On July 19, 1966, the Politburo of the Central Committee of BKP decided to conclude a contract with the French company Renault for the production in Bulgaria of passenger cars of the same brand. In 1967, the then State Economic Association (DSO) “Metalchim” signs a contract with the right of production and sales with the French company Renault.
In Kazanlak, in the current factory “Arsenal” the first three two-seater Renault Alpin sports cars are assembled. In the beginning, they even called it "Bulgar Alpin". After the first cars have already been assembled, specialists start negotiating with the French for the construction of an assembly plant for the production of 10,000 cars a year in Plovdiv. In just nine months, a record short time, an assembly plant was built in Plovdiv.
In the years 1967 - 1970, a total of about 5,500 Renault cars were completed in Bulgaria. In 1970, a decision was issued by the Council of Ministers to end this “production luxury” and the plant was finally closed in 1971 - 1972.