share on BufferThe latest concept from Renault is a sporty crossover – in the same segment as the Nissan Juke – that defines the company’s design strategy and previews a forthcoming production vehicle.
The new design language is being expressed by Renault through a series of concept cars – the first was the DeZir – each inspired by a different stage of the human life cycle.
While the DeZir expressed the passion present at the beginning of any new adventure, now the Captur “captures” the experience of two people exploring the world around them.
Like its predecessor, the Captur’s design features sensuous, flowing lines that will be progressively extended to future models.
The sporty and all-terrain-oriented look is enhanced by the large tires and 22-inch wheels.
The exterior also features butterfly doors and a hard convertible top that can be removed, transforming the car into a convertible off-roader.
Both the exterior and interior are characterized by the use of the orange color, in different shades and materials.
The cabin features an essential design: the light bucket seats adopt stretched cords and are attached to the center console.
The Captur is powered by a dCi 160 twin-turbo engine-concept that produces 160 hp and 380 Nm of torque and allows for low CO2 emissions of 99 g/km.
From the official Press Release:
“CAPTUR is a fun and sporty crossover, ideal for a young couple about to discover the world” explains director of design, Laurens Van den Acker.
“It takes as its basis the fundamental design language introduced on the DeZir concept car but adds a more technical dimension – more functional but still highly sensuous,” adds Axel Breun, director of concept cars.
Exterior Design
In its proportions and fluid curves, Renault CAPTUR evokes movement and lightness, yet at the same time displaying powerful and muscular all-terrain cues.
Exterior designer Julio Lozano explains that the main sources of inspiration were athletes and radical sports.
“In designing the Captur, I began with the image of a sprinter on the starting blocks, his muscles tensed, and the energy unleashed when the starting pistol is fired,”.
The design also references equipment such as helmets, gloves and other protective gear used in radical sports, combining high technology with sophistication and lightness.
The front end adopts the identity first presented by the DeZir, centered on a large Renault logo, set vertically against a dark surface.
Substantial, matt-finished wings reinforce the design’s visual strength. LEDs relay the direction indicator signal in a wave effect running the whole length of the vehicle.
The concept is fitted with a hard convertible top which, once removed, reveals a carbon fibre framework.
CAPTUR can thus transform itself from a coupé to a convertible, from an urban vehicle to an off-roader, while its overall sporty appeal is reinforced by its butterfly doors and large tires fitted to 22-inch black and white rims.
With its bodywork finished in a spicy shade of orange, CAPTUR takes its cue from the red championed by DeZir. This color appears in a variety of different shades on materials both inside and outside the vehicle.
Interior Design
Inside, designer have extended the orange theme of the exterior. The cabin features fluorescent highlights picked out by a constant stream of light.
“My main sources of inspiration were the human body, outdoor sports and urban styling,” explains the colour and trim designer, Kana Watanabe. “I wanted CAPTUR to radiate warmth and dynamism.”
The impression of lightness expressed by the exterior is dominant here, too, with the front seats attached to the centre console as if suspended in mid air.
The passenger compartment is restrained and pure, with no superfluous equipment. Innovative and ingenious materials have been employed, allowing the designers to play with light and optical effects.
The centre console, door casings and dashboard are formed using a translucent material rather like a second skin.
At the front of the cabin, this includes a glimpse of the high-tech fibre ropes, luminescent in places, that have been used for most of the passenger compartment.
“The whole of the interior is designed around this network of stretched elastic ropes which bring to mind the worlds of sailing or mountain climbing, They use graphics and light to bring rhythm to the overall design and reinforce the dynamic feel of the vehicle while also ensuring a lighter feel inside the cabin,” explains the interior designer, Magali Gouraud-Borgers.
The aluminium pedals, carbon bucket-style front seats and steering wheel trimmed in grey textured leather reassert the sporting side of the design, in keeping with the original brief.
The rear of the vehicle is a multipurpose area where the deck is lined with three layers of rope: the stretched cords are laid out in a way that allows items to be secured, thus providing a reconfigurable storage area. They also provide an opportunity for relaxation thanks to the supple elasticity of the structure.
This is an entirely new type of comfort, a new form of seating akin to a hammock. – Finally, it is possible to pull seatbacks from the side of the car to provide two full-sized rear seats, complete with seat belts and head restraints. This enables Captur to accommodate four passengers.
The Captur also features the Visio-system, that uses a forward-facing camera mounted at the top of the windscreen to provide driver-assistance functions in an augmented reality interface.
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