He can return to his original silhouette

The retro-futurism trend seems to be accelerating on the Lesang side, after the brand officially unveiled its new R5, awaiting the return of the 4L, in the form of an SUV, next fall. A marketing recipe that the French company could put to good use again, later, if mayonnaise catches on commercially.

An idea that germinates internally

Into the microphone of our colleagues atTourist busOlivier Bros, head of the Ampr Medium platform, said reviving the MPV is “something we are thinking about” as Renault expands its electric vehicle range into new segments. According to him, technically “this is possible, but then we will have to determine whether the multi-purpose vehicle will be accepted by European customers. »

China sets an example

In fact, this breed of family vehicles has been gradually abandoning manufacturers' catalogs since the advent of SUVs at the beginning of 2010. But we are seeing a significant revival of interest in this type of silhouette in certain markets such as China where they are particularly competing with the emergence of premium shuttles. Which is a segment where Lexus has just positioned itself in Europe by introducing the LM, a behemoth measuring more than 5.10 meters long that could offer ideas to the competition.

Technical limitations to solve

However, as Olivier Bros points out Tourist bus, the emergence of a 100% electric MPV would pose fundamental technical challenges: “I think one of the technical problems we face is that as soon as the weight of the vehicle exceeds 2.0 to 2.2 tons, … it is necessary for the vehicle to be rear-wheel drive.” But he added that these restrictions will diminish as the brand explores new segments, declaring that “there is no strict policy at Renault. Electric vehicle platforms offer a number of benefits that allow us to improve interior packaging, and from a design perspective, they give you more freedom.

Before the end of the contract?

As you will understand, no decision has yet been made within Renault's management regarding the revival of the Espace as a multi-purpose vehicle, but it would not be surprising if the green light is soon given to such a program with the aim of the return of the favorite car. For large families before 2030.

Join Auto-Moto on WhatsApp so you don't miss any news about cars and two-wheelers!