Oroch left out again as Renault discloses 2024 product plans

Renault South Africa has divulged details of its product plans for 2024, minus the much anticipated Oroch bakkie once again.

Quarter Two

In a confirmation announcement to The Citizen, the carmaker said it will commence its roll-out in the second quarter of the new year with updated versions of the Triber and Kiger, neither of which have so far been seen in India where production take place.

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While the mid-life tweaks to the Kiger are likely to centre around the exterior and interior, those to the Triber could potentially include the long awaited turbo variant that went on-sale in India three years ago. However, this is purely speculative and therefore, unconfirmed

Besides the Triber and Kiger, the Kwid remains untouched as the Indian-made version exported to South Africa didn’t benefit from the same subtle changes rolled-out on the Brazilian model at the beginning of last year.

Quarter Three

With the South American Kardian an unsurprising no-no as a result of being left-hand-drive, the third quarter of 2024 will see the unveiling of the facelift Clio that went on-sale in Europe in April.

Although only introduced locally last year, a series of delays attributed to pricing and the pandemic prevented the Clio on no less than three occasions from being launched in South Africa after its original premiering at the Geneva Motor Show in 2019.

Equally as delayed, the revised Captur will make its entrance in the third quarter of next year, though unlike the Clio, the exact nature of the changes are still unknown as Renault has yet to reveal it in Europe.

New Duster

Finally, the all-new Duster, which will make its world debut on 29 November, is being investigated for possible introduction in the final quarter of 2024, however, no further details are known based on it still being under wraps.

Elsewhere, the coupe-styled Arkana remains under consideration, with the same applying to the returning Trafic and Kangoo on the commercial vehicle side.

Why no Oroch?

As mentioned, the first generation Duster-based Oroch has again been ruled-out in spite of known plans to have had on-sale by end of 2023.

While showcased as a prototype as the Nampo Agricultural Expo in Bothaville in the Free State in May, Renault has attributed current “unfavourable economic market factors, in particular the degradation of the exchange rate” as the main reason for making the Oroch “not feasible at this stage”.

Showed at Nampo, minus a number of features applied to the Oroch in South America as part of the model’s second facelift, the latest delay almost certainly closes the door on availability of the current first generation that has been on-sale since 2015.

Reportedly on course to be replaced in 2025 by an all-new second generation, the Oroch had been on the drawing board since 2019, but delayed on numerous occasions ever since until its showing at said event.

While out of the running, a likely reversal could still happen, though only if economic improvements do indeed occur throughout the course of next year.

Full details in due course

For now though, expect clearer, and eventual final details of the mentioned products, to only become apparent in the new year.

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