Renault is launching its new, low cost Logan model line in Morocco, the second-biggest market in North Africa, on Thursday.
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After Romania in 2004 and Russia in spring 2005, Morocco is the third country to launch Logan production and sales. The French automaker has invested €30 million in the project.
Somaca (Société Marocaine de Construction Automobile), in which Renault has a 54% stake, is assembling the Logan at its plant in Casablanca from CKD (Completely Knocked Down) kits shipped mainly from Romania.
The plant has a production capacity of 30,000 cars a year, and some of the Logans built here will be exported.
The Somaca plant also manufactures Renault’s Kangoo van within the framework of the “economical car” agreement signed with the Moroccan government in January 2004.
The Dacia-badged Logan is distributed via Renault’s 26-dealer network in Morocco.
In the first half of 2005, Renault sold close to 6,200 vehicles in here, an increase of nearly 19% over the same period in 2004. The Kangoo, the best-selling model on the market since the beginning of the year, accounts for more than half of total sales.
With a 19.6% share of the passenger car and LCV market, Renault leads the Moroccan market, which has gained 17% since the beginning of 2005.
Morocco has become the first country in which the Renault group’s three brands – Renault, Dacia and Renault Samsung – are sold simultaneously.
