Ghosn: Firm focus

New Delhi, Nov. 8: French car maker Renault today trashed notions about its small car plans getting affected because of differences with partner Bajaj Auto and said it would not be long before the car was seen on the roads.

However, Renault chief Carlos Ghosn was noncommittal on whether the price would be on a par with the Rs 1-lakh Nano.

“The entry price point, which will be $2,500 (a little higher than Rs 1 lakh), is still very important for the market, not only for India but also for a lot of emerging markets. We have to bring in the car with basic features, basic functionality at a very affordable price,” said Ghosn, the chairman and CEO of Renault, on the sidelines of the India Economic Summit.

He declined to comment if the proposed car would stick to the earlier announced price point of $2,500.

“Whether it is going to be $2,500 or $2,800 or $3,000… not sure... but I am stuck into making customers happy and satisfied. But it is not going to be very far off,” said Ghosn, when asked if the project is stuck because of differences with the Bajajs on the price of the car.

Renault has been working with Bajaj Auto to launch a low-cost car in the domestic market by 2011. It is, reportedly, facing difficulties on a host of issues such as branding and the price of the car.

Earlier this year, India’s largest automobile manufacturer Tata Motors introduced the world’s cheapest car — Nano — with a price tag of just over Rs 1 lakh.

“I know that some of our competitors such as the Tatas have already put the car in the market ... its moving on. We will continue to work to bring in this car (with Bajaj) into the market,” Ghosn said.

Asked about the issues confronting Renault with its various partners, he said, “I never thought that coming to India will be right at the first time. Nobody gets it right in the first time in any country and particularly in a country with a long tradition and a long history like India.”

He also said that the fall in sales of Logan was a cause for concern and the company was in talks with the Mahindras, which is partnering Renault in Logan.