A report on the UK-based news and opinion website wintonsworld.com suggests that Renault stands to undershoot its European sales target on the controversially styled Vel Satis by more than 50% in 2003.
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According to the report, Renault hoped to achieve annual Vel Satis sales in Europe of around 50,000 a year. The executive segment car was launched in Europe in 2002. However, it’s sales in 2003 are forecast at around 23,000 units by the forecaster JD Power-LMC in the wintonsworld article. In 2004, Vel Satis sales are expected to increase to about 33,000 units.
Opinion in the industry has been divided on the vehicle’s radical styling. The car has generally received good reviews on most review criteria. However, doubts have been expressed about the car’s styling and Renault’s brand image in the traditionally conservative executive segment of the car market dominated by prestige brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
Reviewer Neil Winton told just-auto: “It is a magnificent, dramatic, and worthy attempt to break into the upmarket world dominated by BMW, Mercedes and Lexus. But after the huge investment developing it, it’s probably doomed to failure.
“Yes, it is a superb car in many ways when you are sitting in it. But when it is sitting in your driveway it is simply, ugly. Modern, different? Yes. Easy on the eye? No.”
