The first model which Renault will launch in Brazil will be the the Duster SUV.
This car will also be produced by Romanian automaker Dacia, which will launch the Duster on the European market in the first quarter of 2010. There was no information about the second new model which will be built in Brazil, but speculations say it will be a Sandero-derived compact.
"There will be notable differences compared to the Romanian-built model and the Brazilian Duster will not arrive until 2011," Local Renault CEO Jean-Michel Jalinier told just-auto.com
"We will not have the spare wheel protruding at the rear," he added, referring to a styling feature of higher riding, two wheel drive pseudo SUVs built locally by Fiat, Ford, Volkswagen and others.
Renault is currently using half of its 250,000 units production capacity in Brazil. This month, Ford announced a $2 billion investment in the Brazilian market, while Volkswagen announced a $3 billion investment.
Experts say that Renault will achieve 4 percent of the Brazilian passenger car and commercial vehicles market this year. The French car manufacturer is in serious need of increasing its market share, as back in 2000 it used to have 5 percent. This investment and the new car launches are meant to do just that for Renault Brazil.
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