Renault ditches Wind, Laguna, Espace & Kangoo

THE KANGOO, Laguna, Espace and Wind roadster have all been axed from Renault’s 2012 car range, along with Gordini special edition models. The company has confirmed its 2012 line-up will focus more on its core models and new releases that share its ‘Va Va Voom’ philosophy. Seven models will make up the range this year, plus the Z.E electric cars which form a sort of sub-brand. Renault has to tighten its belt and models that have not been pulling their sales weight have been killed off. The Laguna is perhaps the biggest shock, but after years of having its market share eroded by competitors it has fallen by the wayside. The 2012 Megane features a selection of highly economical diesel engines with CO2 emissions as low as 90g/km and up to 80mpg. All models will now have only three trim levels; Expression+, Dynamique TomTom and GT Line TomTom. Even entry-level Renaults are set to have plenty of standard equipment, like air conditioning, Bluetooth and USB connectivity on this year’s Clio and Twingo. Renaultsport models are being treated separately. Renault is also focusing on its Dacia subsidiary brand, which offers no-fuss motoring with tried-and-tested Renault parts. Dacia cars are no-frills, but should offer great value for money for people who just want cheap four-wheeled transport. Dacia should be launched formally in the UK later this year. In the Z.E electric range, the Twizy will be launched in April to join the Fluence Z.E, which is available in Expression+ and Dynamique trim. The Twizy will cost from £6,690 and be well worth a look for urban commuters. The ZOE, a beautiful Clio-sized plug-in car that is likely to have huge appeal worldwide is set to arrive in the autumn.