Advertisement

Kimi Raikkonen coming back to Formula 1 via Renault?

September 14, 2010 at 2:46 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Formula 1, Motorsports, Renault

Many observers had expected Kimi Raikkonen to remain in the World Rally Championship next year, but it looks like the Iceman misses Formula 1 and is eyeing a return. Autosport reports that the 2007 F1 champion has approached the Renault team for a 2011 race seat. However, there’s no mention whether the approach was by the man himself or through his agents.

Apparently, this contact happened after Renault did well to score a podium at the recent Belgian GP at Spa, Kimi’s favourite track. The Finn has gone on record before that he would only return to F1 if he was in a competitive car.

Renault team principal Eric Boullier confirmed this news. “It is true that the summer has passed and we have had more and more requests – and the guy you mentioned (Kimi) is on the radar now. He is on the radar because he contacted us,” he told the magazine.


Will Kimi Raikkonen be holding this next season?

Robert Kubica is a certainty, but rookie Vitaly Petrov isn’t a confirmed goner yet. Boullier said that the team will keep Petrov next year if the Russian can improve his consistency. When asked what Petrov had to do to convince Renault, Boullier said: “He is not very far away to be honest. It is still very complicated for him to have a complete weekend and be faultless, and that is where he needs to work and focus on, and develop clearly his commitment and dedication.

“We need to think about it. But the priority is Vitaly, and to see how he will develop. If we are convinced then we will keep him definitely. This is the first option,” he added. A decision on Renault’s 2011 line-up will be made before the end of this season.

32 Comments      

Renault releases pictures of facelifted Laguna range

September 3, 2010 at 12:53 pm By Jacob Alexander Filed Under Cars, International News, Renault

Renault has released pictures of the facelifted Laguna sedan and station wagon that will be making their public debut at the upcoming Paris Motor Show.

New within the line-up is the 1.5-litre dCi 110 hp, which has better green credentials, emitting only 120g/km of CO2. Renault will also introduce 4Control, which employs all four wheels when steering the car. This will be made available on the 130 hp dCi and 150 hp dCi diesel models.

Looks have also gone through a minor update as the front end now features a revised bumper, redesigned grille and slanted headlight design. Inside the interior receives a mild revision on the dash and central console.

The car will be showcased alongside the European version of the Renault Latitude in Paris, which would be a good opportunity to play spot the difference. Pictures are after the jump.
[Read more...]

16 Comments      


Renault Latitude on show at Moscow Intl Motorshow 2010

August 29, 2010 at 6:26 pm By Jacob Alexander Filed Under Cars, International News, Renault

The Renault Latitude was recently unveiled to the public at the Moscow International Motor Show and is essentially the 2010 Samsung SM5 sedan, with a new grille. The is a D-segment category car. We’ve now got more photos of the car including that of the interior – the initial press reveal in June did not include these.

Based on the Laguna III chassis, it measures in at 4,890mm long, 1,830 mm wide and 1,490 mm tall. Compared to the Laguna it’s 195mm longer, 19mm wider and 45mm taller. Storage space in the boot comes out at 477 litres, while there is an interesting 9.6 litre glove compartment that is illuminated and cooled.

Apart from that, there are many other interior comforts that hint towards a more premium segment such as the massaging function for the driver’s seat, triple-zone automatic climate control system, air quality control management system, hands free electronic key card, directional bi-xenon headlights, audio systems by Bose and Arkamys.

Meant for the Russian market, there will be two power plants available for the country. This will be the 2.5 litre V6 that generates 177hp and 233Nm of torque. Mated to a six speed (AJ0) automatic transmission, it will have a top speed of 209km/h.

Next on the list is the M4R 2.0 litre engine, which produces 139hp and 191Nm of torque, coupled with a continuous variable transmission (CVT). We’re already quite familiar with this engine as its found in the Sylphy and the recently launched X-Trail, and likely the upcoming Teana as well. Different countries will also have a choice of Renault diesel engines such as the 150hp and 175 hp, 2.0 dCi (M9R), along with the 240 hp V6 dCi (V9X).

The new model will be manufactured in South Korea in the Busan Renault-Samsung Motors plant. It will go on sale at the end of September in countries like Morocco, Algeria, Russia Ukraine and Africa. A European version will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show, available with changes to the engine line up, fascia and exterior detail.

Picture gallery available after the jump.
[Read more...]

10 Comments      

Union to protest against Renault Latitude at Paris 2010

August 18, 2010 at 11:49 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Renault

If you’re one of those lucky enough to be in France for the Paris Motor Show later this year, you might just notice a huge crowd swarming around the Renault stage, focusing on the new (and rather handsome) Samsung SM5-based Renault Latitude.

This huge crowd will not be people who love the car. On the contrary, these people hate the car and what it stands for – the import of a Renault product that’s not built in France into the continent. The Confédération Générale du Travail or CGT (English: General Confederation of Labour, a union) will be bringing in bus-loads of workers to demonstrate against Renault’s plan to import the Renault Latitude, as well as Renault’s perceived shift towards overseas production. I don’t blame them – Western European labour is expensive!

The Latitude is car based on the Renault Laguna, but looks quite different and costs less to make, both because of design and the fact that its built at a more affordable site. The Laguna isn’t doing that well in Europe compared to its Volkswagen and Vauxhall/Opel rivals. Renault’s market share in the mid-size car segment that the Laguna competes in have dropped by about half in the past 7 years – it now stands at 3.4% compared to 7.5% in 2003.
[Read more...]

16 Comments      

Renault DeZir concept to debut at Paris 2010

July 6, 2010 at 4:01 pm By Jacob Alexander Filed Under Cars, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, International News, Renault

Renault has unveiled a new concept car which it says symbolises the company’s new design direction for its cars in the future. Design at the front looks similar to a Corvette, while the back and sides seems to remind me of the Audi E-tron concept car.

Given the designation DeZir, the Z in the name symbolises zero emission which means that this concept is an electric vehicle. The powertrain in question will be an electric motor producing 150hp with 226Nm of torque from its vertically-mounted 24kWh lithium-ion battery, located behind the backseats.

This provides a driving range of 160km and has three different recharging options when it runs out of juice. This includes a standard charge from a normal household plug, a fast charge using a 400V three-phase current (recharges 80 percent in 20 mins) or a fast battery exchange where you drop your old battery off for a fully charged unit.

The DeZir uses lightweight materials such as Kevlar and a tubular steel frame. Driving dynamics are further egged on by a full underbody and a rear diffuser which results in a drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.25. Other neat features include KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) along with a futuristic driver graphic display.

This goes hand in hand with the exterior design which will feature gullwing doors that are hinged to different sides of the door frames, full-width front air intake that stretch from the Renault logo, along with Audi-R8-like side intakes.

Moving on inside, you will find a design synonymous to concept cars which Renault say is supposed to make you feel like you’re floating on a cloud. The new concept is expected to debut at the 2010 Paris Motor Show this year. If you can’t make it to the show, have a look for yourself after the jump for a picture gallery.
[Read more...]

13 Comments      

Renault Latitude unveiled – based on Samsung SM5

June 8, 2010 at 12:32 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Renault

The new Renault Latitude is an interesting new sedan from Renault just unveiled today, and is part of a new range of Renaults that I personally consider as slotting in between the very low end Dacias and the regular Euro Renaults such as the Megane.

The Latitude joins the previously unveiled Fluence as a series of new cars that aren’t too cheap but at the same time is able to offer the kind of things that markets outside the typical Eurozone appreciate.

The car itself is based on the latest generation Renault-Samsung SM5 that was just unveiled end of last year, much like now the Fluence was based on a smaller Renault-Samsung product. The design is a little plain but still manages to be sleek at the same time.

It’s based on the Laguna III chassis and measures 4,890mm long by 1,830 mm wide and 1,490 mm tall.

There are some equipment to suit it being a D-segment car such as bi-Xenon adaptive directional headlamps, fragrance diffuser air conditioning, triple-zone air conditioning, a driver’s seat with massage functions, premium audio from Bose, and etc, but the full specs list haven’t been released yet. The Latitude is undoubtedly a lower cost car compared to the Laguna and will go on sale in markets such as Russia, Asia, Africa, Turkey, Gulf, Australia and Mexico. An Euro version of the car will be showcased at Paris 2010.

Renault is currently a real niche player in Malaysia, mainly selling its range of fun to drive Renault Sport cars, other than the Kangoo of course. The Renault Sport cars are joined by the Koleos SUV and the Laguna Coupe but even these don’t really sell in high volume, probably because of the high prices.

Tan Chong seems like the play safe kind of company to me so I don’t expect them to try to charge into the volume market where cars like the Fluence and this new Latitude can come into action in the C-segment and D-segment respectively. Which is a pity as they look like decent cars. The Fluence is the largest car in its class, beating the Civic in wheelbase.

Look after the jump for more photos of the new Renault Latitude. Renault have yet to release any interior photos of the car as of yet but I suspect it’ll be quite close to the Samsung SM5 so I’ve added a gallery of that car as well.
[Read more...]

37 Comments      

Mahindra and Renault compete to buy stake in bankrupt Ssangyong

May 31, 2010 at 11:43 pm By Jacob Alexander Filed Under International News, Mahindra, Renault, Ssangyong

Indian conglomerate Mahindra & Mahindra have announced their interest in taking over the now bankrupt Korean car maker Ssangyong. But that’s not all, they are facing competition from their Indian market partners Renault in the bid.

M&M and Renault have history together as they used to be partners in the production of the Logan series cars in India. Nissan came in later on in a threeway deal. But in 2008, Mahindra exited the venture and bought up Renault’s stake in Logan JV. Due to problems within the two companies sales of Logan suffered dramatically.

Other bidders in the mix include Ruia Group, the owners of Dunlop India, Korean aluminium producer SM Group, private equity fund Seoul Investment and a company that makes Daewoo buses. The Ruia Group as confident about their chances, as they feel that they have the expertise in turning ‘sick’ companies around. They have identified value in the business thus have put in a bid for the same.

Estimates from the South Korean media have stated that the bids put in place were somewhere in between $300 to $500 million. Clearly both Renault and Mahindra see some ‘value’ (as the Ruia Group put it) in Ssangyong. Mahindra that dominates the Indian SUV market, is planning to launch its own brand in the US, thus modern (some Mercedes-Benz derived) SUV technology such that used in the Rexton and Kyron would come in handy.

Mahindra is currently filling up it’s portfolio with a variety of buyouts which include the recent purchase of REVA electric. REVA previously had dealings with GM in the production of an electric car, but pulled out close to the time Mahindra announced its buyout of the EV producing company.

16 Comments      

Renault Megane dCi 110 DPF now available with 6-speed twin clutch transmission

May 12, 2010 at 9:02 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Renault

The Renault Megane range now comes with a 6-speed dual clutch transmission! But before you get all excited and assume the new Megane RS will be hitting our streets with twin clutch goodness, relax, because the new twin clutch Renault Efficient Dual Clutch (EDC) gearbox will be available only with the diesel dCi 110 DPF engine.

The EDC transmission weighs about 82kg including its twin mass damping flywheel. It needs about 1.7 litres of lubrication which leads me to believe it is probably a dry clutch transmission like Volkswagen’s 7-speed DSG instead of wet clutch like Volkswagen’s 6-speed DSG. The odd gears are handled by one clutch while the other clutch handles the even gears and the reverse gear. The transmission also has a manual shift mode.

The transmission is able to drop fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of an equivalent torque converter automatic model by up to 17%, or 30g/km of CO2 emissions. This will allow a few models (namely the Megane Coupe, Megane Estate, Megane CC, Scenic and Grand Scenic – the last two are considered to be part of the Megane range) to be able to be badged “Renault eco2″, which will make them the first automatic transmission Renaults to qualify.

In addition, CO2 emissions will be low enough (114g/km) in the Megane Hatch, Coupe and Estate to get a 500 Euro “eco-bonus” subsidy from the French government.

Look after the jump for a video demo of the Renault EDC.
[Read more...]

2 Comments      

GALLERY: More Renault Megane CC beauty shots released!

May 11, 2010 at 4:18 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Renault

In conjunction with the start of European sales this month, Renault has released a huge gallery of beauty shots featuring the new Megane CC, the coupe-convertible variant of Renault’s third-generation C-segment entrant.

Launched at the Geneva show earlier this year, the new CC takes after the new family look of the Megane III, which is a bit too fussy for these eyes. And while it’s not as deliberately angular as its predecessor (which is sold in Malaysia by TC Euro Cars), the profile is familiar, which also means that the CC’s bum looks big from certain angles.

The highlight of this car, like the one before it, has got to be the folding glass roof, which is now 10% larger and is the biggest in the class. The roof opens in 21 seconds. Manufactured by Karmann, the 110 kg roof module is designed and made in Germany before being shipped to Douai, France, where the CC is put together alongside the Scenic/Grand Scenic.

Lots of work have gone into making the Megane CC’s body as stiff as possible, and the suspension compensates for the additional 160 kg weight over the hatchback. Renault says that static and dynamic torsional stiffness has been improved by 80% and 30% respectively over the previous generation Renault Megane II CC.

Petrol engines include a 110 bhp/151 Nm 1.6 (six-speed manual), a 140 bhp/195 Nm 2.0 (Nissan designed CVT) and a turbocharged 1.4 TCe engine. The latter is a properly downsized unit that combines 130 bhp, 190 Nm and combined fuel consumption of just 13.7 km/l. It’s only available with a six-speed manual.

Gallery and complete information is after the jump.
[Read more...]

5 Comments      

Renault Laguna Coupe launched – 2.0T, 6sp auto, RM260k

May 7, 2010 at 1:04 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Renault

TC Euro Cars, official distributor of Renault cars in Malaysia, has launched the Laguna Coupe. This sleek D-segment coupe is an offshoot of the third-generation Laguna, which will not be brought in as there’s little demand here for large French saloons/hatchbacks at CBU from Europe prices.

With a coupe, some might be seduced, especially when the Laguna Coupe looks like a baby Aston from the rear three quarters. The proportions and profile are sleek as well, but I personally don’t dig the front end, which has one of the biggest grilles around, matched by equally large headlamps. It’s definately bold and arresting, though. In fact, there’s nothing like the Laguna Coupe in our market (big non premium badged Conti coupe); the Peugeot 407 Coupe is one rival that isn’t sold here.

This Renault powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 170 bhp and 270 Nm of torque at 3,250 rpm, which is a bit higher than the latest direct injection turbo units. Paired to a six-speed automatic gearbox with manual mode, 0-100 km/h is done in 9.2 seconds and top speed is 220 km/h. Kerb weight is 1,480 kg.

Underpinned by the Renault-Nissan Alliance’s D platform, the Laguna Coupe’s suspension consists of MacPherson struts up front and a rear torsion beam. The steering is hydraulic while the disc brakes are ventilated up front. This car is a full four seater coupe – a big sized 6ft tall journo managed to fit in the rear quarters, as you can see in the gallery. The boot is a useful 423 litres with the seats up; they fold down easily via a conveniently located lever.

Equipment wise, the Laguna Coupe has all you need and more. Six airbags (5-star Euro NCAP), ABS, EBD, Brake Assist, ESP, auto handbrake, bi-xenons with washers, electric seats, climate control, cruise control, 10 speaker (inc one subwoofer) BOSE stereo with Bluetooth/USB/AUX, leather and 18-inch wheels are standard. For colours, choose between grey, silver and black for the outer skin and camel brown or black for the cabin.

The Laguna Coupe is priced at RM259,868.89 OTR excluding insurance; not cheap but not unexpected from a well specced French import. Warranty coverage is 3 years of 100,000 km inclusive of 24/7 breakdown assistance. Live images from the event and official pics after the jump.
[Read more...]

86 Comments