Renault: No next-generation 5 would be a 'massive mistake'

It would be a "massive mistake" for Renault not to replace the 5 in around five years time, and the next-generation supermini must be "very carefully" evolved to preserve its wide appeal.

That's according to chief marketing officer Arnaud Belloni, who told Autocar that the reborn Renault 5 has made a huge impact on the French brand's market footprint and public perception.

The 5 has only been on sale for around a year but is already one of the most popular EVs in Europe and is playing a pivotal role in attracting new customers to the Renault brand, with an 84% conquest rate in the UK.

Belloni, speaking to Autocar at the launch of the brand's new 'Rnlt' showroom in London, said the 5 was on track to sell 5000 units in France alone in September – putting it almost on a par with the petrol-engined Clio – and was significantly bolstering the brand's market share in other important markets.

"R5 is booming in many markets – in France, in the UK, in Germany..." he said. "Renault was nowhere in Belgium - nobody was, because people have company cars, they all have Audis, BMWs, Mercedes – but R5 is booming.

"In Turkey, they called me two weeks ago saying 'we need 1000 more'. That's incredible. So there is no glass ceiling. The car is booming, and I do think, sincerely, that we will do one for one with Clio very quickly."

He hailed the 5's retro-futuristic design as a core factor in its appeal and said this will need to be retained for a new generation, to make it a natural next step for buyers of the current car.

"I think the best way to keep them in the family is to be very smart with them, to serve them properly, to be elegant with them and to renew them in five years with the next generation of R5," he said.

"The biggest mistake would be not to renew R5. That would be a massive mistake."

Belloni compared the 5 to the likes of the Mini Cooper and Porsche 911, in the sense that it can be viewed as a quasi-brand in its own right, which doesn't necessarily need to feed customers into other models in the line-up.