The Renault-Nissan head honcho, Carlos Ghosn, has revolutionized the Alliance, and his performance might just result in them being the best-selling car manufacturer globally in 2017.
Ghosn admits that this wasn’t their target to begin with, as AutoNews reports, but he remains optimistic when it comes to sales volume: “We have been among the top three carmakers since January in sales volume, and we expect to be in the top spot by midyear – although this was not our goal.”
In the first four months of the year, Renault Nissan sold 3.02 million vehicles, being topped by Toyota, with 3.06 million, and the Volkswagen Group, which delivered 3.32 million units, according to the numbers posted by JATO Dynamics.
Whether Renault-Nissan actually manages to climb to the top spot this year remains to be seen, but if they do, their offerings in the booming SUV segment, such as the X-Trail which is the best-selling vehicle in its class, will have played a major role.
Moreover, affordable models like the Dacia Duster and Renault Kwid enjoy success in emerging markets such as the Middle East, Brazil, and India, and the Alliance has a good market share with their Zoe and Leaf electric vehicles, which remain leaders in their segments. Finally, the acquisition of Mitsubishi, which delivered 934,000 vehicles in 2016, could also play into Ghosn’s hands.
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