Renault and its Nissan and Mitsubishi partners will they be able to claim first step of the podium of automakers in 2017 ? It will be necessary to wait for the commercial results of the other actors, at the beginning of February, to know it, but the French manufacturer will in any case largely made his part: in full form, Renault posted a new record of world sales last year, for the third year in a row, 3.76 million units sold. A spectacular increase over sales posted in 2016 (3.2 million), partly related to the integration, for the first time, of its Russian subsidiary Avtovaz (Lada). But not only. Excluding Lada, sales grew 8.5%, while the global market grew only 2.3% in 2017.
Absolute record
“Our strategy of range renewal and geographic expansion has paid off,” commented Thierry Koskas, Group Sales Director. In fact, the group posted solid performances both on its historical base, Europe and internationally. Thanks to the success of its bestsellers, Clio and Captur, and the new models of Megane and Koleos, the Renault brand has gained market share in Europe last year (8.2%), where it remains number two. behind Volkswagen.
Similarly Dacia has again recorded good performance with its low-cost vehicles, including the new model of Sandero and the Duster – yet at the end of life before its revival at the beginning of the year. In total, the group registered 1.91 million new vehicles on the Old Continent (+ 5.6%), an absolute record.
But Renault has benefited mainly from the rebound in emerging markets, where its implementation strategy is finally starting to pay. “Two-thirds of our growth has been outside Europe,” said Koskas. In Russia, first: after four years of decline, the group’s second largest market after France (with 448,270 registrations in 2017) has finally recovered (+ 12% in 2017), to 1.6 million vehicles ( still far, however, of 2.9 million in 2012). With a growth of 17%, the group has market share at 28% last year (+1.5 point) thanks to the launch of new models . The Losange brand also benefited from its good presence in Iran, which became the group’s 8th market with 162,000 sales in 2017 (+ 49%), as well as in Turkey, Brazil and Argentina.
Retreat from Europe
Only downside, the decline in sales in India (-14.9% to 112,500 units) after a record 2016. Renault hopes to bounce back this year thanks to the launch of a Captur model at the end of 2017. The group has also doubled its sales in China, from 35,300 to 72,100 in 2017, but it is still very small. first market world. The joint venture signed with Jinbei in the end of 2017 utilities should allow him to take a step this year.
“Europe represents only 51% of our sales, compared to 56% 3-4 years ago. And the trend will continue, “said Thierry Koskas. For 2018, Renault expects global market growth of 2.5%, driven by Brazil (+ 5%), Russia (+ 10%), or China (+ 5%), for only + 1%. Europe.
With 31,300 ZOE and 4,230 Kangoo ZE sold last year, Renault is still the leader in electric vehicles in Europe. “We sell nearly one out of four electric vehicles, with a market share of 23.8%,” said Thierry Koskas, the group’s commercial director. ZOE sales jumped 44% last year, to the point that Renault is struggling to keep pace with the industry. “But we have made the necessary investments in our plant in Cleon and delivery times should be reduced,” said the leader. Starting ahead, however, the group will be under increasing pressure from competition, while most manufacturers, including the Germans, have announced huge investments in this area.