Market share up in all regions, Renault brand No. 2 in Europe, while the Renault-Nissan Alliance is the number-two automotive group.
17 Jan 2017 | 4453 Views | By Autocar Pro News Desk
Groupe Renault has announced that it has sold a total of 3,182,625 of passenger car and light commercial vehicles in 2016, a year-on-year growth of 13.3%.
The group’s share of the world automotive market stands at 3.5% (up 0.3 points vs 2015). Both Renault and Dacia brands have registered ...
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Groupe Renault has announced that it has sold a total of 3,182,625 of passenger car and light commercial vehicles in 2016, a year-on-year growth of 13.3%.
The group’s share of the world automotive market stands at 3.5% (up 0.3 points vs 2015). Both Renault and Dacia brands have registered record sales and Renault keeps its position as the world’s leading French brand. Renault Samsung Motors sales rose by 38.8%.
Renault benefited from buoyant conditions on the European automotive market (up 7% on 2015), with sales up 11.8% to 1,805,290 units for a market share of 10.6%. Outside Europe, the group posted record sales in 2016, up 15.3% on 2015 against growth of 5.2% on the market as a whole. Volumes and market shares were up in all regions.
“In 2016 we sold 3.18 million vehicles worldwide, setting a new sales record. Our strategy of product range renewal and geographic expansion, under way for several years now, has proven to be successful. It enables the Groupe Renault to progress significantly in terms of volume and market share in each region,” said Thierry Koskas, member of the Executive Committee and Group Executive VP for sales & marketing.
How European sales stack up
In Europe, Groupe Renault’s market share (passenger cars and light commercial vehicles) rose by 0.5 points to 10.6%. Registrations rose by 11.8% to 1,805,290. Sales were up in all the countries in the region.
Sales were up again for the Renault brand, which becomes Europe’s second biggest automotive brand. With 1,390,280 vehicle registrations (up 12.1% on 2015), Renault’s market share rose 0.4 points on 2015 to reach 8.1%.
In the passenger car market, Renault says its market share rose more than any other brand in Europe, by 0.4 points, thanks to the successful product range renewal programme including Espace, Talisman and the Mégane family. The new Scénic got off to a good start, with more than 19,000 orders in its first quarter on the market.
Renault maintained its leadership in B-segment city cars, due to good sales of the Clio and Captur, which heads its segment at 215,670 units.
In the European light commercial vehicle market, Renault brand sales rose 9.9% to reach 296,187 vehicles, for a market share of 14.8%. After 11 years on the European market, Dacia brand sales were again up in 2016 (by 10.8%), at a record 415,010 registrations.
The Renault brand stays at the top of the European electric vehicle market, with sales up by 11 % at 25,648 units (excluding Twizy). The Zoe heads the electric passenger car ranking with 21,735 registrations (up 16%) and Kangoo Z.E. the electric light commercial vehicle market with 3,901 vehicles sold.
In France, Groupe Renault achieved its best sales performance in five years. Renault widened its lead as France’s leading automotive brand, with a 22.3% of the passenger car and light commercial vehicle market, while Dacia sales hit a record high of 112,000 units, ranking fourth for sales to private motorists.
Kwid drives sales growth in India
Despite uneven economic situations across the globe, Groupe Renault strengthened its positions to increase its market share in all regions. Again, its product range renewal programme bore fruit, with the Kwid hatchback in India, QM6 and SM6 in Korea, Kaptur in Russia, Koleos in China, Megane Sedan in Turkey and Oroch in Latin America.
In the Africa / Middle East / India region, Groupe Renault registrations rose by 36.4%, giving a market share of 6.2% (up 1.7 points).
In India, Renault kept its position as best-selling European automotive brand, with sales up by 145.6% year on year. Kwid registrations totalled 105,745. India rose five places to become the Group’s eighth biggest market worldwide.
In Iran, sales boomed by 110.7% to give Groupe Renault an 8.4% market share, up 3.7 points on 2015. The group has reclaimed its position as a major player on the Iranian market, doubling its market share in a single year thanks to successful performance from Tondar and Sandero.
In North Africa, Groupe Renault holds a 38.5% market share, up by 4.9 points. In Algeria, its market share reached a record 51.3% in 2016, up by 15.7 points, benefiting from local production of Symbol.
In Morocco, where Dacia and Renault hold first and second places respectively, Groupe Renault registrations rose by 22.5%, with record sales yielding a market share of 37.8%.
In the Eurasia region, registrations rose by 2.3% despite market shrinkage of 6.3%. Market share rose accordingly, by 1.1 points to 13.0%, largely driven by strong performance with record sales in Turkey (up 4.4%). New Mégane Sedan got off to a good start, with orders topping 13,200 in the first two months.
Sales growth in most of the countries in the region offset the impact of the economic crisis in Russia, where the market collapsed by 10.8%. Renault was able to contain the decline in its sales here at 2.6%, to achieve a record market share of 8.2%, up by 0.7%, chiefly owing to successful performance from Kaptur, which sold more than 14,600 units since it was launched in June.
In the Americas region, Groupe Renault sales rose by 0.1% despite market shrinkage of 4.1%, holding up well to the economic difficulties with a market share of 6.5%, up by 0.3 points.
In Brazil, market share rose by 0.2 points to a record 7.5%, on a market that slipped back 19.8% thanks to the successful performance of Duster Oroch. In 2017, the group will benefit of its brand new SUV range with Captur, Kwid and New Koleos as well as the arrival of Alaskan. The Renault brand continues to reap the benefits of pickup on the Argentinian market, with registrations up by 24.8% against growth of 9.1% in the market as a whole. In Colombia, sales volume and market share hit records (21.3%).
In the Asia Pacific region, Renault Samsung Motors sales rose 38.8% in South Korea despite the 0.3% shrinkage of the market: the market share was up 1.7 points at 6.2% thanks to the successful launches of SM6 and QM6 in 2016. QM6 orders reached 21,000 in just four months.
In China, following release of Kadjar, the first vehicle made locally by the Dongfeng Renault joint venture, Renault sales rose by 50.8% against market growth of 14.0%. New Koleos orders approached 10,000 in just two months.
Sales outlook for 2017
Groupe Renault’s forecast for 2017 has it that the global market will grow by 1.5% to 2% compared with 2016. The European market is also expected to increase by 2%, with a 2% increase also for France.
While the Brazilian and Russian markets are expected to become stable, Renault expects its sales in China to grow by 5% and in India by 8%.
The French carmaker says it “should continue to reap the benefit of product range renewal in Europe, and of the strong dynamic on international markets, with the Kwid in India, Koleos and Kadjar in China, Kaptur in Russia, QM6 and SM6 in South Korea, and Alaskan plus the SUV range in Latin America.”
As such, it expects to achieve sustained growth in sales volumes and market shares in Europe and in the international markets.