Hopes for Renault's possible return to the American market were stymied when it became apparent that General Motors wasn't interested in a far-reaching partnership with the brand and its Nissan ally a few years ago. It seems that the French automaker is still very interested in re-entering the U.S. and would consider other possible partnerships. One particular option that popped up at the Paris Motor Show is a purchase of the Chrysler brand if Cerberus were interested in parting ways with it. Interestingly, Chrysler was the automaker that Renault pawned its last U.S. efforts off on.
It wouldn't be an easy time to enter the U.S. market, as every automaker is currently posting lower-than-hoped-for sales figures, including Chrysler, which reported numbers down by nearly a third. Still, Chrysler has plenty of dealerships in the U.S. and Renault would love to have access to some of them. Plus, Chrysler is rumored to be in search of a new mid-sized sedan platform to build off, something that Renault would be more than capable of providing. Another more costly option would be for Renault to go it alone, producing three brand-new vehicles just for the U.S. We'll keep an eye on these rumors and report back if anything more substantial breaks.
