French automaker Renault on Friday launched its 'made in India' compact seven-seater multipurpose vehicle Triber in South Africa. The company introduced the model in the country after having commenced exports from its Chennai-based manufacturing plant in the middle of December 2019.
The auto major, which has already sold around 30,000 Triber units in the Indian market since its launch in August last year, expects to sell around 300 units per month to begin with in South Africa.
With base in South Africa, Renault also plans to sell the model, which comes with a one litre petrol engine and flexible seating arrangement, in other parts of the African continent.
Renault India Operations Country CEO and MD Venkatram Mamillapalle told PTI that shipments of Triber have already commenced from the company's Chennai plant and 600 units have already made it to the African nation.
"Kwid has been a success in this country and we hope that the Triber would also appeal to the customers here," Mamillapalle said while formally launching the vehicle in the country.
When asked about sales outlook for the model in the country, Mamillapalle said: "After looking at the roads here, we expect the Triber to do a good job here. If reception is good, we expect to sell at least 300 units per month on an average".
The automaker also plans to bring in an AMT (automated manual transmission) version of the model going ahead, he noted.
Triber price starts at 1,64,900 South African Rands. Renault already sells hatchback Kwid, which is also manufactured in India, in the South African market.
Last year, the company shipped around 13,000 units of the model to the country from its plant in Chennai. The plant, which produces for the Renault-Nisaan alliance, currently has an installed production capacity of 4.8 lakh units per annum.
Renault is currently at fourth position in terms of volumes in the South African passenger vehicle segment with a market share of 7.7 per cent. It sold 27,148 units in the country last year.
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