Renault's design centre sharpens India focus

French automaker, Renault has extended the role of its observational satellite design centre in Mumbai to become a full-fledged design unit. Having played a part in projects like the Logan Steppe car and MMI (man machine interface) concepts, Renault Design India could play a major role in the $3,000 car that could soon become a reality if the carmaker’s alliance with Bajaj Auto progresses smoothly.

Renault’s CEO, Carlos Ghosn (who also heads Nissan) has constantly spoken of India’s ‘frugal engineering’ and this core competence could also be reflected in the design aspect. “The $3,000 car will be a challenge when it happens,” said senior vice-president, corporate design, Renault, Patrick Le Quement. Naturally, much like the no-frills Logan whose design had to take into account Ghosn’s strict costing parameters, the $3,000 car too will have to be a simplistic, yet complicated, approach.

Company officials did not comment on whether its designers had started working on this ultra-cheap vehicle, saying only that its 160 designers globally work on all of the new car projects. Readers would recall though that French newspaper Le Figaro had reported in June that Renault had hired 1,000 engineers to work on the $3,000 car. It would now seem that Bajaj engineers may also get into the act.

Does this mean that Renault’s partnership with Mahindra & Mahindra could be only confined to the no-frills Logan and its derivatives? It would seem so going by the manufacturer’s aggressive plans for a small, inexpensive car.

SHIFTING TO BAJAJ

Apparently, M&M was quite clear about the fact that this was not its core competence and this led Renault to make a stopover at Bajaj which is developing a concept car. This vehicle is scheduled to be displayed at the Auto Expo next year and could become a viable commercial proposition once Renault and Nissan pool in their expertise too.

The company’s 51:49 joint venture with M&M, Mahindra Renault, is confined to building the Logan at the Indian partner’s Nashik facility as well as retailing it at select M&M dealerships along with the Scorpio sport-utility vehicle. Renault is also part of the Rs 4,000 crore three-way joint venture with M&M and Nissan to make 400,000 cars starting mid-2009. These will include derivatives of the Logan which will be retailed by Mahindra Renault.

However, a powertrain facility to make 300,000 diesel engines at Chennai will come under the umbrella of Renault India, a 100 percent arm. This will produce the 1.5 litre engine, with common rail systems from Delphi, and will largely meet the needs of Renault and Nissan. The Logan and its derivatives will also be fitted with this engine. Clearly, all this translates into a picture where Renault is progressing independent of M&M in its car plans for India. Its new allies will now be Nissan and Bajaj Auto too.

AMMAR MASTER