Conveived at Renault Design America Latina, Renault’s design center in Brazil, the Sand’up Concept car was revealed at the 2008 Sao Paulo Motor Show on 27th October.

The Concept is based on Sandero Stepway, an “urban sport” vehicle launched in Brazil in October 2008.

Sand’up Concept is a modular 2+2 coupé that transforms from coupé to cabriolet to pickup.

It is based on Sandero Stepway – an “urban sport” vehicle marketed in Brazil and Argentina - and features two distinctive aluminum roof rail arches that stretch from the front of the roof to the tail lights.

With the rear bench folded down, Sand’up Concept turns into a pick-up. It can also be transformed into a coupé by fitting a red hard top on the roof rails.

Concept

The designers of Renault Design America Latina have been influenced by the pick-up market and the “sport chic” trend, both very important in Brazil.

The purchase of a pick-up vehicle is essentially emotional and irrational in Brazil; customers are mainly drawn by the look of the pick-up. The Brazilians are interested in “sport chic” vehicles, expressing a sporty, urban and young attitude.

Design

Sand’up Concept’s reflective gray paintwork underlines its robust nature while an array of red inserts accentuate its sporty side.

A red bumper-integrated nudge bar tells the concept car apart from Sandero Stepway at the front.

red also features at the back, this time in the shape of a skid plate, pierced by two trapezoidal exhaust pipes.

A further red touch is the edging running the length and breadth of the car and separating it into two parts.

The flowing design of the upper part contrasts with the more robust forms below (emphatic wheel arches, side sills and 18-inch aluminum wheel rims).

The five-spoked rims marry gloss black with the lead gray of the graphite and the red of the brake calipers to give Sand'up Concept a resolutely sporty air, enhanced by the black masks on the front and rear lights.

The cabin features two shades of gray that generate movement and contrast. These dominant tones are balanced with touches of red, as on the seat backs. Aluminum inserts on the air vents and seats also repeat the refined-yet-sporty theme.

Sand’up Concept is transformed easily into a coupé by manually attaching the hard-top roof using solid anchor points: particular attention was paid to blending the design of the hard top and the vehicle body.

Features

In pick-up mode, a mechanism lengthens the cargo bed by up to 40 cm to accommodate a range of objects. The load area can thus be extended to 1.7 meters and boasts a payload of 500 kg, for transporting scooters, jet skis, bikes and surfboards.

The cargo bed can be closed using a stiff black cover to protect against the weather. In addition, the rear of the vehicle is accessed via a split-opening "clamshell" system that is also found on Renault Koleos.

At the rear, the tail lights use LEDs instead of conventional bulbs to boost nighttime visibility.

On the sides, traditional rearview mirrors have been replaced by two small cameras. The images they capture are displayed on a trapezoidal LCD screen mounted on the dashboard alongside a GPS.

For easier vehicle access, the doors open gull-wing style using an electro-hydraulic system similar to that on Laguna Coupé Concept.

The doors are made entirely of transparent glass, giving driver and passengers remarkable lateral vision and flooding the cabin with light.

The bucket seats at the front slide back and forth on rails. Two small suitcases fitted into the backs of the front seats can be removed and used as overnight bags.

Sand’up Concept - Technical specifications

Dimensions:

• Length 4,100 mm
• Width (without mirrors) 1,800 mm
• Height 1,620 mm
• Rear bed length (normal) 1,300 mm
• Rear bed length (extended) 1,700 mm
• Rear bed capacity: Normal or extended 500 kg

Powertrain and Performances

• Engine:Biofuel (alcohol and/or gasoline), 1.6 litres, four cylinders, 16 valves
• Maximum output 107 hp (gas.) / 112 hp (alc.) @ 5,750 rpm
• Maximum torque 148 Nm (gas.) / 152 Nm (alc.) @ 3,750 rpm
• Acceleration, 0 to 100 km/h 10.6 s (gasoline) / 10.5 s (alcohol)

Partner companies:

• Du Pont do Brasil S/A
• Akzo Nobel Ltda
• Indústria de Tintas e Vernizes Paumar S/A
• 3M do Brasil Ltda
• Aunde Brasil S/A
• Faurecia Automotive do Brasil Ltda
• CGA Auto Partes

(Source: Renault)