Over the past few years, the French automaker has reinvented its entire European lineup. Actually, in more than that. With every new model, Renault has taken another step towards the new image it wants to build. Products such as Clio and Twingo honor traditions such as innovative cabin and sporty construction, while Captur and Kadjar take it to people who would never buy from it few years ago. The company’s commitment to this new strategy leads to believe that when it began to renovate its executive models, expectations could be big. The success its other cars are already obtaining leads to believe those ones are set to a great future.
Renault has produced full-size vehicles for a long time, but not all of them had the deserved success. Years ago, it worked very much like Citroën: releasing creative cars in order to fight the conventional style dictated by the competition – think of Avantime and Vel Satis for the first maker, and C6 and XM for the other. However, this concept was never really accepted outside of France, so their sales were never good. Renault would only achieve some success in this category with Laguna, but this one had its own style restrictions as well. Therefore, the company decided to take a different approach, which this time resulted closer to Peugeot’s with 508: sticking with the conventional concepts as a whole, at least in this category, but distinguishing these cars with its signature creativity through the details.
Along with the sedan, the all-new Talisman appeared in the latest Frankfurt Auto Show as a station wagon. In this category, French automakers used to focus on practicality rather than design – perhaps too much. But now, if you liked the evolution performed on Laguna Grandtour over its three generations, you’ll be happy to know that this article’s vehicle is yet another step of it. Instead of blindly stretching the sedan to gain internal space, Renault just changed its rearmost half. The new SW features the same smooth contours, the same sporty waistline, and the same gorgeous muscles above the rear wheels, but all fitted into the very same overall measures. Such strategy allowed it to share the sedan’s distinctive LED tail lights, as well as taking its luggage capacity to 1,700 liters, when all the rear seats are folded.
As you can already imagine, the equipment list is pretty much the same. Renault claims the model went through an extensive series of tests besides the regular ones, so as to make the cabin elements as durable as beautiful and fancy. Range-topping trim levels include a vertical 8.7” touchscreen to control the R-Link 2 infotainment system, along with Bose surround sound and 19” wheels – but we’ll properly talk about “range-topping” soon. When it comes to engines, all of them belong to the Energy family: the gasoline burners are TCe 150 and 200, and the diesel ones are dCi 110, 130 and 160. Most units bring a dual-clutch, six-speed EDC transmission. As usual, Renault claims low fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. This vehicle should go on sale soon, but only in European markets with left-hand drive.
Renault Talisman Initiale Paris (19/07/2015)
If you already know what does that name mean, you’ve certainly seen this coming. Renault’s newly-founded luxury division wouldn’t stay away from such model. If you take Talisman in this trim level, the exterior adds specific badges and wheels, and the exclusive option of Améthyste Black for the body. Inside, there are full Nappa upholstery, laminated side windows, exclusive carpet mats, specific card for hands-free entry and ignition, several Initiale Paris badges, and the signature seats: they have enveloping headrests and, going to the front ones, ten-way adjustment, massage function and heater. Besides that, customers have access to a full concierge service, a dedicated area in showrooms, and “a unique range of optional services aimed at simplifying life on board”. Powertrain options are the same.