Renault Samsung QM6 Making Export Debut in Europe

Renault Samsung’s QM6 midsize CUV, a hit since its September launch, gets the green light from the parent Renault-Nissan alliance to launch sales of the Korean-designed and -built vehicle in Europe.

Nearly 1,800 units of the QM6 already were shipped earlier this week to Europe, where they will be sold as the Renault Koleos in 12 nations, including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary and Italy. Its primary competitor will be the Volkswagen Tiguan.

A Renault Samsung spokesman tells WardsAuto the company is targeting 30,000 European sales of the QM6 this year, with another 10,000 units being shipped to South America and other export markets.

Shipments to South America and other markets soon will follow. In Latin America the QM6 will be sold in Chile, Colombia, Peru and Mexico, the spokesman says.

Unveiled in May at the Busan auto show, domestic QM6 sales launched in September.

From September through February it has sold 19,078 units in Korea, where it competes against Hyundai’s Santa Fe and Tucson, Kia’s Sportage and Sorento, Ssangyong’s Korando and GM Korea’s Orlando.

The spokesman says the units destined for Europe are equipped with 2.0L DCi diesel engines and Xtronic CVT transmissions.

Designed at RSM’s development center in Yong-in City, with input from Renault in France, the vehicle has drawn local accolades.

The QM6 and its companion SM6 midsize sedan not only are giving RSM a huge sales lift but also are pushing the capacity limits of the once-underutilized assembly plant in Busan.

The plant has capacity to produce 270,000 vehicles annually on a two-shift basis. In 2016 RSM sold 257,345 vehicles globally, a rise of 12% over 2015.

In January RSM sold 20,256 vehicles worldwide, a 34.8% rise boosted significantly by strong sales in the domestic market.

Domestic sales for January tallied 7,440 units, a 254% year-over-year increase. Exports, now expected to be boosted substantially by the QM6, slipped nearly 1% to 12,816 units.

In January RSM President and CEO Park Dong Hoon set the CUV’s sales target for the year at 270,000 vehicles, which would put the Busan plant at capacity.

RSM recently increased the Korean price of its vehicles with the QM6 currently selling in a range of 27.7 won to 35.05 million won ($25,000 to $31,500).