Renault is using the Paris motor show to unveil – in near production ‘show car’ form – two of the 26 vehicles that will be launched within the framework of its “Renault Commitment 2009”.
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These are the Twingo Concept, which foreshadows the long-awaited successor to the ancient left-hand-drive-only current Twingo, and the Koleos Concept, which marks the expansion of the Renault line-up into two new areas, 4WDs (SUVs) and crossovers.
In addition the display includes the four-seater Nepta cabriolet concept car, purely a styling exercise, according to Renault, which “underlines [our] determination to double [our] presence in the upper-range segment by 2010”.
Twingo
Replacing a model virtually unchanged since its early 1990s debut, the redesigned Twingo, on sale from spring 2007, will focus on youth trends, sport and music, as you might expect from the show-concept version of an entry-level econobox.
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By GlobalDataPowered by the new turbocharged 1.2 16V TCE 100 TCE 100 engine, the show’s Twingo Concept has a high multimedia content, including a centre console equipped for Apple i-Pod playback and Nokia smartphone use, a mixing deck incorporated in the dashboard, a retractable, folding 15-inch screen and web cam, as well as a computer with internet access.
The new model will be 3.6 metres long. The show car’s 1.2-litre turbocharged engine delivers maximum power of 73kW (100hp) and maximum torque of 145Nm with unspecified “low” fuel consumption and CO2 emissions under 140g/km
Koleos
This show car is a foretaste of Renault’s upcoming “rugged and sporty 4WD that also belongs to the world of crossovers thanks to its comfort and roominess”, according to the automaker’s 43-page show blurb.
Due to be rolled out in the first half of 2008, this new SUV will be built on a new four-wheel drive platform and powered by a 2.0 dCi engine, both developed within the Renault-Nissan Alliance, so expect it to share as least as much under the skin with Nissan model lines as the current Micra/Clio and Versa already do.
This one was styled by Renault designers working in collaboration with the Renault Samsung Motors Design Centre in Korea. The show car has a grey-blue body colour that is said to emphasise the high-tech feel of its volumes. The front end features LED headlamps, with additional lights and indicators housed in the exterior mirrors.
The strip between the body sides and the roof reinforces the stance of the car while the glazed roof panel is topped by profiled aluminium roof bars. The 200mm ground clearance and front and rear aluminium protective skidplates hint at the offroad ability.
Pinching an idea from the Detroit Big Three’s gargantuan SUVs (eg Ford Expedition, Chevy Tahoe, Cadillac Escalade, etc.), the Koleos concept has aluminium door sill extensions which deploy when the doors are open to facilitate entry and exit.
Interior gadgets include gauges for atmospheric pressure, compass bearings, altitude and gradient.
Renault said that the split-opening tailgate – an idea just dumped by Honda on its redesigned CR-V SUV – makes the vehicle easy to load and access in cramped parking spaces. Unlike the previous CR-V with its side-opening lower door, though, the Renault has a bottom-hinged lower hatch designed to enable two people to sit comfortably for picnics or for open-air activities – ideal for what the Americans call ‘tailgate parties’.
Developed within the framework of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, the SUV’s chassis has drawn on the Japanese partner’s all-wheel drive expertise and offers two- or four-wheel drive modes via an electronically controlled active coupler which distributes torque to the wheels according to the level of grip available under each one.
The Koleos Concept includes all the latest driver aids such as ABS (now compulsory in Europe), emergency brake assist and ESP, plus hill down control (HDC) and hill start assist (HSA).
Its 2.0 dCi engine has the latest diesel engine technology including piezoelectric injectors, 1,600-bar common rail injection and a variable geometry turbocharger plus a periodic regeneration particulate filter which operates without additives. It drives through a six-speed manual gearbox.
Nepta
An out-and-out styling exercise not (yet) earmarked for production, the Nepta concept is a prestigious four-seater cabriolet with flowing, racy looks.
Motor-driven gull-wing doors open to reveal both the interior and engine compartment – the latter houses a longitudinally-mounted 3.5-litre 420hp V6 petrol engine coupled with automatic seven-speed transmission (and steering wheel-mounted flick-shift controls.
Those doors are fitted with electronic obstacle detectors and an anti-pinch device for greater safety.
The dashboard appears to be suspended, while the transparent extensions of the windscreen illuminate the pedal unit and make for a bright and clear drive station.
The intuitive controls are inspired by the Touch Design approach. The centrally-mounted, rotary gear shift is easy and comfortable to use. The conveniently positioned multimedia information control is situated within easy reach, while the stalk switches and steering wheel-mounted control paddles are designed to match the form of the driver’s hands.
The seats are fixed, but the position of the steering wheel and pedals can be adjusted by a motor-driven mechanism to adapt it to the driver’s physique.
At the Paris show, Renault has also launched a minor restyle for the Clio II-based Campus entry level model line, new GT versions of the Megane with petrol and diesel engines, revised trim and equipment levels for its Modus and Espace lines and a new I4 engine and six-speed automatic transmission, both available across several model lines.
Graeme Roberts
