This is the Renault Laguna, fresh from the makeup chair having been given a dab of slap for its face and some new equipment. Only the Hatch and the Sport Tourer (that's the estate in old money) get the work, because the
Coupé is newer.
Renault claims the newcomers continue its 'inexorable product offensive,' which seems a grandiose way of putting it, but we suppose it has just launched the
new Grand Scenic and the Kangoo, and that's on top of the facelifted Clio. Oh, and the
Renaultsport Clio. Ok then.
But Renault also reckons it has 'simplified' the range structure 'in response to customer feedback'. We'll let you make up your own mind up about its success or failure as we go through each and every one of the 38 available models...
Not really. Phew. We will guide you through the changes though:
All cars start with an equipment roster boasting 16-inch alloys, air conditioning, a myriad of airbags and the usual electric safety nannies, including CSV understeer control. All models are restyled a little too to make them 'more aggressive,' and there are some better materials inside.
Then you get your pick of four trim levels: Expression, Dynamique, TomTom Edition and Initiale. Expression is base level, but it still gets a decent Arkamys stereo, Bluetooth and an MP3 connection. Dynamique and TomTom are the same, except one gets a satnav and the other doesn't (guess which), with both distinguished by way of a sport front grille, air intakes, smoked rear lights, black door mirrors and twin exhausts. Initiale is the luxury one, resplendent with 17-inch rims, electric and heated leather seats, wood for the cabin, electric heated and folding mirrors, satnav (a TomTom funnily enough), Xenon directional headlamps and parking sensors.
Of the 38 versions available, ten are 'eco2' branded, which means they're powered by either the dCi 110 or dCi 150 diesel engines and spit out less than 150g/km of CO
2. Although the
Laguna GT has been dropped from the line-up, the rest of the engines remain, so you can have a 2.0-litre petrol with 138bhp, a 1.9-litre diesel with 128bhp or a range-topping 2.0-litre diesel with 178bhp. An auto 'box can be yours, too.
You can order a new Laguna from June for delivery in July, and prices range from £16,795 for a boggo-spec hatch to £25,650 for a sports touring Initiale, which confusingly doesn't mean 'initial,' as in 'starting point.' Those French, eh?
Mark Nichol - 29 May 2009