Rebranding some of your own dealers as specialists in one particular area is always an interesting move. One that obviously indicates an increase in expertise in those outlets that have made the grade, or written the cheque; but also that suggests the others have immediately become non-specialists.
Well you only have until July to get one...
So what to make of Renault's decision to launch a Renaultsport dealer network? This consists of 26 specialist dealerships spread with reasonable geographic scope, from Inverness to Plymouth, but means that lots of the company's existing network isn't included. While the company is keen to stress that non-specialist dealers will still be able to sell and maintain RS models, they won't be able to offer the same level of what marketing types refer to as 'brand experience'.
Each specialist will have dedicated sales staff, who won't look blank when you ask them to tell you about the Megane 275's front differential, and will also get designated showroom space; we're presuming in a similar way to those franchises that sell both Renault and Dacia models. We're also promised that they will have the full Renaultsport range available for test drives, although once the current RS Megane dies next July that will mean just needing to find space for a Clio for the 18 months until the Megane's replacement arrives. Specialist aftersales should also help keep RS owners feeling loved and cherished to a perhaps greater degree than at ordinary franchises. There's no official word, but we're also presuming that - in the fullness of time - these specialists will also be the ones selling the much anticipated Alpine sports car.
On a Renaultsport theme, the company has also released an interactive video taken during a Clio Cup race at Rockingham and which gives the chance to drag the camera angle around to different views. Well worth wasting five minutes over.
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