After making a mark in the skies, Fernandes sets sights on roads
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Tony Fernandes, founder of budget airline AirAsia, is teaming up with French carmaker Renault to design, develop and build future sports vehicles, including sports utility vehicle (SUV) and city cars, that are affordable to the mass market.
The first car will roll out from the production line in 2015.
Fernandes' Caterham Group and Renault ASA unit, Automobiles Alpine Renault company, signed a deal in Paris on Monday in which both parties would have equal stakes in a new joint venture known as the Societe des Automobiles Alpine, to design, develop and build future sports vehicles.
“Asia will be a big part of this investment and there will be two manufacturing hubs, one each in Europe [Dieppe Plant in Normandy in France] and Asia [in Malaysia]. We will work with a factory [Naza Motors plant] in Malaysia and use the Malaysian auto [support] chain,” he told StarBiz from Paris yesterday.
“We will create jobs in Malaysia and the investment will be happening as early as next year.
“We will start building cars from 2013 that are affordable for the mass market. The cars will be sold in Asia and Europe.”
From airlines and Formula 1 to football, Fernandes never fails to amaze and this time he has brought in a reputable player, Renault, whose chief executive officer and chairman Carlos Ghosn is very well known and respected in the global auto industry.
Fernandes said the move into Formula 1 years ago by Caterham was not just about going for the races but also about making cars. In fact, making cars is his “dream” and he expects to realise that by 2015.
A report said the first car, the CT02, should be ready to roll out in 2015 and Fernandes said the Malaysian version would be a completely knocked down version with local parts to ensure a lower tax.
Renault and Caterham already have a business partnership as the French carmaker provides engines for the Caterham F1 team.
He declined to say how much investment was required, but he did say that “today we are becoming a car manufacturer and F1 has been a useful marketing platform; and we now have a great platform to make cars”.
As to teaming up with Renault, he said: “What a fantastic partner we have for a small company from Malaysia and we are very excited that an icon like Renault believes in us, as many people had tried to partner Renault. I and Kamarudin [Meranun] are excited about this new venture.”
In a statement, Ghosn said “this innovative partnership with Caterham embodies a long-standing ambition: the creation of a sports car with the Alpine DNA. It carries both opportunities for the Dieppe plant and the development of its historic know-how”.
Fernandes added: “I have not felt as excited about a new venture since I launched AirAsia in 2001. Many people doubted us 11 years ago when we launched our airline and I am sure there will be doubters again this time, but we will not fail your trust.
“We know the markets we are going into and, particularly in my playground in Asia, there is a huge opportunity to replicate the AirAsia model and give consumers access to exciting, affordable products that marry our interests in F1 and technology and help make their dreams come true.
“The future vehicles will be distinctive, different and carry the respective DNA of Alpine and Caterham Cars, the automotive division of Caterham Group.”
The Alpine plant in Dieppe is currently dedicated to building vehicles developed by Renault Sport Technologies.
