This is picture of Renault’s new Scenic are patently the real deal. They come directly from the EU patent office – and the famously secretive firm will be kicking itself that they’ve been exposed.
The images reveal how the Scenic and seven-seat Grand Scenic people carriers will look at launch in the spring. They share the new Mégane platform, and the hatch’s influence is clear from the front-end styling. Both variants get the Renault corporate face, while the elongated lights stretch up the bonnet.
The main difference between the Scenic and the stretched Grand comes at the back. While the five-seater has conventional high-level tail-lights, the bigger car features boomerang-shaped clusters which curve round the flanks. But unlike the latest Mégane, the Scenic sticks to the template of the previous-generation model, retaining the gently sloping roofline and kinked rear pillars.
Engines will broadly be shared with the hatch, with the emphasis on 1.5-litre diesels delivering up to 110bhp, and the larger 130bhp 1.9 and 150bhp/180bhp 2.0 dCi units. At least one model will emit less than 130g/km of CO2, and so cost only £90 a year in road tax from 2009.
Gadgets such as keyless entry are likely to remain. But Renault will work to eradicate the electrical glitches that are to blame for the current car’s poor reliability.
The higher-quality cabin features a Mégane-style dash, while the Grand’s clever hideaway rear seats are carried over. Prices aren’t likely to change, with the five-seater from £14,500 and the Grand Scenic starting at £16,000. For more details click here.
