2016 Renault Duster facelift spotted testing in India again; to be launched around 2015-end

Renault India has been working on Duster's face-lifted version and the vehicle is expected to hit market before 2016.

In the fresh batch of spy pictures, taken by IndianAutosBlog at Chennai's GST Road, the new Duster sports less camouflage, thereby giving a fair idea about the upcoming facelift.

The spy pictures indicate the front end of the car will have a different grille. The current multi-slat grill is more likely to make way for a single slat grille, which is in line with the Duster sold in international market. The design of the headlamp remains the same, but the rearrangements inside the unit are identical to the Duster sold in the Brazilian market. The front and rear bumpers will also undergo some changes.

The spy picture of the rear end indicates a newly-designed tail lamp. The basic silhouette will remain the same. Apart from these, the test vehicle will run on a newly-designed dark coloured alloy wheels.

In the interior, a redesigned dashboard with up-market upholstery can be expected. The model will continue to have seven-inch MediaNAV infotainment display and cruise control.

Under the hood, the new Duster could retain the 1.5-litre dCi diesel engine, developing power in two state of tune -- 84bhp and 108bhp. The engine is mated to 5-speed and 6-speed manual gearboxes. An Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) version of the Duster, which the manufacturer calls Easy-R, might also make an entry.

Meanwhile, Renault also started working on the next generation Duster that is scheduled to be unveiled in 2017. The next generation Duster undergoing testing suggests a seven-seater version with increased length.