Renault-Nissan CEO and chairman Carlos Ghosn said in Chennai, India, the alliance is developing “all-new” vehicles to meet the specific demands of new car buyers in the world’s fastest growing economies.
This is the first completely new model programme developed “from the ground up” by Renault and Nissan Motor teams working together from the start.
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The programme, internally named CMF-A, covers the most affordable category of cars in the so called ‘Common Module Family’, Renault-Nissan’s claimed unique, modular system of vehicle architecture.
The CMF approach defines vehicles as five essential modules: the engine bay, cockpit, front underbody, rear underbody and electrical/electronic architecture. The compatible parts can then be assembled into hundreds of possible configurations, for maximum efficiency and brand differentiation.
Production of vehicles using CMF-A will begin in 2015 at the alliance plant in Chennai which currently makes a mix of Renault and Nissan branded models with much in common – such as a Renault version of the Nissan Micra.
Details, such as pricing and volumes, of the new cars won’t be announced until closer to the start of production.
“Like all CMF categories, CMF-A offers a high degree of flexibility. Significant body style and powertrain variations can be matched to specific customer needs and preferences in India and other high-growth markets,” the automakers said in a statement.
“We are breaking new ground with CMF-A to meet and exceed the high standards of consumers in the world’s fastest growing economies – particularly people buying a new car for the first time,” Ghosn said at the Renault Nissan Technology Business Centre, the Chennai-based engineering facility where development work on CMF-A began last year.
“These influential consumers don’t want a ‘decontented’ car originally intended for consumers in mature markets. They want and deserve a car that is modern, robust and stylish – at a price point that represents a ‘cost breakthrough’ for such a generous vehicle.”
This policy is similar to that of Ford of India, which recycled a previous generation Fiesta to become the nonetheless popular Figo. The company has since announced it would only develop and sell contemporary models there and in other emerging markets.
Similar policies have been put in place in recent years by automakers in Brazil.
The alliance presently builds a variety of models on multiple architectures at its Oragadam plant near Chennai and recently announced that the first Datsun of modern times would enter production there in 2014. This small car will use the Alliance V architecture, as introduced by the March/Micra in 2010.
CMF was announced earlier this year. Its first applications will be for the Nissan Qashqai/Dualis, X-Trail and Rogue replacements, each of which is due to be launched within the next six months. CMF-based successors for the Renault Laguna, Espace and Scénic will follow from late 2014, the company recently stated.
Additional reporting: Glenn Brooks
For more on the announcement and CMF-A, click on ‘press release’ below – there are two documents
