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.

Now u Believe me???

Here is an email reply that i received from a Romanian dude who was involved in the Logan project in India. I asked him what he felt about Mahindra's pricing and here's the reply:

Hi,
First of all, thanks for your message!Regarding the pricing in India, I am no expert, but I am sure that you can find in India cars even cheaper that the Logan, just as it happens in Romania.I guess Mahindra Renault came up with a price that makes the car at least "potentially" attractive. The initial Logan project proposed a car at 5,000 Euro, but even in Romania the base price is now 6,400 Euro (for the 1.4 petrol engine), while in Western Europe it exceeds 7,500 Euro. The fact is that the price for Logan, just as for all cars, is not the exact value of the work put in that car: it is a price that enough people would pay, and by "enough" I mean a fine balance between the number of customers and the profit per car.

Can Mahindra Renault post a lower price for Logan? Definetely YES! They will probably do it sooner or later, once the competition heats up. But for the time being, you have to notice this: although Logan is usually named "low cost car", in reality it is "more car for less money". It doesn't come cheap, this is true, but if you compare it with other cars in terms of space, servicing costs, and even comfort, you'll find the "real" competitors with tags that are at least 2,000 USD higher.In addition to that, the diesel engine is quite a bargain in terms of consumption. I'll give you in advance what my next blog post will say: in its first trip outside the city, my Logan "drank" 4.1 liters for 100 km, which is extremely low for a car of this size, with an engine that is still not "rounded" yet!I hope this helps...
Best regards,

No Comparision with the LOGAN!!

(PLEASE KEEP CHECKING THE COMENTS TO GET ANSWERS TO MOST OF YOUR QUERIES. YOU ARE FREE TO ASK OR ANSWER ANY QUERY. THANKS)_________________________________________________________

Check the below comparisons with other successful cars.. The Logan surely Outperforms!!

WIDEST (in mm)
LOGAN 1740
OPTRA 1725
HONDA CITY 1690
COROLLA 1705
MERCEDES C-CLASS 1728

BIGGER BOOT SPACE (in litre)
LOGAN 510
OPTRA 405
HONDA CITY 500
COROLLA 430
MERCEDES C-CLASS 430

MAXIMUM HEIGHT (in mm)
LOGAN 1534
OPTRA 1445
HONDA CITY 1495
COROLLA 1490
MERCEDES C-CLASS 1426

Color Options In the LOGAN

Please Note:- The Models GL,GLE and DLE have only Sahara Beige and Fiery Black as options. Only the top models GLS and DLS have all color options.

LOGAN LAUNCHED!! -->EXCLUSIVE PICTURES<--

THE MAHINDRA RENAULT LOGAN WAS FINALLY LAUNCHED IN INDIA. IT WAS OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED on 3rd APRIL'07 FOR THE PRESS AT THE TAJ LANDS END HOTEL IN BANDRA,MUMBAI.

Carlos Ghosn, president & CEO of Renault SA, said:
“Today signals a new step in Renault’s global expansion. It marks the start of Renault sales on the Indian market and sees the first right hand drive version of Logan created to meet the needs of our Indian customers.”

(I WAS PRESENT THERE AND TOOK SOME PICTURES WITH ME CELL PHONE TO SHARE WITH EVERYONE!)

Petrol
Model Price (in INR) **
GL 1.4 - - - - - - - 427,950
GLE 1.4 - - - - - - 471,915
GLS 1.6 - - - - - - 568,789
Diesel
Model Price (in INR) **
DLE 1.5 dci - - - - 547,064
DLS 1.5 dci - - - - 643,939
**(all above prices are Ex-Showroom NaviMumbai)

MUMBAI: Fuelling competition in the Indian mid-size car market, Mahindra-Renault on Tuesday unveiled 'Logan' - an entry-level no frills sedan - with prices starting at Rs 4.28 lakh for the base petrol variant.

The joint venture company between India's Mahindra and Mahindra and French auto maker will be rolling out 50,000 units of Logan this year from Mahindra's Nashik facility set up at a cost of Rs 700 crore.

While the 1.4 litre petrol engine variant is priced at Rs 4.28 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai), the 1.61 litre carries a price tag of Rs 5.69 lakh. The 1.5 litre diesel engine car, which has two variants, comes at a price of Rs 5.47 lakh to Rs 6.44 lakh. Initially, Logan will hit the roads in the top 10 cities of the country in the second week of this month.


"We aim to sell the entire production capacity of 50,000 units per annum from the Nashik plant in the Indian market and we do not have plans to export the product at the moment," M&M Vice Chairman and Managing Director Anand Mahindra said here at a function to unveil the car. Renault SA President and CEO Carlos Ghosn said the joint venture entity, in which Mahindra holds 51 per cent, would 'ramp up production' if the market so demands.

The sedan, developed by Renault and its Romanian affiliate Dacia is modern but stripped of costly design features. It is almost a runaway success in the European market and has sold almost 450,000 units worldwide since its launch in 2004.

"Almost 50 per cent of the parts used in the car are sourced from Indian OEMs. Engines, however, are being sourced from Romania and Spain," Mahindra said, adding that the company would use local engines on a later date.
(Times Of India, 3 Apr, 2007 16-48hrs )

-Saumil Bhavsar (0-98925-98827)

saumilalpa@gmail.com

IN SHOWROOMS TOMORROW!

FINALLY THE MUCH AWAITED

MAHINDRA-RENAULT LOGAN

WILL BE PRESS LAUNCHEDTOMORROW....