Renault eyes Asia sales growth at 56%

Renault eyes Asia sales growth at 56%

Agence France-Presse, Tokyo

French carmaker Renault expects its Asia-Pacific sales to grow
56 percent for the second straight year in 2002, while sales by
its South Korean carmaking subsidiary would increase by almost 30
percent, the company said Monday.

The company said in a statement that its redeployment strategy
had relaunched sales of the marque in Australia, Taiwan and
Indonesia.

It also continued to expand in China, Malaysia, New Zealand
Singapore, overseas French territories and Japan, where it works
closely with its alliance partner, Nissan Motors, the statement
added.

"Renault's Asia-Pacific division... expects sales of more than
22,000 units (plus 56 percent) in 2002," it said.

The company sold 14,167 vehicles in the region in calendar
2001, a 56-percent increase on the 9,079 sold in 2000, with the
Scenic the best-selling model.

At 28.6 percent year-on-year, growth would be less spectacular
at the French company's South Korean subsidiary, Renault Samsung
Motors (RSM), but the volume of vehicle sales would far outstrip
Renault sales for rest of the region combined, according to the
statement.

"The sales target for this year is about 90,000 vehicles,
compared to 70,000 in 2001, Renault said.

RSM was set up in September 2000 when the French carmaker
bought the assets of the former Samsung Motors Inc., giving an
annual production capacity of 240,000 vehicles, far in excess of
current demand.

Renault said in Paris last Thursday it expected to
"consolidate" global sales in 2002 after unit car and light
utility sales edged up by 2.2 percent in 2001 to 2.4 million
vehicles, boosted by the sales of its foreign subsidiaries.