Grey
Renault Duster Sandstorm Specifications
| Engine Type/ Displacement | Diesel 1.5 L | Diesel 1.5 L |
| Power | 84 BHP | 108 BHP |
| Torque | 210 Nm | 250 Nm |
| Transmission (Gearbox) | 5-speed Manual | 6-speed Manual, 6-speed AMT |
The new 2017 Renault Duster Sandstorm goes on sale with both the Diesel engine options that the Duster offers. The well-acclaimed 1.5-litre K9K turbo Diesel motor outputs 84 BHP-210 Nm in the lower state of tune. The more powerful version produces 108 BHP-250 Nm.The less power Diesel engine is available with a 5-speed Manual gearbox only. The 108 BHP Diesel engine has a 6-speed Manual transmission. AMT and 4WD are not being offered.
Renault Duster Sandstorm Mileage
| Engine Options | Diesel 1.5-litre (84 BHP) | Diesel 1.5-litre (108 BHP) |
| Peak Mileage | 22 KMPL | 20 KMPL |
In its lower state of tune, the K9K Diesel motor can offer a peak mileage of as much as 22 KMPL. The 108 BHP version of the 1.5-litre oil burner can output up to 20 KMPL. These engines make it to the Sandstorm edition without any change whatsoever. Hence, the mileage they offer is also the same as the one on the regular trims.
Renault Duster Sandstorm Dimensions and Measurements
| Overall Length | 4315 mm |
| Overall Width | 1822 mm |
| Overall Height | 1695 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2673 mm |
| Ground Clearance | 205 mm |
| Kerb Weight | 1235 kg |
| Gross Vehicle Weight | 1806 kg |
| Turning Radius | 5.20 metres |
| Front Track | 1560 mm |
| Rear Track | 1567 mm |
| Seating Capacity | 5 |
| Boot Space | 475 litres |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 50 litres |
As the new model doesn’t bring any changes to the design, the dimensions of the Sandstorm remain the same as those of the regular model.
Renault Duster Sandstorm 2017 – Other Technical Specs
| Front Brakes | Disc |
| Rear Brakes | Drum |
| Front Suspension | Independent MacPherson strut with coil spring |
| Rear Suspension | Trailing arm with coil springs & double acting shock absorber |
| Brakes | Hydraulically operated diagonal split dual circuit braking |
| Wheels | 215/65 R16 tubeless radial |
| Tubeless Tyres | Yes |
So, are you waiting for the launch of the new 2017 Renault Duster Sandstorm? Do you think the new features and the visual updates will make this capable but ageing small SUV a much more attractive proposition? What do you think, will the new special edition manage to snatch some of the limelight away from the Creta? Will you put your money on this limited edition Duster or will you prefer waiting for the Captur instead? Do share all your answers with us by penning them down in the comments section below. Also, stay tuned to CarBlogIndia for latest news updates regarding the launch of the new 2017 Duster Sandstorm and Renault Captur small SUV.
