However, the carmaker says it’s on course for an increase in full-year sales compared to 2012 and to win back European market share.

For its 2013 outlook, the group said the world automotive market is set to continue growing in 2013, increasing by 2% rather than the 3% that it forecast at the beginning of the year. The trend marks a slowdown in growth in some emerging countries, while Europe is still heading for a 5% contraction and the French market for an 8% contraction rather than the 5% forecast until now.

The Renault group posted a growth of 4.3% in international group sales for the first half, but failed to offset a 7.3% fall in Europe, where the market continued to deteriorate, down 6.7%.

The group sold 646,274 vehicles outside Europe, up 4.3%. Non-European sales accounted for 49.6% of total world sales, up from 46.7% in first-half 2012.

Russia became the group’s number two market ahead of Brazil, with Renault becoming the number two brand in the country. Renault also made significant headway in India, where it became the number one European brand thanks to Duster.

However, in Europe sales were down 7.3%, with the group said was due to downturns in its three largest markets in Europe (France, Germany and Italy) that exceeded the European average and the pursuit of the group’s strategy on margin protection, relying on a virtuous pricing policy.

Jérôme Stoll, executive vice president, sales and marketing & light commercial vehicles, said: ‘The Renault group has once again demonstrated the relevance of its international development strategy, which allows it to absorb a large part of the fall in the European market. We are posting robust successes internationally, as seen in Russia and India. In Europe, the renewal of our Renault and Dacia product ranges enables us to continue protecting our margins and market shares.’

Looking at the individual brands, Renault fell 4.6%, with the 4.3% rise in sales outside Europe failing to offset the 12.5% fall in sales in Europe.

Dacia brand sales were up 16.5% and rose in all sales territories, driven by the success of Duster, the ramp-up of Lodgy and Dokker, and the renewal of Sandero and Logan.

The Renault Samsung Motors brand, which is currently restructuring its product offer and sales network, posted a 12.4% fall in sales. 

The results confirm the Group’s international development. Five of the Group’s top ten markets are now located outside Europe, two of which – Russia and Brazil – are in the top three.

Mr Stoll commented: ‘The renewal of the group’s product ranges is well underway now and starting to produce results across all markets. The increase in our production capacity internationally, together with the relevance and appeal of our offer, will allow us to sell more vehicles worldwide in 2013 than in 2012 and win back market share in Europe, providing that there is no further worsening in the European and French markets.’