At the heart of the Logan is its state-of-the-art engine; the sedan is powered by the latest generation dCi common rail engine, and has been designed for the Indian market incorporating a contemporary styling and design. The Logan will be available in both diesel and petrol versions.

Three engine options of the Logan will be available in the Indian market — 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel. While the 1.4-litre petrol engine delivers 75hp, the 1.6-litre performs with 84 hp. The diesel sibling delivers 65 hp. Both the engines are meshed with a five-speed manual gearbox and have already proved their worth in the Renault range.

Adapted to suit the Indian driving conditions, the air-conditioning and heating system is designed to suit extreme climatic conditions that prevail in the sub-continent.

Designed to cater to the aspirational requirements of customers, the Logan is a wide-bodied car, offers full and comfortable seating for three persons in the rear seat, which sports three separate headrests, making it the only car in this segment to offer these features for the middle passenger in the rear seat. The car is equipped with features that include the safety air bag In addition, it also has a very spacious 510-litre boot capacity.

"The Logan is a milestone for us as it marks our entry into the most competitive segment of the automotive market," said Anand Mahindra, vice chairman and managing director. Mahindra added, "The global quality platform of the Logan with its unmatched features makes it a landmark for the Indian car industry. The strengths of Renault and our passion for out performance and customer centricity have offered a product that will appeal to the evolved Indian customer."

The price of the vehicle ex-New Mumbai for the Petrol 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre versions would range from Rs4.28 lakh to Rs5.69 lakh, while the diesel 1.5-litre version would range from Rs5.47 lakh to Rs6.44 lakh.

In New Delhi the Logan will be available at marginally higher prices at Rs4.35 lakh to Rs5.76 lakh for petrol versions and Rs5.54 lakh to Rs6.51 lakh for the diesel variant.

Added to this is the reliability and robustness of design, which have played a key role in Logan''s global success since it was launched in 2004 and proved to be a global success, both in emerging and established markets alike.

Almost 450,000 Logan vehicles have been sold worldwide in 51 countries. With the India entry, the Logan marks its first right hand drive variant.

The Logan will be available in six colours - toreador red, fiery black, Sahara beige, mist silver, turf green and diamond white and will be available in selected Mahindra & Mahindra showrooms with Mahindra and Renault branding in major cities across the country.

It will be available at M&M''s dealerships throughout India in two phases. In phase 1, the Logan will be launched in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Nashik, Chandigarh and Ludhiana, with deliveries starting in May. In phase 2, the car will be available for bookings in another 15 cities with deliveries starting from June.

The heart of the winner
The car uses the tried & tested JH gearbox that has already proved its worth in the Renault range. Logan''s torque has been greatly enhanced at low speeds by redesigning its profile. Despite its spacious dimensions, the vehicle is relatively lightweight. It compiles with the emission standards in force in India and can be adapted to more stringent norms that can be expected in future.

The power steering provides superior handling and enhances manoeuvrability with the help of a reduced turning radius of 5.25 metres. The driver gets an ergonomic seating position wherein he can view the display for all the data. An alphanumeric display in the centre of the dashboard brings together warning lights and data supplied by the onboard computer. The car also boasts of low NVH levels.

The second-generation 1.5 dCi common rail diesel engine gives a performance that is yet unmatched in this segment. With the 1.5 dCi engine, a product of the Renault group''s powertrain range, Logan offers driving pleasure combined with an astounding fuel economy in the 14km - 18 km / litre range.

Emission levels too have been drastically reduced to 125g / km of CO2 that makes Logan highly competitive among diesel cars currently on the market. The second-generation common rail injection system developed for the 1.5 dCi is characterized by the supply of precisely the required quantity of pressurized fuel in a series of injections, improving the efficiency of combustion and saving fuel. The system also features dedicated injector calibration, enabling the injection timing and flow to be controlled for each injector individually.

The Logan underwent stringent tests covering a very wide variety of driving conditions to ensure real durability with particular attention paid to protecting the bodywork.Logan''s engine compartment layout allows stacking of power train components in the event of a frontal collision.

In the upper portion, the load passes through the cowl-side reinforcement, door pillars and door panels. The load in the middle part is borne by the front cross-member. The sub-frame in the lower portion of the car helps absorb energy.

The central pillar protects the pelvis in the event of a side impact. The fuel tank has been placed under the floorpan to prevent being punctured in case of a collision from the rear. A cross-member in the back of the rear bench seat restricts the danger of objects in the boot entering the cabin.

Internally the dashboard is made of polypropylene that is effective in absorbing high energies. The glove compartment and rest of the lower part of the dashboard are designed to reduce impact on the legs and ankles of the front occupants.

Logan''s exterior design is clearly highlighted by accented wheel arches and sleek body sides and bonnet. The rear lamp clusters, set at an angle, smooth out the car-structured edges. The Renault badge is placed prominently on the grille, with headlamps that give a sharp look to the vehicle.