Renault's new Mégane family has arrived in Malta showing off eye-catching designs and elegant styling inspired even by the world of sport.
The French car maker says the on-road performance of the Mégane range lives up to the renewed image: a broad, extensively-renewed range of petrol and diesel powerplants combining performance and respect for the environment is available for the hatchback and coupé versions. There are two diesel engines that can claim CO2 emissions equal to or less than 120g/km (118g/km for dCI 85bhp, 120g/km for dCI 105).
Despite being bigger and roomier, the new Méganes are an average eight kilos lighter than their predecessors. Features include double side-impact sensors and dual-chamber airbags as seen on Laguna III and aimed at minimising the consequences of a side-on collision.
It is also a socially responsible vehicle that is 95 per cent end-of-life recoverable by weight, while almost 12 per cent of the plastics it contains are sourced from recycling, equivalent to an average of 22 kilos per car.
Renault's design and engineering teams focused their attention on three main areas of development, by reinforcing the personality of each member of the Mégane line-up, ensuring a balanced offer in terms of performance and equipment, and targeting best-in-class positioning for all its core features.
By 2010, the new Mégane family will include six models, each of which will have its own unique and assertive personality. These six models have been conceived essentially for customers in European markets.
The two-box version of the new Mégane is designed to win over the particularly demanding customers of the compact family car segment. Renault's design department worked closely with the project engineers from a very early stage to incorporate styling cues suggestive of the world of sport.
The result is a family hatchback, 4,300mm in length with a short front and rear overhang, a 2,640m wheelbase, steeply-raked roofline and wide tracks.
The streamlined forms of the headlamps serve to prolong the fluid lines of the air-intakes to reinforce its determined expression and piercing gaze.
The coupé sports a dynamic frontal-styling look, featuring a grille comprising two outer air-scoops picked out by a satin-finish chrome trim that runs either side of logo, as well as a central air-intake incorporating a matt-black crossbar.
The headlamps, which prolong the lines of the two air-scoops, provide the vehicle with a strong, clear personality. The two cabins share the innovative dashboard that features an analogue rev-counter alongside a digital speedometer that is clear and easy to take in, ensuring greater visual control over the vehicle's speed. The centrally positioned speedometer also incorporates the cruise control/speed limiter display, fuel and water temperature gauges, and 'door open' lights.
One particular Renault innovation is the cruise control/speed limiter that comes with a new interface. When this function is activated, the speed selected by the driver is displayed at the top of the speedometer that is itself ringed by a sequence of lights that take the form of an arc around the central display.
Both models are equipped with hands-free entry and ignition, while the same card remotely locks the car when the driver walks away from the vehicle.
Another feature shared by both versions is the assisted parking brake that is automatically applied when the engine is switched off and released by a simple press on the accelerator pedal with the engine running.
Both models have been awarded five-star Euro Ncap. Renault is the only manufacturer that has received this accolade a record eight times.
Local agents Auto Sales of Lija said prices would start at €18,335.