AutoRoyalty » Renault

Mercedes-Benz engines under the hood of Infiniti Gs

Shteph — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 10:48:09 +0000

This will preety much translate into: you buy an Infiniti and on your engine will be written “Mercedes-Benz”. And it’s not a joke! Because of the alliance of Daimler AG and Renault-Nissan, Infiniti’s G series will be getting a Mercedes-Benz engine. This means that Romanian Dacia could get Nissan or Mercedes engines? Cool! (Dacia is owned by Renault).

The G series, which represents Infiniti’s highest-volume line, will use a Mercedes inline four-cylinder from Daimler to improve fuel economy and curb emissions, according to Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co. Ghosn didn’t say when production of the engine will begin or at what extent this engine will replace Japanese-made four-cylinder and V-6 engines used in the G sedan and coupe. In some C-class cars in Europe, Mercedes uses a 1.8-liter four-liter engine. Presently, Mercedes uses nothing smaller than a V-6 in its North American products but it has mentioned that it might bring a smaller engine soon. Mercedes-Benz wants to start producing the C class in Alabama in 2014. At a conference call, Ghosn told reporters that data show there is actually little cross-shopping between Mercedes’ and Infiniti’s US customers. The development of this Mercedes engine is a small part of a diverse product-sharing and technology- sharing plan to be accomplished within five years. The 3 carmakers in this tie-up said that their involvement was egged on by impending stricter fuel-economy demands and the potential for cost savings to comply to them.

Prices for new Renault Wind Coupe-Roadster in UK

Shteph — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 08:49:24 +0000

Renault’s UK division has released pricing and specification details for its Wind Coupé-Roadster. Customer ordering for the Wind, which is offered with the choice of two engines, a 133HP 1.6-liter or a 100HP 1.2-liter turbo, opens in May for first deliveries in July with prices ranging from £15,500 to £18,200.

In addition, the new two-seater model will be available to pre-order later in April in an exclusive, range-topping “Collection” limited edition guise, of which only 200 examples will make their way to Britain.

The standard range is offered in two trim levels. The base Dynamique comes equipped with ABS with EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution), front and lateral driver and passenger airbags, brake assist, ESC, immobiliser and electric retracting hard top roof as standard.

Moving up to the Dynamique S adds 2×35W radio CD MP3 reader with fingertip remote control, 17-inch alloys, auto lights and wipers, alarm system, Bluetooth connectivity and multi-functional TunePoint (USB connection).

Finally, the limited edition Collection includes several more standard goodies such as electrically adjustable and heated chrome effect door mirrors, carbon black leather-faced heated seats, gloss black retractable roof, red and chrome dash inserts, leather sport wheel and gearknob, aluminium pedals, subtle ‘Collection’ side and boot badges, plus double chrome roof cover cowls.

Full pricing for Wind Coupé-Roadster is outlined below. Insurance groups have yet to be finalised, but are expected to be competitive.

Version	Engine	OTR Price
Dynamique	1.2 TCe 100	£15,500
Dynamique	1.6 VVT 133	£16,400
Dynamique S	1.2 TCe 100	£16,400
Dynamique S	1.6 VVT 133	£17,300
Collection limited edition	1.2 TCe 100	£17,300
Collection limited edition	1.6 VVT 133	£18,200

Megane Coupe-Cabrio: C’est magnifique!

Shteph — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:30:17 +0000

Oui! Simplement magnifique! Yet another super car that will be revealed on March 2nd at Geneva: a very good looking French coupe-cabriolet. A glass top and a fully-automatic, electro-hydraulic opening mechanism that lowers the top in just 21 seconds adds the “je ne sais quoi” to the stylish, shiny, powerful cabrio.

It comes with a choice of three petrol engine and three diesel engines with output from 110 to 160 hp. All engines are mated to either a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed EDC (Efficient Dual Clutch) dual-clutch automatic transmission.

What nobody says in any press release or article is the feeling it gives you when you cruise in an elegant coupe-cabrio.

Full details in the press release after the jump.

Press release

New Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet rounds off the renewal of the New Mégane family in style with introduction of the line-up’s sixth body type. The newcomer’s striking looks combine the
elegance of a coupé with the promise of the thrills that go hand-in-hand with driving a cabriolet.

New Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet builds on the strengths that forged the success of its predecessor – including a large, folding glass roof and a raft of user-friendly equipment – yet it goes further still by offering customers:

unruffled open-top motoring thanks to the forward position of the windscreen and a fixed glass wind deflector situated behind the rear head restraints,
outstanding handling performance thanks to a stiffer chassis and a new electric power steering system,
a broad choice of engines, including one which can be ordered with the all-new automatic EDC (Efficient Dual Clutch) transmission.
careful attention to quality, including high-gloss black and satin-effect chrome exterior features.

New Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet is manufactured alongside Scénic and Grand Scénic at Renault’s Douai plant in France. It consequently benefits from the experience gained since the beginning of the Mégane programme, including the assembly of the former-generation Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet.

New Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet is an open invitation to enjoy an alternative way to go motoring, and is an elegant illustration of Renault’s new brand signature, ’Drive the Change’.
New Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet goes on sale this spring.

New Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet completes the renewal of the New Mégane family in style with a car whose intrinsic appeal is sure to turn heads.

Its looks exude a distinguished elegance that is underpinned by the large glass roof which tells you that this is unmistakably a cabriolet, even in its coupé configuration. This high-gloss finish black glass roof contrasts with the satin-effect chrome windscreen frame, while the sweep of the waistline adds an unmistakably high-end feel that more than does justice to its cabriolet persona. The dark red taillights feature a linear lighting pattern and LED brake lights to provide a distinctive rear lighting signature.

The interior layout carries over the same prevailing elegance and refinement, thanks not only to the quality of the materials employed and to the high standard of finish, but also to the three choices of trim, which range from dark charcoal and light beige to the charcoal and red two-tone finish with leather seats.

Although the floating dashboard is identical to that of New Mégane Hatchback, the seats offer additional lateral support, while the ’butterfly wing’ door trim panel is specific to New Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet and adds to the newcomer’s inherent elegance.

CHIC AND PRACTICAL

New Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet’s occupants benefit from the thrills of unruffled open-top motoring in all conditions.

The standard folding glass hard roof boasts a transparent glazed area of 0.47 sq. metres (a segment best) to ensure a brightly lit cabin and a sensation of space and freedom. It also guarantees outstanding acoustic and thermal comfort, as well as the reassurance of greater protection from vandalism. The fully-automatic, electro-hydraulic opening mechanism of the two-part roof enables the driver to lower the top in just 21 seconds at the press of a button.

With the top down, the driver and passengers alike enjoy a real sense of freedom. Entry and exit is made easier by the more forward position of the windscreen header-rail which has been advanced by 6cm compared with Mégane II Coupé-Cabriolet. To make sure that all occupants are able to benefit from the pleasure of riding al fresco without the drawbacks, New Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet is equipped with a fixed glass wind deflector (unique in the segment) positioned behind the back seat headrests. This arrangement enables four people to enjoy draft-free driving at speeds of up to 90kph and, when used in conjunction with the removable mesh deflector screen located behind the front seats, allows two occupants to travel free from buffeting whatever the speed.

New Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet’s length of 4,485mm ensures that the driver and the three passengers benefit from a standard of comfort expected of a family car.

The driver is treated to a carefully thought-through environment and conveniently positioned controls which carry over solutions previously employed for New Mégane Hatchback and New Mégane Coupé:

controls clustered either around the steering wheel or on the centre console,
height- and fore/aft-adjustable driver’s seat (through 70mm and 240mm respectively),
position memory for front seats, after being tipped forward,
reach and height-adjustable steering wheel (through 45mm and five degrees respectively).

In addition to New Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet’s carefully-honed lines, special attention has gone into ensuring that it is a practical package, too, and that includes the boot:

automatic closing for simple, secure locking,
large capacity (417 litres with the roof up, and 211 litres with the roof down),
easy to access, with a segment-best sill height (590mm from the ground) and aperture (258mm) with the roof down, enabling three cabin cases to be carried side by side.

A RAFT OF PRACTICAL, USER-FRIENDLY HIGH-TECH FEATURES

Like all the models that make up the New Mégane family, New Renault Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet is available with a long list of high-tech features, most of which are more readily associated with the next segment up:

hands-free starting, and hands-free locking as the card-holder walks away from the car,
electric parking brake,
automatic dual-zone three-mode (soft-auto-fast) climate control,
directional bi-Xenon headlamps,
combined digital/analogue instrument display,
new, colour-coded cruise control/speed limiter interface,
3D sound by Arkamys® audio with Plug&Music connectivity (USB, mini-jack plug),
Carminat TomTom® navigation, the market’s most competitively priced built-in sat-nav system,
customized settings and activation/deactivation of certain functions (daytime running lights, volume of audible parking proximity warning).

A PERFECTLY SMOOTH RIDE

New Renault Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet delivers the same high standard of driving precision as Mégane Hatchback and Mégane Coupé to provide an enjoyable, responsive ride:

The MacPherson-type front suspension is attached to a so-called ’horned’ subframe, an arrangement that ensures a level of lateral rigidity that is three-times superior to that of the former-generation Megan Coupé-Cabriolet.
The rear suspension’s torsion beam features a lighter, closed-profile beam that delivers enhanced torsional stiffness.
The new electric power steering system is more responsive and refined, and gives even more accurate feedback of information from the road.

The torsional rigidity of the bodyshell has been uprated by 80 per cent compared with Mégane II Coupé-Cabriolet in order to match the increased stiffness of the suspension and for even greater handling precision, whether the roof is up or down.

New Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet is available with a choice of seven efficient and eco-friendly petrol and diesel powertrain configurations.

Petrol engines:

The 1.6 16V 110hp engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.
The TCe 130 (Turbo Control efficiency) driving through a six-speed manual gearbox.
The 2.0 16V 140hp engine available with the new continuously variable transmission (CVT) for even greater driving comfort thanks to smooth, step-less gearshifts.

The diesel engine range comprises the following Euro5-homologated powerplants:

The dCi 110 DPF, mated either to the brand new six-speed EDC (Efficient Dual Clutch) dualclutch automatic transmission (see below) or to a manual six-speed gearbox.
The dCi 130 DPF which drives through a six-speed manual gearbox.
The dCi 160 DPF also with a six-speed manual gearbox.

EDC (Efficient Dual Clutch) dual-clutch automatic transmission

The six-speed EDC (Efficient Dual Clutch) dual-clutch automatic transmission fits perfectly with Renault’s bid to combine ride comfort, driving pleasure and respect for the environment. Based on DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) technology, it stands out as a genuine clean-break solution compared with conventional automatic transmissions thanks to:

CO2 emissions and fuel consumption comparable to those of a vehicle equipped with a manual gearbox,
fast, smooth, automatic gearshifts,
instant response to the driver’s demands.

THE PLEASURE OF OPEN-TOP MOTORING IN TOTAL SAFETY

When it comes to safety, New Renault Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet reaps the benefits of the
brand’s extensive expertise in this field. Like all the models that make up the New Mégane range, it has been engineered to boast exemplary passive and active safety performance.

An extensive range of equipment is available to help drivers anticipate risk situations:

front seatbelt warning lights,
tyre pressure monitoring system,
directional bi-Xenon headlamps with cornering dipped beams,
automatic headlamp activation,
automatic windscreen wiper activation,
cruise control with speed limiter.

New Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet comes with a comprehensive range of driving aids, too:

ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution,
Emergency brake assist,
ESC with understeer control.

New Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet’s chief passive safety features are:

programmed structural deformation designed to protect the cabin – and therefore occupants – in the case of a rollover, thanks to reinforcement of the windscreen pillars, body sides, sills and floor,
automatic pyrotechnic deployment of the rollover hoops should dedicated sensors detect that a rollover is imminent,
seatbelt pretensioners and load limiters,
adaptive frontal airbags, dual-volume head/thorax/pelvis lateral airbags,
anti-submarining airbags incorporated in the front seat cushions,
side impact sensors,
anti-whiplash head restraints,
Isofix child seat anchorage for rear seats.

The public will get its first chance to see New Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet when it is unveiled at the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show (March 4-14, 2010). It will also be displayed at L’Atelier Renault on the Champs-Elysées (N°53) in Paris, France.
Renault

The wind of change: Renault Wind

Shteph — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:27:02 +0000

It’s Renault, two-seater, hard-top convertible, comes in a summerly blue paint and fuel-friendly. In a word, it’s nice!

Renault’s Wind roadster will rival with Peugeot 207 CC, as well as the Nissan Micra C+C and Mitsubishi CZC, expecting 120,000 units sales in Europe, with a starting price of around £17,000.

The all-electric hard top lowers in just 12 seconds to give the passangers a breeze of fresh air. As for the exterior eye-catching features, I should mention the Twingo’s nose that has been morphed into a sportier shape, with sleeker headlights and a wider, lower air intake.

The very roomy Wind comes in two choises of motivation: 1.2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol with 100bhp, that promises 0-60mph in 11 seconds and a more powerful 1.6-litre from the Clio GT that will deliver 128bhp, and complete the sprint in nine seconds. Both models promise at least 40mpg, and very low CO2 emissions.

Yet again, Renault Wind is …nice!

The New Renault Clio S

admin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:14:21 +0000

Renault thought to make its little Clio more attractive, so the company’s UK division revived the Clio S formula from the beginning of the 90’s and applied it to the new model. I have to say I like how the Clio S turned out.

Exterior cosmetic additions include the white Clio S trademark 16-inch Polar alloy wheels, a white front bumper insert, white rear spoiler and side mirrors, tinted windows and tailgate and cool racing stripes on the roof and sides of the car.

The white sport theme continues on the inside of the Clio S, with a white central console, white inserts in the dashboard and dials and white “S” stitched into the upholstry. The new Renault Clio S fans have three different engines to choose from: 1.2-liter petrol/75HP, a 1.2-liter turbo /100HP and a 1.5-liter diesel/86HP.

Photos after the jump

via CarScoop

Free Electric Cars In Israel And Denmark

Alex — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:56:02 +0000

A new company called Project Better Place is collaborating with Renault to make electric cars more practical. The main problem with these environmental-friendly vehicles is that of recharging, because this takes hours, and their range is considerably shorter than gasoline powered cars.

The new project raised $200 million and is aimed at installing recharging infrastructure in Israel and Denmark, so that the cars will be recharged alike cell phones. The outlets are placed at parking lots throughout the country, in a number of 500,000 in Israel only, and a similar number is slated for Denmark. That is one outlet for every six parking lots.

Project Better Place agreed with Renault to design electric cars with replaceable batteries, so that drivers can easily swap the used ones with already-charged new ones. The range for the new cars using these batteries will be over a hundred miles, which is more than a regular person drives in the daily routine.

The cars will be free of cost, but that is only if the buyers sign a six-year contract that covers the costs of charging the batteries, renting them and replacing them. The subscription resembles the ones for cell phones, but drivers will be charged for the number of miles instead of minutes.

The number of miles will be tracked via a wireless system, so every problem should be solved. The new cars will look like the Renault Z17 City Car pictured above. I wonder what the monthly fee for using one of these will be; after all, the manufacturers have to get the $200 million investment back and make this business profitable.

Via

Megane Coupe by Renault – amazing concept

Alex — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:59:09 +0000

Renalult will lunch their stunning Megane Coupe Concept at Geneva Motor Show this summer.

The car’s headlamps will have two rows of main lights and dipped beam lights wich fills the sidelight and daytime running light functions.

The panelled doors feature a separate glazed area and, as they open, the two parts deploy gracefully and elegantly in an independent movement reminiscent of dragonfly wings

When you’ll be inside watching the instrumenation you’ll realise that the Coupe looks more like a plane than like a car.The speedometer displays the speed in analogue form(on the periphery) and also in digital form(in the center).Both feature black metallic backgrounds with white graphics and red backlighting.

All front and rear passengers will benefit from a poftable Samsung P2 audio/video player with touchscreen.An interesting thing is that the new Megane can be locked and unlocked using a Samsung F700 mobile phone.

Megane Coupe Concept features a 2-litre,four cylinder turbocharged engine.The six-speed manual gearbox will deliver the power to the front wheels,reaching 100km/h in 7.2 seconds.