Designed by Renault, developed by Nissan and manufactured in Renault Samsung Motors' Busan plant in Korea, Renault Koleos is based on the Koleos Concept presented at Paris in 2006.

The goal of the project was to combine an all-wheel drive chassis with the cabin space of an MPV and the comfort of a saloon.

The model marks Renault's entering in the MPV crossover segment and is the first Renault with all-wheel-drive system available from launch.

The range of engines includes the generation 2.0 dCi Euro 4 diesel unit, which is available in a choice of two power outputs, - 110kW (150hp) or 127kW (175hp) - and a 2.5-litre Euro 4 gasoline unit (the Nissan TR25) which delivers 126kW (170hp) and torque of 226Nm.

Depending on the versions, the engines are coupled with 4x2 or 4x4 drives and with a manual six-speed gearbox and/or continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The Renault Koleos will debut at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show and will go on sale in Europe in June 2008, being available worldwide by 2009.

Design

According to Renault, the "Koleos' lines were designed to be both distinctive and expressive. Koleos is unmistakably an 4x4, yet its looks are in no way aggressive and its styling is appealing without being ostentatious."

The front end features the logo of the brand flanked by air intakes and modern elliptical headlamps, the module which incorporates Xenon headlamps and additional cornering lights.

The side design of Renault Koleos – including high ground clearance and prominent wheel arches – betrays its 4x4 calling.

"Koleos has a strong personality. In our programme, it is a unique model that stands out from its rivals thanks to its raked rear screen which is suggestive of propulsion," notes Renault's Director of Design, Patrick le Quement.

The distinctive lines of its hatch form a movement that flows from the bottom of the rear window to converge on the logo which sits on a gloss black finish plaque.

The cabin and drive station are purposely intuitive and the interior design is based on a series of elegantly flowing curves.

The bottom of the dashboard forms a wave-like line which gives the impression that the cowling is actually floating on the dashboard.

The form of the centre console, which houses all the vehicle's principal functions, contributes to an inescapable sense of well-being.

This is further compounded by the quality of the materials selected for Koleos and by the careful attention that has been paid to the play and mating between panels and components.

"The carefully-honed interior of Koleos is of a very high quality," observes Patrick le Quement. "Its graphic design is very pleasing, while special attention has been paid to perceived quality."

For customers who wish to personalize their vehicle, Renault has developed a range of customization accessories, some of which underpin the all-terrain calling of Koleos.

Features

The interior is focused on comfort, ease of use and ergonomy.

Equipment includes hands-free card and keyless starting functions, automatic headlamp and wiper activation, a tyre pressure monitoring system and cruise control/speed limiter.

Careful attention has been paid to head-up visibility and field of vision.

The chassis which was purposely developed to provide an optimal trade off between comfort and handling.

Special attention was paid to cornering performance with the intention of to curb body-roll which can often be a feature of this type of vehicle.

The MacPherson-type front suspension is combined with the fully-independent multilink rear suspension seen on Nissan X-Trail.

Ground clearance is 206mm (diesel version: 188mm) and approach and departure angles are 27 and 31 degrees. Off-road controls include a Hill Start Assist and a Hill Descent Control system.

The torque split between the front and rear is automatically calculated as a function of available grip.

In normal conditions, torque is delivered to the front wheels onlywith up to 50 per cent of torque that can be transferred to the rear.

The trunk volume of 450 liters extends to 1,380 liters once the benchseat has been folded.

The trunk aperture of 1.07m together with split-opening, 'clamshell'-type tailgate, allows for easy loading operations.

When lowered, the bottom part of the tailgate facilitates the loading of long items and serves as a handy seat for two adults (up to 200kg) when the vehicle is parked.

Design Process - Image Gallery

(Source: Renault)