Indian automotive manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), which created a joint-venture with Renault for the making of the Logan model could produce the Scorpio SUV at the Dacia plant held by the French group in Romania, Indian publication Business Standard reports.
According to the quoted source, the vehicles will then be marketed in the developing European markets through Renault distributors. Automobile Dacia representatives would not comment on the information.
“Taking Scorpio to the global market through Renault is important,” said Pawan Goenka, Chief Operating Officer, automotive sector, M&M, in his final interview before taking over the position of president of the company.
A senior source added that Renault might consider Scorpio for its thrust in the Franco-African market. Renault does not have any SUV in its automotive line-up. Scorpio was developed to have both right and left-hand drive variants and the latter has already gone through the testing phase.
This is the first time an automobile designed and developed in India will be manufactured somewhere else by another carmaker. The model was first presented in Europe at the Bologna Auto Show in late 2003.
The vehicle comes with either 2.6l and 109 HP diesel engine or with 2l and 116 HP petrol engine, supplied by Renault.
The Renault Group took over local carmaker Dacia in 1999. The company estimates turnover to overshoot the one billion-euro market this year, due to production of some 175,000 vehicles, 60,000 units of which will be exported.
Renault and Mahindra & Mahindra representatives this spring signed a framework contract for a joint venture, Mahindra Renault, a company that will manufacture and market the Logan model in India as of 2007. ionut.bonoiu@zf.ro