Renault VEL SATIS (2002 - 2005)
BY ANDY ENRIGHT
Quite how
Renault thought the Vel Satis was going to punch a sizeable hole in the sales of the executive elite is a story that may never emerge from the executive boardroom. Competing with the cream of the executive car crop while sporting a mainstream badge had done for a number of better-qualified successors than the Vel Satis down the years and true to form, the big Renault bombed. Despite its almost comical failure, the Vel Satis now makes a fascinating used buy. With deep discounts offered to new buyers, low mileage used cars can be yours for a song and despite the cars poor showing in the sales charts, driving it generates a genuine sense of occasion youd never experience in, say, a lower order
Audi A6.
Patrick Le Quements curious shape looks like one of those styling studies you see at motor shows that never actually make it into production. This one has, albeit not quite in the form in which we first saw it. Nevertheless, it still makes quite a statement. Whether its one youll be comfortable with of course is another question and, as ever, it depends on your priorities.
| Build |
 |
| Comfort |
 |
| Depreciation |
 |
| Economy |
|
| Equipment |
 |
| Handling |
 |
| Insurance |
|
| Performance |
|
| Styling |
|
| Value |
|
Dont even bother to put it on your wish list if driving satisfaction is the be all and the end all. Not that this car isnt satisfying to drive: it just prioritises luxury, thats all. Which, given that most executives spend more time on dual carriageways than pounding around Donington, probably makes a lot of sense. Nor does luxury in this case simply mean a wider assortment of bells and whistles. Emptying the options list into a Laguna with a bigger body is something
Renault tried with the old Safrane and it didnt work.
No, this car has not only the gadgets but also the standard of fit and finish youd expect from all the top German marques. The doors clunk, the switches have a quality click and everything about the driving experience assures you that youve made it. Assuring executives - and their accountants - that the value of their Vel Satis is not going to fall faster than snow in the Alps will be more difficult. Renault UK point to Espace residuals that rival Mercedes but then thats a respected MPV: this is rather different. Finishing anywhere near the top half of the sector in this respect will be a major achievement though restricted UK supplies should help. Just 3,500 examples are earmarked for UK roads on an annual basis, though even so, thats enough to make us the cars third biggest market. Climbing into a Vel Satis is just as unique an experience as looking at one.
Renault has tried to avoid the dark, gloomy atmosphere favoured by rival German cars and has largely succeeded though the inset wood marquetry is a matter of taste. It feels far more like your lounge than your office, everything falling to hand nicely with a superb stereo and a lovely analogue clock dominating the dash. The seats are wider than usual, with built-in belts. You sit on, rather than dropping down into, them, so older buyers will find entry and exit easier.
Nicest of all however, is the brilliant double-hinged design of both front chairs, splitting the backrest into two parts across the middle. This means you can alter the angle of the backrest whilst still having your shoulders supported: in other words, the
seat wraps around you, contributing hugely to long distance comfort.
Prices for an 02-registered Vel Satis 2.0T 16v Expression start at £15,000 with the 2.2-litre dCi diesel opening at £15,200. These two engines account for the bulk of the Vel Satis moderate sales, with the 3.
0-litre diesel unit and the 3.5-litre V6 petrol remaining a rare sight. Both cars open at around £16,000. Insurance ranges between Group 13 for the smaller diesel to Group 16 for the 3.
5-litre V6 petrol engined version.
Renault Vel Satis owners have yet to report any significant faults. Bear in mind that all cars will still be under warranty and should therefore be in pretty good shape. Look out for damage from parking knocks and scrapes, as this can be very expensive to repair. The alloy wheels are susceptible to kerb damage too.
(Based on an 02 Vel Satis 2.0 Expression) Body panels, glass and exterior trim for the Vel Satis are very costly. A new windscreen is in the region of £4100 and the mirrors alone are nearly £180 each. A front bumper assembly is £220.
The mechanicals are interchangeable with other Renault and
Nissan models so costs can be kept within hand here.
No fewer than four engines are on offer, though the unit youd expect (the 210bhp 3.0-litre V6 used in all the marques other top models) is curiously not among them. Four cylinder buyers get the choice of a 165bhp 2.0-litre petrol turbo or the 150bhp 2.
2-litre dCi diesel borrowed from the Laguna. Six cylinder customers meanwhile, can opt either for a 180bhp 3.0-litre dCi diesel or a 245bhp 3.5-litre petrol unit.
The last-named 3.5-litre V6 is borrowed from Nissan and Renault will tell you that it was voted Americas Best V6 three years in a row an award based on its fitment to a range of the Japanese companys 4x4 models. Installing such an engine into a top-drawer executive car is a very different thing of course but the transition appears to have been a very smooth one. Sixty is 8.
3s away en route to nearly 150mph. Youll pay for that at the pumps though: around town, this car struggles to crack the 17mpg barrier. For that reason and others, the 3.0 dCi is probably the better buy. Its obviously much more frugal (over 30mpg in normal use) and the gutsy torque means that it feels hardly slower than the petrol V6 in normal use.
Best of all, youd almost never know it was a diesel, even at idling. On the twisty stuff, all Vel Satis variants hang on quite well, but roll more than you might be used to. No rival gets near the ride quality though: this model carries on the best traditions of French executive cars.
The Renault Vel Satis makes a surprisingly satisfying used proposition, although many will be content to give the car another year or so for the steepest part of the depreciation curve to take effect. The 2.2-litre dCi model is probably the plum pick, but whichever version you choose, youll have a car thats not only distinctive but which will also prove a conversation piece. Youll never turn heads in a basic Mercedes E Class but the big Renault still has the ability to draw admiring (?) glances.
Theres a feeling of bespoke luxury that little under £50,000 can match and for many this will be enough. One suspects Renaults next effort in this sector may look a little more conventional.
<< Back to Renault car reviews
<< Back to car reviews homepage
Find New & Used Cars in the UK |
New & Used Renault Cars For Sale UK
