Sales by Renault’s three brands worldwide fell 4.6% to 171,064 vehicles last month.


Results were mixed: Renault brand sales slipped 5.1%, Dacia dipped 3.9% but Renault Samsung Motors volume rose 3.2%.


In Europe, Renault sold 116,836 passenger car and light commercial units, a drop of 9.2%, for market share of 9.5%.


Renault had said during its 2006 results announcement that it expected sales to remain on a downward trend in first-half 2007, pending the arrival of the new models, and noted on Wednesday (14 March) that February’s results were in line with forecasts.


“The arrival of New Twingo in June, following its unveiling at the Geneva motor show, will mark the start of a drive to win back sales,” the company said.


With market share of 17.2% and sales up 5.1% in February, Renault claims to lead the European LCV market, following the recent restyling of its Trafic and Master vans (which are also sold under the Nissan, Vauxhall and Opel brands, boosting volume if not the French automaker’s own-brand statistics).


Renault said the new Dacia-made Logan MCV (wagon/van) is “enjoying great success” with demand ahead of targets, Over 23,500 have been ordered since the beginning of the year ahead of sales beginning last month February in around a dozen European countries, Turkey and Algeria.


Outside Europe, Renault reported continued growth in overall sales (+8.2%) in February.


In the Euromed region, Renault brand sales rose 28.7%, with particularly strong growth in Morocco (40.8%) and Romania (57.9 %). In Russia, sales surged by 80.5% in a market that expanded by 17.5%, thanks to the success of the Logan and the range as a whole.


In the Americas, in a dynamic market that grew by 16.3%, the Renault brand reported strong growth (20.9%), with 15,089 vehicles sold. Strong sales increases in Argentina (32.8%) and Brazil (26.6%) confirmed the positive trends already observed in January.


In Asia-Africa, Renault posted a slight sales increase of 0.4%. Sales of Renault Samsung Motors rose by 5.5%, still buoyed by the success of the SM5.
 
In Iran, the locally-assembled Logan is enjoying huge success under the name ‘Tondar 90’, with more than 80,000 pre-orders since the beginning of March.