PARIS, July 16 — French car giant Renault today reported a nearly 10 per cent surge in sales in the first half of 2018, scoring a new 2.1 million vehicle sales record driven by gains in Russia, Argentina and Brazil.
“For the third consecutive year, we have set a new sales record, with nearly 2.1 million vehicles sold in the first half,” Renault’s executive vice president of sales and marketing Thierry Koskas said in a statement.
In Europe, Renault’s registrations rose 2.8 per cent, where the group took an 11 per cent share of the market, the statement said.
The compact Clio 4 car was the second best-selling car in Europe, while Renault’s electric vehicle range “confirmed its leadership with a market share of 21.9 per cent”.
Outside Europe, the Renault group saw a whopping 22.2 per cent jump in registrations in Argentina, and of 13.7 per cent in Brazil.
In Russia, the group’s second-biggest market, sales rose by 19.7 per cent, the statement said.
In Iran, sales fell 10.3 per cent as the United States prepared to reimpose sanctions after President Donald Trump announced in May he was withdrawing from the landmark nuclear deal. — AFP
