 The
large Renault saloon was launched in 1992 as the successor of Renault
25.
In then, it was described as competent rather than class-leading,
unlike
the contemporary Mercedes W124 and BMW 5-series. It was high on comfort
- good ride from adaptive damping, big cabin and useful hatchback, but
low on power, handling sharpness and road / wind noise insulation.
Dynamic
aspect was particularly its weakness, not even the 260 hp Biturbo
version
with Quadra 4wd system (now dead) deliver real excitement. In fact,
Renault
never intended to be BMW-chaser.
A mid-life makeover in 1997 gave it a facelift and a Volvo-sourced 170 hp 2.5-litre inline-5 engine, which replaced the old PRV V6. As a result, Safrane deliberately descended its marketing position to attract fleet or budget-conscious buyers. Next year, the French national 3.0 V6 (good for 194 hp) joined the range and lifted performance a lot. However, the fundamental shortcomings of the chassis prevent the Safrane from further improvement in dynamic aspect and refinement. The hatchback body is no longer deemed to be rigid by today's standard. The all-MacPherson struts suspensions are even outdated. Luckily,
the styling is not yet outdated. The cabin is still roomy and
comfortable.
Dashboard remains distinctively shaped and nicely built (certainly
looks
a lot better than Opel Omega, its biggest rival). So, it's not bad for
an 8-year-old car. |
| The above report was last updated in 1998. All Rights Reserved. |