Renault will produce Polestars at its Korean assembly site
- 说明
Renault will produce Polestars at its Korean assembly site
- The Renault site in Busan in Korea (a former Samsung Motors factory) has been experiencing real development difficulties for several years. The different models produced on this site have not been very successful. Even the Koléos (D-segment SUV) which was exported to Europe did not have a very successful commercial career.
- The factory's production volume decreased from 280,000 units in 2010 to 120,000 in 2020. The Renault Arkana which has been produced in this factory since 2021 has made it possible to increase to the 150,000 unit mark in 2022. But this model is practically the only one to be produced on this site and in 2022, the factory's production volume fell to 130,000 units, or 50% of its capacity. As a result, the Busan factory was seriously threatened with closure in the medium term.
- Renault's agreements with the Chinese Geely have risen hope for a further revival of the factory's activity. These agreements resulted in the purchase by Geely of 34% of Renault's Korean subsidiary with the aim of producing its battery electric vehicles at the Busan site. Initially, this factory will produce battery electric Polestar models (Polestar is part of the Geely group) and the Polestar 4 will be the first to be produced on this site, from 2025.
- The Polestar 4 is a battery electric D-segment coupe crossover, 4.84 m long, equipped with a 102 kWh battery. The start of production of the Polestar 4 in Busan will benefit the Alpine brand in the short term, as Renault's sports subsidiary wants to use the Geely platform for its future models intended for the American and Asian markets.
Nissan will produce three battery electric vehicles in Sunderland
- 说明
Nissan will produce three battery electric vehicles in Sunderland
- Nissan, which has become independent again since the end of the Renault-Nissan group, must now accelerate its development in electric vehicles, after a decline of several years, even if the Japanese carmaker had been one of the pioneers in this market with the launch of the Leaf in 2012. Nissan has been gradually overtaken by several competitors in electric vehicles (Tesla, BYD, Volkswagen) and its recent Ariya model is not a success.
- Nissan must also clarify its situation in Europe after the closure of its Spanish factory in Barcelona and its Russian factory in Saint Petersburg. The only remaining factory in Europe is Sunderland (United Kingdom), whose production volume collapsed between 2016 and 2021, going from 500,000 units per year to 200,000 during this period.
- The Nissan Qashqai and Juke having now been renewed, the production volume at the Sunderland factory has increased to 238,000 units in 2022 and 315,000 units in 2023. But a more vigorous recovery is necessary, because the factory's capacities reach 500,000 units per year.
- To meet its two objectives (accelerate its development in electric vehicles and relaunch activity at the Sunderland factory), Nissan has therefore announced – in addition to the launch of the future Micra BEV produced in Douai (France) – the launch in Sunderland of three new battery electric vehicles by 2030, which will succeed the Qashqai (C-segment SUV), Juke (B-segment SUV) and Leaf (C-segment Sedan) models.
Inovev forecasts 25,000 units per year of the new Porsche Panamera
- 说明
Inovev forecasts 25,000 units per year of the new Porsche Panamera
- Porsche (sports brands of the Volkswagen group) unveiled the third generation of its Panamera four-door sedan, the first generation of which dates from 2009, in the midst of an economic crisis due to the financial crisis of the summer of 2008. We could then think that launching a large luxury sedan at that time was a very risky bet, especially from a carmaker which had never launched a four-door sedan until then, which was the case with Porsche.
- The Panamera immediately found its audience, with 24,000 sales in 2010, 27,000 in 2011 and 27,500 in 2012. The second generation which appeared in 2016 hit the nail on the head, this time reaching 37,500 sales in 2017. In 2023, Panamera sales fell to 30,000 units compared to 35,000 in 2022.
- The third generation of the Panamera will probably have more difficulty remaining at this level, due to increased competition not only from outside (Lucid Air, Tesla Model S, Chinese Premium models which may grab the Chinese customer base of the Panamera) but also inside (Porsche Taycan), and the fact that it will not be available in a battery electric version.
- Indeed, the Panamera will only be available with a V6 or V8 gasoline engine, your choice, and in a plug-in hybrid version (PHEV) which will probably be the best-selling version. The third generation platform is the same as the old one (MSB).
- This is undoubtedly the last generation of the Porsche Panamera, because the carmaker has announced that it will only offer battery electric vehicles in 2030.
Inovev forecasts 90,000 sales per year of the new Renault Master
- 说明
Inovev forecasts 90,000 sales per year of the new Renault Master
- After fourteen years of good and loyal service, the old Renault Master (LCV segment N1-3) is replaced by the new fourth generation Renault Master which is completely redesigned.
- The Renault Master is, with 100,000 units per year (including the Renault Trucks and Nissan Interstar versions), one of the best-selling utility vehicles in Europe, with the Ford Transit Custom (150,000 units per year) and the family quadruplets of Fiat Ducato-Citroën Jumper-Peugeot Boxer-Opel Movano (200,000 units per year). The new Renault Master is also renewed shortly after the redesign of the Ford Transit Custom and the facelift of the Stellantis group’s LUVs.
- The Renault Master is available with 20 different versions, including the choice of vehicle height, wheelbase and loading length. In addition, around twenty conversions are offered in the factory where a workshop now allows some of them to be carried out directly.
- Renault's largest LUV is equipped with the already familiar 2.3 liter diesel engine, available in multiple power outputs: 105 hp, 130 hp, 150 hp, 170 hp. But the big news is the arrival of a battery electric version equipped with two batteries of your choice: 40 kWh allowing a range of 180 km according to the WLTP cycle or 87 kWh allowing a range of 400 km according to the WLTP cycle.
- The Renault Master will be produced as previously at the Renault site in Batilly (near Metz) at approximately 100,000 units per year. Inovev forecasts 90,000 sales per year of the new Renault Master, not counting Renault Trucks and Nissan.
SUV sales have overtaken those of sedans in India
- 说明
SUV sales have overtaken those of sedans in India
- Traditionally, the Indian market was mainly represented by sedans. The most typical case was the famous Hindustan Ambassador sedan which was produced in India in almost a million units between 1957 and 2014. The arrival of Suzuki on the Indian market under the Maruti brand then that of Hyundai developed considerably sales of small A and B segment sedans: 1.3 million units sold in 2013 and 2 million in 2018. At the same time, C and D segment sedans went from 500 000 sales in 2013 to 230 000 in 2018.
- From 2020, SUVs began to interest more and more customers in India. From 700 000 sales in 2020, they increased to 1.2 million in 2021, 1.8 million in 2022 and almost 2 million in 2023.
- For the first time, SUV sales exceeded those of sedans in the Indian market in 2022 and the gap widened further in 2023. It is one of the last major markets to follow the SUV trend, since the China, Europe and especially the United States have long followed this trend, SUVs now representing more than half of sales there. India is getting closer, with 48% of SUV sales in 2023 compared to 45% in 2022, 38% in 2021, 29% in 2020, 25% in 2017 and 22% in 2013.
- The evolution of demand has led to (or is the cause of) a development of the SUV offer in India (B and C segments), since today around forty different models are available on the market, compared to around thirty in 2013. Sedans will only represent 40% of the Indian market in 2023, compared to 50% in 2021 and 71% in 2013. Minivans (MPV) will represent 12% of the Indian market in 2023, compared to 12% in 2021 and 7% in 2013.