Marking the first brand new program developed by the Renault-Nissan alliance, the company has confirmed that it will be manufacturing new cars to meet the demands of buyers in fast growing economies. The program has been internally named CMF-A, under which the company will introduce affordable cars, based on a new modular system of architecture, known as Common Module Family. As per this system, there are five modules that define vehicles, namely the engine bay, front underbody, rear underbody, cockpit and electrical/electronic architecture.
The concept involves the assembling of compatible parts into numerous permutations and combinations to attain maximum efficiency and brand differentiation. The production of vehicles based on this platform is expected to commence at the Chennai plant of Renault-Nissan in 2015. Also, the firm is going to share further details and specifications regarding the cars as it moves closer to the beginning of production.
The key USP of the CMF system is its flexibility, which also extends to the CMF-A platform. In this program, body style and power train variations can be mapped according to needs specific to a certain market or type of buyers. Carlos Ghosn, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Renault-Nissan alliance, explained the concept and the aim of the company at Renault-Nissan Technology Business Centre, which is located in Chennai.
“We are breaking new ground with CMF-A to meet and exceed the high standards of consumers in the world’s fastest growing economies – particularly people buying a new car for the first time. These influential consumers don’t want a de-contented car originally intended for consumers in mature markets. They want and deserve a car that is modern, robust and stylish – at a price point that represents a ‘cost breakthrough’ for such a generous vehicle,” he said.
The Renault-Nissan alliance is relying on markets in the emerging economies of the world. When the formation of this alliance took place, around a per cent of total group sales were from BRIC countries. However, India is slowly and steadily dominating plans of the alliance. The plant in Chennai, inaugurated in 2010, is the largest dedicated facility of the Renault-Nissan venture. An investment of $1 billion has been made into this factory, which manufactures Nissan vehicles like Micra, Sunny and Evalia, along with Renault cars like Pulse, Scala and Duster. The Chennai plant manufactures four separate platforms along with eight different body styles, all in random production orders. Also, it has a capacity of producing up to 400000 cars in year.
