The decision to bring the Logan to South Africa has been some time in the making, but recent events in India indicate that the budget saloon will be coming our way soon.

Renault South Africa boss, Jean Jacques Le Goff, says that the decision to manufacture the Logan is only a matter of weeks away. The latest incarnation of Renault's "World Car" was recently launched in India as part of a R1,2-billion joint venture between Mahindra and Renault and reportedly contains 50 per cent local content and components in addition to a number of other adaptations for that market.

Assembled at the Nashik plant in Maharashtra, the new Mahindra-Renault Logan sports some subtle touches that distinguish it from the EU-marketed Dacia Logan. What's more, its diminutive exterior appearance hides a cavernous interior - its back seat is 1740 mm wide and the boot has a capacity of 510 dm³.

There are still a number of content issues and other administrative chores to be completed before a South African Logan can be announced. At present, it is thought that the car bound for our markets will contain content from Romania, India and South Africa.

The four-door saloon is offered in India with 1,4-litre 55 kW and 1,6-litre 70 kW petrol engines. A 78 kW 1,6-litre 16-valve petrol engine and a 48 kW 1,5-litre dCi diesel unit have also been mooted, but the South African model line-up has yet to be confirmed.

The Logan adopts of the "design-to-cost" method of manufacture, using common parts, and the application of digital design in its development makes it easier to keep costs down. The construction uses traditional types of steel because they can easily be adapted to production methods and equipment at the planned production sites. Bodywork contours are kept to a minimum to simplify the manufacturing tooling, make the stamping and assembly processes more reliable, and restrict costs.

Le Goff has placed a great deal of emphasis on the localisation of the components going into the South African Logan, both in terms of contributions to the local automotive industry as a whole and especially when it comes to pricing the car as competitively as possible. Prices have yet to be confirmed, but indications suggest that the South African Logan will be priced below the cheapest Renault Clio - R99 995 Clio Va Va Voom.

The Logan will probably be badged as a Renault and will be distributed through the company's existing dealer network.

The estimated investment in this project is thought to be somewhere in the region of half a billion Rand. Production will take place at Nissan's Rosslyn plant in Pretoria and, if all goes according to plan, the first of the locally orientated Logans will roll off the production line in 18 to 24 month's time. Renault hopes that the introduction of the Logan will effectively double its volumes.

If the Logan can considerably undercut the likes of the Chevrolet Spark and VW Citi Golf, it should be an interesting addition to the local budget car segment.