• The Renault Group increases market share to 3.7% on strong sales performance in the second half of 2009

The Renault Group achieved its objective to increase its world market share.

The increase of production decided during 2009 and the renewal of the range enabled the Group to increase its penetration in the second half and to finish the year with a growth of market share.

The Renault group increased its passenger car (PC) and light commercial vehicle (LCV) market share slightly, by 0.1 points to 3.7%. In a world market that contracted 4.7%, the Group was down just 3.1%, with sales of 2.309 million vehicles.

In the PC market, the Renault Group reported market share of 4.3%, up 0.2 points. In a world market that declined 4.2%, the Group increased sales 0.7% to 2.302 million vehicles.

The Renault brand reclaimed the position of third-ranked brand in Western Europe mainly owing to the success of the Mégane family and Twingo. In the LCV market, the Renault brand has been the number one brand in Western Europe since 1998.

Dacia brand sales rose by 91% in Europe and reached 1.3% of the market. In France, Dacia became one of the top-ten best-selling brands. Driven by an 83% rise in the PC market, Dacia sales totalled 214,500 units in Europe with Logan, Logan MCV and Sandero.

Renault Samsung Motors increased its market share by 0.8 points (9.3%) and by 31% in terms of volume, making South Korea the Group’s third-largest market in 2009.

For the first time in 10 years, following the collapse of several markets like Russia and Romania, the Group’s sales volume outside Europe decreased even though the sales volume outside Europe remains at 34% of the total sales volume.

TOP 15 results
The Group’s 15 biggest markets accounted for 85% of its sales. At the end of 2009, 11 of these 15 markets reported market share gains (compared with eight at end of June), while one was stable and three were down.

Europe Region

The Group increased its PC market share by 0.7 points of which 1.5 points during the second half. In a market that fell 4.5%, the Renault group’s market share rose 0.6 points to 9.5%.

PC: In a market that shrank 0.9%, the Renault Group increased its sales 7.4% and grew market share 0.7 points to 9%. The Group’s PC market share has increased systematically year-on-year since May 2009. Renault was the third-ranked brand in Western Europe.

LCV: In a market that fell 30.1%, Renault Group sales were down 24%. The Group’s market share rose 1.2 points to 15.2%. The Renault brand maintained its number one position in Western Europe.

PC + LCV – details by country

• France: The Group grew its market share 0.6 points to 26%, with sales volumes up 7.3%. This increase in market share was achieved despite a fall of nearly 16,000 units in direct sales to leasing companies. The overall 0.6-point increase can be broken down into a 0.9-point rise in the PC market share and a 1.1-point rise in the LCV market share

• Germany: Group market share rose 1 point to 6.0% thanks to the scrappage bonus and the success of Dacia, which increased Group sales 45.1%. It is the best performance in the last six years

• Italy: Market share rose 0.4 points to 5.3%, with sales volumes up 5.3%

• Spain: Market share rose 0.6 points to 10.9% on the successful renewal of the Mégane family. In the PC market, Renault is the number one brand

• Belgium: Group market share up 0.9 points to 11.1%. Renault is the number one brand in the country with a market share of 10.3%

• Switzerland: A 0.9 point rise in Group market share which results in a 7.3% market share. The Renault brand is number two in the market with a 6.3% market share

• UK, linked to the unfavourable effect of exchange rate, the Group market share was down 1.1 points to 3.4% of market share. However, the recovery plan launched during summer enabled to better end the year with a penetration rate of 4.8% at the end of the last quarter.

• Portugal: The Renault brand is number one in Portugal with 11.9% market share

Passenger car market share of the Renault Group:

Regions outside Europe

• South Korea: the country becomes the Group’s third largest market. The Renault Group took a 9.3% share (up 0.8 points). Registrations increased 31% in a market that rose 20%. Renault Samsung Motors sales grew 31% in Korea, for a 0.8-point rise in PC market share, totalling 10.8%. SM3 and SM5 were top-ten best-sellers in the country

• Russia: the market share was up 1.3 points to 5.0%. Renault was number five in the Russian market and Logan became the best-selling foreign-make vehicle in the country

• Ukraine: a 1.0 point rise in market share to 4.0%

• Romania: in a market that fell a considerable 53.7%, the Group strengthened its leadership by increasing market share 1.6 points to 35.9%. Dacia is the number one brand with Logan and Sandero. Renault ranks fifth, with Symbol and Mégane both in the top ten

• Algeria: the market share rose 6.4 points to 24.0% with a 29.4% increase in registrations volume in a market that fell 5.2%. Renault is the number one brand thanks to Symbol, the country’s best seller. Dacia is the sixth placed brand

• Morocco: the market share grew 5.9 points to 34.1%, with sales up 8.4% in a market down 10.3%. Renault was number one and Dacia number two. Logan is the country’s best-seller

• South Africa: in a market down 26.5%, the Renault Group reported a 67.2% increase with the start-up of local Sandero production. Market share rose 1.2 point to more than 2.1%

• Argentina: the market share rose 0.4 points to 12.4% thanks to the stimulus plan implemented at the start of the year. While the market contracted 14.3%, Renault resisted better, down 11.7%.

• Colombia: the market share increased 2.8 points to 16.4% thanks to the success of Sandero (Logan number two and Sandero number three in the market). Renault sales volumes were up on 2008 (+1.9%) in a market that fell 15.6%

• Turkey: the Group maintains its PC + LCV market share at 14.9%. In the PC market, the Renault brand increased its market share 1.1 point to 16.1%

• Brazil: the Group set a new sales record of nearly 118,000 units with sales up 2.1%. However, the Group did not follow the dynamic market increase, which was established at 3 million units. The market share decreased 0.4 points to 3.9%

• Iran: the performance is slowed down by the financial problems of the local partners. The market share came to 2.7% with a volume decrease of 34%

Leading products in 2009
The renewal of the Renault group range continued in 2009 with the extension of the Mégane family and the launch of Clio III phase 2 and Fluence

• Twingo, the best-seller in France, placed top three in sales in its segment in Europe. Clio was number five in its segment in Europe. Twingo registrations rose 33.6% in Europe in 2009, totalling nearly 175,000 registrations. Twingo took a 9.9% share of its segment in Europe. In France, Twingo was the clear number one in its segment with a 30.5% share, up 64.3% on 2008. It was number one in the segment in Belgium and number three in Germany.

• Mégane family ranked number three in its segment in Europe. It led its segment in France with more than 153,000 registrations. Mégane leads its segment not just in France but also in Belgium and Portugal.

• New Mégane Hatch and Coupe received an excellent welcome from the sales network and customers in November 2008. The renewal of the Mégane family range produced its full effect with the launch of Scenic and Grand Scenic in 2009.

• Scenic is the best-selling MPV in Europe.

Light commercial vehicles

• With one of the most comprehensive light commercial vehicle ranges, the Renault brand consolidated its leadership position in the Western European LCV market since 1998 with 196,100 units sold in 2009.

• The Dacia range found its customer base and contributed extra volumes to the Group.

• In a severe environment for the LCV sector, the quality of products and services for its professional customers enabled the Group to increase its market share.

Entry range

• The Entry program is a real strength for the Group’s development and an asset in Europe, where Dacia anticipated consumption trends. Dacia has become an essential player in the automotive industry.

• The vehicles of the entry program are produced in eight countries (Romania, Russia, Colombia, Morocco, Iran, India, Brazil and South Africa) and are sold in 86 countries under the two brands Renault and Dacia.

• The Entry range confirmed its success in 2009, with 533,500 units sold under the two brands Renault and Dacia, for growth of 4.5%.

Conclusion and prospects for 2010

The Renault Group slightly increased its market share to 3.7%.

At end of 2009, of the Group’s 15 largest markets – accounting for 85% of sales – 11 reported market share increases, one was stable, and three were down.

With the downturn in growth expected to continue in 2010, the Group is expecting an 8% to 10% fall in the European market. With the end of full-effect government aid, the situation of the automotive industry will remain tense. The Group still aims to increase market share, pursuing the momentum initiated in second-half of 2009, in respect with the Group’s financial objectives.

In 2010, the Renault group will be able to rely on new product to increase market share:

• The continued renewal of the range, with the new Master in the LCV family, the new SM5 and the full rollout of the Mégane family for the passenger car family.

• An Entry range well adapted to market needs and pursuing the growth dynamic, as shown by the success of the Dacia brand. The range will be broadened with the launch of the Duster.

Total sales by brand

Total Group sales PC+LCV by region without LADA

* sales
** since march 2008

The top 10 markets of the Renault Group without LADA year to date December 2009

Sales of Entry Program

By brand and by year

By model

Top 5 markets for Entry Progrm