| New Renault Espace | ||
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(Sat 11 Feb 06)
Renault's stylists have been at work here, giving the Espace a "softer" front end which includes a slimmer front bumper, a simplified grille and revised design of the front headlights. If you look in the options list you'll find that those headlights can, at extra cost, be directional, giving what Renault claims is 90% more light when the car is turning a corner. Elsewhere, there are new 17" and 18" alloy wheels, new trims for the steel wheels on lower-spec models and a revised rear light cluster. As before, there is a choice of body styles - standard and long-wheelbase Grand Espace - and five trim levels, all of which have been slightly uprated for the 2006 model year. Entry-level Authentique models get a revised interior with new carbon grey upholstery (replacing the previous carbon/beige), while the Expression specification now includes a rear parking sensor and telephone pre-wiring. There's hardly any change to the Dynamique cars, which simply get a chrome effect bumper strip if you go for the metallic paint option. The Dynamique line-up does, however, include the new 2.0 dCi 175 Euro IV FAP engine, as does the more luxurious Privilege range, which now features both bi-Xenon double optic headlights with automatic height adjustment and a rear parking sensor to its list of standard equipment. The best-equipped of the five trim levels, known as Initiale, is available only on the Grand Espace. New equipment for the Initiale includes a front parking sensor, Vogue full leather upholstery, metallic paint with that chrome effect bumper strip and a 3D Bluetooth navigation/communications system with a 6-CD/MP3 autochanger. The Initiale's dashboard has been redesigned specifically to accommodate the screen for this system.
Engines available from launch include a pair of two-litre petrol engines, one of them a naturally-aspirated unit producing 140bhp and the other a 170bhp Turbo. Turbo diesels include the 120bhp 1.9-litre dCi engine and a 2.2-litre dCi in either 150bhp form or as the 175bhp unit mentioned above. The 2.2 dCi 150 and the petrol Turbo are both optionally available with automatic transmission rather than the manual which is standard across the range. Nearly all the new models retain their pre-2006 prices. The exception is the Grand Espace Privilege with the 180bhp three-litre dCi V6 turbo diesel engine and automatic transmission, which will go on sale in the spring and cost £180 more than before at £31,630. Previous News: Land Rover Discovery Award Next News: Re-testing For Over 75s 10/02/06 Feature: Renault's Commitment |
