The extension is the result of a massive building project carried out over just eight weeks for an investment of R$500 million (about €195 million). This major technological challenge is part of a plan for 2010-2015 costing a total of R$1.5 billion (about €583 million) and follows the commitment made by Carlos Ghosn in October 2011 to increase the production capacity of the Ayrton Senna Complex.
Completion of the building work will increase Renault’s overall capacity – at its passenger car, LCV and engine plants – from 280,000 to 380,000 vehicles a year.
The car plant that makes Duster, Sandero and Logan will boost its capacity from 220,000 to 320,000 units a year. The LCV plant will maintain an output of 60,000 vehicles a year. The current engine factory capacity will also increase the production capacity from 400,000 to 500, per year.
The plan to increase production capacity at Curitiba has been a major technological challenge. Building a "new plant within a plant" called for leading-edge engineering work, with over 120 companies from Paraná state and other parts of Brazil taking part. A total of about 1,500 people were involved.