Renault will work with Mercedes on high-end model

[Ultimate Car Guy]

This is very interesting news:

http://europe.autonews.com/apps/pbc...ult-will-work-with-mercedes-on-high-end-model

Might be a bit too early to speculate now, but Daimler has officially commenced development on the next generation E-Klasse.

 

[Wolfgang]

^ suspect it might be the Captur sharing a platforum with Etherea and A/B-Class ?



Renault.com - Captur concept car

Daimler also will help Infiniti build the Etherea concept car. It will be produced on Mercedes’ new MFA architecture (a front-wheel-drive chassis that underpins the A- and B-Class). Read more: Detroit 2012: Nissan Executive Vice President Andy Palmer on Future Products, Technology - Rumor Central

 

[Ultimate Car Guy]

^ I'm not sure about that. From the article, Carlos Ghosn was relating to a "high-end" product. Now this is subject to various levels of interpretation, but from my perspective, a "high-end" model for a "masstige" brand such as Renault would entail something not too dissimilar to the size of an E-Klasse/CLS.

 

[SKY]

Why not? They did it with the 300C and now they will do it with Renault. I trust much more in the french brand than in Chrysler.

 

[MikeJ]

You have to admire Renault for not giving up, despite the poor sales performance of their previous efforts in this market.

 

[Kowalski]

High end Renault model?

Oh great... just what the world needs... another bland, electrical problem ridden, high depreciating french barge that not even office managers would be caught dead in it.

Hooray...

 

[MikeJ]

^ The Safrane? I thought Schumacher had one when he was driving for Benetton. His was the Biturbo model, though...

 

[Kowalski]

Yes. And he crashed it in the back of a lorry, I think.

 

[Wolfgang]

Will Renault Douai build it?

So far no information is available about the future flagship, but it should appear in concept form either at this year’s Paris Motor Show, or at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. It will sit on a platform developed by the Renault-Nissan alliance in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/renault-invests-534-million-in-douai-plant-to-build-flagship-sedan.html

 

[Giannis]

Very interesting indeed!

Yet, I am not sure on what will Renault's part in this. They are supposed to have a high end model, the Latitude already, and it was only recently launched.



I'd say that what Renault really needs is a kick in the lower part of the market, with a much competitive Clio and a just better Laguna. The Megane seems to be a very good car for its money and so seems to be the new Twingo.

PS. I can's see why the hate against french cars. The 206 is one of the best cars of this size I have ever driven and my Clio has not let me down not even once, despite the 320.000km we've putted on its clock

 

[Deleted member 25]

Hope this time it will look like a car, not like a vel satis

 

[mini_cooper4]

If I make a comment about french cars it will be too insulting about people that actually drive one.
I'll keep quiet and away from the next E-class

 

[Wolfgang]

Renault has entered the early development stages of a project that will see the carmaker use a Mercedes platform to build a luxury car. The company still hasn’t given the green light to the vehicle, as it is currently evaluating the idea, with Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn saying that at least one Mercedes-based premium vehicle would help the French carmaker.

Last year, the French government, which holds 15 percent of the Renault shares, urged the company to introduce a move that would allow it to remain active in the large car sector, after Renault didn’t manage to provide a viable plan for Laguna and Espace successors.

Renault has already established a partnership with Daimler in order to co-develop the platform for the next-generation Renault Twingo and smart ForFour, while Nissan would borrow the new B-Class platform for a future Infiniti model.

Renault Considering Building Mercedes-Based Car - autoevolution