Renault Austral teased as a replacement for the Renault Kadjar
Renault starts the tease for a new SUV to replace the Renault Kadjar, with Renault Austral the chosen name. Debuts spring 2022.
The Renault Kadjar has been with us since 2015 and, apart from a minor titivate in 2018, it’s remained unchanged. But there’s a new Kadjar due in 2022, but it won’t be a Kadjar as Renault reveal it’s getting a new name – the Renaut Austral.
It seems Renault has a Model-naming Strategy Manager, Sylvia Dos Santos, whose job it is to come up with names and to explain them. It seems Austral was chosen because:
Austral conjures up the vibrancy and heat of the southern hemisphere and extends an invitation to explore, which makes it an ideal fit for an SUV. The word is built around a harmonious balance of sounds that are easy to pronounce by people all around the world, giving it a truly international feel.
So now you know the marketing gobbledygook.
The Austral will be the French sister to the Nissan Qashqai, come with new looks and the platform from the Qashqai, slightly longer than the Japanese car, and with a new interior.
What we don’t yet know is whether Renault will make use of Nissan’s innovative e-Power – a petrol engine effectively running electric motors – although it does seem likely Nissan will want to keep it as as a USP for the Qashqai. But a version of the Captur’s more conventional E-Tech system seems most likely alongside more conventional mild-hybrid options.
Expect more teases ahead of a reveal in the New Year.
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