Today, we have some spyshots from sweltering hot Malaysia, instead of snow-filled Europe. Reader Erh-Pin Lim sent in two pics of a taped-up sedan undergoing testing in the Mont Kiara area. The badges and rear lamps are disguised with black tape, but the car's shape tells us that it is the Renault Fluence.
If the name sounds familiar, that's because the Fluence has been in Malaysia for some time now, in battery-powered Fluence Z.E. form. That evaluation unit, which we have tested before, lives in TC Euro Cars' PJ headquarters, but this is no electric car. The conventional location of the fuel flap tells us so - the EV's charging flap is on the front fender.
Could this sighting mean that the Renault Fluence is set for a local launch? If so, there is possibility that the car will be locally-assembled by Tan Chong, as CBU import pricing might make it uncompetitive from the start in a very competitive segment.
That class will include C-segment players like the Toyota Corolla Altis, Honda Civic, Ford Focus and the upcoming CKD Volkswagen Jetta, among other players. The new Nissan Sylphy, an in-house Alliance rival, is also set to debut here this year. Things are about to get more interesting for sure - the Malaysian car buyer has never had it this good in terms of options.
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