Australian Renault importer says it’s continually eyeing off French giant’s sister brands for the local market
Renault Australia says the opportunity to relaunch Alpine and introduce Dacia locally is still well and truly alive, and both Renault sister brands could appear here within the next three years.
Speaking with media at a Sydney function recently, Renault Australia general manager Glenn Sealey said Alpine and Dacia were both viable prospects for Australia, and that the French brand’s local custodian Ateco Automotive continues to have discussions about distributing both brands.
“In terms of the Alpine brand, we’re certainly in discussions. At the end of the day, we would still be importing the Alpine 110 if ADR 85 side impact regulations didn’t come along,” Sealey said.
“Alpine is working on its next generation of vehicles and we’re very excited; we think it would work really well in Australia.”
Among other projects including Formula 1, Alpine is readying at least two electric SUVs that will share their underpinnings with the upcoming Lotus Eletre and Type 134 SUVs, which could prove to be a recipe for success in SUV-savvy Australia, where the Tesla Model Y is a strong seller and the Renault Megane E-Tech will arrive in October.
At the other end of the automotive scale is Dacia, which Ateco continues to remain upbeat about despite failing to introduce the budget Romanian brand Down Under in 2022 as it previously hoped, because the current second-generation Dacia Duster small SUV falls foul of the same new side-impact law that saw the Alpine A110 axed.
After assuming control of Renault in Australia in April 2021, Ateco said it would introduce the Mk3 Duster here in 2024, followed by the all-new Bigster mid-size SUV in 2025 and the next-gen Oroch dual-cab ute by around 2026 – badged not as Dacias but Renaults, as they are in other right-hand drive markets like India and South Africa.
Dacia has pledged to continue development of combustion engines for at least two more generations, potentially making for an enticing fleet of affordable yet well-equipped models for Australia.
Sealey reiterated those plans last week, but said the Duster now wouldn’t arrive here until at least 2025 and there was no mention of the Oroch ute.
“For the Dacia product, you’ve got a whole range of product we could have, but our interest is in two vehicles: the Duster and the Bigster,” Sealey said.
“There’s no guarantees, but they’re the vehicles we’re currently working on.
“Dacia do have a cheap electric vehicle called the Spring… [but] that’s not a car we would bring.
“The problem with the rest of the range is that when you look at Dacia in Europe it represents excellent value. The reality is… for Dacia [models] to come here, we have to pay a five per cent tariff because they come from Europe, while the Chinese come here for free.
“It just depends on Dacia to say ‘let’s go’. They’ve given positive indications but you never know unless a car is coming here.
“It wouldn’t happen until the new models arrive, so possibly 2025.”
Join the conversation at our Facebook page Or email us at [email protected]
Keyword: Alpine and Dacia still on the cards for Oz