Other SUVs to Pick Up the Slack
Renault Samsung will stop production of the Nissan Rogue at its Busan plant in September 2019 with the expiration of its contract with Nissan, industry analysts said on Nov. 30.
Renault Samsung has been producing the Rogue, a popular sports utility vehicle, for Nissan since August 2014. It is the model that helped the sturggling Korean carmaker turn around.
Renault Samsung has produced 180,000 units of the model by the end of October and exported 119,000 of them overseas. The Nissan Rogue accounted for more than 70% of Renault Samsung’s exports and half of its production volume. Accordinly, if production of the model is discontinued in September of next year, the automaker’s production will plummet.
Thus, Renault Samsung plans to maintain its current plant utilization ratio by beginning to make two new SUVs, small SUVs, and crossover utility vehicles (CUVs) in its production lines. “Renault Nissan and Renault Samsung have been researching and developing new models for a few years in preparation for the expiration of the Nissan Rogue contract,” a Renault Samsung official said.
Renault Samsung plans to prepare a SUV-oriented lineup like SsangYong Motor and GM Korea, which vows to normalize its business operations by turning itself into an SUV powerhouse. "The global auto market is being reorganized with a focus on SUVs," the official said. “It is natural to develop and launch competitive new models in market segments with strong demand.”