Renault plans to launch multipurpose vehicle, small car this year

Automobile manufacturer Renault India hopes to double its market share with the launch of a multipurpose vehicle and a small car this year.

The company also plans to establish a strong used car platform to support its customers.

Sumit Sawhney, Country CEO and Managing Director, Renault India, in an interaction with media persons on Tuesday said that it will launch the Lodgy, catering to the fast growing 7-8 seater vehicle segment, and a small car in the sub-₹ 4 lakh category.

He was confident that both these launches will help to double its marketshare to over 5 per cent in two years.

Renault’s most successful launch so far has been Duster which accounts for a lion’s share of its sale of over 48,000 units a year. This represents a 2 per cent market share.

Its other offerings include the Fluence, Koleos, which cater to a segment that is less than one per cent of the total automobile market, and the Pulse and the Scala.

Lodgy will be launched by the month-end or in early April. This will be followed up with the launch of a small car, a global offering that will be launched in India, Sawhney said.

The French car manufacturer had last year announced that it will get into the used car business as a value-added service to support its customers.

Sawhney said the company has set up a team that will handle the business which will be formally launched in the second quarter of 2015.

“A strong platform is needed to help customers looking to buy a new car,” he said.

Anyone walking into a Renault showroom is likely to be a car owner and will need help to dispose the old car. Renault will provide the needed support and grow this line of business, he added.

COMMENT NOW