Tag: Carlos Ghosn

Renault Clio; this car is one of the most senseless car. Apparently Renault also noticed this and the last model look quite pretty for a Clio! But Clio always remained as a Clio, expect some iconic models, its design and its features never made it very popular. It was normal small passenger car, until now! Last one week, Clio became more popular then Paris Hilton’s picture in DMZ.com. I think even the Renault never thought this unexpected popularity. However its popular is not about any new technological features or a futuristic design. It is about politics !

Renault Clio became a politic issue in France. As the new generation Clio is planned to be built in Turkey, however France wants the French car to be produced in France. Even their slogan is ready; French car is produced in France. Actually they should also add; French loves to create interesting sounds and noise after 50.000 KM, regardless of its brand and production place. French cars do not have very good reputation for reliability and for quality. You cannot see same high level of quality in French cars, as you see in Chanel. But Renault’s superb quality never became an issue but its production plant became very popular in France, Turkey and EU Commission.

As mentioned in Financial Times and in other respected newspapers, Carlos Ghosn is known as cost cutting ability. And moving production from Turkey to France will not provide them any cost advantage, but they also facing issues with government. I am pretty sure that Renault will find a way to produce new Clio which I really not curios about it. But there is one thing clear; the gap between Clio and VW Polo or Ford Fiesta cannot be closed very easily. Like many people says; Renault should increase its production quality and try to make better avoid cars to avoid being dull.

This summer my friend Rishi rented a Nissan Pathfinder. On street, Pathfinder looks very muscular and good quality for its price! However, the second assumption was wrong. As soon as I drove the Pathfinder, my dreams disappeared and I really disappointed with it. I know that, Pathfinder always a good SUV and I didn’t hear any adverse comments about it, until now. I have to mention this; my disappointment was so bad my friends Andri and Natasia told me “that’s a rented car, you don’t need to worry that much”. But my dream was evaporated :)

So, what happened while I was driving the pathfinder? Actually from outside, you don’t expect to see so much common things with pick up style. But it has many things in common. Firstly; the steering wheel is not connected to front wheels. I am not joking, there is no feeling or feedback from the tyres. There should be some feedback for off road and on road driving. Driver should feel the road, not for emotional relationship, for safety and handling. I said to myself, this is an SUV I can accept this. And the worse came, the clutch! It has the same lack of feeling and dullness of Renault Clio! Yes, Nissan and Renault are working together but they should not have this much in common. The stupid clutch from Clio directly transferred to Pathfinder like a football player transfer. As you would expect breaks has the lack of feeling! I was getting more and more disappointed as I drove more and more. Actually I should have stopped the as I felt the clutch :) Finally, I stopped the engine and the gear lever wobbled! Yes, this only happens with cheap pick up. Because, the diesel engines vibration directly transferred to gear lever due to lack of materials to absorb those shock. This happened in Pathfinder, wobbling gear lever.

Then I realized; cost cutting magician Carlos Ghosn is the CEO of Renault! And those meaningless things are directly coming from pick up models and Renault models. What I have learned from all these? Don’t expect too much from Renault and Nissan. But Pathfinder should have been a car!