Renault Fluence spied in Malaysia – launching soon?

fluence-spy-01

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.

fluence-spy-02

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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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • Jaybond on Feb 21, 2014 at 3:25 pm

    Good move by Tan Chong! This should give more choices for the car buyers out there craving for something different than the ubiquitous T & H in C segment. This car has a nice styling inside out with decent interior & boot space.Engine options could be 2 Liter and 1.6 Liter.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 3
    • Why cover on Feb 23, 2014 at 9:45 am

      This car already out in market1.5 years ago, why cover up ? Nothing new at all. They think Malaysian live in jungle that go no internet to access.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
      • bcgiap on Feb 23, 2014 at 7:47 pm

        http://www.renault.com.sg/cars/NewFluence/overview.html

        The price for malaysia is below rm100k.

        There got 3 model, l don’t which model malaysia come in.

        Some more they will be local assembly.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Ammar M on Feb 21, 2014 at 3:30 pm

    i think it is this Samsung Renault SM3.
    http://it.news.danawa.com/News_List_View.php?nModeC=8&sMode=news&nPoolList=1&nSeq=1465947&nBoardSeq=60&auth=1

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
  • Walter Ty on Feb 21, 2014 at 3:37 pm

    Completely knocked-down assembly kits for the Fluence are likely to be sourced from Renault Samsung Motors in South Korea as the car is already manufactured there along with the Renault Koleos.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 0
  • Pinky on Feb 21, 2014 at 3:39 pm

    The rear.. Looks abit like Mondeo + Cerato / 2..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
  • kadajawi on Feb 21, 2014 at 3:42 pm

    Wait a minute. I don’t think I understand. TC usually tries to avoid having competing cars in the same segment. Now they want to launch the Fluence, which is in the same segment as the Selphy? Why? At least launch the Megane instead, so they have one sedan and one hatchback.

    Also, does it make sense CKDing the car? The Megane it is related to is already past the midlife facelift and a bit long in the tooth, later it will be the same fiasko as the Kangoo CKD. Produce 2 years, then Renault stops making it and TC can start from scratch…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 4
    • cruel on Feb 21, 2014 at 5:45 pm

      It is confirmed TC will assembling Fluence in their Segambut plant. I know.

      Their rule is simple: TCMA will assemble ANY cars (read: assembling fees), then leave it to its subsidiaries on how they perform the market study, how they gonna sale, how they want to compete and bla bla bla..

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
    • digir on Feb 21, 2014 at 9:12 pm

      I think it makes sense that TC CKD it and bring down the price. Either you choose Fluence or Sylphy, it still benefit TC.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
      • kadajawi on Feb 21, 2014 at 10:40 pm

        Well, yes, it does, but so far TC seems to have tried to avoid internal competition.

        And to be honest I would simply prefer to see the Megane instead.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 3
  • comrade on Feb 21, 2014 at 3:56 pm

    if CKD how much? RM100k??

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
    • jess nang on Dec 08, 2014 at 8:56 pm

      hello comrade..i am jess..tis car now only Rm99,500…i am working at renault..0163108078 tis is my number,,anything u can call me k…thx

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • These are the cars we would like to see their spyshots. Not Proton GSC or Proton Suprima …

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 19
  • look at my star on Feb 21, 2014 at 4:52 pm

    Well done as more choices to de people in selecting their preferred horse. But i feel that de pricing will be around $150k as renault car normally quite expensive car.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • Pheonix Law on Feb 21, 2014 at 5:04 pm

    it’s MAZDA 2 Sedan

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 5
  • Ooi Hock Jin on Feb 21, 2014 at 5:35 pm

    Maybe it will be next generation Mitsubishi Lancer…Last two or three months…I found some articles…they state that the next generation Mitsubishi Lancer is based on Renault Fluence as “Global C-Segment Model”….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • DonkeyKong on Feb 21, 2014 at 6:31 pm

      LOL it could be the next Inspira, which Proton has also stated before that it will be based on the Fluence platform..

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • sutheshkumar on Feb 21, 2014 at 7:03 pm

    I have a friend who works in Renault and he told me that the Fluence will be a CKD 1.6. A bit of a late entry tho.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • The much smaller Nissan leaf already costs RM170k. This is probably going to be a hair under 200k

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • bcgiap on Feb 21, 2014 at 8:22 pm

    This is EV car, full chage can run up to 160km. Max speed 140km per hours. If l don, t mistake. The price around rm200k pluss.if local assembly more cheap.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • kadajawi on Feb 21, 2014 at 10:38 pm

      Nope. This is the petrol version of that car. The Fluence is the sedan version of the Megane, and the Fluence EV is the electric version of the Fluence. But this isn’t the EV.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Sonyman on Feb 21, 2014 at 8:31 pm

    Saw this influenza entering sungai buloh toll yesterdqy

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • i spotted a registered fluence on the road before… around bukit bintang area. pilot program ?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • EnergyAnalyst on Feb 22, 2014 at 7:36 am

    Tan Chong is really agressive lately, churning out all sort of cars from their plants — if this is CKD , then it will add Renault brand to already assembling Nissan, Subaru XV and Mitsubishi ASX.

    Korean Renault Samsung or not, it will be interesting to see how well Malaysian like this combo, French design , Korean built kit, assemble malaysia with local content (CKD price), to be serviced by the good old tan Chong.

    Hmmm…..sounds like a winning combo?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • EnergyAnalyst on Feb 22, 2014 at 7:45 am

    Fluence was never was a big seller any where in market where it is sold. If TCM can swing it like they can with the ‘exquisite’ looking Almera, why not this. At least , it will appealed to those people who had been always find comfort in Japanese brands and want to make small step into conti feel zone

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • syidi nizan on Feb 23, 2014 at 9:14 pm

    Terserempak dgn dua biji kereta ni kat jln ciku, dr pekan kuang @ larar maybe? Ke rawang, for info diorg speeding laju giler. Da la jln tu berlobang besar, dgn gaung kat sebelah.. brani mati nya tester. Ptg td terserempak tak smpat ambik gmbr. Sapa pernah lalu jln ciku jln ciku ialah jln ladang sawit melalui kilang lafarge

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 7
    • intermilan on May 16, 2014 at 4:07 pm

      i know this road.. u had to be crazy to drive fast (on most parts of this road). will kill the suspension and bushes.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Osama on Feb 25, 2014 at 2:39 am

    That to show how good the vehicle suspension. The driver is not stuntman. Any model built with good suspension sure good handling, some cars you feel stable and slow when u drive example u drive 120km/h but u feel like 60km/h or 70km/h only. me also see the 2 cars same as photos and follow with my polo from behind but the car not run so fast just 70km/h to 110km/h only. if the vehicle good i buy new car.. if below 120k if too expensive just see only :p

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • how much?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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