Renault Sofasa S.A.S.

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Automotive
Founded	1969 (1969)
Headquarters	Envigado , Colombia
Key people	Ariel Montenegro (President and CEO)[1]
Parent	Renault
Website	www.renault.com.co

Sociedad de Fabricación de Automotores (SOFASA) is a Colombian company that assembles importedRenault and, in the past,Toyota andDaihatsu Delta vehicles. It was the first company to produce theRenault Logan in the Americas.^[2] In addition to Logan also manufacturedRenault Clio,Renault Symbol,Renault Megane andRenault Twingo. It also manufactured trucks likeToyota Prado,Toyota Land Cruiser,Toyota Hilux andDaihatsu Delta. The company exports to theAndean Community of Nations (CAN) and supplies the national market of automobiles in Colombia. Currently,Renault is the sole shareholder of the company. As of 2019 the capacity of the company reached 70 000 cars per year making it the biggest car exporter in the region.^[3]

SOFASA was founded in 1969 and started assembling cars from the French companyRenault.^[4] A year later produced the first car: theRenault 4L. In 1972, began assembling its second model: theRenault 6, with the 1.108cc engine. In 1973, theRenault 12 is added to the line, and the Break version was added the following year.

In 1975 introduced the new version of theRenault 4 as Renault 4 Plus 25, which had a 1.022cc engine developed inColombia and that was 25% more powerful than its predecessor. In 1976, SOFASA launched the restyling for theRenault 6 and 12 corresponding to the worldwide updates Renault made for both models. Also in that year, SOFASA released theRenault 12 taxicab version, which completed the range until 1981.

In 1981, the company began assembling theRenault 18 GTL, GTL Break and the Taxi version,^[4] replacingRenault 12, after the latter sold about 56,250 units between 1973 and 1981.

In 1983Renault 9 was released, one of the best selling cars inColombia (about 115,000). In that year the company released the newRenault 4 GTL (later known as Master) in new colours, aesthetic and image. Next year, theRenault 9 Taxi was launched whileRenault 6 is discontinued (42,500 units were produced). In 1985Renault 18 GTX is introduced, which was the most powerful car manufactured by SOFASA at that time (2.000cc engine, 100 HP) with some exterior modifications. In 1987Renault 18 is discontinued (with 45,100 units sold) and replaced by theRenault 21, a powerful and luxurious car by the time it was released. In addition, theRenault 9 is reworked into new versions (GTL and GTS).

In 1989, theRenault 4 LIDER was introduced, powered by a 1.300cc engine fromRenault 12 (not replacing the Master), and theRenault 21 Étoile in 1990, being this one of the most luxurious models in the Colombian market and the first car withelectronic fuel injection assembled inColombia.

Three years later, in 1992, theRenault 4 is discontinued after producing 97,050 units between 1970 and 1992 (22 years) andRenault 9 is released in new versions Brio, Super and Max whileRenault Clio is imported from France. It also begins the assembly ofToyota Land Cruiser andToyota Hilux.^[4]

By 1993 the Renault range is updated including the 9, 21 Etoile (sedan, hatchback and Break) andSafrane imported fromFrance.

TheBavaria Group acquired 51% shares of the Company in 1994. In April, launched theRenault 19 and begun the systematic plans of the company and the strengthening of commercial and customer service. SOFASA starts exports toEcuador ofToyota Land Cruiser andHilux.

In 1995 under a strategy to expand the range, SOFASA launched theRenault Twingo and creates asubsidiary inVenezuela, SOFAVEN, for commercial operations in that country. Additionally, importsRenault Laguna and presents two new versions ofRenault 19.

SOFASA commercially launched theRenault Clio in 1996 and introduces theRenault 9 Personnalité while starts Renault exports toVenezuela andEcuador.

Two years later the company started imports ofRenault Midliner commercial motor vehicles. That same year, launched theToyota Prado. Next yearRenault 9 is discontinued andMegane is introduced. RenaultSymbol andClio II are introduced in 2001. TheRenault Megane II was introduced inColombia in 2003.^[2]

With the sale of shares ofBavaria in 2003, the newshareholding structure of the company wasRenault 60%,Toyota 28% andMitsui 12%^[5] but five years laterMitsui sold its stake in SOFASA toRenault andToyota.^[6]

In 2005, SOFASA launches theRenault Logan. A year later Toyota begun the production of its vehicles Daihatsu and Hino inEnvigado. In 2008, Renault purchased all the SOFASA's stake.^[6] That same, it was initiated the manufacturing of theRenault Sandero at Envigado factory whileKoleos is imported fromSouth Korea.

In 2011, SOFASA introduced theRenault Fluence (imported). TheRenault Duster is assembled inEnvigado since 2012^[7]

Produced

• Logan II (2005–present)
• Duster II (2012–present)

Imported

• Fluence Z.E.
• Koleos
• Kangoo and Kangoo Z.E.
• Master
• Trafic
• Twizy
• Zoe

Renault

• 4 (1970–1992) - 97,050 vehicles produced^[8]
• 6 (1971–1984)
• 9 (1983–1999)
• 12 (1973–1981)
• 18 (1981–1987)
• 19 (1994–2001)
• 21 (1987–1994)
• Twingo I (1995–2012) - 100,000 vehicles produced^[9]
• Mégane I (1999–2009)
• Symbol I (2001–2009)
• Clio I & II (1996–2017)
• Sandero II (2008–2020)
• Sandero Stepway II (2009–2020)

Toyota

• Land Cruiser Series 70 (1993–2008)
• Land Cruiser Prado II (1999–2008)
• Hilux V & VI (1994–2004)

Daihatsu

• Delta (2005–2010)

• (in Spanish)SOFASA official website

• Motor vehicle assembly plants in Colombia
• Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1970
• Renault
• Colombian companies established in 1970

• CS1 Spanish-language sources (es)
• Use dmy dates from November 2024
• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Articles with Spanish-language sources (es)