Renault Boss Says Dacia Kwid Will Not Happen

The following statements from Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn may surprise some people, especially in Europe where the Dacia brand represents the low-cost alternative to Renault vehicles.

At the global unveil of the Renault Kwid in India, the executive said the car will not be rebadged as a Dacia.

“There will not be a Dacia badge on the Kwid… there will only be a Renault badge,” Ghosn replied to Indian Autos Blog when asked of the possibility that the Kwid could be offered as an entry-level model for the Dacia brand.

Ghosn added that Renault will first focus on the Indian market for the Kwid, and only after that it will export it to developing markets or introduce it to the global market.

The Kwid is based on Renault-Nissan’s new CMF-A global platform, which was designed for worldwide safety regulations. Gerard Detourbet, Renault-Nissan Alliance Global Vice President, said the India-spec Kwid doesn’t offer ABS, but the system could be installed if necessary, along with ESP and other safety features needed for meeting European safety standards.

Many noticed that the Renault Kwid fits the Dacia brand from a styling point of view, not to mention the fact that Renault’s tests of the Kwid in Europe contradict Ghosn’s statements. Who knows, maybe the executive wants to hide plans from the media for now because Renault hasn’t decided yet where to build the Kwid for Europe and is waiting to see which country offers the best deal.

Currently, Dacia’s lineup in Europe and some African and Asian countries include the Duster, Sandero, Logan, Logan MCV, Lodgy and Dokker.

Note: Opening photo courtesy of Theophilus Chin