Renault commences export operations, dispatches first lot of Indian made Duster to UK and Ireland

Renault commences export operations, dispatches first lot of Indian made Duster

Renault India Private Limited (RIPL), a completely owned subsidiary of French automobile giant Renault S.A.S, has started its export operations with the dispatch of first lot of its locally assembled and much popular Duster model. The development came into light when the company shipped first batch of its compact Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) Duster from Ennore port in Chennai on November 30, 2012.

The French car maker started its assembling operations on Indian turf as an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) two years back in 2010. The company introduced its first model – Fluence sedan in June 2011 in the Indian passenger vehicle market. Evidently, since the arrival of Fluence, Renault India has launched four more products in the country, with one model in every prominent segment of domestic car market. At present, the company's Indian product portfolio is highly diverse and includes five models, such as Pulse compact hatchback, Scala and Fluence sedans along with compact SUV Duster and premium SUV Koleos.

The first batch of Indian made Duster consists of 350 units and will be shipped to United Kingdom and Ireland. Accordingly, the latest development has announced Renault India's foray into global right hand drive automobile markets. At present, the French auto giant's Oragadam based manufacturing unit near Chennai is the only facility in the world to assemble right hand driven Duster compact SUV. Accordingly, the Oragadam manufactured Duster models sold on Indian turf will now be exported to several international automotive sectors as well.

The Indian arm of Renault introduced its best selling Duster in the domestic market in July 2012, which has been dubbed as a game changer for the company by top industry experts. The immense response and popularity received by stylish compact SUV from domestic car enthusiasts, resulted in the French firm breaking all utility vehicle sales record in the country. Reportedly, some 19,000 units of Duster compact SUV have already been sold in the Indian car market between July and November months of 2012-13 fiscal.

Expressing his delight on the company's dispatching first lot of Indian made Duster units to UK and Ireland, Marc Nassif, Managing Director, (MD), RIPL, said, “We created a whole new segment in the Indian automotive market with the Duster launch in July this year and demonstrated Renault’s commitment to the Indian market with the introduction of a reliable, efficient and innovative vehicle. India is an important market for Renault globally, with the country set to become one of the top ten markets for the company worldwide by 2013 and to sustain this ambition an unprecedented five models have been launched in the Indian market along with setting up of 75 dealerships in less than 18 month which is the fastest ramp up in the Indian market.”

Nassif further added, “We will continue to focus on meeting domestic demand in India, while also exploring new opportunities in exports and in making India the global hub for right-hand drive vehicles.”

The Duster units intended for the auto markets of UK and Ireland will be offered in both 4x2 and 4x4 drive configurations. The exported units have also been trimmed with suitable modifications to conform to the individual market regulations.