Diesel-only Renault Laguna Coupe Monaco GP Launched in France

Revealed for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show along with the similarly trimmed Megane, the second iteration of the Renault Laguna Coupe Monaco GP special edition is now available for order in France. Renault took the decision to build a second run of the Monaco GP to satisfy customer demand after all 400 units of the previous version were quickly sold out.

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VIDEO: Lotus Renault F1 Driver Vitaly Petrov’s Yee-Haw! Moment at the Malaysian Grand Prix

It was only a matter of time before someone edited a video of Vitaly Petrov’s spectacular exit from last week’s Malaysian Grand Prix. The Russian pilot of the Lotus Renault F1 team ran too wide at a turn near the end of the race and as he tried to get inside the track again, he hit a bump on the grass that launched the race car high into the air.

The maker of the video thought the scene with the F1 car going airborne looked a lot like something you’d see in The Dukes of Hazzard, hence the audio background. For Petrov, the incident wasn’t as funny as the impact resulted in a broken steering column mount that forced him to retire from the race. Enjoy the clip after the break.

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Patrick Pélata Resigns as Renault's COO in the Wake of EV Spy Scandal…but Remains at the Company

The botched espionage affair that rocked French carmaker Renault the past few months is once again in the headlines. Renault's Chief Operating Officer once again handed his resignation to the CEO Carlos Ghosn, but this time the group’s boss accepted it.

The move comes after the completion of two audits on Renault's wrongful handling of the affair, which resulted in three executives being fired without justification. “The audits evidenced the chain of failings and dysfunctions within the company, particularly as regards the supervision and control of the Group Security Department,” reads Renault's press release.

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Dacia Releases Limited Edition Duster for Skiing Instructors

Renault’s low-cost Romanian brand Dacia has released the first limited edition version of its new small SUV model, called the Duster École de Ski Français [ESF], which translates to French Skiing School. Event though parent company Renault has not offered details about how many units of this series Dacia will produce, the Duster special could become one of the rarest sights on French streets since it can only be bought by ESF skiing instructors.

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Renault-Samsung Shows SM7 Pre-Production Concept

After last month's teaser sketch, Renault's Korean subsidiary Samsung unveiled the SM7 Concept at the Seoul Motor Show. In essence, it’s a pre-production design study that previews the next generation of Renault Samsung's flagship model, the SM7.

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Sebastian Vettel Takes Dominant Australian Grand Prix Win

Sebastian Vettel won the inagural race of the 2011 F1 season after a dominating performance in Melbourne. The German driver made full use of his pole-position and lead the race from start to finish, taking his 11th Formula 1 win. Vettel adopted a two-stop pit strategy and finished with a 22.2-second advantage over second ranked Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), who had to race with a detached floor after running wide on lap 33.

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Renault Samsung SM7 Concept Teased ahead of Seoul Motor Show

Renault's South Korean brand Samsung released a teaser sketch of the SM7 concept car that previews the next-generation of the firm’s large sedan. The current SM7, which is built on Nissan’s J31 platform that underpins the Asian market Nissan Teana and the sixth-generation of the North American Nissan Maxima, has been on the market since 2004. Read more »

Renault Rolls Out 1000th Clio Gordini RS

The Renault Alpine plant in Dieppe produced the 1,000th Clio Gordini RS model this month, less than a year after its introduction. Built since May 2010, the Clio Gordini RS is sold in 18 countries, most of them in Europe.

Renault revived the Gordini name at the end of 2009, when it presented the Twingo Gordini RS. Other members of the Gordini family include the Twingo Gordini and more recently, the Wind Gordini, which premiered at this year’s Geneva Motor Show.

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Dacia Produces its 4,000,000th Vehicle after 45 Years

Renault's Dacia brand produced its 4,000,000th car at the Mioveni plant in Romania, 45 years after the company’s foundation in 1966. The car with which Dacia achieved the milestone is a 4WD Duster Laureate in a brown finish powered by an 110HP 1.5-liter diesel engine.

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Ghosn and Pelata Give Up Their 2010 Bonuses and 2011 Stock Profits to Restore Renault's Image after Spy Fiasco

This could be the final episode in the Renault EV espionage case: after a meeting held on Monday, CEO Carlos Ghosn presented the board with an action plan that includes the reinstatement and/or compensation of the three sacked executives and the intention to restore Renault's image and public confidence in the company and its management. Read more »

Renault Admits Wrongdoing in Spy Case, Issues Apologies to the Three Ousted Officials

Today's episode on the Renault EV espionage case is one of the most interesting yet, with CEO Carlos Ghosn and COO Patrick Pelata issuing their official apologies to the three executives accused of spying.

Renault’s admission of wrongdoing comes after a communication with the French prosecutors, who found no substance in the complaint filed by the automaker against its former employees. Authorities from Liechtenstein and Switzerland confirmed that Michel Balthazard, Bertrand Rochette and Matthieu Tenenbaum had no bank accounts in the respective countries, thus refuting Renault's claim.

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Fired Renault Executive Asks French President Nicolas Sarkozy to Intervene in Spy Case

Each day brings something new in Renault’s EV-related espionage affair. This time Bertrand Rochette, one of the three employees fired by the company, has appealed directly to French President Nicolas Sarkozy to intervene in the case. More specifically, Rochette's lawyers have called on Sarkozy and Justice Minister Michel Mercier to demand they be given access to the legal complaint Renault filed in January against unknown persons. Read more »

Renault phaeton tour bus hanging around at a junkyard

I posted a couple photos of this before at

http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/12/similar-to-sleeping-beauties.html but these do a better job of giving us a look all over it.

Found at http://www.forum-auto.com/automobiles-mythiques-exception/section5/sujet225087-5775.htm

Renault Ondelios Concept

Renault Ondelios Concept was first introduced at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, Ondelios was inspired by the world of aviation. According to Renault’s Design Director, Renault Ondelios is inspired by motion rather than speed. This luxury hybrid concept is equipped with glazed polycarbonate roof, a pair of gull wing doors that open vertically and futuristic interior.

This Concept car is powered by a 205 HP (150kW) of the 2.0 dCi engine that produce 450Nm of torque. This cool car is using two 20kW electric motors at the front and rear for a brake and boost system that can save more fuels.

Renault Ondelios interior has three rows of (individual) seats that accommodate up to six passengers. Each seat is equipped with an interactive portable multimedia device which can be used for sharing data or multiplayer gaming. The headrest also has speakers plus multi zone HVAC system for each passenger.

Renault Ondelios Specifications :

Introduced at : 2008 Paris Motor Show

Dimensions :

Length ; Width ; Height : 4,805 [mm] ; 1,998 [mm] ; 1,605 [mm]

Height with doors open : 2,230 [mm]

Engine :

Internal combustion engine : 2.0 dCi

Power : 205 HP ; 150 kW

Maximum torque (Nm) : 450, from 1,700 to 3,800rpm

Motors : Two 20kW electric motors

Motor Location : one at the front and one at the rear

Power supply : 4kWh lithium-ion battery. Size: 40dm3. Weight: 50kg

Acceleration from 0 to 62mph : 7.8

CO2 emissions : 120g/km

combined cycle fuel consumption : 4.5 litres/100 km

Transmission : Double-clutch seven-speed automatic transmission, Internal combustion engine drive and electric motor drive

Wheel :

Wheel base : 2,895 mm

Front track : 1,690 mm

Rear track : 1,720 mm

Unladen weight : 1,452 kg

Boot (dm3) : 530

Tires : 255/45 ZR23

Wheels Diameter ; Width : 23" ; 9"

Partners: G Studio (Bodywork), Michelin (Tires), Samsung (Telephone for communication with vehicle)