Renault to Produce NEW Small Car in Slovenia

Just like all the other car manufacturers, Renault tries to do basically the same thing and focus its market strategy on small cars that are often referred to as the only models that could survive the crisis. And according to the latest media reports, the French automaker is even planning a new model that might enter production as soon as 2010 at the Novo Mesto production site in Slovenia.

This production facility already builds the popular Twingo but, according to Renault Chief Operating Officer Patrick Pelata the upcoming small car won't be based on this model. Furthermore, it will be a "niche car", he said according to Autonews citing a report by Sloveniai daily business newspaper Finance.

Obviously, details are yet to be revealed and the only things we know at this time are that the future model is going to be "affordable and innovative", as the Renault official said after a meeting with Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor.

In a statement rolled out in April, Renault's deputy vice president of the small-car segment Yves-Eric Morel told Autonews that the French manufacturer is working on a small-car that will be based on the Twingo and will go on sale in mid-2010. Furthermore, he said the car is going to be showcased at the Frankfurt Auto Show this September and described it as a "niche car", just like his colleague did today.

"We are working on a small convertible for 2010," Morel said. "It's going to be a niche vehicle, and like any niche vehicle, the objective will be to do something different, that gives a boost to the brand's image. We're not going to do a Twingo CC."

While we're not sure if the two Renault officials were talking about the same car, more details are expected to be released in the next few months as we're getting closer to the debut of the Frankfurt Auto Show.