2016 Renault Duster Facelift Getting 6-speed EDC

Renault Duster Facelift 

 The European market still doesn't have any automatic version of a Dacia model, but because emerging markets don't treat the Duster or Sandero as cheap cars, they get much better goodies. A report from India suggests the Renault Duster is getting a facelift for the local market, and that will also include a twin-clutch automatic gearbox.

The automatic cog-changer is going to be familiar to anyone who knows the Renault model range. The same 6-speed EDC, short for Efficient Dual Clutch, is also available on the Clio supermini and its Captur crossover brother.

Renault Duster Facelift 

Twin-clutch tech is nothing new, having been developed in motorsport and pioneered on mass-market cars by Audi and Volkswagen over a decade ago. However, it's interesting to see that even affordable cars now pack such features.

Renault Duster Facelift Getting 6-speed EDC

On the Duster, the EDC gearbox will only be available with front-wheel drive versions of the Duster, likely matched to a 1.5-liter turbodiesel engine making 90 horsepower (110 hp is also feasible).

Renault Duster Facelift Getting 6-speed EDC

The Duster is made locally in India and sold as a Renault. So we aren't talking about the EU-spec facelift shown at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, but a diamond-badged model like the one we recently saw in Russia. Last year, some right-hand drive Duster models made in India were exported and sold in Britain. However UK-bound production switched to Romania, so we have no way of knowing if the gearbox will find its way to Europe.

Renault Duster Facelift Getting 6-speed EDC

Auto magazine Motoring World reports that the robo-Duster is being launched as a response to the Hyundai Creta and the Maruti Suzuki S-Cross. However, we think there is real demand for this car in Europe.