New Renault Bridger: Patent Images Of Compact SUV Leak Ahead Of Today's Reveal
In order to make a bang in the sub-compact SUV segment, Renault will be unveiling the concept of its upcoming Bridger SUV. And just before the official reveal of its concept, the patent images of this SUV have been leaked online. These images give us a glimpse of how this new sub-4m SUV from Renault aims to take on the Maruti Suzuki Jimny.
First off, let's talk about the design of the Renault Bridger. We can note that Renault is taking a similar approach as Mahindra and Tata, which have taken their design inspiration from the British luxury SUV maker Land Rover Range Rover for their new SUVs. Eagle-eyed viewers will be able to note that the overall silhouette and stance of the upcoming Bridger seem to be inspired by the Land Rover Defender luxury SUV.
At the front, the Renault Bridger will boast a macho SUV-like upright design with sleek W-shaped LED DRLs and LED headlights. The centre portion will get a blanked-off grille, and the bumper will be simple yet imposing. There will be a large air dam in the middle with a stylized grille and a chunky silver skid plate, which will add to the rugged off-roader styling.
Moving to the profile, you'll be clearly able to note the Land Rover Defender inspiration talked about before. The upcoming Bridger will get a dual-tone roof, squared-off wheel arches, large windows, thin claddings, and a set of 17-18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels. Other interesting details that can be noted from the leaked patent images are that it will get simple front door handles, but the rear door handles will be hidden.
As for the rear-end design of the mini Duster, the upcoming Bridger will get a tailgate-mounted spare wheel, which will add to the rugged off-roader styling of this SUV. It will also get unique-looking L-shaped LED taillights and a simple rear bumper with a chunky silver skid plate. Overall, the Bridger looks like a very imposing SUV but will be smaller than the Duster and underneath it in the Renault lineup in India.
The upcoming Renault Bridger will be based on Renault's new modular R-GMP platform. This multi-energy platform will help Renault in offering the Bridger with different powertrain options. The first will be a 1.0-litre turbo petrol from the Duster that will be launched this month. Then there will be a new 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, which is under development.
Additionally, Renault is also working on two battery pack options of 35 kWh and 55 kWh for an all-electric version of the Bridger. Also Renault will be offering the Bridger with a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid powertrain options as well.
It is believed that the Renault Bridger will start at Rs 10 lakh and will go up to Rs 20 lakh. As for the launch date, it has been reported that the Bridger’s official launch will take place around 18 months after the launch of the Duster, which means that it will be launched around the festive season of 2027.
The Renault Bridger is being designed in India for the Indian market. However, the SUV will be exported to international markets as well. Most likely, Renault will manufacture the Bridger at its manufacturing facility in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Renault is targeting annual sales of 80,000 to 90,000 units from this sub-4m SUV segment.