New Renault Clio, Captur and Zoe confirmed for Oz

Everything at Renault -- from the baby Clio hatch to the hard working Master van -- is heading for renewal under the most comprehensive model overhaul in the history of the French brand in Australia.

Every model in the Renault range is going to be new, or newer, and the showroom overhaul will be used to drive much-needed growth for the French brand Down Under next year.

Renault sales have been slumped heavily in 2019, with a 24.2 per cent downturn for the first nine months -- more than double the industry average -- with only 5942 deliveries compared with 7836 last year.

Under new leadership from Anouk Poelmann, who defected from Peugeot Citroen in Australia, Renault says it’s time to get serious with a product-driven onslaught that has already begun with the unveiling of the all-new Renault Kadjar small SUV and piping-hot Renault Megane RS Trophy and Trophy-R hyper hatches.

Both new models will arrive in November – the same month as the facelifted Koleos large SUV -- followed by an updated Trafic van with much-need automatic in December and then the larger Master van in the first quarter of 2020, before the all-new Clio hatch, redesigned Captur city SUV and second-generation Zoe electric car.

“Its revitalisation. It’s not about words, it’s about actions -- it comes from France,” Poelmann tells carsales.

“I think we are just lucky that all the products are turning around in the same time. It's all within a 12-month period.”

The only black spot is confirmation that the Alaskan ute, rumoured and promised for more than two years, is now a definite non-starter for Australia.

But Poelmann is bullish and committed to a growth strategy based on product and not just playing the price game.

“The race to the bottom in Australia has to stop. It’s just crazy. It’s not sustainable,” she says.

“With so much fantastic product coming we have to do a good job. We need to talk about value and the brand, and what the product brings, and not just talk about prices. It just doesn’t work.

“Price only becomes a discussion point when you don’t have value to talk about. Wether it is the brand or the product features and benefits.

“This where we have the opportunity to penetrate and grow. This is the vision.

“This is now an opportunity. There is a good future with Renault.”

Poelmann concedes that Renault will struggle to reach 10,000 sales this year, but has set a longer-term target of 15,000 Renault deliveries Down Under.

“What we want to see is year-on-year growth, and sustainable and profitable sales for the dealer network.

“We have not been growing for the last two to three years. We’ve been circling around the 10,000 level and I think we can do better.

“Every step is a step forward. I’m not expecting a quantum leap.”

The figures show Renault has endured an 18-month sales slide but Poelmann predicts that it can be reversed and is aiming for a target of 15,000 sales – in the long-term.

“Not next year. That would be silly,” she says.

Her product-driven approach will still rely on value, but she rejects any idea of drive-away deals to get things going.

“We will be competitive. We will show the price. But we want people first to see the value of the brand and the product.

“We will not try to be the cheapest out there. It doesn’t fit the brand.

“Start-stop marketing doesn’t work. People need to see the product and the brand a couple of times.”