Renault's design philosophy could be described as daring. It will try things that many other companies would regard as too "way out" except as Motor Show concepts and that bear little resemblance to any production plans. But Renault will often reveal an advanced concept that signals a production vehicle. The most recent example is the Avantime, due in production this year, which takes a wholly different approach to executive car design.
Now it has gone even further with the Koleos concept, completed in time for the Geneva Motor Show. Renault invited AEI to view the Koleos at its Technical Center near Paris several weeks before the car's public unveiling. Design Director Patrick Le Quement said of the concept car: "Renault's strength is to produce vehicles that are different." The Koleos is certainly that; Le Quement regards it as representing an entirely new class of car.
Not only is its styling a radical departure from the norm, it is loaded with technology—not, he insists, just fanciful gadgets, but the type of systems that could have a viable future in production cars, including variable height suspension that adjusts automatically to off- or on-road surfaces. Koleos is a 4x4 hybrid powered by a 2.0-L turbocharged gasoline engine driving the front wheels and a 30-kW (40-hp) Renault Elegie electric motor at the rear. It has lithium-ion batteries. The two power units can operate in tandem (for extra power or in 4x4 mode) or independently.
The Koleos is 4500 mm (177 in) long and is described as a mix of sedan, sport utility vehicle, and SUV/pickup—the latter because a section of the roof over the luggage area slides forward like a sunroof in reverse. The tailgate uses two-stage opening technology that slides the door to the left of the car for loading. A transparent, retractable partition separates the rear seat from the luggage area much like the rear window in a pickup. Le Quement and his design team are making increasing use of glass, and it forms a major element of the Avantime's styling. The Koleos' front windshield extends in two glazed lateral strips into the roof. The interior is minimalist, with basic instrumentation; touch screen and direct voice input technology are used to control systems.
One of the most interesting aspects of the interior concerns the seats. There are four individual seats made from carbon laminates and placed on four damping cylinders. The laminates are covered in Connolly leather, and the effect is rather like a horse saddle. The design is particularly unusual as French cars traditionally have soft and compliant seats—the opposite of German, which tend to be hard. Le Quement said of the seats: "They are a concept, a new approach; they will be developed. They are ergonomically sound. They adapt to your weight. The idea is going towards a very light seat. It is a serious idea."
He said the interior has been "reduced to the max" to attain simplicity of design: "People quite clearly like simple operation. They hate machines that have lots of buttons and switches. This is signified by the New Modesty movement; it applies to televisions and hi-fis." But Renault is now allied to Nissan, so what is the Japanese philosophy of such things? "The Japanese have a totally different background," he added. "In their homes, they have little furniture but they have gadgetry. Ours are the reverse. But when they see this car they recognize there are cultural differences between us. It is important that they should not blur. We must retain our differences and character."
Le Quement said he regards direct voice input (DVI) as one of the major challenges for manufacturers to develop, though it must be capable of simple operation: "We could use it for some safety functions, including wipers and lights."
Renault has given limited details about the Koleos' various systems. Variable height suspension features pneumatic and hydraulic springs that are capable of adjusting the vehicle's height in a matter of seconds. The transition between 4x4 mode, with vehicle height of 1700 mm (67 in), and sedan mode, at 1600 mm (63 in), is fully automatic and depends upon both vehicle speed and the type of road surface. For sports-style driving on the open road, a low position with stiffer suspension enhances the car's dynamic response, while in high 4x4 position driver and passenger comfort is improved by a softer suspension.
The concept car has headlamps developed by the French company Megalux. The light flow enters a dioptric element, which shapes the light and guides it to the lower half-arch for the dipped-beam position or to the upper half-arch for the high.
Stuart Birch
AEI April 2000
