Test drive by Renault Laguna 2001 - 2005 hatchback

The capture of the la-rochelles

Our congratulations to Monsieur Alena Dibon, the head of the security department of the Renault Research Center. At the chuckle agency NCAP, the new Laguna earned as many as five stars following the results of a passive security test - an unprecedented case! On such a car, to hide the gate of some medieval fortress ..

 
Acquaintance with a five -star car began in the courtyard of Renault Press on the Stalingrad embankment in Paris. Recently, one of the large heads of the Volga region complained that historical names were not protected in Russia, while in Paris ... an excess, we recognize. But how long has France show such tolerance? Is it not here that the Huguenots were cut, overthrew the Bourbons and shot Kommunarov?
 

The farther from us certain events, the more sober we evaluate them. For several years now, Renault has ceased to be state, but the background of its nationalization is still not completely clear. Emmanuel Shado in the book of Louis Renault asks questions: how did it happen that from the Savior of France in the war against the Germans of 1914-1918, an outstanding industrialist suddenly became an accomplice of Nazism? In whose interests it was a collaborator’s labeling Renault and then take the factories from him?

 
The nationalization of the country's largest automobile enterprise obliged state husbands to support it with orders. Gradually, all officials of the fifth republic moved to Renault. Indulging their whims, the company built more and more luxurious cars and gradually regained the pre -war status of the government supplier.

 
I admire the new Laguna. Indeed, made with taste. And it blows from her, I will not be afraid of this word, royalism. This machine is as a reflection of the era of legendary kings, you can’t cut down any guillotics in the French in the French. (Modern wealthy France is very passionate about this historical period. At the same time, not a single car has such a graceful silhouette with such thinly designed windows, the edges of the hood and trunk. To such things, the main designer of the company Patrick Le Keman is especially attentive.
 

This, by the way, is one of the differences in European designers from Japanese or American. The Japanese are practically not interested in the continuity of the style. The Americans are important historical motivation - therefore, their retro -style projects are not uncommon. For Europeans, the main thing is the detail in which the car brand will be accurately determined. Radiator cladding. Rounding the window frame. Such a fragment is created for decades, and I must say that the stylists who have fallen to make subsequent models are often parasitized on a once chosen solution.
 

The image of the new Laguna is completed by the branded rhombus. Royal Lilia could have occupied his place in this outstanding creation of French designers.

 
It remains to go to the south -east, where along the banks of the Loires, a series of suede castles - suburban residences of bourbon, Valois and their faithful vassals. Away from Paris - in the capital overwhelmed by cars, it is hard for a foreigner to move on such a large car. But do not rush even further, to the Atlantic coast? In 1627, the royal troops moved to pacify the Huguenot La Rochelle with this route. Louis, such a campaign, probably saw a pleasant walk in the company of court ladies, with picnics and hunting in the then immense forests ...
 

The first sketch in the framework of the X-74 project (future Laguna) was drawn on May 1, 1996. July 23, 97th, Le Keman chose the version of Jacob Benoit. The case decided a characteristic detail - a lining of matte rough plastic between the headlights, which contrasts with the bumper and aluminum hood with color and texture. She beats a characteristic beak that appeared on the hood of the previous car. The car is less expressive behind and somewhat resembles Volvo S60. Although, of course, the plastic of the French model is much more inventive - to take at least the sidewalls of the body that seemed flat only at first glance.
 

The machine was created on the P5 platform, common with Vel Satis and (it is possible) - with one of the future Nissan class D, since the management of the Renault -Nissan alliance announced the wide unification of both model range. According to the current fashion, the new Laguna violates the border of its class - it is a little more than the previous model (4.58 versus 4.51 m).

 
Inside, you subconsciously expect to see a satin, with woven lilies upholstery, but you come across the minimalism of the Hi-Tech era, however, soundly tailored. The laconic architecture of the front panel, the straightforward relief of the seats, the gray gamut of the materials. In general, a combination of multi -facultic plastic, textiles and skin. For only their highest quality says. Still, a modification with a 3-liter 24-valve V6, the most powerful engine-one could not skimp. Say, sheathe skin not only the upper part of the seats, but also their sidewalls. And then it turned out like Portos (if you remember, its bandage sparkled with gold sewing only from the outside, and from the back was made of simple lush skin).
 

We can say that the decoration is honest - Laguna does not let the dust into the eyes of future owners by imitation of valuable wood or, more, stone. Interior experts found other moves. For example, plastic of the upper half of the torpedo has an unusual texture for canvas.
 

In the equipment of the Laguna salon, there are elements characteristic of a higher class machines (like retractable curtains on the windows of the rear doors or a high -quality Cabasse music center). And the most remarkable thing is that a car is unlocked and starting without a traditional key. This is not the royal thing - to unlock the doors, the French decided and came up with a special map with a password sewn in it. It can lie at the driver in a pocket - when approaching the machine, the electromagnetic system recognizes its own and removes the car from the protection. When the driver takes the door handle, the infrared sensor placed under it gives the command to check again who came and after which the lock is triggered. Similar sensors associated with on -board electronics through multiplex wiring are in all doors except the back. Just in case, a folding sting is mounted in the body of the card, as in a penknife. With it, you can unit forcibly - the usual lock is hidden under a plastic lining on the door handle.
 

However, to start a car, all this is not enough. The card must be inserted into the gap on the central console - then the steering column is unlocked, and the engine will turn to the key to the start. It remains to press the button with the inscription Start-Stop. It is believed that the systems are too tough for attackers - go guess one of 65 thousand code combinations! Each Laguna has four key cards, after all, this is a family car. (By the way, the typical owners of Laguna are successful businessmen, often managers, as well as representatives of free professions. More than half of customers are people aged 53% - pensioners.) A similar system is installed on Vel Satis, but on an even more luxurious Avantime The traditional ignition lock is used.
 

It is worth noting that the work of a cunning device makes an ambiguous impression. When, having such a card in your pocket, you leave to photograph the car, it quickly gets on the alarm. On the contrary, if you leave the car in the hotel’s parking lot, and returning things already unloaded from the trunk, Laguna winces the dimensions friendly, inviting to hit the road again.

 
With Vel Satis, Avantime and Laguna, Renault intends to defend leadership in the prestigious segment of the French market. A peculiar tactics of a triple blow: Avantime mini-van-wagon is put forward to the vanguard, the first line will be occupied by the less radical hatchback of Vel Satis, and, finally, the main forces represent the traditional product-Laguna.
 

It’s not enough to say that this tactic is not understood by car experts. Meanwhile, Renault made a decision in the representative class to create a kind of triad back in 1995, after the Initiale concept car with a 400-horsepower V10 engine used in Formula-1 introduced at the Frankfurt car dealership. As it turned out, there were more than three serial new products in this car. But who could have imagined six years ago what they would really be?
 

In those years, experts found it difficult to determine even in which the development of the development of the highest middle and large class cars would go. Sales of analogues of Renault Laguna and Safrane uncertainly ranged at 13-15% of the total volume of the European market. The appearance of experimental Initiale was regarded as the intention of Renault invading the territory of BMW and Mercedes-Benz. This did not cause approval. So, British expert John Robson claimed that the mass manufacturer does not make sense to produce expensive models: it is beneficial to firms like Audi, with a volume of 500 thousand a year. However, Patrick Le Keman was never a supporter of rivalry with Munich and Stottgart. Here with Ingolstadt is another matter. Look, he said, how stupid Audi cars looked at the early 70s. Now they cannot be recognized. If the experts were more perspicacious, they would see in the actions of Renault the threat primarily Audi A4, Citroen C5, Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat.
 

Having piled up in the Richelier cafe on Osman Boulevard in Paris, we unfold Laguna’s nose towards La Rosheli-a port city on the Bay of the Bay, and in the 17th century the fortress, which became a stronghold of the guugenots. Since then, the world has become much more tolerant of dissent - otherwise it would have burned Patrick Le Keman at the stake for his avant -garde projects.
 

It is unlikely that D'Artagnan who went on the same path could be desired - Laguna has deep chairs with a dense pillow and back. The head rests on a special headrest, protecting the vertebrae when hitting behind. Landing has a long journey.
 

The steering wheel and the transmission selector conveniently lie down in their hands. The three -liter Laguna has an adaptive five -band machine with a sectral regime, however, its selector can be confused with a handbroof lever, since there is no stroke of positional switching, and the base of the selector is closed by an ordinary leather casing. The transmission is designed for a measured ride. This is the most phlegmatic of the mechanisms that Laguna is equipped with - it does not accept Gascon emotionality, and it will not be possible to spur this horse. A good half second will pass until the electronics react to your decisive Kick-Down. When the transmission turns on, an energetic pickup follows, which is provided by a powerful engine. This organ lives a full -blooded life, absorbing in high -speed driving huge portions of the premium.

 
It was a real trifle to blame him for La Rotheli, adjusted to the motorcyclists-jandards who replaced the guards of the cardinal. True, most often they will sing you in the vicinity of the road sign by the police station, not bothering themselves with ambush in unexpected places. Holy Cherya, the speed restrictions set in France, we went forward a couple of local lovers of lively driving - this was enough to occupy the guardians of the road order. Thus, we had the opportunity to get acquainted with the behavior of Laguna in the conditions when the speedometer shooter climbed into its lower right side. It unequivocally deserves excellent definitions, since the machine does not show the slightest tendency to screening and vertical rocking, and also confidently resists the side wind. Noise insulation deserves a separate praise.

 
The car prescribes turns, obediently following the selected path - largely thanks to the steering rear suspension. The force on the steering wheel increases as speed increases. A good information content of the mechanism remains at a prayer - Laguna follows the movements of the steering wheel with some imposition, the dimensions are felt excessively, visibility is not difficult. In vain we were afraid of the tight streets of La Rochelles - the high class of the car is manifested in any environment.

 
In the city itself, almost nothing reminds of the events of 350 years ago. There was no trace of the 12-kilometer dam in the bay, with the help of which the insidious Richelieu blocked the path of English help. We hardly find the remains of fortresses, looping through unfamiliar streets with one -sided movement.
 

Maybe the island of RE, a piece of land in the Bay of Biscay, retained more evidence of the past? Dumas was like this: the first victory was won by the Duke of Bekingem: suddenly going up to the island of RE with ninety ships and about twenty thousand soldiers, he attacked the Count de Tuarak, commanding on the island by the name of the king ....

 
We storm RE together with the army of tourists - we take off along the giant arc of the bridge above the bay. Similar miracles of fortification Richelieu did not dream. Here is the end point of the trip. After spending long hours in the car, we got used to the characteristic road sensations: the noise of the air conditioner, tires, the air flow, the smells of hot asphalt and high -quality gasoline at gas stations. The surrounding world narrowed - road signs, police, shops at the highway ... And suddenly - magic! A fresh sea wind, a scream of tackle beating under its pressure, screams of gulls, aromas coming from the fried little restaurants ... And that’s all at once, abundantly. This is probably the strongest impression donated by Laguna.
 

After the conquest of the la -rush, the heart of a zealous Catholic - Richelieu - calmed down. Now he could, not being distracted by the Huguenots, engage in his main thing - the strengthening of the monarchy. Having created Laguna, Renault, like a cardinal, untied his hands and can start any, even the most risky, experiments. Laguna is a faithful horse, but who knows how the adventure with Vel Satis and Avantime will end?
 

It remains to understand why the creators of Renault Laguna refused to give the car a little more visual chic, thereby emphasizing its hidden virtues (aluminum hood, thinking transmission, key card-like Mercedes-Benz S-Class, standard six airbags and a pressure drop sensor in Tires, a subsidizing system, four options for gasoline engines and the same amount of diesel ...). Were they afraid to harm the image of more brave Vel Satis and Avantime? Celebrated creative resources? Or, in the character of the French, just saved money?
 

Text: Denis Orlov
 

 

Source: Motor magazine [No. 9/2001]