Renault Clio production ends in Slovenia after 33 years
For over three decades the Renault Clio was synonymous with the Slovenian automotive industry. Produced at the French car maker's Revoz plant in Novo Mesto, it consistently ranked among the top selling cars in the country. Now, that era has come to a close as the Clio has made way for its electric cousin, the Twingo E-Tech.
The final Clio rolled off the production line in Novo Mesto in mid-June. It was Clio number 2,251,416 - that is how many had been produced there in 33 years, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.
The first-generation Clio began production in Novo Mesto in 1993, with just under 300,000 units built by 1998. It was followed by Clio 2, of which the plant produced just under 1.5 million by 2015.
After a two-year pause, Revoz began making Clio 4 in 2017, producing just under 163,000 cars, before switching in 2019 to Clio 5. Nearly 300,000 of that model were built before the final car came off the line last month.
Widely regarded as the "Slovenian car" and named car of the year in 2020, the Clio has been among the best selling models in the country for decades. In the first five months of this year, it was second only to the Škoda Octavia, moving over 800 units and holding a 3% overall market share.
Accounting for one in two cars produced in Novo Mesto, it also holds a special place in Revoz's history, the company told the Slovenian Press Agency. The final car was sent off with a photo session on the assembly line and a visit from Renault executive Anne-Catherine Brieux.
The factory is now turning its attention to a new chapter: electric vehicles. It currently produces 300 Twingo E-Tech city cars, a model that has proved remarkably popular.
"In the entire history of Renault car sales in Slovenia, there have never been as many orders in the first four months as there are now for the electric Twingo," Revoz said.
The company is preparing to add two more small electric models based on the same platform as the Twingo: the Dacia Spring and a Nissan model whose name has not yet been disclosed.
Revoz plans to introduce a second shift in September, with total output expected to rise to around 500 vehicles a day by the end of the year.
Photo: Renault
