Renault Eyes Aggressive Product Push With New Models Every Year

French automaker Renault is looking at a fundamental reset in its strategy for India business with plans to bring new products every year, as the brand believes speed of new product development and launches are critical to remain competitive in India.

“When you are in India, the first lesson you have to learn is the speed. That is why what we decided to do is to increase the speed at which we are developing our car…It is important to be present [with new models] not only every two years, but every year, with new models is very important,” Renault brand CEO and Chief Growth Officer Fabrice Cambolive told Autocar Professional.

Launch of the Duster facelift, which has been re-engineered with a turbo engine and a strong hybrid powertrain on a locally adapted platform, on Monday marked the first major step in this accelerated strategy. Renault was once seen as a potential disruptor with the Duster in 2011 and with the Kwid in 2015, which came with an exciting design in the entry-level segment. 

The automaker’s volume peaked in FY17, when it sold 135,123 units and captured nearly 4% market share with these two models. But Renault struggled to maintain momentum amid a lack of aggressive production expansion. The company did not have a product to compete with popular models like the Creta and Seltos, while the pandemic further exposed and amplified these weaknesses. In FY25, Renault’s India volumes came down to just 37,900 units, while market share contracted to less than 1%.

A faster pace of product development would mark a departure from Renault’s earlier approach, which saw the brand fall behind rivals in several key segments in India. Industry insiders and analysts say regular updates and new launches are crucial in the Indian market, where buyer preferences change quickly and newer models tend to sell better.

With an increased pace of launches, Renault aims to regain its lost market share with a target of 3-5% market share by the end of this decade. “Our objective now is to gain traction in terms of renewals. I would say that between a 3% and 5% of the market should be a good target for us. I would say this is not a target in itself, but rather a result of doing our job well,” Cambolive said.

The new Duster is the first India-bound launch under Renault’s International Game Plan 2027, which is pivotal for the recovery of the brand's presence and scale in India. In India, following the refresh of all its models, including the Duster, a three-row SUV is likely to be launched. With these launches, Renault plans to cover all major segments.

India is poised to play a pivotal role in Renault’s product transformation and electrification roadmap with the introduction of the CMF-B modular platform. This platform will support new B- and C-segment models aimed at both domestic and export markets where Renault currently lacks scale.