Sociedad de Fabricación de Automotores (SOFASA) is a Colombian company that assembles imported

Renault Renault S.A., commonly referred to as Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English), is a French Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company curr ...

and, in the past,

Toyota is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on August 28, 1937. Toyota is the List of manuf ...

and Daihatsu Delta vehicles. It was the first company to produce the Renault Logan in the Americas. In addition to Logan also manufactured Renault Clio, Renault Symbol, Renault Megane and

Renault Twingo The Renault Twingo is a city car made by the French company Renault from 1992 to 2024 across three generations. The name is a portmanteau of ''twist'', ''swing'', and ''tango''. The first-generation Twingo (two door, front engine) debuted at t ...

. It also manufactured trucks like Toyota Prado, Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota Hilux and Daihatsu Delta. The company exports to the

Andean Community of Nations The Andes ( ), Andes Mountains or Andean Mountain Range (; ) are the List of longest mountain chains on Earth, longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range ...

(CAN) and supplies the national market of automobiles in Colombia. Currently,

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.

History

SOFASA was founded in 1969 and started assembling cars from the French company

. A year later produced the first car: the Renault 4L. In 1972, began assembling its second model: the Renault 6, with the 1.108cc engine. In 1973, the Renault 12 is added to the line, and the Break version was added the following year. In 1975 introduced the new version of the Renault 4 as Renault 4 Plus 25, which had a 1.022cc engine developed in

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

and that was 25% more powerful than its predecessor. In 1976, SOFASA launched the restyling for the Renault 6 and 12 corresponding to the worldwide updates Renault made for both models. Also in that year, SOFASA released the Renault 12 taxicab version, which completed the range until 1981. In 1981, the company began assembling the

Renault 18 The Renault 18 is a large family car produced by French manufacturer Renault between 1978 and 1989, with South American production continuing until 1994. It formed the basis for the closely related Renault Fuego Coupé, with which it shared its ...

GTL, GTL Break and the Taxi version, replacing Renault 12, after the latter sold about 56,250 units between 1973 and 1981. In 1983 Renault 9 was released, one of the best selling cars in

(about 115,000). In that year the company released the new Renault 4 GTL (later known as Master) in new colours, aesthetic and image. Next year, the Renault 9 Taxi was launched while Renault 6 is discontinued (42,500 units were produced). In 1985 Renault 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 1987

is discontinued (with 45,100 units sold) and replaced by the Renault 21, a powerful and luxurious car by the time it was released. In addition, the Renault 9 is reworked into new versions (GTL and GTS). In 1989, the Renault 4 LIDER was introduced, powered by a 1.300cc engine from Renault 12 (not replacing the Master), and the Renault 21 Étoile in 1990, being this one of the most luxurious models in the Colombian market and the first car with electronic fuel injection assembled in

. Three years later, in 1992, the Renault 4 is discontinued after producing 97,050 units between 1970 and 1992 (22 years) and Renault 9 is released in new versions Brio, Super and Max while Renault Clio is imported from France. It also begins the assembly of Toyota Land Cruiser and Toyota Hilux. By 1993 the Renault range is updated including the 9, 21 Etoile (sedan, hatchback and Break) and Safrane imported from

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. The Bavaria Group acquired 51% shares of the Company in 1994. In April, launched the

Renault 19 The Renault 19 is a small family car that was produced by the French car manufacturer Renault between 1988 and 1996. In Turkey and in Argentina, production continued until 2000. The internal development code for the 19 was X53, with the five d ...

and begun the systematic plans of the company and the strengthening of commercial and customer service. SOFASA starts exports to

Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...

of Toyota Land Cruiser and Hilux. In 1995 under a strategy to expand the range, SOFASA launched the

and creates a

subsidiary A subsidiary, subsidiary company, or daughter company is a company (law), company completely or partially owned or controlled by another company, called the parent company or holding company, which has legal and financial control over the subsidia ...

Venezuela Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...

, SOFAVEN, for commercial operations in that country. Additionally, imports Renault Laguna and presents two new versions of

. SOFASA commercially launched the Renault Clio in 1996 and introduces the Renault 9 Personnalité while starts Renault exports to

and

. Two years later the company started imports of Renault Midliner commercial motor vehicles. That same year, launched the Toyota Prado. Next year Renault 9 is discontinued and Megane is introduced. Renault

Symbol A symbol is a mark, Sign (semiotics), sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, physical object, object, or wikt:relationship, relationship. Symbols allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by cr ...

and Clio II are introduced in 2001. The Renault Megane II was introduced in

in 2003. With the sale of shares of

Bavaria Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...

in 2003, the new shareholding structure of the company was

60%,

28% and

Mitsui is a Japanese corporate group and '' keiretsu'' that traces its roots to the ''zaibatsu'' groups that were dissolved after World War II. Unlike the ''zaibatsu'' of the pre-war period, there is no controlling company with regulatory power. Ins ...

12% but five years later

sold its stake in SOFASA to

and

. In 2005, SOFASA launches the Renault Logan. A year later Toyota begun the production of its vehicles Daihatsu and Hino in

Envigado Envigado () is a city and municipality due South of Medellín, Colombia in the department of Antioquia Department, Antioquia. It is located in the Metropolitan Area of the Aburrá Valley. It borders El Poblado, Medellín to the north, Sabaneta, An ...

. In 2008, Renault purchased all the SOFASA's stake. That same, it was initiated the manufacturing of the Renault Sandero at Envigado factory while Koleos is imported from

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

. In 2011, SOFASA introduced the Renault Fluence (imported). The Renault Duster is assembled in

since 2012

Assembled models

Current models

;Produced * Logan II (2005–present) * Duster II (2012–present) ;Imported * Fluence Z.E. * Koleos * Kangoo and Kangoo Z.E. * Master * Trafic * Twizy * Zoe

Previous models

;Renault * 4 (1970–1992) - 97,050 vehicles produced * 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 * 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 J70 (1993–2008) * Land Cruiser Prado J90 (1999–2008) * Hilux V & VI (1994–2004) ;Daihatsu *

Delta Delta commonly refers to: * Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet * D (NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta"), the fourth letter in the Latin alphabet * River delta, at a river mouth * Delta Air Lines, a major US carrier ...

(2005–2010)

References

External links

*
SOFASA official website
{{Automotive industry in Colombia Sofasa Sofasa Sofasa Colombian companies established in 1970