Actor-turned-politician and the current Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Vijay (Joseph Vijay), is already gaining popularity among his fans and followers for bringing changes in many areas. Like most actors, Vijay also has a soft corner for vehicles, and we have seen proof of the same in the past. After becoming the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Vijay has reportedly held discussions with many brands, including Ford. Now, a new video has surfaced online in which the actor is seen driving a brand-new Renault Duster on the road.
The video has been shared by multiple YouTube channels and other social media platforms. In the video, we see Chief Minister Vijay visiting the Renault plant in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It appears that the actor was there as part of a plant visit. During the visit, he toured the production line, stockyard, and even the test track within the facility.
When Vijay and his team reached the test track, a brand-new Renault Duster was waiting for them. The actor stepped out of his official vehicle and walked straight towards the Duster. A couple of Renault officials were also present at the spot, and instead of getting into the co-driver’s seat, Vijay went directly to the driver’s side.
The actor then drove the new Duster around the test track. After completing multiple sections of the circuit, he returned to the starting point. We then see him having a conversation with the engineering and product teams at the plant.
From the interaction, it appeared that Vijay was impressed with the new Renault Duster SUV. During the visit, the Renault team also discussed the brand’s future plans. We see that the company is planning to launch the Duster Hybrid, a new seven-seater SUV, and the Bigster-based SUV, which is expected to be offered with ICE, hybrid, EV, and CNG powertrain options.
The Renault Duster seen in the video is the latest-generation version of the SUV, and it was launched earlier this year. Official deliveries started only recently, and Renault is currently selling around 1,500 units of the SUV every month.
The SUV is based on the RGMP architecture, which is a heavily re-engineered and scalable derivative of the European CMF-B architecture. It is loaded with premium features such as a 10.1-inch multimedia touchscreen with Google built-in, a 10.25-inch digital driver display, an electrically adjustable driver’s seat, a panoramic sunroof, seat ventilation, automatic climate control, Level 2 ADAS, six airbags, ABS, EBD, and more. The SUV also gets a wireless phone charger, a 360-degree camera, a push-button start/stop system, keyless entry and go, and several other convenience features.
The Renault Duster is currently available with two engine options. The first is a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine that generates 100 PS and 166 Nm of peak torque. This engine is available only with a six-speed manual transmission. The second is a 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine that generates 163 PS and 280 Nm of torque.
It is offered with either a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed DCT. It appears that Vijay drove the 1.3-litre version inside the plant. Renault is also expected to launch the strong hybrid version with a 1.8-litre petrol engine around the festive season this year.