UAE records 34% automobile industry volume growth over 2007

New lifestyle car to target growing mid-size sedan segment

Dubai, UAE, September 16, 2008: Residents across the UAE looking for a stress-free driving experience can now opt for the new bespoke, stylish luxury sedan from Renault. Boasting V6-2.3 litre and 2.0 litre 4-cylinder petrol engine options, the French marque's latest offering, called Safrane, has been designed especially to suit Middle Eastern driving conditions.

Unveiled by Arabian Automobiles and Renault GCC at a VIP event celebrating its arrival in the UAE, Renault Safrane is based on a successful Renault Samsung Motors model, the SM5, which has sold more than 600,000 units since its launch in 1998.

The launch comes at a time when the GCC and in particular the UAE is experiencing one of the highest automobile volume growth rates globally. According to recent reports, the Total Industry Volume (TIV) in the GCC grew by 26% in the first half of 2008 over last year while the UAE alone reported a whopping 34% increase.

Other countries such as Europe and America witnessed a downfall with TIV rates dropping by -3.2% and -8.9% respectively; while Asia saw marginal automotive volume growth of 3.6%.

It's no doubt that the positive statistics are a direct result of the country's growing economy, political stability, rising resident and tourist population. Increasing net worth of individuals and demand for more choice also makes the UAE a key market for global automobile manufacturers.

Automobile market volumes have doubled over the past five years with the number of cars on UAE roads increasing from 118,455 in 2003 to 296,675 last year. Of the total UAE auto market, the SUV segment commands a 30 per cent market share, followed by LCVs (19%) and HCV & MPV segments (4%) while the major chunk of 47 per cent is dominated by Passenger Cars. This is the segment that Renault Safrane will target.

"Even though the mid-size sedan segment is a highly competitive one - with over 20 different models - we are confident that with the support and expertise of our local partners, Arabian Automobiles, and the quality of our product, Renault GCC will soon account for a prominent slice within the DE segment," said Mohamed Bennani, Managing Director of Renault GCC.

"Launching Safrane is a milestone event for the revival of the Renault brand in the GCC and marks the third launch in 2008 after the Clio F1 team and RS. We hope to launch two more models by the end of this year reinforcing our commitment to the region. As with the Safrane, each vehicle we bring into the market will be locally tested and adapted to suit customer needs."

Arabian Automobiles CEO Michel I. Ayat stated: "The timing of this launch couldn't be better. Our sales volume in the UAE increased by around 37 per cent in the first half of 2008 over last year with total volume sales almost double since 2003, proving that demand is still strong."

"Arabian Automobiles are pleased to welcome the new Renault Safrane to the UAE and are certain that existing and potential customers will appreciate the car especially with its competitive pricing," Ayat added.

The 2.3 litre engine applied to the Renault Safrane is developed by Nissan. In addition to the V6 2.3 litre (5-speed automatic transmission + manual mode), which delivers a smooth 170 ps at 6,000 rpm, comes the brand new 2.0 litre 4-cylinder from the Renault-Nissan Alliance in which torque and fuel economy are the highest among its peers at 196Nm and 9,3l/100km respectively (automatic transmission).

Available in a choice of seven body colors (White, White pearl, Metallic, Neo black, Glamour beige, Olive and Sporty silver),  the new stress-free space from Renault will be available in three trim levels (PE : 2,0l ; SE & LE with a V6 2,3) with prices ranging from AED59,900 to AED79,000.

Air-conditioning was given highest importance with ventilation ducts positioned to maintain optimum temperature comfort, both at the front and rear cabins. The automatic climate control also has independent settings at driver and passenger sides. This makes the air-conditioning of the Renault Safrane one of the best available in the Middle East, as confirmed by recent clinic tests.

The exterior design of the Renault Safrane has been carefully designed to give a superior feel of dynamism and elegance. The sleek front features expressive headlamps, grille and bumper (with inbuilt signal indicators) that blend harmoniously with the bodywork. Stylish sidelines and arch-shaped window lines have been adopted to emphasise the car's elegance.

Inside the cabin, which is accessed using the Renault Smart Card technology, the refinements continue. In-car ambience is further complemented by the steering wheel fingertip-controlled audio entertainment system that features 7-way speakers including 8-inch sub-woofers. Full appreciation of the Safrane's hi-fi set up is enhanced with minimal noise levels through effective acoustic dampening and adoption of a semi-permanent silent timing chain.

As expected from any Renault model, active and passive safety equipment is impressive throughout and includes ABS with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), SSPS (Speed Sensitive Power Steering), on top of VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control) and no less than six airbags - including side and curtain - which are controlled through sensors located in the seatbelts and elsewhere in the cabin. Other practical features include the Power Seat, rain-sensing wipers; xenon headlamps which turn on automatically when dark conditions are encountered and rear parking sensors.

Renault GCC will also offer complete peace of mind to all buyers through its comprehensive customer care programme called 'Customer First'. The Renault Customer First programme provides 11 essential complimentary services both before and following the purchase of any Renault vehicle.

-Ends-

© Press Release 2008