Renault Argentina chief Pablo Sibilla says about 70% of the Niagara pickups built at the Santa Isabel plant will be exported to 19 Latin American markets. The project involved a €350 million investment, he said.
Sibilla discussed the export plans in an interview with LA NACION at the outlet’s mobility summit. He described Niagara as a new chapter for the plant in Córdoba province. Santa Isabel is intended to become a specialised hub for light commercial vehicles and an export base for the model. Renault said production of the Niagara began there on October 6.
The company invested €350 million to retool the facility. Sibilla said the upgrades included greater automation in welding and painting. He also said taxes account for about 12% of the cost of an Argentine-made car sold abroad. Reducing that burden and companies’ own costs is important for competitiveness, he said.
Sibilla described Argentina’s car market as weaker than expected this year. He forecast about 505,000 new-car sales, compared with an earlier expectation of 650,000, and said registrations were down 13% from 2025. For 2027, he projected a market of roughly 520,000 vehicles and did not expect a sharp recovery.
He also described a change to the plant’s working-hours system. Under the new arrangement, he said, employees receive their full salary during production shutdowns and can later make up missed hours in additional shifts. Sibilla said the system added flexibility and was agreed with the workers’ union.
The Renault Argentina chief said more accessible five- or six-year loans would help middle-class buyers afford new cars. He was doubtful that Argentina’s financial market would offer such terms next year. The interview also covered the company’s Renault Days campaign, which it linked to a Buenos Aires exhibition of Chinese car brands.