On June 27, Renault Korea officially revealed the Grand Koleos crossover at the Busan International Motor Show 2024. This SUV appears to be the twin model of the Chinese Geely Monjaro (Xingyue L). It stands on the CMA platform and adopts ICE and PHEV powertrain variants.
Busan International Motor Show 2024 (BIMOS 2024) has kicked off today with a press day. It is one of the biggest automotive shows in Korea, participated by Renault, Kia, Hyundai, BMW, Genesis, and other car makers. Today, the Renault Grand Koleos has attracted lots of eyes at the exhibition. Interestingly, it is based on the Geely Monjaro crossover, popular in China and overseas.
Why Grand Koleos is based on a Chinese car
Our regular readers know Geely and Renault have had some close ties since 2022. That year, Geely Group acquired a third of Renault Korea’s stake. Later, these companies formed a 50-50 joint venture aimed at developing and producing powertrain systems.
In 2023, Geely and Renault made headlines once again. According to French automaker’s “International Game Plan 2027”, its upcoming high-end D and E-segment models will adopt the CMA architecture. CMA is Compact Modular Architecture developed jointly by Geely and Volvo. It currently underpins a wide range of cars, including Volvo XC40, Geely Tugella, Geely Atlas, Geely Monjaro, Geely Galaxy L7, Geely Preface, Lynk & Co 01, Lynk & Co 03, Lynk & Co 05, etc.
Aside from the CMA platform, future Renault cars were said to use an E-Tech PHEV system with 2WD or 4WD. The 4WD system adopts a petrol engine paired with a 48V EMS on the front axle. On the rear axle, it has an additional electric motor. On June 27, the first car from Renault Korea based on the CMA platform debuted at the BIMOS 2024.
More about Renault Grand Koleos
The Renault Grand Koleos is a mid-size crossover with a body length of 4780 mm. Its wheelbase reaches 2820 mm. According to Renault Korea representatives, the Grand Koleos’ wheelbase is the longest in the class.
CarNewsChina has immediately recognized the Geely Monjaro SUV in this model. It has the same pattern of the LED headlights and a similar taillight unit as the Grand Koleos. These cars are also close in terms of proportions. However, all the exterior panels of the Korean SUV differ from the Monajro. The front end of the Grand Koleos adopts a frameless grille and a sporty bumper.
The interior of the Grand Koleos has fewer changes from its “elder brother”. It adopts a distinguishing interior styling with a twin screen in the center console. The center tunnel has a wireless phone charging pad, a retractable gear shifter, and two cup holders.
The ICE variant of the Renault Grand Koleos adopts a 2-liter turbocharged engine paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. It supports FWD and 4WD drive types. There is also a PHEV version with a 1.5-liter engine paired with e-motor and DHT gearbox. The combined power output of this system reaches 245 hp.
Briefly on Geely Monjaro
Geely Monjaro has been selling in China since 2021 under Xingyue L’s name. It is a five-seat SUV with dimensions of 4770/1895/1698 mm and a wheelbase of 2845 mm. The entry-level variant of the Geely Monjaro has a 2-liter ICE for 218 hp on board paired with 2WD and 7DCT. The 4WD version has the same 2-liter engine with 20 more horses and 8AT. In China, Geely Monjaro (Xingyue L) costs 137,200 – 185,200 yuan (18,900 – 25,500 USD).
In the first five months of 2024, Geely sold 74,818 units of Monjaro domestically. This car is also popular in overseas countries. However, it seems that Renault also aims to conquer international markets with the twin model of the Geely vehicle.
Source: The New Korea Herald
Exporting this joint venture model, from Korea to the U.S., shouldn’t be a problem and will circumvent the 100% tariff. Right?
Yes, but no dealer network exists for Renault or Geely in the USA. The dealers for Geely partners Volvo and Polestar are not keen to sell other Geely Group brands at their stores at this time. I have actually discussed this with some dealers. I was asking about a Polestar-Volvo-Lynk & Co network for North America, but no one was interested.