07 May, 2011 - Renault has been named the fastest growing automotive brand in the GCC region at the end of the first quarter of 2011, according to the latest report by the Middle East Automobile Council (MEAC). The positioning complements the car and commercial vehicle manufacturer's 214 per cent sales growth in the first quarter of 2011, compared with the same period in 2010.

This growth led Renault to be the third highest selling European automotive brand in the GCC, after BMW and Mercedes, and the leading non-luxury European car maker in the region.

As a result, Renault entered the league table of Top 20 Brands in the GCC ranking 19th, up nine places compared to the same period last year.

In Saudi Arabia, within just nine months of its return to the market with Gulf Advantage Automobiles, Renault is the leading European brand in the first quarter of 2011. Renault has also confirmed its status as the number one European brand in Oman, a position it occupied at the end of 2010. Simultaneously, Renault has achieved 58 per cent growth in the UAE and 378 per cent growth in Qatar, making it the third European brand in Qatar.

Benoit Turibe, Marketing Director, Renault GCC, said: "We are now seeing the full benefits of our return to Saudi Arabia nine months ago. The first quarter figures confirm our excellent 2010 results. Our growth in this period is two and a half times higher than what we achieved throughout 2010.

"Our marketing strategy focusing on regular TV and digital media campaigns on television for our flagships models, the Safrane and Fluence, is meeting with a good market response from both fleet and retail customers and driving more traffic to our showrooms. With a complete line-up of cars and light commercial vehicles that meet all kinds of budgets and needs, Renault is now able to fully satisfy customers' expectations."

Mustansir Lakdawala, Managing Director, Renault GCC, said: "Our approach is people-centric. Our regional office and our importers work hard on a daily basis and at every level to give the best possible Renault car ownership experience. This starts with product quality and our commitment to locally test all cars prior to their introduction. To enhance our customers' experience, we plan to increase the number of regional showrooms by 45 per cent by the end of 2011. As a result, we are confident Renault will have an excellent sales year in the GCC in 2011."

In addition to the continued growth in the GCC, Renault recently appointed United Trading Automobile Company (UTAC) as official distributors of Renault cars and light commercial vehicles in Iraq. UTAC is a joint venture formed through a partnership between Iraqi conglomerate Al Bunnia Group, Middle East-based CET Holding Group and AW Rostamani, a respected commercial conglomerate operating in the Middle East and Asia.

Renault is a top global brand with a heritage of over 113 years of automotive excellence and innovation. In 1999, Renault bought a 44.3 per cent stake in Japan's Nissan Motors, forging a powerful alliance. Today, the Renault-Nissan alliance forms the fourth largest automotive group in the world.

With its worldwide slogan "Drive the Change", Renault aims to offer sustainable mobility for all. It will be the first brand to mass market its range of four electric vehicles by the end of 2012 in selected markets.

For further product information, please visit www.renault-me.com.