Renault plans to open 70 dealership networks by 2013

French auto-major Renault plans to open 70 dealership networks in the country by 2013, a company official said today.

"We have planned to introduce the 'Fluence' by mid 2011 and at that time we will have around 7-10 dealerships in the country... The dealerships would be operational in Tier I cities," a company official told PTI.

Stating that the response for the dealership was good and encouraging, he said by 2013 about five cars from Renault will be on roads and at that time Renault would be having around 70 dealership networks.

"It works like this --- by next year end we will have 30 dealerships... And in 2012 we will add another 30-35 dealerships. By 2013, there will be about 70 dealerships covering major cities and towns...," he said.

The car manufacturer has set up a manufacturing facility at Oragadam near here in association with Japan's car maker Nissan at an investment of Rs 4,400 crore over a period of seven years.

Asked whether Renault would utilise the Nissan's dealerships, he said, "in the Joint venture (with Nissan) we hold 43 per cent and majority of our partnership is in the backend.We will be having our own dealership networks."

He said the company would roll out the luxury sedan 'Fluence' and 4x4 cross over 'Koloes' in the domestic market by mid-2011. Three more cars will be launched by mid-2013. A small hatchback would also be introduced.

In a statement, Renault India Managing Director Marc Nassif said, "Renault has a detailed ramp up plan for 2010, which essentially sets the base for the products to come between 2011 and 2013."

"We are ahead of our plan of selecting and appointing dealers and are on track to meet the challenging targets that we have set for ourselves in India and to ensure that we live up to the brand promise that Renault will bring to its Indian customers." he added.