Renault Lessens its Car Range for 2011

With modern-day life getting more and more complicated, some automakers try to help us simplify our decision-making process when choosing a new car, by reorganizing their range. "Simplification", as the project has been called, will ensure that, from January 4, 2011, customers will understand the product line-up easily.

This move from Renault follows a standardization trend throughout the industry, enabling the consumer to quickly select the car that best fits his needs. Customer feedback was explicitly solicited regarding the company's model range.

As a result of extensive market research, Renault will reduce the core trim levels to a maximum of three per model, excluding Renaultsport, and this is just the beginning. Standard naming and meaning of trim levels will be reinforced throughout the range, insuring that the Renault range remains competitive, and not at all confusing.

The number of versions in the Renault range will drop by 30% from 227 to 159, after the "Simplification". The three trim levels available will be Expression, Dynamique TomTom and GT Line TomTom. Every model range is included in the project except the Renaultsport line-up. Limited editions will be unaffected by Renault's shake-up.

At the moment, the Clio range features six core trim levels, Extreme, Expression, S, Dynamique TomTom, Privilège TomTom and Initiale TomTom, plus two special editions. As of January, the lineup will be reduced to entry-level Expression, mid-range Dynamique TomTom and top-of-the-range GT Line TomTom, available in all three body styles. While some trim levels will remain mostly unchanged, some will actually gain equipment. Clio Dynamique TomTom is a prime example: already being well equipped with integrated Carminat TomTom satellite navigation, air conditioning, speed limiter, cruise control and alloy wheels, it now also gains Bluetooth connectivity as standard.