|
Renault has chosen to unveil Koleos Concept at the 2006 Paris Motor
Show. This show car foreshadows a 4WD vehicle that Renault is due to market in
the first half of 2008. The Koleos Concept car asserts its claim to the rugged
and sporty world of 4WDs while featuring the roominess and comfort of a
crossover. It boasts a wide range of practical functions for both everyday use
and leisure.
To ensure maximum off- and on-road comfort, Koleos Concept is built on a new
four-wheel drive chassis and is powered by a 2.0 dCi engine, both of which have
been developed within the framework of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. This 4WD is
totally in its element in any conditions and is sure to deliver genuine pleasure
to its occupants whatever the road surface.
The Koleos Concept show car foreshadows the shape of Renault’s future 4WD.
Penned by Renault designers working in collaboration with the Renault Samsung
Motors Design Centre in Korea. The grey-blue body colour emphasizes the
high-tech feel of its volumes. The front end features LED headlamps, with
additional lights and indicators housed in the exterior mirrors.
Koleos Concept features dynamic proportions. The strip between the body sides
and the roof reinforces the stance of the car. The glazed roof panel is topped
by profiled aluminium roof bars, while the chunky wheel arches house 19-inch
aluminium alloy wheels fitted with "concept pattern" tyres. The 200mm ground
clearance and front and rear aluminium protective skidplates confirm that this
is a car built for adventure.
The steeply raked rear window further emphasizes Koleos Concept’s dynamic
feel. The design of the vehicle’s rear asserts its identity in a long sweep that
runs from the base of the rear screen and through to the centre of the hatch.
This smoothly curved, glossy black section houses the Renault badge. Hinting at
the vehicle’s dynamic powertrain, a twin exhaust tailpipe is incorporated into
the rear bumper.
Technology and travelling comfort The aluminium door sill
extensions which deploy when the doors are open facilitate ingress. On settling
into the cabin, occupants discover a sporty interior, all in a two-tone colour
scheme. The four independent seats, upholstered in beige leather, have been
optimized to free up space for occupants and their luggage.
On the dashboard, the speedometer features LED backlighting. The centre
console is made from a transparent material and contains the individual controls
for the climate control system. A long list of equipment is included to enhance
travelling comfort. The central part of the dashboard is given over to the
navigation system, multimedia applications and specific data useful for
all-terrain motoring such as atmospheric pressure, compass bearings, altitude
and gradient. All this information is displayed so that all the cabin occupants
can read it easily. Controls are both intuitive and ergonomically designed – in
keeping with the Touch Design philosophy developed by Renault.
The cabin is brightly lit thanks to the panoramic glass roof panel.
Koleos Concept offers all the comfort and roominess of a modern urban car.
Ample headroom and shoulder room enable Koleos Concept to seat four adults,
whatever their physique. The numerous stowage compartments in the cabin take
their cue from the world of MPVs and extend from those in the floor, to
under-seat drawers and the centre console cubby, not to mention the door
bins.
A vehicle that is ready for wide-open spaces Koleos Concept offers
a full range of practical features for everyday and leisure use. The
split-opening tailgate makes the vehicle easy to load and easy to access in
cramped parking spaces. The lower part of the hatch is designed to enable two
people to sit comfortably for picnics or for open-air activities during holidays
or weekend excursions.
The chassis comes with all the features of an all-terrain vehicle making it
ideally suited to this kind of leisure use. Developed within the framework of
the Renault-Nissan Alliance, this brand new chassis has drawn on the all-wheel
drive expertise of our Japanese partner. Whether running in two-wheel or
four-wheel drive mode, it guarantees flawless traction and road holding thanks
to an electronically controlled active coupler which distributes torque to the
wheels as a function of the level of grip available under each one.
Koleos Concept also boasts a wide range of driver aids. Some are designed for
day-to-day motoring, like ABS, Emergency Brake Assist and ESP, while others are
valuable all-terrain functions such as Hill Down Control (HDC) and Hill Start
Assist (HSA).
Koleos Concept is powered by an engine which is just at home on city streets,
highways and motorways as it is over rough tracks where grip is at a premium.
Its 2.0 dCi engine employs state-of-the-art diesel engine technology including
piezoelectric injectors, 1,600-bar common rail injection and a variable geometry
turbocharger. To minimize polluting emissions, the 2.0 dCi is equipped with a
periodic regeneration particulate filter, which operates without additives. It
drives through a six-speed manual gearbox that gives Koleos Concept touring car
level driving pleasure.
Koleos Concept – Technical Characteristics Dimensions Overall
length 4,520mm Width (excluding exterior mirrors) 1,890mm Height
1,700mm Powertrain Four-cylinder 2.0-litre 16-valve turbocharged
diesel engine with particulate filter, Euro4-compliant Maximum power:
130kW/180hp Six-speed manual gearbox Transmission Four-wheel
drive, transversely-positioned front-mounted engine Electronic traction
control as a function of available grip (front/rear split from 0 to 100 per
cent) 19-inch wheels Hankook 255/50 R19 tyres
|