Renault Group is entering a new phase in India with the inauguration of the Renault Design Centre Chennai, marking a pivotal step in its long-term strategy for the country. The year 2025 is seen as a turning point, serving as a launchpad for Renault’s renewed ambitions in the Indian market. This transformation is already underway with the recent acquisition of the remaining 51% stake in its Chennai manufacturing plant from Nissan, solidifying full ownership and control.
Further strengthening its footprint, Renault has now opened its largest design center outside of France in Chennai. This move underscores the company’s deepening commitment to India and its drive to accelerate innovation and transformation in the region.
The new design facility is a cornerstone of “renault. rethink,” the brand’s refreshed strategic vision tailored to the Indian market. Venkatram Mamillapalle, Country CEO and Managing Director of Renault India Operations, emphasized the significance of this milestone: “The launch of the ‘renault. rethink.’ strategy marks a new chapter for Renault in India. We are committed to redefining our brand, product positioning, and customer experience to meet the evolving needs of Indian consumers. The Chennai design center will play a key role in implementing the Renault International Game Plan and will support both local and global product development.”
Strategically positioned in the industrial heart of Chennai’s South-East corridor—within the RNTBCI Engineering Center and adjacent to the RNAIPL plant—Renault’s newly inaugurated design centre stands as a key milestone in the brand’s Indian journey. This cutting-edge facility replaces the previous Chennai studio established in 2013 and now serves as Renault’s largest design center outside France.
Equipped with advanced infrastructure and collaborative spaces, the center is built to nurture creativity, foster innovation, and support the development of products tailored specifically to the Indian market. Since Renault’s entry into India in 2005—with earlier design offices in Pune and Mumbai—the company has steadily expanded its presence, culminating in this major strategic investment.
Highlighting its significance, Laurens van den Acker, Chief Design Officer of Renault Group, stated: “As the world’s third-largest automotive market, India is both unique and deeply local. A dedicated design center is critical to understanding its diversity, responding to its needs, and leveraging its strengths. The Renault Design Centre Chennai will focus on creating models and concepts for India, while also contributing to global design initiatives. By tapping into local talent and insights, this center will help shape Renault’s mobility future. Its location within RNTBCI’s innovation ecosystem allows for seamless collaboration and quicker integration of design with engineering and development.”
The newly transformed Renault Design Centre Chennai now spans 1,500 m² and features state-of-the-art technology to foster innovation and creativity. Highlights include an immersive exhibition space for real-time 3D and VR model evaluations, a next-gen visualization studio, a collaborative creative zone, and a large high-resolution LED wall. It also boasts advanced VR integration, a design philosophy blending European and Indian aesthetics (“Tactile Confluence”), and a people-first layout with flexible WE/ME Zones to support creative thinking and collaboration.
