Renault Design Executive Unveils Koleos 2017 in Tehran

The Senior Vice President of Renault Corporate Design Laurens van den Acker unveiled the company’s Koleos model at a private event on Monday in Tehran. The official was accompanied by senior members of Renault’s design team.  

The compact SUV will officially be launched for the public at the Tehran Auto Show, (February 14-18) in the capital. The vehicle is priced 1.9 billion rials ($50,000).   

Van den Acker noted the fact that the motor show is being held for the first time in 11 years in Tehran “is a good sign and will be a big reunion.”

He provided details on the car design highlighting that “we wanted to give the car excellent proportions that can provide power and substance.” 

Slim lighting signature and the chrome line on the front fender gives the model a premium view, he said adding that there are some very strong masculine shapes on the interior.

A strong link can be seen between the designs of the Koleos and Talisman as they are Renault flagships in many countries, van den Acker told the press. 

The interiors are also the best that Renault has in terms of new technologies, he said. The vehicle has a big vertical touch screen with a multi sense feature that modifies every aspect of the vehicle’s handling such as engine response and ambience.  

Noting that it is “too soon to say yes” to whether or not Renault will be opening a design center in Iran, he said, “One of the reasons we are here is to study the market.”

It is clear that “design centers help us learn about tastes and needs of customers. Localizing and being close to customers will help us give them the right products.”

Renault’s SVP for Corporate Design also provided a brief background of the company’s design sector. There are 12,000 engineers and designers working at the company’s Technology Center to the west of Paris.

The design center is working with a multi-cultural team with more than 500 people working in design. 

“Human values are key in our design strategy,” he said. 

 After Sales Services

Earlier this week, Bernard Cambier, Renault’s senior vice-president of sales and marketing had said that the company wants to develop its structures and contribute to the growth in Iran. 

“Quality remains our first objective,” he said on the first day of Iran Automotive Industry International Conference on February 12 in Tehran.  

Highlighting the importance of the web in transactions, the official said customer behavior is changing in Iran and straightforward personnel interaction is now more important than ever.

“We look to bridge the gap between sales and after sales policies and the expectation of the customers,” he said.

While adding that compliance with relevant standards is a big challenge, he put forth solutions for ensuring success in Iran namely improving people skills and preparing for the future with an increased attention to digital experiences and mobile technologies such as online appointments and smart phone-friendly services.  

Noting that customer satisfaction starts by understanding the expectation of Iranian customers, Cambier added that setting up after-sales service centers in close proximity to customers is also one of the pillars of Renault’s action plan for increasing customer satisfaction in Iran.