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Renault has taken the wraps off its
new concept car, Altica, a sporty estate that combines
flowing lines with a spacious interior.
Its dynamic stance is underpinned by a long bonnet
and curved forms, while its modular interior ensures
outstanding load capacity. Altica stands out as a dynamic
vision of the estate, combining the practicality of
the latter, the sports appeal of a coupé and
a high standard of travelling comfort.
Flowing, sporty lines - The panoramic windscreen and
rear window underline the car's fluid aerodynamics.
The two-tone paintwork accentuates the side design
and also asserts Altica's graphic identity.
The car's
overall stance – low-slung lines, long bonnet, prominent
wings – and proportions express true sports car
dynamics. Comprised of a mosaic of transparent panes,
the rear quarter lights suggest forward movement.
Altica's interior mirrors its sporty, dynamic exterior
design. The suspended drive station is held in place
by four profiled rods that hint at the world of Formula
1. The transparent roof and panoramic windscreen erase
the boundary between the interior and the outside world
and also ensure a brightly-lit cabin.
The mosaic design of the rear quarter lights allows
sunlight to filter into the cabin much like it does
through stained glass windows and gives the interior
a more welcoming feel. The layout and angling of the
panes ensure good three-quarter rear visibility for
the driver which is indispensable when parking.
The headlamps feature four different modes – daytime
running lights (DRL), sidelights, dipped beam and main
beam – and function using rows of diodes. They
also produce a halo effect when the DRL mode is selected.
This is achieved in two ways. First of all, each polycarbonate
headlamp module cover is speckled with thousands of
small, micro-engraved nicks.
Invisible to the naked eye, these nicks have no effect
on the beams and permit light to pass unhindered. In
the daytime running mode, however, the surface of the
module cover is illuminated from the edge. The light
is accordingly trapped inside the mass and spreads out
like a fluid over the entire surface to produce an original
and effective halo effect for the DRL and sidelight
functions.
An estate with the accent on practicality; Altica's sports pedigree is reinforced by its scissor
doors, the form of which ensures easy access to this
low vehicle. The generous interior volumes of Altica
provide a very high standard of travelling comfort despite
the car's sporty characteristics. Each of the four individual
seats boasts outstanding comfort.
Instead of the seats, which are fixed, it is the drive
station and pedal assembly that adjust to match the
driver's physique thanks to a motorized mechanism. The
height-adjustable centre armrest deploys automatically
as the driver sits down. The vertical positioning of
the dashboard takes its inspiration from the world of
aeronautics and permits the driver to feel at one with
the car.
The centrally-positioned dial features two display
modes:
“comfort” and “sport”. The “comfort”
mode indicates the car's speed in the centre of the
display while the perimeter shows the legal speed limits
which turn red if exceeded. In the “sport”
mode, the speed continues to be displayed in the middle
of the dial but the perimeter becomes a digital rev
counter and turbo pressure indicator. The graphics
of the high-resolution screen provide a distinctly
human touch to this high-tech display which itself
suggests watchmaker-like precision and sophistication.
Altica features a number of clever storage spaces, including
the shell-like glove box, concertina-style storage compartment
in the armrests and a tray situated underneath the floor
at the rear. The rear seat backs can be folded into
the flat floor which is equipped with straps that permit
heavy or bulky loads to be held secure. This layout transforms Altica into a two-seater sports
coupé with a vast 1,300-liter boot, while the
boot lid provides very easy access and an extremely
low loading sill.
Driving pleasure, power and control;
Altica is a dynamic sporty estate that combines driving
pleasure with a sensation of power and control. With
its long bonnet, sports dimensions (length: 4.27m; width:
1.83m) and very low centre of gravity, Altica offers
remarkable performance.
Altica's new 177hp 2.0 dCi particulate filter-equipped
diesel engine takes the car from a standing start to
100 km/h in just 7.5s. Coupled with a six-speed gearbox,
this powerplant – which boasts maximum torque
of 380Nm – provides excellent pull-away and
mid-range acceleration. This hasn't been achieved
to the detriment of fuel consumption, however. The
Renault-Nissan Alliance engine is very inexpensive
to run and fuel consumption is equivalent to 140g
of CO2 per kilometre. In terms of both performance
and driving pleasure, it stands out as the best diesel
engine in its class.
Altica's low fuel consumption also stems from its exceptional
aerodynamics. Located at the extremity of the roof
at the point where the vehicle and the passing air
flow separate, a discreet mechanical system generates
jets of air which are alternately blown and sucked
through a 2mm wide slit. Known as “Synthetic
Jet”,
the system actively controls the separation of the
air flow according to the vehicle's speed. This innovative
technique, which reduces drag and controls the structure
of the air flow, is a registered Renault patent and
reduces the car's Cd at 130 km/h by 15% for an energy
consumption of just 10 Watts.
Valeo
Altica's lights employ high-performance light emitting
diodes (LEDs). dipped and main beam functions are housed
in a single module which tops a linear directional light.
The LED control unit permanently adapts the quantity
and orientation of the beam as a function of the conditions.
During motorway driving, the LEDs that ensure long range
visibility are automatically activated and controlled
to guarantee optimum visibility at all times without
dazzle. The color of the light emitted by the LEDs
is similar to that of daylight for enhanced optical
comfort and visibility.
The daytime running light (DRL) mode, which is activated
most of the time while the car is moving, also use LEDs.
Their high efficiency and the low amount of energy they
require significantly reduce the power that is consumed
compared with a conventional light source. The life
expectancy of LEDs is also much longer than that of
all contemporary light sources.
As a world first, the sidelight function is ensured
by a veil of light that covers the entire headlamp
thanks to Valeo's exclusive MicroOptique technology. |
