In Economy / Policy / Industry
Michel Holtz
51The Franco-German couple, who had lasted for 11 years, has just separated.Back over a decade of flops, a few tops, and an adventure whose end will disadvantage the French spouse and do the matter of German.
The case did not make a lot of noise.However, on November 10, the divorce was sealed and Daimler admitted to having sold the last actions he had within the Renault group.The end of an idyll that had lasted for 11 years and which, when it left, had to augur with a bright future made many small and large cars.Obviously, on the side of the seller (Mercedes), we want to be reassuring, and on the side of the abandoned, we prefer to forget.The two explain, as in all divorces, that the children will not be traumatized by separation, that the Renault Kangoo will continue, with a star magic wand, to become Mercudes Citan and that class A of the same brand will continue, for the moment, to hide a petrol engine made in common.Either, but what a mess for a decade.
The dream of a Renault Class E
Because in 2010, at the time of signing the agreement, the fantasy box was wide open.The two CEOs at the time - who are no longer in charge of their respective group today jubilant.On the one hand Dieter Zetsche Patron of Mercedes, sees in this agreement, the means of turning its engines and platforms from large sedans and recovering small engines for its compacts.Opposite, Carlos Gohsn is just as delighted: he found customers for 3.1 % of his shares, for his engines 1.5 and 1.6 Diesel who are not the best on the planet and the means of manufacturing and selling large prestigious sedans, since the Powered by Mercedes signature.
It is at that time, the major diamond prestige cars are absent subscribers.Just before the signing of this agreement, the diamond launched the latitude.This car, recovered from Samsung, the group's Korean subsidiary, is hastily rebadged and sold with three diesel engines and no petrol blocks.In addition, she arrives just after the velsatis and her memorable flop.Latitude immediately wipes a gadin comparable with less than 4,500 sales the first year and God knows that after this failure, the agreement with Mercedes made all those who were concerned about the prestige of Renault.The rumor, also given for sure of certain, explained that the platform and the engines of the Mercedes class E would serve as a basis for the new Grande Renault.Sure, it's signed and the machine will be on the roads in three years.
Pick-ups: the new Eldorado
Obviously, three years later, in 2013, Carlos Tavares who, at that time was still in the operational direction of Renault denied this case: there will never be a renault class.A few months later, he won the presidency of PSA and in place of a prestigious sedan, Carlos Ghosn chose to produce a Renault Talisman.A choice not really crowned with success since.But the Mercedes - Renault agreement, which failed in this area, did not stop there.Around 2015, the two brands boasted a good vein in a completely different field than the big sedans.Europe in general, and France in particular, has planned to harden the ecological penalty drastically.The 4x4 crossors, the pure and hard, will be very touched and is done with their success.But the law has a hole in the racket: pick-ups, whether used by a father or a site manager are considered professional vehicles and excluded from punishment.
Top here.Between Billancourt and Stuttgart we smell the good deal.In addition, in the Alliance, Nissan has a Navara pick-up that makes the job perfectly.A Renault grille here on Alaskan and Mercedes there on class X, and here the order orders.Except that Franco-German enthusiasm is quickly showered.If the Navara is quietly continuing its way around the planet, the other two sell badly, Alaskan flows to less than 1,500 copies per year.The icing on the radiator cap: in 2019, the authorities realize the legal vagueness that surrounds these large cattle and tax double cabin models like all the other 4x4.It is too much and less than a year later, the two manufacturers leave the adventure.
Twingo-Smart: How to earn money with Citadine micro?
But the Mercedes-Renault agreement has not only concerned the big sedans and the pick-ups.Small cars were also embarked on this ten -year trip.Always history to save some money, Daimler saw fit to share the manufacture of his smart.It has been in deficit for years, and for it to be less, it is enough to share the losses with the friend Renault.Banco: the Twingo, third of its kind, will be produced on the same channels with the same platform as the Smart FORFOUR.Alas, even if the sales of the Mini Renault are not negligible, it is difficult, if not impossible to earn money with a mlicrocitadine.The decision is therefore taken in 2019: Smart stops the costs, its main factory in Hambach is sold.Its buyer, the English group Ineos will make the opposite of a smart -twingo: the big and heavy 4x4 grenadier, even if it continues to make small cars in parallel until 2023.
Obviously, this small assessment of the flops, or half-succrcess of the Franco-German agreement explains the end of the agreement, but there were nevertheless some successes, like the Renault Kangoo transformed into Mercedes Citan since 2012.If the latter is not a bestseller, it sells in any case enough for the adventure to continue and that the new French van marketed this year, also translated into German.Likewise, petrol engines 1.3 common created will continue to find refuge under the hoods of the two brands.And tomorrow ?When the auto planet has switched into the electric, the cards will be rebatted.Mercedes as Renault will be able to establish other agreements, buy the engines to one, or the complete cars that the other did not.In addition, without capital agreement, everyone can do their shopping or pleases them, at Toyota or Fordpour utilities, electric motors or full platforms.It is a found freedom which promotes Mercedes, in perfect health, but which can penalize Renault, in less good condition, and which will no longer have clients and fists linked by an agreement.Besides, the scholarship was not mistaken, the action of the diamond fell from the new known to the total withdrawal of Mercedes from the Franco-German adventure.
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