Renault Oroch 2019 pick-up considered for Oz

Renault Australia is working on importing a right-hand drive version of the Brazilian-built Oroch dual-cab ute, as long as the business case stacks up.

If Renault's local wing were to bring the Dacia Duster-based pick-up Down Under, it could represent an opportunity for a sub-$30,000 model to sit under the Navara-based Alaskan pick-up that is all but certain to be offered in Australia.

According to Renault Australia managing director Andrew Moore, if the Oroch were to get the thumbs up for a local debut, it would be the redesigned version that is currently still in development.

“It’s yet to get right-hand drive development, so it would have to be the Phase II (facelift that is still a few years away),” said Mr Moore.

“But it’s not just Australia that is pushing for RHD. Before Australia put our hand up, it was too far away for being considered, but now there’s big opportunity with South Africa… and as South Africa would do more volume with this vehicle than Australia, putting South Africa, Australia and some other markets together, the case for Oroch RHD is now much stronger than before. Everybody has put forward their case and it’s now currently under review.” 

With the Alaskan due to arrive by 2020, bringing the Oroch to Australia would allow Renault to cover a wider range of dual-cab buyer types.

“The idea of the dual pick-up strategy is that customers who want to spend sub-$35,000 have the Oroch, while customers looking for an image-based truck have the Alaskan that has everything,” he said.

“I don’t want to compete against the Navara; I want to compete against the Ford Ranger Wildtrak, Volkswagen Amarok and top-line HiLux. It’s a change of strategy that plays on the strength of the vehicle. 

“(Renault Australia) never considered the Oroch before… so, when I met with Ashwani Gupta (vice-president of the Renault Nissan Mitsubishi Alliance light-commercial division), I presented the Alaskan for the higher-end and Oroch as the entry segment-breaker vehicle, and that’s how we cover the spectrum that other brands cover but not to the same degree with one model.”

Mr Moore suggests that the Oroch would be targeted against other 4x2 pick-ups like the Mitsubishi Triton GLX.

“The beauty of the vehicle that I would propose is that the top-end Oroch would be around $30,000, and you would get a vehicle that has got the creature comforts, it’s got the look and style, whereas at the moment the 5.3-metre Mitsubishi Triton dual cab is $35,000; you can have a 4.7m Oroch dual cab for $30,000 with all the features, whereas that entry Triton is very bare, it’s a workhorse.

If the Oroch were to get the thumbs up for a local debut, it would be the redesigned version that is currently still in development.

“And our payload is just under 700kg – and that’s almost identical to what the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore utes were.”

Launched in South America in 2015, the current Oroch is underpinned by Renault's ageing B0 platform and has been extended by 155mm over the Duster SUV on which it is based.

The five seater is offered overseas with 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre four-cylinder units, sending power exclusively to the front wheels via either a five- or six-speed manual gearbox, or a four-speed automatic transmission.

It is likely the updated Oroch, which is under consideration for Australia, will make use of more modern componentry including upgraded powertrains.

Whether or not Renault Australia will look to import other Dacia models, such as the Duster SUV, remains to be seen.

“Based on the proposed line-up and where I’d like them to be, you can’t have too many models in your line-up, you’ve got to have a minimum for each sort of model,” Mr Moore said.

“The models I am flagging I believe are better suited to Australia in terms of styling and so forth. If we get the green light on Oroch, and we see a real interest in that car, that may suggest an opportunity for the Duster, but for me, I think we have that sector pretty well covered in the best way for Australia with Captur, Kadjar, Koleos – so I’m not exploring the Duster for Australia.

“But I don’t close the door on anything, as a distributor you should look at everything that may suit your market and have an open mind, but at this stage I don’t see much opportunity for Duster.

“And we would not launch Dacia as a brand in Australia.”

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