International sales for the Renault group in the first half of 2012 hit a record high, rising 14.3% to the market’s 9.5%, thanks to strong performances in Russia and Brazil but this growth was insufficient to offset the 14.9% fall in European sales.
The group sold 1.3m vehicles worldwide, down 3.3% on first-half 2011, despite a positive second quarter (up 1.2%). Market share came to 3.3%, down 0.3 points.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
Record sales of 620,306 vehicles, up 14.3% year on year, were made outside Europe which accounted for 47% of group volume compared with 39% in first half 2011.
Europe sales were down 14.9% owing to a sharp fall in the markets (and France in particular) and to the group’s ‘unit margin defence strategy’ and the range restructure in the UK.
French group sales contracted 15.2%, the result of a strong first-quarter 2011 boosted by the last deliveries of scrappage-bonus vehicles and a weaker than expected market.
Group passenger car sales fell 3.9% to 1,145,737, for a market share of 3.8%.
Renault sold 182,700 light commercial vehicles, up 0.4%.
Renault brand sales fell 2.4% to 1,113,913.
Dacia was up 2.5% to 181,280.
Sales at Renault Samsung Motors brand plunged 41.2% to 33,244.
