EW DELHI: It's troubles galore for the ultra-low-cost car (ULC) project of Bajaj-Renault-Nissan alliance , that was expected to spring a rival to the Tata Nano. Renault, the French car major, sounded non-committal on the ambitious project on Monday, saying it may pull out if the car being developed and manufactured by Bajaj does not not meet its expectations.
"If it matches our DNA, we will go for it. If it does not, we will find other solutions," Renault India MD Marc Nassif said after the company launched its first product Fluence sedan after the split with M&M . The sedan is priced between Rs 12.9 lakh and Rs 14.4 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).
Making it clear that Renault was not obliged to buy the car that Bajaj develops, Nassif said there was no formal joint venture between the partners. "As such, there is no joint venture. If the quality of development matches with the promise, we will go for it." Asked what would be the company's strategy if it decided against buying the car from Bajaj, he said, "We will do something different. We will have more opportunities."
The three-company alliance has been mired in troubles from the beginning with recurring disputes between the partners. The companies had initially planned to work out a rival to the Tata Nano with much fanfare, but differences in approach has seen the project hanging in limbo since 2008, when they had decided to get together.
As per the agreement reached between them, announced by none other than Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn in 2009, Bajaj was to do the R&D , design, development , sourcing and manufacturing of the car, while the foreign partners would sell it under their badging.
However, there have been conflicting statements from the partners on many occasions . The differences in approach were, however, palpable as recent as last week when Bajaj Auto chairman Rahul Bajaj said that the company was developing a fourwheel goods carrier (as part of the ULC project) and the same platform would be used for developing the car.
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"If it matches our DNA, we will go for it. If it does not, we will find other solutions," Renault India MD Marc Nassif said after the company launched its first product Fluence sedan after the split with M&M . The sedan is priced between Rs 12.9 lakh and Rs 14.4 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).
Making it clear that Renault was not obliged to buy the car that Bajaj develops, Nassif said there was no formal joint venture between the partners. "As such, there is no joint venture. If the quality of development matches with the promise, we will go for it." Asked what would be the company's strategy if it decided against buying the car from Bajaj, he said, "We will do something different. We will have more opportunities."
The three-company alliance has been mired in troubles from the beginning with recurring disputes between the partners. The companies had initially planned to work out a rival to the Tata Nano with much fanfare, but differences in approach has seen the project hanging in limbo since 2008, when they had decided to get together.
As per the agreement reached between them, announced by none other than Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn in 2009, Bajaj was to do the R&D , design, development , sourcing and manufacturing of the car, while the foreign partners would sell it under their badging.
However, there have been conflicting statements from the partners on many occasions . The differences in approach were, however, palpable as recent as last week when Bajaj Auto chairman Rahul Bajaj said that the company was developing a fourwheel goods carrier (as part of the ULC project) and the same platform would be used for developing the car.
et
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