Renault LAGUNA V6 Saloon range
In Their Ongoing Bid To Clobber Fords Mondeo, The French Have Brought Out The Big Stick. Andy Enright Judges Whether The Laguna V6 Has The Power To Convert The Sceptics.
When unveiling the Laguna II,
Renault, in a Gallic gesture of corporate bravado, claimed the
Ford Mondeo would have "the shortest honeymoon in history". Last time we checked, the Ford was still booked into the honeymoon suite with a Do Not Disturb sign on the door. The Renault Laguna V6, however, is aiming to kick the Ford clean out of bed.
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Its pretty rare for one car manufacturer to launch such an explicit broadside upon another, and to aim your guns at the ridiculously good Mondeo is lining yourself up for a major PR backfire the like of which hasnt been witnessed since Mariah Carey mused "Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids all over the world, I can't help but cry. I mean I'd love to be skinny like that but not with all those flies and death and stuff." Unlike the vacuous diva however,
Renault has packed the Laguna V6 with so much brain power and loaded it with so much kit its almost smug in its own self-assurance. For a start, Renault has big numbers to back it up. Whilst the mainstream Mondeo V6 mustered 170bhp, the French were busy wedging 210bhp under the bonnet of the Laguna, creating an instant tick in La Regies credit column. Even the most focused sporting version of the Mondeo only pips the Laguna by 10bhp and youll need to pay a £3,000 premium for the privilege.
"The Laguna V6 makes most sense when surfing languidly on that bow-wave of torque"
That corporate confidence is manifested by the Lagunas brash self-belief. At first its disorientating. Heres an executive saloon contender and it looks nothing like a member of the German Axis forces of
BMW, Mercedes and
Audi. Where are the micron-width panel gaps, the cool blue dash lighting, Heckler and Koch-action gearboxes and machined aluminium fittings? Sit inside the Laguna V6 and, despite the steps forward that have been made on the current model, youre surrounded by John Major-grey plastics and a whole stack of electronic systems none of which look anything like their immediate neighbour, instead bringing to mind the aftermath of a ram raid at your local Comet.
Whilst it isnt particularly pretty, its certainly packed with functions. Take the ignition key or rather the lack of one. Owners simply get a credit card-shaped piece of plastic that you press to unlock the doors, then slot into the centre console below the stereo. After that, its simply a question of pressing a starter button to fire the engine.
With higher spec Lagunas like the V6 models its not even necessary to plip the card: sensors in the car recognise when its in the vicinity and automatically unlock the doors for you as you walk up. The multiplex wiring that makes all this possible also takes care of other features such as brake assist and automatically activated hazard flashers. Theres also traction control and a tyre pressure detection system that lets you know when your tyres are deflating. Most drivers rely on a drunken lurch followed by relinquishing control of their vehicle but Renault have thoughtfully provided a light to look at during this tiresome procedure.
Given that the Laguna was the first car to achieve the full five stars in a Euro-NCAP crash test, it seems something of a missed opportunity not to take advantage of these award-winning safety features. The thirsty 210bhp V6 engine is good for 143mph and passes 60mph in 8 seconds, feeling a little too urgent for the languid chassis and suspension of the Laguna V6. The five-speed automatic works well when cruising about, and its in this mode that the Laguna V6 makes most sense, surfing languidly on that bow-wave of torque, cheerfully ignoring the exhortations of the voice synthesizer. If you want to go faster you can switch the gearbox into tiptronic Just one trim level is offered with this particular engine and thats the top spec £23,475 Initiale.
It offers a parking proximity sensor, heated leather seats and windscreen, ESP stability control and satellite navigation amongst other features. Both luggage and rear headroom space are considerably reduced in the saloon and Sports Tourer estate version. Clearly, in this respect at least, Renault has decided that style must take precedence over substance. Campaigning hard on the safety angle, Renault have got to hope that customers dont adopt a similar view.
The more overt attractions of the
Jaguar X-TYPE and BMW 320i arent priced a world away neither of which has a great deal to fear, in dynamic terms at least, from the French car. Should the safety of you and your family count for more than the badge on the bonnet, youd take the Laguna every time, but since when did rationality ever enter into a buying decision? In concentrating on the Mondeo, the Laguna perhaps missed the threat of the premium brands looking to give it a good going over. Unfortunately the areas where it excels are unlikely to convince the notoriously label-conscious British public. Its better than youd believe possible, the Laguna V6, though whether thats good enough remains to be seen.
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FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Renault Laguna V6 saloon range
PRICES: £23,475-£24,475 on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 13-14
CO2 EMISSIONS: 240g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 8s / Max Speed 143mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (Urban) 18.9mpg/ (Extra urban) 38.7mpg/ (Combined) 27.9mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front,side and curtain airbags, ABS
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