Renault has taken steps to increase the differentiation between its models and those from rival brands built on its platforms.
The French firm has a number of partnerships to produce cars for other manufacturers, in particular on its RGMP Small platform, which is used for the 5, 4 and Twingo. It currently produces the 5-based Micra for Nissan, will soon start to produce the Twingo-based Nissan Pixo and has agreements in place to build future models for both Ford and Mitsubishi.
The Micra in particular is notably similar in design to its Renault relation, with a virtually identical interior, the only major external differences being the front and rear light designs.
Renault has previously offered partners varying levels of differentiation, up to bespoke body panels, although that also pushes up the price of manufacturing.
Due to confidentiality agreements, Renault executives don't have prior oversight of the cars it produces for rivals, but senior sources have told Autocar there was some consternation at the lack of design alterations made to the Micra.
Renault Group boss François Provost has now changed the scheme introduced by his predecessor Luca de Meo to ensure that future rival models are more distinct from the Renault versions.
“We did not request enough differentiation,” he said at the Paris motor show. “Everything is linked to differentiation. Look at the Dacia Spring: the Twingo and Spring look like different cars but the platform is the same.
“This is a change compared with my predecessor. I will never do partnerships without enough differentiation.
"With Ford, [CEO] Jim [Farley] has exactly the same view. He said that if he chose to partner with Renault, the car must be a Ford. We will discover that together, because I cannot legally see the design of the Ford.
“So I prefer to do less partnerships with strategic partners who want a one-shot tactical partnership and more for the long-term. Now you will see each time is with enough differentiation.”