Renault vehicle sales slip in September, keeps target

PARIS (Reuters) -- Worldwide Renault group vehicle sales slipped 2.8 percent in September but were up 6.4 percent in the third quarter compared with a year ago, the French carmaker said today.

It said it expected worldwide sales of its vehicles to increase over the entire last quarter of 2007, with growth quickening towards the year end, enabling it to achieve its objective of a slight increase in full-year sales for 2007.

In the third quarter 2007, sales of Renault-brand cars and light trucks increased by 5.6 percent and Dacia sales were up 20.2 percent, while those of Renault Samsung Motors slipped 1.5 percent.

In September 2007, the Renault group sold 193,066 vehicles worldwide under its three brands. Worldwide sales of the Renault brand were down 0.8 percent, Dacia sales decreased by 7.5 percent, and Renault Samsung Motors dropped by 24.6 percent.

In Europe, third-quarter sales were stable at 354,919 units sold, for a market share of 8.2 percent. Renault group sales in September totalled 125,496 units, a decline of 6.5 percent, for a market share of 7.7 percent.

The group said Twingo II, on the market since mid-June in France, Italy and Slovenia sold 25,359 units and was recently also launched in Germany, Austria, the UK and the Netherlands.

New Laguna is being launched simultaneously in the sales networks in 15 European countries in October.

Dacia sales were up 86 percent in Europe in the third quarter, bolstered by the success of Logan multi purpose vehicle alongside the Logan sedan.