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08/12/2011, 18:51
By DEREK OGDEN
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Renault gives the impression it is treading water. And why not, for next year the French automobile manufacturer will turn motoring in Australia on its head when it introduces the Fluence ZE all-electric car.
Main difference from other electric vehicles, says the manufacturer, is that the plug-in sedan, unlike others of the ilk, will be affordable. Yes, affordable. While not releasing the price until launch, Renault says it can keep the cost down by taking the expensive battery out of the equation. It will effectively be on loan to the customer.
All this was revealed at the recent Australian launch of the upgraded Koleos cross-over vehicle. The Phase II incarnation comes in three specification levels – Expression, Dynamique and Privilege. Versatility is to the fore with the choice of a 4x2 or 4x4 drivetrain powered by either a Nissan 2.5-litre petrol engine passed on from the previous model, or a Renault 2-litre dCi diesel engine.
Putting out 126 kW of power at 6000 rpm and 226 Nm of torque at 4400 rpm, the petrol motor is mated with either a six-speed manual gearbox or continuously variable transmission. It is available in 4x2 or 4x4, depending on specification. The dCi diesel produces 110 kW at 4000 rpm and 320 Nm at a low 2000 rpm. This can be had only in 4x4 with a conventional six-speed automatic gearbox. Engineers have been able to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 9.5 per cent to 200 g per kilometre, while reducing fuel consumption by 8.5 per cent to 7.6-litres/100 km on the combined urban/highway cycle.
As well as all-wheel drive the Koleos can be had as a 4x2 driving the front wheels only for city folk who won’t wander beyond the bitumen and want the cost savings associated with two-wheel driving as opposed to 4WD. The 4x4 is designed for the more adventurous who feel the need to get away from other road users and go bush. Three driving modes are offered – Auto, Lock or 2WD.
Auto is the default mode automatically calculating front/rear torque split according to tyre grip. In normal conditions torque is delivered through the front wheels; where conditions vary torque is split between front and rear to optimise traction and in extreme circumstances torque is shared evenly between front and rear. In the most extreme going – snow, mud or sand – the driver can engage Lock mode by flicking a switch on the dashboard electronically fixing the transmission in 4x4, directing half the torque to the rear. This automatically cuts out over 40km/h.
The same switch can be used to lock the transmission into permanent 2WD, for example, in a bid to save on fuel. Koleos 4x4 variants are also fitted with Hill Start Assist to prevent the vehicle slipping on inclines of more than 10 per cent and Hill Descent Control which is activated when the vehicle is in 4WD Lock mode by pressing a button on the centre console. This automatically holds the speed at 7km/h on slopes of 10 per cent or more without the driver having to use the brakes. This operates in forward or reverse gear.
In a mix of bitumen and bush track driving during the introduction to the Australian media both engines produced fuel consumption firmly planted between eight and nine litres per 100 kilometres. The computers came up with 8.4 in a mix of city/country driving and 8.9 on bush dirt with the diesel in auto. A petrol two-wheel drive produced 8.9 in two-wheel drive (city/country) and 8.7 (country).
The Koleos was comfortable and well behaved in city traffic but was unable to iron out uneven bitumen surfaces, producing quite a choppy ride at cruising speeds on country roads. With ground clearance straddling 200 mm - 204 mm (diesel version 186mm) - putting it within a whisker of true off-roader status, the Koleos 4WD gave the impression it was capable of coping with going much more testing than the bush tracks taken on the launch.
The front end has been beefed up visually with an expansive chrome grille in the place of air intakes and slimmer headlights giving the vehicle much greater road presence. Door mirrors now incorporate LED turn indicators. The rear has been pretty much left alone. The clam shell-style tailgate allows the top half to be opened in restricted space, while the bottom half drops down to enable heavy or bulky items to be carried or can be used as a platform which can hold up to 200kg or allow people to perch on to watch sporting fixtures under cover.
The 60/40 rear bench seat in the Dynamique and Privilege can be folded using the Easy Estate system which consists of two levers, one inside the cabin or from the boot allowing the seat to fold flat. In this position, the boot volume is increased from 450-litres to 1380-litres. The passenger seat back can also be folded flat to be used as a table or allow long items (up to 2.6 m) to be transported. There’s a ski flap too.
A major innovation is the fitting of satellite navigation to all Koleos models and black leather upholstery with contrast stitching to the mid-range Dynamique, the latter also carrying a Modularity Pack which includes the Easy Estate flat floorsystem, rake adjustable rear seats, additional 12V socket and a suite of storage spaces. The top-of-the-range Privilege has a panoramic glass roof and now includes bi-xenon headlamps with fixed cornering lights and 18-in alloy wheels, while all models can be had in a new exterior colour, Cayenne Orange. Dynamique and Privilege also feature a ‘Don’t make me come back there’ interior rear-view mirror with which the driver can keep an eye on what the kids are up to in the back of the car.
There’s good visibility all round for all five occupants who are accommodated in comfortable contoured seats in a light and airy atmosphere surrounded by protective body shell with engineered crumple zones front and back. This, together with an electronic stability programme and ABS anti-skid brakes with electronic brake force distribution and emergency brake assist all add up to the Koleos earning a maximum five-star EuroNCAP crash rating. The car carries a five-year warranty and five years of roadside assist.
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While saying Renault has ‘gone easy’ on the Koleos makeover, the same cannot be said about the company’s achievements in motorsport with its engines powering the Red Bull team, via Vettel and Webber, to the 2011 Formula One constructors’ championship.
MODEL LINE-UP
Koleos Expression 2.5-litre 4x2 6-speed manual $28,490
Koleos Expression 2.5-litre 4x2 CVT $30,490
Koleos Dynamique 2.5-litre 4x2 CVT $34,490
Koleos Dynamique 2.5-litre 4x4 CVT $37,990
Koleos Dynamique 2.0 dCi 4x4 6-speed automatic $40,990
Koleos Privilege 2.5-litre 4x4 CVT $44,490
Options
Metallic paint $800
18-in Austral alloy wheels (Dynamique only) $1500
Electric panoramic sunroof (Dynamique only) $2490
New Sandstone/Beige interior with contrasting brown dash, steering wheel and door surrounds (Privilege only) no cost |
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