Car Fule

This is news that had agitated the automotive sphere at the start of the week. Renault and Nissan have reached an agreement to strategically rearrange their alliance. Created in 1999 when Nissan was in great difficulty, it had increased the stake to 43% of the capital of Nissan. The Japanese had in return 15% of the French. After several years of doubts and crises of mutual distrust (materialized by the Carlos Ghosn affair in 2018), the two partners had finally reached an agreement. Renault will lower its stake in Nissan to 15%, to rebalance forces and decisions within the alliance. As soon as this decision is confirmed, the two manufacturers are already in the process of organizing their common future in one of the most flourishing automobile markets: India.

Nissan wants to take advantage of Renault’s success in the BRICS

Nissan is present there with two SUVs: Kicks and Magnite. Its Renault counterpart with three models, all thought out and designed above all for this market. There’s the Kwid mini city car (thermal version of our European Dacia Spring). the Minispace Trigger and the mini SUV Kiger. Only “mini” models, none of which are available from us. As had been the case previously in emerging markets, the two manufacturers would have decided to market models of one and the other locally, by affixing their own logo.

In South America, the Renault Clio II thus became Nissan Platinum, la Logan Pick-up Nissan NP200. Better, in Russia it is the Renault Duster which had become Nissan Terranoand Logan Nissan Almera ! Renault marketed in India for a time a rebadged Nissan Micra: the Pulse. For the Japanese brand, it would be a question of flirting with the Renault’s success in developing countries.

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A new start in India

In the same vein, it would be a question of rebadger le Duster et le Triber in Nissan models. To better fight against Tata, and prepare the electric offensive of Maruti-Suzuki (leader with more than 45% of market share), Renault would like make your little Kwid electric. Nissan could also benefit from it in the maneuver. This interim solution would make the alliance more competitive in India (3% market share today), to allow it to launch a new generation of dedicated models. The world’s second largest automotive market behind China, India is the fastest growing country.

In 2022, sales jumped 23% to 4.4 million cars ! Renault and Nissan are not so badly off in the country, where they inaugurated in 2010 a joint factory in Chennai. This is 70% owned by Nissan, while the Japanese is experiencing a less successful compared to Renault (35,000 cars in 2022 against 87,000 Renault). After Renault’s failure in China, this new page being written in India could reconcile the two manufacturersafter 25 years of a few romances, and a lot of torment.