Thursday 29th September 2016

Renault Trezor - Paris 2016

Well it wouldn't be a Paris show without a lovely French concept, but there's more to this Renault than meets the eye

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Now how many times have you seen a lavish motor show concept wheeled out, only for the production car 'inspired' by it to bear no recognition at all? Probably quite a few. Seemingly mindful of that, Renault has detailed the road cars and the concepts they drew upon as part of the Trezor launch.

So the new Espace looks like the Initiale Paris, the Twingo looks like the Twin'Run and the Captur looks like the, er, Captur. While it would be daft to expect a 350hp GT to appear in a Renault showroom soon, don't dismiss it as simply peacocking at the home motor show; there's some tangible stuff here.

The powerplant, for example, is derived from the electric motors used in Renault's successful Formula E car. It has 350hp, a claimed 0-62mph time of less than four seconds and brake energy recovery. The Trezor's pair of batteries is separately located for optimal weight distribution too. The future of motorsport technology being applied to the road perhaps? A central chassis cell made of carbon contributes to a reasonable kerbweight for the 4.7-metre Trezor of 1,600kg.

'Connectivity' and 'autonomous driving' are, as everywhere, the important phrases inside, the Trezor offering a fully autonomous mode as well as 'neutral' and 'sport'. So configured, the Trezor changes its exterior lighting to tell other road users "that driving has been delegated" and gives the driver a panoramic view of the Ultra High Definition dashboard. Renault believes 'hands-off/eyes-off' tech will be in its mainstream cars "beyond 2020". The touchscreen displays are configurable, the L-shaped design is meant to resemble a cockpit and, yes, that is tailored luggage stored in the front.

But none of that is anywhere near as interesting as the Trezor's appearance. Look at it! Renault says the design is "warm, simple and sensual", hailing from the Love 'petal' of its 'Life Flower' design strategy; the other car in that petal is the DeZir, with both intended to be the dynamic influence on Renault's look. It's long, wide and really low (just 1,080mm), with a clamshell roof come door that lifts "much like the lid of a jewellery box."

That's not the end of the motor show glamour either. The rear lights are fibre optic (including a red laser), the rear wheels are 22-inch and that incredible design builds on the "falling in love" stage of life represented by the DeZir to "feelings of maturity and commitment." Let's hope Renault commits to a production car, right? Perhaps that's too far, but any Renault influenced by the design of this is surely off to a very good start!

[V8 FOU]

Just love it. Apart from the autonomous bit, anyway. Lasers, too? Oh yes!

[BuzzBravado]

I've never understood the point of these concept cars. They never get anywhere close to production, not even in a much less dramatic form.

Its basically saying if we had balls this is what we would aim for, but we don't have balls so here is the new Modus.

[marsattacks]

It looks brilliant (as most concept cars do) and I was with you right until the autonomous driving piece which is still 3-4 years off at least which means this will never be built. But the clincher for me was a red windscreen really who wants to drive around looking like a cooked lobster?

[LotusOmega375D]

Austin Allegro steering wheel!

Cool.

[chickensoup]

Would love to see the video of someone getting in and out the driver seat

[Matt UK]

Renault said:

that incredible design builds on the "falling in love" stage of life represented by the DeZir to "feelings of maturity and commitment."

God, what sort of workplace must you work in where a statement like this isn't laughed out of door in the meeting, let alone make it into a press statement!

[DonkeyApple]

BuzzBravado said:

I've never understood the point of these concept cars. They never get anywhere close to production, not even in a much less dramatic form.

Its basically saying if we had balls this is what we would aim for, but we don't have balls so here is the new Modus.

It is somewhat the automotive equivalent of the bloke in the pub who desperately tries to tell everyone he once shagged a fit bird but everyone knows he'll soon be heading home to shag something that looks and smells like a wheelie-bin. Again.

[JohnGoodridge]

chickensoup said:

Would love to see the video of someone getting in and out the driver seat

Especially in a decent equinoctial gale - like we're getting right now.

[bobski1]

Reminds me a decent amount like the Mercedes-Benz Vision Gran Turismo Concept

[HTP99]

Matt UK said:

Renault said:

that incredible design builds on the "falling in love" stage of life represented by the DeZir to "feelings of maturity and commitment."

God, what sort of workplace must you work in where a statement like this isn't laughed out of door in the meeting, let alone make it into a press statement!

The Renault Life Flower:



"The ‘Life Flower’ Design Strategy was devised by Senior Vice-President of Corporate Design Laurens van den Acker and Anthony Lo. From the DeZir and Captur concept-cars to the latest Clio, Captur and Kadjar, Renault’s design team has an unprecedented level of creative freedom"

Edited by HTP99 on Thursday 29th September 12:55

[trails]

clearly a Nine Inch Nails fan

[AshBurrows]

Absolutely love it. I'd love to know how on earth they got that surface texture across the whole body. Amazing.

[Matt UK]

HTP99 said:

Matt UK said:

Renault said:

that incredible design builds on the "falling in love" stage of life represented by the DeZir to "feelings of maturity and commitment."

God, what sort of workplace must you work in where a statement like this isn't laughed out of door in the meeting, let alone make it into a press statement!

The Renault Life Flower:



"The ‘Life Flower’ Design Strategy was devised by Senior Vice-President of Corporate Design Laurens van den Acker and Anthony Lo. From the DeZir and Captur concept-cars to the latest Clio, Captur and Kadjar, Renault’s design team has an unprecedented level of creative freedom"

Edited by HTP99 on Thursday 29th September 12:55

Well I for one say that the Senior Vice-President of Corporate Design should have spent a bit less time on this sort of Renault Life Flower crap and a bit more designing the feckin' useless Renault electric window regulators...

[Butter Face]

Matt UK said:

Well I for one say that the Senior Vice-President of Corporate Design should have spent a bit less time on this sort of Renault Life Flower crap and a bit more designing the feckin' useless Renault electric window regulators...

Great input there Matt, talk about window regulators on cars that have been out of production for 8 years and refer to a guy who started working with Renault long after those cars finished production and has nothing to do with anything like that. Nice one.

[HTP99]

Butter Face said:

Matt UK said:

Well I for one say that the Senior Vice-President of Corporate Design should have spent a bit less time on this sort of Renault Life Flower crap and a bit more designing the feckin' useless Renault electric window regulators...

Great input there Matt, talk about window regulators on cars that have been out of production for 8 years and refer to a guy who started working with Renault long after those cars finished production and has nothing to do with anything like that. Nice one.

And he has produced some bloody good designs since joining.

[Matt UK]

HTP99 said:

Butter Face said:

Matt UK said:

Well I for one say that the Senior Vice-President of Corporate Design should have spent a bit less time on this sort of Renault Life Flower crap and a bit more designing the feckin' useless Renault electric window regulators...

Great input there Matt, talk about window regulators on cars that have been out of production for 8 years and refer to a guy who started working with Renault long after those cars finished production and has nothing to do with anything like that. Nice one.

And he has produced some bloody good designs since joining.

Oh, well sorry if I've offended him. My knowledge of Renault senior management team is obviously not what it once was, I'll swot up...

[Camoradi]

better?

[MikeGalos]

1,080 mm is hardly "really low" for a show car.

That's the same height as a Lotus Europa and taller than both a Ford GT-40 and a Lamborghini Miura all of which made it to production with doors that could actually work in the real world. And that was with the state of technology half a century ago.

[Kringle]

The best angle is the top down view. A timeless shape, all other profiles have an aspect which will look old one day.
In my opinion of course.

[generationx]

DELETED: Comment made by a member who's account has been deleted.

I thought it said Trevor