Captur is a Go!

Renault 
is planning a new range of 
off-roaders in an attempt 
to Captur the SUV market!

Bosses have told us the Captur crossover will be the smallest model in a new family of three SUVs, produced in conjunction with alliance partner Nissan.

The two larger cars will 
take styling cues from the Captur. And just as the latter shares its platform with the Nissan Juke supermini-SUV, 
the other models will use 
the underpinnings of the 
next-generation Qashqai. 

The mid-range model will 
be roughly the same size as the SUV-styled family model, with the biggest car in the trio having similar dimensions 
to the X-Trail off-roader.

Petrol and diesel engines will range in capacity from 
1.6 to 1.8 litres, and include 128bhp and 158bhp twin-
turbocharged versions of 
the 1.6-litre dCi oil-burner. 

The new cars are expected to carry over the large Renault badge, curvy panels and full-width grille from the Captur as the firm looks to make a real impression on the SUV class. Its previous offerings haven’t been hits, with the Koleos compact SUV axed in the UK last year after only 3,000 found homes. Renault hopes to tap into Nissan’s success with the Juke and Qashqai.

The newcomers are part of plans to increase the number of Renault models produced to 44 by 2013 and 48 by 2016. The range of ZE electric cars – due for launch over the coming months – will take the line-up to 44 models from 40 in 2010.

text and images: Autoexpress