6:42 am, July 21, 2025
Renault has to ‘learn from the competition’ as it launches a succession of electric vehicles as a vast number of Chinese-made alternatives enter the market.
Speaking to Car Dealer Magazine at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed, Renault UK boss Adam Wood told us that they ‘don’t fear’ the Chinese-made newcomers, but would instead ‘embrace competition’.
‘I think ultimately competition makes you better,’ he said. ‘I think without competition, the industry can become complacent, so we embrace competition. I think you have to respect the competition, you have to learn from them and that’s what we’ve been doing.
‘So I think ultimately, we respect the competition but we don’t fear them.’
Wood was speaking as Renault launched its new 4 to the public first time, following an overwhelmingly successful introduction of the new 5 in the UK – a car which recently won Car Dealer Power’s Car of the Year.
It will soon be launching the new Twingo in the UK, too, having recently confirmed that the revived model would be heading to our shores.
However, the Twingo also reflects Renault learning from Chinese manufacturers once again, employing its ‘ACDC’ – or Accelerated China Development Centre. While the new Twingo will be built in a factory in Slovenia, Wood says that the firm’s learnings have helped it to deliver the new car in ‘record time’.
‘We almost say “more than China speed”, he added. ‘So two years to develop a car from scratch with new Twingo that has now been confirmed to come to the UK and it takes us into another price territory. So ultimately, the competition keeps us on our toes.
‘We respect them, we learn from them, but at the same time, we’re focused on our assets and what we’re doing.’
Pictured: Adam Wood at his year’s Car Dealer Live
