New Renault Models Coming to INDIA Soon.

Renault's solo product strategy in India soon change. The company plans a slew of launches by 2010. Carlos Ghosn may be looking for another Indian partner.

Renault India plans to introduce cars across all segments. Having acquired 2.2 % market share with just one product, the Logan, the company now wants to bring out more cars from its Chennai plant.

"We will launch 4-5 in 15-16 months one after the other. We will have a mix of all segments- big and small", said Sylvain Bilaine, MD, Renault India.

Renault's Sedan and Sandero could be a good fit for the Indian market. It has been successful in South Africa, Brazil, and will soon be launched in Europe. Two completely built units, or CBUs, the Twingo and Laguna, which were displayed at the Auto Expo, may also be driven in.

These new launches may be marketed through the Renault- M&M JV but a final decision is yet to be taken.

Even the marketing and branding of Renault-Nissan- Bajaj's

small car will be decided in a couple of months. While the small car plans are moving ahead, Renault's LCV plans are still on hold. Interestingly, Renault is open to even more partners. So, after Mahindra and Bajaj, do not be surprised if Carlos Ghosn goes looking for suitors again.

-http://Mahindralogan.co.cc

Source : CNBC-TV18

Mahindra Logan Drivathon takes Ahmedabad by storm

Ahmedabad, 26 May 2008: Enthused by the success of the Logan as mirrored in the vehicle's impressive sales performance, Mahindra Renault organized a unique event known as the 'Logan Drivathon' for its customers in Ahmedabad. Aimed exclusively at highlighting the vehicle's superior mileage feature, the drivathon saw participation by 120 Logan owners and engaged them in an effort to generate enhanced customer acceptability and endorsement.

Commenting on the above initiative, Mr. Nalin Mehta, Chief Operating Officer, Mahindra Renault Pvt. Ltd., said, "The Logan has been an unmitigated success since its launch earlier this year, reflecting customer satisfaction with the product, especially its fuel efficient nature. The drivathon is a unique customer-centric effort from Mahindra Renault that will ensure direct interaction with the owner and help him understand his Logan experience better."

The cars were flagged off by Mr. Kapil Mathur, Additional Director, Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) from Amirag Farms, SG Road, Ahmedabad. The event format saw existing customers drive their cars on a pre-determined route. The basis of this exercise was to ascertain the best fuel consumption figures. Winners were adjudged on the basis of the best mileage figures attained during this drive.

The route for the Logan Drivathon was about 61 Km with regular traffic conditions and took about one hour to cover. The Drivathon passed through the Mehsana Highway before culminating at Shankuj Water Park. All drivers were given a route map for navigation and all vehicles had to compulsorily fill up their tanks to the maximum before they were flagged-off. Fuel was filled in the presence of neutral marshals to prevent any misreporting of mileage figures.

Mahindra Renault officials present on the occasion included Mr. Sunil Lohani - Zonal Head, Gujarat and Rajasthan. All participants were treated to breakfast, tea and cookies. There was also a fun and entertainment programme organized after the mileage rally, followed by lunch and a prize distribution ceremony which saw prizes being given out to high mileage winning cars. The event was a fun-filled one with lots of fun and games, including a tattoo area for kids.

The route for the LOGAN Drivathon was about 61 km with regular traffic conditions and took about one hour to cover. The Drivathon passed through the Mehsana Highway before culminating at Shankuj Water Park. All drivers were given a route map for navigation and all vehicles had to compulsorily fill up their tanks to the maximum before they were flagged-off. The fuel was filled in the presence of neutral marshals to prevent any misreporting of mileage figures.

Prize- Car No.- Average- Winner

DIESEL

1^st- GJ 1HQ 3369- 45.52 kmpl- Yogesh Nayyar

2^nd- GJ 1HP 8828- 37.65 kmpl- Prabhudasbhai Patel

3^rd- GJ 1HN 1185- 36.52 kmpl- Greenen D. Gajera

PETROL

1^st - GJ 1HN 8601- 22.26 kmpl- Sanjeet Banerjee

2^nd- GJ 1HQ 9189- 21.79 kmpl- Ketan Shah

3^rd- GJ 1HN 2505- 20.33 kmpl- Bhagwan Patel

The Logan has received a tremendous response since its launch and has been clocking steady sales numbers each month. It is among the top 3 selling sedans in India and has also received several prestigious industry accolades since its launch eight months ago. It has been named the ‘Car of the Year 2007’ by HT Cars & Bikes, a supplement of the Hindustan Times and also recently won the Business Standard Motoring Jury Award 2008.

The J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2007 India Initial Quality Study ranked the Logan as the ‘Best Entry Midsize Car in Initial Quality’, which is the ultimate measure in quality. The Logan received the lowest score of 65 PP100, i.e. Problems Per 100 vehicles, ahead of other leading passenger cars, indicating a high level of satisfaction experienced by customers. It has also been declared the leader in its segment in new vehicle design and performance in India, according to the J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2007 Indian Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout Study (APEAL). The 2007 four-wheel total customer satisfaction study undertaken by leading market information provider, TNS, ranked the Mahindra Renault Logan Diesel at the top of the ‘Midsize Car – Diesel’ segment with an exceptional score of 96.

Courtesy: Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., India

http://mahindralogan.co.cc

Logan overtakes City, Verna and SX4 in Feb7 Mar, 2008

NEW DELHI: Utility vehicle major Mahindra & Mahindra’s (M&M) foray into the sedan segment is bearing fruit. It sold 2,753 units of Logan in February, claiming the second position in the segment, leaving behind its traditional mid-segment rival sedans like Honda City, Hyundai Verna and the Maruti Suzuki SX4.

Tata Motors’ Indigo sedan became the highest seller with sales of around 3,322 units in February on account of huge demand of its compact sedan launched in February, which avails concessional excise duty. It is priced at Rs 4.3 lakh, the lowest for any sedan, which had pushed its demand and sales last month. Honda had sold 2,310 units of City, Hyundai has sold 2,132 units of Verna while Maruti Suzuki has sold 1,953 units of SX4 in February.

Logan, after successive pricing and re-positioning in the market, now comes for Rs 4.5 lakh for petrol and Rs 5.75 lakh for diesel variant. According to analysts, it has posted a stronger performance due to high demand in commercial fleet operations and customers upgrading from the premium hatchback segment.

Mahindra Renault managing director Rajesh Jejurikar told ET, “Logan’s application in commercial fleet operations is a big booster for us. It has helped us to give the highest numbers since its launch. We have given the customers the options to own a big car at the price of a hatchback, which has been accepted well. Logan is emerging as a strongest contender in the mid-size car segment. There is huge a demand for the diesel variant which forms around 65% of our total sales due to its high fuel efficiency and now comes with a waiting period in some markets.”

The company had sold more than 22,500 units of Logan, since its launch in May last year. While it has ruled out any hatchback or a compact variant (under 4-metre length like the Indigo sedan) which is now taxed at concessional 12% excise (after the budget), against 24% for all other sedans, it will soon be launching a new brand campaign for Logan.

“We shall be informing the customers of the high-quality of this international car and its phenomenal fuel efficiency. With one of cheapest sedan, we are looking at significant increase in the market-share in the mid-size car segment,” Mr Jejurikar said. Logan’s improved sales in February increase the company’s market share to 16.8% against January’s 12% in mid-size car segment. The company fared well on its flagship model Scorpio too.

Source: The Economic Times 7th March 2008.

LOGANS THE CHEAPEST TO MAINTAIN!!!!!

Logan Mileage Run in Mangalore!

Mangalore, Dec 19: Mahindra Renault Private Ltd and Karnataka Agencies had organized a fuel efficiency validation drive on Logan cars on December 16. As many as 26 Logan owners participated in the event. The fuel efficiency test was conducted as directed by Lancelot Saldanha who is an acknowledged professional in this respect .

A point-to-point drive was organized of a total run of 51.3 kms which had to be completed in a given time. Diesel or petrol as per the requirement was filled in the beginning of the event which was named Logan Driveathon. The fuel tank was sealed immediately after filling and the customer was briefed about the route that was set along with the tulip. In order to give a right picture of fuel efficiency to the customers the route selected had a mix of wonderful Mangalore Roads, ups and downs of Gurpur, twists and turns of airport road. Customers experienced the real driving conditions which they encounter during day-to-day driving. The results were exceptionally good validating the claim by Mahindra Renault Private Ltd that Logan is a performance car and one of the main performance parameters being fuel efficiency.

K S Kopplakar, GM in-charge (Materials, MRPL) who returned a fuel efficiency of 23.01 kms per liter in the diesel category. In the petrol category the results were even more encouraging where Ravishankar Mayya returning with a fuel efficiency of 20.8 kms per liter in a 1.4 L petrol Logan.

An elated K S Kopplakar shared his rich experience with the other Logan owners and informed the gathering that fuel efficiency in vehicles like Logan will help conserve the dwindling hydrocarbons. Ravishankar Mayya also addressed the gathering expressing his delight on the consistently high fuel average that he is able to get in his petrol vehicle.

Karnataka Agencies has announced a special deal for Logan's for the month of December 2007

(Source :- Daijiworld)

LOGAN'S THE NUMBER 1!! ONCE AGAIN!! (J D POWER)

J.D. Power Asia Pacific Reports:

• Honda City, Honda CR-V, Mahindra-Renault Logan, Maruti Swift and Toyota Innova Also Rank Highest in Their Respective Segments

• The study, which serves as the industry benchmark for new-vehicle quality measured at two to six months of ownership, has been completely redesigned for 2007 to provide manufacturers with deeper insights and more actionable information to improve problem determination and drive product improvement. The redesigned IQS now examines more than 200 problem symptoms in two distinct categories—quality of design and quality of production—across eight vehicle components: vehicle exterior; driving experience; features, controls and displays; audio, entertainment and navigation; seats; heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC); vehicle interior and engine and transmission. Overall quality performance is based on both design quality and production quality problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), with lower scores indicating a lower rate of problem incidences and higher vehicle quality.

• New to the study rankings in 2007 are the premium compact and SUV segments. In the premium compact segment, the Maruti Swift (116 PP100) ranks highest, while the new Honda CR-V (50 PP100) tops the SUV segment. In the entry midsize segment, the newly launched Mahindra-Renault Logan ranks highest with 65 PP100, while in the MUV/MPV segment, the Toyota Innova (111 PP100) ranks highest for a third consecutive year.

• The study finds that initial quality of new vehicles in India averages 173 PP100 in 2007, with more than one-half (54%) of new-vehicle owners reporting at least one problem within the first six months of ownership. Engine-and transmission-related problems are the most frequently reported, followed by problems related to vehicle exterior and driving experience. Together, these three problem categories comprise two-thirds of the total number of vehicle problems experienced in India. Among all problem symptoms covered in the study, excessive fuel consumption remains the most frequent customer-reported problem.

• The 2007 India Initial Quality Study (IQS), now in its 11th year, is based on evaluations from nearly 6,000 owners who purchased a new vehicle between November 2006 and July 2007. The study includes 43 vehicle models covering 11 makes. The study was fielded from May to September 2007 in 15 cities across India.

LOGANIZE!!!!

Source : - J.D.Power Aisa-Pacific 2007 India Initial Quality Study (IQS)

Car Mileage Rally - 2nd Dec 2007

All Logan(Petrol) Owners can participate in the rally and actually, show the World, Which is the Superior car ;-)

Car Mileage Rally on Dec. 2,2007
Western India Automobile Association in collaboration with The Petroleum Conservation Research Association, will be organizing the PCRA-WIAA Car Mileage Rally in Mumbai on December 2. 2007

The 65km (apprx.) rally is being organized to encourage and spread the message of fuel conservation through good driving habits.

The rally is open to only petrol vehicles for following Categories:

1. Cars Up to 1100CC
2. Cars above 1300CC to 1600CC
3. Cars above 1601CC
4. Imported Cars

Entries are open on a first-come-first-serve basis for the first 100 cars.

The deadline for entries is November 28 at 4.30 p.m. and should be submitted at the Western India Automobile Association, 1st floor, Indian Merchants' Chamber, Churchgate, Mumbai 400 020.

The assembly of the cars will be at Super Services (STNS) Pvt. Ltd. Car Park 157 Behind Petroleum House, Near Mantralaya, Jeevan Bima Marg, Near HP Pump, Back Bay Reclamation, Mumbai 400 020 on 2nd December from 8.00am onwards.

For more details contact WIAA: Tel: 22041085 / 22041271Fax 22041382. E-mail: wiaaindia@rediffmail.comContact Person: Ms. Shulamit Isaacs./ Mr. Rohan Dangle.

Entry Form

LOGANIZE!!

Scuff Plates for the LOGAN!

Heres a pik from our dear friend Dushyant. He has installed these 'Scuff Plates' in his Logan. Scuff plates are installed to protect the color of the door area as it constantly foights with pelts, stones, muck and wat not from our shoes!

They cost him about Rs.1000/-

If any of u have any other pictures if the Logan, send them to me on saumilalpa@gmail.com

LOGANIZE!!

Logan with Spoiler!

Heres a pic posted by an avid LOGANISER Mr. Vyenkatesh.

LOGANS the BEST, Once Again!!

New Delhi (PTI): Mahindra & Mahindra's (M&M) sedan Logan, which hit the Indian roads some six months back, has been named among the 16 best cars not sold in America by a leading US magazine.

In the list of 'The Best Cars Not Sold in America', compiled by BusinessWeek in its latest edition, Logan is the only Indian car along side 15 others being sold in the non-American markets.

Pointing out that Logan is originally a model from Romanian automaker Dacia, the magazine noted, "Mahindra and Mahindra would probably love to export cars to this country (US) some day, but that day is probably several years away."

Dacia is part of Renault which was bailed out of the American market way back in 1986.
Most of the other cars named in the list are from Europe and Japan, such as Opel Zafira, Peugeot 308, Renault Scenic, Citroen C3 Pluriel, Alfa Romeo Spider, Ford Focus, Smart for Two and Mercedes-Benz A Class.

The list also includes a Chinese car Cherry QQ, Nissan Pino (Japan), Holden VE Ute (Australia), Citroen C-Crosser, SEAT Altea Freetrack and Alfa Romeo 8C.

Source: The Hindu, 21st Oct'07

LOGANS THE ACE!!

Excerpt from OVERDRIVE, 3rd August 2007.

"There you have it - the Logan’s ace in the pack* (its ace in the pack the world over). For Rs 5.68 lakh you get a car that’s almost perfect for India – rides brilliantly, has the roomiest interiors, boasts all the equipment you’ll need and is robust like no other car here. With this pricing I don’t see the other cars getting much of a look in. Little wonder the whole country has its eyes glued to the Logan. "

*(Pack includes LOGAN, Ford Fiesta, Accent CRDI and Aveo)

LOGAN'S ROCKING INDIA

GUYS THIS IS ROCKING NEWS!! OUR VERY OWN MAHINDRA-RENAULT LOGAN, IN JUST 2 MONTHS FROM ITS LAUNCH, HAS OUTSOLD ALL OTHER SEDANS INCLUDING THE WARHORSE HONDA CITY AND THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK MARUTI SUZUKI SX4.

YES! MAHINDRA RENAULT SOLD 2890 UNITS OF THE LOGAN only in the month of July'07.

AND THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING!! :-)

(CLICK HERE FOR MAHINDRA-RENAULTS OFFICIAL CONFIRMATION OF THE SAME!)



WAY TO GO!!

LOGANIZE!!

http://mahindralogan.blogspot.com

WAT A CAR!!!

Check This Out Guys!! A Sexy Modified LOGAN!! This ones from Romania!! But We all can sure draw some Inspiration cant we!!!

Source : Automotorclub

More LOGANS in the making!!

KOLKATA: Mahindra-Renault, a 51:49 partnership between Mahindra & Mahindra and Renault, will gradually increase the production capacity of Logan in the country, a company official said on Tuesday.

The company was manufacturing 90 units per day at the moment at its Nashik plant. The peak capacity of the plant was 50,000 units per annum, Mahindra-Renault Vice-president Nalin Mehta told reporters here.

Mehta said that more products from the Mahindra-Renault products stable would be introduced in the Indian market from the proposed greenfield plant coming up at Chennai with a production capacity of four lakh units per annum.
Production at the Chennai plant was expected to commence from 2009.

Launched in select cities in April, the company sold 2,786 units in May and 2,386 units in June.

Mehta said the company would focus on the domestic market and not on exports in the immediate future. It would also expand distribution and service network across the country, he added.

Source : The Economic Times.

Design a New LOGAN and More!!!

Mumbai, July 19: French carmaker Renault, which plans to develop USD 3,000 car for the Indian market, today said it has opened a design centre - Renault design India.

The design unit would be developed as other units in Barcelona, Paris and Bucharest to handle initial project design to final mock-up of a vehicle, Renault said in a statement.



The centre was earlier operating as an "observation unit" with six employees. Thecompany plans to hire more automobile designers.



Renault design India in association with AutoCar magazine is launching a competition called "Inddesign" to turn the spotlight on Indian design.



The competition winner would get a three-month placement at Renault design India, it said.



The Mumbai design centre played a major role in the Logan car, the company said. Renault and Mahindra have a joint venture to make Logan in India.



It has a separate venture with Mahindra and Nissan Motor to make cars in Chennai.



Source : Zee News Web.

LOGAN Gives the AVEO and FIESTA a Run for their Money!!

Mumbai : The C-segment is buzzing with choice in the car market. Here are the contenders - Mahindra Renault Logan 1.6, the Ford Fiesta 1.4 and the Chevrolet Aveo 1.4. If you are confused about which car is the right one for you, then it's time to clear the air.

The Logan does come with a 1.4 engine which is way cheaper than anything else in this comparison. So, it would definitely make that one the value for money package.
But the 1.6 scores better because it's in the right price category. With the Logan 1.6, it matches the 1.4. So, what you're getting is a better engine, better acceleration figures at the price of a 1.4 engine.

This car is extremely spacious and it has a large boot, which is a plus point, especially for the Indian market. The engine is refined and plus it handles well. This car is quite an all-rounder and it's really tough to pin any shortcomings on this car.

But the Logan makes up for that with a boot that is as big as the Civic's and has space enough to match a Corolla and it's 85 bhp, 1.6 litre dutiful engine seems a steal at the price.

If you want to combine it all (Driving pleasure, Refinement, Space, Comfort) and luxury but want cracking value for money, then close your eyes and go in for the Logan.



Source :IBNLive.com, 02/07/07.

Logan Diesel- A Well-Built Car with Excellent Economy!!

This article is of the Mahindra Renault Logan, from Business Standard Motoring, I won’t copy paste the whole article here, but a few excerpts on the car, that I found worth taking a note of.

Except 1: Proves to be, quite a spacious car.
" Make no mistake, this is a car built to a price. And the Indian version sticks to the brief like glue. The design is not like any of the contemporary Renaults since the thinking when the Logan was conceived, was a car that looked as robust as it actually was. Mahindra can be happy that like their proven utes, the Logan is a sturdy machine. It is evident the way the doors shut, how the car rides over bad roads, skims over speed-breakers and how it tackles corners. There is nothing flimsy about this machine. And then there is space – lots of it. An airy cabin with the feel accentuated by pre-tanned grainy plastic (again, lots of it), lots of elbow and head room (bring on the turbans) and a rear bench seat that can actually seat three make it a class leader. We drove a diesel car close to 600 km before filing this report, and that too, over all kinds of roads and we came back impressed. Fit and finish of the car, despite a very labour intensive manufacturing process which makes it affordable, is second to none. This car is absolutely well put together. The powertrain (imported for the time being) felt indestructible too in a way traditional engines did. The gear ratios are suited for commuting and we were surprised how easy the diesel was to drive on congested Mumbai roads. The improved airconditioner did a good job of keeping the commute cool. Getting in and out of the car is easy and seats are good for three-hour stints. Another strength area is economy – Mahindra Renault claims 18 kpl on the highway and our Logan actually returned 20 kpl easily. Brilliant indeed. The petrol models are supposed to return 10-13 kpl but we are yet to drive them.The Logan is contemporary when it comes to crashworthiness. And the company has offered driver-side airbags as standard fitment for the top-end models. Way to go. "


Excerpt 2: As a reader on my blog had commented, asking the commutablity of the car in highly congested traffic, here’s an answer.
"The gear ratios are suited for commuting and we were surprised how easy the diesel was to drive on congested Mumbai roads."

Excerpt 3: Value For Money!
" In short, the car should appeal to anyone who is planning to buy anything, from the top-of-the-line Hyundai Santro and Suzuki Wagon R to the Suzuki Swift and Hyundai Getz to the Honda City and Ford Fiesta. The top-end petrol model with a 1.6-litre engine is a whopping Rs 1.5 lakh cheaper than a City while the premium diesel variant is a clean Rs 1 lakh cheaper than a Fiesta TDCi – yes, it looks like moving 50,000 units won't be a problem for the Indo-French combine "

Excerpt 4: To summarise it all…
"Right product, right manufacturing strategy, right risk mitigation exercises and right pricing and packaging. If you are looking for a well-built car that can offer excellent economy, then the Logan diesel is where your hunt should end. "

The LOGAN Hitting the Road soon!!

Finally!!

The Most Awaited Car in India will hit the Roads very shortly!!! Your Wait is Getting Over!

With deliveries starting on 7th of May in Mumbai, I am sure most of us have our fingers crossed for earliest deliveries!!

Please keep posting about any deliveries received or post pictures of Logans seen on Road!

ON THE WARPATH !!

MAHINDRA RENAULT’S PRODIGY ISN’T JUST A SHALLOW ALTERNATIVE TO A FIESTA, IT IS MUCH MORE. PHENOMENAL IS WHAT IT IS FOR THE PRICE…

The Mahindra Renault Logan by theory is supposed to take on the likes of the Indigo’s and the Petra’s and give them a real run for their money.But in reality there will be the Verna’s and the Fiesta’s who will be sweating their guts out.Of course there is some real stiff competition in that sense from these new,increasingly fiery,increasingly sophisticated diesels with their nose-up sense of prestige.The Logan of course is the Great White Hope for the mega tie-up between Mahindra and Renault.

An initial glance at the specifications shows you 65bhp from a 1.5-litre diesel which may not be even a scratch on the Verna’s brow,but it does manage to closely match the Fiesta’s 68bhp power output.But the Logan D’s biggest virtue is the fact that you can buy one for Rs 5.5 lakh! Most other diesel saloons which offer near as much space and comfort,except for may be the Indigo,cost almost an additional Rs 2 lakh.

The Logan’s wide stance makes it look like a stubby nononsense vehicle,more like a hardworking middle class man rather than a flamboyant design in motion.The interiors are functional and all controls are ergonomically placed except for the bonnet release lever,which is still on the passenger side.There are a couple of strange details:the tacho surprisingly has no redline and the driver’s seat height-adjust needs you to get off the seat for the seat to adjust.

The diesel hearted Logan seems agile and sprightly in motion.It feels nippy for the moderate 65bhp that it produces.It responds well to throttle demands and the evenly spread torque band, peaking at 160Nm,means overtaking is not a problem.The clutch and gearbox are light,with enough feel,and the brakes do a reasonable job although a bit more bite would make them nicer.The engine is quite refined,although it does get a little rough as you close in on the 4,000 plus rpm redline.But then again it is the Logan D in question,not a supercharged drag racer.With the floor mat sorted and the accelerator going all the way to the floor the Logan certainly moved with much more enthusiasm.

Seating comfort is also quite good with very sculpted front seats at the front and a wide rear bench at the back. Under-thigh support however could have been better at the rear to make longer drives more comfortable. Spec for spec and number for number,the Logan might not be much of a match for the executive saloons.But there’s one little detail,the Logan D starts at Rs 5.47 lakh (ex-showroom,Mumbai),and goes up to Rs 6.43 lakh for the top-end model,and it changes absolutely everything.That price is INSANE.

This is car-you-need territory.It isn’t exactly an aspirational object,it isn’t meant to be.Aspirational objects do not make numbers,but cars like the Logan do - and that is the basis of the Mahindra-Renault venture of course.This is a family car for people on a budget,not a teenybopper-mobile.There’s an engaging honesty about it:you know it’s a low-cost car and will function accordingly.The other end of the stick is the Indigo,which wants to be a limo but is a cheap,unsorted car that sells on price and space.Now the Logan starts to grow on you.And doesn’t stop.It takes little more than a short drive to convince you that the Logan is brilliant at everything it does.

Sometimes we auto hacks can get our heads up our own backsides.We yap on too much about the things that we like, things like a zillion bhp,F1-like cornering ability,and some more bhp.And you don’t always need that.Even stuff like ‘perceived’quality is just fluff - if the car doesn’t fall apart,it’s good quality,never mind how soft the dash plastics are.

And the height adjust and the tacho without a redline - it’s cool that you get them at all at the price.The dash is clear and practical.The design may look plain,but it makes for a vast rear seat,with bus-like windows. It isn’t bad to drive.For one,it rides well.Correction.It rides incredibly well.The Mumbai-Nasik highway isn’t velvet,and the Logan deals with potholes without any complaints. It handles competently too;there’s a hint of body roll,but nothing to complain about.It’s stable at high speeds,and doesn’t skitter on the now-choppy Expressway.And it’s efficient:19kpl is an astonishing figure for a saloon this big. At the price,you can’t even expect a better car.

India is an eccentric market.Talented cars don’t always succeed,but well-judged ones do.India’s list of requirements is simple,and the Logan covers most of them:

A) Make it inexpensive.(Yes)

B) Make it efficient.(Yes)

C) Make it spacious.(Yes)

D) Give it a good ride.(Yes)

E) Give it a flexible engine so it works well in traffic. (Yes)

F) Give it a big boot.(Yes)

G) Make it tough.(Yes)

NB: We have said inexpensive,not cheap,because the two things aren’t the same.The Logan doesn’t cost much to buy, but it doesn’t cut corners.It doesn’t give you anything you don’t need,but as transport,it’s next to flawless.

(Courtesy :- Times Drive, The Timers of India)

‘Dil ko dekho, chhehra na dekho’

There is an Urdu shairi that goes like this: ‘Dil ko dekho, chhehra na dekho’ which loosely translated says, ‘look at the heart (or soul) not the face.’
The newly launched Mahindra Renault Logan slips easily in to this verse. Perhaps it is not as chic as the Maruti Zen Estilo, as contemporary as the Getz Prime or as curvy as the Fiat Palio, but it has an USP that spells performance, economy and value for money and interiors as big as its heart. No one can say that it is not good looking; it’s just that it may not be mirror cracking material. Put succinctly it is ‘modern and attractive in line with international standards spacious and highly competitive in price.’
One of its USP is unrivalled roominess in its price segment. Besides it possesses all the fundamental safety specifications to meet both European and international standards. The wide bodied car has comfortable seating for three persons in the rear, with individual headrests. It has a boot capacity of 510 litres, which is the best in its category. Mahindra & Mahindra will use its extensive dealer network to distribute this car in India.
Almost 450,000 Logan are being sold in 51 countries on 5 continents. The price of the vehicle ex-New Mumbai for the Petrol 1400 and 1600cc versions ranges from Rs.4.28 lakhs to Rs.5.69 lakhs. The diesel 1500cc version varies from Rs.5.47 lakhs to Rs.6.44 lakhs. In Phase I it will be launched in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Nasik, Chandigarh and Ludhiana-deliveries will start in May; In Phase II the car will open for bookings in another 15 cities with deliveries commencing in June.
Logan’s exterior design is accentuated by wheel arches, sleek body sides and bonnet. The rear lamp clusters are off set at an angle to smoothen the structured edges. The Renault badge is prominent on the grille, accentuated with headlamps that provide a sharp visual in front. The air-conditioning and heating system is designed to suit India’s extreme climatic conditions. Low running and maintenance costs were major priorities.
The heart of the Logan is its state-of-the-art engines offered in 3 options – 1.4 and 1.6 litre petrol and a 1.5 litre diesel. The 1.4 petrol delivers 75hp, the 1.6 up to 84hp; the diesel offers 65hp. Transmission is a 5-speed manual gearbox common for both. The power steering offers superior handling with reduced turning radius of 5.25 metres. An alphanumeric display in the centre of the dashboard brings together warning lights and data supplied by the onboard computer.
The second-generation 1.5 dCi CRD engine gives a performance yet to be surpassed in this segment and is a product of the Renault group. It delivers an astounding fuel economy of 14-18 km/litre is delivered. Emission levels 125g/km of CO2 – is best among diesel cars.