At the 2014 Delhi Auto Expo, Renault showed off a quirky little Kwid Concept. This is actually the first concept vehicle Renault has ever debuted outside of Europe.
At first glance, the Kwid Concept look like a buggy car. The playfulness of the vehicles’ exterior design is offset by a robust appearance due to its protective guards and chunky wings.
The interior of the Kwid Concept is designed to serve as a snug cocoon and is inspired by a bird’s nest. It features rear climate control with controls on the driver seat’s back as well as ventilation through concentric perforations. The dashboard is an integrated tablet for commanding the navigation of the Flying Companion which can be used for a variety of purposes, including scouting traffic, taking landscape pictures and detecting obstacles on the road ahead.
The Kwid Concept is powered by a downsized 1.2-litre petrol turbocharged engine mated to dual-clutch transmission. Other technology-rich features include electric operated front bench seat on a center rail, electric opening doors and LED lighting.
The Kwid Concept is also tailored specifically to meet the needs of drivers in India. The vehicle is suitable for a family of five and the multimedia dashboard, along with the Flying Companion, answers the need to stay connected. The vehicle’s lightweight interior design is also adapted to warm weather conditions.
The Kwid Concept’s two-tone body colouring consists of satin grey for the body and textured grey for functional parts as well as golden yellow for contrasting roof and air intake. The vehicle also sports yellow inserts on wheels, lower doors and perforated parts. While this colour scheme features the corporate colours of the Renault Group, the tones also evoke associations with India where the grey represents the soil, while the yellow and gold symbolises flowers and spices.
Additionally, the Kwid Concept features an unusual ‘McLaren F1-ish’ seat arrangement, with three passengers up front and the driver seat in the middle, in a slightly forward position to offer shoulder room, as well as two seats at the back. The central driving position afforded by this arrangement meets international driving demands, enabling the car to driven in both right hand and left hand drive markets.
