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Located close to the Renault Nissan Technology & Business Centre India (RNTBCI), this hub will speed up innovation and teamwork across design and engineering departments.
Renault’s Chennai team already plays a key role in the brand’s global projects.
Renault India, the fully owned arm of France’s Renault Group, has taken a major step towards reshaping its India strategy.
The company officially launched its brand-new Renault Design Centre in Chennai, marking the beginning of its bold new approach—‘renault. rethink’, aimed at designing cars in India, for India.
Why Chennai? A Strategic Choice
The newly launched Renault Design Centre in Chennai is expected to play a vital role in the brand’s vision of “design in India” while building on its strong “make in India” foundation. Furthermore, it covers 1,500 square metres and is packed with high-tech tools and modern spaces. Its strategic location next to Renault Nissan Technology & Business Centre India (RNTBCI) makes it a centre for excellence and faster innovation.
“Its strategic location – at the heart of RNTBCI’s excellence hub – also enables closer collaboration across functions and faster integration of design into our engineering and innovation processes,” said Laurens van den Acker, Chief Design Officer, Renault Group.
What’s inside the Design Centre?
The Chennai centre is packed with futuristic tools, including:
- Immersive 3D and VR Spaces for visualising vehicle concepts in real-time
- Next-Gen Studio with digital tools for quick design development
- Creative Zones to brainstorm and work in teams
- 8.5m LED Wall for high-impact presentations
- Indian + European Design Blend for a unique work environment
- Flexible “People-First” Layout to support mental breaks and idea sharing
Why India Matters for Renault
Renault says 2025 will be a game-changing year in India. With this new strategy, the French carmaker is focusing heavily on:
- Deep localisation (90 percent of parts made in India)
- A fully owned plant soon to be taken over from the Renault-Nissan alliance
- Fresh brand positioning and customer experiences.
The renault. rethink Sculpture: All You Need To Know
At the heart of the centre stands a unique art piece – the ‘renault. rethink’ sculpture. It’s not just an artwork but a symbol of Renault’s transformation, innovation, and commitment to India.
Highlights of the sculpture:
- Symbol of change: Represents Renault’s evolving design vision
- Fragmented form: Shows continuous progress and innovation
- Inner light: Brings the piece to life, symbolising Renault’s future in motion
- Indian-made: Created by Indian designers to reflect local flair.
“The opening of new design centre in Chennai will play a crucial role in the deployment of the Renault International Game Plan 2027,” Country CEO & MD, Renault India.
The Bigger Picture: Global Vision, Local Execution
Renault sees 2025 as a turning point in India. The company aims to strengthen its local roots with:
- 90 percent local parts sourcing
- A proposed 100 percent ownership of its manufacturing plant RNAIPL
- Chennai-based R&D centre with 10,000+ engineers
- Contribution to both local and global Renault projects.
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