KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Renault India recently posted a teaser of the Rafale crossover SUV on its social media pages
- The new crossover SUV from Renault is expected to make its global debut on June 18
- Renault is also expected to bring this new SUV to India sometime in future
Renault India along with Renault Global recently posted a short teaser of a new crossover SUV named 'Rafale' on its social media pages. The name Rafale seems familiar, right? Well, it is. The 4.5 gen fighter jet produced by French defense manufacturer Dassault Aviation is also known as Rafale. India Air Force too has 36 Rafale fighter jets in its arsenal. However, Renault has chosen this name to pay tribute to the company's history & legacy as an aircraft engine manufacturer, which dates back to the 1930s. Moreover, in 1934, Caudron-Renault designed & made a single-seater plane that broke a speed record that same year. That plane was first named Rafale. In French, the word Rafale means 'a gust of wind'.
Now, the French car maker is set to reinvent the name Rafale by using it for its new crossover SUV which is set to make its global debut on June 18. As Renault India has also teased the new SUV on its social media pages, we can expect that Renault will also bring this new crossover to India sometime in the future. Moreover, according to some reports, Rafale will be the brand's flagship crossover SUV upon its launch.
What To Expect From The New Renault Rafale Crossover SUV
According to some media reports, Renault is expected to underpin this new crossover SUV Rafale with its CMF-CD (Common Module Family) platform. This platform was jointly developed by Renault & Nissan through their RenaultNissanMitsubishi Alliance partnership. Moreover, the new Rafale is also expected to feature Renault's E-Tech Hybrid powertrains and will be under 5m in length. This means that it may get launched in India in the midsize SUV segment to compete with the likes of Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Grand Vitara, Toyota Hyryder, Tata Harrier, MG Astor, MG Hector, and the upcoming Citroen C3 Aircross & Honda Elevate.
The teaser does show the side profile of the Rafale. It gets a coupe-like silhouette with a sloping roofline design at the rear. It looks stylish and unique. However, Tata Motors too is expected to bring the production version of the concept Curvv SUV with a similar coupe-like sloping roofline design. The Tata Curvv will also come in the midsize SUV segment.
The teaser also shows Rafale's red color roof spoiler and red color bumper inserts in the front & rear. Moreover, the new crossover SUV gets distinct-looking body lines, cuts & creases all over the body panels. The headlamps, taillamps, & DRLs, all seem to have interesting LED elements. Also, it looks like the Rafale also gets a connected LED lightbar design in the front & rear.
Also Read: Hyundai Exter Vs Rivals: Safety Features Compared
Verdict: The new Renault Rafale crossover SUV seems like an exciting vehicle that not just carries a legendary nameplate but also brings a new design to the table.
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