Wintonsworld - Renault Vel Satis

Renault's new Vel Satis is a brave but probably futile attempt to shakeup the executive car sector dominated by BMW and Mercedes.

And when you compare the toned-down Vel Satis which actually reaches the showroom, to the cutting-edge concept designs shown at car shows in the late 90s, maybe it isn't too brave either.

The Vel Satis concept car wowed crowds at motor shows with its futuristic styling. But the actual road-ready Vel Satis is bland in comparison. Renault said it wanted to offer drivers something radically different , a daring alternative to the conservative Germans, with a vehicle able to take four adults in "total comfort", and raise the company's profile across Europe.

But what it has finally produced is an ungainly, chubby, even overweight-looking vehicle. It turned Parisian heads during its launch in late January, but were their jaws dropping and eyes rolling in lust or disgust? Only the sales figures will tell.

Ford pulled out of this sector altogether, admitting that its working class brand on the Scorpio would never be able to hack it in the rarefied world of the BMW 5 series, Mercedes E class, Lexus and to lesser extent the Audi A6.

Ford finally dumped the struggling Scorpio, and reckoned that the only way to maintain a presence in the luxury markets was to buy brands like Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo. Toyota decided it needed a completely new identity to enter this rarefied atmosphere and invented a new brand, the highly successful Lexus.

Wacky looks
General Motors' Opel has struggled to sell its Omega big car. Its rumoured replacement, the new Signum II, could be a final attempt to make it in the executive sector. GM though has already hedged its bets in Europe by buying upmarket Saab. The Signum II, said to be based on a stretched new Vectra - with four huge seats and five doors - sounds uncannily like a Vel Satis without the wacky looks. Fiat hopes that its Lancia brand can do a "Lexus" and recently unveiled its executive candidate, the Thesis, more in hope than confidence. Renault's compatriot Peugeot has been hard pressed to move its big 607 off dealer forecourts. The Vel Satis replaces the ill-fated Safrane, Renault's last attempt to break into this territory.

If the Vel Satis fails, Renault will have to face up to a tough decision: buy a luxury brand, develop a new one, or just pull out of the sector all together.

But the Vel Satis is an impressive vehicle, if you can get past the looks. From the front the appearance is almost comical, with a sardonic smile from the grille, and big headlight clusters giving it a mad-professor look. Renault says the car will be instantly recognisable by its distinctive appearance and calls its face "memorable". The rest of the car reflects the possibility that the original sleek looking design couldn't produce the promise of spaciousness and comfort. The body seems to reflect the needs of the passengers, rather than a designer's urge to impress onlookers, no bad thing for those riding in the car.

Great interior
And the interior is very impressive, with big, comfortable seats, with acres of leg room in the back. The roof is so high, all the occupants could wear top hats with room to spare. On the launch cars - top-of-the-range 3.5 litre V6 petrol, and 3.0 litre diesels - there was leather everywhere. Subtle wood strip appears on the facia and the doors. Quality was positively Germanic on the launch cars.

The front-seats are hinged at just below shoulder blade level and with a power function can be closely aligned to the body for maximum comfort. Renault is very proud of the seats.

"The front seats of Vel Satis are one of the car's major innovations. Combining "first class" comfort with maximum passive safety, they bring together two concepts - a seat-mounted safety belt and a double-hinged backrest. With the backrest split into two parts across the middle the front occupants can alter the angle of the backrest whilst still having their shoulders supported," according to Renault.

Not only are the seats safe and comfortable, the height of the car allows people to enter "in a dignified manner".

Taxi
If the car doesn't have powerful upmarket appeal, with all that room in the back it will certainly make a great taxi.

The engines, particularly the petrol motor, performed superbly, with quiet, effortless power delivery. Both were magnificent motorway cruisers, although real world fuel consumption of the 3.5 litre 24-valve 245bhp V6 petrol version with - provided by its Japanese affiliate Nissan - isn't likely to impress Greenpeace. Renault claims a combined cycle consumption of 24.6mpg with emissions of 275 grammes per kilometre of CO2, with 0 to 62 mph in 8.3 seconds.

The 3.0 litre 180bhp V6 diesel, also from Japan, this time courtesy of Isuzu, propels the car from rest to 62 mph in 10.5 seconds. Combined cycle consumption is 32.5mpg with 232 g/km of CO2.

Renault will also offer two other motors when the Vel Satis goes on sale in the spring - a 2.0 litre petrol turbo and a 2.2 litre common-rail diesel.

Steering was precise without being as quick as a BMW. The suspension provided an immaculate ride. The automatic gear box, with the now ubiquitous clutchless manual function, performed well during acceleration. The computer intervened to select lower gears to induce an element of braking during cornering and slowing down.

550 million Euros
Renault said it had spent 550 million euros developing the Vel Satis. It reckons on building nearly 300,000 between 2002 and 2008, with a maximum annual rate of 50,000.

The Vel Satis has some technological innovations which most people could do without. The lights and wipers come on automatically. There is no ignition key. The driver pushes a credit card-like device into the facia and pushes a starter button, as pioneered by Renault's Laguna II. There is an automatic parking brake, a filler cap which shuts itself (you just push in the fuel nozzle and it clicks back shut when the tank is full). There is a radar cruise control with distance limiter to keep you from getting too close to the vehicle in front. There is a speed limiter, and a radar reversing warning. The windscreen wipers, because they "operate in opposing directions increase the wiping area from 85% to 95%". The computer tells the tire pressures.

Priced from 30,000 to 50,000 Euros
Renault seems to have thought of everything, but will the Vel Satis succeed?

The company is confident
"Vel Satis is a bold and daring move by Renault to extend the accepted excellence of French luxury products into the automotive arena. Supported by Avantime (its weird coupe MPV) and the new Espace, this three-pronged attack on the Executive sector provides a new choice for non-conformist customers," said Renault.

But will buyers in the price range from 33,000 to 50,000 euros decide that the uniqueness and excitement of the vehicle being offered by Renault is enough to wean then away from BMWs, Mercedes and Lexus with their bullet-proof residual values and proven brand quality?

Renault's Vel Satis may be its last attempt to make a success of a premium product. Maybe the company, in which the French state still owns close to 25%, will eventually have to buy a luxury brand.

Is Facel Vega still available?

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