Posted On Sunday, February 05, 2012 at 08:16:21 AM
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No, you’re not losing it and we’re not pulling a fast one on you. This car may look like a Nissan Micra moonlighting as a Renault, but the Pulse is indeed the French carmaker’s latest stab at the volumes market.
In an age when the economics are critical, this swap-the-badge game is increasingly becoming popular. It started with the Renault Koleos, which incidentally was more than just a rebadge — it genuinely looked different from the Nissan X-Trail that it is based on.
But with the Pulse, the similarities with its Japanese cousin are all too clear, especially in profile. Still, there are some proper changes. The face is all-new and looks distinctive.
 The Pulse doesn’t feel like a girl’s car the way the Nissan Micra does. The Pulse looks feisty and demands attention. But Renault’s designers seem to have lost the will mid-way – the sides and rear don’t have enough to convince you that you’ve not bought a Micra.
Renault has cleverly played with colour and added dashes of black to break the monotony, giving the Pulse a bit of a sporty edge. Inside, things are even more similar and there’s not much else different other than the Renault badge on the steering wheel.
We drove the diesel, which is also from the little Japanese runabout. This 1461cc four-pot puts out a modest 63bhp and more importantly, 160Nm of torque. For a car that weighs just 1070kg, the low output will do for most people. With a 0-100kph of 14.8 seconds, don’t expect to break any land-speed records in this.
But the Pulse impresses with its driveability. You’ll appreciate the crisp throttle response in traffic and the fuel economy will keep your accountant happy. It managed a nice 13.4kpl in the city and although we couldn’t test for highway efficiency, we expect it to match the Micra.
While the Pulse is impressive in the city, the low output lets it down on the highway, especially with a full load. The lack of decent top-end means you do have to work that gearbox pretty hard to compensate for your bad overtaking skills. And the rubbery gearbox doesn’t do it any favours.
Its road manners too are more suited to sedate city driving than for expressway speeds. The suspension is tuned more for ride comfort. Throw the Pulse into a corner and it doesn’t feel as surefooted as, say, a proper European hatchback. Body roll is felt through corners and the steering feels a little too light, especially at speed.
The suspension is a bit too soft and could do with better damping to reduce the car’s slight tendency to bob over uneven patches. So be warned, you won’t be setting any corners on fire in this one.
But the Pulse is not a driver’s car and it doesn’t pretend to be one. It is a large family hatchback that will appeal to Mr Practical. It has good legroom both front and rear. The seats are nice and comfortable and the car comes packed with equipment in the RxZ trim level.
But at Rs 6.61 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai) and going head-to-head against segment leader Maruti Swift, may prove to be a little too ambitious for the Pulse. Because the king doesn’t take kindly to competition.
This car is good, but it isn’t great like the Swift, which means Renault has its work cut out.
 Sporty spice
The all-new Pulsar is here and Bajaj has gone for a street fighter look rather than a regular commuter-bike face.
To match the sporty body language is a 200cc single-cylinder engine that makes 23bhp and 18.5Nm of torque. Bajaj will announce the price closer to the launch date in April but has hinted it will be under 1 lakh.
 Short story
Maruti has launched the all-new Swift Dzire in India. It is based on the current-generation Swift, and unlike the older car — which had a huge boot — the new model is a stubby notchback.
The shorter rear overhang should improve driving dynamics but at the cost of boot capacity, from the earlier 400 litres to 316 litres now. Prices range from 5.04 lakh to 7.35 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai).
 Welcome, Duke
The Pulsar may still be some time away, but enthusiasts can look forward to another tasty treat in the form of KTM, which is entering India.
KTM has launched the Duke 200 in India, to be retailed through Bajaj’s pro-biking showrooms, which have now been rebranded KTM. The bike will retail at 1.17 lakh ex-showroom Delhi.
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09:58:26 PM