Renault India halts production of the Kwid

Renault India has recently stopped production of the Kwid at their Oragadam plant. The carmaker has not manufactured any Kwid since May 11.

A company spokesperson said that the halt in production is only a part of their periodic maintenance and won't affect the Kwid's production. However, according to reports from vendors and dealers, Renault had scrapped 1,500 engines of the Kwid due to high noise level. Also, Renault’s filings with the Tamil Nadu state government show that the planned shutdown is scheduled from May 21-29, contrary to the halt in Kwid production from May 11.

We are still waiting for a confirmation from Renault India regarding the same. However, if this is the case, the Kwid production stoppage is bound to impact the customer deliveries. The car already has a waiting period of 5-6 months in some places, which is now going be extended further. This problem might also eventually affect the manufacturer's overall sales as the entry-level hatchback has been pivotal in boosting the sales numbers for Renault.

Update: Renault India has refuted the claim made by TOI that the production at the facility was suspended or 1,500 engines were scrapped. Here is the official statement from Renault India in this regard, ‘The article claims that 1,500 engines have been scrapped due to high noise levels. This is incorrect and we have had no such concerns at our end.

We recently ramped up production at our Chennai facility by starting third shift operations to cater to market demand. Moreover we are also increasing the speed of our production line. In addition to our maintenance shutdown planned towards the end of May we have decided to slow down production since last week in order to ensure a perfect execution of the ramp up of our production volumes.

We would like to reiterate and reinforce that we remain fully confident in the mid and long-term growth prospects for our business in India. Over the next few years, Renault India will further strengthen its position in the market and be a significant player in India's dynamic auto market.’

This information is incorrect and has been retracted. We regret any inconvenience this might have caused Renault India or our readers.

Source: ETAuto