A first ever Renaultsport version of the Laguna is a possibility, according to the French firm’s top brass.
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The news came at the Austrian launch of the third generation of the family car, and the idea has a high-placed fan in the form of Patrice Ratti, programme director Renault’s larger cars.
He also revealed the Laguna will get an innovative four-wheel steering system called Active Drive. First details will be announced at the forthcoming Frankfurt Motor Show and it will debut on the eagerly anticipated Laguna Coupé, due late in 2008. After that it would transfer to the standard car.
Ratti said: “The Active Drive system has two benefits. At high speed it increases stability and means you can perform extreme manoeuvres like the elk test much faster and safer. It gives a very exhilarating drive, but only very good drivers will be able to notice it. Secondly, at low speed in the city, it gives extra manoeuvrability and it’s something every driver will be able to experience.”
And it’s that Active Drive technology which could point the way to the Laguna getting the Renaultsport performance badge. Ratti explained: “We are thinking about it but we have not decided yet. The chassis with four-wheel steering could be used as the base for the car. The question is which engine would we use, and do we have enough customers who would want the car. We will see with the launch of the standard Laguna and the Coupe at the end of next year. But I would like it.”
