Renault-Nissan Alliance to roll out four new SUVs from Oragadam

CHENNAI: The Renault Nissan Alliance, a JV between automakers Japan-based Nissan and France’s Renault, is gearing up to introduce four new SUVs that will be made in India, top officials said at the Oragadam plant, near here, on Wednesday.

Nissan Motor Corporation president-CEO Makoto Uchida said the alliance remains committed to India, as he highlighted the strengths of the entity, Renault Nissan Automotive India Pvt Ltd (RNAIPL) and the unique production model of the plant.

According to him, RNAIPL is the home of the Nissan Magnite and the Renault’s Kiger/Triber car-family, that has been designed, developed and manufactured in Chennai, from where they have been exported now. “These cars are based on the CMF A/A+ platform, which has been engineered by our Chennai teams. While they are manufactured on the same production line and powered by the same powertrains, these are delivered with a new and smarter brand differentiation. In the near future, this family will be expanded with the addition of a new 5-seater / 7-seater car for Nissan,” he elaborated.

From stamping to assembly to test tracks, every aspect of the manufacturing is carried out within the plant area, Uchida said, noting that the plant is completely self-sufficient, covering all key activities for car assembly and powertrain production.

“We are going to extend our line-up to new segments thanks to the new platform, carrying four cars: these will be two 5-seater C-SUVs and two 7-seater C-SUVs, for both companies, Renault and Nissan,” said Renault group CEO Luca de Meo, confirming the development, while sharing the progress made at the RNTBCI, the JV’s R&D powerhouse, where 10,000 people are working on the latest technologies such as electrification and connectivity.

“These people are clearly at the forefront of innovation, worldwide. They make our engineering centre the top automotive tech centre in the region and among the best in our companies, globally,” he said, adding that RNTBCI also actively contributes to markets such as North America, Europe and Latin America.

The designs of the upcoming offerings were also shown at a press meet, where for the first time, the trio, Renault Nissan Alliance chairperson Jean-Dominique Senard, flanked by Uchida and Luca, made their first visit together outside France and Japan.

Senard said March 27 marks the 25th anniversary of the alliance in India. “India will continue to have a major role in our alliance. The alliance has invested $1.8 billion so far,” he said, adding the choice of TN is dynamism and the potential it offers.

As per company officials, the plant produces 2.7 million cars annually, of which 1.2 million are shipped to over 100 countries.