As part of the Renault Group's "futuREady” strategy announcements today, it revealed the Renault R-Space Lab concept, emphatically stating that it does not preview a new production car, but instead allows its designers and engineers the freedom to explore innovative ideas without the restrictions of manufacturing. The concept signals the start of a new wave of cars from Renault under the voitures à vivre ("cars to live”) tagline.
You seem sceptical about the "not for production” claim...
Well, there are a few reasons for that. First up, the name has more than a hint of "Espace” to it, which was of course Renault's first people carrier, and one of the very first MPVs.
The Espace name is currently used on a seven-seat version of the Renault Austral (not sold in Ireland), but given Renault's success with reinventing old badges for new EVs (see the fab Renault 5 and 4 E-Tech electric for example, not to mention the forthcoming Twingo), we wouldn't put it past the French company to follow the same path for a new MPV.
And while there is loads of lovely concept-car-frippery in the R-Space Lab, it's highly unusual for a show vehicle to be given three full-size rear seats. Parents across the land looking for a car that can carry three child seats in one row will certainly be sitting up and taking notice.
Or reclining their seats to relax if the R-Space Lab's image gallery is anything to go by. Interior versatility is key to the concept, so the front seats can slide all the way back to the rears, for instance, making room in the front passenger seat for someone to stretch out - and even put their feet up on a special, dual-purpose alternative to the traditional glovebox.
Or the rear seats can slide forward to enlarge the boot, while the rear-seat bases can pop up to accommodate bulky items/pets behind the front seats.
We're just happy to see physical buttons retained, in spite of the inclusion of a slick-looking infotainment system. Future Renaults will make use of a new operating system developed in conjunction with Google, incidentally, while the R-Space Lab also features the "openR panorama screen” running across the width of the car by the windscreen.
Yes, that looks suspiciously similar to the Panoramic Vision system in the BMW iX3, but that works so well, we won't begrudge Renault for implementing something comparable. Hopefully, it'll make it through to showroom-bound Renaults soon.
Any word on what powers the R-Space Lab?
The Renault Group specifically mentioned suitability for use in an MPV when outlining its new C-segment electric platform earlier today.
It's called the RGEV medium 2.0 electric platform (catchy, right?) and will be available in three distinct formats.
The first uses a large battery for up to 750 kilometres of range; the second adds another motor for all-wheel drive and the capability to two up to two tonnes; while the third uses an engine as a range extender, allowing up to 1,400km between fill-ups/charge-ups and emitting as low as 25g/km.
Lobby your Renault dealer now if you like the idea of a high-tech, one-box people carrier powered by the latest EV technology and channelling the family friendly energy of the original Espace.