For Renault, the commercial renaissance also involves commercial vehicles. The Losange brand presented three new models in this segment on Wednesday, including the new version of the Kangoo, his favorite van . Objective: to maintain its positions – and improve its margins – in a market that has been successful for it so far.
A facelift had become essential for the Kangoo: the current version dated from 2007, and began to seriously show its age against the competition. The third generation, whose main characteristics were presented last November, clearly plays the card of upscaling and innovation. The most spectacular has been dubbed “open sesame”: thanks to the removal of the central upright on the right side, the sliding door and the passenger door, once opened, offer a side opening with a width of 1.45 meters. in one piece.
The Kangoo loyal to Maubeuge
At the same time, the Losange firm will launch the Express Van, whose name refers to a model that had its heyday in the 1980s and 90s. The newcomer, aimed at customers “looking for volume and just necessary ”according to the brand, is clearly positioned as low cost. Marketed from next April, it will be manufactured in the Tangier plant in Morocco.
The Kangoo will be still produced in Maubeuge , where the manufacturer has committed 450 million euros to modernize the production tool. With these two models, Renault believes that its coverage of the van market will be optimal. In addition, the Kangoo will continue to have a version for individuals.
A facelift for Trafic vans
Finally, in the van segment, the Trafic is also entitled to its facelift, which begins with versions intended for passenger transport, including a Spaceclass version “for VIP customers”. The utility version will be launched at the end of the year.
These new models join the Master, which was renewed in 2019. This rejuvenated and extended range should help the manufacturer defend its positions in a market less glamorous than that of passenger cars, but which generates higher levels of margins. These should be reinforced by the new direction of the company, which now favors profitability over volumes .
Beware of competition from Stellantis
If we exclude pick-ups, Renault is now second in the commercial vehicle market in Europe, as well as in Latin America. In France, over the first two months of 2021, the manufacturer won with the Trafic, the Kangoo and the Master the first three places in the ranking of the best-selling commercial vehicles, according to figures from the French Manufacturers’ Committee of automobiles (CCFA).
But the brand will have a lot to do to compete with Stellantis , born from the merger of two of its most serious competitors, Peugeot and Fiat. In France, for example, the new entity has achieved 42.5% of commercial vehicle registrations since the start of the year, against 33.1% for the Renault group.