Upcoming Renault Bridger (Mini Duster) Sub-4 Meter Compact SUV Imagined
Renault will launch its second sub-compact SUV in India in the foreseeable future. The company will showcase the ‘Bridger Concept’, which previews this model, in Guyancourt, France, tomorrow. While the exact nature of this SUV remains unclear, Renault has released a set of images showing portions of the design and giving out clues of the silhouette. We have now imagined the possible front design of the concept SUV, taking cues from the first images.
This illustration shows the front three-quarter view of the SUV. It retains the upright stance and boxy design suggested by the teaser images. We can see the upright tail section, flared wheel arches, integrated side steps, and bold body cladding. The roof rails look solid and are well integrated into the larger design. The wheels have a rugged design and are finished in black.
It is clear from the teaser images that the Bridger-based SUV, or the 'mini-Duster’, will have a rugged front end. There will be a pronounced forward dip towards the nose, like what we see on the Duster. This is not too visible on the rendering. We can, however, see the steep rake of the A-pillar. The upper half- the A, B and C pillars and the roof- is painted black, adding more character to the overall design.
The grille section here gets a textured finish and has 'Renault' spelled out. The actual concept will have ‘Renault’ written on a clean, plain grille panel. The India-spec Duster, in fact, has a similar grille design. There, ‘Duster’ is spelled out on a gloss-black panel.
The headlamps have an imposing design as well and have been imagined with C-shaped DRLs. The actual concept (and maybe even the production model) may feature a different design. The front bumper looks rugged and has an integrated skid plate.
The mini-Duster will have a high ground clearance and the same is visible in this design. A tailgate-mounted spare wheel is another important highlight of this design. While the design looks rugged, it also retains a sense of sophistication.
The design teasers that have surfaced so far point to the production form being a small off-roader SUV, that could potentially compete with the Jimny when launched. This render has reinforced this character. The resemblance to the Defender is obvious here as well. We believe even the production model will have this.
The Bridger project is believed to be led largely by Renault’s India design team, and the production version will be developed specifically for the Indian market. The carmaker has a full-fledged design studio in Chennai, which is its second-largest global design studio after the one in Paris.
The company already sells a sub-four-metre offering in India- the Kiger. The Bridger-based SUV will, however, stand out with its character. Internally codenamed the RB3-K2 B-SUV, the production form will be based on the RGMP platform, the same that underpins the India-spec Duster.
This platform itself is quite versatile and supports diverse powertrains. Renault is reportedly considering a multi-powertrain approach with the Bridger. In addition to pure petrol, it is likely to be made available in hybrid, and EV powertrains.
While previous speculations suggested it to use the 1.0L turbo-petrol, fresh reports by Autocar Professional say that Renault would debut a new 1.2 litre naturally aspirated (NA) petrol engine. The NA engine will be offered alongside hybrid, EV and a turbocharged petrol engine.
In Renault’s India portfolio, the Bridger-based SUV will sit between the Kiger and the Duster. It will be aimed primarily at urban buyers looking for a small SUV that actually looks like one! The production form will play a crucial role in shaping Renault’s future success in India.