Carlos Ghosn bullish on auto’s long-term growth story

The Renault-Nissan Alliance has reported sales of a record 8,266,098 vehicles in 2013, propelled by record sales in the car group’s two largest markets, China and the United States.
Renault-Nissan’s 2013 calendar-year sales, which include sales of Russia’s Avtovaz, increased 2.1 percent from 2012. This marks the fifth straight year of sales growth. Together, Renault, Nissan and Avtovaz account for one in 10 cars sold worldwide.
“Strong demand in the world’s top markets more than offset anemic growth and declines elsewhere,” said Renault-Nissan chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn. “We will always experience periods of regional instability, but we remain bullish: The auto industry is a long-term growth story – and the Renault-Nissan Alliance is well positioned to continue to play a major role in all major segments globally.”
The Renault Group sold 2,628,208 units worldwide in 2013, up 3.1 percent from 2012. Sales in Europe rose 2.4 percent to 1,301,864 units despite a 1.7 percent decline in the overall market. Renault’s European market share rose 0.4 percentage points to 9.5 percent, making it the fastest growing automotive group in Europe in 2013.
Renault continued to generate more than 50 percent of its sales outside of Europe for the second consecutive year with sales outside of the home continent totaling 1,326,344 units, up 3.8 percent from 2012.
Meanwhile, Nissan Motor Corporation sold 5,102,979 units worldwide, up 3.3 percent, a record for the fourth straight calendar year. It continued to generate more than one million units in its two biggest markets: China and the United States.
Avtovaz, which owns the Lada brand, sold 534,911 vehicles globally, down 12.1 percent from 2012 amid the economic slowdown in Russia. The Renault-Nissan Alliance has a majority stake in Avtovaz, Russia’s largest automaker, through a joint venture with state corporation RosTech (formerly known as Russia Technologies). Together, the Renault-Nissan Alliance and Avtovaz sell about one in three cars in Russia.
In India, Renault has been driving gains particularly with the success of the Duster SUV. The country’s importance in the carmaker’s growth strategy can be seen in the fact that it had the global unveiling of its all-new concept car – the Kwid – at the ongoing Auto Expo 2014 in New Delhi. And Nissan with its reborn Datsun brand is all set to roll out the Go hatchback in showrooms next month.