Duster SUV powers Renault India’s sales in January

Chennai, February 1, 2013: The popular Duster SUV continues to be the prime contributor to Renault India’s sales. The Duster accounted for 3,554 units of the total 4,914 units the carmaker sold in January 2013. The other contributors were the Scala (812 units), Pulse (403 units), Fluence (108 units) and Koleos (37 units). With January 2013’s sales, the company has sold a total of 37,508 units in the first 10 months of the fiscal (April 2012-January 2013).

The Duster has been on a roll since its launch last year. Last month, it also won the prestigious Autocar Car of the Year 2013 award along with awards for the SUV of the Year and Best Viewer’s Choice (see image below).

With this January number, the company’s domestic wholesales grew by 455 percent year on year, with 885 units sold in January 2012. “2012 was a year of growth for Renault India, with over 35,000 units sold across India as well as starting the export of the Duster,” said Sumit Sawhney, executive director (marketing & sales), Renault India. He added, “The new year is now all set to see us continue this drive with strong domestic sales in January. It is also a reflection of the rising confidence among both customers and industry experts about Renault in India.”

Renault India cars roll out its manufacturing facility located in Oragadam, Chennai, with a capacity of 400,000 units per annum. The company, at present, has a network of 100 dealer outlets across the country. The same plant also helps export the Duster. On November 30, 2012, the company had flagged off its export operations with the shipment of the first batch of 350 Dacia-badged Duster SUVs from Ennore port in Chennai to the United Kingdom and Ireland. The plant currently is the only facility globally to produce the right-hand-drive Duster.





Photograph: Sumit Sawhney, executive director (marketing & sales) and managing director marc Nassif at the Autocar Awards nite.