Renault has taken a leaf out of Mazda's school of design with its latest concept car, taking the idea of motion and flow and shaping the vehicle accordingly. The result is the Ondelios concept, making its debut at next month's
Paris Motor Show.
The Ondelios is a six-seat crossover vehicle with a body and detailing developed for minimal air resistance. Along with a carbon body and polycarbonate glasshouse that appear to be one Renault has employed special aerodynamic Michelin tyres and tweaks to the rear bodywork to smoothen the flow of air. The result is an impressive 0.29 drag coefficient.
Reducing drag is an effective way to improve a car's fuel consumption and Renault claims that the Ondelios will return nearly 63mpg on the combined cycle with only 120g/km of CO
2. That's despite measuring 4.8 metres in length and carrying six people in comfort.
Those figures aren't only due to slippery aerodynamics though, as the concept employs a mild hybrid system to maximise its use of fuel. The prime mover is a 2.0-litre dCi engine that has been boosted to 202bhp and 332lb.ft of torque, which drives the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Performance can be enhanced by the use of the electric motors mounted at each end of the car. Additionally, the rear motor comes into play when lost traction at the front wheels is detected, effectively making the Ondelios part-time four-wheel drive.
As with most concepts, the Ondelios features a futuristic interior, accessed via huge butterfly doors hinged on the roof. The side sills drop as well to aid ingress. Once inside, the occupants are treated to plenty of space in individual seats with loads of gadgets to keep them occupied on the long journeys Renault envisages, while the driver is kept busy with a bewildering array of science fiction like instruments.
Given the lack of success Renault experienced with cars such as the Avantime, we doubt if any production car from the French company will ever come close to some of the concept's more outlandish ideas, though its powertrain certainly is worth keeping a close eye on.
Shane O' Donoghue - 11 Sep 2008