Native name 东风雷诺汽车有限公司 Industry Automotive Products Automobiles Founded 1993 | Type Private joint venture Area served China Headquarters Wuhan Parent organization Renault | |
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Predecessor Sanjiang Renault Automotive Company | ||
Dongfeng Renault Automobile Company (DRAC) or Dongfeng Renault is an equally owned Chinese joint venture between car manufacturers Dongfeng and Renault aimed to produce and sell Renault-badged vehicles, established in 2013. The joint venture emerged from Sanjiang Renault, a previous partnership between Renault and Sanjiang established in 1993.
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Sanjiang Renault
In 1993, Renault and Sanjiang Aerospace Group established a manufacturing joint venture at Xiaogan called Sanjiang Renault Automotive Company (Chinese: 三江雷诺汽车有限公司). Renault had a 45% stake in the company while Sanjiang had a 55%. In 1995, the company started assembling Renault Trafics. The partnership proved unsuccessful and Sanjiang Renault only assembled 4,906 units before it halted production in 2004.
Dongfeng Renault
In 2004, following the production end of the failed Sanjiang-Renault partnership, Dongfeng and Renault began negotiations. As part of Dongfeng's agreements with Nissan, the three companies agreed to create eventually a so-called "golden triangle" of three-way collaboration. In June 2013, Dongfeng acquired the 55% Sanjiang's stake in Sanjiang Renault and renamed it Dongfeng Renault Automobile Company. Renault and Dongfeng signed the creation of its equally owned joint venture on 16 December 2013, after the final approvals from the Chinese government.
Operations
Dongfeng Renault is in charge of Renault's China sales. The Dongfeng Renault plant was built at Wuhan and started production in February 2016. It has an estimated output of up to 150,000 vehicles per year. The Renault's Wuhan facilities also include an engine workshop and a research and development centre. Production will initially focus on sport utility vehicles (SUVs).