Model commonality helps cut costs at Sandouville.(News)(Regie Nationale des Usines Renault)

Byline: Anna Kochan Automotive News Europe

After concentrating production of premium models at Sandouville, France, Renault is trying to slash production costs there by a quarter this year.

In the past two years, Sandouville has launched production of new generations of the upper-medium Laguna, luxury Vel Satis and fourth-generation Espace minivan, all on the same platform.

French coachbuilder Matra makes the low-volume Avantime, the only upper-range Renault not made at Sandouville.

The three launches, combined with switching to a new flexible manufacturing system and ...