Renault Design Centre Chennai opens under Renault. Rethink’ strategy, blending innovation, culture, and local expertise to shape India’s mobility future

Chennai, 22nd April 2025 – Renault Group has launched a new exciting chapter in its Indian activities with the opening of the Renault Design Centre Chennai, its most cutting-edge design centre beyond France. This milestone contributes to Renault’s strategic path in its “Renault International Game Plan 2027” and its bold dedication to India’s rapidly evolving automobile industry.

The launch of the centre follows Renault’s full acquisition of its Chennai manufacturing plant, strengthening the Group’s autonomy and investment in the region. Positioned at the heart of Chennai’s RNTBCI (Renault Nissan Technology & Business Centre India), the design centre plays a pivotal role in both local innovation and Renault’s global design initiatives.

• Largest Renault design centre outside France
• Part of ‘Renault International Game Plan 2027’
• Full integration into Chennai’s RNTBCI innovation hub
• Equipped with VR, 3d visualisation, and immersive design studios
• Developed with a wellbeing-first approach for creators and engineers
• Symbolic ‘Renault. Rethink’ art installation launch

Renault Design Centre Chennai: The Heart of Renault. rethink’

In. With Renault’s new brand strategy,. ‘Renault. Rethink, Renault Chennai Design Centre is a powerful indication of change. It will redefine Renault’s design perception in India by marrying cutting-edge technology. European design characteristics with robust Indian cultural roots.

Venkatram Mamillapalle, Country CEO & Managing Director, Renault India, said: “This plant signifies our new focus on innovation and customer-centric design. With the launch of the Renault. Rethink’ strategy, we are redefining our brand, product vision, and experience to address Indian consumers’ changing needs.”

State-of-the-Art Facilities for Mobility with a Future

Spread over 1,500 m², the Renault Design Centre Chennai brings together some of the world’s most advanced design tools and technologies in the automotive industry:

Virtual Reality Digital Design

VR-enabled Visualisation Studios with real-time 3d model interaction

High-Performance LED Wall (8.5m x 2.4m) to facilitate life-size presentation

Collaboration Spaces for digital innovation pods to foster agile, cross-functional collaboration

Thinking Spaces-Centric Workspaces

Flexible WE/ME Spaces with facilitation to arouse creativity and collaborative thinking

“Tactile Confluence” design philosophy integrating new European minimalism and Indian crafts

Shaping the Future: Renault. Rethink‘ Installation

In commemoration of the inauguration, Renault also displayed a symbolic high-tech sculpture named ‘Renault. Rethink, designed by Indian artists. The interactive sculpture features lit-up inner components, symbolising the birth of Renault’s vision in India and its commitment towards designing cars in India, for India.

A Global Centre with Local Foundations

Chief Design Officer, Renault Group, Laurens van den Acker, also added:

“India is the world’s third-largest automotive market and presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities. Our new Chennai plant is critical to local taste understanding and co-developing vehicles that meet Indian customers’ needs and influence global design projects.”

India joins Paris, Curitiba, Bucharest, and Seoul as a key node in Renault’s global design ecosystem. The new centre replaces the former Chennai studio and stands as a testament to Renault’s enduring legacy and future-forward strategy in India.