The first-generation Renault Logan went on sale in 2004 and was produced not only in Romania but also in India, where it was marketed as the Mahindra Renault Logan and later as the Mahindra Verito. It was designed from the start as a cheap, simple car that owners could repair themselves.
Mahindra Verito at a glance
| Maker | Renault with Dacia; built in India by Mahindra |
|---|---|
| Indian names | Mahindra Renault Logan, later Mahindra Verito |
| Launched | June 2004, on sale from September 2004 |
| Platform | Dacia B0 |
| Parts count | 50% fewer than a high-end Renault |
| Price, base | €5,900; up to €11,200 with equipment and duty |
| Petrol engines | 1.6-litre, and a 1.6 16-valve of 105 hp in the Prestige |
| Diesel engine | 1.5-litre from September 2005, 85 hp version from July 2007 |
| Small engine | 1.2-litre 16-valve added in June 2009 |
| Facelift | New Logan announced 1 July 2008 |
| Body styles | Saloon, estate (MCV) and pick-up |
The source article covers the Logan family rather than Mahindra’s version of it; the Indian names are taken from its list of markets and badges.
History of the Mahindra Verito
The Logan was designed at Renault’s Technocentre near Paris after Renault bought Dacia in 1999, and it was developed over four years as the X90 project. Renault’s Louis Schweitzer had been struck by how well cheap Ladas sold in Russia while much dearer Renaults stayed in the showroom, and the Logan was meant to be a good car for about €6,000. The cheapest version cost €5,900 and the price could reach €11,200 depending on equipment and customs duty.
The car was built from the outset as an inexpensive machine, with deliberately simplified features. It has 50 per cent fewer parts than a high-end Renault and few electronic devices, which made it cheap to build and easy to repair. Rear-view mirrors are symmetrical and can be used on either side, the windscreen is flatter than usual and the dashboard is a single injection-moulded piece. The suspension is soft and strong and the chassis sits noticeably higher than most compact cars, to cope with dirt roads and potholes, while the engine was prepared for lower-quality fuel and the air conditioning for temperatures above 40 °C.
It was launched in June 2004 and went on sale in September, and Renault, which had not planned to sell it in Western Europe, began importing a more expensive version in June 2005. The range used 1.6-litre petrol engines, including a 105 hp 16-valve in the Prestige trim, a 1.5-litre diesel from September 2005 with an 85 hp version from July 2007, and a 1.2-litre 16-valve from June 2009. A facelifted New Logan was announced on 1 July 2008 and adopted by the estate in October of that year. The car was also built in Morocco, Argentina, Turkey, Russia, Colombia, Iran and India, where Mahindra sold it under its own names.
Design and features
- Built to a price: 50 per cent fewer parts than a high-end Renault and very little electronics.
- Repair-friendly: symmetrical mirrors, a flat windscreen and a one-piece moulded dashboard.
- Rough-road chassis: soft, strong suspension and a body sitting higher than most compact cars.
- Flexible range: saloon, estate and pick-up bodies with petrol and diesel engines.
Mahindra Verito versions
- Mahindra Renault Logan: the Indian-built first-generation saloon under the Renault-Mahindra joint name.
- Mahindra Verito: the later Indian name for the same car.
- Logan MCV: the estate version, also sold as the Lada Largus.
- Logan pick-up: the commercial version, sold as the Nissan NP200 in South Africa.
- New Logan (2008): the facelifted car with a more modern front and interior.
The Verito was Mahindra’s passenger car alongside its utility models such as the Scorpio and the Bolero. More in the Mahindra collection.
Sources
- Dacia Logan, English Wikipedia: development, platform, engines, trims, facelift, Indian names
