Francois Provost reveals his plans for Renault after Luca de Meo

Following the abrupt June exit of charismatic chief executive Luca de Meo, Renault has appointed a new leader. TopGear.com spoke to Francois Provost about what he intends to do.

De Meo had overseen an exceptionally effective range of new models – 5, 4, Twingo and the new Clio. He swapped the motor industry for Kering, the luxury-goods group behind Gucci, YSL, Balenciaga and Alexander McQueen. TopGear.com cannot help wondering whether De Meo chose his moment carefully, perhaps anticipating that Renault’s rise could not last indefinitely.

Francois Provost’s Renault product plan

That prompted us to ask Provost whether his approach would centre on further new models, or on cost reductions and tidying up the business. “Product is the top line of my new mid-term plan. A second cycle of new cars to extend our lead. We have an advantage over old rivals and China.” He says Renault has previously operated in cycles, where a rush of new-car launches has been followed by a harmful quiet period.

He also wants quality to reach Toyota standards. He does not name Toyota outright, referring only to the letter T. Renault, however, is already making strong progress towards that target.

It is relevant that Provost previously served as Renault’s purchasing chief and played a major role in delivering the company’s turnaround over the last five years.

The Twingo was created in half the development time normally required for other Renault models. Provost says this matters not only because it reduces the cost of that stage, but also because it allows the company to introduce a car that is effectively newer and equipped with the latest technology.

Renault achieved this by bringing together teams at its French headquarters and in China, which is known for moving quickly. Provost says every vehicle developed in France will now adopt the same methods, enabling equally rapid launches.

The new Twingo is an appealing, flexible and spacious small EV, expected to cost comfortably below £20,000 in the UK. Compared with the R5, it has a less expensive, smaller LFP battery, an off-the-shelf permanent-magnet motor and straightforward torsion-beam rear suspension.

Renault, EVs and Europe’s car regulations

Provost also sets out other measures he believes could help Europe’s car industry withstand both China’s low-cost challenge and the growing weight of regulation, which is making European cars priced below £20,000 increasingly rare.

He argues that when fewer buyers can afford a new car, the overall vehicle fleet simply becomes older. That produces the opposite outcome to the one politicians are seeking. “The parc is ageing so there is no decarbonisation or safety improvement. And it's destroying the industry, a social muscle for Europe.” Whenever a factory closes, roughly 5,000 to 10,000 people lose their employment.

Other carmakers have campaigned for permission to produce smaller cars that avoid much of the current safety legislation. They refer to these as E-Cars. The European Commission has promised an announcement in December 2025.

Provost, though, sees the issue differently. He believes in EVs. “EVs are good for the customer. People won't go back.”

He is not calling for existing rules to be removed. Instead, he wants no additional regulations, at least for cars up to the size of the Renault 4/Captur. He says there are currently 107 proposed future rules. “I just want 10 years without new regulations. A quarter of our engineers are busy catching up with regulations, and we have to apply them retroactively to existing cars. If we stop that we can cut cost.”