Sometimes, the visions of Photoshop manipulators and the plans of carmakers seem to converge, and this appears to be the case with the rumored performance version of the Dacia Sandero.
Virtually imagined a couple of months ago by French Photoshop artist Khalil, the Dacia Sandero RS is reportedly under development, as Renault Sport Technologies Patrice Ratti has revealed. Speaking to Autocar ahead of the Moscow International Auto Salon, the executive said the hot Sandero will launch next year but won’t be sold in western Europe.
The new model will be aimed at emerging markets such as Russia and Brazil, where it will help spearhead Renault Sport’s growth. In these two markets, the Sandero is marketed under the Renault badge, making the RS transformation easy from a brand perspective.
Ratti said the Sandero RS will get a different engine than the ones currently available in the lineup. However, don’t expect big power gains, as the Sandero is lighter than a Clio and doesn’t need much power. Currently, the most powerful version of the Sandero offered in Russia is a 101hp 1.6-liter four-cylinder petrol.
Ratti said that the Sandero RS will be positioned at the lower end of Renault’s performance range, alongside a performance Twingo, which is also a possibility. He added that Renault will also build a performance crossover, likely to be based on the Captur.
Rendering: Virtuel-Car
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