Renault announce International sales increase for first half.

Renault group international sales grew 4.3% in first half of 2013, reaching a record level. That increase, nonetheless, failed to offset a 7.3% fall in Group sales in Europe, where the market continued to deteriorate, down 6.7%. Group sales, totaling 1.3 million units worldwide, half of which outside Europe, were down 1.9% in the first half but up 0.7% for the second quarter alone. Global market share was practically stable at 3.2%, down 0.1 points.

Highlights in first-half 2013

International: the Group pursued its growth strategy with a record 646,274 vehicle sales (up 4.3%), or 49.6% of global sales (up 2.9 points). Russia became the Group’s number-two market ahead of Brazil and Renault the number-two brand in the country. Renault, thanks to Duster, made significant headway in India, where it became the number-one European brand.

Europe: in a market that continued to contract, the Group, which is pursuing its margin-protection strategy, sold 656,580 vehicles (down 7.3%) and took a 9.2% share of the passenger car (PC) and light commercial vehicle (LCV) market, down 0.1 points. The Group was impacted by the higher-than-average downturn in its three main markets. Renault led the LCV market with a 14.2% share.

The new Renault and Dacia ranges are meeting with expected success in all regions. New Clio, launched in Europe, Turkey and the Maghreb countries, leads the French market. The successful launch of Captur in Europe confirms the success of Renault’s design renewal. New Sandero sales were up in all its markets, among them Belgium (+99%), Spain (+61%), Turkey (+35%), France (+32%) and Italy (+32%). Duster, with 188,868 sales (up 50%), is the spearhead of the Group’s international growth.

Commenting, Jérôme Stoll, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing & Light Commercial Vehicles, said: “The Renault group has once again demonstrated the relevance of its international development strategy, which allows it to absorb a large part of the fall in the European market. We are posting robust successes internationally, as seen in Russia and India. In Europe, the renewal of our Renault and Dacia product ranges enables us to continue protecting our margins and market shares.”

Sales by brand

Renault brand sales were down 4.6%, with the 4.3% rise in sales outside Europe failing to offset the 12.5% fall in sales in Europe. With 1,062,295 units, the Renault brand accounted for 81.5% of Group sales.

Dacia brand sales were up 16.5% and rose in all sales territories. The performance is being driven by the success of Duster, the ramp-up of Lodgy and Dokker, and the renewal of Sandero and Logan. With 211,438 units, the Dacia brand accounted for 16.2% of Group sales.

The Renault Samsung Motors brand, which is currently restructuring its product offer and sales network, posted a 12.4% fall in sales. With 29,136 units, the brand accounted for 2.2% of Group sales.

Europe: continuing crisis and unfavorable market mix

In a market that shrank 6.7%, the Group sold 656,580 vehicles, down 7.3%. PC+LCV market share fell 0.1 points to 9.2%. The performance resulted from:

downturns in the Group’s three largest markets in Europe (France, Germany and Italy) that exceeded the European average,
the pursuit of the Group’s strategy on margin protection, relying on a virtuous pricing policy.
The Renault brand kept its number-three position in the European PC+LCV market with a 7.2% share, down 0.5 points. The Brand entered its 16th consecutive year as LCV market leader with a 14.2% share, down 2.2 points.

The Dacia brand, bolstered by the renewal of its range and the relevance of its offer in today’s difficult economic environment in Europe, grew its PC+LCV market share 0.4 points to 2.0% – the strongest increase in market share and sales volume of any brand in the first half of the year.

In the emerging electric vehicle market, the Renault brand, with its range of four zero-emission vehicles, led the European market with a 48.9% PC+LCV share. At the end of June, Renault ZOE was the top-selling electric vehicle en Europe with 4,770 registrations and a 29.5% share of the market.

In France, in a depressed market, the Group registered 278,848 vehicles, down 10.1%, for a PC+LCV market share of 24.9%, up 0.2 points. In PCs, New Clio was the best-selling vehicle in France at end of June, and Captur, with 11,309 registrations in three months, is off to an excellent start. Renault, the market leader, placed its models at the top of the A, B and C segments. Dacia, with a 4.8% of the share of the PC market (up 0.9 points), is firmly established in the number-five position. Renault also leads the LCV market, where Kangoo Express is the top-selling model.

Outside Europe: the Group confirms its international momentum with a 4.3% increase in sales

The Group sold 646,274 vehicles outside Europe, up 4.3%. Non-European sales accounted for 49.6% of total world sales, up from 46.7% in first-half 2012.

The results confirm the Group’s international development. Five of the Group’s top ten markets are now located outside Europe, two of which – Russia and Brazil – are in the top three.

Eurasia Region: sales up 9.9%, Russia now the Group’s number-two market

Renault sales rose 9.9% to 114,189 vehicles. The brand took a record 7.3% share of the market, up 0.9 points.

In Russia, where the market was down 5.7%, Renault sales rose 9.5%, bolstered by the strong performance of Duster, the segment-leading SUV, and the continued success of Logan and Sandero. Renault is the number-two brand in the country with an 7.8% share of the market, up 1.1 points. At end of June, Russia became the Group’s second-largest market in the world.

Asia-Pacific Region: sales up 7.8%, Renault makes headway in India

The Group sold 125,400 vehicles, up 7.8%. Market share was stable at 0.7%.

Buoyed by a range of five models and a network of over 100 dealerships covering 90% of the territory, the Renault brand made headway in India and took a 2.5% share of the market (compared with 0.3% in first-half 2012) with sales of 39,490 vehicles. It is now the number-one European brand in the country.

In South Korea, Renault Samsung Motors sales fell 14.2% in a stable market. The restructuring plan initiated in 2012 is starting to produce results, with the positive start-up of phase-two SM5. The release of QM3 at the end of the year is expected to mark the start of the recovery.

Euromed-Africa Region: sales up 6.7%

Group sales increased 6.7% to 196,543 units. Market share came to 15.4%, down 0.2 points.

In Turkey, a dynamic market up 12.1%, Group sales grew 16.7%. Success was driven for Renault by the success of new Fluence, Clio (B-segment leader) and Symbol and for Dacia by the increasing sales of Duster (up 31,1%) and the excellent debuts of new Sandero, Lodgy and Dokker. The Group took a 17.2% share of the market, up 0.7 points.

In Algeria, the Group posted a 6.5% increase in sales, for a 26.5% share of the market. In PCs, the success of New Clio, number-two in its segment with a 6.4% share, behind Logan, enabled the Group to maintain its sales performance, with a 28.6% market share.

In Morocco, the Group placed the Dacia and Renault brands in the top two spots and achieved a record market share of 39.3%, up 1.6 points.

Americas Region: sales down 2.4%, but recovery in second quarter (+3.1%)

The Group sold 210,142 vehicles, down 2.4%. Market share was 6.2%, down 0.5 points. Group LCV sales increased 20.4%, nearly three times faster than the market’s 7.8%. The Group posted a significant recovery in sales in the second quarter, up 3.1%.

In Brazil, the two-month close of the Curitiba plant to increase production capacity by 100,000 vehicles led to a shortage in vehicles, which impacted sales. Renault took a 6.0% share of the market, down 0.8 points. With 102,020 vehicles sold, Brazil is the Group’s number-three market.

Renault sales in Argentina grew 6.8%, boosted by the success of Clio Mio and Duster. Brand market share came to 14.1%, down 0.2 points. LCV sales, up 15.3%, will be buoyed in the second half by the launch of new Master.

2013 sales outlook

The world automotive market is set to continue growing in 2013, increasing by 2% rather than the 3% forecast at the beginning of the year. The trend marks a slowdown in growth in some emerging countries, while Europe is still heading for a 5% contraction and the French market for an 8% contraction rather than the 5% forecast until now.

Jérôme Stoll said: “The renewal of the Group’s product ranges is well underway now and starting to produce results across all markets. The increase in our production capacity internationally, together with the relevance and appeal of our offer, will allow us to sell more vehicles worldwide in 2013 than in 2012 and win back market share in Europe.”