"Renault is about to announce several decisions that it has taken in regards to high-end cars," said Montebourg on France's BFM television station. "The automaker is going to launch four premium models, I think. It has decided to go out there and fight!"
Absent since 2009, Renault has long been rumored to make a return to the premium car segment with an Infiniti-like sub-brand and a revival of the iconic Alpine brand. Chief Operating Officer Carlos Tavares previously indicated that the automaker would make a final decision on the matter before the end of the year but Montebourg's comments all but confirm that the decision has already been taken.
An official announcement about Renault's future plans in the premium segment and elsewhere will be made during a press conference that will take place at the Paris Motor Show next month.
Once Renault's majority stakeholder, the French government currently holds a small minority share of the automaker but it has never commented on its future product plan. Many people inside and outside of Renault have criticized Montebourg for overstepping his boundaries.
