The quality of the final result means a winning season and winning sales

- Championship standings and sales figures: these are the only figures that count in the areas of Formula 1 and mass production vehicles.
- How does Renault's image benefit from quality?

Alain Dassas, Renault F1 Team President, explains:

"It's difficult to measure the direct impact of a victory or a title on sales. We can only answer this question over the long term. What we do know, however, is that over the past few years the brand's profile has increased dramatically and that its image has increased in quality. For example, in European countries where Renault's sales could be improved, the two positive elements cited by potential customers are the safety of our cars and our success in F1. This is positive."

A clear idea of performance to better satisfy the customer. Adapting the product to the customer, and thus the final level of quality, is a matter of understanding the satisfaction of the recipient. "To make progress, we have to have a clear idea of our performance," explained Yann Vincent. "This understanding involves drawing up reports on problems that have arisen, creating surveys for both our customers and those of our competitors, and carrying out comparative studies of several brands. We need to anticipate the customer's wishes, find out what he or she expects."

In the same way that the Renault F1 Team identifies the best way to respond to technical and sporting regulations in 2007, 2008 and beyond, the mass production teams track the upcoming tastes of its everchanging clientele. "You always have to be honest with yourself", concluded Patrick Janot. "By knowing exactly where our strengths and weaknesses lie, we know exactly where we have to act. The dispersion engendered by a desire for radical change will only destroy what we have gained. Just like in racing, being overly ambitious can be fatal."

In mass production, as in F1, the quest for quality doesn't end at delivery. In fact, a vehicle must be efficiently supported throughout its lifecycle. Above, a diagnostic carried out on a Renault Clio. Below, an F1 car being prepared on the starting grid before the start of a Grand Prix race.

"Production quality is a question of rigour in manufacturing standards and efficient planning. At the busiest times of the year - during the production of a new car, for example - we have to juggle priorities, allocate new resources, and revise schedules based on a large number of parameters. The suppleness of the production programme, which allows for a certain amount of flexibility so that we can be certain that everything is produced on time, is a crucial quality factor. We constantly re-evaluate our methods and optimize our processes in order to improve both speed and efficiency. The ability to re-examine, adapt and renew, combined with rigorous production standards - that's how we achieve quality." - John Mardle, Operations Director, Enstone

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