France warns Renault could disappear

[TrueBlue05]

Two articles which were posted several hours ago from at least 2 reliable sources inducating issues with Renault and the financial difficulties at the moment.

This is alarming that we could lose a compnay on the scale of Renault, but I'm hoping a managerial and financial re-shuffle will sort this out.

Reuters | Breaking International News & Views

Find latest news from every corner of the globe at Reuters.com, your online source for breaking international news coverage.

uk.reuters.com

Renault could “disappear” without aid, warns French minister | Autocar

Finance minister warns brand could go bust without help after reports of factory closures and model culling

www.autocar.co.uk

I'm sure sadly this will mean the end of the F1 team and Renault may have to look at either selling off it's shares in Nissan and Mitsubishi and a decrease in the number of models in their range with talk of losing the Megane, Scenic,Talisman, Espace and Koloes.

I'm keen to know what's happening as my wife has a brand new Captur S-Model on order which is now in the UK and due into the dealership next week for PDI.

 

[McGherkin]

They killed the F4R.

C'est La Vie.

 

[TrueBlue05]

They killed the F4R.

C'est La Vie.

Sadly emission regulations killed that and many other great NA engines several years ago

 

[botfch]

Won’t happen the French govt owns 15% of the company so it’s almost guaranteed to be saved.

 

[plenty]

Bring back Carlos Ghosn!

 

[197.]

So is this the reason there's no more proper Clios?

 

[R3k1355]

Sloppy crossovers 4lyfe now, it's all the brain-dead public seem to want.

 

[Louis]

Everyone with v6's tucked away in garages are rubbing their hands together now

 

[Usr117063]

20k 172 cups incoming

 

[deanoE30M3]

Alpine A110 production under threat?

French media reports suggest Renault factories could close with models discontinued in restructuring effort

www.pistonheads.com

Saw this the other day related also..

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

Sloppy crossovers 4lyfe now, it's all the brain-dead public seem to want.

This. Chris Harris said it on a podcast a few months - car manufacturers used to innovate, designing cars and features that made things better. Relevant to this thread is the fact that Renault created the Espace, which was a really clever car. Now car companies are knocking out endless crossovers and SUVs, which are actually deeply flawed, just because they think it's what people want. They're their own worst enemies in some ways.

 

[TrueBlue05]

To me all car companies seem to be following the SUV trend as that's believed to be what the market wants, it may do for now but I'm sure they'll be another trend in a few years time and it's dealerships will be stuck with 3/4 old part exchanged cars with little demand.

When I was younger I remember car manufacturers made cars that were an expression of what they represented and what they believed to be the best car it could produce. Mercedes Benz and BMW for example now both have huge range of cars simply made to exist in a competitive markets as not to be left behind. For me Renault were about nippy, quirky hatchbacks with an emphasis on fun and styling but lacking Germanic built quality. The Espace and Scenic were revolutionary and spawned many of the MPV cars sold today. The 5 GT Turbo, Clio Williams and 19 16V drew me into Renault and upto October last year I represented the brand in my local dealership's parts department before getting out of the trade after 17 years fearing the automotive industry wasn't where the money would be.

 

[Donny_Dog]

It won't happen, but a revolutionary idea to keep with a previous post about how car firms used to innovate, would be to do re-runs.
Not just putting out 100 Renault 5's as the tooling would be cost prohibitive, but maybe resurrection of a 'good' sports line and then fitting modern running gear.
It's happened in the bike scene, rather than leaving it up to project monkeys in their garage, people may just want to buy a classic car, with turn key or electric? Modern motors and go.

Classic Williams re-engineered? And further back of course.
R5 raiders with a 1.6 turbo. That's just my era.
Tonnes of stuff to look at.

I run a 2008 BMW and I dread the day I have to replace it with a soul-less new machine. There isn't any real innovation between manufacturers and there are that many cross owner conglomerates, badges mean nothing. Power seems easy to come by across most ranges, so that is even less of a lure.

I think, to look to the future, would be to look in the past.

Just a thought.


Now where did I leave that stater motor for a '93 metro GTi...

 

[R3k1355]

Nah, cars like that go straight into some rich guys collection and never see the light of day.

If you're gunna revive an old name then make a fresh car for todays market that does justice to the spirit of the original.

 

[Krarl]

Re-visiting old cars is what they do all the time

Hence making Clio 200 Raiders, Twingo GT 1.2T, Laguna GT Turbos etc. They're all a homage in some aspect

In 30 years time someone will make a comment about "I wish they made a new version of a Twingo GT, these new cars are soulless and all electric"

 

[Donny_Dog]

They've tried all that. Using the names, etc but they are just the same gear underneath. They made a Gordonini Clio 200? and it was just a paint job and a badge.

I mean, adopting retro styling. Fashion's rotate, cars just seem to stick to linear. Their just mainstream stuff is no different to anyone elses.

Anyway, was just an idea.

 

[botfch]

Renault’s got its 5 billion bail out as long as it agrees to produce batteries with the Germans.

 

[BIFCAIDS]

20k 172 cups incoming

Never mind the 7k Silver one, that's bad enough.

 

[R3k1355]

Renault is on rocky ground if politicians are calling the shots.

Demanding massive investment in EV when realistically the demand simply isn't there is an enormous mistake IMO.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

Renault is on rocky ground if politicians are calling the shots.

Demanding massive investment in EV when realistically the demand simply isn't there is an enormous mistake IMO.

I can see another diesel-style backtrack in the future to be honest. Governments are latching onto BEVs like they're the solution to every transport issue. 10 years from now, 20 at most, I can see the headlines about the environmental damage of mining the materials etc.

If the COVID-19 outbreak has taught us anything, it's that an awful lot of people can work remotely. Governments should be demanding that as many people continue to do that as possible. Less need for cars = less pollution. At some point, someone is going to have to admit that selling millions upon millions of new cars every year isn't actually sustainable, and that if we really are serious about saving the planet, some manufacturers are going to have to go to the wall. No government wants to admit that though, least of all the French one I should imagine. Economics and environmentalism simply don't match sadly.

 

[DaveL485]

The F1 team are sytaying for the forseeable future - good news.

Not liking the factory cutbacks or the model reduction though, and not looking good for the RS range is it

 

[Noesph]

Won’t happen the French govt owns 15% of the company so it’s almost guaranteed to be saved.

True, But I see them having a lot less interesting cars in the future. Just more bloody SUV's.....

 

[botfch]

True, But I see them having a lot less interesting cars in the future. Just more bloody SUV's.....

Yeah but that was happening anyway, all the RS models bar the Megane have been discontinued and I can’t see the Megane sticking around much longer either.
Renault basically seem to be doing a Peugeot atm.