Test drive by Renault Vel Satis 2002 - 2005 hatchback

Very French Vel Satis

Lux class car according to Renault
 
To judge French cars by appearance is like getting to know Paris by postcards. In any case, this is true in relation to the new flagship Renault - Vel Satis models. And in order to understand the truly French idea of \u200b\u200bthe quality of life, it is not enough to drink a glass of wine in a bistro on Montmartre and touched the modest charm of houses on quiet streets. Penetrate inside and evaluate the sophistication of the interior, the ability to hide a large one behind the small. By these standards, Vel Satis is a very French car. Perhaps even very Parisian, because it is luxurious and expensive. It was without reason that the test was organized precisely in the capital of France - a rare case in the practice of the concern.
 
Probably, this makes sense - put at the forefront of the comfort in the cabin. In the end, the driver and passengers contemplate the interior most of the time, and not the appearance of the machine. Designers began to sculpt Vel Satis from the inside. Nevertheless, to their honor it will be said, they also achieved an expressive, not similar to anything previously seen, appearance. Personally, I had the feeling that there was a slight contrast in the car between what is seen from the outside, and what is inside. And this is done intentionally. And the wrong (or unusual) outlines of the body for some reason reminded the French proverb: a sweet disorder is closer to the heart.
 
Not sowing, namely, sitting in the driver’s chair, I immediately paid attention to the emphasized care of myself, my beloved. The seats themselves are soft and comfortable. And the range of their adjustments (of course, with electric drive) is so wide that it is difficult to imagine the complexion of a person who could not fit into this framework. You can even separately regulate the shoulder support. And the steering wheel rises, drops and extends, it seems, without limits. A huge windshield provides a wonderful overview, which favorably distinguishes Vel Satis from many competitors.
 
The car belongs to the luxury class once again confirms the design of the interior. The skin of magnificent dressing, the fabric of the highest quality, everything is designed in a single color scheme. Of course, all the gaps are just perfect. Stylish quartz clocks located almost in the middle of the front panel, regardless of the time of day, shine with a pleasant bluish light. And the panel as a whole looks solid and expensive. Devices are well read, as well as the liquid crystal screen of the navigation system and the music center, protected from sunlight with an elegant visor. By the way, the sound of the audio system deserves the highest praise. Of course, excellent sound insulation also contributes to this. Even if the machine is equipped with a diesel engine, which is very heard from the outside, quietly and serene in the cabin. And at high speeds too.
 
Probably, the creators of Vel Satis, in fact, have reason to argue that their creation is 50% quieter than any competitor. Suppose I personally would not make such a categorical statement, so I will leave it on the conscience of the Renault engineers and designers. Senseless, but effective climate control.
 
However, the same cute mess takes place inside. Here, for example, is a cruise control system. You can adjust the speed using special buttons on the steering wheel, but you have to activate the system itself using a switch on the armrest. And you still have to reach him. And this, representatives of the company say, is done again intentionally: they say, the front passenger should have access to the button. Why did it happen? Can not understand. But I assume that the activator of the cruise control in this case was also perceived as an element of design, which gives a certain delight. French, what else to say ...
 
Nevertheless, I can’t resist and I will say a few words about the appearance of Vel Satis. It is just as similar to ordinary cars as Hummer to the Formula 1 Bolid. Of course, Renault has always strove for originality, and, as a rule, won. I remember that at the end of the nineties the company tried to create another flagship - Safrane, withstanding the design in a style of this class, which is very close to the German wave.
 
The result, as the authors themselves recognized, was bad: the demand was lower than the expected. This time everything is done in the family, proprietary style, and the courage of the search is obvious. The exterior, as a result, is able to evoke conflicting feelings, but absolutely accurately what attracts attention. Even accustomed to many Parisians.
 
The car body cannot be classified. Sedan? But too short trunk, and the height is related to the car with the family of minivans. However, you can’t take the novelty in any way, since in many respects it is precisely the representative car. So this is only Vel Satis, which does not fit into any traditional framework and has no analogues yet. That, probably, there was a calculation: to offer a product to which competitors should still ripen.
 
The unusual design, meanwhile, requires addiction. It is not about proportions, but about their features when used. Yes, it is easy to sit in the car to any basketball player. But the hood cannot be seen, even if the head is under the ceiling. That is, dimensions should be learned to feel, especially in cities with tense movement. However, you quickly get used to it. At first, I was also upset by the side mirrors - a beautiful shape, but too modest in size. It turned out that the glasses in them are curved in such a way that they provide almost a panoramic review, a little, however, distorting the ideas about the distances. Also a matter of habit. But you need to get used to the car on the go.
 
In Paris and suburbs
 
On the first day, all the test drive participants were offered only a diesel version with an automatic gearbox. First of all, each of us received a plastic card the size of a little more than a regular credit card. This is both a key and a control panel (the car recognizes the owner according to it and helpfully unlocks the doors), and the immobilizer. It needs to be inserted into a special slot at the bottom of the central console. The engine is launched using a button located already in the usual place next to the steering column. The engine stops in the reverse order.
 
Well, of course, it was impossible not to experience protection from the fool. At first, at a decent speed, I tried to drown out the motor, clicking on this very button - nothing came of it, my actions were simply ignored. Then I decided to try to pull out the card out of the slot - to no avail, of course: the card is equipped with a special hole, which, I think, includes a blocking pin when starting the engine. I stopped further attempts to outwit the designers: everything acts reliably.
 
Meanwhile, my manipulations were captured by colleagues with TV. At the same time, the operator, a person weighing more than a centner and two meters tall, was located on the back sofa, freely handing the camera. And the front seats did not interfere with him. What level of comfort for passengers can be better?
 
Yes, I almost forgot to mention another interesting moment. When the engine is launched, the on -board computer tests all the car systems, checking the tire pressure. If everything is in order, on the scoreboard between the tachometer and the speedometer an inscription of OK will appear.

 
And now we are already making our way through the narrow streets, which makes us instantly get used to the large dimensions of the car, to the highway. Thanks to a powerful electric amplifier, it is easy to twist the steering wheel, but in steep turns the steering wheel is poured in time with a pleasant weight. But -only in the steep. We drive along a wide highway, the speed is not felt at all, and on the speedometer 120 km/h. Ahead - a gentle turn - will we experience the capabilities of the car? I smoothly turn the steering wheel, noting not very pronounced feedback. Somewhere in the middle of the arc of the bagel, it suddenly is sharply heavy. It would be nice if before, at the very beginning of the turn. But, obviously, it is impossible to demand a human assessment of the situation and fulfill all desires from the computer. And the ESP stabilization system, which is part of a standard package, will help to cope with the dangerous situation, if any.
 
But the turn is passed as in clockwork, the body roll, we can say, within the norm for a car of this class. This is an eternal compromise - comfort and controllability. And I would put the five to the engineers: the car holds the road well, the fossaes do not disturb, and even doesn’t shake on the paving stones, and you don’t fall out of the chair.
 
Frankly, I did not expect a special agility from a large car with a diesel engine, and even with a 5-speed automatic transmission. And he was pleasantly surprised: up to 100 km/h the car accelerates in 10.5 seconds. At the same time, the machine does not suffer from thoughtfulness and quickly adjusts to the driving style: it is worth a couple of times to press the gas pedal a couple of times, as it starts to keep the momentum and will not go too quickly to the next step. Moreover, it is configured in such a way that it allows you to brake the engine. Plus, the driver has the opportunity to independently change the gears, for which it is necessary to shift the lever to the left and move it up and down.
 
Perhaps there is no need to talk in detail about the brake system: it is clear that it fully meets the level of the car. ABS, the system of distribution of brake efforts and Brake Assist, which provides an effective slowdown, even if the driver sharply, but did not press the pedal strongly enough. And this is already a matter of security. As soon as we are talking about him, we note that Vel Satis is equipped with eight pillows that can protect not only the driver and the one in front, but also the rear passengers. This gives Renault the opportunity to get 5 stars on crash tests and thereby repeat the success of the new Laguna.
 
Having sat down for several hours through the suburbs of Paris, we enter the city and immediately fall into the cork near the triumphal arch. How do they go here?! Eight roads converge in one circle, not a single traffic light! Only the goodwill and culture of drivers save. In addition, we are on Vel Satis, and we are politely inferior to the road ...
 
I regarded the second day as a personal gift, getting a car with the most powerful power units in the range of power units with a volume of 3.5 liters. He gives Vel Satis the athlete’s temperament: 8.3 seconds to hundreds, his back is pressed to the chair - and you no longer notice the cloudy sky. This version did not bring any other surprises compared to diesel. Unless the route was passed ahead of time, which allowed the cup of excellent coffee to discuss the market prospects of the new model with Iv Dyubre, the vice president of Renault.
 
We want 3%
 
“First of all, the total amount of our costs for creating Vel Satis is relatively small - 548.7 million euros,” says Mr. Dubre. - Moreover, the money was aimed not only at the development of the car and the conduct of appropriate marketing research, but also to the re -equipment of production. If we talk about the retail value of the machine, then it is not yet determined. The fact is that the price of Vel Satis will be differentiated and imposed dependent on the situation in a particular specific market. For example, in France, where our sales are very good, the model in the richest configuration and with a powerful engine will cost about 45 thousand euros. Prices in other countries will be determined taking into account the market conditions.
 
- What level of sales do you count on?
 
-Vel satis belongs to the market segment E, which contains cars such as Mercedes-Benz E-class, BMW 5th series, Toyota Camry, Audi A6 and Peugeot 607. When creating this car and during marketing research, our specialists came To the conclusion that if we want to be successful with the new model, then it should fundamentally differ from competitors. That is why Vel satis is so unusual, but completely reflects our idea of \u200b\u200bthe future products of Renault. We expect that its owner will become, first of all, who wants to stand out from among the owners of ordinary business class machines, present on the roads in many. Plus, these are people who appreciate comfort, who have always been famous for the company's cars. This gives us the opportunity to count on approximately 3% of the market segment in 2002. That is, we must sell about three hundred thousand cars.
 
- And this - against the backdrop of a threatening decline in the markets of Europe?
 
- If you mean numerous forecasts for a sharp decrease in demand, then, in my opinion, they are too pessimistic. Even unjustifiably pessimistic. I think that the decline will be small and will be three or four percent. Do not forget that the market is still very voluminous, and the demand for representative cars is quite large. Of course, provided that this year nothing extraordinary will happen this year. In general, we boldly rely on Vel Satis and, of course, count on success.
 
Andrey Osipov
 

Source: Newspaper "Automobile Izvestia" [No. 2 (5), 2002]