A representative of Renault-Nissan has announced the launch of two new models, with the long-awaited Kwid being the most likely candidate, adding that the production capacity of Logan and Sandero models in Iran has been increased.
According to a Fars News Agency report on February 19, the unnamed representative of Renault said a delegation would soon travel to Iran to sign an agreement for launching a joint venture with Pars Khodro, the main subsidiaries of SAIPA, to boost its market share in Iran.
Reuters had reported earlier that Renault aims to introduce its Clio small car and Captur mini-SUV in the local production cycle.
In January, Captur was introduced and promoted by Iran Khodro.
Iranian carmaker Renault Pars officially inaugurated the Sandero assembly line on September 22, 2015, to produce 10,000 Sandero models annually, but the numbers sold have been lower than what they anticipated originally.
Renault Pars is an Iranian joint venture established in 2004 and owned by Renault and Industrial Development and Renovation Organization of Iran.
Renault was a major player in Iran, with around 10% of the market, before sanctions curtailed its activities in 2011.
After western sanctions on Iran, Renault's factories operated at around 15-20% capacity, but the company hopes to triple or quadruple its output in the coming years, Managing Director at Renault Middle East Peyman Kargar told FRANCE 24 in August 2015.
Renault’s Iran Sales Jump 46% in Jan.
A year-on-year comparison reveals that Renault sales jumped by 46%, with the sale of 2,050 vehicles in January 2015.
However, the company’s sales in Iran declined significantly compared to figures from the previous month when Renault assembled over 13,000 units in Iran. This has been linked to local market optimism following the signing of a nuclear agreement between Iran and the West, Tasnim News Agency reported.
Before western-imposed sanctions were tightened, Renault would sell an average 10,000 vehicles in Iran on a monthly basis. The figure dropped sharply after the sanctions were intensified and eventually averaged 3,000 units per month.
In August 2015, Renault sold 3,680 units in Iran. Sales picked up once again in September 2015 and were reported as 5,500 units. The upward sales trend persisted during the months that followed and sales eventually reached 13,420 units in December.
In October and November, Renault sold 6,300 and 8,050 units in Iran respectively.
The company exported 51,500 vehicles to Iran in 2015 up by 56% compared to 2014 in which it sold 33,000 units domestically.
Renault’s Iran sales figures for 2013 and 2012 were logged at 39,600 and 100,783 units respectively.
