The Renault Fluence Concept was revealed way back at the 2004 Paris Motor Show. Renault has now confirmed that it will produce the car and start selling it in Turkey, Russia and Romania from this November.
The Renault Fluence is 4.62 metres long, 1.81 metres wide, 1.48 metres high and has a wheelbase of 2.7 metres. Inside, passengers have 23-litres of storage space available, including a 9-litre refrigerated glove box – Renault claims the Fluence has more passenger space than any of its main rivals. With 530-litres of boot space and rear seats which fold down in a typical 60/40 split, you should be able to cart your golf kit or weekly shopping with ease.
Seven engines will be supplied initially, although the line-up for South Africa has not yet been confirmed. Two 16-valve petrol engines are available either in a 1,6-litre or 2,0-litre capacity, producing 81 kW and 103 kW respectively. The 1,6-litre motor is available with either a manual or automatic transmission, while the 2,0-litre motor can be coupled to a manual gearbox or continuously variable transmission (CVT).
The other five engines in the line-up are diesel and are variations of Renault’s 1.5dCi motor. In terms of power output, the dCi engine can be had with 63 kW; 66 kW with a diesel particulate filter (DPF); 77 kW; 81 kW also with a DPF; plus the same 81 kW version with a new dual clutch transmission. All the diesels are rated at 119 g/km in terms of C02 emissions.
Safety is high on the agenda at Renault, therefore the Fluence has been fitted with ABS, six airbags, electronic stability control and emergency brake assist among other features.
The interior of the Renault Fluence features the Carminat Tomtom navigation system, as seen on the recently launched Clio 1.6 Dynamique, an MP3/CD player/radio unit, Bluetooth connectivity and air conditioning.
Renault South Africa has confirmed that the Fluence will go on sale in 2010, although pricing has not yet been announced.
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