New 3-door Renault Kangoo be bop

While TC Euro Cars is still selling the old Kangoo here in Malaysia, the rest of the world has seen the launch of the bigger and better second generation Renault Kangoo built on the Renault Scenic chassis. Renault is obviously eager to kill two birds with one stone with the Kangoo, aiming it at both the commercial and lifestyle crowd, and this is the latest body variant of the Kangoo to appeal to the latter market segment – the 3-door Renault Kangoo be bop. Continue reading more on the be bop after the jump.

The electric Renault concept car you saw earlier as part of this blog’s Paris Motorshow coverage was based on this car. Don’t be fooled by the funky roof apparatus it has – this is a production car! The Kangoo be bop has ended up being some form of economical landaulet – which is sort of a convertible that opens up only at the rear, leaving the front of the cabin still sheltered by a roof. Another recent example of such a vehicle was the Maybach Landaulet Concept.

The Kangoo be bop also receives a “crossKangoo” treatment, with a ride height that is 20mm higher than the standard Kangoo and protective side moulding and other two-toned bodykit elements which give it a soft-roader kind of look. The convertible top in question is a sliding panel at the rear which also slides forward at an angle to create a wind-deflecting effect. The rear passenger area also has its conventional bench replaced with two raised (90mm higher) individual chairs with a 240mm space between the two chairs. These chairs are adjustable to vary boot space from 174 litres all the way to 1462 litres if they are removed completely.

Although based on the same Scenic-based chassis as the second generation Kangoo, the Kangoo be bop’s wheelbase has been shortened by 380mm, which also helps give it a reduced turning circle. It rides on MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam with coil springs and an anti-roll bar at teh rear.

A few engines will be available at launch – one petrol 1.6 litre unit producing 105 horsepower at 5,750rpm and a peak torque of 148Nm at 3,750rpm, and two diesel units – the 1.5 litre dCi engine producing 85 horsepower at 3,750rpm and 200Nm of torque at 1,900rpm, and a more powerful 105 horsepower 1.5 litre dCi engine producing its peak horsepower at 4,000rpm and a peak torque of 240Nm at 2,000rpm. These are mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. The more powerful diesel engine features a VGT turbo and a twin mass flywheel damper to reduce engine boom at low revs.

Look after the jump for more photos of the be bop.

PHOTO GALLERY: Renault Kangoo be bop
Click thumbnails to view high resolution photo

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