French stunner

Sep 28 2009 Alistair Coull & Val Jessop

YOU become instantly bewitched by the svelte contours of the Renault Laguna Coupe. It's comparable to seeing a lovely painting or piece of sculpture which stops you in your tracks while you absorb their compelling beauty.

The Renault is one of the most attractive new coupes around, certainly for a price tag of around £25,000, and commands envious glances wherever it goes.

The French designers have excelled in creating a monocoque with sensuous, flowing lines which urge you to circle and appraise it, over and over again.

In short, it is a delight - from whichever angle you view it and it's the stuff classics are made of.

Once you quit drooling over the sexy exterior, you're somewhat apprehensive (bearing in mind the price tag) that the interior might be a let-down.

In fact, the Coupe's cabin oozes quality and luxury, certainly in the 2.0-litre GT version on test. The fascia and controls are well located and the dashboard is kept simple and clutter-free while the leather-cloaked interior and leather, wraparound seats add an extra touch of luxury.

I wasn't expecting great performance from the 205bhp power plant, particularly in view of the Coupe's fairly hefty weight, but in fact it produced some sterling stuff. The turbo projects the car to 62mph in 7.8 seconds, a top speed of just under 150mph and rewards the driver with a combined fuel return of just under 35mpg.

The ride is quite firm, but comfortably so, and it only becomes unsettled on poor surfaces in the urban jungle. In motorway cruise mode, the Coupe is smooth and cosseted.

The Coupe handles exceptionally well, and the steering is very precise, with excellent feedback transmitted to the steering wheel. Renault's 4Control four-wheel steering system enhances the car's handling, and makes for fantastic all-round grip particularly through demanding S-bends.

Although it is a comfortable four-seater, you could squeeze three in the back for a short trip. There is decent legroom in the rear and the huge, wide-opening Coupe doors ensure access to and from the back is a relatively trouble-free affair, helped by the folding and sliding front seats.

With its classic lines, Renault say the car is a 'fine balance between modernity and timelessness', and that description pretty well sums it up.

All Coupes get generous amounts of equipment, including 18-inch alloys, parking sensors, xenon lights and eight airbags. The GT version adds 4Control steering, cruise control, and leather seats.

- Val Jessop

IF looks are anyhting to go by, then Renault are on to a sure-fire winner with the Laguna Coupe. It's a seriously attractive car.

Legendary British designer Ian Callum described it as the best looking car at the 2008 Paris Motor Show.

That's some accolade coming as it does from the man who designed Aston Martins and more recently has been responsible for the Jaguar XK and XF.

There is a wide choice of engines - six in fact. Two petrol - a 2.0-litre turbo and a 3.5-litre V6 - and four diesel - a 2.0-litre dCi 150, 2.0-litre dCi 150 Auto FAP, 2.0-litre dCi 180, and a 3.0-litre V6 dCi 235.

This model was the 2.0-litre turbo developing 205bhp, priced at a fiver over £25,000 and which I reckon should be the best seller.

The 205bhp turbo unit gives a brisk and reasonably fuel-sipping account of itself. Top speed is 147mph and 0-62mph takes only 7.8 seconds so it's no slouch.

Fuel economy is good, officially returning 34.4mpg. My week saw the Coupe reach just over 30mpg, driven over a variety of roads and on both short and long journeys.

The CO2 emissions of 194g/km incur a road tax Band H rating and for company car users there is a 24% benefit-in-kind tax liability.

The manual six-speed gearbox has a fairly long action so it's not easy to make lightning-quick changes but it's easy to use.

The gear ratios seemed spot on to get the best out of the engine - lively enough to make use of the torque at low speeds but relaxed enough to reduce engine noise and fuel consumption at motorway cruising speed.

The GT version has active four-wheel steering. At speeds below 37mph the rear wheels move in the opposite direction to the front wheels which makes the Coupe agile and precise at low speeds and makes parking and turning much easier.

At higher speeds the rear wheels move in the same direction as the front ones so the car feels as if it's on rails as you go through fast corners.

It works like a dream on motorways and the UK's better surfaced A-roads but on more potholed B-roads the back end fidgets about to compensate for what the front wheels are doing.

With its wide track, the Coupe's suspension doesn't seem to absorb road ripples as well as its hatch and tourer stablemates. The ride is harder as well but thankfully the leather clad seats are nice and comfortable.

The cabin is first class to look at and the quality of materials used is 'premium' standard. Some of the centre console controls can be a bit fiddly and I am not a fan of button operated electronic handbrakes.

- Alistair Coull

FAST FACTS

Renault Laguna Coupe GT 2.0 Turbo 205

Price: £25,005

Mechanical: 205bhp, 1,998cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 6-speed manual gearbox

Max speed: 147mph

0-62mph: 7.8 seconds

Combined mpg: 34.4

Insurance group: 17

CO2 emissions: 194g/km

BIK rating: 24%

Warranty: 3yrs/ 100,000 miles