Germany Renault vs Peugeot Model Comparison: 2002-09 (Part 1)

In the German market there is a glass ceiling...if you are foreign. You can only go so far. That's what it seems from afar anyway. The two main French brands have a reasonable presence here but how have they gone over the last decade and a half?

The Clio was Renault's best

Renault: The highest position it got to was 7th in the period below. It has been as high as 5th for brief spells in earlier times but that won't happen again. This period witnessed sales falling and market share shrinking quickly, from 6.3 to 3.8%. The Scénic model was hit badly but the Laguna even worse.

RENAULT
Model/Year	2009	2008	2007	2006	2005	2004	2003	2002
Clio	37,502	26,299	29,506	38,237	24,921	24,847	36,546	39,746
Twingo	33,232	22,152	13,595	8,945	18,304	21,341	33,459	38,745
Mégane	29,285	15,625	22,460	30,395	35,139	40,228	39,673	24,847
Scénic	14,184	14,847	21,329	27,139	30,444	31,854	36,280	38,563
Kangoo	8,751	10,715	8,247	10,806	10,992	13,427	17,892	18,661
Modus	8,103	9,531	9,825	14,587	26,681	8,160	-	-
Laguna	4,746	12,453	6,765	7,886	8,875	10,952	23,567	32,821
Koleos	2,914	2,353	-	-	-	-	-	-
Trafic	2,038	3,403	3,563	2,976	3,778	3,379	3,210	1,553
Espace	1,528	3,106	5,114	5,716	6,543	9,041	11,039	7,009
Master	833	1,613	2,331	2,362	1,349	521	690	971
Vel Saits	-	-	124	314	533	699	1,570	2,088
Other	188	168	119	153	159	157	418	941
Total	145,313	124,273	124,985	151,522	169,723	166,610	206,347	207,947
% Share	3.8%	4.0%	3.9%	4.3%	5.0%	5.0%	6.3%	6.3%

The Peugeot 107 out shopping

Peugeot: It started about half the size as Renault but in a short time was almost even. It only held its share thanks to a rally in 2009. The smaller 107 an 207 models were up the above that no. It looked like Peugeot was closing in on its nemesis. Whether it succeeded is revealed in Part 2 (simply click here s'il vous plaît).

PEUGEOT
Model/Year	2009	2008	2007	2006	2005	2004	2003	2002
207/206	78,299	49,153	51,877	49,635	48,806	57,882	63,426	55,177
308/307	19,508	21,397	15,661	22,574	34,167	45,062	40,586	35,949
107/106	14,832	9,707	8,946	12,179	2,933	139	4,110	5,823
Partner	6,504	3,363	2,272	2,763	3,215	3,850	5,071	2,001
3008	3,020	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
407/607/406	2,866	5,499	8,546	14,099	20,134	10,693	4,936	7,383
4007	1,419	1,525	618	-	-	-	-	-
5008	1,117	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
1007	715	1,132	2,281	6,084	4,731	-	-	-
807	696	1,399	1,775	3,083	3,067	3,506	4,894	1,403
Expert	576	981	880	253	267	255	228	321
Boxer	362	483	441	415	640	442	429	357
Other	293	37	97	66	78	85	111	146
Total	132,216	96,684	95,401	113,157	120,043	123,918	125,794	110,562
% Share	3.4%	3.1%	3.0%	3.2%	3.5%	3.7%	3.8%	3.3%

Data source: KBA.
Picture source: Netcarshow.

Renault Mexico Production History : 2001-2009

This Nissan was part of the assembly arrangement with Renault

Did you know that Renault produced cars in Mexico during this 2001-09 period? I would think not many did. How did it come about and was it successful?

Renault wanted to enter the Mexican market and used its alliance partner Nissan to help it do so. Two models were planned to be built in a Nissan plant to supply only the local market. The compact MPV model known as the Scénic kicked things off, quickly followed by the Clio small hatch. Nissan then introduced the booted Clio (US trunk) called the Symbol (or Thalia) to the assembly plant but it was sold under its brand as the Platina model. I presume it was cost effective to have two related cars on the assembly line.

The goal: Renault hoped to produce 6,000 Scénic models per annum and be selling 30,000 vehicles in total by 2003. 80,000 units was a longer term goal for the brand, or 8% market share.

Reality: Like all goals, there is no guarantee and this didn't materialise. The Scénic was soon withdrawn and a peak of just 2.2% market share was achieved by Renault in 2004. Things then slipped back to 1.5% by the time the Clio was no longer assembled in Mexico. 24,000 sales was as good as it got during this period. Understandably, the Nissan Platina did much better, with that brand's much larger presence.

Life after assembly: Interestingly, sales improved from 2010, with nearly 30,000 sold by 2016. That despite new brands entering the market, increasing competition. So Renault did get the leap into the market it wanted, although not with quite the splash it hoped for, currently holding around the 2% of total sales.

	Year	Passenger Cars		Annual	Total	Mkt
	Model	Clio	Scénic	Prod	Sales	Share
	2001	100	1,600	1,700	3,200	0.3%
	2002	9,600	2,200	11,800	15,400	1.6%
	2003	13,300	2,200	15,500	18,400	1.9%
	2004	11,000	700	11,700	24,100	2.2%
	2005	12,900	-	12,900	24,100	2.1%
	2006	9,900	-	9,900	20,300	1.8%
	2007	9,000	-	9,000	18,600	1.7%
	2008	9,000	-	9,000	16,100	1.6%
	2009	2,400	-	2,400	11,500	1.5%
	Total	77,200	6,700	83,900	151,700
	Average	9,650	2,233	10,488	16,856	1.6%