French car maker Renault might have held out in having discussions with GM, but you’d have to ask yourself why.
Sales at both Renault and Peugeot plummeted in the first half of 2006 despite trimming fleet deals.
Renault European sales fell to 951,000 cars sold for Jan-June – a whopping 7.6 per cent down on the year earlier.
When figures were posted, screams of anguish were heard in Renault’s mahogany row.
While not cheering, the mood was leass suicidal at Peugeot where sales dipped 2.2 per cent to 1.27 million.
Both car makers have revamped marketing strategies, which see low-margin vipers like rental firms and other fleet buyers cut out of the loop.
Good and bad idea. I hired a Peugeot 206 around Europe recently and it was exceptional. I would never have considered test driving a Peugeot, but having driven it I wouldn’t write it off my list pf potential future purchases.
Both companies are dead certain this strategy will pay off long term once this “market correction” is ridden out.
Renault reckons sales will stabilise by the end of thi year, and Peugeot expects growth from the new 207.
Renault’s global sales dropped 3.2 percent to 1.32 million. Europe accounts for 72 per cent of sales and the company claims an 11 per cent increase outside Europe.
Peugeot’s worldwide vehicle sales jumped 0.6 per cent to 1.76 million units from 1.75 million a year earlier, with Europe claiming 71 per cent of global sales.
